Archibald Campbell was appointed assistant surgeon in the East India Company's service in 1828. He first went to Nepal in 1830 as surgeon to the residency at Kathmandu, whilst Hodgson was resident, and left in 1838 after being sent by Hodgson to settle a boundary dispute with Sikkim. This accomplished he was given charge of the hill station at Darjeeling in 1840. Hooker and Campbell were imprisoned, in 1849, in an attempt by the Rajah of Sikkim to set up an exchange of runaway slaves. This failed and the Rajah lost his annual pension and some of his land was annexed. Campbell resided over Darjeeling from 1840-1862, during which time it became well-settled by Europeans. He retired to England in 1862 but continued to take an active part in projects affecting Darjeeling and other areas. This is reflected in the 1870s correspondence in this series. He was an active member of the Society of Arts and the Anthropological Institute. He died on 5 November 1874.