General George Ramsay, 9th Earl of Dalhousie, (23 October 1770 – 21 March 1838), styled Lord Ramsay until 1787, was a British Army officer and colonial administrator. He served as the Governor of Nova Scotia from 1816 to 1820, Governor General of British North America (or governor general of Upper and Lower Canada) from 1820 to 1828, and Commander-in-Chief, India from 1830 to 1832. In turn, his son, James Andrew Broun-Ramsay, 1st Marquess of Dalhousie, would later serve as Governor-General of India.
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Background and education
Dalhousie was born at Dalhousie Castle, Midlothian, the son of George Ramsay, 8th Earl of Dalhousie, and Elizabeth, daughter of Andrew Glen. He was educated at the Royal High School, Edinburgh, and the University of Edinburgh.
Military career
After his father's death in 1787, Dalhousie joined the British Army in July 1788 by purchasing a cornet's commission in the 3rd Dragoons, and was later appointed to the captaincy of an independent company he himself had raised. He joined the 2nd battalion of the 1st Foot in January 1791, and purchased the rank of major in the 2nd Foot in June 1792. He travelled with the regiment to Martinique, as its commander, and succeeded to the lieutenant-colonelcy in August 1794. He was severely wounded in 1795 and returned to Britain. In 1798 he served in the suppression of the Irish Rebellion of 1798 and the 1799 Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland. He received the brevet rank of colonel in January 1800, and fought in the later stages of the Egyptian campaign under Ralph Abercromby, capturing Rosetta without a fight and successfully investing the nearby Fort Julien in April 1801. In 1803 he served as a brigadier general on the staff in Scotland, and was appointed Major-General in April 1805.
During the later stages of the Peninsular War Dalhousie commanded the 7th Division under the Duke of Wellington. Wellington was sometimes critical of his performance, as during the retreat from Burgos, because of his tardy arrival at Vitoria, and for his misinformation about French intentions shortly before the Battle of Roncesvalles.
With Henry Clinton and William Stewart he displayed insubordination during the retreat from Burgos. Wellington ordered them down a certain road, but they decided it "was too long and too wet and chose another. This brought them to a bridge which was blocked so that they could not cross. Here, eventually, Wellington found them, waiting. What, Wellington was asked, did he say to them? 'Oh by God, it was too serious to say anything.' 'What a situation is mine!' he complained to London later. 'It is impossible to prevent incapable men from being sent to the army.'".
At Vitoria he was delayed because he "had found difficulty in marching through the broken country", though Thomas Picton arrived early enough and attacked in his stead when the 7th Division failed to appear.
He was nevertheless voted the thanks of Parliament for his services at Vitoria where he commanded the Left Center Column, consisting of the 3rd and 7th Divisions. He was appointed lieutenant-general, and colonel of the 13th Foot in 1813. He led his division in the Battle of the Pyrenees where it was lightly engaged, then went home to England in October. After the previous commander was wounded at the Battle of Orthez in February 1814, Dalhousie briefly led the 7th Division again. He occupied the city of Bordeaux and thus missed the final Battle of Toulouse.
Later career
In 1815 he was created Baron Dalhousie, of Dalhousie Castle in Midlothian, in the peerage of the United Kingdom, to allow him to sit in the House of Lords by right (until that point he had sat as a Scottish representative peer).
Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia
According to the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Ramsay sought a position in colonial administration to pay debts he incurred expanding his estate. He replaced Sir John Coape Sherbrooke as Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia in 1816. He is known to have employed an official draughtsman, John Elliott Woolford, known for many surviving drawings and paintings.
Ramsay created Dalhousie College in Halifax, Nova Scotia, which grew into Dalhousie University.
Governor-General of Canada
He was appointed Governor-General of British North America in 1820 and held that position until 1828. Aside from the Catholic Church, Ramsay is considered the first true art collector in nineteenth century Quebec City. In the Art Canada Institute's 2025 publication Quebec City Art & Artists: An Illustrated History, author Michèle Grandbois writes about Ramsay's time in Canada and his connection to the arts in Quebec City.
Commander in Chief of India
Dalhousie was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army in 1828. Army headquarters alternated between Calcutta and Simla. India taxed his health, and he resigned in 1832.
Retirement
Dalhousie suffered a "fainting fit" in February 1833. His health continued to deteriorate, and he returned to his estate, in 1834, where his health continued to deteriorate until his death 4 years later. He went both blind and senile in his final years.
Family
Lord Dalhousie married Christian, daughter of Charles Broun, of Colstoun in East Lothian, Scotland, a lady of gentle extraction and distinguished gifts, in 1805. She was recognised as a "zealous botanist" by leading scientists of her day.
Ramsay and Christian had three sons, the two elder of whom died early. He died at Dalhousie Castle in March 1838, aged 67, and was succeeded by his youngest son, James, who was later created Marquess of Dalhousie. Lady Dalhousie died in January 1839.
Lord Dalhousie's family name is pronounced 'dal-How-zee' except when referring to the Port Dalhousie ward of St. Catharines, Ontario, pronounced locally as 'dal-OO-zee'. Likewise, Dalhousie Street in Brantford, Ontario and the former Dalhousie Ward in Ottawa are often pronounced locally as 'dal-HOO-zee'. It is said that this is a result of the accent of the Scottish sailors and shipbuilders who frequented the Port's establishments (Dalhousie, himself a Scot, used the more upper class English-sounding pronunciation).
Legacy
While serving as Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia he founded Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The town of Dalhousie, New Brunswick was named after him when he visited there in 1826, although his diary entry for the day stated that he disapproved of changing the original French and Mi'kmaq location names. The villages of East and West Dalhousie in Nova Scotia are named after him, as are Earltown and Port Dalhousie, which is part of St. Catharines, Ontario, a community in Calgary Alberta, Dalhousie Station and an adjacent square, Dalhousie Square in Montreal.