Field Marshal Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army (in countries without the rank of Generalissimo), and as such, few persons a ...

Studholme Hodgson (1708 – 20 October 1798) was a

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

officer who served during the 18th century. After serving as an Aide-de-Camp to the

Duke of Cumberland Duke of Cumberland is a peerage title that was conferred upon junior members of the British royal family, named after the historic county of Cumberland. History The Earldom of Cumberland, created in 1525, became extinct in 1643. The dukedom w ...

at the

Battle of Fontenoy The Battle of Fontenoy took place on 11 May 1745 during the War of the Austrian Succession, near Tournai, then in the Austrian Netherlands, now Belgium. A French army of 50,000 under Maurice, comte de Saxe, Marshal Saxe defeated a Pragmatic Ar ...

during the

War of the Austrian Succession The War of the Austrian Succession was a European conflict fought between 1740 and 1748, primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italian Peninsula, Italy, the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Related conflicts include King Ge ...

and at the

Battle of Culloden The Battle of Culloden took place on 16 April 1746, near Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. A Jacobite army under Charles Edward Stuart was decisively defeated by a British government force commanded by the Duke of Cumberland, thereby endi ...

during the Jacobite Rebellion, he became correspondent to William Barrington, the Secretary at War, during the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War, 1754 to 1763, was a colonial conflict in North America between Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of France, France, along with their respective Native Americans in the United States, Native American ...

. He went on to command the British expedition which captured Belle Île in June 1761 during the

Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War, 1756 to 1763, was a Great Power conflict fought primarily in Europe, with significant subsidiary campaigns in North America and South Asia. The protagonists were Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of Prus ...

so enabling the British Government to use the island as a bargaining piece during the negotiations leading up to the Treaty of Paris in 1763.

Military career

Born the son of John Hodgson, a merchant from

Carlisle Carlisle ( , ; from ) is a city in the Cumberland district of Cumbria, England. Carlisle's early history is marked by the establishment of a settlement called Luguvalium to serve forts along Hadrian's Wall in Roman Britain. Due to its pro ...

, and educated at

Carlisle Grammar School Carlisle ( , ; from ) is a city in the Cumberland district of Cumbria, England. Carlisle's early history is marked by the establishment of a settlement called Luguvalium to serve forts along Hadrian's Wall in Roman Britain. Due to its proxim ...

, Hodgson was commissioned as an

ensign Ensign most often refers to: * Ensign (flag), a flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality * Ensign (rank), a navy (and former army) officer rank Ensign or The Ensign may also refer to: Places * Ensign, Alberta, Alberta, Canada * Ensign, Ka ...

in the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards and

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...

in the Army on 2 January 1728.Heathcote, p. 178 He was promoted to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

in his regiment and lieutenant in the Army on 3 February 1741. Hodgson was appointed Aide-de-Camp to the

in early 1745 and fought under Cumberland at the

in May 1745 during the

.Cannon, p. 149 He also fought under Cumberland at the

in April 1746 during the Jacobite Rebellion. Promoted to captain in his regiment and lieutenant colonel in the Army on 18 May 1747, he became correspondent to William Barrington, the Secretary at War, in 1755 during the

. Hodgson raised a new regiment (later the 50th Regiment of Foot) in 1756 and served under Sir John Mordaunt, as a brigade commander, during the unsuccessful

Raid on Rochefort The Raid on Rochefort (or Descent on Rochefort) was a British amphibious assault, amphibious attempt to capture the France, French Atlantic port of Rochefort, Charente-Maritime, Rochefort in September 1757 during the Seven Years' War. The raid ...

in September 1757 during the

.Heathcote, p. 179 Promoted to major-general on 15 September 1759, he became colonel of the 5th Regiment of Foot in October 1759. Hodgson led a British raid on

Belle Île Belle-Île (), Belle-Île-en-Mer (), or Belle Isle (, ; ) is a French island off the coast of Brittany in the ''département in France, département'' of Morbihan, and the largest of Brittany's islands. It is from the Quiberon peninsula. Admini ...

, off the coast of

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. After the initial British attack was repulsed a second attempt forced a

beachhead A beachhead is a temporary line created when a military unit reaches a landing beach by sea and begins to defend the area as other reinforcements arrive. Once a large enough unit is assembled, the invading force can begin advancing inland. Th ...

. A second landing was made and, after a six-week siege, the island's main

citadel A citadel is the most fortified area of a town or city. It may be a castle, fortress, or fortified center. The term is a diminutive of ''city'', meaning "little city", because it is a smaller part of the city of which it is the defensive core. ...

Le Palais Le Palais (; ) is a commune in the Morbihan department of Brittany in northwestern France. It is one of the four communes on the island of Belle Île. Geography Le Palais is one of the four communes of Belle île en Mer. It is the most popul ...

was stormed, consolidating British control of the island in June 1761. He was much congratulated by both the King and William Pitt,

Secretary of State for the Southern Department The secretary of state for the Southern Department was a position in the Cabinet (government), cabinet of the government of the Kingdom of Great Britain up to 1782, when the Southern Department (Great Britain), Southern Department became the H ...

, as this "important and critical operation" enabled the British Government to use

as a bargaining piece during the negotiations leading up to the Treaty of Paris in 1763. Promoted to

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...

on 23 March 1765, he became Governor of Fort George and

Fort Augustus Fort Augustus is a settlement in the parish of Boleskine and Abertarff, at the south-west end of Loch Ness, Scottish Highlands. The village has a population of around 646 (2001). Its economy is heavily reliant on tourism. History Early histo ...

in September 1765. Hodgson became colonel of the 4th Regiment of Foot in November 1768 and, having been promoted to full

general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

on 2 April 1778, he became colonel of the

7th Dragoon Guards The 7th (The Princess Royal's) Dragoon Guards was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1688 as Lord Cavendish's Regiment of Horse. It was renamed as the 8th Horse in 1694 and the 7th (The Princess Royal's) Dragoon Guards for ...

in June 1782 and colonel of the 11th Light Dragoons in March 1789. Hodgson was promoted to

field marshal Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army (in countries without the rank of Generalissimo), and as such, few persons a ...

on 30 July 1796. He died at his home in Old Burlington Street in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

on 20 October 1798 and was buried at

St James's Church, Piccadilly St James's Church, Piccadilly, also known as St James's Church, Westminster, and St James-in-the-Fields, is an Anglican church on Piccadilly in the centre of London, England. The church was designed and built by Sir Christopher Wren. The churc ...

on 26 October 1798.

Family

In July 1756 Hodgson married Catherine Howard, sister of Field Marshal Sir George Howard; they had three sons and two daughters, including John Hodgson (b. 16 March 1759).''The Register of Births & Baptisms in the Parish of St James within the Liberty of Westminster Vol. IV. 1741-1760''. 9 April 1759.

References

Sources

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hodgson, Studholme 1708 births 1798 deaths 11th Hussars officers British field marshals British Army personnel of the Jacobite rising of 1745 British Army personnel of the Seven Years' War Grenadier Guards officers Royal Northumberland Fusiliers officers King's Own Royal Regiment officers 7th Dragoon Guards officers People educated at Carlisle Grammar School Burials at St James's Church, Piccadilly