Sir William Douglas of Kelhead

Governor of Carlisle

C of A

Colonel William Douglas of Kelhead (died 1673) raised a regiment of foot in Nithsdale and Annandale in 1643.

Variously known as Colonel William Douglas of Kilhead’s Regiment of Foot and The Nithsdale and Annandale Regiment, it was a Covenanter Regiment of Foot raised for service in England, forming part of the Earl of Leven’s army.

At the Battle of Marston Moor, 2 July 1644, the second line was entirely composed of Scots, including William Douglas of Kilhead's Regiment, under Major-General Sir James Lumsden.

The regiment were previously deployed at the Siege of Newcastle in February 1644, and were again on 19 October 1644, when it was part of The "Third Brigade", sited opposite Pilgrim Street Gate, which they successfully assaulted that day, leading to the fall of the city.

From October 1644 to 25 June 1645, the regiment was part of the force that besieged Carlisle. Following the seige of Carlisle in 1645, he was appointed the city's Governor

He was created Baronet of Nova Scotia in 1668.

William Douglas was the son of William Douglas, 1st Earl of Queensberry (died 1640) and Isobel (of Lothian) Kerr, daughter of the 1st Earl of Lothian. He was infeft in Kelhead in virtue of a contract with his brother, the second Earl of Queensberry.

He married Agnes, daughter of George Fawside of Fawside. Their son, Sir James Douglas of Kelhead (1639-1708) was made a Baronet of Nova Scotia in his father's lifetime.

He had a charter along with his wife Agnes of part of the lands of Prestongrange, Haddingtonshire these lands they disposed of a few months later, in 1644.



Ordinance in favour of Colonel William Douglas 3 November 1646, Edinburgh, Parliament

The estates of parliament ordain [Sir Alexander Gibson of Durie], lord register, to draw up a letter from the parliament to our commissioners at London in favour of Colonel William Douglas, governor of Carlisle, that the commissioners may deal with the English parliament to take off the sequestration put upon the said colonel's lands, and the estates give warrant to [John Lindsay, earl of Crawford Lindsay], president of parliament, to sign the said letter in name of the parliament this afternoon.

Act [Colonel William Douglas], laird of Kelhead 26 November 1645, St Andrews, Parliament

The estates of parliament, taking into their consideration the desire of the supplication presented to them by Colonel William Douglas of Kelhead, governor of Carlisle, craving that the former commission granted to him for levying 100 horses to attend the garrison at Carlisle might be enlarged for a squadron of horse, and that the estates would grant their approbation to the three troops already levied by him, and a new warrant for the fourth to complete the squadron, and to cause the supplicant be answered of the £500 sterling advanced by him in levying the said troops lifted by him for attending the said garrison at Carlisle, as the supplication bears; together with the opinion of the committee of dispatches anent the aforesaid supplication and desire thereof, the said estates ordain the aforesaid 100 troopers which the supplicant did lift by warrant from the committee to be framed in a troop and appoint the supplicant to be rutmaster thereof, and for his charges in levying these horses and for the other good services performed by him, the said estates do hereby give precept and warrant to [Sir Adam Hepburn of Humbie], commissary-general, and his deputes to make payment to the said Colonel William Douglas of Kelhead, governor of Carlisle, of the aforesaid sum of £500 sterling to be paid to him out of the readiest monies that can conveniently be had pertaining to the public, for the which this act shall be a warrant.
Death: 1673



Father: William (1st Earl of Queensbury) Douglas
Mother: Isobel (of Lothian) Kerr

Marriage 1 Agnes (of Fawside) Fawside
Children
  1.   William Douglas (dvp unm)
  2.   James (Sir) (1st Bt of Kelhead) Douglas b: 19 SEP 1639
  3.   Robert Douglas
  4.   Archibald Douglas (Colonel) (1 dau)
  5.   George Douglas (captain)
  6.   Mary Douglas m. (mcrt 28.01.1647) John Johnston of Wamphray
  7.   Isobel Douglas (bpt 24.10.1635)
  8.   Margaret Douglas (b 03.04.1637)   
  9.   Catherine Douglas (b 10.04.1638) m. Menzies of Stenhouse
  10.   Sarah Douglas (b 17.11.1641)
  11.   Sophia Douglas m. (1672) John Craill of Stevenstoun

Marriage 2 Jean Stuart (dau of Sir Robert Stuart of Schelinlaw)
  • Married: 1649

See also:
 Douglas of Kelhead

Sources

Sources forthis article include:
•  The Scots Covenanter Foot at The Siege of Newcastle 19 October 1644"; United States Combines Arms Center.

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