Introduction
Lieutenant-General George Macartney or Maccartney (c. 1660–1730) was an Irish-born professional soldier who was involved in the celebrated Hamilton–Mohun Duel of 1712.
Biography
He was the elder son of George Macartney, son of the last of the Macartneys of Blacket in Scotland, who had settled at Belfast in 1630; his mother Martha was of the same family as Sir John Davies. His younger brother Isaac served as High Sheriff of Antrim and was the father of William Macartney MP.
Macartney entered the Army during the reign of William III, and served with much credit under the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene. After the War of the Spanish Succession began, he was appointed Colonel of a new regiment, McCartney's Regiment of Foot, which initially served under Marlborough in Flanders before being sent to Spain in 1706. He was wounded at the Battle of Almanza, where the regiment suffered heavy casualties and after returning to the Low Countries in 1709, was promoted Major-general. His regiment fought at the siege of Douai in 1710, after which he became Lieutenant-General.
In 1712, Macartney acted as second to Lord Mohun, in the Hamilton–Mohun Duel where both parties were killed. Like Mohun, Macartney was a Whig and was accused by his Tory opponents of stabbing Hamilton while the duellists were rolling on the ground. It was then common practice for seconds to join the fight and both MacCartney and the unrelated Colonel Hamilton were arrested; McCartney escaped to Hanover, where he remained until 1714, when he returned with George I.
Soon after this, he demanded to be tried for the offence which had been laid to his charge, and on the evidence of the keepers of Hyde Park, who had witnessed the duel throughout all its phases, was honourably acquitted. His former regiment having been disbanded at the peace of Utrecht, he was appointed to the colonelcy of the Royal North British Fusiliers on 12 July 1716, from which he was removed on 9 March 1727 to the Carabiniers, and he retained this appointment until his decease on 7 July 1730. He was at the time of his death commander-in-chief of the forces in Ireland and governor of Portsmouth. He married the widow of General Douglas, and by her had issue.