General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

Charles Algernon Lewis was a senior

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

officer, who served in the

Crimean War The Crimean War, , was fought from October 1853 to February 1856 between Russia and an ultimately victorious alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, the United Kingdom and Piedmont-Sardinia. Geopolitical causes of the war included the de ...

and became one of the oldest generals in the British Army when he died at the age of 96.

Family background

Charles Lewis was born in

Weston-super-Mare Weston-super-Mare, also known simply as Weston, is a seaside town in North Somerset, England. It lies by the Bristol Channel south-west of Bristol between Worlebury Hill and Bleadon Hill. It includes the suburbs of Mead Vale, Milton, Oldmixon ...

on 7 Jul 1807; his parents were Israel and Anne Lewis. His father was the vicar of

Long Ashton Long Ashton is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England. It falls within the unitary authority of North Somerset and is one of a number of large villages just outside the boundary of city of Bristol urban area. The parish has a population ...

in Somerset. Charles Lewis married Mary Mirehouse (daughter of John and Mary Mirehouse) in St George's Church, Hannover Square, London in 1852. His wife Mary was 11 years his junior when they were married. They do not appear to have had any children. General Lewis died in London on 30 January 1904. On his death he was survived by his wife who died in 1911.

Military career

Charles Lewis was commissioned as an ensign in the 2nd Battalion The First (Grenadier) Regiment of Foot Guards on 13 October 1825; he was promoted to lieutenant on 15 August 1826. He is recorded as being posted to the

2nd Dragoon Guards The 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays) was a cavalry regiment of the British Army. It was first raised in 1685 by the Earl of Peterborough as the Earl of Peterborough's Regiment of Horse by merging four existing troops of horse. Renamed several ti ...

in 1830, although he returns to the Foot Guards and is promoted to captain on 12 April 1833. He then promotes to captain (and lieutenant colonel in the Guards) on 30 December 1843 (all promotions were by purchase). He was promoted to colonel on 20 June 1854 by

brevet Brevet may refer to: Military * Brevet (military), higher rank that rewards merit or gallantry, but without higher pay * Brevet d'état-major, a military distinction in France and Belgium awarded to officers passing military staff college * Aircre ...

. He was promoted to major general on 19 June 1860, to lieutenant general on 8 March 1869 and to general on 5 April 1876. Charles Lewis served with his regiment in Canada during the rebellion (1838-1839). His campaign service also included the Crimean War and he is recorded as having commanded his regiment and divisions in actions against the Russians. He was at the

Siege of Sevastopol (1854–55) A siege is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict characterize ...

. He was awarded the

Crimea Medal The Crimea Medal was a campaign medal approved on 15 December 1854, for issue to officers and men of British units (land and naval) which fought in the Crimean War of 1854–56 against Russia. The medal was awarded with the British version of th ...

along with two Turkish Decorations (the

Order of the Medjidie Order of the Medjidie ( ota, نشانِ مجیدی, August 29, 1852 – 1922) is a military and civilian order of the Ottoman Empire. The Order was instituted in 1851 by Sultan Abdulmejid I. History Instituted in 1851, the Order was awarded in fi ...

5th Class and the

Turkish Crimea Medal The Turkish Crimean War Medal ( tr, Kırım Harbi Madalyası) is a campaign medal issued by Sultan Abdülmecid I of the Ottoman Empire to allied military personnel involved in the Crimean War of 1854–56. It was only awarded to those who survived ...

) for his war service. General Lewis would become the Regimental Colonel of the

64th Regiment of Foot The 64th (2nd Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army. The regiment was created as the 2nd Battalion, 11th Regiment of Foot in 1756, redesignated as the 64th Regiment of Foot in 1758, and took a county title ...

in 1870 a post he was still holding in 1902 (albeit an honorary post).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lewis, Charles Algernon British Army generals 1807 births 1904 deaths British Army personnel of the Crimean War