Lieutenant-General Robert A. Law ( c. 1788 – May 16, 1874) was a

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

officer and colonial administrator for the colony of Newfoundland. Law was commissioned into the

71st Foot The 71st Regiment of Foot was a Highland regiment in the British Army, raised in 1777. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 74th (Highland) Regiment of Foot to become the 1st Battalion, Highland Light Infantry in 1881. History ...

in 1809. He was promoted

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...

in 1811 and Captain in 1821. In 1822 he transferred to the

1st West India Regiment The West India Regiments (WIR) were infantry units of the British Army recruited from and normally stationed in the British colonies of the Caribbean between 1795 and 1927. In 1888 the two West India Regiments then in existence were reduced t ...

. He later transferred to the 83rd Foot and in 1824 to the

Ceylon Regiment Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

. In 1834 he was promoted Major and transferred to the Royal Newfoundland Veteran Companies, also being appointed commander of the garrison in Newfoundland. His responsibilities also required him to play a political role between the departure of Governor

John Harvey John Harvey may refer to: People Academics * John Harvey (astrologer) (1564–1592), English astrologer and physician * John Harvey (architectural historian) (1911–1997), British architectural historian, who wrote on English Gothic architecture ...

and the arrival of Sir John Gaspar Le Marchant where he assumed the role as colonial administrator. Law dispensed relief to the victims of the 1846 fire at St. John's. He was promoted

Lieutenant-Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colo ...

in 1844,

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

in 1854,

Major-General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

in 1859, and Lieutenant-General in 1868. From 1870 to his death in 1874 he was Colonel of the 71st (Highland) Regiment of Foot.

References

External links

Biography at the ''Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online''
1788 births 1874 deaths 83rd (County of Dublin) Regiment of Foot officers West India Regiment officers British Army lieutenant generals British colonial army officers Governors of Newfoundland Colony 71st Highlanders officers {{canada-viceroy-stub

See also

References

External links