Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition/Sir James Hope Grant

GRANT, Sir James Hope (1808-1875), an English general, brother of the preceding, and fifth and youngest son of Francis Grant of Kilgraston, Perthshire, was born July 22, 1808. He entered the army in 1826 as cornet in the 9th Lancers, and became lieutenant in 1828 and captain in 1835. In 1842 he acted as brigade-major to Lord Saltoun in the Chinese War, and specially distinguished himself at the capture of Chin-Keang, after which he re ceived the rank of major and was nominated companion of the bath. In the first Sikh War of 1845-46 he took part in the battle of Sobraon ; and in the Punjab campaign of 1848-49 he held command of his old reaiment the 9th Lancers, and won high reputation in the battles of Chillian- walla and Gujrat. In 1854 he became brevet-colonel, and in 1856 brigadier of cavalry. He took a leading part in the suppression of the Indian mutiny of 1857, holding for some time the command of the cavalry division, and afterwards of a movable column of horse and foot. After rendering valuable service in the operations before Delhi and in the final assault on the city, he directed the victori ous march of the cavalry and horse artillery despatched in the direction of Cawnpore to open up communication with the Commander-in-chief Sir Colin Campbell, whom he met near the Alumbagh, and who raised him to the rank of brigadier-general, and placed the whole force under his command during what remained of the perilous march to Lucknow for the relief of the residency. After the retire ment towards Cawnpore he greatly aided in effecting there the total rout of the rebel troops, by making a detour which threatened their rear ; and following in pursuit with a flying column, he defeated them with the loss of nearly all their guns at Serai Ghafc. He also took part in the opera tions connected with the recapture of Lucknow, shortly after which he was promoted to the rank of major-general, and appointed to the command of the force employed for the final pacification of India, a position in which his unwearied energy, and his vigilance and caution united to high personal daring, rendered very valuable service. Before the work of pacification was quite completed he was created K.C.B. In 1859 he was appointed to the command of the British land forces in the united French and British expedition against China, whose object was accomplished three months subsequent to the landing of the forces at Peh-tang, 1st August 1860, Pekin having surrendered at discretion after the Chinese army had thrice suffered defeat in the open and the Taku forts had been carried by assault. For his conduct in this, which has been called "most successful and the best carried out of England s little wars," he received the thanks of parliament, and was gazetted G.C.B. In 1861 he was made lieutenant- general and appointed commander-in-chief of the army of Madras; on his return to England in 1865 he was made quartermaster-general at headquarters; and in 1872 lie was transferred to the command of the camp at Aldershot. In the same year he was gazetted general. He died at London, March 7, 1 875.

Incidents in the Sepoy War of 1857-58, compiled from the Private Journal of General Sir Hope Grant, K.C.B. , togetlur with some explanatory chapters by Capt. H. Knollys, Royal Artillery, was published in 1873, and Incidents in the China War 0/1860 appeared posthumously under the same editorship in 1875.