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GEORGE THOMAS (c. 1756-1802)

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Originally appearing in Volume V26, Page 866 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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GEORGE See also:THOMAS (c. 1756-1802)  , See also:British military adventurer in See also:India . See also:Thomas was See also:born of poor parentage in See also:Ireland in1756, deserted from the British See also:Navy in See also:Madras, and made his way See also:north to See also:Delhi, where he took service under the begum Samru of See also:Sardhana . Supplanted in her favour by a Frenchman, he transferred his See also:allegiance to Appa See also:Rao, a Mahratta chieftain, and subsequently set up an See also:independent See also:kingdom of his own in See also:Hariana with his See also:capital at See also:Hansi . Thomas was a See also:man of See also:great See also:personal strength and daring, and considerable military See also:genius . In the turmoil of falling kingdoms in the India of that See also:day his See also:sword was always at the service of the highest See also:bidder; but he had the virtues of his profession—he never betrayed an employer, was See also:kind and generous to his soldiers, and was always ready to succour a woman in See also:distress . He cherished dreams of conquering the See also:Punjab, and fought one of his best See also:campaigns against the See also:Sikh chiefs; but he was finally defeated and captured by Sindhia's See also:army under See also:General See also:Perron (q.v.) . His See also:iron constitution was broken by exposure and excessive drinking, and he died on his way down the See also:Ganges on the 22nd of See also:August 1802 . See Francklin, Military See also:Memoirs of Mr See also:George Thomas (18o3); See also:Compton, Military Adventurers of Hindustan (1892) .

End of Article: GEORGE THOMAS (c. 1756-1802)
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Additional information and Comments

A detailed account of George Thomas can be found in a remarkable book titled "Swords for Hire" by Shelford Bidwell (1971). Three chapters are devoted to the exploits of this soldier-adventurer. The book is highly readable. No pictures of George Thomas are known to exist, but the book displays a likeness of him taken out of his tombstone. The book has chapters on other military adventurers of that era, such as Benoit de Boigne and Perron. As far as I know the book is out of print, but may be found in many libraries.
Another reference to this person is a book by Maurice Hennessy "The Rajah from Tipperary" a possible biography but contains many useful references, a worthwhile read that may add to the knowledge base.
(General)George Thomas was by no means "British" He was born in Ireland of Irish parents & grew up in Ireland, which makes him Irish! That fact that Ireland was a British colony at the time, & that he joined & subsequently deserted the British navy, does not make him British Also. Ireland (or none of its parts) is not now nor never has been a part of "Great Britain". G. Britain, both geographically & politically, consists of England, Wales & Scotland. The (enforced) "Act of Union" in 1801 between Britain & Ireland, created the political entity "The United Kingdom of Great Britain & Ireland": Presently, the UK consists of "The United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland" Kind regards Anthony Kiely
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