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William Irvine (November 3, 1741July 29, 1804) was an Irish-born American physician, military officer, and politician. He served as a surgeon in the Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War before settling down in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. As tensions escalated between the Thirteen Colonies and the British government during the 1770s, Irvine sympathized and allied himself with the Patriot cause. He subsequently served as a brigadier general in Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and served in the war's western theater. After the war Irvine served in the Continental Congress, and later played an active role in ending the Whiskey Rebellion in Pennsylvania. He also served one term in Congress representing Pennsylvania, and was also active in the state's other public affairs.
Early life
William Irvine was born on November 3, 1741 near Enniskillen, in County Fermanagh, Ireland into a Scots-Irish Presbyterian family. He studied medicine and classical literature at Trinity College Dublin under George Cleghorn, who would later vouch for Irvine's competency and knowledge of medicine. Thereafter he was admitted to practice where he served as a surgeon on a Royal Navy warship during the Seven Years' War. In 1763 he immigrated to the British colonies in America and settled in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. That year he became a delegate to the State Revolutionary conventions held in 1764–1766. In 1772 he married Ann Callender, daughter of Captain Robert Callender, a prominent citizen of Carlisle whom Irvine held in high regard and named his first son after. Irvine had two brothers, Andrew who was an officer in the Continental Army, and Matthew, who was a physician and a surgeon in General Charles Lee's division. His son, Callender,