A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Macdonald, James Archibald
MACDONALD. (Lieutenant, 1827.)
James Archibald Macdonald, born 18 Jan. 1808, is third son of Lieut.-Colonel Robt. Macdonald, C.B., of Inchkenneth and Gribune, co. Argyle, a Magistrate and Deputy-Lieutenant for that shire, by Mary, third daughter of Thos. Douglas, Esq., of Grantham. He is a younger brother of Capt. Robt. Douglas Macdonald, late of the 42nd Highlanders, and of Capt. Chas. Kerr Macdonald, late of the 42nd Regt.; and a nephew of the present Capt. Colin Macdonald, R.N., C.B.
This officer was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, immediately on passing his examination, 8 Sept. 1827. His appointments have since been – 30 May, 1834, to the Wolf 18, Capt. Edw. Stanley, fitting for the East Indies, where, in command of the boats of that ship, he came into contact in 1836 with 18 Malay piratical vessels of 2 guns each, and where in 1837 (being at the time First-Lieutenant) he destroyed several others off the island of Poulo Linghy – 30 Jan. 1839 (a few months after the Wolf had been paid off) to the Coast Guard – 4 April, 1842, to the command (which he retained for nearly 12 months) of the Charybdis brigantine in North America and the West Indies – 30 Oct. 1844, again to the Coast Guard – and 15 March and 12 June, 1845, to the successive command of the Lizard and Meteor steamers, in the latter of which vessels, of 140-horse power, he is now serving in the Mediterranean.
Lieut. Macdonald married, in 1837, Martha, daughter of ___ Greig, Esq., and niece of Lady Rollo, by whom he has issue three daughters. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.