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BAIRD, Sir David, 1st Baronet (1757-1829)Born: at Newbyth, East Lothian. Fifth son of William Baird. Commissioned: Ensign (2nd Regiment) 14 December 1772 and posted to Gibraltar 1773-1776; Lieutenant (2nd Regiment) 10 March 1778; Captain (73rd [later 71st] Highland Light Infantry) 26 December 1777 - in India under Munro 1780. Joined Colonel Baillie's force, and after its defeat by Hyder Ali in September 1780 was severely wounded, captured (by the French) and subsequently imprisoned at Seringapatam - released in March 1784. Major (73rd [later 71st]) 5 June 1787; Lieut. Colonel (73rd [later 71st]) 8 December 1790 in England 1789-1791. Returned to India in 1791 in command of a brigade, captured Savandrug in 1791, present at Seringapatam in 1792 and Pondicherry in 1793. Colonel (73rd [later 71st]) 21 August 1795 - at the Cape of Good Hope 1795-1798; Major-General (73rd [later 71st]) 18 June 1798. Returned to India in 1798 and led the storming party at the capture of Seringapatam. 1810-1802 commanded 8000 men force sent to Egypt from India against the French; 1802 given command of the Northern Division of the Madras Army; 1802 resigned, and returned to England in 1803 and knighted in 1804. Lieutenant-General (73rd [later 71st]) 30 October 1805 led the expeditionary force in January 1806 in the recapture of the Cape of Good Hope; commanded First Division in attack upon Copenhagen in 1807; second in command under Moore in Spain 1808, wounded at Corunna in 1809 where he lost his left arm (by a cannon ball), returned to Britain and made a K.B., created baronet in 1810. Appointed General (71st) 4 June 1814; G.C.B. 1815; Governor of Kinsale 1819; Commander in Chief in Ireland and Privy Councillor in 1820; named Governor of Fort St. George, Scotland 1829. Married Miss Campbell Preston (niece of Sir Robert Preston, of Valleyfield, Bart.) on 4 August 1810. Resided on an estate in Perthshire which Lady Baird had inherited from her maternal grandmother. He enlarged the house, embellished the grounds and entertained in a style of splendid hospitality. Died: 29 August 1829 at Ferntower, Perthshire.
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