Anniversary of Glencoe Massacre 2/13, missed this year but not forgotten

[ForresterModern]

Although I was busy working and not able to go kilted on Saturday or today, I would like to take a moment now to remember those of the clan of MacDonald of Glencoe lost in the predawn massacre at the hands of government troops on February 13, 1692. 38 killed, and another 40 men women and children who died of exposure after being driven out into the winter hills around Glencoe. I do not wish to get into the politics or history of the goings on at that time, or to minimize the similar tragedies that were rampant throughout Scotland and her clans and families during the many centuries of strife, merely to remember this one instance, this one clan and their grave sacrifice, today. Belatedly I shall be wearing their colors tomorrow in remembrance. Bless their souls.

Cuimhnich----Remember

Nec Tempore Nec Fato-----Neither Time Nor Fate

Jeff

[Jock Scot]

Very nicely and fairly said, sir.

[Pleater]

The reason and the rationalisations are complex, but the fact which will not, and cannot ever be set aside is that the people of Glencoe had their attackers as their guests for many days before the order was given.

The full horror was prevented as they began killing their hosts so promptly that there was time for some to escape before both ends of the glen were closed off by more troops, approaching but delayed by the weather. They had been instructed to kill everyone.

Such events should be remembered.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[macwilkin]

The reason and the rationalisations are complex, but the fact which will not, and cannot ever be set aside is that the people of Glencoe had their attackers as their guests for many days before the order was given.

The full horror was prevented as they began killing their hosts so promptly that there was time for some to escape before both ends of the glen were closed off by more troops, approaching but delayed by the weather. They had been instructed to kill everyone.

Such events should be remembered.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

From other sources I have read, a number of the Glencoe Macdonalds were allowed to escape by Government soldiers who had no stomach for their work. In fact, it is often ignored that Robert Campbell of Glenlyon, the officer commanding the detachment, had to be threatened into carrying out his order. Two officers, Lieutenants Farquhar and Kennedy, according to Baynes & Laffin's Soldiers of Scotland, were arrested and awaiting court martial for refusing to carry out the order.

Also frequently ignored is the fact that in 1689, the Macdonalds themselves had been guilty of a raid on Glenlyon, the home of Robert Campbell -- as Baynes and Laffin state, "The Macdonalds were not innocents."

T.

[Pleater]

There are all sorts of sub plots to the story - there were various accounts piecing together what is known of the history and build up to the event on TV and radio during this January, and they made a dreadfully fascinating account of the times.

The times were certainly violent - but the Glencoe massacre went beyond normal bounds as it transgressed one of the oldest conventions of behaviour - that of hospitality.

In the Scottish play, Macbeth's murder of the king is more a sin than a crime because Duncan is welcomed as an honoured visitor to Macbeth's house and then killed.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[macwilkin]

There are all sorts of sub plots to the story - there were various accounts piecing together what is known of the history and build up to the event on TV and radio during this January, and they made a dreadfully fascinating account of the times.

The times were certainly violent - but the Glencoe massacre went beyond normal bounds as it transgressed one of the oldest conventions of behaviour - that of hospitality.

In the Scottish play, Macbeth's murder of the king is more a sin than a crime because Duncan is welcomed as an honoured visitor to Macbeth's house and then killed.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

Or for that matter, the Bruce's cold-blooded murder of the Red Comyn in Greyfriars, Dumfries -- yet people justify that nasty little sacrilege all the time because Bruce's propaganda machine did such a good job in vilifying John Comyn -- see Alan Young's Robert the Bruce's Rivals for a more accurate telling of the story.

Yes, the hospitality issue certainly comes into play -- but I daresay there are numerous violations of the ancient hospitality throughout Scottish history besides the events at Glencoe. I would argue that the Bruce's murder of Comyn was just as bad as Glenlyon's action, but I am a Cumming, so I'm just a wee bit biased.

I don't deny that what happened was horrible, nor that we should ignore it -- quite the contrary -- however, history is always never black & white, but many shades of grey.

T.

[ForresterModern]

As the OP I had sought to commemorate a specific important event in history, without inciting discord about every single inter-clan or individual act of skullduggery in Scottish history. But I see that that kind of conversation is not able to be had here and now without other bad feelings being brought to fore.

In light of the original intent of the post, and the direction this thread has quickly taken, I hereby request that the moderators close this thread, before further discord and discomfort is bred. Thanks.

jeff

[macwilkin]

As the OP I had sought to commemorate a specific important event in history, without inciting discord about every single inter-clan or individual act of skullduggery in Scottish history. But I see that that kind of conversation is not able to be had here and now without other bad feelings being brought to fore.

In light of the original intent of the post, and the direction this thread has quickly taken, I hereby request that the moderators close this thread, before further discord and discomfort is bred. Thanks.

jeff

Jeff,

My apologies if I offended you in offering a historian's POV on the Glencoe Massacre. I'm not sure I see any "discord or discomfort" but rather a historical debate on the mythology surrounding the incident, which really shouldn't warrant the shuttering of the thread. Anne's comments were very good and I simply was offering other viewpoints.

I would think a good way to keep this particular event from falling into obscurity is to encourage historical & academic debate of the facts surrounding it, as long as it is respectful.

I hope you would reconsider your call to close a thread which could prove to be very educational and informative.

T.

[Highlander31]

Jeff,

With respect to your original post,...well said sir.

[Mael Coluim]

Here’s a few pix of Glencoe that I took on a trip through the Great Glen Way starting on the Isle of Iona to Inverness in 2004.