Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Barker, George Robert
BARKER, Sir GEORGE ROBERT (1817–1861), colonel in the royal artillery, after studying at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, was appointed second lieutenant in the royal artillery in 1834. Not happening to be employed in any of the colonial wars of the next twenty years, he had no opportunity of showing his qualities; but in the Crimea, whither, as captain, he proceeded at the beginning of the struggle, he speedily attracted the favourable notice of Sir Colin Campbell, afterwards Lord Clyde, to whose division he was attached. He commanded a battery at Alma and Inkerman, was in command of the artillery in the expedition to Kertch, and commanded the batteries of the left attack at the fall of Sevastopol. He returned to England a colonel, and when the news of the mutiny led to the despatch of a force of royal artillery to India, he was at once selected for service in that country. Under his old chief he served, with the local rank of brigadier-general, in command of the artillery at the siege and capture of Lucknow. Subsequently, at the head of a mixed brigade, he defeated the mutineers in force at Jamoo, and captured the stronghold of Birwah, for which services he was made K.C.B. After the suppression of the mutiny Barker was engaged in measures for the consolidation of the material of the royal and Indian artilleries, a work of considerable difficulty. A military career of much promise was cut short by his death, which occurred at Simlah in July 1861.
[Army Lists; London Gazettes, 1854-56; Biographical Note in Off. Cat. of Museum of Artillery, Woolwich.]