John Colborne, 1st Baron Seaton
Canadian Rebellions | |
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Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Guelphic Order |
He went on to become commander-in-chief of all the armed forces in British North America, personally leading the offensive at the
Early career and the Peninsular War
Born in
Colborne was deployed with his regiment to Italy where he distinguished himself at the Battle of Maida in July 1806 during the War of the Third Coalition.[2] He became military secretary to General Henry Fox in 1806 and then became military secretary to Sir John Moore with the rank of major on 21 January 1808.[2] In this capacity he accompanied Moore to Sweden in May 1808 and to Portugal in 1808 and served with him at the Battle of Benavente in December 1808 and Battle of Corunna in January 1809.[2] It was Moore's dying request that Colborne should be given a lieutenant colonelcy and this was complied with on 2 February 1809.[2] He transferred to the 66th Regiment of Foot on 2 November 1809, and after returning to Spain with Sir Arthur Wellesley's Army, he witnessed the defeat of the Spaniards at the Battle of Ocaña later that month.[4] He commanded a brigade at the Battle of Bussaco in September 1810 and then commanded the 2nd Battalion of the 66th Regiment of Foot at the Battle of Albuera in May 1811 where his brigade was virtually annihilated by the Polish 1st Vistulan Lancers Regiment of the French Army.[5] After transferring to the command of the 52nd Regiment of Foot he took part in the Siege of Ciudad Rodrigo in January 1812 where he was badly injured and had to be invalided back to England.[4]
After recovering in England, Colborne returned to Spain and commanded the 52nd Regiment of Foot at the
Waterloo
Colborne became
At the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815 during the Hundred Days, Colborne led the 52nd Regiment of Foot. At the critical moment of the battle, when the French Imperial Guard attacked Welligton's weakened centre, Colborne made a decisive intervention. On his own initiative, Colborne brought the 52nd Regiment of Foot forward, took up a flanking position in relation to the Imperial Guard and then, after firing repeated volleys into their flank, charged at the Guard so driving them back in disorder.[1] As soon as General Sir Frederick Adam saw what Colborne was doing, he sent in extra troops to support him.[8] Colborne drove forward towards La Haye Sainte, while Wellington rode back to the main line to order the general advance.[9]
He was appointed a Knight of the Austrian Military Order of Maria Theresa on 2 August 1815.[10] After the war he remained with his regiment as part of the Army of Occupation.[5]
Guernsey
Colborne became
Canada
In August 1828 Colborne was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada.[13] As Lieutenant Governor, Colborne increased the population of the province by 70% by initiating an organised system of immigration to bring in settlers from Britain.[5] He also aided settlement by expanding the communication and transportation infrastructure through a campaign to build roads and bridges.[1] He brought changes to the structure of the legislative council, increased fiscal autonomy and encouraged greater independence in the judiciary.[1] In 1829 he founded Upper Canada College as a school based on the Elizabeth College, Guernsey model to educate boys in preparation for becoming leaders of the colonies.[1]
During Colborne's period of office as commander-in-chief, the
In January 1836 Colborne became commander-in-chief of all the armed forces in British North America.[1] He was promoted to the local rank of lieutenant general on 8 July 1836.[16] Colborne personally led the offensive at the Battle of Saint-Eustache in December 1837 defeating the rebel force which had become holed up in a church. His forces burnt the church and set fire to surrounding buildings. Afterwards, he led the sack of the nearby village of Saint-Benoît, burning much of the village. The French-Canadians gave him the nickname "Le vieux brûlot" ("the old fire-breather").[1][17]
Colborne was advanced to
Colborne stepped aside as acting Governor General until the arrival of Gosford's formal successor, Lord Durham, on 27 May 1838. Colborne was promoted to the substantive rank of lieutenant-general on 28 June 1838.
Lord Seaton's Annuity Act 1840 | |
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Act of Parliament | |
Dates | |
Royal assent | 19 May 1840 |
Text of statute as originally enacted |
In recognition of the "important services" rendered by Colborne, and following a message from Queen Victoria,[23] Parliament settled an annuity of £2,000 on him and the next two heirs male who would succeed to the title.[24]
Later life
Colborne became
Colborne also served as honorary colonel of the
In November 1866 a bronze statue of Colborne, sculpted by
Colborne Street in London, Ontario is named after Colborne,[35] as is the city of Port Colborne.[36]
Family
In 1813 Colborne married Elizabeth Yonge; they had three daughters and five sons.[4]
See also
- Port Colborne, Ontario
- Colborne Lodge, Toronto
- Seaton Village, Toronto neighbouurhood named for Colborne
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "John Colborne, 1st Baron Seaton". Dictionary of Canadian Biography (online ed.). University of Toronto Press. 1979–2016.
- ^ a b c d e f Heathcote, p. 90
- ^ "No. 15182". The London Gazette. 16 September 1799. p. 938.
- ^ a b c d e f g Heathcote, p. 91
- ^ doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/5835. Retrieved 26 December 2014. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ "No. 16972". The London Gazette. 4 January 1815. p. 20.
- ^ "No. 16906". The London Gazette. 7 June 1814. p. 1182.
- ^ Barbero, p. 273
- ^ Sale, Nigel, "The Lie at the Heart of the Battle", Military History Monthly, April, 2015, p.37.
- ^ "No. 17064". The London Gazette. 23 September 1815. p. 1941.
- ^ "No. 17737". The London Gazette. 14 August 1821. p. 1682.
- ^ "No. 18141". The London Gazette. 28 May 1825. p. 926.
- ^ "No. 18496". The London Gazette. 15 August 1828. p. 1552.
- ^ For more information on the varied locations of this statue see Lord Seaton
- ^ a b Lee, p. 149
- ^ "No. 19398". The London Gazette. 8 July 1836. p. 1249.
- ^ Patrick Richard Carstens and Timothy L. Sanford, The Republic of Canada Almost (Xlibris Corporation, 2013), p. 60.
- ^ "No. 19585". The London Gazette. 30 January 1838. p. 214.
- ^ "No. 19631". The London Gazette. 3 July 1838. p. 1489.
- ^ "The London Quarterly Review, Volumes 63–64". 1839. p. 146. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
- ^ "No. 19686". The London Gazette. 14 December 1838. p. 2887.
- ^ "No. 19801". The London Gazette. 6 December 1839. p. 2564.
- ^ The Queen's message House of Lords Debates 27 March 1840 col 163.
- ^ Lord Seaton's Annuity Act 1840 (3 & 4 Vict. c. 11)
- ^ "No. 20197". The London Gazette. 17 February 1843. p. 553.
- ^ "No. 21564". The London Gazette. 22 June 1854. p. 1931.
- ^ "No. 22371". The London Gazette. 30 March 1860. p. 1253.
- ^ "Plympton St Mary". A vision of Britain. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
- ^ "No. 19220". The London Gazette. 12 December 1834. p. 2244.
- ^ "No. 19602". The London Gazette. 30 March 1838. p. 783.
- ^ "No. 21534". The London Gazette. 24 March 1854. p. 937.
- ^ "No. 22598". The London Gazette. 14 February 1862. p. 774.
- ^ "Statue of Field Marshal Lord Seaton". Devonport on line. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
- ^ "What Toronto's citizens of stone tell us about our history". Globe & Mail. 24 January 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
- ^ Priddis, Harriet (1908). "Naming of London Streets". Historic Sketches of London Ontario. London, Ontario: The London and Middlesex Historical Society. p. 20.
Colborne Street, named for Sir John Colborne, Governor of Canada West during the troublesome times that preceded the Rebellion.
- ^ "Port Colborne - Ontario, Canada". Retrieved 10 July 2021.
Sources
- Barbero, Alessandro (2005). The Battle. London: Atlantic Books. ISBN 1-84354-309-5.
- Heathcote, Tony (1999). The British Field Marshals, 1736–1997: A Biographical Dictionary. Barnsley: Leo Cooper. ISBN 0-85052-696-5.
- Lee, Robert (2004). The Canada Company and the Huron Tract, 1826–1853. Toronto: Natural Heritage Books. ISBN 1-896219-94-2.
External links
- Archives of John Colborne, 1st Baron Seaton (John Colborne, 1st Baron Seaton fonds, R14204) are held at Library and Archives Canada