General Sir John Mordaunt KB

John Mordaunt was born in 1697, the son of Lt-Gen Hon Harry Mordaunt and Margaret Spencer. His grandfather was 1st Viscount Mordaunt of Avalon. He was the commander in the failed raid on Rochefort in 1756 that brought him to a court martial. He was acquitted him but earned the displeasure of King George II.
He was commissioned into the army in 1721 and served in the cavalry. He commanded the 3rd Foot Guards in 1731 and in 1742 was a Colonel commanding the Royal Irish Regiment. He commanded in the Netherlands, and when the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745 broke out he earned respect for his leadership at Falkirk. After Culloden he was sent to pursue the Highlanders. He was a brigadier-general at the battle of Lauffeld.
He was also a politician, sitting as MP for Pontefract in 1730, then Whitchurch in 1735 and Cockermouth in 1741. As a Whig he strongly supported Robert Walpole. His appointments included the colonelcy of 4 regiments, one of which, the 4th Irish Horse, only lasted 3 months:
1739 Founding Governor of the Foundling Hospital
1741 Colonel of the 47th Regiment of Foot
1742 Colonel of the Royal Irish Regiment
1747 Colonel of the 12th Dragoons
1749 Colonel of the 4th Irish Horse (7th Dragoon Guards)
1749 Colonel of the 10th Dragoons
1752 Governor of Sheerness
1778 Governor of Berwick-upon-Tweed
He lived at Bevis Mount, Southampton and died there on 23 Oct 1780. He was not married and had no children. The portrait is by Allan Ramsay, painted c1740

Regimental Details | Colonels