Colin Mackenzie (Indian Army officer)

Colin Mackenzie C.B.
Colin Mackenzie in Afghan dress, by James Sant, c 1842 (National Army Museum)
Born	(1806-03-26)26 March 1806
Died	22 October 1881(1881-10-22) (aged 75)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Indian Army
Rank	Lieutenant-General
Unit	48th Madras native infantry
Commands held	4th Sikh regiment; Ellichpúr division
Battles/wars	Coorg War; First Afghan War; Second Anglo-Sikh War
Awards	Kábul medal

Lieutenant-General Colin Mackenzie (25 March 1806, London - 22 October 1881) was a Scottish officer in the Indian Army who was active as a political officer in Afghanistan.

He was born in London on 25 March 1806, and baptised at St James's Church, Piccadilly, the youngest son but one of Kenneth Francis Mackenzie (died 1831) and his wife, Anne Townsend. His father, who belonged to the Redcastle branch of Mackenzies, was attorney-general of Grenada, and lost much during the war with France, 1793–1815. Colin Mackenzie was educated successively at a school in Cumberland, at Dollar Academy, and at Oswestry, and in 1825 was appointed a cadet of infantry on the Madras establishment of the East India Company.

Mackenzie served as adjutant of the 48th Madras native infantry in the Coorg campaign in 1834, during some of which he held the appointment of deputy-assistant quartermaster-general. At the close of the campaign his services were favourably noticed by the brigadier-general commanding the force. In 1836 he accompanied Captain Chads in an expedition to the Straits of Malacca, against pirates; Mackenzie was on board only as a passenger, but was commended.

Lord Auckland as governor-general of India selected him in 1840 for the force then serving in Afghanistán. Mackenzie distinguished himself, first as assistant political agent under George Clerk at Peshawar. He then went to Kabul, where he joined a corps of sappers which had been raised by George Broadfoot, a shipmate of his on his voyage to India. Mackenzie led the advanced guard of Sir Robert Sale's force as far as Gundamack on its march to Jellálabad. He then returned to Kabul, where he commanded the godown fort of Nishán Khán, in which the commissariat of Shuja Shah Durrani's troops was kept; and was in command of this fort when the rising of Afghans at Kábul broke out. On 3 November, in a difficult position, he fought his way out by night.