Black Mountain Expedition 1852-53

Black Mountain Expedition 1852-53
Part of North West Frontier Campaigns
Date:	December 1852-January 1853
Location:	Black Mountain Range, NWF
Presidency:	Bengal
Co-ordinates:	34.617016°N 72.992962°E
Result:	Submission of tribes
Combatants
British & Indians	Hassanzai tribesmen
Commanders
Lt Col Frederick Mackeson
Strength
3,800 British troops
Casualties

Cause

Two Customs Department officials who, despite being warned against entering Hassanzai territory, did so and were murdered by the tribemen. Nevill, Captain H. L., "Campaigns on the North West Frontier" Reprint: Sang-e-Meel Publications, Lahore 2003 pg 22.

Field Force

Right Column
Lieut Col Robert Napier RE

• Mountain Train Battery (2 guns)
• Corps of Guides (350 men) Lt W S R Hodson
• 1st Sikh Infantry (51st Sikhs 300 men) Capt G Gordon
• Rawalpindi Police (176 men) Lt S B Cookson
  

Centre Column
Major J. Abbott, Deputy Commissioner

• Police (2 Companies)
• Kashmir Dogras (2 Companies)
• Levies (1,400 men)
  
• 11 Light native guns
  

Left Column
Capt W.W.Davidson 16th Irregulars

• Mountain Train Battery (4 guns)
• 16th Irregular Cavalry
• Kashmir Dogras (2 Regiments less 2 Companies)
  

Reserve
Lt-Col J Butler

• 5th Troop 1st Brigade Royal Horse Artillery ('T' Battery)
• 7th Company Sapper & Miners
  • 3rd Native Infantry
• Kelat-i-Ghilzai Regiment (12th Pioneers)

External Links

North West Frontier Military History Wikipedia
Black Mountauin Wikipedia
honour.com/Sussex/EastbourneSussexRegimentMemorial.html#BlackMountain Black Mountain Expeditions Sussex Regiment Memorial
Imperial Black Mountain Gazetteer of India
Mackeson's Obituary Google Book
Mackeson's Memorial in Cantebury Cathedral www.flickr.com

Historical Books on-line

Frontier and Overseas Expeditions from India Vol I - Black Mountain Expedition 1852-53 archive.org

Recommended Reading

Campaigns of the North-West Frontier by Capt H.L.Nevill DSO 1916
Reprinted by The Naval & Military Press Ltd 2005
ISBN 1-845741-87-0