John Barrett (died 1693) was a

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

and head of the barony of the

Cork "Cork" or "CORK" may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Stopper (plug), or "cork", a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container *** Wine cork an item to seal or reseal wine Places Ireland * ...

Barrett family. Colonel Barrett is noted for raising a regiment of infantry for King James'

Irish Army The Irish Army () is the land component of the Defence Forces (Ireland), Defence Forces of Republic of Ireland, Ireland.The Defence Forces are made up of the Permanent Defence Forces – the standing branches – and the Reserve Defence Forces. ...

during the

Williamite War The Williamite War in Ireland took place from March 1689 to October 1691. Fought between Jacobite supporters of James II and those of his successor, William III, it resulted in a Williamite victory. It is generally viewed as a related conflic ...

. In 1690 following the

Battle of the Boyne The Battle of the Boyne ( ) took place in 1690 between the forces of the deposed King James II, and those of King William III who, with his wife Queen Mary II (his cousin and James's daughter), had acceded to the Crowns of England and Sc ...

, he was forced to surrender Waterford. In 1691 the

Williamite A Williamite was a follower of King William III of England (r. 1689–1702) who deposed King James II and VII in the Glorious Revolution. William, the Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic, replaced James with the support of English Whigs. On ...

confiscation deprived Barrett, the head of the family at that time, of . He was killed in the French service at the

Battle of Landen The Battle of Landen, also known as Battle of Neerwinden took place on 29 July 1693, during the Nine Years' War near Landen, then in the Spanish Netherlands, now part of Belgium. A Kingdom of France, French army under François-Henri de Montmor ...

, alongside fellow Jacobite

Patrick Sarsfield Patrick Sarsfield, 1st Earl of Lucan ( 1655 – 21 August 1693) was an Irish army officer. Killed at Battle of Landen, Landen in 1693 while serving in the French Royal Army, he is now best remembered as an Irish patriot and military hero. Born ...

, in 1693.

History

A Catholic, Barrett was elected as a Member of Parliament for Mallow in the

Patriot Parliament Patriot Parliament is the name commonly used for the Irish Parliament session called by King James II during the Williamite War in Ireland which lasted from 1688 to 1691. The first since 1666, it held only one session, which lasted from 7 May ...

of 1689. He raised a regiment for King James II during the onset of the Williamite War in Ireland. In 1690 he was the Military Governor of

Waterford Waterford ( ) is a City status in Ireland, city in County Waterford in the South-East Region, Ireland, south-east of Ireland. It is located within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster. The city is situated at the head of Waterford H ...

where he controlled his Cork regiment and another regiment of foot soldiers from the town. Following the Jacobite defeat at the Battle of the Boyne the Williamite army marched upon Waterford where he was forced to surrender the town, under stipulation of returning to Cork with his men and arms. There his regiment became a portion of the Jacobite garrison of Cork. Following the

Siege of Cork The siege of Cork took place during the Williamite war in Ireland in the year of 1690 in Ireland, 1690. It happened shortly after the Battle of the Boyne during James II of England, James II's attempt to retake the English throne from William ...

he was taken prisoner by

Marlborough Marlborough or the Marlborough may refer to: Places Australia * Marlborough, Queensland * Principality of Marlborough, a short-lived micronation in 1993 * Marlborough Highway, Tasmania; Malborough was an historic name for the place at the sou ...

and placed upon the

man-of-war In Royal Navy jargon, a man-of-war (also man-o'-war, or simply man) was a powerful warship or frigate of the 16th to the 19th century, that was frequently used in Europe. Although the term never acquired a specific meaning, it was usually rese ...

where he was to be delivered to England. During his transfer there was an accidental lighting of a powder magazine sinking the vessel. He and a number of other prisoners escaped to shore. After the

Treaty of Limerick The Treaty of Limerick (), signed on 3 October 1691, ended the Williamite War in Ireland, a conflict related to the Nine Years' War (1688–1697). It consisted of two separate agreements, one with military terms of surrender, signed by commander ...

he traveled to France where he served as Colonel in the Irish "Gardes du Roi Jaques" and fought at the Battle of Landen. There he led his regiment as the first corps to force an opening in the Williamite entrenchment but was killed in battle. O'Callaghan, John Cornelius. ''History of the Irish Brigades in the Service of France, from the revolution in Great Britain and Ireland under James II, to the revolution in France under Louis XVI''. Cameron and Ferguson, 1883. Pages 172-74.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barrett, John Year of birth missing 1693 deaths French Army officers French military personnel killed in action French military personnel of the Nine Years' War Irish MPs 1689 Irish soldiers in the army of James II of England Irish soldiers in the French Army Jacobite military personnel of the Williamite War in Ireland Members of the Parliament of Ireland (pre-1801) for County Cork constituencies Military personnel from County Cork Wild Geese (soldiers)