Sir Gordon Drummond (27 September 1772 – 10 October 1854) holds the honour of being the first Canadian-born officer to command the military and the civil government. As Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, Drummond distinguished himself on the Niagara front in the War of 1812 and later became Governor-General and Administrator of Canada.
Drummond was born in Quebec in 1772, the son of Colin Drummond, Lower Canada Paymaster and a member of a promi...
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Sir Gordon Drummond (27 September 1772 – 10 October 1854) holds the honour of being the first Canadian-born officer to command the military and the civil government. As Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, Drummond distinguished himself on the Niagara front in the War of 1812 and later became Governor-General and Administrator of Canada.
Drummond was born in Quebec in 1772, the son of Colin Drummond, Lower Canada Paymaster and a member of a prominent Scottish family. Educated in Britain as a youth and exposed to the military at an early age because of his father's career, young Gordon Drummond made no secret of his intention to sign on with the British Army as soon as possible. At 17 years of age, he joined the Army as an ensign.
Drummond very quickly demonstrated great promise and talent as an officer. In 1794, having been in the Army for only five years, he served as a junior lieutenant-colonel in the Netherlands, commanded by the Duke of York himself. He also saw service in the...
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