James Edward Alexander

{{Short description|Scottish soldier, traveller and author (1803–1885)}}

{{Infobox military person

|honorific_prefix = Sir

|name = James Edward Alexander

|honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|Kt|KStJ|CB}} {{post-nominals|list=KLS}} {{post-nominals|country=GBR|FRSE|FRGS}}

|image = James Edward Alexander00.jpg

|image_upright =

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|caption = James Edward Alexander, 1827
National Portrait Gallery, London

|native_name =

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|birth_date = {{birth date|1803|10|16|df=yes}}

|birth_place = Stirling, Scotland

|death_date = {{death date and age|1885|4|2|1803|10|16|df=yes}}

|death_place = Ryde, Isle of Wight

|placeofburial = Old Logie Kirkyard near Menstrie

|placeofburial_label = Buried

|placeofburial_coordinates =

|allegiance = {{flagcountry|United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland}}

|branch = {{flagicon|East India Company}} East India Company Army
{{flagicon|UKGBI|military}} British Army

|branch_label = Branch

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|rank = General

|rank_label = Rank

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Madras Light Cavalry, 1820–{{citation |title=WO 25/784/143, Folio 293: Statement of the Services of Capt. James Edw. Alexander of the 42nd Regiment of Foot with a Record of such other Particulars as may be useful in case of his Death |publisher=The National Archives, Kew |pages=293–294 |date=1829 |url=https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4397534}}
1st Madras Light Cavalry, 1821–
13th Light Dragoons, 1825–
16th Light Dragoons, 1827–
42nd Regiment, 1832–{{cite news |title=War-Office, March 9, 1832 |work=The Edinburgh Gazette |issue=4050 |date=16 March 1832 |page=71 |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/18691/page/1215}}
14th Regiment, 1840–{{cite news |title=War-Office, 11 September 1840 |work=The London Gazette |issue=19892 |date=11 September 1840 |page=2044 |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/18691/page/1215}}{{cite book |last=Hart |first=Henry George |author-link=Henry George Hart |title=The New Annual Army List, and Militia List, for 1854 |volume=15 |publisher=John Murray |location=London |date=1854 |page=165 |url=https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/105948560}}

}}

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|awards = {{plainlist|

Knight Bachelor, 1838{{cite news |title=St. James Palace |work=The London Gazette |issue=19833 |date=6 March 1840 |page=555 |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/19833/page/555}}
Order of Saint John, Knight of Justice, 1842{{cite web |url=https://www.bonhams.com/auction/21707/lot/66/a-cb-and-kstj-group-of-eleven-to-major-general-sir-james-edward-alexander-14th-foot-late-16th-lancers-and-13th-light-dragoons/ |author=Bonhams |title=Auction: Medals, Bonds, Banknotes and Coins, 12 November 2014, Knightsbridge, London. LOT 66: A C.B. and K.St.J. group of eleven to Major General Sir James Edward Alexander, 14th Foot, late 16th Lancers and 13th Light Dragoons |website=Bonhams |date=2014 | access-date=31 October 2023}}
Companion of the Order of the Bath, 1873{{cite news |title=War Office, May 24, 1873 |work=The London Gazette |issue=232979 |date=24 May 1873 |page=2583 |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/23979/page/2583}}
Order of the Lion and the Sun (2nd Class), 1828{{cite news |title=Whitehall, March 26, 1834 |work=The London Gazette |issue=19143 |date=4 April 1834 |page=616 |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/19143/page/616}}
Order of the Crescent (2nd Class)
Order of the Medjidie (5th Class), 1858{{cite book |last=Hart |first=Henry George |author-link=Henry George Hart |title=The New Annual Army List, Militia List and Indian Civil Service List, for 1877 |volume=38 |publisher=John Murray |location=London |date=1877 |page=16 |url=https://digital.nls.uk/dcn23/1059/9117/105991174.23.pdf}}
Army of India Medal, Ava clasp
Al Valore Militare Medal, 1828–29
South Africa Medal, 1853
Crimea Medal, Sebastopol clasp
Turkish Crimea Medal, Sardinian issue
New Zealand War Medal, 1860–66

}}

|memorials =

|alma_mater = Royal Military College, Sandhurst

|spouse = {{marriage|Eveline Marie Mitchell|1837|}}

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General Sir James Edward Alexander {{post-nominals|country=GBR|Kt|KStJ|CB}} {{post-nominals|list=KLS}} {{post-nominals|country=GBR|FRSE|FRGS}}{{cite book |last1=Waterston |first1=Charles D |last2=Macmillan Shearer |first2=A |title=Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783-2002: Biographical Index |url=http://www.rse.org.uk/cms/files/fellows/biographical_index/fells_indexp1.pdf |access-date=8 December 2011 |volume=1 |date=July 2006 |publisher=The Royal Society of Edinburgh |location=Edinburgh |isbn=978-0-902198-84-5}} (16 October 1803 – 2 April 1885) was a Scottish traveller, writer and soldier in the British Army.

Alexander was the driving force behind the placement of Cleopatra's Needle on the Thames Embankment.

Background

Born in Stirling, he was the eldest son of Edward Alexander of Powis, Clackmannanshire, and his second wife Catherine Glas, daughter of John Glas, Provost of Stirling.{{cite book |last=Dod |first=Robert P. |title=The Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage of Great Britain and Ireland for 1863 |year=1863 |publisher=Whitaker and Co. |location=London |pages=87 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Puzdwi5Vp7QC&q=alexander%2C+james+edward&pg=PA87}}

The family purchased Powis House near Stirling in 1808 from James Mayne (his uncle by marriage) for £26,500. His father, a banker, had to sell Powis House in 1827 on collapse of the Stirling Banking Company. He received his training in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.

In 1837, he married Eveline Marie Mitchell (16 April 1821 – 1906), daughter of Colonel Charles Collier Michell, RA, surveyor general of Cape of Good Hope, in Cape Town on 25 October 1837.{{cite book|last=Fergusson|first=Robert Menzies |title=Logie: A Parish History;|url=https://archive.org/details/logieaparishhis00ferggoog|year=1905|publisher=Alexander Gardner|location=Paisley}}

In 1853, he obtained Westerton House in Bridge of Allan, built in 1803 by Dr John Henderson of the East India Company (a cousin and friend). Here he became an elder of Logie Kirk, walking there each Sunday.

He died in Ryde on the Isle of Wight but is buried in Old Logie Churchyard just east of his home town of Stirling. The graveyard lies several hundred metres north of Logie Cemetery and the 19th century Logie Kirk.

After his death, his trustees sold Westerton House to Edmund Pullar.

Military career

In 1820, he joined the British East India Company's army, transferring into the British Army in 1825. As aide-de-camp to the British envoy to Persia, he witnessed fighting during the war between Persia and Russia in 1826 and in 1829 was present in the Balkans during the Russo-Turkish War, 1828-1829.{{EB1911|inline=y|wstitle=Alexander, Sir James Edward|volume=1|page=564}}

From 1832 to 1834, he witnessed the War of the Two Brothers in Portugal, and in 1835 he took part in the 6th Cape Frontier War in South Africa as aide-de-camp and private secretary to Sir Benjamin d'Urban.

In 1838, he was made a Knight Bachelor for his services. From 1841, he served in Canada, among others in the staff of Sir William Rowan. During the Crimean War, he commanded the 14th (Buckinghamshire) Regiment of Foot as lieutenant-colonel in the Siege of Sevastopol in 1855 and held an important command during the New Zealand Wars, from 1860 to 1862.{{cite news |title=Matters Military: 14th, or Buckingham Regiment |work=The New Zealand Herald |volume=2 |issue=404 |date=28 February 1865 |page=6 |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH18650228.2.26}}{{cite news |title=Colonel Sir James E. Alexander, in Answer to "L," of the Southern Cross |work=The Daily Southern Cross |volume=20 |issue=2192 |date=30 July 1864 |page=7 |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DSC18640730.2.28}} Alexander published two books based on his experiences in New Zealand.{{Cite book |last=Baker |first=Matiu |url=https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q125817596 |title=Te Ata o Tū: The Shadow of Tūmatauenga: The New Zealand Wars Collections of Te Papa: The Shadow of Tūmatauenga, The New Zealand Wars Collections of Te Papa |last2=Cooper |first2=Catherine Elizabeth |last3=Fitzgerald |first3=Michael |last4=Rice |first4=Rebecca |date=2024-03-01 |publisher=Te Papa Press |language=English}} He retired from active service in 1877 and on 1 July 1881 was given the honorary rank of general.{{cite news |title=Memoranda |work=The London Gazette |issue=25085 |page=1215 |date=17 March 1882 |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/25085/page/1215}}

Explorer

On behalf of the Royal Geographical Society (which he had co-founded), he conducted an exploring expedition into Namaqualand and Damaraland, lasting from 8 September 1836 to 21 September 1837,{{cite journal |title=General Sir James Edward Alexander, Kt., C.B., K.C.L.S., &c. |journal=Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh |volume=14 |date=1888 |pages=170–174 |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/1B4FAFAC0827498FDB58E1CFEF20D3B3/S0370164600004843a.pdf/general-sir-james-edward-alexander-kt-cb-kcls-andc.pdf |doi=10.1017/S0370164600004843}} in the course of which he collected rock specimens, pelts of rare animals, bird skins, weapons and implements from the Herero and Nama, as well as drawing maps of the region and making a first list of Herero words.{{cite book |last=Alexander |first=James Edward |title=An Expedition of Discovery into the Interior of Africa: Through the Hitherto Undescribed Countries of the Great Namaquas, Boschmans, and Hill Damaras, Performed Under the Auspices of Her Majesty's Government and the Royal Geographic Society |volume=1 |location=London |publisher=Henry Colburn |date=1838 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/215882#page/5/mode/1up |via=BHL}}{{cite book |last=Alexander |first=James Edward |title=An Expedition of Discovery into the Interior of Africa: Through the Hitherto Undescribed Countries of the Great Namaquas, Boschmans, and Hill Damaras, Performed Under the Auspices of Her Majesty's Government and the Royal Geographic Society |volume=2 |location=London |publisher=Henry Colburn |date=1838 |url= |via=}}

Subsequently, John Arrowsmith (cartographer) made use of his data to draw a map accompanying his book of the expedition. Alexander Bay on the Orange River mouth, is named after him.{{cite book |last1=Gunn |first1=Mary |last2=Germishuizen |first2=G. |title=Botanical Exploration of Southern Africa. An Illustrated History of Early Botanical Literature on the Cape Flora: Biographical Accounts of the Leading Plant Collectors and Their Activities in Southern Africa from the Days of the East India Company Until Modern Times |edition=2 |series=Strelitzia 26 |date=2010 |publisher=South African National Biodiversity Institute |location=Pretoria |pages=75–76 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/244776#page/2/mode/1up |isbn=9781919976549 |via=BHL}}

In 1877, he was largely responsible for the preservation and transfer of Cleopatra's Needle to England.

File:General Sir James Edward Alexander c.1880.png|General Sir James Edward Alexander c.1880

File:The grave of General Sir James Edward Alexander, Old Logie Kirkyard.jpg|The grave of General Sir James Edward Alexander, Old Logie Kirkyard

File:MA I173830 TePapa Colonel-Sir-J-E-Alexander full.jpg|Colonel Sir J. E. Alexander, 14th reg., circa 1860, maker unknown. Purchased 1916. Te Papa (O.011941)

Works

{{cite book |last=Alexander |first=James Edward |title=Travels from India to England: Comprehending a Visit to the Burman Empire, and a Journey Through Persia, Asia Minor, European Turkey, &c. In the years 1825–26 |location=London |publisher=Parbury, Allen, & Co |date=1827 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zrUIAAAAQAAJ}}
{{cite book |last=Alexander |first=James Edward |title=Travels to the Seat of War in the East, through Russia and the Crimea, in 1829. With Sketches of the Imperial Fleet and Army, Personal Adventures, and Characteristic Anecdotes |volume=1 |publisher=Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley |location=London |date=1830 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3xNCAAAAcAAJ&pg=PR1}}
{{cite book |last=Alexander |first=James Edward |title=Travels to the Seat of War in the East, through Russia and the Crimea, in 1829. With Sketches of the Imperial Fleet and Army, Personal Adventures, and Characteristic Anecdotes |volume=2 |publisher=Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley |location=London |date=1830 |url=}}
{{cite book |last=Alexander |first=James Edward |title=Transatlantic Sketches: Comprising Visits to the Most Interesting Scenes in North & South America & West Indies with Notes on Negro Slavery and Canadian Emigration |volume=1 |location=London |publisher=Richard Bentley |date=1833 |isbn=9780608434056 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t74NAAAAQAAJ&pg=PR3}}
{{cite book |last=Alexander |first=James Edward |title=Transatlantic Sketches: Comprising Visits to the Most Interesting Scenes in North & South America & West Indies with Notes on Negro Slavery and Canadian Emigration |volume=2 |location=London |publisher=Richard Bentley |date=1833 |url=}}
{{cite book |last=Alexander |first=James Edward |title=Sketches in Portugal During the Civil War of 1834: With Observations on the Present State and Future Prospects of Portugal |location=London |publisher=James Cochrane and Co. |date=1835 |url=https://purl.pt/17088/1/index.html#/9/html |via=National Library of Portugal}}
{{cite book |last=Alexander |first=James Edward |title=Narrative of a Voyage of Observation among the Colonies of Western Africa, in the Flag-Ship Thalia; and of a Campaign in Kaffir-Land, on the Staff of the Commander-in-Chief, in 1835 |volume=1 |location=London |publisher=Henry Colburn |date=1837 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GRZOAAAAcAAJ&pg=PR3}}
{{cite book |last=Alexander |first=James Edward |title=Narrative of a Voyage of Observation among the Colonies of Western Africa, in the Flag-Ship Thalia; and of a Campaign in Kaffir-Land, on the Staff of the Commander-in-Chief, in 1835 |volume=2 |location=London |publisher=Henry Colburn |date=1837 |url=}}
{{cite book |last=Alexander |first=James Edward |title=An Expedition of Discovery into the Interior of Africa: Through the Hitherto Undescribed Countries of the Great Namaquas, Boschmans, and Hill Damaras, Performed Under the Auspices of Her Majesty's Government and the Royal Geographic Society |volume=1 |location=London |publisher=Henry Colburn |date=1838 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/215882#page/5/mode/1up |via=BHL}}
{{cite book |last=Alexander |first=James Edward |title=An Expedition of Discovery into the Interior of Africa: Through the Hitherto Undescribed Countries of the Great Namaquas, Boschmans, and Hill Damaras, Performed Under the Auspices of Her Majesty's Government and the Royal Geographic Society |volume=2 |location=London |publisher=Henry Colburn |date=1838 |url=}}
{{cite book |last=Alexander |first=James Edward |title=Life of Field Marshal, His Grace the Duke of Wellington: Embracing His Civil, Military, and Political Career to the Present Time |volume=1 |location=London |publisher=Henry Colbourn |date=1839 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HjbSAAAAMAAJ&pg=PR1}}
{{cite book |last=Alexander |first=James Edward |title=Life of Field Marshal, His Grace the Duke of Wellington: Embracing His Civil, Military, and Political Career to the Present Time |volume=2 |location=London |publisher=Henry Colbourn |date=1840 |url=}}
{{cite book |last=Alexander |first=James Edward |title=L'Acadie: or Seven Years' Explorations in British America |volume=1 |location=London |publisher=Henry Colburn |date=1849 |url=http://www.canadiana.org/ECO/mtq?doc=36220}}
{{cite book |last=Alexander |first=James Edward |title=L'Acadie: or Seven Years' Explorations in British America |volume=2 |location=London |publisher=Henry Colburn |date=1849 |url=http://www.canadiana.org/cgi-bin/ECO/mtq?doc=36221}}
{{cite book |last=Alexander |first=James Edward |title=Passages in the Life of a Soldier, or, Military Service in the East and West |volume=1 |location=London |publisher=Hurst & Blackett |date=1857 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xbANAAAAQAAJ}}
{{cite book |last=Alexander |first=James Edward |title=Passages in the Life of a Soldier, or, Military Service in the East and West |volume=2 |location=London |publisher=Hurst & Blackett |date=1857 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1FZEAAAAIAAJ}}
{{cite book |last=Adamson |first=William Agar |author-link=William Agar Adamson |editor-last=Alexander |editor-first=James Edward |title=Salmon-Fishing in Canada |location=London |publisher=Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts |date=1860 |doi=10.5962/bhl.title.56138 |url=https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.56138 |via=BHL}}
{{cite book |last=Alexander |first=James Edward |title=Incidents of the last Maori-War in New Zealand, with Illustrations of Native Character, and the Prospects of Intending Colonists |publisher=Richard Bentley |location=London |date=1863 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=entZAAAAcAAJ}}
{{cite book |editor-last=Alexander |editor-first=James Edward |title=The Albatross: Record of Voyage of the "Great Britain" Steam Ship from Victoria to England in 1862 |publisher=Charles Rogers & Co. |location=Stirling |date=1863 |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-12875072 |via=Trove}}
{{cite book |last=Alexander |first=James Edward |title=Notes on the Maories of New Zealand: with Suggestions for their Pacification and Preservation |publisher=Aborigines' Protection Society |location=London |date=1865 |url=}}
{{cite book |last=Alexander |first=James Edward |title=Bush Fighting: Illustrated by Remarkable Actions and Incidents of the Maori War in New Zealand |publisher=Sampson Low, Marston, Low and Searle |location=London |date=1873 |page= |url=https://archive.org/details/bushfightingill02alexgoog/page/n313/mode/2up |id=nla.obj-12875072}}
{{cite book |last=Alexander |first=James Edward |title=Cleopatra's Needle, the Obelisk of Alexandria: Its Acquisition and Removal to England |publisher=Chatto & Windus |location=London |date=1879 |page= |url=}}