Henry Brackenbury
Encyclopedia
General
Sir Henry Brackenbury, GCB
, KCSI
(1837 – 1914) was a British army officer who was assistant to Garnet Wolseley
in the 1870s and became part of his 'Ring
' of loyal officers. He also wrote several books of military history and memoirs.
on 1 September 1837. He was educated at Tonbridge School
and Eton
, then at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. He joined the British Army
in 1856, served in the Central Indian Campaign
in 1857–58 and obsered the Franco-Prussian War
in 1870–71.
After making Wolseley's acquaintance, Brackenbury offered to join his Ashanti Campaign (1873–74) at which time he became part of the Wolseley ring
, and later acted as his military secretary in the Zulu War of 1879–80. Wolseley thought highly of his talents and helped advance his career. However, Brackenbury was unpopular with other colleagues and with Lady Wolseley.
He became Private Secretary to the Viceroy of India in 1880, acted as British Military attaché
in Paris
between 1881 and 1882, and then became assistant Under-Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
. He had a senior role in the River Column
in Egypt
in 1884–85.
He was promoted to Major-General for distinguished service in the field, then became Director of Military Intelligence
in 1886. From 1891 he was a Member of the Council of the Viceroy of India, and in 1896 became President of the War Office
Ordnance Committee
until 1899. He was made Colonel Commandant in 1897, Director-General of Ordnance in 1899 and a General in 1901. Brackenbury retired in 1904 and was made a Privy Councillor
. His wife Emilia (married 1861 but long separated) died in 1905 and later that year he married Edith Desanges. He died on 20 April 1914 in Nice
, France
.
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Sir Henry Brackenbury, GCB
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...
, KCSI
Order of the Star of India
The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes:# Knight Grand Commander # Knight Commander # Companion...
(1837 – 1914) was a British army officer who was assistant to Garnet Wolseley
Garnet Wolseley, 1st Viscount Wolseley
Field Marshal Garnet Joseph Wolseley, 1st Viscount Wolseley, KP, GCB, OM, GCMG, VD, PC was an Anglo-Irish officer in the British Army. He served in Burma, the Crimean War, the Indian Mutiny, China, Canada, and widely throughout Africa—including his Ashanti campaign and the Nile Expedition...
in the 1870s and became part of his 'Ring
Wolseley ring
The Wolseley ring was a group of 19th century British army officers loyal to Garnet Wolseley and considered by him to be clever, brave, experienced and hard-working....
' of loyal officers. He also wrote several books of military history and memoirs.
Life and career
Henry Brackenbury was born in Bolingbroke, LincolnshireBolingbroke, Lincolnshire
Bolingbroke, now called Old Bolingbroke, is a village near Spilsby in Lincolnshire, England. The village of New Bolingbroke lies to the south-west.The Prime Meridian passes to the west of Old Bolingbroke.-Bolingbroke Castle:...
on 1 September 1837. He was educated at Tonbridge School
Tonbridge School
Tonbridge School is a British boys' independent school for both boarding and day pupils in Tonbridge, Kent, founded in 1553 by Sir Andrew Judd . It is a member of the Eton Group, and has close links with the Worshipful Company of Skinners, one of the oldest London livery companies...
and Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, then at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. He joined 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...
in 1856, served in the Central Indian Campaign
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...
in 1857–58 and obsered the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
in 1870–71.
After making Wolseley's acquaintance, Brackenbury offered to join his Ashanti Campaign (1873–74) at which time he became part of the Wolseley ring
Wolseley ring
The Wolseley ring was a group of 19th century British army officers loyal to Garnet Wolseley and considered by him to be clever, brave, experienced and hard-working....
, and later acted as his military secretary in the Zulu War of 1879–80. Wolseley thought highly of his talents and helped advance his career. However, Brackenbury was unpopular with other colleagues and with Lady Wolseley.
He became Private Secretary to the Viceroy of India in 1880, acted as British Military attaché
Military attaché
A military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission . This post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer who retains the commission while serving in an embassy...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
between 1881 and 1882, and then became assistant Under-Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was the British King's representative and head of the Irish executive during the Lordship of Ireland , the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
. He had a senior role in the River Column
Nile Expedition
The Nile Expedition, sometimes called the Gordon Relief Expedition , was a British mission to relieve Major-General Charles George Gordon at Khartoum, Sudan. Gordon had been sent to the Sudan to help Egyptians evacuate from Sudan after Britain decided to abandon the country in the face of a...
in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
in 1884–85.
He was promoted to Major-General for distinguished service in the field, then became Director of Military Intelligence
Military intelligence
Military intelligence is a military discipline that exploits a number of information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to commanders in support of their decisions....
in 1886. From 1891 he was a Member of the Council of the Viceroy of India, and in 1896 became President of the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
Ordnance Committee
Board of Ordnance
The Board of Ordnance was a British government body responsible for the supply of armaments and munitions to the Royal Navy and British Army. It was also responsible for providing artillery trains for armies and maintaining coastal fortresses and, later, management of the artillery and engineer...
until 1899. He was made Colonel Commandant in 1897, Director-General of Ordnance in 1899 and a General in 1901. Brackenbury retired in 1904 and was made a Privy Councillor
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
. His wife Emilia (married 1861 but long separated) died in 1905 and later that year he married Edith Desanges. He died on 20 April 1914 in Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Decorations
- C.B., K.C.B. and G.C.B. (1900) for military services
- K.C.S.J. for service as Member of Council in India, 1896
Publications
- The Last Campaign of Hanover, 1870
- The Tactics of the Three Arms, 1873
- Narrative of the Ashantee War (2 vol.) 1874
- The River Column, 1885
- Some Memories of My Spare Time, 1909