Major-General Joseph Smith

Major-General Joseph Smith (1732-1790) served in the Madras Army during the 3rd Carnatic War/Seven Years War against the French. He was commander of the garrison at Trichinopoly. He became Commander-in Chief of the Madras Presidency and fought successful engagements against Hyder Ali during the 1st Mysore War.

The battle of Trincomalee was fought on September 3, 1767, between the British, under [the then] Colonel Smith, and the Mysore army, under Hyder Ali. Hyder attacked the British camp, but was beaten off with a loss of 2,000 men while the British lost only 170.
On September 26 of the same year, a second engagement took place near Trincomalee, when Colonel Smith, with 12,000 British and native troops, came unexpectedly upon the united armies of Hyderabad and Mysore, 60,000 strong, under Hyder Ali, while rounding a hill which separated them. The superior discipline of the British enabled them to take full advantage of the surprise, and they inflicted an overwhelming defeat upon their opponents' disordered masses. Hyder Ali lost over 4,000 men and 64 guns, the British loss being 150 killed and wounded.
His campaigning days behind him, the old soldier retired to Bath and is buried at All Saints Church, Weston.