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Sir John Moore

Mitchell Library, Glasgow Collection

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Sir John Moore

A Thomas Annan photograph of a portrait of Sir John Moore (1761-1809). The painting was by Sir Thomas Lawrence.

The son of the famous writer and surgeon John Moore, the young John was educated at Glasgow Grammar School. He joined the 51st Regiment as an Ensign in 1776. He served in the American War of Independence and in Egypt and other theatres during the wars with France that began in 1793, rising thorough the ranks until in 1808 he was sent to Portugal to command the British Army fighting the French in in the Peninsula War of 1808-1814. He led an abortive advance into Spain, and was forced to retreat to Corunna where his tropps were evacuated. He was killed near the end of the battle fought there to cover the evacuation of 27,000 men, and his skillful tactics and bravery earned him the posthumous title "Hero of Corunna".

Moore was briefly an MP in the 1780s. His statue by John Flaxman was unveiled in George Square in 1819.

Reference: Mitchell Library, GC 920.041435 COR

Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Learning

Keywords:
51st Regiment of Foot, American War of Independence, Battle of Carunna, British Army, Ensigns, French Revolutionary Wars, Generals, Glasgow Grammar School, Members of Parliament, MPs, Napoleonic Wars, Peninsula Wars, portraits, soldiers, statues



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