Neil Douglas is an important figure in the history of the 79th. He was born in Glasgow in 1779, the son of John Douglas, a merchant, and Cecilia Buchanan. He was descended from the Earls of Angus.
He joined the regiment as an ensign on 28 Jan 1801, promoted to lieutenant on 16 July 1802 and captain on 19 April 1804. He was at the bombardment of Copenhagen and the expedition to Sweden in 1808. He went with the regiment to Walcheren and was at the siege of Flushing. He then served in the expedition to Cadiz and was promoted to major on 31 Jan 1811. He distinguished himself in the Peninsula, being with the regiment as it retreated to Corunna, and fighting at Busaco where he was wounded twice, also Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive and Toulouse. He was promoted to lieutenant-colonel on 3 Dec 1812 and given command of the recently raised 2nd Battalion. He took command of the 1st Battalion on 20 Feb 1813.
He was commanding officer of the 79th in the Waterloo campaign but was severely wounded at Quatre Bras. On 27 May 1825 he was promoted to full colonel and appointed ADC to the King. He relinquished command of the 79th on 5 Sep 1833 and was appointed Governor of Edinburgh Castle on 17 Feb 1837, with the rank of major-general. He was promoted to lieutenant-general on 9 Nov 1846 and appointed Colonel of the 78th Ross-Shire Buffs on 20 Dec 1851. He died in Brussels on 1 Sep 1853.
He was married in 1816 to Barbara Robertson, daughter of a banker in Greenock. They had a daughter, Cecilia, and a son who became another famous commanding officer of the 79th, John Douglas who was in command in the Crimea. Lieutenant-General Sir Neil Douglas was appointed KCB and KCH, while his son, Sir John Douglas became a full General and was appointed GCB.
