James Wallace was a Scottish soldier and covenanter. He was the son of Matthew Wallace and Agnes Somervell and succeeded about 1641 to his father's lands at Auchans, Ayrshire. Early in life he adopted the military profession, and became lieutenant-colonel in the parliamentary army. He went to Ireland in the Marquis of Argyll's regiment in 1642, and in 1645 was recalled to oppose the progress of Montrose. He joined the covenanters under General Baillie, and was taken prisoner at the Battle of Kilsyth (Murdoch and Simpson, Deeds of Montrose, 1893, pp. 125, 329). Returning to Ireland before 1647, he was appointed Governor of Belfast in 1649, but was deprived of the office in June of that year. Soon afterwards he removed to Redhall, Ballycarry, near Carrickfergus, where he married in 1649–50. Removing to Scotland in 1650, when Charles II came to Scotland on the invitation of the Scots parliament, Wallace was appointed lieutenant-colonel of a foot regiment under Lord Lorne. At the Battle of Dunbar Wallace was again made prisoner. On his colonel's petition, as a reward for his services, he was ‘referred to the committee of estates, that he may be assigned to some part of excise or maintenance forth of the shire of Ayr.’ Wallace lived in retirement from the Restoration till the Pentland rising, in which he took a very active part as leader of the insurgents. One of Wallace's earliest prisoners in the rising was Sir James Turner, who had been his companion in arms twenty-three years before. During his captivity Turner was constantly with Wallace, of whose character and rebellion he gives a detailed account. On 28 November 1666 Wallace's forces and the king's, under the command of General Dalzell, came within sight of each other at Ingliston Bridge. Wallace was defeated, and, with his followers, took to flight. He escaped to Holland, where he took the name of Forbes. He was condemned and forfeited in August 1667 by the justice court at Edinburgh, and this sentence was ratified by parliament on 15 December 1669. In Holland Wallace was obliged to move from place to place for several years to avoid his enemies, who were on the lookout for him. He afterwards lived in Rotterdam; but on the complaint of Henry Wilkie, whom the king had placed at the head of the Scottish factory at Campvere, Wallace was ordered from Holland. Wallace, however, returned some time afterwards, and died at Rotterdam in the end of 1678.

Early life James Wallace, usually called Colonel Wallace, leader of the Covenanters at the battle of Pentland Hills, was descended from the Wallaces of Dundonald, a branch of the Wallaces of Craigie. Neither the place nor the year of his birth is known; but in the sentence of death, which was passed against him in absence after the battle of Pentland, he is styled "of Auchens," an estate situated in the parish of Dundonald, in Ayrshire, and which was the family-seat of his ancestors, and most probably his own 'birth-place. Of his education there is equally little known as of the other particulars alluded to.

Military career He appears, however, to have adopted the military profession at a very early period of life, and having distinguished himself in the parliamentary army was raised to the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He went to Ireland in the Marquis of Argyle's regiment in the year 1642, and in 1645 was recalled to oppose the progress of the Marquis of Montrose. At what period of the straggle Colonel Wallace joined the army of the Covenanters under General Baillie is unknown, but he was at the Battle of Kilsyth, where he was taken prisoner.

At Charles' return

In 1650, when Charles II came from the Continent at the entreaty of the Scottish parliament, two regiments being ordered to be embodied of "the choicest of the army, and fittest for that trust," one of horse and another of foot, as his body-guards, Wallace was appointed lieutenant-colonel of the foot regiment, under Lord Lorn, who was colonel. Sir James Balfour, lord lyon king-at-arms, by his majesty's command set down the devices upon the ensigns and colours of these regiments. Those of the lieutenant-colonel [Wallace] were azure, a unicorn argent, and on the other side, in "grate gold leters," these words, "Covenant for religion, king, and kingdoms." At the battle of Dunbar Wallace was again made prisoner; and in the end of that year Lord Lorn, in a petition to the parliament, says, "In respect my lieutenant-colonel has, in God's good providence, returned to his charge, whose fidelity in this cause is well known both in Ireland and in this kingdom, and that his losses are very many and great, I do humbly desire that your majesty and this high court of parliament may be pleased in a particular manner to take notice of him, that he may not only have a company appointed him, but likewise something may be done for the satisfaction of his former losses." Upon this petition the committee of bills reported "that Lieutenant-colonel Wallace may be referred to the Committee of Estates, that he may be assigned to some part of the excise or maintenance forth of the shire of Ayr, or any other of the shires in the south."

The Pentland Rising Colonel Wallace seems to have lived in retirement from the Restoration till the month of November, 1666, when Maclellan of Barscob, and some other men who had been driven into hiding, happening to fall in with some soldiers whom they found maltreating a poor old countryman. They immediately disarmed the soldiers, and thus spontaneously start the Pentland Rising. Having already committed themselves by helping, they anticipated vengeance from Sir James Turner as one soldier was injured in the confrontation. Therefore, they moved quickly and surprised him with his whole party where he lay, in the town of Dumfries, about sixteen miles distant. Accordingly, having assembled their friends, to the number of about fifty horse with a few foot, they marched into that town upon Thursday, the 15 of November, and made Sir James prisoner with his whole party, wounding only one man. The insurgents on this occasion were led by a Mr. Andrew Gray, a merchant in Edinburgh, who happened by chance to be in that part of the country at the time. Neilson of Corsack, however, was the leader, before whom Sir James Turner, upon being made prisoner, was brought. From this gentleman he obtained quarter and protection; but when Gray, the chief of the party, came up, he insisted upon having him shot upon the spot. They finally, however, set him upon a sorry beast, and carried him about with them in his deshabille, and in this manner proceeded to the market-cross, where they drank the king's health and prosperity to his government. Sir James, however, for some days could not believe but that they intended to hang him when they should find time and place suitable.

While these things were transacting in Dumfries, the insurgents and their sympathisers kept up a correspondence by special messengers, and continued deliberating on what was best to be done. Among others, Wallace joined a consultation, which was held at the chambers of Mr. Alexander Robertson in Edinburgh, the same night that Sir James Turner was made prisoner. At this meeting it was resolved to make common cause with the western brethren, and seek redress from government with arms in their hands. Colonel Wallace and a little band of adherents lost no time in proceeding to Ayrshire, in the hope of being reinforced there. They joined the main party on Wednesday 21 November at Brig o' Doon, where he was given military command. They visited successively Mauchline, Ayr, Ochiltree, Cumnock, Muirkirk, and other places on the route; but met with little encouragement in their enterprise. Mr. Robertson, who had been still less successful in procuring assistance, rejoined Wallace, along with Captain Robert Lockhart, and insisted that the undertaking should be abandoned. This counsel was unpalatable to Wallace, but he forthwith sent Maxwell of Monreith to consult with John Guthrie, brother to the celebrated minister of Fenwick, on the subject. Having been reinforced by a small party from Cunningham, under Captain Arnot, the whole body marched to Douglas on Saturday the 24, where at night, after solemn prayer, the proposal of Robertson and Lockhart was carefully considered. It was rejected without one dissenting voice, all being clear that they had a divine warrant for the course they were pursuing. They resolved, therefore, to persevere in it, although they should die at the end of it; hoping that, at least, their testimony would not be given in vain to the cause they had espoused. Two other questions were discussed at this meeting: the renewing of the covenants — to which all agreed; and what should be done with Sir James Turner, whom, for want of any place in which to confine him, they still carried about with them; and who, as a persecutor and murderer of God's people, it was contended by many, ought to have been put to death. As quarter, however, it was alleged, had been granted to him, and as he had been spared so long, "the motion for pistolling him was slighted."

The next morning, the Sabbath, they marched for Lesmahagow, and passed the house of Robert Lockhart, where Mr. Robertson also was at the time; but neither of the two came out. This day they perfected as well as they could the modelling of their force; but few as their numbers were, they had not the half of the officers requisite: they had not above four or five that had ever been soldiers. At night they entered Lanark, crossing the Clyde near the town. Next day, Monday the 26, guards being set upon the water in a boat to prevent any surprise from the enemy, the covenants were renewed, Mr. John Guthrie preaching and presiding to one part of the army, and ministers misters Gilbert Semple and Crookshanks to the other; and the work was gone about "with as much joy and cheerfulness as may be supposed in such a condition." On this day considerable numbers joined them; and with the view of favouring the rising of their friends, who were understood to be numerous, in Shotts, West Calder, and Bathgate. They marched for Bathgate, but did not reach it till late in the evening. Part of the way a large body of the enemy's horse hung upon their rear; the roads were excessively bad, and the place could not so much as afford them a cover from the rain, which was falling in torrents. The officers went into a house for prayer and to deliberate upon their further procedure, when it was resolved to march early in the direction of Edinburgh, in the hope of reinforcements from there, as well as those they had expected through the day. Scarcely, however, had the meeting broken up, when their guards gave the alarm of the enemy; and though the night was dark and wet in the extreme they set out at twelve o'clock, taking the road through Broxburn, and along the new bridge for Collington. Daylight appeared as they came to the bridge, in the most miserable plight imaginable. From their Edinburgh friends there was no intelligence; and when they drew up on the east side of the bridge there was not a captain with the horse, save one, and the enemy were close at hand, marching for the same bridge. Wallace, however, was a man of singular resolution and of great self-possession. Even in these distressing circumstances he sent a party to occupy the bridge, and marched off the main body of his little army to a rising ground, where he awaited the enemy to give him battle.