Battle of Drumnacoub - The Battle

The Battle

The forces of Angus Du Mackay, led by his loyal second son John Aberach Mackay won the battle. However Angus Du Mackay was killed. Niel Nielson Mackay and Morgan Nielson Mackay whose forces were defeated were both killed also, as was their father in-law Angus Murray. Sir Robert Gordon (1580–1656) wrote an account of this battle in his book, the "Genealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland":

Angus Murray, for the performance of his engaged promise made to Niel and Morgan, gave them his two daughters in marriage; then gathering a company of Sutherland-men, with Earl Robert his attollerance, he went on with these two brethren into Strathnver, to invade the same. Angus-Dow MacKay hearing of their approach, convened his countrymen, and because he was unable himself in person to resist his enemies, he made his son John Aberach Mackay, commander of his host. When they were ready to encounter, some two miles from Tongue, at a place called Drum-ne-coub, Angus-Dow MacKay sent message unto his cousin-germans, Niel and Morgan, offering them all his lands and possessions, except what is called Kintail in Strathnaver; which offer they did refuse, whereupon there ensued a cruel and sharp conflict, valiantly fought a long time with great slaughter on either side; Niel and Morgan trusting to their forces, John Aberach reposing his confidence in the equity of his cause, encouraged his men to assault their enemies afresh, who, with the like manhood, made stout resistance; by reason whereof there ensued such a cruel fight between them, that there remained, in the end very few alive on either side. John Aberach seemed to have victory, because he escaped with his life, yet very sore wounded, and mutilate by the loss of one of his arms. His father, Angus Dow MacKay, being carried thither to view the place of the conflict, and searching for the corpse of his unkind cousins, was there slain with an arrow, after the conflict by a Sutherland-man that was lurking in a bush hard by. Niel and Morgan, with their father-in-law Angus Murray, were slain; and as they had undertaken this enterprise upon an evil ground, so they perished therein accordingly.