Name John Snodgrass | ||
Books War Beyond the Dragon Pagoda: A Personal Narrative of the First Anglo-Burmese War 1824 - 1826 | ||
Lt. Col. John James Snodgrass (22 October 1796 – 14 January 1841), was a British military officer, aide-de-camp to Sir Archibald Campbell, 1st Baronet, fought in the Battle of Waterloo and author. The last seven years of his life were in Halifax, Nova Scotia where he died and is buried in the Old Burying Ground (Halifax, Nova Scotia).
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Early life
John James Snodgrass was born on 22 October 1796 in Renfrewshire, Scotland. He was the son of Rev. Dr. John Snodgrass and Janet Anne Douglas Montgomery, who was the daughter of Rev. Robert Montgomery, Scottish preacher and poet.
Military career
John James Snodgrass began his military career as an ensign in the 52nd Light Infantry in c. 1812-1813, being promoted to lieutenant the following year. His last engagement with the 52nd, before being reduced to half-pay, was at the Battle of Waterloo. He later joined the 38th Regiment on 18 October 1821, where he was eventually appointed as the military secretary to Sir Archibald Campbell, 1st Baronet and assistant political agent at Ava throughout the First Anglo-Burmese War. He then served as captain in the 91st Argyllshire Highlanders in 1825. Snodgrass received the brevet ranks of major and lieutenant-colonel on 13 November 1826, and 28 December 1826, respectively. He served as a major of the 94th Regiment of Foot beginning on 3 August 1830 and then later as a lieutenant-colonel, unattached, on 28 June 1833. On 12 September 1834 he became the Deputy Quartermaster-General to the troops in Nova Scotia.
Snodgrass was the author of the Narrative of the Burmese War: Detailing the Operations of Major-General Sir Archibald Campbell, 1st Baronet's Army, From its landing at Rangoon in May 1824, to the conclusion of a Treaty of Peace at Yandaboo in February 1826. Snodgrass wrote his book during one of his long and arduous voyages returning him from South Asia.
Personal life
On 3 November 1823, Snodgrass married Sir Archibald Campbell's oldest daughter, Maria Macdonald Campbell. Maria and her family were members of the Smalls of Dirnanean in Perthshire, Scotland. The couple had one child, Archibald Campbell Snodgrass, who, following the family's military tradition, joined the 38th Regiment and served as an aide-de-camp to his uncle Sir John Campbell, 2nd Baronet during the Battle of the Great Redan.
Snodgrass died on 14 January 1841 while in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. His wife and son survived him. A plaque commemorating Snodgrass's life and military service hangs in St. Paul's Church in downtown Halifax. He is buried in the military section of the Old Burying Ground in Halifax.