| John Carnac | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1716 |
| Died | 29 November 1800 Mangalore, British India |
| Allegiance | Kingdom of Great Britain |
| Service/branch | British Army |
| Rank | Brigadier General |
| Commands held | Indian Army |
Brigadier-General John Carnac (1716 – 29 November 1800) was a British officer who served three times as Commander-in-Chief of India.
Educated at Trinity College, Dublin,[1] John Carnac voyaged to India as a lieutenant in the 39th Regiment in 1754[1] and served at Madras as secretary and aide-de-camp to the colonel of the regiment, John Adlercron.[1] He joined the service of the East India Company as Captain in 1758 after transferring from the 39th foot.[1] After his arrival in Bengal he became secretary and aide-de-camp to Robert Clive, governor of Bengal, and joined him in an expedition against the Prince Ali Gauhar, son of the Mughal emperor Alamgir II.[1]
In 1761 he engaged with and defeated Shah Alam II.[1] He became Brigadier-General in 1764[1] and participated with Clive in the negotiations with Shuja-ud-Daula and the Mughal emperor Shah Alam II in 1765.[1]
In 1767, Carnac resigned from the company's service in January and returned to England.[1] He purchased an estate near Ringwood in Hampshire and also participated in a largely unsuccessful housing development in Southampton.[1] By 1773 Carnac was short of money and he returned to India as a member of the Council at Bombay.[1]
He was dismissed from the East India Company for his involvement in the Convention of Wadgaon in 1779[1] and died at Mangalore in November 1800.[1]
In 1765 John Carnac married Elizabeth Woollaston.[1] Then in 1769 he married Elizabeth Catherine Rivett.[1] John Carnac's last will and testament made his brother-in-law James Rivett his heir, provided that he assumed the additional name of Carnac which he did in 1801.[1] Two of James's sons became famous: Sir James Rivett-Carnac, 1st Bt, became a Governor of Bombay Presidency, while Admiral John Rivett-Carnac became an early explorer of Australia.
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by John Caillaud |
Commander-in-Chief, India 1760–1761 |
Succeeded by Eyre Coote |
| Preceded by Thomas Adams |
Commander-in-Chief, India 1764 |
Succeeded by Hector Munro |
| Preceded by Hector Munro |
Commander-in-Chief, India 1765 |
Succeeded by Robert Clive |