name forward not as Macliver but as Campbell. He was
known as Campbell for the rest of his life.
Starting as an ensign in the 9th Foot in 1808,
Campbell was sent to Portugal and saw action in the
Peninsular War (1808–13) under Sir John moore. His
services at the battles of Rolica (17 August 1808) and
Vimiero (21 August 1808) as well as during the retreat
of British troops from Corunna (16 January 1809) made
him eligible for quick promotion. In 1809, while serving
at Walcheren in the Netherlands, he came down with a
fever that plagued him for the remainder of his life.
In 1810, Campbell went to Gibraltar, and on 5
March 1811 he participated in the battle of Barossa.
Sent to Spain, he fought at the battles of Tarifa, now
called Punta de Tarifa, in southern Spain (December
1811–January 1812) and Vittoria (21 June 1813). He
was the commander of the right wing of the regiment
that attacked San Sebastian on 17 July 1813. Following
this clash, the noted British general Sir Charles James
naPier wrote, “It was in vain that Lieutenant Camp-
bell, breaking through that tumultuous crowd with
the survivors of his chosen detachment, mounted the
ruins—twice he ascended, twice he was wounded, and
all around him died.”
Upon his return to England, Campbell was posted
with the 7th Battalion, 60th Rifle Regiment. He saw
action in America in 1814 and in Demerara in 1823;
he was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1832. After
he returned to active duty, Campbell participated in
the Opium War in China (1841–43), serving under Sir
Hugh Gough and seeing action in 1842 at Hong Kong,
Chinkiangfu (Chin-kiang-foo), and Nanjing (Nan-
king). His services in that conflict led to his promotion
to colonel. He was subsequently made a Companion of
the Order of Bath and, in 1844, promoted to brigadier
general.
In 1846, Campbell was sent to China a second
time, succeeding Major General Sir James Schoedde. He
sailed from Chusan in July 1846, arrived in Calcutta,
India, that October, and was made commander of his
brigade in Lahore (now in Pakistan). He recommended
direct action against the Moolraj, an Indian rebel who
had attacked Mooltan, but this was rejected by his su-
periors. During the second Sikh War (1848–49), he
served under Lord Gough, who, after the battle of Chil-
ianwala (14 January 1849), asked him, “Can you hold
your ground?” Campbell replied, “My Lord, I have been
performing the duties of a Brigadier, and know noth-
ing about the rest of the army, but I have two regiments
which can do anything, and another which is getting
into order—nothing can hurt me now!” For his services,
Campbell was knighted in 1849. That year, writing that
“I am growing old and only fit for retirement,” he asked
for a posting in England, but he stayed in India until
1853.
In February 1854, Campbell was placed in com-
mand of the Highland Brigade in the Crimea in south-
ern Russia. His actions at Varna (June 1854) resulted
in his promotion to major general, and he again distin-
guished himself at Alma (20 September 1854) when the
allied armies of Britain and France, backed by the Turk-
ish—some 63,000 troops under Lord Raglan—fought
the Russians under Prince Aleksandr Menshikov. Histo-
rian Henry Morse Stephens writes: “He led his brigade
steadily against the redoubt which had been retaken by
the enemy after being carried by the light division; and
with his Highlanders in line overthrew the last compact
columns of the Russians. His horse had been shot under
him, and he had won the victory, but the only reward
he asked was leave to wear the highland bonnet instead
of the cocked hat of a general officer.” The Russians lost
more than 1,800 men, while the allies lost a combined
420.
At Balaklava (also Balaclava, 25 October 1854),
Campbell commanded the 93rd Highlanders, rally-
ing his men when attacked by Russian cavalry with the
words: “Remember there is no retreat from here, men!
You must die where you stand!” His men yelled back,
“Ay, ay, Sir Colin; we’ll do that!” The Russians fled in the
face of the determined British resistance, leading jour-
nalist William H. (“Bull Run”) Russell, covering the war
for The Times of London, to call Campbell’s men “the
thin red line.” Their stand became a legend in histories
of the Crimean War.
Soon after Balaklava, Campbell returned home a
hero in November 1855. Promoted to lieutenant general
in June 1856, he was sent back to the Crimea, but when
he was given the post of inspector general of infantry,
he returned to London. Following the Sepoy Rebellion
in India (also known as the Indian Mutiny), Campbell
was sent there to succeed Lord anson, who had died
as commander in chief, and Campbell reinforced the
British garrison at Cawnpore. On 9 November 1857,
he marched his men to relieve the British garrison at
Lucknow, from which he saved hundreds of women and
children and wounded. In 1858, he initiated a series of0 cAmpbell, SiR colin, bARon clyDe