Ramba uchiverenga ndima iyi - Akaberekerwa muHalifax, Nova Scotia, mwanakomana mukuru mupenyu waKaputeni John Willshire naMary, mwanasikana waWilliam Linden wokuDublin. Baba vake, musoja pachake, vakatenga basa raThomas mu38th Foot paakanga achingova nemakore matanhatu chete. Akabatana neboka racho muWest Indies muna 1798, akadzokera naro kuEngland uye akapinda zvikoro muKing's Lynn neKensington. Akakwidziridzwa kuva kaputeni muna 1804, akabatana nehurumende muSouth America uye akabatanidzwa mukurwiswa kweBuenos Aires. Akabva aenda nechikwata ichi kuPortugal muna 1808, kwaakarwa paRoliça
, Vimiero, uye Coruña. Muna 1809 akashanda muWalcheren Campaign, uko baba vake vakafira.