Major James Edward Brand 1702 - 1746

[RoryT]

I only recently found out the following about my ancestor (above). This is what I have:
James Edward Brand was a gentleman watchmaker, born in 1702, and raised in a privileged neighborhood in Edinburgh. He learned the profession from his father, Alexander Brand, who was one of the foremost watchmakers in Scotland. James Edward Brand left the Watch making business to join the British army. Being educated and upper class, he was accepted into the Officer corps. He served in the German Brigade for an extended period, mostly in the East Indies. He rose to the rank of Brigadier General in the German Brigade. When the second Jacobite Rebellion broke out in 1745, Brigadier James Brand resigned his British Army commission volunteered to defend his homeland in Scotland. He volunteered his service to the cause and was named the Quartermaster in Baggott's Hussars. Baggott's Hussars were mounted cavalry that figured prominently in the decisive Battle of Culloden. It may be mere speculation on my part, but I have to believe that both Major James and his son Lt. James Brand (aka DR. James Brand) must have been ardent fox hunters. Both had to have been experienced riders to have accepted into a cavalry. The brave Major was captured the day after the Battle of Culloden, trying to haul supplies to his men. He was captured with another officer, Robert Randal. They were offered leniency in exchange for cooperation and information on the Jacobite forces. Randal sold out, but Major James Brand remained true to the cause, despite what must have been horrific torture. He was imprisoned at Carlisle Castle until his trial and execution. In most cases the prisoners were forced to draw lots to determine who would be executed and who would be deported to the colonies and subsequently sold into bond slavery. One can only speculate whether he was singled out because of his high rank in the British army. He must have taken some solace that his son, Lt. James Brand, also an officer in the rebellion, would be spared from execution, and shipped to the Colonies (Maryland). Major James Brand petitioned the King for clemency, and requested that he be exiled to the Colonies. That request was denied by the King. Major James Edward Brand was hung, drawn and quartered in a mass execution on October 18, 1746. The Brand family must have held the major in great esteem and pride, for they named their sons after him for many succeeding generations.
I can only speculate the cause, but the name Alexander was purged from the family after was of 1745. It would seem plausible that possibly Alexander Brand, the father of Major James Brand and grandfather of Lt. James Brand, may well have remained loyal to the British Crown during the Jacobite rebellion of 1745.

I would be interested in learning more, especially about his time in India.
If anyone knows anything else I would love to hear from you.

RoryT

[RoryT]

Sorry, I should have said I was looking for details of his service in the East Indies, not necessarily India. Would anyone know what part of the East Indies he was likely to have served in?

[JonB65]

Dear RoryT,
                       Your posting has recently been brought to my notice by another Brand family member. I note that you give 'Major James Edward Brand' as your ancestor. Could you give me the connection? Do you have a tree that I could look at or are you on Ancestry. Co.?  Could you give me your sources?  There appears  to be some confusion with the data which I hold, and which I would like to resolve.
                         Please get in touch with a view to exchange of info. Best Wishes, John Brand.

[RoryT]

Hi John,
Its been a while since this posting.  I sources this info from Ancestry.com, Public Member Trees (Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2006), www.ancestry.co.uk, Database online. Record for Ann Brand. He is distantly related to me as a 2nd cousin 7 times removed!!!! according to my tree.
I have since confirmed his date of birth as 1699 from various sources in ancestry.  Do you have any further info?
Rory

[JonB65]

Thank you, Rory. I will now peruse the Public Member Trees on Ancestry.Co looking particularly for Ann Brand, [is that the title of her tree? ] and then get back to you.   I did not realise there were so many which  might be relevant, so this may take a littlle while. Best Wishes, John B.

[Hackstaple]

India or Hindoostan as it was then known was a part of the franchise of the British East India Company. England or Britain at the period you are asking about had no areas of influence to protect or enhance in what we would today call the East Indies - Malaya came much, much later.

[moragus]

Most interesting post about Major James Brand Snr and his military background in India. Unfortunately, the reputation and performance of his regiment of Hussars in Bonnie Prince Charlie's army can be considered at best, inept, and at worst, criminal. The Hussars gained themselves a bad reputation and their officers had to be replaced by French ones before the Battle of Culloden - where they played no meaningful part. At the Carlisle treason trials Major Brand broke down upon receiving his sentence, and was admonished across the courtroom by Bishop Cappock, a fellow prisoner for his tearful outburst.

James Brand jnr was a quartermaster in the Jacobite army; interestingly, he served not in the regiment of Hussars with his father but in Lord Kilmarnock's regiment of Horse Grenadiers. It was  Brand the younger that was captured with Thomas Randal, a quartermaster for the general staff, at Echlesfechan, at the onset of the Derby campaign by Carlisle militiamen. He was taken to Newcastle for interrogation and behaved bravely. The story of how he was transported to America as an indentured servant (slave), was purchased for tobacco by a Dr Hunter, married the doctor's daughter, later received a pardon, returned to Edinburgh for training, and became a doctor himself, is a romantic one.

I recommend the books 'The Jacobite Grenadier, Tales of the Jacobite Grenadiers and The Fate of the Jacobite Grenadiers, which will give you a fictionalized insight into what the two James Brands and their regiments were up to during the rebellion. 

[sarah]

Thank you. There is clearly a lot of confusion here which I hope to be able to clear up [in part] by reference to original documents and recent  research. JonB.65.

Posted on behalf of JonB65

[moragus]

James Brand the younger (I have seen his name spelt Band, Bawnd and Baird in various accounts of the rebellion) was captured near Ecclesfechan on 9.11.1745 with Thomas Randall while trying to arrange billets for the baggage column of Bonnie Prince Charlie, which was bogged down in a blizzard. If you do some searching on google books, you will come across several accounts of him, all quite consistent. Young Brand was gloriously described as being dressed in a Highland Plaid and bonnet, carrying two pistols and a sword, and wearing a chainmail aventail. The aventail was attached to the base of his bonnet with a chain, covered his neck and shoulders, and 'gave fence against any sword'. A party of Carlisle militia captured him and took him firstly to that city. Both prisoners were taken on to Newcastle for questioning. As far as I know,they were the very first of the Jacobites to be taken prisoner and therefore of some interest. Randall accompanied General Handasyde and returned to Edinburgh with the redcoats as an informer. Brand was defiant and said he cared not if he was hanged. He was imprisoned in London for a year and then transported to Maryland on board the notorious transport ship 'the Gildart' sailing from Liverpool. He was bought as an indentured servant by Dr. Samuel Hunter. In 1753 young Brand was pardoned (the initial life sentence of the transported Jacobites was later reduced to seven years) and returned to study medicine at Edinburgh University. Three years later, he returned to Maryland, married Dr Hunter's daughter: Mary Ann, settled in Augusta, and had eleven children. - a fine story indeed!
       I know far less about James Brand Snr. - absolutely nothing about his earlier military career. But in general, all the Jacobites captured at Culloden were shipped down to Tilbury Fort and imprisoned there, or kept offshore in Thames prison hulks. Several hundred more Jacobites were captured in the weeks that followed and filled the Scottish Gaols. Approximately five hundred were then sent on to Carlisle for trial in September 1746 including Major Brand. The common men drew lots with one in twenty being put on trial, the rest being transported or conscripted. About a hundred of the prisoners including Major Brand were deemed officers and put on trial for their lives without lotting. Once again I recommend the book 'The Fate of the Jacobite Grenadiers' which gives an authentic, although fictionalized, account of the trial.
    Many years ago I corresponded with one of Brand the younger's descendants in America. I might still be able to get a contact for you.
   I hope this is of interest. Kind regards