20 Facts About Charles Colville

Charles Colville served in the West Indies from 1791 to 1797 and while serving there was promoted to lieutenant-colonel.

Charles Colville helped to suppress the Irish Rebellion of 1798.

Charles Colville was in Egypt in 1801 and fought at Martinique in 1809.

Charles Colville commanded brigade, and afterwards division, in the Peninsular War from 1810 until 1814.

Charles Colville was governor of Mauritius from 1828 until 1834.

Charles Colville commanded the 13th in the suppression of the Irish Rebellion of 1798, and in the expeditions to Ferrol and Egypt.

On leaving Egypt, Charles Colville, who had there established his reputation as a good regimental officer, took his regiment to Gibraltar, where he remained until 1805, in which year he was promoted to colonel.

On 25 July 1810, Charles Colville was promoted major-general and at once applied for a command in the Iberian Peninsula.

Charles Colville soon became not only Picton's trusted lieutenant, but one of Wellington's favourite brigadiers.

Charles Colville commanded his brigade in the pursuit after Massena, and in the Battle of Fuentes de Onoro, shared the superintendence of the trenches with Major-General John Hamilton at the second siege of Badajoz.

Charles Colville commanded the infantry in the affair at El Bodon on 25 September 1811, and the 4th division in the place of Major-General Cole in the successful siege of Ciudad Rodrigo.

Charles Colville shared the superintendence of the trenches in the third and last siege of Badajoz with Generals Bowes and Kempt, and commanded the 4th division in the storming of the Trinidad bastion, where he was shot through the left thigh and lost a finger of his right hand.

Charles Colville had to go to England for his cure, and thus missed the battle of Salamanca, but returned to the Peninsula in October 1812 and commanded the 3rd division in winter quarters until superseded by the arrival of General Picton.

Charles Colville commanded his brigade only at the Battle of Vitoria, where he was slightly wounded, but was specially appointed by Lord Wellington to the temporary command of the 6th division from August to November 1813, when he reverted to the 3rd division, which he commanded at the battles of the Nivelle and the Nive.

Charles Colville was again superseded by the arrival of Sir Thomas Picton, but in February 1814 Lord Wellington appointed him permanently to the 5th division in the place, of Sir James Leith.

Charles Colville's division was posted on the extreme right of the British division at Halle during the Battle of Waterloo.

Charles Colville succeeded with the loss of only thirty men killed and wounded.

Charles Colville was promoted lieutenant-general in 1819, and was commander-in-chief of the Bombay Army from 1819 to 1825.

From 17 June 1828 to 3 February 1833, Charles Colville was 3rd Governor of Mauritius when the population of 100,000 were in semi revolt against the crown.

Charles Colville was promoted to general on 10 January 1837, and died on 27 March 1843 at Rosslyn House, Hampstead.