Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 38.djvu/173

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Monckton
167
Moncreiff

Monckton's quarters, and advised an attack on the town from the west. Wolfe adopted their advice. On the 13th the attack took place, and the victory was decisive. Wolfe died on the field. Monckton was wounded while leading Lascelles's regiment, and the command therefore devolved on Brigadier Townshend, but Monckton was well enough on the 15th to write a short note to Pitt, and another to Lord Galway (manuscript at Serlby Hall, Record Office).

On 18 Sept. Quebec capitulated. The terms were drawn up and signed by Townshend and Admiral Saunders. Monckton to his deep annoyance was not consulted, and Townshend subsequently apologised for the omission. On 24 Oct. Monckton was appointed colonel of the 17th foot. After putting things in order at Quebec for the winter, and leaving Murray in command, Monckton reached New York by 16 Dec. Early in 1760 he was appointed to succeed General Stanwix in the command of the troops at Philadelphia. Later in the year he was engaged in a conference with Indians, who appeared more favourable to the British than formerly, although a great outbreak followed in 1761. He also sought to induce the governments of Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland to raise troops. On 20 Feb. (or 21) 1761 he was given the rank of major-general, and on 20 March 1761 he was appointed governor of New York, and commander-in-chief of the province.

At the end of 1761 he was placed in command of a force destined for the conquest of Martinique, and on 19 Nov. he sailed with 6,667 men from New York. The naval force was under Rodney, and the total land force under Monckton numbered nearly twelve thousand men. They landed on 16 Jan. 1762. On 4 Feb., after some sharp fighting, Fort Royal capitulated, and this success was followed by the surrender not only of Martinique, but also of Grenada, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent. Monckton and Rodney received the thanks of the House of Commons, and on 12 June the former was back again in New York.

On 28 June 1763 he left for England, and on 14 June 1765, when Sir Henry Moore succeeded him in New York, he was appointed governor of Berwick-on-Tweed and Holy Island; on 30 April 1770 he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general, and on 31 Feb. 1771 he received the freedom of the city of Edinburgh. He was recommended without result as commander-in-chief for India in 1773. In 1778 he became governor of Portsmouth, and he represented that town in parliament from 1779 till his death on 3 May . He was buried on 26 May at Kensington parish church. He was unmarried. Fort Monckton, near Gosport, was named after him.

His portrait, by Benjamin West, belonging to Viscount Galway, was engraved by J. Watson; a medallion by James Tassie is in the National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh; and two other portraits are mentioned by Bromley.

[Dr. Monckton's Hist. of the Family of Monckton (privately printed), and the authorities cited.]

H. W. M.


MONCREIFF, Sir HENRY, D.D., bart., afterwards Sir Henry Moncreiff Wellwood of Tulliebole (1750–1827), Scottish divine, born at Blackford, Perthshire, on 6 Feb. 1750, was eldest son of Sir William Moncreiff (1738–1767), minister of the parish of Blackford, who by the death of Sir Hugh succeeded to the baronetcy in 1744. His mother, Catharine, was eldest daughter of Robert Wellwood of Garvock. He received his early education at Blackford parish school, and in 1763, when only thirteen years old, matriculated in Glasgow University, where he continued to study till the death of his father in 1767. He then removed to Edinburgh University, where he finished his course in 1771. Such was the respect entertained in Blackford for the family that, with the sanction of the presbytery, the parish was kept vacant from the time of Sir William's death until 1771, when Henry received the presentation, and on 15 Aug. was ordained its minister, being the third Moncreiff who had held the living in succession. He proved himself a very diligent and efficient clergyman, and when one of the charges of St. Cuthbert's, Edinburgh, fell vacant, he was, on the recommendation of the heritors, appointed to it by the crown, as colleague to the Rev. John Gibson. Inducted on 26 Oct. 1775, he quickly became one of the most influential ministers of the city. A very eloquent and vigorous preacher, he also took a leading part in the business of the church courts, especially the general assembly, where he rose to be the leader of the evangelical party (vide Lockhart's Peter's Letters to his Kinsfolk, iii. 45 and 74, for graphic sketches of his appearances in the pulpit and general assembly). In 1785 he was elected moderator of the assembly, and in the same year received the degree of D.D. from the university of Glasgow, and was appointed chaplain to the Prince of Wales. He took an active part in the foundation of the Society for the Benefit of the Sons of the Clergy and in the management of the ministers' widows' fund (of which he was collector for many years) and of other benevolent schemes. In 1793 he was appointed chaplain to