Home > Frederic Thesiger, 2nd Baron Chelmsford

Frederic Augustus Thesiger was born in 1827, the son of Frederic Thesiger, a lawyer who later became Lord Chancellor. He wished to puruse a military career, and after unsuccessfully trying to obtain a place in the Grenadier Guards, he was given a commission in the Rifle Brigade in 1844. In 1845 he served with the Rifles in Halifax, Nova Scotia before purchasing an exchange into the Grenadiers as Ensign and Lieutenant in November of that year. He was promoted Lieutenant and Captain in 1850, and became aide-de-camp to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Lord Eglinton, in 1852, and then to the Commander-in-Chief in Ireland , Sir Edward Blakeney, from 1853Events January 19 Giuseppe Verdi's opera Il Trovatore premieres in Rome January 21 Russell L. Hawes patents the envelope folding machine January 29 Napoleon III marries the Spanish Countess Eugenie at the Tuileries March 4 Inauguration of US president Fra to 1854Events January 13 The accordion is patented by Anthony Faas. February 11 Major streets lit by coal gas for first time. February 14 Texas is linked by telegraph with the rest of the United States, when a connection between New Orleans and Marshall, Texas i.

In May 1855Events Births January 5 King Camp Gillette, inventor († 1932) January 21 John Moses Browning, inventor († 1926) January 28 William Seward Burroughs, inventor of the calculator († 1898) March 13 Percival Lowell, astronomer († 19 he left for the Crimean WarThe Crimean War lasted from 1854 to 1856. It was fought between Russia and an alliance of the United Kingdom, France, and the Ottoman Empire, joined somewhat tardily by Piedmont-Sardinia. The majority of the conflict took place around the Crimean peninsul, in which he served firstly with his battalion, then from July 1855 as aide-de-camp to the commander of the 2nd Division, Lieutenant-General Markham, and finally from November 1855 as deputy assistant quartermaster general on the staff at Headquarters, being promoted brevet Major. He was mentioned in despatches and received the fifth class of the Turkish Order of the Medjidie and the British, Turkish and Sardinian Crimean medals. In 1857Events January 9 Earthquake at Fort Tejon, California with an estimated magnitude of 7. 9 February 16 The National Deaf Mute College (later renamed Gallaudet University) is established in Washington, DC becoming the first school for the advanced education he was promoted Captain and Lieutenant-Colonel, and transferred, as a Lieutenant-Colonel, to the 95th (Derbyshire) Regiment in 1858Events January 14 Felice Orsini and his accomplices fail to assassinate Napoleon III in Paris but their bombs kill 156 bystanders. Because of the involvement of French emigres living in Britain, there is a brief anti-British feeling in France but the empe, serving with that regiment at the end of the Indian Mutiny, for which he was again mentioned in despatches. From 18611861 is a common year starting on Tuesday. Events January January 1 Benito Juarez captures Mexico City January 2 Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia dies and is succeeded by Wilhelm I January 3 American Civil War: Delaware votes not to secede from the United to 1862 he served as deputy adjutant general to the forces in Bombay, and was promoted brevet Colonel in 1863. He served, again as deputy adjutant general, in the Magdala campaign , for which he was awarded the CB and made an aide-de-camp to the Queen in 1868. He was adjutant general in the East Indies from 1869 to 1874.

He returned to England in 1874 as colonel on the staff, commanding the forces at Shorncliffe , and was appointed to command a brigade at Aldershot, with the temporary rank of Brigadier-General, in 1877. He was promoted Major-General in March 1877. In February 1878 he was appointed to command the forces in South Africa, with the local rank of Lieutenant-General, and in October succeeded his father as 2nd Baron Chelmsford. He brought the Ninth Cape Frontier War to and end in July 1878, and was made a KCB in November. In January 1879 he invaded Zululand (see Anglo-Zulu War), but the central column of his forces was defeated at the Battle of Isandlwana and an invasion of Natal seemed likely. Chelmsford was relieved of his command, but he defeated the Zulus at the Battle of Ulundi before the arrival of his replacement, Sir Garnet Wolseley, which effectively ended the campaign. He left for England in July 1879, but Wolseley ensured in his despatches that Chelmsford receive all the credit for Ulundi, and he was awarded the GCB in August.

Lord Chelmsford became Lieutenant-General in 1882, Lieutenant of the Tower of London from 1884 until 1889, colonel of the 4th (West London) Rifle Volunteer Corps in 1887, full General in 1888, and colonel of the Derbyshire Regiment in 1889. He exchanged the colonelcy of the Derbyshires for that of the 2nd Life Guards in 1900, and was made GCVO in 1902.

In 1905 he suffered a seizure and died while playing billiards at the United Service Club . He left four sons, the eldest of whom succeeded as 3rd Baron Chelmsford and later became Viceroy of India and first Viscount Chelmsford.