William Harcourt, 3rd Earl Harcourt


The Earl Harcourt

Portrait attributed to Richard Collins, c. 1780
Born(1743-03-20)20 March 1743
Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire
Died17 June 1830(1830-06-17) (aged 87)
Buried
AllegianceGreat Britain
United Kingdom
BranchBritish Army
Service years1759–1811
RankField Marshal
Commands16th Light Dragoons
ConflictsSeven Years' War
American War of Independence
French Revolutionary Wars
AwardsKnight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath

Field Marshal William Harcourt, 3rd Earl Harcourt, GCB (20 March 1743 – 17 June 1830) was a British Army officer. In the Seven Years' War, he served as an aide-de-camp to Lord Albemarle during the expedition to Havana. He also commanded his regiment at the Battle of White Plains and then captured General Charles Lee at Basking Ridge during the American War of Independence. After that he commanded the British Cavalry at the Battle of Willems during the Flanders campaign. He succeeded the Duke of York as commander during that campaign and oversaw the British retreat and their final evacuation from Bremen. His last main military role was as Governor of the Royal Military College at Great Marlow.