General Charles O'Hara (1740 – 25 February 1802) was a
British Army
The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
officer who served in the
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War, 1756 to 1763, was a Great Power conflict fought primarily in Europe, with significant subsidiary campaigns in North America and South Asia. The protagonists were Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of Prus ...
, the
American War of Independence
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
, and the
French Revolutionary War
The French Revolutionary Wars () were a series of sweeping military conflicts resulting from the French Revolution that lasted from 1792 until 1802. They pitted France against Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, Russia, and several other countries ...
and later served as
governor of Gibraltar
The governor of Gibraltar is the representative of the British monarch in the British overseas territories, British overseas territory of Gibraltar. The governor is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the British government. The role of ...
. He served with distinction during the
American War of Independence
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
, commanding a brigade of
Foot Guards as part of the army of Charles Cornwallis and was wounded during the
Battle of Guilford Courthouse. He offered the British surrender during the
siege of Yorktown
The siege of Yorktown, also known as the Battle of Yorktown and the surrender at Yorktown, was the final battle of the American Revolutionary War. It was won decisively by the Continental Army, led by George Washington, with support from the Ma ...
on behalf of his superior Charles Cornwallis and is depicted in the
eponymous painting by John Trumbull. During his career O'Hara personally surrendered to both
George Washington
George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...
and
Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
.
O'Hara's Battery and
O'Hara's Tower in
Gibraltar
Gibraltar ( , ) is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory and British overseas cities, city located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Bay of Gibraltar, near the exit of the Mediterranean Sea into the A ...
were named after him.
Early life
Charles O'Hara was born in
Lisbon
Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...
,
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
, the
illegitimate
Legitimacy, in traditional Western common law, is the status of a child born to parents who are legally married to each other, and of a child conceived before the parents obtain a legal divorce.
Conversely, ''illegitimacy'', also known as ''b ...
son of
James O'Hara, 2nd Baron Tyrawley and Kilmaine (and eventually promoted
Field Marshal
Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army (in countries without the rank of Generalissimo), and as such, few persons a ...
in 1763); and his Portuguese mistress. Charles was sent to
Westminster School
Westminster School is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school in Westminster, London, England, in the precincts of Westminster Abbey. It descends from a charity school founded by Westminster Benedictines before the Norman Conquest, as do ...
. On 23 December 1752, at the age of twelve—a young but not uncommon age for a subaltern of the era—he became a
cornet
The cornet (, ) is a brass instrument similar to the trumpet but distinguished from it by its conical bore, more compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in B. There is also a soprano cor ...
in the
3rd Dragoons. He became a lieutenant in the 2nd Regiment of the
Coldstream Guards
The Coldstream Guards is the oldest continuously serving regular regiment in the British Army. As part of the Household Division, one of its principal roles is the protection of the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, monarchy; due to this, it often ...
on 14 January 1756 shortly before major warfare broke out in Europe.
Seven Years' War
During the
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War, 1756 to 1763, was a Great Power conflict fought primarily in Europe, with significant subsidiary campaigns in North America and South Asia. The protagonists were Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of Prus ...
O'Hara served in Germany as an
aide to the
Marquess of Granby, the senior officer of the British contingent serving with the
Duke of Brunswick's army. In 1762 he served under his father in Portugal in the
same campaign with
Charles Lee. He also saw service in
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...
(Germany). Although a
disciplinarian, he was extremely popular with the troops under his command.
Senegal
On 25 July 1766, O'Hara was appointed commandant of the Africa Corps in
Senegal
Senegal, officially the Republic of Senegal, is the westernmost country in West Africa, situated on the Atlantic Ocean coastline. It borders Mauritania to Mauritania–Senegal border, the north, Mali to Mali–Senegal border, the east, Guinea t ...
, a colony which had been
captured from France in 1758, with the rank of
lieutenant colonel. This unit was made up of British military prisoners
pardon
A pardon is a government decision to allow a person to be relieved of some or all of the legal consequences resulting from a criminal conviction. A pardon may be granted before or after conviction for the crime, depending on the laws of the j ...
ed in exchange for accepting life service in Africa. It came at a time when the British government were trying to build up a base in West Africa. In 1769, he was appointed as a captain in the
Coldstream Guards
The Coldstream Guards is the oldest continuously serving regular regiment in the British Army. As part of the Household Division, one of its principal roles is the protection of the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, monarchy; due to this, it often ...
.
The development of Senegal was a disappointment for the British and O'Hara was uninterested in civil governance. Despite the constitution which had been created offering generous rights to settlers, very few British colonists ever came to West Africa. The territories would ultimately be ceded back to France at the
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was a peace treaty signed on 28 June 1919. As the most important treaty of World War I, it ended the state of war between Germany and most of the Allies of World War I, Allied Powers. It was signed in the Palace ...
in 1783.
American Revolutionary War
In July 1778, Lt. Col. O'Hara arrived in America and immediately commanded forces at
Sandy Hook, New Jersey. Lt. Gen.
Henry Clinton, commander of the British army in America, gave him that assignment as the French fleet under
Admiral d'Estaing threatened New York City.
In October 1780, O'Hara was promoted to
brigadier
Brigadier ( ) is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore (rank), commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several t ...
and became commander of Brigade of Guards. He became Lieutenant General
Charles Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis (31 December 1738 – 5 October 1805) was a British Army officer, Whig politician and colonial administrator. In the United States and United Kingdom, he is best known as one of the leading Britis ...
' second-in-command and good friend. During Cornwallis' pursuit of
Major general Nathanael Greene
Major general (United States), Major General Nathanael Greene (August 7, 1742 – June 19, 1786) was an American military officer and planter who served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, Revolutionary War. He emerge ...
to the
Dan River, O'Hara distinguished himself at Cowan's Ford,
North Carolina
North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
on 1 February 1781. He also led the British counterattack at the
Battle of Guilford Courthouse on 15 March 1781, which led to General Greene withdrawing from the field of battle. He was severely wounded during this battle, but was able to remain with the army as it moved toward Yorktown, Virginia. His nephew, who was a lieutenant of the artillery, was killed during the battle.
General O'Hara represented the British at the
surrender of Yorktown on 19 October 1781, as Cornwallis' adjutant, when the latter pleaded illness. He first attempted to surrender to French
Comte de Rochambeau
Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau (1 July 1725 – 10 May 1807) was a French Royal Army officer who played a critical role in the Franco-American victory at the siege of Yorktown in 1781 during the American Revolutionary War. ...
, who declined his sword and deferred to General
George Washington
George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...
. Washington declined and deferred to Major General
Benjamin Lincoln
Benjamin Lincoln (January 24, 1733 ( O.S. January 13, 1733) – May 9, 1810) was an American army officer. He served as a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Lincoln was involved in three major surrender ...
, who was serving as Washington's second-in-command and had surrendered to General Clinton at
Charleston in May 1780. O'Hara was exchanged on 9 February 1782, and was sent to the Caribbean in command of a detachment of reinforcements. Following the conclusion of the war with the
Treaty of Paris he returned to Britain having been promoted to major general.
[Babits & Howard p.195]
There are various accounts of what became of the surrender sword after the battle: some claim General Washington kept it for a few years and then had it returned to Lord Cornwallis, while some believe the sword remains in America's possession, perhaps in the White House. However, in what is generally regarded as the definitive modern study of the Yorktown campaign, ''The Guns of Independence'' (2005), US National Park Service historian Jerome S. Greene writes simply that O'Hara extended Cornwallis's sword and, "Washington took the sword, symbolically held it a moment, and then returned it to O'Hara." Thus, this most symbolic of war trophies remained with its original owner.
In 1784, O'Hara fled from England to
the Continent due to gambling debts. While in Italy he met the writer
Mary Berry and began a long relationship with her. After Cornwallis offered him help in paying off his debts, he was able to return to Britain. When Cornwallis was made
Governor General of India in 1786 he offered to take O'Hara with him, but he declined.
On 1 April 1791 he transferred from the 22nd Regiment of Foot to be
Colonel in Chief of the
74th (Highland) Regiment of Foot
The 74th (Highland) Regiment of Foot was a British Army line infantry regiment, raised in 1787. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 71st (Highland) Regiment of Foot to form the Highland Light Infantry in 1881.
History
Formation
...
. In 1792, he was appointed lieutenant governor of
Gibraltar
Gibraltar ( , ) is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory and British overseas cities, city located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Bay of Gibraltar, near the exit of the Mediterranean Sea into the A ...
at the rank of Lt. General.
Toulon
In 1793, he was promoted to lieutenant-general. On 23 November 1793, he was captured at Fort Mulgrove in
Toulon
Toulon (, , ; , , ) is a city in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. Located on the French Riviera and the historical Provence, it is the prefecture of the Var (department), Var department.
The Commune of Toulon h ...
, France during operations that gained
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
the attention of his superiors. On the tenth of the same month, Napoleon marched to the siege of Toulon, to retake the hill of Arènes of which Anglo-Neapolitan forces had momentarily taken possession. In this struggle, Napoleon captured O'Hara, who laid down his arms to Napoleon's staff. O'Hara had been leading a bold sortie by the besieged British troops. Napoleon was personally directing the capture operation and accepted O'Hara's formal surrender. O'Hara was treated as an "insurrectionist" and was imprisoned in the Luxembourg Prison and threatened with the
guillotine
A guillotine ( ) is an apparatus designed for effectively carrying out executions by Decapitation, beheading. The device consists of a tall, upright frame with a weighted and angled blade suspended at the top. The condemned person is secur ...
. In the Luxembourg he and his retinue formed a very companionable relationship with a fellow prisoner, the Anglo-American revolutionary,
Thomas Paine
Thomas Paine (born Thomas Pain; – In the contemporary record as noted by Conway, Paine's birth date is given as January 29, 1736–37. Common practice was to use a dash or a slash to separate the old-style year from the new-style year. In ...
. O'Hara spent two years in prison in Paris.
O'Hara thus has the distinction of having been the only person personally taken prisoner by both George Washington and Napoleon Bonaparte.
Later years
In August 1795, he was exchanged for
Comte de Rochambeau
Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau (1 July 1725 – 10 May 1807) was a French Royal Army officer who played a critical role in the Franco-American victory at the siege of Yorktown in 1781 during the American Revolutionary War. ...
. Later that year he became engaged to Mary Berry, but the engagement was broken when he was named
Governor of Gibraltar
The governor of Gibraltar is the representative of the British monarch in the British overseas territories, British overseas territory of Gibraltar. The governor is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the British government. The role of ...
for a second time on 30 December 1795, and she would not leave England. He was promoted to full general in 1798. O'Hara is known for the folly that was
O'Hara's Tower on Gibraltar and his debates with
John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent
John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent ( ; 9 January 1735 – 13 March 1823) was a British Royal Navy admiral and politician. He served throughout the latter half of the 18th century and into the 19th, and was an active commander during the Seven ...
over the redesign of Gibraltar to serve the needs of the British Fleet. St Vincent, who was admiral in charge of the
Mediterranean Fleet
The British Mediterranean Fleet, also known as the Mediterranean Station, was a formation of the Royal Navy. The Fleet was one of the most prestigious commands in the navy for the majority of its history, defending the vital sea link between ...
, recommended that the Royal Navy Victualling Yard be relocated to the Rosia Bay area, just south of the
New Mole. Governor O'Hara did not approve of St Vincent's plan as he proposed to finance it by selling the naval stores at Waterport and
Irish Town. However, St Vincent had poor regard for O'Hara, who let the garrison enjoy the ninety pubs on the Rock. It has been proposed that he needed the income to finance his many households and mistresses. St Vincent, however, won with regard to his navy's needs. The poor morale in the garrison led to a plot to let Spain have Gibraltar. O'Hara discovered the plot and 1,000 people were exiled from the Rock.
He died in Gibraltar on 21 February 1802, from complications due to his old wounds and was buried on 25 February.
In popular culture
In the
Roland Emmerich
Roland Emmerich (; born 10 November 1955) is a German-American filmmaker. Emmerich is widely known for his science fiction and disaster films and has been called a "master of disaster" within the movie industry. His films, most of which are Eng ...
film ''
The Patriot'' starring
Mel Gibson
Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson (born January 3, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. The recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Mel Gibson, multiple accolades, he is known for directing historical films as well for his act ...
, Charles O'Hara was played by
Peter Woodward. His portrayal in the film has been criticised. In the film O'Hara is portrayed to speak with
received pronunciation
Received Pronunciation (RP) is the Accent (sociolinguistics), accent of British English regarded as the Standard language, standard one, carrying the highest Prestige (sociolinguistics), social prestige, since as late as the beginning of the 2 ...
which may be considered anachronistic, this manner of speaking did not yet exist. The real O'Hara is said to have spoken with an Irish accent and like many of his colleagues of the day, he shared in the hardships endured by the common soldiers under his command.
O'Hara was portrayed by Collin Sutton in the television show ''
Turn: Washington's Spies''.
John Means portrayed Brigadier General Charles O'Hara in the MGM miniseries ''
George Washington
George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...
'' in 1984.
References
Bibliography
* Babits, Lawrence Edward & Howard, Joshua B. ''Long, Obstinate and Bloody: The Battle of Guilford Courthouse''. University of North Carolina Press, 2009.
* Bicheno, Hugh. ''Redcoats and Rebels: The American Revolutionary War''. Harper Collins, 2003.
* Fredriksen, John C. ''Revolutionary War Almanac''. Infobase Publishing, 2006.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ohara, Charles
1740 births
1802 deaths
British Army generals
British Army personnel of the American Revolutionary War
British Army personnel of the French Revolutionary Wars
Cheshire Regiment officers
Governors of Gibraltar
People educated at Westminster School, London
3rd Dragoon Guards officers
74th Highlanders officers
Coldstream Guards officers
British people of Portuguese descent
Irish colonial officials
British Army personnel of the Seven Years' War
Military personnel from Lisbon