Howard Douglas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
General
Sir Howard Douglas, 3rd Bt
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Sir Howard Douglas
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| 3rd Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick | |
| In office 1824–1831 |
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| Monarch | George IV William IV |
| Preceded by | George Stracey Smyth |
| Succeeded by | Sir Archibald Campbell, 1st Baronet |
| Member of Parliament for Liverpool |
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| In office 1842–1847 |
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| Preceded by | Cresswell Cresswell and Dudley Ryder |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Bernard Birch and Dudley Ryder |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 23 January 1776 Gosport, England |
| Died | 9 November 1861 (aged 85) Tunbridge Wells, England |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse |
Anne Dundas
(m. 1799) |
| Relations | Rear-Admiral Sir Charles Douglas (father), Vice-Admiral Sir William Henry Douglas (brother) |
| Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George Fellow of the Royal Society |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Great Britain |
| Branch/service | Army |
| Years of service | 1794-1861 |
| Rank | General |
| Battles/wars | Napoleonic War |
General Sir Howard Douglas, 3rd Baronet (born January 23, 1776 – died November 9, 1861) was an important British figure. He was an army officer, a writer, and a colonial administrator. He also served as a Member of Parliament for Liverpool.
Howard Douglas was born in Gosport, England. He was the younger son of Admiral Sir Charles Douglas. His family had a long history, connected to the Earls of Morton.
Contents
Growing Up and Early Life
Howard's mother, Sarah Wood Douglas, passed away in 1779. After this, his aunt, Helena Baillie, raised him near Edinburgh. As a boy, Howard dreamed of joining the Royal Navy. He wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father and older brother.
His father agreed to take him to sea when Howard was 13. Sadly, Sir Charles died in 1789, just after arriving to collect Howard. Howard's guardians then decided it would be better for him to join the Army.
Joining the Army
In 1790, Howard entered the Royal Military Academy in Woolwich. He became a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery in 1794. Just a few months later, he was promoted to Lieutenant.
Early Military Career
In 1795, Howard was shipwrecked while taking soldiers to Canada. He and his men had to live on the Labrador coast for an entire winter. After returning to England in 1799, he became a Captain-Lieutenant.
Serving in the Artillery
Over the next few years, he worked in different parts of the artillery. He became a Captain in 1804. After this, he worked at the Royal Military College (RMC). This college was then located at High Wycombe.
Teaching and Leadership
At the RMC, Douglas taught military strategy. He was an expert in military and naval engineering. He also served as the head of the senior department and as an inspector. This senior department was the start of what is now the Staff College.
In 1806, Douglas was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel. He served in the Peninsular War from 1808 to 1809. He was part of the Battle of Corunna and the Walcheren Campaign.
Family and Recognition
In 1809, his half-brother, Vice-Admiral Sir William Douglas, passed away. Howard then became the 3rd Baronet. In 1812, he went on special missions in northern Spain. He took part in many small operations there. However, he was soon called back to England. The government felt his skills were essential at the Royal Military College.
He became a Colonel in 1814. In 1815, he was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath. He also became a member of the Royal Society in 1816.
Important Writings and Promotions
Sir Howard Douglas wrote several important books. In 1816, he published Essay on the Principles and Construction of Military Bridges. In 1819, he wrote Observations on the Motives, Errors and Tendency of M. Carnots System of Defence.
His most famous work was A Treatise on Naval Gunnery, published in 1820. This book became a standard textbook and was translated into many languages. It helped bring attention to the subject of naval gunnery. His ideas even led to an important experiment at Woolwich in 1822.
In 1821, he was promoted to Major-General.
Governor of New Brunswick
Sir Howard Douglas became the Governor of New Brunswick from 1823 to 1831. This was a very important role.
Key Achievements in New Brunswick
- He helped deal with a land dispute with the United States in 1828. This was called the Maine boundary dispute.
- He founded Fredericton College, which is now the University of New Brunswick. He was the first leader of this college.
- He was governor during the terrible Miramichi Fire of 1825. His quick actions during this disaster made him very popular with the people.
Later Career in Europe
After his time in New Brunswick, Sir Howard returned to Europe. He worked on various missions. He also published another book called Naval Evolutions. This book discussed naval tactics.
Service in the Ionian Islands
From 1835 to 1840, Douglas served as the Lord High Commissioner of the Ionian Islands. During this time, he made many improvements. One major change was introducing a new set of laws.
He continued to receive military promotions. He became a Lieutenant-General in 1837 and a full General in 1851.
Serving in Parliament
From 1842 to 1847, Douglas was a Conservative Member of Parliament for Liverpool. In Parliament, he often spoke about military and naval issues. People often asked him for advice on important military questions.
He also wrote more books, including Observations on the Modern System of Fortification and On Naval Warfare With Steam.
Personal Life
In 1799, Sir Howard Douglas married Anne Dundas. They had ten children together.
Sir Howard Douglas passed away in Tunbridge Wells in 1861.
Honors and Recognition
Sir Howard Douglas received many honors during his life:
- He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society.
- He was one of the people who helped start the Royal Geographical Society.
- He received an honorary degree from the University of Oxford.
- Before he died, he was offered a high military honor, but he politely declined it.
A special monument, an obelisk, stands on the island of Corfu. It remembers his important work as the Lord High Commissioner of the Ionian Islands.
Images for kids
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Obelisk commemorating his Ionian service on the island of Corfu
