The siege of Culloden House, 1745

On the night of October 15th, 1745, 200 men from the Jacobite Clan Fraser of Lovat attempted to capture Duncan Forbes, Lord Culloden, at his fortified home in Culloden, Scotland. The event is often overshadowed by the more famous Battle of Culloden that took place the following year, but the siege of Culloden House was a significant moment in the Jacobite rising of 1745.

Lord Lovat, the chief of the Clan Fraser of Lovat, had long been a hesitant supporter of the Jacobite cause. However, according to historian Christopher Duffy, he sent one of his leading clansmen, James Fraser of Foyers, to kidnap Lord Culloden, who was a prominent leader of the British-Hanoverian government in Scotland. However, other historians, such as Sarah Fraser, argue that Lovat did not want anything to do with the kidnapping and that the order was issued by the Jacobite leader Charles Edward Stuart himself.

Regardless of the true motivations behind the siege, the Jacobites were met with fierce resistance when they approached Culloden House. The home was well-fortified and had several pieces of cannon on its ramparts, and the Jacobites were met with gunfire as soon as they reached the property. The Jacobites suffered one man killed and another wounded, and were forced to retreat.

In the aftermath of the siege, Lord Lovat wrote a letter of apology to Lord Culloden for the “base barbarous, inhuman, and distracted attempt and behaviour” of his men. However, Lord Loudoun, who supported the British-Hanoverian government, suspected Lovat’s loyalty and ordered his capture. Lovat was captured and brought to Inverness as a prisoner, but he managed to escape on December 19th.

The siege of Culloden House was a significant event in the Jacobite rising of 1745, and it is a shame that it is often overshadowed by the more famous Battle of Culloden. The failed attempt to capture Lord Culloden at his fortified home was a clear indication of the Jacobites’ lack of support and resources, and it ultimately led to their defeat at the Battle of Culloden the following year. The events that took place at Culloden House serve as a reminder of the complex political and personal motives behind the Jacobite rising, and they deserve to be remembered and studied in their own right.