Sir John Doyle , 1st Baronet General Sir John Doyle , 1st Baronet GCB , KCH ( 17568 August 1834 ) was an officer in the British Army , which he joined in March 1771 . He served with distinction in the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary Wars . He was elected MP for Mullingar in the Irish House of Commons in 1783 , and went on to serve as Secretary of War in Irish politics . Doyle raised his own regiment , the 87th ( Royal Irish Fusiliers ) Regiment of Foot , for the French Revolutionary Wars in 1793 and served in Holland , Gibraltar and Egypt . His efforts were greatly appreciated by King George III , who took the trouble to write to the Earl Marshall , " . . . so that his [ Doyle ' s ] zeal and exertions in our service may be known to posterity " . The latter part of his career included his appointment as Private Secretary to George IV the Prince of Wales . He was also appointed Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey in 1803 where he served until 1813 . He was also active in Guernsey as Deputy Grand Master of the Freemasons . He was appointed Knight Bachelor in 1813 and General in 1819 . On 29 October 1825 he was created a baronet , but the baronetcy became extinct upon his death . Personal life . John Doyle was born in Dublin in 1756 , the fourth son of Charles and Elizabeth Doyle . He entered Trinity College Dublin in July 1768 to study law , but when his father died in March 1771 he joined the army in March 1771 . Doyle was the uncle of women ' s political rights campaigner Anna Doyle Wheeler who , in 1812 , took her daughters to stay with him and his family in Guernsey having walked out on her husband in Limerick . Military career . Doyle started his military career in March 1771 when he joined the 48th ( Northamptonshire ) Regiment of Foot . He rose to the rank of Lieutenant in 1773 . American War of Independence . Doyle served with distinction in the American War of Independence ( 1775 – 1783 ) with the 40th ( 2nd Somersetshire ) Regiment of Foot . He was involved in the Battle of Long Island , where he recovered the body of his commanding officer , Lieutenant - Colonel James Grant , under enemy fire . He then fought at the Battle of Harlem Heights , Battle of Springfield , Battle of Brandywine , and Battle of Germantown ( where he was wounded ) . His wound changed the course of his American campaign because he was appointed to assist Lord Rawdon ( Francis Rawdon - Hastings , 1st Marquess of Hastings ) to raise the Volunteers of Ireland regiments ( aka 2nd American Regiment and the 105th Regiment of Foot ) , and wherein he was promoted to Captain . This unit then fought at the Battle of Monmouth Courthouse in 1778 , and the Siege of Charleston in 1780 . After the war Doyle returned to Ireland , entered politics in 1783 and was elected MP . French Revolutionary Wars . In September 1793 Doyle raised his own regiment , the 87th ( Royal Irish Fusiliers ) Regiment of Foot , to fight in the French Revolutionary Wars ; they were also known as " The Prince of Wales Irish Heroes " . As Lieutenant - Colonel he led the unit under the Duke of York in the Flanders Campaign 1793 - 1795 . He served at the siege of Valenciennes 13 June - 28 July 1793 and distinguished himself at Alost during Moira ’ s retreat 1794 . Appointrd Colonel of the 87th Foot on 3 May 1796 , he was Irish Secretary at War from 1796 to 1799 . Appointed a Brigadier - General commanding the 4th brigade , he served under Abercromby & Hutchinson in Egypt in 1801 , and saw action at Manresa , Alexandria , Marabout , and Ramanieh 9 May . On 17 May 1801 , in the Libyan Desert he led his Brigade of the 12th Light Dragoons to capture the French Dromedary Corps . He distinguished himself during the operations leading to promotion to Major - General on 29 April 1802 . Napoleonic Wars . He was Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey 1803 - 1816 , during which time he oversaw the draining of land , using the proceeds of the sale to pay for the construction of roads and organised the defence in the Bailiwick of Guernsey . He was made a Baronet in 1805 , Lieutenant - General on 24th Apr 1808 , a Knight of the Bath in 1812 and Full General in 1819 . Public administration and diplomacy . After the American Revolutionary War Doyle returned to Ireland on half pay , so that he could be recalled to the army . He was a founding member of the Irish Whig Club and was an early advocate for the emancipation of Catholics . In 1783 he was elected MP for Mullingar in the Irish House of Commons and progressed to serve as Secretary of War in Irish politics . Doyle was appointed as Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey from 1803 to 1813 . Doyle was appointed Private Secretary to George IV the Prince of Wales Death and commemoration . King George III wrote to the Earl Marshall , Charles Howard , 11th Duke of Norfolk : " . . . so that his ( Doyle ’ s ) zeal and exertions in our service may be known to posterity " . Doyle was ' Deputy Grand Master ' of the ' Orange Lodge 116 ' of the Freemasons . In 1806 he was presented with the ' Doyle Cup ' which has been the property of the Masonic Library and Museum since 1938 . The cup shows Doyle ’ s freemasonry and military career in the French Revolutionary Wars . The lid bears the arms of the Masonic Ancients Grand Lodge and a Royal Crown . The spout bears the Prince of Wales ' s feathers – signifying that Doyle was Colonel of the Prince of Wales Royal Irish Regiment , that the had been initiated in Prince of Wales Lodge and the Prince of Wales was Grand Master of the Premier Grand Lodge of which he was also a member . A second Masonic cup follows the general design of the first , but shows scenes from the American War of Independence . It was presented by the Mariners Lodge and remains in Guernsey . Guernsey has commemorated Doyle in several ways : the Doyle Monument at Jerbourg Point ; Doyle Road ; Fort Doyle ; Doyle Street ; Doyle Lane ; Doyle Close ; and The Doyle - ( previously the site of Doyle Barracks ) . References . city