Major-General the Honourable Sir William Ponsonby, KCB
Irish politician and British Army officer who served in the Peninsula War and was killed at the Battle of Waterloo.
Second son of William Brabazon Ponsonby, 1st Baron (15 September 1744 – 5 November 1806), by the Hon. Louisa (1749–1824), fourth daughter of the 3rd Viscount Molesworth.
He married (January 1807) the Hon. Georgiana FitzRoy (13 October 1782 – 6 February 1835), youngest daughter of Charles FitzRoy, 1st Baron Southampton. They had four daughters and one son, William Ponsonby ( born posthumously 6 February 1816 – died 2 October 1861), who succeeded his uncle, John Ponsonby (1770?–1855), as 3rd Baron Ponsonby.
Having initially served with the 83rd Regiment, on 1 March 1798 Ponsonby joined the 5th Dragoon Guards, becoming lieutenant-colonel in 1800. He obtained command of the regiment in February 1803 and advanced to colonel in July 1810. Ponsonby commanded the 5th Dragoon Guards during the Peninsular War (1808-1814) and succeeded to the command of the Heavy Cavalry Brigade after the Battle of Salamanca (1812). He led the brigade at Burgos (1812) and Vittoria (1813) and during the offensive across the Pyrenees. At Waterloo (1815) he commanded the Union Cavalry Brigade, but rode too far after their charge against Marshal Drouet D'Erlon's I Corps. Ponsoby's horse became mired in mud near the enemy lines and he was killed by Polish lancers during a French counter-attack.
He was buried on 10th July 1815 in the Molesworth family vault in St Mary Abbot Church, Kensington.
A national monument (pictured) was erected to him in St Paul's Cathedral, at the west end of the crypt.
A memorial plaque was erected on the 200th anniversary in Mary Abbotts in Kensington High Street, where General Ponsonby was buried. The church standing there today is a new one built in the 1860's and so the place of Sir William's gave is no longer known.
Irish politician and British Army officer who served in the Peninsula War and was killed at the Battle of Waterloo.
Second son of William Brabazon Ponsonby, 1st Baron (15 September 1744 – 5 November 1806), by the Hon. Louisa (1749–1824), fourth daughter of the 3rd Viscount Molesworth.
He married (January 1807) the Hon. Georgiana FitzRoy (13 October 1782 – 6 February 1835), youngest daughter of Charles FitzRoy, 1st Baron Southampton. They had four daughters and one son, William Ponsonby ( born posthumously 6 February 1816 – died 2 October 1861), who succeeded his uncle, John Ponsonby (1770?–1855), as 3rd Baron Ponsonby.
Having initially served with the 83rd Regiment, on 1 March 1798 Ponsonby joined the 5th Dragoon Guards, becoming lieutenant-colonel in 1800. He obtained command of the regiment in February 1803 and advanced to colonel in July 1810. Ponsonby commanded the 5th Dragoon Guards during the Peninsular War (1808-1814) and succeeded to the command of the Heavy Cavalry Brigade after the Battle of Salamanca (1812). He led the brigade at Burgos (1812) and Vittoria (1813) and during the offensive across the Pyrenees. At Waterloo (1815) he commanded the Union Cavalry Brigade, but rode too far after their charge against Marshal Drouet D'Erlon's I Corps. Ponsoby's horse became mired in mud near the enemy lines and he was killed by Polish lancers during a French counter-attack.
He was buried on 10th July 1815 in the Molesworth family vault in St Mary Abbot Church, Kensington.
A national monument (pictured) was erected to him in St Paul's Cathedral, at the west end of the crypt.
A memorial plaque was erected on the 200th anniversary in Mary Abbotts in Kensington High Street, where General Ponsonby was buried. The church standing there today is a new one built in the 1860's and so the place of Sir William's gave is no longer known.
Major-General the Honourable Sir William Ponsonby, KCB
Irish politician and British Army officer who served in the Peninsula War and was killed at the Battle of Waterloo.
Second son of William Brabazon Ponsonby, 1st Baron (15 September 1744 – 5 November 1806), by the Hon. Louisa (1749–1824), fourth daughter of the 3rd Viscount Molesworth.
He married (January 1807) the Hon. Georgiana FitzRoy (13 October 1782 – 6 February 1835), youngest daughter of Charles FitzRoy, 1st Baron Southampton. They had four daughters and one son, William Ponsonby ( born posthumously 6 February 1816 – died 2 October 1861), who succeeded his uncle, John Ponsonby (1770?–1855), as 3rd Baron Ponsonby.
Having initially served with the 83rd Regiment, on 1 March 1798 Ponsonby joined the 5th Dragoon Guards, becoming lieutenant-colonel in 1800. He obtained command of the regiment in February 1803 and advanced to colonel in July 1810. Ponsonby commanded the 5th Dragoon Guards during the Peninsular War (1808-1814) and succeeded to the command of the Heavy Cavalry Brigade after the Battle of Salamanca (1812). He led the brigade at Burgos (1812) and Vittoria (1813) and during the offensive across the Pyrenees. At Waterloo (1815) he commanded the Union Cavalry Brigade, but rode too far after their charge against Marshal Drouet D'Erlon's I Corps. Ponsoby's horse became mired in mud near the enemy lines and he was killed by Polish lancers during a French counter-attack.
He was buried on 10th July 1815 in the Molesworth family vault in St Mary Abbot Church, Kensington.
A national monument (pictured) was erected to him in St Paul's Cathedral, at the west end of the crypt.
A memorial plaque was erected on the 200th anniversary in Mary Abbotts in Kensington High Street, where General Ponsonby was buried. The church standing there today is a new one built in the 1860's and so the place of Sir William's gave is no longer known.
Irish politician and British Army officer who served in the Peninsula War and was killed at the Battle of Waterloo.
Second son of William Brabazon Ponsonby, 1st Baron (15 September 1744 – 5 November 1806), by the Hon. Louisa (1749–1824), fourth daughter of the 3rd Viscount Molesworth.
He married (January 1807) the Hon. Georgiana FitzRoy (13 October 1782 – 6 February 1835), youngest daughter of Charles FitzRoy, 1st Baron Southampton. They had four daughters and one son, William Ponsonby ( born posthumously 6 February 1816 – died 2 October 1861), who succeeded his uncle, John Ponsonby (1770?–1855), as 3rd Baron Ponsonby.
Having initially served with the 83rd Regiment, on 1 March 1798 Ponsonby joined the 5th Dragoon Guards, becoming lieutenant-colonel in 1800. He obtained command of the regiment in February 1803 and advanced to colonel in July 1810. Ponsonby commanded the 5th Dragoon Guards during the Peninsular War (1808-1814) and succeeded to the command of the Heavy Cavalry Brigade after the Battle of Salamanca (1812). He led the brigade at Burgos (1812) and Vittoria (1813) and during the offensive across the Pyrenees. At Waterloo (1815) he commanded the Union Cavalry Brigade, but rode too far after their charge against Marshal Drouet D'Erlon's I Corps. Ponsoby's horse became mired in mud near the enemy lines and he was killed by Polish lancers during a French counter-attack.
He was buried on 10th July 1815 in the Molesworth family vault in St Mary Abbot Church, Kensington.
A national monument (pictured) was erected to him in St Paul's Cathedral, at the west end of the crypt.
A memorial plaque was erected on the 200th anniversary in Mary Abbotts in Kensington High Street, where General Ponsonby was buried. The church standing there today is a new one built in the 1860's and so the place of Sir William's gave is no longer known.
Inscription
REMEMBER BEFORE GOD
MAJOR GENERAL THE HONOURABLE
SIR WILLIAM PONSONBY KCB
1772 – 1815
WHO WAS KILLED AT THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO
LEADING THE CHARGE OF THE UNION BRIGADE
AND IS BURIED IN THIS CHURCH
THE PONSONBY FAMILY ERECTED THIS MEMORIAL
ON THE SECOND CENTENARY OF HIS DEATH
Gravesite Details
A national monument (pictured) was erected to him in St Paul's Cathedral, at the west end of the crypt.
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