General Thomas Edward Capel (24 March 1770 – 3 February 1855) was an English soldier and sportsman. He was the son of

William Capel, 4th Earl of Essex William Anne Holles Capell, 4th Earl of Essex (7 October 1732 – 4 March 1799), was a British landowner and peer, a member of the House of Lords. Early life Capell was born on 7 October 1732 in Turin. He was the son of William Capell, 3rd Earl ...

, by his second wife, Harriet Bladen, and the elder brother of Rev. William Robert Capel (1775–1854). He was educated at

Exeter College, Oxford (Let Exeter Flourish) , old_names = ''Stapeldon Hall'' , named_for = Walter de Stapledon, Bishop of Exeter , established = , sister_college = Emmanuel College, Cambridge , rector = Sir Richard Trainor ...

, where he graduated with a BA in 1790, and was subsequently a Fellow of

Merton College, Oxford Merton College (in full: The House or College of Scholars of Merton in the University of Oxford) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, ...

. As a cricketer, Capel was mainly associated with

Marylebone Cricket Club Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is a cricket club founded in 1787 and based since 1814 at Lord's Cricket Ground, which it owns, in St John's Wood, London. The club was formerly the governing body of cricket retaining considerable global influenc ...

(MCC). He made 3 known appearances in first-class matches in the 1790 season.

Arthur Haygarth Arthur Haygarth (4 August 1825 – 1 May 1903) was a noted amateur cricketer who became one of cricket's most significant historians. He played first-class cricket for the Marylebone Cricket Club and Sussex between 1844 and 1861, as well as nu ...

, ''Scores & Biographies'', Volume 1 (1744–1826), Lillywhite, 1862 Capel served in the

Flanders Campaign The Flanders Campaign (or Campaign in the Low Countries) was conducted from 20 April 1792 to 7 June 1795 during the first years of the War of the First Coalition. A coalition of states representing the Ancien Régime in Western Europe – Au ...

of the late 1790s. On 2 March 1795, Capel was appointed a Gentleman Usher of the Privy Chamber. In the same year, he was commissioned lieutenant and captain in the

1st Foot Guards "Shamed be whoever thinks ill of it." , colors = , colors_label = , march = Slow: " Scipio" , mascot = , equipment = , equipment ...

, and became captain and lieutenant-colonel in 1803. Capel was promoted from a Gentleman Usher to a

Groom of the Bedchamber Groom of the Chamber was a position in the Household of the monarch in early modern England. Other ''Ancien Régime'' royal establishments in Europe had comparable officers, often with similar titles. In France, the Duchy of Burgundy, and in En ...

on 31 October 1808, but was not immediately present at court, as he served with the 3rd Btn. of the Guards during Sir John Moore's campaign of 1808–1809 in the

Peninsular War The Peninsular War (1807–1814) was the military conflict fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. In Spai ...

, including the

Battle of Corunna The Battle of Corunna (or ''A Coruña'', ''La Corunna'', ''La Coruña'' or ''La Corogne''), in Spain known as Battle of Elviña, took place on 16 January 1809, when a French corps under Marshal of the Empire Jean de Dieu Soult attacked a Brit ...

. He was presented at the royal levee on 6 March 1809, after returning from Corunna. He was again with the Guards in the Peninsula during the

siege of Cadiz A siege is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict characterize ...

, from July to September 1811; in the latter month, he was appointed assistant adjutant general, filling the post until June 1813. He was

brevet Brevet may refer to: Military * Brevet (military), higher rank that rewards merit or gallantry, but without higher pay * Brevet d'état-major, a military distinction in France and Belgium awarded to officers passing military staff college * Aircre ...

ed colonel on 1 January 1812, resigned his Court office on 18 February 1812, and subsequently commanded the Cadiz garrison from July 1813 to April 1814. Capel was promoted major-general on 4 June 1814, lieutenant-general on 22 July 1830, and general in 1846.

References

Alumni of Exeter College, Oxford British Army generals British Army personnel of the Napoleonic Wars English cricketers English cricketers of 1787 to 1825 Fellows of Merton College, Oxford Marylebone Cricket Club cricketers Younger sons of earls 1770 births 1855 deaths British Army personnel of the French Revolutionary Wars Grenadier Guards officers {{England-cricket-bio-1770s-stub