before his death, having befriended the administration of the earl of Bute in
his writings, he was rewarded by the situation of his majesty's agent for the
province of Georgia.
CAMPBELL, Lieutenant-Colonel John, a distinguished soldier, was born at Edinburgh, December 7, 1753. He was second son of John Campbell, Esq., of Stonefield, one of the judges of the court of session, and lady Grace Stuart, sister to John, third earl of Bute. Lord Campbell was a judge of the supreme court for the long period of thirty-nine years, and died on the 19th of June, 1801. His son John received the greater part of his education in his native city, the High School of which he attended from the year 1759 to 1763. When eighteen years of age, he entered the army, as ensign in the 57th regiment of foot; and in three years afterwards, was appointed to a lieutenancy in the 7th foot, or royal fusileers. With this regiment he served in Canada, and was made prisoner there, when that country was overrun by the American generals, Montgomery and Arnold. Having obtained his release, he was, two years afterwards, namely, in 1775, appointed to a captaincy in the 7 1st, or, as they were then called, Frazer's Highlanders; and with this corps he served in America, until towards the close of the war with that country, having been, in the mean time, appointed major of the 74th regiment, or Argyleshire Highlanders.
In February, 1781, major Campbell exchanged into the 100th regiment, with which corps he embarked in the expedition fitted out by the British government against the Cape of Good Hope, under the command of commodore Johnston, and general, afterwards Sir William Meadows. On this occasion, the general orders bore, that the troops on board of the Porpoise and Eagle transports, were to receive their orders from major Campbell. Circumstances, however, having subsequently rendered it advisable, in the opinion of the commodore and general, not to make any attempt on the Cape, but rather to proceed to the East Indies, to aid the British forces there, the transports proceeded to their new destination, and arrived in Bombay in January, 1782. In the February following, major Campbell was appointed to command the flank corps of a small army assembled at Calicut, on the Malabar coast, under the command of lieutenant-colonel Humberston. This army marched into the interior, for the purpose of attacking Palagatcherry, an important stronghold of Hyder Ally ; but it was found too strong to be assailed, with any chance of success, by so small a force as that which was now brought against it; colonel Humberston, therefore, found it necessary to retreat, without attempting anything. During this retreat, the British forces were for some time pursued by the enemy, who, however, were kept so effectually at bay by the retiring troops, that they were unable to obtain any advantage over them; and the sole merit of this was ascribed by the commanding officer, to the able and soldier- like manner in which major Campbell covered the retreat, in which service he had a horse shot under him.
The retreating army having reached Paniana, a British station, the command was assumed by colonel Macleod, who made immediate preparations for receiving the enemy, who, though now left at some distance in the rear, were still advancing. In the disposition of his forces on this occasion, colonel Macleod confided the command of the centre to major Campbell, who had, in the interim, been appointed to the majority of the second battalion of the 42nd regiment. The enemy, led by Tippoo Sultan, shortly afterwards appeared, and attacked the posts where major Campbell and major Shaw, who commanded the left, were situated; but was repulsed with such loss, that he retreated with his army to a considerable distance, and did not again seek to
