John Monro (son of Hugh Munro and Margaret Marschalls) was born Abt. 1460 in Of, Milntown, Ross & Cromarty, Scotland, and died Abt. 1475. He married Margaret.
Notes for John Monro: John Munro of Milntown was appointed tutor to his nephew John Munro XI of Foulis, in which capacity he distinguished himself.
During his service as tutor of Foulis, the Battle of Clachnaharry was fought. There are a number of conflicting accounts of this battle and some historians, including Eyre-Todd place the battle in 1341 when another John [20714] was tutor of Foulis. The battle was most probably fought in 1454, however. The main points of agreement about the battle are as follows:
John of Milntown had gone to Edinburgh to take care of some business for his nephew, John of Foulis, and on the way back he and his servants fell asleep while resting in a meadow in Strathardale, between Perth and Athole. When they awoke, they found that someone had cut off the tails of their horses.
John was very much angered by this. He returned home and assembled 350 men (other accounts say 200 men) and returned to Strathardale and wasted the area killing some of the people and taking their cattle.
On the way home, the raiding party, with their booty, passed through Mackintosh land and the Mackintosh Chief asked John for a share of the booty, or road-collop which was traditionally paid to a chief for traversing his domain. John offered Mackintosh part of the booty. One reference says he offered 24 cows and a bull, but Mackintosh wanted a third of the booty. John treated his demand with scorn and continued on his way, giving Mackintosh no road-collop at all.
Mackintosh was incensed and rounded up a group of his friends asking them to delay the Munros until he could assemble his fighting men and confront Munro. The Munros were overtaken beyond the river Ness at a place called Clachnaharry. John sent 40 (or 50) of his men on with the booty while the rest of the band stood and fought Mackintosh's men.
A fierce conflict ensued, but different versions disagree on how many were killed. They all agree that John was badly wounded and left for dead. Eventually he was taken to Lord Lovat who helped him back to health. Apparently John lost his hand or arm in the battle and because of that was thereafter called John Baichlich (or Bacilach, or Baclamhach, or Baccalach, or bac-lamhach) which means lame-handed or maimed.
Most versions of this tale say that the Mackintosh Chief was killed in the battle, but this is almost certainly not true. He probably did not even participate in the fight.
The Munros immediately retaliated and sent a force in the dead of night to the Isle of Moy where the chief of the Mackintoshes lived. Using planks which they had carried with them, they put together a make-shift bridge, crossed to the Isle and took their revenge on those living there.
Ref: "The Munro Tree (1734)" by R. W. Munro - L/1 Clan Munro files - Boggs, Elizabeth Stroud, Anna Margaret
Ref: "The Munro Tree (1734)" by R. W. Munro - L/1
Ref: "History of the Munros" by A. Mackenzie - p. 16, 21-27
Ref: "History of the Munros of Fowlis" by A. Mackenzie (1898) - p. 264
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Ref: "The Munro Tree (1734)" by R. W. Munro - Edinburgh (1978) - frontispiece, p. i, iii-iv
References:
(1) Clan Munro files - Hall, Barry Earl - Ahnentafel Chart - dated 19 Aug 1997 - p. 2
Compiled and edited by Allen Alger, Genealogist, Clan Munro Association, USA - e-mail: Alger@alum.mit.edu
More About John Monro: Record Change: 16 Aug 2004
More About John Monro and Margaret: Record Change: 04 Nov 2001
John Monro (b. Abt. 1460, d. Abt. 1475)
Notes for John Monro: