William Kirkpatrick

William Kirkpatrick (1754–1812) was an East India Company officer, diplomat and orientalist active in Colonial India during the period of Company rule. Life He was the eldest son of Colonel James Kirkpatrick, Madras army, and grandson of James Kirkpatrick, M.D. the author. His father was in command of the troops at Fort Marlborough, Sumatra, in 1777, and returned home in 1779. He married Katherine, daughter of Alexander Monro, by whom he had three sons—William, George, in the Bombay civil service, and James Achilles. He died at Hollydale, Kent, in 1818, aged 89. William Kirkpatrick, the eldest son, became a cadet in 1771, was appointed ensign in the Bengal infantry on 17 January 1773, lieutenant 9 April 1777, captain 3 April 1781, and major 1 March 1794. He was Persian interpreter to Giles Stibbert, who was commander-in-chief in Bengal in 1777–9 and 1780–5, and prepared a Persian translation of the articles of war (printed 1782). Afterwards he was resident with Mahadji Scindia at Gwalior, and served on Lord Cornwallis's staff as Persian interpreter in the Third Anglo-Mysore War of 1790–1.