James Duff (British Army officer)
Encyclopedia
General Sir James Duff was a British army officer, who fought in the Napoleonic wars and Member of Parliament
(1784–1789).
(1729–1809), and Margaret Adam, of Keith. As his mother was of humble status, her three children with Fife were paced in the guardianship of William Rose Fife's factor. Fife liked Duff and took good care of him, sending him to Keith Academy and at King's College, Aberdeen, where he graduated MA in 1771, and after he entered the army paying for Duff's promotions.
Duff entered the army as an ensign in the 1st or Grenadier Guards
on 18 April 1769.
He was promoted lieutenant and captain on 26 April 1775, and made adjutant of his battalion in 1777, and on 30 April 1779 he was knighted as proxy for the celebrated diplomatist Sir James Harris
, afterwards 1st Earl of Malmesbury (and a close friend of his father), at his installation as a knight of the Bath.
He was promoted captain and lieutenant-colonel, on 18 July 1780, colonel on 18 November 1790. His regiment was part of the expeditionary force sent to Flanders to campaign
against the French as part of the First Coalition
(the British contingent under the command of Prince Frederick, Duke of York
). He fought at the Battle of Valenciennes and
commanded the guards' light infantry battalion in 1794. On 3O October of that year he was promoted to major-general.
In 1797, Duff received the command of the Limerick
district. While there he rendered important services during the Irish Rebellion of 1798
, and managed to keep his district quiet in spite of the state of affairs elsewhere. He was M.P. for Banffshire
(1784–9), and colonel of the 50th foot from 1798 to death.
Duff was promoted lieutenant-general on 1 January 1801, and general on 25 October 1809, and at the time of his death, at Funtington
, near Chichester, on 5 December 1839, he was senior general in the British army, and was one of the few officers who held a commission for over seventy years.
It is noteworthy that he had as aides-de-camp during his Limerick command two famous officers, William Napier
and James Dawes Douglas.
There are numerous allusions to him in the Life of Sir William Napier.
Banffshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Banffshire was a constituency of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1708 to 1800, and of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1983...
(1784–1789).
Life
Duff was the eldest illegitimate son of James Duff, 2nd Earl FifeJames Duff, 2nd Earl Fife
James Duff, 2nd Earl Fife was a Scottish Earl, Baron and Minister of Parliament.-Heritage:James Duff was second son of William Duff, 1st Earl Fife, and Jean Grant , his fathers second wife. His father, son of William Duff of Dipple, co. Banff, was M.P...
(1729–1809), and Margaret Adam, of Keith. As his mother was of humble status, her three children with Fife were paced in the guardianship of William Rose Fife's factor. Fife liked Duff and took good care of him, sending him to Keith Academy and at King's College, Aberdeen, where he graduated MA in 1771, and after he entered the army paying for Duff's promotions.
Duff entered the army as an ensign in the 1st or Grenadier Guards
Grenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
on 18 April 1769.
He was promoted lieutenant and captain on 26 April 1775, and made adjutant of his battalion in 1777, and on 30 April 1779 he was knighted as proxy for the celebrated diplomatist Sir James Harris
James Harris, 1st Earl of Malmesbury
James Harris, 1st Earl of Malmesbury GCB was an English diplomatist.-Early life :...
, afterwards 1st Earl of Malmesbury (and a close friend of his father), at his installation as a knight of the Bath.
He was promoted captain and lieutenant-colonel, on 18 July 1780, colonel on 18 November 1790. His regiment was part of the expeditionary force sent to Flanders to campaign
Flanders Campaign
This feature refers to the conflict that took place during the Wars of the French Revolution 1792–1801.For the Low Countries campaigns of the War of the Grand Alliance 1688–97 see Nine Years' War...
against the French as part of the First Coalition
First Coalition
The War of the First Coalition was the first major effort of multiple European monarchies to contain Revolutionary France. France declared war on the Habsburg monarchy of Austria on 20 April 1792, and the Kingdom of Prussia joined the Austrian side a few weeks later.These powers initiated a series...
(the British contingent under the command of Prince Frederick, Duke of York
Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany
The Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany was a member of the Hanoverian and British Royal Family, the second eldest child, and second son, of King George III...
). He fought at the Battle of Valenciennes and
commanded the guards' light infantry battalion in 1794. On 3O October of that year he was promoted to major-general.
In 1797, Duff received the command of the Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
district. While there he rendered important services during the Irish Rebellion of 1798
Irish Rebellion of 1798
The Irish Rebellion of 1798 , also known as the United Irishmen Rebellion , was an uprising in 1798, lasting several months, against British rule in Ireland...
, and managed to keep his district quiet in spite of the state of affairs elsewhere. He was M.P. for Banffshire
Banffshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Banffshire was a constituency of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1708 to 1800, and of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1983...
(1784–9), and colonel of the 50th foot from 1798 to death.
Duff was promoted lieutenant-general on 1 January 1801, and general on 25 October 1809, and at the time of his death, at Funtington
Funtington
Funtington is a village and civil parish in the Chichester district of West Sussex, England. It lies on the B2146 Road 4.5 miles west of Chichester. The parish also contains the villages of East and West Ashling, West Stoke and the Kingley Vale National Nature Reserve lies at its northern tip...
, near Chichester, on 5 December 1839, he was senior general in the British army, and was one of the few officers who held a commission for over seventy years.
It is noteworthy that he had as aides-de-camp during his Limerick command two famous officers, William Napier
William Francis Patrick Napier
General Sir William Francis Patrick Napier KCB , Irish soldier in the British Army and military historian, third son of Colonel George Napier was born at Celbridge, near Dublin.-Military service:...
and James Dawes Douglas.
There are numerous allusions to him in the Life of Sir William Napier.