Lieutenant-General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was normall ...

William Keppel (5 November 1727 – 1 March 1782) 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 and politician.

Life

William Keppel was born the third son of

Willem van Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle Lieutenant-General Willem Anne van Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle (5 June 1702 – 22 December 1754) was a British Army officer, diplomat, courtier and colonial administrator. He held various roles in the household of George II of Great Britain, ...

, and educated at

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 ...

. He joined the British Army as an Ensign in the 2nd Foot Guards in 1744, and was promoted to the rank of

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...

in 1745. He transferred as captain-lieutenant to the 1st Foot Guards in 1751, and was promoted captain and lieutenant-colonel in 1752 and a colonel of the Army in 1760. On 17 December 1761 he was appointed colonel of the

56th Regiment of Foot The 56th (West Essex) Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment in the British Army, active from 1755 to 1881. It was originally raised in Northumbria as the 58th Regiment, and renumbered the 56th the following year when two senior regiments we ...

, which he commanded until 1765. He was made major-general in 1762. In 1762, he took part (with his brothers the

Earl of Albemarle Earl of Albemarle is a title created several times from Norman times onwards. The word ''Albemarle'' is derived from the Latinised form of the French county of '' Aumale'' in Normandy (Latin: ''Alba Marla'' meaning "White Marl", marl being a ty ...

and Augustus Keppel) in the

British expedition against Cuba The siege of Havana was the successful capture of the Spanish-held city of Havana, Cuba in 1762 as part of the war between the two nations which formed part of the larger Seven Years' War. After the Spanish abandoned their former policy of neu ...

, and directed the storming of

Morro Castle Morro Castle may refer to: Fortress * Morro Castle (Havana), a fortress guarding Havana Bay, Cuba * Castillo San Felipe del Morro Castillo San Felipe del Morro (English language , English: Promontory Castle of Saint Philip), most commonly known ...

.The Capture of Havana, 1762: The Morro Castle and the Boom Defence Before the Attack
National Maritime Museum In 1763, he succeeded Albemarle as British Governor of Cuba. The island was returned to

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

in July 1763.

Richard Cannon Richard Cannon (1779–1865) was a compiler of regimental records for the British Army. Career On 1 January 1802 Cannon was appointed to a clerkship at the Horse Guards, and attained the grade of first-clerk in 1803. Under a Horse Guards order ...

, Historical Record of the Fifty-Sixth, or the West Essex Regiment of Foot On 31 May 1765, he was appointed colonel of the

14th Regiment of Foot 14 (fourteen) is the natural number following 13 and preceding 15. Mathematics Fourteen is the seventh composite number. Properties 14 is the third distinct semiprime, being the third of the form 2 \times q (where q is a higher prime). ...

, which he commanded until 1775, during which time he was elevated to lieutenant-general (1772). From 1767 until his death, he was a Member of Parliament for

Chichester Chichester ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parish in the Chichester District, Chichester district of West Sussex, England.OS Explorer map 120: Chichester, South Harting and Selsey Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher ...

. He was

Commander-in-Chief, Ireland Commander-in-Chief, Ireland, was title of the commander of the British forces in Ireland before 1922. Until the Act of Union in 1800, the position involved command of the distinct Irish Army of the Kingdom of Ireland. History Marshal of Ireland ...

in 1773. On 18 October 1775 he was appointed colonel of the

12th Royal Lancers The 12th (Prince of Wales's) Royal Lancers was a cavalry regiment of the British Army first formed in 1715. It saw service for three centuries, including the First World War and the Second World War. The regiment survived the immediate post-war ...

, which he commanded until his death. He was

Gentleman of the Horse Gentleman of the Horse was a position in the stables department of the British Royal Court, subordinate only to the Master of the Horse. It existed from 1693 until abolished in 1782, and carried a salary of £256. The post was revived in 1828, ...

to King

George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, Ireland from 25 October 1760 until his death in 1820. The Acts of Union 1800 unified Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and ...

of Great Britain and died unmarried in 1782.thePeerage.com
/ref>

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Keppel, William 1727 births 1782 deaths People educated at Westminster School, London Willem Keppel (British Army officer) British Army lieutenant generals Colonial heads of Cuba Commanders-in-Chief, Ireland Pages of Honour Younger sons of earls 56th Regiment of Foot officers 12th Royal Lancers officers British Army personnel of the Seven Years' War Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies British MPs 1761–1768 British MPs 1768–1774 British MPs 1774–1780 British MPs 1780–1784 Coldstream Guards officers Grenadier Guards officers