Alan Cameron of Erracht facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alan Cameron of Erracht
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Alan Cameron of Erracht
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| Born | 1753 |
| Died | 9 March 1828 |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 British Army |
| Rank | Lieutenant-General |
| Battles/wars | American Revolutionary War Flanders Campaign Peninsular War |
Lieutenant-General Sir Alan Cameron of Erracht KCB (1753 – 9 March 1828) was a brave Scottish soldier. He is famous for creating his own army group, the 79th Regiment of Foot (Cameron Highlanders), in 1793. He even paid for it himself!
Contents
Early Life
Alan Cameron was born in 1753 near a place called Banavie in Lochaber, Scotland. His mother's father was killed in the famous Battle of Culloden. Alan was 4 years old when he first met his own father. When he was 16, a difficult event led him to join a group of volunteers going to North America.
Military Adventures
Alan Cameron was known for being very strong and having a fiery but honorable spirit. When the American Revolutionary War began, he joined a group of soldiers who supported the British. However, in 1775, American colonists captured him. He was held prisoner for two years in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Cameron tried to escape and got hurt. Later, he was released in an exchange for other prisoners. He returned to Scotland in 1784.
Raising His Own Regiment
In 1793, war was declared with France. Alan Cameron decided to raise his own army regiment, the 79th Regiment of Foot. He became its colonel. This was quite unusual because most Highland regiments were started by powerful Clan Chiefs. Alan Cameron was only a leader of a smaller part of the Cameron clan.
Even so, he became very respected in the glens (valleys) of Lochaber.
Fighting in Europe and Beyond
Cameron led his new regiment to join the army of the Duke of York in the Flanders Campaign in 1794. They also took part in a difficult retreat through Holland in 1795.
- From 1795 to 1797, the regiment served in the West Indies, including Martinique.
- Cameron was promoted to lieutenant-colonel in 1796.
- After many soldiers got sick, the 79th was brought back to Guernsey in 1798 to rebuild.
- Cameron again served under the Duke of York in the Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland in 1799.
- In 1801, the 79th joined an expedition to Egypt and Minorca.
- A second group of soldiers was added to the regiment in 1804.
- Cameron was officially confirmed as the colonel of the 79th Foot in 1805.
- In 1807, he led his regiment in a mission against Copenhagen.
Peninsular War and Later Years
In late 1808, Cameron joined the army in the Peninsular War. He was a brigadier-general in Portugal. His brigade fought in several important battles:
He was promoted to major general on July 25, 1810, but then had to go home due to illness.
Cameron was known for being a bit unusual and speaking his mind. Once, when asked about changing kilts to trousers for Highland soldiers, he strongly spoke against it. When some 95th Rifles soldiers joined his brigade, he famously said he didn't need "a parcel of riflemen" because he already had "a thousand Highlanders, who would face the devil."
Alan Cameron became a Knight of the Bath in 1815. This was a special honor. He was promoted to lieutenant-general in 1819. He passed away in London in March 1828.
See Also
