Thomas Maclellan, 2nd Lord Kirkcudbright facts for kids

Thomas Maclellan, 2nd Lord Kirkcudbright was a Scottish nobleman. He was the nephew of Robert Maclellan, 1st Lord Kirkcudbright and the son of William Maclellan and Rosina Agnew.

Early Life and the Covenanters

Thomas Maclellan lived during a time of big changes in Scotland. He strongly supported the Covenanters. These were people who signed an important agreement called the Solemn League of the Covenant in 1638. They wanted to protect their Scottish church and disagreed with the King trying to make them use the Anglican Book of Common Prayer.

Because he supported the Covenanters, Thomas Maclellan faced many challenges. He was given the important job of gathering an army from areas like Dunrod, Galtway, and Kirkcudbright. This army would help the Covenanter cause.

In 1640, Thomas Maclellan married Janet. She was the daughter of William Douglas, 1st Earl of Queensberry. That same year, he became a Colonel of the South Regiment. He then marched with the Scottish army into England.

Military Service and Key Battles

In 1644, the Scottish Parliament gave Thomas Maclellan another important role. He became the Steward of Kirkcudbrightshire. This meant he was in charge of managing the area.

He and his regiment fought bravely at the Battle of Philiphaugh. Their courage helped the Scottish forces win a big victory. For his excellent service at Philiphaugh, Parliament decided to give him a reward.

Thomas Maclellan was very popular with his soldiers. He always marched at the front of his regiment. He was known for sharing supplies with his followers during long marches. This made his troops like and respect him a lot.

His regiment later joined the main Scottish Army, which had about 9,000 soldiers. This army was led by the Earl of Leven. They marched to Marston Moor and joined forces with the English Parliamentary troops. At the Battle of Marston Moor, Lord Kirkcudbright's Regiment was very successful. They bravely faced and defeated the Royalist cavalry.

The Battle of Philiphaugh

Later, a Royalist leader named James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose took control of Scotland. He had defeated the Covenanters in several battles, including the battle of Kilsyth.

Part of the Scottish army, including Lord Kirkcudbright's Regiment, was sent north to meet Montrose. They met at Philiphaugh, which is near Selkirk. This was a very important battle for the Covenanters.