Hugh Mackay (general)

Hugh Mackay
Painting of Mackay from 1690.
Born	1640 Scourie, Sutherlandshire, Scotland
Died	3 August 1692 (aged 51–52) Southern Netherlands
Allegiance	Scotland (Williamite)
Years of service	1660–1692
Rank	Lieutenant General
Battles/wars	Glorious Revolution 1689 Rising Williamite War in Ireland Nine Years' War

Hugh Mackay (c. 1640 – 3 August 1692) was a Scottish general best known for his service in the Revolution of 1688.

He was the third son of Hugh Mackay of Scourie, Sutherlandshire (descended from Hugh Mackay, third of Strathnaver, chief of the clan Mackay,) and Anne, daughter of John Corbet of Arboll, Rossshire. He was born at Scourie about 1640.

He entered Douglas's (Dumbarton's) regiment of the English army (now the Royal Scots) in 1660 and accompanied it to France when it was lent by Charles II to Louis XIV. After the Restoration, in 1660, he became ensign in Douglas's or Dumbarton's regiment, subsequently the royal Scots, and when the regiment was lent by Charles II to the French king, Mackay accompanied it to France. On his return to England in 1664 he was presented at court, and obtained from Charles an open letter, dated Whitehall, 20 August, recommending him to the favour of any to whom he might show it. By means of it he obtained an introduction to the Louis, Grand Condé and Turenne.

Although, through the deaths of his two elder brothers, who were murdered in Caithness, Mackay, on the death of his father in 1668, succeeded to the family estates, he continued to reside abroad. In 1669, along with other reduced officers, he volunteered into the service of the Republic of Venice, to assist in driving the Turks from the island of Candia, and in acknowledgment of his valour received a medal. In 1672, he obtained a captaincy in Dumbarton's regiment, with which he served under Turenne in the expedition against the United Provinces, when John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, was a fellow-officer.