What is inside?

The History of the Irish Brigades in the Service of France from the Revolution in Great Britain and Ireland under James II, to the Revolution in France under Louis XVI was written by John Cornelius O'Callaghan, completed in January 1869 and published in London. The History of the Irish Brigades in France covers the periods from 1688 until Louis XVI's ascendancy in France, a period of nearly a century. Despite its title, the first Books of this publication treats on the Jacobite Brigades in Ireland and their successive commanding officers, which were drawn from some of the most notable families in Ireland. The first book treat on the origins of three Irish Brigades that were formed during the Revolution in Britain and Ireland during the periods 1688 to 1691, namely the Mountcashel, O'Brien and Dillon Brigades and their original and subsequent Colonels and traces the actions of these Brigades until the Treaty of Limerick and the arrival of the Brigades in France with the remnants of King James' Army. The second Book details the Irish Brigades formed in France from these remnants and provides biographies of the first and subsequent commanding officers from the inception of the brigade until its extinction. The first two books are essentially a prelude to the actions involving the Irish Brigades in France. Books 3 and 4 detail some of the campaigns involving Irish Brigades on continental Europe between 1692 and 1707 and includes comprehensive details on the War of Spanish Succession as well as various campaigns in Italy, Flanders and Germany. Books 5 and 6 recount the various political intrigues concerning the monarchies of Spain, France and England and attitudes of the Irish Brigades and their commanders before the opening of Book 7 in 1733 and the start of the Austrian War of Succession and the Brigades' involvement at Dettingen until the death of the commander of the Irish Jacobite Brigades, the Duke of Ormonde at Avignon in 1745. The forms the prelude to Book 8, which describes perhaps the zenith of the Irish Brigades' activities, which was short-lived and only spanned the years between 1745 and 1748, ending with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle. Book 9 relates how the influence of the Brigades and opinions concerning them and their commanding officers quickly declined with the prospect of war between Britain and France and ends with the Irish Brigades final campaigns in the West Indies and North America and the death of its last commanders, General O'Connell in 1833 and Count de Nugent in 1859. Republished here in fully-searchable format, the History of the Irish Brigades is a fascinating history; containing more the 650 pages, extensive biographies on the Brigades' commanding officers and containing a comprehensive Index of the major personalities, battles, campaigns and place names, this publication must appeal to anyone with an interest in the involvement of Irish soldiers in the service of France.

• Military / War

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