OF
THE THIRTY-SIXTH,
OR THE
HEREFORDSHIRE REGIMENT OF FOOT.
William Viscount Charlemont.
Appointed 28th June 1701.
William Caulfeild, the second Viscount Charlemont, for his services in the cause of King William III., was rewarded by a regiment of infantry. His Majesty also made him Governor and Custos Rotulorum of the counties of Tyrone and Armagh, and Governor of the fort of Charlemont. Several regiments of infantry being ordered to be disbanded in 1697, and his Lordship’s regiment being one of them, His Majesty, in consideration of his faithful services, directed the sum of eight shillings per day to be paid him as half-pay, and on the 28th of June 1701, His Majesty again appointed him to the command of a newly raised corps, which is now the Thirty-sixth regiment. On the 25th of August 1704, his Lordship was promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General, and in the following year was called upon to serve in Spain under Charles, Earl of Peterborough. Lord Charlemont rendered important services at the siege of Barcelona; and at the attack of Fort Montjuich on the 14th of September 1705, his Lordship marched into the works, at the head of his men, and was near the Prince of Hesse Darmstadt when he received the wound which terminated mortally. After the action Lord Charlemont, and Lieut.-Colonel Southwell of the Sixth foot, were presented to the King of Spain as officers that had performed signal service on that occasion, for which they received the thanks of that Sovereign. The taking of this fort paved the way for reducing Barcelona, which surrendered on the 9th of October 1705. His Lordship was subsequently removed from the Thirty-sixth regiment, by the Earl of Peterborough, and, in justice to his character and feelings, preferred a complaint to Her Majesty Queen Anne against his former Commander; this was referred to a Council of General Officers, who, after several meetings, at which witnesses were heard on both sides, made two satisfactory reports to Her Majesty, copies of which are inserted at the end of this memoir. On the 1st of January 1707 Queen Anne advanced him to the rank of Major-General, and he was honoured with the confidence of Her Majesty, as had been the case with King William III., both as a Peer, and in his military capacity. In May 1709, his Lordship was one of the committee appointed to draw up an address of condolence to Her Majesty on the decease of Her Royal Consort Prince George of Denmark, and also to congratulate the Queen on the success of her arms.
In May 1726, his Lordship was sworn of the Privy Council to King George I., and after having enjoyed the peerage upwards of fifty-five years, and being reputed the oldest nobleman in the Kingdom, he died on the 21st of July 1726, and was buried at Armagh.