132-748: General Thomas Gage (10 March 1718/19 – 2 April 1787) was a British Army officer and colonial administrator best known for his many years of service in North America, including serving as Commander-in-Chief, North America during the early days of the American Revolution . Being born into an aristocratic family in England, he entered the Army and saw action in the French and Indian War , where Gage served alongside his future opponent George Washington in
264-606: A Papal pension, making him even less attractive to the Protestants who formed the vast majority of his British support. Jacobite rebellions in 1715 and 1719 both failed, the latter so badly its planners concluded that it might "ruin the King's Interest and faithful subjects in these parts". Senior exiles like Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke accepted pardons and returned home or took employment elsewhere. The birth of his sons Charles and Henry helped maintain public interest in
396-633: A brigadier general for the 1758 campaign, received in 1759 a full promotion to the position, largely through the political manoeuvring of his brother, Lord Gage . The new brigadier general was placed in command of the Albany post, serving under Major General Jeffery Amherst . In 1759, shortly after capturing Ticonderoga without a fight , General Amherst learned of the death of General John Prideaux whose expedition had captured Fort Niagara . Amherst then ordered Gage to take Prideaux's place, and to take Fort de La Présentation (also known as Fort La Galette) at
528-472: A planned expedition against Louisbourg turned back when confronted by a larger French fleet. In December 1757, Gage proposed to Loudoun the creation of a regiment of light infantry that would be better suited to woodland warfare. Loudoun approved the plan before he was recalled that month, also recommending Gage to the king for promotion to full colonel . Gage spent the winter in New Jersey, recruiting for
660-671: A commission as ensign . His early duties consisted of recruiting in Yorkshire. In January 1741 he purchased a lieutenant 's commission in the 1st Northampton Regiment , where he stayed until May 1742, when he transferred to Battereau's Regiment with the rank of captain-lieutenant . Gage received promotion to captain in 1743, and saw action in the War of the Austrian Succession with British forces in Flanders , where he served as aide-de-camp to
792-543: A company of French and First Nations people who were trying to set up an ambush . This skirmish began the Battle of the Monongahela , in which Braddock was mortally wounded, and George Washington distinguished himself for his courage under fire and his leadership in organising the retreat. The commander of the 44th, Colonel Sir Peter Halkett , was one of many officers killed in the battle and Gage, who temporarily took command of
924-480: A formal treaty with Johnson in July 1766. When General Amherst left North America in 1763, it was on a leave of absence from his position as commander-in-chief. In 1764, Amherst announced that he had no intention of returning to North America, at which point Gage's appointment to that post was made permanent. (Amherst retained posts as governor of Virginia and colonel of the 60th Foot, positions he only gave up in 1768 when he
1056-543: A liability which involved them in expensive Continental wars of minimal benefit to Britain. These sentiments were particularly strong in the City of London , although diplomats observed opposition to foreign entanglements was true "only so long as English commerce does not suffer." However, even this group was far more concerned to ensure the primacy of the Church of England , which meant defending it from Charles and his Catholic advisors,
1188-571: A more conventional form of warfare, for which they were arguably less well suited. Many troops were occupied suppressing a counterinsurgency in the Highlands, led by clansmen loyal to the government under John Campbell, 4th Earl of Loudoun . At the same time, much of their resources were focused on besieging Stirling Castle , one of the most powerful forts in Scotland. On 17 January, the Jacobites dispersed
1320-524: A relief force under Henry Hawley at the Battle of Falkirk Muir , but insufficient heavy artillery meant the siege itself made little progress. Hawley's forces were largely intact, and resumed their advance once Cumberland arrived in Edinburgh on 30 January, while many Highlanders had gone home after Falkirk; on 1 February, the Jacobite army abandoned the siege, and retreated to Inverness. Cumberland marched up
1452-586: A route via Carlisle and the North-West of England, areas strongly Jacobite in 1715. The last elements of the Jacobite army left Edinburgh on 4 November and government forces under General Handasyde retook the city on 14th. Murray divided the army into two columns to conceal their destination from General George Wade , government commander in Newcastle , and entered England on 8 November unopposed. On 10th, they reached Carlisle , an important border fortress before
SECTION 10
#17328526515951584-464: A set-piece battle extremely hazardous. In a letter of 30 November, the Duke of Richmond , who was with Cumberland's army, listed five possible options for the Jacobites, of which retreating to Scotland was by far the best for them, and the worst for the government. The British government was concerned by reports of an invasion fleet being prepared at Dunkirk but it is unclear how serious these plans were. Over
1716-630: A significant element in Scotland; many of those who participated in the Rising came from Non-Jurist Scottish Episcopal Church congregations. However, the most powerful single driver for Scottish support in 1745 was opposition to the 1707 Union , whose loss of political control was not matched by perceived economic benefit. This was particularly marked in Edinburgh, former location of the Scottish Parliament, and among Highland chiefs, many of whom were heavily in debt. In summary, Charles wanted to reclaim
1848-441: Is a crossed sword and baton. This appeared on its own for the now obsolete rank of brigadier-general . A major-general has a pip over this emblem; a lieutenant-general a crown instead of a pip; and a full general both a pip and a crown. The insignia for the highest rank, that of Field Marshal , consists of crossed batons within a wreath and surmounted by a crown. Jacobite rising of 1745 The Jacobite rising of 1745
1980-684: Is too prevalent in America". He believed that town meetings should be abolished and recommended that colonisation should be limited to the coastal areas where British rule could be enforced. Gage returned to Britain in June 1773 with his family and thus missed the Boston Tea Party in December of that year. The British Parliament reacted to the Tea Party with a series of punitive measures against Massachusetts known in
2112-600: The 1715 Rising . At previous Council meetings, many Scottish members argued for withdrawal. They agreed to continue only after Charles assured them Sir Watkin Williams Wynn would meet them at Derby , while the Duke of Beaufort was preparing to seize Bristol . When they reached Derby on 4 December, there was no sign of any reinforcements or French landing, and the Council convened at Exeter House on 5th to discuss next steps. Despite
2244-479: The Court of Exchequer , of which 41 were confiscated. As happened previously, most were either purchased or claimed by creditors, with 13 made crown land in 1755. Under the 1784 Disannexing Act, their heirs were allowed to buy them back, in return for a total payment of £65,000. Once north of Edinburgh or inland from ports like Aberdeen, the movement of government troops was hampered by lack of roads or accurate maps of
2376-645: The Earl of Albemarle in the Battle of Fontenoy . He saw further service in the Second Jacobite Uprising , which culminated in the 1746 Battle of Culloden . From 1747 to 1748, Gage saw action under Albemarle in the Low Countries . In 1748 he purchased a major 's commission and transferred to the 55th Foot Regiment (which was later renumbered to the 44th ). The regiment was stationed in Ireland from 1748 to 1755; Gage
2508-465: The French and Indian War . In 1755 Gage's regiment was sent to North America as part of General Edward Braddock 's expeditionary force , whose objective was the expulsion of French forces from the Ohio Country , territory disputed between French and British colonies where there had been military clashes in 1754. On this expedition Gage's regiment was in the vanguard of the troops when they came upon
2640-718: The Mississippi River , the Gages clearly relished life in New York, actively participating in the social scene. One way he did this was by joining the American Philosophical Society in 1768 through his election. Although his position gave him the opportunity to make financial arrangements that might have lined the pockets of high-ranking officers at the expense of the military purse, there is little evidence that he engaged in any significant improper transactions. In addition to
2772-534: The Outer Hebrides on 15 July but were intercepted four days out by HMS Lion , which engaged Elizabeth. After a four-hour battle, both were forced to return to port; losing the Elizabeth and its volunteers and weapons was a major setback, but Du Teillay landed Charles at Eriskay on 23 July. Many of those contacted advised him to return to France, including MacDonald of Sleat and Norman MacLeod . Aware of
SECTION 20
#17328526515952904-526: The Quartering Act of 1765, permitting British troops to be quartered in vacant houses, barns, and outbuildings, but not private residences. Gage's thoughts on the reasons for colonial unrest played an important role in furthering the unrest. He at first believed that the popular unrest after the 1765 Stamp Act was primarily due to a small number of colonial elites, led by those in Boston. In 1768 he recommended
3036-1025: The Scottish Highlands , capturing Edinburgh and winning the Battle of Prestonpans in September. At a council in October, the Scots agreed to invade England after Charles assured them of substantial support from English Jacobites and a simultaneous French landing in Southern England. On that basis, the Jacobite army entered England in early November, but neither of these assurances proved accurate. On reaching Derby on 4 December, they halted to discuss future strategy. Similar discussions had taken place at Carlisle , Preston and Manchester and many felt they had gone too far already. The invasion route had been selected to cross areas considered strongly Jacobite in sympathy, but
3168-535: The Treaty of Fort Niagara in the summer of 1764 with some of the disaffected tribes, and Colonel Bouquet negotiated a cease-fire of sorts in October 1764, which resulted in another peace treaty finalised by Johnson in 1765. In 1765, the 42nd Regiment of Foot finally got through to Fort Cavendish , the last fort still in French hands. The conflict was not fully resolved until Pontiac himself travelled to Fort Ontario and signed
3300-559: The 16-gun privateer Du Teillay and Elizabeth, an elderly 64-gun warship captured from the British in 1704, which carried the weapons and 100 volunteers from the French Army's Irish Brigade . In early July, Charles boarded Du Teillay at Saint-Nazaire accompanied by the " Seven Men of Moidart ," the most notable being Colonel John O'Sullivan , an Irish exile and former French officer who acted as chief of staff. The two vessels left for
3432-548: The 1689 to 1691 Williamite War in Ireland , and only a Stuart on the throne of Great Britain could ensure their fulfillment. Such concessions were firmly opposed by Protestants who were the overwhelming majority in England, Wales and Scotland, while estimates of English support in particular confused indifference to the Hanoverians with enthusiasm for the Stuarts. After 1720, Robert Walpole tried to bind English Catholics closer to
3564-432: The 1707 Union but whose defences were now in poor condition, held by a garrison of 80 elderly veterans. However, without siege artillery the Jacobites would still have to starve it into submission, an operation for which they had neither the equipment nor time. Despite this, the castle capitulated on 15 November, after learning Wade's relief force was delayed by snow. Success reinvigorated the Jacobite cause, and when he retook
3696-419: The 1715 and 1719 risings. O'Sullivan initially organised the Jacobite army along conventional military lines, but when Murray took over as chief of staff, he reverted to traditional Highland military structures and customs familiar to the majority of his recruits. The senior government legal officer in Scotland, Lord President Duncan Forbes , forwarded confirmation of the landing to London on 9 August. Many of
3828-454: The 1739 War of Jenkins' Ear , followed in 1740–41 by the War of the Austrian Succession . The long-serving British prime minister Robert Walpole was forced to resign in February 1742 by an alliance of Tories and anti-Walpole Patriot Whigs , who then excluded their partners from government. Furious Tories like Henry Scudamore, 3rd Duke of Beaufort asked for French help in restoring James to
3960-424: The 1755 Battle of the Monongahela . After the successful Montreal campaign in 1760, he was named military governor of the region. During this time Gage did not distinguish himself militarily, but proved himself to be a competent administrator. From 1763 to 1775, he served as commander-in-chief of British forces in North America, overseeing Britain's response to the outbreak of Pontiac's War in 1763. In 1774, Gage
4092-509: The 2015 miniseries Sons of Liberty , Gage is portrayed by Marton Csokas . General (United Kingdom) General (or full general to distinguish it from the lower general officer ranks) is the highest rank achievable by serving officers of the British Army . The rank can also be held by Royal Marines officers in tri-service posts, for example, Generals Sir Gordon Messenger and Gwyn Jenkins , former and current Vice-Chief of
Thomas Gage - Misplaced Pages Continue
4224-619: The 3,000 soldiers available to John Cope , the government commander in Scotland, were untrained recruits, and while he lacked information on Jacobite intentions, they were well-informed on his, as Murray had been one of his advisors. Forbes instead relied on his relationships to keep people loyal; he failed with Lochiel and Simon Fraser, Lord Lovat but succeeded with many others, including William Sutherland, Earl of Sutherland , Clan Munro and Kenneth Mackenzie, Lord Fortrose . On 17 September, Charles entered Edinburgh unopposed, although Edinburgh Castle itself remained in government hands; James
4356-486: The British left Concord following their search (which was largely unsuccessful, as the colonists, with advance warning of the action, had removed most of the supplies), arriving colonial militia engaged the British column in a running battle back to Charlestown . The Battles of Lexington and Concord resulted in 273 total casualties for the British and 93 for the American rebels. The British expedition to Lexington and Concord
4488-421: The British naval blockade had reduced the French economy to a "catastrophic state." The fast-moving Jacobite army evaded pursuit with only a minor skirmish at Clifton Moor , crossing back into Scotland on 20 December. Cumberland's army arrived outside Carlisle on 22 December, and seven days later the garrison was forced to surrender, ending the Jacobite military presence in England. Much of the garrison came from
4620-560: The British throne. While war with Britain was clearly only a matter of time, Cardinal Fleury , chief minister since 1723, viewed the Jacobites as unreliable fantasists, an opinion shared by most French ministers. An exception was René Louis de Voyer de Paulmy d'Argenson , who was appointed Foreign Minister by Louis XV after Fleury died in January 1743. Historian Frank McLynn identifies seven different ideological drivers behind continuing support for Jacobitism in 1745, Stuart loyalism being
4752-531: The British to eventually take the colonial headquarters at Cambridge. The colonists were warned of these plans, and seized the initiative. On the night of 16–17 June, they fortified Breed's Hill, threatening the British position in Boston. On 17 June 1775, British forces under General Howe seized the Charlestown Peninsula at the Battle of Bunker Hill . It was a Pyrrhic victory ; Britain won but suffered more than 1,000 casualties without significantly altering
4884-505: The Cameron regiment in 1745, was allegedly betrayed by his own clansmen on returning to Scotland and executed on 7 June 1753. The government limited confiscations of Jacobite property, since the experience of doing so after 1715 and 1719 showed the cost often exceeded the sales price. Under the Vesting Act 1747 , the estates of 51 individuals attainted for their role in 1745 were surveyed by
5016-627: The Canadian Forces base CFB Gagetown consequently reflects his name. In 1792, the Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada , John Graves Simcoe , renamed the archipelago of islands in the mouth of the St. Lawrence River for the victorious generals of the Conquest of Canada : Wolfe Island , Amherst Island , Howe Island , Carleton Island , and Gage Island. The last is now known as Simcoe Island . In
5148-658: The Defence Staff . It ranks above lieutenant-general and, in the Army, is subordinate to the rank of field marshal , which is now only awarded as an honorary rank. The rank of general has a NATO-code of OF-9 , and is a four-star rank . It is equivalent to a full admiral in the Royal Navy or an air chief marshal in the Royal Air Force . Officers holding the ranks of lieutenant-general and major-general may be generically considered to be generals. A general's insignia
5280-767: The Governor's Council, though it retained the elected General Court. Gage dissolved the assembly in June 1774 after he discovered the Massachusetts representatives were sending delegates to the extralegal Continental Congress . He called for new elections to be held as per the Massachusetts Government Act, but his authority was undermined by the representatives who refused to meet with the new, appointed Governor's Council. He attempted to buy off political leaders in Massachusetts, notably Benjamin Church and Samuel Adams . With
5412-501: The Highlands. To remedy this, new forts were built, the military road network started by Wade finally completed and William Roy made the first comprehensive survey of the Highlands. Additional measures were taken to weaken the traditional clan system, which even before 1745 had been under severe stress due to changing economic conditions. The most significant was the Heritable Jurisdictions (Scotland) Act 1746 , which ended
Thomas Gage - Misplaced Pages Continue
5544-515: The Irish Brigade who served as head of the Jacobite artillery, was absent, having been wounded at the Siege of Fort William . Charles held his position, expecting Cumberland to attack, but he refused to do so and unable to respond to the fire, Charles ordered his front line to charge. As they did so, boggy ground in front of the Jacobite centre forced them over to the right, where they became entangled with
5676-686: The London government led to the 1725 malt tax and 1737 Porteous riots . In March 1743, the Highland-recruited 42nd Regiment of Foot was posted to Flanders , contrary to an understanding their service was restricted to Scotland, causing a short-lived mutiny. However, mutinies over pay and conditions were not unusual and the worst riots in 1725 took place in Glasgow , a town Charles noted in 1746 as one "where I have no friends and who are not at pains to hide it." Trade disputes between Spain and Britain led to
5808-515: The Manchester Regiment and several of the officers were later executed, including Francis Towneley. The invasion itself had little strategic effect, but reaching Derby and returning was a considerable military achievement. Morale was high, while reinforcements from Aberdeenshire and Banffshire under Lewis Gordon along with Scottish and Irish regulars in French service brought Jacobite strength to over 8,000. The Jacobite army now shifted to
5940-642: The Manchester Regiment. Some 650 died awaiting trial, 900 were pardoned and the rest transported to the colonies. The Jacobite lords Kilmarnock , Balmerino and Lovat were beheaded in April 1747, but public opinion was against further trials and the remaining prisoners were pardoned under the Act of Indemnity 1747. They included Flora MacDonald , whose aristocratic admirers collected over £1,500 for her. Lord Elcho , Lord Murray and Lochiel were excluded from this and died in exile; Archibald Cameron , responsible for recruiting
6072-587: The Patriots. Given intelligence that the militia had been stockpiling weapons at Concord, Massachusetts , he ordered detachments of regulars from the Boston garrison to march there on the night of 18 April to confiscate them. A brief skirmish in Lexington scattered colonial militia forces gathered there, but in a later standoff in Concord, a portion of the British force was routed by a stronger colonial militia contingent. When
6204-608: The Powder Alarm, "If force is to be used at length, it must be a considerable one, and foreign troops must be hired, for to begin with small numbers will encourage resistance, and not terrify; and will in the end cost more blood and treasure." Edmund Burke described Gage's conflicted relationship by saying in Parliament, "An Englishman is the unfittest person on Earth to argue another Englishman into slavery." On 14 April 1775 Gage received orders from London to take decisive action against
6336-608: The Prince brought a French army"; in the end, he spent the Rebellion in London, with participation by the Welsh gentry limited to two lawyers, David Morgan and William Vaughan. After the Jacobite rising of 1719 , new laws imposed penalties on Non-Jurists , those who refused to swear allegiance to the Hanoverian regime. By 1745, Non-Jurists had largely disappeared in England, but continued to be
6468-675: The Scots Presbyterians who formed the bulk of his army, or Nonconformists in general; many "Jacobite" demonstrations in Wales stemmed from hostility to the 18th century Welsh Methodist revival . The most prominent Welsh Jacobite was Denbighshire landowner and Tory Member of Parliament, Watkin Williams-Wynn , head of the Jacobite White Rose society. He met with Stuart agents several times between 1740 and 1744 and promised support "if
6600-598: The Scots no longer trusted his promises of support. After Culloden, government forces spent several weeks searching for rebels, confiscating cattle and burning non-juring Episcopalian and Catholic meeting houses. The brutality of these measures was partly driven by a widespread perception on both sides that another landing was imminent. Regular soldiers in French service were treated as prisoners of war and exchanged regardless of nationality, but 3,500 captured Jacobites were indicted for treason. Of these, 120 were executed, primarily deserters from government forces and members of
6732-424: The Scots was irretrievably damaged. The Council voted overwhelmingly to retreat, especially after learning from Lord Drummond that French ships had landed men, supplies and money at Montrose, Angus . They included small detachments of regulars from the " Royal Écossais " and the Irish Brigade . While less than 200 in total, Drummond allegedly claimed another 10,000 were preparing to follow, "greatly influencing"
SECTION 50
#17328526515956864-425: The Stuarts were unlikely to be any more pro-French than the Hanoverians. The remote and undeveloped Scottish Highlands were an ideal location for launching such an attempt, while the feudal nature of clan society made it relatively easy to raise troops. However, even Jacobite sympathisers were reluctant to support an uprising they recognised could be devastating for the local populace. Opposition to taxes levied by
6996-433: The Stuarts, but by 1737, James was "living tranquilly in Rome, having abandoned all hope of a restoration." At the same time, by the late 1730s French statesmen had come to see British commercial strength as a threat to the European balance of power, and the exiled Stuarts a potential option for weakening it. However, financing a low-level insurgency was far more cost-effective than an expensive restoration, especially since
7128-421: The Union, Catholicism and "arbitrary" rule. At the same time, Jacobite exiles failed to appreciate the extent to which English Tory support derived from policy differences with the Whigs, not Stuart loyalism. Under the 1743 Pacte de Famille , Louis XV and his uncle, Philip V of Spain , agreed to co-operate against Britain, including an invasion to restore the Stuarts. In November 1743, Louis advised James this
7260-473: The assistance of his brother, was placed in command of the 22nd Regiment , which assured a command even in peacetime. By all accounts, Gage appeared to be a fair administrator, respecting people's lives and property, although he had a healthy distrust of the landowning seigneurs and of the Roman Catholic clergy, who he viewed as intriguers for the French. When peace was announced following the 1763 Treaty of Paris , Gage began lobbying for another posting, as he
7392-496: The battlefield were reportedly killed afterwards, their losses being 1,200 to 1,500 dead and 500 prisoners. Several thousand armed Jacobites remained at large, and over the next two days, an estimated 1,500 assembled at Ruthven Barracks . On 20 April, Charles ordered them to disperse, arguing French assistance was required to continue the fight and they should return home until he returned with additional support. Lord Elcho later claimed to have told Charles he should "put himself at
7524-425: The business up. A small body acting in one spot will not avail, you must have large armies making diversions on different sides, to divide their force. The loss we have sustained is greater than we can bear. Small armies cannot afford such losses, especially when the advantage gained tends to do little more than the gaining of a post. On 25 June 1775, Gage wrote a dispatch to Great Britain, notifying Lord Dartmouth of
7656-465: The casualties. In March, Louis cancelled the invasion and declared war on Britain. In 1738, John Gordon of Glenbucket had proposed a landing in Scotland, which had been rejected by the French, and James himself. Seeking to revive this plan, in August Charles travelled to Paris where he met Sir John Murray of Broughton , liaison between the Stuarts and their supporters in Scotland. Murray subsequently claimed to have advised against it, but that Charles
7788-573: The closest natural heir. Since the Act of Settlement 1701 excluded Catholics from the succession, when Anne became queen in 1702, her heir was the distantly related but Protestant Electress Sophia of Hanover . Sophia died in June 1714, two months before Anne, and her son succeeded as George I in August. Louis XIV of France , the primary source of support for the exiled Stuarts, died in 1715 and his successors needed peace with Britain in order to rebuild their economy. The 1716 Anglo-French alliance forced James to leave France; he settled in Rome on
7920-435: The coast, allowing his forces to be resupplied by sea, and entered Aberdeen on 27 February; both sides halted operations until the weather improved. When Cumberland left Aberdeen on 8 April, the Jacobites were short of food and money, and the leadership agreed giving battle was their best option. Arguments over the suitability of the ground at Culloden stem from post-war disputes between supporters of Murray and O'Sullivan, who
8052-439: The colonies as the Intolerable Acts . Some of the terms of those acts, for example the option to remove political trials to England, originated with Gage, and measures such as curbing the activities of town meetings and withholding representative government from the Ohio Country also show his influence. With his military experience and relative youth (Massachusetts governor Thomas Hutchinson was then 62 years old and unpopular, and
SECTION 60
#17328526515958184-421: The confiscation of war-making materials. In September 1774, he ordered a mission to remove provincial gunpowder from a magazine in what is now Somerville , Massachusetts. This action, although successful, caused a huge popular reaction known as the Powder Alarm , resulting in the mobilization of thousands of provincial militiamen who marched towards Cambridge, Massachusetts . Although the militia soon dispersed,
8316-423: The conquest of New France, Amherst, who had little respect for the First Nations , instituted policies that severely hampered Anglo-Indian relations, principally forbidding the sale of ammunition to them. Combined with widespread concern about British expansion into their territories, this prompted the tribes of the Ohio Country and the formerly French Pays d'en Haut to rise against the British. In May 1763, under
8448-408: The decision. While the decision has been debated ever since, contemporaries did not believe the Hanoverian regime would collapse, even had the Jacobites reached London. It was driven by lack of external support, not proximity to the capital, and its wisdom is supported by many modern historians. Lack of heavy weapons or equipment allowed the small Jacobite army to out-march their opponents, but made
8580-408: The decline in English Jacobitism was demonstrated by the lack of support from areas strongly Jacobite in 1715, such as Northumberland and County Durham . Irish Jacobite societies increasingly reflected opposition to the existing order rather than affection for the Stuarts and were eventually absorbed by the Society of United Irishmen . In June 1747, D'Éguilles produced a report on the Rising that
8712-407: The deployment of two regiments to occupy Boston, a move that further inflamed the city. Among the troops quartered in the city was the 29th Regiment of Foot , which had previously clashed with colonists in Quebec and New York, and had a reputation for poor discipline. This occupation eventually led to the Boston Massacre in 1770. Later that year he wrote that "America is a mere bully, from one end to
8844-406: The efforts of Loyalists to recover losses incurred when they were forced to leave the colonies, notably confirming the activities of Benjamin Church to further his widow's claims for compensation. He received visitors at Portland Place and at Firle, including Frederick Haldimand and Thomas Hutchinson. His health began to decline early in the 1780s. Gage died at Portland Place on 2 April 1787, and
8976-547: The equally unpopular lieutenant governor Andrew Oliver was 67 in 1773 and died in March 1774), Gage, a popular figure on both sides of the Atlantic, was deemed the best man to handle the brewing crisis and enforce the Parliamentary acts. In early 1774, he was appointed military governor of Massachusetts, replacing Hutchinson. He arrived from Britain in early May, first stopping at Castle William on Castle Island in Boston Harbour. He then arrived in Boston on 13 May 1774, having been carried there by HMS Lively . His arrival
9108-575: The family eventually settled into a house on Portland Place in London. Although he was presumably given a friendly reception in his interview with a sympathetic King George, the public and private writings about him and his fall from power were at times vicious. One correspondent wrote that Gage had "run his race of glory ... let him alone to the hell of his own conscience and the infamy which must inevitably attend him!" Others were kinder; New Hampshire Governor Benning Wentworth characterised him as "a good and wise man ... surrounded by difficulties." Gage
9240-431: The family's long history of Catholicism , Viscount Gage had adopted the Anglican Church in 1715. During his school years Thomas the younger became firmly attached to the latter church; he eventually developed a dislike for the Roman Catholic Church that became evident in later years. After he left Westminster School in 1736, there are no records of Gage's activities until he joined the British Army , eventually receiving
9372-421: The feudal power of chiefs over their clansmen. The Act of Proscription 1746 outlawed Highland dress unless worn in military service, although its impact is debated and the law was repealed in 1782. The Jacobite cause did not entirely disappear after 1746, but the conflicting objectives of its participants ended the movement as a serious political threat. Many Scots were disillusioned by Charles' leadership while
9504-771: The first dissolved the "pretended Union," the second rejected the Act of Settlement. He also instructed the Caledonian Mercury to publish minutes of the 1695 Parliamentary enquiry into the Glencoe Massacre , often used as an example of post-1688 oppression. Jacobite morale was further boosted in mid-October when the French landed supplies of money and weapons, together with an envoy, the Marquis d'Éguilles , which seemed to validate claims of French backing. However, David Wemyss, Lord Elcho later claimed his fellow Scots were already concerned by Charles' autocratic style and fears he
9636-458: The fleet that continued to control the harbour. On 25 May, 4,500 reinforcements arrived in the city, along with three more generals: Major General William Howe and Brigadiers John Burgoyne and Henry Clinton . On 14 June, Gage issued a proclamation, believed to have been written by Burgoyne but distributed in Gage's name, granting a general pardon to all who would demonstrate loyalty to the crown—with
9768-526: The forces in Boston, while General Guy Carleton was given command of the forces in Quebec. Although King George wanted to reward his "mild general" for his service, Gage's sole reward after Lord George Germain (who succeeded Dartmouth as the Secretary of State for North America) formally gave his command to Howe in April 1776 was that he retained the governorship of Massachusetts. On the Gages' return to England,
9900-480: The former he was successful—Church secretly supplied him with intelligence on the activities of rebel leaders—but Adams and other rebel leaders were not moved. In September 1774 Gage withdrew his garrisons from New York City, New Jersey, Philadelphia , Halifax and Newfoundland and brought all under his wing in Boston together with a large British naval presence under the control of Admiral Samuel Graves . He also sought to strictly enforce army directives calling for
10032-560: The full value of his estate should the rising prove abortive," while MacLeod and Sleat helped him escape after Culloden. On 19 August, the rebellion was launched with the raising of the Royal Standard at Glenfinnan , witnessed by what O'Sullivan estimated as around 700 Highlanders. This small Jacobite force used the new government-built roads to reach Perth on 4 September, where they were joined by more sympathisers. They included Lord George Murray , previously pardoned for participation in
10164-466: The government, Amherst was incensed at the failure, and Gage's troops were in the rear of Amherst's army in the 1760 expedition that resulted in Montreal's surrender. After the French surrender, Amherst named Gage the military Governor of Montreal , a task Gage found somewhat thankless, because it involved the minute details of municipal governance along with the administration of the military occupation. He
10296-562: The handsome sum of £10 per day as commander-in-chief, he received a variety of other stipends, including his colonel's salary, given for leading his regiment. These funds made it possible to send all of the Gage children (at least six of whom survived to adulthood) to school in England. If Gage did not dip his hand unnecessarily in the public till, he did engage in the relatively common practices of nepotism and political favouritism. In addition to securing advantageous positions for several people named Gage or Kemble, he also apparently assisted in
10428-574: The head of the [...] men that remained to him, and live and die with them," but he was determined to leave for France. After evading capture in the Western Highlands, Charles was picked up by a French ship commanded by Richard Warren on 20 September; he never returned to Scotland but the collapse of his relationship with the Scots always made this unlikely. Even before Derby, he had accused Murray and others of treachery; these outbursts became more frequent due to disappointment and heavy drinking, while
10560-401: The highlight of their careers. Charles was forcibly deported from France after the 1748 Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle and rapidly descended into alcoholism , while Cumberland resigned from the British Army in 1757 and died of a stroke in 1765. Charles continued his attempts to reignite the cause, including making a secret visit to London in 1750, when he met supporters and briefly converted to
10692-501: The invasion force, but when Admiral Roquefeuil 's squadron left Brest on 26 January 1744, the Royal Navy refused to follow. French naval operations against Britain often took place in the winter, when poor weather made it harder to enforce a blockade. Unfortunately, this worked both ways, and as in 1719 , the invasion force was wrecked by storms. Several French ships were sunk and many others severely damaged, Roquefeuil himself being among
10824-571: The large crowds that turned out to see them on the march south, only Manchester provided a significant number of recruits; Preston, a Jacobite stronghold in 1715, supplied three. Murray argued they had gone as far as possible and now risked being cut off by superior forces, with Cumberland advancing north from London, and Wade moving south from Newcastle. Charles admitted he had not heard from the English Jacobites since leaving France; this meant he lied when claiming otherwise and his relationship with
10956-483: The last pitched battle on British soil, lasted less than an hour and ended in a decisive government victory. Exhausted by a night march carried out in a failed attempt to surprise Cumberland's troops, many Jacobites missed the battle, leaving fewer than 5,000 to face a well-rested and equipped force of 7,000 to 9,000. Fighting began with an artillery exchange: that of the government was vastly superior in training and coordination, particularly as James Grant, an officer in
11088-523: The leadership of the Odawa leader Pontiac , they launched a series of attacks on lightly garrisoned British frontier forts, successfully driving the British from some, threatening others, and also terrorising British settlers in those areas. Hoping to end the conflict diplomatically, Gage ordered Colonel John Bradstreet and Colonel Henry Bouquet out on military expeditions and also ordered Sir William Johnson to engage in peace negotiations. Johnson negotiated
11220-505: The least important. These divisions became increasingly apparent during the Rising, exacerbated because Charles himself was largely ignorant of the kingdoms he hoped to regain. In addition, many of his senior advisors were Irish exiles, who wanted an autonomous, Catholic Ireland and the return of lands confiscated after the Irish Confederate Wars . His grandfather James II had promised these concessions in return for Irish support in
11352-496: The likely penalties for defeat, they felt that by arriving without French military support, Charles had failed to keep his commitments and were unconvinced by his personal qualities. Sleat and MacLeod may also have been especially vulnerable to government sanctions, due to their involvement in illegally selling tenants into indentured servitude . Enough were persuaded but the choice was rarely simple; Donald Cameron of Lochiel committed himself only after Charles provided "security for
11484-487: The mouth of the Oswegatchie River on Lake Ontario. When Amherst learned that the French had also abandoned Fort St. Frédéric , he sent a messenger after Gage with more explicit instructions to capture La Galette and then, if at all possible, to advance on Montreal. When Gage arrived at Oswego, which had been captured in July by troops under Frederick Haldimand 's command, he surveyed the situation, and decided that it
11616-691: The newly raised 80th Regiment of Light-Armed Foot , the "first definitely light-armed regiment in the British army." While it is uncertain exactly when he met the Kembles, his choice of the Brunswick area may well have been motivated by his interest in Margaret Kemble , a well-known beauty of the area, a descendant of the Schuyler family , and the granddaughter of New York Mayor Stephanus Van Cortlandt . Recruiting and courtship were both successful. By February 1758 Gage
11748-500: The notable exceptions of John Hancock and Samuel Adams. Gage also worked with the newly arrived generals on a plan to break the grip of the besieging forces. They would use an amphibious assault to take control of the unoccupied Dorchester Heights , which would be followed up by an attack on the rebel camp at Roxbury . They would then seize the heights on the Charlestown peninsula, including Breed's Hill and Bunker Hill. This would allow
11880-438: The other person was his wife, Margaret Kemble Gage , who was an American, and that she may have passed on this information to Warren. Following Lexington and Concord, thousands of colonial militia surrounded the city, beginning the Siege of Boston . At first, the rebels (led mainly by Massachusetts General Artemas Ward ) faced some 4,000 British regulars, who were bottled up in the city. British Admiral Samuel Graves commanded
12012-461: The other, and the Bostonians by far the greatest bullies." Gage later came to change his opinion about the source of the unrest, believing that democracy was a significant threat. He saw the movement of colonists into the interior, beyond effective Crown control, and the development of the town meeting as a means of local governance as major elements of the threat, and wrote in 1772 that "democracy
12144-438: The placement of some of his friends and political supporters, or their children. During Gage's administration, political tensions rose throughout the American colonies. As a result, Gage began withdrawing troops from the frontier to fortify urban centres like New York City and Boston. As the number of soldiers stationed in cities grew, the need to provide adequate food and housing for these troops became urgent. Parliament passed
12276-537: The pre-1707 Parliament of Scotland to help defend it against the "English armies" they expected to be sent against them. Charles argued an invasion of England was critical for attracting French support, and ensuring an independent Scotland by removing the Hanoverians. He was supported by the Irish exiles, for whom a Stuart on the British throne was the only way to achieve an autonomous, Catholic Ireland. Charles also claimed he
12408-433: The promised English support failed to materialise. With several government armies marching on their position, they were outnumbered and in danger of being cut off. The decision to retreat was supported by the vast majority, but caused an irretrievable split between Charles and his Scots supporters. Despite victory at Falkirk Muir in January 1746, defeat at Culloden in April ended the rebellion. Charles escaped to France, but
12540-422: The qualities of your heart." Gage also made some important political connections, forming relationships with important figures like Lord Barrington , the future Secretary at War , and Jeffery Amherst , a man roughly his age who rose to great heights in the French and Indian War . In 1750, Gage became engaged to a "lady of rank and fortune, whom he persuaded to yield her hand in an honourable way". The engagement
12672-505: The regime by refusing to enforce laws against them. Many became government supporters, including Edward Howard, Duke of Norfolk , unofficial head of the English Catholic community. Sentenced to death in 1716, he was reprieved and remained in London during the 1745 rebellion, visiting George II to confirm his loyalty. Most English Jacobite sympathisers were Tories who resented their exclusion from power since 1714, and viewed Hanover as
12804-508: The regiment, was slightly wounded. The regiment was decimated, and Captain Robert Orme (General Braddock's aide-de-camp) levelled charges that poor field tactics on the part of Gage had led to the defeat; as a result of his accusations Gage was denied permanent command of the 44th Regiment. Gage and Washington maintained a somewhat friendly relationship for several years after the expedition, but distance and lack of frequent contact likely cooled
12936-589: The relationship between Charles and the Scots, both sides viewing the other with suspicion and hostility. Elcho later wrote that Murray believed they could have continued the war in Scotland "for several years", forcing the Crown to agree to terms as its troops were desperately needed for the war on the Continent. This seems unlikely since despite their victories in Flanders, in early 1746 Finance Minister Machault warned Louis that
13068-514: The relationship. By 1770, Washington was publicly condemning Gage's actions in asserting British authority in Massachusetts . In the summer of 1756 Gage served as second-in-command of a failed expedition to resupply Fort Oswego , which fell to the French while the expedition was en route. The following year, he was assigned to Captain-General John Campbell Loudoun in Halifax , Nova Scotia , where
13200-585: The results of the battle on 17 June. Three days after his report arrived in England, Dartmouth issued the order recalling Gage and replacing him with William Howe. The rapidity of this action is likely attributable to the fact that people within the government were already arguing for Gage's removal, and the battle was just the final straw. Gage received the order in Boston on 26 September, and set sail for England on 11 October. The nature of Dartmouth's recall order did not actually strip Gage of his offices immediately. William Howe temporarily replaced him as commander of
13332-491: The right wing regiments and where movement was restricted by an enclosure wall. This increased the distance to the government lines and slowed the momentum of the charge, lengthening their exposure to the government artillery, which now switched to grapeshot . Despite heavy losses, the Highlanders crashed into Cumberland's left, which gave ground but did not break, while Loudon's Highlanders fired into their flank from behind
13464-484: The show of force on the part of the provincials had a lasting effect on Gage, and he subsequently grew more cautious in his actions. The rapid response of the provincials was in large part due to Paul Revere and the Sons of Liberty . The Sons of Liberty kept careful watch over Gage's activities and successfully warned others of future actions before Gage could mobilise his British regulars to execute them. A Committee of Safety
13596-447: The state of the siege. Henry Clinton called it "[a] dear bought victory, another such would have ruined us", while other officers noted that nothing had been gained in the victory. Gage himself wrote the Secretary at War: These people show a spirit and conduct against us they never showed against the French.... They are now spirited up by a rage and enthusiasm as great as ever people were possessed of and you must proceed in earnest or give
13728-469: The throne of a united Great Britain and rule on the basis of divine right of kings and absolutism . Both principles had been rejected by the 1688 Glorious Revolution , but were reinforced by his trusted advisors, most of whom were long-term English or Irish Catholic exiles. They differed sharply from the Scottish Protestant nationalists who formed the bulk of the Jacobite army in 1745, and opposed
13860-537: The town in December, Cumberland wanted to execute those responsible. Leaving a small garrison, the Jacobites continued south to Preston on 26 November, then Manchester on 28th. Here they received the first notable intake of English recruits, which were formed into the Manchester Regiment . Their commander was Francis Towneley , a Lancashire Catholic and former French Royal Army officer, whose elder brother Richard had narrowly escaped execution for his part in
13992-492: The wall. Unable to return fire, the Highlanders broke and fell back in confusion; the north-eastern regiments and Irish and Scots regulars in the second line retired in good order, allowing Charles and his personal retinue to escape northwards. Troops that held together, like the French regulars, were far less vulnerable in retreat, but many Highlanders were cut down in the pursuit. Government casualties are estimated as 50 killed, plus 259 wounded; many Jacobite wounded remaining on
14124-491: The war. The arrest was based on flimsy evidence that Rogers might have been engaging in a treasonous relationship with the French; he was acquitted in a 1768 court martial. Gage spent most of his time as commander-in-chief, the most powerful office in British America , in and around New York City. Although Gage was burdened by the administrative demands of managing a territory that spanned the entirety of North America east of
14256-461: The winter of 1745 to 1746, Maréchal Maurice de Saxe was assembling troops in Northern France in preparation for an offensive into Flanders , while Dunkirk was a major privateer base and always busy. Threatening an invasion was a far more cost-effective means of consuming British resources than actually doing so and these plans were formally cancelled in January 1746. The retreat badly damaged
14388-458: Was "determined to come [...] though with a single footman." When Murray returned to Edinburgh with this news, his colleagues reiterated their opposition to a rising without substantial French backing, but Charles gambled once in Scotland, the French would have to support him. He spent the first months of 1745 purchasing weapons, while victory at Fontenoy in April encouraged the French authorities to provide him with two transport ships. These were
14520-482: Was "very much [tired] of this cursed Climate, and I must be bribed very high to stay here any longer". In October 1763 the good news arrived that he would act as commander-in-chief of North America while Amherst was on leave in Britain. He immediately left Montreal, and took over Amherst's command in New York on 17 November 1763. When he did so, he inherited the job of dealing with the outbreak of Pontiac's War . Following
14652-444: Was a noted nobleman given titles in Ireland. Thomas Gage (the elder) had three children, of whom Thomas was the second. The first son, William Hall Gage, 2nd Viscount Gage , was born 6 January 1717/18 and christened 29 January 1717/18, also at Westminster St James. In 1728 Gage began attending the prestigious Westminster School where he met such figures as John Burgoyne , Richard Howe , Francis Bernard , and George Germain . Despite
14784-598: Was also appointed the military governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay , with instructions to implement the Intolerable Acts , punishing Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party . His attempts to seize the military stores of Patriot militias in April 1775 sparked the battles of Lexington and Concord , beginning the American War of Independence . After Britain's pyrrhic victory in the Battle of Bunker Hill in June, he
14916-529: Was also forced to deal with civil litigation, and manage trade with the First Nations in the Great Lakes region, where traders disputed territorial claims, and quarrelled with the First Nations . Margaret came to stay with him in Montreal and that is where his first two children, Harry, the future 3rd Viscount Gage , and Maria Theresa, were born. In 1761, he was promoted to major general, and in 1762, again with
15048-448: Was also tasked with sounding the alarm for local militias if Gage were spotted sending significant numbers of British troops outside of Boston. Gage was criticised for allowing groups like the Sons of Liberty to exist. One of his officers, Lord Percy , remarked, "The general's great lenity and moderation serve only to make them [the colonists] more daring and insolent." Gage himself wrote after
15180-588: Was an attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain the British throne for his father, James Francis Edward Stuart . It took place during the War of the Austrian Succession , when the bulk of the British Army was fighting in mainland Europe, and proved to be the last in a series of revolts that began in March 1689 , with major outbreaks in 1715 and 1719 . Charles launched the rebellion on 19 August 1745 at Glenfinnan in
15312-402: Was briefly reactivated to duty in April 1781, when Amherst appointed him to mobilise troops for a possible French invasion. The next year, Gage assumed command of the 17th Light Dragoons . He was promoted to full general on 20 November 1782, and later transferred to command the 11th Dragoons . As the war machinery was reduced in the mid-1780s, Gage's military activities declined. He supported
15444-408: Was buried in the family plot at Firle . His wife survived him by almost 37 years. His son Henry inherited the family title upon the death of Gage's brother William, and became one of the wealthiest men in England. His youngest son, William Hall Gage , became an admiral in the Royal Navy , and all three daughters married into well-known families. Gagetown, New Brunswick was named in his honour;
15576-453: Was critical of the Jacobite leadership in general, while his opinion of Charles was so negative that he concluded France might be better served by supporting a Scottish Republic. Soon after this, Henry Benedict Stuart was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest ; Charles viewed this as tacit acceptance that the Stuart cause was finished and never forgave him. For both leaders, the Rebellion was to be
15708-409: Was eventually broken, leaving Gage broken-hearted. In 1753, both Gage and his father stood for seats in Parliament. Both lost in the April 1754 election, even though his father had been a Member of Parliament for some years prior. They both contested the results, but his father died soon after, and Gage withdrew his protest in early 1755, as his regiment was being sent to America following the outbreak of
15840-505: Was in Albany , preparing for that year's campaign, and he and Margaret were married on 8 December of that year. The campaign for which Gage went to Albany culminated in the disastrous Battle of Carillon , in which 16,000 British forces were defeated by barely 4,000 French forces. Gage, whose regiment was in the British vanguard, was again wounded in that battle, in which the British suffered more than 2,000 casualties. Gage, who had been brevetted
15972-403: Was in contact with English supporters, who were simply waiting for their arrival, while d'Éguilles assured the council a French landing in England was imminent. Despite their doubts, the Council agreed to the invasion, on condition the promised English and French support was forthcoming. Previous Scottish incursions into England had crossed the border at Berwick-upon-Tweed , but Murray selected
16104-497: Was largely responsible for the choice, but defeat was a combination of factors. In addition to superior numbers and equipment, Cumberland's troops had been drilled in countering the Highland charge, which relied on speed and ferocity to break the enemy lines. When successful it resulted in quick victories like Prestonpans and Falkirk, but if it failed, they could not hold their ground. The Battle of Culloden on 16 April, often cited as
16236-536: Was met with little pomp and circumstance, but was generally well received at first as Bostonians were happy to see Hutchinson go. Local attitudes toward him rapidly deteriorated as he began implementing the various acts, including the Boston Port Act , which put many people out of work, and the Massachusetts Government Act , which formally rescinded the provincial assembly's right to nominate members of
16368-445: Was not prudent to move against La Galette. Expected reinforcements from Fort Duquesne had not arrived, the French military strength at La Galette was unknown, and its strength near Montreal was believed to be relatively high. Gage, believing an attack on La Galette would not gain any significant advantage, decided against action, and sent Amherst a message outlining his reasons. Although there was no immediate censure from either Amherst or
16500-440: Was overly influenced by his Irish advisors. A "Prince's Council" of 15 to 20 senior leaders was established; Charles resented it as an imposition by the Scots on their divinely appointed monarch, while the daily meetings accentuated divisions between the factions. These internal tensions were highlighted by the meetings held on 30 and 31 October to discuss strategy. Most of the Scots wanted to consolidate their position and revive
16632-561: Was planned for February 1744 and began assembling 12,000 troops and transports at Dunkirk , selected because it was possible to reach the Thames from there in a single tide. Since the Royal Navy was well aware of this, the French squadron in Brest made ostentatious preparations for putting to sea, in hopes of luring away their patrols. James remained in Rome while Charles made his way in secret to join
16764-457: Was proclaimed King of Scotland the next day and Charles his Regent. On 21 September, the Jacobites intercepted and scattered Cope's army in less than 20 minutes at the Battle of Prestonpans , just outside Edinburgh. Prince William, Duke of Cumberland , commander of the British army in Flanders , was recalled to London, along with 12,000 troops. To consolidate his support in Scotland, Charles published two "Declarations" on 9 and 10 October:
16896-520: Was promoted to lieutenant colonel in March 1751. During his early service years, he spent leisure time at White's Club , where he was a member, and occasionally travelled, going at least as far as Paris. He was a popular figure in the army and at the club, even though he neither liked alcohol nor gambled very much. His friendships spanned class and ability. Charles Lee once wrote to Gage, "I respected your understanding, lik'd your manners and perfectly ador'd
17028-449: Was replaced by General William Howe in October 1775, and returned to England where he died in 1787. Thomas Gage was born on 10 March 1718/19 at Firle and christened 31 March 1719 at Westminster St James, Middlesex, England, son of Thomas Gage, 1st Viscount Gage , and Benedicta Maria Teresa Hall. Firle Place , Firle , Sussex , is where the Gage family had been seated since the 15th century. His father, Thomas Gage, 1st Viscount Gage ,
17160-419: Was required to actually go to Virginia or give up the post.) Intrigues of other high-ranking officers, especially Robert Monckton and his supporters, for his offices, continued throughout his tenure as commander-in-chief. Gage was promoted to lieutenant general in 1771. In 1767 Gage ordered the arrest of Major Robert Rogers , the former leader of Rogers' Rangers who Gage had come to dislike and distrust during
17292-418: Was supposed to have been a "profound secret," but nevertheless Sons of Liberty leader Joseph Warren found out about it. He then dispatched Paul Revere and William Dawes to warn the colonists, which resulted in the Battle of Lexington and Concord , and starting the American War of Independence . Gage had told his plans to only his second-in-command and "one other person." There is evidence to suggest that
17424-481: Was unable to win support for another attempt, and died in Rome in 1788. The 1688 Glorious Revolution replaced the Catholic James II & VII with his Protestant daughter Mary and her Dutch husband William , who ruled as joint monarchs of England, Ireland and Scotland. Neither Mary, who died in 1694, nor her sister Anne , had surviving children, leaving their Catholic half-brother James Francis Edward as
#594405