LT. COL. Edw. NUGENT.

March23 1836 In Welbeck-street, aged 80, Edward Nugent, esq. Lieut-Colonel on the East India Company's Bombay Establishment, and afterwards of the Buckinghamshire Militia, and a Magistrate and Deputy Lieutenant of that county.
This officer was the last surviving son of Captain Walter Nugent of the Royal Marines, who was mortally wounded in the battle of Brooklyn in the first American war. At the age of thirteen he entered the Navy as a Midshipman in the Hawk sloop of war, employed in surveying the island of Madagascar : but, on arriving at Bombay in May 1770, he was advised by his uncle Captain Edward Nugent, then one of the senior officers of the Bombay establishment, to leave the Navy for the military service of the East India Company. In September of that year be served as a cadet, under his uncle, against the coolies or pirates in Guzcrut; and in March 1771 he was appointed Ensign.
In Dec. 1774, being with the army at the siege of Tannah, and commanding the battery guard, he seized an opportunity to ascertain, at great personal risk, that the breach was practicable ; and, having reported the same to Brig. -Gen. Gordon, he was appointed to art as a Lieutenant with the 2nd European Grenadier Company, and assisted to storm the place on the following day.
In April 1775, he commanded a detachment on board the Revenge, in an action with the Mahratta fleet, in which their principal vessel, of 40 guns, was burnt ; and for his conduct on this occasion, be was presented, at the recommendation of Commodore Moore, with a brevet of Lieutenant, an instance of promotion then unknown in the Bombay establishment.
In 1778 he accompanied the grenadiers, on the service to Poonah.
In 1779 he was appointed secretary to Col. Hartley, who commanded a detachment sent to join Brig.-Gen. Goddard's army; and be also officiated as Colonel Hartley's aid-de-camp in every action that occurred, particularly at the siege of Ahmedabad. Colonel Hartley bad afterwards the command of a separate army in the Concan, and Lieutenant Nugent served under him for two campaigns, and during several severe actions, as his secretary and aid-de-camp.
In 1781, Brig.-Gen. Goddard, having been appointed Commander-in-Chief at Bombay, nominated Lieut. Nugent one of his staff for that establishment. In the same year he was appointed Captain by brevet, and to the command of the 1st battalion of Native troops, which he held for six years. Gen. Goddard was in Oct. 1782 succeeded by Brig.-Gen. Mathews, who appointed Capt. Nugent his secretary, but did not long retain the post of Commander in-chief.
In April 1783 Captain Nugent embarked tor Mangalore, where he commended his battalion during the siege; "for its distinguished valour and discipline" during which, it now bears the word MANGALORE on its colours and appointments. On his return to Bombay he was appointed full Captain ; but in April 1786 was obliged from illness to repair to Europe, whence his state of health did not again permit him to return to a hot climate.
From 1789 to 1706 he was employed by the East India Company to raise recruits in Ireland; he raised there upwards of 8000 men, and (as shown by an affidavit on the records of the Committee of Shipping at the India House,) lost 3000L. of his own fortune.
He afterwards commanded a corps of Yeomanry in Dublin, and whilst so engaged in 1796 the Marquess of Buckingham addressed in his favour a letter to his Royal Highness the Commander-in chief, in which he described him as "my relation Mr. E. Nugent, one of the oldest and most meritorious officers on the Bombay establishment" and recommended him to raise recruits for his Majesty's service. In consequence of this letter, Lt.-Col. Nugent received three letters of service to raise and command three corps of foot, 1st for 1000 men 1st Nov. 1798; 2nd for 2000 men 1st July 1800; and 3rd for 2000 men 1st August following. The two latter were completed in one year.
Lt.-Col. Nugent subsequently resided at Lillies in Buckinghamshire (since, the seat of Lord Nugent), and served the office of High Sheriff of that County in 1805. He was Lieut.-Colonel of the Royal Bucks Local Militia ; which command he resigned in May 1813. He was some years Chairman of the Club in London, who placed his whole-length portrait in their principal room. For his civilities to the royal family of France when residing as his neighbours at Hartwell, he received the decoration of St. Louis.
A fuller memoir of Lt.-Col. Nugent, from which the present is abridged, will be found in the East India Military Calendar, vol. ii. pp. 483 - 495. [Letter from Col Nugent to his daughter Julia wife of Frederick Ayrton, postmarked 1827 and addressed to Mrs Ayrton, at the Rev. F Bowerbank, Rectory, Chiswick]