Online Encyclopedia

Search over 40,000 articles from the original, classic Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th Edition.

ROSS, ROBERT (1766-1814)

Online Encyclopedia
Originally appearing in Volume V23, Page 741 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
» Make a correction to this article.
» Add information or comments to this article.
Spread the word: del.icio.us del.icio.us it!

See also:

ROSS, See also:ROBERT (1766-1814) , See also:British See also:major-See also:general, entered the 25th See also:Foot at the See also:age of nineteen, and in 1795 became See also:captain in the 7th See also:Regiment, obtaining a See also:half-pay See also:majority a few months later. As a major of the loth he served in See also:Holland under the See also:duke of See also:York in 1799. At the See also:action of Krabbendam the regiment greatly distinguished itself, though largely composed of raw See also:militia recruits. Ross was here severely wounded. In 1801 the loth went to See also:Egypt and took See also:part in the final operations which led to Menou's surrender. In 1803, though See also:lieutenant-See also:colonel only by See also:brevet, Ross succeeded to the command, and at once initiated a severe See also:system of training, in See also:barracks and in the See also:field, in his regiment. The result of this was apparent when under See also:Sir See also:John See also:Stuart's command the regiment proceeded to See also:Naples. The loth played a decisive part in the brilliant action of See also:Maida, and distinguished itself not less in the subsequent See also:storm of the See also:castle of Scylla. In 1808-9 Ross and the loth formed part of See also:Anstruther's See also:brigade of Sir John See also:Moore's See also:army in See also:Spain, and though the statement that the loth, owing to its See also:good discipline, suffered less loss than any other regiment in the See also:retreat on See also:Corunna is incorrect, the regiment was among the best disciplined in the army. Later in 1809 it was sent to Walcheren, where See also:fever soon laid See also:low two-thirds of the men. Ross and his regiment were then sent to See also:Ireland to recover, and here the colonel repeated the course of See also:drill and manoeuvre which had so markedly improved the loth in See also:Malta. He received a See also:gold See also:medal for Corunna and a See also:sword of See also:honour for Maida (which action had already won him a gold medal).

At the end of 1812 the loth was again engaged in the See also:

Peninsula, and Major-General Ross See also:early in the following See also:year received a brigade command in See also:Cole's See also:division. Scarcely engaged at See also:Vittoria, Ross's brigade played a distinguished part in the operations around See also:Pamplona, and the loth covered itself with See also:glory at See also:Roncesvalles and Sorauren. At See also:Orthez Ross was severely wounded at the See also:head of the brigade, which was assaulting the See also:village of St Boes. He was among those who received the thanks of See also:parliament for this See also:battle, and he received the gold medal for Vittoria and the Peninsula gold medal. At the end of the See also:war Ross was sent in command of a brigade to harry the See also:coast of See also:North See also:America, and with 4500 men and three See also:light guns landed in See also:Maryland. At Bladensburg the Americans stood to fight in a strong position, but Ross's men routed them (Aug. 24, 1814). The same evening See also:Washington was entered, and, the public buildings having been destroyed, the expedition re-embarked. This See also:short and brilliant See also:campaign excited the admiration of soldiers, critics and public alike, but the See also:commander did not live to receive his See also:reward. A few days later an expedition against See also:Baltimore was undertaken; skirmishing soon began, and one of the first to fall was Ross. A public See also:monument was erected to his memory in St See also:Paul's See also:Cathedral, and others at his See also:residence at See also:Rosstrevor and at See also:Halifax, N.S. His See also:family was granted the name Ross of Bladensburg by royal letters-patent.

See See also:

Gentleman's See also:Magazine, 1814, ii. 483 ; Cole, See also:Peninsular Generals ; Smythe, See also:History of the loth Regiment.

End of Article: ROSS, ROBERT (1766-1814)

Additional information and Comments

There are no comments yet for this article.
» Add information or comments to this article.
Please link directly to this article:
Highlight the code below, right click, and select "copy." Then paste it into your website, email, or other HTML.
Site content, images, and layout Copyright © 2006 - Net Industries, worldwide.
Do not copy, download, transfer, or otherwise replicate the site content in whole or in part.

Links to articles and home page are always encouraged.

[back]
ROSS, JOHN, or KOOESKOOWE (179o-1866) 		[next]
ROSS, SIR HEW DALRYMPLE (1779-1868)

Site © 2006 - Net Industries