Ronald Craufurd Ferguson of Raith was born in Edinburgh on 8 Feb 1773, the son of William Ferguson and Jane Craufurd. He had a long and distinguished army career, serving as an officer in the 53rd Foot, fighting in Flanders against Revolutionary France, at Valenciennes and Nieuwport in 1793. He was wounded in the knee and the following year exchanged to the 84th Foot as a major but was then promoted to lieutenant-colonel commanding the 2nd battalion at the age of 21. The unit went to India but was diverted to the Cape of Good Hope in 1795. In India he married Jean, daughter of General Sir Hector Munro, in 1798. By 1800 he was back in Europe fighting at Belle Isle and in the Ferrol Expedition.
In 1805 he commanded the Highland Brigade at the recapture of the Cape of Good Hope where he served with distinction against the Dutch and earned the thanks of Sir David Baird. In the Peninsula he commanded a brigade consisting of the 42nd and 78th Highlanders at Roliça and Vimeiro in August 1808. He was mentioned in Wellesley’s despatch and thanked in the House of Commons.
He had a parallel career as a politician, serving as Liberal MP for the Dysart Burghs from 1806 to 1830. In 1809 he made speeches against the Duke of York in the Clarke scandal. He supported measures to improve civil and religious liberty and was an advocate for Catholic emancipation. He lost the election in 1830 and stood successfully for Nottingham which he held until his death.
He reached the rank of lieutenant-general in 1813 and was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in 1815. He saw service as second in command to the army at Cádiz in 1810 and then suffered a bout of illness. His active military service was over and he concentrated on his political career but was promoted to general and appointed Colonel of the 79th Cameron Highlanders in March 1828 after the death of Sir Alan Cameron. In 1831 he was elevated to Knight Grand Cross of the Bath (GCB). He inherited the family estate of Raith on the death of his brother in 1840. Ronald’s son, Robert Ferguson inherited the estate and also some of the estates of his grandfather Sir Hector Munro of Novar, Ross and Cromarty. He added the name of Munro and became Colonel Robert Munro Ferguson of Raith, commanding the 79th Cameron Highlanders from 1835 to 1841.
General Sir Ronald Craufurd Ferguson lived in London in the latter part of his life and died on 10 April 1841. The print was published in London in 1810, engraved from a drawing by Richard Cosway RA. It shows Major General Ronald Craufurd Ferguson MP at the age of 37 in the uniform of a general officer.
