The forces met at the Pass of Killiecrankie near Blair Castle. The Jacobites held a strong position on a hilltop and waited for the sun to set behind the Government troops before they charged. The Highland charge smashed into the centre of the Government lines and General Mackay's troops faltered and fled. Within minutes the battle became a rout. The Jacobites won the battle, but at a terrible cost - a third of their number were killed including John Graham of Claverhouse 'Bonnie Dundee' who was fatally wounded during the Jacobite charge. Cameron of Lochiel fought barefoot alongside his men at Killiecrankie. He survived the battle and lived to be 89. Ultimately the first Jacobite rising, 'the Dundee Rising', was unsuccessful. John Graham of Claverhouse was dead, and the Jacobites scattered after defeat at the hands of the Government forces at the Battle of Dunkeld on 21 August 1689. Jacobite ViewpointGregor Leslie gives us a Jacobite viewpoint of the battle: Bonnie Dundee has made a valiant battle speech but nobody really cared, we all just jostled around to face the Redcoats below us. They can't possibly hide their fear, even when there are over 1500 more soldiers in their army. Chasing MacBean!
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Battle of Killiecrankie Bonnie Dundee General Mackay After Killiecrankie
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After Killiecrankie - The Death of Claverhouse by George Ogilvy Reid (1897) © Royal Scottish Academy of Art & Architecture Modern map MUSIC'The Braes of Killiecrankie', performed by the Pipes and Drums of the 1st Battalion of the Black Watch - The Ladies From Hell (CD) CDTRAX162 (September 1998), Greentrax Recordings. |