It is hoped to give an idea of the choreography of the battle: essentially the Highlanders charged down the hill and smashed into the Government troops with such sudden ferocity that the Government line on the right flank broke under the impact of the charge while the left flank, largely raw recruits, did not even fire and fled before the enemy could properly engage. “With the exception of Hastings’ and Leven’s regiments they behaved like the vilest cowards in nature,” General Hugh Mackay, Commander of the defeated Government troops, wrote later.
The area of intense fighting has only been partially investigated by archaeologists in a rudimentary way. So far 2 metal detecting surveys and one geophysical (gradiometer) survey have been done.
OS map showing where the A9 runs through the designated site of the Battle of Killiecrankie. Click for larger version.
The entire area that lies within the boundaries of the Inventory Battlefield is large, extending from the north end of the Pass of Killiecrankie all the way up the River Garry to the Essangal crossing and more than half way up Creag Eallaich. The area of mortal combat is concentrated between the Government Lines and the existing A9.
Battle lines drawn before engagement. The sides clashed in the area between the line of the existing A9 and the Government troops. Click for larger map with names of clans and regiments.
Figure combining 2003 and 2015 metal detecting surveys. Click for a larger version.
Geophysical Survey of parcels on the battle site, undertaken in November 2016 by AOC Archaeology Group. Parcels 1 and 2 are on the far side of the Girnaig. Parcels 3, 4 and 5 are between the Girnaig and the Chluain, the 2 burns which defined each edge of the area of fighting. Click map for a larger version.
Pit locations on Parcel 3 from AOC Archaeology Group’s 2016 survey. Graves of the fallen have never been found. Historians think that most of those who were killed would have been buried near where they fell. Click map for a larger version.
Plan of proposed road with all infrastructure and pit locations marked by red dots. The pits have not been investigated fully nor has the area along the route of the proposed road been subject to a geophysical survey of the type done in November 2016. Click map for a larger version.
