Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Douglas, Thomas Monteath
DOUGLAS, Sir THOMAS MONTEATH (1787–1868), general, was the son of Thomas Monteath and grandson of Walter Monteath, who married Jean, second daughter of James Douglas of Mains. This Jean was the sister of Margaret, who was the wife of Archibald, duke of Douglas [q. v.], and the Duchess of Douglas entailed an estate with the curious name of Douglas Support to the descendants of her sister, which was eventually inherited by Thomas Monteath. He entered the East India Company's service as an ensign in the Bengal army on 4 Dec. 1806, and was at once attached to the 35th regiment of Bengal infantry, with which he served throughout his long career. He first saw service under Sir Gabriel Martindell in the trying campaigns in Bundelkhand in 1809 and 1810, during which every one of the numerous forts of the small Bundela chieftains had to be stormed, and in these assaults Douglas, who had been promoted lieutenant on 9 Sept. 1808, was twice wounded. He next served throughout the Gurkha and Nepalese campaigns in 1814 and 1815 under Generals Nicholls and Ochterlony, and was present at the battles of the Timlee Pass and of Kulinga, and at the assaults of Jountgarh and Srinagar, at which latter place he was again wounded. In the admirable campaign of the Marquis of Hastings against the Pindárís in 1818, the 35th Bengal native infantry was attached to the brigade which was sent to Bikaneer in the extreme east of Rajputana, in order to hem in the freebooters and drive them back into Central India, where Lord Hastings was ready to crush them. Douglas was next engaged in the Merwárá campaign of 1820 against the savage Mers, and was promoted captain on 24 May 1821. In 1826 he was present at Lord Combermere's successful siege of Bhurtpore and took part in the assault, for which he received a medal and clasp. He was promoted major on 17 Jan. 1829 and lieutenant-colonel on 2 April 1834, and commanded his regiment throughout the Afghan war, during which he made his reputation. His regiment was one of those which, under Sir Claud Wade, forced the Khyber Pass, and co-operated with Sir John Keane's army from Bombay in the storming of Ghazní and the capture of Cabul in 1838. For his services during the campaign he received a medal, was made a C.B., and selected by Shah Shuja as one of the officers to receive his newly formed Duráni order. After Cabul was taken Douglas's regiment was one of those left to garrison the city, and remained there until October 1841, when, on the arrival of reinforcements, it was ordered with the 13th light infantry to return to India under the command of Sir Robert Sale. Hardly had this brigade started when the Afghans rose in rebellion and Sale had to fight his way to Jellalabad, into which city he threw himself. In the famous defence of that city Monteath, who from his rank was second in command, greatly distinguished himself; of the romantic friendship between Douglas's regiment, the 35th Bengal native infantry, and her majesty's 13th regiment a touching incident is related in Gleig's ‘Sale's Brigade in Afghanistan’ (p. 158). On 16 April 1842 the gallant garrison of Jellalabad was relieved by General Pollock, and in the campaign which followed Monteath held command of a brigade. At the close of the campaign Monteath was promoted colonel for his gallant conduct and appointed an aide-de-camp to the queen on 4 Oct. 1842. On 7 Sept. 1845 he was appointed colonel of his old regiment, and soon after left India. In 1851 he succeeded to the estate of Douglas Support under the entail of the Duchess of Douglas, and took the name of Douglas in addition to his own, He never returned to India, but was promoted in due course to be major-general on 20 June 1854, lieutenant-general on 18 March 1856, and general on 9 April 1865. In March 1865 he was made a K.C.B. in recognition of his long services during the early years of the century. He died at Stonebyres in Lanarkshire in October 1868.
[Times, 24 Oct. 1868; East India Military Directories; Gleig's Sale's Brigade in Afghanistan; Low's Life of Sir George Pollock.]