Charles Grene Ellicombe
Encyclopedia
General
Sir Charles Grene Ellicombe KCB (3 August 1783 – 7 June 1871) was an English
General
and a Royal Engineer
, reaching the rank of Colonel Commandant
within the Corps. He was created one of the first Companions of the Order of the Bath
, and advanced to the honour of a Knight Commander
of the Order of the Bath.
of Alphington, Devon
, England. His father was Richard Ellicombe, incumbent of Stoke Canon
. Richard's father, William Ellicombe, died 1730.
Charles Grene Ellicombe was born in his father's rectory
in Alphington in 1783. He had seven brothers, two of whom died very young: William Rous Ellicombe (1774–1849), rector of Clyst St. George in Topsham
, Richard Ellicombe (1775–1778), John Williams Ellicombe (1776–1799), Ensign in the 40th Regiment, Hugh Myddelton Ellicombe (1777–1857), attorney at law, Richard Ellicombe (1780–1851), followed his father as rector of Alphington in 1831, Henry Thomas Ellicombe (1788–1789), and Henry Thomas Ellicombe (1790–1885), campanologist
, curate
of Bitton
, and later succeeded his elder brother as rector of Clyst St. George; he changed the spelling of his surname circa 1836. He received his early education at the grammar school at Chudleigh
, and then attended the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich.
on 1 July 1801. After a year and a half, during which he was employed on the military works and fortifications of Portsmouth
under Major General Vyvyan Evelegh
, he was sent to Ceylon and was one of the first batch of British engineers stationed there. He was promoted 2nd Captain
on 1 July 1806, and returned to England at the end of 1807, in bad health.
After several months on leave, he was employed for a time as second engineer at Chatham
, and afterwards as commanding engineer of the northern district of England. On 1 May 1811, he was promoted to the rank of First Captain
, and shortly thereafter, joined the army under Field Marshal Wellington
in the Peninsular War
.
In January 1812, he was at the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo
, where he was one of the directors of the attack, and accompanied Major General Sir John Vandeleur's 4th British Brigade. In March and April of the same year, he was at the last siege of Badajoz
. For his services at this siege, he received the brevet rank
of Major on 27 April, having been recommended by Wellington. Subsequently, he was present in the retreat from Burgos
and the crossing of the Ebro
. The following year, he took part in the Battle of Vitoria
, serving on the staff as Brigade Major
. Shortly after, he was detailed for the Siege of San Sebastián
, through the whole of which he acted as Brigade Major to the Royal Engineers. For his service, he was made a brevet Lieutenant Colonel on 21 September 1813, and under the order of 1 June 1814, was decorated with the gold medal.
He subsequently fought at the passage of the Bidassoa, and also at the Battle of Nivelle
and Battle of the Nive
in December 1813, concluding his war service by sharing in the campaign of 1814, particularly at the passage of the Adour
, blockade of Bayonne
, and repulse of the sortie from that fortress. At the cessation of hostilities, he joined the headquarters of the army at Toulouse
, and in July he returned to England. Some 33 years afterwards, he was awarded for these distinguished services the war medal and five clasps for C'iudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Vittoria, Nivelle, and Nive.
On 4 June 1815, he was created one of the first Companions of the Order of the Bath
, and for the next six years, held an appointment as commanding engineer in southern England
. In 1821, Captain Ellicombe was made Assistant Adjutant-General of the Royal Engineers, and as such, was on the staff of the Inspector-General of Fortifications
at the Board of Ordnance
in London. He was selected for the duty because of his well-known administrative ability and intimate acquaintance with the large range of complicated details connected with the military and scientific business of the Royal Engineers. He retained the appointment until December 1842. He was promoted to Major-General
in 1841, and rose to the rank of full General
and Colonel Commandant
of Royal Engineers. On 10 November 1862, Ellicombe was advanced to the honour of a Knight Commander
of the Order of the Bath.
; Shoreham and Malines Cathedral, Belgium, watercolour wash sketches; the 1823 watercolour, Kings College Chapel And Clare Hall; and the 1812 Bridge at Cabezon being prepared for demolition during Wellington's retreat from Burgos in October 1812.
, Surrey
. She died in 1860 without issue.
At retirement, Ellicombe settled at Worthing
, where he died in 1871. He and his wife are both buried at Christ Church, Worthing
.
General (United Kingdom)
General is currently the highest peace-time rank in the British Army and Royal Marines. It is subordinate to the Army rank of Field Marshal, has a NATO-code of OF-9, and is a four-star rank....
Sir Charles Grene Ellicombe KCB (3 August 1783 – 7 June 1871) was an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
General
General (United Kingdom)
General is currently the highest peace-time rank in the British Army and Royal Marines. It is subordinate to the Army rank of Field Marshal, has a NATO-code of OF-9, and is a four-star rank....
and a Royal Engineer
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
, reaching the rank of Colonel Commandant
Colonel Commandant
Colonel Commandant is a military title used in the armed forces of some English-speaking countries. The title, not a substantive rank, could denote a senior colonel with authority over fellow colonels...
within the Corps. He was created one of the first Companions of the Order of the Bath
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 mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, and advanced to the honour of a Knight Commander
Knight Commander
Knight Commander is the second most senior grade of seven British orders of chivalry, three of which are dormant . The rank entails admission into knighthood, allowing the recipient to use the title 'Sir' or 'Dame' before his or her name...
of the Order of the Bath.
Early years
In 1773, the Rev. William Ellicombe (1754–1831) married Hannah (1751–1821) (née Rous or Rouse). From 1780 until 1831, the Reverend was rectorRector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of Alphington, Devon
Alphington, Devon
Alphington is a suburb of the City of Exeter in southwest England. The ward of Alphington has a population of 8250 according to the 2001 census, making it the third largest in Exeter, with the village itself accounting for about a quarter of this figure...
, England. His father was Richard Ellicombe, incumbent of Stoke Canon
Stoke Canon
Stoke Canon is a small village near the confluence of the rivers Exe and Culm on the main A396 between Exeter and Tiverton in the County of Devon, England.There is a pub, The Stoke Canon Inn, and a post office & general stores in the centre of the village....
. Richard's father, William Ellicombe, died 1730.
Charles Grene Ellicombe was born in his father's rectory
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
in Alphington in 1783. He had seven brothers, two of whom died very young: William Rous Ellicombe (1774–1849), rector of Clyst St. George in Topsham
Topsham, Devon
Topsham is a suburb of Exeter in the county of Devon, England, on the east side of the River Exe, immediately north of its confluence with the River Clyst and the former's estuary, between Exeter and Exmouth. Although village-sized, with a current population of around 5,023, it was designated a...
, Richard Ellicombe (1775–1778), John Williams Ellicombe (1776–1799), Ensign in the 40th Regiment, Hugh Myddelton Ellicombe (1777–1857), attorney at law, Richard Ellicombe (1780–1851), followed his father as rector of Alphington in 1831, Henry Thomas Ellicombe (1788–1789), and Henry Thomas Ellicombe (1790–1885), campanologist
Campanology
Campanology is the study of bells. It encompasses the physical realities of bells — how they are cast, tuned and sounded — as well as the various methods devised to perform bell-ringing....
, curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
of Bitton
Bitton
Bitton is a village and civil parish in South Gloucestershire, England, in the Greater Bristol area on the River Boyd.It is in the far south of the South Gloucestershire district, near the border with Bath and North East Somerset...
, and later succeeded his elder brother as rector of Clyst St. George; he changed the spelling of his surname circa 1836. He received his early education at the grammar school at Chudleigh
Chudleigh
Chudleigh is a small town in Devon, England located between the towns of Newton Abbot and Exeter.Chudleigh is very close to the edge of Dartmoor and bypassed by the A38 road in 1972. It began life as a small wool market town, though the nearby Castle Dyke is an Iron Age Hill Fort which demonstrates...
, and then attended the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich.
Career
He obtained a commission as first lieutenant in the Corps of Royal EngineersRoyal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
on 1 July 1801. After a year and a half, during which he was employed on the military works and fortifications of Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
under Major General Vyvyan Evelegh
Vyvyan Evelegh
Major-General Vyvyan Evelegh CB OBE DSO was a British army officer during World War II.-Miitary career:Evelegh was appointed an Instructor at the Staff College, Camberley in 1940, Commander of 11th Infantry Brigade in 1941 and Assistant Commandant at the Staff College, Camberley in 1942...
, he was sent to Ceylon and was one of the first batch of British engineers stationed there. He was promoted 2nd Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
on 1 July 1806, and returned to England at the end of 1807, in bad health.
After several months on leave, he was employed for a time as second engineer at Chatham
Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard, located on the River Medway and of which two-thirds is in Gillingham and one third in Chatham, Kent, England, came into existence at the time when, following the Reformation, relations with the Catholic countries of Europe had worsened, leading to a requirement for additional...
, and afterwards as commanding engineer of the northern district of England. On 1 May 1811, he was promoted to the rank of First Captain
Flag captain
In the Royal Navy, a flag captain was the captain of an admiral's flagship. During the 18th and 19th centuries, this ship might also have a "captain of the fleet", who would be ranked between the admiral and the "flag captain" as the ship's "First Captain", with the "flag captain" as the ship's...
, and shortly thereafter, joined the army under Field Marshal Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
in the Peninsular War
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
.
In January 1812, he was at the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo
Ciudad Rodrigo
Ciudad Rodrigo is a small cathedral city in the province of Salamanca, in western Spain, with a population of about 14,000. It is the seat of a judicial district as well....
, where he was one of the directors of the attack, and accompanied Major General Sir John Vandeleur's 4th British Brigade. In March and April of the same year, he was at the last siege of Badajoz
Badajoz
Badajoz is the capital of the Province of Badajoz in the autonomous community of Extremadura, Spain, situated close to the Portuguese border, on the left bank of the river Guadiana, and the Madrid–Lisbon railway. The population in 2007 was 145,257....
. For his services at this siege, he received the brevet rank
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
of Major on 27 April, having been recommended by Wellington. Subsequently, he was present in the retreat from Burgos
Burgos
Burgos is a city of northern Spain, historic capital of Castile. It is situated at the edge of the central plateau, with about 178,966 inhabitants in the city proper and another 20,000 in its suburbs. It is the capital of the province of Burgos, in the autonomous community of Castile and León...
and the crossing of the Ebro
Ebro
The Ebro or Ebre is one of the most important rivers in the Iberian Peninsula. It is the biggest river by discharge volume in Spain.The Ebro flows through the following cities:*Reinosa in Cantabria.*Miranda de Ebro in Castile and León....
. The following year, he took part in the Battle of Vitoria
Battle of Vitoria
At the Battle of Vitoria an allied British, Portuguese, and Spanish army under General the Marquess of Wellington broke the French army under Joseph Bonaparte and Marshal Jean-Baptiste Jourdan near Vitoria in Spain, leading to eventual victory in the Peninsular War.-Background:In July 1812, after...
, serving on the staff as Brigade Major
Brigade Major
In the British Army, a Brigade Major was the Chief of Staff of a brigade. He held the rank of Major and was head of the brigade's "G - Operations and Intelligence" section directly and oversaw the two other branches, "A - Administration" and "Q - Quartermaster"...
. Shortly after, he was detailed for the Siege of San Sebastián
Siege of San Sebastian
In the Siege of San Sebastián Allied forces under the command of General Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington captured the city of San Sebastián in northern Spain from its French garrison under Brigadier-General Louis Rey...
, through the whole of which he acted as Brigade Major to the Royal Engineers. For his service, he was made a brevet Lieutenant Colonel on 21 September 1813, and under the order of 1 June 1814, was decorated with the gold medal.
He subsequently fought at the passage of the Bidassoa, and also at the Battle of Nivelle
Battle of Nivelle
The Battle of Nivelle took place in front of the River Nivelle near the end of the Peninsular War . After the Allied siege of San Sebastian, Wellington's 80,000 British, Portuguese and Spanish troops were in hot pursuit of Marshal Soult who only had 60,000 men to place in a 20-mile perimeter...
and Battle of the Nive
Battle of the Nive
The Battles of the Nive were fought towards the end of the Peninsular War. Arthur Wellesley, Marquess of Wellington's Anglo-Portuguese and Spanish army defeated Marshal Nicolas Soult's French army in a series of battles near the city of Bayonne.Unusually, for most of the battle, Wellington...
in December 1813, concluding his war service by sharing in the campaign of 1814, particularly at the passage of the Adour
Adour
The Adour is a river in southwestern France. It rises in High-Bigorre , at the Col du Tourmalet, and flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Bayonne. It is long, of which the uppermost as the Adour du Tourmalet. At its final stretch, i.e...
, blockade of Bayonne
Siege of Bayonne
The Siege of Bayonne was launched by Alfonso the Battler, King of Aragon and Navarre, apparently against the Duke of Aquitaine, William X, and lasted from October 1130 to October 1131. The city of Bayonne was then a part of Aquitaine, nominally a part of France...
, and repulse of the sortie from that fortress. At the cessation of hostilities, he joined the headquarters of the army at Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
, and in July he returned to England. Some 33 years afterwards, he was awarded for these distinguished services the war medal and five clasps for C'iudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Vittoria, Nivelle, and Nive.
On 4 June 1815, he was created one of the first Companions of the Order of the Bath
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 mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, and for the next six years, held an appointment as commanding engineer in southern England
Southern England
Southern England, the South and the South of England are imprecise terms used to refer to the southern counties of England bordering the English Midlands. It has a number of different interpretations of its geographic extents. The South is considered by many to be a cultural region with a distinct...
. In 1821, Captain Ellicombe was made Assistant Adjutant-General of the Royal Engineers, and as such, was on the staff of the Inspector-General of Fortifications
Chief Royal Engineer
The Chief Royal Engineer is the official head of the Corps of Royal Engineers. He was also the professional head of the Corps until 1941, when that role was moved to that of the Engineer-in-Chief.-Origin and development:...
at the Board of Ordnance
Board of Ordnance
The Board of Ordnance was a British government body responsible for the supply of armaments and munitions to the Royal Navy and British Army. It was also responsible for providing artillery trains for armies and maintaining coastal fortresses and, later, management of the artillery and engineer...
in London. He was selected for the duty because of his well-known administrative ability and intimate acquaintance with the large range of complicated details connected with the military and scientific business of the Royal Engineers. He retained the appointment until December 1842. He was promoted to Major-General
Major-General (United Kingdom)
Major general is a senior rank in the British Army. Since 1996 the highest position within the Royal Marines is the Commandant General Royal Marines who holds the rank of major general...
in 1841, and rose to the rank of full General
General (United Kingdom)
General is currently the highest peace-time rank in the British Army and Royal Marines. It is subordinate to the Army rank of Field Marshal, has a NATO-code of OF-9, and is a four-star rank....
and Colonel Commandant
Colonel Commandant
Colonel Commandant is a military title used in the armed forces of some English-speaking countries. The title, not a substantive rank, could denote a senior colonel with authority over fellow colonels...
of Royal Engineers. On 10 November 1862, Ellicombe was advanced to the honour of a Knight Commander
Knight Commander
Knight Commander is the second most senior grade of seven British orders of chivalry, three of which are dormant . The rank entails admission into knighthood, allowing the recipient to use the title 'Sir' or 'Dame' before his or her name...
of the Order of the Bath.
Artwork
Ellicombe painted watercolours of the places he visited. Some of these include watercolour pen and brown ink entitled, "Fort Ecluse 7 June 1807", acquired by the British MuseumBritish Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
; Shoreham and Malines Cathedral, Belgium, watercolour wash sketches; the 1823 watercolour, Kings College Chapel And Clare Hall; and the 1812 Bridge at Cabezon being prepared for demolition during Wellington's retreat from Burgos in October 1812.
Personal life
Ellicombe married in 1822, Mary, a daughter of the Rev. Edmund Peach, rector of CheamCheam
Cheam is a large suburban village close to Sutton in the London Borough of Sutton, England, and is located close to the southern boundary between Greater London and Surrey. It is divided into two main areas: North Cheam and Cheam Village. North Cheam includes more retail shops and supermarkets,...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. She died in 1860 without issue.
At retirement, Ellicombe settled at Worthing
Worthing
Worthing is a large seaside town with borough status in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, forming part of the Brighton/Worthing/Littlehampton conurbation. It is situated at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester...
, where he died in 1871. He and his wife are both buried at Christ Church, Worthing
Christ Church, Worthing
Christ Church and its burial grounds in Worthing, England, were consecrated in 1843 by the Bishop of Chichester, Ashurst Turner Gilbert, to meet the need for church accommodation for the poor. Built by subscription between 1840 and 1843, the Church was initially regarded as a chapel of ease to St...
.