Stapleton-Cotton, cavalry man, general, commander in chief, Cheshire and national hero.
It is said that the Duke of Wellington said of him
"The man is a fool: a dammed fool"

The evidence of his life and times is submitted for you to form an opinion on whether he justified this remark or not

Statue outside Chester Castle

Military career
At this time officers achieved promotion by purchase. He became at age 16 a second lieutenancy in the 23rd Regiment of Foot. At 20, captain in the 6th Dragoon Guards and saw service with the Duke of York in Flanders. At 23 he was a lieutenant-colonel and in 1796 he went with his regiment to India - In 1799 he took part in campaigns against Tippoo Sahib, and was at the storming of Seringapatam. Aged he was 27 full colonel and at 32 a major-general. In 1808 he was sent to Portugal, where he rose to the position of commander of Wellington's cavalry. Later promoted Field Marshall and was commander-in-chief at the siege of Bhurtpore in 1824.

Viscount Combermere

Picture from the National Portrait Gallery

Civilian Appointments
Governor Barbados, Commander-in-Chief Leeward Islands, Commander-in-Chief Ireland and the East Indies, Constable of the Tower of London

Incidents in Career
July 24th 1812 - Wellington’s dispatch after Battle of Salamanca

"The cavalry under Lieut. General Sir Stapleton Cotton made a most gallant and successful charge against a body of the enemy's infantry, which they overthrew and cut to pieces. Lieut. General Sir Stapleton Cotton was unfortunately wounded by one of our own sentries after we had halted. ..it is through the fleshy part, and the two bones of his arm. It may be a bad wound, if there should be haemorrhage..."

He was not present at Waterloo in 1815. He had expected the command and was bitterly disappointed that Lord Uxbridge got the job. At the end of the war he was raised to the peerage as Baron Combermere.
At the siege of Bhurtpore he won a great victory and kept many of the spoils for himself which caused much disquiet among the regiments as it was not the usual practice.

Picture taken from the memories of Mary his 3rd wife.

The Incident of the fool remark arose out of a the meeting of the committee deciding who was to becommander-in-chief of the expedition go to Rangoon, Burma and to take Bhurtpore in India.
3 reports of the incident are recorded.

As recorded by Lionel Tollemarche in Old and Odd Memories.1908

The Government was considering an expedition and were to decide on the fittest general.
The cabinet sent for the Duke of Wellington and asked his advice. He instantly replied "Send Combermere". "But we have always understood that your Grace thought him a fool" "so he is a fool and a damned fool;but he can take Rangoon

As recorded by in his novel by Allan Mallinson "The Sabre's Edge" 2003(A story based around the seige of Bhurtpore - another chronicle in the fictional life of Cavalry man Matthew Hervey)

Somervile commenting on his appointment - " You know it's tattled here what passed when Wellington proposed it to the Duke of York? The grand old mans supposed to have protested that combermere was a fool to which Wellington was supposed to have replied "Yes but he can still take Bhurtpore"

As recorded in the Memories of Viscount Combermere by Mary Viscountess Combermere 1861

Wellington in answer to their inquires on whom he considered most fitting said "You can't do better than Combermere" they replied that "We do not consider him a man of genius" Wellington then told them "I don;t give a damn about his genuis he's the man to take Bhurtpore"

Other Evidence

Reports in the local paper in 1814

The return of his lordship to Combermere Abbey was marked by great rejoicings in the neighbourhood. At Wrenbury, on the 24th May, four sheep were roasted on the village green, and three barrels of stout Cheshire ale provided for the feast, at which about two hundred sat down On Wednesday, 2Oth July, Nantwich had its demonstration in honour of Lord Combermere, when a grand dinner was given at the Assembly Room.

Combermere was a friend of Lord Tollemarche and Lionel his son records meeting him towards the end of his life

He was, as I myself should have inferred from what I saw of him in his old age, lacking in originality; but for that very reson could carry on war to strict rules and obey orders impicitly.

Mallinson in his researches which are meticulous for his book on Bhurtpore describes him variously as

brave, without the intellect to take the highest commands,held in high regard for his Penisular record, without academic distinction.

Bhurtpore Inn, Aston, Cheshire

Each side of the inn sign

He was brave, rich and became richer, not academically brilliant but possessed of leadership qualities, he followed through a task to the end.

A bluff rough aristocrat soldier but a ..... fool ?

He lived at Combermere Abbey in south Cheshire. If you visit visit the main room has a huge portrait of the walls of Bhurtpore and in the grounds in a large monument to to his glory. For fans both are worth a visit.