What actually happened: the jacobite army was devastated by musket fire and canister shot while charging across the difficult terrain. Cumberland's left was briefly penetrated but the scottish jacobites routed fairly quickly. 50 royalist troops died, compared to thousands on the jacobite side. And nobody stopped to have a conversation during the fighting.

1:35 I've seen rocks, sticks, bars, knives and guns or whatever the character find near him while being strangled, but smacking your enemy's head with grass is a whole other level

About 10 times more red coats died in this clip than in the actual battle!

And I thought braveheart was inaccurate !

Man, watching this you'd think this wasn't the battle that totally eviscerated and ended the Jacobite Rising

I love how formations just dissappear as soon as the melee starts.

A couple of observations. Apart from a brief breakthrough on the left, which put the Jacobites right into the rear rank fire, Cumberland's combined English, Welsh, and Scots formations did not break ranks. Also, by so doing, they bayoneted the man to their side, not to the front. This was a direct copy of the Roman legions.

Did Mel Gibson direct this?.. I get the impression 🤔

Dude just ran across a field, got a bayonet in him, had a one on one grapple with another guy, fought a bunch of others, got his leg slashed open and he still manages to overpower an uninjured guy who just got off his horse. My ass.

My 10th great grandfather, Archibald Macgregor was in this battle. He was severely wounded and managed to escape and emigrate to North Carolina.

I visited the battlefield a few years ago and admit I wasn't too sure there would be anything to see. After all it is just a field. We walked the field where the charge took place with all the little stone monuments and the "well" where many died. It was very inspirational. Since my background is English and Scottish it was particularly meaningful.

Years of training but death by grass.

Finally, the Highlanders won this battle after several cinematic tries.

On the 11th Feb 1824, The oldest surviving Jacobite Auld Dubrach died at the age of 110 in Braemar. He fought at Pestonpans, Falkirk and Culloden. He was taken prisoner to Carlisle castle where he escaped and returned to the Highlands on the run with a price on his head. He was never recaptured. His funeral was attended by 300 people who drank 4 gallons of whiskey before his coffin was lifted. A hero and a man of honour to the last.

Ah,good old exploding cannon balls! The staple of ‘historic’ battle films!

My direct ancestors, the MacKintosh clan of Clan Chattan, fought at Culloden. Of all the clans, the MacKintosh suffered the worst casualties, as reflected in the fact they have three mass grave markers where most clans only had one. In 2013, I went to Culloden with my father and it was an almost surreal experience. The visitor centre is one of the best I have seen, presenting both sides of the story. The battlefield itself was….eerie. They use flags to demarcate the positions of the respective armies. I distinctly remember standing at the spot where men had fought and died. It was a cold, foggy day as well, creating an almost unnerving atmosphere.

The Highlanders lost because Dougal wasn't with them that day. That man coulda carried the whole team.

Did this dude just kill a guy with grass?

Battle was actually WAY more onesided than this.

It seems the mythology of the Jacobite rising of 1745 still persists, such as the last battle battle between Scotland and England, however, it was actually a civil war, between the deposed the House of Stuart and the then current House of Hanover. Most of the Jacobite soldiers were not motivated by Scottish patriotism, they were levied by their landlords to fight in the rebellion, and there were many Scots and Irish that fought with the redcoats. Culloden also had elements of the French army's Irish Brigade and Royal Ecossais, they fought a rearguard action to give the routing Highlanders time to escape, despite Jacobite valour, they were outmanoeuvred, and suppressed by concentrated firepower, but I guess you can't write pretty stories about the reality of battle, as gallant soldiers fought on despite loosing the war.

This is like a re-creation of Pickett's Charge in which the camera focuses ONLY on Armistead leading a few hundred men over the stone wall and into hand-to-hand - and they leave out the fact that there were THOUSANDS of fresh Union troops in reserve waiting to counter-attack against any breakthrough.

The most successful battle of culloden in history

Having read the comments, it's good to see that I'm not the only one under the impression that the British (Lowland Scots) won the battle. Bloody difficult to tell from this version.

What strikes me about the 1964 BBC documentary on this battle is the way that Cumberland's army marches onto the field like they don't have a doubt in the world as to the outcome, and they're enjoying making the Jacobites wait a bit.

Please see Peter Watkins masterpiece 'Culloden' from 1966

According to the history books, the Highlander Scots' biggest problem was the big, hefty man leading the English, the Duke of Cumberland. The Scots faced an Englishman with inborn military ability and foresight. Analyzing the Scots' classic, Highlander Charge, Cumberland realized the solution would depend upon two things: an innovative tactical response and increased formation discipline to apply it. The good thing was that the typical English redcoat was already trained to use his bayonet musket as an effective pike. The trick was how better to use it. It took strong discipline, teamwork, esprit de corps and great faith in a redcoat soldier's comrade to his left and right because if either faltered, the soldier in the middle would take a Scottish claymore heavy sword down his skull. Cumberland retrained his English redcoat soldiers to strike out with the bayonet NOT at the Scotsman in front but to the Scot on the right, aiming for his armpit as he held up his Scottish claymore or other sword. Anyone who studied martial arts knows the armpit is a center of vulnerable nerves. A powerful strike to any armpit can collapse the victim. Penetrating with a sharp object was likely to be fatal. Missing the armpit was okay. The redcoat would stab the right side, almost as vulnerable. The history books say the new tactic worked at Culloden. The English did their typical, classic, staggered row firing, first row, second row as the Highlander Scots came within range. Smoothbore flintlock muskets of the time were not effective past 80 yards, although the musket ball would travel considerably further than that. Once past 80 yards, the charging Scots gave the English no further time to reload and fire past two or three volleys. Remember the practical battle reload and fire rate of a smoothbore flintlock musket was only three shots per minute. The charging Scots would be upon the English in seconds. The first two or three English volleys cut down a number of Scots making the next tactic a little easier. The Scots warriors raced to the English redcoat front line and as expected had their right arms raised ready to hack down. Most people are right-handed. The re-trained redcoats did their thing, stab the Scotsman to the right under his armpit or his right side. The video proves what really happened was a huge chaotic mess, as typical melee battlefield combats were at the time. But enough of the innovative tactic caught the Scots by surprise and their charge faltered, allowing back ranks of redcoats to reload and advance, firing, cutting down more Scots until they were forced to break and run. The rest is history. Scotland had finally fallen in practice despite already being united with England and Wales in 1707. The English overlords were harsh in the aftermath and several Scottish clans and their tartans were proscribed. Even though Culloden did not represent Scotland versus England - it was a rebellion led by an exiled Stuart pretender to the English Crown - it will always be remembered as the glorious last stand of the Highland Scots.

If only we used more Tufts of grass we may have won this one!

It was not a war between Scotland and England it was a Civil war.

First time I've seen a person get killed with grass. Lol

This is hilarious. The Highlanders were massacred in just under an hour with few losses for the red coats who consisted of scots and Irish as well as English: 300 dead and injured redcoats and almost 2000 highlanders killed wounded or captured.

its funny how many people think it was the highland clans versus English army division when in actual fact it was majority of Scottish divisions with 1 or 2 English for support.

Did Mel Gibson direct this battle scene.

Pure Hollywood!

Regarding the cannon explosions: showing the real effects of 4-9 pound solid shot would've been much more terrifying than the big "patriot" explosions. Explosive rounds were rare at this time and were more reserved for sieges.

So the Highlanders won the battle after all. We've been lied to all this time.

i had the chance to go in 2017 to the Culloden battlefield as well as a museum near inverness. Wonderful memories !! I am French and I will return for sure because there is so much to see in your beautiful country!

“This is round shot. This is what it does.”

3:42 Brutus can't catch a break, even when he is on the winning side

Am a big fan of the series and was actually thinking that the battle should have been separate when I was watching it. This scene would have been the British left flank that was engaged in the battle with hand to hand fighting. This was actually mainly Scot on Scot. So thank you so much for putting this together 👌 I can sleep a bit easier !

Considering the English only lost 50 men, Jamie seems to be responsible for 10 or 20 percent of the casualties singlehandedly.

Something that a lot of people fail to realise is that the jacobite revolution is not a war between England and Scotland, it's between the government and the jacobites. My ancestor Lord Duncan Forbes owned Culloden and the surrounding area via birthright, he chose to fight on the government side knowing the government would win. If Duncan chose to fight with the jacobites and lost, the clan would be disbanded. I've been in Culloden myself and walked amongst the graves my ancestor payed for and buried his fellow Scots in. I felt the heavy and costly choice my ancestor made to keep my family alive. Not everyone on the government side was "just another redcoat loyalist" there were Scots in those ranks making the difficult decision to kill their neighbors, and brothers to keep their lordships and later fight against the 1746 dress act.

Always amazing how these characters defeat soo many People, totally breaks the immersion of the battle.

I do wonder if Randall, at some point in this battle, recalled the words of the “witch” who not only knew his full name, but knew he would, in fact, die that day.

"Going muzzle to muzzle with redcoats in open field is madness" -Benjamin Martin in 'The Patriot'

I think about Jamie and his notorious reputation as "Red Jamie." I imagine that at Culloden, as most of the Scots were getting hewn down or blown up around him, he must have looked like Mars, the god of war, with the way he approached the battle with absolutely no care for his own life.

Not exactly accurate, the Highlanders didn't fight Braveheart-style with only the Redcoats using guns. They were both armed with firearms with bayonets.

I bet Nicola Sturgeon directed this!!! she likes a good story,,!!!.

The english outmanouvered the Scots at Culloden and many were killed by friendly fire in the smoke covered battle field and confusion. The professionalism of standing armies told the story as The British Empire was becoming a well oiled machine by this time. And innovations in bayonet drill overcame the Targe and broadsword at close quarters.

Chain shot. Canister. Grape. And if you are going to send exploding shells, try to time it so they go off in the air above the enemy formation…. It is beneficial for the defense to build a wall of dead enemies in front of their lines to slow the attacking mob. Just a thought.

Luckily the hero was not charging at the front of his troops as it normally happens and as it would have made sense being him some sort of leader. Instead, he was placed some more at the back, right in the perfect place to survive enemy volleys and, at the same time, to be one of the firsts to cut through enemy lines.

It was nice that the battle stopped for the dramatic pauses then resume after the dramatic scene ends.

A big thank you to you for having concentrated all these scenes in one! When you know the story and you are a fan of the series, it is a pure pleasure to see these images of the Battle of Culloden with Murtagh, Jamie, Randall, whatever the outcome ... is all the more moving !

That’s about as accurate as a Disney movie

I was around 6 years old when my father took me to culloden. He told me the stories of my ancestors and I still feel the pride and tears well up inside me watching this. Alba gu brath 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Hand to hand combat really brings out the beast mode in a soldier

Government loses: 50 to 300 Jacobite loses:2500 to 3000 Not a large amount of loses as portrayed here

I honestly thought the Brit officer and the scotsman were immortal especially when they saw each other on the battlefield and seemingly sensed that they are both the same undying kind. I eagerly waited for one or the other to cut the head off his opponent for the resolution of the fight as both seem to live forever. After my disappointment, I was shocked to read "Outlander" instead of "Highlander"

The British actor who Jamie kills with his Scottish dirk is a prolific actor with a long list of acting credits to his name. You would be somewhat interested to know that this British actor probably leads the record for most number of violent deaths on film screen. He's died violently in the mini-series, "Caesar", and in the mini-series about the doomed Franklin expedition to find the legendary Northwest Passage, among others.

This battle was over before it even started, cannon and musketry against claymore's and shields', a well disciplined British Army. Many people have a romantic view of this period in Scottish history.. reality is a vast majority of Scots hated these Highlanders if they were not stealing from lowland sheep farmers they were fighting amongst themselves. Final joke is the romantic pretender ran away with his tail between his legs dressed as a peasant woman never to be seen again, many Scots died unnecessarily because of this fool.

1000x more impactful when you realize that 0:58-1:02 you're probably watching what was the last Higland Charge in history and its futility in modern warfare as the highlanders are mowed down without even being able to bring down many redcoats with them, and knowing the history that follows with the highland clearances, that you are seeing the reenactment of the last remnant of real highland culture getting shot down in mere seconds

Officer at the end sounded like he bumbed his big toe, not like he just got stabbed. :D "Aah... aah..."

the government army used a new tactic developed specially for the highland charge. while the scots taunted, they opened fire, then when they charged into close combat the musketmen would stab the man facing their comrade on the right, this was so the scots couldnt block it with their shields

Muuuy buena serial, me encantó, estoy esperando una nueva tempirada

People forget that the British army consisted of a lot of Scottish Regiments and I emphasise the word BRITISH.

Meanwhile in our reality, the Highland charge disintegrated before it even reached the Government line, except at one place - the second line of British regiments just moved up to support the engaged regiments and drove off the outnumbered and exhausted Scots. Oh, wait, there was a whole second line of redcoats behind the first? Yeah, they don't really figure into this version. Cumberland may have been a Butcher but he wasn't stupid.

On this 275th anniversary of this terrible battle, may the spirit of the Scots never waver, and may the souls of those who died RIP. Thank God they will never be forgotten and Highland culture is appreciated these days. ❤️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿😞

Utter crap They were annihilated within a matter of minutes

War only brings pain, agony and famish.

Outlander is the reason why i today actually went and visited Culloden Field today. I loved and learned so much more about this battle. Being fair to the makers of Outlander, i think some of the people in the comments section are being rather overly critical of the battle scene here. While remembering this is a show with characters at the fore front of it, the right hand side of the Jackobites did penatrate the first line of the English and there's evidence to back that there was indeed quite a bit of hand to hand combat. I believe in this episode the Jackobites did eventually retreat (the battle did last around an hour) and they did manage to kill 50 men and there might even be more as the English mass war grave has not yet been discovered. The fiction of it all was based around the characters of the series and in my view, that is perfectly fine as it compliments the series and the characters that are followed

This gets my heart pumping since this is really how they fought back then rhe closeness of using a sword

Why does outlander make out like it was scotland v england😂

We Britons should never be fighting each other, we make a far more formidable force standing together.

Love how this almost makes it seem like Bonnie Prince Charlie listened to reason

Charles gave the command to charge as soon as the Redcoats could be seen cannons stuck in the mud .

A true testament for the scots. A brave and bold tactic the highland charge may they Rest In Peace

Never run to your enemies, let the silly buggers get tired running to you

Surprise, speed, and violence of action. Close the distance and shatter their ranks before the British can effectively reload and bring on the full weight of their volley fire and cannon. This worked for them at Killiecrankei, charging a short distance downhill on solid ground. At Cullodun, a large expanse of boggy moor negated the speed, they had no surprise at all, and by the time they hit the line there was not enough violence of action left in them to win the day (although they fought quite hard indeed). I've visited both battlefields...well worth the trip. Cool rendition of the charge but the real battle was much more one sided than this. The Scots got owned, unfortunately.

Buenisima la batalla de Culloden👏👏👏👏👏💙

Director: "Yeah I'm anglophobic, how did you know?"

Damn why so much animosity in the comments?This happened like 300 years ago chill people

Apparently this series, Outlander, is all about fighting "the British". I guess somebody forgot to tell them the Scottish ARE British.

never thought a clump of heather could be lethal...

0:53 es genial como disparan! Si tenían esa organización! Posta eran el mejor ejército de la época

When all else fails, choke the enemy with grass.

I don't understand the Scots' battle strategy, opting for a suicide charge.

Most of the movies I have seen similar to these shows muskets being the center of attraction in battle. But is there even a point in history were both bows and arrows and muskets are used in battle like after firing a volley of musket rounds the archers then take over while the muskets reload? It would be really interesting if such battle did exist...

makes it look like the Jacobite Scots won! "we slew the flower of their manhood" British officer's quote

The Americans must love this shit. The brave Scots against the unfeeling redcoats. No wonder the BBC never showed it.

Since when was this a Scotland vs Britain/England conflict? It was Stuart supporters vs Hanover supporters, nationalism had nothing to do with it. Could the writers not be bothered to skim through a history book.

I'm surprised Mel Gibson didn't get a cameo role

1:52 .. "Don't worry little brother... there are MORE!"

Cannons ripped them to bits in reality not many made it to British lines them that did got slaughtered,

The Highlanders are doing better there than in the real battle

I love how the Scots always look to win in these films, yet in reality, they got destroyed.

I thought the Duke of Cumberland’s army won the Battle of Culloden

The last minutes of this video are the same like in « Patriot » with Mel Gibson during the final battle scene....

Brave Scottish Nation! A nation of heroic men! I am from Székely Hungarian, from Transylvania. The Székely community originates from the Hungarian people The Scots and the Szekelys are very similar: They love freedom, they are not afraid of oppressors. I really like the Scots, I know the history of the Scots! I admire their courage and intelligence! Vivat semper Caledonia, terra heroum nobilissima laudanda virorum gloria fortissimorum sempiterna!!!

Fifty Government troops died in the battle which lasted barely an hour. I reckon twice that many got killed in the first five minutes of this film.

Why was Cumberland’s Army in Scotland anyway? Oh that’s right, the Jacobites had just invaded England and were retreating. What happened in the months after the battle was brutal, no denying it. That said England and Wales at the time were a burgeoning parliamentary democracy, (not the finished article for sure), but were well on the way. England had the foothold in a global trading enterprise which was starting to turn into the Empire. Peoples lives in England were improving with better representation, law and availability of food. Compared to Scotland who were at the time not much more than a collections of tribes fighting tribal wars. Once Scotland took on it’s full role in within the U.K., she made a massive contribution and gave so much in terms of art, literature, inventions, engineering, progressive thinking and not to forget formidable military fighting men and leadership. I feel sorry for the poor Crofters who were forced on pain of being thrown off their land to fight in a battle they had nothing to gain by. Culloden wasn’t Scotland vs England. It was more of a Scottish civil war. A point in time where the old ways passed for the new. Many highlanders left Scotland in the years after the battle for numerous reasons, but wherever throughout the world they went they took their poetry, music and spirit with them.

Its Ironic, the Jacobites lost because they decided NOT to take London They numbered 6000 and thought 15,000 where defending the city so they turned back from an undefended London and walked into the ready and waiting army