Robert Fletcher (East India Company officer) - Revision history

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	==Early life and career==		==Early life and career==
	Robert Fletcher was born circa 1738 to Robert Fletcher and Elizabeth Fletcher (née Lyon). During his youth his father served as a major in [[Lord Ogilvy of Airlie\|Lord Ogilvy]]'s regiment of the [[Jacobite Army (1745)\|Jacobite Army]] during the [[Jacobite rising of 1745\|rising of 1745]]. After the defeat of the Jacobites, he fled to [[Bergen]], Norway and did not return to Scotland until 1754.<ref name=parl>{{cite web \|last1=Cannon \|first1=J.A. \|title=Fletcher, Sir Robert (c.1738-76), of Ballinasloe, co. Roscommon and Lindertis, Angus. \|url=https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1754-1790/member/fletcher-sir-robert-1738-76 \|website=History of Parliament Online \|publisher=History of Parliament Trust \|accessdate=10 August ~~2020~~}}</ref>		Robert Fletcher was born circa 1738 to Robert Fletcher and Elizabeth Fletcher (née Lyon). During his youth his father served as a major in [[Lord Ogilvy of Airlie\|Lord Ogilvy]]'s regiment of the [[Jacobite Army (1745)\|Jacobite Army]] during the [[Jacobite rising of 1745\|rising of 1745]]. After the defeat of the Jacobites, he fled to [[Bergen]], Norway and did not return to Scotland until 1754.<ref name=parl>{{cite web \|last1=Cannon \|first1=J.A. \|title=Fletcher, Sir Robert (c.1738-76), of Ballinasloe, co. Roscommon and Lindertis, Angus. \|url=https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1754-1790/member/fletcher-sir-robert-1738-76 \|website=History of Parliament Online \|publisher=History of Parliament Trust \|accessdate=10 August 2022}}</ref>

	The young Robert Fletcher was appointed a writer{{refn\|A writer was a type of clerk employed by the company to record information<ref>{{cite web \|title=1800 - Necessaries for a Writer to India \|url=https://www.bl.uk/learning/langlit/texts/empire/india/writer/writertoindia.html \|website=British Library \|accessdate=11 August ~~2020~~}}</ref>\|group=nb}} in the service of the [[East India Company]] at Madras in May 1757. He transferred to the company's army as an [[Ensign (rank)\|ensign]] in September and was promoted to lieutenant. He was [[cashiered]] (dismissed from the service) for insolence, but the intervention of senior officer [[Eyre Coote (East India Company officer)\|Eyre Coote]] restored him to his position. Fletcher, who served during the [[Seven Years' War]], was promoted to captain in 1760. He returned to England in 1763 and was knighted on 29 December for his gallantry in action. He was promoted to major in 1764 and lieutenant-colonel in 1765. He returned to India in command of a brigade and was implicated in the 1766 [[Monghyr Mutiny]]. Court-martialled and cashiered again by [[Robert Clive]], he returned to England.<ref name=parl/>		The young Robert Fletcher was appointed a writer{{refn\|A writer was a type of clerk employed by the company to record information<ref>{{cite web \|title=1800 - Necessaries for a Writer to India \|url=https://www.bl.uk/learning/langlit/texts/empire/india/writer/writertoindia.html \|website=British Library \|accessdate=11 August 2022}}</ref>\|group=nb}} in the service of the [[East India Company]] at Madras in May 1757. He transferred to the company's army as an [[Ensign (rank)\|ensign]] in September and was promoted to lieutenant. He was [[cashiered]] (dismissed from the service) for insolence, but the intervention of senior officer [[Eyre Coote (East India Company officer)\|Eyre Coote]] restored him to his position. Fletcher, who served during the [[Seven Years' War]], was promoted to captain in 1760. He returned to England in 1763 and was knighted on 29 December for his gallantry in action. He was promoted to major in 1764 and lieutenant-colonel in 1765. He returned to India in command of a brigade and was implicated in the 1766 [[Monghyr Mutiny]]. Court-martialled and cashiered again by [[Robert Clive]], he returned to England.<ref name=parl/>

	== Political career ==		== Political career ==
	Upon his return Fletcher sought a seat in Parliament. After first considering [[Bridport (UK Parliament constituency)\|Bridport]] in Dorset he stood, with [[William Mayne, 1st Baron Newhaven\|William Mayne]], for the two seats at [[Malmesbury (UK Parliament constituency)\|Malmesbury]] in the [[1768 British general election]].<ref name=parl/> The pair garnered just two votes apiece (out of 13 electors) to the 11 won by the [[Arthur Chichester, 1st Marquess of Donegall\|Earl of Donegall]] and [[Thomas Howard, 14th Earl of Suffolk\|Thomas Howard]].<ref>{{cite web \|last1=Cannon \|first1=J.A. \|title=Malmesbury (1754-1790)\|url=https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1754-1790/constituencies/malmesbury\|website=History of Parliament Online \|publisher=History of Parliament Trust \|accessdate=10 August ~~2020~~}}</ref> Undaunted he passed through [[Cricklade (UK Parliament constituency)\|Cricklade]], Wiltshire, just days before the election there and, finding a relative of Clive had declined a seat there, won it on 16 March 1768 without any expenditure whatsoever.<ref name=cricklade>{{cite web \|last1=Cannon \|first1=J.A. \|title=Cricklade (1754-1790)\|url=https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1754-1790/constituencies/cricklade\|website=History of Parliament Online \|publisher=History of Parliament Trust \|accessdate=10 August ~~2020~~}}</ref> The seat is thought to have cost him £4,000 in promised payments to the electors.<ref name=parl/> The second seat went to [[George Damer, 2nd Earl of Dorchester\|George Damer]], son of the wealthy [[Joseph Damer, 1st Earl of Dorchester\|Lord Milton]].<ref name=cricklade/>		Upon his return Fletcher sought a seat in Parliament. After first considering [[Bridport (UK Parliament constituency)\|Bridport]] in Dorset he stood, with [[William Mayne, 1st Baron Newhaven\|William Mayne]], for the two seats at [[Malmesbury (UK Parliament constituency)\|Malmesbury]] in the [[1768 British general election]].<ref name=parl/> The pair garnered just two votes apiece (out of 13 electors) to the 11 won by the [[Arthur Chichester, 1st Marquess of Donegall\|Earl of Donegall]] and [[Thomas Howard, 14th Earl of Suffolk\|Thomas Howard]].<ref>{{cite web \|last1=Cannon \|first1=J.A. \|title=Malmesbury (1754-1790)\|url=https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1754-1790/constituencies/malmesbury\|website=History of Parliament Online \|publisher=History of Parliament Trust \|accessdate=10 August 2022}}</ref> Undaunted he passed through [[Cricklade (UK Parliament constituency)\|Cricklade]], Wiltshire, just days before the election there and, finding a relative of Clive had declined a seat there, won it on 16 March 1768 without any expenditure whatsoever.<ref name=cricklade>{{cite web \|last1=Cannon \|first1=J.A. \|title=Cricklade (1754-1790)\|url=https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1754-1790/constituencies/cricklade\|website=History of Parliament Online \|publisher=History of Parliament Trust \|accessdate=10 August 2022}}</ref> The seat is thought to have cost him £4,000 in promised payments to the electors.<ref name=parl/> The second seat went to [[George Damer, 2nd Earl of Dorchester\|George Damer]], son of the wealthy [[Joseph Damer, 1st Earl of Dorchester\|Lord Milton]].<ref name=cricklade/>

	In parliament Fletcher voted generally in support of the opposition to the [[Chatham ministry\|government of William Pitt]] but primarily acted in the interest of his restoration to the East India Company. He had failed to achieve this, by some 30 votes, at the company's General court earlier in the year. Fellow MP [[George Grenville]] interceded on his behalf with Clive, who dropped his opposition, and on 15 December 1769 Fletcher was reinstated and promoted to colonel. Though formally posted to Madras, he did not sail until 1771 and in the meantime came to support the government in parliament.<ref name=parl/>		In parliament Fletcher voted generally in support of the opposition to the [[Chatham ministry\|government of William Pitt]] but primarily acted in the interest of his restoration to the East India Company. He had failed to achieve this, by some 30 votes, at the company's General court earlier in the year. Fellow MP [[George Grenville]] interceded on his behalf with Clive, who dropped his opposition, and on 15 December 1769 Fletcher was reinstated and promoted to colonel. Though formally posted to Madras, he did not sail until 1771 and in the meantime came to support the government in parliament.<ref name=parl/>

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{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =Sir
| name = Robert Fletcher
| honorific-suffix = MP
| image = Sir Robert Fletcher.png
| caption = Sir Robert Fletcher c.1774-76
| birth_date = c.1738
| birth_place =
| death_date = 24 December 1776
| death_place = [[Mauritius]]
| office1 = [[Member of Parliament]]<br />for [[Cricklade (UK Parliament constituency)|Cricklade]]
| alongside = [[George Damer, 2nd Earl of Dorchester|George Damer]]
| term_start1 = 16 March 1768
| term_end1 = 1774
| predecessor1= [[Arnold Nesbitt (MP)|Arnold Nesbitt]]<br />[[Thomas Gore (MP)|Thomas Gore]]
| successor1 = Arnold Nesbitt<br />[[William Earle (MP)|William Earle]]
| nickname =
| allegiance = {{flagicon|Kingdom of Great Britain}} [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]]<br />[[Image:Flag of the British East India Company (1707).svg|22x25px]] [[East India Company]]
| branch = [[Madras Army]]
| serviceyears = 1757-1776
| rank = Brigadier general
| commands = [[Madras Army]] (1772-72 & 1775-76)
| battles =
| awards =
| other_names =
| known_for =
| occupation =
| relatives =
| spouse =
| website =
| laterwork =
| footnotes =
}}
'''Sir Robert Fletcher''' ({{circa}} 1738{{spnd}}24 December 1776) was an officer of the East India Company and a member of parliament for [[Cricklade (UK Parliament constituency)|Cricklade]]. Fletcher joined the East India Company as a junior clerk in 1757 but soon transferred to its army. As a lieutenant he was [[cashiered]] (dismissed) for insolence but was later restored. Fletcher was awarded a knighthood for gallantry in battle and rose in rank to lieutenant-colonel in command of a brigade. He was court-martialled and cashiered for the second time by [[Robert Clive]] for involvement in the 1766 [[Monghyr Mutiny]].

Returning to Britain Fletcher, during the [[1768 British general election|1768 general election]], stood unsuccessfully at [[Malmesbury (UK Parliament constituency)|Malmesbury]] before finding a seat at [[Cricklade (UK Parliament constituency)|Cricklade]]. In parliament, he opposed the [[Chatham ministry|government of William Pitt]] before he was restored to service with the East India Company after the intercession of a fellow MP. He afterwards voted in support of the government.

Fletcher returned to India in 1772 to command the [[Madras Army]]. He soon came into conflict with the presidency's governor [[Josias Du Pre]], after which Fletcher chose to leave India and return to Britain. He considered standing at the [[1774 British general election]] but withdrew the day before the poll. Returning to India in 1775, Fletcher again came into conflict with the governor, [[George Pigot, 1st Baron Pigot|Lord Pigot]], which culminated in Pigot's arrest. Sick with tuberculosis, Fletcher undertook a sea voyage to convalesce but died at Mauritius during his travels.

==Early life and career==
Robert Fletcher was born circa 1738 to Robert Fletcher and Elizabeth Fletcher (née Lyon). During his youth his father served as a major in [[Lord Ogilvy of Airlie|Lord Ogilvy]]'s regiment of the [[Jacobite Army (1745)|Jacobite Army]] during the [[Jacobite rising of 1745|rising of 1745]]. After the defeat of the Jacobites, he fled to [[Bergen]], Norway and did not return to Scotland until 1754.<ref name=parl>{{cite web |last1=Cannon |first1=J.A. |title=Fletcher, Sir Robert (c.1738-76), of Ballinasloe, co. Roscommon and Lindertis, Angus. |url=https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1754-1790/member/fletcher-sir-robert-1738-76 |website=History of Parliament Online |publisher=History of Parliament Trust |accessdate=10 August 2020}}</ref>

The young Robert Fletcher was appointed a writer{{refn|A writer was a type of clerk employed by the company to record information<ref>{{cite web |title=1800 - Necessaries for a Writer to India |url=https://www.bl.uk/learning/langlit/texts/empire/india/writer/writertoindia.html |website=British Library |accessdate=11 August 2020}}</ref>|group=nb}} in the service of the [[East India Company]] at Madras in May 1757. He transferred to the company's army as an [[Ensign (rank)|ensign]] in September and was promoted to lieutenant. He was [[cashiered]] (dismissed from the service) for insolence, but the intervention of senior officer [[Eyre Coote (East India Company officer)|Eyre Coote]] restored him to his position. Fletcher, who served during the [[Seven Years' War]], was promoted to captain in 1760. He returned to England in 1763 and was knighted on 29 December for his gallantry in action. He was promoted to major in 1764 and lieutenant-colonel in 1765. He returned to India in command of a brigade and was implicated in the 1766 [[Monghyr Mutiny]]. Court-martialled and cashiered again by [[Robert Clive]], he returned to England.<ref name=parl/>

== Political career ==
Upon his return Fletcher sought a seat in Parliament. After first considering [[Bridport (UK Parliament constituency)|Bridport]] in Dorset he stood, with [[William Mayne, 1st Baron Newhaven|William Mayne]], for the two seats at [[Malmesbury (UK Parliament constituency)|Malmesbury]] in the [[1768 British general election]].<ref name=parl/> The pair garnered just two votes apiece (out of 13 electors) to the 11 won by the [[Arthur Chichester, 1st Marquess of Donegall|Earl of Donegall]] and [[Thomas Howard, 14th Earl of Suffolk|Thomas Howard]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cannon |first1=J.A. |title=Malmesbury (1754-1790)|url=https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1754-1790/constituencies/malmesbury|website=History of Parliament Online |publisher=History of Parliament Trust |accessdate=10 August 2020}}</ref> Undaunted he passed through [[Cricklade (UK Parliament constituency)|Cricklade]], Wiltshire, just days before the election there and, finding a relative of Clive had declined a seat there, won it on 16 March 1768 without any expenditure whatsoever.<ref name=cricklade>{{cite web |last1=Cannon |first1=J.A. |title=Cricklade (1754-1790)|url=https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1754-1790/constituencies/cricklade|website=History of Parliament Online |publisher=History of Parliament Trust |accessdate=10 August 2020}}</ref> The seat is thought to have cost him £4,000 in promised payments to the electors.<ref name=parl/> The second seat went to [[George Damer, 2nd Earl of Dorchester|George Damer]], son of the wealthy [[Joseph Damer, 1st Earl of Dorchester|Lord Milton]].<ref name=cricklade/>

In parliament Fletcher voted generally in support of the opposition to the [[Chatham ministry|government of William Pitt]] but primarily acted in the interest of his restoration to the East India Company. He had failed to achieve this, by some 30 votes, at the company's General court earlier in the year. Fellow MP [[George Grenville]] interceded on his behalf with Clive, who dropped his opposition, and on 15 December 1769 Fletcher was reinstated and promoted to colonel. Though formally posted to Madras, he did not sail until 1771 and in the meantime came to support the government in parliament.<ref name=parl/>

== First return to India ==
Upon arrival in 1772 Fletcher assumed command of the [[Madras Army]] from Brigadier General [[Joseph Smith (East India Company officer)|Joseph Smith]].<ref name="parl" /><ref>{{cite book |last1=Auber |first1=Peter |title=Rise and Progress of the British Power in India |date=1837 |publisher=W. H. Allen & Company |page=xiv|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vBANAAAAYAAJ |language=en}}</ref> Within months Fletcher was in conflict with the company's governor of Madras [[Josias Du Pre]]. This came to a head in January 1773 when Du Pre dismissed Fletcher from the council and ordered him to [[Tiruchirappalli|Trichinopoly]] to keep him out of the city. Fletcher took the opportunity, in March 1773, to leave India.<ref name=parl/> Around this time he wrote to friends in England to ask them to lobby for his appointment as [[Commander-in-Chief, India]], which was not successful.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Bryant |first1=G. J. |title=The East India Company and the British Army: the Crisis at Madras in 1783 |journal=Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research |date=1984 |volume=62 |issue=249 |page=16 |jstor=44224329 |issn=0037-9700}}</ref>

Fletcher took part in parliamentary business in 1774, including voting against extending the [[Parliamentary Elections Act 1770]] perpetually. He stated in the House of Commons on 28 February that he would press for an inquiry into the business of the East India Company. The Company afterwards re-engaged his services, promoting him to brigadier-general in April 1774 and posting him to Madras once more. Fletcher postponed travelling to contest Cricklade at the [[1774 British general election]] but withdrew the day before the poll. He married Anne Pybus, the daughter of a banker, on 17 December 1774.<ref name=parl/>

== Second return to India ==
[[File:George Pigot, Baron Pigot by George Willison.jpg|thumb|Lord Pigot, depicted in 1777]]
Fletcher arrived in Madras in June 1775 and soon came into conflict with the governor, now [[George Pigot, 1st Baron Pigot|Lord Pigot]].<ref name=parl/> In October 1775 he once again assumed the role of Commander of the Madras Army and received, ''ex officio'', a seat on the council of the [[Madras Presidency]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Love |first1=Henry Davidson |title=Indian Records Series Vestiges of Old Madras |publisher=Mittal Publications |page=74 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h2nkEiSSDaYC |language=en}}</ref>

Fletcher was among the majority of the council that opposed Pigot, and after Pigot expelled the opposition and took possession of [[Fort St. George, India|Fort St. George]] he was arrested by the opposition. Fletcher, who was then ill with tuberculosis, left India in October 1776 aboard the [[HMS Greenwich (1777)|''Greenwich'']] on a journey of convalescence. He died at Mauritius on 24 December. In April 1777 [[George III of the United Kingdom|George III]], unaware of Fletcher's death, wrote "Sir Robert Fletcher appears with his usual inclination to disputes" with regards the Pigot affair. Fletcher left a large fortune that allegedly included a large parcel of pearls from an Indian [[nawab]].<ref name=parl/>

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=nb}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-bef
| before = [[Arnold Nesbitt (MP)|Arnold Nesbitt]]
| before2 = [[Thomas Gore (MP)|Thomas Gore]]
}}
{{s-title
| title = [[Member of Parliament]] for [[Cricklade (UK Parliament constituency)|Cricklade]]
| years = [[1768 British general election|1768]]–[[1774 British general election|1774]]
| with = [[George Damer, 2nd Earl of Dorchester|Hon. George Damer]]
}}
{{s-aft
| after = [[Arnold Nesbitt (MP)|Arnold Nesbitt]]
| after2 = [[William Earle (MP)|William Earle]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fletcher, Robert}}
[[Category:1776 deaths]]
[[Category:British East India Company Army generals]]
[[Category:British MPs 1768–1774]]
[[Category:Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies]]