Francis de Rottenburg
Encyclopedia
Major-General Francis de Rottenburg, baron de Rottenburg (1757–1832) was raised in what is now Gdańsk
in Poland
to a Swiss family and became a British
military officer and colonial administrator. He spent almost a decade in the French army which came to an end with the French Revolution
. In 1795, de Rottenburg joined the British army
serving in Hompesch’s Hussars, a unit of foreign-born troops. He rose to the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the 5th Battalion of the 60th Regiment of Foot
, the first rifle-armed unit of the British Army, commanding the unit during the Irish Rebellion of 1798
and the capture of Suriname
in 1799.
De Rottenburg was sent to British North America
prior to the War of 1812
and became a major-general in command of the Montreal
district.
He became the military administrator of Upper Canada
in 1813. George Prevost
, governor-in-chief of British North America and commander of British forces, appointed de Rottenburg after removing his predecessor, Roger Hale Sheaffe
due to complaints from the establishment in the province. De Rottenburg proved to be a poor military commander due to his excessive caution in regard to using troops. His unwillingness to take risks resulted in Lake Erie
being captured by the Americans.
De Rottenburg imposed martial law
in the Eastern
and Johnstown districts to force farmers to sell supplies to the army.
The arrival of Gordon Drummond
allowed de Rottenburg to be moved to Lower Canada
where he commanded forces south of the St. Lawrence River at Montreal
.
In September 1814, when British forces invaded the United States
de Rottenburg was put in command of three brigades (led by Manley Power
, Thomas Brisbane
, and Frederick Philipse Robinson
) in the Lake Champlain
campaign and the Battle of Plattsburgh
. He and George Prevost
were criticized by his 3 brigade leaders (all of whom were brigade leaders during the Peninsular War
where they had seen much action) for their lack of fortitude at that battle.http://www.galafilm.com/1812/e/people/brisbane.html After briefly serving as acting administrator of Lower Canada he was recalled to Britain and left Quebec
in July 1815. He apparently resided in England until his death, and accumulated various rewards: knight commander of the Royal Hanoverian Order in 1817, knight bachelor on 12 Feb. 1818, and lieutenant-general on 12 Aug. 1819.
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
to a Swiss family and became a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
military officer and colonial administrator. He spent almost a decade in the French army which came to an end with the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
. In 1795, de Rottenburg joined the British army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
serving in Hompesch’s Hussars, a unit of foreign-born troops. He rose to the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the 5th Battalion of the 60th Regiment of Foot
King's Royal Rifle Corps
The King's Royal Rifle Corps was a British Army infantry regiment, originally raised in colonial North America as the Royal Americans, and recruited from American colonists. Later ranked as the 60th Regiment of Foot, the regiment served for more than 200 years throughout the British Empire...
, the first rifle-armed unit of the British Army, commanding the unit during the Irish Rebellion of 1798
Irish Rebellion of 1798
The Irish Rebellion of 1798 , also known as the United Irishmen Rebellion , was an uprising in 1798, lasting several months, against British rule in Ireland...
and the capture of Suriname
Suriname
Suriname , officially the Republic of Suriname , is a country in northern South America. It borders French Guiana to the east, Guyana to the west, Brazil to the south, and on the north by the Atlantic Ocean. Suriname was a former colony of the British and of the Dutch, and was previously known as...
in 1799.
De Rottenburg was sent to British North America
British North America
British North America is a historical term. It consisted of the colonies and territories of the British Empire in continental North America after the end of the American Revolutionary War and the recognition of American independence in 1783.At the start of the Revolutionary War in 1775 the British...
prior to the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
and became a major-general in command of the Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
district.
He became the military administrator of Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
in 1813. George Prevost
George Prevost
Sir George Prévost, 1st Baronet was a British soldier and colonial administrator. Born in Hackensack, New Jersey, the eldest son of Swiss French Augustine Prévost, he joined the British Army as a youth and became a captain in 1784. Prévost served in the West Indies during the French Revolutionary...
, governor-in-chief of British North America and commander of British forces, appointed de Rottenburg after removing his predecessor, Roger Hale Sheaffe
Roger Hale Sheaffe
General Sir Roger Hale Sheaffe, 1st Baronet was an American-born General in the British Army in the first part of the 19th century.-Early career:...
due to complaints from the establishment in the province. De Rottenburg proved to be a poor military commander due to his excessive caution in regard to using troops. His unwillingness to take risks resulted in Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
being captured by the Americans.
De Rottenburg imposed martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
in the Eastern
Eastern District, Upper Canada
Eastern District was one of four districts of the Province of Quebec created in 1788 in the western reaches of the Montreal District and partitioned in 1791 to create the new colony of Upper Canada. Known as Lunenburg District until 1792, it was abolished in 1849...
and Johnstown districts to force farmers to sell supplies to the army.
The arrival of Gordon Drummond
Gordon Drummond
Sir Gordon Drummond, GCB was the first Canadian-born officer to command the military and the civil government of Canada...
allowed de Rottenburg to be moved to Lower Canada
Lower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
where he commanded forces south of the St. Lawrence River at Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
.
In September 1814, when British forces invaded the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
de Rottenburg was put in command of three brigades (led by Manley Power
Manley Power
Lieutenant General Sir Manley Power, KCB, ComTE was a British military leader who fought in a number of campaigns for Britain and rose to the rank of Lieutenant General. He is chiefly remembered for leading a brigade of Portuguese troops under The Duke of Wellington in the Iberian Peninsular War...
, Thomas Brisbane
Thomas Brisbane
Major-General Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane, 1st Baronet GCH, GCB, FRS, FRSE was a British soldier, colonial Governor and astronomer.-Early life:...
, and Frederick Philipse Robinson
Frederick Philipse Robinson
Sir Frederick Philipse Robinson, GCB was a Virginian soldier, born in the Highlands, near New York, in September, 1763, who fought for Britain during the American War of Independence....
) in the Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain is a natural, freshwater lake in North America, located mainly within the borders of the United States but partially situated across the Canada—United States border in the Canadian province of Quebec.The New York portion of the Champlain Valley includes the eastern portions of...
campaign and the Battle of Plattsburgh
Battle of Plattsburgh
The Battle of Plattsburgh, also known as the Battle of Lake Champlain, ended the final invasion of the northern states during the War of 1812...
. He and George Prevost
George Prevost
Sir George Prévost, 1st Baronet was a British soldier and colonial administrator. Born in Hackensack, New Jersey, the eldest son of Swiss French Augustine Prévost, he joined the British Army as a youth and became a captain in 1784. Prévost served in the West Indies during the French Revolutionary...
were criticized by his 3 brigade leaders (all of whom were brigade leaders during the Peninsular War
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
where they had seen much action) for their lack of fortitude at that battle.http://www.galafilm.com/1812/e/people/brisbane.html After briefly serving as acting administrator of Lower Canada he was recalled to Britain and left Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
in July 1815. He apparently resided in England until his death, and accumulated various rewards: knight commander of the Royal Hanoverian Order in 1817, knight bachelor on 12 Feb. 1818, and lieutenant-general on 12 Aug. 1819.