Lieutenant General Forbes Champagne

1816

This officer was appointed Ensign in the 4^th Foot in 1773 and was stationed at Boston when the American War commenced, and fought at Lexington on the 19^th April 1775. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in the same year. He was attached to the First Light Battalion, with which he served in 1776, at the descent on Long Island, Battle of Brooklyn, capture of New York, action at Frog’s Neck, capture of Fort Washington, and capture of New Jersey.

In 1777 he served in the expedition to Pennsylvania, and was at the Battles of Brandywine and Germantown: and in the march through the Jerseys. He was promoted to Captain in the 23^rd Regiment in 1779, and was removed to the Mounted Light Infantry in 1780. He served in the expedition to South Carolina, was present at the siege of Charleston, at the Battles of Camden, and Guildford Court-house, and in all the actions in which the troops under Major General the Earl Cornwallis were engaged, in the two Carolinas and in Virginia, ending with the capitulation of York Town.

He returned to England at the end of the war. In 1793 he was appointed Major, and afterwards Lieutenant Colonel of the 80^th Regiment with which Corps he served in the Netherlands at the siege of Nijmegen, and during the winter campaign of 1794-5 in Holland. In 1795 he was removed to the 20^th Foot and in 1797 was promoted to the rank of Colonel. He served as Brigadier General in Ireland, during the rebellion in 1798, and in 1799 in the expedition to Holland. In 1800 he was placed on the staff of the South-West District; and was promoted to the rank of Major General in 1803. In 1806 he was appointed to the command of the Western District, and to the Colonelcy of the 8th Garrison Battalion. In May 1807, he was placed on the staff in the East Indies, where he served some time. He was appointed Colonel Commandant of a Battalion of the Rifle Brigade in 1809, promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General in 1810.

He was appointed Colonel of the 70^th Regiment on 21^st May 1816, and died in command at Mitcham on 22^nd October of the same year. His death was a premature and tragic loss to them.

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