COMBERMERE (Stapleton Cotton, Field Marshal First Viscount)
Memoirs and Correspondence of Field-Marshal Viscount Combermere from his Family Papers.
Sandler 827, “Combermere was the title taken by Sir Stapleton Cotton who commanded Wellington’s cavalry in the Peninsula. Most of the first volume concerns the Peninsular War.”
From 1815 Commanded the Cavalry in occupied France and was made Governor of Barbados in 1817. After holding the position of Commander in Chief in Ireland from 1822-5, he was sent to India; “A new Commander-in-Chief in India being then needed, and an expedition against Bharatpur being likely, Combermere was selected by the directors of the East India Company, reportedly on the advice of Wellington. An expedition against the Burmese was under consideration, and the cabinet asked Wellington’s advice. He replied, “Send Lord Combermere.” “But we have always understood that Your Grace thought Lord Combermere a fool.” “So he is and a d—–d fool; but he can take Rangoon” [ODNB ]. Bharatpur duly fell, and Combermere remained in India for five, years, acting as pro tem. Governor General during Lord Amherst’s absence in the hills. He died in 1855 having seen no further service following his return from India in 1830.