Thomas Graham, Lord Lynedoch, (1748 – December 18, 1843) was a Scottish aristocrat, politician and soldier. After his education at Oxford, he inherited a substantial estate in Scotland was married and settled down to a quiet career as a landowning gentleman. However, with death of his wife, when he was aged 42, he immersed himself in a military (and later political) career, during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. Events April 24 - A congress assembles at Aix-la-Chapelle with the intent to conclude the struggle known as the War of Austrian Succession - at October 18 - The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle is signed to end the war Adam Smith begins to deliver public lectures in Edinburgh Building of... December 18 is the 352nd day of the year (353rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1843 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Royal motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (English: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within the United Kingdom Languages English, Gaelic, Scots Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 km² 1. ... -1... Politics is a process by which collective decisions are made within groups. ... A soldier is a person who has enlisted with, or has been conscripted into, the armed forces of a sovereign country and has undergone training and received equipment (such as a uniform and weapon) to defend that country or its interests. ... The University of Oxford, located in the city of Oxford, England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. ... Royal motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (English: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within the United Kingdom Languages English, Gaelic, Scots Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 km² 1. ... The French Revolutionary Wars occurred between the outbreak of war between the French Revolutionary government and Austria in 1792 and the Treaty of Amiens in 1802. ... The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars fought during Napoleon Bonapartes rule over France. ...

Early life and education

Thomas Graham was the third and only surviving son of Thomas Græme of Balgowan, in Perthshire and Lady Christian Hope, a daughter of the first Earl of Hopetoun. He was born in 1748, and was educated at home, by Rev. Mr. Fraser, minister of Monedie, and afterwards by James Macpherson, the collector and translator of Ossian's poems. He was sent to Christchurch College, Oxford, in 1766, and in the following year the death of his father put him in possession of a handsome and unencumbered estate. Balgowan is a small town and valley in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands in South Africa. ... Perthshire (Siorrachd Pheairt in Gaelic) is a traditional county in central Scotland, which extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south. ... The title of Marquess of Linlithgow was created in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1902 for the 7th Earl of Hopetoun, the first Governor-General of Australia. ... Events April 24 - A congress assembles at Aix-la-Chapelle with the intent to conclude the struggle known as the War of Austrian Succession - at October 18 - The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle is signed to end the war Adam Smith begins to deliver public lectures in Edinburgh Building of... James Macpherson (October 27, 1736–February 17, 1796), was a Scottish poet, known as the translator of the Ossian cycle of poems (also known as the Oisín cycle). ... Ossians dream, Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, 1813 Ossian is the anglicised form of the Gaelic name Oisín, son of Fionn mac Cumhail, a poet and warrior of the fianna in the Fenian Cycle of Gaelic literature. ... Christ Church, called in Latin Ædes Christi (i. ... 1766 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

On leaving college, he spent several years on the Continent, where he learnt the French and German languages. On his return to Scotland he devoted himself to the management and improvement of his estate. He enclosed his lands, erected comfortable farmhouses and offices, granted leases to his tenants, encouraged them to provide improved implements of husbandry, and to cultivate on a large scale potatoes and turnips, which had hitherto been regarded as mere garden plants. He also set himself to cultivate improved breeds of horses, cattle, and sheep. World map showing Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is conventionally considered one of the seven continents which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiogeographic one. ... German (called Deutsch in German; in German the term germanisch is equivalent to English Germanic), is a member of the western group of Germanic languages and is one of the worlds major languages. ... Enclosure (also historically inclosure) is the process of subdivision of common land for individual ownership. ... Binomial name Solanum tuberosum L. The potato (plural form: potatoes) (Solanum tuberosum) is a perennial plant of the Solanaceae, or nightshade, family, grown for its starchy tuber. ... Turnip can refer to three vegetables, which are described under the articles Turnip (brassica rapa), Rutabaga, and Jicama. ... Binomial name Equus caballus Linnaeus, 1758 The horse (Equus caballus) is a sizeable ungulate mammal, one of ten modern species of the genus Equus. ... Binomial name Bos taurus Linnaeus, 1758 Cattle (called cows in vernacular usage) are domesticated ungulates, a member of the subfamily Bovinae of the family Bovidae. ... Species See text. ...

In 1785, he purchased the estate of Lynedoch or Lednoch, situated in a picturesque part of the valley of the Almond, and took great delight in planting trees and oak coppices, and in beautifying the sloping banks which border the course of that stream. He was fond of horses and dogs, and was distinguished for his skill in country sports. He rode with the foxhounds, and accompanied the Duke of Athole, who subsequently became his brother-in-law, in grouse-shooting and deer-stalking on the Athole moors. He later said that he owed much of that education of the eye with reference to ground and distances, so useful to a military man, to his deer-hunting at this period of his life in the Forest of Athole. 1785 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Binomial name Prunus dulcis (Mill. ...

Life as a country gentleman

In 1772, aged 24, Graham stood as a Whig a candidate for Perth, in opposition to the brother of the Duke of Athole, but was defeated by a majority of only six votes. Two years later (1774) he married Mary, second daughter of the ninth Earl Cathcart. Her elder sister, on the same day, became Duchess of Athole. "Jane," wrote Lord Cathcart, "has married, to please herself, John, Duke of Athole, a peer of the realm; Mary has married Thomas Graham of Balgowan, the man of her heart, and a peer among princes." He spent the next eighteen years as a quiet country gentleman, distinguished only as a daring rider and sportsman, and a good classical scholar, making occasional visits to London and Edinburgh. 1772 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... While the Whigs (along with the Tories) are often described as one of the two political parties in late 17th to mid 19th century Great Britain, it is more accurate to describe them as loose political groupings or tendencies. ... 1774 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The title of Earl Cathcart was created in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1814. ... The Houses of Parliament and the clock tower containing Big Ben Part of the London skyline viewed from the South Bank London is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom. ... Edinburgh (pronounced ), Dùn Èideann () in Scottish Gaelic, is the second-largest city in Scotland and its capital city. ...

His dynamic nature is demonstrated by the alacrity with which he dealt with a highwayman, who stopped his carriage in Park Lane and demanded money, jewels, and watches, at gunpoint while two accomplices seized the horses’ heads. Graham, who was at the opposite side of the carriage, leapt across the ladies to the carriage-door, and collaring the assailant, threw him to the ground. Then, drawing his sword, which at that period formed part of a dress suit, he threatened to run the man through, if his associates holding the horses’ heads attempted to come to his assistance. They immediately fled, and the prostrate highwayman was given into custody. Folk image of a mounted highwayman This page is about the criminal occupation of highwayman, for groups of that name, see The Highwaymen. ... The Chicago Police Department arrests a man A protester is arrested during a demonstration. ...

He was a solicitous husband. Notably, when his wife discovered on the morning of an Edinburgh ball that she had left her jewel-box at Balgowan, he rode the ninety miles to and from Balgowan using relays of horses to ensure that she would have her jewellery at the ball. A ball is a formal dance. ...

Loss of his wife

Mrs. Graham’s health began to decline, and on the recommendation of her medical adviser she went, in the spring of 1792, to the south of France, along with her husband and sister. Despite this course of action, she died on board ship, off the coast near Hyères, on the 26 June 1792. Her sorrowing husband returned home, and deposited her remains in a mausoleum which he built in the churchyard of Methven, where, after the lapse of upwards of half a century, he would himself be laid in the same tomb. Hyères is a town and commune in the southeast of France, in the Var département, located 1. ... June 26 is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 188 days remaining. ... 1792 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Methven is a town in the Canterbury region of the South Island of New Zealand. ...

The loss of his wife preyed deeply upon Graham’s mind, and first he set out for twelve-months of foreign travel. However, still overwhelmed by great sorrow, and now in his forty-third year, he tried to drown the thought of his irreparable loss amid the toils and dangers of a military life.

Sir Walter Scott, in his Vision of Don Roderick, thus touchingly refers to the motive which led the sorrowing husband of Mrs. Graham to devote himself to a military career: Portrait of Sir Walter Scott, by Sir Edwin Henry Landseer Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (14 August 1771–21 September 1832) was a prolific Scottish historical novelist and poet popular throughout Europe during his time. ...

'Nor be his praise o’erpast who strove to hide

Beneath the warrior’s vest affection’s wound;

Whose wish Heaven for his country’s weal denied;

Danger and fate he sought, but glory found.

From clime to clime, where’er war’s trumpets sound

The wanderer went; yet Caledonia! still

Thine was his thought in march and tented ground:

He dreamed ‘mid Alpine cliffs of Athole’s hill,

And heard in Ebro’s roar his Lynedoch’s lovely rill."

Military career

Defence of Toulon

Graham joined the British army, as a volunteer, and was amongst the troops sent to assist in the defence of Toulon, one of the few places which held out against the French Revolutionary Government. Napoleon Bonaparte, then a lieutenant of artillery, rose to prominence through his part in the siege. Location within France Coat of Arms of Toulon Toulon (Tolon in Provençal) is a city in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. ... Bonaparte as general Napoleon Bonaparte ( 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821) was a general of the French Revolution and was the ruler of France as First Consul (Premier Consul) of the French Republic from November 11, 1799 to May 18, 1804, then as Emperor of the French (Empereur des Français...

Graham distinguished himself by his courage and energy: for instance, on one occasion, when a private soldier was killed, Graham snatched up his musket and took his place at the head of the attacking column. Graham was at this time acting as aide-de-camp to Lord Mulgrave. In a general order referring to the repulse of an attack by the French on an important fort, Mulgrave expressed "his grateful sense of the friendly and important assistance which he had received in many difficult moments from Mr. Graham, and to add his tribute of praise to the general voice of the British and Piedmontese officers of his column, who saw with so much pleasure and applause the gallant example which Mr. Graham set to the whole column, in the foremost point of every attack." Henry Phipps, 1st Earl of Mulgrave (14 February 1755 - 7 April 1831) was a British statesman and politician. ...

It is worthy of notice that it was at Toulon that Graham first became acquainted with his life-long friend, Rowland Hill, then a captain, who ultimately became Viscount Hill, and commander-in chief of the British army. Rowland Hill, 1st Viscount Hill (1772 - 1842) was a soldier who served in the Napoleonic Wars as a subordinate to the Duke of Wellington. ...

Campaign of 1796

On his return to Scotland, Graham raised, in Perthshire, the first battalion of the 90th regiment (Balgowan’s ‘Grey Breeks,’ as they were called), of which he was appointed lieutenant-colonel in 1794, and nominated Rowland Hill major. Shortly after he was unanimously chosen to represent the county of Perth in Parliament. Perthshire (Siorrachd Pheairt in Gaelic) is a traditional county in central Scotland, which extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south. ... Lieutenant Colonel (Lieutenant-Colonel in British English) is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and marine corps (and some air forces) of the world, typically ranking above a Major and below a Colonel. ... 1794 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Rowland Hill, 1st Viscount Hill (1772 - 1842) was a soldier who served in the Napoleonic Wars as a subordinate to the Duke of Wellington. ... The Royal Burgh of Perth (Peairt in Scottish Gaelic) is a large burgh in central Scotland. ... The British Houses of Parliament, London, UK A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system derived from that of the United Kingdom. ...

In 1795 he was stationed with his regiment at Gibraltar; but, soon becoming wearied of the listlessness of garrison duty, he obtained permission to join the Austrian army on the Rhine as British Commissioner. In this capacity he shared in the disastrous campaign of 1796, and afterward assisted Wurmser in the defence of Mantua, when it was invested by the French under General Bonaparte. The garrison was reduced to the greatest extremities from want of provisions, and Colonel Graham undertook the perilous duty of conveying intelligence to the Imperialist General Alvinzi, at Bassano, fifty miles distant, of their desperate situation. In 1955, Austria declared her Everlasting Neutrality and made neutrality a constitutional law. ... At 1,320 kilometres (820 miles) and an average discharge of more than 2,000 cubic meters per second, the Rhine (German Rhein, French Rhin, Dutch Rijn, Romansch: Rein, Italian: Reno) is one of the longest and most important rivers in Europe. ... Mantua Mantua (in Italian Mantova) is an important city in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province with the same name. ... -1... For other places of this name, see Bassano (disambiguation) Bassano is a town in Alberta, Canada. ...

Quitting the fortress, wearing a cloak of the country over his uniform, on 24 December, amid rain and sleet, he crossed the Mincio, in a boat which was repeatedly stranded in consequence of the darkness. He pursued his way on foot during the night, wading through deep swamps, and crossing numerous watercourses and the river Po, in constant danger of losing his way, or of being shot by the French pickets, and at daybreak he concealed himself till the return of night, when he resumed his journey. After surmounting numerous hardships and perils, he at length reached in safety, on 4 January, the headquarters of the Austrian general. But on the 14th the Austrians were defeated, and Mantua, soon after, was forced to surrender. December 24 is the 358th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (359th in leap years). ... Mincio (IPA: ) is a river in the Lombardy region of northern Italy. ... Po redirects here, for alternate uses see Po (disambiguation). ... January 4 is the 4th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

1797–1806

Colonel Graham now returned to Scotland, but in the autumn of 1797 he rejoined his regiment at Gibraltar. In the following year he took part, under Sir Charles Stuart, in the reduction of Minorca, where he greatly distinguished himself. 1797 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Charles Stuart is a name that could refer to: The English monarch Charles II of England. ...

He then repaired to Sicily, and obtained the warmest acknowledgments of the King and Queen of Naples for his effective exertions on their behalf. In 1798 he was entrusted with the charge of the operations against the important island of Malta, which was at that time in the possession of the French. With the local rank of brigadier-general, he had under his command the 30th and 89th regiments, and some corps embodied under his immediate direction. Sicilian disambiguates here; see also Sicilian language or Sicilian Defence. ... Naples panorama Naples (Italian Nàpoli, Neapolitan Napule, from Greek Νέα Πόλις - Néa Pólis - meaning New City; see also List of traditional Greek place names) is the largest city in southern Italy and capital of Campania Region and the Province of Naples. ... 1798 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Brigadier General (sometimes known as a one-star general from the United States insignia) is the lowest rank of general officer in the United States and other countries, ranking just above Colonel and just below Major General. ...

Owing to the great strength of the place, he was obliged to resort to a blockade, and after being invested for nearly two years, the garrison were compelled by famine to surrender in September, 1800, and the island has ever since remained a portion of the British Empire. Colonel Graham’s services were very shabbily acknowledged by the Government of that day, who reserved their patronage and honours for the officers belonging to their own political party. Look up September in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... -1... The British Empire was, at one time, the foremost global power and the largest empire in history. ...

In the summer of 1801 he proceeded to Egypt, where his regiment (the 90th) had greatly distinguished itself under Sir Ralph Abercromby, but he did not arrive until the campaign had terminated by the capitulation of the French army. He availed himself of the opportunity, however, to make a tour in that country and in Turkey. He spent some time in Constantinople, whence he travelled on horseback to Vienna—a journey which in later years he used to mention as one of the most agreeable rides he had ever enjoyed. The Union Jack, flag of the newly formed United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. ... Sir Ralph Abercromby (sometimes spelled Abercrombie) (October 7, 1734–March 28, 1801) was a British lieutenant-general noted for his services during the Napoleonic Wars. ... Map of Constantinople. ... Vienna (German: Wien [viːn]; Slovenian: Dunaj, Hungarian: Bécs, Czech: Vídeň, Slovak: Viedeň, Romany Vidnya; Croatian and Serbian: Beč) is the capital of Austria, and also one of the nine States of Austria. ...

1807

After spending some time in the discharge of his parliamentary duties, and in attending to the improvement of his estates, Colonel Graham was stationed with his regiment in Ireland, and was then sent to the West Indies, where he remained for three years. When the Ministry of "All the Talents" was dismissed in 1807, on account of the favour they had shown for the Roman Catholic claims to equal privileges, Colonel Graham supported their policy, and denounced as hypocrisy the cry of "No Popery" raised by Mr. Perceval. But his approval of the proceedings of the Whig Ministry, and of Roman Catholic emancipation did not find favour with the Perthshire electors—a small body in those days—and on the dissolution of Parliament in May, 1807, Colonel Graham declined to seek re-election, and Lord James Murray was returned without opposition in his stead. The British Houses of Parliament, London, UK A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system derived from that of the United Kingdom. ... The Caribbean or the West Indies is a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea. ... 1807 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Percival or Perceval is one of King Arthurs legendary Knights of the Round Table. ... While the Whigs (along with the Tories) are often described as one of the two political parties in late 17th to mid 19th century Great Britain, it is more accurate to describe them as loose political groupings or tendencies. ... Look up May in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... 1807 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... James Murray may refer to: James Murray, a British military officer and governor of Quebec in the 1700s James Murray, a British military officer and Chief of the Imperial General Staff in the 1900s James Murray, a Scottish lexicographer James Murray, lord of the Isle of Man from...

1808

In 1808 Colonel Graham accompanied Sir John Moore as his aide-de-camp to Sweden, and then to Spain. He served with Moore throughout the whole of his campaign, terminating in the arduous and trying retreat to Corunna, in which Graham’s services were especially valuable to the harassed troops. As Sheridan said in the House of Commons, "In the hour of peril Graham was their best adviser; in the hour of disaster Graham was their surest consolation". Sir John Moore (November 13, 1761 – January 16, 1809) was a British soldier and General. ... The Battle of La Coruña took place on January 16, 1809, between 14,000 British under Sir John Moore, and 16,000 French under Marshal Soult, who was endeavouring to prevent the British from evacuating by sea from the port. ...

When Sir John Moore received his death-wound at the battle of Corunna, Colonel Graham was at his right hand, and had his left hand on the mane of Sir John’s horse. He at once rode away for medical assistance. Before he returned his dying general missed him, and anxiously asked, "Are Colonel Graham and my aides-de-camp safe?"—one of his last inquiries. Moore's body was carried to Colonel Graham’s quarters, and Graham was one of the select company who witnessed Moore’s burial on the rampart of the citadel of Corunna.

1809–1811

After his return to England, Colonel Graham was promoted to the rank of major-general, and was appointed, in the summer of 1809, to command a division under Lord Chatham, in the fatal Walcheren expedition. An attack of malaria fever, however, compelled him to return home. 1809 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The Earl of Chatham was a peerage given to William Pitt the Elder in 1766, after which he became Lord Privy Seal. ... Satellite image of the Scheldt estuary Walcheren is a former island in the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands at the mouth of the Scheldt estuary. ... Red blood cell infected with Malaria, derived from mala aria (Italian: bad air) and formerly called ague or marsh fever in English, is an infectious disease which causes about 350-500 million infections with humans and approximately 1. ...

On his recovery he was raised to the rank of lieutenant-general, and was sent to Spain, to take command of the British and Portuguese troops in Cadiz, which was at that time closely invested by the French. The British Government attached great importance to the possession of Cadiz, as it was Britain's last stronghold in the Iberian Peninsula. But, as Sir William Napier remarked, while "money, troops, and a fleet—in fine, all things necessary to render Cadiz formidable—were collected, yet to little purpose, because procrastinating jealousy, ostentation, and a thousand absurdities, were the invariable attendants of Spanish armies and government." This article is about the Spanish city. ... William Napier was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. ...

General Graham resolved to make an effort to raise the siege by attacking the rear of the besieging army, and in February, 1811, he sailed from Cadiz with a force of upwards of 4,000 men, accompanied by 7,000 Spanish troops, under General La Pena, to whom, for the sake of unanimity, the chief command was conceded. The allied troops assembled at Tarifa, in the Straits of Gibraltar, and, moving northward, they arrived, on the morning of the 5th of March, at the heights of Barossa, which were on the south of Cadiz and of the lines of the besieging army. Collection of photographs from Tarifa Tarifa is a small town near the southernmost part of Spain. ... The Strait of Gibraltar as seen from space. ...

On the instructions of the Spanish general, Graham's force moved down from the position of Barossa to that of the Torre de Bermeja, about half-way to the Santi Petri river, in order to secure the communication across that river. While marching through the wood towards the Barmeja, Graham received notice that the enemy was advancing in force towards the height of Barossa. As that position was the key of that of Santi Petri, Graham immediately countermarched, in order to support the troops left for its defence; but before the British force could get themselves quite disengaged from the wood, he saw to his astonishment the Spanish troops under La Pena abandoning the Barossa hill, which the French left wing was rapidly ascending.

At the same time their right wing stood in the plain on the edge of the wood, within cannon-shot. "A retreat," as he says, "in the face of such an enemy, already within reach of the easy communication by the sea-beach, must have involved the whole allied army in all the danger of being attacked during the unavoidable confusion of the different corps arriving on the narrow ridge of the Barmeja at the same time. Trusting," as he says, "to the known heroism of British troops, regardless of the numbers and position of the enemy," General Graham determined on an immediate attack. A small cast-iron cannon on a carriage ????? Cannon also refers to a large, smooth-bored, muzzle-loading gun used before the advent of breech-loading, rifled guns firing explosive shells. ...

In the centre a powerful battery of ten guns, under Major Duncan, opened a most destructive fire upon General Laval’s division, which, however, continued to advance in very imposing masses, but was completely defeated by a determined charge of the British left wing; and the eagle of the 8th regiment of light infantry, and a howitzer, were captured by the British. A reserve formed beyond the narrow valley, across which the French were closely pursued, next shared the same fate. Meanwhile the right wing was not less successful. General Ruffin’s division, confident of success, met it on the ascent of the hill, and, after a sanguinary conflict, was driven from the heights in confusion, leaving two pieces of cannon in the hands of the victors. In military science, a battery is a group of artillery cannons or rockets, so grouped in order to facilitate battlefield communication and the organization of barrages. ... Traditionally light infantry (or skirmishers) were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. ... Loading a WW1 British 15 in (381 mm) howitzer A howitzer or hauwitzer is a type of field artillery. ...

"No expressions of mine," said General Graham, in his despatch to the Earl of Liverpool, "could do justice to the conduct of the troops throughout. Nothing less than the almost unparalleled exertions of every officer, the invincible bravery of every soldier, and the most determined devotion to the honour of his Majesty's arms in all, could have achieved this brilliant success against such a formidable enemy so posted.’

"The contemptible feebleness of La Pena," says Sir William Napier, "furnished a surprising contrast to the heroic vigour of Graham, whose attack was an inspiration rather than a resolution—so sure, so sudden was the decision, so swift, so conclusive was the execution." [Napier’s History of the Peninsular War, iii. Appendix.]

The French lost about three thousand men in this action, and six pieces of cannon and an eagle were captured, along with nearly five hundred prisoners, among whom were Generals Ruffin and Rosseau. The loss on the side of the victors was two hundred killed, and upwards of nine hundred were wounded. Had it not been for the actions of the Spanish general, the victory might have had the effect of raising the blockade of’ Cadiz. "Had the whole body of the Spanish cavalry," wrote Graham, "with the horse artillery, been rapidly sent by the sea-beach to form on the plain, and to envelop the enemy’s left; had the greatest part of the infantry been marched through the pine wood to the rear of the British force, to turn his right, he must either have retired instantly, or he would have exposed himself to absolute destruction; his cavalry greatly encumbered, his artillery lost, his columns mixed and in confusion; and a general dispersion would have been the inevitable consequence of a close pursuit. But the movement was lost."

Lord Wellington, in a dispatch to General Graham, says "I beg to congratulate you and the brave troops under your command on the signal victory which you gained on the 5th instant. I have no doubt whatever that their success would have had the effect of raising the siege of Cadiz, if the Spanish troops had made any effort to assist them; and I am equally certain, from your account of the ground, that if you had not decided with the utmost promptitude to attack the enemy, and if your attack had not been a most vigorous one, the whole allied army would have been lost." [The Duke of Wellington’s Despatches, vii. 382.] Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS (c. ... A dispatch can be: A report sent to a newspaper by a correspondent. ...

The Spanish general, in order to screen himself from criticism, circulated less damning accounts of his own role in the battle, which General Graham refuted by publishing in Spanish, as well as in English, his dispatch to Lord Liverpool, along with a letter to the British envoy, in vindication of his conduct. Lord Wellington mentions that La Pena was to be brought to a court-martial, but nothing is known of the result. The Cortez voted to General Graham the title of grandee of the first class; he, however, declined the honour. For his brilliant victory at Barossa he received the thanks of Parliament, in his place as a member of the House of Commons.

1812

Graham shortly after joined the army under Wellington, and was appointed second in command. In January, 1812, he took part in the siege and capture of Ciudad Rodrigo, and Wellington declared that he was much indebted to him for the success of the enterprise. Three months later he and his friend General Hill received the Order of the Bath. A complaint in his eyes, from which he had been suffering for some time, made it necessary for Graham to return home at this juncture. Ciudad Rodrigo is a small town in Salamanca province in western Spain Its position as a fortified town on the main road from Portugal to Salamanca made it militarily important in the middle years of the Peninsular War. ... Military Badge of the Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. ...

"I cannot avoid feeling the utmost concern," wrote Wellington to him, "that this necessity should have become urgent at this moment, and that I should now be deprived of your valuable assistance."

At the general election in October, 1812, Sir Thomas Graham contested the county of Perth with Mr. Drummond (afterwards Lord Strathallan), but though he was supported by a number of influential Tories, he lost the election by a majority of seven votes. This article does not cite its references or sources. ...

1813–1814

His visit to Scotland had the effect of restoring his eyesight, and in May, 1813, he rejoined the army at Frinada, on the frontiers of Portugal, bringing with him the insignia of the Order of the Garter to Lord Wellington. On the 22nd of May the British force quitted Portugal and moved upon Vittoria in three divisions. The left wing, which was commanded by Sir Thomas Graham, had to cross three large rivers—the Douro, the Esla, and the Ebro—and had to force positions of great strength among the passes of the mountains, continually pressing round the right wing of the retiring French army. General Graham took a prominent part in the battle of Vittoria (21st June), when the French were beaten "before the town, in the town, about the town, and out of the town"; and, by carrying the villages of Gamarra and Abecherco at the point of the bayonet, he intercepted the retreat of the enemy by the high road to Bayonne, and compelled them to turn to that leading to Pampeluna. A garter is one of the Orders most recognisable insignia. ... The Battle of Vitoria was fought on June 21, 1813 during the British, Portuguese and Spanish troops, with 96 guns, under The Duke of Wellington, and 58,000 French with 153 guns under King Joseph Bonaparte and Marshal Jourdan. ...

He was shortly after directed to conduct the siege of the strong fortress of St. Sebastian, which was defended with great gallantry and skill by General Rey. The first assault, which took place on the 25th of July, was repulsed with heavy loss, and the siege had in consequence to be raised for a time. It was renewed, however, after the defeat of Soult in the battles of the Pyrenees, and a second attempt to carry the fortress by storm was made on the 31st of August. The breach was found to present almost insuperable obstacles, and the storming party strove in vain to effect a lodgement. In this almost desperate state of the attack, General Graham ordered a heavy fire of artillery to be directed against the curtain wall, passing only a few feet over the heads of the British troops in the breach. This novel expedient was completely successful. Taking advantage of an explosion on the rampart caused by the fire of the guns, which created confusion among the enemy, the assailants gained a footing on the wall, and after a bloody struggle, which lasted two hours, forced their way into the town. On the 9th of September the brave Governor Rey surrendered the citadel, and the garrison, reduced to one-third of their number, marched out with the honours of war. The reduction of this important place cost the British three thousand eight hundred men in killed and wounded.

At the passage of the Bidassoa, which separates France and Spain, General Graham commanded the left wing of the British army, and, after an obstinate conflict, succeeded in establishing his victorious troops on the French territory. But the return of the complaint in his eyes, and the general state of his health, obliged him to resign his command and return home. In return for his eminent services, he now received a third time the thanks of Parliament, and the freedom of the cities of London and Edinburgh was conferred upon him. His health was so far recovered that early in 1814 he was able to take the command of the British forces in Holland, and directed the unsuccessful attempt, on 8 March, to carry the strong fortress of Bergen-op-Zoom by a night attack. March 8 poster from Portugal March 8 is the 67th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (68th in Leap years). ... Bergen op Zoom is a municipality and a city in the southern Netherlands. ...

On 3 May 1814, he was raised to the peerage by the title of Baron Lynedoch of Balgowan; but, in keeping with his disinterested and high-minded character, he declined the grant of £2,000 a year, to himself and to his heirs, which was voted as usual to accompany the title. Other honours, both British and foreign, were heaped upon him. He was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, of the Spanish Order of St. Ferdinand, and of the Portuguese Order of the Tower and Sword. He was raised to the full rank of general in 1821, was nominated colonel of the 14th Foot in 1826, which in 1834 he exchanged for that of the Royals. He was elected Rector of the University of Glasgow in 1813, and in 1829 was appointed Governor of Dumbarton Castle. May 3 is the 123rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (124th in leap years). ... 1814 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... On the Orders insignia, St Michael is often depicted subduing Satan. ... The Military Order of the Tower and of the Sword, of Valour, Loyalty and Merit is a Portuguese order of knighthood, and was created by King Afonso V in 1459. ... -1... 1813 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 1829 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Dumbarton Castle has the longest recorded history of any stronghold in Great Britain. ...

Later life

He was noted for his vigour in his old age [Journal of Henry Cockburn, i. 149.]. He travelled frequently, visiting Italy, Germany, France, Denmark, Sweden, and Russia. In 1841, aged 94, he travelled through France to Genoa and Rome. His riding-horses were sent on to Rome, and he rode frequently in the Campagna. He died in London on December 18, 1843, aged 96, after a very short illness: he rose and dressed himself on the day of his death. December 18 is the 352nd day of the year (353rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1843 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

Taylor described Graham as "tall, square-shouldered, and erect, his limbs sinewy and remarkably strong. His complexion was dark, with full eyebrows, firm-set lips, and an open, benevolent air. His manners and address were frank, simple, and polished."

References

Taylor, James. The Great Historic Families of Scotland, (London: J. S. Virtue, 1887) Reprinted (Baltimore: Clearfield Company, 1995) ISBN 0806314648