O'Connell, Maurice Charles Philip

O'Connell, Maurice Charles Philip (1768–1848), soldier and colonial governor, was born in Co. Kerry, younger son of Charles Philip O'Connell and his wife, a daughter of John O'Connell; he was a relation of Gen. Count Daniel O'Connell (qv) of the Irish Brigade. Educated locally, he was sent to Paris to study for the priesthood but very quickly decided to abandon this for a career in medicine. This also proved unsatisfactory and in 1785 he entered a military academy. Opposed to the principles of the French revolution, in 1792 he became a captain in an émigré regiment of the duke of Brunswick. When the Irish Brigade was reestablished in the British army (1794) he joined it, and served in Count O'Connell's 4th Regiment. He saw little action, but in 1800 was promoted to captain of the 1st West India Regiment and was sent abroad, to serve in Surinam, Grenada, and Dominica. In 1805 he transferred to the 5th Regiment and was commended for bravery in repulsing a French attack at Roseau in Dominica. In recognition of his leadership against superior numbers he was presented with honorary swords paid for by the colony's house of assembly and the patriotic fund of Lloyds of London. In May 1809 he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel of the 73rd Regiment, and became lieutenant-governor of Port Jackson in Australia the following year. He married (8 May 1810) a widow, Mary Putland, daughter of former governor William Bligh, the notorious captain of HMS Bounty. His wife's antipathy towards her father's enemies soon created many difficulties, and by 1813 requests were being made for O'Connell's removal. The couple left soon after, and in 1815 O'Connell commanded the 73rd Regiment in Ceylon [Sri Lanka], where he defeated the king of Kandy. Promoted to colonel (1819), he became major-general (1830), and was knighted (1834). He was given command of the forces in New South Wales (1838), and his son, Maurice Charles O'Connell (1812–79), travelled with him as his secretary. Once again his wife created much embarrassment for him, by demanding land she believed was rightly her inheritance. O'Connell served on the legislative council (1843–4) and was temporarily in charge of the government in the summer of 1846 during the change of ministries. Now a lieutenant-general, he was successively colonel of the 81st Regiment (1842–4) and then the 80th (1844–8). He died 25 May 1848 in Sydney as he was about to sail for England. His wife survived him; they had two daughters and one son, Maurice, who became a respected colonial statesman in Australia. In a description of Maurice Charles Philip O'Connell it was said that despite the ‘curious fluctuations in his career, [he] turned out a brilliant and successful soldier . . . a handsome, elegant, and very charming old gentleman’ (O'Connell, ii, 205).