Australian Dictionary of Biography

  • Tip: searches only the name field
  • Tip: Use double quotes to search for a phrase

Cultural Advice

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website contains names, images, and voices of deceased persons.

In addition, some articles contain terms or views that were acceptable within mainstream Australian culture in the period in which they were written, but may no longer be considered appropriate.

These articles do not necessarily reflect the views of The Australian National University.

Older articles are being reviewed with a view to bringing them into line with contemporary values but the original text will remain available for historical context.

Charles Cameron (1779–1827)

by W. F. Ellis

This article was published:

View Previous Version

Charles Cameron, by Augustus Earle, c.1825

Charles Cameron, by Augustus Earle, c.1825

National Library of Australia, 54920601

Charles Cameron (1779-1827), soldier, was born on 26 July 1779 at Driminasalie, Kilmallie, Inverness-shire, Scotland, the son of Donald and Catherine Cameron. After serving with the volunteers, he was commissioned an ensign in the 92nd Regiment on 18 February 1799 and promoted lieutenant in June. With this regiment, he served in Sir John Moore's brigade in Holland and was wounded at the battle of Egmont-op-zee on 2 October 1799. He entered the 3rd Regiment by exchange on 12 April 1800 and was promoted captain in 1804. In the Peninsular war between 1808 and 1814 he fought on the Douro, at Talavera, Busaco, Albuera, Vittoria, in the Pyrenees and in southern France. He was wounded five times. He was promoted major in 1813 and lieutenant-colonel in 1819.

In November 1821 he sailed from Deptford for Hobart Town in the Phoenix with 3 officers and 50 soldiers as escort to 182 convicts. This party regrouped with others from their regiment in Sydney to relieve the garrison in Australia. Cameron was appointed commandant of Port Dalrymple on 14 December 1822, sailed from Sydney with his troops on 19 January 1823 and landed in Van Diemen's Land on 1 February. During his term as commandant, Cameron was involved in the turbulent exchanges regarding the location of George Town as the administrative and military headquarters for northern Tasmania and the role of the garrison in the government of the colony. Finally, Cameron was ordered to remove his station to Launceston in 1824. In addition to assisting in reforming the public service, Cameron engaged fully in the life of the young colony. He was appointed a justice of the peace on 5 March 1823 and became an active supporter of a new Presbyterian Church. He was a widely respected officer and indicated his intention to retire in Tasmania at the end of his military service. He was relieved as commandant on 6 April 1825 and returned to Sydney with his troops later that mouth.

Cameron was married at Guernsey on 6 March 1807 to Mary, daughter of Ewen MacDonnell. After his wife's death Cameron married Luduvina Rosa Da Silva, a nobleman's daughter, in Portugal in 1812. After his death Luduvina married Captain John Finnis in Sydney in 1832. Of her seven children by Cameron, the eldest daughter, Charlotte (1813-1885) married William Dutton at Sydney in 1831, Julian married Dr George Bennett of Sydney and Luduvina (1824-1851) married (Sir) George Kingston in 1841. The eldest surviving son, Ewen Wallace (1816-1876), was a partner of Thomas Mort, and a founder of the Union Club and Prince Alfred Hospital; in August 1859 he received the grant of Merton, 2000 acres (809 ha) on the Hunter River at Muswellbrook, for which his father had applied before he left Australia.

On 30 January 1827 Cameron sailed for Madras, and on 14 May 1827 he died from cholera at Chinsurah, near Calcutta. He is commemorated in Tasmania by a major street in Launceston and is noted in the records of his regiment as a remarkably gallant and devoted officer.

Select Bibliography

  • Historical Records of Australia, series 1, vols 12, 13, series 3, vol 4
  • C. R. B. Knight, Historical Records of the Buffs … 1704-1914, vols 1-2 (Lond, 1935)
  • WO 31/84, 95, 96
  • Registrar-General records (Edinburgh, and Guernsey).

Citation details

W. F. Ellis, 'Cameron, Charles (1779–1827)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/cameron-charles-1869/text2183, published first in hardcopy 1966, accessed online 19 March 2024.

This article was published in hardcopy in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 1, (Melbourne University Press), 1966

View the front pages for Volume 1

© Copyright Australian Dictionary of Biography, 2006-2024

Charles Cameron, by Augustus Earle, c.1825

Charles Cameron, by Augustus Earle, c.1825

National Library of Australia, 54920601

Life Summary [details]

Birth

26 July, 1779
Kilmallie, Inverness-shire, Scotland

Death

14 May, 1827 (aged 47)
Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Cause of Death

cholera

Cultural Heritage

Includes subject's nationality; their parents' nationality; the countries in which they spent a significant part of their childhood, and their self-identity.

Religious Influence

Includes the religion in which subjects were raised, have chosen themselves, attendance at religious schools and/or religious funeral rites; Atheism and Agnosticism have been included.

Passenger Ship
Occupation
Military Service
Legacies
Key Places