Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Paulet, William (1804-1893)
PAULET, Lord WILLIAM (1804–1893), field-marshal, fourth son of Charles Ingoldsby Paulet, thirteenth marquis of Winchester, and his wife Anne, second daughter of John Andrews of Shotney Hall, Northumberland, was born 7 July 1804. After being educated at Eton, where his name appears in the fifth form in the school lists of 1820, he was appointed ensign in the 85th light infantry on 1 Feb. 1821. On 23 Aug. 1822 he was made lieutenant in the 7th fusiliers, purchased an unattached company 12 Feb. 1825, and exchanged to the 21st fusiliers. On 10 Sept. 1830 he became major 68th light infantry, and lieutenant-colonel 21 April 1843, serving with the regiment at Gibraltar, in the West Indies, North America, and at home until 31 Dec. 1848, when he exchanged to half-pay unattached. Becoming brevet colonel 20 June 1854, he went to the Crimea as assistant adjutant-general of the cavalry division, under Lord Lucan, and was present at the Alma, Balaklava (where he was with Lord Lucan throughout the day, and had his hat carried off by a shot), Inkerman, and before Sevastopol. On 23 Nov. 1854 Lord Raglan appointed him to command ‘on the Bosphorus, at Gallipoli, and the Dardanelles,’ where the overcrowded hospitals, in which Miss Nightingale and her band of nurses had begun their labours three weeks before, were much in need of an experienced officer in chief command. This post was held by him until after the fall of Sevastopol, when he succeeded to the command of the light division in the Crimea, which he retained until the evacuation (C.B. medal and clasps, officer of the Legion of Honour, third class of the Medjidie, and Sardinian and Turkish medals).
Paulet was one of the first officers appointed to a command at Aldershot, where he commanded the 1st brigade from 1856 to 1860, becoming a major-general meanwhile on 13 June 1858. He commanded the south-western district, with headquarters at Portsmouth, from 1860 to 1865. He was made K.C.B. in 1865, and a lieutenant-general 8 Dec. 1867; was adjutant-general of the forces from 1865 to 1870, was made G.C.B. in 1870, general 7 Oct. 1874, and field-marshal 10 July 1886. After a short period as colonel 87th fusiliers, Paulet was appointed, on 9 April 1864, colonel of his old regiment, the 68th (now 1st Durham light infantry), in the welfare and interests of which he never ceased to exert his active influence. He died 10 May 1893.
[Foster's Peerage, under ‘Winchester;’ Hart's Army Lists; Kinglake's Invasion of the Crimea (cabinet edit.); Times, 10 May 1893; Broad Arrow, 13 May 1893, p. 590.]