Garnet Joseph Wolseley, 1st Viscount Wolseley

Article by

J.M. Bumsted

Published Online	January 29, 2008
Last Edited	March 4, 2015

Wolseley won plaudits for his organization of the Red River Expedition. He later led the Nile rescue expedition in Egypt (courtesy Library and Archives Canada/C-20658).

Wolseley, Garnet Joseph Wolseley, 1st Viscount

1st Viscount Wolseley, Garnet Joseph Wolseley, soldier (b at Golden Bridge House, Ire 4 June 1833; d at Menton, France 25 Mar 1913). Wolseley served with the British army in India, the Crimea and China. In 1861 he was sent to Canada as assistant quartermaster general, becoming deputy quartermaster general in 1865. In 1870 he commanded the expedition to the Red River (seeRED RIVER EXPEDITION), where his organizational skills won plaudits. After 1871 he alternated between the War Office and field command (see NILE EXPEDITION) and was commander in chief of the British army 1895-1900. His autobiography, The Story of a Soldier's Life, appeared in 1903.