Edward Blakeney | |
|---|---|
 Blakeneyc. 1840 | |
| Born | 26 March 1778 Newcastle upon Tyne, England |
| Died | 2 August 1868 (aged 90) Chelsea, London |
| Allegiance |  Great Britain United Kingdom |
| Service | British Army |
| Years of service | 1794–1855 |
| Rank | Field Marshal |
| Commands | Commander-in-Chief, Ireland |
| Battles / wars | French Revolutionary Wars Peninsular War War of 1812 |
| Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Guelphic Order |
| Other work | Governor ofRoyal Hospital Chelsea |
Field MarshalSir Edward BlakeneyGCB GCH PC (Ire) (26 March 1778 – 2 August 1868) was aBritish Army officer. After taking part in the British occupation ofDutch Guiana as a junior officer and being taken prisoner byprivateers three times, he participated in theAnglo-Russian invasion of Holland in 1799. Blakeney subsequently joined the expedition toDenmark led byLord Cathcart in 1807. He went on to command the 2nd Battalion of the7th Regiment of Foot and then both battalions of that regiment in many of the battles of thePeninsular War. After joining theDuke of Wellington as he marched intoParis in 1815, Blakeney fought in theWar of 1812. He then commanded a brigade in the army sent on a mission to Portugal to support the constitutional government against the absolutist forces ofMiguel I of Portugal in 1826. Blakeney's last major appointment was asCommander-in-Chief, Ireland, a post he held for nearly twenty years.
Born the fourth son of ColonelWilliam Blakeney and Sarah Blakeney (née Shields), Blakeney was commissioned as acornet in the8th Light Dragoons on 28 February 1794.[1] He was promoted tolieutenant in the121st Regiment of Foot on 4 September 1794 and tocaptain in the99th Regiment of Foot on 24 December 1794.[2] He took part in theexpedition to Dutch Guiana in 1796 and was taken prisoner byprivateers three times suffering great hardship.[2] He also took part in the evacuation ofSanto Domingo in 1798.[3]
Blakeney transferred to the17th Regiment of Foot on 10 March 1798[4] and saw action at theBattle of Krabbendam and theBattle of Bergen both in September 1799 and theBattle of Alkmaar and theBattle of Castricum both in October 1799 during theAnglo-Russian invasion of Holland.[2] Promoted tomajor on 17 September 1801, he transferred to the47th Regiment of Foot on 11 July 1803.[5] After transferring again, this time to the7th Regiment of Foot on 7 April 1804,[6] he joined the expedition toDenmark led byLord Cathcart, took part in theBattle of Copenhagen in August 1807 and, having been promoted tolieutenant colonel on 7 May 1808,[7] also took part in the capture ofMartinique in February 1809.[2] He undertook garrison duty inNova Scotia later that year.[8]
Blakeney joinedSir Arthur Wellesley in Spain in June 1810 and commanded the 2nd Battalion of his regiment during theBattle of Bussaco in September 1810 and theBattle of Albuera (where he was severely wounded in the thigh) in May 1811.[8] He commanded both battalions of his regiment at the Combat of Aldea da Ponte in September 1811, at theSiege of Ciudad Rodrigo in January 1812 and at theSiege of Badajoz (where he was severely wounded through the arm in the assault) in April 1812.[8] He also commanded at theBattle of Vitoria in June 1813, at the Combat of Pampelona in June 1813 and at theBattle of the Pyrenees in July 1813 as well as theBattle of Nivelle in November 1813.[8] Promoted tocolonel on 4 June 1814[9] and appointed aKnight Commander of the Order of the Bath on 2 January 1815, he fought at theBattle of New Orleans in January 1815 during theWar of 1812.[8] Although he did not take part in theHundred Days, he joined theDuke of Wellington as he marched intoParis in 1815 and served with the Army of Occupation in France until 1819.[8]
Promoted tomajor general on 27 May 1825,[10] Blakeney commanded a brigade in the army under GeneralHenry Clinton sent on a mission to Portugal to support the constitutional government against the absolutist forces ofDom Miguel in 1826.[8]
Blakeney went on to becomeCommander-in-Chief, Ireland in Spring 1836. He was appointed aLord Justice of Ireland on 7 May 1836[11] and promoted to the local rank oflieutenant-general on 26 August 1836[12] and to the substantive rank of lieutenant-general on 28 June 1838.[13] He was advanced toKnight Grand Cross of the Bath on 7 May 1849[14] and, having been promoted to fullgeneral on 20 June 1854,[15] retired from active service in 1855.[8]
Blakeney also served as honorary colonel of the 7th Regiment of Foot,[16] then as honorary colonel of the1st Regiment of Foot[17] and later as colonel-in-chief of theRifle Brigade[18] as well as honorary colonel of the St. George's Rifle Volunteer Corps.[19] He became lieutenant-governor of theRoyal Hospital Chelsea on 6 February 1855[20] and then succeeded as Governor of that establishment on 25 September 1856.[21]
In retirement Blakeney lived atRichmond House inTwickenham.[22] Promoted tofield marshal on 9 November 1862,[23] he died at the Royal Hospital Chelsea on 2 August 1868 and was buried at Oak Lane Cemetery in Twickenham.[24]
In 1814 Blakeney married Maria Gardiner, a daughter of Colonel Gardiner of theEast India Company; they had no children.[8]
| Honorary titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Colonel of the 7th Regiment of Foot 1832–1854 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Colonel of the 1st Regiment of Foot 1854–1868 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Colonel-in-Chief of the Rifle Brigade 1865–1868 | Succeeded by |
| Military offices | ||
| Preceded by | Commander-in-Chief, Ireland 1836–1855 | Succeeded by |
| Honorary titles | ||
| Preceded by | Governor, Royal Hospital Chelsea 1856–1868 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
