Today marks the 321st anniversary of the Massacre of Glencoe, in which 38 MacDonald of Glencoe clansmen were murdered on direct orders from the crown. The death warrant signed by King William III provided flames to fuel the Jacobite’s cause and subsequent rebellions, and contributed to generations of unease between the MacDonald and Campbell Clans.
A memorial stands at the site today, with the Scottish Socialist Republican Movement marching through the streets of the village of Glencoe to the memorial annually on the anniversary. This year, a copy of the proclamation instructing troops to massacre the MacDonalds (below) was set alight. In recent commemorations the group have filmed themselves burning a Union flag.
Following a series of Jacobite risings in 1689 (including the Battle of Killcrankie), newly crowned King William III sought to subdue rebellious Highlanders by offering them a pardon. An order was received that all clan chiefs must swear allegiance to the King by 1 January 1692 or be punished with the “utmost extremity of the law”. John Dalrymple, Master of Stair and Scottish Secretary of State, used the deadline to his own political advantage and set about hindering clans from signing their allegiance. He had a deep dislike for highlanders (particularly the MacDonalds of Glencoe) and felt their way of life was a step backwards for Scotland.
MacIain, chief of the MacDonalds, was still bound by oath to James Stuart, the deposed King in France. It was December 12 before James had released the clans from their oath and December 28 before a messenger arrived in the Highlands with the news. MacIain rushed to sign the oath but was delayed and detained by Campbell soldiers along the way. He eventually signed the oath late, but it was rejected by John Dalrymple in Edinburgh, providing a way for him to get rid of the MacDonalds once and for all.
A Campbell-dominated Argyll regiment arrived in Glencoe twelve days before the massacre, claiming the nearby fort was full. The MacDonalds, honouring the Highland hospitality code, duly gave the soldiers quarter in their own houses, with neither clan nor soldiers aware of what lay ahead. On the night of February 13, a blizzard howled through Glencoe, and the soldiers received orders that they were to kill all MacDonald clansmen. In the morning, 38 lay dead including the chief MacIain, with another 40 women and children dead as a result of exposure after their houses had been burned.
Many were able to escape the massacre with some historians claiming that some Campbell men, disgusted at their orders, alerted the families who had been their hosts, giving them time to wrap up for the terrible wintery conditions outside. News of the massacre provoked outrage around Scotland resulting in an inquiry conducted by the Scottish Parliament. Even though the orders had been signed by the King himself, the inquiry sought to exonerate the King and place the blame on John Dalrymple, who had resigned from his post. The whole matter was forgotten in a matter of months, even though it was suggested that the government should pay compensation to the surviving members of the MacDonald Clan.
Anyone inerested should read John Buchan’s book, the Massacre at Glencoe. It is excellent. If you havenot had the opportunity to read and of Buchan’s work, please do so. They take place in Scotland. Read “Midwinter” and “Witch Wood”, two of his best novels. And of course the four novels with Richard Hanny as the main charater. Hitcook made of film of 39 Steps…the first of the four Hanny novels.
I am sure that you too will find Buchan excellent reaading.
Julian Macdonal
Westlake Village, California
If you think the MacDonalds welcomed the government troops you are wrong. There was no highland hospitality and that by the way, contrary to popular belief, barely existed in the highlands. The MacDonalds of Glencoe were forced to billet the troops. The MacDonalds barely slept a wink while the troops were there and rightly so because only two years earlier a lot of MacDonalds took part in the sacking of Inverary slaughtering 800 Campbell, men women and children. Very little is said about that.
Out of approximately 200 to 300 MacDonalds in the glen only 38 were killed and not by a “Campbell-dominated Argyle regiment” but more accurately by a government regiment commanded by a John Campbell with perhaps two or three troops in his company also having that last name. Many government soldiers risked severe court martial for not obeying their orders by turning a blind eye. They could have been hanged.
Yes, the so called “Glencoe massacre” was an evil, despicable act ordered by a government but it was nothing compared to the atrocities done by clan fighting clan. It got much more attention than it should because a despised “British” government ordered it and a lot of highlanders were jealous of the mighty Clan Campbell who won more battles with the pen than by the sword.
Hello! I just recently discovered that my Grandmother on my Fathers side was a Campbell, and I would love to learn about my heritage but I don’t really know where to go for the real facts and history of the Clan. I was wondering if you know of any books or websites I should check out? It’s fine if you don’t, just thought I would ask. Thank you 😊
Yes, The Earl fo Stair was a traitor to Scotland and our hospitality , you never turn on your hosts. He should have faced a court and found guilty of the massacre and gaoled for life in the tollbooth in Edinburgh. I have MacDonald cousins and they feel the same way.