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At this time the Army in India was organized in three Presidency
armies of Madras, Bombay and Bengal. Each army consisted of units
of the British Regular Army, known as "Royal" troops,
and British and Indian units of the East India Company. The Bengal
Presidency stretched right across India from Peshawar to Calcutta,
which was the headquarters of the British Government. The majority
of the British troops of the Bengal Army were stationed in the Punjab,
which had only recently been acquired. Although the importance of
Allahabad was recognized by the Government, there were no effective
British troops stationed in the fort and there were no British reserves
between Calcutta and Delhi.
Rumours were abroad in April, 1857, that discontent
was rife in certain native regiments of the Bengal Army, but everything
was peaceful in Mirzapore, where the 14th Sikhs were still stationed.
However, on the 7th of May, three days before the outbreak of the
Mutiny at Meerut, Lieutenant Brasyer received the following message
from the Officer Commanding the Allahabad Division
"To the Officer commanding the Regiment of Ferozepore, Mirzapore.--You
are desired to march at once with all speed-'forced marches'-with
the headquarters, and four hundred men, Regiment of Ferozepore,
to Allahabad, where you are urgently required."
He immediately set out with four hundred men, leaving two hundred
and fifty behind at Mirzapore under Lieutenant Montague, and reached
the fort at Allahabad on the 11th of May.
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ALLAHABAD
Although everything was quiet at Allahabad
at this time, the situation was very confused and the news of the
mutiny in the north caused considerable anxiety and doubt. However,
no precautionary measures were considered necessary until the 5th
of June, when all civilians and women and children were ordered into
the fort. This was just in time, for, at 10 p.m. on the 6th of June,
the 6th Native Infantry, which was stationed in the cantonments two
miles from the fort, unexpectedly mutinied. The men attacked their
officers in the mess and then plundered the treasury. Incendiary,
rapine and murder followed. The mutineers were joined by all the town
rabble, and their savagery was terrible and continued for days.
Although the Commissioner and other senior officers were unprepared,
Lieutenant Brasyer was ready and, as soon as the firing started in
the cantonment, he quietly assembled his men and gave them instructions
and encouragement. There were three guards of the 6th Native Infantry,
numbering about two hundred men, in the fort in charge of the different
gates. Lieutenant Brasyer, entirely on his own initiative, decided
to disarm these men. He immediately went to the main gate with a party
of Sikhs and instructed the officer in command of the guard to order
his men to give up their arms. The guard, who, it was afterwards learnt,
had been given ammunition to hold the gate for the rebels, defiantly
refused. Lieutenant Brasyer saw that determined action was necessary,
so he caused his Sikhs to support him and advanced towards the guard.
It was thought that the Sikhs might join the mutineers, but Brasyer
had an irresistible influence over his men and the Sikhs did not waver.
Lieutenant Brasyer immediately ordered the guard to "pile arms"
and "stand clear." The guard hesitated and one man lunged
forward at Brasyer with his bayonet, but the officer's orderly knocked
aside the musket and saved his life. The Sikhs now adopted a determined
attitude and the mutinous guard, seeing that the Sikhs were firm;
gave way. Brasyer then personally disarmed all the men of the 6th
Native Infantry in the fort and his Sikhs supported him throughout.
The guards were made prisoners and turned out of the fort the next
day.
As soon as the guards had been disarmed, Lieutenant Brasyer organized
the defence of the fort, which he held against the rebels with his
four hundred Sikhs, a party of invalid British artillerymen and a
small number of volunteer civilians until reinforcements arrived.
The following is an extract from
the London Times of that time
"Lieutenant Brasyer commanded the Seikhs at Allahabad. It was
to him that the Europeans were indebted for preventing the rebels
from taking the fort."
This was the first important British success in the Mutiny and it
was a stroke which has never been properly appreciated. Allahabad
was the key to the north-west and, once secured, it formed an advanced
base of operations. But for Brasyer's initiative and intrepidity,
the war against the mutineers would have taken a very different course.
The importance of Lieutenant Brasyer's success is borne out by this
extract from a report by Lord Canning, the Governor-General, to the
Government
"I shall not be surprised if
that strong fortress Allahabad, with all its valuable stores and war
munitions, has fallen into the hands of the insurgents. That would
indeed be a climax to our misfortunes, more serious than the seizure
of Delhi."
After the 6th of June the fort was subjected to a desultory siege,
for the place was surrounded by a large force of rebels, who remained
in possession of the bazaar and city. The rebels were well armed and
had two guns. Brasyer wrote as follows about his Sikhs at this time
"All this time my faithful
Seikhs, on whom so much depended, were craving to be led against the
enemy outside, or anywhere, rather than be kept idle within the Fortress,
so I found it necessary to temporise with them a little. " `Now,
as we are all on special duty, doing hard work, and in hot weather,'
said I, `let us discard the cap and heavy clothing. Adopt your national
dress, and show how Seikhs can fight, and save this Fort and all within
it."
The Ferozepore Sikhs therefore from this time on discarded their caps
and heavy coats and wore red turbans and Sikh blouses throughout the
Mutiny. This pleased the men immensely, especially as Brasyer himself
adopted the dress.
A few days later Colonel James Neill arrived with a British battalion,
the 1st Madras Fusiliers, and took over command at Allahabad. By this
time the whole countryside had broken out into revolt, so from the
12th of June Colonel Neill carried out a series of vigorous sorties
against the rebels. The Ferozepore Regiment, now known as "Brasyer's
Sikhs; played a prominent part in these operations and won further
distinctions. These sorties met with considerable success and the
district was soon in a state of submission. On the 17th of June the
rebels were defeated and driven out of the city and the British administration
was reestablished.
Before the end of the month Lieutenant Montague arrived from Mirzapore
with the remainder of the Regiment and joined Brasyer, who had been
promoted to captain for his gallantry at the beginning of the month.
The situation at Cawnpore was now serious and it was essential to
send a force to relieve the British garrison as soon as possible.
Transport was immediately collected and an advance column, consisting
of Madras Fusiliers and Ferozepore Sikhs, set out for Cawnpore; on
the 30th of June.
On the same day General Havelock arrived in Allahabad with the 64th
and 84th Foot and the 78th Highlanders, and he set off for Cawnpore
a few days later, taking with him his British troops and a detachment
of the Ferozepore Sikhs. By this time Cawnpore had been captured by
the rebels, so General Havelock decided to drive them out and then
march to the relief of Lucknow, where the British were besieged in
the Residency.
A portion of the Ferozepore Sikhs were left behind in Allahabad, under
Lieutenant Montague, to hold the fort and patrol the surrounding district.
Here the Sikhs did excellent work and fought several successful engagements
with parties of mutineers in the area. On one occasion a guard of
two non-commissioned officers and eight sepoys, surrounded by about
a thousand rebels at Sahunga, gallantly rescued a wounded British
officer and fought their way back through the rebels to the main guard.
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CAWNPORE
General Havelock joined forces with the advanced column on the 12th
of July and moved on towards Cawnpore in very trying conditions
in the hot weather. On the following day, just as the combined force
was preparing to camp
near the village of Fathepur, a large party of mutineers advanced
from the village to attack the British force. Although his men were
exhausted after a long march under a scorching sun, Havelock decided
to attack. He immediately deployed his troops and utterly routed
the enemy in a short, sharp fight. After a much-needed rest on the
next day, the force continued the march early on the 15th of July.
However, it was found that the enemy had re-formed and was holding
the village of Aong in strength. General Havelock immediately attacked
the enemy positions and threw back the mutineers at the point of
the bayonet. It was now learnt that the enemy was preparing to blow
the important bridge over the Pandu river, six miles farther on,
so Havelock had to push on without resting in order to save the
bridge and secure a passage over the river. Brasyer's Sikhs moved
forward in skirmishing order and occupied the cliffs overlooking
the bridge. This enabled the guns to come forward and cover the
Madras Fusiliers, who stormed the bridge and put the enemy to flight.
The same evening General Havelock learnt that a number of women
and children had been made prisoner at Cawnpore and had to be rescued
at all costs. He therefore decided to continue the advance without
delay, even though his men had had no rest and the column was still
twenty-two miles from Cawnpore On the 16th of July the force advanced
to within a few miles of the town before meeting any resistance.
Here some ten thousand rebels opposed the British advance on the
town. General Havelock personally led his now-small force of nine
hundred men round the enemy's left flank and took the enemy by surprise
from the rear. The 78th Highlanders were in the lead and rolled
up the enemy's left flank with a brilliant charge. The 64th and
84th Foot and Brasyer's Sikhs then passed through and carried the
enemy's position. They captured the guns on the right and the enemy
retreated. Leaving the guns behind, protected by Brasyer's Sikhs,
the British infantry regiments followed up their success and inflicted
further losses on the enemy, who eventually lost heart and fled
in disorder.
General Havelock and his men camped for the night in the open and
entered Cawnpore early on the 17th of July, but they were too late
to stop the brutal murder of the women and children by the mutineers.
Forest, in his "History of the Indian Mutiny," wrote as
follows about
Havelock's advance from Allahabad
"In nine days Havelock and his veterans
had marched 126 miles under an Indian sun in the hottest season
of the year, each man carrying a heavy weight of ammunition, and
had won four pitched battles and sundry combats against highly disciplined
troops far exceeding them in number. During four days' fighting
they had killed or wounded many hundreds of their enemies, and had
captured twenty-three pieces of artillery. Their advance had been
one of suffering, of privation, and of fatigue. . . . Battle after
battle was won by desperate fighting; the cholera and the sunstroke
slew many survivors of the combat, but on they went with unflinching
resolution until Cawnpore was reached."
After a few days' rest Havelock, leaving General Neill with a small
force to hold Cawnpore, crossed the River Ganges by boat and set
out to march to the relief of Lucknow, forty-five miles away. His
force, which was only fifteen hundred strong and included Brasyer's
Sikhs, moved out on the 29th of July and almost immediately encountered
a large force of the enemy opposing their advance. Havelock drove
the enemy out of the villages of Unao and Basiratganj and utterly
defeated them in two brilliant battles. However, Havelock's force
was seriously depleted by sickness and battle casualties and he
had to withdraw to Mangalwar; a few miles north of the river, and
await reinforcements. It was quite obvious that the remnants of
his force had little chance of forcing the way to Lucknow and carrying
out the relief of the besieged garrison in the Residency. Forrest
wrote in his History
"Two victories had been won. But
if the road to Lucknow was to be so roughly contested there was
little chance of reaching the Residency. What soldiers could do
Havelock's men had achieved. But they could not fight the pestilence
of the tropics. For some days cholera and dysentery had done deadly
work among them. A sixth of his force had perished-half on the battlefield,
half by disease."
A few days later Havelock received a small number of reinforcements
and a few guns, so he moved forward again on the 5th of August.
He encountered the enemy in Basiratganj and utterly routed the rebels
for a second time, but again was forced to withdraw to Mangalwar.
He was still not strong enough to fight his way to Lucknow, which
was reported to be held by thirty thousand mutineers.
On the 11th of August Cawnpore was threatened by four thousand mutineers,
who had arrived in Bithur from Saugor, and General Neill called
for aid, while, at the same time, the enemy was also reported to
be collecting again in Basiratganj. Havelock was determined to strike
another blow before recrossing the river to Cawnpore, and he set
out with his force the same evening. He once again defeated the
enemy in a fierce battle a few miles north of Basiratganj during
the next morning, and then withdrew for a third time and crossed
the river to Cawnpore.
On the 16th of August Havelock led his much-depleted force against
the mutineers in Bithur. After a long march of eight hours the weary
force gained contact with the enemy, who were holding one of the
strongest positions that Havelock had ever seen, around the village.
Havelock decided not to wait, and his men assaulted the position
with great gallantry. After some hard hand-tohand fighting the position
was carried and the enemy utterly routed. Brasyer's Sikhs were on
the left flank and threw back a large force of the enemy, entrenched
in the bank of a nullah, at the point of the bayonet and captured
his guns.
After the battle Havelock returned to Cawnpore and issued his famous
order of the day in which he said
"Soldiers, your labours, your privations,
your sufferings and your valour will not be forgotten by a grateful
country."
 
Statue of
Havelock in Trafalgar Square
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This quotation is inscribed on his statue in
Trafalgar Square, and on the reverse "The
Regiment of Brasyer's Sikhs" is included amongst the units
listed as the "Defenders of Lucknow." The 14th
Sikhs are the only unit of the Indian Army mentioned on a monument
in England.
Owing to casualties and the serious sickness from cholera and other
diseases amongst his British troops, Havelock had to remain in Cawnpore
for nearly a month awaiting reinforcements. There was very little
fighting and the Ferozepore Regiment was detailed to escort a convoy
of sick and wounded to Allahabad. The Sikhs escorted the wounded
safely back, in spite of encountering a number of rebels during
the journey, and then returned to Cawnpore.
In the middle of September Sir James Outram arrived in Cawnpore
with a large force of reinforcements and bridging operations over
the Ganges were begun. The mutineers attacked the bridge from the
northern bank and Brasyer's Sikhs were sent over to cover the construction.
The Sikhs drove the enemy back and the bridge was completed without
further interference.
On the 21st of September two brigades, about three thousand strong
all told, set out for Lucknow under General Havelock, accompanied
by Sir James Outram.
The enemy opposed the advance at Mangalwar and at Alambagh, in the
southern outskirts of Lucknow, and were utterly defeated by the
British in two gallant battles. Havelock and Outram halted at Alambagh
on the 24th of September while they decided the best means of extricating
the British forces in the Residency.
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RELIEF AND DEFENCE OF LUCKNOW
The sick and wounded, heavy baggage and large supply train were left
at Alambagh, protected by a guard of three hundred men drawn from
all units, in the force.
On the 25th of September the advance from Alambagh began. General
Neill's Brigade was in the lead and the 78th Highlanders and Ferozepore
Regiment were detailed as rearguard and ordered to hold the bridge
at Charbagh until everything had passed. The Madras Fusiliers, with
the 84th Foot, forced the bridge and Havelock then led his force round
east of the city. This move evidently surprised the rebels, for he
met no serious opposition until he arrived a short distance from the
Residency. Meanwhile, the Highlanders and Sikhs were heavily engaged
at Charbagh, where they were attacked by a large force of rebels.
After three hours' fighting they defeated the enemy and were able
to push on. However, they had lost touch with the main British column
and took the wrong road. This mistake proved most fortunate, for they
suddenly encountered the rear of some guns which were holding up Havelock's
advance and rushed them without ceremony. The 78th Highlanders and
Ferozepore Regiment were now in front. The Residency was only some
five hundred yards away, but since it was now dusk and the column
was strung out over a considerable distance General Outram suggested
halting. General Havelock, however, was determined to reach the Residency
without delay and ordered the 78th High-landers and Brasyer's Sikhs
to advance. This column, led by Sir James Outram and General Havelock,
dashed forward through the narrow streets of flat-roofed, loopholed
houses held by the mutineers. The Highlanders and Sikhs fought their
way forward with desperate gallantry under continuous fire from the
enemy and eventually reached the Bailey Guard Gate of the Residency
to the deafening cheers of the gallant garrison. In describing the
assault Brasyer wrote
"Onward went the devoted band into
a fire that seemed, as General Havelock said, as if nothing could
live under it. The Highlanders, being Europeans, were placed in front,
but the Seikhs followed them closely, pressed eagerly forward, and
loudly cheered. Eventually it became a pell mell race for who should
be first. Here Neill fell. Continuing this rushing, the troops were
all intermixed, jumping over cuttings, and other obstacles in the
street, until they finally reached the gateway of the Residency. But
this was not only shut, but barricaded. A scramble ensued, the enemy
firing from the roofs and windows of houses at us in every direction.
At this moment I caught sight of a gap at the side of the gate, forced
my way through this, and in reality was the first European of the
relieving force who entered the beleaguered Lucknow Residency."
During the day's desperate fighting many acts of gallantry were performed
and the Regiment suffered a very large proportion of casualties. One
noteworthy feat of gallantry was that of Sepoy Nihal Singh, of the
Ferozepore Sikhs, who carried General Neill, when he was mortally
wounded in the final charge, to the rear under heavy fire.
The rearguard, with a number of sick and wounded, had not been able
to reach the Residency and had remained in the Moti Mahal. So, on
the next day, a detachment of the 5th Fusiliers and Brasyer's Sikhs
was sent to reinforce them and help them to withdraw to the Residency.
Although the Sikhs and Fusiliers fought their way through and drove
the enemy back from the buildings and gardens adjacent to the Mod
Mahal, the enemy fire from the Kaiserbagh was found to be too heavy
to admit of the rearguard convoy being moved back. Further reinforcements
from the 78th Highlanders were then sent forward and the rearguard
was safely withdrawn to the Residency after dark.
After arriving in the Residency area Sir James Outram took over, from
General Havelock, the command of the British forces. Although the
rebels had been outwitted, they had not been decisively defeated and
still occupied the city in great strength. It was found to be quite
impracticable to carry out the original intention of withdrawing the
besieged people in the Residency and all the relieving force could
do was to aid its defences. Although this was not really a relief
of the Residency, it was a very gallant rescue from a situation of
the gravest peril. There were now 2,000 additional troops, so there
was no longer an imminent danger of the garrison being overwhelmed.
However, the Residency was besieged as closely as ever, and Sir James
Outram had to stand on the defensive and await relief in his turn.
With the increased number of troops in the Residency positions had
to be enlarged and so for the next few days several sorties were made
to improve the position. The Regiment of Ferozepore was in General
Havelock's sector and took part in the sorties along the eastern face
of the Residency to clear the enemy from the gardens and houses up
to the Chata Manzil. These sorties were entirely successful and improved
the defences of the Residency. Lieutenant Cross, of the Ferozepore
Sikhs, was wounded in one of these sorties, but otherwise the Regiment
suffered very few casualties.
On account of the Sikhs' good service, General Havelock promoted each
man to a grade higher in rank, and all subadars were granted the 1st
Class Indian Order of Merit.
For the next two months Brasyer's Sikhs were put in charge of the
Bailey guard, one of the most important positions in the Residency,
and they also held the defences on the right of General Havelock's
sector bordering the Pyne Bagh. Outram's force was given no rest by
the enemy and it had always to be on the alert. Duties were constant
and arduous, while rations were scanty throughout the siege. On one
occasion, when the enemy blew a breach in the defences, a detachment
of the Ferozepore Sikhs checked a large force of the enemy who stormed
the breach, and gave the garrison time to form and repulse the enemy.
Jemadar Gowahir Shah was in command of the guard and was awarded the
Indian Order of Merit for his gallant conduct.
At last, on the 17th of November, a relieving force under General
Sir Colin Campbell, Commander-in-Chief in India, arrived at Lucknow.
The situation at Cawnpore, however, had again become: critical and
General Campbell had to return there as quickly as possible. He therefore
decided to evacuate the Residency and return to deal with the rebels
at Lucknow at a later date. On the night of the 22nd November all
the British forces were withdrawn successfully from the Residency
together with all the women, children and wounded. The enemy were
taken completely by surprise by this operation, which had been carefully
planned and boldly executed.
General Outram was left with a force of some four thousand men to
hold Alambagh and contain the enemy at Lucknow. The Ferozepore Regiment
was included in General Outram's force and held defensive works at
Alambagh for three months. Duties were very arduous on account of
the large perimeter to be held. while the enemy kept in constant touch
and there were almost daily skirmishes and minor encounters. The enemy
delivered a number of attacks, but these were all beaten off with
losses to the rebels.
On the 22nd of December General Outram took the offensive and threw
back a large enemy force which had attempted to sever his communications
to Cawnpore. Reporting on this action, Outram wrote
"The gallant way in which, with a,
cheer, the 78th and the Regiment of Ferozepore, led by their commanders,
dashed at a strong position held by the enemy (30,000 men and 6 heavy
guns), excited much admiration."
On another occasion a most determined attack was made by the enemy
on the defences held by the Ferozepore Regiment. Before dashing off
to counter-attack the enemy Captain Brasyer sent the following message,
scribbled on an envelope, to General Outram : "General,
the enemy is in force on our right picket; I am off."
This action was completely successful and five thousand of the enemy
were driven off. Later General Outram told Brasyer that his scribbled
report satisfied him more than all the documents tied with red tape
he had ever received. Forrest, in his book, wrote
"Full justice was not done by Sir
Colin Campbell or the Chief-of-Staff to Outram's defence of Alambagh,
which must be viewed as a fine example of courage and good conduct,
and will always stand out as a glorious episode in the annals of the
Indian Mutiny."
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CAPTURE OF LUCKNOW
At the beginning of March, 1858, Sir Colin Campbell, with a large,
well equipped force, joined General Outram at Alambagh and started
methodical operations against the rebels at Lucknow,, The enemy
were holding three lines of defences north of the city covering
the Kaiserbagh, their citadel. These had been strengthened since
the relief of the Residency, and houses were now fortified and roads
barricaded.
Sir Colin's plan was to send General Outram with his division north
of the River Gumti to turn the rebels' position, while his main
force attacked the Kaiserbagh from Dilkusha Park.
For a few days the Ferozepore Regiment, now only three hundred and
twenty strong, protected the Commander-in-Chief's camp, but it was
soon in action against the enemy and took part in the operations
to force back the rebels from their first line of defences along
the canal. By the 13th of March the British had reached the Little
Emambarra, which was held in strength and had to be captured. On
the 14th of March one hundred men of the Ferozepore Regiment, under
Captain da Costa, with two companies of the 10th Foot, assaulted
breaches in the walls of the Little Emambarra, while Captain Brasyer
and a hundred more Sikhs assaulted some houses to a flank. Since
he had no other British combatant officer available, Captain Brasyer
placed the Colours with an escort in charge of the medical officer,
Surgeon J. Browne, and ordered him to keep close to him. These orders
were faithfully carried out.
Brasyer's party captured and set fire to the houses on the flank
and then, climbing 'up on to some flat roofs, set out towards the
Little Emambarra itself. It arrived just as the assault was launched.
This diversion enabled the storming troops to advance with unexpected
ease. They soon captured the Emambarra, and the Colours of the Ferozepore
Regiment were planted over the gateway. The day's objective had
been captured, but the Sikhs were eager to follow up their success
and Captain Brasyer described the next phase of the battle as follows
"The men were excited and eager
to go on. Without orders, my Seikhs like monkeys climbed a wall
and opened a large gate which gave outlet from the smaller Emambarra,
while I, with other officers, joined them. A rush such as nothing
could stop followed. The General (Franks) smiled as he cheered my
men, but issued no order. This acquiescence was enough, I knew what
he wanted. My Seikhs like greyhounds let loose, passed into the
street, deafening cheers encouraged us, while the General and his
staff followed in support. We rushed onwards, cleared 40 guns in
battery en route, driving all before us. Pickaxe and shovel were
next at work, and soon a breach was opened in an outer wall."
The Sikhs and the 90th Light Infantry, led by Captains Brasyer and
Havelock(Son of General Havelock.), rushed forward and fought their
way into an enclosure adjoining the Kaiserbagh under terrible fire.
Havelock ran back for reinforcements, and a party of the 10th Foot
advanced and captured a small bazaar in rear of the Tara Kothi and
mess-house, which were held by some six thousand rebels. This bold
move completely surprised the enemy, who made as though they would
rush Brasyer's party and force their way out into the city. However,
Havelock, seeing the danger, dashed forward with a party of Sikhs
and captured two bastions in the last line of defences, turned the
guns on to the rebels and drove them towards the Chatar Manzil.
Reinforcements followed up quickly and before long the whole of
Kaiserbagh was in British hands. Meanwhile, Brasyer had dashed into
the centre of the palace, climbed on the top and pushed the Queen's
Colour through a gunshot hole in the highest dome, as a signal that
the citadel had been captured. The Ferozepore Regiment suffered
heavy casualties in this battle and Captain da Costa was among those
killed.
General Franks, in his report of that day, wrote
"No words of mine could give due
credit to Major Brasyer's courageous conduct. Ever to the front,
he was to be seen courageously leading his men wherever the enemy
were to be found."
On the 16th of March Brasyer's Sikhs formed part of General Outram's
force which captured the Residency and the iron bridge. Major Brasyer
was seriously wounded in these operations, but refused to relinquish
command of his Sikhs and had to be carried on a litter at the head
of the Battalion for several days.
The rebels had been completely defeated in these battles and Lucknow
was once again safely in British hands.
After the capture of Lucknow the Ferozepore Regiment joined the
Oudh Field Force and took part in a number of minor encounters in
rounding up parties of rebels and pacifying the countryside. During
this period Lieutenant Montague, with the Allahabad detachment,
arrived back in the Battalion.
Operations came to an end in June, 1859, and the Regiment marched
to Ferozepore, its home station. Brasyer wrote
"The remnant of the gallant four
hundred marched into Ferozepore on the 7th September, with drums
and fifes playing, and colours all tattered and torn, after an arduous
campaign of two years and four months, and thirteen years of faithful
service under the British Government."
For its service in the Indian Mutiny the Regiment was allowed to
bear on its Colours the inscription "Lucknow, Defence and Capture,"
while as a special mark of distinction for its outstanding conduct
the Governor-General issued orders that the men of the Regiment
of Ferozepore were permitted to wear red safas (turbans), like those
in which they had fought, instead of native infantry caps-a privilege
of which the Regiment still avails itself on ceremonial parades.
The staff of one of the Colours was broken by a bullet at the relief
of Lucknow and was mended with a plain brass ring. This staff still
carries the Regimental Colour today, although the actual Colour
has been renewed on two occasions since that time.
Only five British officers served with the Ferozepore Regiment during
the Mutiny: of these one was killed and three wounded. Brasyer commanded
the Regiment throughout the Mutiny, starting as a lieutenant and
ending up as a lieutenant-colonel.
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