Читать книгу A Cyclopædia of Canadian Biography - Various - Страница 87

Table of Contents

Maunsell, Lieut.-Col. George J., Deputy-Adjutant General district No. 8, New Brunswick, Commandant of Royal School of Infantry, Infantry School corps, Fredericton, was born at Bally-William House, Rathkeale, county of Limerick, Ireland, on the 25th of August, 1836. His father was George Meanes Maunsell, J.P., of Bally-William House, Limerick county, vide “Burke’s Irish Landed Gentry.” His mother was M. Maunsell, daughter of Rev. J. Stopford, son of the Bishop of Cloyne and Ross, Cork county, and was a descendant of the Lord Courtown family, “Burke’s Peerage.” Lieut.-Col. Maunsell, was educated at home and afterwards studied for the profession of arms, and passed his final examination at Sandhurst Royal Military College in May, 1855, and was gazetted ensign in her Majesty’s fifteenth regiment on the 15th of the same month. He attended a course of instruction in military engineering (branch of senior department of the Royal Military College) at Aldershot in 1857, and was subsequently employed, temporarily, on the staff at Aldershot in connection with this course of instruction. On November 27th, 1857, he was gazetted lieutenant in his regiment, and in 1858-9 attended the course of instruction at the School of Musketry, Hythe, receiving a certificate of the first class, on January 26th, 1859; and on February 10th following was gazetted as instructor of musketry. He was promoted to a captaincy of the Fifteenth regiment on March 12th, 1861, and in 1861-2 was acting adjutant and instructor of musketry at the Eighth Depot Battalion. He sailed for Halifax en route to New Brunswick in January, 1864, and soon embraced an opportunity that offered to see active service in the field, for he was with the army of the Potomac during the whole of the spring campaign of 1865, ending with the capture of Richmond, and was at that time temporarily attached to General Grant’s staff. On Nov. 22, 1865, he was gazetted adjutant-general of militia of New Brunswick, and besides the organizing work was speedily called upon to more arduous duties, for in 1866 came the Fenian invasion, and Colonel Maunsell was engaged in the defence of the western frontier of New Brunswick. In 1868, after confederation, the Militia Act was passed and under it, on Jan. 1st, 1869, Colonel Maunsell was gazetted adjutant-general of the military district No. 8, province of New Brunswick. Between 1871 and 1880 he commanded tactical brigade corps at Fredericton, Woodstock, and Chatham, and attended course of studies at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich (certificate granted). On the 1st April, 1881, Colonel Maunsell was transferred from the command of military district No. 8 to No. 4, with headquarters at Ottawa, and commanded the brigade camps at Ottawa and Brockville, and the School of Instruction (infantry) at Ottawa. On the 21st July, 1883, the Colonel sailed for England, to be attached to her Majesty’s forces at Aldershot for instructional purposes, and while in Europe he visited various towns in Belgium, Germany and France, and also examined several of the battle fields connected with the Franco-German war, in search of information. He returned to Canada in November of the same year, and on 31st December was gazetted commandant of the School of Infantry, Infantry School corps. On the 16th May, 1884, he was re-appointed deputy adjutant general district No. 8, New Brunswick, holding at the same time command of the school and corps which he had successfully organized. In May, 1885, Colonel Maunsell formed a temporary battalion, composed of the School corps and companies (6) active militia of New Brunswick, and (2) of Prince Edward Island for immediate active service in the North-West Territory, and proceeded with this battalion en route to the North-West, but on the 18th of that month was ordered into camp at Sussex, to await further orders. On the 25th May he received the thanks of the authorities, and the different companies were sent to their local headquarters, their services not being further required. In addition to the above Colonel Maunsell served with the fifteenth regiment in several Mediterranean stations, when his regiment was sent to reinforce troops during the Crimean war; and in the years 1855-6 he travelled on foot and on horseback throughout Spain. He has been from youth up an adherent of the Episcopal church. On the 9th August, 1862, Colonel Maunsell married Miss Moony, elder daughter of the late F. E. Moony, J.P., D.L., of “The Doon,” King’s county, Ireland, and has a family of seven children, four sons and three daughters. His eldest son is captain in the 8th regiment P.L. cavalry, New Brunswick, and his eldest daughter is married to J. W. de Courcy O’Grady, of the Bank of Montreal, Ottawa.