CORNWALLIS, CHARLES, first Afarquis and second Earl (1738-1805). An English general and statesman. The son of the first Earl Corn wallis, he was born in London, December 31, 1738. After an education at Eton and Cam bridge, he entered the army, and served as aide de-camp to the Marquis of Granby in the Seven Years War. In 1760 he was elected member of Parliament for Eye; in 1760 received his pro motion as colonel: in 1770 was made governor of the Tower of London; and in 1775 became major-general. Though personally opposed to the war with America, he went with his regi ment thither, and the first successes of the Brit ish arms were, in the main, due to him. After the battle of Long Island, in which he took a prominent part. he pursued Washington through New Jersey. A detachment of his army. consist big of Hessians, was captured by Washington at Trenton. December 26, 1776, and part of his forces suffered a defeat at Princeton, January 3, 1777. He had the principal share in the victory of the Brandywine, September 11. 1777. after which he secured for the British the com mand of the Delaware River. In disgust at Howe's failure to grasp the critical situation of affairs and to attempt operations on a large scale. Cornwallis sent in his resignation, which the King refused to accept. He served under Clinton at the reduction of Charleston in 1780, achieved a great victory over Gates at Camden. S.C.. on August 16 of that year, and de feated Greene at Guilford Court House, N. C., March 15, 1781. He was in the end out-gener aled by Greene. and withdrew into Virginia.
where he carried on a vigorous campaign against Lafayette. but without avail. Finally he was shut up in Yorktown by Washington and Ro ehambeau, aided by a French fleet under De Grasse, and was compelled to surrender on Octo ber 19, 1781. With the surrender of Corn wallis the triumph of the American cause was virtually achieved. Although the disaster re sulted in the resignation of the British Ministry, Cornwallis escaped (-ensure owing to royal favor. In 1786 he was appointed Governor-General of India and Commander-in-Chief, and distinguished himself by his victories over Tippu Sahib, and by his indefatigable efforts to promote the welfare of the natives. lle returned from India in 1793, when he was raised to the rank of Marquis. Ap pointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, he succeeded in quelling the rebellion of 1798, and established order in a manner that gained him the good will of the Irish people. As Plenipotentiary to France he negotiated the Peace of Amiens. Re appointed Governor-General of India in 1804, he died at Ghazipur, in the Province of Benares, October 5, 1805, on his way to assume the com mand of the army iu the upper provinces.
Consult : Marshall, Ilemoir (Gateshead, 1806) ; Lord Cornwallis's Correspondence, edited by Ross (London. 1859) ; Johnston, The Yorktown Cam paign (New York, 1881) ; and Seton-Karr, "The Marquess Cornwallis," in Rulers of India (Ox ford, 1890).