Robert Pigot
Encyclopedia
Sir Robert Pigot, 2nd Baronet (20 September 1720 – August 1, 1796) was a British
Army officer during the American Revolutionary War
.
Robert Pigot was born in London
, England
in 1720. In 1758 he was Major
in the 10th Regiment of Foot
. In 1764 he was Lieutenant Colonel
. From 1769 to 1775 he was the commander of the 38th Regiment of Foot
.
He also served as a Member of Parliament
for Wallingford
from 1768 to 1772.
On June 17, 1775 he commanded the left flank of the British assault in the Battle of Bunker Hill
. On July 9 he was Colonel
in the 55th Regiment of Foot
. He was promoted to the permanent grade of Colonel for his bravery in the battle of Bunker Hill. He was made a Major General
in 1777. Pigot was placed in command in Rhode Island
and made a Lieutenant General
in 1782. In the Battle of Rhode Island
he fought with 3,000 men against 5,000 men under General John Sullivan
. He inherited his older brother's (Lord George Pigot) baronetcy
(which had been created with special remainder) and the Patshull Hall
estate in 1777. He was also left, with his brother Hugh and his sister Margaret (Fisher) the Pigot Diamond which was sold by Act of Parliament in a lottery. On February 8 he resigned and died August 1 of 1796 in Stafford, England
.
His two brothers were also famous: Sir (later Lord) George Pigot, Baron Pigot
(May 4, 1719 – May 11, 1777) was Governor of Madras
, India
and Admiral Hugh Pigot
(28 May 1722 – 15 December 1792) was Commander-in-Chief of the West Indies
fleet.
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
Army officer during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
.
Robert Pigot was born in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1720. In 1758 he was Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in the 10th Regiment of Foot
10th Regiment of Foot
The 10th Regiment of Foot was raised on 20 June 1685 as the Earl of Bath's Regiment for its first Colonel John Granville, 1st Earl of Bath...
. In 1764 he was Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
. From 1769 to 1775 he was the commander of the 38th Regiment of Foot
38th Regiment of Foot
The 38th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army.-History:It was formed in 1705 and amalgamated into the South Staffordshire Regiment in 1881....
.
He also served as a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Wallingford
Wallingford (UK Parliament constituency)
Wallingford was a constituency in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.It was a parliamentary borough created in 1295, centred on the market town Wallingford in Berkshire . It used to return two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons; this was cut to one in 1832, and...
from 1768 to 1772.
On June 17, 1775 he commanded the left flank of the British assault in the Battle of Bunker Hill
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17, 1775, mostly on and around Breed's Hill, during the Siege of Boston early in the American Revolutionary War...
. On July 9 he was Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
in the 55th Regiment of Foot
55th Regiment of Foot
The 55th Regiment of Foot was a British Army infantry regiment which existed from 1755 to 1881. After 1782 it had a county designation added, becoming known as the 55th Regiment of Foot. or simply the Westmorland Regiment...
. He was promoted to the permanent grade of Colonel for his bravery in the battle of Bunker Hill. He was made a Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
in 1777. Pigot was placed in command in Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
and made a Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
in 1782. In the Battle of Rhode Island
Battle of Rhode Island
The Battle of Rhode Island, also known as the Battle of Quaker Hill and the Siege of Newport, took place on August 29, 1778. Continental Army and militia forces under the command of General John Sullivan were withdrawing to the northern part of Aquidneck Island after abandoning their siege of...
he fought with 3,000 men against 5,000 men under General John Sullivan
John Sullivan
John Sullivan was the third son of Irish immigrants, a United States general in the Revolutionary War, a delegate in the Continental Congress and a United States federal judge....
. He inherited his older brother's (Lord George Pigot) baronetcy
Pigot Baronets
The Pigot Baronetcy, of Patshull Hall in the County of Stafford, is a title in the Baronetage of Great Britain. It was created on 5 December 1764 for the politician and colonial administrator George Pigot, with remainder to his brothers General Robert Pigot and Admiral Hugh Pigot, and remains extant...
(which had been created with special remainder) and the Patshull Hall
Patshull Hall
Patshull Hall is a substantial Georgian mansion house situated near Pattingham in Staffordshire, England. It is a Grade I listed building and by repute is one of the largest listed buildings in the county.-History:...
estate in 1777. He was also left, with his brother Hugh and his sister Margaret (Fisher) the Pigot Diamond which was sold by Act of Parliament in a lottery. On February 8 he resigned and died August 1 of 1796 in Stafford, England
Stafford
Stafford is the county town of Staffordshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It lies approximately north of Wolverhampton and south of Stoke-on-Trent, adjacent to the M6 motorway Junction 13 to Junction 14...
.
His two brothers were also famous: Sir (later Lord) George Pigot, Baron Pigot
George Pigot, Baron Pigot
George Pigot, Baron Pigot Bt was the British governor of Madras .Pigot was the eldest son of Richard Pigot of Westminster, by his wife Frances, daughter of Peter Goode; Frances was a "tirewoman" to Queen Caroline...
(May 4, 1719 – May 11, 1777) was Governor of Madras
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Admiral Hugh Pigot
Hugh Pigot (18th century admiral)
Admiral Hugh Pigot , of Wychwood Forest in Oxfordshire, was a British naval leader who rose from the ranks to become an admiral. He also served as a Member of Parliament .Pigot joined the navy in 1734 as an able seaman...
(28 May 1722 – 15 December 1792) was Commander-in-Chief of the West Indies
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
fleet.