British Cavalry Regiments and the Men Who Led Them 1793-1815

British Cavalry Regiments and the Men Who Led Them 1793-1815: 2nd Regiment of Life Guards

Secondary Titles:

None

Regimental History

1660:	May – formed as three troops of Horse Guards
1661:	2 April – fourth (Scots) troop raised in Edinburgh
1788:	25 June – formed from 2nd troop of Horse Guards (which had previously absorbed the 2nd troop of Horse Grenadiers)

Colonels

1788:	25 June	Jeffrey, Lord Amherst, K.B.
1797:	7 August	William, Earl Cathcart, Kt.

Stations and Combats

1793:	London – Hyde Park Barracks
1794:	Hyde Park Barracks
1795:	Hyde Park Barracks
1796:	Hyde Park Barracks
1797:	Hyde Park Barracks
1798:	Hyde Park Barracks
1799:	Hyde Park Barracks
1800:	Hyde Park Barracks
1801:	Hyde Park Barracks
1802:	Hyde Park Barracks
1803:	Hyde Park Barracks
1804:	Hyde Park Barracks; October - Windsor
1805:	Windsor
1806:	Windsor
1807:	Windsor
1808:	Windsor
1809:	Windsor
1810:	Windsor
1811:	Windsor
1812:	Windsor; November – 2 squadrons to Portsmouth; Lisbon; Belem; Luz (remaining 2 squadrons at Romford)
1813:	May – joined Peninsula army; Vittoria; Logrono
1814:	Logrono; Pyrenees; Toulouse; April – Bordeaux; July – Boulogne; to Dover
1815:	May – 2 squadrons to Dover; Ostend; Bruges; Ninove; retreat from Quatre Bras; WATERLOO; Paris (remaining 2 squadrons at Romford)
1816:	January – to England.

Careers of Senior Officers (shown as highest rank attained in regiment in the period)

Lt. Col. Felix Buckley

Born London 1724; brevet Colonel 19 February 1779; Major-General 20 November 1782; Lieutenant-Colonel in 2nd Life Guards 25 June 1788; commanded 1st Life Guards June 1788 to June 1805; Lieutenant-General 3 May 1796; General 1 January 1801; Governor of Pendennis Castle in 1820; died 1823.

Lt. Col. William John Arabin

Born Dublin 1750; Major in 2nd troop Horse Guards 23 May 1782; Supernumerary Lieutenant-Colonel 25 June 1788; brevet Colonel 26 February 1795; Major-General 1 January 1798; Lieutenant-General 1 January 1805; General 4 June 1814; died 1828.

Lt. Col. Charles Barton

Supernumerary Major in 2nd Life Guards 30 January 1790; Major 14 January 1792; brevet Colonel 26 February 1795; Major-General 29 April 1802; Lieutenant-Colonel 14 June 1805; commanded 2nd Life Guards June 1805 to April 1818; Lieutenant-General 25 April 1808; died 1819.

Major Collet Mawhood

Captain in 2nd Life Guards 25 June 1788; Supernumerary Major June 1792; retired June 1794.

Major John Hughes

Captain in 2nd Life Guards 7 May 1791; Supernumerary Major 10 June 1794; retired 16 February 1797.

Lt. Col. Francis Slater Rebow

Born Francis Slater in Derbyshire 1770; added Rebow surname at marriage; served in West Indies 1788 to 1796; Major in 60th Foot 1796; Supernumerary Major in 2nd Life Guards 16 February 1797; Major & Lieutenant-Colonel in 2nd Life Guards 25 September 1799; transferred to 1st Life Guards 20 August 1807.

Lt. Col. Robert Barton

Major & Lieutenant-Colonel 14 June 1805; commanded 2nd Life Guards in Peninsula October to December 1812; brevet Colonel 4 June 1813; exchanged to 60th Foot 28 April 1814; subsequently Major-General 12 August 1819; Lieutenant-General 1837.

Lt. Col. Hon. George Murray

Captain in 2nd Life Guards 4 March 1800; Major & Lieutenant-Colonel 20 August 1807; served in Peninsula December 1813 to April 1814; brevet Colonel 4 June 1814; Major-General 12 August 1819; Lieutenant-General 1837; became principal auditor of exchequer in Scotland; died 1848.

Captain Richard Fitzgerald

Brevet Major 25 October 1809; Captain in 2nd Life Guards 18 May 1812; served in Peninsula Mar & April 1814; brevet Lieutenant-Colonel 4 June 1814; killed in action at Waterloo.

Lt. Col. Hon. Edward Pyndar Lygon, C.B.

Born Worcestershire 1786, son of Earl Beauchamp; Captain in 2nd Life Guards 15 February 1808; served in Peninsula November 1812 to April 1814; commanded 2nd Life Guards in Peninsula 1813; Major & Lieutenant-Colonel 27 April 1815; commanded 2nd Life Guards at Waterloo; Lieutenant-Colonel 14 April 1818; Major-General 1837; Lieutenant-General 1846; died 1860.

Major Sir Emmanuel Felix Agar, Kt.

Captain in 50th Foot 1812; brevet Major 20 April 1814; Major in 60th Foot April 1814; Major in 2nd Life Guards 28 April 1814 (on exchange from 60th Foot); died 1866.

Captain William Tyrrell Boyce

Born Manchester 1779, son of Baron Boston; Captain in 2nd Life Guards 30 April 1812 (on transfer from 16th Light Dragoons); served in Peninsula June 1813 to April 1814; brevet Major 4 June 1814; taken prisoner at Waterloo but escaped during the battle; exchanged to half-pay of 60th Foot 1817.

Sources:

Fletcher, Ian. Wellington’s Regiments. Staplehurst: Spellmount, 1994.

Park, S.J. and Nafziger, G.F. The British Miltary – Its System and Organization 1803-1815. Cambridge, Ontario: Rafm Co. Inc. 1983.

Philippart, John. The Royal Military Calendar, or Army Service and Commission Book. London: A.J. Valpy, 1820.

Dalton, Charles. The Waterloo Roll Call. London: Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1904.

London Gazette. May 2009.

The Napoleon Series – Peninsula Roll Call. May 2009.

Presenting the Household Cavalry. May 2009.

Wikipedia. May 2009. Various pages.

Placed on the Napoleon Series: December 2009

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