Thomas Noel Harris facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Thomas Noel Harris
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| Born | 9 October 1783 Whitwell, Rutland, England |
| Died | 23 March 1860 (aged 76) Updown House, near Eastry, Kent |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 British Army |
| Years of service | 1801-1834 |
| Rank | Colonel |
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| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | KCH OMM (Prussia) KStA KStV |
Sir Thomas Noel Harris (born October 9, 1783, died March 23, 1860) was a brave officer in the British Army. He fought in two very important wars: the Peninsular War and the Waterloo Campaign. Later, he became a top judge in Gibraltar. What makes him special is that he was one of the few British officers to be at both the Battle of Leipzig and the Battle of Waterloo.
Contents
Early Life
Thomas Noel Harris was born in 1783 in Whitwell, Rutland, England. His father, Hamlyn Harris, was a rector, which is a type of church leader. Thomas went to Uppingham School.
In 1801, when he was 18, he joined the army as an ensign in the 87th Regiment of Foot. An ensign was a junior officer who carried the flag. By 1802, he became a Lieutenant in the 52nd Regiment of Foot. In 1807, he bought his way into a higher rank, becoming a Captain in the 18th Light Dragoons. He later left the army for a short time due to poor health.
Military Career
In 1811, Harris rejoined the army as a cornet in the 13th Light Dragoons. A cornet was a junior officer in a cavalry unit. He was then promoted to Lieutenant in the 18th Hussars. From 1811 to 1813, he served in the Peninsular War in Spain. He worked as a deputy assistant adjutant general, helping with important army paperwork and plans.
Fighting in Germany
After his time in Spain, Harris was sent to Germany. There, he worked as an aide-de-camp for Sir Charles Stewart. An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant to a high-ranking officer.
Harris was part of several major battles in 1813, including Grossbergen, Dennewitz, and the famous Battle of Leipzig. Sir Charles Stewart later wrote about how brave Harris was and how much he helped. After the Battle of Leipzig, a merchant named Edward Solly gave Harris a special sword. It had a message on it about their friendship during the battle. This sword was sold for a lot of money in 2015!
From late 1813 to early 1814, Harris worked with the staff of the Prussian General Blücher. Blücher was a very important military leader. As a sign of his respect, Blücher gave Harris a gold ring and feathers from his own hat.
Delivering Important News
On March 30, 1814, after the Battle of Paris, Harris was chosen for a very important mission. He had to take urgent news to London. He traveled about 400 miles without stopping, even having to defend himself from some soldiers who were supposed to be friendly. He delivered the news to the Prince Regent at Carlton House.
The Waterloo Campaign
In April 1815, Harris became a Brigade-Major for the 18th Hussars. This unit was led by Major-General Sir Hussey Vivian. On June 15, he attended the famous Duchess of Richmond's ball in Brussels. This ball was held just before the Battle of Waterloo.
When he received orders to join his unit, Harris left the ball immediately. He was still wearing his red court dress coat. He wore this same coat during the battles of Quatre Bras and Waterloo.
The night before Waterloo, he spent time with his cousin, Lieutenant John Wallington. During the Battle of Waterloo, two horses were shot from under him. While leading a charge, his right arm was badly injured by a musket ball. He was taken to a farmhouse called Hougoumont, where his arm had to be removed. His cousin Wallington then took care of him and brought him to Brussels.
In October 1815, Harris returned to France. He carried four swords that the Corporation of London had voted to give to the commanders of the four allied armies.
Later Army Life
In 1823, Harris became a Lieutenant-Colonel. He was then sent to Nova Scotia in Canada to work as an Inspecting Field-Officer of Militia and later as Surveyor-General at Halifax. In 1830, he retired from active duty but still received half-pay. When he returned to Britain, he was appointed Assistant Adjutant-General in Dublin.
He officially retired from the army in September 1834. After that, he became the Chief Magistrate in Gibraltar. This meant he was the main judge there.
Awards and Honors
Sir Thomas Noel Harris received many awards for his brave service in the military.
- He was made a Knight by Queen Victoria.
- He received the Prussian Order of Military Merit.
- He also received the Russian Orders of St. Anna and St. Vladimir.
- He was made a Knight Commander of the Royal Guelphic Order.
- For his service in the Peninsular War, he received the Gold Cross with four clasps.
Family Life
On April 26, 1838, Thomas Noel Harris married Eliza Mary. She was the eldest daughter of Joseph Bettesworth and the widow of Hans Francis Hastings, 12th Earl of Huntingdon.
Legacy
Harris's grandson wrote a book about his grandfather's life in 1893.
There is a special memorial for him in the church of St Laurence's Church, Ramsgate, Kent. It says that he "served and bled for his country," showing how much he gave for his nation.
