The Battle of Culloden 1746: Which Clans Fought, What Happened & Why It Ended the Highland Way of Life

On the cold, windswept moor of Drummossie, east of Inverness, the fate of Highland Scotland was decided in less than an hour. On 16 April 1746, the Jacobite army of Prince Charles Edward Stuart — Bonnie Prince Charlie — was shattered by the Duke of Cumberland's government forces in what became the last pitched battle fought on British soil. The defeat was followed by repression and legal changes that accelerated the transformation of Highland society over the following decades.

Quick Answer: What Was the Battle of Culloden?

The Battle of Culloden was fought on 16 April 1746 near Inverness, Scotland, during the Jacobite Rising of 1745. A Jacobite Highland army loyal to Bonnie Prince Charlie was decisively defeated by the Hanoverian government army under the Duke of Cumberland. The battle lasted under an hour. Jacobite casualties numbered around 1,500–2,000 killed. It ended Stuart hopes of retaking the British throne and led directly to the brutal suppression of Highland clan culture.

What Led to the Battle of Culloden?

The Jacobite Rising of 1745 began with a bold gamble. Prince Charles Edward Stuart landed in the Scottish Highlands in July 1745 with a handful of followers and a conviction that the Highland clans would rise for the Stuart cause. They did — in significant numbers. By September 1745, Edinburgh had fallen and the Jacobite army had routed government forces at the Battle of Prestonpans. The army pushed deep into England, reaching Derby by December before a fateful retreat back into Scotland.

The winter of 1745–46 ground the Jacobite campaign down. Supply lines were strained, desertions grew, and a government army under William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, pressed steadily northward. After a failed night attack on the Hanoverian camp at Nairn on 15 April, the exhausted and hungry Jacobite troops were ordered to form up on Drummossie Moor the following morning. The choice of ground — open, flat, exposed — was disastrous for a Highland army whose strength lay in fast, close-quarter shock attack across broken terrain.

Which Clans Fought at Culloden?

Culloden drew clans from across the Highlands and beyond onto both sides of the field. The Jacobite cause was far from universally supported — clan loyalty, religion, politics, and personal interest all shaped which way a chief would march.

Jacobite clans who fought for Bonnie Prince Charlie:

• Clan Cameron — among the most committed Jacobite clans, led by the legendary Lochiel. The Camerons suffered heavily and their chief was wounded on the field. Read the full Clan Cameron history.
• Clan Fraser — Charles Fraser of Inverallochy commanded the Fraser regiment on the field. Clan Fraser history and origins.
• Clan MacDonald — multiple MacDonald regiments fought at Culloden, placed on the left of the Jacobite line rather than their traditional position on the right — a placement whose significance has been debated alongside the effects of terrain and government fire. See Clan Donald history and the Lords of the Isles.
• Clan Murray — Lord George Murray was a senior Jacobite commander; Prince Charles remained commander-in-chief. The Murrays fought with distinction throughout the rising. See Clan Murray history.
• Clan Gordon — elements of Clan Gordon fought for the Jacobites. See Clan Gordon history.
• Clan Drummond — the Drummond regiment was present and fought on the Jacobite right. See Clan Drummond history.
• Clan MacLean — the MacLeans raised men for the Jacobite cause. Clan MacLean history and legacy.
• Clan Stewart of Appin — the Appin regiment fought fiercely and took devastating casualties. See Clan Stewart history.

Government clans who fought for the Hanoverians:

• Clan Campbell — the Argyll Militia, largely Campbell men, fought on the government side and played a role in the battle's aftermath. Clan Campbell history.
• Clan Hamilton — government-aligned forces included Hamilton connections among the regular army. Clan Hamilton history.

Clan labels do not describe everyone’s allegiance: branches, tenants and individual relatives could make different choices. For the fuller comparison, read which clans fought on the Jacobite and government sides at Culloden.

What Happened During the Battle of Culloden?

The battle began around 1pm on 16 April. Cumberland's army — better fed, better supplied, and able to exploit the exposed Jacobite position — opened with a sustained artillery bombardment that tore apart the Jacobite line before the Highland charge could close the distance. The Jacobite guns replied ineffectively.

After enduring devastating cannon fire for nearly half an hour, elements of the Jacobite right and centre surged forward in the traditional Highland charge — broadsword and targe, fast and ferocious. On the Jacobite right, Clan Cameron and the Atholl Brigade broke through the government front line. But the left, including the MacDonald regiments, never reached the enemy line. They advanced through withering musket and grapeshot fire across ground that gave them no cover and found their charge faltered before contact was made.

Cumberland's cavalry swept around both flanks. Within under an hour, the Jacobite army collapsed. The retreat became a rout. Government troops, under orders that gave no quarter, pursued the fleeing Highlanders and cut down those who could not escape. The violence that followed the battle — the systematic killing of wounded men on the field, the burning of houses, the killing of those suspected of sympathy with the Jacobite cause — earned Cumberland the name "Butcher" in Highland memory.

What Were the Consequences for the Clans?

The government reinforced disarmament, curtailed inherited jurisdictions and forfeited some Jacobite estates. These measures weakened the military and legal authority of chiefs and other landholders. Our account of why clan chiefs lost their power after Culloden explains the distinction between chiefship and landownership.

The dress restrictions took effect in 1747 and were repealed in 1782; they were not a ban on every use of tartan or a statutory prohibition on bagpipes. Read what the Highland dress ban actually prohibited.

Chiefs whose lands were forfeited lost the economic base that tied clansmen to their territory. Over the decades that followed, the Clearances accelerated the collapse of the old clan system as landlords — including some chiefs' descendants — replaced people with sheep. Hundreds of thousands of Scots emigrated to North America, Australia, and beyond, carrying clan names, tartans, and memories into the diaspora.

For families researching Scottish migration, Culloden provides important background, but an ancestor’s route overseas must be established from family records. Scots moved for many reasons, both before and after the battle.

Can You Visit the Culloden Battlefield Today?

Yes — and it remains one of the most moving heritage sites in Scotland. The Culloden Battlefield is managed by the National Trust for Scotland and is located just off the B9006, around five miles east of Inverness. The modern visitor centre opened in 2007 and includes immersive exhibitions, clan histories, a film presentation, and interactive displays that bring the battle to life without sensationalising it.

The battlefield itself is largely preserved. Memorial cairns and clan graves are marked across the moor, many bearing the names of the regiments and clans who fell there. The Old Leanach Cottage — a survivor from the time of the battle — still stands on the site. Flags mark the positions of the two armies. Walking the ground on a grey Highland day, with the wind off the moor, makes the events of April 1746 feel very close indeed.

Check the National Trust for Scotland’s visitor information for current access, opening hours and admission details.

Why Does Culloden Still Matter Today?

Culloden remains an important place of remembrance for people in Scotland and across the diaspora. A family name can prompt an interest in this history, even when a direct connection to a combatant has not been established. The wider story includes divided loyalties, survival, migration and the ways later generations chose to remember.

Culloden is also a reminder that clan identity was not a simple or uniform thing. Clans fought on both sides. Chiefs made difficult choices. Ordinary clansmen often had no choice at all. The romance of the Jacobite cause has grown with distance, but the suffering of those who lived through the aftermath was very real — the burnt townships, the transported prisoners, the long walk into exile.

Understanding Culloden means understanding why Scottish heritage matters so much to so many people who live so far from Scotland.

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