Sir Arthur Wellesley TorrensKCB (18 August 1809 – 24 August 1855) was a British Army officer and colonial administrator. He reached the rank of major-general.
He was the second son of Major-general Sir Henry Torrens and his wife, Sarah, daughter of Robert Patton, governor of St. Helena, born on 18 August 1809; he was a godson of the Duke of Wellington. In 1819 he was appointed a page of honour to the Prince Regent.[1]
Torrens passed through the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and obtained a commission as ensign in the Grenadier Guards, becoming lieutenant on 14 April 1825. He was appointed adjutant of the second battalion with the temporary rank of captain on 11 June 1829. He was promoted captain on 12 June 1830. He continued to serve as adjutant of his battalion until 1838, when he was appointed brigade-major at Quebec on the staff of Major-general Sir James Macdonell, commanding a brigade in Canada. He took part in the operations against the Lower Canada Rebellion at the close of that year. He was promoted to lieutenant-colonel on 11 September 1840, when he returned to England.[1]
Royal Welch Fusiliers
Torrens exchanged into the 23rd Royal Welch Fusiliers, and obtained its command on 15 October 1841. On the expansion of the army in April 1842 a second battalion was given to the regiment. The depot was moved from Carlisle to Chichester, where, with two new companies, it was organised for foreign service under Torrens, who embarked with it at Portsmouth for Canada on 13 May, arriving at Montreal on 30 June.[1]
In September 1843 Torrens went, in command of the first battalion, from Quebec to the West Indies, arriving at Barbados in October 1843. The battalion was moved from one island to another, but for two years and a half Torrens commanded the troops in Saint Lucia and administered the civil government of the island. The sanitary measures adopted by Torrens for the preservation of the health of the troops were considered exemplary, and correspondence on the subject was published in November 1847 by order of the Duke of Wellington, as commander-in-chief.[1]
Torrens declined the offer of the lieutenant-governorship of Saint Lucia as a permanent appointment. He sailed with his battalion from Barbados in March 1847, arriving at Halifax, Nova Scotia in the following month. The battalion returned to England in September 1848, and was stationed at Winchester, where, on 12 July 1849, Prince Albert presented it with new colours. In April 1850 Torrens moved with the battalion to Plymouth, and the following year relinquished the command. On 1 January 1853 he was appointed an assistant quartermaster-general at the Horse Guards, and became a member of a commission researching the military of France, Austria, and Prussia.[1]
In the Crimean War, Torrens was nominated a brigadier-general to command an infantry brigade. He joined the 4th Infantry Division under Sir George Cathcart at Varna, just before its embarkation. He was at the head of his brigade both at the Battle of Alma and at the Battle of Balaklava, where he was engaged in support of the cavalry and lost some men in recapturing two redoubts. On the morning of 5 November 1854, at the Battle of Inkermann, under the direction of Cathcart, he attacked the left flank of the Russian forces, his horse falling under him, pierced by five bullets, and was praised by Cathcart just before his mortal wound. He was struck by a bullet that passed through his body, injured a lung, splintered a rib, and was found lodged in his greatcoat.[1]
Torrens was invalided home. He received the Crimea medal and clasp, the thanks of Parliament, was promoted to be a major-general for distinguished service in the field on 12 December 1854, and was made a knight commander of the Bath, military division.[1]
Death
On 2 April 1855 Torrens was appointed deputy quartermaster-general at headquarters, and on 25 June the same year was sent as a major-general on the staff to Paris as British military commissioner; but his health broke down, and he died in Paris on 24 August 1855. He was buried in the cemetery of Père-Lachaise.[1]
Works
Torrens published Notes on French Infantry and Memoranda on the Review of the Army in Paris at the Feast of Eagles in May 1852 (London, 1852).[1]
arthur, wellesley, torrens, august, 1809, august, 1855, british, army, officer, colonial, administrator, reached, rank, major, general, contents, early, life, royal, welch, fusiliers, crimean, death, works, family, notes, external, linksearly, life, edithe, se. Sir Arthur Wellesley Torrens KCB 18 August 1809 24 August 1855 was a British Army officer and colonial administrator He reached the rank of major general Arthur Wellesley Torrens Contents 1 Early life 2 Royal Welch Fusiliers 3 Crimean War 4 Death 5 Works 6 Family 7 Notes 8 External linksEarly life EditHe was the second son of Major general Sir Henry Torrens and his wife Sarah daughter of Robert Patton governor of St Helena born on 18 August 1809 he was a godson of the Duke of Wellington In 1819 he was appointed a page of honour to the Prince Regent 1 Torrens passed through the Royal Military College Sandhurst and obtained a commission as ensign in the Grenadier Guards becoming lieutenant on 14 April 1825 He was appointed adjutant of the second battalion with the temporary rank of captain on 11 June 1829 He was promoted captain on 12 June 1830 He continued to serve as adjutant of his battalion until 1838 when he was appointed brigade major at Quebec on the staff of Major general Sir James Macdonell commanding a brigade in Canada He took part in the operations against the Lower Canada Rebellion at the close of that year He was promoted to lieutenant colonel on 11 September 1840 when he returned to England 1 Royal Welch Fusiliers EditTorrens exchanged into the 23rd Royal Welch Fusiliers and obtained its command on 15 October 1841 On the expansion of the army in April 1842 a second battalion was given to the regiment The depot was moved from Carlisle to Chichester where with two new companies it was organised for foreign service under Torrens who embarked with it at Portsmouth for Canada on 13 May arriving at Montreal on 30 June 1 In September 1843 Torrens went in command of the first battalion from Quebec to the West Indies arriving at Barbados in October 1843 The battalion was moved from one island to another but for two years and a half Torrens commanded the troops in Saint Lucia and administered the civil government of the island The sanitary measures adopted by Torrens for the preservation of the health of the troops were considered exemplary and correspondence on the subject was published in November 1847 by order of the Duke of Wellington as commander in chief 1 Torrens declined the offer of the lieutenant governorship of Saint Lucia as a permanent appointment He sailed with his battalion from Barbados in March 1847 arriving at Halifax Nova Scotia in the following month The battalion returned to England in September 1848 and was stationed at Winchester where on 12 July 1849 Prince Albert presented it with new colours In April 1850 Torrens moved with the battalion to Plymouth and the following year relinquished the command On 1 January 1853 he was appointed an assistant quartermaster general at the Horse Guards and became a member of a commission researching the military of France Austria and Prussia 1 Crimean War Edit Memorial to Maj Gen Torrens by Carlo Marochetti at the St Paul s Cathedral In the Crimean War Torrens was nominated a brigadier general to command an infantry brigade He joined the 4th Infantry Division under Sir George Cathcart at Varna just before its embarkation He was at the head of his brigade both at the Battle of Alma and at the Battle of Balaklava where he was engaged in support of the cavalry and lost some men in recapturing two redoubts On the morning of 5 November 1854 at the Battle of Inkermann under the direction of Cathcart he attacked the left flank of the Russian forces his horse falling under him pierced by five bullets and was praised by Cathcart just before his mortal wound He was struck by a bullet that passed through his body injured a lung splintered a rib and was found lodged in his greatcoat 1 Torrens was invalided home He received the Crimea medal and clasp the thanks of Parliament was promoted to be a major general for distinguished service in the field on 12 December 1854 and was made a knight commander of the Bath military division 1 Death EditOn 2 April 1855 Torrens was appointed deputy quartermaster general at headquarters and on 25 June the same year was sent as a major general on the staff to Paris as British military commissioner but his health broke down and he died in Paris on 24 August 1855 He was buried in the cemetery of Pere Lachaise 1 Works EditTorrens published Notes on French Infantry and Memoranda on the Review of the Army in Paris at the Feast of Eagles in May 1852 London 1852 1 Family EditTorrens married in 1832 Maria Jane youngest daughter of General Sir John Murray 8th Baronet After his death she erected a monument to him in St Paul s Cathedral 2 Notes Edit a b c d e f g h i Lee Sidney ed 1899 Torrens Arthur Wellesley Dictionary of National Biography Vol 57 London Smith Elder amp Co Memorials of St Paul s Cathedral Sinclair W pp 459 London Chapman amp Hall Ltd 1909External links EditAttribution This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Lee Sidney ed 1899 Torrens Arthur Wellesley Dictionary of National Biography Vol 57 London Smith Elder amp Co Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Arthur Wellesley Torrens amp oldid 1085876764, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
