31 Facts About Joseph Thackwell

Joseph Thackwell served with the 15th Hussars in the Peninsular War at the Battle of Sahagun in 1808 and the Battle of Vitoria in 1813, and he lost his left arm at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

Joseph Thackwell commanded the 3rd The King's Own Dragoons, was colonel of the 16th Lancers, and was appointed Inspector-general of cavalry.

Joseph Thackwell was commissioned as cornet in the Worcester Fencible Cavalry in 1798, was promoted to lieutenant in September 1799, and served in Ireland until the regiment was disbanded in 1800.

Joseph Thackwell was placed on half-pay in 1802 after the Peace of Amiens but was brought back to the regiment on its augmentation in April 1804.

The regiment was converted into hussars in 1806, and Joseph Thackwell became captain in April 1807.

At the passage of the river Esla on 31 May 1813, Joseph Thackwell commanded the leading squadron which surprised a French cavalry picket and took thirty prisoners.

Joseph Thackwell took part in the Battle of Vitoria on 21 June 1813 and in the subsequent pursuit, in the Battle of the Pyrenees at the end of July 1813, and in the Siege of Pamplona.

Joseph Thackwell was present at the battles of Orthez, Tarbes, and Toulouse.

On 1 March 1814, after passing the river Adour, Joseph Thackwell was in command of the leading squadron of his regiment, and had a creditable encounter with the French light cavalry, on account of which he was recommended for a brevet majority by Sir Stapleton Cotton.

Joseph Thackwell was awarded the Peninsular Medal with two clasps.

Joseph Thackwell served with the 15th Hussars in the campaign of 1815, in General Colquhoun Grant's brigade, which was on the right of the line at the Battle of Waterloo.

Joseph Thackwell had two horses shot under him and was wounded in his left arm, which was amputated the next day.

Joseph Thackwell was promoted to the rank of major at Waterloo, and he was made brevet lieutenant-colonel on 21 June 1817.

Joseph Thackwell took command of the regiment in June 1820.

Joseph Thackwell was made a Knight of the Royal Guelphic Order in February 1834.

Joseph Thackwell became a colonel in the army in January 1837, and in May 1837, by exchange, he took command of the 3rd The King's Own Dragoons, travelling with his new regiment to India and arriving in Calcutta in November 1837.

Joseph Thackwell was present at the Siege of Ghazni, and he commanded the second column of the part of the army which returned to India from Kabul in the autumn of 1839.

Joseph Thackwell was made a Commander of the Order of the Bath in July 1838, and advanced to KCB in December 1839.

Joseph Thackwell commanded the cavalry division of Sir Hugh Gough's army in the short campaign against the Marathas of Gwalior at the end of 1843, and was mentioned in Gough's despatch after the Battle of Maharajpur.

Joseph Thackwell led the cavalry in file over the entrenchments on the right of the line, doing work usually left to infantry and artillery.

Joseph Thackwell had orders not to attack until he was joined by an additional brigade; but he was himself attacked towards midday by about half the Sikh army.

Joseph Thackwell commanded the cavalry at the Battle of Chillianwala on 13 January 1849, split into two brigades, one on each flank, and Joseph Thackwell actually directed only the left brigade.

At the Battle of Gujrat on 21 February 1849, Joseph Thackwell, was on the left, and kept in check the enemy's cavalry when it tried to turn that flank.

Joseph Thackwell received the thanks of parliament for the third time, and was advanced to GCB on 5 June 1849.

In November 1849, Joseph Thackwell he was given the colonelcy of the 16th Lancers.

Joseph Thackwell was Inspector-general of cavalry from April 1854 to February 1855, and was promoted to lieutenant-general in June 1854.

Joseph Thackwell had married, on 29 July 1825, Maria Audriah Roche, eldest daughter of Francis Roche of Rochemount, County Cork.

Joseph Thackwell bought Aghada Hall in County Cork in 1853, and died there in April 1859.

Joseph Thackwell had been commissioned as ensign on 25 June 1855, and became lieutenant on 23 November 1856.

Joseph Thackwell was appointed interpreter to the 83rd Foot, was in several engagements with the mutineers, and distinguished himself in the defence of Nimach.

Joseph Thackwell was present at the Siege of Lucknow, and, while walking in the streets after its capture, he was killed in the street by some of the sepoys on 20 March 1858.