James Douglas, Earl of Angus
James
Douglas, Earl of Angus (1671 – 3 August 1692) was a Scottish
nobleman and soldier.
He was born at Douglas Castle,
Douglas, South Lanarkshire. The son of
James Douglas, 2nd James Douglas, 2nd Marquess of
Douglas and his first wife Lady Barbara Erskine, eldest daughter
of John Erskine, 20th Earl of Mar.
Angus was sent for his
education to a private residence, in England, to be tutored by a
Master Abernethy. His father's impecunious position aroused the
interest of King Charles II who wrote to the Lord Chancellor of
Scotland, George Gordon, 1st Earl of Aberdeen :
Being informed
that Lord Angus is in a private place within some miles of London,
and haveing a more than ordinary concern in his education, both on
the account of his immediat descent from the most loyall and ancient
family of Douglas (by which so many signall services have been
performed to our royal predecessors for many ages), and of the
earnest desire we have that, in case of his liveing to represent it,
he may not in his younger years becorrupted with ill principles, we
have thought fit hereby to authorise you to speak with his father
the Marques of Douglas, and to know from him to whose carehe has
committed a trust of so much importance to our service and to
himself, as is that of his son's education, at such a great distance
from his relations, to the end that if, upon notice thereof from
you, we shall not have reason to be therewith well satisfied we
may order a better course to be taken in reference to his breeding.
It is our will and pleasure that you call for from the Marques, and
transmit to usan account of the present condition of his eatate,
particularly of the burden of debts wherewith it stands affected,
and of the true extent of the yearly rent, both reall and casuall;
as also of the courses (if any be) set down for the discharge of
these debts, wherein you are to take the assistance of some of the
nearest relations of the family. For truly we have so great a
regard, not only to the standing thereof, but also its continuance
in a splendid and plentiful condition, as we cannot but highly
concern ourselfe in the right management of their fortune.
Charles went further and laid down an annuity of £200 sterling a
year for the education of young Angus. This grant was confirmed by
Charles brother James VII and Angus was often in evidence at his
court. at court notwithstanding, the Douglas
estates of his father lay in some of the staunchest Presbyterian,
covenanting territory in Scotland, and his tenantry were not at all
amenable to King James, a Catholic.
By 1688, Angus was back in Scotland and had given his support to
William of Orange. He set about roaming his father's lands of
Douglasdale to raise men to raise a new regiment from the Cameronian
party. By 1689 he was Colonel of the newly founded Earl of Angus'
Regiment. On the 14 May 1689 he paraded his men on the marquess'
Holm, next to the Douglas Water.
In 1689, however, the new
Earl of Angus' Regiment was
sent to quell the Jacobite Highlands and defended the town of
Dunkeld eventually leading to the Battle of Dunkeld. Angus was not
at this action, his regiment being commanded by Lt. Col. William
Cleland. Angus' father, mindful of his age had sent him back south
to London to complete his studies. Angus did not want to spend his
time in London as a needy Scotsman, and was actively looking for an
heiress to restore his family's financial probity. In a letter to
his father's steward dated 26 December 1689, he states his
intentions to go abroad to look for such a match. The Marquess of
Douglas still fearing for his sons safety at home had no objection
to his son going hence from Great Britain. The King's permission was
granted and Angus obtained as far as the University of Utrecht.
Before too long at Utrecht, Angus started to hear whispers, that
it was unseemly for a Colonel to be away from his regiment whilst
they were at war. The regiment at this time was fighting in the
armies of King William against Louis XIV of France. In By 1692,
Angus was desperate to prove himself, as is attested by a letter
home to his father begging him leave either to return to his men or
return to obscurity in Scotland. It is not apparent what his
father's reply was but James Douglas, Earl of Angus took command of
his regiment, and died leading his men into action at the
Battle of Steenkerque on the 3rd
of August of that year.
The Earl of Angus statue on the
Marquess' Holm in Douglas village, was erected in 1888 to mark the
bi-centenary of the raising of the Regiment, it features a figure of
the Young Angus pointing towards the surrounding hills where he was
able to raise so many loyal men. On 17 May 1992 it was given by the
Cameronian Trust into the care of the National Trust for Scotland.
Any contributions will be
gratefully accepted
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