Dictionary of National Biography, 1912 supplement/Edward of Saxe-Weimar
EDWARD OF SAXE-WEIMAR, Prince (1823–1902), field-marshal, was eldest son of Duke Bernard (1792–1862) of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach by his wife Princess Ida (1794–1852), daughter of George duke of Saxe-Meiningen. His father was younger son of Charles Augustus, grand duke of Saxe- Weimar, well known as Goethe's patron. His mother was younger sister of Princess (afterwards Queen) Adelaide [q. v.], wife of the duke of Clarence, afterwards King William IV. His parents were frequent visitors at the royal residence in Bushey Park, while the duke and duchess of Clarence were its occupants, and there Prince Edward, whose full names were William Augustus Edward, was born on 11 Oct. 1823. Brought up chiefly in England by his aunt, Queen Adelaide, the young prince was one of Queen Victoria's playfellows and was always on affectionate terms with her and her family. Another of his boyish associates, George, second duke of Cambridge [q. v. Suppl. II], became one of his closest friends. Having been duly naturalised, he passed through Sandhurst and entered the army as an ensign on 1 June 1841. His long career was wholly identified with British military service. Originally attached to the 67th foot, he was shortly afterwards transferred as ensign and lieutenant to the grenadier guards, became a captain on 19 May 1846, and was adjutant from November 1850 to December 1851. Prince Edward accompanied the 3rd battalion of grenadier guards to the Crimea, where he served with distinction as major (brevet major 20 June 1854) at Alma, Balaklava, and the siege of Sevastopol. He was wounded in the leg in the trenches on 19 Oct. and was mentioned in despatches (Land. Gaz. 7 Nov. 1854). At Inkerman Prince Edward, who was on picket duty with his company at Quarter-guard Point, successfully repelled the attack of a Russian column on the flank of the British lines (Kinglake's Invasion of the Crimea, vi. 107; Letters of Queen Victoria, 1837-1861, iii. 69: Prince Edward's Report of his experiences to the Queen). On 15 June 1855 he was appointed A.D.C. to Lord Raglan, and three days later engaged in the desperate but unsuccessful attack on the Malakoff and the Redan. He was appointed A.D.C. to Queen Victoria on 5 Oct. 1855, and retained the position till 22 Feb. 1869, when he was promoted major-general. For his services he received the C.B., the Crimean medal, Turkish medal, legion of honour, and fourth class of Medjidie. From 1 April 1870 to 31 July 1876 he held command of the home district. On 6 July 1877 he became lieutenant-general, and from 1 Oct. 1878 till 30 April 1881 he commanded the southern district (Portsmouth). In 1878 he was appointed colonel of the Lincoln regiment, and on 14 Nov. 1879 became general. On relinquishing the southern district in 1881, he was unemployed for four years. In October 1885 he was given the command of the forces in Ireland, which he retained till 30 Sept. 1890, when he was succeeded by Viscount Wolseley. The Irish command carried with it the position of privy councillor of Ireland. On 24 May 1881 he was made K.C.B., and on 21 June 1887 G.C.B. In 1888 he held the command of the 1st life guards as colonel-in-chief till his death, and in that capacity filled the office of gold stick-in-waiting to the Queen. He was placed on the retired list on 11 Oct. 1890. In 1891 Dublin University conferred on him the honorary degree of LL.D., and on 22 June 1897 Queen Victoria made him a field-marshal. In addition to these honours he was created a knight of St. Patrick in 1890, and on 8 March 1901 G.C.V.O.
An excellent soldier who was popular with all ranks, he cherished the cultured traditions of his family. He exercised a wide hospitality at his London house, and his guests included representatives of literature, art, and science, as well as soldiers and men in public life. He was always on cordial terms with King Edward VII. He died at 16 Portland Place on 16 Nov. 1902, and was buried in Chichester Cathedral with military honours.
A portrait of Prince Edward by F. Marks is in the possession of the duke of Richmond and Gordon at Goodwood. On 27 Nov. 1851 he married in London Lady Augusta Katherine, second daughter of Charles Gordon-Lennox, fifth duke of Richmond and Gordon. The marriage was morganatic and the princess was given in Germany the title of countess of Dornburg; but she was later on granted the title of princess in Great Britain by royal decree in 1866. She died without issue on 3 April 1904.
[The Times, 17 Nov. 1902; Army and Navy Gazette, 22 Nov. 1902; Army List; Kinglake's Invasion of the Crimea, 6th edit. 1877, vols. iii. iv. and vi.; Edgar Sheppard, Duke of Cambridge, 1906; Willoughby Verner, Military Life of the Duke of Cambridge, 1905; Sir C. Kinloch-Cooke, Life of the Duchess of Teck, 2 vols. 1900.]