| Culloden was the site of the last battle on British soil and the end of the Jacobite Rising. Fought on April 16, 1746, the battle ended the House of Stuart's hopes of regaining the throne. The battle only took an hour, the same length as the guided tour, and resulted in the deaths of over 1,000 Jacobites (out of an army of less than 5,000). The English army was led by the Duke of Cumberland who ordered "no quarter" be given at the end of the battle. This resulted in killing of both surviving soldiers as well as innocent men, women, and children. |  |
| Cumberland was a hero to the English for he ended the threat of Scottish rebellion. As an honor, in England the flower "Sweet William" was named after the Duke; however, the Scots retaliated by naming a weed "Stinking Willie." In the years following the battle, the Highland way of life and clan system was destroyed. It became illegal to own weapons, bagpipes, or speak Gaelic. |
| The battlefield is a tragic site, much like Gettysburg, with monuments to the fallen. The guided tour is very worthwhile and you can easily imagine the horror of running across the swampy field into cannon fire. |
