General James Stuart (1741–1815) was a British Army officer who served in North America during the American Revolutionary War and took part in various campaigns in British India. He was the 1st General Officer Commanding, Ceylon and 2nd Military Governor of British Ceylon. He was appointed in 1 March 1796 and was Governor until 1 January 1797. He was succeeded by Welbore Ellis Doyle.

 

Born the third son of John Stuart of Blairhall in Perthshire, by his wife Anne, daughter of Francis, Earl of Murray, Stuart was educated at schools of Culross and Dunfermline. He studied law Edinburgh and then joined the army serving in the American war of independence.

 

Promoted to major-general in 1795, he took command of the expedition against Dutch possessions in Ceylon that year. The whole island was secured in 1796, Stuart became commander-in-chief in the same year of the forces in Madras.

 

He became commander-in-chief of the Madras Army in 1801. Promoted to lieutenant-general in 1802, he took part in the Second Anglo-Maratha War in 1803. In 1805 he returned to England in bad health; promoted to the rank of general on 1 January 1812 he 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.