Ernest Augustus Murray Macgregor
Obituary
Lieutenant-Colonel Ernest Augustus Murray Macgregor, of the late 4th Regiment European Light Cavalry, who died at Fort William, Calcutta, on Jan. 17 last, was the youngest and last surviving son of Major-General Sir Evan John Murray Macgregor, second Baronet, of Macgregor, K.C.B. and G.C.H., by his wife, Lady Elizabeth Murray, youngest daughter of John, forth Duke of Athole. He was born Oct. 25, 1825. He was educated at Addiscombe (where he passed for the Artillery), and, obtaining a cavalry cadetship in the H.E.I.C. service, landed in India, October, 1842. He was soon afterwards appointed Cornet in the 9th Regiment Bengal Light Cavalry, in which he served till, after the mutiny of one wing, in 1857, the regiment was disbanded. Captain Macgregor was subsequently appointed to serve with part of the Ghoorka contingent, along with the naval brigade of H.M.S. Pearl, and was present at the battle of Almorah, and other engagements during the mutiny campaigns. The officers of the 9th Bengal Light Cavalry were afterwards transferred to the new corps of the 4th European Light Cavalry, raised by the H.E.I.C., but the troops having mutinied in 1859, on the occasion of the amalgamation of the Indian army, Macgregor was sent to England in charge of some of the men. After on month at home, he returned to India early in 1860, and remained on the cadre of the regiment, in which he became Major, and attained the brevet rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the Army. He was gazetted a Groom-in-Waiting to her Majesty, January, 1869, and had reached Calcutta on his way home, when his death took place, of abscess of the liver, after a short illness. Colonel Macgregor was well known as a chessplayer, and several problems have appeared in this Journal under his initials, E. A. M. M. He was fond of travelling, and had penetrated far into the interior amongst the Himalayas.(1)
Sources
(1) Illustrated London News, 1869.03.13, pp.274-275
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