Lord Charles Cornwallis |
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Born | 12/31/1738 in Grosvenor Square, London, England |
Died | 10/5/1805 in Ghazipur, British India |
Biography |
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Overview Early life The Cornwallis family was established at Brome Hall, near Eye, in Suffolk, in the course of the 14th century, and members of it occasionally represented the county in the House of Commons during the next three hundred years. Frederick Cornwallis, created a Baronet in 1627, fought for King Charles I, and followed King Charles II into exile. He was made Baron Cornwallis, of Eye in the County of Suffolk, in 1661, and his descendants by fortunate marriages increased the importance of the family. Cornwallis' parents were married on November 28, 1722 in St. James's, Westminster. His mother, Elizabeth Townshend (died December 1, 1785), was the daughter of the 2nd Viscount Townshend and a niece of the Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole. His father was created Earl Cornwallis, Viscount Cornwallis and Viscount Brome in 1753, at which point he was styled Viscount Brome. His Brother was Admiral Sir William Cornwallis. An uncle, Frederick, was Archbishop of Canterbury and another uncle, Edward, was a leading colonist in Canada. Early Military career Role in the American Revolutionary War After the New York City campaign and the subsequent occupation of New Jersey by the British army, Cornwallis prepared to leave for England as the army moved into winter quarters. However, as Cornwallis was preparing to embark in December 1776, Washington launched his surprise attack on Trenton. In response, Cornwallis's leave was cancelled and he was ordered to take command of the forces stationed in the Trenton area. Since Clinton was in England at this time, Cornwallis served directly under Howe. In response to Washington's initiative, Cornwallis gathered together garrisons scattered across New Jersey and moved them to Trenton. On January 2, 1777, he confronted Washington's army, which was positioned near Assunpink Creek. In the resulting Second Battle of Trenton, Cornwallis unsuccessfully attacked Washington's position late in the afternoon. Cornwallis prepared his troops to continue the assault of Washington's position the next day. During the night, however, Washington's forces escaped to attack the British outpost at Princeton. Though part of the credit for the success of the Continental army's disengagement from Cornwallis is due to Washington's use of deception, including maintaining blazing campfires and keeping up sounds of camp activity, Cornwallis also contributed by not sending out patrols to monitor the Continental Army's activities. After the battle of Princeton, Washington's forces moved north toward Morristown and the British Forces took up winter quarters in garrisons centered on New Brunswick and Perth Amboy. During the winter, Cornwallis participated in raids during the forage war in an attempt to deny the Continental forces access to supplies. In early Spring, Cornwallis led a successful attack on Benjamin Lincoln's garrison at Bound Brook on April 12, 1777. However, these engagements had no long-term impact as Howe had decided to withdraw his forces back towards New York City. While serving directly under Howe, Cornwallis also participated as a field commander in the Philadelphia campaign of 1777. At the Battle of Brandywine Creek on September 11, 1777, Cornwallis was responsible for the flanking movement that ultimately forced the American forces from their position. Cornwallis also played an important role in the Battle of Germantown on October 4 and the capture of Fort Mercer in New Jersey on November 20. With the army in winter quarters in Philadelphia, Cornwallis took his long-delayed leave to England. Cornwallis returned to Philadelphia to serve as second-in-command to Henry Clinton, who had replaced William Howe. Cornwallis commanded the rearguard during the overland withdrawal from Philadelphia to New York City and played an important role in the Battle of Monmouth on June 28, 1778. In November, 1778 Cornwallis once more returned to England to be with his ailing wife, Jemima, who died in February 1779. Cornwallis returned to America in July, 1779, where he was to play a central role as British commander in the Southern Campaign. At the end of 1779, Clinton and Cornwallis transported the bulk of their forces south and initiated the second siege of Charleston during the spring of 1780, which resulted in the surrender of the Continental forces under Benjamin Lincoln. After the siege of Charleston and the destruction of Abraham Buford's Virginia regiments at Waxhaw, Clinton returned to New York, leaving Cornwallis in command in the South. The events leading up to Cornwallis's defeat at Yorktown are told in the article on the southern theatre of the American Revolutionary War. His tactics in America, especially during his Southern Command (1780–81), were excessively criticised by his political enemies in London. However Cornwallis retained the confidence of King George III and the British Government - enabling him to continue his career. Governor-general of India In 1792 he defeated Tippu Sultan, the powerful sultan of Mysore by capturing his capital Srirangapatnam, which concluded the Third Anglo-Mysore War and paved the way towards British dominance in Southern India. Cornwallis was created Marquess Cornwallis in 1792 and returned to England the following year. His time in India did much to restore his reputation which had been tarnished at Yorktown. Lord Lieutenant of Ireland In his combined role as both Viceroy and Commander-in-Chief Cornwallis oversaw the defeat of both the Irish rebels and a French invasion force led by General Humbert that landed in Connaught in August 1798. He was also responsible for ordering the Military Road in Wicklow built, to root out rebels to the south of Dublin. Death Legacy In Ireland due to the execution of prisoners of war in Ballinalee after the Battle of Ballinamuck, he achieved local notoriety that lasts to this day. In the village, in the north Leinster county of Longford, the site of the executions is known as Bullys Acre. In the 2000 film The Patriot about the events leading up to Yorktown, Cornwallis was portrayed by English actor Tom Wilkinson. Fort Cornwallis, founded in 1786 in George Town, Prince of Wales Island (now the Malaysian state of Penang), is named after General Cornwallis. He also has a building named after him at the University of Kent, Canterbury campus - one of the largest buildings on campus, with numerous lecture theatures, seminar rooms and housing the University's administration sector. A large statue of Cornwallis can be seen in St. Paul's Cathedral, London. Issue |