Archibald Menzies (1774 - 1854)

Born 25 Jan 1774 in Dull Parish, Perthshire, Scotland

Ancestors

Husband of Euphemia (Burnet) Menzies — married 26 Apr 1817 in Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 11 Jul 1854 at age 80 in Avondale, Stirlingshire, Scotland.

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Anthony Hare [send private message]

Biography

This profile is part of the Menzies Name Study.

Archibald Menzies is a member of Clan Menzies.

Archibald Menzies was born in Scotland.

MENZIES OF FARLAYER and BOLFRACKS

Birth

Major Archibald Menzies was born and baptised on 25 Jan 1774 in Dull Parish, Perthshire, Scotland. He was the son of Robert Menzies and Mary Menzies. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Military

In June 1815 Major Archibald Menzies served in the 42nd Regiment and fought with distinction at the Battle of Quatre Bras, Gorssel, Gelderland, Netherlands. Refer to Research Notes below and also - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Quatre_Bras

Marriage

He married Euphemia Burnet Innes on 26 Apr 1817 at the house of Gilbert Innes in Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland.^[3][4] They had five children during their marriage;

• Child: Mary Stuart Menzies.
• Child: Anne Menzies.
• Child: Gilbert Innes Murray Menzies.
• Child: Euphemia Menzies, Jnr.
• Child: Robert Menzies.

Residence

• 1841 ^[5]- 3 Fettes Row, Edinburgh St Mary, Midlothian, Scotland. Occupation: Retired Army Major Pensioner. Head of House. Living with wife Euphemia and children Euphemia 12 and Ann 16. Employed staff; Eliza Warden 25, Ann Lauri 24, and Sarah Bonar 25.
• 1851 ^[2]- 59 Great King Street, Edinburgh St Stephen, Midlothian, Scotland. Head of House. Occupation: Retired Army Major Pensioner. Living with his wife Euphemia and daughter Anne. Employed staff; Barbara Harrow 36, James Kirk 35, Jane Frazer 30, Jessie Ellis 23.

Death and Burial

Major Archibald Menzies died on 11 Jul 1854 at Avondale, Stirlingshire, Scotland. He was buried at the Polmont Old Parish Church Cemetery, Polmont, Stirlingshire, Scotland.^[6] https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/141987566/archibald-menzies

Research Notes

GRAVE INSCRIPTION: IN/ MEMORY/ OF/ ARCHIBALD MENZIES/ MAJOR IN 42nd OR ROYAL HIGHLAND REGt/ DIED 11th JULY 1854 AGED 80./ OF/ EUPHEMIA/ HIS WIFE/ DIED 8th DEC.1860 AGED 70./ OF THEIR CHILDREN/ ROBERT/ LIEUTENANT 1st MADRAS FUSILIERS,/ DIED AT BANGALORE/ 14th AUGt 1860 AGED 30./ ANNE. DIED 15th JAN. 1893, AGED 76.

"Then a Captain, Archibald Menzies, who commanded the Grenadier Company of the 42nd, was also trapped outside the rally square. He was a man of legendary strength who, preferring to fight on foot, had handed off his horse to a drummer boy. Menzies (pronounced Mingis) was wounded and fell next to Private Donald Mackintosh. The drummer boy abandoned the horse and ran to help, upon which a lancer tried to seize the valuable animal. Mackintosh, with his last effort, managed to shoot the lancer, ‘you mauna tak that beast,’ he is reported to have said, ‘it belongs to our captain here!’ A French officer, seeing Menzies trying to stand, attacked with his sabre;

As he stooped from his saddle (Menzies) seized his leg, and managed to pull him off his horse upon him. Another lancer, observing this struggle, galloped up and tried to spear (Menzies, who), by a sudden jerk and desperate exertion, placed the French officer uppermost, who received the mortal thrust below his cuirass and continued lying on Menzies’s body for near ten minutes, sword in hand. A pause in the battle permitted some men of the 42nd to carry their officer into the square of the 92nd, where he was found to have received sixteen wounds.

Menzies survived and lived until 1854. While he was tended in the 92nd’s square his own battalion tried to form line again, this time to oppose an approaching column of French infantry, but almost immediately they were threatened by still more cavalry, this time Cuirassiers. Cuirassiers were France’s heavy cavalry and the riders wore metal breastplates. The 42nd formed square just in time to receive the charge. ‘The Cuirassiers,’ Anton remembered, ‘dashed full on two of (the square’s) faces; their heavy horses and steel armour seemed sufficient to bury us under them,’ but the horses sheered away from the Scottish bayonets.

A most destructive fire was opened; riders cased in heavy armour fell tumbling from their horses; the horses reared, plunged, and fell on the dismounted riders; steel helmets and cuirasses rang against unsheathed sabres as they fell to the ground." http://www.bernardcornwell.net/waterloo-excerpt/

Acknowledgements

To R Hare Hare-1576 and P Gray Howard-18870 for research, compiling, and contact with the Menzies family.

FURTHER INFORMATION - MENZIES PROJECT https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:MINGUS_Inc._%28Menzies_INternational_Genealogy_UnderStudy%29-1

Sources

1. ↑ Source: #S526850740 Ancestry Record 60143 #4366542
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Source: #S526852673 Parish: Edinburgh St Stephen; ED: 4; Page: 17; Line: 7; Roll: CSSCT1851_180; Year: 1851 Ancestry Record 1076 #3310998.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Source: #S526851989 Ancestry Record 60144 #694376
4. ↑ Scotland, Select Marriages, 1561-1910. FHL Film Number1066690.
5. ↑ 1841 Scotland Census.
6. ↑ UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current.

• Source: S526850740 Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950 Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.
• Source: S526850830 Ancestry Family Trees Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.Ancestry Family Tree Ancestry Family Tree 152520576
• Source: S526851989 Scotland, Select Marriages, 1561-1910 Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc
• Source: S526852673 1851 Scotland Census Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations Inc
• Scotland, Select Marriages, 1561-1910. FHL Film Number1066690.
• Gordon A. C. MacGregor. The Red Book of Scotland. n.p.: Perthshire Heritage Trust, 2006. p. 504.