Born on the 24th of April 1830, the son of William S. Marshall, Esq., of 4, Hyde Park Square, London, and Plashwood, near Ipswich, Suffolk.
In the 1851 Census, John Barry Marshall is described as "born British Subject, America".
Educated at Eton and Oxford.
Cornet in the 4th Light Dragoons: 19th of October 1849.
1851 Census
35, Gt Ormond Street, St George the Martyr, Finsbury.
John Barry Marshall, visitor, aged 20, Cornet 4th Light Dragoons, born British Subject, America.
Lieutenant, 4th Light Dragoons: 13th of May 1852.
Captain, 4th Light Dragoons: 15th of December 1854.
Died at Balaclava, "of cholera", on the 30th of September 1855.
Colborne and Brine ("The Resting Places of the Brave") note that"This officer died at the Monastery of St. George." This was situated some four miles from Balaclava.He was buried in the 13th Light Dragoons Cemetery on the road going towards Karani, and a memorial of either wood or stone (it is not shown which) was positioned over the grave in mid-1856, and was then inscribed: "In memory of Captain John Marshall, 4th Light Dragoons. Died 30th September 1855."
Captain Marshall served the Eastern campaign of 1855 from the 15th of June, including the Siege and fall of Sebastopol. (Medal and Clasp)
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasp for Sebastopol, and the Turkish Medal.
Lummis and Wynn credit him with the clasp for Inkerman also, but he is not shown on the medal roll as being so entitled and from the known date of his arrival in the Crimea (although no actual date is shown, his name appears on a roll of officers and men entitled to a medal who had landed in the Crimea since the 1st of June 1855) could not have been so.
His Crimean medal, clasp for Sebastopol, and with impressed naming to "Captain J.B. Marshall. 4th Lt. Drgns." was known to be in an English collection in 1980. When purchased from a London dealer it had the clasp for the Alma loose on the ribbon, but this was returned.
In 1983 the Regiment, with the aid of the Ogilby Trust, purchased a water-colour painting of JM in uniform, painted by J. Gilbert in 1854, and this is now in the Regimental Museum.
[PB: Is there a copy in the archive?]
Died at Balaclava, "of cholera", on the 30th of September 1855.
Colborne and Brine, The Resting Places of the Brave, note that "This officer died at the Monastery of St. George." This was situated some four miles from Balaclava.He was buried in the 13th Light Dragoons Cemetery on the road going towards Karani, and a memorial of either wood or stone (it is not shown which) was positioned over the grave in mid-1856, and was then inscribed: "In memory of Captain John Marshall, 4th Light Dragoons. Died 30th September 1855."
In 1987 a Mr C. Cornes of Winchester, Hampshire, wrote to the then Regimental Secretary of the 4th/8th, saying that he was a descendant of John Barry Marshall. Because of known facts about the latter further enquiry was made of him and the following information was provided:
William Skinner Marshall (father of John Barry Marshall) 1792-1854. Born at Whitby. Member of the London Stock Exchange and of Mannings and Marshall, Vera Cruz and Mexico City. — married Jane Barry of Whitby.
William Julius Marshall, 1828-81, born Mexico City, later Colonel West Suffolk Militia and father of Lilian Amy, who married Julian Cornes (my grandfather).
John Barry Marshall, 1830-55. Born Cincinatti, U.S.A. Educated Eton and Oriel College, Oxford. Commemorated on the Crimean War Memorial in Eton Chapel.
The remainder is basically what is already known of his service promotions and death — with two points of interest in that he is said to have died "of dysentery" and that he was entitled to the clasp for Inkerman as well as Sebastopol to his Crimean medal.
In his first letter to the 4th/8th he said that a picture of J.B. Marshall by R. Simpkin was in the possession of the family but on it being pointed out that Simpkin was of a much later period it transpires that it is a portrait by J. Gilbert, 1817-97. (The same artist, presumably, who painted the portrait now in the possession of the Regiment.)