David Stewart ~ soldier and historian born in Perthshire in 1772. He served with the 42nd, 77th, 78th Highlanders and with the 90th Perthshire Light Infantry. David Stewart saw operational service in the imperialist venture in the West Indies (1794) and in the Napoleonic Wars (Egypt and the Peninsula). In 1814 after retiring on half-pay, he wrote a history of the Scottish regiments and clan system –Sketches of the Character, manner and Present State of the Highlanders of Scotland(1822). The book is widely regarded as having authenticity and objectivity, but at the time was attacked for Jacobite sympathy. David Stewart resumed his career as a soldier in 1825 and by 1829 was appointed Governor-General of St Lucia. Within a few months of arrival on the small Caribbean island he was dead (1829).
