The Massacre at Glen Coe |
In August, 1691, King William III offered a pardon to all the Highland clans who
had risen against him in earlier years but only if they took an oath of allegiance
before 1 January, 1692. Alastair MacIan, 12th Chief of Glen Coe, despite the
four months notice, left it to the last minute to take the oath. But he compounded
this by mistakenly going to the wrong place to take the oath and after
a dreadful journey through the snow, too late to take the oath by the deadline.
The government had been waiting for just such an the opportunity to "make
an example" of anyone who stepped out of line. The fact that it was this section
of the clan Donald, was considered a bonus. Over the years in the "Wild West"
atmosphere of the Highlands, they had done more than their fair share of raiding
and thieving. On 1 February 1692, two companies of red-coated government soldiers were sent to Glen Coe. The commander of the government forces sent to Glen Coe was Captain Robert Campbell. He was 60 years old and through drink, bad decisions and loss of property arising from the Atholl Raid seven years earlier, had been forced to take up a commission in the army. He was, however, welcomed to the glen and he and his soldiers were sheltered and fed amongst the various cottages in the area. He was well-known to the MacIans and was related through marriage. But, as planned, at 5 a.m. on the morning of 13 February, he and his redcoats set about carrying out their orders. Whether due to incompetence or some of the soldiers not being enthusiastic for the task, "only" 38 men, women and children out of the 200 of the clan were killed (though others perished later on the snow-swept hills as they tried to escape). Some were shot in the back and the rings from the hand of chief's wife were hacked off - she died soon after. While the chief was also amongst the dead, his two sons escaped, possibly helped by the late arrival, due to a blizzard, of an additional force of redcoats, which should have blocked the entrance to the glen. This history of the Massacre at Glen Coe is used by permission of RampantScotland.com The words and music to " Massacre at Glen Coe" were written in 1963 by Jim McLean & Published by Duart Music London UK. The song is used here and on the recording with his permission. |