The Life and Death of Richard Mansergh St. George
Learn more about the events of Richard Mansergh St. George’s life with this illustrated timeline. From his early days as a published cartoonist and officer in the British Army to his death at the age of 46 in 1798, St. George’s experiences and personal trauma provide a glimpse into the Age of Revolutions.
St. George’s Ireland: A Divided Population
ca. 1752
Richard St. George Mansergh, the son of James Mansergh and Mary St. George Mansergh, is born in Ireland. He would later change his name to Richard St. George Mansergh St. George, or Richard Mansergh St. George for short.
1771
St. George begins his studies at Trinity College, Cambridge University, in England.
1772
Matthew and Mary Darly begin to publish Richard Mansergh St. George’s “macaroni'' cartoons in London. They published at least 10 of his cartoons in 1772 and 1773.
Explore1774
Richard Mansergh St. George inherits a maternal relative’s Irish estate. He added his relative’s surname to his birth name to become Richard St. George Mansergh St. George, or Richard Mansergh St. George for short.
American War: Fighting for the Crown
April 19, 1775
The Revolutionary War begins in America.
December 24, 1775
St. George purchases a cornet’s commission (the lowest ranking officer) in the 8th Regiment of Dragoons, his grandfather’s and father’s old regiment in the British Army.
April 15, 1776
St. George purchases an ensign’s commission (the lowest ranking officer) in the British Army’s 4th Regiment of Foot and soon after poses in his uniform for a portrait by Thomas Gainsborough.
ExploreAugust 27, 1776
After sailing for America, Richard Mansergh St. George fights in the Battle of Long Island, his first combat experience.
November 16, 1776
St. George fights in the Battle of Fort Washington and guards American prisoners.
December 23, 1776
Richard Mansergh St. George purchases a lieutenant’s commission in the 52nd Regiment of Foot’s light infantry company.
Summer 1777
St. George marches to fight against George Washington’s army in New Jersey and later sails south to attack Philadelphia, landing in Maryland at the north end of the Chesapeake Bay.
September 3, 1777
Richard Mansergh St. George fights in the Battle of Cooch’s Bridge in Delaware.
September 20-21, 1777
St. George participates in the attack on Pennsylvania troops at the Battle of Paoli.
October 4, 1777
Richard Mansergh St. George is shot in the head at the Battle of Germantown and survives surgery in Philadelphia.
ExploreFebruary 1778
St. George takes leave from the British Army because of his head wound and returns home to Ireland.
Wounded Veteran: A Man Versed in Misfortune
1782
Richard Mansergh St. George travels to Naples, Italy, and meets Xavier della Gatta who paints the battles of Paoli and Germantown based on St. George’s descriptions.
Explore1783
St. George hosts a medieval fantasy costume party at his English estate and entertains Sir Brooke Boothby, poet Anna Seward, and artist Henry Fuseli.
1788
Richard Mansergh St. George marries Anne Stepney Doyne, the widow of Benjamin Burton Doyne. Together they have two sons, Richard James Mansergh St. George (b. 1789) and Stepney St. George (b. 1791).
Explore1789
Richard Mansergh St. George hears news of a growing revolution in France and the storming of the Bastille in Paris.
August 1792
Anne Stepney St. George dies suddenly in England.
Irish Revolution: Fighting for Independence in 1798
1793
French King Louis XVI is executed and a war begins between the new French Republic and Great Britain.
Explore1796
St. George commissions his portrait by Hugh Douglas Hamilton that conveys his grief over the death of his wife.
1797
St. George seeks out and stops rebellious activity on his Irish properties that he felt threatened his land ownership and British rule in the country.
February 1798
Richard Mansergh St. George is ambushed and killed by a group of his Irish tenants in County Cork who are influenced by the United Irishmen and the Defenders. He is buried in Athlone, Ireland, following a military funeral.
ExploreMay 1798
The United Irishmen launch their revolt against British rule in Ireland. The British defeat the United Irishmen by October 1798.
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