Mittie94U89577 at 03:20, 1 May 2026

2026-05-01T03:20:08Z

New page

{{Short description|British soldier}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = [[Field Marshal]] [[The Most Honourable]]
| name = The Marquess of Tweeddale
| honorific_suffix = {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|KT|GCB}}
| image = Francis Grant (1803-1878) - George Hay (1787–1876), 8th Marquess of Tweeddale, Agriculturist - PG 1571 - National Galleries of Scotland.jpg
| caption = The 8th Marquess of Tweeddale
| birth_date = 1 February 1787
| death_date = 10 October 1876 (aged 89)
| burial_place = [[Gifford, East Lothian|Yester]], [[Scotland]]
| birth_place = [[Bonnington, Edinburgh|Bonnington]], [[Scotland]]
| death_place = [[Gifford, East Lothian|Yester]], [[Scotland]]
| nickname =
| allegiance = [[United Kingdom]]
| branch = [[British Army]]
| service_years = 1804–1848
| rank = [[Field marshal (United Kingdom)|Field Marshal]]
| unit =
| commands = [[Madras Army]]
| battles = {{Tree list}}
*[[Napoleonic Wars]]
**[[Peninsular War]]
***[[Battle of Bussaco]]{{WIA}}
***[[Battle of Vitoria]]{{WIA}}
*[[War of 1812]]
{{tree list/end}}
| awards =
| relations =
| other_work =
}}
[[File:Coat of Arms of George Hay, 8th Marquess of Tweeddale, KT, GCB.png|thumb|200px|Shield of Arms of George Hay, 8th Marquess of Tweeddale, KT, GCB]]
[[File:Yester House.jpg|thumb|200px|Yester House]]
[[Field marshal (United Kingdom)|Field Marshal]] '''George Hay, 8th Marquess of Tweeddale''', {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|KT|GCB}} (1 February 1787 – 10 October 1876), Hereditary Chamberlain of Dunfermline,<ref>{{cite book
| last = Debrett
| first = John
| date = 1847
| title = Debrett's Genealogical Peerage of Great Britain and Ireland
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=m19HAQAAMAAJ
| publisher = William Pickering
| page = 754
}}</ref> was a [[British people|British]] soldier and administrator. He served as a staff officer in the [[Peninsular War]] under [[Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington|Arthur Wellesley]] and was with Wellesley at the [[Second Battle of Porto]] when they crossed the [[Douro]] river and routed [[Jean-de-Dieu Soult|Marshal Soult]]'s French troops in [[Porto]]. Hay also saw action at the [[Battle of Bussaco]] and at the [[Battle of Vitoria]]. He later served in the [[War of 1812]] and commanded the [[100th Regiment of Foot (Prince Regent's County of Dublin Regiment)|100th Regiment of Foot]] at the [[Battle of Chippawa]] when he was taken [[prisoner of war]]. He went on to become [[List of colonial Governors and Presidents of Madras Presidency|governor of Madras]] and, at the same time, [[Commander-in-chief|Commander-in-Chief]] of the [[Madras Army]], in which role he restored the discipline of the army, which had been allowed to fall into a relaxed state.

==Life and military career==
Born at [[Yester House]] the eldest son of [[George Hay, 7th Marquess of Tweeddale]] and Lady Hannah Charlotte Maitland (a daughter of [[James Maitland, 7th Earl of Lauderdale]]), Hay was educated at the [[Royal High School, Edinburgh|Royal High School]] in [[Edinburgh]] and [[Officer (armed forces)|commissioned]] as an [[ensign (rank)|ensign]] in the [[52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot|52nd Light Infantry]] in June 1804.<ref name=odnb>{{cite ODNB|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/12721?docPos=6|title=George Hay, 8th Marquess of Tweeddale|date=2004 |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/12721 |accessdate=8 December 2013}}</ref> After succeeding to his father's title as Marquess of Tweeddale in August 1804, he was promoted to [[Lieutenant (British Army and Royal Marines)|lieutenant]] on 12 October 1804 and, having received his first training under [[John Moore (British Army officer)|Sir John Moore]] at [[Shorncliffe Army Camp|Shorncliffe]],<ref name=electric>{{cite web|url=http://www.electricscotland.com/webclans/families/hays_tweeddale.htm|title=The Hays of Tweeddale|publisher=Electric Scotland|accessdate=8 December 2013}}</ref> he served as an [[aide-de-camp]] in [[Sicily]] in 1806.<ref name=heath173>Heathcote, p. 173</ref> He transferred to the [[Grenadier Guards]] with the rank of lieutenant in the regiment and [[captain (British Army and Royal Marines)|captain]] in the Army on 12 May 1807.<ref name=heath173/>
[[File:George Hay, Vanity Fair, 1876-01-08.jpg|thumb|left|Caricature of George Hay, 8th Marquess of Tweeddale driving a coach]]
Hay served as a staff officer in the [[Peninsular War]] under [[Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington|Arthur Wellesley]].<ref name=heath173/> Hay was with Wellesley at the [[Second Battle of Porto]] in May 1809 when they crossed the [[Douro]] river in a daylight ''[[coup de main]]'' and routed [[Jean-de-Dieu Soult|Marshal Soult]]'s French troops in [[Porto]].<ref name=electric/> He was deputy assistant quartermaster general and was wounded at the [[Battle of Bussaco]] in September 1810 and, having been promoted to [[Major (United Kingdom)|major]] in the [[41st (Welch) Regiment of Foot|41st Regiment of Foot]], he was assistant quartermaster general at the [[Battle of Vitoria]] in June 1813.<ref name="thepeerage.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.thepeerage.com/p10321.htm|title=George Hay, 8th Marquess of Tweeddale|publisher= The Peerage|accessdate=8 December 2013}}</ref> He was immediately promoted to [[lieutenant colonel]].<ref name=heath173/>

Hay also served in the [[War of 1812]] between Britain and America, and commanded the [[100th Regiment of Foot (Prince Regent's County of Dublin Regiment)|100th Regiment of Foot]] at the [[Battle of Chippawa]] in July 1814.<ref name=heath173/> As the redcoats of the [[Royal Scots|1/1st (Royal Scots) Foot]] and 100th Regiments moved forward, their own artillery had to stop firing in order to avoid hitting them. Meanwhile, the American gunners switched from firing roundshot to firing [[canister shot|canister]], with lethal consequences for the British infantry. Once the opposing lines had closed to less than 100 yards apart, [[Winfield Scott|General Winfield Scott]] of the [[United States Army]] advanced his wings, forming his brigade into a "U" shape which allowed his flanking units to catch the British advancing troops in a heavy crossfire.<ref>Elting, p. 186</ref> Hay made an attempt to fight to the death but was taken [[prisoner of war]] by the Americans.<ref name=heath173/> He was appointed [[Order of the Bath|Companion of the Order of the Bath]] in 1815.<ref name=odnb/> After the War he returned to Scotland and improved his family estate at [[Gifford, East Lothian|Yester]].<ref name=heath173/> From 1818 to 1820 he served as [[List of Grand Masters of the Grand Lodge of Scotland|Pro-Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=17430|page=2224|date=12 December 1818}}</ref> He was elected a [[List of Scottish representative peers|representative peer for Scotland]] in July 1818, appointed [[Order of the Thistle|Knight of the Thistle]] in 1820 and became [[Lord Lieutenant of East Lothian]] in February 1823.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=17898|page=292|date=22 February 1823}}</ref> He was also promoted to [[Colonel (United Kingdom)|colonel]] on 27 May 1825<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=18141|page=927|date=28 May 1825}}</ref> and to [[Major-general (United Kingdom)|major-general]] on 10 May 1837.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=19456|page=64|date=10 January 1837}}</ref> Meanwhile, on his estate, he developed an improved method of making tiles for draining which was [[patent]]ed in October 1839.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=19783|page=2018|date=29 October 1839}}</ref>

In 1842 Hay returned to public service when he was appointed [[List of colonial Governors and Presidents of Madras Presidency|governor of Madras]] and also, by special arrangement of the Duke of Wellington, [[Commander-in-chief|Commander-in-Chief]] of the [[Madras Army]].<ref name=odnb/> In that role he restored the discipline of the army, which had been allowed to fall into a relaxed state.<ref name=electric/> Promoted to [[Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)|lieutenant general]] on 9 November 1846,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=20660|supp=y|page=3987|date=10 November 1846}}</ref> he retired from active service and returned to his estate in Scotland again in 1848.<ref name=heath173/> He was promoted to full [[General (United Kingdom)|general]] on 20 June 1854<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=21564|page=1932|date=22 June 1854}}</ref> and invited to join a [[Royal Commission]] established in July 1858 to inquire into the organization of the army then serving under the [[East India Company]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=22162|page=3285|date=16 July 1858}}</ref> He was advanced to [[Order of the Bath|Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath]] on 9 November 1862<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=22679|page=5343|date=10 November 1862}}</ref> and to [[Order of the Bath|Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath]] on 13 March 1867<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=23230|page=1724|date=15 March 1867}}</ref> before being further promoted to [[Field marshal (United Kingdom)|field marshal]] on 29 May 1875.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=24213|page=2851|date=29 May 1875}}</ref>

Hay also served as colonel of the [[30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot|30th Regiment of Foot]],<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=20571|page=529|date=13 February 1846}}</ref> then of the [[42nd Regiment of Foot]]<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=22610|page=1536|date=21 March 1862}}</ref> and finally of the [[2nd Regiment of Life Guards]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=22776|page=4742|date=2 October 1863}}</ref> A strong man, he once drove the [[mail coach]] from [[London]] to [[Haddington, East Lothian|Haddington]] without a halt or a rest.<ref name=electric/> He died, following injuries sustained during a fire at his home,<ref name=electric/> at [[Yester House]] on 10 October 1876 and was buried in the family burial vault at the Church of St. Cuthbert at Yester in Scotland.<ref name=odnb/>
[[File:Chippewa.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The Battle of Chippawa, at which Hay was taken prisoner of war, during the War of 1812]]

==Family==

In 1816 he married Lady Susan Montagu, a daughter of the [[William Montagu, 5th Duke of Manchester|5th Duke of Manchester]]: they had six sons and eight daughters:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/warmemscot-ptopic2117.html|title=George Hay, 8th Marquess of Tweeddale|publisher=Scottish War Memorials Project|accessdate=8 December 2013}}</ref>
*[[Susan Broun-Ramsay, Marchioness of Dalhousie|Lady Susan Georgiana Hay]] (13 March 1817 – 6 May 1853), married the [[James Broun-Ramsay, 1st Marquess of Dalhousie|1st Marquess of Dalhousie]] and had issue
*Lady Hannah Charlotte Hay (12 Apr 1818 – 10 November 1887), married [[Simon Watson Taylor (landowner)|Simon Watson Taylor]] and had issue
*Lady Louisa Jane (29 Jul 1819 – 9 September 1882), married Robert Ramsay and had issue
*[[Elizabeth Wellesley, Duchess of Wellington|Lady Elizabeth]] (27 September 1820 – 13 August 1904), married the [[Arthur Wellesley, 2nd Duke of Wellington|2nd Duke of Wellington]]
*[[George Hay, Earl of Gifford|George, Earl of Gifford]] (22 April 1822 – 22 December 1862)
*Lady Millicent (1823–1826), died young
*[[Arthur Hay, 9th Marquess of Tweeddale|Lord Arthur, later Earl of Gifford and later 9th Marquess of Tweeddale]] (9 November 1824 – 29 December 1878)
*[[William Hay, 10th Marquess of Tweeddale|Lord William Montagu, later 10th Marquess of Tweeddale]] (27 January 1826 – 25 November 1911)
*[[Lord John Hay (Royal Navy admiral of the fleet)|Lord John]] (23 August 1827 – 4 May 1916)
*Lady Jane (1830 – 13 December 1920), married [[Richard Taylor (British Army officer)|Sir Richard Taylor]] and had issue
*Lady Julia (1831–1915)
*Lord Charles Edward (1833–1912)
*Lord Frederick (1835–1912)
*[[Emily, Lady Peel|Lady Emily]] (1836 – 4 April 1924), married [[Sir Robert Peel, 3rd Baronet]] and had issue

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Sources==
*{{cite book|last=Elting|first=John R|title=Amateurs to Arms: A military history of the war of 1812|publisher=Da Capo Press|location=New York|year=1995|isbn=0-306-80653-3|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/amateurstoarmsmi00elti}}
* {{cite book|last=Heathcote|first=Tony|title=The British Field Marshals, 1736–1997: A Biographical Dictionary |publisher= Leo Cooper|location=Barnsley|year= 1999|isbn= 0-85052-696-5}}

{{Commons category|George Hay, 8th Marquess of Tweeddale}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-npo|mason}}
{{succession box | title=[[List of Grand Masters of the Grand Lodge of Scotland|Pro-Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland]] | before=[[Sir John Majoribanks, 1st Baronet|Sir John Marjoribanks, Bt]] | after=[[Alexander Hamilton, 10th Duke of Hamilton|The Duke of Hamilton]] (as Grand Master) | years=1818–1820}}
{{s-off}}
{{succession box | title=[[Governor of Madras]]
| before=[[John Elphinstone, 13th Lord Elphinstone|The Lord Elphinstone]] | after=[[Henry Pottinger]] | years=1842–1848}}
|-
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Samuel Ford Whittingham|Sir Samuel Whittingham]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Madras Army|C-in-C, Madras Army]] (while serving as Governor)|years=1842–1848}}
{{s-aft|after=[[George Berkeley (British Army officer)|Sir George Berkeley]]}}
|-
{{succession box | title=Colonel of the [[30th Regiment of Foot]] | before=[[Thomas Bradford|Sir Thomas Bradford]] | after=[[Thomas Wright (lieutenant-general)|Thomas Wright]] | years=1846–1862}}
|-
{{succession box | title=Colonel of the [[42nd Regiment of Foot]] | before=[[James Dawes Douglas|Sir James Douglas]] | after=[[Duncan Cameron (general)|Sir Duncan Cameron]] | years=1862–1863}}
|-
{{succession box | title=Colonel of the [[2nd Life Guards]] | before=[[Henry Lygon, 4th Earl Beauchamp|The Earl Beauchamp]] | after=[[Frederick Upton, 3rd Viscount Templtetown|The Viscount Templetown]] | years=1863–1876}}
{{s-hon}}
{{succession box | before=[[Charles Hamilton, 8th Earl of Haddington|The 8th Earl of Haddington]] | title=[[Lord Lieutenant of East Lothian]] | years=1823–1876 | after=[[George Baillie-Hamilton-Arden, 11th Earl of Haddington|The 11th Earl of Haddington]]}}
{{s-reg|sct}}
{{succession box | before=[[George Hay, 7th Marquess of Tweeddale|George Hay]] | title=[[Marquess of Tweeddale]] | after=[[Arthur Hay, 9th Marquess of Tweeddale|Arthur Hay]] | years=1804–1876}}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tweeddale, George Hay, 8th Marquess Of}}
[[Category:1787 births]]
[[Category:1876 deaths]]
[[Category:Nobility from East Lothian]]
[[Category:Military personnel from East Lothian]]
[[Category:People educated at the Royal High School, Edinburgh]]
[[Category:British field marshals]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of the War of 1812]]
[[Category:Governors of Madras]]
[[Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath]]
[[Category:Knights of the Thistle]]
[[Category:Lord-lieutenants of East Lothian]]
[[Category:Scottish soldiers]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of the Peninsular War]]
[[Category:Marquesses of Tweeddale|8]]
[[Category:War of 1812 prisoners of war held by the United States]]
[[Category:Commanders-in-chief of Madras]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Edinburgh]]

George Hay 8th Marquess of Tweeddale - Revision history

Mittie94U89577 at 03:20, 1 May 2026