William Carr Beresford, also known as Viscount Beresford, was born in 1768.
His career started as an army officer, and despite being blind in his left eye (as a result of a hunting accident) he was raised to Lieutenant General in 1824 and took control of the Portuguese army in an attempt to raise standards. Beresford encountered varying success in Portugal but he still remained in the Duke of Wellington’s favour.
He only held the role of Lieutenant General for a year, but as a result of his continued contact with Wellington, Beresford was appointed Master General of the Ordnance in 1828 when Wellington formed a government. When the ministry fell in 1830, Beresford stepped down from his position and left politics for good.
He died in 1854 at Bedgebury Park, Kent.