Fitzwilliam's Age
Posted by Captain Everett on June 19, 1998 at 00:56:10:
In response to Things to do with Marriage, written by Venetia on June 18, 1998 at 12:53:14
[snip} BTW how old was Colonel Fitzwilliam? I personally had always assumed that he was roughly around Mr Darcy's age -- approximately in his early 30s perhaps, since Mr Darcy is 27. Venetia
Regulations and General Orders (1812), state that a person must have attained their sixteenth birthday before obtaining a commission. A man had to serve at least three years as a Subaltern (Ensign and Lieutenant) before becoming a Captain. A Major needed to have served seven years (two as a Captain); and a Lieutenant-Colonel at least nine years. So 25 is an absolute minimum.
Michael Barthorp, Wellington's Generals, (London, Osprey Men-at-Arms Series #84, 1978 ISBN 0-85045-299-6) provides some brief biographies of his senior officers (Major Generals and above). He states the average age at which these men obtained their Ensigncy was seventeen; and they reached Lieutenant- Colonel at around twenty-eight. This includes Edward Paget, who had been a Lieutenant-Colonel at eighteen, and a Major-General at thirty (but he did this before the Duke of York's reforms began in 1795).
I remain, etc.
Jason E.
- Thank you for the interesting piece of information (nfm) Venetia 11:25:32 6/19/98
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- JA says the Col. 'was about thirty' in chap. 30 (nfm) Sarah P 06:53:03 6/19/98
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