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DESPARD, EDWARD MARCUS (1751-1803)

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Originally appearing in Volume V08, Page 101 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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DESPARD, See also:EDWARD See also:MARCUS (1751-1803) , Irish conspirator, was See also:born in See also:Queen's Co., See also:Ireland, in 1751. In 1766 he entered the See also:British See also:navy, was promoted See also:lieutenant in 1772, and stationed at See also:Jamaica, where he soon proved himself to have considerable See also:engineering See also:talent. He served in the See also:West Indies with See also:credit, being promoted See also:captain after the See also:San Juan expedition (1779), then made See also:governor of the See also:Mosquito See also:Shore and the See also:Bay of See also:Honduras, and in 1782 See also:commander of a successful expedition against the See also:Spanish possessions on the See also:Black See also:river. In 1784 he took over the See also:administration of See also:Yucatan. Upon frivolous charges he was suspended by See also:Lord See also:Grenville, and recalled to See also:England. From 1790 to 1792 these charges were held over him, and when dismissed no See also:compensation was forthcoming. His complaints caused him to be arrested in 1798, and with a See also:short See also:interval he remained in See also:gaol until 1800. By that See also:time Despard was desperate, and engaged in a See also:plot to seize the See also:Tower of See also:London and See also:Bank of England and assassinate See also:George III. The whole See also:idea was patently preposterous, but Despard was arrested, tried before a See also:special See also:commission, found guilty of high See also:treason, and, with six of his See also:fellow-conspirators, sentenced in 1803 to be hanged, See also:drawn and quartered. These were the last men to be so sentenced in England. Despard was executed on the 21st of See also:February 1803. His eldest See also:brother, See also:JOHN DESPARD (1745-1829), had a See also:long and distinguished career in the British See also:army; gazetted an See also:ensign. in 176o, he was promoted through the various intermediate grades and became See also:general in 1814.

His most active service was in the See also:

American See also:War of See also:Independence, during which he was twice made prisoner.

End of Article: DESPARD, EDWARD MARCUS (1751-1803)

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