Lieutenant-General Sir Scudamore Winde Steel, [K.C.B.], who was born in 1789, was nominated for a Cadetship in the H.E.I.C's Madras Army in 1805 and first witnessed active service under Colonel Doveton against the Pindarries in Berar between 1808-09. On the outbreak of the Third Mahratta War in 1817, he was appointed Field A.Q.M.G. in the Hyderabad Subsidiary Force, in which capacity he qualified for Prize Money for the capture of a hill fort at Rajdeher, where he was wounded by a musket ball, in addition to the capture of Nagpore and general operations against the 'Pindarries and certain of the Mahratta States'. Advanced to Captain in 1821, he was on the verge of proceeding to Europe in 1824 when his leave was cancelled and he was appointed A.Q.M.G. in McBean's Madras Division of the Burma Expeditionary Force.
In October of the following year he was much reduced by fever, but returned to duty under McBean's successor, Lieutenant-Colonel Miles, who felt unable to 'relinquish command of the Madras Division without recording the valuable services and able support he has at all times received from Captain Steel and others'. Steel is said to have been 'the only Officer able to take astronomical observations'. On proceeding up country with the Madras Division, Brigadier Cotton reported Steel's gallantry, zeal and enterprise in the capture of the stockades at Paulang on 24.2.1825 and at Simbike on 1.12.1825. He was further commended for his conduct in action with the Burmese near the heights of Napadee on 5 December of the latter year.

Promoted to Major in 1834, Steel was specially sent to Mysore to acquire information regarding Coorg, and was soon made D.Q.M.G. of the Coorg Field Force. Having taken part in the reduction of Coorg, he was advanced to Lieutenant-Colonel in 1835 and subsequently served as Military Secretary to the Madras Government. Appointed C.B. in 1838, he became Colonel, Madras Fusiliers in 1847 and Colonel, 18th Madras Fusiliers in 1849.

Steel was appointed Brigadier-General commanding the Madras Division of the Army during the Second Burma War, 1852-53, and was Mentioned in Despatches by Lieutenant-General Godwin. On Lord Dalhousie's annexation of Pegu, he undertook a difficult and dangerous mission to clear the province of Burmese troops: 'General Steel set out from Martaban, in the South, on 14 January 1853, with 4000 men and supporting Artillery, to march to the northern boundary. He took with him one month's supplies borne on the backs of 120 elephants and in 300 bullock carts, an extremely vulnerable supply line if the enemy was enterprising enough'. Despite such dangers, which included at least one scrap with the enemy on 22.2.1853, Steel brought his force safely to Toungoo, following a march of some 240 miles through unexplored tropical forest.
Advanced to Major-General and to the Command of the Pegu Division and Martaban Province, he was further retained on the General Staff for an additional year on account of his distinguished war services. Steel was made K.C.B. in 1853, retired to England in 1856 and received his final advancement to Lieutenant-General in 1861. He died four years later.