Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Kerrison, Edward
KERRISON, Sir EDWARD (1774–1853), general, only son of Matthias Kerrison, by Mary, daughter of Edward Barnes of Barnham, Suffolk, was born at his father's seat, Hexne Hall, near Bungay, in 1774. He entered the army as cornet in the 6th dragoons on 23 June 1796. He attained the rank of captain in October 1798, and was transferred to the 7th hussars in the same year. With the last-mentioned regiment he served in the Helder expedition of 1799, taking part in the actions of 19 Sept. and 2 and 6 Oct. In October 1808, being then lieutenant-colonel, he embarked with his regiment for Spain, and in the following December was severely wounded on the plains of Leon. He commanded his regiment at the passage of the Oleron, in the action of Sauveterne, and at the battles of Orthes and Toulouse. At the battle of Orthes the charge headed by Lord Edward Somerset, in which Kerrison with the 7th hussars took the chief part, was highly commended by the Duke of Wellington (Despatches, vii. 440).
Kerrison next served in the campaign of 1815, and was slightly wounded at Waterloo, where his horse was shot under him; but he continued with his regiment, and took part in the occupation of Paris. On his return to England he was nominated a commander of the Bath, and knighted 5 Jan. 1816. He was subsequently created a baronet by patent dated 27 July 1821. He represented the borough of Shaftesbury from 1812 to 1818, that of Northampton from 1818 to 1824, and Eye from 1824 to 1852, in the conservative interest. Promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general in 1837, he became general in 1851, and died at his house in Great Stanhope Street, London, on 9 March 1853.
Kerrison married, on 20 Oct. 1813, Mary Martha, daughter of Alexander Ellice of Pittencrieff, Fifeshire. By her he had issue one son, Edward Clarence Kerrison (b. 1821), present baronet, and three daughters, the second of whom, Emily Harriet (d. 1873), married in 1834 Philip Henry, Viscount Mahon, the historian, afterwards fifth earl Stanhope [q. v.]
[Ann. Reg. 1853, p. 219; Gent. Mag. 1853, i. 542; United Service Gaz. 1853; Foster's Peerage and Baronetage; Cannon's Hist. Records of British Army (7th Hussars), pp. 75, 78.]