Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 58.djvu/389

Vivian in hot fighting at Nimeguen at the end of October, and after its evacuation and the return of the Duke of York to England, he was in the affair at Thiel under General Dundas in December, and at Geldermalsen under Lord Cathcart in extremely severe weather early in January 1795, when his regiment greatly distinguished itself.

Vivian returned to England in June 1795, and was stationed at Gosport. He embarked with his regiment in the autumn in the expedition under Sir Ralph Abercromby [q. v.], but after some weeks at sea his transport was driven back by the weather, and in August 1796 he accompanied his regiment to Gibraltar. In August 1798 he exchanged into the 7th light dragoons, and with that regiment took part in the expedition to the Helder, sailing from Deal on 13 Aug. 1799 with the first division of the British army under Sir Ralph Abercromby. He was present at the battles of Bergen on 19 Sept. and 2 Oct., and at the battle of Alkmaar on 6 Oct. In December he returned to England with his regiment. On 9 March 1800 he was promoted major, and on 20 Sept. 1804 lieutenant-colonel in the 25th light dragoons, but never joined, and on 1 Dec. exchanged back into the 7th light dragoons.

In October 1808 Vivian sailed in command of the 7th light dragoons for Spain, and, disembarking at Coruña in the following month, joined the army under Sir David Baird [q. v.] On 5 Dec. he marched with the rest of the cavalry under Lord Paget from Astorga and joined Sir J. Moore on the 10th at Toro. In the retreat to Coruña Vivian was frequently engaged, as his regiment formed the rearguard from Astorga to Coruña. On one occasion during the retreat Vivian, accompanied by only one non-commissioned officer, collected some six hundred stragglers of infantry which had been attacked by a body of French cavalry, formed them up, and beat off the enemy, for which he received the thanks of Paget and of Sir John Moore, who witnessed his success. After the battle of Coruña (16 Jan. 1809) Vivian embarked with the army for England. For his services in this campaign he was awarded the gold medal for the actions of Sahagun and Benavente.

Having recruited its losses in the Coruña campaign, Vivian's regiment was sent to Ireland in 1810, and remained there until the spring of 1813, when he returned with it to England. On 20 Feb. 1812 he was promoted to be colonel in the army on appointment as aide-de-camp to the prince regent. He was shortly after appointed equerry to the prince. In August 1813 he sailed with his regiment for Spain, landing towards the end of the month at Bilbao. In September he joined Lord Edward Somerset's brigade at Olite. He was present at the battle of the Nivelle on 10 Nov., and was soon after made a colonel on the staff to command a cavalry brigade (consisting of the 10th and 14th light dragoons) of Hill's division, which was posted between Usterits and Cambo on the river Nive. He was in command of Hill's cavalry at the passage of the Nive on 9 Dec. and in the fighting that took place on the succeeding days, and in the battle of St. Pierre on the 13th.

On 1 Jan. 1814 Vivian was transferred to the command of the cavalry brigade of General Alten's division (consisting of the 18th light dragoons and the German hussars) at Hasparren. He advanced with the army in the middle of February, attacked the enemy at the Gave de Pau on the 23rd, and took part in the battle of Orthez on 27 Feb., where his brigade was with the 4th and 7th divisions on the height of St. Boës. His conduct in this battle gained the approbation of Sir William Carr Beresford (afterwards Viscount Beresford) [q. v.], and he was awarded a clasp to his gold Peninsula medal. On 12 March he entered Bordeaux, and soon after joined Wellington in his advance on Toulouse. On 8 April he made, says Wellington in his despatch, ‘a most gallant attack upon a superior body of the enemy's cavalry at Crois d'Orade, and took about one hundred prisoners, gave us possession of an important bridge over the Ers, by which it was necessary to pass to attack the enemy's position. Colonel Vivian was unfortunately wounded upon this occasion, and I am afraid I shall lose his services for some time.’ On the following day the officers of the 18th light dragoons sent a letter to Vivian condoling with him on his wound, and requesting him to accept a sword of honour as a memorial of him leading them to victory. The sword was presented a few months later on the return of the regiment to England. Vivian's severe wound prevented him taking any further part in the campaign, and he returned to England in June, having been promoted to be major-general on the 4th of that month.

In January 1815 Vivian was made a knight commander of the order of the Bath, military division. His promotion severed his connection with the 7th hussars, and the officers presented him with a valuable piece of plate. He was shortly after appointed to the command of the Sussex military district, with his headquarters at Brighton.

On 16 April 1815 Vivian embarked to