McDonald arrived in Virginia at the port of Falmouth on the Rappahannock River.
Among the belongings he brought with him were the short sword, sash and gorget bearing the Glengarry coat of arms that he had worn at the Battle of Culloden.
Following his arrival, McDonald remained in Falmouth for two or three years where he worked as a merchant.
McDonald moved west into Virginia's interior and entered the military service of the colonial government under Lieutenant Governor Robert Dinwiddie, receiving the rank of captain.
In return for his "meritorious service" in conflicts against Native Americans, McDonald received 400 acres (1.6 km²) of land from the colonial government of Virginia in 1754.
Around that same year, McDonald moved further west to the settlement of Winchester where he established the first Masonic Lodge in 1760.
While in Winchester, McDonald served as a member of the Committee of Safety.

McDonald served in the French and Indian War under General John Forbes in which he was in command of a company of Scottish Highlanders.
McDonald and his company marched against Fort Duquesne in the autumn of 1758.
Following the war, McDonald retired with the rank of captain in 1763.
Upon his retirement, Governor John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore granted McDonald an additional 2,000 acres (8.1 km²) of land, which were surveyed by Hancock Taylor.
On October 29, 1762, prior to his land grant from Lord Dunmore, McDonald purchased 370 acres (1.5 km²) from Brian Bruin east of Winchester on which he built the original McDonald family residence in the region, which he named Glengarry after his ancestral homeland.

In 1765, McDonald returned to military service when he was commissioned by Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron as a major in command of the Frederick County militia.
That same year, Lord Fairfax appointed McDonald as an attorney and land agent for his Northern Neck Proprietary.
By 1769, McDonald was a magistrate of the Frederick County court along with associate magistrates Lord Fairfax, Samuel Washington (brother of George Washington), Warner Washington (Washington's first cousin), Taverner Beale and Reverend Charles Mynn Thruston.

In early 1774, McDonald participated in an expedition surveying the "military bounty lands" lying along the Ohio and Kanawha rivers to be granted by the colonial government of Virginia to soldiers and officers in exchange for their military service in the French and Indian War.
The expedition was cut short due to hostilities with Native Americans, and McDonald provided an account of these hostilities and reports he received of attacks against settlers to Lord Dunmore.
McDonald's accounts along with those of other settlers resulted in Lord Dunmore's decision to wage a war against the Native Americans to pacify the frontier lands of western Virginia for continued settlement.
McDonald arrived in Virginia at the port of Falmouth on the Rappahannock River. Among the belongings he brought with him were the short sword, sash and gorget bearing the Glengarry coat of arms that he had worn at the Battle of Culloden. Following his arrival, McDonald remained in Falmouth for two or three years where he worked as a merchant. McDonald moved west into Virginia's interior and entered the military service of the colonial government under Lieutenant Governor Robert Dinwiddie, receiving the rank of captain. In return for his "meritorious service" in conflicts against Native Americans, McDonald received 400 acres (1.6 km²) of land from the colonial government of Virginia in 1754. Around that same year, McDonald moved further west to the settlement of Winchester where he established the first Masonic Lodge in 1760. While in Winchester, McDonald served as a member of the Committee of Safety.
McDonald served in the French and Indian War under General John Forbes in which he was in command of a company of Scottish Highlanders. McDonald and his company marched against Fort Duquesne in the autumn of 1758. Following the war, McDonald retired with the rank of captain in 1763. Upon his retirement, Governor John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore granted McDonald an additional 2,000 acres (8.1 km²) of land, which were surveyed by Hancock Taylor. On October 29, 1762, prior to his land grant from Lord Dunmore, McDonald purchased 370 acres (1.5 km²) from Brian Bruin east of Winchester on which he built the original McDonald family residence in the region, which he named Glengarry after his ancestral homeland.
In 1765, McDonald returned to military service when he was commissioned by Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron as a major in command of the Frederick County militia. That same year, Lord Fairfax appointed McDonald as an attorney and land agent for his Northern Neck Proprietary. By 1769, McDonald was a magistrate of the Frederick County court along with associate magistrates Lord Fairfax, Samuel Washington (brother of George Washington), Warner Washington (Washington's first cousin), Taverner Beale and Reverend Charles Mynn Thruston.
In early 1774, McDonald participated in an expedition surveying the "military bounty lands" lying along the Ohio and Kanawha rivers to be granted by the colonial government of Virginia to soldiers and officers in exchange for their military service in the French and Indian War. The expedition was cut short due to hostilities with Native Americans, and McDonald provided an account of these hostilities and reports he received of attacks against settlers to Lord Dunmore. McDonald's accounts along with those of other settlers resulted in Lord Dunmore's decision to wage a war against the Native Americans to pacify the frontier lands of western Virginia for continued settlement.
Angus McDonald (Virginia militiaman)