HISTORIK ORDERS, LTD MEDAL GALLERY THE INDIAN MUTINY

"We could subdue the mutiny of 1857, formidable as it was, because it spread through only a part of the army, because people did not actively sympathize with it, and because it was possible to find native Indian races who would fight on our side. But the moment a mutiny is but threatened, which shall be no mere mutiny, but the expression of a universal feeling of nationality, at that moment all hope is at an end, as all desire should be at an end, of our preserving our Empire."

John Overmass H.M.'s 32nd Regiment is recorded as having been killed in the massacre at Cawnpore on 27th June 1857.

This medal is rare and scarce causality/Cawnpore as many of the medals were not collected by the families. The medals that were not collected were returned and melted down by the mint.

It was Cawnpore that came to symbolize the horror of the mutiny for the British and without doubt what transpired there in the summer of 1857 was a major factor in the thirst for vengeance which seemed to drive the British troops as they fought to reverse the mutineers initial successes. Till the end of the mutiny, British troops going forward with the bayonet shouted "Cawnpore! Cawnpore!" as their war-cry and punishments meted out to captured mutineers were executed with Cawnpore in mind.

In the words of Sir Colin Campbell, leader of the British forces during the war:

Here the mutineer sowar cavalry are riding down English women and their children in the shallow water, chopping them up with swords and shooting them at point-blank range.

In this engraving there is horrible detail of Englishwomen being stripped by the Sepoys whilst their men are tied to palm trees and butchered and a little naked baby is being held by one mutineer as his comrade slashes at it with his sword.

The 32nd was designated a Light Infantry Regiment in 1858 to honour its defence of Lucknow during the Indian mutiny.

Acting on dubious information, that an enemy force of 50 cavalry 500 infantry with one gun, Sir Henry Lawrence assembled an expedition consisting of: 300 of the 32nd Light Infantry, 170 Native Infantry, 36 Volunteer Horse, 84 Oude Irregular Cavalry and eleven guns. Instead of handing command to Colonel Inglis of the 32nd, Lawrence decided to lead the force himself. Lawrence was not the man to command, although initially a soldier, he’d spent too much time as an administrator; his soldiering had been done as a subaltern not a field officer. The 32nd were without food and there were insufficient water carriers. No reconnaissance had been done and unexpectedly the Lucknow force blundered into the mutineers at the small village of Chinhut. Here, across the road with a lake on their left flank were 800 cavalry, 5,500 infantry and artillery with 15 guns. Outnumbered by more than ten to one, the native gunners and cavalry deserted, the 32nd who was holding a nearby village was ejected by the enemy and largely because of the heat of the day and lack of food and water failed to retake it. The rebel commander – Barhat Ahmad – completely out manoeuvred Lawrence, his Horse Artillery, which was on both, flanks threatening to encircle the British whilst his cavalry held the bridge at their rear.

The Volunteer Cavalry charged the bridge and broke through followed by the remnants of Lawrence’s force. Handing over command, somewhat too late, to Colonel Inglis, Lawrence, realising that defeat could trigger an immediate assault on the Residency rode to warn them.

MISS WHEELER DEFENDING HERSELF AGAINST THE SEPOYS AT CAWNPORE.

This engraving from 1858 depicts a true historical event where an Englishwoman ended up having to defend herself, killing attacking mutineers. In the engraving she is shooting one of them in the chest with a pistol. Two others lie shot on the floor and a fourth one is breaking through a wall.

click on picture to enlarge

Major George Cornwall.

Ensign 8 July 1836; Lieutenant 9 March 1838; Captain 9 June 1848; Captain HM 93rd Regt. 18 June 1852; Brevet Major 24 March 1858; Major 16 April 1858; Retired on 24 March 1858

War Services:

Served in the Eastern Campaign (the Crimea) 1854-55 with the 93rd Highlanders, including the battles of Alma, and Balaclava, expedition to the see of Azoff and capture of Kertch and Yenilkale. Afterwards present at the siege and fall of Sebastopol and assaults of the 18th June and 8th September. Wounded on the trenches of the 3rd August 1855 (medal and Three Clasps, Knight of the Legion of Honour and the Turkish Crimea medal.

In India during the Mutiny Major Cornwall was present at the Battle of Kudjwa (Brevet of Major, having commanded party of the 93rd engaged), Relief of Lucknow by Lord Clyde (commanded party which took the Barracks), Battle of Cawnpore on 4th December 1857 (Severely Wounded), Oude campaign (medal and clasp).

Condition: VF

Published British Army Lists; Hart's Army Lists.

"Jessie's Dream" (The Relief of Lucknow), 1858 By Frederick Goodall (1822-1904)

More than 70% of Lawrence’s force were casualties, there were 398 men killed or missing and a further 78 wounded and it is likely that some wounded men were abandoned as they fled back to the Residency. The 32nd were badly mauled, four officers: Major William Case, Captain Charles Stevens, Lieutenant Joseph Brackenbury and Lieutenant James Thomson were killed and Captain Alfred Bassano wounded. Of the senior NCO’s: three Colour Sergeants had been killed and one wounded, six Sergeants were killed as were 11 Corporals, five being wounded, these experienced men could not be replaced. In all the death toll for the 32nd were 122 killed or mortally wounded and twenty-four wounded.

Safely back in the Residency, Lawrence wrote to Havelock: ‘This morning we went out to Chinhut to meet the enemy, and were defeated, and lost five guns through the misconduct of our native artillery, many of whom deserted. The enemy has followed us up, and we have been besieged for four hours, and shall probably tonight be surrounded. The enemy are very bold, some Europeans very low. I look on our position now as ten times as bad as it was yesterday; indeed it is very critical. We shall have to abandon much supplies and to blow up much powder. Unless we are relieved quickly, say in fifteen or twenty days, we shall hardly be able to maintain our position. We lost three officers killed this morning and several wounded."

H.M. 32nd Foot

To commemorate the gallant part taken by H.M. 32nd Foot
in the herioc defence of The Residency in 1857
Also to the memory of the Officers
Non-commissioned officers, men, women and children
of the Regiment who perished here and at Cawnpore

Residency Cemetery in Lucknow

9th Lancer

Religion

Historians like J.A.B. Palmer and John Kaye trace the origins of the soldiers' rebellion at Meerut, in which South Asian soldiers rose up against their colonial officers, to the Lee-Enfield Rifle. It was developed at the Enfield arsenal by James P. Lee and fired a .303 caliber ammunition that had to manually loaded before firing. Loading involved biting the end of the cartridge, which was greased in pig fat and beef tallow. This presented a problem for native soldiers, as pig fat is a haraam, or forbidden, substance to Muslims, and beef fat is, likewise, deemed inauspicious for certain Hindus. Thus, the revolt occurred as a reaction to this particular intrusion into Hindu and Muslim culture, and then caught on as a national rebellion. Palmer dramatically relates this discovery, according to Captain Wright, commanding the Rifle Instruction Depot:

Somewhere about the end of the third week in January 1857, a khalasi, that is to say a labourer, accosted a high Brahmin sepoy and asked for a drink of water from his lotah (water-pot). The Brahmin refused on the score of caste. The khalasi then said, "You will soon lose your caste, as ere long you will have to bite catridges covered with the fat of pigs and cows," or, it is added, "words to that effect."

Furthermore, historians taking similar positions argue that British legislation that interfered with traditional Hindu or Muslim religious practices were a source of antagonism. Palmer and Kaye also argue throughout their respective work that the prohibition practices such as saathi (often transliterated "sati"), or the ritual suicide of widows on their husbands' funeral pyres, became a source of outrage. In other words, the growing intrusion of western culture became the impetus for rebellious soldiers, fearful that their culture was being annihilated.

The long-belabored significance of the Lee-Enfield cartridge is challenged by the work of historians like Marx, Collier, Majumdar, Chaudhuri, and Malleson (see citations below). These historians argue that the actions of soldiers at Meerut was the "last straw" for South Asians who had been victims of British cultural and class based oppression and antagonism, and discard the notion that religion played an overwhelmingly vital role in fomenting revolt. For them, the root causes of the insurgency cannot be traced to a single, well-defined set of events and causes, but rather stemmed from an on-going set of conflicts.

On 30 June 1857 during the retreat from Chinhut, India Lieutenant Cubitt saved the lives of three men of the 32nd Regiment at the risk of his own.

Interior of the Secundra Bagh after the Slaughter of 2,000 Rebels by the 93rd Highlanders and 4th Punjab Regiment. First Attack of Sir Colin Campbell in November 1857, Lucknow.

Located on the outskirts of Lucknow, it was the scene of intense fighting in November, 1857. Following the action, the British dead were buried in a deep trench but the Indian corpses were left to rot. Later, the city had to be evacuated and was not recaptured until March 1858 and it was shortly afterwards that Beato probably took this photograph. As one contemporary commentator described it: "A few of their [rebel] bones and skulls are to be seen in front of the picture, but when I saw them every one was being regularly buried, so I presume the dogs dug them up." A British officer, Sir George Campbell, noted in his memoirs Beato's presence in Lucknow and stated that he probably had the bones uncovered to be photographed. However, William Howard Russell of The Times recorded seeing many skeletons still lying around in April 1858

Photographic views of Lucknow taken after the Indian Mutiny, Albumen silver print 26.2 x 29.8 cm. The image was taken by Felice Beato, an Italian by birth, who visited India during the period of the Indian Mutiny or First War of Indian Independence; he may have been and was commissioned by the War Office in London to make documentary photographs showing the damage to the buildings in Lucknow following the two sieges. It is known that he was in Lucknow in March and April of 1858 within a few weeks of the capture of that city by British forces under Sir Colin Campbell. His equipment was a large box camera using 10" x 12" plates which needed a long exposure, and he made over 60 photographs of places in the city connected with the military events. Beato also visited Delhi, Cawnpore and other 'Mutiny' sites where he took photographs.

On September 25th after bloody fighting Havelock’s forces battered their way through to the Residency. “The half-famished garrison” wrote Havelock, “contrived to regale me not with beef cutlets but mock turtle soup and champagne”. Unfortunately the force they had brought to Lucknow was not strong enough to break out again

Date	Event
March 1857	19 BNI mutiny at Berhampore. They are marched to Barrackpore and disbanded. 7 companies of 34 BNI mutiny at Barrackpore and are disbanded.
10 May	7 Oudh Irregular Infantry disbanded at Lucknow. 3 BLC, 11 BNI and 20 BNI mutiny at Meerut. The start of the Mutiny. The mutineers free prisoners and run amok in a night of massacre and mayhem.
11 May	The mutineers from Meerut advance on Delhi where they are joined by the 38, 54 & 74 BNI. The mutineers kill their officers and their families. Some escape to “the Ridge”. Lt Willoughby blows up the Delhi magazine from the inside and miraculously survives.
13 May	8 BLC, 16, 26 & 49 BNI disarmed at Meean Meer in the Punjab by a wing of the HM 81st Foot and some Bengal Horse Artillery.
May	The Gurkha (new) Nasiri battalion is disaffected temporarily and slows General Anson’s advance.
May	In two battles Gen Archdale Wilson’s pursuing Meerut Brigade inflict defeats on the mutineers at Ghaziudin and Nagar. The rebel cause is not affected - they have Delhi!
May	Maj Charles Reid with the Sirmoor Battalion and two elephants of ammunition join Barnard’s column on the way to Delhi. Barnard had replaced Anson who had died of cholera.
May	Magazines at Ferozepore and Phillour secured.
May	57 BNI disarmed at Ferozepore by HM 61st Foot.
May	45 BNI at Ferozepore, 3 BNI at Phillour, 36 & 61 BNI at Jullundur all mutiny at march to reinforce Delhi.
May	Battle of Sutlej where 3 companies of loyal Sikhs under Lt Williams and Mr Ricketts, the Deputy Commissioner attack 1,600 mutineers. The Mutineers are delayed.
May	Peshawar, 3 british battalions, 7 & 18 Irreg Cav, 21 BNI, the Kalat-i-Ghilzai Regt and the Corps of Guides remain loyal. 24, 27 & 51 BNI disarmed on point of mutiny.
May	55 BNI mutiny and flee from Mardan with their weapons but are destroyed by Nicholson with his Multani Horse.
May	64 BNI disarmed at Abazai
30 May	Open Mutinies at: Lucknow: 7 BLC, 13,48 & 71 BNI and most of Oudh Irregulars. Aligarh: 9BNI Fategarh: 10 BNI Jhansi & Nowgong: 12 BNI Azamgarh: 17 BNI Bareilly: 16, 68 BNI Fyzabad: 22 BNI Shajehanpur & Moradabad: 28, 29 BNI Sitapur: 41 BNI more followed suit.
4 June	Benares Mutiny: 37 BNI, 13 Irreg Cav and part of the Ludhiana Sikhs. The Sikhs very quickly reversed this decision.
5 June	Cawnpore Mutiny: 2 BLC, 1, 53, 56 BNI. Gen Wheeler beseiged.
6 June	Allahabad: 6 BNI mutiny but the Ferozepore Sikhs remain loyal and prevent capture of the fort. Col (Smith-) Neill releived them later and the mutineers left for Delhi.
8 June	Battle of Badli-ki-Serai. Mutineer attempt to clear British from The Ridge fails. “Siege” of Delhi now established.
June	Mhow: 1 BLC and 23 BNI mutiny
June	Neemuch: 72 BNI, 7 Gwalior inf mutiny and head for Delhi and are joined by mutineers from Medhipur and Kotah contingents at Agra.
June	Nuseerabad: 15 & 30 BNI mutiny
27 June	Cawnpore: Massacre at Sati-Chaura Ghat by troops of the Nana Sahib. The Nana Sahib was Nana Dandhu Pant adopted son and heir of Baji Rao, last of the Peshwas. Of the males only Lt Delafosse and Lt Thomson of 53 BNI and two men escaped. Surviving women and children held prisoner.
30 June	Major Renaud moved on Cawnpore with 400 British, 300 Sikhs, 95 Irregular Cav, the faithful remnants of the 13 BNI & 3 Oude Irreg Cav and two guns.
30 June	Lucknow garrison makes an expedition to Chinhat where the mutineers in overwhelming numbers defeat them and pusue them back to Lucknow.
2 July	Lucknow: Sir Henry Lawrence mortally wounded by shell fragment.
4 July	Lucknow: Sir Henry Lawrence dies of his wounds, succeeded by Col Ingram of HM 32nd Foot.
5 July	Shahganj & Sassia mutineers met by 500 Bengal European inf, a field battery and some volunteer horse. They inflicted a heavy defeat on the mutineers but had to withdraw due to a shortage of ammunition. The force lost 49 KIA, 92 WIA. The mutineers closed in on the withdrawing troops and destroyed the cantonment killing all who had not left.
July	Saugor District: 3 Irreg Cav & 42 BNI mutiny, 31 BNI remain loyal
7 July	Sialkot Mutiny mishandled. 14 BNI were being disbanded by the Rawalpindi Detachment. In the ensuing action the mutineers escaped and took refuge in the village of Samli. British attacked with a loss of 44 KIA and 109 WIA. Mutineers fled to Delhi at night leaving a large number of dead. As a result the 9 BLC and 46 BNI in Sialkot mutinied, opened the gaol, burned the cantonment and marched on Delhi. They were intercepted by Nicholson’s column at Trimu Ghat..
10 July	Havelock hears of massacre at Sati-Chaura Ghat at Cawnpore. His mobile column of 1,000 troops from HM 64, 78, 84 and 1 Madras Fus, 130 Ferozepore Sikhs, 20 Volunteer cavalry and 6 guns advance on Cawnpore.
12 July	Havelock and Renaud meet at Fatehpur and defeat mutineers.
12 July	Nicholson meets and defeats thr Sialkot Mutineers at Trimu Ghat. His forces follow up.
15 July	Havelock fights two battles close to Cawnpore at Aoung and the Pandu Naddi wins both.
15 July	Cawnpore, the women and children are massacred. The bodies of the dead, dying and wounded are dropped into a well.
16 July	Nicholson’s column follows up the defeated mutineers and destroys them completely. He returs to Amritsar and is reiforced by the 4^th Sikh from Ludhiana. Then he marches on Delhi.
16 July	Just outside Cawnpore, Havelock scatters the Nana Sahib’s forces.
16/17 July	Massacre at Cawnpore dicovered. Troops shocked and filled with a desire for vengeance.
25 July	Havelock crosses Ganges and marches on Lucknow
29 July	Havelock fights Battles of Unao and Bashirganj - although victorious in both actions his force is so weakened by cholera and heat stroke that he is forced to withdraw to Mangalwar.
August	Sirmoor and Kumaon Gurkha Bns; Corps of Guides; 2^nd, 5^th Punjab Cavalry; 4^th Sikh Infantry, 1^st, 2^nd, 4^th Punjab infantry, New Levies and a Battalion of Pioneers, arrive Delhi.
4 August	Havelock resumes advance.
5 August	Second Battle of Bashirganj, Havelock again victorious and again forced to withdraw to Mangalwar. The 7, 8 & 40 mutinous BNI were closing in on his rear from Dinapore. Built bridge of boats over the Ganges.
5 August	Col Neill at Cawnpore is threatened by several thousand mutineers.
7 August	Nicholson’s Column arrives at the Delhi Ridge.
7 August	Lawrence sets out for the Delhi Ridge with Hodson’s Horse, 1^st Sikh Irregular Cavalry, 18 new regiments of infantry including 2 of Mazbi Pioneers.
12 August	Battle of Burbia-ki-Chauki. The assembled mutineers defeated by Havelock.
13 August	Havelock recrosses Ganges and marches on Cawnpore. Discovers that the Nana Sahib is at Bithur and marches there.
16 August	Battle at Bithur Havelock crushes Nana Sahib but is again forced to withdraw to Cawnpore for reinforcements.
25 August	Battle of Najafgarh, Nicholson with a Squadron of Guides, 2^nd and 5^th Punjab Infantry defeat Mutineers to allow safe passage of the siege train onto Delhi Ridge.
14 September	Assault on Delhi by four columns: 1. Escalade of left face of Kashmir Bastion and breach to left. Then moved on to the Kabul Gate and Mori Bastion at took them. Forced back when almost at the Lahore Gate. 2. Attacked the breach by the Water Bastion and then joining with No1 Column took the Mori Bastion and Kabul Gate. 3. Bengal Sappers and Miners blew in the Kashmir Gate and secured the area. Entered city near Jumna Masjid but were forced back because they lacked sufficient artillery. 4. Met with a repulse at Kishanganj barricades. Forced back by mutineers. Situation saved by the cavalry brigade who were exposed to heavy fire and suffered heavy casualties.
15 September	The column consolidate their position in Delhi.
16 - 20 September	The assault columns push into and take Delhi in bitter and costly street fighting. 299 KIA, 877 WIA, 10 MIA.
16 September	Havelock now reinforced marches on Lucknow. Gen Outram present but allows Havelock to command even though Outram is senior.
21 Sept	Battle at Mangalwar Havelock defeats mutineers..
21 Sept	Hodson and 50 Punjabi troopers go to the tomb of Humayun fout miles away to arrest the Emperor and the Princes. The last of the Moghul Emperors surrendered.
22 Sept	Hodson, Lt McDowall and 100 troopers demanded the surrender of the three Shadazahs (Imperial Princes, sons of the Emperor). His personal courage swayed the mutineers and the Emperor’s supporters and all three surrendered. On the way back towards Delhi the cavalcade was surrounded by a mob. Hodson shot all three Shadazahs. He claimed it was done “to prevent a riot”.
23 Sept	Battle at Alambagh outside Lucknow Havelock defeats mutineers.
24 September	Battle of Balanshahr Gen Wilson detached a force of 2,800 men from Delhi under Col Greathead. The Force comprising detachments of Hodson’s Horse, 1^st, 2^nd, 5^th Punjab Cavalry, 2^nd and 4^th Punjab infantry and 200 pioneers suffered 47 casualties in defeating the mutineers.
25 - 26 Sept	First relief of Lucknow. The siege is not raised. Havelock’s column now joins the defenders. Outram assumes command. Column loses 196 KIA, 339 WIA. The defenders included substantial portions of the loyal 13, 48 & 71 BNI which were reformed as the “Lucknow Regt” after the mutiny.
10 October	Col Greathead’s Column reaches Agra. As camp was being set a force of mutineers from Mhow arrived (1 BLC, 23 BNI and mixed fugitives from Delhi). The surprise was mutual and the mutineers were slow in reacting. They were soundly defeated and dispersed. Col Greathead then set off for Cawnpore.
10 October	Bikaner Brig Showers with a detachment of the Guides, Hodson’s Horse, Kumaon Bn, 1^st Punjab infantry marched westwards to Bikaner. He found it deserted and with no organised resistance to suppress he returned. Immediately a force under Lt Col Gerrard was despatched to search out the enemy.
27 October	Sir Colin Campbell leaves Calcutta to relieve Lucknow.
12 November	Sir Colin Campbell arrives at the Alambagh near Lucknow.
14 November	Lucknow Dilkusha Park and Martiniere House on the outskirts of Lucknow attacked and taken. A spirited enemy counter attack defeated.
16 November	Battle of Narnaul Lt Col Gerrard finds the mutineers. His column comprised a detachment of Guides, Lind’s Multani Horse, 7^th and 23^rd Punjab Infantry. The mutineers were defeated and dispersed but Gerrard was killed.
16 November	Lucknow Capture of Sikanderbagh achieved by 2 companies of the 93^rd Highlanders while the remainder of the 93^rd, the 53^rd, 4^th Punjab and a battalion of detachments (84^th, 90^th & 1^st Madras Fusiliers) fought their way in elsewhere. The Sikanderbagh was held by mutinous sepoys of the 71 BNI and Oudh Irregulars. Later that afternoon the Shah Najaf was captured with heavy losses on both sides.
17 November	Lucknow The “Mess House” and the Moti Mahal carried as well as Bank’s House. The garrison and relief column link up. 122KIA, 414 WIA, 5 MIA.
22 Nov	Lucknow garrison withdraws
24 Nov	Lucknow General Havelock dies.Gen Outram and a small force left at the Alambagh.
24 Nov	Cawnpore Threatened by Tantia Topi one of the most capable of the mutineer leaders.
26 Nov	Cawnpore Windham attacks the Gwalior contingent at the Pandu Nadi. Successfully defeats the mutineers and then fall back to Cawnpore. Cawnpore attacked by Tantia Topi and British and loyal troops forced back into their entrenchments. Tantia Topi’s objective appears to be the bridge of boats.
29 Nov	Cawnpore Sir Colin Campbell arrives. This alows the women children sick and wounded to be relieved and sent to Allahabad.
6 Dec	Cawnpore Sir Colin attacks with a right turning manoeuvre which is a brilliant success. Follow up delayed for three hours because the transport had not returned from the Allahabad expedition with the women and children. Col Smeaton’s Column comprised: Hodson’s Horse, 7th Punjab Infantry, 1st Bengal Fusiliers, 120 Punjab pioneers
14 Dec	Gangari Col Smeaton defeats mutineers with little difficulty.
17 Dec	Patiali Col Smeaton defeats mutineers with little difficulty.
27 Dec	Mainpuri Col Smeaton defeats mutineers with little difficulty.
23 Dec - 16 Jan	Several unsuccessful attacks by mutineers on the Alambagh.
16 Feb 1858	Major concerted effort by Rebels to overrun the Alambagh before Sir Colin Campbell’s column returned to Lucknow. Determined attack driven off.
17 Feb	Mutineers again attack Alambagh and are repulsed.
21 Feb	Mutineers again attack Alambagh and are repulsed with heavy loss.
25 Feb	Mutineers and Rebels launch a massive final attack on the Alambagh. Rebels decisively defeated.
25 Feb	Jaunpur Field Force of 3 British Battalions and 3,000 Gurkhas ends campaign by capturing the fort at Dhaurara. (Other engagements were Chanda, Hamirpur, Sultanpur).
1 Mar	Sir Colin Campbell returns to Alambagh with large forces. Plans to take Lucknow by turning rebel right and having 1st Div cross river to attack rebel rear.
2 Mar	Dikusha Park seized.
5 Mar	Bridge of boats built, Franks’ Jaunpur Field Force arrived at Alambagh.
6 Mar	Outram crosses Gumti with 2 Punjab Cav, Detachments of 1 & 5 Punjab Cav, 2 Punjab Inf. Drove the rebels before them for three days then enfiladed rebel line rendering it untenable.
9 Mar	Martiniere carried.
10 Mar	Banks’ House carried
11 Mar	Sikanderbagh carried, Shah Najaf occupied without opposition, 93rd Highlanders and 4 Punjab Inf storm the Begum Koti. Hodson was killed during this operation.

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Residency Cemetery in Lucknow