34 Facts About Robert Craufurd

Major-General Robert Craufurd was a British officer.

Robert Craufurd was mortally wounded storming the lesser breach in the Siege of Ciudad Rodrigo on 19 January 1812 and died four days later.

Robert Craufurd was born at Newark, Alloway, Ayrshire, the third son of Sir Alexander Craufurd, 1st Baronet.

Robert Craufurd enlisted as an ensign with the 25th Foot in 1779, serving four years as a subaltern.

Robert Craufurd spent some time at Berlin in 1782, studying the tactics of the army of Frederick the Great and translated into English the official Prussian treatise on the Art of War.

Robert Craufurd's distinguished service was praised earning seniority in captaincies among the purchased commissions.

Robert Craufurd returned to England on leave to help his brother, Colonel Charles.

In 1798 Robert Craufurd was sent as Deputy Assistant Adjutant General on General Lake's staff to quash the Irish rebellion against General Humbert.

Robert Craufurd's abilities were recognised by Generals Cornwallis and Lake, who reported well of his performance to the War Office.

Robert Craufurd married on 7 February 1800 at St Saviour's Church, Mary Frances, daughter of Henry Holland, Esquire of Hans Place, Chelsea, and granddaughter of the landscape designer Lancelot "Capability" Brown.

Robert Craufurd was very fond of his wife, and, to the exasperation of his general officer commanding, regularly requested 'furlough' home to see his young love.

From 1801 to 1805, Robert Craufurd sat in Parliament for East Retford, but in 1807 he resigned to concentrate on soldiering.

On 30 October 1805, Robert Craufurd was promoted to full colonel and put in command of his own regiment.

Robert Craufurd was ordered on an expedition to South America.

Robert Craufurd's brigade consisted of two squadrons of 6th Dragoon Guards, the 5th Dragoon Guards, 36th Regiment, 45th Regiment, and 88th Regiment of Foot, and five companies of the 95th Rifles, totaling 4,200 men.

Robert Craufurd departed from Falmouth docks on 12 November 1806, sailing south to the Cape of Good Hope with instructions from William Windham.

Robert Craufurd was supported in London by his brother Charles, who had a network of aristocratic contacts.

The British advanced into the town; Robert Craufurd wrote he wanted to attack the ramparts, but was prevented by his superior officer.

Robert Craufurd's brigade was forced to retreat to the Convent of Saint Domingo; his brigade was surrounded by 5,000 of the enemy and forced to surrender at 4 pm.

In October 1808, Robert Craufurd sailed for Corunna with Sir David Baird's contingent to reinforce the army under Sir John Moore.

Robert Craufurd's Brigade formed part of the rearguard under Major-General Sir Edward Paget.

Robert Craufurd's regiments were heavily engaged in the earlier part of the retreat.

Robert Craufurd expressed the men's pride in the courage, despite severe discipline of the officers.

Robert Craufurd had "a severe look and a scowling eye", wrote Harris.

On 25 May 1809, Robert Craufurd embarked at Dover for Portugal with his brigade, consisting of the 43rd Foot, 52nd Foot and the 95th Rifles.

In spite of covering about 45 miles in 26 hours, Robert Craufurd arrived too late to participate in the battle.

In 1810 Robert Craufurd was burning to vindicate his reputation and show that the confidence which Wellington placed in him was not undeserved.

Robert Craufurd was six years junior to Picton and one year junior to Hope.

From March to July 1810 Robert Craufurd accomplished the extraordinary feat of guarding a front of 40 miles against an active enemy of six-fold force, without suffering his line to be pierced, or allowing the French to gain any information whatever of the host in his rear.

Robert Craufurd had the good luck to bayonet the sentries at the bridge before they could fire and was halfway up the rough 230 metres ascent from the bridge to the village, when Beckwith's detachment of the 95th Rifles, roused and armed in ten minutes were upon him.

Robert Craufurd's operations on the Coa and Agueda in 1810 were daring to the point of rashness; the drawing on of the French forces into what became the Combat of the Coa in particular was a rare lapse in judgement.

Robert Craufurd reappeared on the field of the Fuentes de Onoro to the cheers of his men.

Robert Craufurd's body was carried out of action by his staff officer, Lieutenant Shaw of the 43rd, and, after lingering four days, he died.

Robert Craufurd was buried in the breach of the fortress where he had met his death, and a monument in St Paul's Cathedral commemorates Craufurd and Mackinnon, the two generals killed at the storming of Ciudad Rodrigo.