Sir George Bell KCB (17 March 1794 – 10 July 1877) was an officer in the British Army. He served during the Peninsular War in the Napoleonic Wars, the First Anglo-Burmese War, the Rebellions of 1837 in Canada, and the Crimean War. During the Crimean War he saw action at the battles of Alma and Inkerman, and at the Siege of Sevastopol.

Early life and the Peninsula War

Bell was the son of George Bell, of Belle Vue, on

Lough Erne Lough Erne ( , ) is the name of two connected lakes in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is the second-biggest lake system in Northern Ireland and Ulster, and the fourth biggest in Ireland. The lakes are widened sections of the River Erne, ...

, Fermanagh, by Catherine, daughter of Dominick Nugent, M.P., was born at Belle Vue, 17 March 1794, and whilst yet at school in Dublin was gazetted an ensign in the 34th Regiment of Foot on 11 March 1811. Bell went to Portugal with his regiment to fight under the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsula War. He carried the colours of his regiment for the first time in the action of Arroyo-de-Molinos; was present at the second and final Siege of Badajoz, and in the majority of the celebrated actions which intervened between that time and the Battle of Toulouse. On being gazetted to the

45th Regiment of Foot The 45th (Nottinghamshire) (Sherwood Foresters) Regiment of Foot was a British Army line infantry regiment, raised in 1741. The regiment saw action during Father Le Loutre's War, the French and Indian War and the American Revolutionary War as w ...

in 1825 he proceeded to India, and was present in Ava during the First Anglo-Burmese War.

Canada

Bell was promoted to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

in 1828, and in 1836 was in Canada, where he was actively employed during the rebellion of 1837-1838. He commanded the fort and garrison of Coteau-du-Lac, an important position on the Saint Lawrence River, and received the thanks of the commander of the forces and his brevet-

majority A majority, also called a simple majority or absolute majority to distinguish it from #Related terms, related terms, is more than half of the total.Dictionary definitions of ''majority'' aMerriam-Websterlieutenant-colonel of the

1st Foot The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment), once known as the Royal Regiment of Foot, was the oldest and most senior infantry regiment of the line of the British Army, having been raised in 1633 during the reign of Charles I of Scotland. The regimen ...

, known as the Royal Regiment, 5 December 1843, Bell next served in

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, Nova Scotia, the West Indies, the Mediterranean, and Turkey, after which he landed with the allied armies during the Crimea War, and was present at the battles of Alma and Inkerman, and in the Siege of Sevastopol, where he was wounded and honourably mentioned in a despatch from Lord Raglan, who appointed him to the command of a brigade.

Later life

On his return to England Bell was made a Companion of the Bath on 5 July 1855, and took up his residence at Liverpool as inspecting field officer until 1859, when he became a major-general in the army. He was in the Royal Regiment for the long period of thirty years. From this time onwards he never obtained any further employment, the reason being, as he fully believed, a letter which he wrote to '' The Times'' on 12 December 1854, complaining of the deficiencies of the commissariat in the siege of Sevastopol, and soliciting help from the people of England. On 23 October 1863 he was appointed colonel of the

104th Foot The 104th Regiment of Foot (Bengal Fusiliers) was a regiment of the British Army, raised by the Honourable East India Company in 1765. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 101st Regiment of Foot (Royal Bengal Fusiliers) to form th ...

; he became colonel of the

32nd Foot The 32nd Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1702. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 46th (South Devonshire) Regiment of Foot to form the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in 1881. History ...

on 2 February 1867, and colonel of the 1st Foot on 3 August 1868. Bell was created a Knight Commander of the Bath on 13 March 1867; a

lieutenant-general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

on 28 January 1868; and a general on 8 March 1873. He died at 156 Westbourne Terrace, London on 10 July 1877 and is buried at Kensal Green Cemetery in London.

Works

Bell's work, in two volumes, entitled ''Rough Notes by an Old Soldier: During Fifty Years' Service, From Ensign G. B. To Major-General C. B.'', a gossiping and amusing account of his life and services, was published early in 1867.

Family

Bell had been twice married, the first time to Alicia, daughter and heiress of James Scott, of Ecclesjohn and Commiston, N.B., and secondly, in 1820, to Margaret Addison, a daughter of Thomas Dougal, of Scotland, banker. His brother was

Henry Nugent Bell Henry Nugent Bell (1792–1822) was an Irish genealogist. Biography He was the eldest son of George Bell, Esq., of Belleview, County Fermanagh (Inner Temple Admission Register). He followed the profession of a legal antiquary, and, in order to ob ...

Notes

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bell, George British Army generals British Army personnel of the Napoleonic Wars British military personnel of the First Anglo-Burmese War British Army personnel of the Crimean War Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath 32nd Regiment of Foot officers 34th Regiment of Foot officers Royal Scots officers Royal Munster Fusiliers officers Sherwood Foresters officers Military personnel from County Fermanagh 1794 births 1877 deaths Burials at Kensal Green Cemetery