Dictionary of Indian Biography/Baird, Sir David, Baronet
BAIRD, SIR DAVID, BARONET (1757–1829)
General: son of William Baird, of Newbyth: born Dec, 1757: entered the Army in the 2nd foot, in 1772: came to England from Gibraltar in 1776: went to India in the 73rd in 1779–80: was in Colonel Baillie's force which was overwhelmed by Hyder Ali at Perambakam, Sep. 10, 1780: was imprisoned by Hyder Ali at Seringapatam for 3½ years, and released at the Treaty of Mangalore in 1784. His mother, knowing his intractable temper, remarked, on hearing of his imprisonment, that "she pitied the man who was chained to our Davie." He commanded a Brigade, and served under Lord Cornwallis at the capture of Savandrug in 1791, and at Seringapatam in 1792: in 1793 he took Pondicherry: commanded a Brigade at the Cape of Good Hope in 1797, and, returning to India in 1798, as Maj-General, led the storming party at the siege of Seringapatam on May 4, 1799, after which he considered himself slighted at Colonel Arthur Wellesley (afterwards Duke of Wellington, (q.v.) being placed in command at Seringapatam: commanded the Dina-pur Brigade, 1800: led an expedition to Egypt down the Nile in 1801, to co-operate with the British army, and was at the capture of Alexandria: led back the Egyptian Indian army, 1802: in 1802 he commanded a Division of the Madras Army, but, when again placed under General A. Wellesley for the Mahratta war, resigned and returned to. England, being captured on the voyage by the French: was knighted and became Lt-General: in 1805–6 was sent to retake the Cape of Good Hope from the Dutch: served at Copenhagen, and in Spain, in 1808, losing an arm at Corunna: was made K.B., 1809, and a Baronet; and General in 1814: G.C.B., 1815: C. in C. in Ireland, in 1820: Governor of Fort George, 1829: died in Perthshure, Aug. 18, 1829.