Battle of Glen Fruin
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Glen Fruin was fought on February 7, 1603 between the Clan Gregor and its allies on one side, and the Clan Colquhoun
and its allies on the other. Glen Fruin
is located in the Loch Lomond
area, in the county of Dunbartonshire
, Scotland
.
To avenge the two slain clansmen, the chief of Clan Gregor, Alasdair MacGregor of Glenstrae, led 300 to 400 men under his command from the banks of Loch Long
, by way of the "Raid na Gael" (Scottish Gaelic), Highlandman's Pass, towards the Colquhoun lands of Luss
.
The Laird of Luss, gaining early notice of the MacGregors, gathered nearly twice the number of the invaders. Among them were Buchanans
, Grahams
, and men from the surrounding Lennox
district.
encouraged the MacGregors, saying he saw the shrouds of the dead wrapt around their opponents.
The main contingent of the MacGregor force attacked their enemies head on, while a force flanked the Colquhouns, led by a John MacGregor. The Colquhoun's advantage of having a large number of cavalry present turned into a disadvantage by boggy ground of the glen, and the MacGregors pressed on to rout the Colqhouns and their allies.
Tradition is that the MacGregors had only very light casualties, though among them was John dhu MacGregor, brother of the chief. The Colquhoun force lost between 200 to 300 men.
Though the event seems to have been entwined in lore of the surrounding area and also part of MacGregor lore. The location of the deed is marked by "Leck-a-Mhinisteir" (Scottish Gaelic), Minister or Clerk's Flag-stone.
According to MacGregor tradition, the man who committed the deed was Dugald Ciar Mhor, (Dugald the great, mouse coloured), a foster brother of the chief, who was renowned for his great size and strength. It was amidst the battle that the chief entrusted the youths to Dugald's protection, with directions to keep them fleeing. For reasons unknown, possibly for fear of their escape or of some injustice to him or his clan, Dugald slaughtered the defenceless students. When the chief, Alasdair, demanded where the youths were Dugald is said to have drawn his bloody dirk
saying in gaelic "Ask that, and God save me!"
Clan Colquhoun
Clan Colquhoun is a Highland Scottish clan.The clan motto shown above in the crest best translates to "if I can."-Origins of the clan:In the 13th century Maol Domhnaich, Earl of Lennox granted the lands of Colquhoun, located in Dunbartonshire, to Humphry de Kilpatrick...
and its allies on the other. Glen Fruin
Glen Fruin
Glen Fruin is a glen in Scotland, adjacent to Loch Lomond.It contains the Fruin Water which flows into the loch, and a military bypass road, now the A817 road, known as the Glen Fruin Haul Road, which goes from the A82 up the glen and over the top of the hills to HMNB Clyde at Garelochhead...
is located in the Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond is a freshwater Scottish loch, lying on the Highland Boundary Fault. It is the largest lake in Great Britain by surface area. The lake contains many islands, including Inchmurrin, the largest fresh-water island in the British Isles, although the lake itself is smaller than many Irish...
area, in the county of Dunbartonshire
Dunbartonshire
Dunbartonshire or the County of Dumbarton is a lieutenancy area and registration county in the west central Lowlands of Scotland lying to the north of the River Clyde. Until 1975 it was a county used as a primary unit of local government with its county town and administrative centre at the town...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Lead up to the Battle
According to the Clan Gregor; two MacGregor clansmen, away from home, were forced to spend a night in Colquhoun lands. After being refused shelter, the two MacGregors found an abandoned outhouse and slaughtered a sheep which they ate. When the two were discovered they were seized and brought forward to Colquhoun, the Laird of Luss. Sir Humphrey Colquhoun of Luss, chief of the Clan Colquhoun, had the men tried by summary trial then sentenced the men to death.To avenge the two slain clansmen, the chief of Clan Gregor, Alasdair MacGregor of Glenstrae, led 300 to 400 men under his command from the banks of Loch Long
Loch Long
Loch Long is a body of water in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The sea loch extends from the Firth of Clyde at its southwestern end. It measures approximately 20 miles in length, with a width of between one and two miles...
, by way of the "Raid na Gael" (Scottish Gaelic), Highlandman's Pass, towards the Colquhoun lands of Luss
Luss
Luss is a village in Argyll & Bute, Scotland, on the west bank of Loch Lomond.-History:Historically in the County of Dunbarton, its original name is Clachan dubh, or 'dark village'...
.
The Laird of Luss, gaining early notice of the MacGregors, gathered nearly twice the number of the invaders. Among them were Buchanans
Clan Buchanan
Clan Buchanan is an Armigerous Scottish clan whose origins are said to lie in the 1225 grant of lands on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond to clergyman Sir Absalon of Buchanan by the Earl of Lennox.-Origins:...
, Grahams
Clan Graham
Clan Graham is a Scottish clan who had territories in both the Scottish Highlands and Lowlands.-Origins:Legend has it that the first Graham was one Gramus who forced a breach in the Roman Antonine wall known as Graeme's Dyke in 420 A.D...
, and men from the surrounding Lennox
Lennox (district)
The district of Lennox , often known as "the Lennox", is a region of Scotland centred around the village of Lennoxtown in East Dunbartonshire, eight miles north of the centre of Glasgow. At various times in history, the district has had both a dukedom and earldom associated with it.- External...
district.
The conflict at Glen Fruin
As the two sides converged in the lands of Glen Fruin, the MacGregor led force was at first discouraged by the superior size of the Colquhoun led contingent. It is said a SeerClairvoyance
The term clairvoyance is used to refer to the ability to gain information about an object, person, location or physical event through means other than the known human senses, a form of extra-sensory perception...
encouraged the MacGregors, saying he saw the shrouds of the dead wrapt around their opponents.
The main contingent of the MacGregor force attacked their enemies head on, while a force flanked the Colquhouns, led by a John MacGregor. The Colquhoun's advantage of having a large number of cavalry present turned into a disadvantage by boggy ground of the glen, and the MacGregors pressed on to rout the Colqhouns and their allies.
Tradition is that the MacGregors had only very light casualties, though among them was John dhu MacGregor, brother of the chief. The Colquhoun force lost between 200 to 300 men.
Alleged slaughter of students
A tradition grew that a group of clerical students from the town of Dumbarton, who had assembled to watch the battle, were slaughtered by the MacGregors during the rout of the Colquhouns. It is remarked by historians that this alleged slaughter is curiously not part of the indictment against the chief of the MacGregors.Though the event seems to have been entwined in lore of the surrounding area and also part of MacGregor lore. The location of the deed is marked by "Leck-a-Mhinisteir" (Scottish Gaelic), Minister or Clerk's Flag-stone.
According to MacGregor tradition, the man who committed the deed was Dugald Ciar Mhor, (Dugald the great, mouse coloured), a foster brother of the chief, who was renowned for his great size and strength. It was amidst the battle that the chief entrusted the youths to Dugald's protection, with directions to keep them fleeing. For reasons unknown, possibly for fear of their escape or of some injustice to him or his clan, Dugald slaughtered the defenceless students. When the chief, Alasdair, demanded where the youths were Dugald is said to have drawn his bloody dirk
Dirk
A dirk is a short thrusting dagger, sometimes a cut-down sword blade mounted on a dagger hilt rather than a knife blade. It was historically used as a personal weapon for officers engaged in naval hand-to-hand combat during the Age of Sail.-Etymology:...
saying in gaelic "Ask that, and God save me!"