Sir John Braithwaite, 1st Baronet
Major-General Sir John Braithwaite, 1st Baronet (3 February 1739 – 16 August 1803) was Commander-in-Chief of the Madras Army.
Sir John Braithwaite, 1st Baronet | |
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Born | 3 February 1739 |
Died | 16 August 1803 |
Allegiance | |
Service/ | |
Years of service | 1765 - 1801 |
Rank | Major General |
Commands held | Madras Army |
Battles/wars | Second Anglo-Mysore War Fourth Anglo-Mysore War |
Military career
Educated at Westminster School, Braithwaite was commissioned as an ensign in the 53rd Regiment of Foot on 6 November 1765.[1] Promoted to lieutenant-colonel on 22 October 1772, he seized the Maharaja of Vizianagram's fort during a local dispute on 28 August 1777.[1] He was then given command of a brigade which included one battalion of Europeans, the 3rd Carnatic Battalion, the 4th Carnatic Battalion and the 20th Carnatic Battalion: with this army he defeated a French force at Mahé in March 1779.[1]
In Summer 1780 Hyder Ali invaded the Carnatic with over 60,000 men precipitating the Second Anglo-Mysore War: he took Braithwaite prisoner at Seringapatam in February 1782 and held him captive for two years.[1] Braithwaite became acting Commander-in-Chief of the Madras Army in August 1792, conducting the successful Siege of Pondicherry in 1793 and remained in that role until 1796.[1]
Braithwaite was adjutant-general of the force that defeated Tipu Sultan at the Siege of Seringapatam in April 1799 so concluding the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War.[1] He became Commander-in-Chief of the Madras Army in January 1800[2] and, after retiring in 1801, he was created a Baronet on 18 December 1802[3] and died at his home in London in August 1803.[1]
References
- "Brian Ritchie Collection (Part 1)". Dix Noonan Webb. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
- Love, Henry Davidson (2006). Indian Records Series Vestiges of Old Madras. Asian Educational Services, India. p. 548. ISBN 978-8120603202.
- "No. 15536". The London Gazette. 30 November 1802. p. 1253.
Military offices | ||
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Preceded by William Medows |
C-in-C, Madras Army 1792–1796 |
Succeeded by Alured Clarke |
Preceded by George Harris |
C-in-C, Madras Army 1800–1801 |
Succeeded by James Stuart |
Baronetage of the United Kingdom | ||
New creation | Baronet (of Poston) 1802–1803 |
Succeeded by George Charles Braithwaite |