General Sir George Scovell, GCB (21 March 1774 – 17 January 1861) was a member of the quartermaster's staff of the British Army in Iberia during the Peninsular War.

A gifted linguist, he was put in charge of a motley crew of various nationalities recruited for their local knowledge and language skills and called the Army Guides.

It was based on 1400 numbers and derived from a mid-eighteenth century diplomatic code (Grand Chiffre) which added meaningless figures to the end of letters.

[6] This formation, of four troops equipped as light dragoons (though in red uniforms[further explanation needed]), was the first formal unit of military police in the British army.

The Staff Dragoons, in addition to their policing role, undertook escort and other staff-related duties and were also employed as combat cavalry on occasion.