Lieutenant-General Sir Kenneth MacKenzie Douglas, 1st Baronet (1754–1833), born Kenneth MacKenzie, was the first baronet of the
Douglas of Glenbervie, Kincardine Baronetcy (second creation). He was created baronet in 1831.
[''A New General Biographical Dictionary'', Hugh James Rose](_blank)
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Born as Kenneth MacKenzie in Dundee
Dundee (; sco, Dundee; gd, Dùn Dè or ) is Scotland's fourth-largest city and the 51st-most-populous built-up area in the United Kingdom. The mid-year population estimate for 2016 was , giving Dundee a population density of 2,478/km2 or ...
in 1754, his father was Kenneth Mackenzie, of Kilcoy
Kilcoy is a rural town and locality in the Somerset Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , the locality of Kilcoy had a population of 1,898 people.
Geography
The township is on the D'Aguilar Highway, north west of the state capital, Brisbane, ...
, Ross-shire
Ross-shire (; gd, Siorrachd Rois) is a historic county in the Scottish Highlands. The county borders Sutherland to the north and Inverness-shire to the south, as well as having a complex border with Cromartyshire – a county consisting of ...
, and his mother Janet, a daughter of Sir Robert Douglas, 6th Baronet of Glenbervie (first creation).[David Gates]
‘Mackenzie, Kenneth (later Sir Kenneth Douglas, first baronet) (1754–1833)’
''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...
'', Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press (OUP) is the university press of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world, and its printing history dates back to the 1480s. Having been officially granted the legal right to print books ...
, 2004. Retrieved 19 June 2008
He was commissioned as an ensign
An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...
in the 33rd Foot in 1767, and 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 sub ...
in 1775. MacKenzie transferred to the 14th Foot in 1783. He served in Guernsey
Guernsey (; Guernésiais: ''Guernési''; french: Guernesey) is an island in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy that is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown Dependency.
It is the second largest of the Channel Islands ...
, the West Indies
The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greater A ...
, Flanders
Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, ...
, Gibraltar
)
, anthem = " God Save the King"
, song = " Gibraltar Anthem"
, image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg
, map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe
, map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green
, mapsize =
, image_map2 = Gib ...
, and Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
. He joined the 90th Foot
The 90th Perthshire Light Infantry was a Scottish light infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1794. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 26th (Cameronian) Regiment of Foot to form the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) in ...
in 1794, when, under Thomas Graham, (later Lord Lynedoch), he trained light company troops. On the death of Lieutenant-Colonel Ogilvie of the 44th Foot, Mackenzie transferred to that regiment, taking command.
Following a decision by the British Army to train some line regiments in light infantry
Light infantry refers to certain types of lightly equipped infantry throughout history. They have a more mobile or fluid function than other types of infantry, such as heavy infantry or line infantry. Historically, light infantry often fought ...
techniques, Sir John Moore, a proponent of the light infantry model, offered his own regiment of line infantry, the 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot
The 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot was a light infantry regiment of the British Army throughout much of the 18th and 19th centuries. The regiment first saw active service during the American War of Independence, and were posted to India du ...
, for this training, at Shorncliffe Camp.[Chappell, p. 11] Mackenzie was appointed lieutenant colonel of the 52nd. They formed a brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division.
Br ...
with the 95th Rifles, and three line regiments. Much of the training was undertaken by Lieutenant-Colonel Kenneth MacKenzie, who devised many of the tactics of light infantry training,[Chappell, p. 12] He was responsible for many of the drills and exercises of the "Shorncliffe System
Shorncliffe Redoubt is a British Napoleonic earthwork fort. The site is approximately 300 feet by 300 feet and is situated on the Kentish Coast in Sandgate, Kent.
History
In 1793, the French Revolution reached its climax when the Revolutionary ...
".
Injured after a fall from a horse in late 1803, he took leave, during which time he married Rachel Andrews, of Shorncliffe. (They had 6 sons and one daughter.) He saw some active service at Cadiz, but his health remained poor, and he spent most of the war convalescing in England. In 1811 he was given command of the light infantry troops then in England. In early 1814 he served under Thomas Graham in the Netherlands, commanding the 2nd Division in the Expeditionary Corps. During the Hundred Days
The Hundred Days (french: les Cent-Jours ), also known as the War of the Seventh Coalition, marked the period between Napoleon's return from eleven months of exile on the island of Elba to Paris on20 March 1815 and the second restoration ...
he commanded the citadel of Antwerp
Antwerp Citadel ( es, Castillo de Amberes, nl, Kasteel van Antwerpen) was a pentagonal bastion fort built to defend and dominate the city of Antwerp in the early stages of the Dutch Revolt. It has been described as "doubtlesse the most matchlesse ...
.
Made baronet in 1831 he also changed his surname to Douglas that year. He died in 1833 and was succeeded by his son Robert Andrew Douglas.
Notes
References
* Chappell, Mike; (2004) ''Wellington's Peninsula Regiments (2): The Light Infantry'', Oxford: Osprey Publishing
Osprey Publishing is a British, Oxford-based, publishing company specializing in military history. Predominantly an illustrated publisher, many of their books contain full-colour artwork plates, maps and photographs, and the company produces ov ...
,
External links
*
Monument inscription, Hythe Church
{{DEFAULTSORT:Douglas, Kenneth
1754 births
1833 deaths
52nd Regiment of Foot officers
Baronets in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom
British Army lieutenant generals
33rd Regiment of Foot officers
44th Regiment of Foot officers
British Army personnel of the Napoleonic Wars
People from Ross and Cromarty