Charles MacCarthy (British Army officer) facts for kids

Sir Charles MacCarthy (born Charles Guérault; 15 February 1764 – 21 January 1824) was an Irish soldier. He had both French and Irish family roots. Later, he became a British military governor in parts of West Africa, including Sierra Leone.

His family had strong connections to France through the Irish Brigade. Charles followed his uncle into serving with French royal forces. He also served in the Dutch and British armies during his career.

In 1812, the British government appointed MacCarthy as military governor. He was in charge of former French territories like Senegal and Gorée. This happened after Napoleon was defeated in Russia. When the Napoleonic Wars ended, Britain returned these colonies to France in 1814. After that, MacCarthy became the governor of Sierra Leone. He was later killed by Ashanti forces in the battle of Nsamankow. His skull was taken as a war trophy.

Early Life and Family

Charles Guérault was born in 1764 in Cork, Ireland. His father, Jean Gabriel Guérault, was French and used to be a Crown prosecutor. His mother, Yvette Parra (MacCarthy), was Irish.

When Charles was young, he changed his name to MacCarthy. This was his mother's family name. His uncle, Thaddeus MacCarthy, who was a colonel in the French King's Life Guards, advised him to do this. It was safer for Charles not to be linked to his French father during the French Revolution.

In 1812, at age 48, MacCarthy married Antoinette Carpot, a French woman. This was the same year he became governor in Africa. They had one son, also named Charles. After Sir Charles MacCarthy died, his son was adopted by his uncle, the Comte de Mervé. The younger Charles MacCarthy later became a French citizen and inherited his uncle's title.

Military Career

At 21, in 1785, MacCarthy joined the Irish Brigade of the French army. He started as a sub-lieutenant. By 1791, he was a captain. He served with the royalist army in Germany.

He then volunteered for the army of the Dutch Republic from 1793 to 1794. He was wounded in the leg during a battle near Louvain in 1794.

Later, MacCarthy served in another French army unit. When the Irish Brigade was reorganized by the British in 1794, he joined the 6th Regiment. He served in the West Indies from 1796 to 1798. In 1798, while returning from Honduras, he was wounded fighting a French privateer (a private ship allowed to attack enemy ships). The Irish Brigade was later disbanded.

MacCarthy officially joined the British army on 17 October 1799. He commanded a company in the 11th West India Regiment. He then became a captain in the 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot in 1800. In 1804, he became a major in the New Brunswick Fencible Infantry. He stayed with them until 1811. At about 57 years old, he became a lieutenant-colonel in the Royal African Corps.

Governor in West Africa

In 1812, MacCarthy became Governor of Senegal and Gorée. Britain had taken control of these areas after Napoleon's defeat. When these lands were returned to France in 1814, MacCarthy was made Governor of Sierra Leone. This colony was set up by the British for freed slaves and Black Loyalists.

As governor, MacCarthy cared deeply about the colony. He encouraged building homes and schools for the settlers. He worked with William Wilberforce, a famous anti-slavery campaigner. MacCarthy also founded many settlements for freed slaves. He helped support and educate local children whose parents had been captured by slave traders. These children went to schools run by the Church Missionary Society.

Because of his work, he strongly pushed for the complete end of the slave trade. Even though Britain and the United States had banned the Atlantic slave trade, Portugal and Spain still allowed it. Their ships continued to operate in West African waters.

In 1818, MacCarthy signed a treaty with Mangé Demba. This agreement gave the Îles de Los (islands off the coast of Guinea) to the British. In return, the British paid an annual rent.

MacCarthy was knighted on 21 November 1820. On 19 July 1821, he was promoted to colonel. He also received the temporary rank of brigadier-general in West Africa.

The African Company of Merchants, which had failed to stop the slave trade, was shut down in 1821. Great Britain then took control of the Gold Coast as a crown colony. It was placed under the government of Sierra Leone, with MacCarthy as governor of both. MacCarthy Island in the Gambia was named after him.

Death at the Battle of Nsamankow

In late 1823, there were problems between the Fanti people and the Ashanti. MacCarthy declared war on the Ashanti king. After preparing the defenses of Cape Coast, he led an expedition. His force included about 80 men from the Royal African Colonial Corps. There were also 170 men from the Cape Coast Militia and 240 Fanti tribesmen.

On January 20, 1824, his force camped near the Pra River. They had not yet met up with other British groups. The next day, around 2 PM, they met a large Ashanti army of about 10,000 men. MacCarthy thought some Ashanti chiefs might switch sides. He ordered his band to play the British National Anthem loudly. But the Ashanti responded by beating war drums and moving closer.

Fighting began soon after. A 60-foot-wide stream separated the two sides. Both sides held their positions and fired muskets. However, the British forces had few supplies. The people carrying gunpowder and ammunition mostly ran away when they heard the fighting. Only a small amount of extra ammunition arrived.

Around 4 PM, the British ran out of ammunition. The Ashanti then crossed the river and quickly attacked the camp. Almost all the British force were killed. Only about 20 men managed to escape. MacCarthy, along with an ensign and his secretary, tried to retreat. He was shot and killed shortly after. The ensign was killed trying to protect MacCarthy's body. His secretary, J. T. Williams, was taken prisoner. Williams later said he survived because an Ashanti chief recognized him and spared his life. MacCarthy's skull, rimmed with gold, was later used as a drinking cup by the Ashanti rulers. Charles Turner became governor after MacCarthy.

See also

• British West Africa
• British Empire
• Scramble for Africa