Charles Gray, 1st Earl Gray
Charles Gray, 1st Earl Gray , KB (born October 23, 1729 in Howick , Northumberland , † November 14, 1807 in Howick, Northumberland) was one of the most important British generals of the 18th century.
Life
Charles Gray was the fourth son of Sir Henry Gray, 1st Baronet of Howick . The family was one of Northumberland's most important landowning families .
Charles joined the army and received his first command in 1744. During the Seven Years' War he served as an adjutant on the staff of Duke Ferdinand of Braunschweig and later of Wilhelm Graf zu Schaumburg-Lippe in Portugal.
During the American War of Independence he was one of the more successful military leaders and was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the British Forces in America, but could no longer take office because the war ended.
In 1793 he was given the command of the land forces of a naval expedition, which was under the command of Admiral Sir John Jervis and was directed against the French West Indies. He reached the islands in spring 1794 and had conquered Martinique , St. Lucia and Guadeloupe by the end of April .
The military success created serious problems. While waiting for instructions from England, Gray and Jervis were responsible for the interim administration of the captured islands. Their orders regarding the distribution of booty led to violent disagreements with the British West India merchants and finally to a parliamentary investigation into the administration of the two commanders-in-chief. The disputes and legal proceedings were not finally settled until 1806.
When Gray left the islands again in November 1794, the French had retaken Guadeloupe, the British troops had been decimated by a yellow fever epidemic and Gray was embroiled in a bitter argument with his deputy, Lieutenant-General Robert Prescott . Gray later said he wished he had never seen the West Indies.
In anticipation of a French invasion, he was given command of the southern military district ( Kent , Sussex and Surrey ) in August 1796 . In February 1800 he said goodbye for health reasons. Despite a later request to return to active service, his military career came to an end.
Between 1797 and 1807 Charles Gray was governor of the British Channel Island of Guernsey .
In recognition of his services, Gray was raised to the nobility in July 1801 as Baron Gray of Howick , in the county of Northumberland . In 1806 he was promoted to Earl Gray and Viscount Howick (April 11). He died the following year at the age of 78.
family
Charles Gray was married to Elizabeth Gray (before 1747-1822), the daughter of George Gray of Southwick (1713-1746), with whom he had seven children, since 1762. He was the father of the British statesman and Prime Minister Charles Gray, 2nd Earl Gray , after whom Earl Gray tea is named. His daughter Elizabeth was married to the politician and brewer heir Samuel Whitbread .
literature
- Paul David Nelson: Sir Charles Gray, First Earl Gray: Royal Soldier, Family Patriarch. Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 1996. ISBN 978-0-8386-3673-2 .
Web links
- Charles Gray at hansard.millbanksystems.com
- Paintings by Charles Gray in the National Portrait Gallery
Individual evidence
| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| New title created |
Earl Gray 1806-1807 |
Charles Gray |
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Gray, Charles, 1st Earl Gray |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Gray, Charles |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | British general |
| DATE OF BIRTH | October 23, 1729 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Howick , Northumberland |
| DATE OF DEATH | November 14, 1807 |
| Place of death | Howick , Northumberland |