This year is the year of celebrating the rebellion and what those few hoped to achieve. So with this theme of rebellion in mind, who should be found amongst the early giants of Irish surgery and the history of RCSI but a rebel so rebellious he is expelled! Enter the aptly named
William Lawless
There is a little confusion over the exact year that Lawless was born in Dublin, some sources say it was 1772 while others say it was a little earlier in 1764. Either way we know he had completed his surgical studies and received his Letters Testimonial from RCSI on 11th June 1788. How can we be so exact? It is written in the RCSI Roll of Licentiates from that time, see below
In 1790 Lawless was elected a Member of the College and on 1st September he was appointed Professor of Anatomy and Physiology. Lawless was an avowed nationalist and along with his fellow surgeon, William Dease, was an active member of the United Irishmen. He was a friend of Lord Edward Fitzgerald and John Sheares, both of whom along with Lawless were all heavily involved in the 1798 Rebellion in Ireland. After the rebellion the British Parliament passed the Attainder Act of 1798 (also know as the Fugitive Act). This meant that Lawless was wanted for high treason. But before he could be found and arrested, Lawless escaped to France. The College minutes read as follows
November 4, 1798
Whereas it appears by an Act of the last Session of Parliament that William Lawless, Esq., one of the Members of the College, has been notoriously engaged in the late Rebellion, and hath fled from Justice, and that unless he shall surrender himself to one of the Judges of His Majesty's Court of Kings Bench, or to some Justice of the Peace within this Kingdom on or before the first day of December next in order to abide such Charges as shall be made against him he shall stand attainted of High Treason. Resolved - that the name of the said William Lawless be omitted in the printed lists of the College.
February 4, 1799
Whereas William Lawless Esq., one of the Members of this College, hath not surrendered himself to take his Trial for such Charges as should be made against him pursuant to the Act of the Last Session of Parliament - Resolved that the said William Lawless be, and he is hereby expelled.
In France, Lawless joined the army and in 1803 was appointed captain of the Irish Legion. In 1809 he was ordered to take charge of the Irish battalion or Regiment Irlandaise at Vlissingen, Netherlands, which was besieged by the English during Napoleon's Peninsular War. In order to reach his battalion Lawless had to pass in a small open boat through the English fleet undetected, which he did. Despite the heavy fighting and bombardment by the British, the Regiment Irlandaise held their ground. Lawless was injured when a musket ball hit him below the right eye and lodged below his ear. While receiving treatment the French General surrendered and the entire garrison, except for Lawless and a small number of men, were taken prisoner and sent to England for the rest of the war. Lawless made his way to a fellow doctor's house in Vlissingen were he hid for two months protecting the regiments eagle that he had saved during the battle.
After two months Lawless escaped to Antwerp where the Marshal of France, Bernadotte, having informed Napoleon of his actions sent him to Paris. Lawless was promoted to lieutenant-colonel and received the Legion of Honour from Napoleon himself.
In 1813 Lawless was to take part in another major French campaign, the Battle of Dresden. Again Lawless was injured, while leading his regiment his leg was struck by a cannonball. Napoleon ordered his personal surgeon, Larrey, to attend Lawless. Being a surgeon Lawless knew that amputation was necessary so Larrey performed the procedure removing the leg from below the knee.
Despit having given so much to his new home, Lawless was placed on half-pay in 1814 with the rank of brigadier-general by the Bourbons. The Bourbon dynasty were deeply indebted to England so naturally looked on the Regiment Irlandaise with it's rebellious members with little favour. William Lawless died in Paris on 25th December 1824 and is buried in the Pére Lachaise Cemetery.
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| William Lawless' name is the first listed above (RCSI/Lic/01/02) |
In 1790 Lawless was elected a Member of the College and on 1st September he was appointed Professor of Anatomy and Physiology. Lawless was an avowed nationalist and along with his fellow surgeon, William Dease, was an active member of the United Irishmen. He was a friend of Lord Edward Fitzgerald and John Sheares, both of whom along with Lawless were all heavily involved in the 1798 Rebellion in Ireland. After the rebellion the British Parliament passed the Attainder Act of 1798 (also know as the Fugitive Act). This meant that Lawless was wanted for high treason. But before he could be found and arrested, Lawless escaped to France. The College minutes read as follows
November 4, 1798
Whereas it appears by an Act of the last Session of Parliament that William Lawless, Esq., one of the Members of the College, has been notoriously engaged in the late Rebellion, and hath fled from Justice, and that unless he shall surrender himself to one of the Judges of His Majesty's Court of Kings Bench, or to some Justice of the Peace within this Kingdom on or before the first day of December next in order to abide such Charges as shall be made against him he shall stand attainted of High Treason. Resolved - that the name of the said William Lawless be omitted in the printed lists of the College.
February 4, 1799
Whereas William Lawless Esq., one of the Members of this College, hath not surrendered himself to take his Trial for such Charges as should be made against him pursuant to the Act of the Last Session of Parliament - Resolved that the said William Lawless be, and he is hereby expelled.
In France, Lawless joined the army and in 1803 was appointed captain of the Irish Legion. In 1809 he was ordered to take charge of the Irish battalion or Regiment Irlandaise at Vlissingen, Netherlands, which was besieged by the English during Napoleon's Peninsular War. In order to reach his battalion Lawless had to pass in a small open boat through the English fleet undetected, which he did. Despite the heavy fighting and bombardment by the British, the Regiment Irlandaise held their ground. Lawless was injured when a musket ball hit him below the right eye and lodged below his ear. While receiving treatment the French General surrendered and the entire garrison, except for Lawless and a small number of men, were taken prisoner and sent to England for the rest of the war. Lawless made his way to a fellow doctor's house in Vlissingen were he hid for two months protecting the regiments eagle that he had saved during the battle.
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| Member of the Regiment Irlandaise holding the regimental flag |
In 1813 Lawless was to take part in another major French campaign, the Battle of Dresden. Again Lawless was injured, while leading his regiment his leg was struck by a cannonball. Napoleon ordered his personal surgeon, Larrey, to attend Lawless. Being a surgeon Lawless knew that amputation was necessary so Larrey performed the procedure removing the leg from below the knee.
Despit having given so much to his new home, Lawless was placed on half-pay in 1814 with the rank of brigadier-general by the Bourbons. The Bourbon dynasty were deeply indebted to England so naturally looked on the Regiment Irlandaise with it's rebellious members with little favour. William Lawless died in Paris on 25th December 1824 and is buried in the Pére Lachaise Cemetery.
In this year of commemoration it is fitting to remember one of Ireland's forgotten rebels...
Lawless by name, Lawless by nature!!
- Researched and written by Meadhbh Murphy