Kammala jumla mai zuwa: An haifi Murchison a Tarradale House, Muir na Ord, Ross-shire, ɗan Kenneth Murchison. Mahaifinsa mai arziki ya mutu a shekara ta 1796, lokacin da Roderick ke da shekaru hudu, kuma an tura shi zuwa Makarantar Durham shekaru uku bayan haka, sannan Kwalejin Soja ta Royal, Great Marlow don horar da sojojin. A cikin 1808 ya sauka tare da Wellesley a Portugal, kuma ya kasance a wurin ayyukan
Roliça da Vimeiro a cikin Yaƙin Peninsular a matsayin mai ba da izini a cikin 36th Regt na Foot. Daga baya a karkashin Sir John Moore, ya shiga cikin koma baya zuwa Corunna da yakin karshe a can.