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Clan Munro USA
Genealogy Pages
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 1768 - 1846 (78 years)
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| Name |
Hugh Munro |
| Suffix |
Of Teaninich |
| Born |
1768 |
Of, Teaninich, Scotland  |
| Gender |
Male |
| Died |
11 May 1846 |
Coul Cottage, Alness, Scotland |
| Person ID |
I36431 |
Munro |
| Last Modified |
11 Mar 2005 |
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| Notes |
- Hugh entered the army and became a captain in the 78th Regiment, Seaforth Highlanders. He served under the Duke of York and, at the age of 24 years, he lost both his eyes carrying off a wounded soldier at the battle of Nimeguen in Holland. A musket ball entered the outward edge of the left eye, and passing under the bridge of the nose, through the right, and carried away both eyes without leaving the slighest mark or disfiguration except the blank left by the missing eyes.
He recovered from the effects of his wound, and although totally blind, he was able to write with wonderful accuracy. He played various musical instruments and was an excellent agriculturist who made great improvements to his estate. He wrote a full account of these improvements in a publication called "Survey of Ross and Cromarty" by Sir George Stewart Mackenzie of Coul.
Before leaving home to join the Duke of York, Hugh was engaged to be married to Jane Munro, with the approval of her father, General Sir Hector Munro of Novar. When he returned minus his sight, Sir Hector withdrew his consent.
Filled with compassion at the treatment of his blind older brother, Murdoch Munro-Mackenzie proposed to arrange an elopement, but Jane was to afraid of her father to go through with it and eventually married General Sir Ronald Crawford Ferguson of Raith. But Jane never lost her love for Hugh and while still fairly young, finding herself in failing health, she expressed a desire to see the captain once more. She attended divine service in the Parish Church of Alness, where Hugh worshipped. As the blind Captain was being led to his place, it is said that the lady fainted and had to be caried from the Church. She died not long after that.
Hugh felt that she had treated him badly in sacrificing her own happiness and his to her idea of filial duty. At one point, when Sir Walter Scott's romance, "The Bride of Lammermoor," was read to him, he was greatly moved, rising and pacing up and down the room in great agitation, recognising a resemblance between the conduct of Lucy Ashton and that of his own lady-love, Jane Munro.
The Captain lived for may years at Teaninich, and was a familiar figure in Ross-shire society. He was very fond of riding, and rode his horse fearlessly, his groom always preceding instead of following him in his rides.
He pulled down part of the old family mansion-house and rebuilt it, interesting himself greatly in the progress of its erection, walking among the planks and stones, often to the alarm of the workmen, but apparently to his own perfect satisfaction and amusement.
To conceal the disfigurement of his eyes, he always wore large green glasses. He is said to have been an extremely handsome man, good-tempered, and courteous.
In 1831, he sold the estate to his youngest brother, John, and passed the remainder of his life at Coul Cottage, near Alness, where he died, unmarried, on 11 May 1846.
References:
(1) "History of the Munros of Fowlis" by A. Mackenzie - Inverness (1898) - p.
423, 425-427
Compiled and edited by Allen Alger, Genealogist, Clan Munro Association, USA
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