4 August 1744 – 3 September 1829) was an Irish-born soldier who had a long and distinguished career in the British Army[1] and as a colonial administrator.
After serving in the Seven Years' War, he was reduced to half pay from 1763 until he exchanged into 7th Foot (Royal Fusiliers) in 1768.
He went with the regiment to Canada in 1773, and took part in the American War of Independence, being taken prisoner at St. John's in 1775.
In 1778, he was appointed major and de facto commanding officer of an independent company raised in America.
In 1779, he was appointed deputy adjutant general to the army in South Carolina and was taken prisoner at the surrender of Yorktown in 1781, being paroled to England in 1782.