Evelyn Wood (British Army officer)

Field Marshal Sir Henry Evelyn Wood, , DL (9 February 1838 – 2 December 1919) was a British Army officer. After an early career in the Royal Navy, Wood joined the British Army in 1855. He served in several major conflicts including the Indian Mutiny where, as a lieutenant, he was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest award for valour in the face of the enemy that is awarded to British and Imperial forces, for rescuing a local merchant from a band of robbers who had taken their captive into the jungle, where they intended to hang him. Wood further served as a commander in several other conflicts, notably the Third Anglo-Ashanti War, the Anglo-Zulu War, the First Boer War and the Mahdist War. His service in Egypt led to his appointment as Sirdar where he reorganised the Egyptian Army. He returned to Britain to serve as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Aldershot Command from 1889, as Quartermaster-General to the Forces from 1893 and as Adjutant General from 1897. His last appointment was as commander of 2nd Army Corps (later renamed Southern Command) from 1901 to 1904.

Ancestry and early life Wood was born at Cressing near Braintree, Essex as the fifth and youngest son of the Reverend Sir John Page Wood, 2nd Baronet (1796–1866),Heathcote 1999, p314 a clergyman,Reid 2006, p60-1 and Emma Caroline Michell, sister of Charles Collier Michell and Admiral Frederick Thomas Michell, and daughter of Admiral Sampson Michell. Wood was an elder brother of Katherine Parnell (Kitty O'Shea). Sir Matthew Wood, 1st Baronet, was his grandfather and Lord Chancellor William Wood, 1st Baron Hatherley was an uncle. His maternal grandfather (Sampson Mitchell) had been an admiral in the Portuguese navy. One of his mother's brothers was a British admiral, another rose to be Surveyor-General of Cape Colony.Farwell 1985, p239-40 Wood was educated at Marlborough Grammar School (1847–9) and Marlborough College (1849–52), but ran away after an unjust beating.

Early military career Crimean War: from sailor to soldier

Like his near contemporary John French, Wood began his career in the Royal Navy, serving under his uncle Captain Frederick Mitchell on HMS Queen, but vertigo stopped him going aloft. He became a midshipman on 15 April 1852.

Wood served in the Crimean War during the siege of Sebastopol, in Captain William Peel's 1,400 strong naval brigade, whose job was to man some guns on a ridge opposite Sebastopol.Farwell 1985, p241-2 He was at Inkerman and aged 16, was Peel's aide de camp in the assault on the Redan on 18 June 1855, having risen from his sickbed to join the attack. He was seriously wounded and almost lost his left arm, which doctors wanted to amputate. Wood was mentioned in despatches and received his first, but unsuccessful, recommendation for a VC.

Invalided home with a letter of recommendation from Lord Raglan, written five days before the latter's death, Wood left the Royal Navy to join the British Army, becoming a cornet (without purchase) in the 13th Light Dragoons on 7 September 1855 and reporting to their depot with his arm still in a sling. He had only £250 () a year in private income, rather than the £400 () needed, and was soon in debt.

Wood returned to the Crimean Theatre (January 1856). His promotion to lieutenant, which his uncle had paid for, took effect on 1 February 1856.Farwell 1985, p243 However, within a month he was in hospital at Scutari with pneumonia and typhoid. His parents were told he was dying, so his mother arrived on 20 March 1856 only to find one of Florence Nightingale's nurses striking him. He was so emaciated that his hip bones were poking through his skin. Against medical advice he was brought home to England to recover.

Indian Mutiny Wood served in Ireland then transferred as a lieutenant to the 17th Lancers on 9 October 1857. His transfer was to gain passage to India; he had considered joining the French Foreign Legion. He reached Bombay on 21 December 1858.Farwell 1985, p243-4 While out hunting he was attacked by a wounded tiger – it was shot in the nick of time by a hunting companion; – he also rode a giraffe belonging to a friendly Indian prince to win a bet with a brother officer – he stayed on long enough to win the bet, but was trampled badly, the animal's rear hoof breaking through both cheeks, crushing his nose.Farwell 1985, p245-6

In India, Wood saw action at Rajghur, Sindwaho, Kharee, and Barode during the Indian Mutiny. From May 1858 to October 1859 he was brigade major to a flying column in Central India. On 19 October 1858 during an action at Sindwaho while in command of a troop of light cavalry, twenty-year-old Lieutenant Wood attacked a body of rebels, whom he routed almost single-handedly. Wood also saw action at Kurai (25 October 1859). At Sindhora, on 29 December 1858, Wood's force of 10 men routed 80 men. With the help of a daffadar and a sowar of Beatson's Horse, he rescued a local Potail (headman of a village) from a band of robbers who had taken their captive into the jungle, where they had intended to hang him. For these two acts of selfless bravery, Wood was awarded the Victoria Cross.

His citation read:

He became temporarily deaf for a week while studying Hindustani at Poona, which he attributed at the time to overwork. In December 1859 he joined the 2nd Central India Horse, whose main function was the suppression of banditry. In this role he had to deal with an incipient mutiny and sort out the regimental accounts. He was invalided back to Britain in November 1860 with fever, sunstroke and ear problems.Heathcote 1999, p315

Staff College On 16 April 1861, Wood was promoted to captain. His captaincy cost him £1,000 official payment to the government and £1,500 "over regulation" to buy out his predecessor.Farwell 1985, p246 He was promoted again this time to brevet major (for services in India) on 19 August 1862.

Wood passed the exam to enter the new Staff College, Camberley, but another officer from 17th Lancers had higher marks and as at that time only one officer was permitted from each regiment each year, Wood had to transfer as a captain to the 73rd (Perthshire) Regiment of Foot on 21 October 1862. He took up his place in January 1863, and graduated in 1864. While at Staff College he took part in boxing lessons.

In Dublin, from January 1865 to March 1866 he was aide-de-camp to General William Napier, whom he knew from India; the damp climate brought on a recurrence of fever and ear trouble. In the autumn of 1865 the 73rd were ordered to Hong Kong, but Wood disliked the new commanding officer so much that he paid £500 to transfer into the 17th (Leicestershire) Regiment of Foot.

From July 1866 to November 1871 he was at North Camp at Aldershot, first as brigade major then as Deputy Assistant Quartermaster-General. Having just written to propose to his future wife, he read in 1867 that "General Napier" was to lead an expedition to Abyssinia; he packed his bags and went to London to volunteer, but then learnt that this was not to be William Napier, but General Robert Napier, whom he did not know and who was unlikely to grant him a staff position.Farwell 1985, p247 With a young family to support but not hopeful of getting a staff position, Wood also studied law, enrolling at the Middle Temple on 30 April 1870.

On 22 June 1870 Wood was given an unattached majority. In the summer of 1871 he paid £2,000 () to purchase a permanent majority in the 90th Light Infantry, effective 28 October 1871 and one of the last such transactions before the purchase of commissions system was abolished.

Nursing his children through diphtheria (he had sent his pregnant wife away), he was prescribed morphine for insomnia and nearly died of an overdose.Farwell 1985, p248 Wood was promoted to brevet lieutenant colonel on 19 June 1873 on the basis of seniority from the purchase of his majority.

Imperial wars Third Ashanti War In May 1873, with the Third Anglo-Ashanti War brewing, he met Wolseley by chance in the War Office and joked that his naval experience might come in handy for West African waterways. On 12 September 1873 he was appointed to Wolseley's staff for special services. He commanded a flank at the Battle of Amoaful (31 January 1874) where he was wounded. and at the Battle of Esaman. He helped recruit a regiment from among the coastal African tribes, although he wrote of the Fantis that "it would be difficult to imagine a more cowardly, useless lot of men". He did, however, discourage British officers from using physical abuse on them.Farwell 1985, p249

He was wounded just above the heart, confining him to a stretcher for a day. Relying on chlorodyne and laudanum to keep going, he was ordered to lead the sick and wounded back to the coast. It was erroneously reported in the London press that he had been captured and probably flayed alive. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) on 31 March 1874.

Wood presented two African chieftains with a walking stick, a hat and an umbrella. Twenty-two years later, later his eldest son was also in Ashanti. While there, he saw a native carrying a stick which the man would not sell, saying it belonged to his chief. On closer inspection, Wood Junior read an inscription; 'Presented to Chief Andoo by Colonel Evelyn Wood, 1874.'Reagan 1992, p.92 He was promoted in permanent rank from major and brevet lieutenant-colonel to brevet colonel on 1 April 1874. A man of relatively modest means for much of his life, Wood took his profession very seriously – like many who had served under Garnet Wolseley in the Ashanti War he was a member of the reforming "Wolseley ring", although the two men were never on particularly good terms.

Wood completed his legal studies and was called to the Bar at the Middle Temple on 30 April 1874. In June 1874 he lectured about the Ashanti War at the Royal United Services Institute. From September 1874 to February 1878 he was at Aldershot, first as Superintendent of Garrison Instruction, then as Assistant Quartermaster-General. In 1877 he declined command of Staff College, recommending George Colley, who also declined.

Zulu War

Wood was on the staff of Lieutenant-General Thesiger (who later became Lord Chelmsford), who was then in command of a column in Natal in the Xhosa Wars (also known as the Cape Frontier Wars). He was employed as a field officer of the 90th Light Infantry, which had arrived in South Africa in January 1878, in the last battle of the wars at Tutu Bush (May 1878).Farwell 1985, p250-1 On 13 November he was promoted to the substantive rank of lieutenant-colonel, and on the same day he was appointed commanding officer of the 90th Light.

In January 1879, Wood took part in the Anglo-Zulu War and was given command of the 3,000-strong 4th column on the left flank of the army when they crossed the Zulu frontier. Defeat of other British forces at Isandlwana (22 January) would force Wood to retreat to fortified positions at Kambula.Manning 2007, p111 The right-wing column was besieged by the Zulus at Eshowe, leaving Wood's the only free column. Wood and Redvers Buller harassed the Zulus of the local Qulusi Clan, so the main Zulu army was diverted to fight them. Wood was defeated at Hlobane on 28 March 1879, where he had his horse shot from under him and his close friend and chief staff officer Ronald Campbell was killed. He recovered and the following day decisively beat the Zulus at Kambula (29 March 1879). He was promoted to the local rank of brigadier-general on 3 April. Wood's victory was the turning point of the war, and in May 1879, during the second invasion of Zululand, his force linked with the 2nd Division for a push on Ulundi.