Charles Shaw (British Army officer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Charles Shaw
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| Born | 6 August 1794 Ayr, Scotland |
| Died | 22 February 1871 (aged 76) Bad Homberg-vor-der-Hohe, Germany |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 British Army (1813-44) Portugal: Liberating Army (1831-35) Spain: British Auxiliary Legion (1835-36) |
| Rank | Half-pay Lieutenant (British Regular Army) Captain-Commandant (British Volunteers) Lieutenant-Colonel (Portugal) Brigadier-General (Spain) |
| Commands held | Leith Shapshooters (Britain) Scotch Fusiliers (Portugal) Scotch Brigade, British Auxiliary Legion (Spain) Irish Brigade, British Auxiliary Legion (Spain) Manchester and Bolton Police Forces (1839 - 1842) |
| Battles/wars | Napoleonic Wars Portuguese Liberal Wars First Carlist War |
| Awards | Knight of the Military Order of the Tower and Sword (Portugal) (1834) Knight of the Royal Military Order of San Fernando (Spain) (1836) Knight Bachelor (UK) (1838) |
| Other work | Chief Commissioner, Manchester Borough Police |
Sir Charles Shaw (born August 6, 1794 – died February 22, 1871) was a brave Scottish soldier. He fought in the British Army and later helped in civil wars in Portugal and Spain. He believed in freedom and fairness. After his military career, he became a very important police chief, helping to create modern police forces.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Growing Up in Scotland
Charles Shaw was born in 1794 in Ayr, Scotland. He was the third son in his family. His father was a county clerk. Charles had three brothers who became famous: Alexander Shaw and John Shaw were surgeons, and Patrick Shaw was a legal writer.
Choosing a Military Path
Charles went to Aberdeen and Edinburgh universities. He was supposed to study law. But Charles decided he wanted to be a soldier instead.
Military Adventures
Serving in the British Army
Joining the 52nd Light Infantry
In 1813, Charles Shaw joined the 52nd (Oxfordshire) Light Infantry. He became an ensign, which is a junior officer. He bought his position, which was common back then. His battalion trained soldiers for the main army fighting in the Peninsular War.
Action in the Low Countries
In December 1813, Shaw's battalion went to the Low Countries (modern-day Belgium and Netherlands). He fought in the capture of Merxem in January 1814. It was very cold and snowy. His unit was small, so they didn't join the main attack on Bergen-op-Zoom. Instead, they helped with the siege of Antwerp.
Missing the Battle of Waterloo
In 1815, Shaw's battalion joined another unit. On June 17, as a young lieutenant, he was sent to Brussels to guard supplies. He rushed back to Waterloo, Belgium, on the morning of June 18. But he was told to go back to his duty. So, he missed the famous Battle of Waterloo. Even though he missed the battle, he still received the Waterloo Medal.
Life After the Wars
After the war, Shaw's battalion was disbanded in 1816. He was put on "half-pay," meaning he got paid less. In 1817, he moved to another regiment. Before joining, he traveled in Europe to learn more about military tactics. He studied at a military college in Brunswick, Germany. He also visited Berlin to see the Prussian Army.
Shaw joined his new regiment in March 1818. But the British Army was getting smaller. Soon, he was on half-pay again. He went back to Edinburgh University. Later, he started a wine import business in Leith. In his free time, he led a volunteer unit called the Leith Sharpshooters.
Fighting for Freedom in Portugal
Joining Dom Pedro's Army
In 1830, Shaw sold his business and traveled. In 1831, he joined Dom Pedro, a former emperor. Dom Pedro was raising an army in London to help his daughter, Queen Maria. She wanted to get her throne back from her uncle, Dom Miguel. This was part of the Portuguese Liberal Wars.
It was against the law to recruit for foreign armies in Britain. But Shaw and others secretly hired "laborers for Brazil." They formed a battalion of marines for Dom Pedro's fleet. Shaw became a captain and led the Light Company.
Landing in Portugal
In December 1831, they sailed to the Azores, which was Dom Pedro's base. After training, the "Liberating Army of Portugal" landed near Porto on July 5, 1832. Shaw and his company were among the first to land. Shaw said he fired the first shot of the campaign! They took Porto that same day. But soon, Dom Miguel's forces surrounded them.
Heroism During the Siege
Shaw was very brave during the siege of Porto. He led many attacks and was wounded several times. A surgeon said he operated on Shaw 12 times! Dom Pedro himself noticed Shaw's courage. He was surprised when Shaw wasn't wounded in one attack, saying, "I am glad of it, he seldom escapes."
More soldiers arrived by sea. Shaw's marine battalion grew into a regiment. He then led a group of Scottish recruits. He formed them into the "Scotch Fusiliers."
Victory and Recognition
After a naval victory, Dom Pedro's forces could open another front in Lisbon. Shaw and his men joined this force. They captured Óbidos in September 1833. By the next spring, Shaw commanded the entire British Brigade. In May 1834, he helped in a siege that ended without a fight.
Dom Miguel's army surrendered soon after. Shaw marched the British Brigade to Lisbon on June 1. He handed over command to a Portuguese officer. He stayed in Portugal for another year to help his men get paid. In 1835, he was honored with the knighthood of the Order of the Tower and Sword.
Fighting in Spain
Joining the British Auxiliary Legion
In 1835, Shaw went to Glasgow. He brought some of his soldiers from Portugal with him. They helped form the "Scotch Brigade" for the British Auxiliary Legion. This Legion was fighting in Spain during the First Carlist War.
When they arrived in Spain, Shaw was upset. He was only a colonel, not a brigadier-general. Also, his Scotch Brigade was split up. He led a smaller brigade in battles like the relief of Bilbao. He also fought on the Heights of Arbalan in January 1836.
Governor of Vitoria
Shaw became the governor of Vitoria. He worked hard to get supplies for the hospitals. Many soldiers got sick with typhus because they were cold and hungry. Shaw wrote that the hospitals were "choke full, four or five in a bed: discharging none except to their graves."
Leading the Irish Brigade
In February 1836, Shaw was given command of the Irish Brigade. He called it "decidedly the best brigade in the Legion." He was finally promoted to Brigadier-General. In April, he marched his brigade to the coast. They sailed to San Sebastian to help in a siege.
On May 5, he led the central column in a fierce battle. His forces broke through three lines of enemy soldiers. Even his enemies admired his bravery. Shaw was hit by a bullet, and another hit his watch! He received the Spanish Order of San Fernando.
A Disagreement and Return Home
On May 31, 1836, Shaw's brigade helped defend their lines against a strong attack. On July 11, Shaw led a scouting mission along the coast. He wanted to cut off the enemy from the sea. He felt he could have captured the last enemy seaport if he had more support. But no help came, and the Legion pulled back.
Shaw wrote a letter to his brother about this. The letter was leaked to a newspaper in London. The newspaper praised Shaw but criticized the Legion's leaders. The general accused Shaw of leaking the letter himself. Because of this, Shaw resigned and went back to Britain.
In 1838, Queen Victoria made Charles Shaw a knight.
Pioneering Police Work
Chief Commissioner in Manchester
In 1839, there was unrest in North West England. The government appointed Shaw as the first Chief Commissioner of Police in Manchester and Bolton. He wanted to create a police force that was fair to everyone. He didn't want it to be controlled by factory owners or by workers' groups.
Handling Riots
In 1841, he led the hunt for the "Ashton Murderers." In the summer of 1842, there were big riots. Shaw had to ask the military for help. At one point, he personally led a charge of soldiers against a crowd of rioters. Shaw felt sympathy for the poor people of Manchester. He was removed from his job when the city took over the police force on October 1, 1842.
Later Life
Family and Retirement
In 1841, Shaw married Louisa Hannah. They had a son named Charles Martin Shaw. In 1844, he officially retired from the army.
Writing and Ideas
Even after retiring, Shaw stayed interested in military matters. He wrote to newspapers and politicians from Europe, where he lived. He wrote about new weapons like the Minié rifle. He also cared about soldiers' well-being and coastal defense.
In 1859, he wrote articles about a possible invasion. He described a fictional attack on the port of Leith. He suggested using "rifle batteries." These were machines with 12-20 rifle barrels that one or two people could operate. These ideas were similar to later machine guns like the Nordenfeldt gun.
Final Years
In his later years, Shaw lived in Bad Homberg, Germany. He died there in February 1871. Because he had the Waterloo Medal, he was buried with military honors. French and Prussian officers attended his funeral.
Personality
During the siege of Oporto, someone described Shaw as a "fervid Liberal." This means he strongly believed in freedom and fairness. He was inspired by Dom Pedro's fight against absolute rule. A British volunteer noticed Shaw's very long, fiery red beard. He said it "quite eclipsed all of them." Sadly, no pictures of Shaw seem to exist today.
