Siege of Ruthven Barracks (1745)

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Siege of Ruthven Barracks (1745)

The remains of Ruthven Barracks

Date	29 August 1745
Location	Ruthven, Scotland, Great Britain
Result	Government victory^[1]

Belligerents

Great Britain

Jacobites

Commanders and leaders

Terrance Molloy^[2]

Archibald Cameron

John O'Sullivan^[2]

Strength

15^[2]

150^[2]

Casualties and losses

1 killed^[2]

2 killed^[2]

v t e Jacobite rising of 1745
Highbridge 1st Ruthven Prestonpans Culloden House 1st Carlisle Clifton 2nd Carlisle 1st Fort Augustus Inverurie Falkirk Stirling 2nd Ruthven Moy Inverness 2nd Fort Augustus Atholl Blair Castle Keith Fort William Dornoch Tongue Littleferry Culloden Loch nan Uamh Loch Ailort Arisaig Lochaber and Shiramore Killin Appin Murder Rannoch

The siege of Ruthven Barracks by Jacobite rebels of a small group of government soldiers took place in August 1745 and was part of the Jacobite rising of 1745.^[1]

Background

On 29 August 1745 a force of 300 Jacobite rebels marched on the Government held Ruthven Barracks.^[2] The barracks were under the command of Sergeant Terrance Molloy who had with him only 14 private soldiers.^[2] The Jacobites came to the gate of the barracks and demanded that Molloy surrender.^[2] Molloy was defiant and refused despite the Jacobites telling him that they would hang him and his men if he refused.^[2] The Jacobites then retreated some distance.^[2]^[3]

Assault

At nightfall around about 150 Jacobites returned and attacked the barracks.^[2] They set fire to the door gate but the defending soldiers managed to put it out.^[2] The man who started the fire was spotted and became an early victim.^[2] At about half past three in the morning the Jacobites withdrew.^[2] Sergeant Molloy then agreed to speak to two of the Jacobite leaders but he still refused terms of surrender.^[2] However, Molloy did agree to allow the Jacobites to remove their dead and wounded.^[2] The Jacobites had lost two men dead and several others wounded.^[2] The Government soldiers had only lost one man, who had been killed when he raised his head above the parapet, despite orders to keep his head down.^[2]

Aftermath

The Jacobites then left Ruthven but not without stealing many provisions from the residents of Ruthven Village.^[2] Sergeant Molloy was immediately promoted to the rank of lieutenant.^[2] On 10 February 1746, 300 Jacobites returned to attack Ruthven Barracks again and this time they had the advantage of having brought artillery with them.^[2]

References

^ ^a ^b Fremont-Barnes, Gregory (2011). The Jacobite Rebellion 1745-46. p. 41. ISBN 1846039924.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v Love, Dane (2007). "15: Over the Corrieyairack". Jacobite Stories. p. no page numbers. ISBN 1903238862.
^ Kybett, Susan Maclean (1988). Bonnie Prince Charlie: A Biography. London: Unwin Hyman. p. 128. ISBN 0044402139.

Categories:

Hidden categories:

Background

Assault

Aftermath

See also

References