2022-12-31 Sat

Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis, was born on 31st December 1738. He was a British Army general and is officially remembered as one of the leading British generals in the American War of Independence. Cornwallis joined the army in 1757. He was in the 33rd Regiment of Foot from 1765 to 1805. He was in military action during the American War of Independence in 1776.

He retained the confidence of the British government and continued to have an active career. In 1786, he was Governor-General and commander-in-chief of India. In India, he enacted various reforms within the East India Company, including the Cornwallis Code, part of which implemented reforms of land taxation known as the Permanent Settlement. He led British forces in the Third Anglo-Mysore War and defeated the ruler of Mysore, Tipu Sultan.

After his return to Britain in 1794, Cornwallis was appointed as Master-General of the Ordnance. He was reappointed to India in 1805 and died soon after his arrival on 5th October 1805.

The above-given stamp is an air post of Lord Cornwallis. It was issued on 30th April 1975 by Equatorial Guinea. This multicolour stamp has a face value of 200 Equatorial Guinean ekuele. This stamp portrays an image of Lord Cornwallis sitting on a horse. The face value is in the bottom left corner, and the country is in the bottom right corner.

Image Courtesy:- Colnect.com