Born at Quebec, Gordon Drummond had a distinguished military career in various parts of the Empire before becoming Administrator of Upper Canada and commander of the British forces in the province in 1813. That winter he drove the enemy out of the Niagara peninsula and carried the war into American territory. In July 1814 he checked the American advance at Lundy's Lane. Drummond was knighted in 1815, and named Administrator of Lower Canada, a post he held until 1816. He died in London.