James Stuart (1741–1815) was a British general who served in North America during the American Revolutionary War and took part in various campaigns in British India.
Stuart was the third son of John Stuart of Blairhall in Perthshire, by his wife Anne, daughter of Francis, Earl of Murray, and was born in Blairhall on 2 March 1741. He was educated at schools of Culross and Dunfermline. In 1757 he proceeded to Edinburgh to study law, but, abandoning the project, entered the army, and served in the American war of independence.
He attained the rank of major in the 78th Foot, and arrived in India with his regiment in 1782, where he was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel on 14 February. He took part in Sir Eyre Coote's campaign against Hyder in the Second Anglo-Mysore War, and was present at the siege of Cuddalore (directed by Major General James Stuart), when he commanded the attack on the right of the main position in the assault of 13 July 1782.
In the campaign of 1790, under General Sir William Medows, against Tipu Sultan, he reduced the fortresses of Dindigul and Palghaut. He served under Cornwallis through the campaigns of 1791–2, was placed in immediate charge of the siege of Seringapatam, and commanded the centre column in the assault of 6 February 1792. On 8 August he was promoted to the rank of colonel, and after a visit to England, returned to Madras in 1794.
On 26 February 1795 he was appointed major-general and in the same year took command of the expedition against Dutch possessions in Ceylon. The whole island was secured in 1796, Stuart became commander-in-chief in the same year of the forces in Madras. On 23 October 1798 he was gazetted colonel of the 78th Foot and in the following year, in the last war against Tipu, commanded the Bombay army, which occupied Coorg, and repulsed Tipu at Seedaseer on 6 March. On 15 March he effected a junction with Major General George Harris (afterwards Lord Harris) before the 1799 Battle of Seringapatam and took charge of the operations on the northern side of the city. After its capture he, with several other general officers, received the thanks of both Houses of Parliament.
In 1801 he was appointed commander-in-chief of the Madras army; on 29 April 1802 he attained the rank of lieutenant-general, in the following year he took part in the Second Anglo-Maratha War, Major General Arthur Wellesley being under his orders. In 1805 he returned to England in bad health; he was promoted to the rank of general on 1 January 1812 and died without issue at Charles Street, Berkeley Square, London, on 29 April 1815. He was buried in a vault in St. James's Chapel, Hampstead Road, London.