George Keppel, 3rd Earl of Albemarle
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General George Keppel, 3rd Earl of Albemarle KG
PC (London, 8 April 1724 – 13 October 1772), styled Viscount Bury until 1754, was a British soldier nobleman best known for his capture of Havana in 1762 during the Seven Years' War
.
family from Gueldres, close to the Princes of Orange, who had moved to England in the Seventeenth Century. He had started his military career in the Netherlands
fighting against the French and had been in 1745 in the Battle of Fontenay
as an aid to the Duke of Cumberland
, the brother of King George II
of England, becoming later a Field Marshal after the Battle of Culloden
, April 1746.
, (1706–1792), promoted to Admiral in 1761, the Caribbean Island of Cuba, i.e. the invasion and occupation of Havana and west Cuba
:
George Keppel had been previously in his military life commissioned an ensign
in the Coldstream Guards
in 1738, bercoming a captain-lieutenant of the 1st Regiment of Dragoons in 1741,aged 17, and a captain-lieutenant of the Coldstreams on 7 April 1743. Appointed aide-de-camp
to the Duke of Cumberland in February 1745, was promoted to captain and lieutenant-colonel on 27 May 1745. The next year, he was promoted colonel
and made Aid de Champ to the King
on 24 April 1746. He had fought at the Battle of Culloden
with his father and carried the dispatch of Cumberland's success to London.
Bury, later 3rd Earl of Albermale, was returned as Member of Parliament
for Chichester
in 1746. He was appointed a Lord of the Bedchamber
to the Duke of Cumberland in 1748, a post he held until the Duke's death in 1765. On 1 November 1749, he was given the colonelcy of the 20th Regiment of Foot. He succeeded to the earldom on the death of his father in 1754; his younger brother Augustus
replaced him as MP for Chichester.
On 8 April 1755, he became colonel of the 3rd (The King's Own) Regiment of Dragoons
. He was promoted major-general on 1 February 1756 and lieutenant-general on 1 April 1759. He was appointed Governor of Jersey on 26 January 1761 and sworn a Privy Counsellor on 28 January.
Keppel was the commander-in-Chief of the invasion and occupation of Havana and west Cuba
in 1762. His younger brothers, Capt. Augustus and Col. William Keppel, both took part in the expedition as well. After a difficult siege, wherein the troops suffered heavily from yellow fever
, Havana Morro Castle was taken and Havana
fell into British hands.
in 1766. In 1770, he married Anne Miller, daughter of Sir John Miller, 4th Baronet by whom he had a son, William Charles
(1772–1849). He was made a general
on 26 May 1772, and died in October of that year.
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
PC (London, 8 April 1724 – 13 October 1772), styled Viscount Bury until 1754, was a British soldier nobleman best known for his capture of Havana in 1762 during the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
.
Early life
He came from a wealthy and powerful DutchDutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
family from Gueldres, close to the Princes of Orange, who had moved to England in the Seventeenth Century. He had started his military career in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
fighting against the French and had been in 1745 in the Battle of Fontenay
Fontenay
Fontenay can refer to:a person*Charles L. Fontenay, journalist and science-fiction writer*Jean-Baptiste Belin de Fontenay I, French paintera battle* Battle of Fontenay , during the Carolingian civil war...
as an aid to the Duke of Cumberland
Duke of Cumberland
Duke of Cumberland is a peerage title that was conferred upon junior members of the British Royal Family, named after the county of Cumberland.-History:...
, the brother of King George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
of England, becoming later a Field Marshal after 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...
, April 1746.
Capture of Havana
The European-American conflict known as the Seven years war brought his course to participate in July 1762, with two of his cadet brothers, Augustus Keppel and William Keppel, in the attempts by the British Crown to conquest , through a naval expedition headed by Sir George PocockGeorge Pocock
Sir George Pocock, KB was a British officer of the Royal Navy. He rose to the rank of admiral.Pocock was from Chieveley in Berkshire, the son of Thomas Pocock, a chaplain in the navy. George Pocock entered the navy in 1718, serving aboard under the patronage of his maternal uncle, Captain...
, (1706–1792), promoted to Admiral in 1761, the Caribbean Island of Cuba, i.e. the invasion and occupation of Havana and west Cuba
British expedition against Cuba
The Battle of Havana was a military action from March to August 1762, as part of the Seven Years' War. British forces besieged and captured the city of Havana, which at the time was an important Spanish naval base in the Caribbean, and dealt a serious blow to the Spanish navy...
:
George Keppel had been previously in his military life commissioned an ensign
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
in the Coldstream Guards
Coldstream 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....
in 1738, bercoming a captain-lieutenant of the 1st Regiment of Dragoons in 1741,aged 17, and a captain-lieutenant of the Coldstreams on 7 April 1743. Appointed aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to the Duke of Cumberland in February 1745, was promoted to captain and lieutenant-colonel on 27 May 1745. The next year, he was promoted 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...
and made Aid de Champ to the King
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
on 24 April 1746. He had fought 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...
with his father and carried the dispatch of Cumberland's success to London.
Bury, later 3rd Earl of Albermale, was returned as 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 Chichester
Chichester (UK Parliament constituency)
Chichester is a county constituency in West Sussex, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
in 1746. He was appointed a Lord of the Bedchamber
Lord of the Bedchamber
A Lord of the Bedchamber, previously known as a Gentleman of the Bedchamber was a courtier in the Royal Household of the King of the United Kingdom and the Prince of Wales. A Lord of the Bedchamber's duties consisted of assisting the King with his dressing, waiting on him when he ate in private,...
to the Duke of Cumberland in 1748, a post he held until the Duke's death in 1765. On 1 November 1749, he was given the colonelcy of the 20th Regiment of Foot. He succeeded to the earldom on the death of his father in 1754; his younger brother Augustus
Augustus Keppel, 1st Viscount Keppel
Admiral Augustus Keppel, 1st Viscount Keppel PC was an officer of the Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War and the War of American Independence...
replaced him as MP for Chichester.
On 8 April 1755, he became colonel of the 3rd (The King's Own) Regiment of Dragoons
3rd The King's Own Hussars
The 3rd Hussars was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1685. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated into The Queen's Own Hussars in 1958.-The Glorious Revolution:...
. He was promoted major-general on 1 February 1756 and lieutenant-general on 1 April 1759. He was appointed Governor of Jersey on 26 January 1761 and sworn a Privy Counsellor on 28 January.
Keppel was the commander-in-Chief of the invasion and occupation of Havana and west Cuba
British expedition against Cuba
The Battle of Havana was a military action from March to August 1762, as part of the Seven Years' War. British forces besieged and captured the city of Havana, which at the time was an important Spanish naval base in the Caribbean, and dealt a serious blow to the Spanish navy...
in 1762. His younger brothers, Capt. Augustus and Col. William Keppel, both took part in the expedition as well. After a difficult siege, wherein the troops suffered heavily from yellow fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
, Havana Morro Castle was taken and Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
fell into British hands.
Later life
Keppel was made a Knight of the Garter in 1765 was appointed Keeper of Bagshot ParkBagshot Park
Bagshot Park is a royal residence located near Bagshot, a village south west of Windsor and approximately north east of Guildford . It is the current home of The Earl and Countess of Wessex. Bagshot Park is on Bagshot Heath, a fifty square-mile tract of formerly open land in Surrey and Berkshire...
in 1766. In 1770, he married Anne Miller, daughter of Sir John Miller, 4th Baronet by whom he had a son, William Charles
William Keppel, 4th Earl of Albemarle
William Charles Keppel, 4th Earl of Albemarle GCH, PC , briefly styled Viscount Bury between May and October 1772, was a British Whig politician.-Background:...
(1772–1849). He was made a general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
on 26 May 1772, and died in October of that year.