Battle of Glen Fruin

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=The Battle of Glen Fruin
partof=


caption=
date=February 7, 1603
place=Glen Fruin, Scotland
casus=
territory=
result=Clan Gregor victory
combatant1=Clan Gregor,
allied men
combatant2=Clan Colquhoun,
allied men
combatant3=
commander1=Alasdair MacGregor of Glenstrae
commander2=Sir Humphrey Colquhoun of Luss
commander3=
strength1=300-400 combined force
strength2=600-800 combined force, including a large proportion of cavalry
strength3=
casualties1=very light casualties
casualties2=200-300 dead
casualties3=
notes=

The Battle of Glen Fruin was fought in February 7, 1603 [MacGregor, A G M, "History Of The Clan Gregor, From Public Records And Private Collections; Compiled At The Request Of The Clan Gregor Society, (Vol.1)", p.287] 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.

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.Scott, Sir W, "Manners, customs and history of the Highlanders of Scotland ; Historical account of the clan MacGregor", p.121-124]

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.

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 Seer 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. [MacGregor, A G M, "History Of The Clan Gregor, From Public Records And Private Collections; Compiled At The Request Of The Clan Gregor Society, (Vol.1)", p.206] 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 saying in gaelic "Ask that, and God save me!"

Notes

References

;Works cited

*MacGregor, Amelia Georgiana Murray. (1898). "History Of The Clan Gregor, From Public Records And Private Collections; Compiled At The Request Of The Clan Gregor Society. (Volume.1)". W. Brown.
*Scott, Sir Walter. (1893). "Manners, customs and history of the Highlanders of Scotland ; Historical account of the clan MacGregor". Glasgow.

ee also

Clan Gregor
Clan Colquhoun