The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-10 00:00:00

BRIGADIER-GENERAL CURE-

TON.

Colonel Cureton was born, bred, and educated a gen-
tleman, and when little more than sixteen years of age,
he was appointed to an ensigncy in a county militia re-
giment of the first pretension, and commanded by a
Noble Earl, who was also the Lord-Lieutenant of the
county. From his ensigncy he was soon promoted to a
lieutenancy, through the esteem and kindess of his
colonel, the Noble Earl. " Young Cureton" became a
general favourite, not only with his brother-officers,
but with every individual in the regiment.
His constant association with men of superior wealth,
and being by them introduced to much society, led to
expense beyond his own immediate resources, and at
the end of the year creditors pressed for the settlement
of their bills—then threatened legal proceedings. He
applied to his family to assist him, and they were dissa-
tisfied at his contracting debts, and refused to liquidate
them. His spirit could not brook their refusal of his
request, nor the thought of being arrested (he was then
a minor, and it legally could not have been done), the
dread of which caused him to absent himself, and a few
months afterwards be was superseded in his regiment,
being absent without leave.
Not long after that event some friend procured him a
commission in another militia regiment of great respec-
tability ; when gazetted to it, it furnished the then few
outstanding creditors with the knowledge of his " where-
about." One or two of them wrote for immediate set-
tlement in threatening language. The fear of arrest
returned strongly, and effectually to guard against it he
resolved again to absent himself; in furtherance of which
he purchased a sailor's dress to disguise himself, and
next morning at an early hour went to the sea-side,
dressed in regimentals, with his disguise and a check-
shirt in a bundle, which he put on, leaving his military
dress on the beach (the regiment was stationed in a
maritime town). The uniform was shortly found, and,
after waiting some time in expectation of seeing the
owner, it was taken to the barracks, where it was as-
certained to whom the articles belonged; and an opinion
was entertained that Cureton, while bathing, had been
carried out by the current and drowned. His mother
and family received information from the regiment to
that effect, and they went into mourning for him ac-
cordingly.
By means of his disguise he reached London unknown,
and meeting with a recruiting party of the 14th Light
Dragoons, enlisted in his baptismal names, omitting his
surname. Very soon he was sent from the party to join
the regimental depot stationed at Radipole barracks,
near Weymouth, the regiment at the time being in the
Peninsula. His steady conduct and well-stored mind
quickly attracted the attention of those officers who were
doing duty at the depot, and he was in consequence
forthwith appointed to orderly-room duty alone. A
draught being ordered out to join head-quarters in the
Peninsula, he was one of the number draughted. Letters
highly recommendatory of his general good conduct and
ability were forwarded by the officer in command of the
depot to Sir S. Hawker, Lieutenant-Colonel commanding
the 14th Dragoons. That discerning officer soon became
assured o. the young dragoon's merit and talents, and on
the first opportunity advanced him to the rank of
important
duty Then, when any outpost or other
duty required to be entrusted to an intelligent,
skilful non-commissioned officer, it was generally con-
fided to the (then) sergeant for execution. The per-
formance of those duties was always meritorious, and
his reports thereof so well written, that Sir Samuel
Hawker's interest was so far excited in his future pros-
pects and welfare, that he resolved on recommending
him to (at that time) Lord Wellington for advancement
as a commissioned officer, thinking that his talents
would then have greater scope for development. Sir
Samuel stated his intention to the sergeant, also asking
if such a measure would be acceptable. The sergeant
warmly expressed his gratitude to the colonel for his
kind intention and favourable appreciation of his humble
services, adding that previously to Sir Samuel so far
benefiting him, he felt it an imperative duty to lay
before him every circumstance connected with his posi-
tion in life before he entered into the 14th Light Dra-
goons, with the cause and means he took to enlist
therein ; and finished by observing to the colonel that
should he consider what had been related would not
militate hereafter against him as an officer, he most
gratefully should receive the honour so graciously in-
tended for him. Sir Samuel Hawker, by what he had
heard, remarked that from his first knowledge of him he
was of belief that he (the sergeant) had been a gentle-
man, and his intention to recommend him for promo-
tion had become more strengthened.
Consequent thereto, in less than three months from
that interview with Sir Samuel, and about seven years
from the time of his enlisting in the 14th Dragoons, un-
known as he was, with no means of interest to recom-
mend him or advance him, save that which had been
raised in the breast of his gallant commanding officer,
the present brigadier was gazetted in his proper name
—Cureton, sergeant, from 14th Light Dragoons, to an
ensigncy of the 40th Regiment of Infantry. The first
intimation his friends had of his existence, arose from
reading his name, to their great astonishment, in the
Gazette. They were soon made acquainted with the
mode of corresponding with him, being then in the
Peninsula. They then knew that he had honourably
passed the ordeal of a private's and non-commissioned
.officer's grades in a cavalry regiment, and submitted to
him which service he would prefer, cavalry or infantry.
He chose the former, and an exchange was without delay
effected in the late 20th Dragoons, as cornet. A lieu-
tenancy was in a reasonable time obtained, when he
was appointed adjutant to the regiment, and remained
so until the disbandonment of the regiment after the
peace, which placed him upon half-pay. In that corps
he was highly esteemed by all his brother officers,
while his efficiency and merits as a cavalry officer were
duly appreciated by the Lieutenant-Colonel command-
ing, Sir Thomas Hawker, brother of his patron, Sir
Samuel Hawker, of the 14th Dragoons.
On the 16th Dragoons being ordered to India, and an
augmentation of lieutenants taking place, Sir Samuel
and Sir Thomas Hawker exerted their joint interest and
earnest recommendation of Lieutenant Cureton, at the
Horse Guards, for appointment from half-pay to full of
the 16th Dragoons, which took place, and soon after-
wards he was appointed adjutant, which rank he re-
tained, until he obtained, by purchase, a troop in the
same regiment. He likewise purchased his majority
and had lodged money for a lieutenant-colonelcy, which
he actually had been gazetted to, in the 3d Dragoons,
by purchase, and which was subsequently cancelled, as
a casualty having turned up in his regiment (16th
Lancers), he was gazetted therein as Lieutenant-Colonel
without purchase—a favour, no doubt, conferred by her
Majesty as an especial mark of his many meritorious
services.

SIR GEORGE POLLOCK.
The resolution proposed on Monday, in the Court of
Common Council by Sir Peter Laurie, for the vote of
the freedom of the City to General Sir George Pollock,
for his brilliant services in India, which vote was delayed
in consequence of an erroneous impression in the Court
that it was necessary to wait until the return of the
Gallant General to this country, has, we are given to
understand, occasioned much satisfaction amongst his
relatives in town. The estimate formed of the extra-
ordinary services rendered by the brother of the Chief
Baron of England may be seen amongst other hearty
acknowledgments in the following resolution enclosed in
a letter written by Mr. Rogers, who, it will be remem-
bered, served the office of Sheriff of London and Mid-
dlesex, in a very distinguished manner in the year 1341,
to Sir Peter Laurie,

Passed at a meeting of the inhabitants of Calcutta, at
the Town-hall, Oct. 7, 1844, " That a gold medal and
sum of money (to be determined by the amount of sub-
scription raised) to be called " The Pollock Prize," be
presented annually to the most distinguished cadet of
the season, at Addiscombe, to commemorate the fame
and services of Sir George Pollock, and that subscrip-
tion books be circulated in the three presidencies to
raise a fund for this purpose; no subscription to exceed
fifty rupees.
With reference to the above, subscribers are requested
to remit the amount of their subscriptions to the Bank of
Bengal, the Union Bank, or to any of the following gen-
tlemen appointed by the sth resolution, a Committee to
'tarry the above into effect:—
Brigadier Frith,
Lieut.-Col. Burlton,
/9 Cheape,
n Hawkins,
„ Forbes,
Irvine,
rowiery,
Pattle,
Rattray,
Tucker,
Barton,
IP E. M. Gordon,
Henry Moore,
Dickens,
It will not be the amount subscribed, but the act of
aubscribing, which will mark the desire of the subscriber
to forward the above resolution.
The following is a copy of the letter of Mr. Rogers,
in which the above quoted resolution was enclosed. It
was alluded to on Monday, in the Court of Common
Qom:mil, by Sir Peter Laurie:—
"Calcutta, May 23, 1843.
"My dear Sir Peter Laurie,—l have been intend-
. g , day after day, for some time past, to write
you, but somehow time has got the start of
and, unfortunately, without my having any
excuse to offer for the delay in carrying
tmy good intent. May I ask you, however, before
Altering into the direct object of my letter, if you re-
tollect having given it as your opinion at a party,
where I had the pleasure of meeting you, that per-
sons abroad took no note of the proceedings of the
Corporation of the City of London,' and of my having
remarked, in reply, that so far as my experience went, I
Jolt justified in saying that, instead of distance lessen-
ing, it lent intense interest to every thing that passed
1,1 that great body ? And now let me assure you,
:lir Peter, from the experience I have had since I
left London, as well as from that of my former life,
1 find persons abroad better informed and taking
deeper interest in your movements than those
at home. If, however, the Indian community had
over been wanting in attention to the proceedings of the
magistrates and the Corporation of the metropolis of
Britain, you have, cf late, taken the best method of fix-
ing their attention on your doings. I refer to the ho-
nour and distinction you have conferred on Nott, and
Pottinger, and other Indian officers. But whilst you
have been showing well-merited applause and more sub-
stantial marks of your approbation on those able and
gallant men, there is one who, by still remaining at his
post of danger and of duty, seems to me to have been
deprived, by that fact alone (absence) of his share of
those honours. I feel assured, when reminded of this
circumstance, that no one will be more ready than your-
self in lending your powerful aid in obtaining for the
absent some mark of the City's approbation.
" I had the pleasure of meeting at your hospitable
',ford a brother of Sir George Pollock's, and this cit.-

Mr. 0. Doroda,
„ Higgins,
„ Sutherland,
„ Storm,
„ Allen,
Gilmore,
A. Rogers,
Gillanders,
Dr Gardner,
Capt. Rogers,
Dwarkanauth Tagore,
Rustomjee Cowasgee,
Prosonseamer Tagore.

~.
Mr.