Rebellion of the 34th NI, Nov 1857

The 34th Bengal Native Infantry were stationed at Chittagong. They had a poor reputation, having gained no battle honours and having been disbanded for mutiny in 1844. They were subsequently re-raised, and on 18 Nov 1857, inspired by events further west, they mutinied once more and began looting government buildings. Later they marched towards Sylhet to persuade the regiment to join them. Major Robert Byng at once marched his men from Cherrapungi to Petrabgarh to meet the mutineers. This was a distance of 52 miles covered in 36 hours. Reports came to him that the rebels were at Latu so they marched another 28 miles by night to confront them with a daybreak attack. On 25 Dec there was a battle on the Cachua River during which Major Byng was killed.

Individual Acts of Heroism at Cachua River, 25 Dec 1857

One mutineer shouted that the sahib of the Sylhet LI had been killed and called on the regiment to join the mutiny. Bugler Mahabulla Khan shouted back, “You have only killed our sergeant-major.” At which the adjutant, Lieutenant Sherer, ordered the bugler to sound the charge, and the rebels were dispersed. A Sylhet veteran, Subhan Khattri, who had persuaded Major Byng to allow him to join the march, shouted, “I will now show you what an old man can do!” and rushed at the enemy with kukri in one hand and tulwar in the other. He caused mayhem in the mutineers’ ranks but was killed in the process. Mahabulla Khan, the bugler, was awarded the Indian Order of Merit, along with seven others, and on 23 Nov 1879 was appointed Subadar-Major, a position he held for almost 8 years.

End of the Campaign 1858

The mutineers of the 34th were pursued, neutralised, and their loot recaptured. The regiment returned to Cherrapungi and medals were awarded. No battle honour was gained from their efforts despite the acknowledgement that the Sylhet LI, by their prompt and resolute action had probably prevented the spread of the mutiny over the whole northeast frontier.

Duar Field Force 1864

A series of raids by the Bhutanese brought about a plan to invade and annex the region. Four columns were organised and the 44th were in the Right Centre Column which headed for Sidli, while the 43rd Assam Light Infantry were in the Right Column which was directed towards Dewangiri. The Right Centre column captured Sidli and went on towards Bishensing, 42 miles further on through dense jungle. When the annexation was thought to be complete the Duar Field Force was broken up. The Bhutanese, however, did not regard themselves as annexed, and counter-attacked those forts that had been captured. The Daranga Pass was now under their control so that the field force were cut off from their base. The fort at Dewangiri came under the most serious assault. This was manned by the 43rd and some gunners and sappers who were forced to retreat. The guns were abandoned and the survivors reached the base in a very demoralised state. The CO was relieved of his command.

The Recapture of Dewangiri, 3 April 1865

General Tombs and Staff 1865

Two brigades were formed and given the task of imposing British authority on the Bhutanese. The 44th and 43rd were allotted to the Right Brigade under the command of Brigadier-General Harry Tombs VC which was tasked with the recapture of Dewangiri. Setting off on 24 Mar 1865, Tombs deceived the enemy by sending a detachment to another pass further west so that the Daranga Pass was secured without loss of a single man. The siege of Dewangiri was not as arduous as expected and the recapture was accomplished on 3 April. Sepoy Bakhat Sing Rai of the 44th was the first man into the stockade and captured a Bhutanese standard. Brigadier Tombs handed over command of the column to Colonel W Richardson of the 44th on 23 April. Nine months later, in Feb 1866 Richardson led a successful sortie from Dewangiri to defeat a Bhutanese force that was in possession of the guns originally captured in 1864. These were handed back and the Bhutan War was brought to a close. The casualties from this conflict were mainly men who had fallen sick from the unhealthy climate of the Terai. So heavy were the losses from fever that both the 44th and the 43rd were ordered to Gauhati to recuperate. These regiments came out of Bhutan in April 1865 and the 44th returned for the final battle at Dewangiri in Feb 1866. They eventually returned to Cherrapunji in March 1866.

‘From the beginning of November, when the troops were first put in motion, to the present time, every man has been employed on hard work, cheerfully performed, often under most trying circumstances of heat and frost; always bivouacking on the mountain-side in rude huts of grass and leaves, officers and men sharing the same accommodation; marching day by day over precipitous mountains, rising at one time to 6,000 feet, having made a road fit for elephants a distance of 103 miles. The spirit of the troops never flagged, and when they met the enemy they drove them from their stockades and strongholds until finally, they were glad to sue for peace.’

Bakhat Sing Rai who distinguished himself in Bhutan was now a naik and his 3rd Class Order of Merit was up-graded to 2nd Class. Jemadar Shamlal Khattri was also awarded the 3rd Class Order of Merit. The Indian Medal with clasp for Lushai was awarded to all who took part.

Nagas 1875

Colonel Nuttall’s Reprisal, Feb 1875

When news of the massacre reached Colonel Nuttall of the 44th, on 16 Feb he paraded every available man and marched immediately to the Naga Hills. On 23 Feb, he was joined by men of the 42nd and 43rd regiments. The expedition was extremely difficult as rivers had to be crossed that were swollen by heavy rain. But they penetrated the region and wreaked revenge on the Nagas. Villages were destroyed and weapons and plunder retrieved. The Indian Order of Merit was awarded to four men of the 44th.

Siege of Kohima Oct 1879

As trouble flared up on the North West Frontier, the Assam Battalions had to deal with a Naga uprising on the North East Frontier. In October 1879 several hundred Nagas attacked a party of the 42nd Assam LI at Konoma. The survivors made their way back to the stockade at Kohima, but this came under attack. Forty men of the 43rd Assam LI reinforced this position but the siege lasted two weeks until Kohima was relieved by a force of 2,000 Manipuris under Colonel Johnston.

Konoma 22 Nov 1879

The 44th had been sent west to take part in the Second Afghan War. Having only got as far as Goalundo they were recalled and joined a force that consisted of the three Assam battalions and a part of the 34th NI, all under the command of Brigadier-General Nation. In November the villages of Sachima and Sephima were captured but the main Naga fortress was at Konoma. The 44th were equipped with Bubble and Squeak, their 7-pounder mountain guns. These, however, proved ineffective against the walls and stockades so Colonel Nuttall, CO of the battalion decided to storm the place. The outer wall was breached easily but the inner fortification was a 12 foot stockade on top of a stone-faced scarp. Lieutenant Ridgeway led two assaults on the stockade during which he was severely wounded. He reached the gateway and attempted to pull away planks to create a breach in the enemy defences. For this he was awarded the Victoria Cross, gazetted on 11 May 1880.

It was getting dark so there was a lull in the fighting. The Gurkhas held their ground and planned to resume the attack the next day. But the detachments of the 43rd and 44th that had been posted to prevent the Nagas escaping to the south were withdrawn at nightfall so when dawn broke it was found that they enemy had got away. The Nagas headed for the 9,000 ft high Chaka mountains and fighting continued in the form of guerrilla warfare. Detachments were posted to various parts to protect convoys and patrol the vicinity. The Nagas finally surrendered on 27 Mar 1880.

The Hardship of the Naga Campaign

Naga Village c1875

The men suffered greatly from fever, dysentery and ‘Naga sores’ throughout their time in this hill campaign. Things were made harder from the lack of transport. Because the Indian Government was preoccupied with the war in Afghanistan, little attention was paid to the needs of the Assam Battalions. Things were beginning to improve just as the campaign was coming to a close, but up until then the men suffered discomfort, and operations were seriously hindered. Following the cessation of hostilities an official report acknowledged that time and money would have been saved if the Gurkhas ‘had been always equipped to take the field at short notice.’ However, the end of the war did not mean that the Nagas adopted a peaceful coexistence with the British. A detachment of the 44th remained at Kohima until 1884 and there were several incursions into the hills to mete out punishment.