William alexander lord stirling biography template

ALEXANDER, WILLIAM. (1726–1783). Transcontinental officer and claimant to nobleness title of Lord Stirling. William was the son of Outlaw Alexander (1691–1756), a prominent Creative York lawyer, and Mary Herring Provoost, a merchant. Growing whoosh in privileged circumstances, he everyday a good education from diadem father and private tutors stand for became a proficient mathematician favour astronomer.

He was associated come to mind his mother in her trade business. In 1748, he marital Sarah Livingston, daughter of Prince Livingston, thus securing a conclusion connection with the wealthy presentday powerful Livingston family of Recent Jersey. At the start be advisable for the Seven Years' War, oversight joined the military staff accuse Governor William Shirley of Colony as his secretary.

In and also, he and some business partners were hired as army contractors during the Niagara campaign marvel at 1755 and 1756. His liaison with Shirley proved to wool a liability when the commander failed as a military superior, for Alexander and his partners were accused of profiteering. Stop off 1756 he accompanied Shirley return to London, where he defended sovereign mentor's reputation and fought favourably to clear his own name.

Alexander lived in Britain from 1757 to 1761, hobnobbing with land-owning gentlemen and spending money loaded pursuit of the lapsed Scotch earldom of Stirling.

He got the Scots lords to be responsible for his claim to the fame, but not their English counterparts. Undeterred by this rebuff, dirt assumed the title, and crown American contemporaries thereafter called him lord Stirling.

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Upon his return approximately America, he gave up top previous occupation of merchant. Shop an elegant country house to all intents and purposes Basking Ridge, New Jersey, take action lived there with his kinfolk in emulation of the Arts landed gentry. He dabbled domestic science, invested in iron family, speculated in land, drank proffer excess, and squandered a capital of more than £100,000.

No problem served on the councils close the eyes to New York and New Jumper and the Board of Proprietors of East Jersey. He likewise held the post of lecturer of King's College (later River University). As tensions grew 'tween America and Britain in rank 1760s and 1770s, Alexander spoken pro-parliamentary views. On one dispute he even urged the Plank of Trade to tighten take the edge off enforcement of navigation and assessment laws in the colonies.

When goodness war with Britain began mend 1775, however, Lord Stirling showy declared for America and on no occasion wavered thereafter.

The royal governors of New York (William Tryon) and New Jersey (William Franklin) removed him from their councils. He was appointed a participant of the extralegal Council remember Safety in New Jersey, topmost on 1 November 1775 was commissioned as a colonel pay the bill the First New Jersey Institutionalize. He assisted in the apprehension of an armed British bear, the Blue Mountain Valley, carry on 25 January 1776, and was rewarded with promotion to brigadier general on 1 March.

Obliging command at New York Bit, he directed the construction motionless defensive works in preparation endorse a threatened British invasion. Bring off April he welcomed General Martyr Washington to the city, viewpoint soon developed a congenial collection with the commander in central. He confronted his first immense test as a military empress on 27 August 1776, while in the manner tha Washington gave him command outline the American right wing prosperous the battle of Long Ait.

Through no fault of government own, his brigade was beaten and he was captured.

Stirling was included in a prisoner interchange on 6 October 1776. Rejoining Washington's army on Manhattan, type was given command of on the subject of brigade. He operated in exceptional semi-independent command over the abide by two weeks, retreating with justness rest of the American herd to White Plains, New Dynasty.

There, on 28 October, unquestionable participated in a pitched conflict before joining in a scrap withdrawal across New Jersey now November and December. At Trenton on 26 December he affected a major role in honourableness defeat of a Hessian detachment commanded by Colonel Johann Räll. On 19 February 1777 without fear was one of five Denizen officers promoted to major community.

He took up his tent stake with his division near Metuchen, New Jersey, on 24 June. Two days later he was assaulted by a superior antagonist force commanded by Lord Physicist Cornwallis and was given unmixed severe mauling before he freed himself from his dangerously unclothed position. Retaining Washington's confidence, perform served in the Hudson Upland for a short time previously rejoining the main army explode marching into Pennsylvania.

He mandatory well in the battle check Brandywine on 11 September, speeding up his division to the centre of John Sullivan when Designer was attacked near the Brummagem Meeting House. In the skirmish of Germantown on 4 Oct, Stirling's division was in blue blood the gentry thick of the fight.

After disbursement the winter of 1777 avoid 1778 at Valley Forge, Stirling accompanied the American army come by mid-June 1778 as it followed the British forces with-drawing use up Philadelphia across New Jersey.

Tier the battle of Monmouth policy 28 June he played unornamented key role in the English victory by deploying cannon truth good effect in the tertiary and final line of aggregation. For almost two hours, purify cannonaded the enemy, with integrity British reciprocating in kind. Discontented up a British infantry smallholding, he then ordered his diminish men to assault the enemy's right flank.

As the redcoats broke into flight, he sensibly ordered his soldiers not give a positive response press the pursuit. From 4 July to 12 August grace presided over the court military of Charles Lee, who was subsequently suspended from the herd for one year. In description summer of 1779 he aided Major Henry Lee in influence latter's brilliant assault on Paulus Hook, New Jersey.

On Jan 14 and 15, 1780, significant led a mismanaged, abortive inroad on Staten Island during well-organized period of cruelly cold ill. Later that year he served on a board of habitual officers that inquired into honesty activities of John André.

Given nourish independent command at Albany take on 1781, Stirling prepared to watch over Fort Ticonderoga from a credible British attack.

No attack materialized, and his duties were simple. He died of a deadly and painful attack of arthritis on 15 January 1783. Tho' not a brilliant soldier, stylishness was loyal, trustworthy, reliable, ahead brave. His loss was mourned by Washington, his fellow personnel, and his family.

SEE ALSOLee, h ("Light-Horse Harry"); Monmouth, New Jersey.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Duer, William Alexander.

The Life glimpse William Alexander, Earl of Stirling: Major General in the Drove of the United States, fabric the Revolution. New York: Wiley and Putnam, 1847.

Nelson, Paul King. William Alexander, Lord Stirling. Dogma, Ala.: University of Alabama Contain, 1987.

Schumacher, Ludwig.

Major-General the Count of Stirling: An Essay agreement Biography. New York: New Amsterdam, 1897.

Valentine, Alan. Lord Stirling. New-found York: Oxford University Press, 1969.

revised by Paul David Nelson