Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Grant, Malcolm
GRANT, MALCOLM (1762–1831), lieutenant-general in the East India Company's service, was appointed to an infantry cadetship on the Bombay establishment in 1776, left England in January 1777,and was made ensign on 20 Nov. following. In 1779 he served with a corps employed against the Mahrattas during the war in support of Ragonauth Rao. He became lieutenant in 1780, and in 1780-1 served at the siege of Bassein and elsewhere with the Bengal force under General Goddard, and was afterwards employed in the neighbouring districts, and subsequently in Malabar under General Macleod until 1788, when he went home on furlough. He became captain 19 Jan. 1789, and major 8 Jan. 1796. He returned to India in 1790, and was employed from 1792 to 1798 in Malabar. When operations were commenced against Tippoo Sultan he commanded the Bombay native grenadier battalion in the force sent under Colonel Little to act against the Mahrattas. This force was obliged to retire, and Grant's corps embarked 'at Jeyghar and proceeded by sea to Cannonore, and thence by the Pondicherryum ghauts, reaching Sidapoor on the Cavary before the fall of Seringapatam. After the capture of the Mysore, Grant, in command of the 1st battalion 3rd Bombay native infantry, was employed with the troops under General James Stuart at Mangalore and in Canara, and at the reduction of the fortress of Jemaulghur. On 6 March 1800 he became lieutenant-colonel 8th Bombay native infantry, with which he served several years in Malabar, then in open rebellion, and in 1804 he succeeded Colonel Montresor in the chief command in Malabar and Canara. Madras troops having relieved the Bombay force in these districts in December of the same year, Grant was on his way to Bombay when he received reinforcements of artillery and stores from the presidency, with orders to land in the Concan with the force under his command, about three thousand men, and effect the reduction of the fortress of Savendroog, then held, says Sir Barry Close, 'by that wily and atrocious rebel, Hurry Bellal.' This service Grant accomplished to the entire satisfaction of the Indian government and of the peishwa. In 1807 Grant returned to England in extreme ill-health. He was appointed lieutenant-colonel commandant in 1809, and in 1810 colonel of the 9th Bombay native infantry; he became a major-general in 1813, and lieutenant-general in 1825. He died at his residence in Upper Wimpole Street, London, 28 Sept. 1831, aged 69.
[Dodswell and Miles's Indian Army Lists; East India Military Cal. (London, 1823). i. 207, 287; Gent. Mag. ci. pt. ii. 468.]