Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Taylor, John (1771-1843)
TAYLOR, Sir JOHN (1771–1843), lieutenant-general, born on 29 Sept. 1771, was the son of Walter Taylor of Castle Taylor, co. Galway, by his second wife, Hester, daughter of Richard Trench, and sister of William Power Keating Trench, earl of Clancarty. He entered the army in November 1794 as ensign in the 105th foot, became lieutenant in the 118th on 6 Dec., and captain in the 102nd on 9 Sept. 1795. He was brigade-major and aide-de-camp to Major-general Trench during the Irish rebellion of 1798, and was aide-de-camp to General Hutchinson [see Hely-Hutchinson, John, second Earl of Donoughmore], during the campaign in Holland in 1799, and that of Egypt in 1801. He had been transferred to the 26th foot on 30 Oct. 1799, but was soon afterwards placed on half-pay. He received a brevet majority on 2 Sept. 1801, and a lieutenant-colonelcy on 28 Feb. 1805. On 18 May 1809 he was made lieutenant-colonel in the 88th (Connaught rangers), and went to Cadiz in command of the second battalion in 1810. In the following winter it joined Wellington's army within the lines of Torres Vedras. It was attached to the light division, and after Masséna's retreat it took part in the combat of Sabugal (3 April 1811). A year afterwards it was sent home, having been reduced by a large draft to the 1st battalion to make up for its losses at Badajos. On 4 June 1813 Taylor was made brevet colonel. He returned to Spain soon afterwards, and on 9 Sept. took command of the 1st battalion, which formed part of the third division. He commanded it till the end of the war, and received the gold medal with two clasps for Nivelle, Orthes and Toulouse. At Orthes he was severely wounded. He was made C.B. for his services in the Peninsula, and afterwards K.C.B. (17 Oct. 1834). He was promoted major-general on 12 Aug. 1819, and lieutenant-general on 10 Jan. 1837. On 15 March 1837 he was given the colonelcy of the 80th foot. He died in London on 8 Dec. 1843.
By his wife Albinia Frances, daughter of St. John Jeffreys of Blarney Castle, co. Cork, and widow of Lieutenant-colonel Freemantle, he left two daughters.
[Royal Mil. Calendar, iv. 33; Cannon's Records of the 88th Regiment; Burke's Landed Gentry.]