Charles Chichester

Sir Charles Chichester (16 March 1795 – 4 April 1847) was a British army officer, known in particular for his service in the British Auxiliary Legion in Spain under George de Lacy Evans.

Early life He was born 16 March 1795, the second son of Charles Joseph Chichester of Calverleigh Court, Devon, and his wife Honoria French, daughter of Thomas French of Rahasane, County Galway. He was educated at Stonyhurst College, and then was appointed ensign in the 14th Foot in March 1811.

Chichester became lieutenant in 1812. He served with the second battalion of his regiment in the Mediterranean: Malta, Sicily, Genoa and Marseilles. It was disbanded in December 1817, and he was transferred with many others to the 1st battalion, with which he served some years in India. He exchanged in 1821, as lieutenant, to the 2nd (then light infantry) battalion of the 60th Foot, in North America. and major in 1826. After commanding the depot of the 2nd battalion, at the time recently transformed into a rifle corps, for several years, he obtained a lieutenant-colonelcy, unattached, 12 July 1831.

Chichester fought in the action at Hernani on 30 August 1835, where he received two wounds, and at the relief of Bilbao in the same year. He commanded a brigade at Mendigur and at Azua in January 1836; and in the action on the heights above San Sebastián on 5 May; and the passage of the Urumea on 28 May following (earning a medal). He commanded at Alza when it was attacked by the Carlists in June 1836, and the legion behaved with distinguished gallantry. Chichester was also engaged at Ametza in October the same year; and in the operations of 10–15 March 1837, where his horse was killed under him; and in the general action of 16 March, where he had two horses killed and was himself wounded. Henry Manners Chichester in the Dictionary of National Biography commented on Chichester's "ideas of tactical instruction far in advance of the practice of his day". Three sons became army officers:

Charles Raleigh Chichester (1830–1891), married Mary Josephine Balfe, and was a landowner in County Roscommon Hugh Arthur Chichester (born 1833) Henry Augustus Chichester (born 1846)