ALEXANDER, WILLIAM ( 1726-83 ) . An American soldier, generally called "Lord Stir ling." He was born in New York City and was the son of James Alexander (1690-1756), a colo nial lawyer and atto•ney-general of New York (1721-23) who took an active part in the defense of Zenger (q.v.), and was prominent on the side of the colonists in the early disputes with the British ministry. He served in the French and Indian War, first as commissary and then as aide-de-camp to General Shirley: but went to England in 1756 to defend Shirley against the charge of neglect of duty (see SHIRLEY, WILLIAM ) , and to urge his claim be fore the House of Lords to the earldom of Stirling, through descent from Sir William Alex ander, Earl of Stirling (1580-1640). This claim was not allowed, and in 1761 he returned to America. Be soon became and a member of the Provincial Council, and in No s-ember, 1775, enlisted as colonel in a New Jersey regiment. In January. 1776, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier-general, and on August 27 took a conspicuous part in the battle of Long Island (q.v.), where his brigade was almost an
nihilated and he himself was eaptured. He was exchanged within a month, became a majo•-gen eral in February, 1777, served with great gal lantry and efficiency in the battles of Brandy wine, Germantown, and Monmouth, and subse quently was in command at Albany, N. V., until his death. He was well educated, was an enthu siastic student of mathematics and astronomy, and was one of the founders and first governor of King's College (now Columbia University). He published a pamphlet entitled The Conduct of Major-General Shirley, Briefly Stated (1750, and An Account of the Comet of June and July (1770). Consult: W. A. Life of William, Alexander, Earl of Stirling, in the collection of the New Jersey Historical Society for 1847, and Charles Rogers, The House of Alexander (1877).