John Doyle (British Army officer)
Encyclopedia
General Sir John Doyle, Bt
, GCB, KCH (17568 August 1834) was an officer in the British Army
, which he joined in March 1771. He served with distinction in the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary Wars
.
He was elected MP
for Mullingar
in the Irish House of Commons
in 1783, and went on to serve as Secretary of War in Irish politics.
Doyle raised his own regiment, the 87th (Royal Irish Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot
, for the French Revolutionary Wars
in 1793 and served in Holland, Gibraltar
and Egypt
.
His efforts were greatly appreciated by King George III
, who took the trouble to write to the Earl Marshall, "... so that his [Doyle's] zeal and exertions in our service may be known to posterity".
The latter part of his career included his appointment as Private Secretary
to George IV
the Prince of Wales
. He was also appointed Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey
in 1803 where he served until 1813. He was also active in Guernsey as Deputy Grand Master of the Freemasons.
He was appointed Knight Bachelor
in 1813 and General
in 1819. On 29 October 1825 he was created a baronet
, but the baronetcy became extinct upon his death.
who, in 1812, took her daughters to stay with him and his family in Guernsey having walked out on her husband in Limerick
.
. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant
in 1773.
. He was involved in the Battle of Long Island
, where he recovered the body of his commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel James Grant, under enemy fire. He then fought at the Battle of Harlem Heights
, Battle of Springfield
, Battle of Brandywine
, and Battle of Germantown
(where he was wounded).
His wound changed the course of his American campaign because he was appointed to assist Lord Rawdon (Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings
) to raise the Volunteers of Ireland
regiments (aka 2nd American Regiment and the 105th Regiment of Foot), and wherein he was promoted to Captain. This unit then fought at the Battle of Monmouth Courthouse in 1778, and the Siege of Charleston
in 1780.
After the war Doyle returned to Ireland, entered politics in 1783 and was elected MP
.
, to fight in the French Revolutionary Wars
; they were also known as The Prince of Wales Irish Heroes.
As Lieutenant-Colonel he led the unit under the Duke of York in the Flanders Campaign
1793-1795. He served at the Siege of Valenciennes
13 June-28 July 1793 and distinguished himself at Alost during Moira
’s retreat 1794. Appointrd Colonel of the 87th Foot on 3 May 1796, he was Irish Secretary at War from 1796 to 1799. Appointed a Brigadier-General commanding the 4th brigade, he served under Abercromby
& Hutchinson
in Egypt in 1801, and saw action at Manresa, Alexandria
, Marabout, and Ramanieh 9 May.
On 17 May 1801, in the Libyan Desert
he led his Brigade
of the 12th Light Dragoons to capture the French Dromedary Corps. He distinguished himself during the operations leading to promotion to Major-General on 29 April 1802.
1803-1816, during which time he oversaw the construction of roads and organised the defence of the Channel Islands. He was made a Baronet in 1805, Lieutenant-General on 24th Apr 1808, a Knight of the Bath in 1812 and Full General in 1819.
Doyle returned to Ireland on half pay, so that he could be recalled to the army. He was a founding member of the Irish Whig Club and was an early advocate for the emancipation of Catholics. In 1783 he was elected MP
for Mullingar
in the Irish House of Commons
and progressed to serve as Secretary of War in Irish politics.
Doyle was appointed as Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey
from 1803 to 1813.
Doyle was appointed Private Secretary
to George IV
the Prince of Wales
wrote to the Earl Marshall, Charles Howard, 11th Duke of Norfolk
: ... so that his (Doyle’s) zeal and exertions in our service may be known to posterity.
Doyle was 'Deputy Grand Master' of the 'Orange Lodge 116' of the Freemasons. In 1806 he was presented with the 'Doyle Cup' which has been the property of the Masonic Library and Museum since 1938. The cup shows Doyle’s freemasonry and military career in the French Revolutionary Wars. The lid bears the arms of the Masonic Ancients Grand Lodge and a Royal Crown. The spout bears the Prince of Wales's feathers
– signifying that Doyle was Colonel
of the Prince of Wales Royal Irish Regiment, that the had been initiated in Prince of Wales Lodge and the Prince of Wales was Grand Master of the Premier Grand Lodge
of which he was also a member.
A second Masonic cup follows the general design of the first, but shows scenes from the American War of Independence. It was presented by the Mariners Lodge and remains in Guernsey.
General Sir John Doyle is commemorated by the 'Doyle Memorial' at Jerbourg point, Guernsey; Doyle Road, Guernsey; 'Fort Doyle', Guernsey; Doyle Street; Doyle Lane; Doyle Close; The Doyle - (previously the site of Doyle Barracks).
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
, GCB, KCH (17568 August 1834) was an officer in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, which he joined in March 1771. He served with distinction in the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary Wars
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
.
He was elected MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Mullingar
Mullingar
Mullingar is the county town of County Westmeath in Ireland. The Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act of 1542, proclaimed Westmeath a county, separating it from Meath. Mullingar became the administrative centre for County Westmeath...
in the Irish House of Commons
Irish House of Commons
The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland, that existed from 1297 until 1800. The upper house was the House of Lords...
in 1783, and went on to serve as Secretary of War in Irish politics.
Doyle raised his own regiment, the 87th (Royal Irish Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot
87th (Royal Irish Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot
The 87th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1793 and amalgamated into the Princess Victoria's in 1881....
, for the French Revolutionary Wars
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
in 1793 and served in Holland, Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
and Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
His efforts were greatly appreciated by King George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
, who took the trouble to write to the Earl Marshall, "... so that his [Doyle's] zeal and exertions in our service may be known to posterity".
The latter part of his career included his appointment as Private Secretary
Private Secretary
In the United Kingdom government, a Private Secretary is a civil servant in a Department or Ministry, responsible to the Secretary of State or Minister...
to George IV
George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
the Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
. He was also appointed Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey
Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey
The Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey is the representative of the British monarch in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a Crown dependency of the British Crown. The role of the Lieutenant Governor is to act as the de facto head of state in Guernsey and as liaison between the governments of Guernsey and the...
in 1803 where he served until 1813. He was also active in Guernsey as Deputy Grand Master of the Freemasons.
He was appointed Knight Bachelor
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in 1813 and General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
in 1819. On 29 October 1825 he was created a baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
, but the baronetcy became extinct upon his death.
Personal life
John Doyle was born in Dublin in 1756, the fourth son of Charles and Elizabeth Doyle. He entered Trinity College Dublin in July of 1768 to study law, but when his father died in March 1771 he joined the army in March 1771. Doyle was the uncle of women's political rights campaigner Anna Doyle WheelerAnna Doyle Wheeler
Anna Doyle Wheeler was a writer and advocate of political rights for women and the benefits of contraception. She married Francis Massey Wheeler when she was aged 15 and they separated 12 years later...
who, in 1812, took her daughters to stay with him and his family in Guernsey having walked out on her husband in Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
.
Military career
Doyle started his military career in March 1771 when he joined the 48th (Northamptonshire) Regiment of Foot48th (Northamptonshire) Regiment of Foot
-History:The regiment was first raised in 1741 as James Cholmondeley's Regiment of Foot in Norwich, England during the War of Austrian Succession. The regiment first saw action at the Battles of Falkirk and Culloden in 1745-1746, campaigning against the Young Pretender. In 1748, it was renumbered...
. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in 1773.
American War of Independence
Doyle served with distinction in the American War of Independence (1775–1783) with the 40th (2nd Somersetshire) Regiment of Foot40th (2nd Somersetshire) Regiment of Foot
The 40th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1717 and amalgamated into The Prince of Wales's Volunteers in 1881.-Formation:...
. He was involved in the Battle of Long Island
Battle of Long Island
The Battle of Long Island, also known as the Battle of Brooklyn or the Battle of Brooklyn Heights, fought on August 27, 1776, was the first major battle in the American Revolutionary War following the United States Declaration of Independence, the largest battle of the entire conflict, and the...
, where he recovered the body of his commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel James Grant, under enemy fire. He then fought at the Battle of Harlem Heights
Battle of Harlem Heights
The Battle of Harlem Heights was fought during the New York and New Jersey campaign of the American Revolutionary War. The action took place in what is now the Morningside Heights and west Harlem neighborhoods of Manhattan in New York City on September 16, 1776....
, Battle of Springfield
Battle of Springfield (1780)
The Battle of Springfield was fought during the American Revolutionary War on June 23, 1780. After the Battle of Connecticut Farms, on June 7, 1780, had foiled Lieutenant General Wilhelm, Baron von Knyphausen’s expedition to attack General George Washington’s army at Morristown, New Jersey,...
, Battle of Brandywine
Battle of Brandywine
The Battle of Brandywine, also known as the Battle of the Brandywine or the Battle of Brandywine Creek, was fought between the American army of Major General George Washington and the British-Hessian army of General Sir William Howe on September 11, 1777. The British defeated the Americans and...
, and Battle of Germantown
Battle of Germantown
The Battle of Germantown, a battle in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War, was fought on October 4, 1777, at Germantown, Pennsylvania between the British army led by Sir William Howe and the American army under George Washington...
(where he was wounded).
His wound changed the course of his American campaign because he was appointed to assist Lord Rawdon (Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings
Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings
Francis Edward Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings KG PC , styled The Honourable Francis Rawdon from birth until 1762 and as The Lord Rawdon between 1762 and 1783 and known as The Earl of Moira between 1793 and 1816, was an Irish-British politician and military officer who served as...
) to raise the Volunteers of Ireland
Volunteers of Ireland
The Volunteers of Ireland was a British provincial military unit during the American Revolutionary War which was added to the British regular army....
regiments (aka 2nd American Regiment and the 105th Regiment of Foot), and wherein he was promoted to Captain. This unit then fought at the Battle of Monmouth Courthouse in 1778, and the Siege of Charleston
Siege of Charleston
The Siege of Charleston was one of the major battles which took place towards the end of the American Revolutionary War, after the British began to shift their strategic focus towards the American Southern Colonies. After about six weeks of siege, Continental Army Major General Benjamin Lincoln...
in 1780.
After the war Doyle returned to Ireland, entered politics in 1783 and was elected MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
.
French Revolutionary Wars
In September 1793 Doyle raised his own regiment, the 87th (Royal Irish Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot87th (Royal Irish Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot
The 87th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1793 and amalgamated into the Princess Victoria's in 1881....
, to fight in the French Revolutionary Wars
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
; they were also known as The Prince of Wales Irish Heroes.
As Lieutenant-Colonel he led the unit under the Duke of York in the Flanders Campaign
Flanders Campaign
This feature refers to the conflict that took place during the Wars of the French Revolution 1792–1801.For the Low Countries campaigns of the War of the Grand Alliance 1688–97 see Nine Years' War...
1793-1795. He served at the Siege of Valenciennes
Siege of Valenciennes
The Siege of Valenciennes, also known as the Siege of Utrecht, took place from November 1676 to March 1677, during the Franco-Dutch War. A French army besieged the city of Valenciennes, which was then a part of the Spanish Netherlands and defended by a small army of the Holy Roman Empire. The city...
13 June-28 July 1793 and distinguished himself at Alost during Moira
Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings
Francis Edward Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings KG PC , styled The Honourable Francis Rawdon from birth until 1762 and as The Lord Rawdon between 1762 and 1783 and known as The Earl of Moira between 1793 and 1816, was an Irish-British politician and military officer who served as...
’s retreat 1794. Appointrd Colonel of the 87th Foot on 3 May 1796, he was Irish Secretary at War from 1796 to 1799. Appointed a Brigadier-General commanding the 4th brigade, he served under Abercromby
Ralph Abercromby
Sir Ralph Abercromby was a Scottish soldier and politician. He rose to the rank of lieutenant-general in the British Army, was noted for his services during the Napoleonic Wars, and served as Commander-in-Chief, Ireland.He twice served as MP for Clackmannanshire and Kinross-shire, and was...
& Hutchinson
John Hely-Hutchinson, 2nd Earl of Donoughmore
General John Hely-Hutchinson, 2nd Earl of Donoughmore GCB was an Anglo-Irish politician, hereditary peer and soldier.-Background:He was the son of John Hely-Hutchinson and the Baroness Donoughmore...
in Egypt in 1801, and saw action at Manresa, Alexandria
Battle of Alexandria
The Battle of Alexandria or Battle of Canope, fought on March 21, 1801 between the French army under General Menou and the British expeditionary corps under Sir Ralph Abercrombie, took place near the ruins of Nicopolis, on the narrow spit of land between the sea and Lake Abukir, along which the...
, Marabout, and Ramanieh 9 May.
On 17 May 1801, in the Libyan Desert
Libyan Desert
The Libyan Desert covers an area of approximately 1,100,000 km2, it extends approximately 1100 km from east to west, and 1,000 km from north to south, in about the shape of a rectangle...
he led his Brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
of the 12th Light Dragoons to capture the French Dromedary Corps. He distinguished himself during the operations leading to promotion to Major-General on 29 April 1802.
Napoleonic Wars
He was Lieutenant Governor of GuernseyLieutenant Governor of Guernsey
The Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey is the representative of the British monarch in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a Crown dependency of the British Crown. The role of the Lieutenant Governor is to act as the de facto head of state in Guernsey and as liaison between the governments of Guernsey and the...
1803-1816, during which time he oversaw the construction of roads and organised the defence of the Channel Islands. He was made a Baronet in 1805, Lieutenant-General on 24th Apr 1808, a Knight of the Bath in 1812 and Full General in 1819.
Public administration and diplomacy
After the American Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
Doyle returned to Ireland on half pay, so that he could be recalled to the army. He was a founding member of the Irish Whig Club and was an early advocate for the emancipation of Catholics. In 1783 he was elected MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Mullingar
Mullingar
Mullingar is the county town of County Westmeath in Ireland. The Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act of 1542, proclaimed Westmeath a county, separating it from Meath. Mullingar became the administrative centre for County Westmeath...
in the Irish House of Commons
Irish House of Commons
The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland, that existed from 1297 until 1800. The upper house was the House of Lords...
and progressed to serve as Secretary of War in Irish politics.
Doyle was appointed as Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey
Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey
The Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey is the representative of the British monarch in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a Crown dependency of the British Crown. The role of the Lieutenant Governor is to act as the de facto head of state in Guernsey and as liaison between the governments of Guernsey and the...
from 1803 to 1813.
Doyle was appointed Private Secretary
Private Secretary
In the United Kingdom government, a Private Secretary is a civil servant in a Department or Ministry, responsible to the Secretary of State or Minister...
to George IV
George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
the Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
Death and commemoration
King George IIIGeorge III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
wrote to the Earl Marshall, Charles Howard, 11th Duke of Norfolk
Charles Howard, 11th Duke of Norfolk
Charles Howard, 11th Duke of Norfolk , styled Earl of Surrey from 1777 to 1786, was a British peer, the son of Charles Howard, 10th Duke of Norfolk and Catherine Brockholes....
: ... so that his (Doyle’s) zeal and exertions in our service may be known to posterity.
Doyle was 'Deputy Grand Master' of the 'Orange Lodge 116' of the Freemasons. In 1806 he was presented with the 'Doyle Cup' which has been the property of the Masonic Library and Museum since 1938. The cup shows Doyle’s freemasonry and military career in the French Revolutionary Wars. The lid bears the arms of the Masonic Ancients Grand Lodge and a Royal Crown. The spout bears the Prince of Wales's feathers
Prince of Wales's feathers
The Prince of Wales's feathers is the heraldic badge of the Heir Apparent to the British and Commonwealth Realms thrones. It consists of three white feathers emerging from a gold coronet. A ribbon below the coronet bears the motto Ich dien...
– signifying that Doyle was Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
of the Prince of Wales Royal Irish Regiment, that the had been initiated in Prince of Wales Lodge and the Prince of Wales was Grand Master of the Premier Grand Lodge
United Grand Lodge of England
The United Grand Lodge of England is the main governing body of freemasonry within England and Wales and in other, predominantly ex-British Empire and Commonwealth countries outside the United Kingdom. It is the oldest Grand Lodge in the world, deriving its origin from 1717...
of which he was also a member.
A second Masonic cup follows the general design of the first, but shows scenes from the American War of Independence. It was presented by the Mariners Lodge and remains in Guernsey.
General Sir John Doyle is commemorated by the 'Doyle Memorial' at Jerbourg point, Guernsey; Doyle Road, Guernsey; 'Fort Doyle', Guernsey; Doyle Street; Doyle Lane; Doyle Close; The Doyle - (previously the site of Doyle Barracks).