Charles Grene Ellicombe General Sir Charles Grene Ellicombe KCB ( 3 August 1783 – 7 June 1871 ) was an English General and a Royal Engineer , reaching the rank of Colonel Commandant within the Corps . He was created one of the first Companions of the Order of the Bath , and advanced to the honour of a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath . Early years . In 1773 , the Rev . William Ellicombe ( 1754 – 1831 ) married Hannah ( 1751 – 1821 ) ( née Rous or Rouse ) . From 1780 until 1831 , the Reverend was rector of Alphington , Devon , England . His father was Richard Ellicombe , incumbent of Stoke Canon . Richard ' s father , William Ellicombe , died 1730 . Charles Grene Ellicombe was born in his father ' s rectory in Alphington in 1783 . He had seven brothers , two of whom died very young : William Rous Ellicombe ( 1774 – 1849 ) , rector of Clyst St . George in Topsham , Richard Ellicombe ( 1775 – 1778 ) , John Williams Ellicombe ( 1776 – 1799 ) , Ensign in the 40th Regiment , Hugh Myddelton Ellicombe ( 1777 – 1857 ) , attorney at law , Richard Ellicombe ( 1780 – 1851 ) , followed his father as rector of Alphington in 1831 , Henry Thomas Ellicombe ( 1788 – 1789 ) , and Henry Thomas Ellicombe ( 1790 – 1885 ) , campanologist , curate of Bitton , and later succeeded his elder brother as rector of Clyst St . George ; he changed the spelling of his surname circa 1836 . He received his early education at the grammar school at Chudleigh , and then attended the Royal Military Academy , Woolwich . Career . He obtained a commission as first lieutenant in the Corps of Royal Engineers on 1 July 1801 . After a year and a half , during which he was employed on the military works and fortifications of Portsmouth under Major General Vyvyan Evelegh , he was sent to Ceylon and was one of the first batch of British engineers stationed there . He was promoted 2nd Captain on 1 July 1806 , and returned to England at the end of 1807 , in bad health . After several months on leave , he was employed for a time as second engineer at Chatham , and afterwards as commanding engineer of the northern district of England . On 1 May 1811 , he was promoted to the rank of First Captain , and shortly thereafter , joined the army under Field Marshal Wellington in the Peninsular War . In January 1812 , he was at the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo , where he was one of the directors of the attack , and accompanied Major General Sir John Vandeleur ' s 4th British Brigade . In March and April of the same year , he was at the last siege of Badajoz . For his services at this siege , he received the brevet rank of Major on 27 April , having been recommended by Wellington . Subsequently , he was present in the retreat from Burgos and the crossing of the Ebro . The following year , he took part in the Battle of Vitoria , serving on the staff as Brigade Major . Shortly after , he was detailed for the Siege of San Sebastián , through the whole of which he acted as Brigade Major to the Royal Engineers . For his service , he was made a brevet Lieutenant Colonel on 21 September 1813 , and under the order of 1 June 1814 , was decorated with the gold medal . He subsequently fought at the passage of the Bidassoa , and also at the Battle of Nivelle and Battle of the Nive in December 1813 , concluding his war service by sharing in the campaign of 1814 , particularly at the passage of the Adour , blockade of Bayonne , and repulse of the sortie from that fortress . At the cessation of hostilities , he joined the headquarters of the army at Toulouse , and in July he returned to England . Some 33 years afterwards , he was awarded for these distinguished services the war medal and five clasps for C ' iudad Rodrigo , Badajoz , Vittoria , Nivelle , and Nive . On 4 June 1815 , he was created one of the first Companions of the Order of the Bath , and for the next six years , held an appointment as commanding engineer in southern England . In 1821 , Captain Ellicombe was made Assistant Adjutant - General of the Royal Engineers , and as such , was on the staff of the Inspector - General of Fortifications at the Board of Ordnance in London . He was selected for the duty because of his well - known administrative ability and intimate acquaintance with the large range of complicated details connected with the military and scientific business of the Royal Engineers . He retained the appointment until December 1842 . He was promoted to Major - General in 1841 , and rose to the rank of full General and Colonel Commandant of Royal Engineers . On 10 November 1862 , Ellicombe was advanced to the honour of a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath . Artwork . Ellicombe painted watercolours of the places he visited . Some of these include watercolour pen and brown ink entitled , " Fort Ecluse 7 June 1807 " , acquired by the British Museum ; " Shoreham and Malines Cathedral , Belgium " , watercolour wash sketches ; the 1823 watercolour , " Kings College Chapel And Clare Hall " ; and the 1812 " Bridge at Cabezon being prepared for demolition during Wellington ' s retreat from Burgos in October 1812 " . Personal life . Ellicombe married in 1822 , Mary , a daughter of the Rev . Edmund Peach , rector of Cheam , Surrey . She died in 1860 without issue . At retirement , Ellicombe settled at Worthing , where he died in 1871 . He and his wife are both buried at Christ Church , Worthing .