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Campbell command of Campbell. But the gross misconduct of Brigadier-general Mathews, who commanded in chief, prevented the British from taking any advantage of these successes. Hyder Ali was able to defeat the English armies on his eastern frontier, and to capture the division of Colonel William Baillie [q. v.]; while Tippoo Sultan, his son, cut off and destroyed the various British detachments which had been carelessly left about by General Mathews on the Malabar coast, and drove the remnant of the army there into Mangalore. General Mathews was recalled to answer for his conduct, and Colonel Norman Macleod went sick to Bombay, so that the command of the small garrison devolved on Campbell, who had been promoted lieutenant-colonel on 7 Feb. 1781. The siege of Mangalore was one of the most protracted, and its defence one of the most famous, in the history of the eighteenth century. Tippoo Sultan, who was accompanied by several experienced French officers, regularly invested the place on 19 May 1783. The defence lasted, with the most terrible privations and continual hard fighting, until 23 Jan. 1784, when Campbell surrendered with all the honours of war, and on the condition that the small remnant of his garrison, 856 men, should be allowed to proceed to Bombay. The defence of Mangalore was justly praised in every quarter, and formed the only bright spot in the disastrous war against Hyder Ali. Campbell was quite prostrated by his exertions. He left his army on 9 Feb., and died at Bombay on 23 Feb. 1784.

[Memoir of the Life and Character of the late Lieutenant-colonel John Campbell, Major 2nd Battalion 42nd Highlanders, by a Retired Officer, who served under him in the attack on Annantpore and the defence of Mangalore, Edinburgh, 1836 (by Captain J. Spens, who wrote a short notice of him for Chambers's Dictionary of Eminent and Distinguished Scotsmen).]  CAMPBELL, JOHN (1720?–1790), vice-admiral, the son of John Campbell (d. 1733), minister of Kirkbean in Kirkcudbrightshire, was born in that parish about, but probably before, the year 1720. At an early age he was bound apprentice to the master of a coasting vessel, and is said to have entered the navy by offering himself in exchange for the mate of this vessel, who had been pressed. After serving three years in the Blenheim, Torbay, and Russell, he was, in 1740, appointed to the Centurion, and sailed in her round the world with Commodore Anson, as midshipman, master's mate, and master. On his return home he passed the examination for lieutenant, and his certificate, dated 8 Jan. 1744-5, says that he 'appears to be more than twenty-four years of age.' Through Anson's interest he was very shortly afterwards made a lieutenant, then commander, and was advanced to post rank on 23 Nov. 1747, and appointed to the Bellona frigate, which he commanded with some success till the peace. He afterwards commanded the Mermaid, in 1755 the Prince of 90 guns, and in 1757 the Essex of 64 guns, in the fleet in the Bay of Biscay, under Sir Edward Hawke. In the following year he was second captain of the Royal George, when Lord Anson took command of the fleet off Brest, Sir Peircy Brett, his old shipmate in the Centurion, being first captain. He afterwards returned to the Essex, which he commanded in the long blockade of Brest by Sir Edward Hawke, through the summer and autumn of 1759; but when, in November, Hawke moved his flag into the Royal George, Campbell was appointed his flag-captain, and served in that capacity in the decisive battle of Quiberon Bay, 20 Nov. 1759. Campbell was sent home with the despatches, and was taken by Anson to be presented to the king. According to the received story, Anson told him on the way that the king would knight him if he wished. 'Troth, my lord,' answered Campbell, 'I ken nae use that will be to me.' 'But,' said Anson, 'your lady may like it.' 'Aweel,' replied Campbell, 'his majesty may knight her if he pleases.' He was in fact not knighted.

In 1760 he was appointed to the Dorsetshire of 70 guns, which he commanded, on the home station or in the Mediterranean, till the peace. He was then appointed to the Mary yacht, and moved in 1770 to the Royal Charlotte, in which he remained till promoted to his flag, 23 Jan. 1778. In the following spring he was chosen by Admiral Keppel as first captain of the Victory, or what is now known as captain of the fleet. He held that office through the rest of the year, and had thus a very important share in the conduct of the fleet on 27 July, as well as on the previous days [see Keppel, Augustus (DNB00); Palliser, Hugh (DNB00)]. His loyalty to Keppel, and the rancour which the subsequent courts-martial excited, effectually prevented his having any further employment as long as Lord Sandwich was in office, though he attained, in course of seniority, the rank of vice-admiral on 19 March 1779. In April 1782, when his friend Keppel was installed as first lord of the admiralty, Campbell was appointed governor of Newfoundland and commander-in-chief on that station. He held this office