Alexander Irwin

Lieutenant-General Alexander Irvine or Irwin (died 1752) was a British Army officer.

On 1 October 1689 he entered the Army as an ensign in the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Foot.[1] He was made adjutant of the 1st Battalion on 22 May 1694[2] and promoted to captain on 2 October 1695, when serving with the regiment before Namur;[3] his commission was renewed in 1702.[1] In 1704 he was wounded at the Battle of Schellenberg,[1] and he was promoted to major on 3 August that year.[4] Irwin served as a brigade-major at the Battle of Blenheim, where he was again wounded, and was later present at Ramillies and Malplaquet.[5] He was granted brevet rank as a colonel on 1 March 1711.[6]

On 27 June 1737, after nearly forty-eight years' service in various parts of Europe, Irwin was appointed colonel of the 5th Regiment of Foot,[7] and following promotion to brigadier-general on 1 January 1743[5] and major-general on 24 February 1744,[7] he held important commands on the staff in Ireland,[8] where he was also Lieutenant-Governor of Kinsale. He was promoted to lieutenant-general in 1748.[7]

Lieutenant-General Irwin may have been of the family of the Irvines of Drum.[9] By his wife Catherine he had an only son, General Sir John Irwin.[8][9]