BATTLE HONOURS FOR SERVICES IN INDIA, 1803-1809
Ally-Ghur, 1803--Delhi, 1803-04--Assaye, 1803--Laswarree,
1803--Deig, 1803-04--Cochin, 1809.
FIRST MAHRATTA WAR, 1803-04.
In the _London Gazette_ of February 28, 1851, appeared a
notification that Her Majesty the Queen had been graciously pleased
to sanction the bestowal of a medal on the survivors of the First
Mahratta War of 1803-04. The following clasps were issued with this
medal, now generally known as the First Indian General Service
Medal. It was also bestowed on the survivors--few, indeed, in
numbers--of (1) the siege and capture of Seringapatam, by the force
under Lord Harris; (2) the Second Mahratta War, 1817-18; (3) the
campaign in Nepaul; (4) and that in Burmah, as well as on (5) the
troops who took Bhurtpore, under Lord Combermere, in 1826.
The following clasps were issued with the medal in connection with
the First Mahratta War:
1. Ally-Ghur.
2. Delhi.[12]
3. Assaye.
4. Asseerghur.
5. Laswarree.
6. Argaum.
7. Gawilghur.
8. Deig.[13]
The growing power of the Mahrattas and the insolence of the
Mahrajah Scindia rendered it necessary for us to strengthen and
rectify our frontiers in the North-West of India. Delhi, which for
centuries had been the capital of the Mogul Empire, had fallen
into the hands of the Mahrattas, and the aged King had been treated
with barbarous cruelty. Our own territory, as well as that of
our allies, had been invaded. At last Lord Lake, the brilliant
leader at Lincelles, who had become Commander-in-Chief in India,
determined on action. Scindia was a formidable foe, and it was
a matter of doubt as to which of the other Ruling Chiefs would
follow him in the field; his troops had been organized and drilled
by Frenchmen, many of whom he entrusted with high command, and it
was computed that his army numbered 100,000 men, the greater part
cavalry. India was a country in which we could take no risks; we
were always fighting, as it were, with our backs to the wall, for
there was no Suez Canal, nor were there fast steamships to pour
reinforcements into the country when necessary. Lord Lake therefore
assembled practically the whole of his available army, and advanced
simultaneously from the north, south, east, and west.
I. The main army, under his own command in the north, was the most
powerful in point of numbers, but it contained only one regiment of
British infantry (the 76th, long known as the Hindoostan Regiment).
It was composed as under:
CAVALRY DIVISION: COLONEL VANDELEUR, AND ALSO COMMANDING THE FIRST
BRIGADE.
First Brigade: 8th Light Dragoons, 1st and 3rd Bengal Cavalry.
Second Brigade--Colonel St. Leger: 27th Light Dragoons, 2nd and
6th Bengal Cavalry.
Third Brigade--Colonel Macan: 29th Light Dragoons, and the 4th
Bengal Cavalry.
FIRST INFANTRY DIVISION: MAJOR-GENERAL WARE.
First Brigade--Colonel the Hon. G. Monson: 76th Foot, 4th (two
battalions) and 17th Bengal Infantry.
Third Brigade--Colonel Macdonald: 1st Batt. 12th and 15th Bengal
Infantry.
SECOND DIVISION: MAJOR-GENERAL ST. JOHN.
Second Brigade--Colonel Clarke: 8th, 9th, 1st Batt. 12th, and
16th Bengal Infantry.
Fourth Brigade--Colonel Powell: 2nd and 14th Bengal Infantry.
Artillery--Colonel Horsford: One horse and three field batteries.
It must be borne in mind that at this time each regiment of cavalry
and battalion of infantry had two galloper guns. There was also a
powerful siege-train attached to the army. This army was to advance
westward on Agra and Delhi.
II. The division under Sir A. Wellesley:
Sir Arthur Wellesley was entrusted with the army of the south,
and had under his orders, not only his own division, but also
the one in Guzerat and the Hyderabad subsidiary force, commanded
respectively by Colonels Stevenson and Murray. A fourth army
was assembled in Cuttack, on the coast of Bengal, under Colonel
Harcourt. These forces were composed as follows:
19th Light Dragoons, 4th, 5th, and 7th Regiments of Madras Cavalry;
the 74th and 78th (Highlanders); and eight regiments of Madras
sepoys, of which only three now survive. This force amounted to
3,000 British and 5,000 native troops, and it was subsequently
strengthened by 2,500 Mysorean horse and a considerable body of
cavalry sent by the Peishwa.
The Hyderabad subsidiary force, also under Wellesley's orders,
comprised 120 English gunners, the Scots Brigade (now the 2nd
Connaught Rangers), 900 native cavalry, and 6,000 native infantry.
It was commanded by Colonel Murray.
III. The division in Guzerat, which was to insure the safety of
Cambay, and then to operate from the west, was under Colonel
Stevenson, and comprised the 65th (York and Lancasters), 75th
(Gordon Highlanders), the 86th (Royal Irish Rifles), and
detachments of the 61st (Gloucesters), 84th (York and Lancasters),
and 88th (Connaught Rangers), with 200 English artillerymen.
The most difficult task was that assigned to Wellesley, for he
had to arrange for the security of an enormous tract of country,
ruled over by chiefs whose friendship was more than doubtful. After
providing for the defence of Guzerat, he left 2,000 men, including
the 86th (Irish Rifles), near Baroda, a force of similar strength
with the 65th (York and Lancaster) on the Taptee, and retained the
rest for active operations under himself and Stevenson.
IV. Harcourt had with him for the advance through Cuttack the 80th
Foot, two companies of the 22nd, and the 25th Light Dragoons,
two regiments of Bengal cavalry, including a squadron of the
Governor-General's Bodyguard, and four regiments of Bengal infantry.
The campaign opened with a simultaneous advance of all four armies,
Lake moving on Ally-Ghur, Wellesley on Ahmadnagar, Stevenson on
Broach, and Harcourt on Balasore.
On September 3 Lake stormed and carried the fortress of Ally-Ghur.
ALLY-GHUR, SEPTEMBER 3, 1803.
This battle honour is borne on the colours of the West Riding
Regiment alone; no other corps which shared in that decisive
victory being now existent; the two native regiments which bore
such a gallant part in the storming of the fortress having been
swept away during the Mutiny of 1857.
On the issue of the India General Service Medal in 1851 the
survivors of this action were granted that medal, with a clasp
inscribed "Ally-Ghur."
Ally-Ghur was held by a powerful force under the command of the
Frenchman Perron, and it made a gallant defence. The troops
selected for the assault were the 76th Foot, the 1st Battalion of
the 4th and the 17th Native Infantry, under Colonel the Hon. G.
Monson, the casualties being:
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+
| |_Officers._| _Men._ |
| _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | K. | W. | K. | W. |
+---------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|27th Lt. Drag. | - | - | - | 6 |
|Royal Artillery | - | 1 | 2 | 7 |
|76th West Ridings | 6 | 4 | 19 | 62 |
|4th Bengal Infantry | 1 | 4 | 20 | 84 |
|17th Bengal Infantry | - | 2 | 8 | 36 |
+---------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
In the fortress were 280 guns, which, with a large number
of prisoners, fell into our hands; Scindia's French
Commander-in-Chief, Monsieur Perron, a man of unusual ability, also
threw himself on the generosity of Lord Lake.
Leaving a garrison in Ally-Ghur, the Governor-General now pushed on
to Delhi, where a large force had been assembled, under Monsieur
Bourquieu. On the 11th of the same month (September) was fought
the first action in which British troops were ever engaged on this
historic spot.
DELHI, SEPTEMBER 11, 1803.
This distinction is borne only by the West Riding Regiment and
the 2nd Queen's Own Rajput Light Infantry, the latter one of the
most distinguished regiments in the Bengal army. The India General
Service Medal of 1851 was issued to the few survivors, with a clasp
inscribed "Delhi." Our total losses in this action amounted to 463
killed and wounded.
+------------------------+-----------+-----------+
| |_Officers._| _Men._ |
| _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | K. | W. | K. | W. |
+------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|27th Light Dragoons | 1 | 1 | 11 | 18 |
|Royal Artillery | - | 1 | 4 | 27 |
|76th W. Riding Regiment | - | 1 | 33 | 97 |
|2nd Bengal Cav. | - | 2 | - | 15 |
|3rd Bengal Cav. | 1 | 6 | 6 | 11 |
|2nd Bengal Inf. | - | 3 | 9 | 34 |
|4th Bengal Inf. | - | 3 | 12 | 76 |
|12th Bengal Inf. | 2 | 1 | 16 | 36 |
|14th Bengal Inf. | - | - | - | 13 |
|15th Bengal Inf. | 1 | 3 | 10 | 34 |
+------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
The last regiment in the above return, the 15th Bengal Infantry,
now being the 2nd Queen's Own Rajput Light Infantry, is the only
regiment of the Bengal army still existing; the others, alas!
disappeared in the rebellion of 1857.
ASSAYE, SEPTEMBER 23, 1803.
This battle honour, the first won by Wellington as an independent
commander, is borne by the
19th Hussars.
Highland Light Infantry.
Seaforth Highlanders.
2nd Queen's Own Sappers and Miners.
62nd Punjabis.
64th Pioneers.
84th Punjabis.
On the issue of the India Medal of 1851 the survivors were awarded
the medal, with clasp "Assaye."
Wellington's force did not amount to more than 4,500 men, of whom
only 1,300 were British, and he was further handicapped, as, owing
to the nature of the ground, he was compelled to leave his heavy
field-guns in the rear. Opposed to him were some of Scindia's
finest troops, including two brigades commanded by the Frenchmen
Pohlman and Dupont, with a well-equipped brigade belonging to
the Begum Somroo. In all, the enemy were estimated at 30,000,
with 100 guns. That they were well handled during the fight was
self-evident, for when Wellesley's turning movement was discovered,
the Mahrattas changed position with all the accuracy of veterans.
The fight was one of the most stubbornly contested of any that we
have fought even in India. Our casualties amounted to 23 officers
and 381 men killed, 30 officers and 1,035 men wounded. Those of the
enemy were estimated at upwards of 6,000 whilst of the 100 guns
with which they commenced the action, no less than 98 remained in
our hands. The losses suffered by the regiments at Assaye which
still figure in the Army List were as follows:
+----------------------------+-----------+-----------+
| |_Officers._| _Men._ |
| _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | K. | W. | K. | W. |
+----------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|19th Light Dragoons | 2 | 4 | 15 | 36 |
|Royal Artillery | 4 | 4 | 22 | 31 |
|74th Highld. L.I. | 11 | 6 | 113 | 231 |
|78th Seaforth H. | 1 | 4 | 23 | 71 |
|2nd Q.O. Sappers and Miners | 1 | 5 | 19 | 46 |
|62nd Punjabis | 1 | - | 20 | 22 |
|64th Pioneers | 2 | 2 | 26 | 89 |
|84th Punjabis | 1 | 12 | 43 | 178 |
+----------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
On November 28 Sir Arthur Wellesley captured Argaum, where we lost
346 officers and men killed and wounded. No battle honour was
awarded for this action, but on the issue of the India Medal the
survivors received the medal, with clasp "Argaum."
On December 14 the hill-fortress of Gawilghur was carried by
assault, the Scots Brigade, now the 2nd Connaught Rangers, being
the stormers. Here we lost 126 killed and wounded. No battle honour
was granted for Gawilghur, but it was included in the list of
actions for which the India Medal was granted, and a special clasp,
with the word "Gawilghur," was added to the decoration.
LASWARREE, NOVEMBER 1, 1803.
This battle honour has been awarded to the
8th Hussars.
West Riding Regiment.
1st Brahmins.
2nd Queen's Own Light Infantry.
4th Rajputs.
On the issue of the India General Service Medal in 1851, it, with a
clasp inscribed "Laswarree," was issued to the survivors.
This was the hardest-fought action in Lord Lake's campaign, our
total casualties amounting to 267 killed and 682 wounded, amongst
the former being General Ware, commanding the First Division of
the army, and Brigadier-General Vandeleur, commanding the Cavalry
Division. The Commander-in-Chief was, as usual, in the thick of the
fight, having no less than three horses killed under him, three of
his staff being killed. The victory, however, was complete. It is
noticeable for the fact that our infantry came into action after a
forced march of sixty-five miles in forty-eight hours, a feat which
rivals that so extolled by Napier at Talavera. Unfortunately, the
Indian army had no historian to paint with stirring language the
deeds of the giants who lived in those days.
CASUALTIES AT LASWARREE AMONGST REGIMENTS STILL BORNE ON THE ARMY
LIST, NOVEMBER 1, 1803.
+--------------------------+-----------+-----------+
| |_Officers._| _Men._ |
| _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | K. | W. | K. | W. |
+--------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|8th Light Drag. | 2 | 2 | 16 | 34 |
|Bengal Artillery | - | - | 7 | 6 |
|76th West Riding Regiment | 2 | 4 | 41 | 165 |
|1st Brahmins | - | - | 4 | 12 |
|2nd Q.O. Light Infantry | 1 | 1 | 11 | 26 |
|4th Rajputs | - | 1 | 17 | 69 |
+--------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
In the meantime Agra had fallen into our hands, despite a very
gallant defence by the Mahrattas under their French commanders,
our losses amounting to the respectable total of 228 killed and
wounded, amongst them being 5 British officers.
The other columns had not been idle. Colonel Harcourt, advancing
through Cuttack, had added that province to our fast-increasing
Indian possessions, and at the capture of the fort of Barabuttee
had given the 22nd Foot (the Cheshires) an opportunity of
distinguishing themselves. He then pushed on to the westward, to
co-operate with the army of Sir Arthur Wellesley.
Sir Arthur, moving from the west, had carried the fortress of
Ahmadnagar by storm, with a loss of but 141 killed and wounded, the
74th (Highland Light Infantry) and the 78th (Seaforths) being the
principal sufferers. On September 22 he came across the main army
of the Mahrattas, some 30,000 strong, under their French leaders,
and as we have seen on p. 249, defeated them at Assaye.
DEIG, NOVEMBER 13 TO DECEMBER 23, 1804.
The battle honour "Deig" is borne by the
West Riding Regiment.
Royal Munster Fusiliers.
2nd Queen's Own Light Infantry.
It recognizes the services of those regiments at the battle
with Holkar's troops on November 13, and the subsequent siege
operations, which ended with the capture of that city by assault
on December 23 following. The attitude of Holkar during Lord
Lake's campaign in the year 1803 had given us good cause to doubt
his loyalty. Why he did not throw in his lot with Scindia in 1803
can only be ascribed to the immemorial jealousy between the two
Princes. No sooner was a truce patched up between Scindia and
ourselves than Holkar embarked on a series of operations which were
evidently intended to provoke hostilities. Lord Lake spent the hot
weather of 1803 on the frontier, and in September he took up the
challenge. Lord Lake's army was massed in the vicinity of Agra, and
consisted of an infantry division of three brigades, commanded by
Major-General Fraser, a cavalry division under Brigadier Macan, and
a reserve infantry division of two brigades under Brigadier Don.
The infantry division included the 76th (West Riding Regiment), the
1st Bengal European Regiment (now the 1st Munster Fusiliers), and
six regiments of Bengal infantry, of which only the 2nd Queen's Own
Rajput Light Infantry now remains. The cavalry division included
the 8th and 27th regiments of Light Dragoons, and four regiments
of native cavalry. Brigadier-General Don's brigade consisted of
four battalions of Bengal infantry. On October 14, 1803, Holkar,
throwing off the mask, made a sudden attack upon Delhi, which was
held by a garrison of Bengal troops under Colonel Ochterlony. He
was beaten off, with heavy loss, and on learning that Lord Lake
was moving on Delhi, Holkar precipitately retreated. His infantry
retired on Deig, he himself towards Furracakabad. Lake ordered
Fraser, with his division, to march at once to Deig, whilst he,
with the cavalry and Don's brigade, followed up the Mahratta
Prince. On November 13 Fraser found the Mahratta army drawn up
outside the fortress of Deig. They held a very strong position,
with one flank resting on a morass and the other on a large tank.
After a sharp fight, in which our little force lost 148 killed and
479 wounded, the Mahrattas broke, and took refuge behind the walls
of the fortress. In the engagement General Fraser lost his leg from
a round shot, and he sank beneath the effects of the wound. Lake,
following up the Maharajah, overtook him, and cut up his army, with
a loss to the 8th Hussars of but 2 killed and 13 wounded, those
of the enemy being estimated at 2,000. Lake now made his way to
Deig, ordering up the siege-train from Agra, and he also called up
reinforcements in the shape of a column from Bombay, and the flank
companies of the 22nd (Cheshires) from Cuttack. On the morning of
December 23 the breach was declared practicable, and the orders
for the assault given. Three columns were told off, under Colonel
Macrae, of the West Riding Regiment. The centre or main column
was led by Macrae in person. It consisted of two companies of the
76th (West Riding), two of the 22nd (Cheshires), and two of the
1st Bengal European Regiment.[14] The right and left columns were
each composed of two companies of the Bengal European Regiment, and
five of the 12th Bengal Infantry, a regiment no longer with us.
Considerable opposition was experienced, especially from a body of
Afghan mercenaries in Holkar's pay; but Christmas morning found
the British flag flying over the walls of Holkar's stronghold, our
total loss amounting to no more than 43 killed and 184 wounded.
The Regimental History of the 22nd (Cheshires) gives the casualties
of the regiment as 2 men killed and 4 wounded; but as Lord Lake's
despatch gives the names of four officers of that regiment as among
the wounded, I conclude the History is wrong. I have compared the
names of the wounded officers with the official Army List for
the year in question, and as these stand in the official records
it would appear that the _Gazette_ is right, and the Regimental
History wrong. Three out of the four officers were again wounded
in the attacks on Bhurtpore in the following month, when Sergeant
Shipp of the 22nd covered himself with glory, and obtained a
commission in the 65th for repeated acts of gallantry.
+----------------------------------------+
| CASUALTIES AT THE BATTLE OF DEIG. |
+----------------+-----------+-----------+
| |_Officers._| _Men._ |
| _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | K. | W. | K. | W. |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|76th W. Ridings | 1 | 3 | 31 | 120 |
|2nd Batt. N.I. | 1 | 1 | 25 | 66 |
|4th Batt. N.I. | 2 | 2 | 22 | 28 |
|Royal Dublins | - | 5 | 12 | 52 |
|8th Batt. N.I. | - | - | 4 | 2 |
|2nd Q.O. Light | | | | |
| Infantry | 1 | 6 | 19 | 143 |
|Royal Artillery | - | - | 16 | 47 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
+----------------------------------------+
|CASUALTIES AT THE SIEGE AND ASSAULT. |
+----------------+-----------+-----------+
| |_Officers._| _Men._ |
| _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----|
| | K. | W. | K. | W. |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|8th Hussars | - | - | 2 | 12 |
|Royal Artillery | - | 1 | - | - |
|22nd Cheshires | - | 4 | 2 | 13 |
|76th W. Ridings | - | 2 | 5 | 17 |
|Royal Dublins | - | 1 | ? | ? |
|8th Bom. N.I. | 1 | 4 | ? | ? |
|12th Bom. N.I. | 1 | - | ? | ? |
|Pioneers | - | 2 | ? | ? |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
COCHIN, 1809.
On September 30, 1840, the Governor of Madras in Council conferred
the above distinction on the 17th Madras Infantry (the predecessors
of the 93rd Burmah Infantry), for their gallant conduct at the
defence of the Residency of Cochin during the rebellion in
Travancore in the year 1809.
Under the terms of various treaties the Maharajah of Travancore was
bound to maintain a Subsidiary Force of native troops, officered
by Englishmen of our own army, such force to be at the disposal
of the East India Company, under certain conditions. Differences
arose with the Maharajah, and an attempt to murder the British
Resident unmasked a plot for the expulsion of the British garrisons
in Southern India. The General commanding the Malabar coast, on
learning of the threatening condition of affairs, at once ordered
the 12th (Suffolks) and the 17th Madras Infantry to reinforce the
troops of the subsidiary force at Cochin, these were permeated with
discontent, having been seduced from their allegiance by the Prime
Minister of the State. A very determined attack on the Residency
at Cochin was repulsed by the small garrison, which consisted of a
detachment of the Suffolks and a wing of the 17th Madras Infantry.
Further operations became necessary, and a general movement of
troops from all the stations in Southern India was ordered. The
19th (Yorkshires), 59th (East Lancashires), 69th (Welsh), and 80th
(North Staffords), with a certain number of regiments of Madras
sepoys, advanced on Travancore. At Palamcottah the 69th (Welsh)
and the 3rd Regiment of Madras Infantry had a sharp brush with the
Travancoreans, in which the Madras regiment showed considerable
dash, and earned for itself the title, which its successor now
bears, of Palamcottah Light Infantry. The 12th (Suffolks) and the
17th Madras Infantry were on another occasion compelled to submit
to an attack on the part of the misguided Travancoreans, but the
advent of such a large force had a sobering influence on the
Maharajah: the obnoxious Prime Minister was removed and disgraced,
the arrears of subsidy paid, and the independence of the Maharajah
became a mere figment. The distinction "India" on their colours
serves to remind the Suffolks that in their long tour of service in
the early years of the last century they had some sharp fighting,
irrespective of the campaign in Mysore. The casualties in Cochin
show that it was not a mere summer picnic.
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+
| |_Officers._| _Men._ |
| _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | K. | W. | K. | W. |
+---------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|Suffolks | 0 | 4 | 9 | 67 |
|93rd Burmah Infantry | - | 1 | 10 | 45 |
+---------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
NOTE.--On the renumbering of the regiments of the Indian Army in
1903, the 93rd Infantry renounced their claim to these battle
honours, to which, as the direct representation of the old 17th
Madras Infantry, they are legitimately entitled.