Scotland's events: The Battle of Sheriffmuir
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The fifteen
King James VII died in exile in France in 1701. His cousin, King Louis XIV vowed to help the legitimate heir to the Scottish throne. In 1708 a French fleet set out for Scotland with James. They were met by an English fleet and the French Commander turned back, much to the protest of young James.It would be another seven years before he could make another attempt.
In 1713 the treaty of Utrecht was signed which put and end to English-France hostility. Two years later Louis XIV died and power passed to Regent d'Orleans who was not keen to assist the Jacobite cause. None of this however deterred the twenty-seven year old Prince James Edward Stuart. For some time he had been in written correspondance with the Earl of Mar, John Erskine. In the summer of 1715, he called upon Mar to "raise the Clans".
The Earl of Mar had earned the nickname "Bobbing John" as he had shown himself to favour those in power, regardless of which "side" they were on. He is reported to have been a supporter of the the new Union and a faithful servant of the new English King George. This led to quick disappointment as King George had little interest in anyone beyond his court. It was then that Mar contacted the exiled court.
It is suggested that the Earl of Mar was able to carry out Prince James' wishes through the discovery of a huge silver deposit on his lands in Alva. His Silver Glen was kept secret until much later.
Gathering the Clans was not a difficult task. Many are said to have drank to the health of their "king o'er the water". On the 6th of September 1715 in Braemar, The Earl of Mar publicly declared that Prince James was indeed the true and rightful King James VIII and called upon all to rise up against the English Crown and join the Jacobite cause.
A force of some twelve-thousand men headed south, winning support and capturing Perth by mid-September!
The Duke of Argyll was the only obstacle between Perth and the border. Hugely outnumbered with only two-thousand troops at Stirling castle. For an unknown reason, Mar remained in Perth.
Weeks passed and no advance. There were a number of small uprisings elsewhere but they did not achieve great success. Still the Earl of Mar procastinated. Meanwhile, Lord Lovat, the Chief of Clan Fraser, raised his Clan and siezed Inverness Castle on behalf of King George. Clans loyal to the Frasers abandoned Mar and the Jacobite cause. Great divisions appeared. Frasers, Gordons, Sutherlands, Mackays, Rosses and Monroes all abandoned King James VIII. To many they were abandoning their heritage, their kith and their kin. Old rivalries and feuds were brought once more to the Clansmen.
The news of Dutch reinforcements arriving mid-November to join the Duke of Argyll was enogh to prompt the Jacobites to eventually advance south. Argyll also advanced north.
The two armies met not far from Dunblane at Sheriffmuir. It is said that the MacLeans and MacDonalds fought with such enthusiasm they pushed half of Argyll's army right back. For the Duke of Argyll's Clan was Campbell and the Campbells were not to be forgiven for the Massacre of Glencoe. However, Argyll's army pushed half of the Jacobite army right back! Such bloodshed and exertion left either side ready for a round two. The Argylls drew back to Dunblane and the Jacobites to Perth. They never faced each other again. Heavy snow stopped any further advances.
Today you can visit the battle ground. It is a very quiet road to get there either from Dunblane or from Bridge of Allan at the Stirling side. There is an imposing monument at the roadside. A short walk across the undulating moor leads to the gathering stone where the Earl of Mar led the Jacobites to their inconclusive crusade.
