Charles Morice (British Army officer)
Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Morice (1775 – 18 June 1815) was a British Army officer killed at the Battle of Waterloo.
Charles Morice | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1775 |
| Died | 18 June, 1815 (aged 39–40) |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |  British Army |
| Rank | Lieutenant-Colonel |
| Commands held | 15th (The Yorkshire East Riding) Regiment of Foot 3rd Ceylon Regiment 69th Regiment of Foot |
Life
Educated at Eton, he joined the 15th (The Yorkshire East Riding) Regiment of Foot as an ensign on 1 June 1793. He was promoted to lieutenant on 6 December 1794; to captain-lieutenant 27 August 1799; to captain on 10 November 1800 and to major on 17 July 1802. He transferred first to Colonel Ramsay's Regiment 21 May 1803 then to Colonel Baille's Regiment on 9 August 1806 and then to the 3rd Ceylon Regiment on 31 July 1806. He was promoted to lieutenant-colonel on 7 January 1808 and was given command of the 69th Regiment of Foot on 4 June 1813. His final promotion was to brevet colonel on 4 June 1814.[1]
Morice was wounded in the night attack on Bergen-op-Zoom in 1814.[2]
Death
He was killed at Quatre Bras on the 16th June, just before the Battle of Waterloo (18 June 1815), as a result of either the inexperience or incompetence of William, Prince of Orange, commander of I Corps.[3] [2] Morice had been ordered to form his battalion of the 69th into square by Sir Thomas Picton, commander of the 5th Division of Reserves, when the Prince of Orange rode up and asked him why. He replied that they had been ordered to do so "not more than a few minutes ago". The Prince replied, "Colonel, there is really no chance of cavalry coming on. Reform column immediately then get back into line." Moments later the French cavalry charged, whereupon Morice and a number of others were killed and the king's colour lost.[3]
His death is commemorated in a memorial tablet in St Mary the Virgin Church in Langley near Slough, Berkshire.[1]
References
- Bromley & Bromley 2015, p. 97.
- Dalton 1904, p. 176.
- Nofi 2007, p. 113.
- Bibliography
- Bromley, Janet; Bromley, David (2015). Wellington's Men Remembered Volume 2: A Register of Memorials to Soldiers who Fought in the Peninsular War and at Waterloo- Volume II: M to Z. Pen and Sword. ISBN 978-1-4738-5768-1.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Dalton, Charles (1904). The Waterloo roll call. With biographical notes and anecdotes. London: Eyre and Spottiswoode.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Nofi, Albert A. (2007). The Waterloo Campaign, June 1815. Da Capo Press. ISBN 978-0-306-81694-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)