SAMUEL WALTER WHITSHED entered the army in August, 1704, and served in the war of the Spanish succession under the Earl of Galway and Archduke Charles of Austria. King George II. promoted him to the lieut.-colonelcy of the Eighth Dragoons, and in December, 1740, to the colonelcy of the Thirty-ninth regiment of Foot. In 1743 he was removed to the TWELFTH Dragoons, the command of which corps he retained until the spring of 1746, when he was succeeded by Brigadier-General Thomas Bligh. THOMAS BLIGH, _Appointed 6th April, 1746_. This officer entered the army in the reign of King George I.; rose to the rank of lieutenant-colonel of the Sixth Horse, now Fifth Dragoon Guards, and in December, 1740, he was appointed colonel of the Twentieth regiment of Foot. On the 27th of May, 1745, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier-general; was removed to the TWELFTH Dragoons in the following year, and promoted to the rank of major-general in 1747. He was removed to the colonelcy of the Second Irish Horse in December of the same year, and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general in 1754. War having commenced between Great Britain and France in 1756, Lieutenant-General Bligh was appointed, in 1758, to the command of an expedition designed to make a descent on the coast of France, with the view of causing a diversion in favour of the army commanded by Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick in Germany. The fleet sailed in the beginning of August, and in seven days arrived in Cherbourg roads. The troops were landed, the town of Cherbourg was captured, the harbour, pier, and forts were destroyed, and the brass ordnance brought away as trophies of this success. In September a landing was effected on the coast of Brittany with the view of besieging St. Maloes, but this being found impracticable, the troops, after marching a short distance up the country, retired, and re-embarked at the bay of St. Cas. The enemy advanced in great numbers under the command of the Duke of Aguillon, and attacking the rear of the British army, occasioned great loss. Lieutenant-General Bligh was much censured for his conduct on this occasion, and soon after the return of the expedition, he retired from the service. SIR JOHN MORDAUNT, K.B., _Appointed 22nd December, 1747_.