Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis, Acting Viceroy of the C.N.A, painted by J. S. Copley circa 1795
Charles Cornwallis (1738-1807), 1st Marquess Cornwallis, was a British general active in the North American Rebellion and the Trans-Oceanic War. He served as Acting Viceroy of the Confederation of North America in 1783-4.
After attending Eton and Cambridge, the aristocratic Cornwallis entered the army at the age of 18 and served in the Seven Years' War in Europe. In 1762 he inherited his father's title as Earl Cornwallis. He had reached the rank of general by the time of the North American Rebellion, where he pursued Washington's rebel army into Pennsylvania in December of 1776.
Upon the defeat of the Rebellion, Cornwallis was appointed Lieutenant Viceroy under John Burgoyne in 1782. On the latter's death the next year, he became Acting Viceroy and was considered, but rejected, as a possible permanent successor in favor of the American-born John Dickinson.
During the Trans-Oceanic War, Cornwallis commanded the land forces brought to New Orleans by Horatio Nelson in 1797, and led the capture of that city on 1 October of that year. He then left North America for a major command in India. The city of Cornwallis, Georgia, S.C. is named in his honor.
In For All Nails Cornwallis appears as a character in the vignette Lady Albany. There the city of Cornwallis is located on the site of IOW Montgomery, AL, and is the capital of the Southern Confederation.