Birthplace:
- Dublin, Ireland

Birthdate:
- 27 February 1841

Nationality:
- Irish

Height:
- 5 feet 10 1/2 inches

Family Background:
- Stewart's father was James Stewart, a land agent in Dublin, Ireland

At Sandhurst:
- No

Foreign Languages:
- None

Career before Halifax:
- Ensign, 23 August 1861 (purchase)
- Lieutenant, 15 January 1864 (purchase)

Postings while in NS Command:
- Halifax, 9 May 1869 to 25 November 1871

Married:
- Charlotte Henrietta Pim, at Monkstown, County Dublin, Church of England, 2 November 1869

Children:
- Charlotte E. (b. Halifax, 25 December 1870)

Career after Halifax:
- Captain, 7 July 1869 (purchase)
- retired by sale of commission, 1 February 1873

When first applying for a commission in the army in 1861, Stewart had specifically requested to be posted to the 78th Highlanders "in which regiment Lieutenant Colonel Hamilton and Captain Warren are my near connections." He came recommended by the Earl of Longford, who stated that Stewart's "relatives" in the 78th "will be useful to him." Indeed, since the latter's family name was Pakenham, he and Pakenham Stewart may well have been related.

Stewart was appointed adjutant of the 78th just after the regiment arrived in Montreal in July 1867. He continued to occupy this position until he bought the captaincy of the retiring H.B. Savory in Halifax in July 1869. Interestingly, Stewart had been in the service longer than either Colin Mackenzie or Oliver Graham, both of whom had been able to purchase a captaincy ahead of him. This might indicate relatively more straitened economic circumstances on the part of Stewart.

While in Halifax Stewart lived with his wife at 21 Victoria Road, where a daughter was born to them on Christmas Day 1870.