Letters relating to the court martial of Major General Sir John Burgoyne: Fort St. George, Madras, 1782 December -1786 January 14.

1 v. (2, 4, 14 leaves) ; 24 cm.

French; English

In English.

Gift from the estate of Edith P. Hazen, July 2008. Hazen purchased from Myers & Co., Ltd., 20 January 1942.

This material is available for research.

Sir John Burgoyne (1739-1785), seventh baronet , army officer, served in Madras with the 19th light dragoons, a regiment which won renown on Indian battlefields resulting in his promotion to major-general in 1782. He married Charlotte (d. after 1785), the daughter of General Johnstone of Overston, Northamptonshire. Burgoyne died in Madras in 1785.

A collection of three letters from Charlotte Burgoyne, Charles Gould, and Sir John Burgoyne, which includes extracts from the records of the council at Madras in December 1782, a record of the sentence of the general court martial held on 21 June, and a narrative of the events leading up to Burgoyne's court martial. The documents cover the period of the conflict between Governor Macartney and Sir Eyre Coote over the command of the King's forces in India during the battle in Carnatic with Haidar Ali, the ruler of Mysore. The disagreement centered over who should command the King's officers in respect to East India Company's possessions. Stuart declared his forces were not ready, and made no active movement for two months. The charges against Burgoyne resulted from his refusal to take command after the arrest of General Stuart.

July 29, 2008

Documents relating to the courtmartial of Sir John Burgoyne. The Lewis Walpole Library, Yale University.

Documents relating to the courtmartial of Sir John Burgoyne. The Lewis Walpole Library, Yale University.

Army officiers British.