Sir Archibald Campbell, 1st Baronet

Sir Archibald Campbell, 1st Baronet GCB (12 March 1769 – 6 October 1843) was an officer of the British Army, and from 1831–1837, the administrator of the colony of New Brunswick.

Early life

He was a son of Archibald Campbell, a lieutenant in the army, and his wife, Margaret, daughter of Captain James Small. He was born in Glen Lyon, Scotland.

Military career

Archibald entered the army aged 18, in 1787 as an ensign. The next year he and his regiment, the 77th Regiment of Foot, left for India, where he took part in the campaign against Tipu Sultan in 1790. In 1791 he was promoted to Lieutenant. He served in the Mysore campaign and the first siege of Seringapatam.

In 1795, his regiment was ordered to reduce the Dutch garrison of Cochin on the coast of Malabar. In 1799 he took part of the reduction of the island of Ceylon.

In 1799 he purchased the rank of captain in the 67th but exchanged into the 88th so that he could continue with his foreign service. However, he was required by ill-health to return home in 1801. He was appointed major in the 6th battalion of reserve, stationed in Guernsey.

In 1805 he moved to the 1st battalion which was leaving for Portugal. He fought in the battles of Rolica, Vimeiro and Corunna. In 1809 he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel and assisted General Beresford in organising the Portuguese army. In that capacity he was made full colonel and then brigadier. He was present through most of the fighting in the Peninsula.

In 1813 Campbell was appointed to the rank of major-general in the Portuguese army. In 1816 he was given command of the Lisbon division. He returned to the service of Britain in 1820, after a revolution in Portugal.

Campbell was appointed colonel of the 38th Regiment of Foot (in which post he was succeeded by Field Marshall Sir John Forster FitzGerald, GCB) and went to India with it. In India he was directed to take command of an expedition against the Burmese. The general was ordered to take control of Rangoon. On 10 May 1823 Campbell took Rangoon in twenty minutes against barely any resistance. Burmese guerrillas remained active for six months and then engaged in a conventional battle with 50,000 to 60,000 Burmese troops. Campbell commanded 6,000 troops. General Campbell attacked each wing separately, and won the battle. In the following days he won two similar battles. The Imperial forces lost 30 men while the Burmese suffered losses of more than 5,000. Campbell received the thanks of Parliament, the governor-in-council and the British East India Company gave him a gold medal and a pension of £1000 per annum for life.

In 1839 he was made Commander-in-chief in Bombay but did not enjoy the post for long due to ill-health.

Lieutenant-governor

Campbell had returned to England in 1829. In 1831 he was made lieutenant-governor of New Brunswick, where he stayed for six years. Campbell was concerned for the safety of New Brunswick. For this reason he began the construction of a road, known as the "Royal Road", from Fredericton to Grand Falls, so as to improve the movement of troops into the northern part of the colony where the Americans had become a threat.

Marriage

Archibald Campbell married Miss Helen MacDonald of Garth, Perthshire, by whom he had two sons and three daughters.

After his service in Bombay Campbell retired. He died in Edinburgh on 6 October, 1843.

Decorations

*1813 Portuguese Order of the Tower and Sword
*1814 Knight of the Order of the Bath
*1815 Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
*1831 Baronet Campbell of New Brunswick

External links

* [http://www.biographi.ca/EN/ShowBio.asp?BioId=37411 Biography at the "Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online"]