despatched Ligonier with a repetition of the order — “Bring up the cavalry, there is a very fine opportunity of gaining a great deal of credit, the enemy being all in disorder.” The Duke of Richmond, a few minutes after, rode up to the Prince, and recommended a charge of cavalry. And then Lieutenant-Colonel Fitzroy asked His Serene Highness’s leave to go and bring up the British cavalry, which was granted. Fitzroy hastening at full gallop met Wintzingerode, and asked, “Why does the cavalry not advance? His Highness is in the greatest impatience.” In the meantime Ligonier had delivered his message to Lord George, who made difficulties as to the direction of the advance movement. Ligonier said “to the left” — but Lord George was not satisfied. Then Fitzroy arrived and used the phrase “the British cavalry;” the perplexed Sackville saw another difficulty — why divide the cavalry? — in short, he would go and speak to the Prince before giving an order. His Lordship’s aide-de-camp, Lieutenant-Colonel Sloper, said aside to Ligonier, “For God’s sake, sir, repeat your orders to that man, that he may not pretend not to understand them, for it is near half an hour ago that he has received orders to advance, and yet we are still here; but you see the condition he is in.” Sloper explained to the court-martial that he meant by the last remark that “Lord George Sackville was alarmed to a great degree.” His Lordship said, “Captain Ligonier, your orders are contradictory.” Ligonier replied, “In numbers, my Lord; but their destination is the same.” The Prince afterwards sent his orders to Lord Granby (the second in command of the right wing) to advance, and both he and Sackville did then advance; but the delay had lost them the opportunity of contributing to the victory.
On the 15th August 1759 Edward Ligonier obtained a company in the 1st Foot Guards which gave him the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the army. He gave his evidence at the court-martial as Lieutenant-Colonel Ligonier on March 8th and 29th, 1760. We hear no more of him until the next reign. In April 1763, retaining the same regimental rank, he was made a Colonel in the army, and Aide-de-camp to King George III.
In the following August he had the honour of being sent to Madrid as Secretary of the British Embassy to the Court of Spain. The Spanish king was Charles III. The heir-apparent to the throne, whose title was the Prince of the Asturias, was also named Charles, but was not yet out of his teens. A singular interview which Colonel Ligonier had with this young man is the only memento of his diplomatic career. The Royal Family of Spain, being Bourbons, did not altogether sympathise with the Spanish grandees in their family pride, which secretly despised French blood even of regal dye. Yet Spanish etiquette made these nobles give unquestioning subjection to royal will. The Prince of the Asturias contrived a plan for making their haughtiness and stateliness appear absurd. One morning Colonel Ligonier was waiting in an antechamber for admission to the young prince, when he was astonished to see several grandees retire from their audiences one after another, each with a paper fool’s cap on his head, and walking in court-dress with humiliating gravity. After taking a cautious look at them, the Colonel thought of himself, and asked one of the ministers in waiting, “Is a similar compliment in store for me? — because the king, my master, would be far from pleased if I were to submit to such an indignity.” The minister said he would enquire, went into the prince’s chamber, and returned with the reply, that the Colonel must be crowned like the other visitors of His Royal Highness. “Then,” said Ligonier, “I present my respects to His Royal Highness and wish him a very good morning;” having said this, he walked away. The Spaniard called out quickly, “Nay, nay, stay a little, and I will step in again to the Prince.” He did so, and returned with a message implying that the British diplomatist might banish his apprehensions. Ligonier having been admitted for his audience, the prince conversed with him for some time with the greatest affability. The royal stripling, who stood with his back to the fire-place, always kept one hand behind his back. Observing this, Ligonier resolved to keep a sharp look-out, which he did. in due time he approached to take leave, and made a very low bow. At the moment when he was raising up his head, he saw the Prince rapidly bring forward his hidden hand, holding a fool’s-cap for our Colonel’s summary coronation. But he was too good an officer to be unprepared. With an adroit jerk he struck the paper crown out of the Prince’s hand to the other end of the room, made a second unexceptionable bow, and retired. The merry Prince lived to ascend the throne as Charles IV.
On the 17th November 1764, Colonel Ligonier was appointed one of the grooms of the bedchamber to William Henry, Duke of Gloucester. It appears that he had a pension of £1000 a year. Earl Temple writes- on 25th August 1766, “Lord Ligonier has got the pension for his nephew increased from £1000 to £1500 per annum, and a promise of the second regiment that becomes vacant (the first being
