CORNWALLIS, CHARLES CORNWALLIS, I ST MAR QUESS (1738-18o5), eldest son of Charles, ist Earl Cornwallis (i7oo-62), was born on Dec. 31, '738, and educated at Eton and Clare college, Cambridge. He entered the army, and served in Germany in 1761. Succeeding to the earldom in 1762, in 1765 he was made aide-de-camp to the king and gentleman of the bed chamber, and in 177o was appointed governor of the Tower. He served as major-general in the American War of Independence, and in 178o commanded the British forces in South Carolina; in 1781 he defeated Greene at Guildford Court House, and raided Virginia, but was besieged at Yorktown by the French and Ameri can armies, and was forced to capitulate on Oct. 19, 178i. With him fell the English cause in the United States. Appointed gov ernor-general of India and commander-in-chief of Bengal in '786, he was interrupted in his administrative reforms by the quarrel with Tippoo Sahib. After capturing Bangalore (1791) and laying siege to Seringapatam, he concluded a treaty which stripped Tip poo Sahib of half his realm. The settlement of the land revenue under his administration is frequently called the Cornwallis code. Cornwallis returned to England in 1793, received a marquessate, and was made master-general of the ordnance. As viceroy of Ire land (June, 1798-18o1) he gained the goodwill of both Roman Catholics and Orangemen, and a few weeks after a general am nesty had been proclaimed (July 17, 1798) the French army un der Humbert was forced to surrender. In 18o2 Cornwallis was ap pointed plenipotentiary to negotiate the treaty of Amiens. In i8o5 he was again sent to India as governor-general, to replace Lord Wellesley, whose policy was too advanced for the directors of the East India Company, but he died on Oct. 5, 1805, on his way up country to assume command of the troops. He was suc ceeded as 2nd marquess by his only son, Charles (1774-1823)• On his death the marquessate became extinct, but the title Earl Cornwallis passed to his uncle, James (1743-1824), bishop of Lichfield. In 1852, on the death of his son and successor, James, the 5th earl, the Cornwallis titles became extinct.
See W. S. Seton-Karr, The Marquess Cornwallis, "Rulers of India" series (189o).