Battle of Achnashellach
The Battle of Achnashellach was a Scottish clan battle said to have taken place in the year 1505, in the Scottish Highlands at Achnashellach. It was fought by the Clan Cameron against the Clan Mackay and the Clan Munro. Historical evidence Little is known of the events concerning the Battle of Achnashellach as there is little contemporary evidence to support it. However the Clan Munro records that "Sir William Munro of Foulis was sent to Lochaber on the King's business and was killed in an engagement between the Camerons and MacKays at a place called Achnashellach in 1505". Aside from this there is little evidence of the battle, however it is Clan Cameron tradition that they defeated a joint force of Munros and Mackays. Accounts of the battle 16th century contemporary evidence Contemporary evidence for the battle is found in The Calendar of Fearn which is a manuscript of the Clan Ross. It records a Hugh Ross, some time cadet of the Rosses of Balnagowan, who was killed at Achnashellach in 1504/05. Contemporary documents, the Munro Writs show that he was a procurator for Sir William Munro of Foulis. 17th and 18th century manuscripts Alexander Munro of Obsdale (c.1600 - 1649) Alexander Munro who was a cadet of the Munro of Obsdale branch of the Clan Munro wrote a birth brief to Charles I of England in the 17th century which mentions his ancestor William Munro of Foulis and states that he was killed by treachery. This birth brief was published in Alexander Mackenzie's History of the Munros of Fowlis in 1898 and states: William Munro of Foulis, plainly a knight most valiant for leading an army at the command of the King against certain factious northern men, he perished by treachery. Andrew Munro of Coul (1717) Andrew Munro of Coul wrote an MS History of the Munros in about 1717 which was published in 1805 in the book Chronological and Genealogical Account of the Ancient and Honorable Family of the Fowlis. This has a brief account of the skirmish stating that Munro was killed by Cameron and that: the house was surrounded and refused to surrender. 19th century publications Memoirs of Sir Ewen Cameron of Lochiel (1842) The memoirs of Ewen Cameron of Lochiel (d.1719) were published in 1842 and in the author's introduction chapter, which gives a history of the Clan Cameron, the following is mentioned regarding the feud between the Camerons against the Mackays and Munros during the chiefship of Ewen Cameron of Lochiel (d.1546). Besides the other wars wherein Locheill was engaged, he had also a ruffle with the Barron of Rea, Chief of the Mackays, a people living many miles north of Lochaber. What the quarrall was, I know not, but it drew on an invasion from the Camerons, and that ane engagement wherein the Mackays were defeated, and the Laird of Foules, Chief of the Monros, who assisted them, killed upon the spot. Donald Gregory (1881) Donald Gregory's (d.1836) book History of the Western