George Don (British Army officer)
Sir George Don | |
|---|---|
| Born | 30 April 1756 Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Died | 17 January 1832 (aged 75) |
| Allegiance | Great Britain United Kingdom |
| Branch | British Army |
| Service years | 1770–1832 |
| Rank | General |
| Conflicts | American War of Independence • Siege of Fort St. Philip, Menorca French Revolutionary Wars • Flanders Campaign • Invasion of the Batavian Republic Napoleonic Wars • Walcheren Expedition |
| Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Guelphic Order |
| Other work | Lieutenant Governor of Jersey Governor of Gibraltar |
General Sir George Don GCB GCH (30 April 1756 – 17 January 1832) was a British Army officer who served in the American War of Independence and French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. His service was conducted across Europe, but his most important work was in military and defensive organisation against the threat of French invasion during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Don was also frequently requested for advisory and espionage work by British generals and was once employed by the Prussian State as a spy. In 1799 he was arrested during a truce by Guillaume Brune who accused him of attempting to foment rebellion in the Batavian Republic and was not released until the Peace of Amiens. During and following the wars, Don also served as Lieutenant Governor of Jersey and Governor Gibraltar, implementing organizational reforms with much success in both places.