He was educated at a Roman Catholic school in Douai in France, as was then common with some of the Catholic highland Scottish aristocracy (Catholic educational institutions being illegal in Scotland).[1]
He is best known for his command of the infantry defending the Hougoumont farmhouse at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, where he fought with great distinction, including leading the vital closing of the gates, with his sergeant, James Graham. The farmhouse had around 1000 defending it against a French force of 2500. MacDonell was wounded slightly in the battle.[3][4]
The Duke of Wellington awarded him £1000 for his part in the battle calling him "the bravest man in the British Army". MacDonell insisted on splitting this money with his sergeant, James Graham.[1][5]
In 1830, he was promoted to major general and posted to Ireland, where in 1837 he had to abate the troubles in Armagh.[1]
james, macdonell, british, army, officer, general, james, macdonell, 1781, 1857, scottish, officer, british, army, james, macdonnell, contents, life, military, career, awards, references, sources, external, linkslife, edithe, third, duncan, macdonell, 14th, cl. General Sir James Macdonell GCB KCH 1781 15 May 1857 was a Scottish officer of the British Army Sir James Macdonnell Contents 1 Life 2 Military career 3 Awards 4 References 5 Sources 6 External linksLife editHe was the third son of Duncan MacDonell 14th clan chief of Clan MacDonell of Glengarry and his wife Marjory Grant daughter of Sir Ludovic Grant 1 Alexander Ranaldson Macdonell of Glengarry was his elder brother He was educated at a Roman Catholic school in Douai in France as was then common with some of the Catholic highland Scottish aristocracy Catholic educational institutions being illegal in Scotland 1 He died in London on 15 May 1857 Military career editHe began as an ensign in 1793 In 1794 aged only 13 he was a lieutenant in the 78th Highlanders Regiment of Foot in 1795 he was captain in the 17th Dragoons He joined the 19th Foot in 1796 he was major in the 78th Foot and was awarded the Army Gold Medal for Maida in 1806 He joined the Coldstream Guards in 1811 as a lieutenant colonel and served in the Peninsular War 2 He is best known for his command of the infantry defending the Hougoumont farmhouse at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 where he fought with great distinction including leading the vital closing of the gates with his sergeant James Graham The farmhouse had around 1000 defending it against a French force of 2500 MacDonell was wounded slightly in the battle 3 4 The Duke of Wellington awarded him 1000 for his part in the battle calling him the bravest man in the British Army MacDonell insisted on splitting this money with his sergeant James Graham 1 5 In 1830 he was promoted to major general and posted to Ireland where in 1837 he had to abate the troubles in Armagh 1 He commanded the Brigade of Guards in Lower Canada under Lord Durham from 1838 to 1841 He returned to Britain in 1842 and was then successively given the colonelcy of the 79th Regiment of Foot Cameron Highlanders from 1842 to 1849 and the 71st Highland Regiment of Foot from 1849 until his death in 1857 He was promoted full general in 1854 citation needed Awards editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources James Macdonell British Army officer news newspapers books scholar JSTOR December 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message He was awarded Order of the Bath Knight s Cross of Maria Theresa and Royal Guelphic Order for his service at Waterloo He was appointed KGB in 1855 References edit a b c d Biography MACDONELL Sir JAMES Volume VIII 1851 1860 Dictionary of Canadian Biography Burke s landed gentry of Great Britain Editor Peter Beauclerk Dewar Burke s Peerage 2001 ISBN 978 0 9711966 0 5 Armed Forces Units British Infantry The Coldstream Guards British Empire Retrieved 11 August 2010 Ian R Gumm The Waterloo Campaign 1815 Aftermath Battlefield tour com Archived from the original on 7 July 2011 Retrieved 11 August 2010 BBC Two the Scots at Waterloo Who were the five Scots heroes at Waterloo Retrieved 28 December 2022 Sources editJulian Paget amp Derek Saunders 1992 Hougoumont The Key to Victory at Waterloo Pen and Sword Books paperback 2001 ISBN 0 85052 716 3External links edit nbsp Wikisource has the text of the 1885 1900 Dictionary of National Biography s article about Macdonell James 1841 1879 Portraits of Sir James Macdonell at the National Portrait Gallery LondonMilitary officesPreceded bySir Thomas Arbuthnot Colonel of the 71st Highland Regiment of Foot1849 1857 Succeeded bySir Thomas Erskine NapierPreceded byHon John Ramsay Colonel of the 79th Regiment of Foot Cameron Highlanders 1842 1849 Succeeded byJames Hay Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title James Macdonell British Army officer amp oldid 1183811907, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
