Thomas Plunket facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thomas Plunkett
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| Born | 1785 Newtown, Wexford, Ireland |
| Died | 1839 (aged 53–54) Colchester, England |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 British Army |
| Years of service | 1805-1817, |
| Rank | Corporal |
| Unit | 95th Rifles 41st (Welch) Regiment of Foot |
| Battles/wars | Anglo-Spanish War (1796–1808) |
Thomas Plunket was an amazing Irish soldier. He lived from 1785 to 1839. He was part of the British Army's 95th Rifles regiment. Thomas fought in important wars like the Peninsular War and the Waterloo Campaign in 1815. He is famous for two incredible long-range rifle shots. During the Peninsular War, he shot a French general from far away. Then, he shot the general's assistant who came to help.
Contents
Thomas Plunket's Early Army Life
Thomas Plunket was born in 1785 in Newtown, a town in Wexford, Ireland. He joined the 95th Rifles in May 1805. In 1807, he took part in the British invasions of the River Plate. This was a series of battles in South America.
Fighting in Buenos Aires
During the second battle in Buenos Aires, Plunket's unit, the 95th Rifles, fought hard in the streets. Plunket and others shot at Spanish soldiers from a rooftop. He was a skilled marksman. They had to leave when Spanish cannons fired grapeshot at their spot. Plunket also shot a Spanish officer. This officer was waving a white flag, perhaps trying to stop the fighting. More cannon fire followed, and the British soldiers had to surrender.
Plunket's Famous Shots
Thomas Plunket is best known for something amazing he did in 1809. This happened at the Battle of Cacabelos. It was during a British retreat led by General Moore to Corunna.
The Incredible Long-Range Shot
Plunket ran forward about 90 meters (about 98 yards). He lay down in the snow. Then, he used his Baker rifle to shoot the French General Auguste-Marie-François Colbert. This shot was from a very long distance.
A Second Amazing Shot
Before going back to his own lines, Plunket reloaded his rifle. He then shot down General Colbert's assistant, Latour-Maubourg. The assistant had rushed to help the fallen general. This second shot proved that Plunket's first shot was not just luck. Plunket barely made it back to his unit. A group of French cavalry soldiers almost caught him. But the deaths of the two French officers caused confusion. It stopped the French attack that was about to happen.
Why Plunket's Shots Were Special
The soldiers of the 95th Rifles were amazed by Plunket's shots. They were trained to hit targets with a Baker Rifle from 180 meters (about 197 yards). Their shooting skills were much better than regular British soldiers. Most soldiers used a Brown Bess musket. They were only trained to shoot into groups of men from 50 meters (about 55 yards).
Thomas Plunket's Later Life
In 1817, Plunket left the 95th Rifles. He had been hurt in the head at the Battle of Waterloo. He received a small pension of six pence a day. Soon after, he joined the army again in a different regiment, the 41st Foot.
A Chance Meeting and Promotion
His old commanding officer, General Sir Thomas Sydney Beckwith, was inspecting the regiment. The general recognized Plunket. He asked what had happened to him. Plunket was invited to eat with the officers that night. The next day, he was promoted to corporal. General Beckwith also helped him get a higher pension of one shilling a day.
Life After the Army
Later, Plunket gave up his pension. In exchange, he received four years' pay and some land in Canada. But he came back to England after only a year. He felt the land was not good for him.
Plunket and his wife returned to the United Kingdom. They had very little money. They made a small living by traveling and trading goods. Thomas Plunket died suddenly in Colchester in 1839. Some retired officers in the town heard about his death. They recognized his name. They collected money for his wife and paid for his funeral and gravestone.
