Alexander Carlyle

Alexander Carlyle MA DD FRSE (26 January 172228 August 1805) was a Scottish church leader, and autobiographer. He served as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1770/71. Life He was born on 26 January 1722 in the manse at Cummertrees the son of Rev Willam Carlyle, the local minister. The family moved to Prestonpans in 1724. He was educated in Prestonpans then studied first at Edinburgh University then Glasgow before finalising his studies at Leyden University in the Netherlands which was famed for its teaching of Theology. He graduated MA from Edinburgh in 1743. He was a witness to the aftermath of the Battle of Prestonpans in 1745 where he was part of the government militia, the Edinburgh Volunteers. He had spent the night in his father's nearby manse, but missed the battle itself as it was over by the time he got dressed. He went to the assistance of the wounded on the battlefield, and found the officers of the Highland army "gentleman-like and very civil.