William Despard, born in 1770, probably at Laurel Hill, Mountrath, Queens County, Ireland, was the son of Captain Phillip Despard and Letitia Croasdaile. Phillip, an officer of the 7th Regiment of Foot, was one of five brothers from a prominent Anglo-Irish family of Huguenot descent who served in the British military. The eldest brother, John Despard (1745–1829), rose to the rank of full General, while another, Colonel Edward Despard gained notoriety as a United Irishman and republican agitator and was executed in London for treason in 1803.
William was a Lt.-Colonel in the 7th Foot Regiment, Royal Fusiliers. His brother, Henry Despard, served in the 17th Foot Regiment. William married Elizabeth de Blois in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the 16 Sep. 1802 and had two sons and two daughters. He fought under the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsular War and was awarded the Army Gold Medal for gallantry after the Battle of Albuera. He was wounded in the Pyrenees during the Battle of Vittoria on July 28, 1813 and died in Vittoria on August 16.
William was a Lt.-Colonel in the 7th Foot Regiment, Royal Fusiliers. His brother, Henry Despard, served in the 17th Foot Regiment. William married Elizabeth de Blois in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the 16 Sep. 1802 and had two sons and two daughters. He fought under the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsular War and was awarded the Army Gold Medal for gallantry after the Battle of Albuera. He was wounded in the Pyrenees during the Battle of Vittoria on July 28, 1813 and died in Vittoria on August 16.
William Despard, born in 1770, probably at Laurel Hill, Mountrath, Queens County, Ireland, was the son of Captain Phillip Despard and Letitia Croasdaile. Phillip, an officer of the 7th Regiment of Foot, was one of five brothers from a prominent Anglo-Irish family of Huguenot descent who served in the British military. The eldest brother, John Despard (1745–1829), rose to the rank of full General, while another, Colonel Edward Despard gained notoriety as a United Irishman and republican agitator and was executed in London for treason in 1803.
William was a Lt.-Colonel in the 7th Foot Regiment, Royal Fusiliers. His brother, Henry Despard, served in the 17th Foot Regiment. William married Elizabeth de Blois in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the 16 Sep. 1802 and had two sons and two daughters. He fought under the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsular War and was awarded the Army Gold Medal for gallantry after the Battle of Albuera. He was wounded in the Pyrenees during the Battle of Vittoria on July 28, 1813 and died in Vittoria on August 16.
William was a Lt.-Colonel in the 7th Foot Regiment, Royal Fusiliers. His brother, Henry Despard, served in the 17th Foot Regiment. William married Elizabeth de Blois in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the 16 Sep. 1802 and had two sons and two daughters. He fought under the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsular War and was awarded the Army Gold Medal for gallantry after the Battle of Albuera. He was wounded in the Pyrenees during the Battle of Vittoria on July 28, 1813 and died in Vittoria on August 16.
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