George Izard

George Izard (October 21, 1776 – November 22, 1828) was a General in the United States Army during the War of 1812 and the second Governor of Arkansas Territory.

Biography
Izard was born in Paris as the son of Ralph Izard who was a delegate to the Continental Congress and United States Senator from South Carolina, and Alice DeLancey, niece of New York Governor James DeLancey. He graduated from the College of Philadelphia (now the University of Pennsylvania) in 1792. He attended military academies in England and Germany and received military engineering instruction in France.

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 became aide-de-camp to 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.

Political career
Izard was appointed Governor of Arkansas Territory in March 1825, and served until his death in 1828.

Death
Izard died of complications of gout in Little Rock, Arkansas. Izard was originally buried near the Peabody School in Little Rock. After the historic Mount Holly Cemetery was established, Izard's remains were moved to the Mount Holly Cemetery in Little Rock in 1843.

Legacy
Izard County, Arkansas is named for Izard.

General Izard's original artillery unit still exists as the 1st Battalion of the 3rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment.