Welcome back to This Day in Scottish History. I’m your host, Colin MacDonald, and today, we’re taking a journey back to the night of February 16, 1746, to a dramatic episode of the Jacobite Rising—The Rout of Moy.

Picture the Scottish Highlands in the dead of winter. The Jacobite rebellion, led by Prince Charles Edward Stuart—better known as Bonnie Prince Charlie—was reaching its final and most desperate months. The prince and his supporters were on the run, trying to hold ground as government forces closed in. And on this night, the Hanoverians believed they had a chance to end the rebellion in one swift stroke.

Prince Charles was staying at Moy Hall, the seat of the Mackintosh clan, located about 10 miles south of Inverness. Lady Anne Mackintosh, a fierce Jacobite supporter despite her husband's allegiance to the government, had taken charge of protecting the prince. Word reached her that Lord Loudon, leading around 1,500 government troops, was marching on Moy Hall, planning a surprise attack to capture or kill the Jacobite leader.

But Lady Anne was not one to be taken by surprise. With her husband away serving the British cause, she had thrown her support behind Charles and refused to let him be taken so easily. She sent out a messenger—young Lachlan Mackintosh—who raced through the night to warn the Jacobites.

Here’s where the story takes an almost legendary turn. The prince’s defenders at Moy were five men. That’s right—just five. Led by Donald Fraser, a blacksmith, this tiny band of Jacobites knew they couldn’t fight off an entire army. Instead, they relied on cunning.

They hid along the roadside in the darkness, waiting for Loudon’s advancing forces. Then, just as the government troops came near, they began firing muskets and shouting at the top of their lungs, mimicking the war cries of a much larger Jacobite force. They banged on shields, called out to imaginary regiments, and even made it seem like cavalry were approaching. The deception worked flawlessly.

Panic erupted among Loudon’s troops. Convinced they were walking into an ambush, they turned and fled back toward Inverness in complete disarray. Muskets were abandoned, soldiers ran over one another, and what should have been a well-organized assault became a full-blown rout. The entire force, outmaneuvered by a handful of Highlanders, was sent scrambling through the night.

The only known casualty of The Rout of Moy was Duncan Ban MacCrimmon, the hereditary piper of the MacLeods of Dunvegan, who had sided with the government forces. Legend has it that before the battle, he had a premonition of his own death and had even composed a lament, "Cha Till MacCrimmon"—translated as "MacCrimmon Will Never Return." His eerie foresight became reality that night when he was killed in the chaos.

The failed attack on Moy Hall was an embarrassing defeat for the government forces. More importantly, it allowed Charles Edward Stuart to escape yet again, living to fight another day. But as we know, the reprieve was only temporary. Just two months later, the Jacobites would suffer their final, crushing defeat at Culloden on April 16, 1746.

The Rout of Moy is a classic tale of Highland cunning, bravery, and the unexpected turns of history. Five men—armed with nothing but wits and courage—had managed to send an entire regiment into a blind panic. It’s a reminder that, sometimes, battles are won not by numbers, but by sheer audacity.

Thanks for tuning in to This Day in Scottish History. Join me again tomorrow for another tale from Scotland’s past. I’m Colin MacDonald—Haste Ye Back!

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