John Le Couteur (general) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Le Couteur
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|---|---|
| Born | 26 August 1760 Jersey |
| Died | 23 April 1835 (aged 74) Jersey |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 British Army |
| Battles/wars | Second Anglo-Mysore War, Napoleonic Wars |
John Le Couteur (1760–1835) was a British military officer and leader. He was born on the island of Jersey. He later became a Lieutenant-General in the British Army. John Le Couteur was also the father of another famous soldier, John Le Couteur (1794–1875).
Contents
Early Life and Adventures in India
John Le Couteur came from an important family in Jersey. His parents were John Le Couteur and Marie Bertault. He went to school at the Royal Grammar School, Guildford.
In 1780, he bought a junior officer position, called an ensigncy, in the 95th Foot regiment. He fought in the Battle of Jersey in January 1781. Later that year, he became a lieutenant in the 100th Foot regiment. He then traveled to India with his regiment.
While in India, he was part of battles against Hyder Ali during the Second Anglo-Mysore War. He worked closely with Colonel Thomas Humberston and General Matthews. In April 1783, he was captured by Tipu Sultan during the Siege of Bednore. He was held prisoner for almost a year. He was finally released in March 1784 after the Treaty of Mangalore was signed. Le Couteur wrote a book about his time in India called Letters, Chiefly from India (1790).
Returning Home to Jersey
After his time in India, Le Couteur became a captain in 1785. His regiment was then disbanded, and he was placed on "half-pay." This meant he received half his salary because he was not actively serving.
Le Couteur went back to Jersey and joined the Jersey militia in 1787. In 1793, he married Marie Dumaresq, and they had two sons. He returned to full military duty with the 11th Foot regiment in 1793. He became known for making important changes to the Jersey militia. From 1793 to 1795, he secretly helped the British government connect with French royalists through Jersey.
In 1797, he was promoted to major in the 16th Foot regiment. He stayed in Jersey and became an inspecting-officer for the militia. He also helped manage Russian troops who were held on the island in 1799–1800. He remained an inspector for twelve years. In 1811, Le Couteur became a major-general. He served in Ireland and then in Jamaica, where he led a group of soldiers for two and a half years.
Leading in Curaçao
In 1813, Le Couteur was made lieutenant-governor of Curaçao and its nearby islands. He found the people there were starving. Curaçao was an important trading center in the Caribbean. However, the War of 1812 made it hard for food to arrive from Britain. Also, old rules stopped foreign grain from being imported.
To prevent a famine, Le Couteur ignored these rules and allowed food to be brought in. When the island was returned to the Dutch in 1815, the people of Curaçao thanked Le Couteur for his great help. He was even offered a chance to lead a regiment, but he politely refused. He felt that other officers who had fought in the Peninsular War should get those honors first.
Later Life and Family
After his military career, John Le Couteur retired to his home called Belle Vue in Saint Aubin, Jersey. He became a lieutenant-general in 1821. He passed away on April 23, 1835, at the age of 74. He was buried at St Brelade's churchyard.
His son, Colonel John Le Couteur, also became a well-known soldier. His son's memories of serving in the War of 1812 were published as a book called Merry Hearts Make Light Days. The younger John Le Couteur was also interested in farming science. He became a member of the Royal Society in 1843. He also served as an aide-de-camp (a personal assistant) to King William IV and later to Queen Victoria.
