LAWRENCE, STRINGER (1697-1775), English soldier, was born at Hereford on March 6, 1697. He seems to have entered the army in 1727, and served in Gibraltar and Flanders, and at Culloden. In 1748, he went out to India to command the East India Company's troops. Lawrence foiled an attempted French surprise at Cuddalore, but was captured by a French cavalry patrol at Ariancopang near Pondicherry and kept prisoner till the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle. In 1749 he was in command at the capture of Devicota. On this occasion Clive served under him and a life-long friendship began. In 175o Lawrence returned to England, but in 1752 he was back in India. Here he found Clive in command of a force intended for the relief of Trichinopoly. As senior officer Lawrence took over the command, but allowed Clive every credit for his share in the operations, which included the relief of Trichinopoly and the surrender of the entire French besieging force. In 1752 with an inferior force he defeated the
French at Bahur (Behoor) and in 1753 again relieved Tri chinopoly. For the next seventeen months he fought a series of actions in defence of this place, finally arranging a three months' armistice, which was afterwards converted into a conditional treaty. He had commanded in chief up to the arrival of the first detachment of regular forces of the crown. In 1757 he served in the operations against Wandiwash, and in 1758-1759 was in command of Fort St. George during the siege by the French under Lally. After two years at home he resumed his command in 1761 as major-general and commander-in-chief. He retired in 1766, and died in London on Jan. 1o, 1775. The East India Company erected a monument to his memory in Westminster Abbey.
See Biddulph, Stringer Lawrence (i9ox).