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Home , Battle of Glenlivet, Clan Cameron

The Author(s): A. Maclean Sinclair Source: The Celtic Review, Vol. 5, No. 17 (Jul., 1908), pp. 70-79 Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/30069983 Accessed: 27-06-2016 10:29 UTC

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This content downloaded from 131.247.112.3 on Mon, 27 Jun 2016 10:29:15 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 70 THE CELTIC REVIEW of its people, and they took, as will be seen even from this brief account, a large part in the life of the Highland people, whose minds are the poorer by the loss of their ancient tales and customs. Where the older people still retain some faith in the beings of whom their fathers have told them, they are for the most part careful to keep such to themselves, and so avoid laying themselves open to the scoffing of the younger generation and of incomers.

THE CLAN CAMERON

REV. A. MACLEAN SINCLAIR

THE ancestors of Sir of Lochiel and their approximate dates of birth were as follows:- John, . 1600. Millony, . . 1285. Allan, . . . 1565. Paul, . . . 1255. John Dubh, . 1535. Patrick, . . 1225. Donald, . . 1500. Martin, . . 1190. Ewen, . . . 1470. Paul, . . . 1160. Allan, . . . 1440. Millony, . . 1125. Donald Dubh, . 1410. Gillaroth, . . 1095. Ewen,. . . 1380. Martin Og, . . 1065. Donald Dubh, . 1350. Gillacamsroin, . 1035. Allan, . . . 1315. Martin Mor, . 1000. In dealing with a long list of names it is necessary, as a general rule, to allow thirty-two years for a generation. Skene has Gillaganiorgan in place of Gillacamsroin. As Gillaganiorgan is a meaningless and unknown name, it is clearly a misreading. It is certain that there was a Gilla- camsroin, and it is altogether probable that he was either the son and successor of Martin Mor or the eldest son of Gillaroth. As it was extremely difficult to read the MS. in which Skene found the pedigree of the Camerons and Mac- gillouies msr could easily be mistaken for nior. By counting ni as m we find the same number of letters in Gillaganiorgan as in Gillacamsroin. In his first version of the genealogy Skene omits all the names between Paul and Mor. In the

This content downloaded from 131.247.112.3 on Mon, 27 Jun 2016 10:29:15 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms THE CLAN CAMERON 71 second version he gives Gilla---, son of Martin Mor. It is in the third version that we find Gillaganiorgan, and it is given with a note of interrogation after it. It is evident then that the part of the name after Gilla was to a large extent illegible. Gillacamsron means the young man with the crooked nose. It is possible that his real name was Ewen. He was a brave warrior, and in course of time came to be known among friends and foes as Gillacamsroin. His descendants were proud of him and long after he had left the world gladly adopted the name by which he was popularly known as their surname. Gillony and Millony are the same name, and mean servants of the storm or of the raging sea.

THE MACMARTINS

The Macmartins derived their name from Martin Mor, and were an older branch of his descendants than the Camerons. They lived east of the Lochy and occupied the lands of Letterfinlay, Invergloy, Dochanassie, Stronaba, Miccomer, and others. Of their history prior to the year 1400 we know nothing. In 1492 Alexander of , Celestine son of Ewen, and Martin son of Duncan, appear as witnesses to a charter granted by John, . Martin son of Duncan, was undoubtedly either the chief of the Macmartins or the son and heir of their chief. Duncan Macmartin was born probably about 1425. Martin, his son, had at least two children, `Duncan and a daughter, who became the wife of Donald Dubh Maclean of Treshnish, Domhnall Dubh a' Chaisteil. Duncan son of Martin was in possession of Letterfinlay and the other Macmartin lands in 1513. He had two sons, Duncan and Donald, Duncan was chief of the Macmartins from 1598 to 1636. Duncan Og, his son and successor, appears on record in 1642. Duncan Og had two sons, Martin Mor and John Roy. Martin Mor placed himself, in 1663, under the protection of Angus of Glengarry, Lord MacDonell and Aros. He had four children, Duncan,

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Martin Og, Mary, and another daughter Mary was married to Gillespick MacDonald of Keppoch. The other daughter was married to John Mor Macsorlie of Glen Nevis. Duncan, son and successor of Martin, fought at Mulroy in support of of Keppoch in 1688, and fought at Killiecrankie in 1689. He died without issue, and was succeeded by George, son of Martin Og, son of Martin Mor. George died about 1736, and was succeeded by his son, Captain Cosmo Gordon Cameron, who died without issue. Captain Cosmo was succeeded by a distant relative, George Macmartin Cameron. It was generally believed that the lawful heir was not George but John Cameron in Glenroy. George died in 1829, leaving three sons, all of whom died without issue. The estate of Letterfinlay was sold in 1851 to a man named Baillie. As the Macmartins have made Camerons of themselves they have ceased to exist as a distinct clan, and can have no chief except Lochiel. But they can have a chieftain, and should have one. THE CAMERONS

Some of the descendants of Martin Mor crossed the Lochy at an early period and settled in Glenlui and Locharkaig. In course of time they became more numerous than their brethren east of the Lochy. The date of their migration we do not know. It is probable, however, that it began about 1150. The new settlers became divided into two branches, the Camerons proper and the Macgillonies. The former were descended from the eldest son of Gillaroth, and the latter from Millony, a younger son. Some of the Macgillonies settled at Invermallie and others at Strone. Although the Camerons were in possession of Glenlui and Locharkaig, they had no title to these lands either from the King or ,the Lord of the Isles. According to the historians and others, William MacIntosh, chief of the MacIntoshes, obtained a charter of Glenlui and Lochar- kaig from John, first Lord of the Isles, in the year 1366. The story about the charter may or may not be true. It is certain, however, that the MacIntoshes held in 1366 that

This content downloaded from 131.247.112.3 on Mon, 27 Jun 2016 10:29:15 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms THE CLAN CAMERON 73 they had a legal claim to the lands occupied by the Camerons, and it is also certain that in that year or shortly afterwards they began to enforce their claim by the sword. They never succeeded, however, in expelling the Camerons from the lands held by them. THE m ACGILLONIES

Allan, son of Millony, was known as Ailein MacMhaolon- fhaidh, which in course of time came to be pronounced Ailein MacOlonai. The name as thus pronounced would become in English Allan MacOlony. By the blundering of some scribe Allan MacOlony was converted to Allan MacOchtry, a name which never existed among the Macgillonies or any other Highland clan. About 1380 the Camerons and the Macgillonies, and probably the Macmartins also, made a raid into , and carried off all the cattle, sheep, and horses they could find. On their way home they were attacked at Invernahavon by the MacIntoshes, Davidsons, and Clan Vuirich. The battle which took place was long and bloody, and both sides lost heavily. The plunderers had to leave their booty at Invernahavon, but their assailants were not in a position to pursue and conquer them. The Macgillonies were led by their chief, Donald Dubh MacAllan. Ewen, son and successor of Donald Dubh, may have witnessed the furious combat on the North Inch of Perth in 1396. He was in all probability the commander of the Camerons at the in 1411. According to the Ardgour MS., he was known as Eoghann nan Creach or Ewen of the Forays. He married a daughter of Allan MacRanald, second of Moydart, and by her had Donald Dubh, his successor, and a daughter who was married about 1435 to Donald Maclean, first of Ardgour, and had by him Ewen, second of Ardgour. As the wife of Donald of Ardgour was one of my re- mote grandmothers, I can claim descent from such expert plunderers as the Macleans of Ardgour, the Camerons of Lochiel, and the Clanranald of Moydart. Yes, they were plunderers in the days when plundering was fashionable, but

This content downloaded from 131.247.112.3 on Mon, 27 Jun 2016 10:29:15 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 74 THE CELTIC REVIEW they were not sly, whining, degraded grafters. If they took what did not belong to them, they took it openly and risked their lives to get it. Donald Dubh MacEwen supported King James in his attack upon Alexander of the Isles in 1429, and fought against Donald Balloch at Innerlochy in 1431. He was married, and had two sons, Allan and Ewen. It has been stated over and over that he commanded the Camerons at the battle of Harlaw. For this statement there is no authority except the semi-fictitious history of Hugh MacDonald of Sleat. It is not true; at any rate it is not in agreement with known facts. Alexander, third Lord of the Isles, married Elizabeth Seton, by whom he had John, his successor. He had a natural son, named Celestine, or Gillespick, by a daughter of Macphee of Glenpean. He had also a natural son, named Hugh, by a daughter of Patrick, son of Rory, son of the Green Abbot. In 1463 Celestine received from his brother John a charter of the lands of Lochalsh, Lochcarron and Lochbroom. Celestine married Fingula, daughter of Lachlan Bronnach Maclean of Duart, and had by her Alexander, Fingula, and Margaret. Fingula was married in 1467 to Alexander Sutherland of Dunbeath, Margaret was married about 1472 to Ewen, second son of Donald Dubh, and by her had Celestine, who appears as a witness in 1492. Allan, son and successor of Donald Dubh, married Mariot, daughter of Angus Macdonald, second of Keppoch, and had two sons; Ewen, his heir, and John, ancestor of the Camerons of Culchennie and Callart. He became a vassal of Celestine of Lochalsh in 1472. Celestine granted him a charter of the lands of Kishorn in Loch Carron, and also appointed him constable of the Castle of Strome. Im- mediately after becoming a vassal of Celestine, he slew John of Coll, who was living at , seized his charters and burnt them. He was killed a few years afterwards in a fight with the Macdonalds of Keppoch and the Mackintoshes. He was known as Ailein nan Creach, or Allan of the Forays.

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He is described in the charter of 1472 as Captain of the Clan Cameron. Ewen, son and successor of Allan, received from Alexander of Lochalsh in 1492 a charter of Lochiel and other lands in . He fought at Blar Leine in 1544 in support of John Muideartach, or at any rate sent his followers to fight there. He married Marjory, daughter of Lachlan Mackintosh -Lachainn Baideanach-by his wife, Catherine, daughter of Duncan Grant of Freuchie, and had three sons, Donald, his heir, Ewen of Erracht, and John of Kinlochiel. He was executed at Elgin in 1547. Donald, his eldest son, hand- fasted in 1520 with Agnes, daughter of James Grant of Freuchie, grandson of Duncan of Freuchie, and came under obligation to marry her in the church as soon as a dispensa- tion could be obtained from Rome. Donald had three sons by his wife, Ewen Beag, Donald Dubh, and John Dubh of Drimnadaille. He died before his father. Ewen Beag, his eldest son, was born about 1522, and had, about 1542, by a daughter of Macdougald of Dunolly, a natural son named Donald. He succeeded his grandfather as captain of the Clan Cameron in 1547. He was slain, probably at Inch- connel, about 1553. Donald, his natural son, was a dis- tinguished warrior, and is known to the traditional history of the Highlands as Taillear Dubh na Tuaighe, or the Black Tailor of the Battle-axe. In fact the man or boy who has never heard of Taillear Dubh na Tuaighe knows very little about the history of the Highlands, and nothing at all about the history of the Camerons. Donald Dubh succeeded his brother Ewen Beag. He married about 1555 Una, daughter of Hector Mor Maclean of Duart, but had no issue by her. He obtained in 1564 a charter of Letterfinlay and other lands. He was murdered by ambitious relations about 15.65. He was succeeded by his nephew, Allan, son of John Dubh of Drunnadaille. Allan, son of John Dubh, was born about 1565, and was taken away for safety, shortly after his birth, either to Kilmun or to Duart, or, probably, first to Kilmun, and after-

This content downloaded from 131.247.112.3 on Mon, 27 Jun 2016 10:29:15 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 76 THE CELTIC REVIEW wards to Duart. He returned to Lochaber about 1582, but found it necessary in the course of a year or two to remove to Appin. He lived there with John Stewart, Laird of Appin, who had married, as his second wife, Catherine, daughter of Hector Mor of Duart. Whilst in Appin he married a daughter of John Stewart by his first wife. It is not known who his mother was. He fought under the Earl of Huntly at the in 1594, and had the pleasure of attacking and routing the Mackintoshes. He assisted the Macleans of Duart in avenging the death of Lachlan Mor at the battle of Benvigory in 1598. He slew, in 1613, twenty of his principal followers for having consented to become immediate vassals of the Earl of Huntly in lands which had formerly belonged to him. He had by his wife John, Donald, Jean, Catherine, and other daughters. John, his eldest son, married in 1626 Margaret, daughter of Robert Campbell of Glenfalloch, and had two sons by her, Ewen and Allan. Donald, second son of Allan of Lochiel, was the progenitor of the Camerons of Glendessary. Jean, eldest daughter of Allan, was married to Ailean Dearg, eldest son of Donald Macdonald of Glengarry, and had by him Angus, who was created Lord Macdonell and Aros in 1660. Catherine was married to Allan Maclean of Ardgour, and had fourteen children. Allan of Lochiel died about 1647, and was succeeded as chief of the Camerons by his grandson, Ewen, Eoghann Dubh. Ewen, the famous Sir Ewen Cameron of Lochiel, was one of the greatest men that the Highlands of have ever produced. He could fight like a Cameron and plan like a Campbell. He was born in February 1629. He was married three times. By his first wife, Mary, daughter of Sir Donald Macdonald of Sleat, he had no issue. By his second wife, Isabel, daughter of Sir Lachlan Maclean of Duart, he had three sons, John, Donald, and Allan. By his third wife, Jean, daughter of Colonel David Barclay of Urie, he had one son, Ludovick. He died in February 1719. He was succeeded by his son, John.

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THE MAOSOMARLIES OF GLEN-NEVIS According to some writers the MacSomarlies were a branch of the MacIntyres. This view is clearly erroneous. It is possible that the MacIntyres were a branch of the MacSomarlies, but it is certain that the MacSomarlies were not a branch of the MacIntyres. According to other writers the MacSomarlies were MacDonalds. For this supposition there is not a particle of foundation. The MacSomarlies were a distinct clan, just as much as the MacDonalds were. Somarlie or Sorlie is an anglicised form of the Gaelic name Somhairle, or Somerled, but surely we are not to assume that all the Somerleds in the Highlands came from Somerled, thane of Argyll. The MacDonalds are a good clan, but they are numerous enough already without handing over the MacSomarlies to them. The pedigree of Donald, chief of the MacSomarlies, is given as follows in the Collectanea de Rebus Albanicis, p. 56 : Donald, son of Gillespie, son of Angus, son of Donald, son of Sorlie, son of Ferchar, son of Dunslave. That this is the pedigree of the MacSomarlies of Glen-Nevis may be regarded as an unquestionable fact. There were no other MacSomarlies or MacSorlies in the Highlands who possessed lands of their own and constituted a distinct clan. The name Somerled means summer sailor-probably a sailor who used to plunder a little in fine weather. The Gaelic form of the name is Somhairle, which pronounced in English becomes either Somarlie or Sorlie. Somhairle is still a common name in Gaelic, but when rendered into English, or rather into Hebrew, what we hear is not Somerled but Samuel, a totally different name. Somarlie, or Sorlie, son of Ferchar, son of Dunslave, was the progenitor of the MacSomarlies, or MacSorlies, of Glen- Nevis. He was known as Somhairle Ruadh, or red-haired Somerled, and must have been born about the year 1225. He was succeeded by his son Donald, who was succeeded by his son Angus, who was succeeded by his son Gillespie.

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Donald, son of Gillespie, was born about 1345, and was chief of the Clan Somarlie about 1385. Somerled, son of Donald, had two sons, John and Duncan. Somerled, son of John, was born at least as early as 1435. In 1456 John, fourth Lord of the Isles, gave him a charter of the lands of Glen-Nevis, with the office of toiseachdair of all the Lochaber lands which belonged to the Lord of the Isles, except those held by his foster child, Lachlan Maclean of Duart. Somerled had two sons, John and Alexander. John, known as Iain Dileas or faithful John, succeeded his father as chief of the Clan Somarlie. He died without issue, and was succeeded by his nephew, Donald son of Alexander. Donald was oppressed by Lochiel, who wanted to bring the MacSomarlies into thorough subjection to himself. Con- sequently, in September 1552, Donald resigned the lands of Glen-Nevis into the Queen's hands as superior. The lands were then given to the Earl of Huntly, who granted to Donald a new charter of them. The Earl of Huntly now stood as a protector to Donald against Lochiel. Alexander, son and successor of Donald, had two sons, Alexander and Allan. Alexander, son and successor of Alex- ander, appears on record in 1598. He was slain by Allan of Lochiel in 1613. He was succeeded by his first cousin, Alexander, son of Allan. This Alexander had two sons, John Mor and Donald Dubh. John Mor was chief of the Clan Somarlie in 1660. ' Allan Cameron,' son of John Mor, received a charter of the lands of Glen-Nevis in 1712. As Allan had ceased to be a MacSorlie, and had made a Cameron of himself, he was not a chief; he was only a chieftain under Lochiel. Alexander, son of John, son of Allan, was laird of Glen- Nevis in 1745. John, son of Ewen, son of Alexander, sold the estate of Glen-Nevis in 1851. When the Macgillonies became captains of the Clan Cameron, they ceased to call themselves Macgillonies and adopted Cameron as their surname. As they were Camerons

This content downloaded from 131.247.112.3 on Mon, 27 Jun 2016 10:29:15 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms DIALECTS 79 by blood, and as those who had for some time been calling themselves Camerons were not Macgillonies, it would have been extremely unwise for them to try to force their own name on the whole clan. It is stated in several works that the Macgillonies of Strone fought against the Camerons at Corpach, when John Og of Coll was slain. There is no ground for this assertion. The Macleans had been in possession of Corpach for several years. The Camerons made an unexpected attack upon them and put them to the sword. There may have been some fighting, but there was no battle. Some of the Macgillonies of Strone-possibly persons who had been living with John Og of Coll-took charge of his son, John Abrach, a boy about two years of age, and went with him to Coll. They acted kindly to John Abrach and his mother-a daughter of Ewen Maclean of Kingerloch-but we are not to assume that they had been fighting against the Mac- gillonies or Camerons of Lochiel.

SCOTTISH GAELIC DIALECTS REV. C. M. ROBERTSON (Continuedfrom vol. iv. p. 280) Assimilation WHERE a liquid is assimilated to a following liquid or other consonant, the preceding vowel if short, as will be exemplified in some of the instances to be quoted, often becomes long in pronunciation. Thus millse (or milse) sweeter, where i is short and 11 long, may be heard as mise in West Ross. The vowel in such cases is not infrequently marked long in writing, and certainly where the assimilated liquid is left out in the spelling the marking of this compensa- tory lengthening of the vowel may be justified; but when the silenced liquid is retained in the spelling it would seem better to leave the vowel without the long mark. Thus, to mark i long would be justifiable if we were writing mise

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