General William Picton, Army Staff, 1799 (c)

Miniature portrait in watercolour on ivory, by Horace Hone (1754-1825), 1799 (c).

William Picton was a distinguished officer. When commanding the grenadier company of the 12th foot in Germany during the Seven Years War (1756-1763), he was thanked in army orders by Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick for his conduct at Zierenberg. Picton was Colonel of 12th Regiment of Foot from 1779 until 1811. In the Great Siege of Gibraltar from 1779 to 1783, he commanded the supporting troops, comprising the 39th and 58th Regiments during the assault on the Spanish lines in 1781. 'The Gentleman's Magazine' in 1811 noted that William Picton 'made his way to public distinction by the force of his private character: he had no powerful friends: he had no parliamentary interest; and, although in his manners one of the most finished gentlemen of his day, he was no courtier.'

General Sir William Picton was the uncle of Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Picton who fought in the Napoleonic Wars and who was killed at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.