Battle of Dunkeld

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Battle of Dunkeld

Date	August 21, 1689
Location	Dunkeld, Scotland
Result	British Government (Orange Royalists) Victory

Combatants

Jacobite Royalists (Highlanders & Irish)

Orange Covenantor Royalists (Highlanders & Lowlanders)

Commanders

Colonel Cannon†

William Cleland

George Munro

Strength

5000

1200 foot

Casualties

300

unknown

17th Century Scottish Jacobite Rising
Battle of Killiecrankie – Battle of Dunkeld – Battle of Cromdale

The Battle of Dunkeld was fought between Jacobite clans supporting King James VII of Scotland and a government regiment of covenanters supporting William of Orange, in the streets around Dunkeld Cathedral, Dunkeld, Scotland, on August 21, 1689, and formed part of the first Jacobite rising.

Following the death of Viscount Dundee in the Jacobite victory at the Battle of Killiecrankie the Highlanders were led on the field of battle by Colonel Cannon. With the Scottish Privy council preparing to leave Scotland, the newly formed Cameronian regiment, 1200 men, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel William Cleland, moved north from Perth to meet the advancing Jacobites.

Dunkeld was not protected by a town wall, so Cleland ordered his troops to take up defensive positions in the cathedral, and the nearby house of the Marquis of Atholl. The Jacobites took up positions in neighbouring houses, and a four hour of exchange of musket fire ensued. Having exhausted their own munitions, the Cameronians are reported to have stripped lead from the cathedral roof to keep up their fire.

The Colonel, William Cleland of the Cameronian regiment was killed during the first hour of the battle and the Major of the regiment was wounded. The command fell to Captain George Munro who led them to victory.

The battle was brought to an end by a group of Cameronians charging the Jacobite defenses and setting them alight. The Jacobites routed, having lost around 300 men. Losses on the government side are unclear, but included Colonel Cleland, who is buried in the cathedral.

[edit] Cameronian Regiment

It should be noted that the Cameronian government regiment was not made from the Clan Cameron. The regiment takes its name from Richard Cameron (1648-1680) a fanatical Scottish religious reformer and covenanting leader from the Scottish Lowlands. The regiment had absolutely no connection to the Clan Cameron, who in fact fought on the opposing side as Jacobites at Dunkeld. See source: [1].

The soldiers of the Cameronian regiment were largely from the Lowland Clan Douglas. The Cameronian regiment would later become the The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles).