| The Lord Seaton | |
|---|---|
| 1778 - 1863 | |
 John Colborne, 1st Baron Seaton |
|
| Place of birth | Lyndhurst, Hampshire |
| Place of death | Torquay |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |  British Army |
| Years of service | 1794 - 1860 |
| Rank | Field Marshal |
| Battles/wars | French Revolutionary Wars Napoleonic Wars Lower Canada Rebellion |
Field Marshal John Colborne, 1st Baron Seaton, GCB, GCMG, GCH, (16 February 1778 – 17 April 1863), British field marshal, was born at Lyndhurst, Hampshire and educated at Christ's Hospital, London from 1785 to 1789 and at Winchester College from 1789 to 1794.
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Early service
He entered the 20th (East Devonshire Regiment) in 1794 as an ensign, winning thereafter every step in his regimental promotion without purchase.
He first saw service in the Helder expedition of 1799, and as a captain he took part in Sir Ralph Abercromby's expedition to Egypt in 1801. He distinguished himself at the Battle of Maida, and soon afterwards was brought under the notice of Sir John Moore, who obtained a majority for him and made him his military secretary. In this capacity he served through the Battle of Corunna campaign, and Sir John Moore's dying request that he should be given a lieutenant-colonelcy was at once complied with. In the summer of 1809 Lieut-Colonel Colborne was again in the Peninsula, and before taking command of the 66th Foot Regiment, he witnessed the defeat of the Spaniards at the Battle of Ocaña.
With the 66th he was present at Busaco and shared in the defence of the Lines of Torres Vedras, and next year, after temporarily commanding a brigade with distinction at the Battle of Albuera, (his brigade was slaughtered by Polish Vistula Uhlans) he was appointed to command the famous 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot with which corps he is most closely identified. He led it and was very severely wounded at Ciudad Rodrigo (1812). During his recuperation he married Elizabeth Yonge of Puslinch, Devon.[1] In late 1813, Colborne was placed in temporary charge of a brigade of the Light Division which he commanded in the battles of the Nivelle, Orthez and Toulouse. For his services, he was awarded the Army Gold Cross with three clasps.
At the peace he was made colonel, aide-de-camp to the Prince Regent and appointed K.C.B. in January 1815. On 18 June 1815 Colborne and the 52nd at Waterloo took part in the repulse of the Middle Guard. At approximately 21.00 hours Colborne on his own initiative took the 52nd forward and wheeled it to the left so that it was at right angles to the French Army. The 52nd then fired repeated volleys into the right flank of the French Imperial Guard and drove it back in disorder. The ensuing charge of the 52nd and the rest of Adam's Brigade led to the rout of the Imperial Guard which broke up and fled. Colborne was with the 52nd in Paris as part of the army of occupation until January 1816.
Canada
Colborne was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey in July 1821. He was promoted to Major-General in May 1825. He served as Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada from 1828 to 1836. He was appointed GCH in October 1836.
As Lieutenant Governor, Colborne more than doubled the population of the province by initiating an organised system of immigration to bring in settlers from Britain. He also aided settlement by expanding the communication and transportation infrastructure through a campaign to build roads and bridges. In 1829, Colborne founded Upper Canada College as a school based on the elite English public school model to educate boys in preparation for becoming leaders of the colonies.
Being a member of the Family Compact, Colborne was a strong supporter of the Church of England and British traditions and an opponent of responsible government. His policies brought him into conflict with Reformers in Upper Canada and contributed to the Rebellions of 1837 during which he was made commander-in-chief of the armed forces and acting Governor General of British North America.
Colborne raised a local militia to join the same contingent of British regulars to suppress a rebel force in December 1837. He personally led the offensive at St-Eustache in Lower Canada. In Canada, he won the nickname of le vieux brûlot for his habit of burning down villages and houses.
Later life
Colborne was promoted to Lieutenant-General in June 1838. He was appointed GCB in October 1839. He was raised to the peerage as Baron Seaton of Seaton in Devonshire in December 1839. He was appointed GCMG in July 1843. He was high commissioner of the Ionian Islands from 1843 to 1849. He was promoted to full general in June 1854 and from 1855 to 1860 he was Commander-in-Chief, Ireland. Colborne was promoted to Field Marshal in April 1860. He had purchased the house and grounds of Beechwood, by Sparkwell, Devon in 1856 and lived there in retirement. Colborne was appointed Honorary Colonel of the Rifle Brigade (95th) in February 1862 in succession to the Prince Consort at the express wish of Queen Victoria. He died at Torquay on 17 April 1863. He is buried in the churchyard of Newton Ferrers, Devon.
Port Colborne, at the south end of the Welland Canal, is named after him. He was the Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada at the time of the opening of the First Welland Canal, which runs through the city. The town of Colborne, on the north shore of Lake Ontario, also carries his name.
External links
References
- This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
Bibliography
- Life by GC Moore Smith (1906).
- Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (2004).
- The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Philip Booth (1971).
The Story of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (The old 43rd and 52nd Regiments) Sir Henry Newbolt (1915) Waterloo Andrew Roberts (2005).
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Sir George Prevost |
Commander-in-Chief, North America 1838–1839 |
Succeeded by vacant from 1839-1846 and after 1846 - General Charles Murray |
| Preceded by Sir Edward Blakeney |
Commander-in-Chief, Ireland 1855–1860 |
Succeeded by Sir George Brown |
| Government offices | ||
| Preceded by Henry Bailey |
Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey 1821–1828 |
Succeeded by John Dawes Ross |
| Preceded by Sir Peregrine Maitland |
Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada 1828–1836 |
Succeeded by Sir Francis Bond Head |
| Preceded by The Earl of Gosford |
Acting Governor General of British North America 1837–1838 |
Succeeded by The Earl of Durham as Governor General and high commissioner of British North America |
| Peerage of the United Kingdom | ||
| Preceded by New Creation |
Baron Seaton 1839–1863 |
Succeeded by James Colborne |
| Academic offices | ||
| Preceded by Sir Peregrine Maitland |
Chancellor of King's College 1828–1835 |
Succeeded by Sir Francis Bond Head |
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