Iain Lom and the Battle of Inverlochy (1645)

The second battle of Inverlochy was fought in 1645 and Iain Lom MacDonald, the Bard of Keppoch, who was present at one of the greatest victories of Clan Donald but who is not thought to have actually fought, composed a stirring if rather withering song about the drubbing of the Campbells. There was no love lost between Iain Lom and the Campbells as his song demonstrates absolutely  that no punches were being pulled. The song describes in graphic detail the heroic counter-march made by the Royalist clansmen from Fort August (then Cille Chuimein) to Lochaber and of the slaughter that took place on the battle-field cited as An Goirtean Odhar and now occupied by the British Aluminium Factory. The battle was fought on Candlemas known also as St Bride’s day or Latha Fhèill Brìghde, the second day of February, marking the midpoint of winter. The following historical narrative was taken down from John MacDonald of Highbridge by Calum Maclean on the 20th of January 1951: 

 

Bha baiteal eile aig Ionbhar Lòchaidh ann a’ 1645 agas ’s e Montrós a bha sin agas na Caimbeulaich. Bha iad a’ cur an àite ’na theine, na Caimbeulaich. Agas có chaidh as deadhaidh Montrós agas a fhuair greim air teann air Cille Chuimein ach Iain Lom. Is dh’innis e dhà mar a bha an dùthaich a’ dol ’na lasair thein e, mar a tilleadh e. Ghabh e a chomhairle. Dar a bha iad a’ tighinn a nuas ro’ Ghleann Ruaidh, an àite ris an abair iad Achach a’ Mhadaidh, bha craobh mhór ann a’ sin agas thuir^st e ris:

“Mura fhaic(hc) mise a' smùid ann a seo is ma tha ’gam thoir^st iomarla (imorall) théid do chrochadh ris a' chraobh.”

“Faoda’ tu sin a dhèanamh,” thuir^st Iain Lom.

Agas dar a thàinig iad a dh’ ionnsaigh a’ chraobh a bha seo, chunnaic iad a’ smùid.

“Mo chreach, tha an call dèante,” thuir^st Montrós. Is dh’fhal^abh iad glé chabhagach is chaidh iad thairis air a’ bheul-àtha aig Linge nan Nigheannan aig Bun Ruaidh. An t-ainⁱm a fhuair Linge nan Nigheannan:  chaidh triùir de na nigheannan aig Mac Raghnaill na Ceapaich a bhàthadh air a linge sin is iad ’ga faraiceadh (hic) fhéi’ air Dia-Dòmhnaich. ’S ann mar sin a tha Linge nan Nigheannan oirre. Agas ghabh iad taobh thall a’ mhonaidh. Agas thàinig iad a sin ri Gleann Nibheis. Agas bha de na Caimbeulaich a sin ’na fritheidean. Ach fhuair iad an glac(hc)adh agas bha iad a’ dol ’gan toir^st leotha. Agas dh’iarr iad orra a leigeil às, nach rachadh iad chun a’ bhaiteil. Chum iad dhachaigh. Chaidh iad a sìos ri Baile Chaolais. Dh’fhuirich iad ann an taigh seann-chailleach a sin is bha i dall. Is bha iad ’na suidhe taobh an teine is chuir i a làmh a-nunn. Agas có air a rug i ach air an fhéileadh. Thuir^st i:

“Cha b’ ann aig an taigh a chaidh seo fhighe,” thuir^st i. “Tha sin ’s an ar^am.”

“Tha,” thuir^st iad.

“Dé bhur turas na dé an rathad a tha sibh a’ dol?”

“Tha sinn a’ dol seachad air a leithid seo a dh’ àite shìos. Nach fhaigh sinn thairis air an abhainn?”

“Gheibh," thuir^st i.

Bha dà bhalach ’nan laighe ’s a’ leabaidh is iad ag éisdeachd ris a’ naidheachd.  Dé rinn iad ach fal^abh tràth ’s a’ mhadainn agas bha iad air thoiseach orra agas gràinne eile de ghillean leotha. Is bha iad a’ dol a mhar^aadh nan saighdeireran, leis bha goimh mhór ac(hc)a dha na saighdeirean an uair ad a miosg nan Dòmhnallach. Agas dé bh’ ann ach na saighdeirean tha iad a suas ri obair cogadh agas claidheamh. Thug iad an ceann do na gràinne bhalaich a bha siod mar gun toire tu na buarlan a bhitheadh a mach air an raon. Is dh’fhàg iad ’nan sìneadh a siod iad.

Agas an uair seo choisinn Iarla Mhontrós am blàr agas chaidh na Caimbeulaich
a ruagadh. Is cha mhór a fhuair air fal^abh dhiubh. Dh’fhal^abh Iarla Mhontrós as a sin agas chaidh e a nunn do dh’Orkney. Thill e às a’ sin is chaidh e ’un Loch Maree gu tuath. Is bha MacLeòid ann a’ sin is brath e e air son gràinne mine, MacLeòid a mhuinntir Leódhus. Chaidh a thoir^st a Dhùn Èideann agas an ceann a thoir^st dheth ann an 1650. Agas bha an ceann aige air son sia seachdainn air stob air an t-Sràid Àrd an Dùn Èideann.
 

And the translation goes something like this: 
 

There was another battle at Inverlochy in 1645, and that was between Montrose and the Campbells. The Campbells had set the place on fire. And who went after Montrose and found him near Fort Augustus but Iain Lom MacDonald. He told him that if he didn’t return the place was going to be scorched. He took his counsel. When they were coming down Glenroy, at a place called Achach a’ Mhadaidh [The Wolf Field], there was a large tree and he said to him:

“If I don’t see smoke rising from here and that you have misled me then you’ll be hung from that tree.”

“You may do that,” said Iain Lom.

And when they reached this tree, they saw the smoke rising.

“Alas and alack, we are done for,” said Montrose. They set out in a great hurry and they went over the ford at Linge nan Nigheannan [The Lassies Pool] at Bunroy. The name of Linge nan Nigheannan was given to this place for three of MacDonald of Keppoch’s daughters were drowned in that pool when they were washing themselves there one Sunday. That’s why it’s called that. And they went over the hills and they came out at Glen Nevis. There were a few Campbell watchmen and they were captured and they were going to take them with them. They asked to be released and promised not to go to the battle. They then returned home. They went down to Ballachuilish and they stayed in a blind old woman’s house there. She was sitting by the fire and she stretched her hand over and what did she touch but a kilt. She said:

“This was not made at home,” she said. “That’s army issue.”

“Indeed, yes,” they said.

“Where are you going and what path will you take?”

“We’re going by such and such place down by there. Will we not get a ferry over the river?”

“Yes, you will,” she said.

Two lads were lying in bed and had been listening to the conversation. What did they do but the set out early in the morning before the others [the Campbells] and there were a group of other lads with them. They were going to kill these soldiers as there was a great hatred of them amongst the MacDonalds. These soldiers had been up to no good fighting with their swords. They beheaded all these lads just as you would take the cattle out of field and left them for dead there.

And the Earl of Montrose won the battle and the Campbells were completely routed. Not many of them were left alive. The Earl of Montrose left the locality and he went over to Orkney. He returned from there and he then went north to Loch Maree. MacLeod was there and he betrayed him for a load of grain; he was a MacLeod of Lewis. He [Montrose] was taken to Edinburgh and he was beheaded there in 1650. His head was displayed on a stake for six weeks on the High Street in Edinburgh.
 

References:

Calum I. Maclean, The Highlands (Inbhir Nis: Club Leabhar, 1975)
SSS NB 1, pp. 71–73

Image:
Inverlochy Castle by Horatio McCulloch (1857).