Stovin, Frederick 1783 - 1865

(1783-1865) Knight General

Sir Frederick Stovin was born in 1783 in Whitgift, near Howden, Yorkshire. He was commissioned ensign in the 52nd foot on 22 March 1800, served with it in Pulteney's expedition to Ferrol, where he was one of the few officers actually engaged, and became lieutenant on 7 January 1801. He obtained a company in the 62nd foot on 24 June 1802, and (after a few months on half pay) in the 28th foot on 9 July 1803. He served with the 28th in Ireland (where he was employed as brigade major), in Lord Cathcart's expedition to Bremen in 1805, and in the siege and capture of Copenhagen in 1807. In 1808 he served under Moore in Sweden, and afterwards in Spain in the Corunna campaign. He was aide-de-camp to General Alexander Mackenzie Fraser in the Walcheren expedition in 1809, and was present at the capture of Flushing. In January 1810 he went with the 28th to Gibraltar, and in April to Tarifa, where he distinguished himself in a sortie, driving the French out of an old convent which was dangerously close to the walls. He was brigade major at Gibraltar for a few months, but had to return to England in September on account of ill health.

Stovin returned to the Peninsula in July 1811, and, as aide-de-camp to Picton, was present at the capture of Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz. He was then appointed assistant adjutant-general to the 3rd (Picton's) division, and served with it in this capacity until the end of the war, receiving the gold cross with two clasps. He was made brevet major on 27 April 1812, and brevet lieutenant-colonel on 26 August 1813. In 1814 Stovin was appointed deputy adjutant-general to the expeditionary force against the coasts of the United States; he took part in the unsuccessful attack on New Orleans, and was wounded there.

In 1815 Stovin married Anne Elizabeth, she died at Brighton on 3 April 1856, aged sixty-three. On 2 January 1815 he was made KCB. He was promoted major in the 28th on 9 May 1816, and obtained the lieutenant-colonelcy of the 92nd on 2 September 1819. He commanded the 92nd in Jamaica from October 1820 to the middle of 1821, when he exchanged (9 August) into the 90th light infantry. He commanded the 90th in the Ionian Islands and suppressed a rebellion. On 23 April 1829 he was placed on half pay. He was made KCMG for his services there, the order being then confined to Malta and the Ionian Islands. He became colonel in the army on 22 July 1830 and major-general on 23 November 1841. He was groom-in-waiting to the queen from 1837 to 1860, when he was made an extra groom. He was given the colonelcy of the 83rd foot on 1 September 1848. He became lieutenant-general on 11 November 1851 and general on 14 August 1859, and received the GCB on 18 May 1860. He died in Ambassador's Court, St James's Palace, on 16 August 1865.