Fortescue Graham

Who was Fortescue Graham?

Sir Fortescue Graham, was a general.

Graham was a Colonel in the Royal Marine Artillery 1866-70. He was the son of Colonel Richard Graham, marines, by his wife, Catherine, daughter of Captain Philip Walsh, Royal Navy, was born at Tintinhull in 1794. He was educated at Martock College, Somersetshire.

On 17 November 1808 he was appointed as a Second Lieutenant in the Chatham Division of Royal Marines, a rank in which he remained seventeen years, twelve of them in the artillery branch of the marine forces. He was with the composite battalion formed of marines of the squadron, which served with the army ashore in the Walcheren Campaign of 1809. Subsequently, he served with the 1st Battalion of Royal Marines in Portugal and in the north of Spain, including the capture and defence of Castro-Urdiales.

He proceeded with the 1st Battalion to America, and was present under Sir Sydney Beckwith at the attack on Norfolk and taking of Hampton, Virginia in 1814. When the brigade was broken up, Graham accompanied the battalion to Canada, and was sent in charge of a division of gunboats to attack an American battery at the head of Lake Champlain, with which he was engaged several hours. Afterwards he returned with the battalion to the coast of America, and was present at the attack and capture of Fort Peter and the town of St. Mary's, Georgia.