Battle of Red Ford

The Battle of Red Ford or Battle of the String of Lorne was a battle in 1294 or else after September 1296 between Clan Campbell and Clan MacDougall in Lorne, Scotland.[1] The battle was fought over disputed lands. It ended in defeat of the Clan Campbell of Lochawe.[2] The battle was on the borders of Loch Awe and Lorne, with the site and battle named Red Ford (Scottish Gaelic: Ath Dearg) after the ford which ran red with blood where the battle took place.[2][3]

Battle of Red Ford

Loch Awe where the battle is said to have taken place
Datec. 1294
Location
Loch Awe, Scotland
Result Victory for Alasdair MacDubhgaill
Belligerents
Clan MacDougall Clan Campbell
Commanders and leaders
Alasdair MacDubhgaill Cailean Mór
Strength
Unknown Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown Unknown

Background

Clan MacDougall having allied itself with John Balliol in his a competitor for the Scottish crown, upon his coronation in 1292, the chief of Clan MacDougall, Alasdair MacDubhgaill was rewarded by being appointed Sheriff of Argyll in 1293.[4] Having the influences of power, Clan MacDougall extended their influence and due to this, Clan Campbell and some other Highland clans like Clan Donald found themselves in dispute with Clan MacDougall. Cailean Mor "Great Colin/ Colin the Great" the 4th Chief of Clan Campbell signed his Ragman Role Oath of Fealty pledging allegiance to King Edward I of England with other nobles on August 27, 1296 so it is quite likely that he died in the Battle of the Red Ford on the String of Lorne in Netherlorn, Argyll at some time after that date.[3]

Battle

Although no exact details of the battle are at hand, a great many lives were lost on both sides and the ford ran red with blood of the fallen and the wounded. Cailean Mór Caimbeul (Sir Colin Campbell) was killed in battle.[2][1][3]

Aftermath
Kilchrenan Church where Sir Colin Campbell was buried after the battle

After the battle, Sir Colin Campbell's body was carried to the church of St. Peter the Deacon at Kilchrenan and buried there.[5][3]

Notes
  1. Maughan 1897, p140
  2. Adam 1970, p205
  3. Campbell, Archibald (1885). Records of Argyll; legends, traditions, and recollections of Argyllshire Highlanders, collected chiefly from the Gaelic, with notes on the antiquity of the dress, clan colours, or tartans, of the Highlanders;. Edinburgh and London: Blackwood and Sons. pp. 172-173. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  4. Paterson 2008, p19
  5. "Clan Campbell History". 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-09.

References

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