COLL and COLIN MACDOUGLE

Coll and Colin MacDougal, sons of Patrick MacDougal who built Ardlarach farmhouse in 1787 and owned large tracts of land on Luing , served as lieutenants with the 91st Argyllshire Highlanders and took part in the Campaign of Coruna. Coll took ill while advancing into Spain and was sent to Portugal to recuperate, so that he did not return home with his regiment. Those officers and men of the 91st who were left behind were formed into a company and placed with other regiments, and in what was known as the 1st Battalion of Detachments, a company of 100 men; they served in Campaign of Talavera in 1809. Shortly before the battle began, Captain Mhor (the big Captain) met Coll and made arrangements to meet after the battle, but alas! Coll was killed on the 27th of July while engaged with his battalion on an attack against a hill forming a key position. It turned into a most fierce fight; out of a total of 93, the company had 10 killed, 31 wounded and 20 taken prisoner or missing, a total of 61 of all ranks.

It is said that on the evening of the 27th, his mother sitting in her room at Ardlarach (Luing) heard a door open and close. After her maids investigation showed that no-one had entered the room, the mother exclaimed “I’m sorely afraid, Margaret, that something has happened to Coll, Coll is no longer alive”.

It is said that Ardlarach is still haunted by Mrs MacDougal.