Charles Edward Jennings de Kilmaine
Charles Edward Jennings de Kilmaine, called The Brave Kilmaine (* October 19, 1751 in Dublin, † December 11, 1799 in Paris) was a French cavalry general of Irish origin.
Life
"Brave Kilmaine " was a son of the physician Dr. Theobald Jennings and his wife Lady Eleanor Saul. His childhood and youth was spent mainly in the maternal Palais Saul 's Court in Temple Bar (Dublin ), where he was educated by private tutors.
In 1761 he came to Tonnay -Charente (France), where his parents also had a larger property for the first time. By his own admission Jennings de Kilmaine loved this place because he " enjoyed his education without influence of the Church " here.
At 14, he joined in 1765 as a cadet in the Army and stationed a long time in the Habsburg monarchy. 1775 his father died and he returned to his hometown to the family affairs to arrange. Soon, however, he returned to France and came back to the army; as opposed to multiple family members who fought there in the Irish Brigade, he entered into a purely French regiment.
Under command of General Armand -Louis de Gontaut, duc de Biron, he sailed the end of 1778 according to French West Africa and conquered in January of the following year - along with the Volontaires - Etrangére de Lauzun - Senegal. End of 1779, he was unhurt and healthy return to France.
In 1780 he volunteered for the expedition army that sailed compiled by the Comte de Rochambeau, in the United States. Under the command of the Marquis de La Fayette Jennings de Kilmaine struggled to 1783 on the side of George Washington.
Back in France, soon overtook him General de Gontaud to his staff and 1786 he took over the leadership of the 1st Hussars. In the rank of chef d' escadron he fought in the revolutionary wars under General Charles -François Dumouriez at Valmy (20 September 1792) and at Jemappes (6 November 1792). At the latest after Jemappes he was "brilliant Le Kilmaine " called " The brave Kilmaine " or.
In the next few years his carriage took him to various commands, among the generals Dampierre, Custine and Houchard. Through his comments on the massacre on the Champ de Mars (17 July 1791) Jennings de Kilmaine fell out of favor and was arrested. The Reign of Terror of the French Revolution he spent in imprisonment. After the execution of Robespierre, Maximilien de on July 24, 1794 his detention conditions were relaxed and then released 12 December of the same year. Effective May 20, 1795 him his rank, together with the corresponding references were given again.
Jennings de Kilmaine fought at Lodi (10 May 1796), with Castiglione (5 August 1796) and at Rovereto (4 September 1796). He distinguished himself at the siege of Mantua by bravery and helped Easter 1797, put down the rebellion in Verona.
As a member of the Society of United Irishmen he was close to the ideals of his friends Napper Tandy and Wolfe Tones. Jennings de Kilmaine died on 11 December 1799 in Paris at the Ruhr and thus - according to the United Irishmen - one of the bravest of the Wild Geese.
Honors
- His name is found on the northern pillar ( column 5 ) of the Arc de Triomphe on Place Charles -de- Gaulle ( Paris).
- In the 19th century the city Tonnay -Charente him erected in honor of a monument and named the " Rue du Général Kilmaine " after him.