Edward Wolfe
Encyclopedia
For Edward Wolfe the Battle of Britain Pilot see Edward Wolfe (Pilot)
General Edward Wolfe (1685–1759) was a British army officer who saw action in the War of the Spanish Succession
, 1715 Jacobite Rebellion and the War of Jenkins Ear. He is best known as the father of James Wolfe
, famous for his capture of Quebec in 1759.
descent. The family had been active in Irish nationalist circles, which had forced them to flee the country and settle in England. The family later converted to Protestantism
and served in the military.
Wolfe acquired a commission as a Lieutenant
in 1700, rising quickly to Captain in 1705 and becoming a Brigade Major
during the Flanders Campaign of the Duke of Marlborough
. In 1715 he served with General Wade in the Scottish Highlands
, suppressing the Jacobite-supporting clans who had recently risen in rebellion.
The Treaty of Utrecht
brought a long period of peace to Europe, limiting the opportunities for active service. In 1726 he married Henrietta Thompson, the sister of an MP Edward Thompson. In 1727 she gave birth to James Wolfe. Because of Edward's profession, James was immersed in military matters from a very young age. The family lived at Westerham
in Kent
, at what is now Quebec House
, but moved to Greenwich
in 1738 to be closer to London
.
In 1739 with war with Spain looming, Wolfe prepared to return to active service. The declaration of the War of Jenkin's Ear triggered an expansion of the British military, with several new regiments of marines being created. Wolfe was promoted to Colonel and appointed to command one of the new regiments.
A major expedition was planned to sail for the Caribbean under Lord Cathcart to follow up the British victory at Porto Bello
. In 1740 Wolfe and his travelled down to Portsmouth
and then on to the Isle of Wight
where the expedition was being assembled, bring his son with him as a volunteer. James Wolfe hoped to take part in the expedition, gaining valuable experience of soldiering. However, he fell badly ill and had to return home to Greenwich. Although James had felt humiliated, it had probably saved his life.
Edward Wolfe and his regiment took part in the expedition, which soon dissolved into a disaster. The British had decided to seize the port as Cartagena
in South America, which was used to ship precious metals. However the British attacked during the rainy season and suffered around 18,000 casualties - almost entirely from disease. Abandoning the attack of Cartagena they then decided to attempt to capture Santiago in Cuba, only to be frustrated there as well. The expedition then returned home.
. He was largely too infirm to be considered for active service on the continent, once the War of the Austrian Succession
broke out. However when the Jacobite Rebellion broke out in 1745 Wolfe was sent to Berwick to command of a detachment of troops. As the Jacobites advanced into England using a different route he was not called into action.
to assault Canada. During the campaign at Quebec, James Wolfe wore a black armband in mourning for his father. His own death while leading his troops to victory on the Plains of Abraham
meant that father and son had died in the same year.
General Edward Wolfe (1685–1759) was a British army officer who saw action in the War of the Spanish Succession
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
, 1715 Jacobite Rebellion and the War of Jenkins Ear. He is best known as the father of James Wolfe
James Wolfe
Major General James P. Wolfe was a British Army officer, known for his training reforms but remembered chiefly for his victory over the French in Canada...
, famous for his capture of Quebec in 1759.
Early life
Wolfe was born in 1685 in the North of England, of Irish CatholicIrish Catholic
Irish Catholic is a term used to describe people who are both Roman Catholic and Irish .Note: the term is not used to describe a variant of Catholicism. More particularly, it is not a separate creed or sect in the sense that "Anglo-Catholic", "Old Catholic", "Eastern Orthodox Catholic" might be...
descent. The family had been active in Irish nationalist circles, which had forced them to flee the country and settle in England. The family later converted to Protestantism
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
and served in the military.
Wolfe acquired a commission as a Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in 1700, rising quickly to Captain in 1705 and becoming a Brigade Major
Brigade Major
In the British Army, a Brigade Major was the Chief of Staff of a brigade. He held the rank of Major and was head of the brigade's "G - Operations and Intelligence" section directly and oversaw the two other branches, "A - Administration" and "Q - Quartermaster"...
during the Flanders Campaign of the Duke of Marlborough
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, Prince of Mindelheim, KG, PC , was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reigns of five monarchs through the late 17th and early 18th centuries...
. In 1715 he served with General Wade in the Scottish Highlands
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
, suppressing the Jacobite-supporting clans who had recently risen in rebellion.
The Treaty of Utrecht
Treaty of Utrecht
The Treaty of Utrecht, which established the Peace of Utrecht, comprises a series of individual peace treaties, rather than a single document, signed by the belligerents in the War of Spanish Succession, in the Dutch city of Utrecht in March and April 1713...
brought a long period of peace to Europe, limiting the opportunities for active service. In 1726 he married Henrietta Thompson, the sister of an MP Edward Thompson. In 1727 she gave birth to James Wolfe. Because of Edward's profession, James was immersed in military matters from a very young age. The family lived at Westerham
Westerham
Westerham is a town and civil parish in the Sevenoaks District of Kent, in South East England with 5,000 people. The parish is south of the North Downs, ten miles west of Sevenoaks. It covers 5800 acres . It is recorded as early as the 9th century, and was mentioned in the Domesday Book in a...
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, at what is now Quebec House
Quebec House
Quebec House is the birthplace of General James Wolfe on what is now known as Quebec Square in Westerham, Kent. The brick home is located in residential neighbourhood surrounded by historic homes and more modern 20th Century housing....
, but moved to Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
in 1738 to be closer to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Cartagena
A major expedition was planned to sail for the Caribbean under Lord Cathcart to follow up the British victory at Porto Bello
Battle of Porto Bello
The Battle of Porto Bello, or the Battle of Portobello, was a 1739 battle between a British naval force aiming to capture the settlement of Portobello in Panama, and its Spanish defenders. It took place during the War of the Austrian Succession, in the early stages of the war sometimes known as the...
. In 1740 Wolfe and his travelled down to Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
and then on to the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
where the expedition was being assembled, bring his son with him as a volunteer. James Wolfe hoped to take part in the expedition, gaining valuable experience of soldiering. However, he fell badly ill and had to return home to Greenwich. Although James had felt humiliated, it had probably saved his life.
Edward Wolfe and his regiment took part in the expedition, which soon dissolved into a disaster. The British had decided to seize the port as Cartagena
Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena de Indias , is a large Caribbean beach resort city on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region and capital of Bolívar Department...
in South America, which was used to ship precious metals. However the British attacked during the rainy season and suffered around 18,000 casualties - almost entirely from disease. Abandoning the attack of Cartagena they then decided to attempt to capture Santiago in Cuba, only to be frustrated there as well. The expedition then returned home.
Later career
Wolfe had been lucky to survive the Cartagena disaster, in which some many of his comrades had died. He now, however, found his career prospering and he had soon been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant GeneralLieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
. He was largely too infirm to be considered for active service on the continent, once the War of the Austrian Succession
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession – including King George's War in North America, the Anglo-Spanish War of Jenkins' Ear, and two of the three Silesian wars – involved most of the powers of Europe over the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the realms of the House of Habsburg.The...
broke out. However when the Jacobite Rebellion broke out in 1745 Wolfe was sent to Berwick to command of a detachment of troops. As the Jacobites advanced into England using a different route he was not called into action.
Death
Edward Wolfe died in 1759 at the age of seventy four, while his son was crossing the Atlantic OceanAtlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
to assault Canada. During the campaign at Quebec, James Wolfe wore a black armband in mourning for his father. His own death while leading his troops to victory on the Plains of Abraham
Plains of Abraham
The Plains of Abraham is a historic area within The Battlefields Park in Quebec City, Quebec, that was originally grazing land, but became famous as the site of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, which took place on 13 September 1759. Though written into the history books, housing and minor...
meant that father and son had died in the same year.