Andrew Francis Barnard

General Sir Andrew Francis Barnard, GCB, GCH (1773 – 17 January 1855) was an Irish-born, British Army officer.

Barnard was born at Fahan, County Donegal, the son of Reverend Henry Barnard (the second son of William Barnard, Bishop of Derry, and brother of Thomas Barnard, Bishop of Limerick), and his second wife, Sarah ("née" Robertson) of Bannbrook, County Londonderry. He entered the army as an ensign in the 90th Regiment of Foot in August 1794, and was promoted to lieutenant in the 81st Regiment of Foot in September and captain in November 1794. He served in Saint-Domingue from April to August 1795, and on 2 December, was transferred to the 55th Regiment of Foot. He took part in the expedition to the West Indies under Sir Ralph Abercromby, and was at the capture of Morne Fortune.

In 1799, Barnard served in the expedition to Den Helder. Later that year, on 19 December, he was gazetted a lieutenant and captain in the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards and later a major on 1 January 1805. He embarked with the 1st brigade of guards for Sicily in 1806, and returned to England in September 1807. On 28 January 1808, he became lieutenant colonel in the army, and in July embarked for Canada, having been appointed inspecting field officer of militia there. He was gazetted into the 1st The Royal Dragoons on 18 December, and returned to England in August 1809. On 29 March 1810, he exchanged into the 95th Regiment of Foot, with which his name was henceforth linked. He was appointed to command the recently raised 3rd battalion, and on 11 July 1810, he embarked with the headquarters and two companies in the frigate "Mercury"; on 29 July, he landed at Cadiz, then besieged by Marshal Victor. He commanded his battalion at the Battle of Barrosa, in which he was wounded twice, once severely; and he was at the sieges of Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz, and the battles of Salamanca and Vitoria. Soon after the capture of Badajoz, he was transferred to the 1st battalion. After becoming a colonel on 4 June 1813, he was at the Siege of San Sebastian, the Battle of Nivelle, where he was shot through the lung, and the battles of Orthes and Toulouse.

On 16 February 1814, Barnard was appointed to command the 2nd brigade of the Light Division. For his Peninsular services, he received a gold cross and four clasps, and was made a KCB in January 1815.

On the resumption of war in 1815, Barnard embarked with six companies of the 1st battalion of the 95th and arrived at Brussels on 12 May. He was at Quatre Bras, was slightly wounded at Waterloo, and was awarded the Russian Order of St George and the Austrian Military Order of Maria Theresa. Wellington had so high an opinion of his services that he appointed him commander of the British division occupying Paris. In 1821, George IV appointed him a Groom of the Bedchamber, and on 13 June 1828, the king promoted him to an equerry. On 4 June 1830, he was gazetted one of three 'commissioners for affixing his majesty's signature to instruments requiring the same'. On the accession of William IV, he became clerk-marshal in the Royal Household, and from 1837 to 1849 he was clerk-marshal to Adelaide, the Queen Dowager.

Barnard became a major general on 12 August 1819, colonel of the Rifle Brigade on 25 August 1822, and lieutenant general on 10 January 1837. On 26 November 1849, Wellington appointed him Lieutenant-Governor of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, and on 11 November 1851 he became a general. In 1842 he was awarded an honorary Master of Arts by Cambridge University. He was appointed a KCH in 1819, promoted to GCH in 1833, and appointed a GCB in 1840.

Barnard died, apparently unmarried, at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, on 17 January 1855. Before his funeral, pensioners who had served under him in the Peninsula obtained permission to see his remains. After they had left, the coffin was found covered with laurel leaves, for each man, unobserved, had brought in one and laid it on the body of his venerated chief. He was buried on 22 January, in the burial-ground of the hospital. He left most of his property to his nephew, Major-General Henry William Barnard (1798–1857).

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