MEMOIR 
GENERAL SIE EDWARD CHARLES WHINYATES, K.C.B., K.H. 
General Sir Edward Charles Whinyates, K.C.B., K.H., of the Royal 
Artillery, third son of Major Thomas Whinyates, of Abbotsleigh, in the county of 
Devon, and Catharine, daughter of Admiral Sir Thomas Erankland, 5th Baronet, 
of Thirkleby Park, Yorkshire, was born May 6th, 1782 ; he was educated at 
Mr Newcombe’s school at Hackney, and entering the Royal Military Academy at 
Woolwich in 1796, was gazetted as 2nd lieutenant in the Royal Artillery on the 
1st March 1798, at the age of fifteen years nine months. 
England was at lhis period engaged in continental warfare, and it was not long 
before the young officer was summoned to the commencement of a career, which he 
pursued throughout a long life, with honour to himself, with credit to his regiment, 
and to the advantage of his country. Embarking in August 1799, he accompanied 
the expedition under Sir Ralph Abercrombie to the Helder, which resulted after 
two severe engagements, in the capture of the towns of Helder and Huysduinen, 
and the seizure of the Dutch fleet in the Texel. Joining afterwards the force under 
the Duke of York, he took part in the campaign in North Holland, and returned 
with the army to England in November of the same year, having received his pro¬ 
motion as 1st lieutenant the preceding month. In June 1801 his company, 
forming part of the secret expedition to Madeira under Sir William Clinton, 
assisted at the capture of that island, proceeding, on its evacuation after the Peace 
of Amiens, to Jamaica, whence after a service there of three years (the latter half of 
which period he was adjutant), he was ordered home, on promotion to the rank of 
2nd captain in July 1805. 
In July 1807, he was appointed adjutant to the artillery of the army, which, 
under Lord Cathcart, was employed in the attack on Copenhagen, and where he 
moreover commanded throughout the siege one of the principal batteries (the 
“ Churchyard,” consisting of eight 24-prs. and two howitzers) ; this battery was 
manned chiefly by the artillery of the King’s German Legion, who were placed 
under his special orders* and Sir Thomas Bloomfield, commanding the artillery, 
expressed his opinion that the vigorous and well-directed fire therefrom, materially 
contributed to the success of that most important operation, the capture of the 
naval arsenal and the Danish fleet. Returning home in November, he was the 
following year appointed 2nd captain of Captain Lefebure’s troop of Horse Artillery, 
and Remained on home service until 1810. 
