Battle of Clachnaharry
Who Fought
Munro force of approximately 300 men under John Munro, Tutor of Foulis,
a Mackintosh (Clan Chattan) force of unrecorded size
History & Significance
The Battle of Clachnaharry was a Scottish clan battle that took place in the year 1454. It was fought between the Clan Munro and the Clan Mackintosh (Chattan Confederation) on the south bank of the Beauly Firth at Clachnaharry, on the outskirts of Inverness.
The Clan Munro were returning home after a cattle raid in Perthshire. On their return, an amount of "road collop" or passage money was demanded by the Clan Mackintosh, as was the custom in the Scottish Highlands. There was a dispute over the amount and a battle took place.
The earliest account was written by Sir Robert Gordon (1580–1656) in 1630. Gordon's account states that the Mackintosh chief was killed. The Mackintosh's own account, which was written later in 1679 states that the chief of Mackintoshes was not present and was not killed at Clachnaharry, and only that the chief's grandson was present. Most later accounts appear to have been based on Gordon's original account.
Sir Robert Gordon's account states that John Munro Tutor of Foulis was travelling home from the south of Scotland towards Ross. He fell at variance with some of the inhabitants of Strathdale between Saint Johnstone and Atholl who abused him. When Munro returned home he gathered all of his followers. He then singled out three hundred and fifty of the best and ablest men and went back to Strathardle to which he laid waste, spoiled, killed some of the people and carried away their cattle. On his return home he passed by the Isle of Moy and Mackintosh (chief of Clan Chattan) sent to him craving some of the spoils as was the custom. Gordon states that John Munro offered a reasonable portion, which Mackintosh through evil counsel refused to accept and would have no less than half of the whole booty. John Munro would not hearken or yield and continued on his journey home. Mackintosh then gathered all of his forces and followed John Munro who he overtook at Clachnaharry, beside Inverness, hard by the ferry of Kessock. Gordon states that Munro perceiving Mackintosh sent fifty of his men home to Ferindonald with the spoil and encouraged the rest to fight. There ensued a cruel conflict where Mackintosh was killed along with most of his company. Divers of the Munros were also killed and John Munro was left for dead on the field. Munro was taken by Lord Lovat to his house where he was cured of his wounds and was from then on known as John Baclamhach because his hand was mutilated. From this John Munro the Munro of Milntown family are descended".
James Fraser wrote the Wardlaw manuscrit in about 1674. Fraser states that in 1378 John Monroe was traveling home from Edinburgh and while resting in a meadow in Strathardle, the owners of the meadow cut off the tails of his horses. John Munro having returned home to Ross mustered the Monores and singled out 350 of the most resolute men. Monroe returned to Strathardle and carried away their strongest cattle such as horse, oxen and cows, and killed some of the men who resisted them. Monroe then returned home. However, while passing the Isle of Moy, Mackintosh, chief of Clan Chattan challenged Monroe for some of the cattle, as was the passing custom. The Wardlaw Manuscript implies that the Monroe Laird of Foulis was present and that he advised that a share of the booty should be given to Mackintosh. However, the cattle which Monroe of Milntown offered Mackintosh was not enough and Mackintosh would accept no less than half. Monroe continued on his journey and sent 50 of his men with the cattle into Fraser, Lord Lovat's country. Then Monroe with his 300 remaining men pitches on a litel levell near Clachniharry, taking advantage of the ground convenient for fighting. There ensued a most bloody battle between the Monroes and Mackintoshes, where in the first engagement the Laird of Mackintosh fell and his brother and second son were slain with him, with the prime part of his host and were defeated. Diverse of the Monroes were also killed but carried the day. It was computed that the Mackintoshes lost 200 men and the rest fled. John Monro was wounded and left among the dead but was found the next day by a woman and taken to Lovat where he was cared for. He was afterwards known as John Bach-klawach because one of his arms was mutilated. According to Fraser's Wardlaw Manuscript after the battle of Clachnaharry, John Munro who was wounded was cared for by the Frasers of Lovat, and that laid the foundation of kindness between the Frasers and Munros to this very day.
The ground they fought on
The site of Battle of Clachnaharry lies on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.
According to Sir Robert Gordon's account of 1630, after the Mackintosh force overtook the Munros at Clachnaharry beside Inverness, John Munro swiftly sent fifty of his men home to Ferindonald with the spoil and then encouraged the remainder to stand and fight; there ensued what Gordon describes as a "cruel conflict" in which the Mackintosh chief was killed along with most of his company, while John Munro himself was left for dead on the field, only to be rescued by Lord Lovat and cured of his wounds, thereafter bearing the name John Baclamhach on account of his mutilated hand.
- Mackintosh chief or his grandson's force lost approximately 200 men according to the Wardlaw Manuscript, including the Laird of Mackintosh, his brother and second son; the Munros also suffered losses and John Munro was severely wounded
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- Battle of Clachnaharry · Wikipedia
- Clachnaharry · Wikipedia