Page:Dictionary of National Biography, Second Supplement, volume 1.djvu/460

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Crawfurd
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Creagh

sport and literary work. In addition to several novels he published three sympathetic but sketchy studies of Portuguese life, which are of interest for their accounts of the Portuguese rustic and of country sports in Portugal: 'Travels in Portugal,' under the pseudonym John Latouche (1875; 3rd edit. 1878), 'Portugal Old and New' (1880; 2nd edit. 1882), and 'Round the Calendar in Portugal' (1890). Crawfurd's last two years (1890-1) in Portugal were of exceptional difficulty. An ultimatum from Lord Salisbury (Jan. 1890), the result of the occupation by Portuguese troops of British territory in East Africa, led to an outburst of anti-British feeling, more violent in Oporto than in other Portuguese towns. Crawfurd's house was stoned, but he carried on his duties till the trouble subsided, and then on 17 June 1891 resigned. Returning to England, he devoted himself entirely to literature. He died at Montreux on 31 Jan. 1909.

Crawfurd married (1) Margaret (d. 1899), younger daughter of Richard Ford [q. v.], author of the 'Handbook to Spain,' by whom he had one son who died in infancy; (2) in 1902, Lita Browne, daughter of Hermann von Flesch Brunningen. His second wife survived him.

Although literature was for Crawfurd merely a recreation, his literary activity was many-sided. A novelist, an essayist, a poet, and an anthologist, he was also a frequent contributor under his own name and under pseudonyms to 'The Times' and leading reviews; he edited for some years the 'New Quarterly Magazine' (1873) and 'Chapman's Magazine of Fiction' (1895, &c.), and had some experience of publishing, being an original director of 'Black and White,' founded in 1891, and, through his friendship with Frederic Chapman [q. v. Suppl. I], a director and then managing director of Chapman & Hall, Limited a post for which he lacked qualification. Of his novels 'Sylvia Arden' (1877) was the best known. In others like 'The World we Live In' (1884), 'In Green Fields' (1906), and 'The Mystery of Myrtle Cottage' (1908), he discussed political and social questions. His plays, 'Two Masques' (1902) and 'The Sin of Prince Eladane ' (1903), are marked by a studied choice of diction and some capacity for verse, but lack dramatic quality. Crawfurd also compiled 'Laws of Opposition Bridge' (1906).

[The Times, 2 Feb. 1909; Athenæum, 4 Feb. 1909; Allibone's Diet, of Eng. Lit., 1891; Foreign Office List, 1900; Black and White, 5 Feb. 1909; Who's Who, 1908; private information.]

S. E. F.


CREAGH, WILLIAM (1828–1901), major-general and administrator, born at Newry, co. Down, on 1 June 1828, was second son of the seven children of General Sir Michael Creagh, K.H. (17878–1860), and Elizabeth, only daughter of Charles Osborne, judge of the King's Bench, Ireland, and niece of Sir Thomas Osborne, eighth baronet, of Newtown Anner, co. Tipperary. He came of an old Roman catholic family, and his father, who entered the army at the age of fourteen, saw much service with the 86th regiment, and was at his death in 1860 colonel commandant of the 73rd regiment; he was the first to become a protestant. His eldest brother, General Charles Creagh-Osborne, C.B. (d. 1892), after service in India, was commandant of the staff college, Camberley, 1878–86; his youngest brother, Major James Henry Creagh (d. 1900), served in the 27th regiment during the mutiny, and retired owing to illness then contracted.

William Creagh attended for six years Mr. Flynn's private school in Dublin. After instruction at Sandhurst (Jan. 1842–Dec. 1844) he became a cadet in the East India Company's service, and joined his regiment, the 19th Bombay infantry, in June 1845. In 1847, being then stationed at Karachi, he was placed by Gen. Walter Scott, R.E., in charge of an extensive district in upper Sindh (subdued in 1843 by Sir Charles Napier). Short of ordering the death-sentence and imprisonment for life, his powers were practically unlimited and strangely varied. Recalled from administrative duties by the outbreak of war in the Punjab (April 1848), he served with his regiment through the campaign of 1848–9. For his services he received the Punjab medal, with two clasps for Mooltan and Gujarat; his regiment, now the 119th, bears the title of 'The Mooltan Regiment.'

Coming home early in 1856, he married next year. Learning on his wedding trip at Killarney of the mutiny, he returned to duty, but sailing round the Cape, did not reach India until Delhi had fallen. He took part, however, with his regiment, under Sir Hugh Rose in Central India, in the pursuit of Tantia Topi, Nana Sahib's right-hand man, and was present at Tantia's defeat near Jhansi on 1 April 1858, and, a year later, at his capture.

Gazetted captain on 3 Feb. 1860, he successfully administered, by commission from Sir Richmond Shakespeare, resident