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Major General Sir Hector Archibald MacDonald, KCB, DSO ((スコットランド・ゲール語:Eachann Gilleasbaig MacDhòmhnaill); 4 March 1853 – 25 March 1903), also known as Fighting Mac, was a distinguished Victorian soldier. The son of a crofter, MacDonald left school before he was 15, enlisted in the Gordon Highlanders as a private at 17, and finished his career as a major general, "one of only a few British Army generals who rose from the ranks on his own merit and professionalism."〔(Harold E. Raugh, "The Victorians at War, 1815-1914: An Encyclopedia of British Military History, (ABC-CLIO, 2003) )〕 He distinguished himself in action at Omdurman (1898), became a popular hero in Scotland and England, and was knighted for his service in the Second Boer War.〔 Posted to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) as Commander-in-Chief of British forces, he committed suicide in 1903 following accusations of homosexual activity with local boys.〔Denis Judd, ''Empire: The British Imperial Experience, from 1765 to the Present'', 2001, p.171.〕 ==Career== Hector MacDonald was born on a farm at Rootfield, near Dingwall, Ross-shire, Scotland. He was, as were most people in the area at the time, a Gaelic speaker and in later life went by the name ''Eachann nan Cath'' ('Hector of the Battles').〔Friseal, A. ''Eachann nan Cath'' Gairm, Glasgow 1979〕 His father, William MacDonald, was a crofter and a stonemason. His mother was Ann Boyd, the daughter of John Boyd of Killiechoilum, Whitebridge, and Cradlehall, near Inverness. Hector's brothers were the Rev. William MacDonald Jr., known as 'Preaching Mac', Donald, John, and Ewen. At the age of 15, MacDonald was apprenticed to a draper in Dingwall and then moved on to the Royal Clan Tartan and Tweed Warehouse in Inverness, an establishment owned by a Mr. William Mackay. On 7 March 1870 MacDonald joined the Inverness-shire Highland Rifle Volunteers, and in 1871 enlisted in the 92nd Gordon Highlanders at Fort George.〔Aberdeen Weekly Journal, 12 April 1899, p7〕 He rose rapidly through the noncommissioned ranks, and had already been a Colour Sergeant for some years when his distinguished conduct in the presence of the enemy during the Second Afghan War led to his being offered either a Victoria Cross or a commission in his regiment; he chose the latter.〔Cromb, David L. and Bey, Heinrich Brugsch (2004) Hector Macdonald: The Story of His Life, pps. 20-25 Kessinger Publishing, ISBN 1-4179-5885-5〕 This was an extremely rare honour (7 January 1880).〔Raugh ibid. p. 213〕 He served as a subaltern in the First Boer War (1880–81), and at the Battle of Majuba Hill, where he was made prisoner, his bravery was so conspicuous that General Joubert gave him back his sword. In 1885 he served under Sir Evelyn Wood in the reorganization of the Egyptian army, and took part in the Nile Expedition of that year. In 1888 he became a regimental captain in the British service, but continued in Egyptian service, concentrating on training Sudanese troops. In 1889 he received the Distinguished Service Order for his conduct at the Battle of Toski and in 1891, after the action at Tokar, he was promoted substantive major.〔 During the Mahdist War MacDonald commanded a brigade of the Egyptian army in the Dongola Expedition (1896), and subsequently distinguished himself at Abu Hamed (7 August 1897) and Atbara (8 April 1898).〔 At the Battle of Omdurman (2 September 1898) the British commander, Lord Kitchener, unwittingly exposed his flanks to the Dervish (i.e., Mahdist) army. MacDonald swung his men by companies in an arc as the Dervishes charged and by skillful manoeuvring held his ground until Kitchener could redeploy his brigades. When the fight was over MacDonald’s troops had an average of only two rounds left per man.〔(ibiblio.org, "Hector the Hero" )〕 After Omdurman MacDonald became a household name in Britain. He was promoted to colonel in the British Army, appointed an ''aide-de-camp'' to Queen Victoria, and received the thanks of Parliament and a cash award. His fame was especially high in his native Scotland: on 12 May that year, described as "one of the heroes of Omdurman," he was entertained to luncheon by the council of the City of Edinburgh, and many Scots felt that MacDonald, and not Kitchener, was the true hero.〔Gilbert, W.M., editor, ''Edinburgh in the Nineteenth Century'', Edinburgh, 1901: 186〕 In October 1899 MacDonald received the temporary rank of Brigadier-General and was seconded to command a military district in India, but on the outbreak of war in South Africa he was in December ordered there to command the Highland Brigade, under Lord Roberts and Kitchener, Roberts' Chief of Staff. He arrived in Cape Town on 18 January 1900 by the transport Dwarka, and six days later assumed command of the Highland Brigade stationed at Modder River. While in South Africa he took part in the Paardeberg, Bloemfontein and Pretoria operations, and in April 1901 was knighted as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) for his services. He returned to the United Kingdom in May 1901, but soon left for India where he had been appointed to command the South District Army, and was in command of in Belgaum district, near Madras. In early 1902 he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of British troops in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) with the temporary rank of Major-general whilst so employed, and he arrived there and took up the command on 26 March 1902. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Hector MacDonald」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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