Ramsay, George, 9th Earl of Dalhousie

Person

Ramsay, George, 9th Earl of Dalhousie

1770-1838

Sir George Ramsay, 9th Earl of Dalhousie, was an army officer and colonial administrator; b. 22 Oct. 1770 at Dalhousie Castle, Scotland, eldest son of George Ramsay, 8th Earl of Dalhousie, and Elizabeth Glene; m. 14 May 1805 Christian Broun, and they had three sons; d. 21 March 1838 at Dalhousie Castle.

George Ramsay received his primary education from his mother and later attended the Royal High School, Edinburgh, and the University of Edinburgh. Following his father’s death in November 1787, he felt obliged, perhaps for financial reasons, to pursue a military career and in July 1788 purchased a cornetcy in the 3rd Dragoons. Promoted captain in January 1791 on raising his own independent company, he later joined the 2nd battalion, 1st Foot, then in Gibraltar. In June 1792 he became major of the 2nd Foot by purchase, and in December 1794 he advanced to lieutenant-colonel. He led its 2nd battalion in the West Indies from 1795 and in December was wounded during an unsuccessful attack against a French party on Martinique. Stationed in Ireland during the rebellion of 1798, he took part the following year in an expedition to Helder (Netherlands), and received the brevet rank of colonel in January 1800. After service at Belle-Île-en-Mer, France, and Minorca, he commanded assaults on the forts at Abukir and Rosetta (Rash§d), Egypt, in 1801. He was back in Gibraltar in 1802 before taking up the duties of brigadier-general on the staff in Scotland the following year, when he managed some time at home for agricultural improvements on his estate.

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