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Welcome back to This Day in Scottish History. I'm your host, Colin MacDonald. Today, we’re heading to the rugged and windswept Kintyre Peninsula on May 16th, 1689, where a seemingly minor skirmish would help determine the fate of a region during one of Scotland’s many turbulent uprisings. This was the Battle of Loup Hill, a brief yet strategically vital clash in the early stages of the Jacobite rising of 1689. And if you’re curious about other fascinating events that happened on this day in history, be sure to check out my blog at bagtownclans.com/thisday. The link will be in the description!
To set the scene, the year 1689 was one of upheaval across the British Isles. The Glorious Revolution had just unseated the Catholic King James VII of Scotland and II of England in favor of the Protestant William of Orange and his wife, Mary. But not all of Scotland accepted this transition. Many, particularly in the Highlands and western regions, remained loyal to James and his Stuart claim to the throne. These loyalists became known as Jacobites—from the Latin for James, “Jacobus.”
In the spring of that year, the Jacobite cause was gaining traction. James had landed in Ireland, and in Scotland, Viscount Dundee, better known as "Bonnie Dundee," was rallying Highland clans to his banner. In the western coastal lands of Kintyre, a group of around 200 Jacobite rebels, drawn from local supporters of James and likely bolstered by Highland allies, had assembled near Loup Hill, a prominent ridge that offered a commanding view of the surrounding countryside.
These Jacobites believed they could hold the region or at least delay government control. Kintyre, with its long maritime connections and strategic location, was an important gateway to the Hebrides and to Ireland, where James was waging his campaign. Holding Kintyre would mean maintaining a critical link in the Jacobite supply and communication network.
However, government forces moved quickly to suppress the rebellion. A small contingent of troops, loyal to William and Mary, was dispatched from the nearby garrison at Inveraray or possibly Greenock. Despite their relatively small numbers, these soldiers were trained, disciplined, and well-armed.
On the morning of May 16th, they launched a surprise attack on the Jacobite encampment. What followed was less a battle in the grand sense and more of a swift and brutal ambush. The Jacobites, perhaps overconfident in their isolation or simply caught off-guard, were unprepared for the assault.
The government troops struck with precision and force. Though outnumbered, they met little resistance from the Jacobite ranks, who were likely poorly armed and lacking in coordinated leadership. Reports suggest that the skirmish was over quickly. Government forces emerged without loss, while the Jacobites suffered casualties—some killed, others wounded, and many simply fled.
The aftermath of the battle was significant. The rout at Loup Hill effectively ended Jacobite ambitions in Kintyre for the time being. Without the strength to mount a sustained resistance, the region fell under government control. More importantly, this allowed the authorities to secure the vital western seaboard and prevent further Jacobite reinforcements from Ireland or the Isles.
While it may not have the grandeur or legend of Killiecrankie or Culloden, the Battle of Loup Hill was a tactical win that underscored the importance of swift, decisive action in warfare. It was a quiet but telling moment in the broader Jacobite narrative—an example of how even small engagements could shape the political and military landscape of Scotland.
The soldiers who fought at Loup Hill are largely unnamed in the history books. There are no grand monuments, no ballads sung in their memory. Yet their brief clash played a part in the greater story of Scotland’s struggles between crown and covenant, between dynasty and reform.
Thank you for joining me today on This Day in Scottish History. I hope you’ve enjoyed this look into a lesser-known, yet pivotal encounter in the Jacobite saga. Don’t forget to check out my blog for more fascinating tales from Scotland’s past at bagtownclans.com/thisday. I’ll see you tomorrow for another journey through our remarkable history. I'm Colin MacDonald—Haste Ye Back!
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