Roberts, Frederick, Lord. An English military officer. Born in Cawnpore, India, September 30, 1832. He was taken to England when two years old, educated at Clifton, Eton, Sandhurst, and Addiscombe. Entered the Bengal Artillery in 1851. His first taste of actual warfare was in the hot time of siege of Delhi, during the mutiny, and he took an active part in the subsequent operations down to the relief of Lucknow. He discharged the duties of assistant quartermaster-general in the Abyssinian Expedition of 1868, and in the Lushai Expedition of 1871-72. On the outbreak of the Afghan War in 1878, Roberts, then major-general, was appointed to command the Kurram division of the army. He forced in brilliant fashion the Afghan position on the peak of Peiwar Kotal (8,500 feet above sea level). After the murder of Sir Louis Cavagnari and the escort of the British mission at Kabul, he was given command of the force sent to avenge them. He defeated the Afghans at Charasia on October 6, 1879, took possession of Kabul on the 12th, and assumed the government of the country. On August 9, 1880, Roberts set out on his memorable march through the heart of Afghanistan to the relief of Kandahar, which he reached three weeks later. He immediately gave battle to Ayub Khan and routed him completely, capturing all his artillery and his camp; was appointed commander-in-chief of the Madras army (1881), and held the rank of commander-in-chief in India (1885-93). He was appointed commander-in-chief of the forces in Ireland in 1895. In 1899 he took command of the English forces in South Africa, capturing Cronje, relieving Kimberly, and annexing the two republics. He returned to England, and was made commander-in-chief to succeed Lord Wolseley. Died 1914.

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