One of the historic sites we visited on our recent trip to Lochaber was High Bridge, a stone bridge spanning the River Spean built by General Wade in 1736 as part of an extensive road and bridge system designed to open up the Highlands with the aim of making them more governable. The bridge is an impressive structure but it was made famous by being the site of the first skirmish of the '45 rebellion.
When news of Bonnie Prince Charlie's landing at Glenfinnan in July 1745 reached the Hanoverian government it responded by sending two companies of the Royal Scots, some eighty men, from Fort Augustus to reinforce the garrison at Fort William. They never completed their journey because, on 16th August, as they approached High Bridge, they were met on the other side of the River Spean....
The clansmen, heavily outnumbered, fooled the government forces into thinking that they were many more in number by rushing wildly down the hillside and between the trees, shouting, with their piper playing. The Royal Scots turned and fled, unsurprising since they were newly-raised troops.
Retreating towards Loch Lochy, the unfortunate Royal Scots were met by a much larger force of MacDonells from Glengarry, to whom they surrendered. Thus the first battle of the '45 rebellion was won by the rebels.
The site may appear to be a testament to the apparent failure of the general's road-building programme. Sadly, it simply drove the Hannoverian government to greater extremes once the '45 rebellion ended at Culloden: as well as continuing the road-building programme, the government waged a merciless campaign against the rebellious Highlanders which ultimately tore apart the clan system and led, indirectly, to the Highland Clearances.
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