John Whitehill

John Whitehill (30 November 1735 – 15 April 1812) was an East India Company officer who was twice as Governor of Madras on a temporary basis in 1777 and 1780.

Whitehill was the son of Charles and Elizabeth Whitehill of Bombay, and was born in Bombay on 30 November 1735. He entered the service of the East India Company as a writer on 3 August 1752. In his early years he was involved in various actions, some more to his credit than others. In 1755 he was visiting King Alompra in Rangoon who was at war with the Pegu people. Whitehill saw some advantages in siding with his enemies and within two days was helping bombard the city in which he had just been a guest. Two years later he visited Rangoon again, was arrested and had his ship and cargo confiscated. His life was spared by the King. In 1761 he was involved in the administration of Pondicherry after it was captured from the French. He grew rich in the years following. In 1768 he became a senior merchant and member of the council of the governor.

The Directors of the East India Company were keen reassert their authority as soon as possible, and Whitehill was sent out to India in the middle of June. and the leaders of the revolt were recalled to London.

Sir Thomas Rumbold who was a senior councillor was nominated as the permanent governor and was sent out in due course. Whitehill handed over the governorship to Rumbold on 8 February 1778. Rumbold became ill in 1780 and returned to England. Whitehill again took over as governor on 6 April 1780. Carefully co-ordinating the actions of his subordinate commanders, Hyder Ali swept down the Eastern Ghats onto the coastal plain in July 1780, laying waste the countryside. Hyder Ali himself organised the Siege of Arcot, while detaching his son Karim Khan Sahib to take Porto Novo. The movement in August of Sir Hector Munro with a force of over 5,000 from Madras to Kanchipuram (Conjeevaram) prompted Hyder Ali to lift the siege of Arcot and move to confront Munro. Word then arrived that Munro was awaiting the arrival of reinforcements from Guntur under Colonel William Baillie, so he sent a detachment under Tipu to intercept them, and eventually followed in strength himself, when Munro sent a force from his army to meet Baillie. Tipu and Hyder Ali surrounded Baillie's force, and compelled the surrender of about 3,000 men in the Battle of Pollilur on 10 September; it was the worst defeat of British troops in India to date. Hyder Ali then renewed the siege of Arcot, which fell in November. Whitehill was suspended and handed over the governorship to Charles Smith on 8 November 1780. He was then dismissed from the council of Madras and the service of the East India Company.