Sir Charles Orr's Memoirs Volume 1

General MacGregor Stewart

Sir Charles Metcalfe Macgregor was an army officer, explorer, and military strategist who was born in Agra on 12 September 1840, the second son of Robert Guthrie Macgregor and his wife, Alexina Watson, daughter of General Archibald Watson of the Bengal army. He had eight sisters and two brothers. Macgregor was brought up in Perthshire by his grandmother and was educated at Glenalmond College, Marlborough College, and Haileybury College. In 1869 he married Frances Mary, youngest daughter of Sir Henry Durand; she died on passage to England on 9 May 1873, leaving one daughter. Macgregor married his second wife, Charlotte Mary, second daughter of Frederick W. Jardine, in February 1883; she survived him.
Macgregor was commissioned in the Indian army in October 1856 and was serving as an ensign in the 57th Bengal native infantry at the outbreak of the mutiny at Ferozepore in 1857, taking part in the pursuit of the 10th light cavalry from the cantonment. He participated in the siege of Delhi, and accompanied Colonel Gerrard's column at the capture of Rewari, at Kanaunda, and in the action of Narnaul, where he captured an enemy artillery piece. Macgregor distinguished himself in action under Sir T. Seaton's command at Gangari, Patial, and Mainpuri. He served with Lord Clyde's army throughout the siege and assault of Lucknow (where his elder brother died defending the residency). Macgregor then accompanied Sir Hope Grant's force to the north of Lucknow, where he demonstrated personal bravery and established his military reputation at Bori and in various minor skirmishes.
In August 1858 Macgregor was given command of a squadron of Hodson's Horse, and near Daryabad charged and captured a gun from the enemy, although his horse was killed and he was severely wounded. When he recovered he rejoined Sir Hope Grant's force, with which he fought at the Gogra River, at Wazirgaon, Machligaon, Bankasia, and across the Rapti River. In 1859 he led the advance guard of Sir A. Horsford's expedition, charging with the cavalry three times at Sarwaghat. Subsequently, while serving with Brigadier Holdich's column, he captured Murad Baksh, the famous rebel chief, who fired on the English women at Cawnpore. In 1860 Macgregor joined Fane's Horse and served with it in China. At Sinho he was severely wounded when he charged a force of Tartar cavalry to save an artillery battery; he was recommended for gallantry. While still suffering from his wounds, he took part in the fighting near Tungchow (Tongzhou) and the capture of Peking (Beijing).
When Macgregor returned to India in 1861 he was made second in command of Hodson's Horse, with which he served for three years while writing several studies on cavalry organization, tactics, and training. In 1864 he served with General Dunsford's column of the Bhutan field force as brigade major, and was severely wounded at the assault of Dalingkot and again at Chamorchi, Bala, and Nago. He led a reconnaissance mission from Dalina to Chirang, for which he was mentioned in dispatches. Following the campaign he was appointed deputy assistant quartermaster-general of the eastern frontier, and published a detailed study on mountain warfare.
In 1867–8 Macgregor was employed with the advanced guard of the Abyssinian expedition under Sir Robert Napier, and took an active part in the engagement at Arogee and at the capture of Magdala. In 1868 he began work on compiling the Gazetteer of Central Asia, containing detailed strategical and topographical information, for the Indian government. It took five years to complete and stimulated his intense personal interest in Indian defence problems, and in the course of its preparation he undertook several reconnaissance missions across the north-west frontier. Macgregor was instrumental in founding the United Service Institution of India, providing a forum for professional military study, discussion, and debate. He took a keen interest in this organization, contributing several articles to its journal. Macgregor was employed as director-general of transport during the famine in north Berar. He was appointed member of the ordnance commission in 1874, and assistant quartermaster-general of the Rawal Pindi division in February 1875.
Macgregor carried out several important explorations on the Indian frontier. In April 1875 he reconnoitred a route from the Persian Gulf to Sarakhs, within a few miles of Herat, in order to obtain information about the Afghan frontier. He proceeded to England, and was made a CSI. At Lord Salisbury's request he undertook another hazardous exploration through Baluchistan, accompanied by Captain Lockwood. Macgregor was placed on special duty in charge of the Khyber line of communications at the beginning of the Second Anglo-Afghan War in 1878, accompanying General Maude's expedition against the Zakha Khel Afridis in the Bazar valley as chief of staff. Later he was appointed chief of staff to Sir Samuel Browne, with whom he served during the advance from Jalalabad to Gandamak. After the conclusion of the treaty he made arrangements for the withdrawal of the Peshawar valley field force. He was created a CIE in January 1878 and was made a CB for the Afghan campaign.
When the second phase of the war began, Macgregor was appointed chief of staff to Sir Frederick Roberts, accompanying the advance from Ali Khel in the Kurram valley across the Shutar Gardan Pass. He took an active part in the battle of Charasia, capture of Kabul, and occupation of the Sherpur cantonment. On 11 December 1879 Macgregor recaptured from the enemy the four abandoned British guns at Kala-i-Aoshar outside Kabul. He took a leading part in the defence of Sherpur and the subsequent fighting in Maidan and Wardak. When Sir Donald Stewart arrived from Kandahar, Macgregor became his chief of staff until the defeat at Maiwand. Macgregor then commanded the 3rd infantry brigade of Sir Frederick Roberts's Kabul–Kandahar field force during the march to Kandahar, and was present at the final victory over Ayub Khan's army on the banks of the Arghandab.
Macgregor (now a brigadier-general) led a column through the Marri Country at the end of the campaign, and on his return to Simla was created KCB and was made quartermaster-general in India. He superintended the compilation of the History of the Second Afghan War, which was later suppressed by the Indian government as it contained a critique of Indian defence policy beyond its terms of reference.
Macgregor returned to India in 1884 and took command of the intelligence department, which he dramatically improved in efficiency, and also prepared plans to mobilize an army corps quickly in event of sudden emergency. In 1884 his comprehensive and exhaustive treatise The Defence of India: a Strategical Study was privately published, but its characteristically outspoken and alarmist views on British strategy in event of Russian attack led to its suppression by the imperial authorities. Macgregor was placed in command of the Punjab frontier force, but his health broke down, forcing him to return to England. A few days after his promotion to major-general he died of peritonitis at Shepherd's Hotel, Cairo, on 5 February 1887, at the age of forty-six, following exploratory surgery to examine his liver for an abscess. His body was returned to Scotland for burial in the family graveyard at Glengyle on the shores of Loch Katrine.

Charles Orr's Memoirs