- Thomas Maclellan, 2nd Lord Kirkcudbright
Thomas Maclellan, 2nd Lord Kirkcudbright was a Scottish nobleman, nephew of
Robert Maclellan, 1st Lord Kirkcudbright and the son of William Maclellan and Rosina Agnew.Maclellan's support for the
Covenanter s led to his ruin. In 1638 the Solemn League of the Covenant was signed throughout Scotland raising objecting to the enforcement of the use of theAnglican Book of Common Prayer in Scotland. During this period many of the local ministers favoured the Covenant and this caused difficulties that involved Lord Kirkcudbright. Thomas Maclellan was charged with the raising of a feudal army in the parishes ofDunrod ,Galtway andKirkcudbright to support the Solemn League and Covenant. On the 28th of July, 1640 Thomas Maclellan married Janet, a daughter ofWilliam Douglas, 1st Earl of Queensberry by Isabel Kerr. In 1640 he was appointed Colonel of the South Regiment, and accompanied the Scottish army into England.In 1644 the Scottish Parliament appointed him Steward of
Kirkcudbrightshire , and subsequently he was present at theBattle of Philiphaugh with his regiment, where, by their gallantry they greatly contributed towards the victory of the Scottish forces. For his good service at Philliphaugh he was awarded byParliament a significant reimbursement (poss. £750), raised from the estates of Lord Herries, but which it is alleged was never received.From his habit of always marching at the head of his regiment with a barrel of brandy, which upon long marches and other needful occasions he would freely distribute to his followers, he became very popular among the troops.
Joining the Scottish Army, a force of some 9,000 men, under the Earl of Leven Maclellan's regiment marched to
Marston Moor where they joined forces with the English Parliamentary troops under Cromwell. On the battle field Lord Kirkcudbright’s Regiment ‘Dispersed and Overthrew the Royalist Cavalry opposed to them’.The Royalist
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose had taken military control of Scotland, and defeated the Covenanters in a series of battles culminating in thebattle of Kilsyth . Part of the Scottish army underAlexander Leslie , including Lord Kirkcudbright’s Regiment, was sent north to meet Montrose. This they did at Philliphaugh, nearSelkirk .The prisoners taken at Philliphaugh were executed as traitors with many shot dead in the court yard at Newark Castle, others were throw to their deaths from the parapets of the Ettrick Bridge drowning in the river below.
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