Major-General G. Bruce Michell
(1805-1866)
3 May 1861

Volume 3, page 189, sitting number 3446.

Major-General George Bruce Michell was an officer in the Indian Army.

Born on 13 September 1805, he was baptised at West Teignmouth in Devon on 2 October 1805. His parents were Captain John Taylor Michell of the Royal Navy and Sapphira Seymour née Baily. 

On 22 April 1862 he married 'at the British Consulate [in] Nice, and afterwards at the British Chapel' Lady Frances Elizabeth Legge, eldest daughter of the late 4th Earl of Dartmouth and sister of the 5th Earl. The marriage produced one son, George Baily Michell, who like his father followed a military career. 

Major-General George Bruce Michell died at Nice on 11 February 1866 'after a long a painful illness.' He left an estate valued at £12,000. The abstract of his will describes him as 'George Bruce Michell late of 23 Sussex-square in the Parish of Paddington and of the United Service Club Pall Mall both in the county of Middlesex a Major-General on the Retired List of the Bengal Army.' 

The following 'description of the gallant officer's eminent services' appeared in the Army and Navy Gazette (3 March 1866): 'At an early period of his life he proceeded to India as a cadet in the East India Company's Bengal Army, and began his military career in the disastrous Burmese war of 1827. His success in the acquisition of the Oriental languages soon led to his appointment as Adjutant to the 9th Regiment of Infantry, at that time under the command of Colonel Paul. While holding that post he attracted the notice of the late Sir Robert Sale, G.C.B., who nominated him Acting Brigade-Major of the Agra force. Thus brought under the public eye, he was selected by the Governor-General to raise an infantry corps for his Highness Jankojee Seindea, and it was the fine organisation of that regiment which gained for Captain Michell the repute which afterwards attached to his name, for ability in forming and disciplining native infantry. Just before entering on the Affghan [sic] war it was deemed desirable to send a deputation to the ruler of Lahore, and the present Lord William Osborne was despatched as the chief of it. An interpreter was to be chosen, a person who was master of native Court language. The selected person was Captain Michell, and he received at the hands of Lord Auckland a handsome sword for this service. He commanded a regiment at the battle of Punniar, and during the great mutiny the responsible duty of keeping the high road from Sasseram to Benares was assigned to him, for which he received the marked approval and thanks of Lord Canning. On his retirement he was made a Major-General, and in 1863 [sic] he married Lady Frances Legge, sister of the present Earl of Dartmouth, and leaves issue one son.' 

Lady Frances Legge died in 1922 at the age of 92. Her widowhood had lasted 56 years.