Charles Pearson (British Army officer)
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-General Sir Charles Knight Pearson KCMG CB
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. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...

 (July 1834 – 2 October 1909) was a military commander in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...

 during the Anglo-Zulu War
Anglo-Zulu War
The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in 1879 between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom.Following the imperialist scheme by which Lord Carnarvon had successfully brought about federation in Canada, it was thought that a similar plan might succeed with the various African kingdoms, tribal areas and...

 (also known as the Zulu War). Pearson was born in Somerset to Commander Charles Pearson of the Royal Navy. After buying the rank
Sale of commissions
The sale of commissions was a common practice in most European armies where wealthy and noble officers purchased their rank. Only the Imperial Russian Army and the Prussian Army never used such a system. While initially shunned in the French Revolutionary Army, it was eventually revived in the...

 of Ensign in the 99th Regiment of Foot
99th Regiment of Foot
Six regiments of the British Army have been numbered the 99th Regiment of Foot:*99th Regiment of Foot, raised in 1761*99th Regiment of Foot , raised in 1780*99th Regiment of Foot, raised in 1794...

 in 1852, Pearson served during the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...

 where he was Mentioned in Despatches. After steadily rising through the ranks, Pearson was sent to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

 to command a battalion of the 3rd Regiment of Foot (the Buffs). After retiring for a short period, he rejoined the Army after the outbreak of the Zulu War. Pearson was placed in command of a column of infantry which then became besieged at Eshowe
Siege of Eshowe
The Siege of Eshowe was part of a three-pronged attack on the Zulu Impis of king Cetshwayo at Ulundi during the Anglo-Zulu War. After a successful incursion as far as Eshowe, Colonel Charles Pearson was besieged there for two months by the Zulus....

 for 70 days until Lord Chelmsford
Frederic Thesiger, 2nd Baron Chelmsford
General Frederic Augustus Thesiger, 2nd Baron Chelmsford GCB, GCVO, was a British general, best known for his commanding role during the Anglo-Zulu war. The centre column of his forces was defeated at the Battle of Isandlwana, a crushing victory for the Zulus and the British army's worst ever...

 relieved them. After the war, Pearson became Governor and Commandant of the Royal Victoria Hospital
Netley Hospital
The Royal Victoria Hospital, or Netley Hospital was a large military hospital in Netley, near Southampton, Hampshire, England. Construction started in 1856 at the suggestion of Queen Victoria but its design caused some controversy, chiefly from Florence Nightingale. Often visited by Queen Victoria,...

, Netley
Netley
Netley, sometimes called Netley Abbey, is a village on the south coast of Hampshire, England, situated on the east side of the city of Southampton...

, then commander of forces in the West Indies, before retiring in 1885. Pearson died in 1909.

Early life and military career

Pearson was born in July 1834 in Thorne Coffin, Brympton
Brympton
Brympton is a civil parish and ward in Somerset, UK. The parish is situated on the north-west edge of Yeovil in the South Somerset district. The parish/ward has a population of 4,956...

, near Yeovil
Yeovil
Yeovil is a town and civil parish in south Somerset, England. The parish had a population of 27,949 at the 2001 census, although the wider urban area had a population of 42,140...

, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...

 to Commander Charles Pearson of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

, who had served in the Peninsular War
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...

. He was educated at King's School, Bruton
Bruton
Bruton is a town and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on the River Brue seven miles south-east of Shepton Mallet, just south of Snakelake Hill and Coombe Hill, ten miles north-west of Gillingham and twelve miles south-west of Frome in the South Somerset district. The town has a...

 from 1947 until 1851.

Little is known of Pearson's early military career. Pearson bought the rank
Sale of commissions
The sale of commissions was a common practice in most European armies where wealthy and noble officers purchased their rank. Only the Imperial Russian Army and the Prussian Army never used such a system. While initially shunned in the French Revolutionary Army, it was eventually revived in the...

 of Ensign in the 99th Regiment of Foot
99th Regiment of Foot
Six regiments of the British Army have been numbered the 99th Regiment of Foot:*99th Regiment of Foot, raised in 1761*99th Regiment of Foot , raised in 1780*99th Regiment of Foot, raised in 1794...

 on 23 November 1852. He moved to the 31st Regiment of Foot on 18 February 1853. He was promoted to lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...

 (without purchase) on 15 June 1855, and served as adjutant of the 31st Regiment from 20 July 1855 during the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...

. He was present throughout the Siege of Sevastopol, including the "attack on the Redan", for which he was Mentioned in Despatches, he also received the Crimean medal with clasp
Crimea Medal
The Crimea Medal was a campaign medal approved in 1854, for issue to officers and men of British units which fought in the Crimean War of 1854-56 against Russia....

 and the Turkish Crimean War medal. He was promoted to captain
Captain (OF-2)
The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery...

 (by purchase) on 15 February 1856. After a period on half pay, he returned to active duty on 7 August 1857, transferring to 3rd Regiment of Foot (the Buffs), and purchased his promotion to major on 2 May 1865.

He married Marian Catherine in 1866. Pearson purchased his promotion to lieutenant-colonel and command of 2nd battalion, the Buffs on 14 August 1867, and received a brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...

 promotion to colonel on 14 August 1872. The Buffs were posted to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

, and in addition to command of the battalion he served as commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...

 in Natal
Colony of Natal
The Colony of Natal was a British colony in south-eastern Africa. It was proclaimed a British colony on May 4, 1843 after the British government had annexed the Boer Republic of Natalia, and on 31 May 1910 combined with three other colonies to form the Union of South Africa, as one of its...

 from November 1876 to December 1877, and then served as a staff colonel in Natal and Cis-Vaal until September 1878 He retired, and went on half pay on 30 November 1878. However, with the outbreak of the Zulu war, he was placed in command of No 1 Column of the four columns Lord Chelmsford
Frederic Thesiger, 2nd Baron Chelmsford
General Frederic Augustus Thesiger, 2nd Baron Chelmsford GCB, GCVO, was a British general, best known for his commanding role during the Anglo-Zulu war. The centre column of his forces was defeated at the Battle of Isandlwana, a crushing victory for the Zulus and the British army's worst ever...

 organised to begin the invasion of Zululand
Zulu Kingdom
The Zulu Kingdom, sometimes referred to as the Zulu Empire or, rather imprecisely, Zululand, was a monarchy in Southern Africa that extended along the coast of the Indian Ocean from the Tugela River in the south to Pongola River in the north....

.

Zulu war

While the British suffered a heavy defeat at the Battle of Isandlwana
Battle of Isandlwana
The Battle of Isandlwana on 22 January 1879 was the first major encounter in the Anglo-Zulu War between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom...

, to the south-east at Inyanzani, No 1 column had repelled a Zulu advance, this engagement apparently included the first use of a Gatling gun
Gatling gun
The Gatling gun is one of the best known early rapid-fire weapons and a forerunner of the modern machine gun. It is well known for its use by the Union forces during the American Civil War in the 1860s, which was the first time it was employed in combat...

 by British forces. No 1 column was made up of 5,000 regular and Natal Native Contingent
Natal Native Contingent
The Natal Native Contingent was a large force of auxiliary soldiers in British South Africa, forming a large portion of the defence forces of the British colony of Natal, and saw action during the 1879 Anglo-Zulu War. The NNC was originally created in 1878 out of the local black population in order...

 soldiers led by Pearson. They repelled a 6000 strong Zulu attempt to stop the British advance to Ulundi. Pearson had suffered mimimal losses for 400 Zulu and he advanced 4 miles further towards their objective; Eshowe. Eshowe was originally planned to be a forward depot for a final advance towards Ulundi. This was thrown into doubt after the defeat at Isandlwana. Pearson received instructions from Lord Chelmsford stating "consider all my instructions cancelled and act in whatever manner you think most desirable in the interests of the column under your command." Pearson decided to dig-in and he ordered his column to build heavy fortifications around the garrison in preparation for a siege; the Siege of Eshowe
Siege of Eshowe
The Siege of Eshowe was part of a three-pronged attack on the Zulu Impis of king Cetshwayo at Ulundi during the Anglo-Zulu War. After a successful incursion as far as Eshowe, Colonel Charles Pearson was besieged there for two months by the Zulus....

 had started. The siege lasted for 71 days until Chelmsford broke through to relieve them. For his actions throughout South Africa he was Mentioned in Despatches a further 10 times, and appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) whilst he was still fighting, On 6 October 1879 he received a hero's welcome in his home town of Yeovil, the church bells were rung
Change ringing
Change ringing is the art of ringing a set of tuned bells in a series of mathematical patterns called "changes". It differs from many other forms of campanology in that no attempt is made to produce a conventional melody....

, he was greeted by the Mayor, who compared him with previous West Country
West Country
The West Country is an informal term for the area of south western England roughly corresponding to the modern South West England government region. It is often defined to encompass the historic counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset and the City of Bristol, while the counties of...

 heroes such as Drake, Grenville
Richard Grenville
Sir Richard Grenville was an English sailor, sea captain and explorer. He took part in the early English attempts to settle the New World, and also participated in the fight against the Spanish Armada...

, Raleigh and Hawkins
Richard Hawkins
thumb|250px|right|Sir Richard HawkinsAdmiral Sir Richard Hawkins was a 17th century English seaman, explorer and Elizabethan "Sea Dog", and was the son of Admiral Sir John Hawkins....

, and presented with a specially inscribed sword. The war was already somewhat controversial, the actions by Sir Bartle Frere and Lord Chelmsford which began it had not been specifically authorised by the British Government in advance, and the disaster at Isandlwana led to the defence of Eshowe by Pearson, and the famous action at Rorke's Drift
Rorke's Drift
The Battle of Rorke's Drift, also known as the Defence of Rorke's Drift, was a battle in the Anglo-Zulu War. The defence of the mission station of Rorke's Drift, under the command of Lieutenant John Chard of the Royal Engineers, immediately followed the British Army's defeat at the Battle of...

 being used to distract from the failure there. At this reception, Pearson defended the conduct of the war, and was supported by Sir Percy Douglas
Douglas Baronets
The Douglas of Glenbervie, Kincardine Baronetcy was created on 28 May 1625 in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia. The Douglas of Kelhead, Scotland Baronetcy was created 26 February 1668 in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia....

, who had preceded Chelmsford as the commander of British forces in South Africa. He was invested with the insignia of a Companion of the Bath by Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....

 at Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...

 on 8 December, and those of a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) on 11 December 1879, although this award was not actually gazetted
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...

 until 19 December.

Later life

After the war, Pearson became Governor and Commandant of the Royal Victoria Hospital
Netley Hospital
The Royal Victoria Hospital, or Netley Hospital was a large military hospital in Netley, near Southampton, Hampshire, England. Construction started in 1856 at the suggestion of Queen Victoria but its design caused some controversy, chiefly from Florence Nightingale. Often visited by Queen Victoria,...

, Netley
Netley
Netley, sometimes called Netley Abbey, is a village on the south coast of Hampshire, England, situated on the east side of the city of Southampton...

 on 5 May 1880. Pearson was promoted from Colonel to Major-General on 1 April 1883. On 1 April 1885, Pearson was promoted to the post of Major-General on the Staff to command troops in the West Indies. He stayed in the post until March 1890. He was promoted to Lieutenant General on 28 January 1891 and he retired on 1 April 1895. On 22 December 1899, he travelled to Southampton as part of the send off for his old battalion, 2nd Buffs, who were departing for South Africa once again, this time to fight in the Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...

. Pearson died in Upper Norwood
Upper Norwood
Upper Norwood is an elevated area in south London, England within the postcode SE19. It is a residential district largely in the London Borough of Croydon although some parts extend into the London Borough of Lambeth, London Borough of Southwark and the London Borough of Bromley. Upper Norwood...

, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...

 (now South London
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...

) on 2 October 1909.
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