XX 
MEMOIR OE GENERAL SIR WILLIAM 
“ To tlie army under your command, and to yourself the loss of this officer’s 
services is such as cannot easily be replaced—and in the great operations in which 
you are now engaged, it will, I fear, be severely felt. 
“ On his own account I am grieved, that after labouring so hard to organize and 
render efficient that part of the army under his command, he should be deprived, 
at the moment when active service has commenced, of the opportunity of acquiring 
increased distinction. 
“You will already have been informed by a previous letter, that Colonel 
Strangways has been promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General. I trust he may 
prove worthy to succeed General Cator in his present very important command.” 
On his return home, General Cator resumed his duties as Director-General, and 
it was under his well-directed arrangements that all the extensive materiel and 
armaments for the several siege trains were organized and shipped in rapid 
succession for the siege of Sebastopol, and the army and navy kept supplied with 
munitions of war. 
Again, Lord Baglan writing to General Cator, dated Oct. 8, 1854, says » 
“ I have received your two letters and Mrs Morland’s, and I am charmed to hear 
such good accounts of you. I hope and believe you will get quite well, and that 
soon; but I doubt the propriety of your returning to this country. 
“You had no option when the Medical Board pronounced upon the necessity of 
your going home, the knowledge of this will always be a consolation to you; and 
you will besides ever have the comfort of feeling that you did much for us when 
with the army, and that you enjoyed the respect and confidence of all who were 
under your orders ; who viewed your departure with the most sincere feelings of 
regret. 
“ I will say nothing of myself, for you know full well what reliance I have always 
placed in you. 
“ I send you the copy of a letter I have had from the Duke of Newcastle, in 
which such honourable mention is made of you, that it would not be just to 
withhold it from you. 3 * 
The Very , onerous duty also devolved on him for some time, of reporting upon 
all new inventions and propositions having reference to implements of war; 
his clearness of mind, together with the striking power which he possessed of 
immediately mastering the salient and useful points of all propositions brought 
before him, were alike conspicuous to all who served under him. 
On the 1st April, 1855, a committee was nominated to assist him in this 
portion of his duty. An enormous mass of crude ideas was brought before this 
committee, and it was generally believed that, under few other men as chairman 
could so great an amount of business have been so successfully accomplished. 
General Gator’s urbanity and kindly bearing to all who came before him, under 
any circumstances, was most pleasing. 
On the 5tli July, 1855, he was appointed a Companion of the Bath, and on 
the 1st April next year, received the pension for distinguished service. 
He for some time acted as President of the Committee on machinery which 
directed the establishment of the Enfield factory for small aims, as well as the 
great improvements that were introduced in the machinery throughout the different 
departments of the Boyal Arsenal. 
