Field Marshal Sir Charles Henry Brownlow (12 December 1831 – 5 April 1916) was a senior

Indian Army The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four- ...

officer. He served on the North West Frontier in the Hazara Campaign of 1853 and the campaign against the

Mohmand The Mohmand ( ps, مومند) or Mohmand is a prominent tribe of Pashtun people. They are based primarily in the Mohmand territory, which is located in Nangarhar, Afghanistan and Mohmand Agency, Pakistan. Most people of the Mohmand tribe sp ...

s in 1854. At the start of the Indian Mutiny, Brownlow was asked to raise an infantry regiment and formed the 8th Punjab Infantry which he commanded during that campaign, the Second Opium War, the

Ambela Campaign The Ambela campaign (also called Umbeyla; Umbeylah; Ambeyla) in 1863 was one of many expeditions in the border area between the Emirate of Afghanistan and the Punjab Province of British India (this area was formally renamed to North-West Frontie ...

and the Hazara Campaign of 1868. He commanded a column for the

Lushai Expedition The British Indian Army Lushai Expedition of 1871 to 1872 was a punitive incursion under the command of Generals Brownlow and Bourchier. The objectives of the expedition were to rescue British subjects who had been captured by the Lushais in ...

and then served as Assistant Military Secretary for India for ten years. After his retirement, as senior retired officer of the Indian Army, he was promoted to field marshal.

Military career

Born the son of George Arthur Brownlow and Cornelia Paulina Henrietta Brownlow (née Sandby), Brownlow was commissioned into the Bengal Army on 20 December 1847.Heathcote, p. 59 He became Adjutant of the 1st Sikh Infantry, a unit formed to defend the North West Frontier, in 1851 and, having been promoted to

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...

on 10 September 1852, he fought in the Hazara Campaign of 1853 and was mentioned in despatches. He also fought in the campaign against the

s in 1854 when he was wounded and again mentioned in despatches. First Shell Fired At Howsatta's Village - ILN 1889

In 1857, in response to the Indian Mutiny, Brownlow was asked to raise an infantry regiment and formed the 8th Punjab Infantry. During the fighting he remained on the front line in command of his regiment.Heathcote, p. 60 After taking part in the Yusafzai expedition, like other officers at the time, he obtained a commission in the British Indian Army in August 1858. Promoted to captain on 3 November 1858, he was present at the Battle of the Taku Forts in August 1860 and the subsequent occupation of

Peking } Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...

during the Second Opium War. He joined the Bengal Staff Corps in January 1861 and, following promotion to brevet major on 15 February 1861, he led his regiment at the Battle of Crag Piquet in November 1863 during the

. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath on 5 August 1864. Promoted to brevet lieutenant colonel on 5 August 1864 and substantive major on 20 December 1867, Brownlow commanded his regiment during the Hazara Campaign in 1868. Promoted to

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

on 11 August 1869 and appointed aide-de-camp to

the Queen In the English-speaking world, The Queen most commonly refers to: * Elizabeth II (1926–2022), Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 1952 until her death The Queen may also refer to: * Camilla, Queen Consort (born 1947), ...

on 30 October 1869, he commanded the Right (or Chittagong) Column for the

in 1871. After being given command of a brigade at Rawalpindi, he was advanced to

Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate medieval ceremony for appointing a knight, which involved bathing (as a symbol of purification) as o ...

on 10 September 1872. He returned to

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

in 1877 and became Assistant Military Secretary for India in 1879. He was promoted to

major-general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

on 1 July 1881, promoted to lieutenant-general on 7 September 1884 and advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath 5 January 1888. He was promoted again to full

general A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED ...

on 22 January 1889 before retiring in 1890. Brownlow became colonel of the

20th Duke of Cambridge's Own Infantry (Brownlow's Punjabis) The 20th Duke of Cambridge's Own Infantry (Brownlow's Punjabis) was a regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1857, as the 8th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. It was designated as the 20th Duke of Cambridge's Own Infantry (Brownlow's P ...

in May 1904 and, as senior retired officer of the Indian Army, he was promoted to field marshal on 20 June 1908. He lived at

Warfield Hall Warfield Hall is a Grade II listed building at Warfield in Berkshire. History Warfield Hall was originally built in the 1730s and belonged to the Hart, later the Hart-Cotton, family. It passed by marriage to the Parry family of Denbighshire and p ...

Warfield Warfield is a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire and the borough of Bracknell Forest. History Warfield was originally an Anglo-Saxon settlement and is recorded in the Domesday Book as ''Warwelt'' ic The name is beli ...

in Berkshire; he died there on 5 April 1916 and was buried at St Michael the Archangel Churchyard in Warfield.

Family

In 1890 he married Georgiana King; they had no children.

References

Sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Brownlow, Charles Henry British field marshals 1831 births 1916 deaths British military personnel of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 British Army personnel of the Second Opium War British Indian Army generals Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath People from Warfield British military personnel of the Lushai Expedition

Military career

Family

See also

References

Sources