General Sir David, Bart., was born at Newbyth in Aberdeenshire, in December 1757. He entered the British army in 1773, and was sent to India with the 73d Highlanders in 1779. In the following year he had the misfortune to fall into the hands of Hyder Ali, in the Mysore chief's perfidious attack on a handful of British troops at Penambucum. The prisoners, it is well known, were most barbarously treated. Baird survived his captivity; and on his release, visited his native country, but returned to India in 1791, as a lieutenant-colonel.

When Harris marched against Tippoo Saib, Baird, now a major-general, served under him in that campaign; and when it was resolved to storm Seringapatam, he solicited and obtained the honour of leading the storming party to the breach. He made a daring assault, and was soon a victor in that stronghold in which he had long been a prisoner. He seems, however, not to have been in favour with the superior powers; for he was rather unceremoniously required to resign the place his valour had contributed to gain, to a junior officer, who had not been engaged in the assault; but he received the thanks of the British parliament and of the East India Company for his gallant bearing on that im- portant day, and being more athirst for fame than emolu- ment, he declined the pension offered to him on that occa- sion by the company.

General Baird commanded the Indian army that in 1801 was sent to co-operate with Hutchinson, in the expulsion of the French from Egypt. He landed at Rosser, conducted his army to Kenesh on the Nile, and thence to Rosetta, where he arrived just as the French were treating for the evacua- tion of Alexandria. Baird returned to India in 1802, where he was employed against Scindia; but, irritated at some ne- glect he had experienced, he relinquished his command and returned to Europe.

In 1805 he commanded the expedition against the Cape of Good Hope, and captured Cape Town; but here again, his usual ill-luck attended him, for he was recalled before he had organized his conquest, for having sanctioned the ex- pedition of Sir Home Popham against Buenos Ayres. He served again in 1807 in the expedition against Copenhagen, and in the following year commanded the considerable force which was sent to Spain to co-operate with Sir John Moore. In the battle of Coruña, a grape-shot shattered his left arm, so as to require amputation at the shoulder-joint; and he was again thanked by the parliament of his country for his gallant services, and at last obtained the decoration of the order of the Bath, and the rank of a baronet.

Sir David married Miss Campbell Preston, a Perthshire heiress, in 1810. In 1820 he was appointed commander-in- chief in Ireland; but the same influence which had thwarted him in India, again was exerted against him, and he was re- moved in 1821. From that period he no more appeared in public life; and he died on the 18th August 1829. (r.s.t.)