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He was gazetted to the 101st Foot in India in 1783, but on its disbandment two years later was placed on half-pay. It is said that he took a clerkship in Greenwoods , the army agents (afterwards Cox & Co.). He attracted the notice of the Duke of York, through whom he obtained a captaincy (very soon followed by a majority) in the newly raised 113th Foot . But it was not long before his regiment experienced the fate of the old 101st; this time however Kempt was retained on full pay in the recruiting service. In 1799 he accompanied Sir Ralph Abercromby to Holland, and later to Egypt as an aide-de-camp. After Abercromby's death Kempt remained on his successor's staff until the end of the campaign in Egypt. In April 1803 he joined the staff of Sir David Dundas, but next month returned to regimental duty, and a little later received a lieutenant-colonelcyIn the US Army, US Air Force and US Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a commissioned officer superior to a major and inferior to a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is comparable to the rank of commander in the US Navy. The insignia for all four in the 81st Foot . With his new regiment he went, under Craig, to the Mediterranean theatre of operations, and at MaidaThe Battle of Maida was a battle in the Napoleonic Wars between England and France fought on 4 July, 1806 outside the town of San Pietro di Maida in Calabria, Italy. The British, commanded by Major-General Sir John Stuart defeated the French, commanded by the light brigade led by him bore the heaviest share of the battle.

Employed from 1807Events February Napoleon attacks Russia February 8 Battle of Eylau Napoleon defeats Russians under General Benigssen February 19 In Alabama, Former Vice President of the United States Aaron Burr is arrested for treason. March 2 The United States Congress to 1811Events February 5 George, Prince of Wales becomes Regent because of the perceived insanity of his father, King George III of the United Kingdom. He is known as the Prince Regent. This is the beginning of the period known as the English Regency. March 1 Eg on the staff in North America, BrevetIn the military, brevet refers to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily (usually without receiving the pay of the higher rank). An officer so promoted may be referred to as being brevetted . For example, "he was br- ColonelColonel ( Ger: Oberst is a military rank, usually the highest below general grades, and just above Lieutenant Colonel. The word is pronounced similarly to "kernel". In the US military, a colonel in the Army, Air Force and Marine Corps is equivalent to a c Kempt at the end of 1811 joined Wellington'sArthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington ( 1 May 1769 14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and statesman, widely considered one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century. He came from an established family of noblemen his army in SpainThe Kingdom of Spain is a country located in the southwest of Europe. It shares the Iberian Peninsula with Portugal, Gibraltar and Andorra. To the northeast, along the Pyrenees mountain range, it borders France and the tiny principality of Andorra. It inc with the local rank of major-general, which was, on 1 January 1812, made substantive. As one of Picton's brigadiers, Kempt took part in the great assault on Badajoz and was severely wounded. On rejoining for duty, he was posted to the command of a brigade of the Light Division (43rd, 52nd and 95th Rifles), which he led at Vera , the Nivelle (where he was again wounded), Bayonne , Orthez and Toulouse. Early in 1815 he was made K.C.B., and in July for his services at Waterloo, G.C.B. At that battle he commanded the 28th, 32nd and 79th as a brigadier under his old chief, Picton, and on Picton's death succeeded to the command of his division. From 1828 to 1830 he was Governor of British North America, and at a critical time displayed firmness and moderation. He was afterwards Master-General of the Ordnance. At the time of his death in 1854 he had been for some years a full General.

This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica. 1911 Britannica