The Right Honourable Sir George Murray GCB GCH FRS |
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George Murray portrait by John Hoppner RA
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Secretary of State for War and the Colonies | |
In office 30 May 1828 – 22 November 1830 |
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Monarch |
George IV William IV |
Prime Minister | The Duke of Wellington |
Preceded by | William Huskisson |
Succeeded by | The Viscount Goderich |
Personal details | |
Born |
6 February 1772 Perth, Perthshire |
Died |
28 July 1846 (aged 74) Belgrave Square, London |
Nationality | British |
Political party | Tory |
Sir George Murray GCB GCH FRS (6 February 1772 – 28 July 1846) was a British soldier and politician from Scotland.
Murray was born in Perth, the second son of Sir William Murray, of Ochtertyre, 5th Baronet (see Murray Baronets), and was educated at the Royal High School, Edinburgh and the University of Edinburgh. His mother was Lady Augusta Mackenzie, youngest daughter of the Jacobite George, 3rd Earl of Cromartie.
In 1789, Murray obtained a commission into the 71st Foot, reaching the rank of captain in 1794, and saw service in Flanders (1794–95), the West Indies, England and Ireland. In 1799 he was made a lieutenant-colonel, entering the Quartermaster General's Department and making his considerable reputation as Quartermaster General (1808–11) during the Peninsular War, under the Duke of Wellington, and receiving promotion to Colonel in 1809. After a brief period as Quartermaster General in Ireland, Murray returned to the Peninsular Campaign as Major-General (1813–14), and was invested with the Order of the Bath in 1813. During the Peninsular War he was present at the battles of A Coruña, Talavera, Busaco, Fuentes de Oñoro, Vittoria, Nivelle, Nive, Orthez and Toulouse. His Peninsular Gold Medal had six clasps - only the Duke of Wellington, with nine clasps, Sir Dennis Pack and Lord Beresford, with seven each, had more clasps to their medal.