George Izard - Military Career

Military Career

Izard returned to the United States in November 1797, and received a commission as Lieutenant in the US Army Corps of Engineers. He was subsequently ordered by Secretary of War James McHenry to oversee the construction of Fort Pinckney in South Carolina.

In January 1800, Izard accepted a position as aide-de-camp under US Army commander Alexander Hamilton. A few months later he was invited by William Loughton Smith, Minister Plenipotentiary to Portugal, to serve as his secretary, a position he accepted. He left Portugal the next year and returned to the United States. He resigned his army commission sometime afterwards.

During the War of 1812, Izard returned to the army as commander of the 2nd Artillery Regiment, and rose to the rank of Major General. He served as Wade Hampton's second in command until Hampton's resignation when he succeeded him. Izard was in charge of the Northern Army protecting Lake Champlain in 1814, until ordered to reinforce the Army of Niagara. He retired again from the army later that year.