Henry Percy (British Army officer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Henry Percy
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|---|---|
| Born | 14 September 1785 |
| Died | 15 April 1825 (aged 39) |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 British Army |
| Years of service | 1804–1825 |
| Rank | Lieutenant-Colonel |
| Battles/wars | Napoleonic Wars |
| Awards | Companion of the Order of the Bath |
Henry Percy (born September 14, 1785 – died April 15, 1825) was a brave British Army officer. He is best known for serving as a special assistant, called an Aide-de-camp, to the famous Duke of Wellington. After the huge Battle of Waterloo, Henry Percy was the one who carried the exciting news of victory all the way to London!
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Henry Percy's Military Journey
Henry Percy was born into an important family. He was the fifth son of Algernon Percy, who was the first Earl of Beverley. His grandfather was Hugh Percy, the first Duke of Northumberland. Henry went to Eton, a famous school. In 1804, he joined the army as a Lieutenant.
Fighting in the Peninsular War
Henry Percy took part in the Peninsular War. This was a big war fought in Spain and Portugal. He worked as an Aide-de-camp for Lieutenant General Sir John Moore from 1808 to 1809. Later, he became a Captain in the 14th Dragoons. He was promoted to Major in 1810.
Captured and Released
In 1812, Henry Percy was captured during a retreat from Burgos. He spent two years as a prisoner in France. But when Napoleon was sent away to the island of Elba in 1815, Henry Percy was finally set free.
The Battle of Waterloo Hero
When Napoleon returned in 1815, Major Percy joined the Duke of Wellington again as an Aide-de-camp. He was right there during the important battles of Quatre Bras and Waterloo.
Delivering the Victory News
The Battle of Waterloo was a huge and difficult fight. Henry Percy was the only one of Wellington's special assistants who was not hurt. Because of this, he was given a very important job. He had to carry the official message, called a dispatch, to London. This message told everyone about the great victory! He also carried two French Imperial Eagles that were captured during the battle.
Henry Percy left right after the battle. He crossed the English Channel on a ship called HMS Peruvian. He even had to row part of the way! He arrived at Downing Street in London on June 21 at 10 pm. He told the foreign secretary, Earl Bathurst, the good news. Then, he delivered the message and the captured eagles to the Prince Regent. As a reward for his amazing service, he was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel. He left the army in 1821 and passed away in 1825.
Henry Percy's Family Life
Henry Percy never married. However, he had two sons with a French woman while he was a prisoner of war in France. These sons were Major General Sir Henry Durand and Percy Durand. Sir Henry Durand's older son, Edward Durand, became a Baronet in 1892. His younger son, Sir Mortimer Durand, became a very important diplomat.
