William Steuart was born in 1643 from a Scottish family. He was a cousin of the 8th Earl of Caithness. His father, also called William Steuart, a Royalist in the Civil War, had been granted land in Ireland where the younger William grew up. His first commission was as an officer in the 1st Foot Guards. Steuart was appointed Colonel of the regiment on 1 May 1689 after Colonel Cunningham was dismissed for failing to relieve Londonderry in April. Lieutenant-Colonel Steuart had been the CO of Hodges’ Regiment (later 16th Foot). He was wounded twice in the civil war in Ireland, once at Limerick and more severely at the siege of Athlone. He was promoted to brigadier-general in 1894, major-general on 1 June 1696, lieutenant-general on 11 Feb 1703 and general on 31 Jan 1710. He served in Flanders and Spain. In 1712 he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the army in Ireland. After George I came to the throne, Steuart was suspected of supporting the Stuart dynasty. He was obliged to sell his commission on 26 July 1715, to Colonel James Campbell who was Lt-Colonel in the Scots Greys.
General William Steuart was married twice, first to Lady Katherine FitzGerald but she died in December 1725, and one month later he married Eliza Alston. Neither marriage produced children. General Steuart died on 4 June 1726. He was buried with his first wife in the vault of the Duke of Buckingham in Westminster Abbey. He was a benefactor, leaving 5,000 pounds in his will for a school for poor boys in his parish, St George’s in London. He also donated land on which St George’s, Hanover Square was built, laying the first stone in 1721.
The portrait is taken from The History of the Norfolk Regiment 1685 - 1918 by F Loraine Petre. The original painting was in the possession of Ion Villiers-Stuart of Dromana, Cappoquin, Co. Waterford.
