Alexander Duff (British Army officer)
Encyclopedia
General Sir Alexander Duff GCH
(1777 – 21 March 1853) was a British Army officer of the Napoleonic era.
Duff was a younger son of James Duff, 4th Earl Fife
. In 1793, he was commissioned an ensign
in the 66th Regiment of Foot, and served at Gibraltar
, in Flanders, in the East Indies
in 1798, and under Baird
during the invasion of Egypt
.
In 1806, Duff commanded the center column in the attack on Buenos Aires. He was appointed colonel of the 37th Regiment of Foot in 1831, was made GCH
in 1834, and was promoted general in 1838. From 1848 until his death he was Lord Lieutenant of Elginshire, and was a deputy lieutenant
of Banffshire
.
Duff married Anne Stein, by whom he had two sons and two daughters, including James Duff, 5th Earl Fife
and George Skene Duff
.
Royal Guelphic Order
The Royal Guelphic Order, sometimes also referred to as the Hanoverian Guelphic Order, is a Hanoverian order of chivalry instituted on 28 April 1815 by the Prince Regent . It has not been conferred by the British Crown since the death of King William IV in 1837, when the personal union of the...
(1777 – 21 March 1853) was a British Army officer of the Napoleonic era.
Duff was a younger son of James Duff, 4th Earl Fife
James Duff, 4th Earl Fife
James Duff, 4th Earl of Fife KT, GCH , was a Scot who became a Spanish general.-Biography:James was the elder son of the Hon. Alexander Duff, who succeeded his brother as third Earl Fife in 1809...
. In 1793, he was commissioned an ensign
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
in the 66th Regiment of Foot, and served at Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
, in Flanders, in the East Indies
East Indies
East Indies is a term used by Europeans from the 16th century onwards to identify what is now known as Indian subcontinent or South Asia, Southeastern Asia, and the islands of Oceania, including the Malay Archipelago and the Philippines...
in 1798, and under Baird
Sir David Baird, 1st Baronet
General Sir David Baird, 1st Baronet GCB was a British military leader.-Military career:He was born at Newbyth House in Haddingtonshire, Scotland, the son of an Edinburgh merchant family, and entered the British Army in 1772. He was sent to India in 1779 with the 73rd Highlanders, in which he...
during the invasion of Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
In 1806, Duff commanded the center column in the attack on Buenos Aires. He was appointed colonel of the 37th Regiment of Foot in 1831, was made GCH
Royal Guelphic Order
The Royal Guelphic Order, sometimes also referred to as the Hanoverian Guelphic Order, is a Hanoverian order of chivalry instituted on 28 April 1815 by the Prince Regent . It has not been conferred by the British Crown since the death of King William IV in 1837, when the personal union of the...
in 1834, and was promoted general in 1838. From 1848 until his death he was Lord Lieutenant of Elginshire, and was a deputy lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
of Banffshire
Banffshire
The County of Banff is a registration county for property, and Banffshire is a Lieutenancy area of Scotland.The County of Banff, also known as Banffshire, was a local government county of Scotland with its own county council between 1890 and 1975. The county town was Banff although the largest...
.
Duff married Anne Stein, by whom he had two sons and two daughters, including James Duff, 5th Earl Fife
James Duff, 5th Earl Fife
James Duff, 5th Earl Fife was a Scottish nobleman.Duff was the son of Sir Alexander Duff, younger brother of James Duff, 4th Earl Fife and Anne Stein, the daughter of James Stein of Gilbogie....
and George Skene Duff
George Skene Duff
George Skene Duff was a Scottish politician, the son of Sir Alexander Duff.He served as Member of Parliament for Elgin Burghs from 1847 to 1857. He was the younger brother of James Duff, 5th Earl Fife, who sat in Parliament at the same time, representing Banffshire...
.