Laswarree, 1 Nov 1803

The Maharatta army led by Abaji was positioned between the village of Malpur and Laswarree, another village, 2,000 yards away. The 6th Bengal Native Cavalry was in the 2nd Cavalry Brigade, supporting the 1st Brigade’s attack on Laswaree. A charge was made against enemy artillery and the 8th Light Dragoons suffered heavy casualties. On the right flank the 3rd Brigade, made up of the 29th LD and the 4th Cavalry made repeated charges and was then withdrawn to support the infantry advance. The 6th BNC was directed to the enemy’s left flank with orders to attack if they retreated. The 29th LD performed well and prevented the Maharatta artillery from decimating the 76th Regiment of Foot. They forced a gap in the enemy line which was then attacked by the 12th and 16th Native Infantry. The 3rd Brigade drove the Maharatta cavalry off the field of battle and turned on the rear of the enemy infantry. The enemy right wing was now defeated and the left wing began to retreat. This was the moment when the 2nd Cavalry Brigade, consisting of the 27th LD, the 2nd and 6th Bengal Native Cavalry, went on the attack and captured 2,000 prisoners. The 6th BLC was awarded the battle honour LASWAREE on 23 Feb 1829

Pindari Wars, 1808 - 1817

In 1808 the 6th Bengal Native Cavalry was stationed in the cantonment at Meerut, but were ordered to Chattapore where they joined General Martindale’s force sent against the Pindari chief, Amir Khan who, supported by Holkar and Scindia, was plundering the Nagpore territory around the Bhonsle’s capital. However, Amir Khan retreated into Rajputana, and the Bengal regiments of the force went into a standing camp at Tehree in Bundelkhand where the 6th BNC remained until 1811. The regiment then spent three years at Muttra, and in 1815 were at Keeta in Bundelkhand. The regiment were sent to the Nagpore frontier to track down and destroy the band of Pindaris who were terrorising the local population and laying waste crops and dwellings. At this time a fourth squadron was raised by the adjutant, John Bennett Hearsey.

Seetabuldee, 26 - 27 Nov 1817

In May 1817 Lieut-Col Robert Gahan was sent with 3 Troops of the 6th BNC to a temporary cantonment at Telingkeri 4 miles from the British Residency at Nagpore. There, they joined an infantry brigade, with artillery, from Madras commanded by Colonel Hopetoun Scott. The Monsoon started and sickness was rife so Scott was going to move the men to a new camp near the gardens of the Bhonsle, and at the end of October they were to base themselves at different places on the Nagpore frontier to police the Pindaris. However, the British Resident became aware of the Bonsle’s intrigues with the Maharatta Peshwa of Poona, and ordered the force to protect the Residency, with the infantry taking up positions on the two nearby Seetabuldee hills, and the 6th BNC to guard the gate of the Residency. By this time Charles Fitzgerald was in command of the 3 Troops, with John Hearsey as adjutant.

The Battle of Seetabuldee

At sunset on 26 Nov the force was attacked by the Bonsle’s army of 20,000. The infantry struggled to hold them off while the 6th BNC was under fire from artillery causing several casualties. They moved to the cover of a corn field and Hearsey reconnoitred the enemy position. When the Residency was threatened the cavalry charged and dispersed the attackers. Meanwhile there was a detachment of 30 men of the 6th BNC still at Telingkeri with the 20th Madras NI. Their situation was perilous but they were relieved by Troopers sent back to recall them to Seetabuldee. But on the way they came under night attack and formed a defensive square. Hearsey, with 30 men, came to their rescue and brought them to join Scott’s force.

The Residency became the target of enemy rocket fire at midnight, but marksmen managed to force the rocket-firers away. At dawn the Maharatta cavalry were seen to be gathering at the river Nag-nudee. They were joined by infantry, and camels with swivel-guns. A battery of 12-pounders fired on the cavalry so Fitzgerald sent Hearsey to inform Scott. At the same time, Scott’s artillery on the smaller of the two Seetabuldee hills was captured and the force came under fire. Hearsey was talking to three other officers when a cannon shot decapitated two of them, showering Hearsey with brains. Fitzgerald was ordered by Scott to charge the enemy artillery but the task was formidable. Hearsey relates:

‘The shots from the batteries and camel swivel-guns were falling fast and thick amongst us. I told Captain Fitzgerald that I would not desert the infantry, that we must do or die, pointing to the enemy on the plain. The native officers near, hearing us converse together, and partly understanding that a charge upon the battery and enemy was intended, gave cheer, the Mohammedans calling out “Deen! Deen!” meaning “Our Faith! Our Faith!” and the Hindus getting dust and throwing it on their heads, thus expressing that they were ready to be sacrificed. This showed that our material was good, and that our men were determined to do their best or die.’

This determination, and John Hearsey brandishing his favoured double-barrelled shotgun, stiffened Fitzgerald’s resolve and he decided to charge at the mass of cavalry across the small river Nag-nuddee to dodge the artillery fire. As they began the approach, they were intercepted by one section of the enemy cavalry, however, their leader had second thoughts when he saw the fierce look on Hearsey’s face and turned to flee, but Hearsey shot him down. They charged through and were enveloped by the mass of enemy cavalry.

The Subadar-Major, Bhagwan Singh shouted to Hearsey, pointing out the battery of 12-pounders on their left. Their determined charge forced the swivel-gun camels and many of the horsemen to career into the guns and cause the gunners to flee. In the course of the fighting Hearsey was severely wounded. Many of the men of the 6th BNC were trained artillerymen and dismounted to operate the guns and direct them onto the Bhonsle’s infantry. This caused them to retreat towards Nagpore. They then turned the guns on the enemy cavalry who were still engaged with Fitzgerald and many of his troopers.

Colonel Scott, on the larger hill saw the success of the cavalry action and made a determined attack on the smaller hill that was occupied by the enemy with his captured guns. The battle was all but over and the Bhonsle abandoned his artillery and retreated. Reinforcements arrived from Hoshangabad, under Colonel Gahan and Colonel Richard Doveton, and the force reorganised and strengthened so that on the 16th Dec the battle of Nagpore took place in which the 6th BNC took part.

Nagpore, 16 Dec 1817

The Cavalry Brigade consisted of the 6th Bengal Native Cavalry together with the 6th Madras Native Cavalry, and Horse Artillery who were armed with six 6-pounder guns. The brigade was commanded by Lt-Colonel Gahan of the 6th BNC. They were formed on the right of the line and moved around the villages on 16 December as the infantry came under fire. As soon as they passed Sukandri on their left they found themselves in front of the enemy’s left battery which was supported by a strong corps of infantry and cavalry. They immediately formed line and charged as the guns opened fire. The enemy battery was overwhelmed as well as the corps supporting the gunners so that they fled to the right. They pursued the retreating enemy until they came under fire from a second battery. The brigade formed up and charged this also, then let the Horse Artillery take up position to fire on the enemy cavalry which was preparing to charge. This had the effect of dispersing the enemy and the cavalry pursued for 5 miles. Following this victory the city of Nagpore was besieged from 19 to 24 December.

Further Service in the 3rd Maharatta War

The regiment was part of General Marshal’s column which captured Dhamoni and stormed Mandala. They pursued Gunput Rao, the Nagpore Maharatta chief who commanded the enemy cavalry, and took part in the action of Seoni against the Peshwa, and the capture of Chanda. The final battle of the war was at the fortress of Asseerghur which was captured in March 1819.

‘On the day of the assault, I got permission to throw my squadron into a belt of jungle close to the walls, and there I saw a body of horsemen enter. These proved to be the Raja Durjan Sal and his youthful son, Jagmohan Singh. They had hoped to lie concealed in this extensive jungle till night set in, and then escape. I drove them out, and the Raja and his son, with a number of chosen followers, were obliged to bolt, and were intercepted and captured by a picquet of the 8th Regiment of Native Light Cavalry, under the command of Captain Barbor. Thus was my hope of being the officer to seize the Raja disappointed. If I had been allowed by my commanding officer to proceed into the jungle with my squadron an hour sooner, which I implore him to let me do, the Raja and his son would have been my prisoners, and their capture would have been a happy thing for me.’

Hearsey was slightly wounded during the siege but was able to lead his squadron on detached duty to force the surrender of Deig. After the siege of Bhurtpore the regiment returned to Muttra. In December 1827 they moved to Sultanpore, Benares, but marched to Cawnpore in 1830. In December 1834 they arrived at their station at Mhow.

In 1844 the regiment, under the command of Lt-Col Hearsey, marched to Nusseerabad to join the force commanded by Major-General Sir John Littler. In 1845 they marched to Ludhiana where Sir Hugh Wheeler commanded. On the eve of the First Sikh War the 6th BLC was ordered to Scinde to protect that territory against attack from Multan. Thus they were not involved in the War of 1845-46.

Chilianwallah, 13 Jan 1849

However, the 6th were part of Lord Gough’s army of the Punjab when the Bengal Light Cavalry regiments disgraced themselves at Chillianwallah. This battle was fought on difficult ground covered in thick jungle or scrub, with depleted battalions against superior Sikh forces armed with good artillery. Lt-Col Pope, Commanding Officer of the 6th BLC, was in charge of the 2nd cavalry brigade consisting of the 9th Lancers, the 14th Light Dragoons and the 1st and 6th Bengal Light Cavalry. He was clearly not the best man for the job as he was not experienced in handling a brigade, 62 years old and physically infirm. He ordered the brigade to advance in line which prevented the Horse Artillery from having a clear field of fire. But the line hesitated when Pope was mortally wounded with a sword cut to the head. There was an order ‘Threes About’ given by someone, and some of the men retreated, causing others to follow. The whole line was pushed back against Major Christie’s Artillery and great confusion followed, causing the death of Christie and many gunners, and the loss of guns.

Chillianwallah

Command of the brigade devolved upon Lt-Col Bradford of the 1st BLC, but in the confusion he was unable to control the retreat. Pursuing Sikh Gurchurras came within a short distance of Lord Gough. He had a personal escort of a Troop of the 5th BLC commanded by Henry Stannus. Blame for the retreat was put on the 14th LD, men who had fought so bravely under Colonel Havelock at Ramnuggur.

However, the 6th BLC fought bravely in another part of the battle. On the extreme right of the line of battle, a large force of Sikhs were repelled by four squadrons, two of the 9th Lancers and two of the 6th BLC, commanded by the Hon Charles Powys and Major Yule. This action was successful but did not feature prominently in the dispatches.

The retreat of the 2nd Cavalry Brigade, however, was balanced by the action of Sir Walter Gilbert’s Infantry Brigade which consisted of the 2nd Bengal Europeans, assisted by the 31st and 70th Bengal Native Infantry. As they advanced the enemy outflanked them and appeared at their rear. The Sikh cavalry threatened them but were cut down by Captain Dawe’s artillery firing grapeshot. The 29th Regiment silenced several Sikh guns, and the 56th BNI suffered heavily. Also the 30th BNI, both regiments losing their Colours.

The 5th BLC were in the 1st Brigade with the 3rd Light Dragoons on the extreme left of the line, and failed to support the 3rd as the Grey Squadron of that regiment charged into a mass of Sikhs, suffering heavy casualties including the wounding of their officer, Captain Walter Unett. The 5th BLC suffered casualties but on that occasion retreated, ignoring the pleas of their officers. The 8th BLC also disgraced themselves by retreating at the first sign of danger. In his book on the ‘Second Seikh War’, Edward Thackwell comments on the Bengal Light Cavalry:

‘The Native Cavalry place no reliance on their swords; instead of having recourse to them, they trust to their pistols. Several commandants have taken away their small fire-arms in order to teach them more confidence in the use of the sword.…..The attempt to make dragoons out of natives of Hindoostan is absurd: let them use their own tulwar, bit and stirrup, and they are useful irregular Cavalry. The only use derived from the Light Cavalry of India by the Eat India Company, is the splendid source of patronage it presents. If the good of the service was alone consulted, the regular cavalry would be converted into irregulars as has been before said.’

Mutiny at Jullundur, 7 June 1857

The 6th BLC had been stationed at Nowgong since December 1853 but in 1857 they were ordered to move to Jullundur. The plan to mutiny was kept secret so that the twelve British officers were taken unawares when it broke out on 7 June. The number of troopers in the regiment was 324. There were 7 Indian officers, 24 Havildars, 10 Naiks, 6 trumpeters, and 9 farriers.