John Munro, 2nd of Lemlair (fl. mid 17th century) was a Scottish soldier who fought as a

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

in the

Wars of the Three Kingdoms The Wars of the Three Kingdoms were a series of related conflicts fought between 1639 and 1653 in the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England, Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland and Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland, then separate entities united in a pers ...

. His seat was at

Lemlair House Lemlair House is a mansion house in the parish of Kiltearn, Ross-shire, in the Highland council area of the Scottish Highlands. History A 17th century manuscript of the Clan Mackenzie claims that the Mackenzies burnt the Clan Munro lands of Leml ...

Early life

John Munro, 2nd of Lemlair was the eldest son of Andrew Munro, 1st of Lemlair who was in turn the fifth son of

Robert Mor Munro, 15th Baron of Foulis Robert Mor Munro, 15th Baron of Foulis (died 1588), and 18th chief of the Clan Munro was a 16th-century Scottish chief. He was known as Robert ''Mor'' on account of his large stature. He was the eldest son of Robert Munro, 14th Baron of Foulis. Al ...

, chief of the

Clan Munro Clan Munro (; gd, Clann an Rothaich ) is a Highland Scottish clan. Historically the clan was based in Easter Ross in the Scottish Highlands. Traditional origins of the clan give its founder as Donald Munro who came from the north of Ireland and ...

Military career

John Munro, 2nd of Lemlair entered into a military career and rose to the rank of colonel, taking a prominent part in the wars involving

James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose (1612 – 21 May 1650) was a Scottish nobleman, poet and soldier, Lord Lieutenant, lord lieutenant and later viceroy and captain general of Scotland. Montrose initially joined the Covenanters in the Wa ...

from 1639 to 1649.Mackenzie. p. 485. John Munro was a member of the assize at the Tollbooth of

Inverness Inverness (; from the gd, Inbhir Nis , meaning "Mouth of the River Ness"; sco, Innerness) is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for The Highland Council and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands. Histori ...

on 4 June 1616 when

John Gordon, 14th Earl of Sutherland John Gordon (1609–1679) was the 14th Earl of Sutherland. He was the son of John Gordon, 13th Earl of Sutherland and Agnes Elphinstone (d. 1617), a daughter of the Lord Treasurer, Alexander Elphinstone, 4th Lord Elphinstone. Civil War A strong ...

was served heir to his father. In 1617 John Munro was amongst those chosen to help settle a dispute between the same Earl of Sutherland and

Donald Mackay, 1st Lord Reay Donald Mackay, 1st Lord Reay, 14th of Strathnaver (March 1591 – February 1649) was a Scottish soldier and member of Parliament. He played a prominent role in the Thirty Years' War, raising a regiment of 3,000 men, which served in both the Da ...

over the boundaries of their estates.Mackenzie. p. 486 In May, 1639, John Munro, 2nd of Lemlair commanded a division of the 4000 strong

Covenanter Covenanters ( gd, Cùmhnantaich) were members of a 17th-century Scottish religious and political movement, who supported a Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and the primacy of its leaders in religious affairs. The name is derived from ''Covenan ...

army. They went to

Morayshire Moray; ( gd, Moireibh ) or Morayshire, called Elginshire until 1919, is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland, bordering Nairnshire to the west, Inverness-shire to the south, and Banffshire to the east. It w ...

with the intention of opposing the advance of the

Royalists A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of governme ...

to the North Highlands. They encamped at

Speyside Speyside can refer to: * Speyside, Ontario, a settlement in Ontario * Strathspey, Scotland, the famous whisky producing region by the River Spey ** Speyside single malts, the type of whisky produced in Strathspey * Speyside, Trinidad and Tobago ...

to keep the

Clan Gordon Clan Gordon is a Scottish Highlands, Highland Scottish clan, historically one of the most powerful Scottish clans. The Gordon lands once spanned a large territory across the Highlands. Presently, Gordon is seated at Aboyne Castle, Aberdeenshire ...

and their allies from entering into Moray, remaining there until pacification was signed on 20 June. Soon afterwards John Munro of Lemlair, following the example of

severed his connection with the Covenanters and joined the Royalists. On 22 February, 1649, John Munro of Lemlair along with Hugh Fraser, Thomas Mackenzie of Pluscardine and Sir Thomas Urquhart of Cromarty led a royalist rising in connection with plans for the Marquess of Montrose to reattempt to recover the kingdom. Now known as the

Siege of Inverness (1649) The siege of Inverness took place in 1649 as part of the 17th-century Scottish Civil War that was, in turn, part of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. On 5 February 1649, Charles II had been proclaimed king after his father's execution. It was ...

they entered the town of Inverness, expelled the troops from the garrison and demolished the walls and fortifications. A Council of War was held on 26 February in which Munro was one of the members.Mackenzie. p. 487. Upon the approach of General

David Leslie, Lord Newark David Leslie, 1st Lord Newark (c. 1600–1682) was a Scottish cavalry officer. He fought for the Swedish army of Gustavus Adolphus during the Thirty Years' War. He had entered Swedish service in 1630, serving as a captain in the regiment of Alex ...

, the Royalists retreated back into

Ross-shire Ross-shire (; gd, Siorrachd Rois) is a historic county in the Scottish Highlands. The county borders Sutherland to the north and Inverness-shire to the south, as well as having a complex border with Cromartyshire – a county consisting of ...

. Leslie managed to negotiate peaceful terms with Munro, Fraser and Urquhart but not with Mackenzie. In 1650, Munro rejoined the Covenanter army under Colonel Strachan which was assembled at

Tain Tain ( Gaelic: ''Baile Dhubhthaich'') is a royal burgh and parish in the County of Ross, in the Highlands of Scotland. Etymology The name derives from the nearby River Tain, the name of which comes from an Indo-European root meaning 'flow'. The ...

.Mackenzie. pp. 487 - 490. Meanwhile, the Royalist army under Montrose who had recently landed in

Caithness Caithness ( gd, Gallaibh ; sco, Caitnes; non, Katanes) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. Caithness has a land boundary with the historic county of Sutherland to the west and is otherwise bounded by ...

were encamped at

Culrain Culrain (Cul Raoin) is a small village in Sutherland, Highland, Scotland. Location It lies west of Ardgay, beside the Kyle of Sutherland about west from the village of Bonar Bridge, where several rivers converge to flood into the sea through l ...

. Colonel Strachan sent out a party of scouts under Captain Andrew Munro, son of Colonel John Munro of Lemlair. The Munros soon reported back that Montrose had sent out a body of horse to ascertain Strachan's movements. In order to deceive this body one troop of horse was ordered out and these being the only Covenanter forces observed, the enemy reported back to Montrose thus throwing him completely off his guard into thinking that the strength of his opponents consisted of a single troop of horse and he therefore made no special arrangements to defend himself. Strachan in the meantime had formed his men into four divisions with the fourth one including the Munros and Rosses under the command of Colonel Munro and Ross of Balnagowan. In the ensuing

Battle of Carbisdale The Battle of Carbisdale (also known as Invercarron) took place close to the village of Culrain, Sutherland, Scotland on 27 April 1650 and was part of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It was fought by the Royalist leader James Graham, 1st Marq ...

the Royalists under Montrose were completely defeated.

Family

Colonel John Munro married Janet, second daughter of George Gray of

Skibo Castle Skibo Castle (Scottish Gaelic: ''Caisteal Sgìobail'') is located to the west of Dornoch in the Highland county of Sutherland, Scotland overlooking the Dornoch Firth. Although largely of the 19th century and early 20th century, when it was the hom ...

and had the following children:Mackenzie. pp. 493 - 495. #George Munro, 3rd of Lemlair, married Catherine, daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, 1st of Kilcoy, leaving two daughters. #Andrew Munro, captain in the Ross-shire Local Militia, present at the Battle of Carbisdale, later appointed major in Colonel William Lockhart's Regiment. Unmarried. #Robert Munro, 4th of Lemlair, captain in the army. Married Jean, eldest daughter of Kenneth Mackenzie, 1st of Scatwell, leaving three sons and two daughters. #John Munro, married Margaret, daughter of Rev. George Munro, Chancellor of Ross, leaving four sons and one daughter. #Christian Munro, married Neil MacLeod, 11th of Assynt, who captured Montrose after the Battle of Carbisdale. #Janet Munro, married Hugh Munro, 3rd of Findon with issue. #Catherine Munro, married John Polson of Merkness with issue. #Florence Munro, married Hector Munro, 4th of Kiltearn with issue. #Isobel Munro, unmarried. #Elizabeth Munro, married Hugh Munro, 1st of Tulloch with issue.

References

Bibliography

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Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Munro, John, Lemlair Scottish soldiers People from Ross and Cromarty

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Secon ...