Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 39.djvu/369

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Murray
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Murray

business, which prevented him accompanying Nelson in his last voyage. In 1807 he was appointed commander-in-chief of the naval operations against Buenos Ayres, but the share of the navy in those operations was limited to convoying and landing the troops (James, iv. 281), and again embarking them when the evacuation of the place had been agreed on. On 25 Oct. 1809 he was promoted to be vice-admiral, was nominated a K.C.B. on 2 Jan. 1815, and died suddenly at Chichester on 28 Feb. 1819, in his sixtieth year (Gent. Mag. 1819, i. 281).

[Naval Chronicle (with a portrait), xviii. 177; Nicolas's Despatches and Letters of Lord Nelson, freq. (see index); official letters of Sir Edward Hughes, 1782–3, in the Public Record Office, and information kindly supplied by Mr. D. O. Murray.]

J. K. L.

MURRAY, Sir GEORGE (1772–1846), general and statesman, second son of Sir Wilam Murray, bart., and Lady Augusta Mackenzie, seventh and youngest daughter of George, third earl of Cromarty, was born at the family seat, Ochterty re, Crieff, Perthshire, on 6 Feb. 1772. He was educated at the High School and at the university of Edinburgh, and received an ensign's commission in the 71st regiment on 12 March 1789. He was transferred to the 34th regiment soon after, and in June 1790 to the 3rd footguards. He served the campaign of 1793 in Flanders, was present at the affair of St. Amand, battle of Famars, siege of Valenciennes, attack of Lincelles, investment of Dunkirk, and attack of Lannoy. On 16 Jan. 1794 he was promoted to a lieutenancy with the rank of captain, and in April returned to England. He rejoined the army in Flanders in the summer of the same year, and was in the retreat of the allies through Holland and Germany. In the summer of 1795 he was appointed aide-de-camp to Major-general Alexander Campbell, on the staff of Lord Moira's army in the expedition for Quiberon, and in the autumn on that for the West Indies under Sir Ralph Abercromby, but returned in February 1796 on account of ill-health. In 1797 and 1798 he served as aide-de-camp to Major-general Campbell on the staff in England and Ireland. On 5 Aug. 1799 he obtained a company in the 3rd guards with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He was employed on the staff of the quartermaster-general in the expedition to Holland, and wounded at the action near the Helder. He returned to Cork, whence in the autumn of 1800 he sailed for Gibraltar, was appointed to the staff of the quartermaster-general, and sent upon a special mission. In 1801 he was employed in the expedition to Egypt, was present at the landing, was engaged in the battles of 13 and 21 March at Marmorici and Aboukir, at Rosetta, and Rhamanie, and at the investments of Cairo and Alexandria. In 1802 he was appointed adjutant-general to the forces in the West Indies. The following year he returned to England and was appointed assistant quartermaster-general at the horse guards. In 1804 he was made deputy quartermaster-general in Ireland. In 1805 he served in the expedition to Hanover under Lieutenant-general Sir George Don [q. v.] In 1806 he returned to his staff appointment in Ireland. In 1807 he was placed at the head of the quartermaster-general's department in the expedition to Stralsund, and afterwards in that to Copenhagen under Sir William Schaw, afterwards Earl Cathcart [q. v.] In the spring of 1808 he was quartermaster-general in the expedition to the Baltic under Sir John Moore, and in the autumn he went in the same capacity to Portugal. He was present at the battle of Vimiera, the affairs at Lago and Villa Franca, and at the battle of Corunna. His services on the staff were particularly commended in Lieutenant-general Hope's despatch containing the account of that battle.

On 9 March 1809 he received the brevet of colonel, and was appointed quartermaster-general to the forces in Spain and Portugal under Lord Wellington. He was present in the affairs on the advance to Oporto and the passage of the Douro. He was engaged in the battles of Talavera, Busaco, Fuentes d'Onoro, and Vittoria. He returned home in 1811, and in May 1812 was appointed quartermaster-general in Ireland. There he remained until September 1813, when he again joined the army in the Peninsula, and took part in the battles of the Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive, Orthes, and Toulouse, and in the subsequent operations until the termination of hostilities in 1814. He had been promoted major-general on 1 Jan. 1812, and on 9 Aug. 18l3 he was made colonel of the 7th battalion of the 60th regiment. He was made a K.C.B. on 11 Sept. 1813, before the enlargement of the order. On his return home in 1814 he was appointed adjutant-general to the forces in Ireland, and at the end of the year was sent to govern the Canadas, with the local rank of lieutenant-general.

On the escape of Napoleon from Elba, Murray obtained leave to join the army of Flanders, but various delays prevented him reaching it until Waterloo had been fought and Paris occupied. He remained with the army of occupation for three years as chief of the staff, with the local rank of lieutenant-general. In 1817 he was transferred from