William Monson (British Army officer)


William Monson
Monson with his wife Anne, c. 1786, by Arthur William Devis
Born15 December 1760
Died26 December 1807(1807-12-26) (aged 47)
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
BranchBritish Army
Service years1777–1807
RankColonel
Conflicts
Alma materEton College
Harrow School
Spouse
Anne Debonnaire
(m. 1786)
ChildrenWilliam Monson, 6th Baron Monson
RelationsJohn Monson, 2nd Baron Monson (father)
Member of Parliament
for Lincoln
In office
1806 – 26 December 1807
Serving with Richard Ellison
Preceded byHumphrey Sibthorp & Richard Ellison
Succeeded byJohn Savile & Richard Ellison
Personal details
PartyWhigs

Colonel William Monson (15 December 1760 – 26 December 1807) was a career British Army officer and the member of parliament for Lincoln from 1806 to 26 December 1807.

Monson, the son of John Monson, 2nd Baron Monson, served almost all of his military career in the East Indies. He fought in India during the Third Anglo-Mysore War, seeing action at the Siege of Seringapatam, and then served as a senior officer during the Second Anglo-Maratha War. Commanding the 1st Infantry Brigade, he was severely wounded in the successful Siege of Aligarh, but then suffered an egregious defeat while in command of a force of sepoys at the Battle of Mukandwara Pass. He saw further service at the Siege of Deeg and Siege of Bharatpur before returning to Britain in 1806.

Monson, supported by William Fitzwilliam, 4th Earl Fitzwilliam, was elected as member of parliament for Lincoln at the 1806 United Kingdom general election. A Whig, he was mostly unable to attend parliament because of an illness. Despite this he was re-elected unopposed at the 1807 United Kingdom general election, but died in office having not attended parliament again.