Charles Griffiths

Lieutenant-General Charles Griffiths (3 August 1763 – 31 May 1829) was a British soldier, foster brother to Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany, Lieutenant-General and Captain of Yarmouth Castle, Isle of Wight. Parents and marriage Griffiths was the son of the Reverend John Griffiths and his wife Mary, the daughter of John Denham. Mary has been described as the foster-mother to the Duke of York, second son of George III. Griffiths was thirteen days older than the Duke of York and has been described in turn as the latter's foster-brother. He married on 7 June 1796 Caroline Francis, the daughter of Sir William Neville Hart and Elizabeth, the daughter of Stanhope Aspinwall. His elder brother, John Griffiths of Erryd, was a medical practitioner and surgeon to Queen Charlotte's Household 1792–1818. His elder brother's wife, Elizabeth, was the sister of his own wife. Military career In 1779, Griffiths was appointed ensign in the 15th Regiment of Foot. He was placed on half-pay in 1783, restored to full-pay in the 40th Regiment in 1786 and appointed lieutenant in the 76th Regiment of Foot in 1787. Service in India During the Third Anglo-Mysore War, Griffiths served in the East Indies (i.e. India). He was present at the siege, assault, and capture of the town and fortress of Bangalore, also at the siege and storming of the hill fort of Savendroog in the general action near Seringapatam with Tippu Sultan on 15 May 1791. He was wounded in the general action on 6 February 1792, when the enemy's lines were stormed under the walls of Seringapatam and at the siege of that capital. It terminated in the peace of 19 March of that same year.