Battle of Drumnacoub


The Battle of Drumnacoub was a Scottish clan battle involving factions of the Clan Mackay fought in the far northwest of Scotland, some time between 1427 and 1433. It took place on a hill called Carn Fada at the southern end of the Kyle of Tongue, between Ben Loyal and the village of Tongue. It was fought between members of the Clan Mackay and men of the Clan Sutherland.
On one side was the old chief, Angus Du Mackay and his second son John Aberach Mackay. On the other side were Angus's cousins Morgan Neilson Mackay and Niel Neilson Mackay who were backed by troops from the Clan Sutherland, led by Angus Murray. Niel Nielson Mackay and Morgan Nielson Mackay were attempting to take the Mackay lands from their cousin, chief Angus Du Mackay.

Background

Niel Vasse Mackay, the eldest son of chief Angus Du Mackay had been imprisoned at the Bass Rock by King James I of Scotland in 1427, after the Battle of Harpsdale..
Thomas Neilson Mackay, brother of Neil Neilson Mackay and Morgan Neilson Mackay had killed the Laird of Freswick by the name of Mowat. He had pursued and killed Mowat with all his company, near the town of Tain in Ross, within the chapel of St Duffus, which he also burnt to the ground. Mowat had retired himself to the chapel to find sanctuary. The King soon after denounced Thomas Neilson Mackay to be a rebel and promised his lands and possessions for a reward to any that would kill or apprehend him. Thomas was captured by Angus Murray of the Clan Sutherland with the help of Thomas's own brothers Morgan Neilson Mackay and Niel Neilson Mackay. After being handed over to the king, Thomas was executed at Inverness.
After these events the Mackays were divided; the elderly chief Angus-Du Mackay and his loyal second son John Mackay were at odds with Angus's cousins Morgan Neilson Mackay and Niel Neilson Mackay, who had betrayed their own brother Thomas, and the Earl of Sutherland and Angus Murray offered Niel and Morgan Mackay rewards for their services, including their daughters in marriage.
In order to complete his "design"; the Earl of Sutherland ordered all his forces to support Niel Nielson Mackay and Morgan Nielson Mackay in obtaining Angus Mackay's lands. Angus Mackay, by that time, was elderly and was at a loss as to how to act, but was advised by his second son John Mackay not to yield to any of their demands and that he would defend their country or die doing so. This affair was terminated by the decisive Battle of Drumnacoub, which has been described by the historians George Buchanan, Sir Robert Gordon, and John Pinkerton.

The battle

The forces of Angus Du Mackay, led by his loyal second son John Aberach Mackay won the battle, although Angus Du Mackay was killed. Niel Nielson Mackay and Morgan Nielson Mackay whose forces were defeated were both also killed, as was their father-in-law Angus Murray. Sir Robert Gordon wrote an account of this battle in his book A Genealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland.:
Angus Murray, for the performance of his engaged promise made to Niel and Morgan, gave them his two daughters in marriage; then gathering a company of Sutherland-men, with Earl Robert his attollerance, he went on with these two brethren into Strathnver, to invade the same. Angus-Dow MacKay hearing of their approach, convened his countrymen, and because he was unable himself in person to resist his enemies, he made his son John Aberach Mackay, commander of his host. When they were ready to encounter, some two miles from Tongue, at a place called Drum-ne-coub, Angus-Dow MacKay sent message unto his , Niel and Morgan, offering them all his lands and possessions, except what is called Kintail in Strathnaver; which offer they did refuse, whereupon there ensued a cruel and sharp conflict, valiantly fought a long time with great slaughter on either side; Niel and Morgan trusting to their forces, John Aberach reposing his confidence in the equity of his cause, encouraged his men to assault their enemies afresh, who, with the like manhood, made stout resistance; by reason whereof there ensued such a cruel fight between them, that there remained, in the end very few alive on either side. John Aberach seemed to have victory, because he escaped with his life, yet very sore wounded, and mutilate by the loss of one of his arms. His father, Angus Dow MacKay, being carried thither to view the place of the conflict, and searching for the corpse of his unkind cousins, was there slain with an arrow, after the conflict by a Sutherland-man that was lurking in a bush hard by. Niel and Morgan, with their father-in-law Angus Murray, were slain; and as they had undertaken this enterprise upon an evil ground, so they perished therein accordingly.

Aftermath

Upon the return of Niel Vasse Mackay, who had been imprisoned on the Bass Rock and who took over his deceased father's lands, he gave his younger brother John some lands of his own. Sir Robert Gordon also writes of the events after the Battle of Drumnacoub:
The Earl of Sutherland being advertised how all passed at Drum-na-coub, and being informed of Angus Murray his death, he pursued John Abeerach so hotly, that he constrained him, for safety of his life, to fly into the isles. But John returning from thence the night ensuing Christmas, he came to Strathully, and there killed three of the Sutherlands at Dinaboll, having invaded them at unawares; whereupon Earl Robert pursued John Aberach the second time, so eagerly that he was constrained to submit himself, and crave him pardon for his offence, which he obtained upon his submission. Then again John Aberach settled himself into the country of Strathnaver, where he continued until the death of King James the First, that his brother, Neil-Vasse MacKay was relieved out of the Bass, by the means of the lady of that place, who was his near kinswoman. And at Niel his return into Strathnaver John Aberach willingly surrendered unto him all his lands within the country. Yet Niel gave unto his brother John the lands about Lochnaver, as a possession to dwell in during his days; which lands his posterity, the Sleaght-ean Aberach 'do possess and inhabit at this day'.
The 19th-century historian, Robert Mackay, disputes the account given by Sir Robert Gordon of the aftermath of the battle above, noting that Gordon was of the Earl of Sutherland's family . Robert Mackay says that it is absurd to think that John Mackay would have immediately fled to the isles in fear of the Earl of Sutherland, whose power he had just broken, and that if John Mackay did go to the isles then it would have been to visit his cousin, Alexander. Robert Mackay says it is more probably that John Mackay pursued the Sutherlanders, rather than having fled returning to kill three Sutherlanders as stated by Gordon.
The son of Niel Nielson Mackay who had rebelled against Angus Dow Mackay was John Bain Mackay who dropped the surname of Mackay and was progenitor of the Bain family.
The second half of the 15th century had seen a series of raids by the Mackays of Strathnaver on the Rosses of Balnagown. According to the Blackcastle MS the Rosses had made "a predatory incursion" into the territory of the Mackays. Sir Robert Gordon however says that the Mackays "often molested with incursions and invasions" the lands of the Rosses. According to historian Angus Mackay the evidence is ample that the Mackays managed to recover some of the lands in Ross-shire that had belonged to their relatives and enemies, Neil Neilson Mackay, his brother Morgan Neilson Mackay and Neil and Morgan's father-in-law Murray of Cubin, all three of whom had been defeated and killed by the Mackays of Strathnaver at the Battle of Drumnacoub in 1433. The evidence is also ample that the Rosses managed to secure some of these lands lying in the parishes of Edderton and Kincardine in Ross-shire. So it appears that the feud between the Mackays and the Rosses arose out of a scramble for disputed lands. Finally the Rosses gathered their forces to attack the invaders who were led by Angus Roy Mackay of Strathnaver, son of Neil "Vasse" Mackay, at the Battle of Tarbat, some time in the 1480's.