SIR HARRY SMITH.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 338, 15 January 1861, Page 4

SIR HARRY SMITH.

We have to announce the death of the gallant and distinguished officer, Lieutenant-General Sir Harry Smith, G.C.8., who expired on the 12th October, at his residence in Eaton-place West, from disease of the heart. The deceased general was the son of Mr. John Smith, a surgeon, of Whittlesea, in Cambridgeshire, where lie was born in 1788, and educated under the Rev. George Burgess. We quote from Hart's ' Army List' the following account of the distinguished officer's services :-— Sir Harry Smith served with the Rifle Brigade at the siege, storm, and taking of Monte Video, under Sir S. Auchrauty, and at the assault upon Buenos Ayres, under Brigadier-General Craufurd. Employed with the troops in Spain under Sir John Moore, from the battle of Vimiera to the embarkation of the troops at Corunna. Embarked for the Peninsular under Major-General Robert Craufurd in 1809 ; was seriously wounded in the action upon the bridge of Coa, near Almeida. Commanded a company in the pursuit of Massena from the Lines of Lisbon; at the actions of Redinha, Condeixa, and Foz d'Arouce. Appointed brigade major to the 2nd Light Brigade in the Light Divisiou, and was present in the action of Sabugal, battle of Fuentes dOnor, siege and storm of Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz, battles of Salamanca and Vittoria, attack of the heights of Vera i and passage of the Bidasso, battle of Sarre, attack upon the position of St Jean de Luz and heights of Arcanguez, battle of Orthes, affair at Tarbes, and battle of Toulouse. Appointed Assistant-Adjutant-General to the troops under MajorGeneral Ross destined against Washington, and was present at the battle of Bladenrburg and destruction of Washington. Brought home despatches and went out again immediately under Sir Edward Pakenham, and was present at the attack upon the enemy's lines near New Orleans. After the death of Sir Edward he was appointed military secretary to Sir John Lambert, commanding the army, and was present at the siege and taking of fort Bowyer. Appointed assistant-quarter-master-general to the 6th division of the army under the Duke of Wellington, and was present at the battle of Waterloo. In 1828 he was appointed deputy-quarter-master-general at the Cape of Good Hope, and commanded a division under Sir B' dUrban throughout the operations against the Kaffir tribes in 1834 and 1835. In 1840 he proceeded to the East Indies as adjutant-general, and was nominated a K.C.B. for the action of Maharajpore, in which battle he was present as adjutant-general; and for his distinguished services in the campaign on the Sutlej and brilliant victory over the Sikhs at Aliwal, he was nominated a G.C.B. and afterwards created a baronet. Finally, as governor and commander-in-chief at the Cape of Good Hope, he attacked and defeated the rebel Boers at Boem Plaats, 29th August, 1848. Sir Harry received the war medal and 12 clasps.— Home News.