The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1913-06-12
DID WILLIAM or
ORANGE, ORDER MAS
SACRE or GLENCOE?

~ NANF 49,
Did William or Orange order the
massacre OF Glencoe. n OF h most
outrageous crimes In the annals OF
English history? When William and
! Mary Jointly had the c.own OK Eng
land conferred upon them, they We're
opposed by James III who proceeded TO
ireland, where the people were favor
able to him, and having collected q
large army he met and was completely
defeated by William in his famous bait
tie OF the Boyne. The next year, Ire
land was entirely subdued, and tbs
Scottish Highlanders, who had taken
Iup arms In favor OF James, We're In
duced to submit TO the government bus
in their ~pacihcation 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 milf
tary execution. Accordingly a body Of
soldiers entered the valley OF Glencoe,
and cruelty put to the sword all who
failed to escape, including men, ONE
and children. 4 signing OF this or
we're criticism"
Is william to be censured for having
done so? No apologist--and there have
been many OF them-has ever been able
20 defend from ~execration OF history or
1fendish Rtrocity this massacre upon
the poor defenseless and u-nsuspectlng
inhabitants Of the valley of Glencoe In
the month OF February, 1892.
Macaulay and other historians have
tried to excuse william for having Civ
en- the order, but no amount OF sophis-
try can paIliate the crime Of ordering
Wholesale massacre after his public
proclamation OF peace, and why he did
so historians are not able to explain,
In this massacre the Scottish Chief
tain Mcdonald and all his clan, num-
bering several hundred, were hutchered
In cold blood, after they had accepted
the terms OF Williams proclamation
OF Pardon" and had come IN to the
magistrates n taken the oath Of al
legtance.
The Scots. who had fought for their
rightful king against the usurper, VIII
liam OF Orange, had been defeated and
routed. In August, l69l, q proclama-
tion was issued by William, offering
indemnity to those who should come
in and take the oath before the first OF
the year. The clan OF Mcdonald OF
Glencoe was prevented from doirE 70
by accident n severe weather from
reaching the garrisan OF Inverary In
the delay, however, the oath was for
mally certified by the sheriff.
Notwithstanding this, advantage vas
taken OF the fact that the appointed
time had elapsed before the submission
was made; ana z warrant vas lssnea.
the militia OF Glen Campbel to repair
to Glencoe on February i. Campbell
being uncle to young McDonald's wife.
the soldiers we're received with all
manner OF friendship and hospitality.
For some days the troops lived In h
Il ,,kwoNoA Ia = anA - aha x,arx. - fxhkl
of the massacre the OFFICERS passed the
evening al cards in McDonald's house.
In the night q lieutenant, with q 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-
ceive his guests, was shot dead through
the 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, n
neither age nor infirnnity was spared.
In a place nine persons, as they sat
at table, were butchered by the sold
iers.
More than 100 persons were massa-
cred and several who fed TO the noun
tains perished by famine and the in-
clemency OF the season, The slaughter
would have been greater had not the
people fed to places OF shelter outside
the confines OF their territory. The fol-
lowing day the officer who was to
guard b passes from Glencoe, so that
nor would escape, but, on account OF
the weather could not fulfill the order,
was so chagrined that he laid the hous-
es in ashes and carried away the
cattle and other spoil, which were d.
vided among the butchers. Could viii
Lam have imagined such q narrowing
result when he AFFIXED his signature,
or were his orders misunderstood 2 This
massacre has remained q blot on his
name ever since, growing more and
more as-the enormity or such q massa-
cre-is contemplated.