John Huske
Encyclopedia
John Huske was a British Army
general known for his leadership at the Battle of Falkirk
and the Battle of Culloden
during the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745. From 1749 he was governor of Jersey.
. At that time and afterwards he was aide-de-camp to William Cadogan, 1st Earl Cadogan
. In two letters written by Cadogan, at the Hague, in a feigned name, promising high reward for disclosure of Jacobite plots, confidence is invited in the writer's aide-de-camp, Colonel John Huske, who, in the letter of 1 November 1716, is deputed to meet the recipient (E. Burke) privately at Cambray. The treasury records note a payment of £100 to Huske for a journey to Paris on particular service, and disbursements by him for the subsistence of three Dutch and two Swiss battalions in the pay of Holland, which were taken into the British service on the alarms of an invasion from Spain in April 1719. Huske concerted measures with Whitworth, British plenipotentiary at the Hague, for collecting these troops at Williamstadt and bringing them into the River Thames
.
He was appointed lieutenant-governor of Hurst Castle
8 July 1721; became second major of the Coldstreamers, 30 October 1734; first major, 5 July 1739; and colonel 32nd foot, 25 December 1740. He was a brigadier at the battle of Dettingen
, where he was severely wounded. He was promoted major-general, and appointed colonel 23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers 28 July 1743, in recognition of his distinguished services.
On the breaking out of the rebellion in 1745, he was appointed to serve under General George Wade
at Newcastle, and on 25 December of that year was given a command in Scotland. By his conduct at the battle of Falkirk
, where he was second in command to Henry Hawley
, he secured the retreat of the royal forces to Linlithgow
. He distinguished himself at the battle of Culloden
, where he commanded the second line of the Duke of Cumberland's army. He was gave the orders that defeated the rebel charge on the left flank, and decided the battle.
He became a lieutenant-general in 1747, and again served in Flanders
in 1747–8. As was then not uncommon with general officers otherwise unemployed, he joined his regiment in Minorca
, and commanded it during the unsuccessful defence of that island in 1756. He became a full general 5 December 1756. He was appointed to the governorship of Sheerness
in 1745, and transferred to that of Jersey in 1749. A brave, blunt veteran, whose solicitude for his soldiers earned him the nickname of 'Daddy Huske,' Huske died at Baling
, near London, 18 January 1761.
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...
general known for his leadership at the Battle of Falkirk
Battle of Falkirk (1746)
During the Second Jacobite Rising, the Battle of Falkirk Muir was the last noteworthy Jacobite success.-Background:...
and the Battle of Culloden
Battle of Culloden
The Battle of Culloden was the final confrontation of the 1745 Jacobite Rising. Taking place on 16 April 1746, the battle pitted the Jacobite forces of Charles Edward Stuart against an army commanded by William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, loyal to the British government...
during the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745. From 1749 he was governor of Jersey.
Life
He was appointed on 7 April 1708 ensign in Colonel Toby Caulfield's (afterwards David Creighton's) regiment of foot, then campaigning in Spain, and subsequently disbanded. He obtained his company in Lord Hertford's (15th foot) on 11 January 1715. On 22 July 1715 he was appointed captain and lieutenant-colonel of one of the four new companies then added to the Coldstream GuardsColdstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
. At that time and afterwards he was aide-de-camp to William Cadogan, 1st Earl Cadogan
William Cadogan, 1st Earl Cadogan
William Cadogan, 1st Earl Cadogan KT PC was a noted military officer in the army of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough during the War of the Spanish Succession...
. In two letters written by Cadogan, at the Hague, in a feigned name, promising high reward for disclosure of Jacobite plots, confidence is invited in the writer's aide-de-camp, Colonel John Huske, who, in the letter of 1 November 1716, is deputed to meet the recipient (E. Burke) privately at Cambray. The treasury records note a payment of £100 to Huske for a journey to Paris on particular service, and disbursements by him for the subsistence of three Dutch and two Swiss battalions in the pay of Holland, which were taken into the British service on the alarms of an invasion from Spain in April 1719. Huske concerted measures with Whitworth, British plenipotentiary at the Hague, for collecting these troops at Williamstadt and bringing them into the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
.
He was appointed lieutenant-governor of Hurst Castle
Hurst Castle
Hurst Castle on the south coast of England is one of Henry VIII's Device Forts, built at the end of a long shingle barrier beach at the west end of the Solent to guard the approaches to Southampton. Hurst Castle was sited at the narrow entrance to the Solent where the ebb and flow of the tides...
8 July 1721; became second major of the Coldstreamers, 30 October 1734; first major, 5 July 1739; and colonel 32nd foot, 25 December 1740. He was a brigadier at the battle of Dettingen
Battle of Dettingen
The Battle of Dettingen took place on 27 June 1743 at Dettingen in Bavaria during the War of the Austrian Succession. It was the last time that a British monarch personally led his troops into battle...
, where he was severely wounded. He was promoted major-general, and appointed colonel 23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers 28 July 1743, in recognition of his distinguished services.
On the breaking out of the rebellion in 1745, he was appointed to serve under General George Wade
George Wade
Field Marshal George Wade served as a British military commander and Commander-in-Chief of the Forces.-Early career:Wade, born in Kilavally, Westmeath in Ireland, was commissioned into the Earl of Bath's Regiment in 1690 and served in Flanders in 1692, during the Nine Years War, earning a...
at Newcastle, and on 25 December of that year was given a command in Scotland. By his conduct at the battle of Falkirk
Battle of Falkirk (1746)
During the Second Jacobite Rising, the Battle of Falkirk Muir was the last noteworthy Jacobite success.-Background:...
, where he was second in command to Henry Hawley
Henry Hawley
Lieutenant General Henry Hawley was a British Army officer who entered the army in 1694.-Early life:He saw service in the War of Spanish Succession as a captain of Erie's Foot. After Almanza he returned to England, and a few years later had become lieutenant-colonel of the 19th...
, he secured the retreat of the royal forces to Linlithgow
Linlithgow
Linlithgow is a Royal Burgh in West Lothian, Scotland. An ancient town, it lies south of its two most prominent landmarks: Linlithgow Palace and Linlithgow Loch, and north of the Union Canal....
. He distinguished himself at the battle of Culloden
Battle of Culloden
The Battle of Culloden was the final confrontation of the 1745 Jacobite Rising. Taking place on 16 April 1746, the battle pitted the Jacobite forces of Charles Edward Stuart against an army commanded by William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, loyal to the British government...
, where he commanded the second line of the Duke of Cumberland's army. He was gave the orders that defeated the rebel charge on the left flank, and decided the battle.
He became a lieutenant-general in 1747, and again served 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 1747–8. As was then not uncommon with general officers otherwise unemployed, he joined his regiment in Minorca
Minorca
Min Orca or Menorca is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. It takes its name from being smaller than the nearby island of Majorca....
, and commanded it during the unsuccessful defence of that island in 1756. He became a full general 5 December 1756. He was appointed to the governorship of Sheerness
Governor of Sheerness
The Governor of Sheerness Fort and the Isle of Sheppey was a military officer who commanded the fortifications at Sheerness, on the Isle of Sheppey, part of the defenses of the Medway estuary. The area had been fortified since the time of Henry VIII, but the Sheerness fortifications were destroyed...
in 1745, and transferred to that of Jersey in 1749. A brave, blunt veteran, whose solicitude for his soldiers earned him the nickname of 'Daddy Huske,' Huske died at Baling
Baling
Baling is a major town in the northern state of Kedah in Malaysia. It is also the name of a district in which Baling town is situated. It is south of Betong, the southernmost town in Thailand.-Origin of name:...
, near London, 18 January 1761.