Combermere

Combermere, Stapleton Cotton, Viscount (1773-1865), was the son of a Cheshire baronet. He was educated at Westminster, and entered the army in 1790. In 1794 he was in India and had become lieutenant-colonel. In 1808 he was in the Peninsula, a major-general, and in 1810 he was commander of the cavalry. He took part in the battle of Talavera and many others; and in 1814 was created Baron Combermere. From 1817-1820 he served in the West Indies, from 1822-25 he was in Ireland, and from 1825-30 in India, where he was present at the taking of Bhurtpore - a siege familiar to readers of that quaint old book John Ship. In 1827 he became viscount, and in 1852 succeeded the Duke of Wellington as Lieutenant of the Tower. He was made field-marshal in 1855. He retained a wonderful vigour and activity till extreme old age, owing in a great measure to his abstemiousness and his great power of self-control.