ANDREW LEITH HAY - DISTINGUISHED SOLDIER & WRITER - SIGNED ENVELOPE FRONT for Sale

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ANDREW LEITH HAY - DISTINGUISHED SOLDIER & WRITER - SIGNED ENVELOPE FRONT For Sale

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ANDREW LEITH HAY - DISTINGUISHED SOLDIER & WRITER - SIGNED ENVELOPE FRONT:
$31.08

ENVELOPE FREE FRONT DATED 1836 ADDRESSED AND SIGNED BY style="margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: inherit; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Sir Andrew Leith Hayof RannesKHFRSEFRS(17 February 1785 – 13 October 1862) was a Scottish soldier,Scottish Liberal Partypolitician and writer on architecture.

Andrew Leith Hay was the eldest son of GeneralAlexander Leith Hayof Rannes and Mary Forbes of Ballogie (died 1824), and was born atAberdeenon 17 February 1785.[1]

He entered the army as anensignin the72nd Footon 8 January 1806, went to the Peninsula in 1808 as aide-de-camp to his uncle, General SirJames Leith, and served through the war until 1814. He was much employed in gaining intelligence, and was present at many of the actions fromCorunnato thestorming of San Sebastian. Wherever he went he made sketches, and in 1831 worked up these materials into two volumes, entitledA Narrative of the Peninsula War. On General Leith being appointed to the governorship ofBarbadoesin 1816, his nephew accompanied him, and discharged the duties ofmilitary secretaryand also those ofassistant quartermaster-generalandassistant adjutant-general. Ascaptainin the2nd Foothe served from 21 November 1817 to 30 September 1819, when he was placed on half-pay.[2]

He had previously been named a knight commander of theorder of Charles III of Spain, and a member of theLegion of Honour.[3]

Having retired from the army he turned his attention to politics, took part in the agitation preceding the passing of theReform Act 1832, and became member for theElgin burghson 29 December 1832. Shortly after entering parliament his readiness as a speaker and his acquaintance with military affairs attracted the notice ofLord Melbourne, who conferred on him the lucrative appointment ofClerk of the Ordnanceon 19 June 1834, and also appointed him a Knight of theRoyal Guelphic Order. He was elected aFellow of the Royal Societyin December 1834.[4]

On 6 February 1838, on being appointed to the governorship ofBermuda, he resigned his seat in parliament.[3]Circumstances, however, arose which prevented him from going to Bermuda, and on 7 July 1841 he was again elected for theElgin burghs, and continued to sit till 23 July 1847. At the election in the following month he was displaced, nor was he successful when he contested the city ofAberdeenon 10 July 1852.[3]

To county matters he paid much attention, more especially to the affairs of thecounty of Aberdeen. His most interesting and useful book, entitledThe Castellated Architecture of Aberdeenshire,appeared in 1849. The work consists oflithographsof the principal baronial residences in the county, all from sketches by himself; the letterpress, which contains a great amount of information, being also from his pen.[3]

He died atLeith Hallnear Aberdeen on 13 October 1862.