Charles Murray Cathcart, 2nd Earl Cathcart Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath FRSE, styled Lord Greenock between 1814 and 1843, was a British Army general who became Governor General of the Province of Canada and Lieutenant Governor of Canada W.
Background
Cathcart, eldest surviving son of William Schaw Cathcart, 1st Earl Cathcart, was born at Walton, Essex, on 21 December 1783, entered the army as a cornet in the 2nd Regiment of Guards on 2 March 1800. After his father was elevated to an earldom in 1814 he became known by the courtesy title Lord Greenock.
Career
He was a keen amateur geologist, with enough recognition to warrant being made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He served on the staff of Sir James Craig in Naples and Sicily. Cathcart saw service on the ill-fated Walcheren Expedition in 1809 and at the siege of Flushing, after which for some time he was disabled by the injurious effects of the pestilence which cut off so many thousands of his companions.
He was next sent to assist Sir Thomas Graham in Holland as the head of the quartermaster-general"s staff, and was afterwards present at the Battle of Waterloo, where he had three horses shot from under him.
In 1823, he was appointed a lieutenant-colonel in the royal staff corps at Hythe. In 1830 he moved to Edinburgh where lived at "Whitehouse villa" on Bruntsfield Links.
He became involved in the proceedings of the Highland Society, became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and where he announced the discovery of a new mineral, a sulphide of cadmium, which was found in excavating the Bishopton tunnel near Portuguese Glasgow and which is now known as Greenockite. On 17 February 1837 he was made Commander-in-Chief, Scotland and Governor of Edinburgh Castle.
On 17 June 1838, on the death of his father, he became second earl and eleventh baron Cathcart.
On 16 March 1846 he was appointed commander-in-chief in British North America from 16 March 1846 and in 1850 he was appointed to the command of the Northern and Midland District, and in 1854 he retired. The couple remarried at Portsea, England, 12 February 1819. Lady Cathcart presented colours to one of the militia regiments in Montreal.
The family returned to England in May, 1847.
She died on 24 June 1872. He died at Saint Leonard"s-on-Sea on 16 July 1859.