Standish O'Grady, 2nd Viscount Guillamore
Encyclopedia
Standish Darby O'Grady, 2nd Viscount Guillamore (26 Dec 1792 – 22 July 1848) from Cahir Guillamore, County Limerick
, was an Anglo-Irish
politician and British Army
officer.
He was a lieutenant in the 7th Hussars at the Battle of Waterloo
. On 17 June 1815, he had command of the troop of the 7th Hussars on the high road from Genappe to Quatre Bras
. The regiment was covering the British march from Quatre Bras to Waterloo. Sir William Dörnberg left O'Grady outside the town on the Quatre Bras road to hold in check the advancing French cavalry while the main body of the regiment proceeded in file across the narrow bridge of Genappe and up the steep street of the town. O'Grady advanced at the head of his troops as soon as the French appeared, and presented so bold a front that, after a time, they retired. When they were out of sight, he crossed the bridge at the entrance of Genappe. He took his troop at a gallop through the town, rejoining Sir William Dörnberg, who had drawn up the main body of the regiment on the sloping road at the Waterloo end of Genappe. A severe cavalry combat ensued when the French lancers reached the top of the town, in which O'Grady's regiment made a gallant charge, with considerable loss.
At Waterloo. he was stationed on the ground above Hougoumont
on the British left. "The 7th," he wrote in a letter to his father, "had an opportunity of showing what they could do if they got fair play. We charged twelve or fourteen times, and once cut off a squadron of cuirassiers, every man of whom we killed on the spot except the two officers and one Marshal de Logis, whom I sent to the rear" (letter in possession of the Hon. Mrs. Norbury). Two letters of his to Captain William Siborne, describing the movements of his regiments on 17 and 18 June 1815, are printed in Waterloo Letters, edited by Major-General H. T. Siborne (London, 1891, pp. 130-6).
He was elected in 1820 as Member of Parliament
for County Limerick, and held the seat until 1826. He was re-elected in February 1830, but in May his name was struck from the electoral return and replaced with that of James Dawson. O'Grady was re-elected in August 1830, and served until 1835.
He succeeded to the peerage as Viscount Guillamore on 21 April 1840 on the death of his father, the 1st Viscount
.
He married Gertrude Jane Paget (d. 1871), daughter of the Hon. Berkeley Paget and niece of Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey
. Their children were Standish, third viscount (1832-1860); Paget Standish, fourth viscount (1838-1877); Hardress Standish, fifth viscount (b. 1841); and others.
County Limerick
It is thought that humans had established themselves in the Lough Gur area of the county as early as 3000 BC, while megalithic remains found at Duntryleague date back further to 3500 BC...
, was an Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish was a term used primarily in the 19th and early 20th centuries to identify a privileged social class in Ireland, whose members were the descendants and successors of the Protestant Ascendancy, mostly belonging to the Church of Ireland, which was the established church of Ireland until...
politician and British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer.
He was a lieutenant in the 7th Hussars at the Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
. On 17 June 1815, he had command of the troop of the 7th Hussars on the high road from Genappe to Quatre Bras
Battle of Quatre Bras
The Battle of Quatre Bras, between Wellington's Anglo-Dutch army and the left wing of the Armée du Nord under Marshal Michel Ney, was fought near the strategic crossroads of Quatre Bras on 16 June 1815.- Prelude :...
. The regiment was covering the British march from Quatre Bras to Waterloo. Sir William Dörnberg left O'Grady outside the town on the Quatre Bras road to hold in check the advancing French cavalry while the main body of the regiment proceeded in file across the narrow bridge of Genappe and up the steep street of the town. O'Grady advanced at the head of his troops as soon as the French appeared, and presented so bold a front that, after a time, they retired. When they were out of sight, he crossed the bridge at the entrance of Genappe. He took his troop at a gallop through the town, rejoining Sir William Dörnberg, who had drawn up the main body of the regiment on the sloping road at the Waterloo end of Genappe. A severe cavalry combat ensued when the French lancers reached the top of the town, in which O'Grady's regiment made a gallant charge, with considerable loss.
At Waterloo. he was stationed on the ground above Hougoumont
Hougoumont
Hougoumont was a fortified farm held by Wellington's army in the Battle of Waterloo. It may also refer to:* Hougoumont , a convict ship;...
on the British left. "The 7th," he wrote in a letter to his father, "had an opportunity of showing what they could do if they got fair play. We charged twelve or fourteen times, and once cut off a squadron of cuirassiers, every man of whom we killed on the spot except the two officers and one Marshal de Logis, whom I sent to the rear" (letter in possession of the Hon. Mrs. Norbury). Two letters of his to Captain William Siborne, describing the movements of his regiments on 17 and 18 June 1815, are printed in Waterloo Letters, edited by Major-General H. T. Siborne (London, 1891, pp. 130-6).
He was elected in 1820 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 County Limerick, and held the seat until 1826. He was re-elected in February 1830, but in May his name was struck from the electoral return and replaced with that of James Dawson. O'Grady was re-elected in August 1830, and served until 1835.
He succeeded to the peerage as Viscount Guillamore on 21 April 1840 on the death of his father, the 1st Viscount
Standish O'Grady, 1st Viscount Guillamore
The Rt. Hon. Standish O'Grady, 1st Viscount Guillamore, PC , from Cahir Guillamore, County Limerick, served as Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer for Ireland for a number of years...
.
He married Gertrude Jane Paget (d. 1871), daughter of the Hon. Berkeley Paget and niece of Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey
Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey
Field Marshal Henry William Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey, KG, GCB, GCH, PC , styled Lord Paget between 1784 and 1812 and known as The Earl of Uxbridge between 1812 and 1815, was a British military leader and politician, now chiefly remembered for leading the charge of the heavy cavalry against...
. Their children were Standish, third viscount (1832-1860); Paget Standish, fourth viscount (1838-1877); Hardress Standish, fifth viscount (b. 1841); and others.