Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Longden, Henry Errington

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1448713Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 34 — Longden, Henry Errington1893Henry Manners Chichester

LONGDEN, Sir HENRY ERRINGTON (1819–1890), general, son of Thomas Hayter Longden, was born in January 1819. He was educated at Eton and at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He was appointed to an ensigncy without purchase in the 10th foot on 16 Sept. 1836. His subsequent commissions—all the regimental ones in the 10th foot—were lieutenant 1840, captain 1843, brevet-major 1849, major 1850, brevet-lieutenant-colonel 1856, lieutenant-colonel 1858, colonel 1859, major-general 1872, lieutenant-general 1877. He retired, with honorary rank of general, 1880. After taking a certificate of proficiency in higher mathematics and military drawing at the senior department, Royal Military College, in May 1842, he served with his regiment in India, and was present in the first Sikh war of 1845–6, including the battle of Sobraon (medal), and in the second Sikh war of 1848–1849, including the two sieges of Mooltan, where he commanded the regiment at the attack on the heights on 27 Sept. 1848, and was acting field-engineer at the fall of the city. He was also at the capture of Cheniote and the final victory at Goojerat (medal and two clasps and brevet of major), and he served in the mutiny in 1857–8. In September 1857, before Sir Colin Campbell advanced from Allahabad, he despatched Longden from Benares with a small field-force, to assist the Nepâl troops in driving the rebels from the Azimghur and Jounpore districts. Longden commanded a party of picked marksmen, covering Brigadier Franks's force in the advance to Lucknow [see Franks, Sir Thomas Harte], and was attached to the Ghoorkhas during the siege and capture of the city (mentioned in despatches). He was with Lord Mark Kerr at the first relief of Azimghur on 6 April 1858, and was chief of the staff of Brigadier (Sir) Edward Lugard's force at the second relief of Azimghur, and the operations in the Jugdespore jungles (medal and clasps). Longden afterwards retired on half-pay, and was adjutant-general in India in 1866–9.

Longden was a K.C.B. and C.S.I., and colonel in succession of the 2nd Hampshire regiment (late 67th foot) and of his old corps, the Lincolnshire regiment (late 10th foot). He died in London on 29 Jan. 1890, from a chill taken at the public funeral of his old friend Lord Napier of Magdala.

[Dod's Baronetage, 1889; Hart's Army Lists; Malleson's Indian Mutiny, 1889, iv. 104, 222–224, 325; Broad Arrow, 1 Feb. 1890.]

H. M. C.