Page:History of Knox Church Dunedin.djvu/41

Rh

T has already been stated that Captain Cargill's lamented death (Aug. 1860) occurred shortly before the day fixed for his induction as one of the elders of Knox Church. It is worthy of notice that he was a direct lineal descendant of Donald Cargill, the celebrated covenanting minister, who, after having been hunted for a time from place to place, and after many hair-breadth 'scapes during the persecution in Scotland in the reign of Charles II., was at length taken and condemned to suffer martyrdom at the Grassmarket, Edinburgh, in July, 1681.

William Cargill was born at Edinburgh in August, 1784, and was educated at the High School of that city. When a youth he enjoyed for a time the privilege of receiving private tuition from the eminent Dr Thomas Chalmers, with whom he afterwards maintained an affectionate friendship. At the age of eighteen he entered the army. He saw much active service in India, and afterwards in the Spanish Peninsular war, where he acquitted himself with much bravery and distinction, and was in due course promoted to the rank of captain. He received the Peninsular medal with seven clasps in consideration of his distinguished conduct in seven famous battles in which he had been engaged. These were the battles of Busaco, Fuentes de Onoro, Vitoria, Nivelle, Nive, Orthez, and Toulouse. He was on his way with his regiment to join the British forces under Wellington, after Napoleon's return from Elba, but, his ship being detained by unfavourable weather at sea, the battle of Waterloo had been fought before his regiment could reach its destination.

Captain Cargill retired from the army in 1821. For a time it was his wish to emigrate to Canada, but from this he was dissuaded by his friends. He occupied himself in various civil pursuits in the Home Country until 1844, when his services were secured by the New Zealand Company of London, as organising agent for the projected Scotch settlement of Otago. His practical wisdom and shrewdness enabled him to place the necessary preliminary arrangements on a satisfactory basis; and in November, 1847, he left Britain with the first band of