Campbell, John, Sir, 1807-1855 : Sir John Campbell, a military general, born on April 14, was the only son of Lieutenant-general Sir Archibald Campbell. He married on 21 July 1841, Helen Margaret, daughter of Colonel John Crows. His eldest son, Archibald Ava, became third baronet.
Campbell entered the army as an ensign in the 38th regiment, which his father then commanded, in 1821, and joined it in India. He served as an aide-de-camp to his father throughout the first Burmese war, and on 1 July, 1824 he was promoted a lieutenant without purchase. On 11 July, 1826 he was promoted to a company and remained in Burma in a civil capacity until 1829, when he returned to England and joined the depôt of his regiment.
From 1831 to 1837, Campbell acted as an aide-de-camp to his father when he was the lieutenant-governor of New Brunswick, and in the latter years he purchased the majority of his regiment. In 1840, he purchased the lieutenant-colonelcy of the 38th regiment, and commanded it continuously in the Mediterranean, the West Indies, and Nova Scotia, until he was selected, as an ardent and successful regimental officer, for the command of a brigade in the expeditionary force intended for the East in 1854.
In 1843, he had succeeded to the baronetcy, on 11 November, 1851 he was promoted colonel by brevet, and on 24 March, 1854 he was posted to the command of the 2nd brigade of the 3rd division under Major-general Sir Richard England, with the rank of brigadier-general. With that command he was present at the battles of the Alma and Inkerman, and on 12 December, 1854 he was posted to the temporary command of the 4th division. On 7 June, 1855 he was superseded by Lieutenant-general Bentinck, and on hearing of the intended assault upon the Great Redan he volunteered to lead the detachments of the 4th division to the attack. On 18 June, he displayed a "courage amounting to rashness" and after sending away his aides-de-camp, he rushed out of the trenches with a few followers, and fell at once in the act of cheering on his men.
Had he survived, Campbell would have been rewarded for his services in the winter. On 5 July, 1855, it was announced that he would have been made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath.
