Glencoe Massacre interest - Robert Campbell of Glenlyon
£6,000
Rare Books, Manuscripts, Maps & Photographs
Auction: 6 May 2015 at 12:00 BST
Description
Letter, c.20x16.5cm, dated 1692, with address and seal to verso, on one side of folded paper, from Captain Robert Campbell of Glenlyon addressed to Colin Campbell of Carquhen, asking him to pay John Christhom 5 dolars and writing that he has given him £3 to pay his 'booty', Campbell states that he has missed Lord Argyll and must be away
Footnote
Note: The massacre of Glencoe took place on 13th February 1692. The Secretary of State in Scotland, The Earl of Stair desired to discourage the Highland clans from their traditional support for the now deposed Jacobite king. To that end he obliged each clan chieftain to swear allegiance to the new king, William of Orange. When Alastair MacIain, the chief of the MacDonald clan in Glencoe was delayed in signing this oath, The Earl of Stair saw an opportunity to demonstrate the authority and power of the King by eradicating this small clan. In order to execute his plan, Stair employed Robert Campbell of Glenlyon and his Earl of Argyll's Regiment of Foot to perform the ghastly deed and the regiment was billeted amongst the Glencoe families. Campbell had joined the regiment following the destruction of his property by the MacIains of Glencoe and their Glengarry cousins. However, crucially he never directly blamed the MacIains of Glencoe for this. Despite some suspicion, the MacDonalds' tradition for highland hospitality prevailed and they welcomed the soldiers into their homes for several days before the order for the massacre was delivered. Following the massacre, an inquiry was conducted. However, due to the king's involvement, the waters were muddied by claims of interclan rivalry between Campbells and MacDonalds. Despite never directly blaming the MacIains of Glencoe during the inquiry into the destruction of his property, Robert Campbell's involvement in the massacre was used as a vehicle for this claim.
The letter for sale shows Robert Campbell trying to make contact with Lord Argyll and settling soldiers' payments whilst hurrying away following the massacre.