The Battle of Glenshiel

June 10, 1719

The year 1719 saw what was known as the "Little Rising."  A small force of Spanish soldiers (only around three hundred Spaniards reached Scotland) landed at Lochalsh to form the nucleus for a rising of the Highland clans.  The only battle of this Rising occurred between a government army led by General Wightman and Jacobites under the 10th Earl Marischal at Glenshiel.  The Jacobite cause was supported by France and occasionally Spain.  Cardinal Alberoni on behalf of Philip V of Spain sent five thousand men to aid the new Rising.

Less than a thousand men assembled to be led by John Cameron of Lochiel, XVIII Captain and Chief of Clan Cameron, along with Lord George Murray and the Earl of Seaforth.  A reported 150 Cameron men were among the assembled Jacobites.  Eilean Donan Castle became their supply base while they headed off for Inverness through the Great Glen.  The army's plan of action was to advance upon and capture Inverness. 

The Hanoverians were aware of their moves and attacked Eilean Donan Castle from the sea, destroying it with the cannon fire of three warships.  General Wightman came from Inverness and confronted the Jacobites at Glenshiel on the 10th of June.

The forces were well matched and the battle continued for hours with no clear victor.  When expected Jacobite support from the Lowlanders was minimal, spirits fell completely.  The Rising was abandoned and the Highlanders dispersed to their homes.  The Spaniards had to surrender to Wightman.  Lochiel, after skulking for a time in the Highlands, made his way back to exile in France.