Ia tusia se faaauauga o lenei palakalafa - Na fanau Murchison i Tarradale House, Muir of Ord, Ross-shire, o le atalii o Kenneth Murchison. Na maliu lona tamā mauʻoa i le 1796, ina ua fā tausaga o Roderick, ma na auina atu o ia i le aʻoga i Durham i le tolu tausaga mulimuli ane ai, ona auina atu lea o ia i le Royal Military College, i Great Marlow ina ia aʻoaʻoina ai mo le ʻautau. I le 1808, na ō atu ai o ia ma Wellesley i Potukali, ma na auai i gaoioiga a Roliça
ma Vimeiro i le Taua i le Penisula o se ensign i le 36th Regt of Foot. Mulimuli ane i lalo o le taʻitaʻiga a Sir John Moore, na ia auai ai i le toe solomuli atu i Corunna ma le taua mulimuli iina.