Arthur Brooke (lieutenant-general)
Encyclopedia
Sir Arthur Brooke was an Anglo-Irish lieutenant-general.
Brooke was the third son of Francis Brooke of Colebrooke
, co. Fermanagh
, and the younger brother of Sir Henry Brooke, who, after representing Fermanagh for many years in the House of Commons, was created 'a baronet in 1822.
He entered the army as an ensign in the 44th regiment in 1792, at the very commencement of the Napoleonic war, and never left that regiment until the conclusion of the general peace in 1815. He was promoted lieutenant in 1793, and served with the 44th in Lord Moira’s division in Flanders
in 1794 and 1795. He was promoted captain in 1795, and served with Sir Ralph Abercromby’s army in the reduction of the West Indies, where his regiment remained till 1798. I-Ie was then ‘present through the Egyptian campaign of 1801, and purchased his majority in 1802. He purchased his lieutenant-colonelcy in 1804, and commanded the 44th in garrison in Malta
from 1804 to 1812. In 1813 he was promoted colonel, and accompanied Lord William Bentinck
to the east coast of Spain. Brooke, as senior colonel, at once took the command of the brigade to which his regiment was assigned, and distinguished himself in ‘every action ‘against Suchet, and particularly at the combat of Ordal. At the conclusion of the war with Napoleon,`Brooke was gazetted a O.B., and ordered to march his own and certain other regiments from Lord. William Bentinclds army 'across the south of France to Bordeaux, in order to embark at that port for an expedition against the United States of America. The whole force embarked consisted of three brigades, commanded by Colonels Brooke, Thornton, and Patterson, and the expedition was under the general command of Major-general Robert Ross. In the daring action at Bladensberg victory was secured by the flank movement of Brooke’s brigade, which consisted of the 4th regiment, commanded by his brother, Francis Brooke, and his own, the 44th. After burning the Capitol and public buildings of Wasliington, the expedition re-embarked at St. Benedict and sailed down to the mouth of the Patapaco, where it was arranged that the troops were to land and advance on Baltimore, while the ships’ boats were to force their way up the river to co-operate. In the first skirmish that took place after landin , and before the advance commenced, Generad Ross was killed. ‘By the fall of our gallant leader/ says the historian of the expedition, ‘the command now devolved on Colonel Brooke, of the 44th, an oihcer of decided personal courage but perhaps better calculated to lead a battalion than to guide an army ’ (Gimp, p. 95)- Brooke determined to carry out his predecessor’s plan, and though it was reported that Baltimore was defended by 20,000 soldiers pushed steadily on, and defeated a powerful orce of militia on 12 September Baltimore was then at his mercy; but on cnaingaatlw sailors could not come up to his ass1sta11C0 he quietly retired after bivouacking on the scene of his victory. The fleet was joined at sea by the 95th Golf- don Highlanders, and by Major-general John Keane
, who superseded Brooke: “MIK delivering to him a most eulogistic despaw from the commander-in-chief.
At the close of the war Brooke returned to England. He was promoted to major in 1819. He never again saw service, but was made colonel of the 86th regiment and gazetted a K.O.B. in 1883, and lieutenant-general in 1837. He died in 1843 at his residence, George Street.
Brooke was the third son of Francis Brooke of Colebrooke
Colebrooke
Colebrooke is a village in Devon, England about 8 km west of Crediton. The main point of interest is the church and the connection to Henry Kingsley's novel Recollections of Geoffrey Hamlyn. Also Uncle Tom Cobley, of the folk song, signed his will at Pascoe House,but is buried 4 miles west at...
, co. Fermanagh
County Fermanagh
Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....
, and the younger brother of Sir Henry Brooke, who, after representing Fermanagh for many years in the House of Commons, was created 'a baronet in 1822.
He entered the army as an ensign in the 44th regiment in 1792, at the very commencement of the Napoleonic war, and never left that regiment until the conclusion of the general peace in 1815. He was promoted lieutenant in 1793, and served with the 44th in Lord Moira’s division in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
in 1794 and 1795. He was promoted captain in 1795, and served with Sir Ralph Abercromby’s army in the reduction of the West Indies, where his regiment remained till 1798. I-Ie was then ‘present through the Egyptian campaign of 1801, and purchased his majority in 1802. He purchased his lieutenant-colonelcy in 1804, and commanded the 44th in garrison in Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
from 1804 to 1812. In 1813 he was promoted colonel, and accompanied Lord William Bentinck
Lord William Bentinck
Lieutenant-General Lord William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck GCB, GCH, PC , known as Lord William Bentinck, was a British soldier and statesman...
to the east coast of Spain. Brooke, as senior colonel, at once took the command of the brigade to which his regiment was assigned, and distinguished himself in ‘every action ‘against Suchet, and particularly at the combat of Ordal. At the conclusion of the war with Napoleon,`Brooke was gazetted a O.B., and ordered to march his own and certain other regiments from Lord. William Bentinclds army 'across the south of France to Bordeaux, in order to embark at that port for an expedition against the United States of America. The whole force embarked consisted of three brigades, commanded by Colonels Brooke, Thornton, and Patterson, and the expedition was under the general command of Major-general Robert Ross. In the daring action at Bladensberg victory was secured by the flank movement of Brooke’s brigade, which consisted of the 4th regiment, commanded by his brother, Francis Brooke, and his own, the 44th. After burning the Capitol and public buildings of Wasliington, the expedition re-embarked at St. Benedict and sailed down to the mouth of the Patapaco, where it was arranged that the troops were to land and advance on Baltimore, while the ships’ boats were to force their way up the river to co-operate. In the first skirmish that took place after landin , and before the advance commenced, Generad Ross was killed. ‘By the fall of our gallant leader/ says the historian of the expedition, ‘the command now devolved on Colonel Brooke, of the 44th, an oihcer of decided personal courage but perhaps better calculated to lead a battalion than to guide an army ’ (Gimp, p. 95)- Brooke determined to carry out his predecessor’s plan, and though it was reported that Baltimore was defended by 20,000 soldiers pushed steadily on, and defeated a powerful orce of militia on 12 September Baltimore was then at his mercy; but on cnaingaatlw sailors could not come up to his ass1sta11C0 he quietly retired after bivouacking on the scene of his victory. The fleet was joined at sea by the 95th Golf- don Highlanders, and by Major-general John Keane
John Keane
John Keane is the name of:* John Fryer Thomas Keane , British adventurer* John Joseph Keane , former archbishop of Dubuque, Iowa* John Keane , British artist...
, who superseded Brooke: “MIK delivering to him a most eulogistic despaw from the commander-in-chief.
At the close of the war Brooke returned to England. He was promoted to major in 1819. He never again saw service, but was made colonel of the 86th regiment and gazetted a K.O.B. in 1883, and lieutenant-general in 1837. He died in 1843 at his residence, George Street.