Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/MacMahon, Thomas Westropp
MACMAHON, Sir THOMAS WESTROPP (1813–1892), general, born on 14 Feb. 1813, was eldest son of General Sir Thomas MacMahon (1779–1800), G.C.B., second baronet, who served in the Portuguese army in the Peninsula, and was afterwards adj utant-general in India and commander-in-chief at Bombay. His mother was Emily Anne, daughter of Michael Roberts Westropp. His father's elder brother, John MacMahon (d. 1817), was private secretary and keeper of the privy purse to the prince regent, afterwards George IV; became a privy councillor, and was created a baronet 7 Aug. 1817, with remainder in default of his own male issue to MacMahon's father, Thomas. The young Thomas obtained a cornetcy in the 16th lancers 24 Dec. 1829, and was transferred to the 6th Inniskilling dragoons the year after, in which regiment he became lieutenant 2 Dec 1831, and captain 9 June 1838. On 22 April 1842 he was transferred as captain to the 9th lancers, when that regiment was augmented on proceeding to India, and served with it, under the command of Sir James Hope Grant [q. v.], in the Sutlej campaign, and at the battle of Sobraon 10 Feb. 1846 (medal). He was promoted to a majority unattached 13 July 1847. He served in Turkey and the Crimea as assistant quartermaster-general of the cavalry division, and was present at the battles of the Alma. Bokklava (with the heavy brigade), the Tchettaya, and siege of Sebastopol (C.B., medal, and three clasps, Turkish medal and fifth class of the Medjidie). While in the Crimea, on the promotion of Sir James Yorke Scarlett, he became lieutenant-colonel 5th dragoon guards from 12 Dec. 1854, and commanded that regiment until he went on half-pay in 1861. He succeeded his father as third baronet in 1860; became a major-general 6 March 1869; commanded the cavalry brigade at Aldershot, and was inspector-general of cavalry 1871 to 1876; became lieutenant-general in 1877, and general in 1880. In 1874 he received the honorary colonelcy 18th hussars, and in 1885 was transferred to that of his old corps, the 5th dragoon guards. MacMahon died at the Sycamores, Farnborough, Hampshire, after a protracted illness, 23 Jan. 1892. MacMahon married, first, in 1851, Dora Paulina, youngest daughter of Evan Hamilton-Baillie (she died in 1852); secondly, in 1859, Frances Mary, daughter of John Holford (she died in 1867); and thirdly, in 1888, Constance Marianne, widow of John Brooking. By his second wife he had four sons, all now in the army, and one daughter.
[Foster's Baronetage, under 'MacMahon;' Kinglake's Invasion of the Crimea, vol. v.; Army Lists and London Gazette; Broad Arrow, 30 Jan. 1892.]
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.190
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
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