In 1825 Gurwood accompanied Sir Charles Stuart on a mission to Lisbon and Brazil. Before he left he thought that he had secured promotion only to find that his name was once again not in the Gazette. Finally in 1827 he accepted the appointment of Deputy Adjutant General in 19th Regiment of Foot with the brevet rank of Lieutenant Colonel and left to join the regiment in Barbados. Postings to the West Indies were notoriously unhealthy and he asked his friend Mrs Fitzherbert to look after Finette and his daughter if he should die.