Biography

I am happy that you are using this web site and hope that you found it useful. Unfortunately, the cost of making this material freely available is increasing, so if you have found the site useful and would like to contribute towards its continuation, I would greatly appreciate it. Click the button to go to Paypal and make a donation.

General James Bucknall Bucknall Estcourt (1802-55)

Adjutant-General in the Crimean campaign

James Bucknall Bucknall Estcourt was born on 12 July 1802. He was the second son of Thomas Grimston Bucknall Estcourt, MP and was educated at Harrow. On 13 July 1820 he became an Ensign in the 44th Regiment, at the age of 18. However, on 7 June 1821 he transferred to the 43rd Monmouthshire Light Infantry. On 9 December 1824 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and then on 4 November 1825 he became a Captain at the age of 23.

In 1834 he was second in command to Colonel F R Chesney on the Euphrates Valley expedition; then on 21 October 1836 he was promoted to the rank of Major. In 1837 he married Caroline Carew.

Estcourt was made a Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel on 29 March 1839 and then was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel - although unattached and on half pay - on 25 August 1843.

Between February 1848 and February 1852, Estcourt was MP for Devizes but then on 21 February 1854 he was recalled, promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General and was made Adjutant-General to the expeditionary force to the Crimea. On 12 December 1854 he was promoted to Major-General but on 24 June 1855, like so many others in the Crimean campaign, he died from cholera. His wife was at his side. On 10 July 1855, the Gazette announced that Estcourt would have been created a KCB had he survived. Subsequently, in 1856, his widow was raised to rank of a KCB's widow by special patent.