Today, we journey back to August 21, 1689, a day that saw the streets of Dunkeld, Scotland, transformed into a brutal battlefield during the Jacobite rising of 1689. This was a crucial moment in the struggle between those loyal to the deposed King James VII and the forces supporting William of Orange. It was a day marked by intense conflict, bravery, and a significant turning point in Scotland's history—the Battle of Dunkeld.The Battle of Dunkeld was part of what is often called Dundee's R...
Today, we journey back to August 21, 1689, a day that saw the streets of Dunkeld, Scotland, transformed into a brutal battlefield during the Jacobite rising of 1689. This was a crucial moment in the struggle between those loyal to the deposed King James VII and the forces supporting William of Orange. It was a day marked by intense conflict, bravery, and a significant turning point in Scotland's history—the Battle of Dunkeld.
The Battle of Dunkeld was part of what is often called Dundee's Rising, named after the prominent Jacobite leader, John Graham of Claverhouse, Viscount Dundee. This rising was a response to the so-called "Glorious Revolution" of 1688, where James VII of Scotland (and II of England) was overthrown in favor of his Protestant daughter Mary and her husband, William of Orange. The Jacobites, largely composed of Highland clans and loyal supporters of James, sought to restore the deposed king to the throne.
Just a few weeks before the Battle of Dunkeld, the Jacobites had won a significant victory at the Battle of Killiecrankie, but their triumph was short-lived. The death of Viscount Dundee during that battle left the Jacobite forces without their most charismatic leader. Command fell to Colonel Alexander Cannon, a less experienced leader, whose appointment caused dissension among the Highland chiefs, notably leading to the departure of the formidable Sir Ewen Cameron of Lochiel and some of his men.
Amid this tumult, the newly formed Cameronian Regiment, a staunchly Covenanter force, was ordered to hold the town of Dunkeld against the advancing Jacobite forces. The Cameronians, named after the martyred Covenanter leader Richard Cameron, were a regiment raised largely from the tenantry of the Marquess of Douglas and were known for their fierce religious and political convictions. Their commander, Lieutenant Colonel William Cleland, a veteran of the Covenanter cause, was tasked with defending Dunkeld at all costs.
Dunkeld, however, was not an easily defensible town. Lacking any protective walls, Cleland's troops were forced to improvise. They took up defensive positions in Dunkeld Cathedral, a building surrounded by an enclosing wall, and in the nearby mansion of the Marquess of Atholl. The Jacobites, numbering around 3,000 to 5,000, vastly outnumbered the Cameronians, who had only about 1,200 men. The stage was set for a brutal and desperate fight.
The battle commenced early on the morning of August 21, as the Jacobites stormed the town from all sides. Despite their initial success in pushing back the Cameronians from their outlying positions, the narrow, winding streets of Dunkeld hindered the Highlanders' ability to execute their feared Highland charge effectively. The Cameronians, meanwhile, fought with the ferocity of men defending their very way of life. Tragically, Lieutenant Colonel Cleland was killed in the first hour of the battle, struck by two musket balls. Despite his mortal wounds, he dragged himself out of sight to prevent his men from losing heart at the sight of their fallen leader.
With Cleland dead, command passed to Captain George Munro of Auchinbowie. Under Munro's leadership, the Cameronians continued their stubborn defense. For sixteen grueling hours, the battle raged on. The streets of Dunkeld were filled with the sound of musket fire, the clash of steel, and the cries of the wounded. In some cases, Highlanders who had taken refuge in houses were trapped and burned alive as the Cameronians fought back with relentless determination.
As the day wore on, both sides began to run low on ammunition. In a resourceful move, the Cameronians stripped lead from the roof of Atholl House to make bullets, allowing them to continue the fight. By 11 PM, the Jacobites, exhausted and depleted of both energy and ammunition, decided to withdraw, leaving behind around 300 of their dead and wounded. The Cameronians, though battered and bloodied, had successfully defended Dunkeld and claimed a vital victory for the Williamite cause.
The Battle of Dunkeld was more than just a clash of arms; it was a symbolic victory for the Williamites. The Jacobites' defeat here, coupled with their loss of leadership and morale, marked a significant turning point in the rising of 1689. The Cameronians, who had stood firm in the face of overwhelming odds, would go on to become the 26th (The Cameronian) Regiment of Foot and later the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), a regiment with a proud history in the British Army.
Today, if you visit Dunkeld Cathedral, you can still see the scars of that battle—musket ball holes in the east gable serve as a reminder of the fierce fight that took place there over three centuries ago. The battlefield itself was recognized as a site of historical importance and was added to the Inventory of Historic Battlefields in Scotland in 2012.
As we reflect on the events of August 21, 1689, we remember the bravery and sacrifice of those who fought and died at Dunkeld. It was a day that helped shape the future of Scotland and left a lasting legacy in the annals of Scottish history.
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