Sir Francis Carr Clerke, 7th Baronet

Photo: Gilt brass gorget worn by Captain Sir Francis Carr Clerke, 3rd Regiment of Foot Guards, 1777 (c).

Biographical Summary

Sir Francis Carr Clerke, Baronet [1660], of North Weston, Oxon, aforesaid, and of Heath House, in Aston on Clun, Salop, cousin and h. male, being s. and h. of Francis Clerke, of North Weston, by Susanna Elizabeth (m. 1747) , da. of Thomas Henry Ashurst, of Waterstock, Oxon, which Francis (b. 23 Sep. 1724 and d. 30 April 1760) was only s. and h. of Francis Carr Clerke, of Weston aforesaid (d. 27 May 1730, aged 36), who was 2d s. of Bichard Clerke, of Horspath, Oxon (b. 4 March 1659 ; m. 13 March 1675), 6th and yst. s. of the 1st Baronet. He was h. 24 Oct. 1748 in St. George's Han. sq. ; ed. at Abingdon Grammar School ; admitted to the Inner Temple, London, but was afterwards Lieut, in the 3d Reg. of Foot Guards, being aide-de-camp to Gen. Burgoyne. He suc. to the Baronetcy, 12 Feb. 1769. He d. unm., being slain by a musket shot at Saratoga, 15 Oct. 1778, but brought thence to England for burial. Will pr. May 1779.

SOURCE: Complete baronetage; Cokayne, George E. (George Edward); 1903; Vol. III; page 81

Francis Carr Clerke (1748-1777) was killed at Saratoga in 1777, during the American War of Independence (1775-1783), while serving as aide-de-camp to Major-General John Burgoyne. Burgoyne had attacked the American forces at Bemis Heights on 7 October, in an attempt to break through their position and so avoid being encircled. It was during this action that Carr Clerke was mortally wounded by a rifle ball believed to have been fired by Timothy Murphy, a notable sharpshooter in Daniel Morgan's corps of riflemen. Murphy also claimed the life of General Simon Fraser in the same battle.

CLERKE, SIR FRANCIS CARR. (1748–1777). British officer. Clerke (the surname is pronounced "Clark") became an ensign in the Third Foot Guards on 3 January 1770 and was promoted to captain on 26 July 1775. As General John Burgoyne's aide-de-camp, he was mortally wounded by Timothy Murphy in battle at Bemis Heights on 7 October 1777 while delivering the orders to withdraw. He died that same night in the tent of the American commander, General Horatio Gates.

Burgoyne failed to break the Americans at Bemis Heights, and surrendered his remaining men at Saratoga on 17 October 1777. The defeat had far-reaching consequences, for it helped persuade the French to enter the war on the American side.

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