Page:Protestant Exiles from France Agnew vol 2.djvu/331

 affects at least to be much dissatisfied with everything that is going forward, had a meeting with Lord Ligonier at Lord Townshend’s, where he declared that he had not been in the least instrumental in the disgrace which his Lordship had suffered by the promotion of Lord Granby, and added that upon his honour he had not seen the King even once during the last twelvemonth.” The Earl of Chesterfield said — “It was cruel to put such a boy as Granby over the head of old Ligonier; and if I had been the former I would have refused that command during the life of that honest and old general.” To gratify a wish generally felt, the Government gave Ligonier a pension of £1500 a year; and on the 10th September there was this announcement in the Gazette, “John, Lord Ligonier, to be Earl Ligonier in the Peerage of Great Britain.”

He lived to enter upon his fourth year as a British Earl, and died on the 28th April 1770. He was in his ninetieth year, according to Haag; his monument says his age was ninety-two.

The well-earned monument (designed and executed by J. F. Moore) is in Westminster Abbey (ambulatory, north side). The principal figure is History, with a pen in her right hand and a scroll in her left hand. She is leaning on a sepulchral urn, on which are the arms and ensigns of the Order of the Bath. She points with her pen to the scroll, inscribed with the names of battles : — Schellenberg, Blenheim, Rami Hies, Oudenarde, Malplaquet, Taniere, Dettingen, Fontenoy, Rocoux, Laffeldt, "at all which," says Neale, "the courage of Ligonier was conspicuous." The Earl’s portrait is in profile, "a well-executed medallion " on the stand of the urn. A Roman coat of mail, in which is the emblem of Fortitude, represents the soldier at rest. Behind the figure of History is a pyramid of Brujata marble, at the top of which is his lordship’s crest, with the motto A rege et victorià, and below is an alto-relievo of Britannia. Round the pyramid are medallions representing the four sovereigns whom the Earl served about seventy years. The following is the inscription : — In memory of John, Earl Ligonier, Baron of Ripley, in Surrey, Viscount of Inniskilling, and Viscount of Clonmell, Field-Marshal and Commander-in-Chief of His Majesty’s Forces, Master-General of the Ordnance, Colonel of the First Regiment of Foot Guards, one of His Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council, and Knight of the Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath. Died 28th of April 1770, aged ninety-two years.

Field-Marshal the Earl Ligonier left a daughter, Penelope, wife of Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Graham, of the 1st Foot Guards. Their family consisted of two sons and four daughters — the elder son’s names were Ligonier Arthur, and the other was John Jeffery Edward. Lord Ligonier left £10,000 in trust for these grand-children; also £2000 to his niece, Frances Ligonier, and £500 to the French Hospital. He had settled £20,000 on his nephew, Edward Ligonier, on his marriage with Penelope Pitt, for any children that might be born to them. (There was no issue of that marriage.) The Will was dated 17th January 1769, and proved by Sir Jeffery Amherst, K.B., Arthur Graham, Esq., and Edward, Viscount Ligonier, on 2nd May 1770.  

Edward Ligonier, the reputed son of Colonel Francis Ligonier, was born in 1740. His valiant uncle’s affection and influence ensured his prosperous career, though he himself was evidently a man of ability and conduct.

We find him holding the rank of captain in the army, and lieutenant in the 1st Foot Guards (Lord Ligonier’s regiment) at a very early age. He served in the “Seven Years’ War,” during five campaigns, under Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick, chief commander of the allied forces. His Serene Highness requested King George II. to send him two British aides-de-camp, and Lieutenant-Colonel Fitzroy and Captain Edward Ligonier were selected.

Captain Ligonier was the bearer of the despatches to the British Government announcing the glorious victory of Minden, which took place on the 1st August 1759. In the general order published in the camp next day, Captain Ligonier was one of the officers named by Prince Ferdinand among those “whose behaviour he most admired.” There was also an implied censure on Lord George Sackville. It is well known that Lord George Sackville was tried by court-martial, and cashiered. Young Ligonier had to give evidence against him.

The facts were these. The heat of the day had been borne by the infantry and the artillery, and the French under Marshal Contades were thrown into disorder. The Prince sent his Hessian aide-de-camp (Captain Wintzingerode) to order the cavalry under Lord George to advance. His Lordship expressed some hesitation as to the interpretation of the order. The Prince, perplexed and impatient at the delay,