The Battle of Littleferry, 1746

The Battle of Littleferry, also known as the Skirmish at Golspie, took place during the Jacobite rising in 1746, just before the Battle of Culloden. The battle was fought between Scottish forces loyal to the British-Hanoverian Government and a Scottish Jacobite force led by George Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of Cromartie.

The background of the battle is rooted in the Skirmish of Tongue, where a significant amount of money and supplies were captured by forces under Captain Hugh Mackay. In an effort to recover these supplies, the Jacobites sent a force north under the command of the Earl of Cromartie. However, this force arrived too late to be of any assistance to their allies.

The Earl of Sutherland, who was loyal to the British-Hanoverian government, had not raised and armed his clan quickly enough to take action against the Jacobites. This led to suspicion in London that he may be disloyal. The Jacobites also questioned his loyalty, leading to the Earl of Cromartie and his force of about 300-500 men being sent against him.

The battle took place as the Earl of Cromartie and his men were making their way south to rejoin the main Jacobite force under Prince Charles at Inverness. They were ambushed by a small government force led by Ensign John Mackay of the Sutherland militia. The government force, which was made up of two independent Highland companies and three local militia companies, was able to capture most of the Jacobite officers and drive the rest onto the beach, where several were drowned trying to swim Loch Fleet.

According to historian Patrick Marriott, writing in 2022, the Jacobites lost about 100 dead in the battle, while the government force lost up to ten dead and about twenty wounded. The battle was a significant victory for the government forces and denied the Prince much needed reinforcements.

In the end, the Battle of Littleferry was a small but important engagement in the Jacobite rising of 1746. It was a crucial victory for the government forces and demonstrated the bravery and skill of Ensign John Mackay and his men. It also highlighted the role of the local militia companies in the defense of the British-Hanoverian government and their contribution to the eventual defeat of the Jacobite forces at the Battle of Culloden.