!SOURCE: THE MACLEODS OF ARNISDALE, compiled by Rev. Donald
MacKinnon, Portree, Skye, Scotland, 1929, reprinted by The Clan MacLeod
Society USA, Migration Project Publications Series, Number 1, 1984, pp.
14-15.
He entered the Army, and became Ensign on the 21st of May, 1779;
Lieutenant, on the 21st February 1786; Captin, on the 1st June 1786;
Major, on the 17th June 1800. Lieutenant-Colonel, on the 21st
September, 1804; Colonel, on the 4th June 1813; and Major-General on
the 21st August, 1819. Young William MacLeod arrived in Madras on the
17th January 1780, and was appointed Agent by the East India Company,
for adjusting with Tipoo, Sultan of the Mysore State, the boundaries of
the Powers on the Madras side. The Court of Directors of the East India
Company, in order to show their appreciation of his services on that
occasion, presented MacLeod with an additional allowance of money. In
the third Mysore War, MacLeod accompanied the Madras Army, under
Command of Lieutenant-General George Harris, in the final Campaign
against Sultan Tippoo (February to May, 1799), in the capacity of
Intelligence Officer and Commissary of Bazars. His servicers were
specially commended by General Harrison, 13th May 1799, as follows: --
"Captain MacLeod, of the Intelligence Department, has been employed in
the management of the Banjaras, and on a variety of services not
specially the duty of any regularly established office, but which required
a perfect knowledge of the customs of India, and the strictest integrity
in the person charged with their execution. I have on all such occasions
given my full confidence to Captain MacLeod, and his conduct was on
more than one accasion brought to the Court of Directors'' "favourable
notice." He received the Silver Medal for his gallant services at
Seringapatam. In 1808 he was placed in command of the Station of
Cuddalore, and Superintending Oficer of the Cadet Company there. In the
following year he is favourably mentioned in despatches for the skill and
gallantry displayed by him at Cotar and Nagre Coil. MacLeod returned to
England in 1813, and died, unmarried, at Fulham, on the 16th November,
1836.
!SOURCE: Rev. Dr. Donald MacKinnon, THE MACLEODS: THE GENEALOGY OF A
CLAN, Section III, "Cadet Families", Edinburgh, The Clan MacLeod Society,
1970, pp. 103, 119.
William (Major-General), from whom the MacLeods of Glendale (Present
Family) is descended, and of whom afterwards [The account of the
Castleton Family in CLAN DONALD (III, pp. 517-23) is very inaccurate,
and cannot be accepted except where confirmed by authentic documents.
Margaret MacLeod of Arnisdale and John MacDonald of Castleton were
first cousins, their mothers being sisters, daughters of William
MacLeod, 3rd of the MacLeods of Hamer, ante. See MacKenzie: HISTORY OF
THE MACDONALDS (pp. 278-9), and MacKinnon: THE MACLEODS OF
ARNISDALE (PP. 14-15).]
This family is descended from Iain Borb Macleod 6th Chief of MacLeod
and the original family of Glendale, through Major-General William
MacLeod, H.E.I.C.S., second son of Donald MacLeod, 2nd of the MacLeods of
Arnisdale [see THE MACLEODS OF ARNISDALE (pp. 14-5) for a fuller
account of Major-General William MacLeod''s career in India.]
William was born 1759. He entered the Army and became an Ensign
on21st May 1779 and thereafter his promotion in the service of the
Company was rapid--Lieutenant on 21st February 1780, Captain on 1st
June 1786, Major in 17th June 1800, Lieut. Colonel on 21st February
1804, Colonel on 4th June 1813, and Major General on 21st August 1819.
Young William MacLeod Arrived in Madras on 17th January 1780 and was
appointed Agent for adjusting with Tippoo, Sultan of the Mysore State,
the boundaries of that State on the Madras side. The directors of the
East India Company, in order to show their appreciation of the MacLeod''s
services on that occasion, presented him with additional monetary
allowance [MacInnes, THE BRAVE SONS OF SKYE]. In the Third Mysore
War, he accompanied the Madras Army as Intelligence Officer under the
command of Lieut. General Harris, and for his efficient services he was
specially commended by Harris. He received the Silver Medal for his
gallant Services at Seringapatam.
On 4th June 1799, the Governor General appointed him
Acting-Superintendant of Revenue to the Commissioners, who ha dthe
settlement of the territories of the State of Mysore, and later in the
same month he became Collector. While acting as Collector his conduct,
on more than one occasion, was reported to the Court of Directors of the
East India Company, and was highly prised for the able and efficient
manner in which he discharged his duties. In 1809 MacLeod was
favourably mentioned in despatches for his gallantry at Seringapatam
and elsewhere. He returned to England in 1813 and made his home at
Fulham, London, where he died on 16th November 1836. He was buried in
St. Anne''s Church, Soho, London, at which his relative the Reverend
Roderick MacLeod, D.D. (of the Drynoch family) was Rector [See The
MacLeods of Drynoch, post.].
Major General MacLeod married Margaret MacKenzie at Inverness in
1815. He was succeeded by his only son Colin.