The Battle of Clachnaharry, 1454

The Battle of Clachnaharry was a Scottish clan battle that took place in 1454 between the Clan Munro and the Clan Mackintosh (Chattan Confederation). The conflict arose after the Munro clan conducted a cattle raid in Perthshire and returned home, at which point the Mackintoshes demanded payment of “road collop” or passage money. There was a disagreement over the amount and the two clans fought a battle at Clachnaharry, on the south bank of the Beauly Firth near Inverness. The earliest written account of the battle was recorded in the 17th century by Sir Robert Gordon, who stated that the Mackintosh chief was killed in the conflict. However, the Mackintosh’s own account, written in 1679, stated that the chief was not present at the battle and was not killed, but that his grandson was present.

There are several other accounts of the battle that were recorded in the 17th and 19th centuries. The Wardlaw Manuscript, written in about 1674 by James Fraser, describes the events leading up to the battle, including the Munro clan’s cattle raid and the demand for payment by the Mackintoshes. Fraser’s account suggests that the Munro Laird of Foulis was present at the battle and that he advised that a share of the booty should be given to the Mackintoshes. However, the offer made by the Munro of Milntown was not enough for the Mackintoshes, who demanded half of the cattle. The Munro clan refused and continued on their journey home, sending 50 of their men with the cattle into Fraser, Lord Lovat’s country. The Munro clan then set up camp at Clachnaharry and prepared to fight the Mackintoshes when they arrived.

John Anderson’s account, published in 1825, describes the battle as being “fierce and bloody,” with the Mackintoshes being “completely defeated” and their chief being killed. William Anderson’s account, published in 1863, also states that the Mackintosh chief was killed in the battle. However, the Mackintosh-Shaw account, published in 1880, contradicts these accounts and states that the Mackintosh chief was not present at the battle and was not killed, but that his grandson was present. The Shaw account, published in 1882, also supports this version of events.

The Battle of Clachnaharry is remembered through a monument that was erected at the site of the battle. The monument, which was erected in the 19th century, serves as a reminder of the conflict and the clans involved. Despite the discrepancies in the accounts of the battle, it is clear that the Battle of Clachnaharry was a significant event in the history of the Scottish Highlands and continues to be remembered through the Clachnaharry Monument.