Peter MacDougall

• General Notes
  • MACDOUGAI.L, or MACIHIGAIA, a clan who derive their
    descent and their name from Dugall, the son of Ranald, the
    son of the famous Somerled. The name ¡lim Gatt means the
    dark-complexioned stranger. The chiefs were generally Mtvled
    Do Ergadia or Lords of Lorn. The clan badge was the
    cloudberry bush. The Macdongalls are not mentioned in history
    till 1284. In the list of those who attended the convention
    of that year we find the name of Alexander de Ergadia.
    and it is supposed that liis presence was the consequence of
    his holding his lands by a crown charter. Another form of
    the name is MACDOWAI.I, used especially by those of the
    race who possessed lands in Galloway, to which district the
    Dhu Gailt, or black Gaels, are said to have given its name.
    At the time that Robert the Brace asserted his claim to the
    throne of Scotland the chiefs name was Alexander. He had
    married the third daughter of the Red Comyn, whom Bruce
    slew in the Dominican church at Dumfries, and in consequence
    he became the mortal enemy of the king. After his
    defeat at Methven on 19th June 1306, when Bruce, with
    only 300 followers, approached the borders of Argyleshire, he
    was attacked by Macdougall of Lom, at the head of 1,000
    men, part of whom were Macnabs, who had joined the party
    of John Baliol, and after a severe conflict was compelled to
    abandon the field. This battle was fought at a place called
    Dalree, and, in his retreat, one of the Macdongalls having
    come up with the king, seized hold of his plaid, which was
    fixed across his bresst by a large brooch. In the struggle
    which ensued the man was killed, but the plaid and brooch were left in his dying grasp. The latter, under the name of " the brooch of Lora." was long preserved by the chief of th« Macdongalls, and after being carried off during the civil war of the 17th century, has l>een restored to the family. In the life of Bruce (rol. i. of this work, pages 17 and 18) will be found other instances of the unrelenting enmity of the Mac- dougalls to the king. To punish the hostile clan, Brace in 1308 proceeded into Argyleshire, but found John of 1???, the son of Alexander, with a band of followers posted at the narrow pass of Crua- chan Ben, between Loch Awe and I-och Ktive. Having sent a party to threaten them in the rear, he furiously attacked them in front, and succeeded in putting them to flight. The chief of the Mucdougalls, who was during the action, on board a small vessel in Loch Etive, took refuge in his castle of Dnnstaffnage. After laying waste the territory of Lum. Bruce laid sieve to the castle, which soon surrendered, and the lord of Lorn swore homage to the king, but Jobn, hia son, refused to submit, and t