Captain Charles Fleming Hunter (72nd Highlanders)

Captain Charles Fleming Hunter of the 72nd (Duke of Albany’s Own Highlanders) Regiment of Foot entered the Army as an Ensign on 9 March 1849, rising to the rank of Lieutenant on 2 December 1850 and Captain on 22 June 1855. He retired with the rank of Major on 9 November 1866.

According to Hart's Army List of 1863, Major Hunter served with the 72nd Highlanders in the Crimea from 13 June 1855, including the expedition to Kertch, the siege and fall of Sebastapol, and the attack of the 18th June (Medal and Clasp, and the Turkish Medal). He served throughout the operations in Central India and the pursuit of the rebel forces under Tantia Topee and Rao Sahib in 1858-1859.

On 29 April 1869 Major Hunter married Anna Maria Stanley, daughter of John Stanley (1812-1878) and Catherine Sarah née Bell (1813-1889). The couple appear on the 1871 census living on the Isle of Man. According to the census, Major Hunter was a British Subject born in or about 1832 at sea in the Indian Ocean. However, according to his baptism record, he was born on 8 October 1829 and baptised in Calcutta on 20 November 1829.

Charles Fleeming [sic] Hunter died at 21 Albany Street in London on 4 August 1882. The abstract of his will describes him as 'Charles Fleeming Hunter Baron of Hunterstoun Arnete in Cunninghame of Ayr formerly of Thornleigh Villas Bensham-Manor-road Thornton Heath in the County of Surrey but lately of 21 Albany-street Regent's Park in the County of Middlesex.'

Photographed by Camille Silvy of London on 10 July 1862.

From an album compiled by Gertrude Frances Vesey, sister of Charles Wellesley Vesey, a fellow Captain in the same regiment as Hunter.