Wolseley, Garnet Joseph /Papers

Sir Garnet Joseph Wolseley, first Viscount Wolseley of Cairo and Wolseley, was born in Dublin, Ireland on 4 June 1833. The son of a major, he was given a commission in the 12th Foot by Wellington in 1852. Wolseley transferred to the 80th Foot and served in Burma, India, China and Canada. In 1873 he led the expedition against the Ashantis in West Africa for which he was promoted major general and created GCMG and appointed a CB. From February to October 1875 he was placed in command of Natal and then was posted to Cyprus. He was recalled to South Africa in 1879 to replace Lord Chelmsford after the latter's early defeats in the Zulu War. Wolseley closed the campaign and had Cetshwayo captured. He became governor of Natal, then governor of the annexed Transvaal on 28 September 1879. He concluded the Sekukuni Wars and set up a constitution for the Transvaal. In 1867, Wolseley married Louisa Erskine (1843-1920). He died in France on 26 March 1913 and is buried at St. Paul's Cathedral, London.