James Henry Craig
Encyclopedia
General
Sir James Henry Craig KB
(1748 – 12 January 1812) was a British
military officer and colonial administrator.
. Colonel Robert Boyd, the lieutenant governor of Gibraltar in 1770 endorsed his promotion to an aide-de-camp which allowed him to later take command of a company in the 47th (Lancashire) Regiment of Foot stationed in the American colonies.
, where he was badly wounded, but refused to leave his regiment, and participated in the defence of Quebec in 1776, where he met the American invaders at Trois-Rivières
while commanding the advance guard that forced them back beyond the border. During 1777 he was wounded twice, once seriously, during engagements at Fort Ticonderoga
, Hubbardton
, and Freeman’s Farm. Major-General John Burgoyne
, who expressed high regard for Craig as an officer, recommended him for the rank of a major
in the 82nd Regiment of Foot (Prince of Wales's Volunteers)
in recognition of his service. From 1778 to 1781 Craig served with the 82nd Regiment in Nova Scotia
, at Penobscot
, and later in North Carolina
. Due to constant involvement in operations during the war, Craig usually led light infantry
troops. His rapid promotion suggests that Craig possessed an unusual degree of initiative and resourcefulness.
in 1793 and then an adjutant general
to the Duke of York
in the 1794 Army of Netherlands, being promoted to major-general.
In 1795, the Netherlands
fell under the revolutionary
government of Napoleon's France
, and Stadtholder
Prince William V of Orange became a refugee in England
. A British
force under General Sir James Craig set out to Cape Town
to secure the colony against the French. The Battle of Muizenberg
successfully wrested control from William V of Orange to Britain.
In 1795 he served with Vice-Admiral Viscount Keith and Major-General Alured Clarke
in occupying the Cape Colony
from the Dutch Republic where he became governor
of the new possession, and remained in that posting until 1797, for which he received the Order of the Bath
. In the same year Craig sailed to Madras, and saw combat in the Bengal
region of India for which he was again promoted to lieutenant-general in January 1801. Craig returned to England to serve for three years as the commander of the Eastern District.
In 1805, despite poor health, he was appointed to lead the Anglo-Russian invasion of Naples
, but after a brief occupation, the mission was aborted after the news of Austrian defeat at the Battle of Ulm
.
of the Canadas
and lieutenant-governor of Lower Canada
from 1807 to 1811. Craig considered measures such as creating English
counties and replacing the legislative assembly
with an appointed government as a means of increasing the power of English speakers in predominantly French Lower Canada. He also tried to encourage immigration
from Britain and the United States
in hopes of making the French a minority.
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Sir James Henry Craig KB
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...
(1748 – 12 January 1812) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
military officer and colonial administrator.
Early life and military service
Craig came from a Scottish family whose father was a judge of the civil and military courts in the British fortress of Gibraltar. At the age of 15 in 1763 he was enrolled as an ensign in the 30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot
The 30th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1702 and amalgamated into The East Lancashire Regiment in 1881.-Predecessor regiment:...
. Colonel Robert Boyd, the lieutenant governor of Gibraltar in 1770 endorsed his promotion to an aide-de-camp which allowed him to later take command of a company in the 47th (Lancashire) Regiment of Foot stationed in the American colonies.
Service during the American War of Independence
After the outbreak of the War of Independence in 1775, Craig took part in the Battle of Bunker HillBattle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17, 1775, mostly on and around Breed's Hill, during the Siege of Boston early in the American Revolutionary War...
, where he was badly wounded, but refused to leave his regiment, and participated in the defence of Quebec in 1776, where he met the American invaders at Trois-Rivières
Battle of Trois-Rivières
The Battle of Trois-Rivières was fought on June 8, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War. A British army under Quebec Governor Guy Carleton defeated an attempt by units from the Continental Army under the command of Brigadier General William Thompson to stop a British advance up the Saint...
while commanding the advance guard that forced them back beyond the border. During 1777 he was wounded twice, once seriously, during engagements at Fort Ticonderoga
Fort Ticonderoga
Fort Ticonderoga, formerly Fort Carillon, is a large 18th-century fort built by the Canadians and the French at a narrows near the south end of Lake Champlain in upstate New York in the United States...
, Hubbardton
Battle of Hubbardton
The Battle of Hubbardton was an engagement in the Saratoga campaign of the American Revolutionary War fought in the village of Hubbardton, then in the disputed New Hampshire Grants territory . On the morning of July 7, 1777, British forces, under General Simon Fraser, caught up with the American...
, and Freeman’s Farm. Major-General John Burgoyne
John Burgoyne
General John Burgoyne was a British army officer, politician and dramatist. He first saw action during the Seven Years' War when he participated in several battles, mostly notably during the Portugal Campaign of 1762....
, who expressed high regard for Craig as an officer, recommended him for the rank of a major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in the 82nd Regiment of Foot (Prince of Wales's Volunteers)
82nd Regiment of Foot (Prince of Wales's Volunteers)
The 82nd Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, created in 1793 and amalgamated into The Prince of Wales's Volunteers in 1881....
in recognition of his service. From 1778 to 1781 Craig served with the 82nd Regiment in 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...
, at Penobscot
Penobscot Expedition
The Penobscot Expedition was the largest American naval expedition of the American Revolutionary War and the United States' worst naval defeat until Pearl Harbor...
, and later in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. Due to constant involvement in operations during the war, Craig usually led light infantry
Light infantry
Traditionally light infantry were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. Light infantry was distinct from medium, heavy or line infantry. Heavy infantry were dedicated primarily to fighting in tight...
troops. His rapid promotion suggests that Craig possessed an unusual degree of initiative and resourcefulness.
Service during the Napoleonic Wars
After promotion to lieutenant-colonel in 1781, Craig became Lieutenant Governor of GuernseyLieutenant Governor of Guernsey
The Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey is the representative of the British monarch in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a Crown dependency of the British Crown. The role of the Lieutenant Governor is to act as the de facto head of state in Guernsey and as liaison between the governments of Guernsey and the...
in 1793 and then an adjutant general
Adjutant general
An Adjutant General is a military chief administrative officer.-Imperial Russia:In Imperial Russia, the General-Adjutant was a Court officer, who was usually an army general. He served as a personal aide to the Tsar and hence was a member of the H. I. M. Retinue...
to the 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...
in the 1794 Army of Netherlands, being promoted to major-general.
In 1795, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
fell under the revolutionary
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
government of Napoleon's France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and Stadtholder
Stadtholder
A Stadtholder A Stadtholder A Stadtholder (Dutch: stadhouder [], "steward" or "lieutenant", literally place holder, holding someones place, possibly a calque of German Statthalter, French lieutenant, or Middle Latin locum tenens...
Prince William V of Orange became a refugee in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. A British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
force under General Sir James Craig set out to Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
to secure the colony against the French. The Battle of Muizenberg
Battle of Muizenberg
The Battle of Muizenberg was a small but significant military engagement which took place near Muizenberg, South Africa in 1795; it led to the capture of the Cape Colony by Kingdom of Great Britain.- Background :...
successfully wrested control from William V of Orange to Britain.
In 1795 he served with Vice-Admiral Viscount Keith and Major-General Alured Clarke
Alured Clarke
Field-marshal Sir Alured Clarke KB was an officer of the British army, lieutenant governor of the colonial Province of Quebec, and civil administrator of Lower Canada...
in occupying the Cape Colony
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
from the Dutch Republic where he became governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of the new possession, and remained in that posting until 1797, for which he received 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 the same year Craig sailed to Madras, and saw combat in the Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
region of India for which he was again promoted to lieutenant-general in January 1801. Craig returned to England to serve for three years as the commander of the Eastern District.
In 1805, despite poor health, he was appointed to lead the Anglo-Russian invasion of Naples
Anglo-Russian invasion of Naples
The Anglo-Russian invasion of Naples was an invasion of Naples in 1805 by British and Imperial Russian forces during the War of the Third Coalition...
, but after a brief occupation, the mission was aborted after the news of Austrian defeat at the Battle of Ulm
Battle of Ulm
The Battle of Ulm was a series of minor skirmishes at the end of Napoleon Bonaparte's Ulm Campaign, culminating in the surrender of an entire Austrian army near Ulm in Württemberg....
.
Service in Canada
Craig concurrently held the positions of Governor-GeneralGovernor-General
A Governor-General, is a vice-regal person of a monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription. Depending on the political arrangement of the territory, a Governor General can be a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above "ordinary" governors.- Current uses...
of the Canadas
The Canadas
The Canadas is the collective name for Upper Canada and Lower Canada, two British colonies in Canada. They were both created by the Constitutional Act of 1791 and abolished in 1841 with the union of Upper and Lower Canada....
and lieutenant-governor of Lower Canada
Lower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
from 1807 to 1811. Craig considered measures such as creating English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
counties and replacing the legislative assembly
Legislative Assembly
Legislative Assembly is the name given in some countries to either a legislature, or to one of its branch.The name is used by a number of member-states of the Commonwealth of Nations, as well as a number of Latin American countries....
with an appointed government as a means of increasing the power of English speakers in predominantly French Lower Canada. He also tried to encourage immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
from Britain and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in hopes of making the French a minority.
See also
- List of Governors General of Canada
- List of Lieutenant Governors of Quebec
- Sir John Thomas JonesJohn Thomas JonesSir John Thomas Jones was a British major-general in the Royal Engineers who played a leading engineering role in a number of European campaigns of the early nineteenth century.-Biography:...
Sources
- Flayhart III, William Henry, Counterpoint to Trafalgar: The Anglo-Russian Invasion of Naples, 1805-1806, New Perspectives on Maritime History and Nautical Archaeology series, University Press of Florida, Ft.Myers, 2004
- Christie, Robert, The Military and Naval Operations in the Canadas, During the Late War with the United States during the administration of the Colonial Government of Lower Canada, by Sir James Henry Craig and Sir George Prevost. From the year 1807 until the year 1815, Quebec printed, New-York re-printed by Oram and Mott, 1818