General Hon Sir Charles Howard KB


General Sir Charles Howard gave his name to the regiment when he became Colonel on 1 Nov 1738, holding that post for 10 years. The 3rd Foot also acquired a Colonel named Howard, and as regiments at that time were referred to by their Colonel’s name the two units became the Buff Howards and the Green Howards. The Honourable Charles Howard was born in 1696, the second son of the Earl of Carlisle and Lady Anne de Vere Capell who was daughter of the Earl of Essex. Charles was commissioned into the Coldstream Guards in 1716, and reached the rank of lieutenant-colonel 3 years later. He was ADC to King George II in 1734 and fought at Dettingen, Fontenoy and Rocoux. After the Battle of the Val he was promoted to lieutenant-general.  He was appointed Colonel of the 19th Regiment of Foot on 1 Nov 1738, and on 15 Mar 1748 changed to the 3rd Dragoon Guards a post he held until his death in 1765. He was Governor of Fort St George and Fort Augustus in 1748, and the following year appointed KB. He reached the rank of General in 1765 but died on 26 Aug. He had held the post of Groom of the Bedchamber, was Governor of Carlisle and Inverness, and had also been a Member of Parliament, for Carlisle, from 1727 to 1761. He never married but had two illegitimate children, William and Eleanor. He died at Bath and his tomb is in the mausoleum at Castle Howard. The David Morier painting shows Sir Charles Howard in the dress coat of a lieutenant-general, with Knight of the Bath insignia, riding at the front of the 3rd Dragoon Guards. The original can be seen at the Green Howards museum.


Regimental Details | Colonels


Armed Forces | Art and Culture | Articles | Biographies | Colonies | Discussion | Glossary | Home | Library | Links | Map Room | Sources and Media | Science and Technology | Search | Student Zone | Timelines | TV & Film | Wargames


by Stephen Luscombe