Appointed 24th December, 1717.
William Cosby was many years an officer in the cavalry of the royal household, and rose to the rank of Lieutenant and Lieut.-Colonel of the first troop, now first regiment, of life guards; from which he was promoted, in December, 1717, to the colonelcy of the EIGHTEENTH, or the ROYAL IRISH regiment. He accompanied the EIGHTEENTH to Minorca, and commanded a detachment of five hundred men sent from that island to Gibraltar, when the Spaniards besieged that fortress in 1727. He was subsequently nominated Governor of the Leeward Islands, and in January, 1732, he was appointed Captain-General and Governor-in-Chief of New York and New Jersey, when he relinquished the colonelcy of his regiment. In 1735 he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General. He died on the 2nd of May, 1737.
Sir Charles Hotham, Bart.
Appointed 7th January, 1732.
Charles Hotham entered the army in the reign of Queen Anne, and served on the Continent under the great Duke of Marlborough. In 1723 he succeeded to the dignity of a Baronet. He was nominated to the colonelcy of the EIGHTEENTH, or the ROYAL IRISH regiment, in 1732, and removed to the second troop of horse grenadier guards in 1735. He died in 1738.
John Armstrong.
Appointed 13th May, 1735.
This officer entered the army in 1704, and served with reputation under the celebrated John Duke of Marlborough. After distinguishing himself on several occasions he was promoted to the lieut.-colonelcy of the fifteenth regiment, and was promoted to the rank of Colonel in December, 1712. In 1717 he obtained the colonelcy of a newly-raised regiment, which was disbanded in the following year. He was rewarded with the colonelcy of the EIGHTEENTH, and promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General, in 1735, and in 1739 he was advanced to the rank of Major-General. He died on the 15th of April, 1742.
Sir John Mordaunt, K.B.
Appointed 18th December, 1742.