A9 Unearths Killiecrankie Battle Relics

Transport Scotland ^ | March 3rd, 2016 | An agency of the Scottish Government

[SunkenCiv]

A metal detecting survey on the site of the Battle of Killiecrankie -- part of the Scottish Government's work to dual the A9 -- has unearthed dozens of items linked to the famous 1689 skirmish.

The artefacts include a copper alloy pendant, a harness boss, two buckles, part of the support for a sword belt, horse shoes, buttons, and musket munitions... The battle of Killiecrankie took place on the 27 July 1689 between a Jacobite army under the command of John Graham of Claverhouse, 1st Viscount of Dundee 'Bonnie Dundee' -- and a Government army commanded by General Hugh Mackay. The armies came face to face at Killiecrankie as both were attempting to reach Blair Atholl to use it as a base for future operations.

The Jacobites had taken up position on the higher ground on the southern slopes of Creag Eallaich and the government forces deployed beneath them at the base of the hill. The armies sniped on and skirmished with each other for most of the afternoon and into the evening until around 8pm when the Jacobites charged downhill and broke the government lines. It was during this charge that Dundee was killed and during the ensuing rout of the Government forces that Donald MacBane claims to have made his "Soldier's Leap" across the River Garry. The Jacobites are thought to have lost 800 men, with around 2,000 casualties amongst the Government troops.

The battle is important for a number of reasons, including the first use of grenades in the UK (a fragment of a grenade was recovered during metal detecting undertaken for the television programme Two Men in a Trench in 2003) and the first use of platoon firing in Britain.

[SunkenCiv]

Survey Recovers Artifacts From Scotland's Battle of Killiecrankie

[SunkenCiv]

[Peter Libra]

Thanks for the interesting news on Killiecrankie. I took my last venture as a youth hosteller in 1954 and visited the site of the battle. The Jacobites were lead by John Graham, Vicount Dundee as the information states. He had lead his Highlanders to two victories over a combined English and Lowland Scots force previously.

The scene of his final and greatest triumph was at Killiecrankie. At the height of victory, he turned with his sword raised. A musket ball caught him at the side of his breastplate, fatally wounded him. Sir Walter Scott eulogized him well after his death and gave him the title of Bonnie Dundee.

Soldiers leap, was where the soldier fled the fierce Highlander. He jumped over the river to safety. Measured at 26 foot, some doubt was cast on this. Jesse Owens world record long jump was just about that distance in 1936. The soldier had jumped from a high piece of rock though.

Excuse my ramble, brought back youthful memories.

[2banana]

Back when white tribes actually would fight for their freedom...

[marktwain]

I have a piece of grenade from that period, though I found it at another battle site on a different continent.

[Vendome]

It will never be used on Mt Cumorah...

[WildHighlander57]

Thanks for posting!

[Fiji Hill]

The Battle of Killiecrankie--The Corrie Folk Trio (1965)

[Peter Libra]

On your piece of grenade of about that time, I often wonder about the mechanics of tossing such a device. Modern grenades, as you will know had a convenient pin attached to a ring. I know that the British Army used the tallest and strongest men to throw the primitive grenade. Regiments called the Grenadiers. Another regiment was called the Fusiliers. I understand the fusilier had to fire the fuse and hand it to the grenadier.

Actor Michael Caine was in the London Fusiliers, saw action, but no fusing grenades (chuckle).

[marktwain]

My unserstanding is that the early grenades were basically sandcast hollow cast iron spheres. They were filled with black powder, and had a fuse that was lit before they were thrown.

The reputation of causing casualties on their own side became so bad that the grenade were given up by most militaries for about a century, from about 1800 to 1900.

[Little Ray]

Y’know those round, black cartoon bombs with fuses sticking out? Those were grenades. They were smaller, palm sized.

[PLMerite]

" Jesse Owens world record long jump was just about that distance in 1936."

Jesse Owens wasn't fleeing angry Scots or he would have jumped farther.

[colorado tanker]

I wasn’t aware of this skirmish. The scene of the main action was Ireland, where James landed and raised an army. William led his army to Ireland, soundly thrashed James and his Catholics and established the Protestant supremacy that held until the 20th Century.

[Peter Libra]

ROTFL.

A picture of one of the famous/infamous Tartan Army, I would think. Usually on one of their mass jaunts to England, all to see a soccer game.

I had witnessed an all Scottish match at Easter Rd. Edinburgh in 1960. The two teams were Glasgow Celtic and Hibernian. Both with predominantly Catholic support. I still cannot figure why religion was brought into football.

Anyway, I was standing on the terraces, when I heard a hissing behind me. I looked back and saw person/persons urination on the empty space. I was over ten feet away though. Ah well, got safely on the long distance coach to foggy old London town afterward.

[MadMitch]

All very civilised at the Leith San Siro now. I miss the old days.