Sir guy carleton biography of rory

Carleton repulsed an attack on Quebec by American forces on December 31, in which the American commander, Major General Richard Montgomery, was killed. Despite their defeat, the Americans maintained the siege until it was lifted with the arrival of British reinforcements under John Burgoyne in May Carleton then lead the pursuit of Continental forces which culminated in the British victory at the Battle of Valcour Island on Lake Champlain in October.

Although victorious, the American force successfully prevented Carleton from invading New York before the onset of winter. The Governor was incensed the following year when Burgoyne was granted command of the ill-fated Saratoga Campaign. Carleton demanded to be recalled to Great Britain, and was replaced as governor by Frederick Haldimand. He became a champion of the loyalists and felt that they were grossly mistreated and neglected in the final terms of the Treaty of Paris.

James Wolfe selected Carleton as his aide in the attack on Louisbourg. King George II declined to make this appointment, possibly because of negative comments he made about the soldiers of Hanover during his service on the Continent. For some time he was unable to gain active position, until he was sent back to Germany to serve as an aide-de-camp to Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick.

In December Wolfe, now a major generalwas given command of the upcoming campaign against the city of Quebecand selected Carleton as his quarter-master general. King George refused to make this appointment also until Lord Ligonier talked to the king about the matter and the king changed his mind.

Sir guy carleton biography of rory

He was with the British forces when they arrived at Quebec in June Carleton was responsible for the provisioning of the army and also acting as an engineer supervising the placement of cannon. Carleton received a head wound during the Battle of the Plains of Abraham and he returned to England after the battle in October Carleton led an attack on the French, but was seriously wounded and prevented from taking any further part in the fighting.

After four weeks of fighting, the British gained complete control of the island. He was made colonel in and took part in the British expedition against Cubawhich also included Richard Montgomerywho went on to oppose him in On 22 July, he was wounded leading an attack on a Spanish outpost. In he transferred to the 93rd Regiment of Foot.

He arrived in Quebec on 22 September As Carleton had no experience in public affairs and came from a politically insignificant family, his appointment is unusual and was possibly a surprise to him. Fourteen years earlier, Carleton had tutored the Duke. The Duke was the colonel of the 72nd Regiment of Foot, while Carleton was its lieutenant colonel.

He appointed Carleton as commander-in-chief of all troops stationed in Quebec. The government consisted of a Governor, a council, and an assembly. The governor could veto any action of the council, but London had also given Carleton instructions that all of his actions required the approval of the council. Most officials of the province at this time did not receive a salary and received their income through fees they charged for their services.

Carleton tried to replace this system with one in which the officials received a regular salary, but this position was never supported in London. When Carleton renounced his own fees, Murray was furious. Carleton took the oath of office on 1 November On 9 August he sailed for England for what he thought was a few months' consultation on issues related to the integration of Quebec into the British system.

The British merchants of Quebec, many of whom had become disaffected to the colonial administration under Murray, were, at least initially, of good will. The merchants would later be agent for e. They had nine sons and two daughters. His elder brothers having predeceased him, and himself dying two years before his father, third son Lieutenant-Colonel Christopher Carleton was father of Arthur, 2nd Baron Dorchester; Christopher's younger brother, the sixth son, Lieutenant-Colonel George Carleton, was father of Guy, the 3rd Baron.

The title was extinct at the 3rd Baron's death inbut it was revived when his daughter, Henrietta, was created Baroness Dorchester ; the title was extinct again at the death of her son, Dudley, 2nd Baron, in Carleton was promoted to major general on 25 May It determined how the province was to be administered and was part of a continuing effort to respect some French traditions while ensuring rights of citizens as understood by the Kingdom of Great Britain.

Carleton and Maria returned to Quebec on 18 Septemberwhere he began implementing the provisions of the act. While the clergy and the seigneurs petty gentry were happy with provisions favorable to them, British merchants and migrants from the Thirteen Colonies objected to a number of the provisions, which they thought were pro-Catholic.

They argued that only English-speaking Protestants should be able to vote or hold public office. In latethe First Continental Congress sent letters to Montreal denouncing the Quebec Act for promoting Catholicism by allowing Catholics to hold civil service positions and reinstating the tithe. John Brownan agent for the Boston Committee of Correspondencearrived in Montreal in early as part of an effort to persuade citizens to send delegates to the Second Continental Congressscheduled to meet in May Carleton, while aware of this activity, did nothing to prevent it, beyond discouraging publication of the Congressional letter in the province's only newspaper.

Carleton received notice of the start of the rebellion in Maysoon followed by the news of the rebel capture of Fort Ticonderoga and Fort Crown Pointand the raid on Fort Saint-Jean. As he had previously sent two of his regiments to Boston, he had only about regular soldiers left in Quebec. His attempts to raise a militia met with limited success at first, as neither the ethnic French nor the English residents were willing to join.

Area Natives were willing to fight on the British side, and the Crown wanted them to do so, but Carleton turned their offer down because he feared the Natives attacking non-combatants. For the same reason, he limited Guy Johnson and his Iroquois allies, who had come to Quebec from New Yorkto operating only in Quebec. During the summer ofCarleton directed the preparation of provincial defences, which were focused on Fort Saint-Jean.

In September, the Continental Army began its invasion and besieged the fort. When it fell in November, Carleton was forced to flee from Montreal to Quebec Cityescaping capture by disguising himself as a commoner. In December he directed the city's defences in the Battle of Quebec and the ensuing siege, which was broken by the arrival of British troops in May under command of John Burgoynewho was appointed second-in-command.

Carleton's younger brother Thomas was part of the relief effort. Thomas Skelton of Newry. On 21st MayGuy was appointed ensign in the Earl of Rothes' Regiment afterwards the 25th Foot and obtained his promotion as lieutenant in the same regiment on 1 May Changing his regiment, he became lieutenant of the 1st Foot Guards on 22nd July and was appointed captain-lieutenant and lieutenant-colonel on 18th June In June and Julyhe took part in the Siege of Louisburg, under General Amherst, and, on 24th August, was made lieutenant-colonel of the 72nd Foot.

On 30th December in the same year, he was appointed quartermaster-general and colonel in America. He was wounded at the capture of Quebec, on 13th Septemberwhen in command of the corps of grenadiers. He was raised to the rank of colonel in the army 19th February and, in the same year, served under Lord Albemarle in the Siege of the Havannah, where he greatly distinguished himself and was wounded in a sortie on 22nd July.

Carleton was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Quebec on 24th September and, in the following year, the government of the colony devolved on him in consequence of General Murray having to proceed to England. Inhaving obtained a leave of absence, Carleton returned to England. He was appointed colonel of the 47th Foot on 2nd April and raised to the rank of major-general on 25th May following.

In Junehe was examined before the House of Commons regarding the Quebec Bill which, sir guy carleton biography of rory considerable opposition, became law in the same session. This act, which it is said was suggested by Carleton himself, established a legislative council in Quebec, allowed the Roman Catholics the free exercise of their religion and re-established the authority of the old French laws in civil cases, while it introduced the English law in criminal proceedings.

In the latter end of the year, Carleton returned to Canada where he was warmly welcomed back by the catholic bishop and clergy of the province and, on 10th Januarywas appointed Governor of Quebec. On the recall of Gage, the command of the army in America was divided and assigned, in Canada, to Carleton and, in the old colonies, to Howe. At an early stage of the American War of Independence, the Congress, being apprehensive of an attack by Carleton on their north-west frontier, determined on the invasion of Canada and, on 10th Septemberthe American troops effected a landing at St.

The latter part of his life was spent in England, where he died, 10th Novemberaged A Compendium of Irish Biography. William Carleton ».