Charles Cathcart, 9th Lord Cathcart

Charles Cathcart, 9th Lord Cathcart
Charles Cathcart, 9th Lord Cathcart; KT
	Lord Cathcart by Joshua Reynolds (1753–55) Manchester Art Gallery
Ambassador from Great Britain to Russia
	In office; February 1768 – 1772
Preceded by	George Macartney, 1st Earl Macartney
Succeeded by	Sir Robert Gunning, 1st Baronet
Personal details
Born	21 March 1721
Died	14 August 1776 (aged 55)
Citizenship	British
Nationality	Scottish
Spouse(s)	Jane Hamilton
Occupation	Diplomat, soldier
Military service
Nickname(s)	Patch Cathcart
Allegiance	Kingdom of Great Britain
Branch/service	British Army
Battles/wars	War of the Austrian Succession Battle of Fontenoy; Jacobite Rising of 1745 Battle of Culloden;

Lieutenant-General Charles Schaw Cathcart, 9th Lord Cathcart, KT (21 March 1721 – 14 August 1776) was a British soldier and diplomat. He was also chief of the Clan Cathcart.

Biography

The son of Charles Cathcart, 8th Lord Cathcart, and Marion Shaw, he was born on 21 March 1721. Opposed to the restoration of the Stuart monarchy, he became an aide-de-camp to the Duke of Cumberland and during the Battle of Fontenoy in 1745, was shot in the face. Joshua Reynolds' portrait (1753–55) shows the black silk patch he used to cover the scar on his cheek. This seemingly earned him the soubriquet 'Patch Cathcart'. The following year at the Battle of Culloden, again acting as ADC to Cumberland, Cathcart was once more wounded in battle.

Charles was the last Lord Cathcart to inherit the family estate of Sundrum. Upon inheriting his mother's estates in Greenock he sold Sundrum to James Murray of Broughton in 1758.

In 1763 he was created a Knight of the Order of the Thistle.

In February 1768 he was appointed ambassador at St Petersburg and was well received by Catherine the Great. He served at the Russian court until 1772. On his return to Britain he was elected Rector of Glasgow University in 1773.

He died on 14 August 1776.

Personal life and children

Bust of his daughter Mary.

On 24 July 1753 he married Jane Hamilton (1722–1771), daughter of Captain Lord Archibald Hamilton and Lady Jane Hamilton.

They had nine children:

Jane (20 May 1754 – 5 December 1790), first wife of the fourth Duke of Atholl.
William Cathcart, 1st Earl Cathcart (17 September 1755 – 16 June 1843)
Mary (1 March 1757 – 26 June 1792), a celebrated beauty, who married Thomas Graham, 1st Baron Lynedoch[1]
Louisa (1 June 1758 – 11 July 1843), married 1st, David Murray (1727–1796), 2nd Earl of Mansfield; married 2nd, her cousin Hon. Robert Fulke Greville
Charles (28 December 1759 – 10 June 1788)
John (23 April 1761 – 00 January 1762)
Archibald (25 July 1764 – 10 October 1841)
[a son] (7 June 1768; stillborn)
Catherine Charlotte (8 July 1770 – 20 October 1794; died unmarried)

Ranks

He held the following ranks:[2]

Captain, 1742
Colonel, 1750
Major-General, 1758
Lieutenant-General, 1760

References

"The Honourable Mrs Graham (1757–1792)". National Galleries Scotland.
"Cathcart, Lord (S, c. 1452)". Cracroftspeerage.co.uk. 31 March 2010. Retrieved 28 February 2017.

External links

"Archival material relating to Charles Cathcart, 9th Lord Cathcart". UK National Archives.

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Sir George Macartney	Ambassador from Great Britain to Russia 1768–1772	Succeeded by Sir Robert Gunning
Academic offices
Preceded by Lord Frederick Campbell	Rector of the University of Glasgow 1773–1775	Succeeded by Sir James Montgomery
Peerage of Scotland
Preceded by Charles Cathcart	Lord Cathcart 1740–1776	Succeeded by William Cathcart

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[1] "The Honourable Mrs Graham (1757–1792)". National Galleries Scotland.

[2] "Cathcart, Lord (S, c. 1452)". Cracroftspeerage.co.uk. 31 March 2010. Retrieved 28 February 2017.