CHIVALROUS CLAN

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 18, 21 July 1934, Page 15

CHIVALROUS CLAN

MGHTMG CAMERONS

THEIR DOUGHTY LEADERS

Oamerons have ever been the embodiment of valour and chivalry throughout the clan's stormy history, writes William Mcßobie in the "Sunday Graphic." Here is one revealing episode:— •■

"Come weal, come woe, I'll follow thoe," said tho Gentle Loehiel to Prince Charlie in 1745.,

; He had gone to Bprrodalo to meet tho Young Chevalier firmly convinced of the futility of his' bid for tho throne, but. something in the aspect of the forlorn Eoyal loon draw from him those words, which stampeded the clans into revolt.

Up to then the clans had been hesitant, but such was the renown of Loehiel that his decision rallied them round the Stewart 'banner.'

Tho origin of the clan is in doubt. According to one version the founder, whoso name is given as Sir Hugh of the Crooked Nose, fled to Lochaber from Dumbartonshire, where/ being a "gey lad for afocht," ho had outstayed his welcome.

Other authorities trace the founder of the, clan to one. Angus, who married a sister of Banquo, Thane of Lochaber, slain by Macbeth.

However that may be, they held Lochaber for centuries, and from thorn come a long list of septs and dependants:— Chalmers MucGlllonlo • JtacSorlcy Clark arucildowic MacUlrio Clarke . Mac Kail Jlacvail Clarkson Mdclerlc' JlacWalrlck Cldrk ■ MacMartiu Martin Kennedy ' AlauOuio .Paul MacChloricu JlacOurlio Sorloy MacChlory , JlacPhail . Taylor The Gamorons were, of courso, ■involved in bitter feuds with their neighbours. One famous vendetta was with the Clan Chattan Confederation towards the close of the fourteenth eentuiy. That ended in the Camerons being chased' back to'Lochaber from Inveruahaven, on tho Spey. In 1411 the Camerons fought at the Battle of, Harlaw. They ,were then on the side of the Lord of the Isles, but this ,alliance was later, turned- -to enmity, and the subsequent fighting brought tho fortunes of the clan to a very low ebb. Back, however, came tho clan to pristine prosperity through two brilliant chiefs—Donald Dhu (Donald the Black) and his son Alan. Since then Donald has been the favourite name of .the chiefs. Between them they . recovered their lost lands, and became engaged in feuds with the Mackintoshes and Frasers. '■ LEADER BEHEADED. It was under Alan that the Camerons fought for the MaeDonalds in. Glen Lochy in 1544, when Lord Lovat and nearly all his men wero killed. Alan did not survive this long, for he was captured by "the Earl of Huntly, who, with a big force, had been sent to punish ; i;lie' Camerons, taken to Elgin, and beheaded. Fifty years later the Camerons fought for tho Catholic Earl of Huntly at the Battle of Glcnlivet/in which the Protestant army, under the Earl of Argyll, .was defeated. As a result, the Cam-: cron chief was outlawed. -Sir Ewen Cameron of' Loehiel was the nest notable chief. Though brought up in a Covenanting family, he went ail out for.King Charles I, and was a persistent thorn in the side of Cromwell's forces. Several' times, with numerically' inferior forces, he trounced the invaders, and eventually the Governor of the English garrison at Invcrlochy accepted Loehiel's peace terms. Tho stories "of this chief's prowess are many. ,On one .occasion ho found himself.at death grips with a burly English officer. Both had lost their weapons, and wore wrestling on the ground with the Englishman on. top of Loehiel. Suddenly the Highlander bit into his assailant's throat with such ferocity that the. man died. "The sweetest bite I have ever had," he said afterwards, when reproached over the incident. To Sir Ewcn ia given the credit of having killed with- his own hand the last wolf in the Highlands. « KILMECRANXIE. When tho Eoyal Standard was laised. ,by .Viscount Dundee, Loehiel and * his clan joined the Jacobites. -It was his< inspiration that to a great extent won the Battle' of Killiecrankie. Urging Dundee to "Fight, man, fight if you have only, one to three," bareheaded and barefooted he led his men into the attack. His loyalty to' the Stewarts was carried on by Ms son, who was out with the Earl of Mar in "the '15," and by his- grandson, the Gentle Loehiel, but for- whose; load there might havo been no " '45."

Throughout; the campaign which ended at Culloden this gentle wavrioT restrained tho wild clansmen from savage plunder and f rom sacking Glasgow. Ho died an oxilo in Franco throe years after tho rising. Another notable member of tho clan at -this time was Mistress Jean Cameron, about whom unjust love stories have been circulated. She was," in fact, a very gallant, upright lass, who brought a large fighting, foreo to ' the side of Princo Charlie. The present' chiof has nobly, upheld the traditions, of his clan and ancestors. He has been a real leader in Highland affairs, and served both in the Boer and World Wars. In fighting at Loos, where he led the "Cameron Highlanders, ho lost his two brothers and many of his clansmen.