Sir Thomas Stirling, 5th Baronet

Sir Thomas Stirling

Stirling in uniform, 1780
Born(1733-10-08)8 October 1733
Perthshire, Scotland
Died8 May 1808(1808-05-08) (aged 74)
Perthshire, Scotland
Allegiance United Kingdom
BranchBritish Army
RankGeneral

General Sir Thomas Stirling, 5th Baronet (8 October 1733 – 8 May 1808) was a senior officer of the British Army during the American War of Independence.

Early life and background

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Stirling was in 1733 in Perthshire, Scotland, a scion of the Stirling baronets of Ardoch. He was the second son of Sir Henry Stirling, 3rd Baronet, and Anne Gordon.[1]

Military career

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In 1758 Stirling came to America and served in the French and Indian War's Canadian campaign. After the war, Britain took control of the land between the American colonies west to the Mississippi and north of the Ohio. He departed Fort Pitt going down the Ohio to Fort de Chartres to take possession of Illinois Country for the Crown in October 1765. In 1767 Stirling went back to Great Britain, but returned to America later to serve with the British forces during the American War of Independence. Promoted to the rank of General,[2] Stirling served as Colonel of the 41st Regiment of Foot from 1790 until his death.[3][4][5]

Personal life

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He succeeded to the baronetcy upon the death of his elder brother, Sir William Stirling, 4th Baronet,[1] who left no male issue. Sir Thomas was a granduncle of Waite Stirling, who would become the first Anglican Bishop of the Falkland Islands. [6] Sir Thomas died unmarried at Strowan in 1808.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Lloyd, Ernest Marsh (1898). "Stirling, Thomas" . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 54. pp. 383–384.
  2. ^ Alvord & Carter,The New Regime 1765-1767 / British Series Volume II, Collection of the Illinois State Historical Library - Volume XI, 1916, page 81
  3. ^ Harrison, S. (2017). "The Stirlings of Ardoch and the Grahams of Airth". repository.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  4. ^ Tim Abbott (9 June 2008). ""Should Old Aquaintance [sic] Be Forgot": Who Ever Heard of Thomas Stirling?". greensleeves.typepad.com. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  5. ^ Pace, Paul. Kilts & Courage The Story of the 42nd or Royal Highland Regiment in the American War for Independence, 1776-1783 (PDF). p. A-379-A-398.
  6. ^ Harrison, S. (2017). "The Stirlings of Ardoch and the Grahams of Airth". repository.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
Baronetage of Nova Scotia
Preceded by
William Stirling
Baronet
(of Ardoch)
1799–1808
Extinct