Harry Smith, The last known portrait of him done in 1859 shortly before is retirement.

After Waterloo Harry and Juana were stationed with the army of occupation in France. It was a glamorous life of balls, parties and sport, Juana even met and charmed the Tsar of Russia. Broke, they had to raffle off Harry's horse to raise the money to return to Britain in 1819. Luckily Juana purchased a ticket, which happened to win the lottery - and the horse back.

Back in Britain Harry was stationed in Glasgow and it was here that he started his memoirs although he only the first few pages. He discarded it for nearly 20 years and it was not until 1844 when he was on leave in Simla that he picked up the pen again and wrote 'at a gallop' the rest of them. They were finally put together by his nephew (great nephew?) G Moore-Smith who completed the biography based on his letters and private papers in the 1890's.

Harry was not unnaturally worried about publishing these memoirs at the time he wrote them. They did not reflect a highly flattering light on a number of men who were still serving or still alive. He thought that someone could edit them and publish the expurgated version. Instead they remained in the care of his ADC after his death, and were passed on to Moore-Smith some years later. With all the men in question dead, it was only necessary to edit them for sense.

Juana Smith, In her later years Juana became a little plump, this portrait is undated.

After Glasgow he was posted for a short time to Halifax and then to Jamaica. He hated it, so he asked his old friend, Colonel Colborne, to intercede on his behalf and have him sent to the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. In July 1828 he received his posting as Deputy Quartermaster General to the Cape. This was a period in which there was much unrest on the frontiers of the country and the life suited Harry. He distinguished himself in service. By 1840 things had become slow and listless there, a situation he loathed.

Luckily in 1840 he received orders to go to Calcutta. It was in service in India that he most particularly remembered. His conduct at the battle of Aliwal in 1846 earned him his baronetcy - most unusually in the case of a barnetcy, he had the words ..'of Aliwal' appended to it. He was also apointed to the full rank of Major General.

In 1847 Harry returned to Britain, he hadn't been back there in 18 years. He was known as the 'Hero of Aliwal'. He did not stay in Britain long by September of that year he had been appointed as Governer of the Cape of Good Hope. Unrest was rife and Harry hoped to avert war there.

Harry Smith, A rare profile of Harry - undated.

It was during this period in the Cape that Harry made a number of mistakes that resulted in his eventually losing the trust of the Government in Britain. His popularity in the province fluctuated, but when the British Government recalled him the locals rallied in his support and gave him a hero's send off. In Britain the population were equally as disgusted with the Governments actions which they saw as making a scapegoat of their 'Hero of Aliwal' and Harry was given a hero's welcome when arrived back in the country in 1852.

He was never to leave Britain again. He was made Leiutenant-General in Plymouth with command of the Western district.

He did not wish to retire, but it was in policy and on September 30th 1859 he was forced to do so. He and Juana moved to London.

Throughout all their life they had trouble with money and his retirement was no different. One of his last acts in 1860 was to ensure that Juana was provided for on his death with a pension.

In August 1860 he suffered from palpitations. On October 12 of that year he died at the age of 73. 12 years later on 10 October 1872, Juana joined her 'Enrique' and was laid to rest beside him in the new cemetery at Whittlesea.

Harry and Juana had no children.