OTD 2 October 1768 William Carr Beresford
On 2 October 1768, William Carr Beresford was born in Bedgebury at
Kent in England.
Family
Beresford was the illegitimate son of the 1st Marquess of Waterford. He was the
brother of Admiral Sir John Beresford, 1st Baronet and the half-brother of
the 2nd Marquess of Waterford, Archbishop Lord John Beresford and
General Lord George Beresford.
Military Career & Travels
Beresford entered the British Army in 1785 in the 6th Regiment of Foot and
the next year he was blinded in one eye due to an incident with a musket.
In 1791 he was promoted to captain with the 69th Regiment of Foot. He
distinguished himself at Toulon, in Egypt and South Africa.
Between 10 and 12 August 1806 Beresford and the British forces were
defeated in Buenos Aires but he managed to escape and he arrived back
in England in 1807.
In November of 1807 Imperial French troops under Junot invaded the
Kingdom of Portugal during the Napoleonic wars.
In 1807 Beresford was sent to Madeira, which he occupied in name of the
King of Portugal, he remained there for six months as Governor and even
Commander in Chief. Beresford was recommended by Arthur Wellesley.
On 22 April 1809, Sir Arthur Wellesley, later Duke of Wellington,
disembarked in Lisbon, he took over the command of all the Anglo-
Portuguese troops and Beresford was nominated Marshal General of the
Portuguese Army.
On 27 September 1810 Beresford took part at the Battle of Buçaco against
Masséna.
In 1811, an Anglo-Portuguese and Spanish army under Beresfords command
intercepted a French army commanded by marshal Soult. The French forces
were defeated on 16 May 1811.
On 22 July 1812 the Battle of Salamanca was fought, this was a victory over
the French under Marshal Marmont. In the battle Beresford was wounded under
his left breast.
After the peace was declared he came back again to Lisbon to reassume the
command of the Portuguese Army.
From 1811 till 1814 Beresford was Member of Parliament for County
Waterford. He was sworn of the the Privy Council in 1821.
In 1821 Beresford was made Governor of Jersey and he held this position
until 1854.
As a reward for his service in the fight against the French he was raised to
the peerage as Baron Beresford.
In 1823 he was further honoured when he was made Viscount Beresford. He
also had many national and foreign orders and decorations.
He received the Grand Cross of the Portuguese Order of the Tower and Sword.
Beresford County in New South Wales in Australia was named in his honour.
In 1832 Lord Beresford married his first cousin the Honourable Louise,
widow of Thomas Hope and daughter of William Beresford, 1st Baron Decies.
The marriage was childless. She died in July 1851.
Death
General William Carr Beresford, 1st Viscount Beresford, 1st Marquis of Campo
died on 8 January 1854 at the age of 85 in Kent England.
After his death the barony and viscountcy became extinct. His estates were
passed on to his stepson Alexander Beresford Hope.
The On This Day Picture
The picture on top of this blog post was taken in Lisbon, Portugal in 2017.
It attracked my attention immediately. I was curious why the Portuguese
honoured an Englishman as William Carr Beresford.
Nowadays I finally know why. No wonder that such an army leader as
Beresford, who allied with Portugal against Napoleon Bonaparte
still is mentioned in Lisbon.
Kent in England.
 |
| William Carr Beresford own picture taken in Lisbon, Portugal in 2017 |
Family
Beresford was the illegitimate son of the 1st Marquess of Waterford. He was the
brother of Admiral Sir John Beresford, 1st Baronet and the half-brother of
the 2nd Marquess of Waterford, Archbishop Lord John Beresford and
General Lord George Beresford.
Military Career & Travels
Beresford entered the British Army in 1785 in the 6th Regiment of Foot and
the next year he was blinded in one eye due to an incident with a musket.
In 1791 he was promoted to captain with the 69th Regiment of Foot. He
distinguished himself at Toulon, in Egypt and South Africa.
Between 10 and 12 August 1806 Beresford and the British forces were
defeated in Buenos Aires but he managed to escape and he arrived back
in England in 1807.
In November of 1807 Imperial French troops under Junot invaded the
Kingdom of Portugal during the Napoleonic wars.
In 1807 Beresford was sent to Madeira, which he occupied in name of the
King of Portugal, he remained there for six months as Governor and even
Commander in Chief. Beresford was recommended by Arthur Wellesley.
On 22 April 1809, Sir Arthur Wellesley, later Duke of Wellington,
disembarked in Lisbon, he took over the command of all the Anglo-
Portuguese troops and Beresford was nominated Marshal General of the
Portuguese Army.
On 27 September 1810 Beresford took part at the Battle of Buçaco against
Masséna.
In 1811, an Anglo-Portuguese and Spanish army under Beresfords command
intercepted a French army commanded by marshal Soult. The French forces
were defeated on 16 May 1811.
On 22 July 1812 the Battle of Salamanca was fought, this was a victory over
the French under Marshal Marmont. In the battle Beresford was wounded under
his left breast.
After the peace was declared he came back again to Lisbon to reassume the
command of the Portuguese Army.
From 1811 till 1814 Beresford was Member of Parliament for County
Waterford. He was sworn of the the Privy Council in 1821.
In 1821 Beresford was made Governor of Jersey and he held this position
until 1854.
As a reward for his service in the fight against the French he was raised to
the peerage as Baron Beresford.
In 1823 he was further honoured when he was made Viscount Beresford. He
also had many national and foreign orders and decorations.
He received the Grand Cross of the Portuguese Order of the Tower and Sword.
Beresford County in New South Wales in Australia was named in his honour.
In 1832 Lord Beresford married his first cousin the Honourable Louise,
widow of Thomas Hope and daughter of William Beresford, 1st Baron Decies.
The marriage was childless. She died in July 1851.
Death
General William Carr Beresford, 1st Viscount Beresford, 1st Marquis of Campo
died on 8 January 1854 at the age of 85 in Kent England.
After his death the barony and viscountcy became extinct. His estates were
passed on to his stepson Alexander Beresford Hope.
The On This Day Picture
The picture on top of this blog post was taken in Lisbon, Portugal in 2017.
It attracked my attention immediately. I was curious why the Portuguese
honoured an Englishman as William Carr Beresford.
Nowadays I finally know why. No wonder that such an army leader as
Beresford, who allied with Portugal against Napoleon Bonaparte
still is mentioned in Lisbon.
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