Lieutenant-General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was normall ...

Sir Charles Gregan Craufurd GCB (12 February 1763 – 26 March 1821) was a British soldier.

Early life

He was born in

Golden Square Golden Square, in Soho, the City of Westminster, London, is a mainly hardscaped garden square planted with a few mature trees and raised borders in Central London flanked by classical office buildings. Its four approach ways are north and so ...

, London, the second son of Sir Alexander Crauford of Kilbirnie, 1st Baronet and his wife, Jane Crokatt. He was the younger brother of Sir James Craufurd of Kilbirnie, 2nd Baronet and the elder brother of Robert Craufurd.

Career

Craufurd entered the 1st Dragoon Guards as a cornet on 15 December 1778. Promoted a lieutenant in 1781, he was raised to the rank of captain in the 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays) in 1785. He became the

equerry An equerry (; from French language, French 'stable', and related to 'squire') is an officer of honour. Historically, it was a senior attendant with responsibilities for the horses of a person of rank. In contemporary use, it is a personal attend ...

and intimate friend of the

Duke of York Duke of York is a title of nobility in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of List of English monarchs, English (later List of British monarchs, British) monarchs ...

. He studied in

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

for some time, and, with his brother Robert's assistance, translated Tielke's book on the

Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War, 1756 to 1763, was a Great Power conflict fought primarily in Europe, with significant subsidiary campaigns in North America and South Asia. The protagonists were Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of Prus ...

(''The Remarkable Events of the War between Prussia, Austria and Russia from 1756 to 1763''). As '' aide-de-camp'' he accompanied the Duke of York to the French War on the Netherlands in May 1793 attached to the Austrian HQ's commander-in-chief. He was at once sent as commissioner to the Austrian headquarters, with which he was present at

Neerwinden Neerwinden () is a village in Belgium, located in the Municipalities of Belgium, municipality of Landen, in the province of Flemish Brabant, Flanders. The village gives its name to two great historical battles. The first, the Battle of Neerwind ...

, Caesar's Camp,

Famars FAMARS, or Fabbrica Armi d’Abbiatico e Salvinelli, is an Italian gunmaker that manufactures bespoke shotguns and rifles. The company is best known for its patented detachable-lock designs and handcrafted woodwork and engraving. FAMARS is consi ...

Landrecies Landrecies (; ) is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. History In 1543, Landrecies was besieged by English and Imperial forces, who were repulsed by the French defenders. In 1794, it was besieged by Dutch forces, who capt ...

, etc. Promoted to

major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

in May 1793, and lieutenant-colonel in February 1794, he returned to the British Army in the latter year to become deputy assistant adjutant-general. At the

Battle of Villers-en-Cauchies In the Battle of Villers-en-Cauchies, fought on 24 April 1794, a small Anglo-Austrian cavalry force routed a vastly more numerous French division during the Flanders Campaign of the French Revolutionary Wars. Villers-en-Cauchies is 15 km ...

he distinguished himself at the head of a charge of two squadrons, capturing three guns and taking 1,000 prisoners. When the British army left the continent, Craufurd was again attached to the Austrian Army, and was present at the actions on the Lahn, the combat of Neumarket, and the

Amberg Amberg () is a Town#Germany, town in Bavaria, Germany. It is located in the Upper Palatinate about halfway between Regensburg and Bayreuth. History The town was first mentioned in 1034 with the name Ammenberg. It became an important trading c ...

. At the last battle a severe wound rendered him incapable of further service, and cut short a promising career. He was invalided out to England. There he did all he could to advance his brother, Robert's career. Promoted colonel on 26 January 1797, he was already in charge of a brigade-major. On 23 September 1803 he was promoted to major-general. Charles Craufurd was already an MP when appointed colonel of 2nd Dragoon Guards. He was made a Lieutenant-General in 1810. He succeeded his brother Robert as Member of Parliament (MP) for

East Retford East is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sunrise, Sun rises on the Earth. Etymology As in other languages, the word is formed from the fact ...

(1806–1812). Craufurd was a Tory in politics, friend of Lord Londonderry. He was made GCB on 27 May 1820

Personal life

On 7 February 1800 he was married Anna Mary, widow of

Thomas Pelham-Clinton, 3rd Duke of Newcastle Major-General Thomas Pelham-Clinton, 3rd Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne (1 July 1752 – 18 May 1795), known as Lord Thomas Pelham-Clinton until 1779 and as Earl of Lincoln from 1779 to 1794, was a British Army officer and politician who sat in the ...

. The 4th Duke was a minor. His brother Robert got married on the same day. He died in 1821.

References

Bibliography

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Craufurd, Charles 1761 births 1821 deaths British Army lieutenant generals British Army personnel of the French Revolutionary Wars Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies UK MPs 1806–1807 UK MPs 1807–1812 1st King's Dragoon Guards officers 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays) officers Scottish soldiers Younger sons of baronets