The First Shots of the Jacobite Rising

Bonnie Prince Charlie raising his standard at Glenfinnan is often thought to be the beginning of the 1745 Jacobite rising. However, by the time the prince was addressing his men on the banks of Loch Shiel, the first shots had already been fired at Highbridge.

British commanders were aware that Charles had arrived in Scotland and was busy organising an uprising somewhere in Lochaber. Without knowing exactly where he was, they sent 85 soldiers marching along the Military Road to reinforce Fort William. These roads allowed troops to march quickly through rough terrain, but it also made them very predictable.

Highbridge was the only way for them to cross the gorge that funnelled the thundering River Spean below. As they approached, the soldiers suddenly came under musket fire from the treeline on the other side of the bridge. Bagpipes began blaring, flashes of tartan plaid appeared between the branches and the British troops were soon panicking.

Retreating to a safe distance, their captain decided to send two men to try and reason with whoever had ambushed them. The talks didn’t last long, they were quickly captured and dragged away. The captain began to fear that they had stumbled upon the entire Jacobite army.

Unknown to them, those 85 soldiers had been stopped in their tracks by just 12 MacDonalds of Keppoch including a piper. The MacDonalds were making enough noise for an army and that was beginning to draw more clansmen to add to their firepower.

The soldiers had already marched around 20 miles, but now they were forced to turn around and march back the way they came. Not wanting to give away their true numbers, the MacDonalds shadowed them from a distance. By the time the soldiers reached Loch Oich, a larger group of Highlanders were waiting for them, blocking the only route home.

Exhausted and surrounded, the government troops surrendered and the Jacobites had won their first victory without losing a single man.