KINNAIRD, ROBERT [SSNE 4223]

Surname

KINNAIRD, KINNARD

First name

ROBERT, ROBERTUS

Title/rank

OFFICER

Nationality

SCOT

Social status

OFFICER

Text source

Robert Kinnaird is listed as one of the Scottish officers who under the auspices of James Spens [SSNE 1642] was sent to King James VI and I in 1608/9 seeking levies for Swedish service. He accompanied a group of officers including Samuel Cockburn [SSNE 4219], Hugh Cochran [SSNE 4221], Daniel Rogers [SSNE 4222], Patrick Ruthven [SSNE 3413], John Wauchop [SSNE 4220], George Douglas [SSNE 2129] and William Horne [SSNE 4224]. He was an officer in Samuel Cockburn’s [SSNE 4219] regiment of foot in Swedish service during the 1611-1612 campaign in Russia. The company commanders in this regiment included the following (with the nationality of the company in brackets) - Samuel Cobron’s company (English); Richard Band’s company (English & Scots) – captain captured by Muscovites in winter 1612 near Staraja Russia; Harry Elfingtum’s [Elphinstone] company (English & Scots) – captain killed in action in the winter of 1612 near Staraja Russia; Jacob Frensham’s company (English & Scots); Nicholas Gent’s company (English & Scots); Robert Kinnard’s company (English & Scots); Robert Moore’s company (English & Scots); Oliver Popler’s company (English & Scots). This man was named lt.colonel and was killed in action in winter the winter of 1612 near Staraja Russia [SSNE 6042] ; Robert Popler’s company (English & Scots) [SSNE 6043] All those companies we part of de la Gardie’s army in Russia. In March 1611 the regiment took part in the of relief of Ladoga, which was then besieged by Muscovites. In July these British soldiers were part of an assault group captured Novgorod. In September all companies were part of Evert Horn’s expedition to capture Pskov. Harry Elfingtum led the first, failed, assault on city and was blamed by Horn for the failure of the attack - Horn accused him of cowardice. In winter 1612 companies of Band, Elfingtum and Oliver Popler were destroyed near Staraja Russa, In March 1612 rest of British units under Horn were able to avenge their fallen comrades, beating Mikajlovic’s pulk. Other British units/commanders that were part of de la Gardie corps in that time: - Patrick Rutven’s cornet of horse (Scots) [SSNE 3413] - John Wacop’s cornet of horse (Scots) – probably it’s Wauchop [SSNE 4220] - Daniel Hepburn [SSNE 6871] was an officer in charge of de la Gardie’s German Livfänika (guard company) 

 

Sources: The source for the 1611-1612 campaign is Sveriges Krig 1611-1632, volume I, appendix 8 and was kindly provided by Michal Paradowski. 

See also Swedish Riksarkiv, Latin registratur 1606-1609, fol. 76r, dated Stockholm 17 December 1609; G. Arteus, Till Militärstatens Förhistoria: Krig, professionalisering och social förändring under Vasasönernas regering (Stockholm, 1986), p.174; T. Fischer, The Scots in Sweden (Edinburgh, 1907), p.72.

Service record

SWEDEN, SCOTLAND

Arrived 1608-01-01, as OFFICER

Departed 1609-12-31, as OFFICER

Capacity RECRUITER, purpose MILITARY

SWEDEN, SAMUEL COCKBURN

Arrived 1608-01-01, as OFFICER

Departed 1612-12-31, as CAPTAIN OF HORSE

Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY