Dictionary of Indian Biography/Cornwallis, Charles, first Marquis
CORNWALLIS, CHARLES, FIRST MARQUIS (1738–1805)
Governor-General : son of Charles, first Earl : born Dec. 31, 1738 : educated at Eton : entered the Guards, 1756 : studied at the Military Academy, Turin : served in Germany, 1758–62 : at Minden : M.P. for Eye : became Earl in June, 1762 : Lord of the Bedchamber : Constable of the Tower, 1770 : Maj-General, 1775 : served in the American war, 1776 : second in command in 1778 to Sir H. Clinton : forced to capitulate at Yorktown on Oct. 19, 1781, no blame attaching to him : in 1782, and 1785, he refused to go to India, but, against his will, accepted the Governor-Generalship in 1786 : held the appointment from Sep., 1786, being also C. in C. : and K.G. : he reformed both the civil and military services : in Dec. 1790, he took the command in Madras against Tippoo : captured Bangalore, March 21, 1791 : defeated Tippoo near Seringapatam : took Nandidrug, Oct. 19 : Savandrug, Dec. 21 : besieged Seringapatam, Feb. 1792, when Tippoo submitted, and signed peace, ceding territory and paying a large indemnity : Cornwallis created a Marquis, Aug., 1792. He then announced the permanent settlement of the land revenue to be paid by the zamindars in Bengal, 1793, acting against the advice of Sir John Shore : he reformed the Law Courts : he sailed for Madras to attack Pondicherry, but it had surrendered before his arrival : he left Madras, homewards, on Oct. 10, 1793. From England, he was sent to military service on the continent : was Master-General of the Ordnance from 1795 : when military questions caused anxiety in Bengal, Cornwallis was re-appointed Governor-General on Feb. 1, 1797 : did not proceed to India : his services were required as Viceroy and C. in C, Ireland, to crush the rebellion of 1798 : defeated the French there under General Humbert : supported the Act of Union, but resigned the Viceroyalty in 1801, when the King declined to agree to Catholic Emancipation : deputed to negotiate the Peace of Amiens, 1802. In 1805 he was re-appointed Governor-General and C. in C. in India, and assumed charge on July 30 : sent out to inaugurate a pacific regime instead of the expansive policy of Lord Wellesley. But it was too severe a tax on his age and health. On his way up-country, in pursuit of his pacific policy, he died at Ghazipur, Oct. 5, 1805. Statues were erected in his honour at Calcutta and Madras.