| Sir John Bell | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 1, 1782 |
| Died | November 20, 1876 (aged 94) |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |
 British Army |
| Rank | General |
| Battles/wars |
Peninsular War Anglo-American War |
| Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath |
General Sir John Bell GCB (1 January 1782 – 20 November 1876)[1] was a British soldier and magistrate. At the time of his death, he was the senior general of the British Army.
Background[]
Born at Bonytoun in the county of Fife, he was the son of David Bell.[1] After attending Dundee Academy, he worked first as a merchant and in 1805 entered the British Army as an ensign of the 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot.[1]
Career[]
He went to Sicily a year later and subsequently took part in the Peninsular War until 1814.[2] During this time, he was decorated with the Army Silver Medal with six clasps and received the Army Gold Cross.[2] Bell was wounded in the Battle of Vimeiro in 1808 and was in the war's last years assistant quartermaster-general.[1] In December 1814, he was transferred with his regiment to the United States and was involved in the Anglo-American War until begin of the following year.[1] After his return to England, he was awarded a Companion of the Order of the Bath.[3]
Bell was sent to the Cape of Good Hope as deputy quartermaster-general in 1821[4] and served as chief secretary to the colony's government from 1828.[5] He was appointed an aide-de-camp to King William IV of the United Kingdom in 1831 and was promoted to major-general in 1841.[2] He joined the board of general officers in 1847 and was nominated Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey in the following year, holding that office until 1854.[2] Bell took command of the 95th (Derbyshire) Regiment of Foot in 1850[6] and became a lieutenant-general in 1851.[7] A year later, he was advanced to a Knight Commander of the Bath.[8] In 1853, he received colonelship of the 4th (The King's Own) Regiment of Foot,[9] a command he held until his death in 1876.[10] Bell was further honoured with the Order's Grand Cross in May 1860[11] and was promoted to general in June.[12]
Family[]
In 1821, he married Catherine, eldest daughter of James Harris, 1st Earl of Malmesbury.[5] His wife was born in St Petersburg and a godchild of Empress Catherine I of Russia.[1] She died at Upper Hyde Park Street in London in 1855.[13] Bell survived her until 1876, when he died, aged 92, at Cadogan Place.[1] He was interred on Kensal Green Cemetery.[1]
References[]
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Wikisource has the text of the 1885–1900 Dictionary of National Biography's article about John Bell (1782-1876). |
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7
Boase, George Clement (1885). "Bell, John (1782-1876)". In Stephen, Leslie. Dictionary of National Biography. 4. London: Smith, Elder & Co. p. 170.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Dod, Robert P. (1865). The Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage of Great Britain and Ireland. London: Whitaker and Co.. pp. 112–113.
- ↑ "No. 17061". 16 September 1815. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/17061/page/
- ↑ "No. 17703". 5 May 1821. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/17703/page/
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Walford, Edward (1860). The County Families of the United Kingdom. London: Robert Hardwicke. pp. 44.
- ↑ "No. 21109". 28 June 1850. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/21109/page/
- ↑ "No. 21262". 11 November 1851. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/21262/page/
- ↑ "No. 21307". 6 April 1852. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/21307/page/
- ↑ "No. 21507". 30 December 1853. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/21507/page/
- ↑ "No. 24389". 1 December 1876. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/24389/page/
- ↑ "No. 22387". 18 May 1860. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/22387/page/
- ↑ "No. 22400". 3 July 1860. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/22400/page/
- ↑ The Annual Register 1856. London: F. & J. Rivington. 1856. pp. 333.
The original article can be found at John Bell (British Army officer) and the edit history here.