Hector Munro
Encyclopedia
General
Sir Hector Munro KB
(1726 – 27 December 1805) was a Scottish
soldier in the British army who became the ninth Commander-in-Chief of India
(1764–1765).
, in Ross
, Scotland
, he was commissioned into Loudon's Highlanders
in 1747. Hector is said to have got his first commission in the army after helping the Duchess of Gordon who was found travelling alone in Sutherland
. Hector took over from a drunken coachman and brought her to safety, the Duchess later used her influence to procure him a Lieutenants commission in the 34th regiment of foot. On the regiment's disbandment in 1749 he transferred to the 48th Foot.
Hector's family home was at Novar House
early maps call it 'Tenuer' (Gaelic Tigh 'n fhuamhair, house of the giant).
. Also in 1754 Hector Munro was ordered to Badenoc with three squadrons of Dragoons to apprehend certain rebels in that district, with special instructions to apprehend John Dubh Cameron better known as "Sergent Mor". Hector Munro successfully captured Cameron after he was betrayed by a local farmer. John Cameron was soon afterwards executed in Perth
.
Hector Munro was also tasked with capturing Cluny Macpherson who took part in the Jacobite rising of 1745 to 1746. However Macpherson evaded Munro's grasp and escaped to France
. Macpherson tradition is that one day Munro, with a large party of soldiers surrounded Cluny's house. Cluny, with no means of escape, dressed himself as a footman or groom, came forward and held Lieutenant Munro's horse while Munro searched his house for him. On return Munro is said to have handed the groom a shilling and then rode off. Another version of the story however is that Munro of Novar actually knew Cluny quite well and winked at him as he threw him the grooms fee.
In 1756 he was promoted Captain
in the new 2nd Battalion, which became the 70th Foot in 1758. In 1759 he was appointed Major
in the newly-raised 89th (Highland) Regiment of Foot.
The 89th had no particular station assigned to it, but kept moving from place to place until a strong detachment under Major Hector Munro joined the army under the command of Major Carnac, in the neighbourhood of Patna. Major Munro then assumed the command, and being well supported by his men, quelled a formidable mutiny among the troops. After 20 sepoys had been executed by Major Munro by blowing them off guns, and discipline restored, he attacked the enemy at Buxar
, on 23 October 1764 in what became the Battle of Buxar
. Though the force opposed to him was five times as numerous as his own, he overthrew and dispersed it. The enemy had 6000 men killed, and left 130 pieces of cannon on the field, whilst his majesty’s troops had only 2 officers and 4 rank and file killed.
Major Munro received a letter of thanks on the occasion from the President and Council of Calcutta. "The signal victory you gained," they say, " so as at one blow utterly to defeat the designs of the enemy against these provinces, is an event which does so much honour to yourself, Sir, in particular, and to all the officers and men under your command, and which, at the same time, is attended with such particular advantages to the Company, as call upon us to return you our sincere thanks." For this important service Major Munro was immediately promoted to the brevet rank of Lieutenant colonel.
for the Inverness Burghs
, which he continued to represent for over thirty years, though much of this period was spent in India, where he returned in 1778 to take command of the Madras army.
he was defeated by Hyder Ali
near Conjeeveram, and forced to fall back on St. Thomas Mount
. There Sir Eyre Coote
took command of the army, and in 1781 won a major victory against Hyder Ali at Porto Novo
(Parangipettai
), where Munro was in command of the right division. Negapatam was taken by Munro in November of the same year; and in 1782 he retired to Scotland
.
The Fyrish Monument
monument was built in 1782 by Hector. He did this to provide work for the local unemployed population.
General (United Kingdom)
General is currently the highest peace-time rank in the British Army and Royal Marines. It is subordinate to the Army rank of Field Marshal, has a NATO-code of OF-9, and is a four-star rank....
Sir Hector Munro KB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(1726 – 27 December 1805) was a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
soldier in the British army who became the ninth Commander-in-Chief of India
Commander-in-Chief, India
During the period of the British Raj, the Commander-in-Chief, India was the supreme commander of the Indian Army. The Commander-in-Chief and most of his staff were based at General Headquarters, India, and liaised with the civilian Governor-General of India...
(1764–1765).
Early Military Career in Scotland
The son of Hugh Munro of NovarNovar House
Novar House is an 18th-century building, located 0.7 miles north of the village of Evanton in Ross, Scotland.-History:The Munros of Novar descend from John Munro, 1st of Milntown, who in turn was the second son of Hugh Munro, 9th Baron of Foulis ....
, in Ross
Ross
Ross is a region of Scotland and a former mormaerdom, earldom, sheriffdom and county. The name Ross allegedly derives from a Gaelic word meaning a headland - perhaps a reference to the Black Isle. The Norse word for Orkney - Hrossay meaning horse island - is another possible origin. The area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, he was commissioned into Loudon's Highlanders
Loudon's Highlanders
Loudon's Highlanders, or the Earl of Loudon's Regiment of Foot, was an infantry regiment of the British Army.The great bravery of the 42nd Highlanders and the admirable service which they rendered at the Battle of Fontenoy in 1745, made the Government anxious to avail themselves still further of...
in 1747. Hector is said to have got his first commission in the army after helping the Duchess of Gordon who was found travelling alone in Sutherland
Sutherland
Sutherland is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic administrative county of Scotland. It is now within the Highland local government area. In Gaelic the area is referred to according to its traditional areas: Dùthaich 'IcAoidh , Asainte , and Cataibh...
. Hector took over from a drunken coachman and brought her to safety, the Duchess later used her influence to procure him a Lieutenants commission in the 34th regiment of foot. On the regiment's disbandment in 1749 he transferred to the 48th Foot.
Hector's family home was at Novar House
Novar House
Novar House is an 18th-century building, located 0.7 miles north of the village of Evanton in Ross, Scotland.-History:The Munros of Novar descend from John Munro, 1st of Milntown, who in turn was the second son of Hugh Munro, 9th Baron of Foulis ....
early maps call it 'Tenuer' (Gaelic Tigh 'n fhuamhair, house of the giant).
Apprehension of Jacobite Rebels
In 1754 Munro transferred to the 31st Foot as a LieutenantLieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
. Also in 1754 Hector Munro was ordered to Badenoc with three squadrons of Dragoons to apprehend certain rebels in that district, with special instructions to apprehend John Dubh Cameron better known as "Sergent Mor". Hector Munro successfully captured Cameron after he was betrayed by a local farmer. John Cameron was soon afterwards executed in Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
.
Hector Munro was also tasked with capturing Cluny Macpherson who took part in the Jacobite rising of 1745 to 1746. However Macpherson evaded Munro's grasp and escaped to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Macpherson tradition is that one day Munro, with a large party of soldiers surrounded Cluny's house. Cluny, with no means of escape, dressed himself as a footman or groom, came forward and held Lieutenant Munro's horse while Munro searched his house for him. On return Munro is said to have handed the groom a shilling and then rode off. Another version of the story however is that Munro of Novar actually knew Cluny quite well and winked at him as he threw him the grooms fee.
In 1756 he was promoted Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
in the new 2nd Battalion, which became the 70th Foot in 1758. In 1759 he was appointed Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in the newly-raised 89th (Highland) Regiment of Foot.
War in India
The 89th regiment embarked at Portsmouth for the East Indies in December 1760, and arrived at Bombay in November following. The Duke of Gordon was desirous of accompanying the regiment, but his mother, at the especial request of George II., induced him to remain at home to finish his education.The 89th had no particular station assigned to it, but kept moving from place to place until a strong detachment under Major Hector Munro joined the army under the command of Major Carnac, in the neighbourhood of Patna. Major Munro then assumed the command, and being well supported by his men, quelled a formidable mutiny among the troops. After 20 sepoys had been executed by Major Munro by blowing them off guns, and discipline restored, he attacked the enemy at Buxar
Buxar
Buxar district is one of the thirty-eight districts of Bihar state, India. The district headquarters are located at Buxar.-Mythology:This place was also known as "Siddhashram", "Vedgarbhapuri", "Karush", "Tapovan", "Chaitrath", "VyaghraSar", "Buxar" in ancient history. The History of Buxar dates...
, on 23 October 1764 in what became the Battle of Buxar
Battle of Buxar
The Battle of Buxar was fought on 22 October 1764 between the forces under the command of the British East India Company, and the combined armies of Mir Qasim, the Nawab of Bengal; Shuja-ud-Daula Nawab of Awadh; and Shah Alam II, the Mughal Emperor...
. Though the force opposed to him was five times as numerous as his own, he overthrew and dispersed it. The enemy had 6000 men killed, and left 130 pieces of cannon on the field, whilst his majesty’s troops had only 2 officers and 4 rank and file killed.
Major Munro received a letter of thanks on the occasion from the President and Council of Calcutta. "The signal victory you gained," they say, " so as at one blow utterly to defeat the designs of the enemy against these provinces, is an event which does so much honour to yourself, Sir, in particular, and to all the officers and men under your command, and which, at the same time, is attended with such particular advantages to the Company, as call upon us to return you our sincere thanks." For this important service Major Munro was immediately promoted to the brevet rank of Lieutenant colonel.
Member of Parliament
Returning home, he was elected, in 1768, as member of parliamentMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for the Inverness Burghs
Inverness Burghs (UK Parliament constituency)
Inverness Burghs was a district of burghs constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918...
, which he continued to represent for over thirty years, though much of this period was spent in India, where he returned in 1778 to take command of the Madras army.
Return to India
Later in 1778 Munro took Pondicherry from the French, but in 1780 in the Second Anglo-Mysore WarSecond Anglo-Mysore War
The Second Anglo-Mysore War was a conflict in Mughal India between the Sultanate of Mysore and the British East India Company. At the time, Mysore was a key French ally in India, and the Franco-British conflict raging on account of the American Revolutionary War helped spark Anglo-Mysorean...
he was defeated by Hyder Ali
Hyder Ali
Hyder Ali was the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in southern India. Born Hyder Naik, he distinguished himself militarily, eventually drawing the attention of Mysore's rulers...
near Conjeeveram, and forced to fall back on St. Thomas Mount
St. Thomas Mount
St. Thomas Mount, or Parangimalai is a small hillock located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Located near the neighbourhood of Guindy and very close to Chennai International Airport, St. Thomas Mount is associated with St. Thomas, the apostle of Christ, who is believed to have been martyred here...
. There Sir Eyre Coote
Eyre Coote (East India Company officer)
Lieutenant-General Sir Eyre Coote, KB was an Irish soldier. He is best known for his many years of service with the British Army in India. His victory at the Battle of Wandiwash is considered a decisive turning point in the struggle for control in India between British and France...
took command of the army, and in 1781 won a major victory against Hyder Ali at Porto Novo
Battle of Porto Novo
The Battle of Porto Novo was fought on 1 July 1781 between forces of the Kingdom of Mysore and Great Britain near the village of Porto Novo on the Indian subcontinent, during the Second Anglo-Mysore War...
(Parangipettai
Parangipettai
Parangipettai , historically called Porto Novo, is a panchayat town in Cuddalore district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Parangipettai is situated on the north bank of the mouth of the Vellar river at a distance of 30 km from Cuddalore. From Chennai, Parangipettai can be reached through...
), where Munro was in command of the right division. Negapatam was taken by Munro in November of the same year; and in 1782 he retired to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
The Fyrish Monument
Fyrish Monument
The Fyrish Monument is a monument built in 1782 on Fyrish Hill , in Fyrish near Evanton, Easter Ross, Scotland, on the orders of Sir Hector Munro, 8th of Novar, a native lord of the area who had served in India as a general...
monument was built in 1782 by Hector. He did this to provide work for the local unemployed population.
External links
- Portrait of Sir Hector Munro at the Scottish National Portrait GalleryScottish National Portrait GalleryThe Scottish National Portrait Gallery is an art gallery on Queen Street, Edinburgh, Scotland. It holds the national collections of portraits, all of which are of, but not necessarily by, Scots. In addition it also holds the Scottish National Photography Collection...