James Malcolm

Lieutenant-Colonel Sir James Malcolm, KCB (13 January 1767 – 27 December 1849) was a Royal Marines officer who served in the American Revolutionary War, Napoleonic Wars and War of 1812.

Early life and background James Malcolm was born in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, on 13 January 1767, and died in Milnholm, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, on 27 December 1849. James was the second son of George Malcolm of Burnfoot, and his wife, the former Margaret Paisley. James was thus the older brother of Admiral Sir Pulteney Malcolm RN; Major-General Sir John Malcolm, Madras Army; and Vice Admiral Sir Charles Malcolm, RN. The boys' maternal uncle was Admiral Sir Thomas Pasley, 1st Baronet.

Lieutenant Colonel Malcolm commanded another battalion on the Chesapeake in the Battle of Bladensburg; the burning of Washington; and the Battle of Baltimore. Malcolm and his Marines continued to operate on the Atlantic coast, as far south as Georgia's Sea Islands and Spanish Florida, until the peace was established in May 1815.

Later career and retirement Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Sir James Malcolm continued to serve in the peace establishment until 1827. He advanced to the substantive rank of Major in the Royal Marines in 1821. In 1826 he was confirmed in the substantive rank of Lieutenant Colonel of the Corps of Royal Marines.

Sir James then retired to Dumfriesshire, Scotland, where he figured among members of his household on the 1841 Scotland Census.

Military promotions and distinctions Second Lieutenant, H.M. Marine Forces, appointed on 29 November 1779. First Lieutenant, H.M. Marine Forces 18 April 1793. Captain Lieutenant, H.M. Marine Forces 1796. Captain, H.M. Marine Forces 1 January 1797. Note: H.M. Marine Forces redesignated as Royal Marines 29 April 1802. Brevet Major (Army List), 6 February 1806. Brevet Lieutenant Colonel (Army List), 4 June 1813. KCB 2 January 1815. Major, Royal Marines 19 July 1821. Lieutenant-Colonel, Royal Marines 19 July 1826.

Sir James Malcolm disposed of his commission and left the Royal Marines on 6 November 1827. He was allowed to retain his rank and his name was carried (in italics) on the annual British Army Lists from 1828 until 1850, (the year following his death,) as a lieutenant colonel with seniority dating from June 1813.

Together which such names as Sir Richard Williams, George Lewis, Sir Edward Nicolls, John Robyns, and Thomas Benjamin Adair, Sir James Malcolm figures prominently in the second volume of the still authoritative history of the British Royal Marines, Paul Harris Nicolas's Historical Record of the Royal Marine Forces in two volumes (London, 1845).

Portrait Lieutenant-Colonel Sir James Malcolm (1767–1849) of the Royal Marines sat for a portrait by the Scottish artist Sir Henry Raeburn which was painted between 1813 and 1823 and can now be found in the collection of the Huntington Museum of Art in Huntington, West Virginia. The mid 19th century lithograph was donated to the Reference Collection of the National Portrait Gallery in 1985 by Mrs Carey.