Cornwallis Spent Life Serving British Empire

Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess and 2nd Earl Cornwallis, in full Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess and 2nd Earl Cornwallis, Viscount Brome, Baron Cornwallis of Eye, (born December 31, 1738, London, England—died October 5, 1805, Ghazipur, India [now in Uttar Pradesh, India]), British soldier and statesman, probably best known for his defeat at Yorktown, Virginia, in the last important campaign (September 28–October 19, 1781) of the American Revolution. Cornwallis was possibly the most capable British general in that war, but he was more important for his achievements as British governor-general of India (1786–93, 1805) and viceroy of Ireland (1798–1801).