SANDILANDS, JAMES [SSNE 4996]

Surname: SANDILANDS, SANDELANDS, SANDILANTS, SANDELANS
First name: JAMES, JACQUES
Title/rank: COLONEL
Nationality: SCOT
Region: SLAMMAN

Text source

Surprisingly little is recorded in Ferguson's Scots Brigade in Holland on the career of Sir James Sandilands. Sir James Sandilands took over a company of 70 men with a monthly pay of £1059 in 1617, succeeding Captain Mackenzie. He received his captain's commission on 16th November 1618 in Colonel Brog's [SSNE 7842] regiment. By 1621 his company stood at 120 men and his wage at £1655. He later acted as Sergeant-Major in the same regiment after 26 October 1627 after its previous sergeant-major, William Drummond [SSNE 8010], was shot in the head. He took over as colonel for the same ancient Scots regiment in the Dutch Republic between 1636-1639. Sandilands received a wound in the arm during the siege of Breda in 1637. The following year, Sandilands and his regiment suffered a great defeat at Fort Calloo, inflicted by General Piccolomini. Four officers and 600 soldiers were captured overall, while 137 men from Sandilands' regiment were taken prisoner. Sandilands was dead by 8 March 1639, when he was succeeded as colonel by James Erskine [SSNE 8002] and command of his company fell to Lieutenant Thomas Livingstone.

In the National Archives of Scotland, an interesting letter exists dated 23 December 1629 [NAS GD84/2/177]. Notarial Instrument by Bennedict Baddel in Amsterdam "Daniel (sic) Lord Reay" noting receipt of 200 Rixdaler or 500 guilders from Sir James Sandilands from Slamman in Scotland. Sergeant Major under Colonel Brogge in the Service of the United Provinces witnessed by Jan Douglas and Captain John Lyndsay. On the back it states, 31 March 1631 "These moneys are payed to me [James Sandilands, KT] by his Lordship in name of Capt. John Sinclair who was debtful to me for same."

Sources:

J. Ferguson, Papers Illustrating the History of the Scots Brigade in theservice of the United Netherlands,1572-1697 (Edinburgh, 1899), pp. XXXIV, 229, 308, 313-4, 318-9, 322, 331-333, 455, 578;

D. Dobson 'Scottish Soldiers in Continental Europe' [part one] (St Andrews, 1997).

This entry updated by Mr Jack Abernethy.

Service record

THE DUTCH REPUBLIC, THE SCOTS BRIGADE, COL. BROG: Arrived 1617-01-01, as LIEUTENANT; Departed 1618-11-16, as CAPTAIN; Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY; Arrived 1618-11-16, as CAPTAIN; Departed 1627-10-26, as SERGEANT-MAJOR; Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY; Arrived 1627-10-26, as SERGEANT-MAJOR; Departed 1631-05-04, as LIEUTENANT-COLONEL; Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY; Arrived 1631-05-04, as LIEUTENANT-COLONEL; Departed 1636-03-13, as COLONEL; Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY
THE DUTCH REPUBLIC, THE SCOTS BRIGADE, COL. SANDILANDS: Arrived 1636-03-13, as COLONEL; Departed 1639-03-08, as DECEASED; Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY