Rubuta ci gaba don wannan sakin layi - 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 halarci ayyukan Roliça
da Vimeiro a cikin Yakin Peninsular a matsayin mai ba da izini a cikin 36th Regt of Foot. Daga baya a karkashin Sir John Moore, ya shiga cikin koma baya zuwa Corunna da yakin karshe a can.