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A Frenchman's Act of Chivalry Or, the Triumph and Tragedy of British Colonel Hervey-Bathurst

14th Light Dragoons, 1815 by George Jones

HE HAD PRESSED TOO FAR INTO THE ENEMY AND IT HAD COST HIM DEARLY. 27-year-old Major Felton Hervey-Bathurst was riding at the head of two squadrons of 14th Light Dragoons. Attempting to extract a dear price from the retreating French column of infantry at the Battle of Porto, Hervey and his cavalry charged in with sabres swinging. Numerous casualties were inflicted, and 300 prisoners were captured. But the infantry bit back. The gallant Hervey was wounded. That evening on May 12, 1809 a surgeon's saw removed the brave Major's right arm. Undaunted, the 27-year-old Hervey carried on with his regiment. With the killing of the regiment's commanding officer the following year, Hervey took charge of 14th Light Dragoons as its new Lieutenant Colonel. Retraining himself to use his sabre with his left hand, Hervey continued to lead his men into the fray. In March 1811, the Lieutenant Colonel led a charge into the French cavalry, even though they were outnumbered.  They proved victorious.Two months later at Fuentes d'Onor, things did not go well for Hervey. In an unsuccessful charge on French artillery, Hervey's horse was killed and the fall left the brave officer with a severe contusion. Lack of an arm to brace his fall likely played a role in the injury. By September 1811 Hervey was back in the saddle. At Carpio, the 14th Light Dragoons surprised the Berg Regiment of Lancers. Breaking the lancer front of spear tips, the Light Dragoons closed and caused deadly havoc with their sabres.  In the mayham of swinging swords and stabbing lances, a French officer got the best of Hervey. With his curved blade raised in the air, the Frenchman suddenly stop his killing blow. Seeing Hervey had only one arm, the noble enemy cavalryman instead brought instead brought his blade down to the salute and rode off to another part of the battlefield. Reflecting on this act of chivalry, a Peninsular veteran simply wrote: "such was the state of the war on the frontier of Portugal."

Felton William Hervey-Bathurst wearing is pre-1812 14th Light Dragoon Uniform (the medals and orders were added later).

POSTSCRIPT Hervey would carry on to fight in Spain and Southern France at the battles of Badajoz, Salamanca, Vittoria and Orthez. At the end of the Peninsular War, the Light Dragoon was made Aide-de-camp to the Prince Regent, and the following year served at Waterloo as a part of Wellington's staff. The pinnacle of his career came when Hervey, entrusted with the full powers of Wellington, negotiated on July 3, 1815 the surrender of Paris and the end of hostilities. When the war was over, work was found for him in the Ordnance Department. In 1817, with great pomp and pageantry, Hervey married the daughter of a wealthy English-born Baltimore (Maryland) merchant, linking him by marriage to the Duke of Wellington. The following year he became Lord Felton-Elwell-Bathhurst Hervey (Baronet). All seemed a fairy tale.   Decorated with medals from Russia, Austria, Portugal, Bavaria, Saxony, and Prussia, Hervey had achieved a lifetime of military success in ten short years. Yet something was terribly wrong. Possibly suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Hervey tragically shot himself on September 24, 1819. He was 37 years old.

Author Robert Henderson enjoys unearthing and telling stories of military valour, heritage, and sacrifice from across the globe. Lest we forget.

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