Claverhouse

Claverhouse, John Graham of, Viscount Dundee, was born in 1643, being the son of Sir William Graham of Claverhouse, remotely connected with the Montrose family. After being educated at St. Andrew's, he served in the French and Dutch armies. He returned in 1677 and was put by Charles II. in command of a troop of horse with orders, to suppress the Covenanters in the West of Scotland. Defeated at Drumclog (1679), he fled to Edinburgh, but returned with Monmouth to take vengeance on his foes at the battle of Bothwell Bridge. By his cruelty, rapacity, and vigour he earned high rewards from the king, and bitter hatred from the people. In 1688 he was raised to the peerage. He failed to stimulate James II. to offer resistance to the Stadtholder, and after the revolution of 1688 gave his professed allegiance to William. However, no sooner had he been sent to Scotland than he began Jacobite intrigues and succeeded in raising a large force with which he took up a position at Killiecrankie to meet the forces of General Mackay who was despatched to quell the rising. Here Mackay was totally defeated (July 27, 1689), but Claverhouse perished in the fray. He was buried in the church at Blair Athol, but his grave has long since disappeared. The Jacobite partisans endeavoured to throw a halo of romance about his memory, but beyond courage and some slight military ability he had little to recommend him.