Historical Record of the Fourth, or Royal Irish Regiment of Dragoon Guards. / Containing an Account of the Formation of the Regiment in 1685; and of Its Subsequent Services to 1838

by Richard Cannon

James Lord Tyrawley.

Appointed 26th August, 1739.

The Hon. James O'Hara was appointed Lieutenant in the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, commanded by his father, on the 15th of March, 1703; and in 1706 he proceeded with his regiment to the relief of Barcelona. In the following year he served on the staff of the army in Spain, and was wounded at the battle of Almanza, where, it is said, he was instrumental in saving the Earl of Galway's life. He served several years at Minorca; and in 1713 obtained the Colonelcy of the Royal Fusiliers, in succession to his father, at whose decease, in 1733, he succeeded to the dignity of Baron Tyrawley. The rank of Brigadier-General was conferred on his lordship on the 23rd of November, 1735; that of Major-General on the 2nd of July, 1739; and in August of the latter year, he was removed from the Royal Fusiliers to the Fifth Horse. In March, 1743, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-General; and in the following month obtained the Colonelcy of the Second Troop of Horse Grenadier Guards, from which he was removed, in 1745, to the Third Troop of Life Guards, which gave him the privilege of taking the court duty of gold stick. In 1746, when King George II. had resolved to disband the Third and Fourth Troops of Life Guards, his lordship was removed to the Tenth Foot; he was again removed, in 1749, to the Fourteenth Dragoons; in 1752, to the Third Dragoons; and in 1755, to the Second, or Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards. He was appointed Governor of Portsmouth on the 1st of May, 1759, and was promoted to the rank of General on the 7th of March, 1761. He held the appointment of Governor of Minorca for several years; was employed as Envoy and Ambassador to the courts of Portugal and Russia; and died at Twickenham on the 13th of July, 1773.

John Brown.

Appointed 1st April, 1743.

This officer entered the army as Cornet of horse on the 5th of August, 1704, and served several campaigns on the continent in the army commanded by John Duke of Marlborough. In 1735 he was Lieutenant-Colonel of the Fourth Dragoons, from whence he was removed to the Lieutenant-Colonelcy of the King's Horse (now First Dragoon Guards); and on the 10th of May, 1742, he was appointed Colonel of the Ninth Dragoons. On the appointment of Lieutenant-General Lord Tyrawley to the Horse Grenadier Guards, the Colonelcy of the Fifth Horse was conferred on Colonel Brown, who was promoted to the rank of Major-General on the 26th of March, 1754, and to that of Lieutenant-General on the 15th of January, 1758: he died in 1762.

James Johnston.

Appointed 3rd August, 1762.

James Johnston obtained a commission in the Royal Horse Guards, was at the battles of Dettingen and Fontenoy, and was appointed Major of the regiment on the 29th of November, 1750. On the 17th of December, 1754, he was promoted to the Lieutenant-Colonelcy; and he commanded the regiment at several engagements in Germany during the Seven-years' war. In 1762 he obtained the Colonelcy of the First Irish Horse, now Fourth Dragoon Guards; was appointed Major-General on the 30th of April, 1770; and on the 27th of April, 1775, was removed to the Colonelcy of the 11th Dragoons. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-General on the 29th of August, 1777; and was removed to the Scots Greys on the 4th of February, 1785, the Colonelcy of which regiment he retained until his decease on the 24th of December, 1795.