Herbert MacPherson

Lieutenant-General Sir Herbert Taylor MacPherson VC GCB KCSI (22 January 1827 – 20 October 1886) was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Sir Herbert MacPherson
Sir Herbert MacPherson
Born	22 January 1827 Ardersier, Inverness-shire
Died	20 October 1886 (aged 59) Prone, Burma
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army  British Indian Army
Rank	Lieutenant-General
Unit	78th Highlanders Bengal Staff Corps
Commands held	Madras Army
Battles/wars	Anglo-Persian War Indian Mutiny Second Anglo-Afghan War 1882 Anglo-Egyptian War Third Anglo-Burmese War
Awards	Victoria Cross Order of the Bath Order of the Star of India

Details

He was 30 years old, and a lieutenant in the 78th Highlanders (later The Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, Duke of Albany's), British Army during the Indian Mutiny when the following deed took place on 25 September 1857 at siege of Lucknow for which he was awarded the VC:

For distinguished conduct at Lucknow, on the 25th September, 1857, in setting an example of heroic gallantry to the men of the regiment, at the period of the action, in which they captured two brass nine-pounders at the point of the bayonet. (Extract from Field Force Orders of the late Major-General Havelock, dated 17th October, 1857.)[1]

Further information

He became Commander-in-Chief of the Madras Army[2] in March 1886 and died in office,[3] on the Irrawaddy, on 20 October 1886.[4]

Family

In 1859, he married Maria Eckford, daughter of Lieutenant-general James Eckford, C.B.[4]

The medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Regimental Museum of Queens Own Highlanders at Fort George, Inverness-shire, Scotland.[5]

References

1. "No. 22154". The London Gazette. 18 June 1858. p. 2957.
2. "Major General Herbert Taylor MacPherson (1827–1886), VC, c.1886 Edward Deanes (active c.1860–1912) and Edmund Havell the younger (1819–1894) Portrait at National Army Museum, London acquired as a gift from Mrs Nancy Clare de Ferry Foster, 1995".
3. The India List and India Office List
4. Chichester, Henry Manners (1893). "Macpherson, Herbert Taylor" . In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. 35. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
5. "People". British medals. Archived from the original on 26 August 2013.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)

External links

• Chichester, H. M.; Falkner, James. "Macpherson, Sir Herbert Taylor (1827–1886)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/17726. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
• Herbert MacPherson British Medals
• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• Scotland's Forgotten Valour (Graham Ross, 1995)
• Major General Herbert Taylor MacPherson (1827–1886), VC, c.1886 Edward Deanes (active c.1860–1912) and Edmund Havell the younger (1819–1894) Portrait at National Army Museum, London SW3 4HT acquired as a gift from Mrs Nancy Clare de Ferry Foster, 1995