Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Nugent, Christopher (d.1731)
NUGENT, CHRISTOPHER (d. 1731), soldier, was the eldest son of Francis Nugent of Dardistown, co. Meath, and Bridget, sister of William Dongan, created Earl of Limerick in 1685. He represented the borough of Fore in the parliament of 1689, and was attached to the first troop of Irish horseguards in 1691. After the capitulation of Limerick he elected to go to France, and arrived at Brest on 3 Dec. 1691. He was given a command in the army for the invasion of England in 1692, and afterwards served with the Irish horseguards in Flanders. In 1694 he served with the army of Germany, under the Duc de Lorges, and with the army of the Moselle in 1695. On 25 May 1695 he was appointed ‘mestre-de-camp de cavalerie,’ and continued with the army of the Moselle in 1696–7. On the disbandment of the Irish horseguards on 27 Feb. 1698, he was attached as ‘mestre-de-camp’ to the reformed regiment of Sheldon. He joined the army of Italy in July 1701, fought under Villeroi at Chiari on 1 Sept., and under Vendome at Luzzara on 15 Aug. 1702. In the following year he served with the army of Germany, and in Flanders in 1704. He was created brigadier on 1 March 1705, and, on the retirement of Colonel Sheldon, succeeded to the command of the regiment on 16 Jan. 1706. He changed its name to that of Nugent, and commanded it at Ramillies, Oudenarde, and Malplaquet. During the winter of 1711–12 he was employed about Calais, was present at the battle of Denain on 24 July 1712, and at the siege of Douay in September. The following year he was transferred to the army of Germany, was present at the siege of Landau (June–August), at the defeat of General Vaubonne on 20 Sept., and the capture of Freiburg im Breisgau in November. In 1714 he served with the army of the Lower Meuse. But having in 1715 accompanied the Old Pretender to Scotland without permission, he was, on the remonstrance of the British ambassador in Paris, deprived of his regiment, which, however, was conferred on his son; and on 13 Sept. 1718 he was promoted maréchal-de-camp or major-general of horse. He died on 4 June 1731. He married Bridget, second daughter of Robert Barnewall, ninth lord Trimleston, by whom he had one son, who succeeded him.
[Pinard's Chronologie Historique-Militaire, vii. 12; O'Callaghan's Hist. of the Irish Brigades, Glasgow, 1870; Lodge's Peerage, ed. Archdall, i. 220; MacGeoghegan's Hist. of Ireland; Capefigue's Louis XIV.]