Percy Herbert

Lieutenant-General Sir Percy Egerton Herbert (15 April 1822 – 7 October 1876) was a British Army officer and Conservative politician.

Background and education Herbert was born at Powis Castle, near Welshpool, the second son of Edward Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis, grandson of Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive. His mother was Edward's wife Lady Lucy Graham, third daughter of James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose. He was educated at Eton and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.

Military and political careers Herbert was made an ensign in the 43rd (Monmouthshire) Light Infantry in January 1840, serving with them in the war on the Xhosa (1851–53), the Orange River Boers expedition, and the battle of Berea. He rose to lieutenant on 7 September 1841, captain on 19 June 1846, major on 27 May and lieutenant-colonel on 28 May 1853. He continued to serve in the army, being appointed assistant quartermaster-general of Sir De Lacy Evans's division of the army of the East. He landed in the Crimea in this staff position, receiving major wounds at the Battle of the Alma and the siege of Sevastopol and also serving at the Battle of Inkerman. He took over from Sir Richard Airey as quartermaster-general of the whole British army force from when Airey returned to England until the evacuation of the Crimea. For his services in the Crimean War he was made an aide-de-camp to Queen Victoria, a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) and a colonel (as a brevet rank, on 28 November 1854), and also received knighthoods from the Turkish, Sardinian and French governments. From 1865 to 1867 assistant quartermaster-general at Aldershot. In March 1867 he was sworn of the Privy Council and appointed Treasurer of the Household in Lord Derby Conservative administration, in which post he remained until December 1868, the last year under the premiership of Benjamin Disraeli. He was promoted to major-general in January 1868, was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in 1869, and ultimately promoted lieutenant-general in September 1875.

Herbert died at The Styche, Market Drayton, Shropshire, in October 1876, aged 54, and was buried at Moreton Say. Lady Mary Herbert survived her husband by over 50 years and died in September 1927.