The Battle of Coille Bhan, 1721

The Battle of Coille Bhan, fought in 1721 near Attadale in the Scottish Highlands, was a significant event in the aftermath of the Jacobite rising of 1719. This battle saw a British government force engage in battle against the Highlanders of the Clan Mackenzie, led by Colonel Donald Murchison.

The Battle of Coille Bhan followed on from the Battle of Glen Affric in 1721, in which government forces had failed to take the lands of Mackenzie of Seaforth. The taxes being collected by Mackenzie’s factor, Donald Murchison, were being sent to Mackenzie himself who was living in exile in France for his part in the Jacobite rising of 1715, rather than the taxes going to the British crown. As a result, it was decided that a second attempt should be made to seize the derivatives of Mackenzie of Seaforth.

This time, 160 soldiers of Colonel Kirk’s regiment left Inverness under the command of Captain McNeil, who had previously served in the Highland Watch regiment. Unlike their predecessors who had been ambushed in Glen Affric, McNeil took a longer but easier route, from Inverness to Dingwall, Strath-garve, and Loch Carron. Mackenzie’s force were led by Colonel Donald Murchison, who had been in command at the previous conflict in Glen Affric. Donald Murchison marched his main force to the top of Mam Attadale while a relative of his, Kenneth Murchison, went forward with 13 men, all armed with muskets to prepare for an ambush at Coille Bhan (White Wood).

The battle saw Captain McNeil and his government force attack and defeat a smaller group of Mackenzies led by Kenneth Murchison. However, McNeil and his men retreated when they heard of the larger group led by Donald Murchison waiting at Attadale. The battle had no significant impact on the situation, and no further attempts were made on Mackenzie of Seaforth’s lands.

The Battle of Coille Bhan is an important chapter in the history of Scotland and the Jacobite rising. It highlights the determination of the British government to assert its authority over the Scottish Highlands, as well as the resilience of the Mackenzie clan in defending their lands. The battle also serves as a reminder of the complex and often violent history of the Scottish Highlands, where clan rivalries and political tensions were the norm.