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POST-CAPTAINS OF 1811.
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Commander of the Coast Guard at Stranraer, N.B. from whence he removed to the Aberdeen district in 1826.
The subject of this memoir married, 1st, in 1808, Ann, daughter of the late Rear-Admiral Sir Charles Douglas, Bart., which lady died April 11, 1815, leaving one son and two daughters: 2dly, Aug. 19, 1819, Isabella, daughter of John Campbell, of Craignure, Argyllshire, Esq., by whom he has seven children. His eldest son, Colin, is now serving as a midshipman on board the Ocean 74.
One of Captain Campbell’s brothers, the senior captain of the 59th regiment, died in consequence of wounds he received, when landing with the grenadiers of that corps, at Java, in 1811. Another brother was severely wounded at the storming of St. Sebastian, and appears to have been the only officer of the grenadier company, 2d battalion 59th regiment, who survived that attack; he afterwards suffered much from the Walcheren fever, which ultimately caused his death. The following are extracts of a letter from his commanding officer to the Colonel of the 59th, written after the battles near Bayonne, Dec. 9, 10, and 11, 1813:–
“You will find some difficulty in giving credit to my assertion, that the 59th regiment have outdone their former exploits of Vittoria and St. Sebastian, yet nothing can be more true; not merely in my opinion, but in that of Lord Wellington, us well as Sir John Hops, who were spectators of the conduct of the brigade, during three days hard fighting. * * * * *. You will see by the return herewith enclosed, how severe the loss of the 59th has been in officers; I wish I could do justice to their merits, but their praise is in better hands. Lord Wellington and Sir John Hope are lavish in encomiums upon their obstinate valor – it certainly never was surpassed. * * * * *. Lieutenant Campbell, of the grenadiers, for whom I have long been most warmly interested, is also among the wounded, and but lately recovered from a wound he received on the breach of St. Sebastian’s, where he remained, cheering on his men, until the town was fairly in our possession. He has acted as adjutant for some time, and has exhibited qualities, in that situation, equal to his spirit in the field, which is in the true style of a British grenadier. I think this young man so deserving of promotion, that I wish to exert all the interest I am master of, to that end. He has a strong desire to get into the 104th regiment, or the Glengarry Fencibles; and as he has a thorough knowledge of all the northern parts of America, he might be truly useful in that country just now; for to local information, he adds every military requisite. Do
