BattlefieldsBattle of Sheriffmuir
Jacobite Risings

Battle of Sheriffmuir

1715
Perthshire, Scotland
Era
Jacobite Risings
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
Perthshire, Scotland
Status
Registered · HES BTL17
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Jacobite forces under the Earl of Mar, who failed to press their numerical advantage
Forces
Jacobite forces: about 12,000 troops under the Earl of Mar
VS
Victor
Indecisive; both sides claimed victory, but government forces under the Duke of Argyll halted the Jacobite advance
Forces
British Army (Government): about 6,000 troops under the Duke of Argyll
Outcome
Inconclusive tactically, each side won one wing of the battle, but strategically the Jacobite advance southward was halted and Mar's failure to engage his full force demoralised Jacobite supporters
The Battle

History & Significance

The Battle of Sheriffmuir (Scottish Gaelic: Blàr Sliabh an t-Siorraim, [pl̪ˠaɾ ˈʃʎiəv əɲ ˈtʲʰirˠəm]) was an engagement in 1715 at the height of the Jacobite rising in Scotland. The battlefield has been included in the Inventory of Historic Battlefields in Scotland and protected by Historic Scotland under the Scottish Historical Environment Policy of 2009. Sheriffmuir is a remote elevated plateau of moorland lying between Stirling and Auchterarder on the north fringe of the Ochil Hills.

Confirmed battlefield location
Casualties & Losses

Government forces: 663 killed, wounded or captured; Jacobite forces: 200 to 800 killed, wounded or captured

Registered Historic Battlefield

This battlefield is listed on the Register of Historic Battlefields — a national designation identifying Britain's most significant battle sites for protection and further research. Reference: HES BTL17.

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