William Wemyss

General William Wemyss of Wemyss (9 April 1760 30 November 1852) was a Scottish soldier in the British Army and Member of Parliament.

Family

He was the son of the Hon. James Wemyss, third son of the 5th Earl of Wemyss, and his wife Lady Elizabeth, only daughter of the 17th Earl of Sutherland.[1]

On 16 September 1788[2] he married Frances, daughter of Sir William Erskine, 1st Baronet. Their children included

Both sons married daughters of William Hay, 17th Earl of Erroll.[4]

Member of Parliament

From 1784 to 1787 Wemyss was MP for Sutherland, succeeding his father,[5] before sitting for Fife from 1787 to 1796 and again from 1807 to 1820.[6]

Military career

Captain in the Army by brevet, 1 July 1783[7] DAG in Scotland and Major, 18 November 1786[8] DAG in Scotland and Lieutenant-Colonel, 1 October 1791[9] Colonel, 22 August 1795[10]

He attained the rank of Major-General on 23 June 1798.[11] Action near Ardee[12]

On 16 September 1800 he was Colonel of a new Regiment of Infantry,[13][14] later the 93rd Regiment of Foot. On 30 October 1805 he was promoted to lieutenant-general. He was aide-de-camp to Major-General Sir William Erskine in the 1809 Walcheren Campaign and during the Peninsular War.[15] In 1810 it was announced that he would succeed Sir Hew Dalrymple as Colonel of the 37th (North Hampshire) Regiment of Foot, with General Needham becoming Colonel of the 93rd,[16] but the appointments did not take place[17] and Wemyss remained Colonel of the 93rd Foot until his death, when he was succeeded by Sir Thomas Hislop.[18] He did however gain a promotion to full general on 4 June 1814.[19]

Death

Wemyss died on 4 February 1852 at his home in Cumberland Lodge, Windsor Great Park after a "lingering and distressing illness".[20] He is buried in a railed enclosure in St Mary's Churchyard, Wimbledon, London.[15]

References

External links

Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by
James Wemyss
Member of Parliament for Sutherland
17841787
Succeeded by
James Grant
Preceded by
Robert Skene
Member of Parliament for Fife
17871796
Succeeded by
Sir William Erskine, Bt
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Robert Ferguson
Member of Parliament for Fife
18071820
Succeeded by
James Erskine Wemyss
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