I’ve blogged about the Highland Charge before and so it was
with keen interest that I read David Stevenson’s case that the tactic was
invented by Alasdair. Stevenson, a
financial journalist by trade is author of Highland Warrior a biography of
Alasdair, of Scottish Covenanters and Irish Confederates and a fair bit more.
To briefly summarise his case:
Mac Colla originated the Highland charge at the battle of
the Laney fought in Ireland in February 1642 as this seems to be the first
recorded incidence of it we have. The
tactic was enabled by the adoption of the musket, sword and targe as standard equipment. The abandonment of Cotun and Mail armour also resulted in a swifter closing speed. The inspiration came from the traditional
tactic of sword and targe armed Kern but substituted a volley from the more effective musket
for the less deadly shower of darts.
I find this interesting and think Stevenson could well be
right. The impact of a Gaelic charge was
a serious matter. Mountjoy, Elizabeth
the First’s most successful general noted “When it comes to hand-strokes the Irish
will usually prevail”. That said the
Irish tended to separate out their shot from their targeteers not least because
the latter were drawn from the traditional military class. Many of the Irish shot, better shots than the
English says Mountjoy, were not drawn from the military classes and so were not
all trained swordsmen. They therefore could have carried out the effective volley required but not the superior swordsmanship needed upon contact, nor for that matter did they carry targes.
Although the ‘New Scots’ Highland soldiers who fought alongside
the Irish were dual armed we find them shooting with their bows or charging
fiercely with two handed swords depending on the tactical situation. I cannot think of a single incidence during the Nine Years War of the combined
shooting and assault required by the Highland charge .
I can note that some of the McDonnell’s of
the Route are recorded as carrying targes in the time of Shane O’Neill. It was a targe that saved Sorley Buidhe (Blonde
Charles) McDonnald from being brained by a Galloglaich axe.
All of which suggests that the tactic was an innovation and
one that might well lie with Alasdair Mac Colla of Clan Donald.
