Philip Bainbrigge
Encyclopedia
Sir Philip Bainbrigge was an English lieutenant-general.

Biography

Bainbrigge was descended from an ancient family long resident in the counties of Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...

 and Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...

. He was the eldest son of Lieutenant-colonel Philip Bainbrigge, of Ashbourne
Ashbourne, Derbyshire
Ashbourne is a small market town in the Derbyshire Dales, England. It has a population of 10,302.The town advertises itself as 'The Gateway to Dovedale'.- Local customs :...

, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...

, and Rachel, daughter of Peter Dobree, Esq., of Beauregard
Beauregard
- People :* Beauregarde, American wrestler born Larry Pitchford* DJ Paul, American rapper born Paul Beauregard* Elie Beauregard , Canadian lawyer and politician* Georges de Beauregard , French producer...

, Guernsey
Guernsey
Guernsey, officially the Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy.The Bailiwick, as a governing entity, embraces not only all 10 parishes on the Island of Guernsey, but also the islands of Herm, Jethou, Burhou, and Lihou and their islet...

, and was born in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

 in 1786. He entered the navy as a midshipman in the Caesar
HMS Caesar
Four ships of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Caesar, after the Roman general and dictator Julius Caesar.* Caesar was ordered as a 74-gun third rate from Plymouth Dockyard in 1777, but construction was cancelled in 1783....

, under Admiral Sir James Saumarez, in 1799, but left it from ill-health. His father, who served under the Duke of York
Duke of York
The Duke of York is a title of nobility in the British peerage. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of the British monarch. The title has been created a remarkable eleven times, eight as "Duke of York" and three as the double-barreled "Duke of York and...

 in the expedition to Holland, was killed in the attack on Egmont-op-Zee on 6th October 1799, and the next year the duke appointed young Bainbrigge to an ensigncy in the 20th regiment.

In 1800 he became a lieutenant, but being then only fourteen years of age, he obtained a year's leave, which he spent at Green's military academy at Deptford
Deptford
Deptford is a district of south London, England, located on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a ford of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th century to the late 19th was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards.Deptford and the docks are...

, and joined his regiment at Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...

 in 1801. At the peace of Amiens his regiment was reduced and he was placed on half-pay, but was brought on full pay into the 7th fusiliers. Returning to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 in 1803, he was employed in obtaining volunteers from the militia to form the 2nd battalion of the 7th, which when completed was removed to Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...

. Here the troops were reviewed by the Duke of York, and Lieutenant Bainbrigge, who by his zeal and diligence had given much satisfaction, was gazetted, on 17 Oct. 1805, to a company in the 18th Royal Irish, and joined the 1st battalion of the regiment in the West Indies.

After the taking of Curaçao
Curaçao
Curaçao is an island in the southern Caribbean Sea, off the Venezuelan coast. The Country of Curaçao , which includes the main island plus the small, uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao , is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands...

 from the Dutch in 1807, he was appointed inspector of fortifications in that island, where he made plans of the forts and defences which subsequently recommended him to the authorities at the Horse Guards
Horse Guards
Horse Guards or horse guards can refer to:* A Household Cavalry regiment:** Troops of the Horse Guards Regiment of the British Army from 1658-1788** The Royal Horse Guards, which is now part of the Blues and Royals...

. He exchanged into the 93rd, and, returning to England, laid his plans and surveys before the Duke of York, who advised him to qualify himself for the stuff by studying at the senior department of the Royal Military College at High Wycombe
High Wycombe
High Wycombe , commonly known as Wycombe and formally called Chepping Wycombe or Chipping Wycombe until 1946,is a large town in Buckinghamshire, England. It is west-north-west of Charing Cross in London; this figure is engraved on the Corn Market building in the centre of the town...

. He entered the college in 1809, and studied so diligently that in a year and a half he passed his examination with distinction. While at the college he invented a protracting pocket sextant, which was favourably noticed by the board of examiners, and enabled him to make surveys with remarkable accuracy and rapidity. On leaving the college Captain Bainbrigge was appointed deputy assistant quartermaster-general in the British army in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...

. On arriving at Lord Wellington's head-quarters he was posted to the fourth division, commanded by Major-general Cole, and stationed near Torres Vedras
Torres Vedras
Torres Vedras is a city and a municipality in the district of Lisbon, Portugal, about 50 km north of Lisbon. It belongs to the Oeste subregion and the Centro region.The municipality covers an area of 405.89 km² distributed over 20 freguesias...

, and was at once sent to examine the island of Lyceria, a tract of flat alluvial land in the Tagus
Tagus
The Tagus is the longest river on the Iberian Peninsula. It is long, in Spain, along the border between Portugal and Spain and in Portugal, where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Lisbon. It drains an area of . The Tagus is highly utilized for most of its course...

, to ascertain whether troops could cross it. He was then brought to headquarters, where for some time he was employed in sketching ground and reporting on positions in various directions, which exposed him to the risk of capture by the enemy who occupied the country. His ability was acknowledged, for in a letter to Marshal Beresford, dated Cartaxo
Cartaxo
Cartaxo is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 158.2 km² and a total population of 24,465 inhabitants. The city itself has a population of 9,507.The municipality is composed of 8 parishes, and is located Santarém District....

, 4 Jan. 1811, Lord Wellington said he was appointed to the staff of the army on account of the ability he showed at High Wycombe.

He was present at the sieges and storming 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....

 and 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....

. As soon as Badajos was taken he was ordered to join the sixth division, under Sir H. Clinton, at Albuera, and take charge of the quartermaster-general's department. On the advance of the army into Spain in 1812, Captain Bainbrigge, who had examined the country which was to become the scene of operations, was brought to headquarters. He was present at the siege of the forts of Salamanca
Salamanca
Salamanca is a city in western Spain, in the community of Castile and León. Because it is known for its beautiful buildings and urban environment, the Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. It is the most important university city in Spain and is known for its contributions to...

, at the affairs of Costillegos and Costrejon, and at the crossing of the Guarena
Guareña
Guareña is a Spanish municipality in the province of Badajoz, Extremadura. It has a population of 7,326 and an area of 283.3 km².-External links:* *...

, his duties being to carry orders and make sketches of the country and positions. On one occasion, being with Lord Wellington on high ground on the right bank of the Tormes watching the enemy crossing the river at Huerta
Huerta
A huerta or horta , from Latin hortis, "garden", is a fertile area, or a field in a fertile area, common in Spain and Portugal, in which a variety of common vegetables and fruit trees, are cultivated for family consumption and sale...

, his lordship suddenly told him to ride in the direction which he pointed out on the other side of the Tormes, to examine the ground and make a sketch of it. He accordingly rode down to the ford of Santa Marta
Santa Marta
Santa Marta is the capital city of the Colombian department of Magdalena in the Caribbean Region. It was founded in July 29, 1525 by the Spanish conqueror Rodrigo de Bastidas, which makes it the oldest remaining city in Colombia...

, and crossing Over to the ground between the ford and the two Arapile hills, a distance of about three miles, made his sketch while the enemy's skirmishers were in immediate proximity, and brought back a plan in about two hours and a half. It was on part of this ground that the battle of Salamanca
Battle of Salamanca
The Battle of Salamanca saw Anglo-Portuguese and Spanish armies under the Duke of Wellington defeat Marshal Auguste Marmont's French forces among the hills around Arapiles south of Salamanca, Spain on July 22, 1812 during the Peninsular War....

 was afterwards fought. On another occasion he was ordered to conduct a column of the army then at Pareda, three leagues off, through a difficult country and in face of the enemy to Vallesa. He did so successfully, and brought the column in the midst of the night safely to its destination. On the day of the battle of Salamanca he was constantly with Lord Wellington, and at a critical moment he carried the order for the advance of General Leith's division.

After this decisive victory he accompanied the army in the advance to Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...

, and from thence to Valladolid
Valladolid
Valladolid is a historic city and municipality in north-central Spain, situated at the confluence of the Pisuerga and Esgueva rivers, and located within three wine-making regions: Ribera del Duero, Rueda and Cigales...

 and 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...

. He was present at part of the siege of Burgos
Siege of Burgos
At the Siege of Burgos, from 19 September to 21 October 1812, the Anglo-Portuguese Army led by General Arthur Wellesley, Marquess of Wellington tried to capture the castle of Burgos from its French garrison under the command of General of Brigade Jean-Louis Dubreton. The French repulsed every...

, and soon after was appointed permanent assistant quartermaster-general with the rank of major. In the retreat from Burgos he rendered very important services through his knowledge of the country, which was considered of so much value that Sir H. Clinton asked for his return to the sixth division, but it was decided that he should remain at headquarters. Major Bainbrigge continued to hold the same position till the end of the war in 1814, and surveyed and sketched the country through which the army passed till it entered France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

. He was present at the battles of Vittoria
Vittoria
Vittoria may refer to:* Vittoria Coffee, Australia's largest coffee company, founded in 1947* Vittoria, Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada* Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain* Vitória, Brazil* Battle of Vitoria, an 1813 battle in Spain during the Napoleonic Wars...

 and Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...

, at the last siege of San Sebastian
San Sebastián
Donostia-San Sebastián is a city and municipality located in the north of Spain, in the coast of the Bay of Biscay and 20 km away from the French border. The city is the capital of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. The municipality’s population is 186,122 , and its...

, and at the battles of Nive
Nive
The Nive is a French river that flows through the French Basque Country. It is a left tributary of the river Adour. The river's source in the Pyrenees in Lower Navarre...

 and 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...

. Rewards and distinctions were not lavishly bestowed in those days, and, as Major Bainbrigge had not been in action as the head of his department with a division, but under his seniors at headquarters, he did not receive the gold medal, and could not become a companion of the Bath. Through some strange omission he was not recommended for brevet rank, but on 21 Jan. 1817 this was rectified, when he was promoted to the brevet rank of lieutenant-colonel.

In 1815 he applied for employment abroad, and joined the British army in its advance to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...

. When he returned home after the peace, he continued to hold the appointment of permanent assistant quartermaster-general until 1841, when he was made deputy quartermaster-general in Dublin. Having attained the rank of major-general, 9 Nov. 1846, he was appointed by the Duke of Wellington to the command of the Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...

 district. In 1852 the duke selected him to command the forces in the island of Ceylon. During his stay in Ceylon his unremitting exertions for the welfare of the troops under his command made him beloved and respected by all classes, and his departure, when promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general on 20 June 1854, was much regretted.

In 1838 he was made a companion of the Bath, and subsequently received the 'grant for distinguished service.' On 31 March 1854 he was appointed colonel of the 26th (Cameronian) regiment. For his services in the Peninsula he received the war medal with seven clasps, and on 31 March 1854 he was created a knight commander of the Bath.

In his military career he showed the advantage of scientific knowledge, and much of his success in life was owing to his diligent application of this knowledge in the field. His talents and high sense of duty caused him to be greatly valued as an officer, and esteemed by all who knew him. He died at St. Margaret's, near Titchfield
Titchfield
Titchfield is a village in southern Hampshire, by the River Meon. The village has a history stretching back to the 6th century. During the medieval period, the village operated a small port and market...

, Hants, on 20 Dec. 1862, at the age of 76.
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