Oil portrait in frame by Herbert Holt (1891-1978), after an original by John Wollaston (active 1742-1775), depicting Brigadier-General Henry Bouquet. Plaque on frame reads “BRIGADIER-GENERAL HENRY BOUQUET 60TH ROYAL AMERICAN REGIMENT by HERBERT HOLT, R.P. After the Original by JOHN WOLLASTON”.
This oil painting by Herbert Holt, after an original by John Wollaston, depicts Brigadier General Henry Bouquet around 1765, the year of his death. He is shown in the military dress of a Brigadier-General.
About Brigadier General Henry Bouquet
Born Henri Bouquet in Rolle, Switzerland, in 1719, he was a seasoned soldier long before entering British service. Having served in the Dutch, Sardinian, and Swiss armies, Bouquet accepted a commission as Lieutenant Colonel commanding the newly formed 1st Battalion, 60th (Royal American) Regiment of Foot in 1756. The regiment had been created to strengthen Britain’s military presence in North America by recruiting German and Swiss settlers from the colonies.
Bouquet reportedly trained his Battalion as light infantry, and advocated practical reforms in drill, equipment, and training to ensure that his troops were better suited to service in the dense North American forests. These reforms lay the groundwork for the tactics later perfected by officers such as de Rottenburg, Coote Manningham, William Stewart, and Sir John Moore for the rifle regiments.
During the Seven Years’ War, Bouquet served as second-in-command to Brigadier General John Forbes in the campaign against Fort Duquesne, and later remained in western Pennsylvania to command frontier operations. He played a decisive role in suppressing Pontiac’s War (1763-64), leading a successful expedition into the Ohio Country that brought a temporary peace to the region.
For his service, Bouquet was promoted to Brigadier General and appointed commander of the Southern District of North America. Stationed in Pensacola, Florida, his career was cut short when he died of yellow fever on 2 September 1765.
About the Artist
Best known as a fashionable portrait painter, Herbert Holt (1891-1978) was the son of stained glass artist Henry Holt. He attended St Helens School of Art, Liverpool School of Art and Slade School of Art. He was a member of Chelsea Arts Club and lived latterly in London.
This portrait is after the original by John Wollaston (active c. 1742-1775), an English painter who specialised in portraits and was active mostly in British North America. He was one of a handful of painters to introduce English Rococo styles of painting to Britain’s North American colonies.
Wollaston painted the portrait originally for the Willing family of Philadelphia while Bouquet was (perhaps informally) engaged to Anne Willing. They never married; Anne Willing became engaged to Tench Francis while Bouquet was at Fort Pitt. The painting was later cut down from a larger canvas.
