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Thomas Dundas succeeded as Laird of Carron
Hall upon the death of his father in 1786. He had entered the army in 1766
and served in America during the Seven Years War, which commenced in 1775,
as Lieutenant Colonel of the 80th Regiment of Foot.
In 1782, Colonel Dundas returned home
and in February of that year, peace was concluded with America and the
treaty signed, which declared the United States "free, sovereign and
independent." The war with America had ended, but it had left its legacy to
the nation in a long list of claims for compensation to those "who having
remained loyal to the mother-country, had suffered in their rights,
properties and profession."
By an act of Parliament dated "the 23rd year of the reign of his
present Majesty George the Third," 1783, a commission was appointed to
examine the nature and justice of these claims. The appointment of
commissioner was thus offered to and accepted by Colonel Thomas Dundas.
In 1793, Thomas Dundas joined Sir Charles Grey's expedition to the
West Indies. He was now "Major General." The horrors of the French
Revolution were at their height in the year 1793. The National Convention,
under its leaders, Danton and Robespierre, had declared war with Great
Britain early in the year and the object of the expedition, now starting at
its close for the West Indies, was to attack the French in their possessions
in those islands. |
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Major General Dundas was buried in the principal
bastion of Fort Maltilde, on the island of Guadeloupe. When the French
regained possession of Guadeloupe on the 10th December 1794, Victor Hughes,
Commander of the French army issued the following proclamation;
" That the body of Thomas Dundas, interred in Guadeloupe, shall be
taken up and given as prey to the birds of the air."
Many years later, there was discovered in a garden in Trinidad a marble
urn and tablet and on the tablet was the following inscription;
"To the memory of MAJOR-GENERAL THOMAS DUNDAS,
who, with great professional abilities and with a mind generous and
brave, fell a sacrifice to his zeal and exertion in the service of his King
and country, on the 3rd day of June 1794, in the forty fourth year of his
age. His remains were interred in the principal bastion of Fort Maltide, in
the island of Guadeloupe, in the conquering of which he bore a most
distinguished share, and which he commanded at his death.
This tablet was erected by his brother officers as a mark of their high
esteem for his many valuable qualities, and their regret for his loss"
The outrage shown to the treatment by the French to the remains of so
distinguished an officer, excited strong feelings in England and by a vote in
the House of Commons it was agreed that a monument should be erected in St.
Paul's Cathedral to the memory of Major-General Thomas Dundas.
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