BECKWITH, SIR THOMAS SYDNEY (17 7 r ), British general, in 1791 entered the 71 st Regiment in which he served in India and elsewhere until 1800, when he obtained a company in Col. Coote Manningham's experimental regiment of riflemen. In 1802 he was promoted major and in the following year lieutenant-colonel. Beckwith aided Sir John Moore in the training of the troops which afterwards became the Light Divi sion. In i8o6 he served in the expedition to Hanover and in 1807 in that which captured Copenhagen. Beckwith took part in the great march of Craufurd to the field of Talavera, in the ad vanced guard fights on the Coa in 181 o and in the campaign in Portugal. On the formation of the Light Division he was given a brigade command in it. After the brilliant action of Sabugal, Beckwith had to retire for a time from active service. In 1812 he went to Canada as assistant quartermaster-general, and he took part in the war against the United States. In 1814 he became major-general, and in 1815 was created Knight Commander of the Bath. In 1827 he was made colonel commandant of the Rifle Brigade. He went to India as commander-in-chief at Bombay in 1829, and was promoted lieutenant-general in the following year. He died on Jan. 15 1831, at Mahableshwar.
His elder brother, Sir GEORGE BECKWITH (1753-1823), served in the American War of Independence, and was made governor of Bermuda 1797, and of St. Vincent in 1804. As governor of Bar bados (1808-14) he captured the French islands of Martinique (18og) and Guadeloupe (18 io) . Sir George Beckwith commanded the forces in Ireland, 1816-20. He died in London on March 20 1823.