William Govan

In 1650, Govan was a captain in the horse (cavalry) regiment of Colonel Archibald Strachan and took part in the Battle of Carbisdale which led to the defeat and the subsequent capture of the Royalist general Montrose.

After the battle Groven was given the honour of taking Montrose's standard through the streets of Edinburgh and delivering it to the Scottish Parliament.

[3] Strachan took a more extreme position than those who supported the Western Remonstrance drawn up at Dumfries on 17 October against fighting for Charles II unless he abandoned those excluded from public office and the army by the Act of Classes (1649).

Ker decided to attack the English garrisoned at Hamilton not realising that Lambert had arrived with a large squadron of horse.

[5][9] For his actions over the Hamilton affair, Strachan was found guilty of treason, his property was forfeited and he was excommunicated from the Kirk.

[14] Govan was hanged for high treason beside the Mercat Cross in Edinburgh shortly after James Guthrie both of whom were executed soon after 2 o'clock on 1 June 1661.