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Clan Cameron

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Reportedly one of the most ancient clans of Scotland, Clan Cameron originate from Lochaber in the Scottish Highlands. The clans main branch has historically been Cameron of Lochiel, although it has several cadet branches - notably Cameron of Erracht. Customarily, the clan chief is referred to as simply "Lochiel".

The clan have been involved in numerous battles and conflicts in their history. Notably they were major forces during the Wars of Scottish Independence and the Anglo-Scottish Wars. In the 18th century the 19th Clan chief met Bonnie Prince Charlie when he landed on Scottish shores and pledged the support of his clan to the Jacobite cause, a move which has been speculated to be a major reason for the Jacobite uprising of 1745. Donald Campbell, 19th of Lochiel, rose to prominence during the uprising - his efforts to negate the consequences of war earned him the nickname of the "Gentle Lochiel". After the movement collapsed following the Battle of Culloden the Cameron lands were forfeited to the British government, and their houses and cattle destroyed.

Clan Cameron were also involved in a 300 year feud with Clan Mackintosh, which broke out in the 14th century.

In more modern times, the Cameron Highlanders were the last battalion to wear kilts in battle, due to a surprise German attack and deliberate delaying of orders during World War II. For this the battalion earned the nickname of the "Ladies from Hell".

The Cameron clan motto is "Aonaibh ri cheile" (Unite), although previously it was "Mo righ's mo dhuchaich" (For King and Country). The clan crest is a sheaf of five arrows, tied with a band.

Scottish History

of Clan Cameron


A dynasty is born

In the autumn of 1745, with Scotland in the grip of the Second Jacobite Rebellion, moonlight cast a deep shadow along the east facing wall separating Edinburgh and the burgh of the Canongate; and in the gloom moved a deeper shadow, soft-footed – a detachment of Prince Charlie’s Highlanders led by Cameron of Lochiel.

The clansmen moved up the wall until their forefront reached the Canongate Port – a gateway for exit or entrance to the town. A member of the Town Guard and a gamekeeper were the only two at the Port, unaware of the presence of the warrior force.

At that moment there was a call from the Edinburgh side of the wall to open the gate and let a coach through into the Canongate. On this being done, and to the Town Guard’s considerable surprise, his musket was snatched from him by a figure springing from the shadows – Cameron of Lochiel himself, followed by the Highland men who, with Gaelic yells of triumph, marched into the deserted High Street with broadswords drawn, banners flying and their pipers playing ‘We’ll awa to Shirramuir and haud the Whigs in order’.

It had been a bloodless victory. The gunpowder brought to blow up the Canongate Port was not required. The only inhabitants to be seen in the now early dawn light were those peering bleary-eyed from the windows of the many storied dwellings.

Sentries were posted to the other ports around the town wall. Edinburgh had surrendered to the wild Highlanders but not its castle.

Meantime, the Prince and his army was approaching the Holyrood district by the Burghmuir and the Royal Park under Arthur’s Seat.

With such happenings then and in its immediate future, it could be said that the age-old clan system was approaching its grand finale with Donald Cameron, the ‘General Lochiel’, as a notable example of the Highland Chief of Scotland’s heroic and sometimes savage past.

As with many other clans, it is not recorded in history, in this instance the 14th century, that the Cameron clan begin to take initial form. A member of the Lochiel family married into one named ‘Cambron’, descendants of a warrior chieftain, who was a signatory of the Declaration of Independence for Scotland at Arbroath in 1320. And by early in the 15th century one Donald Dubh (‘the dark haired’) had become one of the first of the chiefs of Lochaber whose son was designated ‘Captain of Clan Cameron’.

The lands of Lochaber which included the Ben Nevis massif were long disputed over by the Camerons and the Mackintoshes though they did join forces to fight for King James I in his campaigns against the Lords of the Isles.

As reward for their services both clans were given Royal charters to lawfully hold lands in Lochaber. These did nothing to calm the feud which continued through succeeding reigns to when Donald’s grandson Ewen, the 13th chief, fought at the battle of Flodden where James IV was killed.

In James V’s reign Ewen was the first of the Cameron chiefs to add ‘of Lochiel’ to his title.

Apart from the Mackintoshes, the Camerons had to contend with the Gordons on one side and the Campbells on the other – often a question of finding good grazing, fertile soil and access to fishing. Allan, the 16th chief, is noted for keeping the other menace, the Mackintoshes, successfully at bay.

His successor Ewen had the dubious distinction of killing an Englishman in battle by biting his opponent’s throat.

Just south of the Killiecrankie Pass the Cameronian regiment, raised the year after William came to the English throne in 1688, were sent to garrison Dunkeld from the Highland menace to the north and eventually house to house fighting was the order of the day soon after the rival clansmen appeared. When the Cameronians had about exhausted their supply of ammunition and while the fight went on, a detachment was sent to strip lead from the roof of the Marquis of Atholl’s house to make crude but effective bullets.

The five thousand Highlanders, against 1200 Cameronians, ignorant of the strength of the opposition, decided it was not worth continuing the fight and in the tradition of raiding forces, retired from the scene, to fight another day.

At Killiecrankie Chief Ewen had fought his last battle. An eyewitness said, “It was long remembered in Lochaber that Lochiel took off what was possibly the only pair of shoes in his clan and charged barefoot at the head of his men!”

Ewen, knowing a good, reliable man when he saw one, made over his estate to his grandson Donald, the ‘Gentle Lochiel’ (later the 19th chief) while Ewen’s eldest son, John, led the clan out on the 1715 Rising but ended as an exile never to see Lochaber again.

Donald, a notable figure in the ’45, led his clan, among the first to join the Prince. He was no savage Highland chief spoiling for a fight. His estate was, or would have been, his main concern – his avenue of beeches are still there by the River Arkaig partly planted in their intended form but left incomplete on the arrival of the Prince.

Lochiel sacrificed all for his belief in the Jacobite cause; but some hindsight shows clearly how much better he would have been attending to estate matters – a worthy leader of his people in his civilized ways. His brothers were of similar nature – Alexander, a priest, and Archibald, a doctor.

Not only were the Jacobite Camerons instrumental in the taking of Edinburgh, as has already been recounted, but they were also in the vanguard of repeated, vain attempts to take the castle which were beaten back by cannon fire.

Diaries from the ’45

Here are some excerpts taken from diaries and memoirs written around the time of the ’45.

First, notes made by Alexander Carlyle, son of the minister of Prestonpans Kirk. He had gone to visit a friend, Col. Gardener of the Dragoons, following a previous encounter with the opposition and records this talk with the colonel: “He received me with kindness and invited me to dine with him at two o’clock. I began to ask him if he was not now quite satisfied with the junction of the Foot with the dragoons, and confident that they would give account of the rebels? Said he (referring to that previous encounter): “A foul flight, Sandie, and they have not recovered from their panic; and I tell you in confidence that I have not above ten men in my regiment whom I am certain will follow me. But we must give them battle now, and God’s will be done!”

Carlyle watched the Battle of Prestonpans: “Even at that time, which could be no more than ten or fifteen minutes after firing the first cannon, the whole prospect was filled with runaways and Highlanders pursuing them. Many were still trying to reach the town in hopes of escaping…”

Later, after the battle, Carlyle visits the site of the Highland victory “on an errand of humanity” and had the opportunity of seeing the Highlanders close-up: “In general they were of low stature and dirty and of a contemptible appearance. The officers with whom I mixed were gentlemen-like and very civil to me. I was conducted to Lochiel who was polished and gentle and who ordered a soldier to make all the inquiry he could about the medicine chests of the Dragoons. After an hour’s search, we returned without finding any of them”.

At the beginning of the Jacobite campaign the Bishops of Ross and Caithness, on Prince Charlie’s arrival in Scotland, wrote:

“When they landed in Eriska they could not find a grain of meal or one inch of bread. But they caught some flounders, which they roasted upon some bare coals in a mean, low hut they had gone into near the shore, and Duncan Cameron stood to cook. The Prince sat at the cheek of the ingle and laughed heartily at Duncan’s cooking.”

After the close of the campaign, another diary, written by Donald MacPherson, younger brother of Cluny MacPherson who, with Cameron of Lochiel had been wounded at Culloden recalls:

“Lochiel tho’ lame made the best of his way to meet his Royal Highness. However, such was his Royal Highness’ circumspection that when the other would have kneeled at his coming up to him he said, ‘Oh no, my dear Lochiel!’, clapping him on the shoulder, ‘You don’t know who may be looking from the tops of yonder hills and if they see any such motions they’ll immediately conclude that I am here.’ Lochiel then ushered him into his habitation. Upon his entry he took a hearty dram and when there was some collops dress’d with butter for him in a large saucepan that Lochiel and Cluny carried always about with ‘em, which was all the fire vessels they had, he ate heartily and said with a cheerful and very lively countenance, ‘Now, gentlemen, I live like a Prince!’ tho’ at the same time he was no otherwise served than by eating his collops out of a saucepan, only that he had a silver spoon.”

After further adventures Lochiel contrived to get to France where he remained in exile until his death in 1748 – his estates forfeited, the ancestral home Achnacarry and the clan houses burned to the ground.

Lochiels’s brothers, the doctor and the priest, were betrayed to the Government and both were executed.

Read more

Family History Mini Book


We hope you enjoyed reading this excerpt from this mini book on the Scottish history of the Cameron family.

You can buy the full book for only
$5.08

125 Clan Cameron

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The Crests

of Clan Cameron

Clan Cameron
Clan Cameron
Clan Cameron
Clan Cameron

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Divisions

of Cameron

Cameron of Erracht
Cameron of Locheil
Cameron of Lochiel
Chalmers
Clark
Clarkson
Clerk
Gibbon
Gilbertson
Gilruth
Kennedy
Leary
Lonbie
MacAlonie
MacAulay
MacClair
MacGillery
MacGillonie
MacLeary
MacMartin
MacOnie
MacPhail
MacSorley
MacUlrig
MacWalrick
Martin
Paul
Sorley
Taylor
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Spellings

of Cameron

Cambrin
Camron
Camrone
Camroun
Camrowne
Camrun
Cameronne
Cambrone
Cambernon
Cammeron
Camirun

192 Clan Cameron

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