General Sir James Kempt, ( – 20 December 1854) was a British Army officer, who served in the Netherlands, Egypt, Italy, the Peninsula, and British North America during the Napoleonic Wars. He led a British brigade at the Battle of Waterloo and later became Governor General of Canada. Early career Born in Edinburgh around 1765, he was the son of Gavin Kempt of Batley Hall, Hampshire. Kempt was gazetted to the 101st Grenadiers in India in 1783, but on its disbandment two years later was placed on half-pay. It is said that he took a clerkship in Greenwoods, the army agents (afterwards Cox & Co.). He attracted the notice of the Duke of York, through whom he obtained a captaincy (very soon followed by a majority) in the newly raised 113th Foot. But it was not long before his regiment experienced the fate of the old 101st; this time however Kempt was retained on full pay in the recruiting service. In 1799 Kempt accompanied Sir Ralph Abercromby to the Netherlands, and later to Egypt as an aide-de-camp. After Abercromby's death, Kempt remained on his successor's staff until the end of the campaign in Egypt. In April 1803 he joined the staff of Sir David Dundas, but next month returned to regimental duty, and a little later received a lieutenant colonelcy in the 81st Foot. With his new regiment he went, under Craig, to the Mediterranean theatre of operations, and at the Battle of Maida on 4 July 1806, he led the light infantry brigade which bore the heaviest share of the battle. Peninsular War Employed from 1807 to 1811 on the staff in North America, Brevet-Colonel Kempt at the end of 1811 joined Arthur Wellesley, Marquess of Wellington's army in Spain with the local rank of major general, which was, on 1 January 1812, made substantive. As one of Thomas Picton's brigadiers, Kempt took part in the great assault on Badajoz and was severely wounded. On rejoining for duty, he was posted to the command of a brigade of the Light Division (43rd Regiment of Foot, 95th Rifles, and 3rd Portuguese Light Infantry) in time to fight at the Battle of Vitoria on 21 June 1813. He also led his brigade at the Battle of the Pyrenees at the end of July, and at the Battle of the Bidassoa, where his troops stormed French defenses near Mont La Rhune on