COLLEY, SIR GEORGE POMEROY (1835-1881)

This article appears in Volume V06, Page 688 of the Encyclopedia Britannica.

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COLLEY, SIR GEORGE POMEROY (1835-1881) , British general, third son of George

Pomeroy

POMEROY

Colley, of Rathangan,
Co. Kildare, Ireland, and grandson of the fourth Viscount Harberton, was born on the 1st of November 1835, and entered the 2nd Queen's Regiment from Sandhurst as

ensign

ENSIGN (through the Fr. enseigne from the Latin plural insignia)

in 1852. From 1854 to 186o he served in South Africa, and was employed in surveying and as a

magistrate

MAGISTRATE (Lat. magistratus, from magister, master, properly a public office, hence the person holding such an office)

in charge of the Bashi river

district

DISTRICT

in Kaffraria. Early in 186o he went with his regiment to China to join the Anglo-French expedition, and took part in the capture of the Taku forts and the entry into Peking, returning to South Africa to complete his

work

WORK

in Kaffraria (brevet-majority). In 1862 he entered the Staff College and passed out in one year with honours. After serving as brigade-major at Devonport for five years, he went to the War Office in 187o to assist in the preparation of (Lord) Cardwell's

measures

MEASURES

of army reform. He was appointed professor of military administration at the Staff College in 1871. Early in 1873 he joined Sir Garnet Wolseley at the Gold Coast, where he took charge of the transport, and the success of the Ashanti expedition was in no small degree due to his exertions. He was promoted brevet-colonel and awarded the C.B. In 1875 he accompanied Wolseley to

Natal

NATAL

(C.M.G.). On his return home he was appointed military secretary to Lord Lytton,

governor

GOVERNOR (from the Fr. gouverneur, from gouverner, O. Fr. governer, Lat. gubernare, to steer a ship, to direct, guide)

-general of India, and in 1877 private secretary (K.C.S.I.). In 1879 he joined Wolseley as

chief

CHIEF (from Fr. chef, head, Lat. caput)

of the staff and brigadier-general in S.E. Africa, but, on the murder of Cavagnari at Kabul, returned to India. In 188o he succeeded WoIseley in S.E. Africa as high

commissioner

COMMISSIONER

and general commanding, and conducted the operations against the rebel Boers. He was defeated at Laing's Nek and at the Ingogo river, and killed at Majuba Hill on the 27th of February 1881. He had a very high reputation not only for a theoretical knowledge of military affairs, but also as a practical soldier.
See Life of Sir George

Pomeroy

POMEROY

Colley by Lieut.-Gen. Sir W. F. Butler (London, 1899).

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