Facts:   - caption: major 1903 -rrb- , kcb , dso general sir hector archibald macdonald -lrb- 1853 --    - battles: second boer war anglo-afghan war first boer war sudan campaign second    - death date: 25 march 1903    - commands: highland brigade    - nickname: fighting mac    - service/branch: british army    - rank: major general    - awards: knight service order commander of the order of the bath distinguished    - birth date: 04 march 1853    - serviceyears: 1870 & ndash ; 1903    - name: sir hector archibald macdonald      - image: maj. gen. hector archibald macdonald.png    - death place: paris , france    - birth place: black isle , scotland   Based on these bullet points, write a short biography describing the life of hector macdonald .
Answer:
major general sir hector archibald macdonald , kcb , dso -lrb- ; 4 march 1853 -- 25 march 1903 -rrb- , also known as fighting mac , was a distinguished victorian soldier .the son of a crofter , macdonald left school before he was 15 , enlisted in the gordon highlanders as a private at 17 , and finished his career as a major general , `` one of only a few british army generals who rose from the ranks on his own merit and professionalism . ''he distinguished himself in action at omdurman -lrb- 1898 -rrb- , became a popular hero in scotland and england , and was knighted for his service in the second boer war .posted to ceylon -lrb- sri lanka -rrb- as commander-in-chief of british forces , he committed suicide in 1903 following accusations of homosexual activity with local boys .