Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Maitland, Richard (1714?-1763)
MAITLAND, RICHARD (1714?–1763), captor of Surat, born about 1714, enlisted in the royal artillery as a matross on 1 Nov. 1732 (Kane, List, 1891, p. 3). Rising by merit through the non-commissioned grades, he obtained his first commission as lieutenant-fireworker in 1742. The dates of his subsequent commissions show that his promotion was at first uncommonly rapid: second lieutenant, 1 May 1743; first lieutenant, 1 April 1744; captain-lieutenant, 1 Aug. 1747; and captain, 1 March 1755. Maitland fought at Fontenoy in 1745, and perhaps in some of the other unsuccessful battles of the two following years.
Four companies of royal artillery, one of which Maitland commanded, were specially formed for Indian service in 1755, and embarked in that year. One was totally lost on the voyage out; the other three arrived safely at Bombay. Maitland served at the reduction of the pirates' stronghold at Gheria in February 1756, on which occasion the land forces were commanded by Lieutenant-colonel Clive. On 20 Feb. 1759 his company, together with that of John Northall [q. v.], sailed from Bombay with the object of capturing the town and castle of Surat. The authorities at Bombay entrusted Maitland with the command of this important expedition, and sent instructions to that effect to the chief and factors at Surat. The land force comprised the two companies just mentioned, and a large detachment of the Bombay European regiment, altogether 850 European soldiers and 1,500 Sepoys. The naval part of the expedition, under Commodore Watson, consisted of five of the East India Company's war ships and a large number of vessels to carry the troops and stores. After a slow passage along the coast, the troops landed on 26 Feb. at Dentiloury, nine miles from Surat. On the 28th the enemy were driven from a position at the French Garden after a smart action that lasted four hours, in which Maitland lost about twenty killed and as many wounded. On 1 March some of the troops were landed at the Bunder (customs wharf), covered by the fire of the shipping, and after some fighting the town surrendered. A battery for two guns and a mortar had been completed, and after three days' firing from this and the shipping, a ‘general attack’ was made, and on 4 March the castle capitulated. The details of the loss of the besiegers have been varipreviously stated, but probably amounted to 130, including four officers, killed, and near a hundred wounded on the part of the land forces, while ‘the marine’ lost about 150. Maitland evinced throughout the best qualities of a commander. His report of the operations, although candid and unassuming, is not particularly lucid.
Maitland remained at Surat to repair the defences till April, when he landed at Bombay under a salute of thirteen guns. He received the thanks of the East India Company, to whom the acquisition of Surat brought an increase of revenue of about 50,000l. per annum. He was promoted to the rank of major on 10 March 1762, and died at Bombay on 21 Feb. 1763. He was buried the same day. It seems clear that Maitland's company is now No. 5 field battery.
[Kane's List of Artillery Officers, 1891; Forrest's Bombay State Papers; Cambridge's History of the War in India; Grant Duff's History of the Mahrattas; Duncan's History of the Royal Artillery; Diary of an Officer of the Royal Artillery; commission and warrant books in the Record Office; Bombay Public Consultations; Bombay Burials.]