Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1855-08-08
THE LATE LORD RAGLAN.

Commander-in-C Chief of the British forces
in the Crimea, brought by the Arago was
scarcely expected on this side of the At
lantic though the accounts of his illness
received by the previous steamer prevent
the intelligence awakening emotions of
surprise. 1t does not appear by the
London journals that the announcement
caused any sensation in England. The
public mind there has been prepared for
his resignation, and his successor was al
ready known. His decease. however, has
called forth all the generous feelings of
the English nation. The Queen and
the Parliament have paid tribute to his
memory, and the people and the press
speak kindly of the old general who died
in his country's service. The following
is brief sketch of his life f:
Lord Raglan, or, as he was better
known for SO many years, Lord Fitzroy
Somerset, was the youngest son of the
tifth Of Duke of Beaufort. and uncle to the
present Duke. He was born in 1888. and
was consequently in his sixty eight year.
The Somersets are of the proudest and
most ancient blood of Britain. TO travel
back to the source of their origin would
be as hopeless task as to penetrate to
the fountain of the Nile. "Two centu-
ries ago." we are told, no prouder man
was seen in England than the Duke of
Somerset, who had the highways clear
ed before him that he might not be look :
ed upon by the vulgar eyes, and who re-
buked his second wife for tapping his
shoulder with fan, saying, Madam, my
first wife was Percy, and she never took
such liberty"
Lord Fitzroy Somerset was Cornet in
1904, Captain in 1903, Major in 1911
and Colonel in 1919. accomplishing in
eight years what cost Sir De Lacy Evans,
who saw still greater service, forty years
to achieve. Lord Fitzroy Somerset was
present at every one of the great Peninsu-
lar battles. His rank, as is ever the case,
at once recommended him to the Duke of
Wellington, then Sir A. Wellesley, who
was but too happy to attach to his inter-
est the powerful family'of the Beau(orts
by naming him on his staff. and afterward
raising him to the post of Military Secre-
tary. In this capacity he served through
the whole war, exhibiting on every occa~
sion soldier-like abilities combined with
fearless courage. He was twice severely
wounded, and lost his right arm at the
farm of Haye Sainte," on the day of
Waterloo. When after that great engage
ment the curtain fell upon tho wars Of
Europe, Lord Fitzroy Somerset was ap>
pointed, in addition to other honors, Se~
cretary Of the Embassy at Paris. Thence
he attended the Duke of Wellington to
Vienna and Verona in 1929, and in 1926
proceeded to St. Petersburg, whittier he
was sent to congratulate the late Empe-
ror Nicholas on his accession to the
throne.
In 1919 he was appointed secretary to
the Duke of Wellington. Master General
of the Ordnance until 1897, and in 1929
was made military Secretary to the CONS
mander-i in chief, the function of which
Office he performed during the reign of the
several commanders-in- chief down to the
death of the Duke of Wellington. On the
death of the Duke. the command-in- chief
was, much to the disappointment of Lord
Fitzroy Somerset, conferred on Lord Har-
dinge, and Lord Fitzroy being unwilling
to serve under an officer of similar stan
ding to himself, was appointed Master
General of the Ordnance, with Peerage,
which he assumed under the title of Lord
Raglan, the name of castle which EG-
ward Somerset, one of his ancestors, held
against Cromwell, as the last of the no>
bles.
During the long reign of Lord Hill.
and the subsequent one of the Duke OF
Wellington at the Horse Guards, Lord
F. Somerset. owing to the age of these
veterans and the confidence reposed in
him, though acting as Military Secretary,
was virtually Commander-in- Chief, and
in an Office where SO much tact and deli
cacy were required contrived during that
long period, with strong class prejudice.
to win and retain the respect and regard
of the army. He never for one moment
forgot Z" his order," or abandoned that
faith in the divine right Of aristocracy
which he inherited by birth and educa-
ton. But he concealed his Prepossessions
and bigotry with ouch grateful art and
such silvered verbiage, as TO make the re-
fused Commoners who left his leyee more
blessed in the fascinating refusal than
in rude compliance with their request
Without any military genius, Lord
Raglan possessed a sound judgment
!. fearless courage and infexible sense o.
Justice. Devoted to drill, dutiful to deatt
and daring to destruction. just and ge
nerous gentleman of honor, courage anc
; deep sense of duty, he possessed ever
; quality for a second in command, but wa
wholly untitled to govern an army. HI
had not the prescience to torsee. the ge
MUS to direct, the strength of mind Il
control or the energy to repair, whicI
should belong to great general. Lor'
Raglan was just that character of maj
which the English system in its best form
Z begets. Trained in every step to refer t
memory instead of exercising mind, a