BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 383
No. CLII.
JOHN CAMPBELL, ESQ., OF BLYTHSTVOOD.
LIEUT.-COLONEL OF THE NINTH REGIMENT OF FOOT.
COLONELC AMPBELLt,h e son of James Campbell of Blythswood, was born
in 1756. He entered the army in 1777, and was promoted to the Lieutenant-
Colonelcy of the 9th Regiment of Foot on the 16th August 1783, having been
previously on half-pay as Major of the 96th. He accompanied his regiment
to the West Indies at the conimencement of the revolutionary war, and served
in the expedition against the French Islands in 1794, under General Sir
Charles (afterwards Earl) Grey ; and, having obtained the rank of Colonel, was
appointed to the command of the brigade of grenadiers on that service. He
fell in action, in the thirty-eighth year of his age, on the‘l6th February 1794,
within a short distance Gf the town of St. Pierre, in the Island of Martinique.
The corps he commanded formed part of the division under Major-General
Dundas (of Carron Hall), who issued the following order on Colonel Campbell’s
death :-“ That part of the army under the command of General Dundas will
wear mourning for a week for that brave officer, Colonel Campbell, whose
memory must be dear to every good man-the officers to wear crape, and men
black ribbon round the left arm.” General Sir Charles Grey says in his
despatches, when reporting the death of Colonel Campbell, “ in him his
Majesty’s service loses an excellent officer and a valuable man, justly lamented
by the whole army and navy.”
While stationed at Edinburgh Castle with his regiment in 1784, Colonel
Campbell assisted in .quelling the riots which occurred at Canonmills in that
year. These disturbances, originating in the dearth and scarcity of provision
which then prevailed throughout the country, were fomented by a belief, on
the part of the populace, tkt the quantity of grain used in the distilleries was
prejudicial to the supply of the markets. Some reports having been circulated
peculiarly unfavourable to the Messrs. Haig, a party of riotous persons assembled
on the evening of the 4th of June, and proceeded to Canonmills with a view of
destroying the distillery. They were repulsed, however, and had one of their
number shot by the servants of the establishment, who were armed in defence
of their masters’ property. The mob was afterwards dispersed by the welltimed
exertions of the Sheriff of the county: and his Substitute. On the 7th,
another crowd, much more numerous than the first, assembled by tuck of drum,
The person killed waa a silly, insane creature, who had been urged by the multitude to advance
to the gate of the distillery, and to threaten its entire destruction.
f Baron Cockburn, father to Henry, Lord Cockburn.
