Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis (31 December 1738 – 5 October 1805, in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh) was an British military commander and colonial governor. In the United States, he is best remembered as a British general in the American Revolutionary War. His 1781 defeat by a combined American-French force at the Siege of Yorktown is generally considered the end of the War, although minor skirmishes continued for another two years. In India, where he served two terms as Governor-General, he is remembered for promulgating the Permanent Settlement. As Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, he argued for Catholic emancipation, despite being a member of the Church of England (Wickwire 1970).
British General and colonial governor Charles Cornwallis was born on Dec. 31, 1738, and died on Oct. 5, 1805. Cornwallis was the eldest son of the 1st Earl Cornwallis. Educated at Eton and Clare College, Cambridge, he became an Ensign in the 1st (Grenadier) Guards just before his 18th birthday.
Cornwallis attended the military academy at Turin, and while serving in Germany during the Seven Years’ War rose to Lieutenant Colonel. On succeeding to his father’s title as 2d Earl in 1762, Cornwallis became active politically with the Whigs and took his seat in the House of Lords where his abilities and connections led to appointments as Aide-de-Camp to the King, Chief Circuit Court Justice south of the Trent River, and Joint Vice-Treasurer of Ireland. He was sympathetic to the grievances of the American Colonists and voted against the Declaratory Act in 1766.
Although opposed to the measures that provoked the American Revolution, he accepted as a duty a command in North America with the rank of Major General. During the American Revolution Cornwallis served with distinction. He aided the British victory at the Battle of Long Island on Aug. 27–28, 1776. Later that year he pursued Washington’s army across New Jersey, halting at New Brunswick on orders from Gen. William Howe. Hurrying forward again after Washington’s victory at Trenton on Dec. 26, 1776, Cornwallis failed to entrap the patriots and went into winter quarters. Cornwallis was largely responsible for the British victory at Brandywine, Pa., Sept. 11, 1777, and led British forces into Philadelphia on the 28th.
After a brief visit to England he returned as a Lieutenant General, second in command to Sir Henry Clinton. He opposed the evacuation of Philadelphia but accompanied the British Army on its retreat to New York and repulsed the Americans under Gen. Charles Lee at the Battle of Monmouth on June 28, 1778. He again returned to England to attend his ill wife, who died in 1779, but rejoined Clinton in August 1779 and participated in the siege of Charleston, S.C. (April 1–May 12, 1780). When the city fell, Clinton returned to New York. Cornwallis took command of British forces in the South.
In 1785, Cornwallis was Envoy to the Court of Frederick the Great of Prussia. From 1786 to 1793 he was Governor-General of India, where he made reforms in the civil and military service and personally led the campaigns that won British victory in the Third Mysore War. For this he was created Marquess Cornwallis in 1792 and in 1793 was promoted to General.
He was appointed to the cabinet in 1795, and as the only General was responsible for defense. As Viceroy of Ireland in 1798 he defeated a rebellion abetted by French troops. As the British plenipotentiary, with Joseph Bonaparte he drew up the treaty for the Peace of Amiens (March 27, 1802). He returned to India as Governor-General and died there at Ghazipur on Oct. 5, 1805.
Military Career
Charles was educated at Eton College — where he received an injury to his eye by an accidental blow at hockey from Shute Barrington, afterwards Bishop of Durham — and Clare College, Cambridge. He obtained his first commission as Ensign in the 1st Foot Guards, on December 8, 1757. His military education then commenced, and after travelling on the continent with a Prussian officer, Captain de Roguin, Lord Brome, as he was then known, studied at the military academy of Turin. He also became a Member of Parliament in January 1760, entering the House of Commons for the village of Wye in Kent. He succeeded his father as 2nd Earl Cornwallis in 1762.
Throughout the course of the Seven Years’ War, Lord Cornwallis served four terms in different posts in Germany, interspersed with trips home. He served as a staff officer to Lord Granby in 1758. In 1765, he was assigned to the 85th Regiment of Foot and, after action at the Battle of Minden, was promoted to Captain before returning to England.
In 1771, he was again sent to Germany, this time for duty with the 12th Foot, and was promoted to Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel. He led his unit in the Battle of Villinghausen on July 15-16, 1771, and was noted for his gallantry.
Summary In 1738, Charles Cornwallis was born in London. He grew up in elite social circles and going to expensive boarding schools. After he purchased his commission in the British Army, he actually went to military school in Italy. He served as aide-de-camp to the Marquis of Granby during the Seven Years’ War. In 1762, his father died and he inherited the name and title of Earl. Even though Cornwallis voted in Parliament against the harsh acts and laws imposed on the colonies, he still remained in the King’s favor. In 1768, he married Jemima Tullekin Jones. In spite of his personal feelings, Cornwallis readily offered to serve in America when war broke out. On January 1, 1776, Cornwallis sailed to America, newly promoted to Lieutenant General.
Cornwallis’ first action was at the Battle of Fort Sullivan, serving as Lt. General Henry Clinton’s deputy. He then served in the middle colonies under Maj. General William Howe seeing extensive action at the Battle of Long Island on August 27, 1776, and the Battle of Harlem Heights. He commanded at the British landing at Kip’s Bay on September 15, 1776. General Howe then sent him to chase General George Washington out of Northern New Jersey, which he did. However, as Cornwallis was settling down for winter quarters, Washington claimed victory at Trenton on December 26, 1776. Cornwallis then nearly trapped Washington, who managed to slip away and defeat his rear guard at Princeton on January 3, 1777.
After spending the winter in England, Cornwallis returned and commanded one of General Howe’s two divisions in his Philadelphia campaign. Cornwallis saw action at the Battle of Brandywine on September 11, 1777 and at the Battle of Germantown on October 4, 1777. He also skirmished with General Washington at Matson’s Ford on December 11, 1777. He returned to England for the winter and he was formally promoted to Lieutenant General. While he was in England, General Howe’s resignation of command was accepted and after some debate, General Clinton was chosen as successor and Cornwallis was to be his deputy. This decision did not bode well for the British, because there was some tension between the two generals going back to the Battle of White Plains in October 1776.
On June 28, 1778, Cornwallis commanded at the Battle of Monmouth Courthouse. He returned to England again for the winter, but also carrying a request from General Clinton for reinforcements. He also found his wife ill and resigned his commission, but she died in February 1779. Cornwallis returned to military duty for solace. When he returned to America without the reinforcements, Clinton attempted to resign. In December 1779, Cornwallis accompanied General Clinton south serving as his second-in-command.
After the capture of Charleston, South Carolina and surrender of Maj. General Benjamin Lincoln on May 12, 1780, General Clinton gave Cornwallis command of the South Colonies with only the stipulation that he hold Charleston and Savannah, Georgia. Cornwallis next defeated Lincoln’s replacement, Maj. General Horatio Gates, at the Battle of Camden on August 16. 1780. However, after the crippling losses of his flanking force at the Battle of King’s Mountain on October 7, 1780 and his light infantry at the Battle of Cowpens on January 17, 1781 coupled with the costly victory at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse on March 15, 1781, he abandoned the South and marched to Virginia. In October 1781, he commanded at the Battle of Yorktown and subsequently surrendered. Following the war, he had a successful career serving in Ireland and India.
First term as Governor-general of India
After the war Cornwallis returned to Britain, and in 1786 he was appointed governor-general and commander in chief in India. He instituted land reforms and reorganized the British army and administration. In 1792 he defeated Tipu Sultan, the powerful sultan of Mysore. Cornwallis was given the title marquis in 1792 and returned to England the following year.
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
Cornwallis was made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in June 1798, just before the outbreak of the Irish Rebellion of 1798 between republican United Irishmen and the British Government.
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.
Second term as Governor-general of India
He was reappointed governor-general of India in 1805, but died on October 5 of that year, soon after arriving in India.
Issue
His only son, Charles, Viscount Brome, (b. 1774), succeeded as 2nd Marquess Cornwallis. He married Lady Louisa Gordon, daughter of the 4th Duke of Gordon, had five daughters, and died on 16 August 1823, when the Marquessate became extinct. James Cornwallis, the Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, succeeded as 4th Earl Cornwallis.