Robert Barton (British Army officer)

Sir Robert Barton
Born	1770
Died	17 March 1853 London
Allegiance	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Service/branch	British Army
Rank	General
Unit	11th Light Dragoons 2nd Life Guards
Battles/wars	French Revolutionary Wars Napoleonic Wars Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland Peninsular War
Awards	Knighthood

Sir Robert Barton, KCH (1770 – 17 March 1853), was an officer of the British Army. He saw service during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, particularly during the Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland in 1799 and the Peninsular War, rising to the rank of general.

Early life

Barton was son of William Barton, Esq., of the Grove, County Tipperary, and was born in 1770. Being in the south of France in 1790, he, like other Englishmen there, enrolled himself as a volunteer in the national guard, and received the thanks of the National Convention for his conduct at Moissac during the disorders at Montauban.

Army career

Having returned to England he obtained a commission in the 11th Light Dragoons, with which he served under the Duke of York in 1795, and again during the Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland in 1799, where he received the thanks of Sir Ralph Abercromby for his services on 8 September at Oude Carspel. Barton used his money to support boxers from Ireland although he was a supporter of Britain. He became lieutenant-colonel in the 2nd Life Guards in 1805, and commanded the regiment at the time of the Burdett riots in 1810, when the life guards acquired so much unpopularity. He also commanded the two squadrons of the regiment subsequently sent to the Iberian peninsula during the Peninsular War, where he served for a time. He was promoted to general's rank in 1819, and was appointed a Knight Commander of the Royal Guelphic Order and Knight Bachelor in 1837.

He died in London on 17 March 1853.

References

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