Hardinge

Hardinge, HENRY HARDINGE, VISCOUNT, British general and governor-general of India, was born at Wrotham, in Kent, 30th March 1785. Gazetted an ensign in 1798, he served all through the Peninsular war, fighting in most of its battles, being wounded at Vimiera and Vittoria, and taking a decisive part in the sanguinary contest at Albuera. From 1809 to 1813 he was also attached to the Portuguese army as a deputy-quartermaster-general. On the renewal of hostilities after Napoleon's escape from Elba, Hardinge hastened to join Wellington, who appointed him commissioner at the Prussian headquarters. In consequence of a severe wound received at Ligny he was unable to take part in the battle of Waterloo. From 1820 to 1844 he took an active share in parliamentary life, was Secretary for War under Wellington in 1828, and afterwards Chief Secretary for Ireland. In 1844 he was appointed Governor-General of India. It was during his tenure of office that the first Sikh war broke out. After the peace of Lahore (1845) he was created a viscount, and granted a pension of £5000 by the East India Company, as well as one of £3000 for three lives by parliament. In 1852 he succeeded Wellington as commander-in-chief of the British army. In 1855 he was made field-marshal. In July of the following year he resigned the office of commander-in-chief, and on the 24th of September 1856 died at South Park, near Tunbridge. See the monograph by his son (1891).