Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 25.djvu/386

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
Hely-Hutchinson
380
Hely-Hutchinson

luke beys, made over the command to Lord Cavan, and returned home at the end of the month. His services, the importance of which in the interests of European peace and the security of our Indian empire can hardly be overrated, were recognised by the thanks of parliament and a peerage. He was created Baron Hutchinson of Alexandria and of Knocklofty, co. Tipperary, with a pension of 2,000l. a year. He also received the new Turkish order of the Crescent in brilliants. On the renewal of the war Hutchinson held a major-general's command in the southern district (Kent and Surrey) under Sir David Dundas, until promoted to be lieutenant-general in September 1803. He was appointed colonel 74th highlanders in 1803, transferred to the 57th foot in 1805, and to the 18th royal Irish foot in 1811. He became governor of Stirling Castle in April 1806, and a full general in 1813. He was made G.C.B. on the reconstitution of the order of the Bath in 1814.

In November 1806 Hutchinson was sent by the Grenville ministry on an unsuccessful mission to the Prussian and Russian courts. He was with the Russian army in the field during the campaign ending with the disastrous battle of Friedland, near Königsberg, 14 Jan. 1807, and was afterwards a short time at St. Petersburg. He subsequently took little part in public affairs. He was a whig in politics, and in the Irish house had been reputed an effective speaker.

In 1820 Hutchinson, once a personal friend of George IV as Prince of Wales, and a member of the prince's council, was entrusted with a mission to Queen Caroline. Hutchinson met her at St. Omer (4 June 1820) with the offer of an allowance of 50,000l. a year, on condition of her relinquishing all English royal titles, and never visiting England. Brougham, the queen's attorney-general, appears to have been disposed to recommend acceptance of the terms except as regarded renunciation of any royal title (Life of Brougham, ii. 365–70). The queen refused to listen to the proposals, and started for England next morning (ib.) [see Caroline Amelia Elizabeth and Brougham, Henry Peter, Lord Brougham and Vaux]. On George IV's visit to Ireland Hutchinson appears to have interceded with him in favour of Sir Robert Wilson, who had been dismissed the service for alleged interference with the authorities on the occasion of Queen Caroline's funeral.

On the death of his brother Richard, the first earl, on 25 Aug. 1825, Hutchinson succeeded as second earl of Donoughmore. He died at his seat, Knocklofty, co. Tipperary, on 6 July 1832, aged 75. At his death the barony of Hutchinson became extinct. The pension of 2,000l. a year attached thereto, and a pension of 900l., drawn by him in respect of an abolished sinecure in the Irish custom-house, also ceased. He was succeeded in the earldom of Donoughmore by a nephew, John Hely-Hutchinson (1787–1851) [q. v.] A portrait of Hutchinson, by T. Phillips, R.A., is engraved in Cadell's ‘Contemporary Portraits.’

[Foster's Peerage, s.v. ‘Donoughmore;’ Philippart's Roy. Mil. Cal. 1820; Gent. Mag. 1832, pt. ii. 265; Sir H. Bunbury's Narrative of Certain Passages in the late War with France, London, 1853, containing much interesting information respecting Holland, the Mediterranean, and Egypt in 1799–1801; Sir Robert Wilson's and other narratives of the campaign in Egypt; Allardyce's Life of Admiral Lord Keith; Hutchinson's despatches in London Gazette, Ann. Reg. 1801, and Alison's Hist. of Europe, vol. v. A letter from Hutchinson to the Earl of Chichester in 1803 is in Brit. Mus. Add. MS. 33110, f. 442. For the events in Germany in 1806–7 see Alison's Hist. and Court and Cabinets, George III, vol. iv. under dates, also Ann. Reg. 1807. Hutchinson's despatches from the Russian headquarters are in the Public Record Office, London, enrolled under ‘Germany,’ 1806–7. The private diary of Sir Robert Wilson, who was with Hutchinson at this period as military attaché, forms Add. MS. 30098. Two volumes of letters from Hutchinson to Wilson, from 1814 to 1828, form Add. MSS. 30125 and 30126. They are replete with interesting comments on current affairs in Ireland and on the continent, but the autograph letters are in shaky, scrawling handwriting which is all but illegible.]

H. M. C.

HELY-HUTCHINSON, JOHN, third Earl of Donoughmore (1787–1851), eldest son of Francis Hely-Hutchinson, the third son of John Hely-Hutchinson (1724–1794) [q. v.], was born at Wexford in 1787. He entered the army in September 1807, and served with the grenadier guards during the Peninsular war, receiving the war medal with one clasp for the battle of Corunna. He was raised to the rank of captain of the 1st grenadiers on 9 Nov. 1812, and was actively engaged at Waterloo. On the allied occupation of Paris he was quartered there, and obtained considerable notoriety from the share he took in effecting the escape of General Lavalette. Together with Lieutenant Bruce of his own regiment and Sir Robert Wilson, he was put on his trial in Paris. Public sympathy, however, was on the side of the accused, and the judge, taking a lenient view of their offence, merely condemned them to three months' imprisonment and the expenses of the trial. After undergoing his punishment, Hely-Hutchinson returned to England. For his offence he was deprived of his commission, but was