John FitzGerald (general)

Field Marshal Sir John Forster FitzGerald, GCB (1784 – 24 March 1877) was a soldier from Ireland who served as an officer in the British Army during the Napoleonic wars and later became a Liberal Member of Parliament.

Career

Gen Fitzgerald served in the Napoleonic wars as an officer, and was later Commandant of Quebec. In 1824 he was put in command of the 20th Regiment of Foot in Bombay, India, and was promoted to Major-General in 1830. He was knighted 13 October 1831 (Knight Commander, Military, Order of the Bath). In 1838 he was appointed to a divisional command at Madras, and later transferred to Bombay, and promoted to Lieutenant-General, November 1841. He represented County Clare in Parliament in the Liberal Party interests, 1852-57. He was promoted to General in 1854; Knight of Grand Cross, Military, Order of the Bath, 10 Nov. 1862; and received his Field Marshal's baton, 29 May 1875, when about ninety years old. Dying at Tours, the garrison of that city paid him the funeral honours prescribed for a marshal of France.

*Served with 18th Regiment of Foot (Royal Irish Regiment).

Family

Married to Charlotte Hazen (daughter of William Hazen and wife Sarah Le Baron), their children included:
* Anne FitzGerald (c.1808-1882) who married Sir Robert Keith Arbuthnot, 2nd Baronet (1801-1873)
* Captain John Forster FitzGerald - 14th (The King's) Regiment of (Light) Dragoons - wounded on the 22nd and died of his wounds on the 26th November 1848. Born c. 1820
* Charlotte FitzGerald, married to Otto Leopold Freiherr von Ende, parents of Cecilie Geraldine Freiin von Ende (1843-1909), wife of Friedrich Graf von Waldersee (1829-1902), and had issue

References

*cite book|title=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
*Rayment