Memoirs of British Generals Distinguished During The Peninsular War. Vol I. by John William Cole

Author:John William Cole [Cole, John William]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781908692221
Barnesnoble:
Publisher: Wagram Press
Published: 2011-11-23T00:00:00+00:00

No. VI. — MAJOR-GENERAL ROBERT CRAUFURD.

"There is a tear for all that die,

A mourner o'er the humblest grave ;

But nations swell the funeral cry,

And triumph weeps above the brave."

BYRON.

MAJOR-GENERAL ROBERT CRAUFURD.

Born 1764.—Killed at Ciudad Rodrigo, 1812.

ROBERT CRAUFURD, descended from an old Scottish family, was the third son of Alexander Craufurd, Esq., of Newark, in Ayrshire. his father, a collateral branch of the ancient line of the Craufurds of Kilbirney, was created a baronet in 1781. The nephew of the deceased general, and son of his elder brother James, is the present inheritor of the title and estate. The gallant subject of this memoir entered the army in the year 1779, at the early age of fifteen, and served four years as ensign and lieutenant in the 25th Foot. His first colonel was Sir Charles Stewart, an officer of great ability, whose name would have stood higher on the roll of fame, if favourable opportunity had seconded his pretensions.[32] We have spoken of him elsewhere as having originated the idea which suggested to a greater military genius the lines of Torres Vedras. He perceived the enthusiastic devotion with which his young subaltern gave himself up to the study of his profession, discovered his daring spirit and perseverance, and extended to him the ready hand of patronage, without which the most exalted merit often languishes in obscurity. Young Craufurd was so fortunate as to be promoted to a company at the early age of nineteen, shortly after which he had an opportunity of attending the reviews at Potsdam, and passed some time on the continent, principally employed in military studies. The leading nations of Europe were then at peace, but his regiment, the 75th, being ordered to India, he served throughout the first war against Tippoo Saib, under Lord Cornwallis, and on more than one occasion was distinguished by special mention. It so happened that for a period he commanded his battalion as senior captain. Returning to England in 1794, his elder brother, Colonel Charles Craufurd, who was attached by the British government to the Austrian head-quarters in a military capacity, expressed a wish that he should join him. He did so, and they saw together the campaigns of 1795, 1796, and 1797, during which they were present at several of the most important battles and sieges in Italy and Germany.

In 1798, Craufurd having reached the rank of lieutenant-colonel, was appointed deputy quarter-master-general in Ireland. Between the invasion by Humbert (which was suffered to obtain a momentary success, little creditable to the tactics of the British commander), and the domestic rebellion, that year proved a very busy one in the sister kingdom. After much bungling on our side[33], Humbert was forced to lay down his arms, having marched with a contemptible detachment of a thousand men into the very "bowels of the land," and causing at least some twenty thousand to be set in motion to surround and exterminate him. The insurgents fought several desperate actions, and were crushed by hard fighting.

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