Henry Torrens (British Army officer)
Encyclopedia
Major-General
Sir Henry Torrens KCB (1779– 23 August 1828) was an Adjutant-General to the Forces
.
in 1793 at the age of 14. In 1796 he served under Abercrombie in the West Indies, where he displayed great bravery, was wounded, and was rewarded with a company. He served in Portugal in 1798; in Holland under the Duke of York in 1799; and afterwards in Nova Scotia, Egypt, and India.
In 1799 he went to Den Helder
where he was involved in battles at Hoorne and at Egmond aan Zee
: at the latter he was wounded by a bullet. In 1805 he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel. After seeing service at Buenos Aries in 1807, he accompanied Sir Arthur Wellesley
as military secretary to Portugal in 1808, and was present at the battles of Roliça
and Vimiera
.
He rose to be appointed Military Secretary in 1809. He attained the rank of major-general in 1814, and was gazetted K.C.B. and then Adjutant-General to the Forces
in 1820 and the onerous task of revising the army regulations and introducing many improvements was imposed upon him.
Sir Henry died while out riding with his wife and daughters at Welwyn, Hertfordshire, 23 August 1828, aged 48.
Major-General (United Kingdom)
Major general is a senior rank in the British Army. Since 1996 the highest position within the Royal Marines is the Commandant General Royal Marines who holds the rank of major general...
Sir Henry Torrens KCB (1779– 23 August 1828) was an Adjutant-General to the Forces
Adjutant-General to the Forces
The Adjutant-General to the Forces, commonly just referred to as the Adjutant-General , is one of the most senior officers in the British Army. He is in charge of administration, personnel and organisational matters. The Adjutant-General usually holds the rank of General or Lieutenant-General...
.
Early life
Torrens was born in Londenderry, Ireland in 1779. He lost both his parents at an early age, was educated at a military academy in Dublin.Military career
Henry Torrens was commissioned as an ensign into the 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot
The 52nd Regiment of Foot was a light infantry regiment of the British Army throughout much of the 18th and 19th centuries. The regiment first saw active service during the American War of Independence, and were posted to India during the Anglo-Mysore Wars...
in 1793 at the age of 14. In 1796 he served under Abercrombie in the West Indies, where he displayed great bravery, was wounded, and was rewarded with a company. He served in Portugal in 1798; in Holland under the Duke of York in 1799; and afterwards in Nova Scotia, Egypt, and India.
In 1799 he went to Den Helder
Den Helder
Den Helder is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Den Helder occupies the northernmost point of the North Holland peninsula...
where he was involved in battles at Hoorne and at Egmond aan Zee
Egmond aan Zee
Egmond aan Zee is a village on the North Sea coast in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Bergen, and lies about 9 km west of Alkmaar....
: at the latter he was wounded by a bullet. In 1805 he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel. After seeing service at Buenos Aries in 1807, he accompanied Sir Arthur Wellesley
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
as military secretary to Portugal in 1808, and was present at the battles of Roliça
Battle of Roliça
In the Battle of Roliça an Anglo-Portuguese army under Sir Arthur Wellesley defeated an outnumbered French army under General Henri Delaborde, near the village of Roliça in Portugal. The French retired in good order...
and Vimiera
Battle of Vimeiro
In the Battle of Vimeiro the British under General Arthur Wellesley defeated the French under Major-General Jean-Andoche Junot near the village of Vimeiro , near Lisbon, Portugal during the Peninsular War...
.
He rose to be appointed Military Secretary in 1809. He attained the rank of major-general in 1814, and was gazetted K.C.B. and then Adjutant-General to the Forces
Adjutant-General to the Forces
The Adjutant-General to the Forces, commonly just referred to as the Adjutant-General , is one of the most senior officers in the British Army. He is in charge of administration, personnel and organisational matters. The Adjutant-General usually holds the rank of General or Lieutenant-General...
in 1820 and the onerous task of revising the army regulations and introducing many improvements was imposed upon him.
Sir Henry died while out riding with his wife and daughters at Welwyn, Hertfordshire, 23 August 1828, aged 48.