john fox burgoyne, born 1782
FIELD MARSHAL
Born the illegitimate son of General John Burgoyne and the opera singer Susan Caulfield, Field Marshal Sir John Fox Burgoyne was brought up by the 12th Earl of Derby following his father's early death. After taking part in the Siege of Malta during the French Revolutionary Wars, he saw action under Sir John Moore and then under the Duke of Wellington in numerous battles of the Peninsular War, including the Siege of Badajoz and the Battle of Vitoria. He served under Sir Edward Pakenham as chief engineer during the War of 1812. His son Hugh, a naval officer, was awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery duing the Crimean War.
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Source: Provided to Lives Retold by Robert Mair, former President of the Institution of Civil Engineers, in 2020.