GeneralAlexander Ross (1742–1827) was a British officer who served in theAmerican War of Independence and in India, rising to the rank ofgeneral. He was a close friend ofCharles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis.
Alexander Ross was born inScotland in 1742, the youngest of the five sons of Ross of Auchlossin. He entered the army asensign in the50th Regiment of Foot in February 1760. He was gazettedlieutenant in the14th Regiment of Foot on 18 September 1765. After serving inGermany Ross returned to England in May 1775.
Lieutenant Ross became captain on 30 May, and served with distinction throughout theAmerican War of Independence. He wasaide-de-camp toLord Cornwallis and was sent home by him with the despatches of theBattle of Camden on 16 Aug. 1780. He was made major in the45th Regiment of Foot on 25 October 1780. He represented Lord Cornwallis as commissioner in arranging the details of thesurrender of Yorktown. In May 1782 he was sent toParis to arrange for the exchange of Lord Cornwallis, which was only effected by the peace of 20 January 1783. In August 1783 Ross was appointed deputy adjutant-general in Scotland, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, and he served in a similar capacity inIndia under Lord Cornwallis. He became colonel on 12 October 1793. In August 1794 he went withEarl Spencer andThomas Grenville toVienna on a special mission to arrange that Lord Cornwallis should command the allies against the French. Their efforts were unsuccessful. He accompanied Lord Cornwallis as major-general toWarley camp in April 1795, and two months later was nominatedSurveyor-General of the Ordnance in succession toGeorge Cranfield Berkeley.
Ross was promoted lieutenant-general on 29 April 1802 and general on 1 January 1812. He became colonel of the89th (The Princess Victoria's) Regiment of Foot in 1797, transferring to the59th (2nd Nottinghamshire) Regiment of Foot in 1801. He was alsoGovernor of Fort George and Fort Augustus from 1804 to his death.
He was one of the most intimate friends of Lord Cornwallis, whose correspondence, in three volumes, was edited in 1859 by his son, Charles Ross. He died inLondon on 20 November 1827. On 15 October 1795 Ross married Isabella Barbara Evelyn, daughter ofSir Robert Gunning, 1st Baronet.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: "Ross, Alexander (1742-1827)".Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
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| Preceded by | Surveyor-General of the Ordnance 1795–1804 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Colonel of the59th (2nd Nottinghamshire) Regiment of Foot 1801–1827 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Henry Bowyer | Colonel of the89th Regiment of Foot 1797–1801 | Succeeded by James Ogilvie |
| Preceded by | Governor of Fort George and Fort Augustus 1804–1827 | Succeeded by |
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