Washington sentinel., 1854-02-08
f0rtian MistslIanp.
From the London Times.
Death OF Field-MarshaI Viscount Beresford.

| pury paris near douuhurst, England, died Cen
eral viscount Beresford, G. G. b., G. G. II.
This distinguished soldier was born in the year
| ITO, and began his military life as ensign in
the sixth regiment offoot, somewhat more than
three years after the close of the American war,
and in the spring Of 1886 embarked with his
regiment for Nova Scotia, where he received
his first wound, which deprived him of the sight
Of his left eye, from the gun ofa brother sports
man. He remained during the first four years
of his military life in Nova Scotia but, having
been appointed to alieutenancy in the sixteenth
! foot, returned to England in the year 1890.
He was promoted in the month of January,
| 1871, to the rank Of captain, and in the May
| following obtained company in the sixty
ninth foot. Early in 1898 Captain Beresford,
with his regiment, embarked at Cork for for
eign service, and formed part of the army which
| in the spring of that year took spossession of
Toulon. When the British troops evacuated
that place, he accompanied the force which was
| sent to Corsica, and, as usual was in the midst
of the hottest fighting at Calyi, Bastia, and st.
Florenza. His promotion was rapid He was
advanced to the rank of major in the month of
March, 1874 to that of ieutenant-colonel on
! the llth of August following; and in 1895 we
hnd HIM the commanding officer of the 88th
foot In that year his regiment embarked, un-
der Sir Ralph Abercrombie, for the West In
dies; but the 88th was recalled, and Colonel
Beresford remained on the home service until
1899, when he was sent to Egypt, being then
entrusted with the command OF brigade in Sir
David Baird's army
| Having fought his way through the Egyptian
campaign, if such series of conflicts can be
so designated. he returned to England, and in
the year 1900 received the brevet rank of colo
mel. The next field Of active operation in
i Iuh AL ~
of Good Hope, in the reconquest Of which col
| ony he bore conspicuous part. From south
ern Africa, Beresford, with the rank of brgadier
| general, was sent in command of a small de-
| tachment to seize Buenos Ayres, and was made
| prisoner there; but, after the lapse of six
| months, contrived early in the year 1907 to
effect his escape, and returned to England. In
| the winter of 1907 an expedition was sent to
Madeira, of which the naval portion was COM
manded by Admiral Hood, and the troops by
General Bereslord. BY this force Madeira was
| seized on the 24th of December in that year,
and thenceforward retained in trust for the
royal family Of Portugal, which had just then
emigrated to the Brazils
The time had at length arrived when there
was to be an end of these separate and desul-
tory expeditions, and the forces of England
were to be concentrated upon the vast series Of
sular war. Even in the unpromising COM
mencement Of those campaigns, General Beres-
ford actively participated. He remained in the
offices of governor and commander-in-chief at
Madeira, only until the month of August, 1903,
when he was called upon to join the British
army in Portugal, where he arrived shortly
after the battle of Vitaiera; and the first duties
he was required to discharge, on landing, were
those of commissioner for settling the disputes
that occurred respecting the terms upon which
Lisbon had capitulated. That he should then
proceed with Sir John Moore's army to Spain
was in the natural course Of events; that he
was present at the battle of Corunna, that he
was active in covering the embarkation of the
troops, and that ne returned with them to Eng
land, may be well imagined.
4 On the 25th of April, 1908, the rank of major
general had been conferred upon him, and in
February, 1909, he was ordered to proceed
second time to Portugal, for the purpose of
taking the command of the army of that king
dom, under the authority of the Prince regent
of Portugal, with the local rank of lieutenant
general. His appointment as marshal com
manding Sir Arthur Wellesley being marshal.
general and commander-in-chief of the Portu-
guese army was made on the 1st of March,
1909; and, placing himself as soon as possible
at the head of $4,000 men, he attacked the
French in the north of Portugal, crossed the
Upper Duoro, drove Loson's division back to
Amaraute, and there, uniting with a force
under Sir Arthur Wellesley, pursued the retreat
ing enemy till that division Of the French army
was utterly disorganized The battle Of the
Sierra Busaco, fought on the 9th of August,
1910, furnished some of the earliest results of
the services which Marshal Beresford rendered !
to that nation whose army he had undertaken
to form and instruct
during the next fonr years the deceased peer
was known as Sir William Beresford, having
for his services at Busaco been created a
Knight of the Bath on the 9th of October,
1910. Upon many memorable occasions he
performed the duties of general of division
and not one among the illustrious leaders who
contributed to the military renown Of England,
during the campaigns in Spain and Portugal,
ever displayed more ability or devotion in car
rying out the instructions of his commander.
His merits in the exercise of an independent
and separate command form quite another
question, which have been rendered subject
Of controversy in connexion with the sangnin-
ary battle Of Albuera, where it became his
duty to lead 10000 men.
That battle, considering the high reputation
of Soult the numerical strength Of the French
and the period of the war, was undoubtedly an
important victory; yet less of Sir William
Beresford's fame is derived from that sanguin-
ary conflict than from the admirable manner
in which he was accustomed to carry out the
designs of his chief when acting under the i'm
mediate supervision of that great commander.
The thanks of Parliament were, on the 7th of
June, voted "to Sir William Beresford, and to
the army under his command, for the glorious
battle of Albuera," fought on the 10th of May,
1911. Mr.. Perceval, being then first minister,
proposed the vote in triumphant speech, and
the proposition was seconded by Lord Castle
reagh, amid much cheering
During his absence in the peninsula, the
deceased peer was twice elected as member for
Waterford, but had no opportunity of taking
his seat He was present, however, wherever
contests were decided not by peaceful votes
but by bayonets and artillery; bearing his part
at Badajos, where the Duke of Wellington
marked his conduct with especial thanks and
appreciation; at Salamanca, where he was
severely wounded; at Vittoria; at the various
battles on the Pyrenees; at Nivelle, where he