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 and defiance. Another account connects the dirk incident with his pursuit of the dragoons after the battle of Prestonpans, the story being that, mounted on the horse of a British officer, he chased single-handed a troop of dragoons to the castle of Edinburgh, and, baffled in his vengeance, plunged his dirk in disgust into the castle gate. It is as likely as not that the dirk incident is a humorous invention. He is, however, known to have distinguished himself in an attack on the dragoons at Prestonpans and the capture of two pieces of ordnance. For this he received at the first levee held at Holyrood the special thanks of the prince, who also presented him with a profile cast of himself. It has been conjectured that Grant was the highland recruit by whom Lord Gardenstone [see ] and another Edinburgh volunteer were taken prisoners while in an inn at Musselburgh; but according to information supplied to Robert Chambers by Henry Mackenzie, author of the 'Man of Feeling,' it was by appealing to Grant, who was acquainted with their position in Edinburgh, that these two volunteers escaped being shot as spies (, Hist. of the Rebellion of 1745-6). Though not of the gigantic size sometimes ascribed to him by tradition, Grant was tall and handsome, and was selected by the prince to form one of his life guards under the command of Lord Elcho. In this capacity he served with the prince till the disaster at Culloden (16 April 1746). Escaping after the battle to his native district, he remained in hiding till proceedings against the rebels terminated. Subsequently he settled in Edinburgh as a writer to the signet, having apparently served his apprenticeship before the outbreak of the rebellion. He was law agent to his chief, Sir James Grant of Grant. His portrait was drawn by Kay in a group with two other highland lawyers, Allan MacDougall of Glenlochan and Alexander Watson of Glenturke. Grant and Watson were constant associates, and used to dine together in a tavern in Jackson's Close for 'two placks apiece,' dividing half a bottle of claret between them. Being of frugal habits, Grant acquired sufficient wealth to purchase the estates of Kincaird and Petnacree, Perthshire. He died at Edinburgh 2 Dec. 1792. He was unmarried, but he left several illegitimate children, who were substantially provided for.



GRANT, COLQUHOUN (1780–1829), lieutenant-colonel, was son of Duncan Grant of Lingieston, Morayshire, and brother of Colonel Alexander Grant, C.B., in the East India Company's service, a distinguished Madras officer. Through General James Grant of Ballindalloch, Colquhoun Grant's widowed mother obtained for him an ensigncy in the 11th foot, to which he was appointed on 9 Sept. 1795, before he was fifteen, with leave to remain at a military school near London until promoted. He became lieutenant the year after, and in 1798 was taken prisoner, with the greater part of his regiment, in the unsuccessful descent on Ostend, and detained for a year at Douai. He obtained his company on 19 Nov. 1801, and served some years in the West Indies, at the capture of the Danish and Swedish West India islands, and afterwards on the personal staff of Sir George Prevost. He subsequently was with the 1st battalion of his regiment at Madeira and in the Peninsula. Napier, who was an intimate friend of Grant, wrote of him in after years, and describes his position as one of the 'exploring officers,' of whom Wellington said that 'no army in the world ever produced the like.' He conducted the secret intelligence, but never acted as a spy like his namesake (1782-1842) [q. v.] He often passed days in the enemy's lines, but always in uniform, trusting to his personal resources of sagacity, courage, and quickness (memorandum in Autobiog. of Sir James MacGrigor, App.) Grant, who had a talent for picking up languages and dialects, was a special favourite with the Spaniards, among whom he was known far and near as 'Granto bueno.' His position on the British staff was that of a deputy assistant adjutant-general. He became brevet-major on 30 May 1811.

As an example of the valuable character of Grant's services, Napier tells us that when Marmont came down on Beira in 1812, and was supposed to contemplate a coup de main against Ciudad Rodrigo, Grant entered the enemy's cantonments, and succeeded in obtaining information as to Marmont's numbers and supplies, which proved that he had no such intention. While watching the French movements on the bank of the Coa immediately afterwards, Grant was surprised by some French dragoons, his guide was killed, and himself carried prisoner to Salamanca. His popularity among the French officers, and his intimacy with [q. v.] and other members of the Irish College at Salamanca, caused uneasiness to Marmont, who appears to have confused the major with Grant the Spy. After accepting Grant's parole, Marmont