Frederick Cavendish Ponsonby

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Major General Sir Frederick Cavendish Ponsonby, GCMG, KCB, KCH (July 6, 1783 – January 11, 1837) was a British military officer, the second son of the 3rd Earl of Bessborough and Henrietta Spencer.

Educated at Harrow, he joined the army as a cornet in January 1800, serving in the 10th Light Dragoons. He was promoted lieutenant in June 1800 and captain on 20 August 1803. He exchanged to the 60th Regiment of Foot in April 1806 and served on the staff of the Duke of Bedford, then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Promoted major on 25 June 1807, he went into the 23rd Light Dragoons on 6 August 1809 and went with them to serve in the Peninsular War.

He fought well at Talavera. He was promoted lieutenant colonel on 15 March 1810, and served as assistant adjutant-general at Buçaco and Barrosa, directing a brilliant and successful charge by a squadron of the 2nd Regiment of Hussars (KGL) against the French dragoons. He was given command of the 12th Light Dragoons on 11 June 1811.

After the fall of Badajoz, he distinguished himself in the action of Llerena on 11 April 1812, temporarily commanding Anson's brigade. Ordered by Sir Stapleton Cotton to detain a superior force of French cavalry under Pierre Soult, he successfully delayed them until reinforcments could arrive to flank the French and pursue them into Llerena.

He led his dragoons to disperse some of the broken French infantry after the Battle of Salamanca, and was wounded while covering the withdrawal from Burgos. At Vitoria, his regiment was part of the force, under Sir Thomas Graham, that blocked the French retreat towards Bayonne. He took part in the Battle of the Pyrenees and the fighting that followed in the south of France, bringing to Wellington the news that Napoleon had abdicated.

During the Hundred Days, the 12th Light Dragoons were attached to Vandeleur's light cavalry brigade. The 12th and 16th Light Dragoons were told to charge down the slope, bu tno further, to support the withdrawal of the Union Brigade of heavy cavalry. But like the Union Brigade (led by his second cousin, William Ponsonby), the light horse charged (as he later admitted) too far, and Ponsonby fell, shot through the lung and both arms, among the French guns. After lying all night on the field, he was carried away in a cart, but was, surprisingly, restored to health by the nursing of his sister Caroline.

He went on half-pay on 26 August 1820, and was appointed "inspecting field officer" in the Ionian Islands on 20 January 1824. The next year, on 16 March 1825, he married Lady Emily Charlotte Bathurst (d. 1877), daughter of Henry Bathurst, 3rd Earl Bathurst. They had three sons and three daughters, including:

• Henry Frederick Ponsonby (1825–1895)
• Selina Ponsonby (d. 1919)

On 27 May 1825, he was promoted major-general, commanding the troops in the Ionian Islands. The next year, on 22 December 1826, he was appointed Governor of Malta, and remained there for eight and a half years. During his tenure, he was made GCMG in 1828, and KCB and KCH in 1831. He left the governorship in May 1835, and was appointed colonel of the 86th Regiment of Foot on 4 December 1835. He was transferred to the colonecly of the Royal Dragoons on 31 March 1836. During this period, he maintained a high degree of interest in the handling of cavalry, and corresponded with Wellington. He died suddenly at an inn near Basingstoke on 11 January 1837.

[edit] References

• (2004) “Ponsonby, Sir Frederic Cavendish (1783–1837)”, Lloyd, E. M., rev. James Falkner: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. Retrieved on 2006-09-17.

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Hon. James Butler Hon. George Ponsonby	Member for Kilkenny County with Hon. James Butler 1801–20 Charles Clarke 1820–30 1806–1826	Succeeded by Viscount Duncannon Charles Clarke
Preceded by Viscount Normanby	Member for Higham Ferrers 1826–1830	Succeeded by Viscount Howick
Political offices
Preceded by The Marquess of Hastings	Governor of Malta 1827–1836	Succeeded by Sir Henry Bouverie

This article incorporates text from the public domain 1907 edition of The Nuttall Encyclopaedia.