Hercules Robert Pakenham

Miniature portrait of Hercules Robert Pakenham, made by William Egley (British, 1798 - 1870)

Sir Hercules Robert Pakenham CB, KCB (1781–1850) was a lieutenant-general of the British Army and was brevet colonel and aide-de-camp to the William IV of the United Kingdom.

Early life

Hercules Robert Pakenham was born 29 September 1781, the third son of Edward Michael Pakenham, 2nd baron Longford and Catherine Rowley, second daughter of the Right Hon. Hercules Langford Rowley. He was brother of Sir Edward Michael Pakenham, and brother-in-law of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington.

Military

Pakenham was appointed ensign 40th Regiment of Foot on 23 July 1803, became lieutenant 3 Feb. 1804, was transferred to the 95th rifles (now the Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)) in April the same year, and obtained his company there in 2 Aug. 1805. He served in the expedition to Copenhagen and in Portugal, where during the Battle of Roliça, he was slightly wounded at Obidos 16–17 Aug. 1808. "He is really one of the best officers of riflemen I have seen," wrote Sir Arthur Wellesley, recommending him for promotion.

He was promoted to a majority in the 7th West India regiment 30 Aug. 1810, remained with the Peninsular army, and was assistant adjutant-general of Picton's division up to the fall of Badajos, where he was severely wounded and received the Gold Cross for Busaco, Fuentes d'Onoro and Ciudad Rodrigo, and Badajos).

After being repeatedly recommended for promotion, he was made a brevet lieutenant-colonel 27 April 1812, was appointed lieutenant-colonel 26th Cameronians 3 Sept. 1812, and transferred as captain and lieutenant-colonel to the Coldstream Guards 25 July 1814, from which he retired on half-pay in 1817.

He was made brevet colonel and aide-de-camp to the king 27 May 1825, became a major-general 10 Jan. 1837, was appointed colonel 43rd Light Infantry 9 Sept. 1844, commanded the Portsmouth district from 1843 to 1846, and became a lieutenant-general 9 Nov. 1846.

He was made Companion, Order of the Bath (C.B.) 4 June 1815, Knight Commander, Order of the Bath K.C.B. 19 July 1838, and had the Peninsular silver medal and Roleia and Vimeiro clasps.

Parliament

Pakenham was a member of the Parliament, representing County Westmeath from 27 February 1808 to 1826. He sat for his brother, Thomas, 2nd Earl of Longford and placed votes intermittently between 1821 and 1825. Initially he was against Catholic Relief, but later came to favor it, citing his need representation of the change in opinion among his Protestant constituents.

Pakenham won the 1826 general election for Westmeath, but did not accept due to rumors that his favoring of Protestant interests resulted in his brother "discarding" him. The Catholic press reported that he was "the victim of the vote he gave ... in favour of emancipation."

Published work

• Hercules Robert Pakenham (January 1, 1825). Colonel Pakenham's speech on the second reading of the Catholic Relief Bill: In the House of Commons, on Tuesday, the 19th of April, 1825. W.E. Andrews.  ASIN B0008AZ548

Personal life

When he was a captain, Pakenham was mentioned in Lady Morgan’s Memoirs: Autobiography, Diaries and Correspondence:

We have had Captain Pakenham here some days; he has just gone to Lifford, but is to return on Wednesday. He is a very pleasant young man; I wish he had been here when you were, that your recollection of Baron’s Court might have been more lively.

— Lady Morgan, Marchioness of Abercorn in a letter to Sydney Owenson, 1810

In November 1817, Pakenham married Emily, the fourth daughter of Thomas Stapylton, Lord le Despenser, and had issue six sons and three daughters. One of his sons, Edward, was killed at Inkerman in 1854 and another, Robert, at the relief of Lucknow in 1857.

He died suddenly at his residence, Langford Lodge, County Antrim, on 7 March 1850.

The "Sir Hercules Pakenham Scholarship" and "Emily Lady Pakenham Scholarship" were founded in 1876 by Rev. Arthur Hercules Pakenham in their memory for students of Queen's College, Belfast.