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Re: Ambush at Altimarlach




Hi Donald.,
    Campbell of Glenorchy was going to enforce his rights in Caithness.  He
was not a popular guy.  It was felt that he took advantage of the old Earl
in loaning him money. Anyway the Campbells and Sinclairs had a bit of a
tussle with the Sinclairs running off the Campbells.  Those crafty Campbells
saw to it that their baggage contained a whisky wagon and this was captured
by the Sinclairs.  Big party that night and the next day the Sinclairs were
headed home a bit hungover.  As the crossed the River Wick they were
ambushed by the awaiting Campbells and slaughtered. It wa said the Sinclair
bodies floated down the river to Wick, also the river at the site was so
clogged that you could cross the burn (river) without getting wet.  The
Sinclairs were wearing trews, and the Campbell piper played his tune "The
Carls with the breeks". This also was the time when the Campbell tune "The
Campbells are coming" was originated.  Sinclair of Kiess escaped with some
of his men and was determined to drive Glenorchy out of Caithness.  The
people with held their rents and it was a connstant squabble.  Campbell
being canny began to sell the land to the locals (Sinclairs) realizing that
his days were numbered.  George Sinclair of Kiess brought in some artillery
and bombarded Girnigoe.  This was the first tim cannon was usud in a
bombardment.  Much of the destruction to Sinclair and Girnigoe castle came
from this event.  Campbell fled and the King created him Lord Breadlebane,
as Parliment had restored the Earldom and title and honors to Sinclair of
Kiess.  This is a brief synopsis of the battle.  There is a monument at the
spot where the battle took place. It is called the thieves burn, because the
Campbells looted the dead Sinclai Bodies.  Not one of our more pleasant
moments.  Can't you hear the preachers saying this was all caused by "Demon
Rum".
                                            Regards, David
-----Original Message-----
From: Donald Sinclair <dmsin@mpx.com.au>
To: sinclair@jump.net <sinclair@jump.net>
Date: Tuesday, April 13, 1999 6:38 PM
Subject: Re: Ambush at Altimarlach


>
>Thanks David
>Do you know the story behind the actual fight. eg:
>Why were the Sinclairs hungover.?
>Did they know the Campbells were in the area.? I take it these were
>Campbells from Argyll. So they were a long way from home, how did they
sneak
>up to Caithness?
>Where is Altimarlach in Caithness.?
>Slainte Mhor
>Donald Sinclair
>-----Original Message-----
>From: David & Gloria Bouschor <haggis@skypoint.com>
>To: sinclair@jump.net <sinclair@jump.net>
>Date: Tuesday, April 13, 1999 3:01 AM
>Subject: Re: The Sinclair's March
>
>
>>
>>Hi Donald,
>>     The Carls was very derisive of the Sinclairs because the wore trews
>>when the were defeated by the Campbells at Altimarlach.  The hungover
>>Sinclairs were ambushed as the crossed the River Wick.  It is called
>thieves
>>Burn as the Campbells looted the dead bodies after they killed them.  The
>>tune is not usally played by Sinclair pipers.
>>                Yours aye, David (a piper)
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Donald Sinclair <dmsin@mpx.com.au>
>>To: sinclair@jump.net <sinclair@jump.net>
>>Date: Saturday, April 10, 1999 7:13 AM
>>Subject: Re: The Sinclair's March
>>
>>
>>>
>>>A h-uile duine
>>>Juli there is a piping tune called "The Carles wi' the Breeks"
>>>It's a Campbell tune but it is suppose to be a direct reference to the
>>>Sinclairs.
>>>It was made around the time of the Sinclair / Campbell feud in the
>>>1670's.The story goes that the Campbells had never seen any men wearing
>>>trousers ( Breeks)
>>>before, and it gave them a bit of a laugh.
>>>
>>>"Spaidsearachd Mhic nan Cearda" My gaelic dictionary translates this as
>>"The
>>>Sinclairs Strut"!!
>>>
>>>Donald Sinclair
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>From: Juli <kalwa@cwix.com>
>>>To: sinclair@jump.net <sinclair@jump.net>
>>>Date: Friday, April 09, 1999 11:25 AM
>>>Subject: The Sinclair's March
>>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>>Hello all -
>>>>
>>>>Hoping someone can help me.  Looked on our web page but did not see any
>>>>reference to the pipe music for Clan Sinclair.  Robert Bain's The Clans
>>and
>>>>Tartans of Scotland  lists the pipe music as "Spaidsearachd Mhic nan
>>>Cearda"
>>>>(The Sinclair's March.)
>>>>
>>>>Does anyone know the correct translation of the Gaelic?  I have seen a
>>>>reference to the Mac-na-Cearda being an Ancient Argyll family possibly
>>>>relating to the McNockairds.
>>>>
>>>>Does anyone have a recommendation for a CD with "The Sinclair's March"
on
>>>>it?
>>>>
>>>>Thanks in advance -
>>>>
>>>>Juli Anderson
>>>>Princeton, NJ - but Forever Argyll
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>[ This is the Sinclair family discussion list, sinclair@jump.net.
>>>>[ To get off or on the list, see http://www.mids.org/sinclair/list.html
>>>
>>>[ This is the Sinclair family discussion list, sinclair@jump.net.
>>>[ To get off or on the list, see http://www.mids.org/sinclair/list.html
>>>
>>
>>[ This is the Sinclair family discussion list, sinclair@jump.net.
>>[ To get off or on the list, see http://www.mids.org/sinclair/list.html
>
>[ This is the Sinclair family discussion list, sinclair@jump.net.
>[ To get off or on the list, see http://www.mids.org/sinclair/list.html
>

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