1776 in Scotland

Events from the year 1776 in Scotland.

Incumbents

Law officers

• Lord Advocate – Henry Dundas;
• Solicitor General for Scotland – Alexander Murray

Judiciary

• Lord President of the Court of Session – Lord Arniston, the younger
• Lord Justice General – Duke of Queensberry
• Lord Justice Clerk – Lord Barskimming

Events

• 27 February – American Revolution: At the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge, Scottish American Loyalists are defeated by North Carolina Patriots. Capt. Allan MacDonald (husband of Flora) is among those taken prisoner.
• 4 July – American Revolution: United States Declaration of Independence. Fife-born James Wilson and Gifford-born Rev. John Witherspoon are among the signatories.
• Physician Andrew Duncan proposes establishment of the institution that becomes the Royal Public Dispensary of Edinburgh.
• New Aray Bridge on Inveraray Castle estate, designed by Robert Mylne, is completed.
• Probable – Dunmore Pineapple constructed.

Publications

• 9 March – Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations is published in London.
• David Dalrymple's Annals of Scotland are published.

The arts

• David Herd's anthology Ancient and Modern Scottish Songs is published.

Births

• 23 February – Heneage Horsley, Episcopal dean (died 1847)
• 9 March – Archibald Bell, lawyer and writer (died 1854)
• 11 April – Macvey Napier, lawyer and encyclopedia editor (died 1847)
• 15 April – John Anstruther, nobleman, landowner and colonel (died 1833)
• 11 June – James Gillespie Graham, architect (died 1855)
• 18 July – John Struthers, poet (died 1853)
• 6 October – James Duff, 4th Earl Fife, general in Spanish service (died 1857)
• 13 October – John Gibb, civil engineering contractor (died 1850)
• 7 November – James Abercromby, 1st Baron Dunfermline, lawyer and Whig politician (died 1858)
• 20 November – William Blackwood, publisher (died 1834)
• 30 November – James Jardine, hydraulic engineer (died 1858)

Deaths

• 2 June – Robert Foulis, printer, publisher and art critic (born 1707)
• 25 August – David Hume, philosopher (born 1711)

References