Individual Details
(Abt 1787 - 21 Feb 1851)
SIR DUDLEY HILL, K.C.B. Feb. 21. At Umballah, Major-General Sir Dudley St. Leger Hill, K.C.B. and K.T.S. Colonel of the 50th Regiment,and Major-General on the staff in Bengal. He was the eldest son of Dudley Hill, esq. of the county Carlow, by the eldest daughter of Colonel Clarges. This distinguished officer entered the army in 1804 as an Ensign of the 82nd regiment. The following year, having exchanged into the 95th (now Rifle Brigade), he proceeded with the expedition to South America, volunteered the forlorn hope at Monte Video, and led the storming party that scaled the walls of the batteries on the south side of the fortress ; he was also present at the battle of Colonia and the attack on Buenos Ayres, where he was wounded and taken prisoner. He proceeded to the Peninsula in 1808 with his regiment, and was present at the battle of Roleia, where he was wounded in the leg in the action at Benevente, and the retreatto Corunna. After having come home inconsequence of his wounds, he returned to Portugal in 1809, and was present at the battle of Talavera, the action at Coa, and in all the different actions the Rifles were engaged in until he was appointed Major in the Lusitanian Legion, previous to the battle of Busaco, where he commanded a wing of the regiment, and was wounded. He commanded half the regiment and the British Light Companies at Fuentes d’Onor, the 8th Cacadores at the storming of Badajoz, and, unassisted by any other troops, took the strong fort of Purdaleras on the night of the assault. He again commanded the battalion at Salamanca, and was twice severely wounded. He was, however, present at the siege of Burgos, and during the retreat defended the passage over the Currion, where more than half his battalion were killed, and he was himself wounded and taken prisoner. At Vittoria, and during the entire siege of Saint Sebastian, Lieut.-Colonel Hill again commanded the battalion. At the storming of this fortress he headed the attack of the 5th division, where he was twice wounded, and finally he commanded his regiment at Bayonne, at the repulse of the sortie. Altogether he was wounded severely on seven occasions. He was nominated a Companion of the Bath in 1815, knighted in 1816, and advanced to be K.C.B. in 1848. He was also nominated a Knight of the Tower and Sword in 1215, and Commander of St. Bentod’ Avis. He received from his countrymen of the county Carlow a valuable sword and two pieces of plate. In 1834 he was appointed Governor of St. Lucia, and conveyed there the act of the emancipation of the slaves. He returned to England in 1838. In 1848 Sir Dudley Hill was appointed a General on the staff in Bengal, and the following year Colonel of the 50th regiment. Sir Dudley Hill married first the third dau. of Robert Hunter, esq. of Kew, by whom he had two sons, Dudley St. Leger and Charles Hunter, both officers in the Army; and four daughters : 1. Caroline Wilhelmina, married to George Denis O'Kelly Templer, esq.; 2. Julia ; 3. Charlotte-Lavinia, married to D. Lionel Mackinnon, esq. of the Coldstream Guards, son of W. Mackinnon, esq. M.P.; 4. Rosamond Shirley St. Leger, married to Jonas Travers, esq. of the 3rd Light Dragoons, son of the late Col. Travers of Cork. Sir Dudley Hill married 2dly June 23, 1838, Mary, widow of Mark Davies, esq. of Turnwood and Holmest, co. Dorset.
Events
| Birth | Abt 1787 | Carlow, Ireland | | | |
| Military service | 1807 - 1837 | See notes | | | |
| Marriage | 15 Jun 1819 | Marylebone, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom - Caroline Drury Hunter | | | |
| Marriage | 20 Jun 1838 | St Mary, Marylebone, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom - Mary Watkins | | | |
| Residence | 1841 | Age: 50 - Marylebone, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom | | | |
| Death | 21 Feb 1851 | Umballah, Bengal, India | | | |
| Burial | 22 Feb 1851 | Umballah, Bengal, India | | | |
Families