Background
He was second son of Robert Beatson, Esq., of Kilrie, Fife County, Scotland, and a nephew or cousin of Robert Beatson.
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He was second son of Robert Beatson, Esq., of Kilrie, Fife County, Scotland, and a nephew or cousin of Robert Beatson.
He obtained a cadetship in 1775, and was appointed to an ensigncy in the Madras infantry, 21 November 1776. He served as an engineer officer in the war with Hyder Ali, although he appears never to have belonged to the engineers. As lieutenant, he served with the Guides in Lord Cornwallis"s campaigns against Tippu Sultan.
And eight years after, as a field officer, was surveyor-general with the army under Lieutenant-general Harris, which captured Seringapatam in 1799.
After leaving India, Beatson was governor of Saint Helena from 1808 to 1813. The island, which then belonged to the East India Company, was in a very unsatisfactory condition.
The scanty population had been nearly swept off by a measles epidemic a short time previously, and, although recruited by emigrants from England and by Chinese coolies, was in a wretched state. The acts of the home authorities in suppressing the spirit traffic and other matters gave rise to great discontent, resulting in a mutiny in 1811, which was put down by the firmness of Beatson, who also introduced a better system of cultivation and many other beneficial measures.
After his return to England, he devoted much attention to experiments in agriculture at Knole farm and Henley in Frant, Sussex, near Tunbridge Wells.
He became major-general July 1810, lieutenant-general June 1814, and died 15 October 1830.
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