Alexander Irwin

For the American pioneer, businessman, and territorial legislator, see Alexander J. Irwin.

Lieutenant-General Alexander Irvine or Irwin (died 1752) was a British Army officer.

On 1 October 1689 he entered the Army as an ensign in the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Foot.[1] He was made adjutant of the 1st Battalion on 22 May 1694[2] and promoted to captain on 2 October 1695, when serving with the regiment before Namur;[3] his commission was renewed in 1702.[1] In 1704 he was wounded at the Battle of Schellenberg,[1] and he was promoted to major on 3 August that year.[4] Irwin served as a brigade-major at the Battle of Blenheim, where he was again wounded, and was later present at Ramillies and Malplaquet.[5] He was granted brevet rank as a colonel on 1 March 1711.[6]

On 27 June 1737, after nearly forty-eight years' service in various parts of Europe, Irwin was appointed colonel of the 5th Regiment of Foot,[7] and following promotion to brigadier-general on 1 January 1743[5] and major-general on 24 February 1744,[7] he held important commands on the staff in Ireland,[8] where he was also Lieutenant-Governor of Kinsale. He was promoted to lieutenant-general in 1748.[7]

Lieutenant-General Irwin may have been of the family of the Irvines of Drum.[9] By his wife Catherine he had an only son, General Sir John Irwin.[8][9]

  1. ^ a b c Charles Dalton, English Army Lists and Commission Registers, vol. III (1896) pages 47-48, note 31.
  2. ^ Charles Dalton, English Army Lists and Commission Registers, vol. IV (1898) page 22.
  3. ^ Dalton (1898) page 70, note 12.
  4. ^ Charles Dalton, English Army Lists and Commission Registers, vol. V (1902) page 51.
  5. ^ a b Dalton (1902) Part II, pages 2 and 7, note 48.
  6. ^ Charles Dalton, English Army Lists and Commission Registers, vol. VI (1904) page 196.
  7. ^ a b c Richard Cannon, Historical Record of the Fifth Regiment of Foot, or Northumberland Fusiliers (1838) page 112.
  8. ^ a b Dasent, Arthur Irwin (1892). "Irwin, John" . In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 29. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  9. ^ a b John Brooke, IRWIN (IRWINE, IRVINE), John (c.1728-88). in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1754-1790 (1964). Online version accessed 6 September 2012.