# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Huthwaite, Edward

​HUTHWAITE, Sir EDWARD (1793?– 1873), lieutenant-general, son of William and Lucy Huthwaite, was baptised at the parish church of St. Peter, Nottingham, 24 June 1793, which in the official records is given as the date of his birth (information from India office). His father, a draper, was alderman and more than once mayor of Nottingham (Sutton, Nottingham Note-book). Huthwaite was nominated for a cadetship by Edward Parry, a director of the East India Company, entered the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, 19 Aug. 1807, and was appointed second lieutenant in the East India Company's Bengal artillery, 13 Nov. 1810. His subsequent military commissions were: first lieutenant 25 Sept. 1817, brevet captain 12 Nov. 1825, captain 30 Aug. 1826, major 20 Jan. 1842, lieutenant-colonel 3 July 1845, brevet-colonel 20 June 1854, colonel; 23 June 1854, colonel-commandant same date, major-general 14 March 1857, lieutenant-general 6 March 1868. His first recorded military employment was recruiting for golundauze (native foot-artillery men) at Chittagong in 1812. He served as a lieutenant-fireworker of foot-artillery in the campaigns in Nepaul in 1815-16, which were remarkable for the personal exertions and continuous toil undergone by officers and men (Stubbs, ii. 35). He was present at the reduction of various forts in Oude in the hot season of 1817, and was in the field with the central column of the grand army in the Mahratta war of 1817-18. When the Burmese invaded Cachar, a province under British protection, in January 1824, Huthwaite was sent thither with a draft of golundauze. Brigadier Innes, in his report on an affair' with the Burmese at Tachyon, 8 July 1824, expressed himself 'much indebted to Lieutenant Huthwaite, who, though labouring under severe fever, rendered the most essential service' (London Gazette, 15 March 1825). Huthwaite went afterwards on sick leave to Singapore and China. As brevet-captain he commanded a foot-battery at the siege and capture of Bhurtpore in 1825-6. He was appointed brigade-major of the artillery with the force ordered to assemble at Ajmeer, for service in Rajpootana, in November 1834, but was ordered back to Neemuch, as his company did not form part of the force. He commanded the Megwar artillery division at various periods from 1836 to 1840; was posted to the 2nd brigade horse-artillery, 15 March 1842; and was placed in command of two troops of his brigade at Loodianah He commanded the artillery of the Megwar field force from 30 Dec. 1840 to 1844, and was highly commended for his `zeal, ability, and firmness' (India office inspector report, 17-18 Jan. 1844). He commanded the 3rd brigade Bengal horse-artillery in the first Sikh war of 1845-6 at Ferozeshah, was made C.B. for his services, and was mentioned in despatches. He also distinguished himself at Sobraon, and was brigadier of the foot-artillery with Lord Gough in the army of the Punjaub, in the second Sikh war in 1848-9, at the two passages of the Chenab, and the battles of Chillianwalla and Goojerat. Huthwaite commanded the artillery of the force under General Gilbert which crossed the Jhelum and, after receiving the surrender of ​the Sikh army, pursued their Afghan allies to the entrance of the Khyber Pass. In 1860 the brigade of Bengal artillery, of which Huthwaite had been appointed colonel-commandant in 1854, was transferred to the royal artillery. He was made a K.C.B. in 1869, and died at his residence, 'Sherwood,'Nynee Tal, North-west Provinces, on 4 April 1873.
H. M. C.