Lord Eglinton. 11th Earl of Eglinton. Son of Alexander Montgomerie, 9th Earl of Eglinton and Susanna Kennedy. Brother of Lady Margaret Macdonald and Alexander Montgomerie, 10th Earl of Eglinton. Married (1772) to Jean Lindsay-Crawford (dsp. 22/01-1778) and (1783) to Frances Twisden. He had two daughters with the latter, Mary (1787-1848) and Susanna (1788-1805). He inherited the title of Earl of Eglinton from his brother Alexander in 1769.
In 1757 he raised the 2nd Highland regiment (a.k.a. 77th Foot regiment) and was appointed Lt-Colonel. The regiment was sent to the Americas where it spearheaded the attack on Fort Duquesne. In 1758-61 his regiment was sent against the Cherokees who were defeated at several battles. In 1764 his regiment was broke (disbanded). In 1769 he was appointed Colonel (of the 51st foot), in 1772 he became a Major-General and in 1777 a Lieutenant-General. In 1782 he became governor of Edinburgh Castle, and at his death in 1796 he was a full-fledged General and Lord-Lieutenant of Ayrshire.1
- 1Some information in this article originates from Sir Leslie Stephen and Sir Sidney Lee. The Dictionary of National Biography Founded in 1882 by George Smith, Vol. I-XX, XXII. London, England: Oxford University Press, 1921-22
Boswell was a close friend of Archibald Montgomerie's older brother Alexander Montgomerie. He mentions breakfasting with Archibald, then a Colonel, in London on May 29, 1763.