The Siege of Fort Augustus II, 1746

The Jacobite rising of 1745 was a significant event in Scottish history, as the Jacobites sought to restore the Stuart monarchy to the throne of Great Britain. One of the key moments in this conflict was the siege of Fort Augustus, which took place from February 22nd to March 1st, 1746.

Fort Augustus was one of a line of forts built along the Caledonian Canal after the Jacobite rising of 1715. The fort, along with Fort George and Fort William, were considered to be the most important of these forts and their garrisons were reinforced when the 1745 rising began. However, the defenses of these forts had been neglected and were in poor condition.

After the Jacobites retreated from Stirling Castle in February 1746, a serious effort was made to capture Fort Augustus. Despite being well-supplied, the fort’s governor, Major Grant, a close relative of the Jacobite Lord Lovat, surrendered without a fight. The garrison at Fort William had been raiding the surrounding countryside, which belonged to Lochiel and MacDonald of Keppoch. To protect their lands, they demanded that the forts be taken.

On February 21st, a contingent of Irish regulars in the French Army under Colonel Walter Stapleton and 1,500 Cameron and MacDonald clansmen arrived outside Fort Augustus. The fort was located at the southwest end of Loch Ness, at a key junction of the military roads constructed after 1715. The fort was not well-defended, and the garrison quickly capitulated without any casualties. The Jacobites then moved on to Fort William, but the siege was eventually abandoned in April.

The siege of Fort Augustus was a significant moment in the Jacobite rising of 1745. It demonstrated the weakness of the government’s defenses in the Scottish Highlands and set the stage for the final confrontation at the Battle of Culloden. The events of the Jacobite rising continue to be studied and remembered to this day, as they played a crucial role in shaping the history of Scotland and the United Kingdom.