Sir James Carmichael-Smyth, 1st Baronet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir James Carmichael-Smyth, Bt
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| Born | 22 February 1779 London, England |
| Died | 4 March 1838 (aged 59) Georgetown, British Guiana |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
British Army |
| Rank | Major-general |
| Battles/wars | War of the Sixth Coalition Peninsular War Waterloo Campaign |
Sir James Carmichael-Smyth (born February 22, 1779, died March 4, 1838) was an important officer in the British Army. He also worked as a leader in different colonies, helping to manage them. He was known as a Major-General and was made a Baronet, which is a special title of honor.
Contents
About James Carmichael-Smyth
His Early Life and Family
James Carmichael-Smyth was born in London, England. He was the oldest son of James Carmichael Smyth, who was a doctor from Scotland and wrote books about medicine.
His younger brother, Henry Carmichael-Smyth, also became a successful officer. Henry was also the stepfather of a famous writer named William Makepeace Thackeray.
In 1816, James Carmichael-Smyth married Harriet Morse. They had one son together.
His Military Career
James Carmichael-Smyth went to school at Charterhouse School and the Royal Military Academy in London. He joined the Royal Engineers in 1795.
He worked as a chief engineering officer for the British Army in Southern Africa from 1795 to 1808. After that, he went to Spain to serve under Lieutenant-General Sir John Moore.
From 1813 to 1815, he was in the Low Countries (like Belgium and the Netherlands). He was part of the Siege of Bergen op Zoom in 1814. Later, he led the Royal Corps of Engineers & Sappers at the famous Battle of Waterloo. Before this battle, Smyth created a detailed map of the land. This map helped Wellington, the British commander, quickly place his troops in the best spots.
His Work as a Governor
In 1818, he worked with Wellington on military matters. He was given the special title of baronet in 1821.
He traveled to survey defenses in the Low Countries and the British West Indies in 1823. In 1825, he did the same work in British North America. He became a major-general in 1825.
After doing some engineering work in Ireland, he became the Governor of the Bahamas in 1829. In 1833, he became the Governor of British Guiana. While there, he had to manage the big changes that came with the end of slavery.
Between 1815 and 1831, he wrote eight books. These books were about military engineering, how to defend places, and the topic of slavery.
His Final Years
Sir James Carmichael-Smyth became ill and passed away on March 4, 1838, in Georgetown, British Guiana.
