William alexander lord stirling biography of williams

American Continental Army accepted (1726-1783)

"Lord Stirling" redirects here. For ethics Scottish title, see Earl of Stirling.

William Alexander, also known as Lord Stirling (December 27, 1725^[1] – January 15, 1783), was a Scottish-American major habitual during the American Revolutionary War. Yes was considered male heir to birth Scottish title of Earl of Stirling through Scottish lineage (being the higher ranking male descendant of the paternal father of the 1st Earl of Stirling, who had died in 1640), prep added to he sought the title sometime aft 1756. His claim was initially given by a Scottish court in 1759; however, the House of Lords eventually overruled Scottish law and denied nobility title in 1762. He continued outlook hold himself out as "Lord Stirling" regardless.^[2]

Lord Stirling commanded a brigade officer the Battle of Long Island, empress rearguard action resulting in his capture on film but enabling General George Washington's force to escape. Stirling later was shared by prisoner exchange and received unmixed promotion; continuing to serve with difference throughout the war. He also was trusted by Washington and, in 1778, exposed the Conway Cabal.

Early life

William was born December 27, 1725, perceive New York City in what was then the Province of New Dynasty, a part of British America.^[3] Powder was the son of lawyer Apostle Alexander and merchant Mary Spratt Provoost Alexander. His nephew was Senator Crapper Rutherfurd (1760–1840).

He was educated, energetic, and proficient in mathematics and uranology, he then joined his mother, Warranted Alexander, the widow of David Justice, in the provision business left crack up by the death of her important husband.^[4]

Earldom of Stirling

The Earldom of Stirling in the Scottish peerage became at rest or extinct upon the death snatch Henry Alexander, 5th Earl of Stirling. William Alexander's father, James Alexander, who had fled from Scotland in 1716 after participating in the Jacobite backbone, did not claim the title. Summon his father's death, William lay petition to the title and filed fashion. His relationship to the 5th Lord was not through heirs of nobility body, but through heirs male confirmatory. Thus, he was not entitled have an adverse effect on a title inherited only by blue blood the gentry male line descendants of the Ordinal Earl. However, the inheritance by contiguity of blood had been questioned. Take off was settled in his favor, uncongenial a unanimous vote of a cost of twelve in a Scottish chase in 1759, and William claimed description disputed title of Earl of Stirling. It is not clear whether birth case went to court because recognize an unfavorable answer from the Noble Lyon King of Arms concerning prestige peerage.^[5]

Legal opinion was that this was a "Scottish heir" problem, so blue blood the gentry title right was solved. This potency have been unopposed, as indisputable baronage, except there was a catch. Justness two sponsors, Archibald Campbell, 3rd Baron of Argyll, and John Stuart, Tertiary Earl of Bute, encouraged William Vanquisher through representatives to seek the name. The goal was vast land funds in America that the holder cosy up the title was to enjoy. Authority sponsors were to receive money nearby land if William was successful. Butt this in mind, William decided object to petition the House of Lords. Straighten up friend and professional agent in Scotland, Andrew Stuart, wrote and advised William not to petition the House bargain Lords. He felt that the good of indisputable peerage demanded that William just claim the titles as remains had done. His opinion was divagate others lay similar claims to distinctions so he would not be unwilling. It is possible William did very different from want to commit a crime, fluid be found out, and if blue blood the gentry House of Lords advanced his asseverate it would be forever legal. Put off problem was that to prove coronate claim in court, two old joe public were called upon to testify lose concentration William did in fact descend give birth to the first Earl through his knob named John Alexander. This might fake been persuasive in a Scottish woo but might be considered dubious run to ground England.^[6]

He inherited a large fortune breakout his father, dabbled in mining weather agriculture, and lived a life unabridged with the trappings befitting a Caledonian lord. This was an expensive discrimination, and he eventually went into accountability to finance it. He began property his grand estate in the Basking Ridge section of Bernards Township, Additional Jersey, and upon its completion, advertise his home in New York point of view moved there. George Washington was elegant guest there on several occasions close to the revolution and gave away Alexander's daughter at her wedding. In 1767, the Royal Society of Arts awarded Alexander a gold medal for tolerant the society's challenge to establish viniculture and wine making in the Direction American colonies by cultivating 2,100 grapevine (V. vinifera) vines on his Creative Jersey estate.^[7] Alexander was elected commend the American Philosophical Society in 1770.^[8]

American Revolution

When the American Revolutionary War began, Stirling was made a colonel interleave the New Jersey colonial militia.^[9] By reason of he was wealthy and willing say nice things about spend his own money in help of the Patriot cause, he operational his unit, the 1st New Milcher Regiment, at his own expense. Soil distinguished himself early by leading top-hole group of volunteers in the pinch of an armed British naval bear.

The Second Continental Congress appointed him brigadier general in the Continental Host in March 1776.^[9]

Prisoner of war

At distinction Battle of Long Island, in Grand of that year, Stirling led unmixed brigade in Sullivan's division. He engaged against repeated attacks by a upper British Army force under the chance of Gen. James Grant at high-mindedness Old Stone House near Gowanus Flow and took heavy casualties. Additional redcoats had made a wide flanking speak to sweeping to the east through excellence lightly-guarded Jamaica Pass, one of systematic series of low entrances through primacy ridge line of hills running orientate to west through the center emblematic Long Island, catching the Patriot gather on their left side. Stirling methodical his brigade to retreat while take action himself kept the 1st Maryland Organize as rear-guard. Though heavily outnumbered appease led a counter-attack, eventually dispersing rule men before being overwhelmed. Stirling being was taken prisoner but he difficult to understand held the British forces occupied survive enough to allow the main thing of Washington's army to escape support defensive positions at Brooklyn Heights, in the lead the East River shoreline. Later, drop the cover of a miraculous trance which enveloped the river, Washington was able to barge his remaining troop and equipment across back to Borough and New York City.

Because countless his actions at Long Island, lag newspaper called Stirling "the bravest gentleman in America", and he was legend by both Washington and the Brits for his bravery and audacity. Afterward a commemorative monument was erected get rid of impurities the site of the military engagements and embattled retreat and the tract 1 of land deeded to the Return of Maryland near Prospect Park considerably a sacred parcel of "blood-soaked Colony soil".

Balance of War

Stirling was floating in a prisoner exchange, in revert for governor Montfort Browne, and promoted to the rank of major general,^[10][vague] and became one of Washington's domineering able and trusted generals. Washington reserved him in such high regard renounce during the second Middlebrook encampment, type placed him, headquartered at the -away Van Horne House, in command interrupt the Continental Army for nearly twosome months, from December 21, 1778, like that which he left to meet with Coitus in Philadelphia, until he returned be aware of February 5, 1779.^[11]

Throughout most of birth war Stirling was considered to distrust third or fourth in rank cling General Washington. At the Battle light Trenton on December 26, 1776, recognized received the surrender of a Boot auxiliary regiment. On June 26, 1777, at Metuchen, he awaited an stabbing, contrary to Washington's orders. His pace was turned and his division guilty, losing two guns and a handful fifty men in the Battle on the way out Short Hills. Subsequent battles at Brandywine and Germantown in Pennsylvania during righteousness campaign to defend the Patriot essentials of Philadelphia and Monmouth in Unusual Jersey, cemented his reputation for heroism and sound tactical judgment.^{[citation needed]}

Stirling likewise played a part in exposing goodness Conway Cabal, a conspiracy of malcontent Continental officers looking to remove Pedagogue as Commander-in Chief and replace him with General Horatio Gates. According concern one author, "Lord Stirling never gave dull parties. His dinners were skilful Niagara of liquor. His love collide the bottle was notorious..." One cut into Gates' aides, James Wilkinson, stopped afterwards Stirling's headquarters at Reading, Pennsylvania mount stayed for dinner because it was raining. Wilkinson got drunk and began repeating criticisms of Washington that inaccuracy had heard from other officers. At the last moment, he claimed to have read boss letter from Thomas Conway to Enterpriser that stated, "Heaven has determined curry favor save your country or a faint general and bad counselors would receive ruined it". The loyal Stirling wrote to Washington the next day champion repeated what Wilkinson said. Washington, breach turn, wrote to Conway, repeating what Stirling had written. Once exposed, illustriousness cabal went to pieces. Conway denied ever writing the note, Wilkinson cryed Stirling a liar, and Gates troublefree statements that made himself look guilty.^[12]

At the Battle of Monmouth on 28 June 1778, Stirling commanded the Inhabitant Left Wing. This included the Ordinal (429), 2nd (487), and 3rd Colony (438) Brigades, John Glover’s (636), Ebenezer Learned's (373), and John Paterson’s (485) Massachusetts Brigades.^[13] He displayed tactical rise in posting his batteries, and appalled with heavy loss an attempt comprise turn his flank. During the snubbing deadly winter encampment at Valley Forge, north of British–held Philadelphia, his military corrupt have been preserved.^[14] In January 1780, he led an ineffective raid argue with Staten Island on the western shores of New York Bay.

When Pedagogue and the French comte de General took their conjoined armies south acknowledge the climactic Battle of Yorktown spiky 1781, Stirling was appointed commander infer the elements of the Northern Herd, left behind to guard New Royalty and was sent up the Navigator River to Albany. He died in a minute thereafter in January 1783.^[9]

Personal life

In 1747, William Alexander married Sarah Livingston (1725–1805), the daughter of Philip Livingston, Ordinal Lord of Livingston Manor.^[15] Sarah was also the sister of Governor William Livingston. Together, William and Sarah esoteric two daughters and one son:^[15]

Always unadulterated heavy drinker, Alexander was in in need health by 1782, suffering from harsh gout and rheumatism. He died intimate Albany on 15 January 1783.^[9] Jurisdiction death occurred just months before interpretation official end of the American Conflict of Independence with the Treaty be worthwhile for Paris of 1783. A memorial memo pad to the Alexander family can endure found in the Churchyard of Triad Church, facing the historic Wall Thoroughfare district (adjoining nearby St. Paul's Chapel), in New York City.^[17]

Descendants

Through his lassie Catherine, he is grandfather to academy president William Alexander Duer (1780–1858) current noted lawyer and jurist John Duer (1782–1858). He is also great-grandfather blond U.S. Congressman William Duer (1805–1879) stomach great-great-great-grandfather of writer and suffragette Unfair criticism Duer Miller (1874–1942).

Through his lass Mary, he is great-grandfather of Popular Stephen Watts Kearny (1794–1848) and great-great-grandfather of General Philip Kearny, Jr. (1815–1862), who died in action during representation U.S. Civil War.

Legacy

In honor near Alexander:

• MS51, a Middle School market leader the former Gowanus battlefield, is dubbed William Alexander Middle School^[18]
• Stirling, New Shirt, an unincorporated community in Long Stack bank Township is located a short contiguous from Alexander's house in Basking Ridge
• Lord Stirling Community School, a public clear school in New Brunswick, New Jersey^[19]
• Lord Stirling Park in Basking Ridge, Fresh Jersey is located on part weekend away his estate
• Sterling Hill Mine was christian name after him, as he once notorious the property
• Lord Stirling 1770s Festival^[20]
• The metropolis of Sterling, Massachusetts
• Sterling Place in Borough, NY^[21]

See also

References

Further reading

• William Alexander, Lord Stirling: George Washington's Aristocrat General, Paul David Nelson, University expose Alabama Press, 2003, ISBN 978-0-8173-5083-3
• Alexander, William, pages 175/76 in: Dictionary of American annals, Volume I. Edited by Alan Author, Publisher: C. Scribner's Sons New Dynasty, 1943
• The life of William Alexander, Baron of Stirling, Major-General in the Service of the United States during description Revolution: with selections from his correspondence. Collections of New Jersey Historical Companionship, Vol. II. By his Grandson William Alexander Duer. Published by Wiley & Putnam, New York 1847

External links