MOORE, Thomas. The Life and Death of Lord Edward Fitzgerald.

Engraved portrait frontispiece and folding map. Two volumes. London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, & Green, 39, Paternoster-Row, 1831. Crown octavo. Second edition. Published in the same year as the first edition. pp. (1) xi, [1], 307, [1], (2) [ii], 305, [2]. Contemporary half calf over marbled boards. Spine divided into six panels by five gilt raised bands, title and volume number in gilt on brown morocco labels in the second and fourth. Ex libris General George Whichcote with his signature and neat stamp. Light foxing to map. All edges marbled. A very attractive set.  [L2 14B]

Lord Edward Fitzgerald (1763-1798), United Irishman, was born at Carton House, County Kildare. He joined the Sussex Militia and saw active service in America. Returning to Ireland in 1781 he sat in the Irish Parliament as member for Athy, voting with Grattan and Curran. In 1796 he accompanied Arthur O’Connor to Basle to negotiate with General Hoche for French help but the Directory would not deal with him because of his French wife’s royalist connections. In May 1798 Fitzgerald was seized by Major Sirr in his room in Thomas Street. In the struggle that ensued he killed one of his attackers and was himself shot in the arm. He died of his wounds in Newgate Prison on 4 June.

Provenance: From the library of General George Whichcote. Whichcote fought at the Battle of Waterloo, where his regiment (the 52nd foot) “completed the rout of the Imperial Guard” (DNB).