Colonel Alexander Campbell of Possil
Encyclopedia
Colonel Alexander Campbell of Possil (see Carter-Campbell of Possil) entered the army as an Ensign in the 42nd Regiment in April 1769, and obtained a Lieutenancy in the 2nd Battalion Royals the following year in Minorca
. He moved to the 62nd regiment later that year in Ireland
, and went with the regiment to Canada
, where, as a captain of Light Infantry under General Carleton, he fought in the campaigns of 1776 and 1777 with General Burgoyne in the American War of Independence.
After the aratoga Campaign|surrender of Saratoga he was sent to New York
, with the rank of Major
, and was appointed to the 1st Battalion of Light Infantry. He received the Lieu-Colonelcy of the 62nd Regiment in 1782, and soon afterwards he returned to Scotland
, where he remained with his regiment until 1789. He served with the Duke of York
in the 1790s and was given the rank of Colonel
on 1 October 1793. He raised the 16th Regiment in 1794 and was their first Brigadier-General. He was sent to the West Indies under Sir Ralph Abercromby and on 10 November 1796 was appointed Colonel
of the 7th West India Regiment.
He returned to Scotland
at the end of the 1790s and was placed on the Staff in Ireland
and Scotland
for five years. On 11 July 1804 he was appointed Colonel
of the 19th Foot and served during the battles in South Africa
being present at the capture of the Cape of Good Hope
in 1806. He was also present at the battle of Corunna
where he commanded the 20th regiment and subsequently became General on 1 January 1812 and Colonel
of the 32nd Foot in February 1813.
In 1808 he acquired the estates of Possil
in Lanarkshire from his father John Campbell, founder of the West Indian trading house of John Campbell Sr. of Glasgow, and subsequently the estates of Torosay and Achnacroish on the Isle of Mull, Argyllshire.
Minorca
Min Orca or Menorca is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. It takes its name from being smaller than the nearby island of Majorca....
. He moved to the 62nd regiment later that year in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and went with the regiment to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, where, as a captain of Light Infantry under General Carleton, he fought in the campaigns of 1776 and 1777 with General Burgoyne in the American War of Independence.
After the aratoga Campaign|surrender of Saratoga he was sent to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, with the rank of Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
, and was appointed to the 1st Battalion of Light Infantry. He received the Lieu-Colonelcy of the 62nd Regiment in 1782, and soon afterwards he returned to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, where he remained with his regiment until 1789. He served with the Duke of York
Duke of York
The Duke of York is a title of nobility in the British peerage. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of the British monarch. The title has been created a remarkable eleven times, eight as "Duke of York" and three as the double-barreled "Duke of York and...
in the 1790s and was given the rank of Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
on 1 October 1793. He raised the 16th Regiment in 1794 and was their first Brigadier-General. He was sent to the West Indies under Sir Ralph Abercromby and on 10 November 1796 was appointed Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
of the 7th West India Regiment.
He returned to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
at the end of the 1790s and was placed on the Staff in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
for five years. On 11 July 1804 he was appointed Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
of the 19th Foot and served during the battles in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
being present at the capture of the Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
in 1806. He was also present at the battle of Corunna
A Coruña
A Coruña or La Coruña is a city and municipality of Galicia, Spain. It is the second-largest city in the autonomous community and seventeenth overall in the country...
where he commanded the 20th regiment and subsequently became General on 1 January 1812 and Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
of the 32nd Foot in February 1813.
In 1808 he acquired the estates of Possil
Possilpark
Possilpark is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow, situated north of the River Clyde. Following the closure of the Saracen Foundry in 1967, this section of Glasgow has become one of the poorest in the United Kingdom, with an above average crime rate....
in Lanarkshire from his father John Campbell, founder of the West Indian trading house of John Campbell Sr. of Glasgow, and subsequently the estates of Torosay and Achnacroish on the Isle of Mull, Argyllshire.
See also
- Torosay CastleTorosay castleTorosay Castle is a large house situated 1½ miles south of Craignure on the Isle of Mull, in the Scottish Inner Hebrides.It was designed by architect David Bryce for John Campbell of Possil in the Scottish Baronial style, and completed in 1858...
- Possil EstatePossilparkPossilpark is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow, situated north of the River Clyde. Following the closure of the Saracen Foundry in 1967, this section of Glasgow has become one of the poorest in the United Kingdom, with an above average crime rate....
(Possil Park today) - Duart CastleDuart CastleDuart Castle or Caisteal Dhubhairt in Scottish Gaelic is a castle on the Isle of Mull, off the west coast of Scotland, within the council area of Argyll and Bute...
- Clan CampbellClan CampbellClan Campbell is a Highland Scottish clan. Historically one of the largest, most powerful and most successful of the Highland clans, their lands were in Argyll and the chief of the clan became the Earl and later Duke of Argyll.-Origins:...
- Clan MaclachlanClan MacLachlanClan Maclachlan, also known as Clan Lachlan, is a Highland Scottish clan that historically centred on the lands of Strathlachlan on Loch Fyne, Argyll on the west coast of Scotland...
- Clan LamontClan LamontClan Lamont is a Highland Scottish clan. Clan Lamont claim descent from Lauman who lived in Cowal in 1238. Tradition gives this Lauman a descent from an Irish prince of the O'Neill dynasty, Ánrothán Ua Néill, son of Áed, son of Flaithbertach Ua Néill, King of Ailech and Cenél nEógain, died 1036...
- Henry RaeburnHenry RaeburnSir Henry Raeburn was a Scottish portrait painter, the first significant Scottish portraitist since the Act of Union 1707 to remain based in Scotland.-Biography:...
External links
- Correspondance with the Free Church
- Sir Henry Raeburn oil painting reproductions
- Hotels; Bed & Breakfasts; Links/Maps; Send United States, hotelslines.com
- Military Forces
- The old country houses of the old Glasgow gentry: LXXXIII. Possil
- James Irvine-Robertson's Journal from 1845-1847 (Mull Diaries), jamesirvinerobertson.co.uk
- The Island & Its People. By Jo Currie (pages 197, 225, 238, 256, 281, 310-312, 319, 326, 331, 332, 333, 366, 372, 384, 403)., books.google.com
- The Glasgow Story, John Campbell of John Campbell Snr & Co.