Appointed 21st April, 1779.
The first services of this officer were in the marines, in which corps he was promoted to the rank of Captain, in March, 1755, and in August, 1756, he was appointed Captain of the grenadier company in the Twelfth foot. He served at the head of his company, in Germany, during the seven years' war, and evinced great gallantry on numerous occasions. In 1762, he was promoted Major, and in 1765, Lieut.-Colonel of his regiment. He performed all the duties of commanding officer of the Twelfth regiment, in the United Kingdom and afterwards at Gibraltar, with reputation to himself and advantage to the service, for thirteen years, and in 1778 he was appointed Colonel of the seventy-fifth foot, then newly raised, and afterwards disbanded: in the following year he was removed to the Twelfth regiment.
King George III. frequently selected individuals of merit on whom he conferred distinguished marks of his Royal approbation, and the promotion of Colonel Picton furnishes an instance of His Majesty's attention to meritorious services, which had not the advantage of Ministerial or Parliamentary patronage. When appointed to the colonelcy of the Twelfth, Colonel Picton went to Court, and after kissing His Majesty's hand at the levee, he was admitted to an audience in the King's closet, when he acknowledged, in grateful terms, the honor conferred upon him; and His Majesty replied, "You are entirely obliged to Captain Picton, who commanded the grenadier company of the Twelfth regiment, in the late war in Germany;" at the same time alluding particularly to his gallantry at Zierenberg, for which he was thanked in general orders.[22]
After this interview, he joined his regiment at Gibraltar, and distinguished himself in the defence of that fortress, under General Eliott.
In 1782, he was promoted to the rank of Major-General, in 1793 to that of Lieut.-General, and in 1798 to that of General. He died in 1811.
Sir Charles Hastings, Baronet.
Appointed 15th October, 1811.
Charles Hastings, natural son of Francis, tenth Earl of Huntingdon, was appointed Ensign in the Twelfth foot in July 1770, and joined the regiment at Gibraltar. In 1776 he was promoted Lieutenant, and he was permitted to serve with the twenty-third regiment in America, where he was appointed Aide-de-Camp to Earl Percy, and afterwards to Sir Henry Clinton. He was at the actions at Pelham Manor and White Plains, and at the capture of Fort Washington; also in the successful expedition against the American magazines at Danbury. He accompanied Sir William Howe to Pennsylvania, was engaged at Brandywine and Germantown, and was twice wounded. In 1780 he was promoted Captain in the Twelfth foot, and joined his regiment at Gibraltar, where he had several opportunities of distinguishing himself during the siege of that fortress, and he evinced great gallantry at the sortie in November, 1781. In 1782, he was appointed Major in the seventy-sixth; in 1783 he was promoted to Lieut.-Colonel in the seventy-second, which regiment was disbanded in the same year. He obtained the Lieut.-Colonelcy of the thirty-fourth regiment in 1786, and was afterwards removed to the sixty-first, and subsequently to the sixty-fifth. He was promoted to the rank of Major-General in 1796, and to that of Lieut.-General in 1803. In February, 1806, he was created a Baronet, of Willesley Hall, in the county of Derby; and in November following he was appointed Colonel of the fourth garrison battalion, from which he was removed to the seventy-seventh regiment in July, 1811; and in October following, to the Twelfth foot. In 1813 he was promoted to the rank of General. He died in 1823.
Honorable Robert Meade.
Appointed 9th October, 1823.