Colonel Lachlan mor Machinnon

[FrancesKelly]

In 1651, 3rd Sept. at the battle of Worcester, 'Colonel Lachlan mor Machinnon' is supposed to have saved Charles the Second's life, does anyone have the details of what he actually did?

[McDink]

A FEW paragraphs of text from this website might help.

In 1650, we find Lachlan MacKinnon, chief of the clan, receiving letters of service to raise a regiment of his clan, of which he was, of course, appointed colonel, and, leading them south, he joined the army of Charles II and fought with distinguished bravery at the battle of Worcester, September 3rd, 1651 The only advantage gained by the Royalist troops on this disastrous field, was the successful charge made by Charles himself at the head of his Highland clans.

The English militia were driven back behind their guns, the latter captured and had Leslie, with the Scottish cavalry, supported the movement by a vigorous charge, the day might have been won, for Cromwell was at this juncture separated by the Severne from one have of his army, and the rest were in such confusion that they would have been compelled to lay down their arms; Leslie, however, for some unexplained cause, hung back and Cromwell, restoring order amongst his troops, led them in a mass, outnumbering their opponents by two or three to one, upon the unsupported little band of Highlanders; these, however, contested every inch of ground as the retreated in good order towards the walls of the town.

It was at this juncture that the life of the King was saved by the chief of MacKinnon, and in recognition of this service, Charles II created him a Knight Banneret on the field of battle. Soon after this, the Royal troops were taken in rear, and being hemmed in between two forces, were almost annihilated. It is uncertain whether MacKinnon was taken prisoner or escaped, but he is known to have eventually returned to his estates in Skye and to have been alive as late at 1688.