James Johnston

Who is James Johnston?

James Johnston was a general of the British Army, colonel of the Royal Horse Guards and colonel of the Scots Greys.

He was the only surviving son of James Johnston and his wife, Lucy née Claxton. Johnston lived at Overstone, Northamptonshire and in retirement at Weston House near Bath and with a house in St James's Place, Middlesex.

Johnston was first commissioned into the Royal Horse Guards and was present with the regiment at the Battle of Dettingen in 1743 and the Battle of Fontenoy in 1745. He became a major in the regiment on 29 November 1750, was promoted to lieutenant-colonel of the Royal Horse Guards on 17 December 1754 and commanded the regiment in Germany in several engagements during the Seven Years' War.

Desperately wounded at the battle of Minden in 1759 he was promoted to full colonel of Horse, Royal Horse Guards 9 March 1762, and appointed an aide-de-camp to King George III.

Promoted to major-general on 30 April 1770 on 2 May 1775 he received the additional appointment of colonel of the 11th Regiment of Dragoons in place of the marquess of Lothian and was further promoted to lieutenant-general on 29 August 1777.