THE BATTLE OF GLASCLUNE, 1392 (Draft)
[The following text is an extract from the Clan Young Website]
This memorial has been reverently erected in remembrance of those Angus men who fought and died in defence of their homelands in what has become known as the Battle of Glasclune. Best estimates place the date of the battle in August of the year 1392. The battle was a running pursuit, with actions at five separate locations, the second of which occurred here at Glasclune, which has lent its name to the encounter. Historians suggest that a group of over 300 Highlanders descended at night into Glen Isla. During the initial raid, many Ogilvies and Lindsays were slain, their homes looted and burned and their cattle driven off. The survivors of this raid gathered local men from the Glens of Isla and Esk and pursued the marauders to this site where, although greatly out numbered, the locals first attempted to regain their possessions. Highlanders overwhelmed their pursers however, sending them fleeing back towards their Angus homes. The Sheriff of Angus at the time, the Good Sir Walter Ogilvy, received word of this invasion and gathered the knights and lairds of greater Angus. He pursued the invaders, gathering with him the survivors from Glasclune as well. These brave men, set upon the Highlanders again at a site known as Dalnagairn (Field of the Cairns) at the very head of Glen Brierachan. There a vicious and deadly battle ensued was one of the most savage fights in the history of clan conflicts. This fight was between the pride of Angus chivalry, led by some 60 knights and lairds mounted on horseback, fully clad in steel armour and carrying long lances with banners waving supported by about the same number of men afoot, against a wall of wild tartan clad Highlanders, all afoot and armed with claymore, targe and dirk. The Angus men attacked, but the Highlanders stampeded their herd of about 1,000 head of cattle into their ranks, then unleashed a ferocious and overwhelming charge. In the confusion and overwhelming numbers, the Angus men made a brave and gallant stand, but eventually had to flee for their lives, many grievously wounded. The Highlanders continued to pursue the Angus men who made two attempts to rally their men. The first attempt was at a site called Dail-Chosnaidh (field of contending) and then again at a pass 500 yards further down the glen, called Clais-chatha (battle hollow). Numerous Angus men were killed in this pass and their bodies thrown into a small loch now called An Lochan Dubh. As chronicler, Andrew Wynton recorded:
Fifty or more were slain that day,
So few with life there got away, …
In that day’s work that was done,
As ye before heard at Gasklune.
Few of these brave men who were wounded or died were recorded, but those that were bore the names of Ogilvy, Lindsay, Gray, Pitcairn, Guthery and Young and their Clans here on this day (date here) have set this stone in place to remember their bravery and sacrifice.
“No men ever fought more heroically”