Stand-off at the Fords of Arkaig

Stand-off at the Ford of Arkaig
Part of the Scottish clan wars
Mackintosh marched on the north bank past the outflow of Loch Arkaig into the River Arkaig. There was no bridge then.
Date 13–20 September 1665 Location Achnacarry, Scotland grid reference NN171884 Coordinates: 56°57′5″N 5°0′5″W / 56.95139°N 5.00139°W / 56.95139; -5.00139 Result No battle
Belligerents
Chattan Confederation	Clan Cameron
Commanders and leaders
Lachlan Mackintosh	Ewen Cameron of Lochiel
Strength
1500	1200
Casualties and losses
None	None

The Stand-off at the Ford of Arkaig occurred in September 1665 at Achnacarry, about 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Fort William, Scotland. The Chattan Confederation led by the Clan Mackintosh assembled an army to challenge Clan Cameron in a 360-year-old dispute over the lands around Loch Arkaig. After a week of stalemate, the long-running feud was ended by a deal in which the Camerons bought the land from the Mackintoshes.

The Camerons and Mackintoshes had disputed the ownership of lands around Loch Arkaig and in Glen Loy to the south since the beginning of the 14th century. According to Mackintosh tradition, before 1291 the land had belonged to Dougal Dall MacGilleCattan, chief of the ancient Clan Chattan. In that year, his daughter Eva married Angus Mackintosh, 6th chief of Clan Mackintosh, uniting the two clans in the Chattan Confederation. Angus and Eva lived in Glen Loy for a few years before Angus had to flee from the Lord of Islay, into exile in Badenoch. The Camerons then occupied the lands, provoking about 360 years of feuding over the area. The clans fought their first battle, the Battle of Drumlui, in either 1330 or 1337. William Mackintosh, the son of Angus and Eva, had his right to the lands confirmed by charters from John of Islay, Lord of the Isles in 1337 and from King David II in February 1359. These charters and the marriage formed the basis of the Mackintosh claim on the lands, even though they were occupied by the Camerons for many years.

Lachlan Mackintosh of Torcastle became chief of Clan Mackintosh in 1660, and immediately pursued his clan's ancient claim to the land. In 1661 he obtained a decree from Parliament assigning the lands to him, whilst Ewen Cameron of Lochiel was at Court pushing his claims to Ardnamurchan and the area around Loch Sunnart on the West Coast. In a letter dated 7 June 1661 the Lord Chancellor of Scotland, Lord Glencairn, wrote from London to the "Lord President and Lords of Session" in Edinburgh telling them to freeze Mackintosh's action until they heard again from the King, as he had a scheme to resolve the problem and reward Cameron for his loyalty (Glencairn and Cameron had played large parts in the Royalist rising of 1651 to 1654). No more was heard from the Court, so in July 1662 Mackintosh obtained a Decree of Removal against the Camerons in the area. Cameron sought an audience with the King, pointing out that the Camerons would not leave their ancient lands peaceably. The King was unwilling to interfere directly in the affairs of Parliament, so a letter was written on his behalf to the Earl of Middleton, another veteran of the uprising and now Lord High Commissioner to the Scottish parliament. This letter, dated 30 May 1662, urged Middleton to find a peaceful resolution. Meanwhile, a warrant had been issued for Cameron's arrest, but he persuaded the Privy Council to defer it for a few weeks, allowing him to return home to Lochaber.

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