Donald Macleod (abt. 1773 - 1862)

Born about 1773 in Knock, Ross-shire, Scotland

Descendants

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Stacy Campbell [send private message]

Biography

Donald was born about 1773. He passed away in 1862.

Sergeant Donald MacLeod served from 1795-1813 in the 2nd Battalion 78th Regiment of Foot.

In 1794 the 78th raised a second battalion which, in July 1795, sailed for South Africa.[7] Here it took part in the successful attack by a British fleet under Sir George Elphinstone on the Dutch Cape Colony, then held by the forces of the Batavian Republic: the attack led to the capitulation by the Dutch Navy at Saldanha Bay and the capture of the colony by British forces in September 1796.[8][6]

In March 1796 the 1st battalion sailed from England to South Africa where, in June that year it amalgamated with the 2nd battalion.[9] In November the newly merged regiment left South Africa for India. here it saw action at the Battle of Assaye in September 1803, during the Second Anglo-Maratha War.[4] During the battle the regiment were tasked with retaking the Maratha gun line.[10] For their part in this decisive victory, the 78th was presented with a special third colour by the East India Company, with the elephant symbol borne on the colour worn as a regimental badge.[11] Later, when stationed in Ceylon, the 78th acquired a baby elephant as a regimental mascot. It returned to Scotland with the regiment, and was finally presented to Edinburgh Zoo.[12]

Napoleonic Wars The regiment remained in India until it joined the Invasion of Java and the capture of Fort Cornelis in August 1811.[4] Leaving Java in September 1816, the vessel the battalion was travelling on, Frances Charlotte, was wrecked off Preparis, Burma, on 5 November on the way to Bengal. There were relatively few deaths and the Prince Blucher rescued most of the survivors, who it carried to Calcutta; cruisers from the British East India Company rescued the remainder. Prince Blucher carried a part of the battalion on to England, arriving at Portsmouth in June 1817.[13] ^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ https://findatwiki.com/78th_(Highlanders)_Regiment_of_Foot,_The_Ross-shire_Buffs

• 1851 Scotland Census
• UK, Royal Hospital Chelsea Pensioner Soldier Service Records, 1760-1920