General Lord John Murray


General Lord John Murray was born on 14 April 1711. He was the 7th son of John Murray, 1st Duke of Atholl and Mary Ross. Lord John was appointed Colonel of the 42nd Highlanders on 25 Apr 1745 while they were in Northern Europe, and only a few weeks before the battle of Fontenoy.

Forbes's history of the Black Watch says that he took over from Lord Sempill as Colonel on 25 April 1743, two years earlier, but this is probably wrong. He was in his early 30s and remained in the post for 42 years. Forbes says he was 'a very keen soldier and took a great interest in everything connected with the Highland Regiment...He was a staunch friend of every good officer and soldier in the regiment; and it is stated that when the disabled soldiers from Ticonderoga came home in 1758 to pass the Board, "the morning they were to appear before it, he dressed himself in full Highland uniform, and putting himself at the head of all who were able to walk, he marched his invalids to Chelsea, and advocated their cases so successfully that all received pensions." It is further recorded of this soldiers' friend that he gave them 5 guineas wherewith to drink the King's health, and 2 guineas to each married man. And he obtained for the whole a free passage to Perth, offering as well a house and garden to all of them who chose to settle on his land.'

He married Mary Dalton, daughter of Richard Dalton and Mary Bright, on 13 Sep 1758 at Sheffield.They had one daughter called Mary, born in 1759. Lord John died on 26 May 1787 at age 76.


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by Stephen Luscombe