John Wright Guise facts for kids

General Sir John Wright Guise, 3rd Baronet (born July 20, 1777 – died April 1, 1865) was an important British Army general. He served in many battles and rose through the ranks during a long military career.

Life of a General

John Guise was born in Elmore, Gloucestershire. His father, John Guise of Highnam Court, became a baronet in 1783. A baronet is a special title, like a knight, that can be passed down in a family.

Early Military Career

John Guise joined the army when he was 17 years old. In 1794, he became an ensign in the 70th (Surrey) Regiment of Foot. An ensign was the lowest officer rank, carrying the regimental flag. The next year, he moved to the 3rd Foot Guards, which later became known as the Scots Guards.

He quickly moved up the ranks:

• In 1798, he became a lieutenant and captain.
• In 1805, he was promoted to captain and lieutenant-colonel.
• By 1814, he was a regimental first major.

Serving in Key Campaigns

Guise served in several important military missions:

• He was part of expeditions to Ferrol, Vigo, and Cadiz in 1800.
• He served in Egypt in 1801.
• He was in Hanover from 1805 to 1806.
• In 1809, he went to Portugal.

He fought bravely in the Peninsular War (1807-1814), a big conflict in Spain and Portugal. He was at the Battle of Bussaco and led soldiers at the Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro.

Leading in Battle

From 1812 to 1814, Guise commanded the first battalion of the 3rd Guards. He led his troops in many famous battles, including:

• The Battle of Salamanca
• The capture of Madrid
• The Siege of Burgos
• The Battle of Vittoria
• The Battle of the Bidassoa
• The Battle of the Nive
• The crossing of the Adour river

During the attack on Bayonne, he took command of the second brigade of Guards after another general was injured. For his bravery, he received a gold cross and a war medal.

Later Life and Honors

After the wars, Guise continued to be promoted:

• He became a major-general in 1819.
• He was made a Companion of the Bath (CB) in 1831.
• He became a lieutenant-general and Knight Commander of the Bath (KCB) in 1841.
• In 1847, he became colonel of the 85th Light Infantry.
• He reached the rank of general in 1851.
• In 1863, he was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Bath (GCB), which is a very high honor.

When his brother, Berkeley, died in 1834, John Guise became the 3rd Baronet. In 1863, he was given special heraldic supporters for his family crest. These are like figures that stand on either side of a shield, and they usually only belong to very high-ranking nobles.

General Sir John Wright Guise was the most senior general in the British Army when he passed away. He died at Elmore Court on April 1, 1865, at the age of 87.

Family Life

In 1815, John Guise married Charlotte Diana Vernon. She was the daughter of John Vernon from Clontarf Castle in Dublin. They had seven children together.

Their Children

• Jane Elizabeth Guise (died 1897) married John Wingfield-Stratford. They had seven sons and six daughters.
• Georgiana Maria Guise (died 1859) married Captain Henry Thomas Howard. They had one daughter who lived to adulthood, Elizabeth Frances.
• Sir William Vernon Guise, 4th Baronet (1816–1887) became the 4th Baronet after his father. He married Margaret Anna Maria Lee-Warner and they had three sons and seven daughters.
• Major Henry John Guise (1817–1857) married Frederica Verner. They had at least two sons.
• Francis Edward Guise (1820–1893) married Henrietta Carnac. They had four sons and one daughter.
• Reverend Vernon George Guise (1823–1861) married Mary Harriet Lane. They had three sons.
• Lt.-Gen. John Christopher Guise, V.C. (1826–1895) was a military officer who earned the Victoria Cross, a very brave award. He married Isabella Newcombe and they had two sons and two daughters.

When John Guise inherited several estates from his brother in 1834, he decided to sell some of them, including Rendcombe, Highnam, and Brockworth. He kept Highnam, Elmore, and Rodley for his family.