# William Robe

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{{Short description|British Army officer (1765–1820)}}
{{about||his son, the British Army officer|William Livingstone Robe|the Assiniboine actor and writer|William S. Yellow Robe Jr.}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox military person
|honorific_prefix = Colonel Sir
|name             = William Robe
|honorific_suffix = {{postnominals|KCB|KCH|country=GBR}}
|birth_date       = 18 February 1765<ref name="baptism">''London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538–1812''</ref>
|death_date       = {{dda|1820|11|5|1765|2|18|df=y}}
|birth_place      = [Woolwich](/source/Woolwich), England
|death_place      = Woolwich, England
|burial_place     = [Plumstead](/source/Plumstead)
|image            = 
|image_size       = 
|caption          = 
|allegiance       = {{flag|Kingdom of Great Britain}}<br />{{flag|United Kingdom}}
|branch           = {{army|United Kingdom}}
|service_years    = 1781–1820
|rank             = [Colonel](/source/Colonel_(United_Kingdom))
|commands         = 
|unit             = [Royal Artillery](/source/Royal_Artillery)
|battles          = {{plainlist|*[French Revolutionary Wars](/source/French_Revolutionary_Wars)
*[Napoleonic Wars](/source/Napoleonic_Wars)
}}
|awards           = {{plainlist|*[Mention in Despatches](/source/Mention_in_Despatches) (3)
*[Army Gold Medal](/source/Army_Gold_Medal) (7 clasps)
*[Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath](/source/Knight_Commander_of_the_Order_of_the_Bath)
*[Knight of the Royal Guelphic Order](/source/Knight_of_the_Royal_Guelphic_Order)
*[Order of the Tower and Sword](/source/Order_of_the_Tower_and_Sword)
}}
|spouse           = Sarah Watt (died 1831)
|relations        = [William Livingstone Robe](/source/William_Livingstone_Robe) (son)<br />
[Frederick Holt Robe](/source/Frederick_Holt_Robe) (son)
|memorials        = 
|other_work       = 
}}

Colonel '''Sir William Robe''' (18 February 1765 – 5 November 1820) {{postnominals|KCB|KCH|country=GBR}} was a [British Army](/source/British_Army) officer of the [Royal Artillery](/source/Royal_Artillery) who served in the [Revolutionary](/source/French_Revolutionary) and [Napoleonic Wars](/source/Napoleonic_Wars). He was praised as an artillery commander in combat and an organiser of military operations, as well as starting the first regimental school for soldiers' children, and serving as the architect of [Quebec](/source/Quebec)'s Anglican cathedral.

== Early life ==
Robe was born at [Woolwich](/source/Woolwich) in 1765, the son of William Robe, Second Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery's invalid battalion, and proofmaster in the [Royal Arsenal](/source/Royal_Arsenal), and his wife, Mary Broom.<ref name="baptism"/> He entered the [Royal Military Academy at Woolwich](/source/Royal_Military_Academy_at_Woolwich) on 20 October 1780 as an extra cadet, and was gazetted to a commission as [second lieutenant](/source/second_lieutenant) in the Royal Artillery on 24 May 1781.<ref name="DNB">{{Harvnb|Vetch|1896}}</ref>

== Career ==
Robe served from June 1782 to July 1784 at Jamaica, acting as [adjutant](/source/adjutant) and storekeeper. After two years at home he was in 1786 sent to Canada. He was promoted to [first lieutenant](/source/first_lieutenant) on 22 November 1787, and returned to England in 1790.<ref name="DNB"/>

In April 1793 Robe went to Holland with the artillery under Major Wright, part of an advanced force of the [Duke of York](/source/Prince_Frederick%2C_Duke_of_York_and_Albany)'s army for the [Flanders Campaign](/source/Low_Countries_theatre_of_the_War_of_the_First_Coalition), the main body of artillery under [Sir William Congreve](/source/Sir_William_Congreve%2C_2nd_Baronet) embarking in May. Robe took part in the siege defence operations at [Willemstad](/source/Willemstad), with which the English share of the campaign commenced. He was appointed, in addition to his ordinary duties, acting adjutant and quartermaster, and at the instance of Congreve, he was made inspector of ammunition. Robe was at the [Battle of Famars](/source/Battle_of_Famars), the [Siege of Valenciennes](/source/Siege_of_Valenciennes_(1793)), the [Battle of Caesar's Camp](/source/Battle_of_Caesar's_Camp), the [Siege of Dunkirk](/source/Siege_of_Dunkirk_(1793)), the [Siege of Landrecies](/source/Siege_of_Landrecies_(1794)), and the [operations near Tournay](/source/Battle_of_Tournay), including at [Lanoy](/source/Lanoy) and [Roubaix](/source/Roubaix). He took part in the retreat into Holland, and was particularly engaged at the bridge of Waerlem and at [Nimeguen](/source/Nijmegen) in October and November 1794, returning to England towards the end of November.<ref name="DNB"/>

Robe was promoted to be [captain-lieutenant](/source/captain-lieutenant) on 9 September 1794, and was appointed quartermaster in the Royal Artillery's 1st Battalion at Woolwich on 25 November, remaining there for nearly five years. In 1797 he originated the first regimental school for the children of soldiers; the Duchess of York subscribed liberally, and the school proved a success, so the Board of Ordnance undertook its direction. In 1799 Robe embarked for Holland with the Duke of York's army in the [Helder Expedition](/source/Anglo-Russian_invasion_of_Holland). He was appointed [brigade major](/source/brigade_major) of Royal Artillery under General [Sir Anthony Farrington](/source/Sir_Anthony_Farrington%2C_1st_Baronet). He was present at the [Battle of Bergen](/source/Battle_of_Bergen_(1799)) on 2 October 1799, on which date he was promoted to be [captain](/source/Captain_(British_Army_and_Royal_Marines)). He took part in the [capture of Alkmaar](/source/Battle_of_Alkmaar_(1799)) on 6 October, and returned to England with the army on 3 November, and on his return he was posted to the 9th Company of the 2nd Battalion.<ref name="DNB"/>

In the following year he was transferred to the command of the 9th Company, 4th Battalion in Canada, where he served on the staff until 1806. Having considerable knowledge of architecture and drawing, he was employed to design and to superintend the erection of the [Cathedral of the Holy Trinity](/source/Cathedral_of_the_Holy_Trinity_(Quebec)), which remains a permanent record of his talent.<ref name="DNB"/>

Robe was promoted to regimental [major](/source/Major_(rank)) on 1 June 1806, when he returned to England, and regimental [lieutenant-colonel](/source/lieutenant-colonel) on 13 January 1807. Robe accompanied the [expedition to Copenhagen](/source/Battle_of_Copenhagen_(1807)) under [Lord Cathcart](/source/William_Cathcart%2C_1st_Earl_Cathcart) in 1807. Major-General [Thomas Blomefield](/source/Thomas_Blomefield) commanded the artillery, and he favourably mentioned Robe for his command of the batteries of the left attack in his report on the bombardment.<ref name="DNB"/>

=== Peninsular War ===
On 12 July 1808 Robe sailed for Portugal, in command of the artillery of [Arthur Wellesley](/source/Arthur_Wellesley%2C_1st_Duke_of_Wellington)'s expedition. He was present at the [Battle of Roliça](/source/Battle_of_Roli%C3%A7a) on 17 August and the [Battle of Vimeiro](/source/Battle_of_Vimeiro) on 21 August, and was [mentioned in despatches](/source/mentioned_in_despatches). At Vimeiro he used [shrapnel shell](/source/shrapnel_shell) for the first time, and was so pleased with its effect that he applied for large supplies of it. On the evacuation of Lisbon by the French, Robe took possession of the ordnance in the citadel. When Sir [John Moore](/source/John_Moore_(British_Army_officer))'s army left for Spain, Robe remained in command of the artillery at Lisbon, under [Sir Harry Burrard](/source/Sir_Harry_Burrard%2C_1st_Baronet%2C_of_Lymington) and [John Craddock](/source/John_Francis_Cradock%2C_1st_Baron_Howden), until the arrival of Brigadier-General Howarth in April 1809. On Wellesley's return from England to take command of the British forces in the Peninsula in April 1809, Robe was in charge of the artillery reserves. He took part in the advance against Marshal [Soult](/source/Jean-de-Dieu_Soult) to the [Tras os Montes](/source/Tr%C3%A1s-os-Montes_Province), and the [capture of Porto](/source/capture_of_Porto) in May. He was in the advance into Spain against [Joseph Buonaparte](/source/Joseph_Buonaparte), the [Battle of Talavera](/source/Battle_of_Talavera) on 27 July 1809, and in the subsequent retreat over the [Mesa d'Ibor](/source/Mesas_de_Ibor) to [Truxillo](/source/Trujillo%2C_C%C3%A1ceres), and thence to [Badajos](/source/Badajos). In 1810 he was appointed to the command of the Royal Artillery driver corps, and he took part in the retreat to the [Lines of Torres Vedras](/source/Lines_of_Torres_Vedras), including the [Battle of Bussaco](/source/Battle_of_Bussaco) on 28 September.<ref name="DNB"/>

In 1811 Robe was engaged in all the active operations of the pursuit of Marshal [Masséna](/source/Andr%C3%A9_Mass%C3%A9na) to the region of [Ciudad Rodrigo](/source/Ciudad_Rodrigo). In August he returned to England on account of his health, but rejoined the army [before Badajos](/source/Siege_of_Badajoz_(1812)) on 20 April 1812, the morning after the capture of the Picurina Fort. He opened the principal breaching batteries, and on the fall of Badajos he was particularly mentioned by Wellington in his despatch. Robe was present in the advance against Marshal [Marmont](/source/Auguste_de_Marmont), at the attack on the forts of Salamanca and the [Battle of Salamanca](/source/Battle_of_Salamanca) in July 1812. He commanded the Royal Artillery at the entry of the army into [Madrid](/source/Madrid), at the surrender of the [Retiro](/source/Buen_Retiro_Palace), and at the unsuccessful [Siege of Burgos](/source/Siege_of_Burgos), when for the third time he was mentioned in despatches. He was severely wounded in the retreat from Burgos, while defending the bridge at Cabeçon, near [Valladolid](/source/Valladolid). His wound necessitated his return to England; he was carried four hundred miles on men's shoulders to Lisbon.<ref name="DNB"/>

Robe was promoted to be brevet [colonel](/source/colonel) on 4 June 1814, and to be regimental colonel on 16 May 1815. For his services he received on 13 September 1810 the [Army Gold Medal](/source/Army_Gold_Medal) for Roliça and Vimeiro; on 13 September 1813 this was superseded by a cross bearing the names of Vimeiro, Talavera, Badajos, and Salamanca, and on 3 July 1815 an additional clasp for Bussaco was added. On 3 January 1815 Robe was made a [Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath](/source/Knight_Commander_of_the_Order_of_the_Bath) and a Knight Commander of the [Royal Guelphic Order](/source/Royal_Guelphic_Order) that year.<ref name="DNB"/> He was also permitted from that date to wear the [Order of the Tower and Sword](/source/Order_of_the_Tower_and_Sword) of Portugal, granted to him by the [Prince Regent of Brazil](/source/John_VI_of_Portugal) on 12 October 1812.

== Family ==
Robe married Sarah, daughter of Captain Thomas Watt of Quebec, about 1788 in Canada. Robe died at Shooters Hill, near Woolwich, on 5 November 1820, and was buried in the family vault in [Plumstead](/source/Plumstead) churchyard. They had five sons and four daughters. Sarah died ten years after him, on 4 February 1831.<ref name="DNB"/><ref>{{Harvnb|Vetch|Stearn|2011}}</ref>

All of his sons joined the British Army and all but one died while serving. Their eldest son, [William Livingstone](/source/William_Livingstone_Robe), was born in 1791, and served alongside his father in the Peninsular War before dying at the [Battle of Waterloo](/source/Battle_of_Waterloo) in 1815. Their second son, Alexander Watt (1793–1849), was a lieutenant-colonel of the Royal Engineers, and their third son, Thomas Congreve (1799–1853) a lieutenant-colonel of the Royal Artillery. Their fourth son, [Frederick Holt](/source/Frederick_Robe) (1801–1871), was major-general and colonel of the [95th Regiment of Foot](/source/95th_(Derbyshire)_Regiment_of_Foot), and the [Governor of South Australia](/source/Governor_of_South_Australia). The fifth son, George Mountain Sewell (1802–1825), was a lieutenant in the [26th Bengal Native Infantry](/source/26th_Bengal_Native_Infantry), served as adjutant in the [First Burmese War](/source/First_Anglo-Burmese_War), and died on passage to [Chittagong](/source/Chittagong). Robe's daughters were unmarried. The youngest, Vimiera, died in December 1893 at Woolwich. She presented to the Royal Artillery Institution at Woolwich all the medals, orders, and decorations of her father and eldest brother, together with miniature portraits of each of them.<ref name="DNB"/>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

=== Works cited ===
*{{DNB|wstitle=Robe, William|last=Vetch|first=R. H.|volume=48|pages=342–343}}
*{{cite ODNB|title= Robe, William Livingstone|date=January 2011 |last=Vetch|first=R. H.|last2=Stearn|first2=R. T.|id=23711}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Robe, William}}
Category:1765 births
Category:1820 deaths
Category:Royal Artillery officers
Category:British Army personnel of the Napoleonic Wars
Category:British Army personnel of the Peninsular War
Category:People from Woolwich
Category:British Army personnel of the French Revolutionary Wars
Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [William Robe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Robe) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Robe?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.