Records of the clan and name of Fergusson, Ferguson and Fergus

264 CLAN FEEGUSSON
Bois-le-Duc], who being born in Holland, continued there.
[She married M. Gerard Vinck. Brigadier Ferguson in 1695
acquired the estate of Balinakelly and Kirktonhill in the
Mearns. He had first served in the Dutch Scots Brigade,
came over with William of Orange ; was taken prisoner at
Killiecrankie, commanded the expedition to the West Coast,
which commenced the construction of Fort- William, was
transferred to the Cameronian Regiment after the battle of
Steinkirk, and commanded it for twelve years. He ' led up
the first line of foot ' in the attack on the Schellenberg, and
commanded a brigade at Blenheim. He was in command of
the British troops at Maestricht for some weeks previous to
the march into Germany, and there, immediately before his
Brigade moved as the rearguard, he made his will, which was
written by Mr. James Ferguson, Advocate, the Laird of Pit-
four, who managed his affairs in Scotland for him. He was
selected for the responsible service of conveying the French
prisoners to Holland after Blenheim, and his second marriage
was solemnized on his arrival at Bois-le-Duc. His gravestone
in the Cathedral of Bois-le-Duc, where he died suddenly the
following October, when in command of the garrison there,
' having,' says Blackader, 'just come from Court, where he had
been sent for that he might be raised a step higher for his
services,' bears the inscription : —
De H. Ed. Gestr. Heer,
IAMES FERGUSON,
BRIGAD.-GENERAL,
OBIIT XXII. OCT.
MDCCV.
His name, however, appears in the lists of the British army
as Major- General.
General Mackay, in a letter to King William in., described
him as ' personne de probite et d'honneur comme aussifidele
et affectionne au service de votre Majeste.' Marlborough,
in announcing his death, wrote : ' C'etait un officier de
me'rite pour lequel j'avais beaucoup d'estime et que je ne
puis assez regretter : le public y a une grande perte aussi
Men que sa famille ; ' and in a letter of his own, speaking of
his regiment, which then had several Fergusons among its