William Arbuthnot (1838-1893)

Major-General William Arbuthnot CB (27 September 1838 – 12 September 1893), was a British military cavalry officer serving in many of Great Britain's colonial wars in Africa during the late 19th century, most notably as Aide de Camp to Robert Napier, 1st Baron Napier of Magdala during the Abyssinia Campaign.

Early life
The eldest son of Archibald Francis Arbuthnot (who in turn, was the son of Sir William Arbuthnot, 1st Baronet), he was educated at Eton before enlisting in the Army Rifle Brigade in 1856 serving during the Indian Mutiny during the next two years.

He married first the Hon. Alice Charlotte Pitt-Rivers (born 27 December 1841, fourth daughter of the George Pitt-Rivers, 4th Baron Rivers on 26 April 1865; she was killed by lightning during her wedding tour on 21 June of the same year.

Career and later years
He later served as Aide de Camp and Miliary Secretary to Robert Napier, 1st Baron Napier of Magdala during the British expedition to Ethiopia (Abyssinia) in 1867/8.

Following the Abyssinia Campaign, he married Selina Moncreiffe (b. 4 October 1851 - 26 November 1877), seventh daughter of Sir Thomas Moncreiffe, 7th Baronet, on 20 July, 1869.

Commander of the 14th Hussars during the Boer War, the Cavalry of Army Occupation in Egypt between 1882/83 and a Deputy-Adjutant and Quartermaster-General in the Soudan War of 1885, he later became Assistant Adjutant-General of the Horse Guards from 1885 to 1892, becoming Major General of the 14th Hussars shortly before his death in 1893.

Survived by his third wife Edith Anne Pearse, daughter of Major General J L Pearse, she died 21 August 1931, having been married secondly, to Guy Francois, Comte de Miremont on 1 August 1894.

Arbuthnot had one son, Gerald Archibald Arbuthnot, by his second wife, with whom he is buried in Brompton Cemetery.