Bot at 02:05, 17 February 2022

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{{Short description|Scottish general in South Asia (1792–1875)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
[[File:John Cheape.jpg|thumb|Sir John Cheape]]
[[General]] '''Sir John Cheape''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|GCB}} (5 October 1792 – 30 March 1875) was a [[Scottish people|Scottish]] military officer of the [[Bengal Army]] in [[British India]].

==Life==
The son of John Cheape of Rossie, [[Fife]], he was educated at [[Woolwich]] and [[Addiscombe]], and entered the [[Bengal Engineers]] as a second lieutenant on 3 November 1809. He first served in the [[Third Anglo-Maratha War]], and was present at the sieges of [[Dhamoni]] and Mondela in 1815 and 1816. He next served with the [[Narmada River]] field force under Colonel Adams in 1817 (in what is now [[Madhya Pradesh]]); and under [[John Doveton]] and [[John Malcolm]] in 1818, he was present at the siege of [[Asirgarh]]. He was promoted captain on 1 March 1821.<ref name="DNB">{{cite DNB|wstitle=Cheape, John|volume=10}}</ref>

In 1824 Cheape was ordered to [[Burma]], and served through the three campaigns of the [[First Anglo-Burmese War]]. Then for more than two decades he was employed in civil engineering. His promotion, however, went on, and he became major in 1830, lieutenant-colonel in 1834, and colonel in 1844. In 1848 Cheape happened to be employed in the [[Punjab]] when the [[Siege of Multan]] was being planned. He was appointed chief engineer, and ran the operations which led to the fall of the fortress. He then joined the army under [[Hugh Gough, 1st Viscount Gough|Hugh Gough]]. He directed the artillery fire in the [[Battle of Gujrat]], the decisive moment in the [[Second Anglo-Sikh War]]. Gough mentioned his services in his despatches, and Cheape was made a C.B. in the [[1838 Coronation Honours]]<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=19638 |date=20 July 1838 |page=1661}}</ref> and an ''aide-de-camp'' to the queen.<ref name="DNB"/>

When the [[Second Anglo-Burmese War]] broke out in 1852, Cheape was made a brigadier-general and appointed second in command to General [[Henry Godwin (Army officer)|Henry Godwin]]. As before, English commanders underestimated their opponents, and Myat-thoon inflicted defeats on them. In February 1853, Cheape took over command and invaded [[Bago Region|Pegu]]. He was successful and concluded the war, with the provinces of Pegu and [[Tenasserim Division|Tenasserim]] annexed to the territories of the [[East India Company]].<ref name="DNB"/>

Cheape was made a K.C.B. in 1849,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=5865 |date=12 June 1849 |page=569 |city=Edinburgh}}</ref> received a medal and clasp and was promoted to major-general on 20 June 1854.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=21564 |date=22 June 1854 |page=1940}}</ref> He then left India after a service of 46 years. He established himself in the [[Isle of Wight]]. Promoted lieutenant-general on 24 May 1859, and general on 6 December 1866, and made a G.C.B. in 1865.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=22952 |date=28 March 1865 |page=1730}}</ref> He died at Old Park, [[Ventnor]], on 30 March 1875.<ref name="DNB"/>

==Family==
Cheape married in 1835 Amelia, daughter of T. Chicheley Plowden of the Bengal civil service.<ref name="DNB"/>

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

{{DNB|wstitle=Cheape, John|volume=10}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cheape, John}}
[[Category:1792 births]]
[[Category:1875 deaths]]
[[Category:British East India Company Army generals]]
[[Category:Alumni of Addiscombe Military Seminary]]
[[Category:Bengal Engineers officers]]
[[Category:British military personnel of the First Anglo-Burmese War]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of the Second Anglo-Burmese War]]
[[Category:People from Fife]]
[[Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath]]

John Cheape - Revision history

Bot at 02:05, 17 February 2022