Charles Stuart ( British Army officer ) Colonel Sir Charles Stuart , KB ( January 1753 – 25 May 1801 ) was a British nobleman and soldier . The fourth son of John Stuart , 3rd Earl of Bute and Mary Wortley Montagu , he was born in Kenwood House , London . He had several notable brothers and sisters , including John Stuart , 1st Marquess of Bute ( 1744 – 1814 ) ; The Most Rev . and Hon . William Stuart ( 1755 – 1822 ) , a clergyman who became Archbishop of Armagh , and James Archibald Stuart ( 1747 – 1818 ) , another soldier who raised the 92nd Regiment of Foot in 1779 . His sisters were Lady Louisa Stuart ( 1757 – 1851 ) , a writer who died unmarried , Lady Mary Stuart ( c . 1741 – 1824 ) , who married James Lowther , later the 1st Earl of Lonsdale ; Lady Anne Stuart ( born c . 1745 ) , who married Lord Warkworth , later the 2nd Duke of Northumberland ; Lady Jane Stuart ( c . 1748 – 1828 ) , who married George Macartney , later the first Earl Macartney ; and Lady Caroline Stuart ( before 1763 – 1813 ) , who married The Hon . John Dawson , later first Earl of Portarlington . Military career . Early career . The Hon . Charles Stuart embarked upon a military career in 1768 , when he enlisted as an ensign in the 37th Regiment of Foot . He purchased a lieutenant cy in the 7th Regiment of Foot ( Royal Fusiliers ) in 1770 and a captaincy in the 37th Foot in 1775 . Late that year , he became a major commanding a battalion of the regiment , and saw service in the American War of Independence . In 1777 , he was commissioned as a lieutenant - colonel of the 26th Regiment of Foot , which he commanded until 1779 . On a visit home to England , he married Anne Louisa Bertie , daughter of Lord Vere Bertie , on 19 April 1778 . He returned briefly to America , before coming back to London as a liaison to the ministry . A harsh critic of the Army ' s conduct , he was , however , highly favored by General George Clinton . His two sons were born after his return from America : He was promoted to colonel in 1782 , but his criticisms and the disfavor of George III towards his father prevented further military commands . He had been elected MP for UK Parliament constituency in 1776 , succeeding his elder brother Lord Mount Stuart , who had been created Baron Cardiff . Stuart continued an MP for the remainder of his life , except the years 1794 – 1796 , but showed little interest in politics . In 1792 , on the death of his father , he inherited the estate of Highcliffe House in Hampshire . With the opening of hostilities against France by the First Coalition , he returned to active service . On 23 May 1794 , he took command of the army in Corsica , and supervised the taking of Calvi ( the action in which Horatio Nelson lost an eye ) . Col . John Moore was at the time his adjutant general . Stuart was promoted to lieutenant - general for this action , and on 24 October 1794 , was made colonel of the 68th Regiment of Foot . However , his pride and violent temper led him to quarrel with Lord Hood , commanding the Mediterranean Fleet , and with the civilian viceroy of Corsica , Sir Gilbert Elliot , Bt . His partiality for Pasquale Paoli against Elliot , and other conflicts , led Stuart to resign in February 1795 . On 25 March 1795 , he left the colonelcy of the 68th for that of the 26th Regiment of Foot , which he held for the remainder of his life . Defence of Portugal . He took command of a force sent to Portugal in January 1797 to defend Lisbon , and was notably successful in instilling discipline and spirit into the force , which was partly foreign in composition . Capture of Minorca . In 1798 , he was sent to attack Minorca with 3 , 000 men , an appointment heartily approved by Lord St Vincent , who praised Stuart as an excellent general and inspiring leader of troops . Though unequipped with siege artillery , he successfully dissimulated and bluffed the Spaniards into surrendering the island without loss of life , an exploit for which he was made a Knight of the Bath . From 15 November 1798 until 1800 , he served as the British governor of the island . In March 1799 , he responded to an appeal by Admiral Nelson ( who , like St Vincent , thought him an excellent leader ) , and brought the 30th and 89th Regiments under Col . Blayney to Palermo , from whence they were dispatched to secure Messina against French invasion . An able general and administrator , Stuart ' s quarrelsome disposition and tendency toward insubordination blighted an otherwise promising military career .