From the Hereford Journal, January 23rd, 1833

"On the 16th inst. at Leintwardine House, in this county, departed this life without a struggle or a sigh, in the 79th year of his age, and in the earnest hope of eternal happiness through Jesus Christ, Gen. Sir Banastre Tarleton, Baronet, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Noble Order of the Bath, Governor of Berwick-upon-Tweed, Colonel of the 8th Hussars, and for many years Member of Parliament for his native town, Liverpool. He was an affectionate and indulgent husband, a kind and bountiful master, a friendly relation, and a most generous and munificent benefactor to the poor. His loss will be deeply felt, and his memory long cherished with grateful remembrance by all those who came within the sphere of his influence. [Transcribed by Lytton Jarman.]

From Gentleman's Magazine 103 (1833): 273-4.

GEN. SIR BANASTRE TARLETON, BART.
Jan. 23 [sic] At Leintwardine, Shropshire [sic], aged 78, General Sir Banastre Tarleton, Bart. and G.C.B. Colonel of the 8th light dragoons, and Governor of Berwick, and formerly for twenty-two years M.P. for Liverpool.

He was descended from an ancient family, seated for many generations at Aigburth in Lancashire, and latterly in the town of Liverpool, and was born Aug. 21, 1754, the third son of John Tarleton, esq. Mayor of Liverpool in 1764, who repurchased the estate of Aigburth, by Jane, eldest daughter of Banastre Parker, esq. He was intended for the profession of the law, and actually entered his name on the roll of one of the Inns of Court. But he either became soon weary of the toil and drudgery attendant on this line of study, or was actuated by a youthful ambition that pointed at another object. He entered the army in 1775 by purchasing a cornetcy in the King's dragoon guards. In 1776, through the assistance of his commanding officer Col. Sloper, he obtained leave to go to America, and in the month of December he commanded the advanced guard of the patrole which made Gen. Lee prisoner. During the years 1777 and 1778 he witnessed nearly the whole of the actions in the Jerseys, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, until the return of the King's army to New York; on which occasion, although possessing only the rank of the Captain of infantry in an absent regiment, he commanded the rear-guard of Sir Henry Clinton's army. Immediately after this service he was appointed Lieut.-Col. of provincial cavalry, and soon rose to the command of the British Legion. When at the close of 1779, Sir. H. Clinton carried a considerable part of the army to the southward, for the siege of Charlestown and operations in the Carolinas, he intrusted the command of the cavalry to Lt.-Col. Tarleton. He had the misfortune to lose all the cavalry horses on the siege, and with great difficulty supplied their place with horses of every description; until a spirit of enterprise placed a corps of American volunteer cavalry in his power. When the Legion had recovered its efficiency, a series of successes attended its movements, until the British army was as a whole overpowered by that of the Republicans. At the battle of Guildford Court-house in 1781, Lt.-Col. Tarleton lost a considerable part of his right hand. After his return home he himself published "A history of the Campaigns of 1780 and 1781 in the Southern Provinces of North America," 4to. 1787. His complaints in this publication, of his Legion being cooped up in bad works on the banks of the York river, towards the close of the war, were considered by the friends of Lord Cornwallis to convey unfair censures on that commander; and were replied to in some "Strictures" by Mr. Roderick Mackensie. However, his publication, and the achievements it commemorated, and his maimed hand, and the stirring activity of his disposition, procured for him a considerable share of popularity, particularly among his townsmen at Liverpool; and they in consequence returned him to Parliament, free of expense, at the general election in 1790 -- and honour for which he had been an unsuccessful candidate at the former election of 1784. In the House of Commons he uniformly sided with the opposition; and in consequence the Tory party endeavoured to prevent his re-election in 1796. Their candidate was his own brother John Tarleton, esq. who had sat in the preceding Parliament for Seaford; but the tactics of the General were too powerful for him. In 1802 he was again opposed, but on different grounds; some of the whig electors now discovered that he had occasionally sided with the ministers; however he triumphed as before, but we believe with this difference, that he was no longer at the head of the poll. Its result was as follows:

Major-Gen. Gascoigne . . . 884
Lieut.-Gen. Tarleton . . . . . 600
Mr. Birch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 477

In 1806 the late Mr. Roscoe was returned in his room; but in 1807 he was again elected, and finally gave place to Mr. Canning in 1812. He published in 1810 a "Reply to Colonel de Charmilly," and "Substance of a Speech intended to have been delivered on the Vote of Credit Bill," 1810; and in 1811 "Substance of a Speech in a Committee of the House of Commons, on the Army Estimates." As a speaker in Parliament he evinced great earnestness and considerable power.

We return to his military career. From the peace of 1783 to 1788 he was continued on half-pay as Lieut.-Colonel commandant of cavalry. In 1790 he attained the rank of Colonel, and in 1794 that of Major-General. At the close of 1798 he was sent as Major-General to Portugal; but not being pleased with the nature of this limited employment, almost immediately petitioned for, and obtained, his recall. On the 1st Jan. 1801 he received the rank of Lieut.-General, and shortly afterwards he was sent to the command of the Southern district of Ireland, where he remained until the treaty of Amiens. Soon after the renewal of hostilities, he was again dispatched to Ireland as second in command; whence he was removed to the command of the Severn district, which he held for six years. He obtained the rank of General, Jan. 1, 1812; the Colonelcy of the 21st dragoons in 1802; the post of Governor of Berwick and Holy Island in 1808; and the Colonelcy of the 8th light dragoons in 1818.

On the enlargement of the order of the Bath, General Tarleton was not included in the bestowal of honours, which were confined to services of more recent date. He in consequence addressed a long memorial to Earl Bathurst, which, with his Lordship's answer, is printed in the Royal Military Calendar, vol. I. pp. 361-365. Although his claim to the Order could not be conceded in conformity with the regulations then laid down, it was probably in consequence of his remonstrance that he was created a Baronet, by patent dated Nov. 6, 1818; and he was at length invested a G.C.B. May 20, 1820.

Sir Banastre Tarleton married, Dec. 17, 1798, Susan Priscilla Bertie, natural daughter of Robert the last Duke of Ancaster. Lady Tarleton survives him, but without any children; and the Baronetcy has consequently become extinct.

From Annual Register (1833): Appendix pp198-9.

[v75, p198] [January] 25. At Leintwardine, Shropshire, aged 78, general sir Banastre Tarleton, bart. and G.C.B. colonel of the 8th light dragoons, and governor of Berwick, and formerly for twenty-two years M.P. for Liverpool. He was the third son of John Tarleton, esq. Major of Liverpool in 1764. He was intended for the profession of the law, and actually entered his name on the roll of one of the Inns of Court; but, actuated by a youthful ambition which pointed at another object, he in 1775, purchased a cornetcy in the King's dragoon guards. In 1776, through the assistance of his commanding officer col. Sloper, he obtained leave to go to America, and in the month of December, he commanded the advanced guard of the patrole which made gen. Lee prisoner. During the years 1777 and 1778 he witnessed nearly the whole of the actions in the Jerseys, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, until the return of the King's army to New York; on which occasion, although possessing only the rank of a Captain of infantry in an absent regiment, he commanded the rear-guard of sir Henry Clinton's army. Immediately after this service he was appointed lieut.-col. of provincial cavalry, and soon rose to the command of the British Legion. When, at the close of 1779, sir H. Clinton carried a considerable part of the army to the southward, for the siege of Charles-town and operations in the Carolinas, he intrusted the command of the cavalry to lt.-col. Tarleton. He had the misfortune to lose all the cavalry horses in the siege, and with great difficulty supplied their places with horses of every description; until a spirit of enterprize placed a corps of American volunteer cavalry in his power. When the Legion had recovered its efficiency, a series of [v75, p199] successes attended its movements, until the British army was, as a whole, overpowered by that of the Republicans. At the battle of Guildford Court-house in 1781, lieut.-col. Tarleton lost a considerable part of his right hand. After his return home he himself published "A history of the Campaigns of 1780 and 1781 in the Southern Provinces of North America," 4vo. 1787. His complaints in this publication, of his Legion being cooped up in bad works on the banks of the York river, towards the close of the war, were considered, by the friends of Lord Cornwallis, to convey unfair censure on that commander; and were replied to in some "Strictures" by Mr. Roderick Mackenzie. However, his publication, and the achievements it commemorated, and his maimed hand, and the stirring activity of his disposition, procured for him a considerable share of popularity, particularly among his townsmen at Liverpool; and they, in consequence, returned him to parliament, free of expense, at the general election in 1790 -- an honour for which he had been an unsuccessful candidate at the former election of 1784. In the House of Commons he uniformly sided with the opposition; and, in consequence, the Tories endeavoured to prevent his re-election in 1796. Their candidate was his own brother John Tarleton, esq., who had sat in the preceding Parliament for Seaford; but the tactics of the General were too powerful for him. In 1802 he was again opposed, but on different grounds; some of the Whig electors now discovered that he had occasionally sided with the ministers; however, he triumphed as before. In 1806, the late Mr. Roscoe was returned in his room; in 1807, he was again elected, and finally he gave place to Mr. Canning in 1812. He published, in 1810, a "Reply to colonel de Charmilly," and "Substance of a Speech intended to have been delivered on the Vote of Credit Bill," 1810; and, in 1811, "Substance of a Speech in a Committee of the House of Commons, on the Army Estimates." As a speaker in parliament he evinced great earnestness and considerable power.

From the peace of 1783 to 1789 he was continued on half-pay as lieut.-col. commandant of cavalry. In 1790 he attained the rank of Colonel, and in 1794 that of major-general. At the close of 1798 he was sent as major-general to Portugal; but not being pleased with the nature of this limited employment, he almost immediately petitioned for, and obtained, his recall. On the 1st Jan. 1801, he received the rank of lieut.-general, and shortly afterwards he was sent in the command of the Southern district of Ireland, where he remained until the treaty of Amiens. Soon after the renewal of hostilities, he was again despatched to Ireland as second in command; when he was removed to the command of the Severn district, which he held for six years. He obtained the rank of General, Jan. 1, 1812; the Colonelcy of the 21st Dragoons, in 1802, the post of Governor of Berwick and Holy Island, in 1808; and the Colonelcy of the 8th light dragoons in 1818. On the enlargement of the order of the Bath, general Tarleton was not included in the bestowal of honours, which were confined to services of more recent date. He, in consequence, addressed a long memorial to earl Bathurst. Although his claim to the order could not be conceded in conformity with the regulations then laid down, it was probably in consequence that he was created a baronet, by patent, dated Nov. 6, 1815; and he was at length invested a G.C.B. May 20, 1820.¹

Notes:

¹ This article was transcribed from an exceedingly poor copy, so some guesswork was involved, particularly on dates. When they were entirely unreadable, I filled them in from other sources, but I cannot 100% guarantee they were correct in the original article (which does contain several errors). [ back ]