David Wemyss, Lord Elcho

David Wemyss, soi disant 6th Earl of Wemyss (12 August 1721 – 29 April 1787), generally known as Lord Elcho even after his father's death, was a Scottish peer and Jacobite army officer.

Elcho was the eldest son and heir of James Wemyss, 5th Earl of Wemyss, and his wife Janet (d. 1778), daughter of Colonel and Helen Swinton. His parents separated in 1732. He was educated at Winchester College, (1734–1738), and at the military academy at Angers. Elcho was in Rome from October 1740 until April 1741, where, he met James Stuart (Stuart claimant to the throne). He was appointed a colonel of dragoons in February 1744 and was a member of the Royal Company of Archers.

Elcho joined Prince Charles Edward Stuart at Gray's Mill, near Edinburgh, on 16 September 1745, when he became the prince's first aide-de-camp and an original member of his council. Elcho fought at the Battle of Prestonpans on 21 September 1745. Elcho was one of the majority who at a council of war held at Derby in December 1745 advised the prince to return to Scotland rather than advance further into England and face almost certain death. Later Elcho was present on 17 January 1746 at the siege of Falkirk and on 16 April 1746 at the battle of Culloden, at which Charles's army was defeated by government forces under the command of the Duke of Cumberland. Elcho, together with the Duke of Perth and other leaders of the Jacobite forces, escaped to France in the frigate Le Mars on 3 May 1746.

Elcho never returned to Britain, and for his part in the rising he was subject to the act of attainder passed in 1746 and his titles and lands were forfeited. In spite of this, he assumed the title of 6th Earl of Wemyss on his father's death on 21 March 1756, although he was generally known as Lord Elcho.

...
Wikipedia