Hunt was tried as an accessory to murder; his counsel was Frederic Thesiger, a future lord chancellor (head of the English judiciary).
His father was a General, his grandfather the 1st Baron Chelmsford was twice Lord Chancellor of the United Kingdom, and his elder brother Frederic Thesiger had a distinguished career as colonial governor, became Viceroy of India and was created Viscount Chelmsford.
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However, it was rumoured that Durnford’s orders had been stolen from his body after the battle in order to absolve Lieutenant-General Frederic Thesiger, 2nd Baron Chelmsford, and other senior officers of incompetence.
Thesiger's uncle Sir Frederic Thesiger was naval Aide-de-Camp to Lord Nelson at the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801.
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During this period he enjoyed a very large practice at the bar, being instructed in many causes célèbres including the Swynfen will case and Cardinal Newman's criminal prosecution for his libel of Giacinto Achilli.
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He joined the home circuit, and soon got into good practice at the Surrey sessions, while he also made a fortunate purchase in buying the right to appear in the old palace court (see Lord Steward).
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His eldest son, Frederick, who succeeded in the title, earned distinction as a soldier.
In 1905, he suffered a seizure and died while playing billiards at the United Service Club.
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In May 1855, he left for the Crimean War, in which he served firstly with his battalion, then from July 1855 as aide-de-camp to the commander of the 2nd Division, Lieutenant-General Edwin Markham, and finally from November 1855 as deputy assistant quartermaster general on the staff at Headquarters, being promoted brevet Major.
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The diplomat Gilbert Thesiger, who served in Addis Ababa in 1916, was another son, and father of the author and explorer Wilfred Thesiger.
Subjected to scathing criticism in the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the Secretary of State, Edwin Montagu, and the Viceroy, Lord Chelmsford, rebuked him when he met them in Madras in 1918 to make a representation on the proposed political reforms.
Viscount Chelmsford, future Viceroy of India was an uncle, and the actor Ernest Thesiger was a cousin.
Conflict is brewing between the British authorities and the Zulus, and he is quickly enlisted to fight for the army under the command of Lord Chelmsford.