Clan MacLachlan and the Jacobite Rebellion

The Jacobites

• 1645. A MacLachlan, having achieved the rank of Colonel under James Graham - the 5th Earl of Montrose who was more commonly known as the Marquess of Montrose, led a regiment of Highland foot soldiers in support of King Charles I to route the Covenantor's cavalry at the Battle of Alford in Aberdeenshire.

The Early Rebellions

• 1689
• The MacLachlans were loyal Jacobites and are said to have been with Bonnie Dundee at the Battle of Killiecrankie.

 

• 1715
• Lachlan MacLachlan of that Ilk, the 16th Chief, signed the address of Welcome to the Old Chevalier, the rightful King James VIII Stuart, on his landing in Scotland and served as a Colonel with the Earl of Mar. It is said that for this act, Campbell of Ardkinglas followed Lachlan MacLachlan for years before shooting him to death.

The '45 - The Last Rebellion

• 1745.
• With support from Kenneth MacLachlan of Keilaneuchanich (the Glasrie property near Dunadd), who was appointed Adjunct to the company, the MacLachlans were able to field a band of over 100 Highlanders when they joined Prince Charles at Holyrood in Edinburgh.
• A garrison of the Argyll Militia occupied Castle Lachlan during the '45 Rebellion. The Chief's family was forced to abandon their home and take refuge with the Stewarts of Appin.
• 1746
• Prince Charles dispatched MacLachlan of MacLachlan with a few horses to Perth to give them intelligence of his designs and to hasten their march to Carlisle.
• At the Battle of Culloden, Lachlan MacLachlan led a Jacobite Regiment that consisted of 115 MacLachlans (a reasonable turnout given that the MacLachlan lands were surrounded by Campbells) and 182 MacLeans of Mull (who chose to be under his command when their Chief failed to show up) into battle alongside Clan Mackintosh and Clan Chattan. It was this front line that, having survived the Hanoverian artillery barrage, launched a fierce offensive against the government lines. (The battle cry used by the Jacobites in their charge, Life or Death has since become Clan MacLachlan's war cry.)
• After managing to break through the Hanoverian defenses at the point protected by Barrell's Regiment, the Jacobites, finding themselves outnumbered, retreated toward their own lines. Few clansmen survived the battle. Lachlan MacLachlan himself was a casualty of this battle when he was struck and killed by a cannon ball. His body was later found behind Hanoverian lines.
• Another MacLachlan casualty of note was Lachlan MacLachlan of Inneschonnel, hereditary Captain of the Campbell's stronghold .
• The Reverend John MacLachlan of Kilchoan, a member of the MacLachlan of Kilbride cadet family, served as Chaplain General within the Prince's forces.

The Aftermath of the Rebellion

• Retributive measures imposed by the government after the defeat at Culloden caused the dead Chief's property to be confiscated for his part in the rebellion. Castle Lachlan was destroyed when the Argyll Militia vacated the structure.
• The lands were returned to the Robert MacLachlan of MacLachlan, the 18th Chief, on the 18th of November, 1749.
• Around 1790, many Highlanders were forced to leave their homelands when the Lairds of the various estates switched from tenant farming to raising sheep. Donald MacLachlan of MacLachlan, out of compassion for his tenants and Clansfolk, built the village of Ballure (or Newton) to enable his former tenants to become crofters and fishermen and stay in the land of their birth.

Ghostly Legends From The Rebellion Years

• The Brounie's Warning. One night during the summer of 1745 as the clouds of conflict were gathering, Lachlan MacLachlan of MacLachlan, the 17th Chief of Clan MacLachlan, sought an interview with the faithful and far seeing Master Harry, the clan's brounie. Since Master Harry had confined himself wholly to his cellar for some time, the Cheif descended into the cellar to seek his advice. On the Chief's approach, Master Harry burst into tears for he had been mourning the unavoidable downfall that would soon befall the clan that he had guarded and loved for unnumbered generations.

'What is the cause of your grief, Master Harry?' said the young Chief, 'have any of the servants been annoying you?'

'No, my Chief, none.' responded the brounie.

'Then what is the cause of your bitter lamentation?' inquired the Chief.

'Ochone! My Chief, ochone! There is a stranger arrived this day in the North, whose fortunes you will follow and never return!'

'What,' cried Lachlan, 'has the Prince indeed arrived? Then the crisis of my misfortunes has arrived also. I shall now either live in a way becoming the descendent of an ancient and honorable race, or else I shall die gloriously in the best of causes -- the restoration of my rightful King to the throne of his ancestors.'

Without delay, Lachlan MacLachlan sent forth the Feiry Cross to call together his clan. With all his retaines and vassals, the young Chief was among the first to join the Prince on his march to Edinburgh.

MacLachlan was one of the few Jacobite Lairds to actually fall at the fatal battle of Culloden. Thus was fulfilled the doleful prophecy of the brounie of Castle Lachlan.

• The Chief's Horse. Legend has it that on his way to join the Prince at Gladsmuir, Lachlan stopped to pray at the old chapel of Killevin with its Celtic Cross. On remounting his horse, the beast became restive and turned around thrice widdershins (counterclockwise), almost throwing Lachlan. Immediately, Lachlan knew he would never return to his native Argyll.

A second legend comes from the time when the surviving clansmen staggered back to Strathlachlan from Culloden. The dead chief's riderless horse broke away from the survivors and galloped toward home, swimming across Loch Fyne. As such, the horse was first to bring news of the catastrophe to the rest of the clan. The horse thereafter took up residence in the ruins of the castle. To this day, tales are told of hearing the whinney of a horse coming from the ruins.

• The Ghostly Lady of Strathlachlan. Chief's Wife Walks.

 

For more information on the Jacobite Rebellion, we recommend the following sources:

History and Legends of Clan MacLachlan, a self-published book, released in 1995, on the role the MacLachlans, Gilchrists and MacEwens played in the uprising. This book is currently out of print. Plans are underway to republish in the very near future.

This site is maintained by the Clan MacLachlan Association of North America, Inc.
This page was last updated on June 17, 2011.

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