Siege of Blair Castle
Encyclopedia
The Siege of Blair Castle was a conflict that took place in Scotland
in March 1746 and was part of the Jacobite Rising of 1745
. It was fought between Scottish forces loyal to the British-Hanoverian government of George II of Great Britain
who defended Blair Castle
near to the village of Blair Atholl
in Perthshire
against Scottish Jacobite forces loyal to the House of Stuart
.
, in command of the king’s army. The Duke sent two detachments from several regiments of infantry to secure the area of Atholl. One detachment of 200 men, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Webster was sent to occupy Castle Menzies
, home of the chief of the Clan Menzies
, Sir Robert Menzies of Weem. This was in order to secure passage of the Tay bridge. A second detachment of 300 men commanded by Sir Andrew Agnew, 5th Baronet
who was Lieutenant Colonel of the Royal Scots Fusiliers
(and chief of Clan Agnew
) was sent to take up post at Blair Castle
.
Blair Castle was the seat of James Murray, 2nd Duke of Atholl
(chief of Clan Murray
). James Murray actually supported the British government but most of his clan supported the Jacobite House of Stuart and were under the command of his brother Lord George Murray
.
In the afternoon of the 17th Lord George Murray and Macpherson of Clunie (chief of Clan Macpherson
) had by this time set up their headquarters at the village of Blair, which is about a quarter of a mile to the north of the castle. They sent a summons to the castle requiring Andrew Agnew to surrender the castle, garrison, military stores and provisions into the hands of Lord George Murray. The terms of surrender were refused by Agnew.
On the 19th of March, Agnew sent out a man on horse in an attempt to reach the Earl of Crawford
who was the general officer commanding some British cavalry and Hessian troops, supposedly at Perth or Dunkeld. However this was assumed to have failed when a short time later a Jacobite was seen riding the horse he had been sent out on.
On the 1st of April news reached the garrison that Lord George Murray and his men had left Blair. This is believed to have been because Murray had received an order to join the forces of the young ‘’pretender’’ Charles Edward Stuart
near Inverness
.
On the 2nd of April, George Lindsay-Crawford, 21st Earl of Crawford arrived with cavalry to relieve the garrison. It turned out that the man sent out by Agnew had fell from his horse when being fired at by the Jacobites, as the horse was so scared but he had escaped on foot and was able to make contact with Crawford.
and his men met up with the army of Charles Edward Stuart and were defeated a few weeks later at the Battle of Culloden
. The Royal Scots Fusiliers
also fought at Culloden but on the British Government side.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in March 1746 and was part of the Jacobite Rising of 1745
Jacobite Rising of 1745
The Jacobite rising of 1745, often referred to as "The 'Forty-Five," was the attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain the British throne for the exiled House of Stuart. The rising occurred during the War of the Austrian Succession when most of the British Army was on the European continent...
. It was fought between Scottish forces loyal to the British-Hanoverian government of George II of Great Britain
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
who defended Blair Castle
Blair Castle
Blair Castle stands in its grounds near the village of Blair Atholl in Perthshire in Scotland. It is the home of the Clan Murray family, who hold the title of Duke of Atholl, though the current Duke, John Murray, lives in South Africa....
near to the village of Blair Atholl
Blair Atholl
Blair Atholl is a small town in Perthshire, Scotland, built about the confluence of the Rivers Tilt and Garry in one of the few areas of flat land in the midst of the Grampian Mountains. The Gaelic place-name Blair, from blàr, 'field, plain', refers to this location...
in Perthshire
Perthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
against Scottish Jacobite forces loyal to the House of Stuart
House of Stuart
The House of Stuart is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland, the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland...
.
Background
In February 1746 Prince William, Duke of Cumberland arrived at PerthPerth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
, in command of the king’s army. The Duke sent two detachments from several regiments of infantry to secure the area of Atholl. One detachment of 200 men, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Webster was sent to occupy Castle Menzies
Castle Menzies
Castle Menzies in Scotland is the ancestral seat of the Clan Menzies. It is located a little to the west of the small village of Weem, near Aberfeldy in the Highlands of Perthshire, and was formerly known as Weem Castle.-History:...
, home of the chief of the Clan Menzies
Clan Menzies
For Menzies as a personal name, including its pronunciation and a list of famous people of that name, see Menzies.Clan Menzies ; , a member is a Mèinnearach) is a Highland Scottish clan.-Origins of the Clan:...
, Sir Robert Menzies of Weem. This was in order to secure passage of the Tay bridge. A second detachment of 300 men commanded by Sir Andrew Agnew, 5th Baronet
Sir Andrew Agnew, 5th Baronet
Lt-Gen. Sir Andrew Agnew, 5th Baronet JP was the son of Sir James Agnew, 4th Baronet and Lady Mary Montgomerie.-Succession:He succeeded his father as 5th Baronet Agnew, of Lochnaw on the latter's death on 9 March 1735...
who was Lieutenant Colonel of the Royal Scots Fusiliers
Royal Scots Fusiliers
-The Earl of Mar's Regiment of Foot :The regiment was raised in Scotland in 1678 by Stuart loyalist Charles Erskine, de jure 5th Earl of Mar for service against the rebel covenanting forces during the Second Whig Revolt . They were used to keep the peace and put down brigands, mercenaries, and...
(and chief of Clan Agnew
Clan Agnew
Clan Agnew is a Lowland Scottish clan from Wigtownshire and Galloway in the southwest of Scotland.-Origins:There are two theories as to the origins of the name Agnew. The most widely accepted is that the name is French and derives from the Barony d'Agneaux in Normandy. Emigrants from the region...
) was sent to take up post at Blair Castle
Blair Castle
Blair Castle stands in its grounds near the village of Blair Atholl in Perthshire in Scotland. It is the home of the Clan Murray family, who hold the title of Duke of Atholl, though the current Duke, John Murray, lives in South Africa....
.
Blair Castle was the seat of James Murray, 2nd Duke of Atholl
James Murray, 2nd Duke of Atholl
James Murray, 2nd Duke of Atholl KT PC , styled Marquess of Tullibardine between 1715 and 1746, was a Scottish peer.-Background:...
(chief of Clan Murray
Clan Murray
Clan Murray is a Highland Scottish clan. The Murrays were a great and powerful clan whose lands and cadet houses were scattered throughout Scotland.- Origins of the Clan :...
). James Murray actually supported the British government but most of his clan supported the Jacobite House of Stuart and were under the command of his brother Lord George Murray
Lord George Murray (general)
Lord George Murray was a Scottish Jacobite general, most noted for his 1745 campaign under Bonnie Prince Charlie into England...
.
The siege
On the morning of the 17th of March all of the detached outposts surrounding the castle had been taken by surprise and were captured by the Jacobites and the government soldiers of the outposts were made prisoners. The rebel Jacobites then proceeded to fire at the castle from close range. The government garrison now reduced to about 270 was ordered to different parts of the castle with orders not to fire unless they were attacked.In the afternoon of the 17th Lord George Murray and Macpherson of Clunie (chief of Clan Macpherson
Clan Macpherson
Clan Macpherson is a Highland Scottish clan from Badenoch, on the River Spey. It is a leading member of the Chattan Confederation.-Origins:...
) had by this time set up their headquarters at the village of Blair, which is about a quarter of a mile to the north of the castle. They sent a summons to the castle requiring Andrew Agnew to surrender the castle, garrison, military stores and provisions into the hands of Lord George Murray. The terms of surrender were refused by Agnew.
On the 19th of March, Agnew sent out a man on horse in an attempt to reach the Earl of Crawford
Earl of Crawford
The title Earl of Crawford is one of the most ancient extant titles in Great Britain, having been created in the Peerage of Scotland for Sir David Lindsay in 1398. It is the premier earldom recorded on the Union Roll.The title has a very complex history...
who was the general officer commanding some British cavalry and Hessian troops, supposedly at Perth or Dunkeld. However this was assumed to have failed when a short time later a Jacobite was seen riding the horse he had been sent out on.
On the 1st of April news reached the garrison that Lord George Murray and his men had left Blair. This is believed to have been because Murray had received an order to join the forces of the young ‘’pretender’’ Charles Edward Stuart
Charles Edward Stuart
Prince Charles Edward Louis John Casimir Sylvester Severino Maria Stuart commonly known as Bonnie Prince Charlie or The Young Pretender was the second Jacobite pretender to the thrones of Great Britain , and Ireland...
near Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
.
On the 2nd of April, George Lindsay-Crawford, 21st Earl of Crawford arrived with cavalry to relieve the garrison. It turned out that the man sent out by Agnew had fell from his horse when being fired at by the Jacobites, as the horse was so scared but he had escaped on foot and was able to make contact with Crawford.
Aftermarth
Lord George MurrayLord George Murray (general)
Lord George Murray was a Scottish Jacobite general, most noted for his 1745 campaign under Bonnie Prince Charlie into England...
and his men met up with the army of Charles Edward Stuart and were defeated a few weeks later at the Battle of Culloden
Battle of Culloden
The Battle of Culloden was the final confrontation of the 1745 Jacobite Rising. Taking place on 16 April 1746, the battle pitted the Jacobite forces of Charles Edward Stuart against an army commanded by William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, loyal to the British government...
. The Royal Scots Fusiliers
Royal Scots Fusiliers
-The Earl of Mar's Regiment of Foot :The regiment was raised in Scotland in 1678 by Stuart loyalist Charles Erskine, de jure 5th Earl of Mar for service against the rebel covenanting forces during the Second Whig Revolt . They were used to keep the peace and put down brigands, mercenaries, and...
also fought at Culloden but on the British Government side.