Sir Hew Dalrymple, 1st Baronet, of High Mark

Sir Hew Dalrymple
Sir Hew Dalrymple, 1st Baronet, by John Jackson, 1831
Born	3 December 1750 Ayr, Scotland
Died	9 April 1830 (aged 79) London, England
Buried at	Aldenham, Hertfordshire
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Rank	General
Battles/wars	Peninsular War

General Sir Hew Whitefoord Dalrymple, 1st Baronet (3 December 1750 – 9 April 1830) was a British Army general and Governor of Gibraltar.

Military career

Dalrymple was commissioned as an ensign into the 31st Regiment of Foot in 1763, was promoted Lieutenant in 1766 and Captain in 1768. He took time out from the Army to study at Edinburgh University from 1767 to 1768. Dalrymple was knighted in 1779 thanks to the influence of his family. Lieutenant-Colonel of the 68th Foot in 1781, he became Colonel of the 37th Foot on 18 November 1790, then transferred to the 1st Foot Guards. In 1793 he commanded a composite battalion of grenadiers in Lake’s brigade under York in the Flanders Campaign, and saw action at Raismes 8 May, Famars 23 May, the Siege of Valenciennes 13 June-28 July, and the Siege of Dunkirk 25 August-10 September. He returned to the UK early in 1794 and was made Major-General on 3 October. In 1796 he was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey. On 1 January 1801 he was promoted Lieutenant-General. Then from 1802 to 1806 he was General Officer Commanding Northern District. In 1806 he became Governor of Gibraltar.

In 1806 Dalrymple served under Fox at Gibraltar. After Fox’s departure he was made Acting Governor of Gibraltar, replacing Gordon Drummond, November 1806- August 1808.

In 1808 he was appointed Commander of the Portuguese Expedition, landing on 22 August after Junot’s defeat at Vimiero to replace Wellesley & Burrard. He immediately halted Wellesley’s pursuit of the beaten French to Lisbon. Lacking either confidence or intelligence, or both, on 31 August Dalrymple signed a truce with Junot allowing him to return to France in British ships with all his weapons & men. This infamous truce, known as the Convention of Cintra, was denounced both in London and in Portugal. Dalrymple sailed for home to face an enquiry 4 October, and never held a field command again.

Sir John Moore said he “was never able to determine on any point whatever”. "Sir Hew, having never had the experience of command, seems quite at a loss how to work with the different heads of department; the troops suffer”.

Colonel of the 57th Foot 1811, and promoted General 1 January 1812 through seniority. He was made Governor of Blackness Castle 1818.

Miscellaneous

• He was nicknamed "Dowager" by the army.
• Dalrymple was played by John Woodvine, in the 1999 Hornblower (TV series) episode, The Duchess and the Devil.

Family

In 1783 he married Frances Leighton and they went on to have two sons and three daughters.

External links

• Napoleonic Guide
• The Gentlemans Magazine

Military offices
Preceded by John Small	Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey 1796–1803	Succeeded by Sir John Doyle
Preceded by Gordon Forbes	Colonel of the 81st Regiment of Foot 1797–1798	Succeeded by John Simcoe
Preceded by Sir John Dalling	Colonel of the 37th (North Hampshire) Regiment of Foot 1798–1810	Succeeded by Sir Charles Lockhart-Ross
Preceded by Henry Fox	Governor of Gibraltar (acting) 1806–1808	Succeeded by Sir John Cradock
Preceded by Samuel Hulse	Colonel of the 19th (The 1st Yorkshire North Riding) Regiment of Foot 1810–1811	Succeeded by Tomkyns Hilgrove Turner
Preceded by The Lord Hutchinson	Colonel of the 57th (West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot 1811–1830	Succeeded by Sir William Inglis
Preceded by The Earl of Lindsey	Governor of Blackness Castle 1818–1830	Succeeded by Frederick Augustus Wetherall
Baronetage of Nova Scotia
New creation	Baronet (of High Mark) 1815–1830	Succeeded by Adolphus John Dalrymple