388 COMBERMERE COLYEAR i.e. "CoLYEAR," Barony [S.] (Co/year), cr. 1703, with " Portmore," Earldom of [S.], which see; extinct 1835. COMBERMERE and COMBERMERE OF BHURTPORE BARONY. I. Stapleton Cotton, 2nd but 1st surv.s. of Sir Robert J J, Salusbury Cotton, 5th Bart. [1677], of Combermere, ^' CO. Chester, by Frances, da. and coh. of James Russell VTSrOTINTCY Stapleton, of Bodrhyddan, co. Denbigh, was b. 14 Nov. 1773, at Llewenny Hall, co. Denbigh; ed. at Westm. I. 1827. school, i785-89;joinedthearmy,as2ndLieut.23rdregt., the Welsh Fusiliers, Feb. 1790; Lieut. 1791 ; Capt. 6th Dragoon Guards 1793, served In Flanders 1793-94; becoming in 1794, at the age of 21, Lieut. Col. of 25th Light Dragoons, with whom he served against Tippoo Sahib at Malavelly,and,in 1799, at the siege of Seringapatam; Col. in the army and Lieut. Col. of the i6th Light Dragoons, 1800. Major Gen. 1805, Lieut. Gen. 1812, General 1825. M.P. (Tory) for Newark, 1806-14. He sue. his father in the Baronetcy and family estates 24 Aug. 1809, being then in command of a Brigade in the Peninsula, and for his signal services at Talavera, 28 July 1809, received the thanks of Pari. Being in command of the ist division of the Cavalry, he covered the retreat (July to Sep. 1 8 10) to Torres Vedras. As Commander of the whole of the allied Cavalry (1811-14) he, being then second in command under Wellington, led the famous charge at Salamanca, 22 July 18 12, which decided that victory. For this they both received the thanks of Pari., and he was nom. K.B. 21 Aug. 1 8 12, G.C.B. after Jan. 18 15. Col. of the 20th Light Dragoons, 18 13-18; K.G.C. of the Tower and Sword of Portugal, 18 13; of St. Ferdinand of Spain and of Charles III of Spain. He fought at the great victory of Toulouse 10 Apr. 18 14. On 17 May 18 14, he was cr. BARON COMBERMERE, of Combermere, co. Chester, with a pension of ;^ 2, 000 a year to him and his two successors therein. In July 18 15 he arrived at Paris, and was in command of the allied Cavalry In France till the end of 1816. Gov. and Com. In Chief of Barbados, 1817-20; G.C.H. 18 17; Col. of the 3rd Light Dragoons, 1821-29; Gov. of Sheerness, 1821-52; Com. In Chief In Ireland, 1822-25; P.C. [I.] 5 Dec. 1822; Second member of the India Council 1825-29, and Com. In Chief In the East Indies, where he restored the English supremacy by his gallant capture of Bhurtpore, 11 Dec. i825.(^) For this further service he was within fourteen months cr., 8 Feb. 1827, VISCOUNT COMBERMERE (') When the Duke of Wellington recommended him for this employment, he was met with the remark, " But we have always understood that your Grace thought Lord Combermere a fool;" to which the Duke retorted, " So he is, a fool and a d — d fool; but he can take Rangoon [? Bhurtpore]." V.G.
