Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Hepburn, Francis (1779-1835)
HEPBURN, FRANCIS or FRANCIS KER (1779–1835), major-general, born 19 Aug. 1779, was second son of Colonel David Hepburn of the 39th foot and 105th highlanders, by his wife Bertha Graham of the family of Inchbrakie, Perthshire. His grandfather, James Hepburn of Brecarton and Keith Marshall, spent his fortune in the Stuart cause. Francis was appointed ensign in the 3rd foot-guards (now Scots Guards) 17 Dec. 1794; became lieutenant and captain 23 April 1798; captain and lieutenant-colonel 23 July 1807; brevet colonel 4 June 1814; regimental 2nd major 25 July 1814; and major-general 19 July 1821. He served with his regiment in Ireland in 1798 and in Holland in 1799; was aide-de-camp to General W. P. Acland [q. v.] at Colchester, and afterwards in Malta and Sicily; but was laid up with fever and ophthalmia during the descent on Calabria and battle of Maida. He joined his battalion at Cadiz in 1809, and his leg was shattered at the battle of Barossa 5 March 1811. He refused to submit to amputation, and by the autumn of 1812 had recovered sufficiently to rejoin his battalion, although his wound remained open and caused frequent and severe suffering during the subsequent campaigns. He was placed in command of the detached light companies of the Coldstream and 3rd Guards in 1812; was present at Vittoria, Nivelle, and the Nive; and at the end of 1813 was ordered home to assume command of the 2nd battalion of his regiment in the expedition to Holland. Delayed by contrary winds, he arrived after the expedition had sailed, but followed the battalion to the Low Countries, and commanded it there during the winter of 1814–15. He joined the Duke of Wellington's army in April 1815. Hepburn was in temporary command of the 2nd brigade of guards until the arrival of Sir John Byng [q. v.] in May. He commanded his battalion at Quatre Bras and Waterloo. The light company of the battalion was sent with other troops under Lord Saltoun to occupy Hugoumont on the night of 17 June. Other companies of the battalion were sent to reinforce the post soon after the battle had commenced next day, and later Hepburn was sent with the rest of the battalion, when he took command of the troops posted in the orchard of the chateau, an important service, the credit of which, by some official blunder, was given to a junior officer, Colonel Hume. The mistake was explained officially, but never notified publicly, and, it is said, was the means of depriving Hepburn of the higher honours awarded to other senior officers of the division of guards. Hepburn was made C.B., and had the fourth-class decorations of the Netherlands Lion and St. Alexander Nevski in Russia. He married in 1821 Henrietta, eldest daughter and coheiress of Sir Henry Poole, last baronet of Poole Hall, Cheshire, and Hook, Sussex, by whom he had two sons and a daughter. He died at Tunbridge Wells on 7 June 1835, aged 56 years.
[Army Lists; Hamilton's Hist. Grenadier Guards, iii. 13–48; Colburn's United Service Mag. November 1835, pp. 383–4; Gent. Mag. new ser. iv. 101, 650.]