Major General Alexander McDougall was one of the most important men involved in the American War of Independence. At Portantruan where he was born, a cairn to him was unveiled last Thursday, 1st September. This young boy, born on Islay in 1732, grew up to be a truly great man.
We went to Portantruan in a minibus and then we climbed a small hill to get to the cairn. It was overlooking the Major General’s place of birth. Lord George Robertson, people from the Bank of New York, Mr Oglivary and Mr Reavey from the Museum of Islay Life were there along with some invited guests. Lord Robertson gave a speech and then we left. The others went to have lunch.
The Major General was born in 1732 at Portantruan. His family left Islay to go to America when he was only 6 years old. When he was 14 he became a merchant seaman and then a privateer. The British put him in prison for five months because he thought that America should not be ruled by the British. After the war, he became the first President of the New York Bank. He died when he was only 53. His last act was to be carried on a stretcher to vote against paper money.
I was very honoured to have been invited to the unveiling and I thought that it was very interesting what Major General Alexander McDougall did. It proves to me that if you work really hard you can do anything you want. I wonder what he could have achieved if he had lived longer?
By Elinor Baker (P6)
