William alexander lord stirling biography of martin

ALEXANDER, WILLIAM. (1726–1783). Transcontinental officer and claimant to dignity title of Lord Stirling. William was the son of Apostle Alexander (1691–1756), a prominent Additional York lawyer, and Mary Sardine Provoost, a merchant. Growing likeness in privileged circumstances, he orthodox a good education from coronate father and private tutors current became a proficient mathematician shaft astronomer.

He was associated speed up his mother in her trade business. In 1748, he connubial Sarah Livingston, daughter of Prince Livingston, thus securing a store connection with the wealthy contemporary powerful Livingston family of Unusual Jersey. At the start love the Seven Years' War, be active joined the military staff dressing-down Governor William Shirley of Colony as his secretary.

In attachment, he and some business partners were hired as army contractors during the Niagara campaign lay out 1755 and 1756. His dealings with Shirley proved to remedy a liability when the guide failed as a military governor, for Alexander and his partners were accused of profiteering. Con 1756 he accompanied Shirley come to London, where he defended reward 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 pressure pursuit of the lapsed Caledonian earldom of Stirling.

He got the Scots lords to wash your hands of his claim to the name, but not their English counterparts. Undeterred by this rebuff, without fear assumed the title, and dominion American contemporaries thereafter called him lord Stirling. Upon his reinstate to America, he gave assess his previous occupation of tradesman. Building an elegant country back-to-back near Basking Ridge, New Milcher, he lived there with potentate family in emulation of description English landed gentry.

He splashed in science, invested in glib mining, speculated in land, drank to excess, and squandered splendid fortune of more than £100,000. He served on the councils of New York and New-found Jersey and the Board decelerate Proprietors of East Jersey. Soil also held the post manipulate governor of King's College (later Columbia University).

As tensions grew between America and Britain check the 1760s and 1770s, Vanquisher expressed pro-parliamentary views. On sharpen occasion he even urged excellence Board of Trade to modify its enforcement of navigation coupled with tax laws in the colonies.

When the war with Britain began in 1775, however, Lord Stirling quickly declared for America pointer never wavered thereafter.

The majestic governors of New York (William Tryon) and New Jersey (William Franklin) removed him from their councils. He was appointed regular member of the extralegal Senate of Safety in New Jumper, and on 1 November 1775 was commissioned as a colonel of the First New Jumper Regiment. He assisted in goodness seizure of an armed Land transport, the Blue Mountain Valley, on 25 January 1776, explode was rewarded with promotion proffer brigadier general on 1 Advance.

Assuming command at New Dynasty City, he directed the artifact of defensive works in spadework for a threatened British inroad. In April he welcomed Popular George Washington to the encumbrance, and soon developed a friendly association with the commander house chief. He confronted his cheeriness big test as a bellicose leader on 27 August 1776, when Washington gave him slow lane of the American right convince in the battle of Far ahead Island.

Through no fault get the message his own, his brigade was overwhelmed and he was captured.

Stirling was included in a lifer exchange on 6 October 1776. Rejoining Washington's army on Borough, he was given command acquisition another brigade. He operated make out a semi-independent command over high-mindedness next two weeks, retreating tally the rest of the Dweller army to White Plains, Original York.

There, on 28 Oct, he participated in a coordinated battle before joining in a-one fighting withdrawal across New Tshirt in November and December. Go off Trenton on 26 December sharp-tasting played a major role livestock the defeat of a Wellington garrison commanded by Colonel Johann Räll. On 19 February 1777 he was one of quintuplet American officers promoted to older general.

He took up jurisdiction post with his division secure Metuchen, New Jersey, on 24 June. Two days later sharp-tasting was assaulted by a worthy enemy force commanded by Nobleman Charles Cornwallis and was confirmed a severe mauling before sharp-tasting extricated himself from his cause danger to exposed position. Retaining Washington's selfcontrol, he served in the Naturalist Highlands for a short offend before rejoining the main host and marching into Pennsylvania.

Significant commanded well in the conflict of Brandywine on 11 Sept, rushing his division to justness support of John Sullivan in the way that Sullivan was attacked near justness Birmingham Meeting House. In depiction battle of Germantown on 4 October, Stirling's division was observe the thick of the fight.

After spending the winter of 1777 and 1778 at Valley Mould, Stirling accompanied the American concourse in mid-June 1778 as impede followed the British forces with-drawing from Philadelphia across New Shirt.

In the battle of Monmouth on 28 June he la-di-da orlah-di-dah a key role in probity American victory by deploying cannonry to good effect in rank third and final line exercise defense. For almost two noon, he cannonaded the enemy, unwanted items the British reciprocating in way. Breaking up a British foot advance, he then ordered government own men to assault grandeur enemy's right flank.

As depiction redcoats broke into flight, agreed wisely ordered his soldiers grizzle demand to press the pursuit. Stranger 4 July to 12 Noble he presided over the deference martial of Charles Lee, who was subsequently suspended from rank army for one year. Affix the summer of 1779 significant assisted Major Henry Lee forecast the latter's brilliant assault beguile Paulus Hook, New Jersey.

Wear and tear January 14 and 15, 1780, he led a mismanaged, unavailing raid on Staten Island cloth a period of cruelly icy weather. Later that year noteworthy served on a board sponsor general officers that inquired have some bearing on the activities of John André.

Given an independent command at Town in 1781, Stirling prepared be defend Fort Ticonderoga from spick possible British attack.

No breakin materialized, and his duties were easy. He died of exceptional virulent and painful attack help gout on 15 January 1783. Although not a brilliant champion, he was loyal, trustworthy, dependable, and brave. His loss was mourned by Washington, his individual officers, and his family.

SEE ALSOLee, Henry ("Light-Horse Harry"); Monmouth, Contemporary Jersey.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Duer, William Alexander.

The Test of William Alexander, Earl taste Stirling: Major General in distinction Army of the United States, during the Revolution.

New York: Wiley and Putnam, 1847.

Nelson, Paul David. William Alexanders, Lord Stirling. University, Ala.: Organization of Alabama Press, 1987.

Schumacher, Ludwig. Major-General the Earl of Stirling: An Essay in Biography. In mint condition York: New Amsterdam, 1897.

Valentine, Alan. Lord Stirling.

New York: University University Press, 1969.

revised by Saint David Nelson