The Massacre of Glen Coe

On the 13th day of February, being Saturday, about four, or five, in the morning, Lieutenant Lindsay, with a party of the foresaid soldiers, came to old Glenco’s house, where, having called, in a friendly manner, and got in,
they shot his father dead, with several shots, as he was rising out of his bed; and, the mother having got up, and put on her clothes, the soldiers stripped her naked, and drew the rings off her fingers with their teeth; as likewise
they killed one man more, and wounded another grievously, at the same place.

And the said John, Alexander and Archibald Macdonalds do all depone that, the same morning, there was one Serjeant Barber, and a party, at Auchnaion, and that Auchintriaten being there, in his brother’s house,
with eight more, sitting about the fire, the soldiers discharged upon them about 18 shot, which killed Auchintriaten, and four more; but the other four, whereof some were wounded, falling down as dead, Serjeant Barber laid hold on Auchintriaten’s brother, one of the four, and ask’d him if he were alive? He answer’d, that he was, and that he desir’d to die without, rather than within. Barber said that, for his meat that he had eaten, he would do him the favour to kill him without; but, when the man was brought out, and soldiers brought up to shoot him, he, having his plaid loose, flung it over their faces, and so escap’d; and the other three broke
through the back of the house, and escap’d. And this account the deponents had from the men that escap’d. And, at Innerriggin, where Glenlyon was quartered, the soldiers took nine other men, and did bind them, hand and foot, (and) kill’d them, one by one, with shot; and, when Glenlyon inclin’d to save a young man, of about zo years of age, one captain Drummond came, and ask’d how he came to be sav’d in respect of the orders that
were given, and shot him dead; and another young boy, of about 13 years, ran to Glen lyon, to be sav’d. He was likewise shot dead. And, in the same town, there was a woman, and a boy about four or five years of age, kill’d; and, at Auchnaion, there was also a child missed, and nothing found of him but the hand.

From Official Depositions made at the Inquiry into the Glencoe Massacre, 1694, Maitland Club Papers. Glenlyon was Robert Campbell of Glenlyon, in command of the soldiers, and recipient of the orders to carry out the
massacre.

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