Part 10
=Ghuznee Medal, 1839.=--Shah Shoojah had also determined to decorate the ordinary soldiers who had taken part in the campaign, but his assassination prevented the realisation of his desire, and subsequently--November 23rd, 1842--the Governor-General decided that the medals which had been struck at Calcutta in commemoration of the capture of Ghuznee should be given to the officers and men who had participated in the capture. This, the first Indian medal to be issued with a bar for suspension, is of silver, and, with the exception of the medal for Seringapatam, the first to be given to all the troops engaged, the previous medals having been bestowed upon native troops only. It is 1½ in. in diameter, with broad flat edge, bearing on the obverse a view of the gateway of the citadel, with GHUZNEE on an ornamental panel underneath, running with the lines of the medal. On the reverse, within a laurel wreath, a mural crown above 1839, and between the terminals of the wreath the date of the capture of the fortress, 23D. JULY, a space being left in the centre for the recipient's name, which had to be placed there at his expense. The medals are occasionally found with the names engraved or impressed upon the edge. Two dies were used for the obverse, and one has a much wider border. The medal was originally suspended from a half green and yellow ribbon, but it was changed to crimson and green 1⅖ in. wide.
=Governor-General's Medal.=--Dr. Payne has kindly enabled me to reproduce the unique silver medal presented to the Right Honourable the Earl of Auckland, G.B.C., Governor-General of India and Governor of the Presidency of Fort William. The medal is 1⅗ in. wide, has no bar for suspension, and is enamelled. On the obverse is represented the fortress of Ghuznee--a very different rendering to that on the medal just referred to--with the victorious army marching through the gate. On the reverse is the inscription AFGHANISTAN-GHUZNEE--23ʳ·ᵈ· JULY 1839. This striking is the only one known to exist. (See facing page 88.)
FIRST CHINESE WAR, 1842
The extension of British commerce caused the first Chinese war. The Government not only loathed the "Fan Kwei," or "foreign devils," but objected to the use of opium which the merchants sold. The destruction of about £2,000,000 worth of opium by Chinese officials, and the insult offered to Her Majesty's representative, Captain Elliot, R.N., led to the declaration of war against China, and a force under Brigadier-General Burrell was dispatched to China in June 1840, but following an attack on Ting-hae-hien the Chinese opened negotiations for peace, and after protracted _pourparlers_ they agreed early in 1841 to pay an indemnity, and to cede the island of Hong Kong. In accordance with the treaty the island was occupied by the British, but this was resented by the Chinese, who had determined not to carry out the terms agreed upon. Hostilities were consequently recommenced, and an expedition sent up the Canton River, where it quickly dealt with the batteries at Wantong, landed a body of British and Indian infantry, and captured considerably over 1,000 Chinese soldiers without losing a man. Pursuing its way up the river, the expedition imposed severe punishment upon the different forts, and the Chinese again sued for peace, mainly, however, for the purpose of gaining time to bring up reinforcements. The forts at Canton were silenced, and on May 24th, 1841, the British troops landed and carried the fortified heights, the 18th Royal Irish and the 49th charging in brilliant style. A flag of truce was hoisted on May 26th, and as a result of _pourparlers_ £4,250,000 sterling was agreed to be paid for the evacuation of Canton, which was to be opened to trade.
The Emperor had no intention of carrying out any such agreement--on the contrary he issued a mandate for the extermination of the British. As a result of this flagrant breach of faith, an expedition was sent to the Island of Amoy, and appeared before the city of Amoy on August 25th. Two hours' bombardment sufficed to demoralise the garrison, despite their 500 pieces of cannon, and a force of troops was landed. Chusan was retaken, the military depot of Chinghai stormed, and the fortified and important city of Ningpo captured. A determined effort was made on March 10th, 1842, to retake it, but despite the surprise the enemy was beaten off. Later the British left Ningpo and again proceeded up-river, attacking Tsekee on March 15th, capturing the heights of Segon and forcing the Chankee pass ere returning to Ningpo on March 17th. In May Ningpo was evacuated, and the fortified city of Chapoo at the mouth of the Shanghai River attacked and a landing effected. In June Woosung and Poonshau, and the city of Shangee, were captured, and with the aid of the 98th Regiment under Lieutenant-Colonel Campbell (afterwards Lord Clyde), which now reinforced the expedition, the city of Chin-Kiang was attacked, and after a severe struggle taken on July 21st, 1842. Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Hugh (afterwards Viscount) Gough, whose decoration from Dr. Payne's collection is used to illustrate the medal awarded for this campaign, led his army to the ancient capital Nankin, which was reached on August 9th, 1842. The demonstration sufficed to bring the enemy to reason, and a treaty of peace was signed, the indemnity paid, the ports of Amoy, Ningpo, Foo-choo-foo, and Shanghai opened to British commerce, and Hong Kong ceded to us.
The army of about 3,000 men was composed of the 18th Royal Irish, 26th Cameronians (which lost nearly 600 men out of 900, by disease, before Canton fell), 49th, 55th (which particularly distinguished itself at the assault on the city of Chin-Kiang), 98th, 37th Madras Infantry, Royal and Indian Artillery, and a Naval Brigade, including marines, also took a prominent part.
=The First China Medal, 1842.=--In January 1843 the grant of a medal was made to commemorate "the signal successes of Her Majesty's Naval and Military forces," both European and Native, upon the coast and in the interior of the Empire of China. On the obverse is the diademed head of Queen Victoria facing to the left, with the legend VICTORIA REGINA on either side, and on the truncation of the head W. WYON, R.A. This was the first medal issued with the Queen's head. On the reverse is a trophy of naval and military weapons, very badly disposed, with an oval shield bearing the Royal Arms in the centre, the whole backed by a palm tree, and above ARMIS EXPOSCERE PACEM, with CHINA on a plain panel in the exergue, and underneath the date ~1842~. The medal is 1⅖ in. in diameter, with a plain straight German-silver clasp soldered on for suspension from a ribbon of red with broad yellow edges, the same width as the diameter of the medal. The names of the recipients, and the number of the regiment or name of ship, were impressed upon the edge in bold Roman capital letters. The reverse of this medal has been used ever since for presentation to troops taking part in Chinese wars, the date 1842 being deleted, and fishtail bars recording the engagements and dates used to indicate the campaign.
SECOND AFGHAN WAR
Shah Shoojah made a very indifferent ruler, and, as I have stated, did little to strengthen his hold on the throne upon which the British had placed him--indeed, without British arms he possessed no authority. The price we paid to keep this unpopular and bad ruler upon his throne--mainly, it is true, to ensure a barrier against Russia--was a heavy one. In October 1841 the Afghans openly rebelled at Cabul, murdered Sir Alexander Burnes and Sir William Macnaughton, and the troops were forced to retire upon Jellalabad, but were practically cut to pieces on the march, Dr. Brydon--who became one of the famous Lucknow garrison--being the only British officer to reach that city. It is estimated that of 20,000 who left Cabul, only a few hundreds escaped with their lives. The 44th (1st Essex Regiment) had 22 officers and 543 men killed during this disastrous retreat. Meanwhile Sir Robert Sale with the 13th Somerset Light Infantry, which had been detached from Cabul to deal with the insurgents in the Khoord-Cabul pass, had occupied Jellalabad.
[Illustration: (Reverse.)
(Obverse.)
SECOND JELLALABAD MEDAL, "FLYING VICTORY," 1842.]
[Illustration: CHINA, 1842.
Awarded to Field-Marshal Hugh Viscount Gough, K.P., G.C.B., G.C.S.I]
[Illustration: CABUL, 1842, WITH ORIGINAL STEEL SUSPENDER.]
=Jellalabad.=--The defence of Jellalabad by the little force under Sir Robert Sale, including Captain (afterwards the famous Sir Henry) Havelock, is the bright gem which sparkles in the dross of this unfortunate campaign. The city was in a very poor condition when the gallant defender seized the place and proceeded to strengthen it. On November 12th, 1841, the garrison had only one half-day's rations, but by a plucky sortie they managed to drive off the Afghans and obtain supplies. The place was again invested on the 27th, but by a successful sally on December 1st they were routed. On January 9th the leader of the rebellion called upon Sir Robert Sale to surrender the fortress, but he naturally refused. Not only was the indomitable spirit of the British tried by the repeated attacks of the enemy, but it almost appeared as if Nature herself was in league with the insurgents, for within a month a series of earthquake shocks demolished a third of the place and part of the defences, and necessitated continual repair of the works. Then came the blockade by Mahomed Akbar Khan, who after assassinating the British envoy at Cabul was responsible for the destruction of the army which left that city. On April 7th, however, the defenders made a determined attack upon the camp of the besiegers, and the 6,000 men under Mahomed Akbar were put to rout, and the siege abandoned. The regiments engaged in the defence of Jellalabad, under Sir Robert Sale, were H.M.'s 13th Light Infantry; a squadron of the 5th Bengal Light Cavalry; 35th Bengal Native Infantry; detachments of Broadfoot's Sappers and the 6th Shah's Infantry; half the Shah's Mountain Train; 2nd and 6th Batts. Bengal Artillery; a few native officers, and 682 armed followers.
=First Jellalabad Medal.=--The "Illustrious" garrison of Jellalabad, which had kept the flag flying for five months, was awarded a medal by General Order dated Allahabad, April 30th, 1842. It is a very simple medal, 1½ in. in diameter, bearing on the obverse JELLALABAD in capital block letters taking the line of the medal above a mural crown, and on the reverse the date APRIL boldly occupying the centre, with VII above and ~1842~ below. The suspenders were of two kinds--a steel clip and ring, or a silver wire loop attached to a ring through a hole in the broad flat rim. The medals were mostly issued without names; a few were indented, but the majority were engraved. The ribbon of watered silk is 1⅘ in. wide, and shaded rainbow fashion from crimson to yellow and blue. Two thousand five hundred and ninety-six medals were issued, and the relatives of those defenders who succumbed between April 7th, 1842, and the date of issue in December received the medal. The rarer medals are those awarded to the Shah's Mountain Train and the Shah's Cavalry, also the 5th Bengal Light Infantry.
=Second Jellalabad Medal.=--Lord Ellenborough, the Governor-General of India, being dissatisfied with the simple and somewhat crude character of the award, had a more decorative medal designed by W. Wyon and struck at the Royal Mint, that those who cared might exchange when they were issued in March 1845. The men, however, were loath to part with the original medal, and very few applied for the new one; it is stated that of the famous 13th--the only European regiment to receive the award--only five exchanged their medals. The obverse of the second Jellalabad, or the "Flying Victory," bears the head of Queen Victoria as on the China medal, with VICTORIA VINDEX above (a few were issued with VICTORIA REGINA), and on the reverse the fortress of Jellalabad, with a bold flying figure of Victory above bearing in her uplifted left hand the Union Jack, and in her right two wreaths; above is JELLALABAD VII APRIL, and in the exergue MDCCCXLII. The medal, 1⅖ in. in diameter, was suspended from the crimson, yellow, and blue ribbon by a steel or plated bar 2⅖ in. long. The recipient's name, etc., was impressed upon the edge in capital Roman letters, but some were issued engraved in script. In addition to the 13th (later called Prince Albert's Light Infantry, as one of the honours conferred for the occasion; they also had their facings changed from yellow to blue), the 35th Native Infantry, 2-6th Batt. Bengal Artillery, Anderson's Horse, one squadron 5th Bengal Light Native Cavalry, and Broadfoot's Sappers and Miners took part in the defence.
=Cabul.=--The prestige of Britain had been lowered as a result of the insurrections, and in order to relieve Jellalabad (but it is said to take vengeance upon the enemy), Major-General Pollock was dispatched with an army, with which he forced the Kyber Pass and relieved Jellalabad on April 16th, where he halted for some months to organise his transport. Meanwhile oppressive heat and pestilence played havoc with the troops encamped in the valley of Jellalabad, and it was determined to divide the force and advance on Cabul, General Pollock having a hard fight at the pass of Jugdulluck, where he beat off Mahomed Khan and the Ghilzie chiefs. Later the combined divisions of Pollock and Sale combated the enemy in the Tezeen pass, where, on September 13th, Akbar Khan with 20,000 men disputed passage. His force, however, was put to rout, and the leader escaped accompanied by a single soldier. The debacle was complete, and on September 15th the army encamped on the race-course at Cabul, and next day the British flag again flew over the city.
The following troops took part in the march and recapture of Cabul: 9th, 13th, 31st, 40th, and 41st Foot Regiments, and the 3rd Light Dragoons, who were awarded the medal for Cabul, also the following regiments in the H.E.I. Co.'s service: 4th, 5th, 6th, and 12th Bengal Infantry; 1st and 10th Bengal Light Cavalry; 3rd Irregular Cavalry; the 5th company of the Bengal Artillery, and Sappers and Miners.
Three thousand five hundred medals were issued to Europeans for Cabul, but very few were issued to the 40th Regiment.
=Candahar.=--Major-General Knott's defence of Candahar, if not so famous as that of Jellalabad by Sir Robert Sale, exhibited the same tenacity and cool determination. The rebels in the vicinity of Candahar were led by Prince Sufter Jung, a son of Shah Shoojah, and Prince Timour; they and their men, however, were helpless in the face of the little British army that sallied forth on the morning of January 12th, 1842, and routed them. The success of the battle did but keep the enemy at a respectful distance, for they spent their time in plundering the villages in the neighbourhood. Bad weather militated against any further effort on the part of the British general until March 7th, when he advanced against the rebel Afghans, and again put them to rout, but while the detachment was engaged in combating one section of the insurgents, another made a daring attack upon the city; they were, however, repulsed with considerable loss. Another action was fought on March 25th, and, with the assistance of the brigade under Colonel Wymer, the investing enemy was driven in confusion across the Urghundaub. On April 28th Major-General (later Sir) Richard England, after attacking the enemy at Hykulzie, successfully reached Candahar, and enabled Major-General Knott to advance upon Cabul.
"The Fighting Fortieth" was the only British regiment present in the defence and in the actions outside. It is noteworthy that through disease the regiment had been considerably reduced before it took part in the defence of Candahar. Major Biddulph states that only 64 "Candahar" medals were struck for the 40th Foot, and of these 42 were for the relatives of deceased officers and soldiers, and 22 for sick, etc., who had returned to India. The 41st, the Welsh Regiment, was the only British unit that took part in the relief of Candahar. The 5th, 6th, and 12th Bengal Infantry; Poona Horse; 1st Bengal (Skinner's) and 3rd Bombay Cavalry, and Bombay and Bengal Artillery were engaged in the defence and relief.
Only 130 Europeans received the medal for Candahar.
=Kelat-i-Ghilzie.=--Colonel Wymer, C.B., with a detachment which included a few men of "The Fighting Fortieth," marched on Kelat-i-Ghilzie, a hill fort 84 miles from Candahar, in order to draw off the garrison, which had held the fort during the winter, and (on May 21st) five days before Colonel Wymer's arrival had succeeded in defeating 4,000 Ghilzees who had attacked the fort. The garrison of only 950, under the command of Captain Craigie, included about 100 Europeans. For this heroic defence a silver medal was issued to every man taking part; it is 1⅖ in. in diameter, and depends from a steel clip and bar, as in the medal illustrated facing page 96, and was suspended from the same kind of ribbon. On the obverse is an ornamental shield inscribed KELAT-I-GHILZIE, surrounded by a laurel wreath with a mural crown above. On the reverse is a military trophy, with a breast-plate and helmet forming the central feature, and "INVICTA MDCCCXLII" on an ornamental tablet underneath. The names of the recipients were all engraved, generally in script. None of the Queen's Regiments took part in the defence, the majority (600) of the defenders being of the Shah's army. Three companies of the 43rd Bengal Infantry, 44 European Artillerymen including one officer, and 60 Sappers and Miners of the H.E.I. Co.'s service were also engaged. Only 55 Europeans received this medal.
=Recapture of Ghuznee.=--Ghuznee, with its garrison of exhausted and half-frozen men, had capitulated in March under the orders of Major-General Elphinstone, who had been taken prisoner at Cabul, and died shortly afterwards. Elphinstone's orders to surrender Jellalabad and Candahar had been ignored by Sir Robert Sale and Sir William Knott. They not only had the determination of Englishmen, but knew the treacherous character of their enemies. Colonel Palmer, unfortunately, forced by the weakness of his men and relying upon the promise of a safe escort for his sepoys to Hindoostan, agreed to surrender. The troops were unarmed, and with their womenfolk had hardly left the citadel when they were attacked and the majority massacred. Colonel Palmer was tortured, and with nine other officers thrown into a dungeon. When Sir William Knott appeared before Ghuznee, on September 5th, 1842, he found the city swarming with rebel troops, and great bodies of cavalry and infantry in the mountainous environs. He drove these off, erected breaching batteries, and prepared to attack the city, but on the morning of the 6th it was discovered that the fortress had been evacuated; and so with very few casualties Ghuznee was again taken, over 300 unfortunate sepoys released, and the sacred gates of Somnath, which Mahommedan invaders had taken from India centuries before, were taken down as mementoes of a campaign which did nothing to improve our prestige.
The 40th and 41st were the only British regiments to receive the medal with Ghuznee inscribed thereon. Members of these regiments who had been in the other actions were entitled to the medals bearing Candahar and Cabul also.
=The Ghuznee, Candahar, and Cabul Medals.=--For this war a silver medal was issued by the Indian Government to those who had taken part in it. Four types of medals were issued. One with the words CANDAHAR, GHUZNEE, CABUL, 1842, the names being above one another and the date below, all within a laurel wreath, the whole surmounted by the royal crown; another for GHUZNEE-CABUL, 1842, with the names in entwined wreaths and the date beneath them; and those for CANDAHAR, 1842, and CABUL, 1842, as indicated in the illustration facing page 100 of one with the original bright steel suspender attached to a hinged clip. The medals are 1⅖ in. in diameter, the obverse bearing the diademed head of the young Queen Victoria with the legend "Victoria Vindex" above; some have the words "Victoria Regina," but these are scarce, while a few of the medals for Cabul are spelt thus, CABVL, but it is doubtful whether they were actually issued to soldiers. It is noteworthy that on certain of the medals in this series the name of the executant, W. Wyon, R.A., is on the truncation of the Queen's head instead of beneath it. In this issue the recipients' names were engraved either in Italian script or in square Roman letters; a few were impressed, and some were issued unnamed. The "rainbow" or military ribbon for India is used for suspension.
One thousand four hundred Europeans received the medal with Candahar, Ghuznee, Cabul.
=Meeanee.=--In 1843 the "tail of the Afghan storm" arose. It followed the attempt on the part of several Ameers, with an army of 8,000 Belooches, to obtain possession of the British Presidency at Hyderabad; they were driven off, but owing to the weakness of the place it was decided to abandon it for the safety of the camp commanded by Sir Charles Napier, to whom the conduct of the campaign in Scinde had been entrusted, and who gained for himself the native sobriquet "Shaitan-ke-bhaee," or "The devil's brother," by his determined action in dealing with the Ameers. He first destroyed the fort at Emaun Ghur on January 14th and 15th, a feat which drew forth the eulogiums of Wellington, and ruined the chance of the Ameers in the campaign. On February 17th the battle of Meeanee was fought, 2,800 men, with 12 guns, under Major-General Sir Charles Napier attacking, and in three hours defeating the Scindian army of 30,000 infantry and 5,000 cavalry, with 15 guns, but not before nearly all the European officers were killed or wounded. The Belooches, who fought with remarkable valour, lost 5,000 men, their camp and all its appurtenances falling into the hands of the British. Next day six of the Ameers surrendered. The only Queen's Regiment represented at Meeanee was the 22nd Foot, and only 65 medals were issued to the regiment, with two companies of Bombay Artillery; Grenadiers of the 1st Native Infantry; 12th and 25th Native Infantry; a detachment of Poona Irregular Horse, to which corps only 14 medals were issued; Scinde Irregular Horse; 9th Bengal Light Cavalry, and half company of Madras Sappers and Miners. The 22nd lost 1 officer and 23 men killed; its commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Pennefeather, 6 officers, and 52 men wounded.
=Hyderabad.=--The Ameers, who still held out against the British army, made a stand with 20,000 men at the village of Duppa, near Hyderabad, under Meer Shere Mahomed, where on March 24th they were attacked by Sir Charles Napier with 5,000 troops, and defeated with great loss. The arch enemy of the British, Hoche Mahomed Seede, was killed, and Meer Shere Mahomed fled to the desert; the battle was decided by the 22nd Regiment and the troop of Bombay Horse Artillery. In this battle the 22nd, which numbered 560 rank and file, lost 23 men killed, 5 officers and 134 men wounded.
[Illustration: AFGHAN MEDAL FOR CANDAHAR, GHUZNEE, AND CABUL, 1842.]
[Illustration: BRONZE STAR FOR MAHARAJPOOR.]
As a result of the campaign Scinde and Meerpore passed into British possession. The troops engaged at Hyderabad were: H.M.'s 22nd Foot; 1st Troop of Bombay Horse Artillery; 2nd-1st and 2nd-2nd Companies of the Bombay Artillery; 1st, 8th, 12th, 21st, and 25th Native Infantry; 3rd and 5th Companies of Golundaze; Madras Sappers and Miners; 3rd Bombay Cavalry; 9th Bengal Cavalry; Poona Horse and Scinde Horse; also men from the Indus Flotilla.