James Edward Alexander

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For other persons named James Alexander, see James Alexander (disambiguation).

Sir James Edward Alexander (October 16, 1803 – April 2, 1885), British soldier and traveller. He joined the English East India Company's army in 1820, transferring into the British Army in 1825.

As aide-de-camp to the British envoy to Persia, he witnessed fighting during the war between Persia and Russia in 1826 and in 1829 was present in the Balkans during the Russo-Turkish War, 1828-1829. From 1832 to 1834, he witnessed the Miguelete War in Portugal and in 1835 took part in the 6th Cape Frontier War (Kaffir Wars) in South Africa as aide-de-camp to Sir Benjamin d'Urban.

Subsequently he conducted an exploring expedition into Namaqualand and Damaraland. In 1838, he was knighted for his services.

From 1841 to 1855 he served in Canada, then the Crimea and in 1862 held an important command during the Māori War in New Zealand. He retired from active service in 1877 and in 1881 was given the honorary rank of general. In 1877, he was largely responsible for the preservation and transfer of Cleopatra's Needle to England.

His varied experiences provided material for a large number of books, among which were Travels from India to England (1827); Transatlantic Sketches (1833); An Expedition of Discovery into the Interior of Africa (1838); Passages in the Life of a Soldier (1857); and Incidents of the Māori War(1863). He was also the author of a Life of Field-Marshal the Duke of Wellington (1840).