William Wemyss (1760—1822)

William Wemyss
General William Wemyyss
Born	9 April 1760
Died	4 February 1822
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Rank	General
Battles/wars	Napoleonic Wars

General William Wemyss of Wemyss (9 April 1760 – 4 February 1822) was a Scottish soldier in the British Army and Member of Parliament.

He was the son of the Hon. James Wemyss, third son of the 5th Earl of Wemyss, and his wife Lady Elizabeth, only daughter of the 17th Earl of Sutherland.

On 16 September 1788 he married Frances, daughter of Sir William Erskine, 1st Baronet. Their children included

Both sons married daughters of William Hay, 17th Earl of Erroll.

From 1784 to 1787 Wemyss was MP for Sutherland, succeeding his father, before sitting for Fife from 1787 to 1796 and again from 1807 to 1820.

Captain in the Army by brevet, 1 July 1783 DAG in Scotland and Major, 18 November 1786 DAG in Scotland and Lieutenant-Colonel, 1 October 1791 Colonel, 22 August 1795

He attained the rank of Major-General on 23 June 1798. Action near Ardee

On 16 September 1800 he was Colonel of a new Regiment of Infantry, later the 93rd Regiment of Foot. On 30 October 1805 he was promoted to lieutenant-general. He was aide-de-camp to Major-General Sir William Erskine in the 1809 Walcheren Campaign and during the Peninsular War. In 1810 it was announced that he would succeed Sir Hew Dalrymple as Colonel of the 37th (North Hampshire) Regiment of Foot, with General Needham becoming Colonel of the 93rd, but the appointments did not take place and Wemyss remained Colonel of the 93rd Foot until his death, when he was succeeded by Sir Thomas Hislop.