William Corbet facts for kids

William Corbet (born August 17, 1779 – died August 12, 1842) was an Irish soldier who served in the French army. In 1798, he joined a French mission to Ireland that did not succeed. This mission aimed to support an Irish uprising. After being held in prison for two years, he escaped from Ireland. He then joined Napoleon's army and became a colonel. Later, in 1831, he took part in a French trip to Greece. He returned to France in 1837 and retired as a Major-General.

Early Life and the 1798 Rebellion

William Corbet was born in Ballythomas, County Cork, Ireland. His family was a Protestant family with roots in both Ireland and England. In 1798, he was part of a group called the United Irishmen. Because of his activities against the government, he was expelled from Trinity College Dublin. Other students, like Robert Emmet, were also expelled. After this, Corbet went to Paris, France.

In September 1798, he joined a French military group led by Napper Tandy. Corbet was a Captain. They sailed from Dunkirk with weapons and supplies for Ireland. However, the French forces in Ireland, led by General Humbert, had already been defeated. So, Corbet's expedition had to turn back. They arrived in Hamburg, where British officials captured them. Corbet and his group were taken to Ireland and held in Kilmainham Jail.

Serving Under Napoleon

Corbet managed to escape from prison in 1803 and went back to France. He became a professor of English at the military school of St Cyr. Later that year, he joined the Irish Legion as a captain. His brother, Thomas, who was also in the Legion, died in a duel. After this, William Corbet was moved to the 70th Regiment.

He served in Portugal with General Massena's army. Corbet showed great bravery during the retreat from Torres Vedras and at the Battle of Sabugal. After the Battle of Salamanca, he was promoted to lead a battalion (a group of soldiers) in the 47th regiment. He served there until 1813. Then, he was called to Germany to join Marshal Marmont's staff.

Corbet fought in many important battles, including Lutzen, Bautzen, and Dresden. He was given a high honor called the Legion of Honour. In December 1814, he officially became a French citizen. In 1815, after Napoleon stepped down from power, Corbet was promoted to colonel. He became the chief of staff for General d'Aumont in Caen.

Expedition to Greece

After Napoleon, the old kings returned to power in France. During this time, Corbet was friends with General Foy, who was an opposition leader. This made some people suspicious of Corbet. However, in 1828, Marshal Maison chose him for a mission to Greece. They went to fight against Ibrahim Pasha.

In Greece, Corbet served as a governor in places like Navarino, Messinia, and Nafplio. He also helped protect Argos from an attack by Theodoros Kolokotronis. Kolokotronis was working for Russia and Count Capo d'Istria at the time. Corbet defeated Kolokotronis's forces.

Later Years

In 1837, William Corbet returned to France. He was now a Major-General and commanded the region of Calvados. He died in Saint-Denis in 1842.

The Irish writer Maria Edgeworth wrote a novel called Ormond. The main idea for her novel came from Corbet's escape from Kilmainham prison in 1803.