Archaeologists in Scotland unearthed more than 100 weapons shells, including cannon shot and lead musket balls, from one of the most famous battlefields. Experts say these new findings will allow them to better contextualize Battle of Cullodenand also highlight some of the lesser-known participants in the conflict.
Battle of Culloden
In July 1745, Charles Stuart arrived in Scotland, seeking to restore his father to the British throne. Over the next nine months, Stuart led thousands of supporters, militia, and conscripts in the military campaign now known as Jacobite rebellion 1745. Although the rebellion did not last long, it had far-reaching consequences in England and continental Europe.
Stuart's attempt to take the throne was ultimately doomed, and the Battle of Culloden became his last attempt at the throne. On 16 April 1746, he and more than 6,000 men met approximately 7,000 British Loyalists near Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. In less than an hour, between 1,500 and 2,000 of Stuart's men were killed or wounded, forcing the Jacobites to retreat and effectively ending the rebellion.
The decisive tactics of the battle have been carefully studied in subsequent years, but archaeologists from the University of Glasgow and the National Trust for Scotland have recently discovered numerous physical relics of the deadly conflict.
Fighting (and digging) in wetlands
Although previous investigations of the same area of the battlefield did not reveal any artifacts, experts recovered various munitions using two strategies: a test trench and a test pit. Both methods allow archaeologists to quickly assess an area without having to dig too deep into the ground. Metal detectors then helped identify likely locations for more extensive exploration. Experts believe previous research was likely unsuccessful because the marshy landscape was first planted with trees in the 19th century and then recently cleared.
Archaeologist Tony Pollard said initial analysis suggests their finds were among the last shots fired during the firefight.
“Musket balls fired by Jacobite and government forces, including pistol balls fired by government dragoons, probably represent one of the last acts of the battle,” he says the statement. “This engagement took place between the original battle lines, at a point where marshy ground slowed the Highland attack, and this, combined with heavy fire from the Cumberland Line, helped seal the fate of the Jacobite cause.”
“Act of Valor”
Pollard explained that the ammunition most likely came not from the Jacobites themselves, but from an Irish battalion recruited by their French allies.
“[The battalion] bravely advanced against hundreds of horsemen… advancing on the right of Cumberland's line, he said. “The task of these horsemen was to destroy the confused Jacobites, and we returned some of the shots fired from their heavy pistols.”
Historical sources say that about 150 men under the command of Lt. Col. Walter Stapleton blocked these horsemen. Retreating behind the walls of Culloden Park, the remaining soldiers soon surrendered. However, Stapleton was not among them. He was killed at some point during a cavalry charge. As regular troops in French service, the British treated them as prisoners of war rather than Jacobite rebels, and eventually repatriated them to France.
“This act of valor helped thousands of Jacobites escape from the battlefield, but is only mentioned briefly in most history books,” Pollard said.
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