Robert Skinner

SKINNER,Robert (c.1783-1821)Local
Major Skinner's Horse.b India c.1783.
Local Major 1815.d.7 May 1821.
Son of Hercules Skinner,q.v.,by an Indian
woman.Brother of James Skinner C.B.,q.v.
His dau.m.Henry MILNE.q.v.
Entered Sindhia's service as an Ensign Nov.
1800;posted to his brother's Bn.
in Perron's army.Lieut. comdg. a Bn. in
2nd Bde. under Anthony Pohlman.q.v. On
outbreak of Mahratta War in Aug.1803,he,
in common with all other ofrs. of British
origin in Sindhia's army was
dismissed by Perron.Took service with
Begum Somru.Subsequently entered
Coy's service and was given local rank of
Lieut.in the Cav.Corps commdd.by his
brother.Second Mahratta War
1805;Operations against Amir Khan in
Doab and Rohilkhand.Accompanied
Elphinstone's mission to Peshawar in
1809.2nd in comd. of Skinner's Horse
and Comdt.of 2nd Corps,with local rank
of Major,1815.In 1819 was granted in
perpetuity by Govt. a small jagur in
Aligarth district.
Refs: Compton.
Note: "Skinners brother,Major Robert Skinner,
was the same sort of melodramatic character,
and made a tragic end.He suspected one of his wives
of a slight ecart from the path of propriety___
very unjustly ,it is said__but he called her and all
his servants togeather,cut off the heads of every
individual in his household,and then shot himself."
(Up the Country,by the Hon.Emily Eden (3rd edn.,
1866),i.137.