James Lumsden

Sir James Lumsden (top left) detail from the painting Schuttersmaaltijd (Shooters meal time) by van der Helst circa 1638. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. His good friend and fellow Scottish soldier General William Baillie bottom right.

James Lumsden (1598–1660) was a Scottish soldier who served in the Swedish army of Gustavus Adolphus during the Thirty Years' War, and subsequently commanded Scottish Covenanter armies.

Having commanded a regiment of Scottish soldiers in Swedish service, and fought at the Battle of Lutzen as part of John Hepburn's Green Brigade.^[1] Lumsden was made governor of Osnabrük in May 1634 which he held with his regiment until relieved by Field Marshal Alexander Leslie in 1636 against considerable odds.^[2] Lumsden left the Swedish Army in 1639 like many Scottish officers and returned to Scotland. He commanded troops during the Bishop's Wars, and in 1644 he was Sergeant Major General of Foot in General Alexander Leslie's Covenanter Army which entered England to support the English Parliament during the First English Civil War. He played a major part in the Battle of Marston Moor, and though many of his own regiment were routed, he did much to regroup the remainder and rally the reserve battalions which helped secure victory for the allied forces of the parliaments.^[3] Lumsden left an account of the battle, published anonymously^[4]

Lumsden was subsequently Lieutenant General of Horse in the Covenanter Army which, now fighting for King Charles II, was defeated at the Battle of Dunbar in 1650. He was captured, and released in 1652.

References

1. Steve Murdoch and Alexia Grosjean, Alexander Leslie and the Scottish Generals of the Thirty Years' War, 1618-1648 (London, 2014), pp.56-57.
2. Steve Murdoch and Alexia Grosjean, Alexander Leslie and the Scottish Generals of the Thirty Years' War, 1618-1648 (London, 2014), pp.71, 77.
3. Steve Murdoch and Alexia Grosjean, Alexander Leslie and the Scottish Generals of the Thirty Years' War, 1618-1648 (London, 2014), pp.128-134.
4. Anon. [Major General Sir James Lumsden], The Glorious and Miraculous Battell at York: This Letter being Directed to a Noble and Honourable Leaguer Lying at Yorke (Edinburgh, 1644). A manuscript copy of this letter (which identifies the author) and including an order of battle can be found at York Minster Archives, MS ADD 258. Lumsden's Report on Marston Moor

•  "Lumsden, James". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
• Steve Murdoch and Alexia Grosjean, Alexander Leslie and the Scottish Generals of the Thirty Years' War, 1618-1648 (London, 2014).