Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Rollo, Andrew

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
691706Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 49 — Rollo, Andrew1897Thomas Finlayson Henderson

ROLLO, ANDREW, fifth Lord Rollo (1700–1765), born in 1700, was the eldest son of Robert, fourth lord Rollo, by Mary, eldest daughter of Sir Harry Rollo of Woodside, Stirlingshire, knight. Entering the army after he had attained the age of forty, he so distinguished himself at the battle of Dettingen in 1743 that he was promoted to a company in the 22nd regiment of foot. On 1 June 1750 he was appointed major, and on 26 Oct. 1756 lieutenant-colonel. He succeeded his father on 8 March 1758, and the same year the regiment under his command was despatched to take part in the expedition to Louisburg, when it displayed great gallantry in effecting a landing at Cape Breton. He was stationed with his regiment at Louisburg during 1759, and in the spring of 1760 the 22nd and 40th regiments, under his command, proceeded from Louisburg up the river Lawrence to Quebec, whence, with the forces under Brigadier-general Murray, they advanced against Montreal, which surrendered, and with it all Canada. On 19 Feb. 1760 Lord Rollo was appointed colonel, and at the same time also obtained the rank of brigadier-general in America. After the conquest of Canada he removed with the troops under his command to Albany, and thence to New York. In June 1761 he was sent in command of twenty-six thousand troops to the West Indies, and, landing in Dominica under fire of the men-of-war, he drove the French from their entrenchments, and in two days reduced the island to submission. He was then sent to take part in the operations against Martinique, joining General Monckton in Carlisle Bay, Barbados, in December 1761, and arriving with him at Martinique on 16 Jan. 1762. The island surrendered on 4 Feb., and Rollo, with his brigade, joined the forces of the Earl of Albemarle for the reduction of Havannah in the island of Cuba; but before its surrender on 1 Aug. 1762 ill-health compelled him to leave Cuba and set sail for England. He died at Leicester on 2 June 1765, from a lingering illness caught at Havannah, and was buried in St. Margaret's Church. By his first wife, Catherine, eldest of two daughters and coheiresses of Lord James Murray of Donally, brother of John, first duke of Atholl, he had several children, of whom the only one who reached maturity was John, master of Rollo, who died at Martinique on 24 July 1762 while serving as major in his father's brigade. By his second wife, Elizabeth, daughter of James Moray of Abercairney, Lord Rollo left no issue.

[Douglas's Scottish Peerage (Wood), ii. 399–400; Scots Mag. 1765, pp. 279, 336; Cannon's Historica Records of the 22nd Regiment.]

T. F. H.