Archibald Campbell
Sir Archibald Campbell was a British Army officer, colonial administrator and politician who served as governor of Georgia, Jamaica, and Madras. In 1774, after an unusually bitter electoral battle with Colonel James Masterton, of Newton, Colonel Archibald Campbell became the Member of Parliament for the Stirling Burghs, aided by his guardian, Viscount Melville. James Boswell acted as Campbell's legal advisor. Following his exciting electoral victory, Colonel Campbell sailed for America in command of the 71st Regiment of Foot, Fraser's Highlanders, where the American Revolutionary War was in progress. In 1776, after a battle aboard a vessel in Boston Harbor, Campbell was captured by the Americans and held prisoner until 1778. Campbell's capture coincided with the British capture of the American Patriot hero Ethan Allen and the American General Charles Lee. On 6 May 1778, he was finally released in exchange for Ethan Allen. Six months after his release, Campbell was ordered to lead 3,000 men from New York to Georgia, and in late December his army won the Battle of Savannah, followed by another victory at Augusta.
Contemporaries on both sides paid tribute to the humanity and restraint shown by Campbell. The American patriot Alexander Green, one of Lee's Legion and aide-de-camp to Major-General Nathanael Greene referred to Campbell's concern for the civil population and lack of bitterness towards his former captors. He became provisional governor of Georgia then and named Jacques Marcus Prevost his lieutenant and successor before returning to England. He ended the American Revolution as lieutenant governor and major general in Jamaica. At a time of great importance, Campbell (now a major-general in the army) was appointed Governor of Jamaica in 1781. On returning home, Campbell acquired the office of Usher of the White Rod. The Institution of Royal Engineers described Campbell as "the most brilliant of the engineers who served in India during the eighteenth century". Following a cold caught coming up from Scotland, he died the following year, 31 March 1791, at his newly purchased London home on Upper Grosvenor Street, bought from the Duke of Montrose.
Contemporaries on both sides paid tribute to the humanity and restraint shown by Campbell. The American patriot Alexander Green, one of Lee's Legion and aide-de-camp to Major-General Nathanael Greene referred to Campbell's concern for the civil population and lack of bitterness towards his former captors. He became provisional governor of Georgia then and named Jacques Marcus Prevost his lieutenant and successor before returning to England. He ended the American Revolution as lieutenant governor and major general in Jamaica. At a time of great importance, Campbell (now a major-general in the army) was appointed Governor of Jamaica in 1781. On returning home, Campbell acquired the office of Usher of the White Rod. The Institution of Royal Engineers described Campbell as "the most brilliant of the engineers who served in India during the eighteenth century". Following a cold caught coming up from Scotland, he died the following year, 31 March 1791, at his newly purchased London home on Upper Grosvenor Street, bought from the Duke of Montrose.
