Schedule for Scottish ViC 2022 is Now Confirmed

The next Scottish ViC will take place on Saturday, January 22, 2022. The schedule has now been confirmed:

9:15    Scottish Covenanters presented by Jimmy Fisher                               

10:30    Culloden presented by Hugh Allison                               

11:40     LUNCH                          

12:30     Survey of Scottish Witch Trials presented by Ciaran Jones                               

2:00       British Slave Owner Database presented by Matthew J Smith                               

3:30        Wrap-up

To meet our presenters: https://www.genealogyvic.com/ViC-2022

Registration is open. All presentation will be live, but are being recorded to allow access for those with time zone challenges. Access to the recordings will remain open for 30 days after the live event. 

Culloden

Today is the 270th anniversary of one of the bloodiest battles in Scotland's history. Over 1500 men were killed in less than an hour. This was a decisive defeat for the Jacobite forces. And was the beginning of change that led to mass emigration to the American Colonies, the West Indies and eventually to Canada. 

Leanach Cottage on Culloden Battlefield is the only building remaining from the time of the battle. It continued to be occupied up until 1912. The cottage did have barns, but they were burned down by government forces when 30 or so Jacobites who had been wounded but not killed were found seeking refuge in the barns. The gov't forces barricaded the men in the barns and set the barns alight, killing the men and razing the barns to the ground.

In the aftermath of Culloden came the Act of Proscription in 1747. This was an attempt by the English government to do away with the Highland way of life.  The Act banned the wearing of tartan, or Highland dress except for army uniforms. It further banned the carrying or owning of broad swords, durks, pistols, guns or any other "warlike" weapon. Government officers were authorised to search houses and arrest anyone who had proscribed weaponry in their possession. 

Many who were arrested were then banished to the colonies for a period of 7 or more years. 

The Act wasn't repealed until 1782 and by that time, the Highland Clearances had begun with tenant farmers and crofters being moved off of the highland estates to make way for more economical and lucrative sheep farming. 

Leanach Cottage, Culloden Battlefield

 

This is the Leanach Cottage on Culloden Battlefield. This is the only building remaining from the time of the battle. It continued to be occupied up until 1912. The cottage did have barns, but they were burned down by government forces when 30 or so Jacobites who had been wounded but not killed were found seeking refuge in the barns. The gov't forces barricaded the men in the barns and set the barns alight, killing the men and razing the barns to the ground.

Cries of Culloden

Today we went to Culloden Battlefield, which is just a few miles from where we are staying.

Our first stop was the Visitor Centre. This allowed us to walk through the timeline leading up to the day of battle. 

We listened to "first hand" accounts and were able to view the battle in surround theatre. Coming out of the theatre, there is a wall covered in the names of those who fell at Culloden. Reading them sent shivers up my spine and caused a heaviness in my chest. 

From the visitor centre, we collected audio guides for our walk through the battlefield. 

Past the English line

Past the memorial stones, commemorating the fallen clans, 

Past the Well of the Dead 

And out to the memorial cairn.

From the cairn, we walked to the Jacobite line. The Jacobites had a serious disadvantage, not just based on exhaustion and disorganization, but based sheerly on terrain. The English were on relatively level fields while the Jacobites were in dense brush, thick Heather and heavy, marshy bogs. They stood little chance when charging forward of getting anywhere but stuck. Sadly this led to the slaughter of hundreds of men in mere minutes. 

The battlefield is well preserved. It is, for the most part, barren, open and still. It is easy to hear the cries of our ancestors as they are carried along the winds blowing across the moors. A truly haunting place to visit. And a memory that will stay with me for a lifetime.