The name miscampbell

[BobsYourUncle]

On the subject of Campbell associations with the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, I have seen maps showing purported "recruiting areas" of the Highland regiments. I have always wondered to what degree these areas were observed--were members of other clans who were not friendly with the Campbell clan (not only Macdonalds and Macleans, but others as well) required to enlist in that regiment, or was it merely optional?

Could a potential recruit from Black Watch country, for his own reasons, enlist in the Gordons, for example? Would an out-of-area recruit be fully accepted?

What about that Macdonald in the Argylls? Could they all just get along?

That's a great question. The "recruiting areas" originated from the fact that in the very beginning, most of the highland regiments were raised by highland lairds from their holdings, following the traditions of highland clan structure and the function of clans, in part, as military associations.

But that changed significantly as a result of the highland clearances, wherein much of the populace was removed from the land to make way for sheep. For example, the 93rd Sutherland Highlanders originally were raised by Lady Sutherland and her husband, and enlistees were promised land and other benefits, only to find later on that those promises were not kept, and their families had been evicted.

With the destruction of the clan structure, recruiting had to change, as did recruiting areas. Some association with the traditional clan areas did continue, but recruiting and filling the ranks became a perennial problem after the clearances and broken promises. Depending on need, recruits seem to have been accepted from anywhere--prompting complaints about the number of Irishmen, English, etc.

Further changes in recruiting areas took place with the Cardwell/Haldane reforms. At one point the Argylls and Gordons both recruited in Aberdeen, later on only the Gordons did. The Black Watch continue to be associated with Perth down through the years. Some commentators have called the Argyll & Sutherland Highlander "the most highland" of the highland regiment, based upon analyses of the percentage of actual highlanders in the regiment. I don't mean to get too far into the weeds, but if commentators are analyzing the percentage of highlanders in highland regiments, you can tell that large numbers of NON-highlanders are serving in the so-called highland regiments.

As for acceptance of either Campbells or non-highlanders, that is probably a different matter. That would probably have a lot to do with attitudes of individuals. Fellowship with Campbells and non-highlanders may have become a necessity, as a highlander would have no choice but to fight alongside them, and I assume that if you are sharing a trench and relying on each other in combat, some sort of bond must form. Some of the previous posts demonstrate that there could be trouble with some attitudes. Good question!

[Lallans]

The question for our times must be: Do MacDonalds buy and eat Campbell's soup?

OK, so lacking any better info and since no gaelic source I can access can define what 'mis' means in that language, I'm going with my newly developed theory (developed out of despair and desperation ) that it's a simple variation on "Mac" and therefore that Miscampbell simply means "son of Campbell". This would be in line with the Victorian practice of making Mac into M', as in for instance M'Clintock.

[castledangerous]

The word "misg" in Gàidhlig means drumkenness. You can do the speculative math from there...

[Bill McCampbell]

In doing my family history, I find that the McCampbells in the United States are related to the Miscampbells that I have found in the UK, Canada, Australia, etc. In fact, I have a 25 out of 25 DNA match with an Andrew Miscampbell, a lawyer at Oxford, England (family originally from Carrickfergus, County Antrim). It is not that close to the Campbells of Argyll, but quite close to the Campbells of Succoth.

[BoldHighlander]

What captured the popular imagination, and inspires expectoration despite the distance of time, is that the Campbell's were considered to have violated the hospitality offered by the MacDonalds of Glencoe, a shocking transgression against Highland codes of behavior. The Campbells at Glencoe stayed in the MacDonald's homes for several days before killing their hosts without any warning given. The Campbells also arose very early in the morning to slaughter their hosts, arising early to take them unawares. So it has been viewed as a sneak attack against ones host, and so doubly outrageous.

Much of the story Prebble tells is taken from documents surrounding the official inquiry which resulted from the outrcry following the massacre. From the inquiry, we actually know a fair amount about what happened and the sequence of events. Prebble gives a more even handed account of the events than my brief summary, and supplies some of the realpolitik prevailing in the UK at the time which contributed to the way it all went down, and I do not mean to take sides, only to illustrate the deep emotions this event from the 1690's continues to inspire.

An interesting aside, (regarding this whole Glencoe business), is if your familiar with the PBS travel series Travels Through Europe with Rick Steeves' there is an episode that features his visit to Glencoe. There he meets and walks the area with a kilted gentleman of the name Macdonald (first name escapes me), who is (either) the curator /or volunteers at the little museum in the thatched hut found in Glencoe (I don't recall which).

Anyhow, this gentleman by the name of Macdonald is a descendant of those who were residing in Glencoe at the time of the massacre, and he relates to Rick Steeves how a grandmother of his escaped over the one unguarded pass to find refuge amongst the Campbells in the next glen(!!).

I guess they weren't all bad

[BoldHighlander]

While you are quite correct on the facts, you have missed how the event has reverberated culturally. For example, we reenactors of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders [historically associated with the Campbell clan & boar's head] are treated to a routine insult by Black Watch reenactors--these Black Watch fellows deem it necessary to loudly spit on the ground whenever they are forced to say "Argyll", in order to express their ire at the violation of the code of honor, not to mention the perceived treachery, performed by the Campbells who made up much of the detachment at Glencoe.

I just have to ask, is this routine insult from your fellow BW reenactors based upon something that is or has been actually done by the actual members of the BW?
Or is this another case of "reenactorism"? (just curious, having run into my fair share in ACW).

[Drac]

The question for our times must be: Do MacDonalds buy and eat Campbell's soup?

Not sure about the MacDonalds but I know quite a few Lamonts that that always joke about boycotting it.

I have to say I feel sorry for the Campbells at the Games. Everyone always takes the time to ride them. Let's face it, these people probably didn't have a whole lot to deal with the history.

I've been told that Campbell tents have been showing up less and less because while it might be friendly joking when everyone is doing it to you it gets old really quickly.

Jim

[BoldHighlander]

I have to say I feel sorry for the Campbells at the Games. Everyone always takes the time to ride them. Let's face it, these people probably didn't have a whole lot to deal with the history.

I've been told that Campbell tents have been showing up less and less because while it might be friendly joking when everyone is doing it to you it gets old really quickly.

I don't know about anywhere else, but I know the Clans Campbell & Donald here in Washington state have a pretty good relationship (& sizable followings), and more often than not find they're booths next to each other.

[Lallans]

Not sure about the MacDonalds but I know quite a few Lamonts that that always joke about boycotting it.

I have to say I feel sorry for the Campbells at the Games. Everyone always takes the time to ride them. Let's face it, these people probably didn't have a whole lot to deal with the history.

I've been told that Campbell tents have been showing up less and less because while it might be friendly joking when everyone is doing it to you it gets old really quickly.

Jim

I just have to ask, is this routine insult from your fellow BW reenactors based upon something that is or has been actually done by the actual members of the BW?
Or is this another case of "reenactorism"? (just curious, having run into my fair share in ACW).

I've certainly spoken to MacDonalds of the Boomer generation that would become visibly and verbally worked up if you mentioned Glencoe and/or the Campbells, something I've always put down to the Celtic whatever-it-is that I blame all my own grudge-carrying tendencies on. But thinking about it, I'm guessing that the same anger is missing in the current generation of up and coming MacDonalds, who like all or most kids nowadays are consistently taught that no one has any real enemies, at worst just misunderstood adversaries. And in the case of Glencoe it has been a very long time....

[BoldHighlander]

For those who haven't seen it, here is a series of videos that cuts nicely thru the mists of time & myth and explains the who, what, & why of Glencoe:

pt1


pt2


pt3


pt4


pt5


pt6


pt7