Charles Cathcart, 2nd Earl Cathcart
Encyclopedia
Charles Murray Cathcart, 2nd Earl Cathcart GCB
(Walton-on-the-Naze
21 December 1783 – 16 July 1859 St Leonards-on-Sea
) was a British Army
general who became Governor General
of the Province of Canada
and Lieutenant Governor
of Canada West (26 November 1845 – 30 January 1847).
, Essex
, on 21 December 1783, entered the army as a cornet in the 2nd life guards on 2 March 1800. He served on the staff of Sir James Craig
in Naples and Sicily. His father held the titles of Viscount Cathcart and Baron Greenock and therefore C. M. Cathcart went under the name of Lord Greenock. He became heir apparent to the title Earl Cathcart
after his brother William Cathcart died in 1804 while commanding a Royal Navy vessel in the West Indies.
He saw service in the Walcheren Expedition in 1809 and the siege of Flushing
, after which for some time he was disabled by the injurious effects of the pestilence which cut off so many thousands of his companions. Becoming lieutenant-colonel on 30 August 1810, he embarked for the Peninsula, where he was present in the battles of Barossa, for which he received a gold medal
on 6 April 1812, of Salamanca
, and of Vittoria
, during which he served as assistant quartermaster-general.
He was next sent to assist Lord Lynedoch
in Holland as the head of the quartermaster-general's staff, and was afterwards present at the Battle of Waterloo
, where he had three horses shot under him. He was awarded the Russian order of St. Wladimir, the Dutch order of St. Wilhelm, and the CB
.
In 1823 he was appointed a lieutenant-colonel in the royal staff corps at Hythe
.
In 1830 he moved to Edinburgh
where he became involved in the proceedings of the Highland Society, chose to become a member of the Royal Society
and where he announced the discovery of a new mineral, a sulphate of cadmium, which was found in excavating the Bishopton
tunnel near Port Glasgow
and which is now known as Greenockite
.
On 17 February 1837 he was made Commander
of the forces in Scotland and governor of Edinburgh Castle
. On 17 June 1838, on the death of his father, he became second earl and eleventh baron Cathcart. On 16 March 1846 he was appointed commander-in-chief in British North America from 16 March 1846 and in 1850 he was appointed to the command of the Northern and Midland District
, and in 1854 he retired.
He died at St. Leonard's-on-Sea on 16 July 1859.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(Walton-on-the-Naze
Walton-on-the-Naze
Walton-on-the-Naze is a small town in Essex, England, on the North Sea coast in the Tendring district. It is north of Clacton and south of the port of Harwich. It abuts Frinton-on-Sea to the south, and is part of the parish of Frinton and Walton. It is a resort town, with a permanent population of...
21 December 1783 – 16 July 1859 St Leonards-on-Sea
St Leonards-on-Sea
St Leonards-on-Sea is part of Hastings, East Sussex, England, lying immediately to the west of the centre. The original part of the settlement was laid out in the early 19th century as a new town: a place of elegant houses designed for the well-off; it also included a central public garden, a...
) was a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
general who became Governor General
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
of the Province of Canada
Province of Canada
The Province of Canada, United Province of Canada, or the United Canadas was a British colony in North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham in the Report on the Affairs of British North America following the Rebellions of...
and Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
of Canada West (26 November 1845 – 30 January 1847).
Life
Cathcart, eldest surviving son of William Schaw Cathcart, 1st Earl Cathcart, was born at WaltonWalton-on-the-Naze
Walton-on-the-Naze is a small town in Essex, England, on the North Sea coast in the Tendring district. It is north of Clacton and south of the port of Harwich. It abuts Frinton-on-Sea to the south, and is part of the parish of Frinton and Walton. It is a resort town, with a permanent population of...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, on 21 December 1783, entered the army as a cornet in the 2nd life guards on 2 March 1800. He served on the staff of Sir James Craig
James Craig
-Public officials:*James Henry Craig , British soldier and colonial administrator*James Craig , British politician*James Craig , Canadian politician...
in Naples and Sicily. His father held the titles of Viscount Cathcart and Baron Greenock and therefore C. M. Cathcart went under the name of Lord Greenock. He became heir apparent to the title Earl Cathcart
Earl Cathcart
Earl Cathcart is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1814 for the soldier and diplomat William Cathcart, 1st Viscount Cathcart. The Cathcart family descends from Sir Alan Cathcart, who sometime between 1447 and 1460 was raised to the Peerage of Scotland as Lord Cathcart....
after his brother William Cathcart died in 1804 while commanding a Royal Navy vessel in the West Indies.
He saw service in the Walcheren Expedition in 1809 and the siege of Flushing
Flushing, Netherlands
Vlissingen is a municipality and a city in the southwestern Netherlands on the former island of Walcheren. With its strategic location between the Scheldt river and the North Sea, Vlissingen has been an important harbour for centuries. It was granted city rights in 1315. In the 17th century...
, after which for some time he was disabled by the injurious effects of the pestilence which cut off so many thousands of his companions. Becoming lieutenant-colonel on 30 August 1810, he embarked for the Peninsula, where he was present in the battles of Barossa, for which he received a gold medal
Army Gold Medal
The Army Gold Medal , also known as the Peninsular Gold Medal, with an accompanying Gold Cross, was a British campaign medal awarded in recognition of field and general officers' successful commands in recent campaigns, predominately the Peninsular War...
on 6 April 1812, of Salamanca
Salamanca
Salamanca is a city in western Spain, in the community of Castile and León. Because it is known for its beautiful buildings and urban environment, the Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. It is the most important university city in Spain and is known for its contributions to...
, and of Vittoria
Vittoria
Vittoria may refer to:* Vittoria Coffee, Australia's largest coffee company, founded in 1947* Vittoria, Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada* Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain* Vitória, Brazil* Battle of Vitoria, an 1813 battle in Spain during the Napoleonic Wars...
, during which he served as assistant quartermaster-general.
He was next sent to assist Lord Lynedoch
Thomas Graham, 1st Baron Lynedoch
General Thomas Graham, 1st Baron Lynedoch, GCB, GCMG, GCTE was a Scottish aristocrat, politician and British Army officer....
in Holland as the head of the quartermaster-general's staff, and was afterwards present at the Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
, where he had three horses shot under him. He was awarded the Russian order of St. Wladimir, the Dutch order of St. Wilhelm, and the CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
.
In 1823 he was appointed a lieutenant-colonel in the royal staff corps at Hythe
Hythe
Hythe may refer to a landing-place, port or haven, or to:Placenames in Canada*Hythe, Alberta Placenames in England*Hythe, Essex *Hythe, Hampshire...
.
In 1830 he moved to Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
where he became involved in the proceedings of the Highland Society, chose to become a member of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
and where he announced the discovery of a new mineral, a sulphate of cadmium, which was found in excavating the Bishopton
Bishopton
-United States:* Bishopton , listed on the NRHP in Maryland...
tunnel near Port Glasgow
Port Glasgow
Port Glasgow is the second largest town in the Inverclyde council area of Scotland. The population according to the 1991 census for Port Glasgow was 19426 persons and in the 2001 census was 16617 persons...
and which is now known as Greenockite
Greenockite
Greenockite is a rare cadmium mineral that consists of cadmium sulfide, CdS, in crystalline form. Greenockite crystallizes in the hexagonal system. It occurs as massive encrustations and as six-sided pyramidal crystals which vary in color from a honey yellow through shades of red to brown...
.
On 17 February 1837 he was made Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
of the forces in Scotland and governor of Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...
. On 17 June 1838, on the death of his father, he became second earl and eleventh baron Cathcart. On 16 March 1846 he was appointed commander-in-chief in British North America from 16 March 1846 and in 1850 he was appointed to the command of the Northern and Midland District
Northern Command (United Kingdom)
-Nineteenth century:The District Commands of the British Army in Great Britain and Ireland first appear in print in 1840, at which time Northern Command was held by Maj-Gen Charles James Napier, appointed in 1838. During his time the troops stationed within Northern Command were frequently deployed...
, and in 1854 he retired.
He died at St. Leonard's-on-Sea on 16 July 1859.
Family
On September 3oth, 1818 he married Henrietta Mather, daughter of Thomas Mather in France. The couple remarried at Portsea, England, February 12, 1819. Lady Cathcart accompanied her husband, and their daughters, to Canada June, 1845. Lady Cathcart presented colours to one of the militia regiments in Montreal. The family returned to England in May, 1847. She died on June 24, 1872.Publications
He was the writer of two papers in the Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1836, On the Phenomena in the neighbourhood of Edinburgh of the Igneous Rocks in their relation to the Secondary Strata, and The Coal Formation of the Scottish Lowlands.See also
- List of Lieutenant Governors of Ontario
- List of Lieutenant Governors of Quebec