Ephraim Gerrish Stannus facts for kids
Sir Ephraim Gerrish Stannus (born 1784 – died 1850) was an important British military officer. He worked for the East India Company, which was a powerful British trading company that also controlled parts of India. Sir Ephraim rose through the ranks and became a Major-General, a very high position in the army.
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Early Life and Military Career
Sir Ephraim Stannus was born in 1784 into a rich family in Ireland. When he was young, he traveled to India in 1799 to begin his military training. He joined the Bombay Army, which was one of the three main armies of the East India Company in India.
He quickly moved up in rank. By 1800, he was an ensign, which is a junior officer. Soon after, he became a lieutenant. In 1803, he joined a special European regiment.
Key Battles and Promotions
Stannus took part in the Kathiawar campaign in 1807. This was a military operation in a region of India. He became a captain in 1811.
He showed great skill and bravery during the Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817–1818). This was a major conflict between the British East India Company and the Maratha Empire in India. Because of his excellent service, he was promoted to major in 1818.
After the war, he worked as a private secretary for Mountstuart Elphinstone. Elphinstone was a very important British official who governed the Madras region of India from 1819 to 1827. Stannus continued to gain promotions, becoming a lieutenant-colonel in 1822 and a colonel in 1829. He also received a special honor called "Companion of the Order of the Bath" (C.B.) in 1823 for his service.
Diplomatic Role and Later Years
From 1823 to 1826, Sir Ephraim Stannus served as the first British Resident in the Persian Gulf, located in Bushehr. A "Resident" was a British official who represented the British government in a foreign place.
In 1834, he was given a new and important role. He became the lieutenant-governor of the Addiscombe Military Seminary in Addiscombe, England. This was a special school where young men trained to become officers for the East India Company. In 1837, he was knighted, which means he received the title "Sir" from the King or Queen. He was promoted to major-general in 1838.
Leading Addiscombe Seminary
While at Addiscombe, Sir Ephraim was known for being fair and kind. However, he also had a quick temper. The young cadets at the school sometimes found ways to annoy him, which would lead to him getting very angry and using strong language.
Despite his temper, the cadets generally liked him. He stayed in charge of Addiscombe until he passed away from a heart attack in 1850. Sir Ephraim Stannus was married to Mary Louisa, but they did not have any children.
