Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1913-06-20
DID WILLIAM OF
ORANGE, ORDER MAS
SACRE OF GLENCOE?


Did William of Orange order the
massacre of Glencoe. one of the most
outrageous crimes in the annals of
English history? When William and
Mary Jointly had the crown of Eng
opposed by James IL who proceeded TO
Ireland, where the people We're favor
able to him, and having collected a
large army he met and was completely
defeated by William in his famous bat
tie of the Boyne. The next ear, Ire
land was entirely subdued, and the
Scottish HighlanderS. who had taken
up arms in favor of James. were in
duced to submit to the government. but
in their pacification occurred the mas
sacree of Glencoe.
History tells us that ''McIan of
Glencoe, chief of the McDonalds, had
delayed taking the oath of allegiance
to the king, and the enemies of the
clan, taking advantage of this circum-
stance. obtained an order for it's mill
tary execution. Accordingly a body of
soldiers entered the valley Of Glencoe,
and cruelty put to he sword all who
failed to escape, including men,. women
and children. The signing of this or
der has subjected King William to Sc
we're criticism" F,
Is William to be censured for having
done so? No apologist-and there have
been many of them-has ever been able
to defend from execration of history or
fiendish atrocity this massacre upon
the poor defenseless n unsuspecting
inhabitants of the valley Of Glencoe in
the month of February, 1892.
Macaulay n other historians nave
tried to excuse William for having CIV
en- the order, but no amount of sophis-
try al palliate the rhine of ordering
such a deliberately t~reacherous act of
~ ~ pn1~~ N FA~ hi, hi
proclamation of peace, and why he did
80 historians are not able to explain.
In his massacre the Scottish Chief
tain Mcdonald and all his clan, num-
bering everal hundred. were butchered
in old blood, after they had accep.ed
the terms of Williams proclamation
OF Pardon" and had orn in to the
magistrates and taken the oath Of al
%legiance.
The Scots. who had fought for their
rightful king against the usurper, Will
liam of Orange, had been defeated and
routed. In August, 1851, a proclama-
ton was issued by William, offering
in and take the oath before the first of
the year. The clan OF Mcdonald OF
Glencoe was prevented from. doing 30
by accident and severe weather from
reaching the garrison of, %Inverary in
time. Having certified to the cause OF
InC OSldy, however, the 0AIn was IOr-
mally certified by the sheriff.
Notwithstanding this, advantage was
taken OF the fact that the appointed
time had elapsed before the submission
was made, and a warrant was issued,
signed by Williams own hand, ordering
he militia OF Glen Campbell to repair
to Glencoe on February 1. Campbell
being uncle to young McDonaid's wife.
he soldiers were received with all
manner of friendship and hospitality.
For some days the troops lived In the
utmost harmony. n on the very night
of the massacre the officers passed the
evening at cards in McDonald's house.
In the night a lieutenant, with a par
ty OF soldiers. called in a friendly man.
ner at his door and was admitted. Nc
Donald, while in the act of rising to re-
cefve his guests, was shot dead through
IN back with two bullets. His wife
had already dressed, but she was un-
clothed by the soldiers. who tore the
rings of her fingers with their teeth.
The slaughter now became general. and
neither age nor infirmity was spared.
In one place nine persons, as they sat
at table. were butchered by the sold
iers.
More than 100 persons were massa-
cred and several who tiad to the noun
tains perished by famine and the in
clemency OF the season. The slaughter
would have been greater a not the
people fled to places Of shelter outside
h confines of their territory. The fol-
lowing day the officer who WAS tc
guard the passes from Glencoe. So that
none would escape. but, on accOunt OF
h weather could not fulfil the order.
was so chagrined that he laid the hous-
es In ashes and carried away the
cattle and other spoil, which were Ill
vfded among the butchers. Could Will.
liam have imagined such a narrowing
result when he AFFIXED his ~signatur.
or were his orders misunderstood? This
massacre has remained biol on his
name ever since. growing more and
more ~ the enormity of such a massa.
Gre Is contemplated.