First Foot Guards
Officers
of the Guards detachment
which sailed from England to NYC in 1776
Brigadier-General
Mathew
Assigned 1776
General Edward Mathew (later in life) was seemingly the model for Jane Austen's "General Tilney" in Northanger Abbey (written 1798) … not an entirely flattering portrait. General Mathew was father-in -law of Jane Austen's brother James.
Apparently Mathew fell foul of 'the madness of King George'.
After serving in America Edward Mathew was twice appointed by George III to be Governor of Grenada. Unfortunately, the King forgot to clear his salary with the Treasury on his second tour of duty. In 1792 the Mathews were billed for "over 11,000"{pounds sterling} which was his legitimate salary from the Royal Exchequer. Since the King had lost his memory, they were later billed for 24,000 pounds. This they had to pay, just after Edward Mathew died in 1805.
Mathew's biographer, James Honan, describes Mathew as "generous, and full of honours, kind and crestfallen, but with a bitter, stiff, dictatorial presence. He had a more complex character than "General Tilney", being an 'autocratic hot tempered despot' at times, but also being a 'very soft old veteran' who loved his daughter Anna, and was not at all avaricious, despite the fact that, unlike Tilney, he desperately needed money."
A get-well
address to Mathew
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1st Battalion
Lieutenant-Colonel
Trelawny
First
Regiment
Lieutenant-Colonel John Howard
Captain Gordon
Ensign Dowdeswell
See
picture of Dowdeswell
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First Regiment
Lieutenant-Colonel Hyde
Captain Keith
Ensign Nassau
First
Regiment
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir John Wrottesley
The Honorable Captain DeBurgh
Ensign Glyn
Author of the journal from
which this information is taken.
Brigade Company
Lieutenant-Colonel Cox
Captain Bayley
Captain Whitworth
Grenadiers
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir John Osborn
Captain Madan
Left behind
in NYC sick from October 1776 until May 1777
Captain Bourne
Died in NYC
14 October 1776
2nd
Battalion
Lieutenant-Colonel
Ogilvie
Coldstream Regiment
Lieutenant-Colonel Trelawny
Captain Dyer
Ensign Trelawny
Coldstream Regiment
Lieutenant-Colonel Grenville
Captain Bosville
Ensign Boscawen
Third Regiment
Lieutenant-Colonel Twistleton
Captain Leigh
Ensign Johnston
Third Regiment
Lieutenant-Colonel Ogilvie
Captain Rich
Ensign Fawcett
Light Infantry
Lieutenant-Colonel Martin
Captain Archer
Ensign Thoroton
Major of Brigade
Captain Stevens
Quartermaster
Captain Lyster
Adjutant
The Honorable Captain Finch
Regimental Affi1iations of Officers when not indicated above:
1st Foot Guards
Lieutenant-Colonel Cox
Captain Madan
Captain Bayley
Captain Whitworth
Captain Finch
Coldstream Guards
Brigadier-General Mathew
Lieutenant-Colonel Martin
Captain Bourne
Captain Stevens
Ensign Thoroton
3rd Foot Guards
Lieutenant-Colonel Osborn
Captain Lyster
Captain Archer
Notes
Captain Whitworth of the Brigade Company replaced Captain DeBurgh on 9 October 1776.
Other Guards Officers who served in America in 1776:
1st Foot Guards
Ensigns Colquhoun and Drummond left England in July 1776
Coldstream Guards
Deputy Marshal Wilson, later Adjutant of the Brigade.
3rd Foot Guards
Captain William Fawcett was already in America as Aide de Camp to de
Heister.
Captain Chewton was already in America as Aide de Camp to Cornwallis.
From Ensign Glyn’s Journal on the American Service with the Guards detachment.
A get-well address to Major-General Mathew
To Major-General
MATHEW.
The Address of the Loyal Refugees, commanded
by Col. James DeLANCEY.
Sir,
WE the Loyal Refugees in the Borough Town of West Chester, beg leave to express our concern, that your ill state of health has obliged you to retire from the command of Fort Knyphausen; and to acknowledge, that it has been entirely owing to your assistance and wise management, that we have been able to subsist here during the winter, to protect this part of the country from the ravages of the rebels, to repel their attacks, and make them severely suffer for their predatory attempts.
We do sincerely thank you for your patronage and support, and for that impartial distribution of justice which has distinguished your command.
Wish you speedy return of health and many happy days.
Signed at the request of the Refugees
JAMES
DELANCEY, Col. to
the West Chester Refugees
ARCHER’s House, Borough-town
of West-Chester, April 10, 1780.
As printed in The Royal American Gazette (New York) 19 April 1780
And the reply: The Royal American Gazette (New York) 19 April 1780
To Col. JAMES
DELANCEY, and the Corps of
Loyal WEST-CHESTER REFUGEES.
GENTLEMEN,
PERMIT me to return you many thanks for the honor you have done me in your address; and to assure you that I can in no degree, rate my services with the merits of your corps, so fully displayed during this winter, in protecting the persons and properties of the defenceless, by repelling the predatory incursions of the rebels, and in your readiness at all times, to join his Majesty’s troops in attacking the enemy.
It is with great concern, my health did not permit me to remain, in a command so honourable, to the close of the winter; but I have the less to regret, when I find myself succeeded by so worthy and respectable a character, as Major General de BOSE; who has been witness to the good behaviour and cheerful, necessary exertions of all the corps, employed at the posts of the lines, during this most severe season.
I have the honour to be,
Gentlemen,
With the greatest regard,
Your most obedient,
Humble Servant,
EDW. MATHEW.
New-York, April 10,
1780.
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