Percy Herbert

Lieutenant-General Sir Percy Egerton Herbert (15 April 1822 – 7 October 1876) was a British Army officer and a member of the Conservative Party.

He was born at Powis Castle, near Welshpool, as the second son of Edward Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis, and Lady Lucy Graham, daughter of James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose. His paternal grandfather was Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive. Herbert received his education at Eton College and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.

Herbert began his military career when he was commissioned as an ensign in the 43rd (Monmouthshire) Light Infantry in January 1840. His active service included participation in the war on the Xhosa (1851–1853), the Orange River Boers expedition, and the Battle of Berea. He was promoted to lieutenant on 7 September 1841, captain on 19 June 1846, major on 27 May 1853, and lieutenant-colonel on 28 May 1853.

In February 1854, Herbert was elected to Parliament as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ludlow, a seat he held uncontested until September 1860. During this period, he continued to serve in the military, notably as assistant quartermaster-general in Sir De Lacy Evans's division during the Crimean War. He was wounded at the Battle of Alma and during the siege of Sevastopol, and also participated in the Battle of Inkerman. He succeeded Sir Richard Airey as quartermaster-general of the entire British forces in the Crimea until Airey returned to England.

For his service during the Crimean War, Herbert was appointed aide-de-camp to Queen Victoria, made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB), and received brevet rank as colonel on 28 November 1854. He was also honored with knighthoods from the Ottoman Empire, Sardinia, and France.

On 19 February 1858, Herbert was promoted to lieutenant-colonel of the 82nd (Prince of Wales's) Foot and joined the regiment in Cawnpore on 21 April 1858. He commanded the regiment's left wing during the Rohilkhand campaign, including the captures of Bareilly and Shahjahanpur, and administered the Cawnpore and Fatehpur districts until spring 1859. In December 1858, he was involved in pursuing Firuz Shah and rebel forces along the Jumna River.

In September 1860, Herbert resigned from Parliament to serve as deputy quartermaster-general at the Horse Guards. He was re-elected to Parliament in April 1865 as the Conservative MP for South Shropshire, serving until February 1874. Between 1865 and 1867, he served as assistant quartermaster-general at Aldershot.

In March 1867, Herbert was sworn into the Privy Council and appointed Treasurer of the Household under Lord Derby's Conservative government, a position he held until December 1868. He was promoted to major-general in January 1868, awarded the rank of Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in 1869, and achieved the rank of lieutenant-general in September 1875.

Herbert married Lady Mary Caroline Louisa Petty-Fitzmaurice, daughter of William Petty-FitzMaurice, Earl of Kerry, on 4 October 1860. They had four children:

- Henry Herbert (28 June 1861 – 8 August 1865)

- George Charles Herbert, 4th Earl of Powis (1862–1952), who married the Honourable Violet Lane-Fox

- Magdalen Herbert (28 July 1864 – 27 October 1957)

- Margaret Augusta Herbert (died 7 July 1952), who married Thomas Richard Cholmondeley

Percy Herbert died at The Styche in Market Drayton, Shropshire, in October 1876 at the age of 54 and was buried at Moreton Say. His wife, Lady Mary Herbert, survived him by over 50 years, passing away in September 1927.