General Sir Charles Van Straubenzee

A carte-de-visite portrait of Major-General (later General) Sir Charles Thomas van Straubenzee (1812-1892).

His obituary in the Times (Thursday, 11 August, 1892) read 'General Sir Charles T. van Straubenzee, G.C.B., who died yesterday at his residence in Bath, was born in 1812, and entered the army in 1828. He was present with his regiment, the 39th Foot, during the operations preceding as well as the occupation of the Coorg territory in 1834. As Major he succeeded to the command of the 39th Regiment in the action of Maharajpore, Gwalior, 1843, for which battle he received the brevet of Lieutenant-Colonel. He commanded the British contingent in Greece in 1854-5, when he proceeded with his regiment, the Buffs, to the Crimea, and served there in command of a brigade till July, 1856. In the assault on the Redan in September he was slightly wounded. In 1857 General van Straubenzee proceeded to China in command of a brigade, and succeeded to the command of the force there in November of that year. He commanded the land forces at the capture of Canton, and in all the subsequent minor operations till March, 1860. He became a Major-General in 1859, Colonel of the 47th Foot 1865, Colonel of the 39th Foot 1867, Lieutenant-General 1868, and General 1875. He was placed on the retired list in 1881. General van Straubenzee, who was made K.C.B. in 1858 and G.C.B. in 1875, was Governor of Malta from April, 1872, to March, 1878.'

Photographed by Camille Silvy of London on 19 April 1861.