John Hely-Hutchinson, 2nd Earl of Donoughmore facts for kids
General John Hely-Hutchinson, 2nd Earl of Donoughmore (born May 15, 1757 – died June 29, 1832) was an important Anglo-Irish politician and soldier. He held noble titles and served his country in many ways.
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Early Life and Family
John Hely-Hutchinson was the son of John Hely-Hutchinson and Baroness Donoughmore. In 1801, he received the title of Baron Hutchinson. This meant he gained a seat in the House of Lords, which is part of the United Kingdom's Parliament. Later, he also inherited all the titles from his brother, Richard.
He went to school at famous places like Eton College, Magdalen College, Oxford, and Trinity College, Dublin. John Hely-Hutchinson never married and passed away on June 29, 1832.
Military Career and Achievements
John Hely-Hutchinson started his army career in 1774 as a cornet in the 18th Dragoons. A cornet was a junior officer rank. He quickly moved up, becoming a lieutenant the next year. By 1776, he was a captain, and in 1781, he became a major.
He continued to rise through the ranks. In 1783, he became a lieutenant-colonel. For the next 11 years, he studied military tactics in France. He also served as a volunteer in the Flanders campaigns in 1793, helping Sir Ralph Abercromby.
Service in Ireland and the Netherlands
In 1794, he was promoted to colonel. By May 1796, he was a major-general. He served in Ireland during the Irish Rebellion of 1798. He was second-in-command at the Battle of Castlebar under General Lake. In 1799, he was part of an army trip to the Netherlands.
Leading the Egypt Expedition
Hely-Hutchinson was second-in-command for the 1801 expedition to Egypt. This mission was led by General Abercromby. After Abercromby was hurt and passed away in March, Hely-Hutchinson took charge of the army.
He successfully led his troops to surround the French army first in Cairo. The French soldiers in Cairo gave up in June. Then, he surrounded and captured Alexandria. This led to more than 22,000 French soldiers surrendering. Because of his great success, the Ottoman Sultan Selim III honored him with a special award, making him a Knight of the Order of the Crescent.
For his "excellent services" in Egypt, the United Kingdom Parliament decided to give Lord Hutchinson a yearly payment of £2,000. This payment was meant for him and the next two people who would inherit his title.
Later Military Roles
He was promoted to lieutenant-general in September 1803. He also became the Governor of Stirling Castle. In March 1802, he was made the Colonel in Chief of the 74th (Highland) Regiment of Foot.
In June 1813, he became a full general, the highest rank. He was also the Colonel in Chief of the 57th (West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot from 1806. In 1811, he moved to be the Colonel in Chief of the 18th Regiment of Foot. He held this important position until he died in 1832. He also remained the Governor of Stirling Castle from 1806 until his death.
Political Career
Besides his military work, Hely-Hutchinson was also a politician. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP). An MP is a person elected to represent an area and help make laws.
He represented different areas in the Irish House of Commons. He was an MP for Lanesborough from 1776 to 1783. Then he represented Taghmon from 1789 to 1790. After that, he represented Cork City until 1801.
After the Act of Union in 1801, Ireland and Great Britain joined. He then became an MP for Cork City in the new Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1802.
