Killiecrankie 1689: The Jacobite Rising Begins

On this day 337 years ago, the Jacobites rose in Scotland for the first time with a spectacular victory.

At the Pass of Killiecrankie, Major-General Hugh Mackay’s Williamite army found itself intercepted by Bonnie Dundee’s (or John Graham, Viscount Dundee's) Highland force, where new military tactics and equipment proved no match for the ferocity and tried and tested precision of the Highland charge.

Despite Mackay’s superior numbers, his troops could not withstand the momentum of Dundee’s army.

A Highlander himself, Mackay made the fatal mistake of confronting the clans on their own ground. A decision that would echo through military history.

A pivotal battle not just in the Jacobite period, but in world warfare. Widespread use of the flintlock and basket hilted claymore by the Highlanders would replace the great swords and battle axes from this day on.

The new socket bayonets of Mackay's force proved less effective, consider the fear of attempting to fix a bayonet whilst the Highland charge bears down.

This rout was tempered by the Bonnie Dundee's death, by musket shot, with some of the last skirmishes of his victory. His breastplate, along with large hole in the middle, can be seen on display in Blair Castle to this day.

If Killiecrankie’s story has captured your imagination, the site itself is even more powerful. The Pass of Killiecrankie is a place where the landscape still holds the memory of that ferocious July evening and where you can walk the very ground the Highland charge thundered across.

A short path leads you to the Soldier’s Leap, the spot where Redcoat Donald MacBean of Mackay’s army famously jumped an astonishing 18 feet across the River Garry to escape the Jacobite onslaught. Standing there today, looking down into the gorge, it’s hard not to feel the sheer desperation, and bravery, of that moment.

Killiecrankie is a remarkable place to explore, whether you’re drawn by military history, Highland heritage, or simply the drama of the landscape itself.

If you’d like to discover more of Scotland’s history, stories, and battlefields with us, contact us today and we'll help you create your bespoke Scottish private guided tour to remember.