General Sir James Jackson GCB KH

James Vaughan Jackson was born in 1790, the son of Colonel George Jackson MP of Carramore House, Crossmolina, County Mayo. His mother was Maria Rutledge. He was commissioned as an ensign into the 83rd Foot on 9 Oct 1806 and was promoted to lieutenant on 25 Jan 1808. He served in the Peninsula War from April 1809 through to 1814. He was present at many battles including Oporto, Talavera and Busaco, action at Pombal Redinha and Foz d’Arouce where he was wounded. He fought at Fuentes d’Onor on 3rd and 4th May 1811, the first siege of Badajoz, Jan to Feb 1811, the battle of Salamanca, 22 July 1812. He had his horse shot at the battle of Vitoria on 21 June 1813 and was promoted to captain after the battle on 25 June. He was fighting at Maya Pass, Pampeluna on 15 July, and the Pyrenees on 30 July. He was also at the battles of Nivelle, Nive and Bayonne. On 18 June 1815 he fought at the battle of Waterloo and was made brevet-major the same day. He was with the army of occupation in Paris after the defeat of Napoleon.
From 1819 until 1826 he saw service in India and Arabia. He was at the capture of Beni-Boo-Ali and then appointed military secretary to Sir Lionel Smith. The Marquis of Hastings recommended him for promotion to lieutenant-colonel. On 25 May 1826 he was promoted to brevet lieutenant-colonel and substantive major on 26 April 1827 in the 6th Dragoon Guards. He was a substantive lieutenant-colonel on 2 Mar 1839 commanding the 6th Dragoon Guards until 1850. He was a full colonel on 23 Nov 1841. He reached the rank of major-general on 11 Nov 1851 and in that rank commanded the cavalry detachments for the Duke of Wellington’s funeral on 18 Nov 1852. He went to South Africa as Commander-in-Chief at the Cape. He was Lieutenant-Governor there from March 1854 to May 1859. He was promoted to lieutenant-general on 26 Oct 1858 and general on 6 Feb 1865.
He was made a Knight of the Hanoverian Guelphic Order (KH) in 1837 and a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in 1856. This was upgraded to Knight Grand Cross (GCB) in 1865. He was appointed Colonel of the 6th Inniskilling Dragoons on 11 June 1856 until 17 July 1860 when he transferred as Colonel of the 6th Dragoon Guards. When General Brotherton died he was appointed as Colonel of the King’s Dragoon Guards on 21 Jan 1868 until his death. He died at Westwood, Whalley Range, Manchester on 31 Dec 1871.

Regimental Details | Colonels