Talk:Duke of Somerset
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It is my duty to inform you that Edward Adolphus Ferdinand ST. MAUR (1835-1869) did not fight in the American Civil War. In fact, he never set foot on American soil. He did fight in Italy and Sicily, as you rightly state, as a civilian volunteer, first joining Dictator General Garibaldi's Essercito Meridionale (Southern Army)as a raw private in 1860, distinguishing himself in the Volturno campaign in late 1860 and other famous campaigns, having at an early stage assumed the rank of Captain that year (only because he had co-commanded Volunteer Cavalry in England along with his younger brother Edward Percy ST. MAUR (1841-1865)) - both brothers assuming the rank of Captain.
In Italy and Sicily,when Garibaldi conferred on E.A.F. ("Ferdy") St. Maur the rank of Captain (despite the fact that Ferdy was merely a civilian volunteer, Lord Seymour (not yet created Earl St. Maur, until 1863 in his father's barony), also assumed the pseudonym 'Captain Richard Sarsfield' in commemoration of a hero he had heard about when at Christ Church College(Oxford). Ferdy had previously also fought as a Volunteer in the Persian War (1855-56 - only partaking briefly in 1856), and almost immediately afterwards, during the Relief of Lucknao (Indian [Sepoy]Mutiny 1857-1858).
However, after a non-sexual scandal in Naples in late 1860, whereby Ferdy {now Garibaldi's appointed 'Military Secretary')accused a brother officer (who happened to be a favourite of Garibaldi's) of embezzling Garibaldi funds, the said brother officer pamphleteered Lord Seymour relentlessly, challenged Ferdy to a duel that his superior officer (Col. J. Peard - Garibaldi's "Englishman") forbad him to attend, and brought about a trial in Naples to further blacken the SEYMOUR name, Ferdy felt it necessary to be accompanied at all times by bodyguards and to escape back to Britain - which he did. The scandal induced Ferdy to give up any thought of involvement in warfare. He was never again to partake in warfare, choosing to travel extensively throughout Europe, studying languages, seldom returning home, much to the resentment of his family.
On the other hand, his younger brother Lord Edward Percy ST. MAUR who was in H.M. Civil Service (and a promising young diplomat of 21) - to whom I referred above - did go to America as a volunteer observer only of the events of the Civil War (non-military sons of Dukes were always allotted safe positions, i.e. they were not allowed to 'fight'). He extensively reported his findings in Blackwood's Magazine, a Scottish publication produced by a member of the Duchess of Somerset's family, in an October issue of 1862. He had been in America between May and September of 1862, and returned to Britain via Canada. He did transit about with McLellan's staff during that time and recalled seeing 'Jeff Davis' at Richmond. Letters sent to his family also confirm this involvement, about which he also wrote to his brother Ferdy (soon to become Earl St. Maur), who was still travelling throughout Europe, learning several foreign languages, and therefore, nowhere near America. See "LETTERS OF LORD ST. MAUR ["Ferdy"]AND LORD EDWARD ST. MAUR [Lord "Edward Percy"] (1846-1869)", by Lady Helen Gwendolen RAMSDEN (née ST. MAUR, wife of Sir John William RAMSDEN, 5TH Baronet Muncaster), London, 1888.
So, it was, in fact Lord Edward Percy ST. MAUR (1841-1865), who visited America, and not the Earl St. Maur (1835-1869). The younger brother, incidentally, died and was buried in Yellapur (India) after failing to survive the amputation of a leg, immediately after being mauled severely by one bear of two that he had shot unsuccessfully. His brother the Earl composed a moving epitaph that was sculpted onto the gravestone at Yellapur, shortly after the 24-year-old's death in 1865.
I hope you will not be offended by my updating you on the above. My intention is based on the pursuit of truth.
Kindest regards
Joseph A A Silmon-Monerri - Edward Adolphus Ferdinand [the Earl] St. Maur's biographer, author of two as yet unpublished works on this Earl and the origins of the SEYMOURS.
I'm much indebted to you and your expert information. Please feel free update the main page to reflect the correct facts. Wikipedia thrives on experts reading pages and correcting them. One of the reasons I put in a reference to Earl St. Maur and the American Civil war was because of the information on this website http://rebelcherokee.tripod.com/stmaur.html. Mintguy 11:33, 8 Sep 2003 (UTC)
