Lieutenant-General Viscount Hugh Gough, Army Staff, 1850 (c)

Oil on canvas painting, artist unknown, 1850 (c).

Hugh Gough (1799-1869) was born into the Anglo-Irish gentry and was commissioned into the Limmerick Militia in 1793. He served with the 78th (Highland) Regiment of Foot at the Cape of Good Hope in 1795 and with the 87th (The Prince of Wales's Irish) Regiment of Foot in the West Indies in 1799.

In 1809, Gough embarked for service in the Peninsular War in command of the 2nd Battalion of the 87th Regiment. He took part in the Battles of Talavera (1809), Barrosa (1811) and Vitoria (1813) and was badly wounded at the Battle of Nivelle on 10 November 1813.

Gough was promoted to colonel in 1819 and major-general in 1830. In 1837 he was appointed to command a division of the Madras Army in India. Four years later he was sent to command the British troops in the 1st China War (1839-1842). After the conclusion of the war in 1842, Gough was appointed Commander-in-Chief in India, and commanded forces during the Gwalior campaign (1843) and the 1st Sikh War (1845-1846).

During the 2nd Sikh War (1848-1849), although successful, Gough was criticised for tactics which resulted in high casualties. As a result, Gough was replaced by Sir Charles Napier. For his services in India, Gough was elevated to the peerage in April 1846.