!SOURCE: Rev. Dr. Donald MacKinnon and Alick Morrison, THE MACLEODS:
THE GENEALOGY OF A CLAN, Section III, "MacLeod Cadet Families",
Edinburgh, The Clan MacLeod Society, 1970, p. 213.
Appointed Ensign in 1797; Lieutenant 1801; Captain 1806; Major 1824;
Lieutenant-Colonel 1826; Colonel 1838 and Major-General in 1845. He
served with Sir Ralph Abercromby in the expedition to Porto Rico in
1797. He played a distinguished part in the wars against the Mahratta
and Pindarrie tribes in central India. As Major-General, second in
command under General Pollock, he led the Infantry Division that forced
the Khyber and Tezeen Passes in 1842 and captured the strong fort of
Islatif. He also reduced the forts of Charikar and Oppian. These gallant
services earned him a vote of thanks from both houses of Parliament,
dated 20th February 1843. He was created a Knight of the Royal
Hanoveran Guelphic Order in 1836, made a Knight Commander of the most
Honouraable Order of the Bath and he obtained a mdedal for his share in
the capture of Kabul in September 1842.
At the battle of Moodkee, 18th December 1845, the 9th Foot sustained
the loss of its Lieutenant-Colonel, Major-General Sir John MacAskill,
K.C.B. and K.H., an officer to whom his country was indebted for long and
valued service, who received a ball through his chest on the advance of
his division (Third Infantry), and immediately expired. He was married
to Annie, daughter of James Steele of the North British Fishery Society
at Stein, with issue.