Robert Lawrence Dundas

{{Short description|British politician and military officer (1780–1844)}}

{{Infobox military person

|honorific_prefix = Lieutenant-General

|name = Sir Robert Dundas

|honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|KCB|size=100%}}

|image = Robert Lawrence Dundas.jpg

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|birth_name = Robert Lawrence Dundas

|birth_date = 27 July 1780

|birth_place = Middlesex, England

|death_date = 23 November 1844 (aged 64)

|death_place = Loftus, Yorkshire, England

|placeofburial =

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

|branch = {{army|UK}}

|serviceyears = 1797–1844

|serviceyears_label =

|rank = Lieutenant-General

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|commands =

|battles = Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland
Peninsular War

|battles_label =

|awards =Army Gold Cross
Knight of the Order of the Tower and Sword
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath

|relations = Thomas, 1st Lord Dundas {{small|(father)}}
Lawrence, 1st Earl of Zetland {{small|(brother)}}
Charles Lawrence Dundas {{small|(brother)}}
G. H. L. Dundas {{small|(brother)}}

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Lieutenant-General Sir Robert Lawrence Dundas {{post-nominals|country=GBR|KCB}} (27 July 1780 – 23 November 1844) was a British Whig and military commander during the Peninsular War. He was a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons representing Malton from 1807 to 1812, East Retford from 1826 to 1827, and Richmond from 1828 to 1834 and from 1839 to 1841.{{cite web |title=DUNDAS, Sir Robert Lawrence (1780-1844), of Loftus Hall, nr. Redcar, Yorks. |url=http://www.histparl.ac.uk/volume/1820-1832/member/dundas-sir-robert-1780-1844 |website=History of Parliament Online |accessdate=26 February 2020}}{{cite journal |title=Obituary: Lieut.-Gen. The Hon. Sir R. L. Dundas, K.C.B. |journal=The Gentleman's Magazine |date=January 1845 |volume=23 |pages=97–98 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-tQaE9o0rREC&q=Lieut.-Gen.+Hon.+Sir+R.+L.+Dundas&pg=PA97 |accessdate=27 February 2020 |publisher=W. Pickering |language=en}}

Early life and family

Dundas was born in Middlesex, the seventh son of Thomas Dundas and Lady Charlotte Fitzwilliam. His grandfathers were Sir Lawrence Dundas, 1st Baronet and William Fitzwilliam, 3rd Earl Fitzwilliam. His father succeeded to the baronetcy in 1781 and in 1794 was raised to the peerage as Baron Dundas. His elder brothers were Lawrence Dundas, 1st Earl of Zetland (1766–1839), Charles Lawrence Dundas (1771–1810), and Rear Admiral George Heneage Lawrence Dundas (1778–1834).{{cite book |title= Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knighthood|publisher=Burke's Peerage & Gentry |editor= Mosley, Charles |editor-link=Charles Mosley (genealogist) |edition=107 |year= 2003 |page= 4284 |ref=Burke |isbn=0-9711966-2-1}}

Career

Dundas entered the British Army on 1 December 1797 as a second lieutenant. He served as an engineer officer in the Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland. He became lieutenant in 1800 and the following year he served in Egypt against the French campaign, including the Battle of Alexandria. He was promoted to captain in 1802 and major in 1804. In 1805, he served in the north of Germany with the Royal Staff Corps.

During the Peninsular War, he saw action at the Battles of Talavera (1809), Buçaco (1810), Fuentes de Oñoro (1811), Salamanca (1812), Vitoria (1813), the Pyrenees (1813), the Nivelle (1813), the Nive (1813), and Toulouse (1814).

For his services in the Peninsular War, he received the Army Gold Medal with Gold Cross and three clasps and was appointed a Knight of the Portuguese Order of the Tower and Sword in 1814 and a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in 1815.

Dundas was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in 1811, full Colonel in 1821, Major-General in 1830 and Lieutenant-General in 1841. In June 1840, he was made colonel of the 59th (2nd Nottinghamshire) Regiment of Foot.