Field Marshal Lord Roberts of Kandahar-Honours-Indian Mutiny

Indian Mutiny Medal (1857-1858)

From: Major L. L. Gordon, British Battles and Medals:

"The issuing of greased cartridges to the native soldiers was no more the only cause of the Indian Mutiny than the assassination of the Austrian Archduke Ferdinand, at Sarajevo in July, 1914, was the sole reason for the First World War, 1914-18. Both these events were enlarged upon and then used in such a way that only the most gullible person would believe that they, and they only, were the sole causes of the catastrophes that followed.

"Trouble in India had been brewing for some time. Serious unrest started after the annexation of the provinces of Oudh and the Punjab in 1856, because the native princes feared that they would lose their territories and their thrones.

"In July, 1855, there was a mutiny of the Sonthals, a tribe of Northern India, which was not suppressed until May, 18 56.

"On the 7th February, 1856, the Province of Oudh (or Oude) was annexed. The King and Queen of Oudh went to London to appeal against this annexation, but to no avail. It is certain that when he returned to India, embittered by what had happened, the King fomented trouble and kindled a hatred against the British presence in the country and the British rule in particular.

"Anyone who knows anything about natives of any continent realizes that if the chief, or medicine man, has a really good grouse his main concern for some time is to see that no one is left in ignorance of the fact. When he has got his followers grousing--they are all teed up ready to be driven into war, rebellion or religion, according to which is on the agenda.

"The cause of the failure of so many mutinies is that some mutineers drive off before the event is timed to start and thus annoy their fellow members who are unprepared. The Indian Mutiny was no exception. Serious as it was, there was no concerted action on the part of the rebels.

"In March, 1857, seven companies of Bengal Native Infantry mutinied at Barrackpore. A rumour got round the sepoys that they were all going to be Christianized and another that a new type of ammunition was going to be introduced which required greasing with cow or pig fat. The seeds for the coming general outbreak were now well sown.

"On the 10th May, 1857, the sepoys mutinied in Meerut, the first soldier killed in the Mutiny was Colonel Finnis, Commanding officer of the 11th Bengal Native infantry at Meerut. They then murdered every white man, woman and child in the cantonment of the city and then fled to Delhi, where they were joined by other mutineers. Here they proclaimed the Great Mogul Emperor of India. They besieged Lucknow, Cawnpore and other cities of lesser note.

"The bar for Central India was awarded for services against the mutineers in Rathghur, Saugur, Jubbulpore, Garakota, Serai, Marowra, Jhansi and many other towns in the Central Provinces.

"The mutiny was not finally quelled until the 20th December, 1858, when Sir Cohn Campbell, later Lord Clyde, announced that the last rebel had been driven out of the country.

"On the 2nd August, 1858, the authority of the Honourable East India Company was transferred to the Crown, but it was not until the 1st January, 1877, that Queen Victoria was proclaimed Kaisar-i-Hind, Empress of India, by simultaneous proclamations in Delhi, Calcutta, Madras and Bombay.

"Now for a few words concerning the parts played by the Naval Brigades.

"In May, 1857, the news reached Calcutta of the disasters at Delhi and Meerut, whereupon the Governor-General, Lord Canning, immediately asked for help. At this time Lord Elgin was on his way to China with reinforcements for the campaign which had started out there. Whilst waiting at Hong-Kong he heard of Lord Canning's predicament and, in agreement with Admiral Sir Michael Seymour, it was decided that the three ships H.M.S. Sanspareil (Captain Key), H.M.S. Shannon (Captain Peel) and H.M.S. Pearl (Captain Sotheby) should be dispatched to Calcutta at once.

"On arrival at Calcutta, Captain Key landed his Marines at Fort William, whilst Captain William Peel, son of Sir Robert Peel, founder of the Police Force, formed a naval brigade of 408 seamen and marines from his crew. He also prepared for use ashore the following artillery pieces which were to prove so useful later on: six 68-pdrs., two 8-in. howitzers, eight 24-pdrs., two small guns and, be it noted, eight rocket tubes.

"On the 13th August, 1857, the brigade started on its march to Allahabad, where it was joined on the 20th October by a contingent of 124 volunteers, under Lieutenant Vaughan, from the merchant shipping lying at Calcutta. It remained in Allahabad until the 28th October, when it left for Cawnpore, being joined on the way by Colonel Powell and part of the 53rd Regiment. The brigade reached Futtehpore on the 31st. Here it was joined by a detachment of the 93rd Highlanders.

"On the 1st November, the force attacked the mutineers at Kudjna, where Colonel Powell was killed and Captain Peel assumed command. The mutineers were defeated and the advance to Lucknow was continued. It is worth noting that this must be one of the very tare occasions in which a naval officer has commanded a mixed force in action in the field.

"Reaching the Alum Bagh on the 15th November, the brigade came under the command of Sir Colin Campbell, who ordered it to start bombarding the defences, part of which consisted of the Shah Nujeef, a mosque surrounded by a garden and a high wall, which had been heavily reinforced and defended. This mosque was to be the particular task of the Naval Brigade, which earned four Victoria. Crosses in the process of its capture. The recipients were Lieutenant Thomas Jones, Lieutenant Nowell Salmon, John Harrison and Captain of Foretop William Hall, who was a negro from Nova Scotia.

"Lieutenant Salmon earned his V.C. for sniping from a tree which he had climbed to get a view over the wall. Whilst so employed he was kept supplied with loaded rifles by a private of the 93rd.

"In these days when the mention of the words Combined Operations conjures up visions of fleets of landing craft, bombarding squadrons, air cover and all the paraphernalia of modern war, one likes to think of this sailor, up a tree, 500 miles from the nearest sea, with his ghillie below, giving a very good example of a Combined Operation on the 16th November, 1857!

"After the relief of Lucknow the brigade took part in the relief of Cawnpore. The Pearl Brigade under Captain Sotheby, R.N., 249 strong, operated under Brigadier Rowcroft. It fought in no fewer than ten battles during its existence of fifteen months.

From: Major L. L. Gordon, British Battles and Medals, Fifth Edition revised by Edward C. Joslin, London: Spink & Son, 1979.

		Field Marshal Lord Roberts of Kandahar Honours and Decorations
		Lord Roberts was awarded the Victoria Cross for gallantry in the face of the enemy while serving as a Lieutenant in the Bengal Horse Artillery (Indian Army) during the Indian Mutiny. The Victoria Cross is Britain's highest award for gallantry. In 1899, his son, Frederick Hugh Sherston Roberts, was awarded the V.C. posthumously for his actions at the Battle of Colenso during the South African War.

		Background and short biography of Lord Roberts.
		In his autobiography, Forty-One Years in India, London, 1897, Lord Roberts recounts the Siege of Delhi (1857) during the Indian Mutiny (Chapters XIII through XIX).

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