James Fergusson (British Army officer)
Encyclopedia
General
Sir James Fergusson, KCB
(1787–1865) was a British Army
officer during the Napoleonic Wars
and the Governor of Gibraltar
from 1855 to 1859.
, training as light infantry
under Sir John Moore at Shorncliffe
. Promoted lieutenant in 1804, and captain in 1806, he served in the Light Division
throughout the Peninsular War
. Fergusson was present at the battles of Roliça
, Vimeiro
, (where he sustained wounds), and Corunna
, where his regiment formed part of the reserve. Fergusson accompanied the 43rd on the 1809 Walcheren Expedition before returning to the Peninsula, experiencing action at River Côa, Bussaco, Sabugal
, Fuentes de Onoro
, as well as Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz
, where he formed part of the 43rd's storming parties, receiving wounds both times. He received a gold medal for his action at Badajoz. Following fine action at Salamanca
in 1812 he was promoted to Major without purchase, taking a post in the 79th Foot. He exchanged into the 85th Foot, seeing action at Bidassoa
, Nivelle
, Nive and Bayonne
.
On 16 May 1814 Fergusson was again promoted without purchase, becoming lieutenant-colonel of the 3rd (Buffs) Regiment's 2nd battalion. Following the Buffs' reduction in 1816, Fergusson studied at the Royal Military College
, before taking an appointment as lieutenant-colonel of the 88th Regiment of Foot
. In 1825, Fergusson exchanged into the 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot
, commanding it in England, Ireland, Nova Scotia
, Gibraltar, and the West Indies, until 1839, receiving his promotion to full colonel in 1830. In 1841, Fergusson was made major-general, and served as colonel of the 62nd Regiment of Foot
(March 1850), of his old regiment the 43rd Foot (1850–1853); then made lietenant-general, he commanded the troops at Malta, and in 1855 the governor and commander-in-chief at Gilbraltar. He resigned from the post in 1859, retiring to Bath. He was promoted to full general on 21 February 1860.
Fergusson was made Companion in the Order of the Bath
in 1831, Knight Commander in 1855 and Knight Grand Cross in 1860. He was also awarded the Military General Service Medal
with eight clasps.
Fergusson died in 1865.
General (United Kingdom)
General is currently the highest peace-time rank in the British Army and Royal Marines. It is subordinate to the Army rank of Field Marshal, has a NATO-code of OF-9, and is a four-star rank....
Sir James Fergusson, KCB
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...
(1787–1865) 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...
officer during the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
and the Governor of Gibraltar
Governor of Gibraltar
The Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Gibraltar is the representative of the British monarch in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. The Governor is appointed by the British Monarch on the advice of the British Government...
from 1855 to 1859.
Military career
Born on 17 March 1787 to Charles Fergusson, Fergusson was commissioned as ensign in 1801, in the 18th (Royal Irish) Regiment of Foot, before transferring to the 43rd (Monmouthshire) Regiment of Foot43rd (Monmouthshire) Regiment of Foot
The 43rd Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army. It was raised as Thomas Fowke's Regiment of Foot in 1741 with its headquarters at Winchester. The regiment was numbered 54th Foot until 1748 when it became the 43rd Foot...
, training as light infantry
History of British light infantry
The History of British light infantry goes back to the early days of the British Army, when irregular troops and mercenaries added skills in light infantry fighting. From the beginning of the nineteenth century, the Army dedicated some line regiments as specific light infantry troops, were trained...
under Sir John Moore at Shorncliffe
Shorncliffe Redoubt
Shorncliffe Redoubt is a British Napoleonic earthwork fort of great historic importance, as it is the birthplace of modern light infantry tactics...
. Promoted lieutenant in 1804, and captain in 1806, he served in the Light Division
Light Division
The Light Division was a light infantry Division of the British Army formed in the early 19th Century. It can trace its origins to the Light Companies which had been formed to move at speed over inhospitable terrain and protect the main forces by skirmishing tactics...
throughout the Peninsular War
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
. Fergusson was present at the battles of Roliça
Battle of Roliça
In the Battle of Roliça an Anglo-Portuguese army under Sir Arthur Wellesley defeated an outnumbered French army under General Henri Delaborde, near the village of Roliça in Portugal. The French retired in good order...
, Vimeiro
Battle of Vimeiro
In the Battle of Vimeiro the British under General Arthur Wellesley defeated the French under Major-General Jean-Andoche Junot near the village of Vimeiro , near Lisbon, Portugal during the Peninsular War...
, (where he sustained wounds), and Corunna
Battle of Corunna
The Battle of Corunna refers to a battle of the Peninsular War. On January 16, 1809, a French army under Marshal Soult attacked the British under Sir John Moore...
, where his regiment formed part of the reserve. Fergusson accompanied the 43rd on the 1809 Walcheren Expedition before returning to the Peninsula, experiencing action at River Côa, Bussaco, Sabugal
Battle of Sabugal
The Battle of Sabugal was an engagement of the Peninsular War which took place on 3 April 1811 between Anglo-Portuguese forces under Arthur Wellesley and French troops under the command of Marshal André Masséna...
, Fuentes de Onoro
Battle of Fuentes de Onoro
In the Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro , the British-Portuguese Army under Viscount Wellington checked an attempt by the French Army of Portugal under Marshal André Masséna to relieve the besieged city of Almeida.-Background:...
, as well as Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz
Battle of Badajoz (1812)
In the Battle of Badajoz , the Anglo-Portuguese Army, under the Earl of Wellington, besieged Badajoz, Spain and forced the surrender of the French garrison....
, where he formed part of the 43rd's storming parties, receiving wounds both times. He received a gold medal for his action at Badajoz. Following fine action at Salamanca
Battle of Salamanca
The Battle of Salamanca saw Anglo-Portuguese and Spanish armies under the Duke of Wellington defeat Marshal Auguste Marmont's French forces among the hills around Arapiles south of Salamanca, Spain on July 22, 1812 during the Peninsular War....
in 1812 he was promoted to Major without purchase, taking a post in the 79th Foot. He exchanged into the 85th Foot, seeing action at Bidassoa
Battle of the Bidassoa (1813)
In the Battle of the Bidassoa on 7 October 1813 the Allied army of Arthur Wellesley, Marquess of Wellington wrested a foothold on French soil from Nicolas Soult's French army. The Allied troops overran the French lines behind the Bidassoa River on the coast and along the Pyrenees crest between the...
, Nivelle
Battle of Nivelle
The Battle of Nivelle took place in front of the River Nivelle near the end of the Peninsular War . After the Allied siege of San Sebastian, Wellington's 80,000 British, Portuguese and Spanish troops were in hot pursuit of Marshal Soult who only had 60,000 men to place in a 20-mile perimeter...
, Nive and Bayonne
Battle of Bayonne
In the Battle of Bayonne on April 14, 1814, General of Division Thouvenot's French garrison attacked the Allied besieging force under Lieutenant General John Hope...
.
On 16 May 1814 Fergusson was again promoted without purchase, becoming lieutenant-colonel of the 3rd (Buffs) Regiment's 2nd battalion. Following the Buffs' reduction in 1816, Fergusson studied at the Royal Military College
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
, before taking an appointment as lieutenant-colonel of the 88th Regiment of Foot
88th Regiment of Foot
Three regiments of the British Army have been numbered the 88th Regiment of Foot:* 88th Regiment of Foot , also known as "Campbell's Regiment"* 88th Regiment of Foot...
. In 1825, Fergusson exchanged into the 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot
52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot
The 52nd Regiment of Foot was a light infantry regiment of the British Army throughout much of the 18th and 19th centuries. The regiment first saw active service during the American War of Independence, and were posted to India during the Anglo-Mysore Wars...
, commanding it in England, Ireland, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, Gibraltar, and the West Indies, until 1839, receiving his promotion to full colonel in 1830. In 1841, Fergusson was made major-general, and served as colonel of the 62nd Regiment of Foot
62nd Regiment of Foot
The 62nd Regiment of Foot may refer to:*60th Regiment of Foot, later the King's Royal Rifle Corps, known as the 62nd Regiment of Foot between 1755 and 1757...
(March 1850), of his old regiment the 43rd Foot (1850–1853); then made lietenant-general, he commanded the troops at Malta, and in 1855 the governor and commander-in-chief at Gilbraltar. He resigned from the post in 1859, retiring to Bath. He was promoted to full general on 21 February 1860.
Fergusson was made Companion in the Order of the Bath
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 1831, Knight Commander in 1855 and Knight Grand Cross in 1860. He was also awarded the Military General Service Medal
Military General Service Medal
The Military General Service Medal was a campaign medal approved in 1847, for issue to officers and men of the British Army.The MGSM was approved on 1 June 1847 as a retrospective award for various military actions from 1793–1814; a period encompassing the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic...
with eight clasps.
Fergusson died in 1865.