Madras Army

The printable version is no longer supported and may have rendering errors. Please update your browser bookmarks and please use the default browser print function instead.

The Madras Army was one of the East India Company Armies. Its origins lie in the raising of the first troops at Fort St George which was constructed in 1640 to defend Madras.

Divisions

Madras Artillery
Madras Cavalry
Madras Infantry:

Madras Regiments

A list of Madras Army regiments, alphabetically by type, can be found in the main article Madras Army Regiments.

Records

British Library

Online database of National Archives shows Roll of subscribers to Madras Military Fund 1808-c.1939. Biographical details included - taken from British Library reference IOR/L/AG/23/10/1

Other records available in the British Library India Office holdings include:

Madras Army Records IOR/L/MIL/11. Discovery catalogue entry which includes links to subgroups.

Please note that the Registers of Madras Army European Soldiers IOR/L/MIL/11/101-108 1786-1860 commenced in 1831 and only contain men still serving in the Army at that date. If a man left the Army prior to 1831 for any reason, including death, he will not appear in these records. The Muster records are an alternative source of information.

The LDS (Mormons) have filmed many of these records. Search the Microfilm catalogue by entering keywords such as Madras Army. In particular, “Registers of Madras Army European soldiers, 1786-1860” and “Madras army muster, quarterly, annual and casualty rolls, 1762-1907” are available. (Ordering microfilms).

Military Department Library: Madras Army IOR/L/MIL/17/3 1787-1904 includes
- Madras Army List IOR/L/MIL/17/3/1-329 1810-1895
- Madras Army General and Regimental Histories, Biographical Compilations IOR/L/MIL/17/3/511-520 1852-1943. Discovery catalogue entry
Soldiers’ and Officers’ Wills IOR/L/AG/34/30 1825-1881 (varies according to Presidency and whether a soldier or an officer). These records are available on findmypast

Fibis Database

Applications for Cadetships in EIC Armies 1789-1860 includes Madras Army. These are records for officers.
First Soldiers of the EIC Army
Soldiers’ and Widows’ Pension details -1896 IOR/ L/MIL/14/214 & 215 Includes previous members of the Bengal, Madras and Bombay Armies, including men from the Unattached List. May also include a few members of the Indian Army which officially was formed in 1895. These records are available on LDS microfilm 2029979 Items 1-2 with catalogue entry, however the FIBIS database record contains all the information available in the microfilm.

Other sources

The National Army Museum holds a card index detailing officer's services. This index is unpublished and not available elsewhere. See the NAM article for details.

External links

Madras Presidency: Army Wikipedia
Madras Army Wikipedia
Officer biographies - Bengal and Madras Armies from Macquarie University’s Seringapatam 1799
Distribution Return of Her Majesty's and the East India Company's Troops Serving under the Presidency of Fort St. George (Madras) 1 April 1857 The Nafziger Collection of Orders of Battle (page 171 of the Finding Aid)

Historical books online

Alphabetical List of the Officers of the Madras Army by Edward Dodwell, 1838 (Archive.org)
A List of the Officers who have served in the Madras Artillery, from its formation in 1748 down to 1861, in which year it was amalgamated with the Royal Artillery : giving the dates of their appointment, promotion, retirement, death, etc. compiled by Major John Henry Leslie, Royal Artillery (Retired List) 1900 Hathi Trust Digital Library.
History of the Madras Army by Lieutenant-Colonel William John Wilson Volume1 Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek . Covers the period 1746-1780. Volume 2 1882 Covers the period 1780-1799. Volume 3 1883. Covers the period 1799-1817. Archive.org. Volumes 4 and 5 are available at the British Library
The Presidential Armies of India by Colonel S Rivett-Carnac 1890 Archive.org has chapters on the Madras Army
‪Head Quarters, Choultry Plain, thirteenth July, MDCCXCVI [1796]. General Orders: by the Commander in Chief ‬[Madras Army] Google Books. A restructure of the Regiments.
Stringer Lawrence, the Father of the Indian Army by Colonel J Biddulph 1901 Archive.org. The subject arrived at Fort St David in January 1748, He had been earlier appointed Major of the Garrison at Fort St George , which had since been taken by the French. By 1752 he was Commander-in Chief of all the Company’s military forces in the East Indies.
Memoir and correspondence of General James Stuart Fraser of the Madras Army by Colonel Hastings Fraser, 2nd edition 1885. Archive.org. General Fraser was in India 1799 to February 1853, the last fourteen years as Resident at Hyderabad
Sketch of the Services of Major-General Briggs, of the Madras Army. [Drawn up by himself] 1840 Google Books

Memoir of General John Briggs, of the Madras Army; with comments on some of his words and work by Major Evans Bell 1885 Archive.org. General Briggs joined the Madras Army July 1801, and left India in 1835.

Twelve years' military adventure in three quarters of the globe: or, Memoirs of an officer who served in the armies of His Majesty and of the East India Company, between the years 1802 and 1814 Volume 1 by John Blakiston 1829. Volume 2. Google Books. He joined the Madras Engineers in 1802. Pages 1- 115 of Volume 2 cover the period April 1811 to February 1812 , and mainly relate to the Expedition to Java.
An account of the origin, progress, and consequences of the late discontents of the army on the Madras establishment 1810 Google Books
Observations on the disturbances in the Madras Army in 1809 by Sir John Malcolm 1812 Google Books. Part I. Observations on the causes and progress of the disturbances in the Madras army,Part. II. A narrative of the conduct of Lieut.-Colonel Malcolm during the disturbances in the Madras army
Journals of the sieges of the Madras Army, in the years 1817, 1818, and 1819 by Edward Lake of the Madras Engineers 1825 Google Books
Military reminiscences: extracted from a journal of nearly forty years' active service in the East Indies Volume 1 by Colonel James Welsh of the Madras Establishment 1830. Google Books Volume 2 Google Books (service from 1790)
Thirty years in India: or, A soldier's reminiscences of native and European life in the presidencies, from 1808 to 1838 by Major Henry Bevan late 27th EIC Madras Native Infantry 1839 Volume 1, Volume 2 Google Books
‪Memorials of Service in India‬: ‪from the correspondence of the late Major Samuel Charters Macpherson‬ Political Agent at Gwalior during the Mutiny, and formerly employed in the suppression of human sacrifices in Orissa.1865 Google Books. Archive.org (has better maps) He initially joined the Madras Army in 1827. In 1831 he was appointed assistant surveyor-general and was engaged in both military and survey work. In 1841 he was appointed as Assistant to the Agent at Ganjam, Political Agent at Bhopal in 1853, and Political Agent at Gwalior in 1854.
Ten Years in India: or, The Life of a Young Officer by Albert Henry Andrew Hervey of the 40th Regiment Madras Infantry (1850), Volume I, Volume II, Volume III Google Books. A later edition was published in 1988 as A soldier of the Company: Life of an Indian Ensign, 1833-43.
General Douglas Hamilton, Madras Army 1837-1871. His Army career is detailed in the Preface page ix Records of sport in Southern India : chiefly on the Annamullay, Nielgherry and Pulney mountains, also including notes on Singapore, Java and Labuan, from journals written between 1844 and 1870 by the late General Douglas Hamilton, Madras Army 1892 Archive.org. With many illustrations.
Revised Index of all General Orders from 1800 to 1839 inclusive… by a Staff Officer ,Madras 1841 Google Books
Revised Standing Orders, Sections II, III, IV, V and XI for the Native Infantry of the Madras Army 1866 Google Books
‪Report on the Medical Topography and Statistics of the Presidency Division of the Madras Army‬: ‪including Fort St. George, and its dependencies, within the limits of the Supreme Court. Compiled from the records of the Medical Board Office‬ 1842 ‪Google Books
Report on the Medical Topography and Statistics of Coorg Compiled from the Records of the Medical Board Office, Madras 1843 Google Books Includes the cantonment of Merkara.
Report on the Medical Topography and Statistics of the Southern Division of the Madras Army Compiled from the Records of the Medical Board Office, Madras 1843 Google Books. Includes the European cantonment at Trichinopoly
‪Report on the Medical Topography and Statistics of the Ceded Districts: Compiled from the Records of the Medical Board Office Madras‬ 1844 Google Books Includes the cantonments of Bellary and Cuddapah
Report on the Medical Topography and Statistics of the Provinces of Malabar and Canara: Compiled from the Records of the Medical Board Office, Madras 1844 Google Books
Report on the Medical Topography and Statistics of the Mysore Division of the Madras Army Compiled from the Records of the Medical Board Office, Madras 1844 Google Books‬. (Appears at the back of the book file for the previously mentioned Report)
"Statistical Report on the Sickness and Mortality among the Troops serving in the Madras Presidency. Prepared from official documents printed by order of the Madras Government" by T. Graham Balfour, M. D., Grenadier Guards page 33 Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal Volume 68 1847
Report of the Commissioners Appointed to Inquire into the Sanitary State of the Army in India : with Abstract of Evidence, and of Reports Received from Indian Military Stations 1864 Archive.org
- "Abstract of Sanitary Details in Reports from Principal Military Stations in India. Madras Presidency" page 403. Includes details of the military stations in Burma.
- "Remarks on the Climate of Stations. Madras Presidency" page 535. Does not include details of the stations in Burma, which are classified as part of the Bengal Presidency.
Report Of The Sanitary Commissioner For Madras. 1869 Includes statistics relating to the cantonments in the Madras Presidency and Burma, Google Books
Madras Infantry 1748-1943 by Lt.-Col. E G Phythian-Adams late 3rd Madras Regiment published 1943 is available to read online on the Digital Library of India website. Two files are available, barcode 4990010018885 seems a more complete copy
The Madras Soldier 1746-1946 by Lt.-Col. E G Phythian-Adams Revised and enlarged edition 1947 Archive.org.
Questions and answers on guard and sentry drill, selected from the general regulations of the Madras Army‬ by Edward Thomas Fasken, Quarter Master and Interpreter 5th Battalion Artillery 1850 Google Books