Blair Collection > Celtic monthly > Volume 6, 1898

fm CELTIC MONTHLY:
A MAGAZINE FOR HIGHLANDEI^S.
Edited by JOHN MACKAY, Glasgow.
No. 2. Vol. VI]
NOVEMBER, 1897.
[Price Threepence.
CAPT. ALEXANDER GORDON M'RAE.
4^;APTA1X M'RAE i.s
I'lijy, Cine of the many
Highlanders who liave
joined the British army as
privates, and now hold Her
Majesty's commission as offi-
cers in her service. These
men Highlanders delight to honour, for they
have won their promotion step by step, their
good conduct and soldierly (jualities securing for
them suitable recognition from their superiors.
The subject of our sketch has had an honourable
and brilliant career, a brief account of which
may, we hope, inspire some of our young
Sutherland lads to follow tlie profession of arms,
and swell the ranks of the gallant 'J3rd. There
is still ample opportunity for young Highlanders
to achieve distinction and good positions in tlie
army.
The subject of our sketch was the second son
of George M'Rae and Margaret Gordon, and
was born at Dutfus, Moray.shire, in 1853. Ihe
family came originally from Redcastle, Ross-
shire, and many of its members distinguished
themselves in various parts of the world. He
was educated at Elgin, and joined the 93rd
Sutherland Highlanders when only about si.xteen
years of age. He received his first promotion
in seven months, and rising rapidly through the
various grades was, after eleven years' service,
appointed Sergeant-Major of the regiment, with
the rank of Warrant (Officer, a position which
he held for five years. On the completion of
si.xteen years' service he was promoted Lieu
tenant and Quartermaster, and posted to the
4th battalion at Paisley. Shortly thereafter
he was appointed officer superintending the
recruiting for the army and militia in tlie
counties of Renfrew and Argyll, and in that
capacity went on a lecturing tour through
Argyllshire with a party of the 1st, 2nd, and
4lh battalions of the regiment. For his services
he received the thanks of H. R. H. the Duke of
Cambridge, Conmander-in-Chief, and the officer
commanding the district. He was promoted
(Joptain in the army, Isl April, 1897. It is
interesting also to mention that on receiving his
commission, he was succeeded as Sergeant-Major
of the 93rd by his brother John, who has since
died while on service in India. Highlanders
will doubtless be pleased to learn that Captain
M'Rae was indebted to a gallant countryman,
Cluny Macpherson of Cluny, who then com-
manded the 93rd Sutherland Highlanders, for
his first recommendation as a commissioned
officer.
During the years he was Sergeant-Major of
tlie 93rd he was Captain of the shooting team,
and led them to victory on many a memorable
occasion. The older volunteers in Glasgow will
recollect the Captain and his kilted men.
In 1886 he was champion shot of the Army and
Navy Rifie Meeting at Browndown, Portsmouth.
On the 93rd leaving Glasgow in 1884 — and
many of us have very pleasant recollections of
the visit of the Sutherland regiment to Glasgow
— the subject of our sketch was entertained by
his many friends in the city, and pre.sented with
a hand.some gold hunting lever watch, suitably
inscribed. Later on, when leaving his regiment
at Cork to take up his appointment at Paisley,
he was made the recipient of a valuable testi-
monial, beai'ing the inscription — '' Presented to
Ale.xander M'Rae on his Mppointraent to 4th
liattalion, by the Colonel and Officers 2nd
battalion, as a mark of esteem and respect."
The following is also a copy of the "Regimental
Orders," embodied in the records of the regiment,
on Captain M'Rae's promotion — "Sergeant-
Major A. M'Rae having proceeded to Paisley to
take over the duties of Quartermaster of the 4th
battalion, the Commanding Officer cannot but
express his sense of the loss the battalion lias
sustained by Sergeant-Major M'Rae's promotion,
nor can he allow this opportunity to pass with-
out recording the untiring zeal and devotion to