William Cadogan, first earl of (1675-1726)
English general; a close associate of John Churchill, duke of Marlborough. He was present at the battle of the Boyne (1690), as a cornet player. Only eleven years later, he had risen to be quartermaster-general to Marlborough (1701-11), and was present at all of his victories during the War of the Spanish Succession. For most of this period he was colonel of the Dragoon Regiment (1703-12), known as 'Cadogan's horse' during his time in command. He rose steadily through the ranks, reaching major-general in 1706, lieutenant-general in 1709, and general in 1717. After the fall of Marlborough he was ejected from his offices by the then Jacobite government, and did not return to London until the accession of George I (1714), when his rank was restored. Under George he resumed his rise. He was envoy at The Hague from 1714-18, but that did not stop his career in England, where he was lieutenant of ordnance from 1714-18, colonel of the Coldstream Guards (1714), and governor of the Isle of Wight (1716). He was second in command against the rebels during the First Jacobite Revolt (1715-16), and commanded the army that chased the deposed James II out of Scotland over the winter of 1715-16, after which he was created Baron Cadogan (1716), being raised to Earl Cadogan in 1718. He helped negotiate the Quadruple Alliance, and was created commander in chief in 1722. In a change of government in 1725 he was replaced as lieutenant of ordnance, and died the following year.
How to cite this article:
Rickard, J. (8 January 2000), William Cadogan, first earl of (1675-1726), http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/people_cadogan.html