Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Clark-Kennedy, John
CLARK-KENNEDY, JOHN (1817–1867), colonel commandant military train, was a descendant of the old Scottish Kennedys of Knockgray. He was eldest son of Lieutenant-general Sir Alexander Kennedy Clark-Kennedy, K.C.B., K.H., a Peninsular and Waterloo officer, who, as Captain Clark, 1st royal dragoons, signalised himself at Waterloo, during one of the charges of his regiment, by capturing, single-handed, the ‘eagle’ of the French 105th of the line, afterwards in Chelsea Hospital. He subsequently commanded the 7th dragoon guards, and was full colonel of the Scots Greys at the time of his death. He assumed the name of Kennedy in addition to that of Clark; died in London, aged 83, 30 Jan. 1864, and was buried at his native place, Dumfries, where he was much respected. His son John was born in 1817, an obtained a cornetcy by purchase in the 7th dragoon guards in October 1833, then commanded by his father, a lieutenancy in March 1837, and a captaincy in December 1841. Afterwards exchanging to the 18th royal Irish foot, he served with the regiment in China, including the China expedition of 1842 (medal), when he was present at the investment of Nankin. He was assistant quartermaster-general to the force under Majorgeneral d'Aguilar during the combined naval and military operations in the Canton river in 1847, when the forts of the Bocca Tigris, the Staked Barrier, and the city of Canton were taken. He also served through the second Sikh war (medal), where he was present at the first siege of Mooltan as aide-de-camp to General Whish, at the action at Soorjkoond (attached to Brigadier Markham), at the second siege and fall of the city and citadel, the capture of the port of Cheniote and the battle of Goojerat; as aide-de-camp to Brigadier Mountain, he took part in the pursuit of the Sikhs and the passage of the Jhelum; attached to the staff of Sir Walter Gilbert, he was present at the surrender of the Sikh army and guns, and in the forced march on Attock, which drove the Afghans across the Indus; and as aide-de-camp to Brigadier Colin Campbell, afterwards Lord Clyde [q. v.], he was present in the advance upon and occupation of Peshawur 21 March 1849. He served in the Crimea from December 1854, at the siege of Sebastopol, where he commanded the right wing of the 18th Royal Irish, the leading regiment of Eyre's brigade, in the assault of 18 June 1855, and was wounded in the neck; he was appointed assistant adjutant-general at headquarters 10 Aug., and was present in the assault of 8 Sept. 1855 (medal, C.B., Sardinian and Turkish medals, and fifth class of the Medjidie). He was afterwards assistant quartermaster-general at Aldershot, and in February 1862 was selected to succeed General W. McMurdo as commandant of the military train. Clark-Kennedy was twice married, first in 1850 to the only daughter of J. E. Walford of Chipping Hall, Essex, who died in 1857, leaving two sons; and secondly, in 1859, to Charlotte, daughter of Colonel Hon. Peregrine Cust, by whom he had three daughters. Clark-Kennedy died on 18 Dec. 1867, of dysentery, at Cairo, where he had gone on special service connected with the Abyssinian expedition.
[Hart's Army Lists; Gent. Mag. 3rd ser. xvi. 527; private information.]
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.66
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
| Page | Col. | Line | |
| 412 | ii | 17 f.e. | Clark-Kennedy, John: for commanded the 7th dragoon guards read was colonel of the 6th dragoon guards from 1860 to 1862 |
| 16 f.e. | for at the time of read from 1862 till | ||
| 413 | i | 34 | for 1862 read 1860 |