CATHCART, Sir George (1794-1854), British general, was born in London, May 12, 1794. He was the third son of the first Earl Cathcart, a distinguished general and diplomatist, commander-in-chief of the expedition to Copenhagen in 1807, and afterwards ambassador to Stockholm and St Petersburg. He received his early education at Eton College, and passed thence to the university of Edinburgh. In 1810 he entered the army, and two years later accompanied his father as aide-de-camp to Russia. With him he joined the Russian headquarters in March 1813; and he was present at all the great battles of the campaigns of that year in Germany, and of the following year in France, and also at the taking of Paris. The fruits of his careful observation and critical study of these operations appeared in the Commentaries which he published in 1850, a volume of plain soldier-like history, prepared from notes made during the campaigns. After the peace of 1814 he accompanied his father to the Congress of Vienna; and while in that city he was appointed (March 1815) extra aide-de-camp to the duke of Wellington. He was present at Quatre-Bras and at Waterloo, was named full aide-de-camp to the duke, and remained in his staff till the army of occupation quitted France. Reappointed almost immediately, he accompanied the duke to the Congresses of Aix-la-Chapelle and Verona, and in 1826 to Prussia. Promoted lieutenant-colonel in 1828, he served in Nova Scotia, Bermuda, and Jamaica,—retiring on halfpay in 1834. After three years he was recalled to active service, and was sent as commander of the King’s Dragoon Guards to Canada, where he played an important part in suppressing the rebellion and pacifying the country. In 1844 he returned to England and again retired. Two years later he was appointed ...