Colin Macaulay (13 April 1760 – 20 February 1836), was a Scottish general, biblical scholar and key activist in the campaign to abolish slavery.
Early life
Macaulay was a son of the Rev. John Macaulay (1720–1789), minister in the Church of Scotland, grandson of Dòmhnall Cam. and his mother was Margaret Campbell. He had eleven brothers and sisters, including Zachary Macaulay, one of the prime movers in the Abolition of Slavery campaign throughout the British Empire, as well as the Governor of Sierra Leone (a British settlement for freed slaves from America). Another brother was the Rev. Aulay Macaulay, scholar and antiquary.
Whilst much has been written of the early life of his brothers, little is known about Colin's upbringing. However, his education must have been formative as he became in later life a distinguished linguist with extensive knowledge of classical and modern languages, history and literature, and he wrote with a polished style. It is possible that he studied at the Parish School in Inverary and later at Cardross.
East India Company Army
Macaulay was enrolled as a Cadet in the East India Army at India House on 11 February 1777, not quite aged seventeen. He embarked for India a year later on 27 April 1778 and eventually served in India for over thirty years.
