| Edward Pakenham |
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He was born at Pakenham Hall , County Westmeath , Ireland to Edward Michael Pakenham, 2nd Baron Longford and Catherine Rowley. He was educated at The Royal School, Armagh . In 1806 his sister Catherine married Arthur Wellesley who later went on to become the Duke Of Wellington . Early duties included serving in Martinique and seeing action throughout the wars of the French Revolution before joining his famous relative in the Peninsula War . In 1811 he fought in the Battle Of Fuentes De Onoro to defend the besieged fortress of Almeida , helping the British to victory. Later in 1812 he was praised for his performance at Salamanca . In 1814, Pakenham accepted an offer to replace Sir Robert Ross as commander of the British North American army. The next year during the Battle Of New Orleans , he was defeated by Colonel Andrew Jackson , and was mortally wounded at the age of 36. His last words were reputed to be "Lost for the lack of courage". There is a statue in his memory at the South Transept of St Paul's Cathedral in London . His body was returned to Ireland in a casket of rum and buried in the Pakenham family vault. |