Henry Despard

Henry Despard

CB
Born(1783-10-00)October 1783
Laurel Hill, Mountrath, Queens County, Ireland[1]
Died30 April 1859(1859-04-30) (aged 75)
Baring Crescent, Heavitree, Devon, England[2]
Allegiance United Kingdom
BranchUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland British Army
Years of service1799–1854
RankMajor General
Unit17th Regiment, 1799–
Staff of Ireland, Southern District, 1838–[3]: 68 
99th Regiment, 1842–54[4]: 251 
CommandsNew Zealand, 1845–46
Van Dieman's Land, 1853–54[5]
Campaigns
AwardsCompanion of the Order of the Bath, 1846[6]
Spouse(s)
Anne Rushworth
​
(m. 1824)​
RelationsEdward Despard (uncle)
Catherine Despard (aunt)
John Despard (uncle)

Major General Henry Despard CB (October 1783 – 30 April 1859) was a British Army officer of the 17th Regiment of Foot (1799–1838), Staff of Ireland (1838–1842) and 99th Regiment of Foot (1842–1854).[7] He saw action in Third Anglo-Maratha War in India and, in his later years, in the Flagstaff, or Northern, War in New Zealand. In 1845 he commanded British troops in a disastrous assault on the Māori pā at Ōhaeawai.

  1. ^ WO 25/788: Folio 76. Statement of the Services of Lieutenant Colonel H. Despard of the 17th Regiment of Foot with a Record of such other Particulars as may be useful in case of his Death, The National Archives, p. 77
  2. ^ Boase, Frederic (1892). Modern English Biography (Volume 1 of 4) A–H. ISBN 9785041269647.
  3. ^ Hart, Henry George (June 1842). The Army List for June 1842. London: War Office.
  4. ^ Hart, Henry George (May 1843). The Army List for 1843. London: War Office.
  5. ^ Hart, Henry George (1853). The New Annual Army List for 1853. Vol. 14. London: John Murray. p. 324.
  6. ^ "Downing-Street, July 2, 1846". The London Gazette (20619). London: 2455. 3 July 1846.
  7. ^ Crawford, J A B. "Henry Despard". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 23 April 2017.