Life of Lord Stirling (The American Revolution)

Major General William Alexander (1726-1783) was one of George Washington's most trusted generals. Both had served as general aides during the French and Indian War, both were prominent and successful. William Alexander spent several years in London pursuing his claim to the vacant Earldom of Stirling - a Scottish peerage which would have entitled him to attend the House of Lords. Had his claim been perfected, he would have been one of only two Lords in North America. Even though he did not receive the imprimatur of Parliament to the Earldom, he called himself Lord Stirling, anyway. So did George Washington.

This biography was written by his grandson, William Alexander Duer, of Morristown, New Jersey. It was originally published in 1848 by the New Jersey Historical Society, and has been out of print for over 150 years. The work examines Lord Stirling's life primarily through his correspondence. It remains one of the key sources on this outstanding, but little known patriot.

The Digital Edition (Adobe PDF) is published in portrait orientation; extensive footnotes appear on the pages in which they are referenced; fully-searchable, fully-printable. Collections of images which support the biography are accessed through DigitalAntiquaria.com.