John Dubh MacKinnon, 29th Chief
Ian Dubh grandson of Lachlan Mor, was born in 1682, and was thus 33 when he took the part of James Stuart in the Rising of 1715. Six years earlier James had received a report on the state of the clans, and the MacKinnons and 12 others are described as "loyal" and "able to bring very good men to the field."
The description, the most flattering in the list, was prophetic. The MacKinnons served the Stuarts, especially Prince Charles, with notable distinction.
Ian Dubh managed to muster 150 fighting men and joined the Earl of Seaforth in time to take part in the battle of Sherrifmuir on 13th November, 1715. He was attainted for his efforts, after the rising failed. The estates were saved thanks to the disinterestedness of Grant of Grant (another of the Siol Alpin chiefs).
Ian was pardoned in 1727 according to some authorities, and according to others was still under attainder when on 18th July 1745 Prince Charles landed at Eriskay. The banner was unfurled at Glenfinnan on 19th August and old Ian (he was now in his 64th year), with 120 men, joined the Prince near Edinburgh. The number was subsequently increased, possibly to as much 250.
This number in proportion to the total population of the clan is almost unique and redounds to its eternal honour.
The march into England began on 31st October, 1745, and while nearly half the loyal clans were not represented AT ALL on this expedition, the rest had lost large numbers by desertion. But the two exceptions - and there were only two - were the MacDonalds of Glencoe (another clan whose fame has outstripped his numerical strength) and the MacKinnons of Strath. Each showed an INCREASE of 20 men when the march from Carlisle to Derby commenced. Had the Prince been as well served by his great leaders as he was by his minor chiefs, the rising might have been successful and the whole history of Britain and America been altered. The figures, for those interested, are as follows. The clans who joined the Prince were 22 in number. Of these, only 10 accompanied him into England; and of these 10 only two did not suffer from loss by desertion, but actually increased.
Prince Charles has been one of the most slandered men in history until, in recent years, historians have swept away much of the Whiggish facade of distortion to present us with a truer, clearer picture of the most romantic figure in Scottish history. But whatever one's personal views on the Stuart dynasty, the loyalty and devotion of the MacKinnons is inspiring.
On the 16th of April 1746, the Stuart hopes crashed utterly and finally at Culloden. It is on record that the Chief of MacKinnon was present at Tain on 15th April 1746 (the day before the battle) when Lord George Murray and the principal officers of the army assembled in council in the presence of the Prince. Murray of Broughton says that the MacKinnons were with the force which, under the Duke of Perth, defeated Lord Loudun in Sutherland. This has been taken as meaning that they were not with the army at Culloden. But Perth defeated Loudun on March 20th and rejoined the army before the battle, which accords with the account that the MacKinnons fought in the centre of the front line beside their old friends the MacLeans. The chief could thus have been at the council.
A serious piece of evidence is given by Donald Nicholas who says (p. 106 "The Young Adventurer").
"The Earl of Cromatry, together with Barrisdale, Glengyle and MacKinnon, were later sent into Sutherland to try to recapture money, £12,000 and stores which had been seized from "The Prince Charles" in the Pentland Firth. They were surprised by Lords Sutherland and Reay on 15th April at Dunrobin Castle, and Cromarty was taken."
This appears to be complicating, but the possible solution is that the MacKinnon force was split and that a party of MacKinnons, perhaps under the leadership of Captain John MacKinnon, went to Cromarty, while the chief and others remained with the army. It is rather difficult, otherwise, to understand how the chief came to be among those who planned to re-rally the clans at Archnacarry, Lochiel's home, shortly after the battle. The evidence that the clan fought at Culloden seems fairly sound and the chief's advanced age would incline one to believe that he would remain with the main force rather than be sent on a special expedition.
One might reasonably think this small but significant clan had done its bit. But perhaps the finest incident in the clan history is still to come. ON the 4th July 1746 the Prince came to Ellogal in Skye, with £30,000 in his head, to seek shelter in the friendly MacKinnon country.
Shelter he found among these his most loyal followers, and he finally escaped with the help of the old chief. After a close brush with the militia, he was taken to the seat of Angus MacDonald of Borrodaile. The words of the old chief when Charles, rejected by MacDonald of Morar, showed his distress, are worthy of record:
"Never cried the old man, tears in his eyes, "Never will I leave your Royal Highness in the day of danger, but will under God do all I can for you and go with you wherever you order me."
Years later Charles narrated this scene to the Pope who, on hearing of the devotion of the chief and his clan, exclaimed "If the Church failed to procure wine for the Eucharist, the Church could not find a purer substitute than the blood of MacKinnon."
One wonders if the Pope really did say exactly that; but he probably did express his admiration in glowing terms.
The old chief and his henchman were captured the day after he brought Charles safely to Borrodaile, and were sent to London. For a year the chief was a prisoner at Tilbury Fort and the Tower. On being tried for his life he was pardoned in view of his advanced years and his release was pronounced by Sir Dudley Ryder, the Attorney-General. As the chief was about to leave the court, the judge asked him what would he do if Prince Charles was again in his power.
The gallant old gentleman proudly replied.
"I would do to the Prince as you have done this day to me - I would send him back to HIS OWN country."
The description, the most flattering in the list, was prophetic. The MacKinnons served the Stuarts, especially Prince Charles, with notable distinction.
Ian Dubh managed to muster 150 fighting men and joined the Earl of Seaforth in time to take part in the battle of Sherrifmuir on 13th November, 1715. He was attainted for his efforts, after the rising failed. The estates were saved thanks to the disinterestedness of Grant of Grant (another of the Siol Alpin chiefs).
Ian was pardoned in 1727 according to some authorities, and according to others was still under attainder when on 18th July 1745 Prince Charles landed at Eriskay. The banner was unfurled at Glenfinnan on 19th August and old Ian (he was now in his 64th year), with 120 men, joined the Prince near Edinburgh. The number was subsequently increased, possibly to as much 250.
This number in proportion to the total population of the clan is almost unique and redounds to its eternal honour.
The march into England began on 31st October, 1745, and while nearly half the loyal clans were not represented AT ALL on this expedition, the rest had lost large numbers by desertion. But the two exceptions - and there were only two - were the MacDonalds of Glencoe (another clan whose fame has outstripped his numerical strength) and the MacKinnons of Strath. Each showed an INCREASE of 20 men when the march from Carlisle to Derby commenced. Had the Prince been as well served by his great leaders as he was by his minor chiefs, the rising might have been successful and the whole history of Britain and America been altered. The figures, for those interested, are as follows. The clans who joined the Prince were 22 in number. Of these, only 10 accompanied him into England; and of these 10 only two did not suffer from loss by desertion, but actually increased.
Prince Charles has been one of the most slandered men in history until, in recent years, historians have swept away much of the Whiggish facade of distortion to present us with a truer, clearer picture of the most romantic figure in Scottish history. But whatever one's personal views on the Stuart dynasty, the loyalty and devotion of the MacKinnons is inspiring.
On the 16th of April 1746, the Stuart hopes crashed utterly and finally at Culloden. It is on record that the Chief of MacKinnon was present at Tain on 15th April 1746 (the day before the battle) when Lord George Murray and the principal officers of the army assembled in council in the presence of the Prince. Murray of Broughton says that the MacKinnons were with the force which, under the Duke of Perth, defeated Lord Loudun in Sutherland. This has been taken as meaning that they were not with the army at Culloden. But Perth defeated Loudun on March 20th and rejoined the army before the battle, which accords with the account that the MacKinnons fought in the centre of the front line beside their old friends the MacLeans. The chief could thus have been at the council.
A serious piece of evidence is given by Donald Nicholas who says (p. 106 "The Young Adventurer").
"The Earl of Cromatry, together with Barrisdale, Glengyle and MacKinnon, were later sent into Sutherland to try to recapture money, £12,000 and stores which had been seized from "The Prince Charles" in the Pentland Firth. They were surprised by Lords Sutherland and Reay on 15th April at Dunrobin Castle, and Cromarty was taken."
This appears to be complicating, but the possible solution is that the MacKinnon force was split and that a party of MacKinnons, perhaps under the leadership of Captain John MacKinnon, went to Cromarty, while the chief and others remained with the army. It is rather difficult, otherwise, to understand how the chief came to be among those who planned to re-rally the clans at Archnacarry, Lochiel's home, shortly after the battle. The evidence that the clan fought at Culloden seems fairly sound and the chief's advanced age would incline one to believe that he would remain with the main force rather than be sent on a special expedition.
One might reasonably think this small but significant clan had done its bit. But perhaps the finest incident in the clan history is still to come. ON the 4th July 1746 the Prince came to Ellogal in Skye, with £30,000 in his head, to seek shelter in the friendly MacKinnon country.
Shelter he found among these his most loyal followers, and he finally escaped with the help of the old chief. After a close brush with the militia, he was taken to the seat of Angus MacDonald of Borrodaile. The words of the old chief when Charles, rejected by MacDonald of Morar, showed his distress, are worthy of record:
"Never cried the old man, tears in his eyes, "Never will I leave your Royal Highness in the day of danger, but will under God do all I can for you and go with you wherever you order me."
Years later Charles narrated this scene to the Pope who, on hearing of the devotion of the chief and his clan, exclaimed "If the Church failed to procure wine for the Eucharist, the Church could not find a purer substitute than the blood of MacKinnon."
One wonders if the Pope really did say exactly that; but he probably did express his admiration in glowing terms.
The old chief and his henchman were captured the day after he brought Charles safely to Borrodaile, and were sent to London. For a year the chief was a prisoner at Tilbury Fort and the Tower. On being tried for his life he was pardoned in view of his advanced years and his release was pronounced by Sir Dudley Ryder, the Attorney-General. As the chief was about to leave the court, the judge asked him what would he do if Prince Charles was again in his power.
The gallant old gentleman proudly replied.
"I would do to the Prince as you have done this day to me - I would send him back to HIS OWN country."
On that high note, possibly the most glorious that the clan history, or any other clan history for that matter, holds, we leave Ian Dubh MacKinnon of MacKinnon, 29th chief of his clan. He died at his house in Kilmorie, Skye, on the 7th of May 1756, aged 74.
[http://www.mackinnon.org/mackinnon-short-history.html]