Lord George Paget

George Paget
George Paget (horsed) with Lieutenant Colonel John Douglas (standing) during the Crimean War
Born (1818-03-16)16 March 1818
Died 30 June 1880(1880-06-30) (aged 62)
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Service/branch  British Army
Rank General
Commands held 4th (The Queen's Own) Light Dragoons
Battles/wars

Crimean War

General Lord George Augustus Frederick Paget KCB (16 March 1818 – 30 June 1880), was a British soldier during the Crimean War and took part in the famous Charge of the Light Brigade.

Background

Paget was the youngest son of Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey by his second wife Lady Charlotte, daughter of Charles Cadogan, 1st Earl Cadogan.

Military career

Paget served in the Crimean War and fought at Alma and Balaclava in command of the 4th (The Queen's Own) Light Dragoons. He is frequently quoted for his references to the Russian engagement in Balaklava on the Crimean Peninsula: "Every fool at the outposts, who fancies he hears something, has only to make a row, and there we all are, Generals and all... Well I suppose 500 false alarms are better than one surprise". This quote was supposedly written just before the Russians surprised the camp. He is famous for having charged with the Light Brigade while smoking a cheroot (a type of cigar favoured by soldiers who served in India).

Member of Parliament

Apart from his military career, Paget sat as Member of Parliament for Beaumaris between 1847 and 1857. He was made a KCB in 1870.

Marriages

Paget married firstly his first cousin Agnes Charlotte, daughter of Sir Arthur Paget, in 1854. They had two sons. After her death in March 1858, just six days after the birth of her child, he married secondly Louisa Elizabeth, daughter of Charles Fieschi Heneage, in 1861. Paget died in June 1880, aged 62. Louisa Elizabeth married secondly Arthur Capell, 6th Earl of Essex, in 1881. She died in January 1914.

References

ISBN 0-7522-1184-6

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Frederick Paget		 Member of Parliament for Beaumaris
1847–1857		 Succeeded by
William Owen Stanley


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