Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Coffin, Isaac Campbell
COFFIN, Sir ISAAC CAMPBELL (1800–1872), lieutenant-general in the Indian army, son of Captain F. H. Coffin, royal navy, was born in 1800, and entered the military service of the East India Company on 3 June 1818. He arrived in India on 12 Jan. 1819, and was posted as lieutenant to the 21st Madras pioneers in 1821. He was appointed adjutant to the 12th Madras native infantry from 4 June 1824, and served with that corps in Burmah, being present in the attack on the enemy's lines before Rangoon on 9 and 15 Dec. 1824. He was appointed quartermaster, interpreter, and paymaster to the 12th Madras native infantry on 27 Oct. 1826; captain, 26 July 1828; paymaster to the Nagpore subsidiary force, 30 June 1829; paymaster in Mysore, 7 Jan. 1834; major, 24 July 1840; lieutenant-colonel, 15 Sept. 1845. He became lieutenant-colonel of the 3rd, or Palamcotta regiment, Madras native light infantry, 7 Oct. 1845; attained the rank of colonel, 20 June 1854; of major-general, 29 May 1857; and lieutenant-general, 18 July 1869. As colonel, with the rank of first-class brigadier, he commanded the Hyderabad subsidiary force from 6 Nov. 1855, a post he held during the mutiny. As major-general he commanded a division of the Madras army from 28 March 1859 to 28 March 1864. He was made a K.C.S.I. in 1866. Coffin, who was twice married, first to a daughter of Capt. Harrington, H.E.I.C.S., and secondly to the eldest daughter of the late Major Shepherd, Madras army, and left several children, died suddenly at Blackheath, 1 Oct. 1872.
[India Office Records; Illust. London News, lxi. (1872), pp. 359, 454.]