Info needed on Murder of Glencoe

[sin2001]

So I am hoping I could have some help with this. I have heard the songs for Murder of Glencoe.About the Campbells taking out the McDonalds. My Grandfather told me of it differently from the song. Can some of you help out on this subject? Thanks in advance.

[ForresterModern]

Here is a quick BBC snippet on video about the Glencoe Massacre:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/histor...ncoe_massacre/

And here is a link to an old thread where the first post lists a multi-part documentary video that goes into a bit more detail:

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...e-video-37939/

Although it has been simplistically described as the Campbells vs the MacDonalds, it was far more complex than that, although the particular unit of government troops were predominantly of Campbell origin and leadership, and the victims were the Glencoe MacDonalds, specifically Alistair MacIain (MacDonald) and other relatives and clansmen, to the tune of about 78 dead either killed by the troops or dead from exposure after fleeing to the hills, 13 February 1692, if I remember my history.

[sin2001]

awesome I will check those links out. Thanks. Ya its pretty complex.

[Big Mikey]

Just spent an hour watching the videos. Excellent explanation of the backroom dealings and political shenanigans.

[MacGumerait]

Great links Jeff , I too was glued to the videos . Also , great new avatar , " The Boy " is sure growing up , he will have the lasses swooning over him !

Best to ya , Mike

[John_Carrick]

There was a good radio programme on the BBC a couple of years back which set the massacre in the context of wider European politics at the time. I think the programme has been taken down but there are some references:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00pxrr7
John

[MacSpadger]

John Prebble's book Glencoe is very in depth.

[Lyle1]

I was in Scotland recently, and a Scot told me about the political aspects of the massacre (which I did not know), but the said that the most offensive aspect of the event was that the perpetrators murdered people whose hospitality they had accepted and in whose homes they had slept, thus betraying a most sacred trust.

[Jock Scot]

I was in Scotland recently, and a Scot told me about the political aspects of the massacre (which I did not know), but the said that the most offensive aspect of the event was that the perpetrators murdered people whose hospitality they had accepted and in whose homes they had slept, thus betraying a most sacred trust.

I think you are quite right in what you say. Awful though the dreadful event was at Glencoe, it was just(!!!) one of a long list of dreadful events that the Scots inflicted upon each other over the centuries. But, this was one of the few where the hospitality aspect was involved.

[ForresterModern]

They were indeed brutal times, and as Jock said this was but one of too numerous to count massacres and murders among the everchanging alliances and feuds between the clans, and the government, and the royalty. But the two facets most heinous were that it was ostensibly government sanctioned and implemented, and that the government troops and officers were billeted with the Glencoe MacDonalds for nearly two full weeks before the early morning killing started. Each morning for about two weeks, Captain Robert Campbell visited the home of Alexander MacDonald, Alistair MacIain MacDonald's youngest son, who was married to Campbell's own niece (coincidentally the sister of Rob Roy MacGregor). The tragedy could have been much worse but for the refusal of the subcommanders of two out of the three troop detachments to fulfill their murderous orders, and for the fact that other additional support troops intended to contain any Glencoe MacDonald village escapees and mop up the killings were delayed by foul weather from taking up their positions, thus allowing for many MacDonalds to escape into the hills until after the government troops had finished the dastardly deed, burned the village, killed or scattered any livestock, and departed. While 38 predominantly male Glencoe MacDonalds were killed directly on the morning of the massacre, including Alistair MacIain MacDonald himself, about 40 of the total 78 dead were women and children who died of exposure either in the hills or after returning to the lack of shelter in the burned village. Two of MacIain's sons escaped to continue the shattered clan and bring the event to legal light, with subsequent sham trials, etc.... of most of the purpotrators, eventually insulating the King himself despite his direct orders being presented. It is a many layered onion, one of many such foul smelling events lived out over centuries.