13th Hussars

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Also known as 13th Hussars, the 13th Dragoons or sometimes simply the 13th Cavalry.

Chronology

  • 1715 raised as Richard Munden’s Regiment of Dragoons
  • 1751 renamed the 13th Regiment of Dragoons
  • 1783 became the 13th Regiment of Light Dragoons
  • 1861 became the 13th Hussars
  • 1922 amalgamated with the 18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own) to form the 13th/18th Hussars
  • 1935 became the 13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own)
  • 1992 consolidated with the 15th/19th King’s Hussars to form the Light Dragoons

Service in British India

This history was part of Cathy Day's Family History in India site and is based on info found in the 1911 book History of the XIII. Hussars by Charles Raymond Booth Barrett. Cathy has kindly transferred this page to our wiki.

Arrival 1819

After a voyage lasting from 9th February to 13th June 1819, the regiment arrived at Madras. On disembarkation it was marched into Fort St George, where it remained until the 10th of July.

Marching for Arcot on that day, the future station of the 13th Light Dragoons was reached on July 19. We now arrive at a period of no less than twenty years' duration, when no call was made on the 13th to display its proved prowess in the field on active service. For it was not until March 1839 that any portion of the regiment was employed in forming a part of an Expeditionary Force. For all these long years of peace - inspections, reviews, the joining of remounts, the transfer of horses, and similar notices, are the only events which exist to be chronicled.

On July 30 1819, the regiment was inspected at Arcot by Major General Browne - and similar inspections took place on October 13 and 14. The 21st Light Dragoons during September were presumably under orders to return to England, and from that regiment thirteen privates volunteered and joined the 13th.

During October, 389 men (including Cathy Day's ancestor, Private William Killmain) volunteered from the 22nd Light Dragoons and joined the 13th Light Dragoons. On October 24th eighty remount horses joined. During October and November two very large drafts of horses were made over to the regiment from the 22nd Light Dragoons, amounting to 415 and 120 respectively.

Move to Bangalore

From the Army List we find that the 21st Light Dragoons were disbanded at Chatham in May 1820. On February 1 1820, the 13th marched from Arcot for Bangalore, at which station it arrived on February 19. During May, on the 3rd, 6th, and 13th, the regiment was inspected by Major-General Hare. A remount of 191 horses joined the 13th from Koongul on June 15. On July 4th a review of the regiment was held at Bangalore by Major-General Sir W. G. Keir. A draft of nine men from the depot in England joined on September 27. The regiment was inspected by Major-General Sewell at Bangalore on the 28th and 31st of October, and November 1. There is no entry until May 1821, when on the 14th, 15th, 16th, and 18th, an inspection was held by Lieut.-General Bowser.

On June 14th six men joined at Poonamallee from the depot in England. Inspections by Lieut.-General Bowser were held at Bangalore on October 24 1821 and May 9 1822. On July 31st seventy remount horses joined from Koongul. On September 23rd forty men joined the regiment from the depot in England. Inspections were held by Lieut-General Bowser on October 4 1822, and on May 15 1823. On June 19th twenty-two men joined from England, and on August 3rd forty-six remount horses were received from Koongul. Lieut.-General Bowser inspected the regiment on December 12 1823, and again on May 18 1824. For the next three years there is absolutely nothing to record. Men joined the regiment at intervals and in numbers varying from two to forty. Horses were received from Koongul as remounts, and some were transferred to the 2nd Light Cavalry, to the "Horse Brigade", and to the 1st Light Cavalry. The inspecting officers were Major-General Jewell in May 1825, Major-General Sir T. Pritzler KCB, in December 1825 and in May 1826, while in December 1826, in May 1827, and again in December of that year, the inspecting officer was Major-General Sir John Doveton KCB. In all, 152 men joined the regiment from England, 159 horses were received from Koongul, and 105 horses were delivered over to regiments of native cavalry. On July 15, 1826, the 13th Light Dragoons marched from Bangalore to Arcot. Between January 1828 and April 1829 the history of the regiment may be summarised as follows:- 79 men joined the regiment from England, three having died on the voyage; 258 horses were transferred to native cavalry regiments, 90 were cast and sold, and 250 joined from Koornul and Oossoor, of which 90 were young horses.

Major-General Sir John Doveton KCB inspected the regiment on May 1 1828, and also on December 30th and 31st of that year. Owing to the cholera which prevailed in the cantonments (permanent regimental bases) at Arcot, the regiment marched out and went into camp on February 15, 1828, and proceeded on March 3rd from that encampment to cantonments at Arnee, where it arrived on the following day. Here the regiment remained for a year, when it returned to Bangalore, arriving there on April 8. On May 27th the regiment was inspected at line duties by Major General Sir T. Pritzler KCB., and three days later dismounted by the same officer. Between August 4 1829 and December 31 1830, 166 men joined the regiment, all of whom came from England, except nine who volunteered from the 47th Regiment of Foot. 47 remount horses joined from Oossoor. On December 30, 1829, the regiment was inspected by Colonel Armstrong commanding at Bangalore.

An inspection in marching order and ball-practice was held on January 14, 1830, and on the following day the regiment was reviewed by the same officer. On May 27 1830, and the two following days, Major-General Sir T. Pritzler KCB, held inspections of the regiment, dismounted and at riding drill, followed by a review. For four days in December the same officer held inspections and a review, dismounted, riding-school order, review and ball-practice in marching order. During 1831, 44 horses were cast and transferred to the Commissariat, and 100 artillery horses were received from Oossoor. 30 men joined from the depot in England. During May, Major-General T. Hawker inspected the regiment - dismounted, saddlery, accoutrements, barrack-rooms, and horse lines. He also held a review and on the following day examined the saddlery, cloaks, hospital, canteens, barracks, etc. In addition to these inspections, His Excellency Lieut-General Sir George Walker GCB KCI, Commander-in-Chief of the Madras Army, reviewed the regiment on September 13, and early in October held an inspection of the barracks, school, canteen, stores, etc., and the regiment dismounted.

The Mutiny at Bangalore

See also Bangalore Mutiny

In the month of October 1832 the existence of a plot to mutiny and murder all the European officers and soldiers in Bangalore was discovered. The destruction of the 13th Light Dragoons formed part of the conspiracy. The mutiny was timed to break out at midnight on the 28th of October. Up to the morning of that day no suspicion even was entertained by either European officers, soldiers, or officials.

The mutineers were Muslims, and if the outbreak at Bangalore had proved successful, it was to be followed by similar outbreaks at Bellary, Jaulna, Hyderabad and Nagpore. Doubtless, too, it would have spread far and wide.

To Major Inglis, commanding the 48th Native Infantry, however, on the morning of October 28th came Jemadar Emaun Khan, a native officer of his regiment, and to the astonishment of his commanding officer revealed the whole plot. Prompt measures were at once taken, the European regiments then at Bangalore, the 62nd Regiment of Foot and the 13th Light Dragoons, were immediately warned. Parties were sent out, and all those named by the Jemadar were immediately arrested. The ringleader was a certain Hyder Ali Khan, who liked to be styled the "Nawaub", and who lived in the Pettah (walled part of a city) of Bangalore. With him were associated Syfut Ali Shah, a fakir who pretended to be an alchemist, and who promised those who joined the conspirators pecuniary rewards in this world and rewards of another, but equally satisfactory, nature in the next. A Muslim butter-merchant was also deeply implicated.

Had, however, the sedition been confined to these civilian natives, it would not have been particularly formidable, but unfortunately several havildars (the highest rank of non-commissioned officer among native troops in India and Ceylon) and sepoys of the native horse artillery, and certain regiments of native infantry and cavalry, had been seduced from their allegiance, and, what is more, would probably have received a certain amount of support from their comrades when once the trouble had begun.

A court of inquiry was held on Tuesday October 30 and continued its sittings till Sunday November 4.

The story of this plot is as follows: For some little time Hyder Ali Khan, the "Nawaub" as he pleased to call himself, had lived in the Pettah at Bangalore. He appeared to be well supplied with money, and exercised not a little hospitality; his main endeavour being at first to attract to his house as many sepoys and native officers of the Company's service as he could, particularly those of the Native Horse Artillery. He had also entered into communication with, and enlisted in his design, a goodly number of disbanded troopers and discharged sepoys who had formerly been in the service of the Rajah of Mysore. Some two or three hundred Pindarees, too, were prepared to join when the signal of revolt was given. It happened, too, that certain details of light cavalry had left Bangalore for Mysore on the 25th under the command of a Subadar-Major. Arrangements had been made to intercept this force, and with the aid of certain mutineers who belonged to it, to murder the officers if true to their salt, and then to return and join their comrades at Bangalore. If the subadar chose to throw in his lot with the mutineers, all the better. The Vakeel of the Coorg Rajah also had promised 12,000 horse and 7000 foot soldiers to be at Bangalore by daybreak on the 29th, provided he received news that the mutiny had really taken place.

By means of a clever ruse, a havildar favourable to the conspiracy had been appointed on the Mysore gate at Bangalore for that night, and his task was to open it and admit the mutineers. How this appointment was managed is worth relating. It appears that his brother, also a mutineer, met the havildar major coming out of the Adjutant's quarters. To the havildar major he presented a couple of silk handkerchiefs which had been provided for the purpose by the "Nawaub". The handkerchiefs were accepted and the traitor then proceeded to ask a favour. "As my child's ear is diseased," said he, "and the doctors tell me that the blood of swallows is good for it, if you will put my brother on the Mysore gate he will be able to get some for me." The petition was granted, and Shaik Ismael, havildar in the 9th Native Infantry, was duly posted on the gate. The mutineers divided themselves into three groups. The first was to be admitted through the Mysore gate, where the arsenal and magazine were to be seized and arms distributed, the European guard having been killed. Next the European Main guard was to share the same fate, after which the garden of the general commanding the district (Major-General Hawker) was to be surrounded, and that officer murdered. A gun was then to be fired from the ramparts, and a green flag displayed. This gun was to be a signal for the other two parties of mutineers to get to their allotted work, and to warn the Native Horse Artillery as well that their time for action had arrived.

Now at Bangalore there was a detachment of European artillery, and the European gunners were to be butchered. Then the guns, with their draught bullocks, were to be carried off, and together with those of the Native Horse Artillery, were to be trained on the barracks of the 62nd Regiment and of the 13th Light Dragoons. Immediately the head and foot ropes of the dragoons' horses were to be cut, and the animals mounted by the Pindarees. Then the guns were to open fire on the barracks of the 13th Light Dragoons and 62nd Regiment of Foot.

A third party of mutineers was to take the barracks in the rear. It was calculated that if grape-shot (hundreds of lead balls, or 'shot' linked together in chains and fired from a cannon) was well plied into the barracks there would be little chance of the Europeans escaping, roused as they were in the dead of the night. The officers in general, who lived in bungalows apart and in a rather scattered way, were destined to be shot or cut down as they rushed from their dwellings.

The plot had many elements of success in its conception, and even assuming that in the long run the mutiny had been suppressed, it is certain that a great deal of bloodshed would have occurred. The "Nawaub" proposed to install himself as King of Bangalore, with one Seyd Tippoo, a prominent mutineer, as his Prime Minister. Twenty-three native soldiers were brought before the Court of Inquiry, and some forty scamps from the bazaar. A court- martial was held later, which began its sittings on December 19. Four of the accused were sentenced to be blown from guns (i.e., strapped to a cannon, which is then fired), and some others to be shot. Several more were sentenced to death, but the sentences were commuted to transportation for life. The executions duly took place at Bangalore, in presence of the garrison, on December 24. Rewards were given to the loyal native officers and sepoys who gave information. Several did so, but a few hours later than the time the Jemadar of the 48th came to Major Inglis. A searching investigation was made to find out the full extent of this conspiracy, but not much came to light. In the house of one of the rebels, a certain Abbas Ali, and in his own handwriting, was found a draft proclamation and a part of a fair copy thereof; but all other documents had been destroyed. The whole affair is remarkable in a way. There was no grievance of any kind among the native sepoys. Some of those condemned had even been years in the service. One had nineteen years service and several had had fathers and other relatives who had died in battle honourably.

Rewards were given to all who had given information, promotion in all cases, and sometimes in addition a pecuniary grant of 500 Rupees. Forewarned, it was easy to nip this mutiny in the bud.

1832-39

During 1832 twenty-four men joined from England, 38 horses were cast and delivered to the Commissariat, and 73 remount horses were received from Oossoor. The regiment was inspected by Major-General Hawker on May 2; reviewed on December 3, and the saddlery, cloaks, arms, etc., inspected on the following day; the canteen, school, and hospital were inspected on December 5; in marching order, at carbine and pistol practice, on December 6; the horses proposed to be cast and the remounts on December 7; and the riding-school on December 8. Besides this, His Excellency Lieut-General Sir R. W. O'Callaghan KCB, reviewed the regiment on September 7, and a week later inspected the riding-school, young horses, barracks, horse lines, etc.

During 1833 seventeen men joined from England, 92 horses were cast and transferred to the Commissariat, and 77 remount horses joined from Oossoor. Reviews and inspections were held by Major-General Hawker in May and December.

For 1834, similar reviews and inspections were held by Major General Hawker in May and December, 46 horses were cast and transferred to the Commissariat, 65 being received from the remount depot at Oossoor. During April, the regiment moved into camp on account of an epidemic disease which broke out among the horses, but was enabled to return to barracks on the 6th of May.

During 1835, 69 men joined from the depot in England, fourteen invalids were sent home. 115 remount horses were received, of which seven were Australian horses. These were known as "Walers". Twenty of the horses came from Oossoor, and 88 from the Bengal stud. 38 horses were cast and transferred to the Commissariat, and 107 transferred to native cavalry regiments. The term "recruits" occurs this year for the first time. The usual inspections by Major-General Hawker took place in May, and from November 26th to December 7th. On July 23rd, Major Sir J. Gordon, Bart., 13th Light Dragoons, died at Madras.

The events of 1836 were as follows : 30 recruits landed at Madras for the regiment; 13 invalids were sent to England, 43 remount horses joined and 24 were cast and transferred to the Commissariat.

During 1837, that the time of the regiment in India was drawing to a close is now apparent. Only one man joined the regiment- a volunteer from the 63rd Regiment of Foot. Sixteen invalids were embarked for England, seven men were discharged to reside in India. 72 horses were received from the remount depot at Oossoor, and 52 were cast and delivered to the Commissariat.

For 1838 the events are scanty. One man joined the regiment, being transferred from the 39th Foot. Eight men were discharged, mostly to reside in India and draw pension there. One was discharged by purchase, and another as he had been sentenced to seven years' transportation. Eighteen invalids were embarked for England. 49 remount horses were received from Oossoor and 45 were cast, six being shot for vice, and 41 transferred to the Commissariat.

The first two months of 1839 were uneventful. In January and February 26 invalids were embarked for England, and 51 horses were cast and delivered to the Commissariat. On April 1st twelve men were discharged on pension to reside in India.

Meanwhile, complications with one of the native rulers had arisen, and trouble was brewing. On March 7, therefore, two squadrons of the regiment under were ordered to Bellary

Affairs at Kurnool & Zorapoor

See also Affairs at Kurnool & Zorapoor

The 13th Light Dragoons, however, were not destined to leave India without employment on active service in the field. The story of the brief campaign of 1839 is as follows. A fanatical spirit was abroad among the Muslim chiefs and the people of India which appears to have originated in Scinde, whence emissaries were sent to induce the chiefs to engage in a holy war against the British raj. Among the chiefs implicated was the Nawab of Kurnool - a potentate of some power and not a little wealth. By treaty he was precluded from storing and collecting war materiel, but nevertheless he had amassed a huge quantity of guns, muskets, shot, shell, bullets, swords, matchlocks, English double-barrelled guns and pistols, salt petre, sulphur, copper, lead, reams of cartridge paper, and about 600,000 lbs of gunpowder. These warlike stores were cunningly concealed, some within the zenana (women's quarters) at Kurnool, and hundreds of cannon were ranged in the courtyards hidden by grass which had been allowed to grow over them. The Nawab was called upon for an explanation and refused to offer one. The Government therefore moved up a force towards Kurnool.

On August 13th, the 34th Madras Light Infantry left Bangalore, to join the 13th Light Dragoons and other troops. The total force amounted to about 6,000 men. On September 24th the force reached Kopatoal, thirty or forty miles from Kurnool. Here the Sappers were left to prepare materials for a siege, as it was anticipated that strong resistance would be offered by the Nawab. A company of the 29th Native Infantry, and one of the 16th, also remained, while the main force encamped about six miles to the front. So matters rested for a fortnight, when the Sappers were ordered to the front and encamped two miles in advance of the main force. The main camp was on the right bank of the river, while the artillery, engineers, and ordnance stores were on the left. On October 10, the Sappers, a Squadron of 13th Light Dragoons and other troops moved off. Meanwhile another group of native and a small body of Sappers had taken possession of the fort of Kurnool without resistance a few days before.

The force with the 13th Light Dragoons reached Kurnool on October 12, encamping about two miles off. For six days the troops were employed in searching for the Nawab's concealed guns and stores - only seven or eight being found mounted on the walls. Among the guns was found forty or fifty light field-pieces with carriages complete and ready for the field - mostly two-pounders or six-pounders. A "Malabar" gun, ten feet long, mounted on a carriage with 10 ft wheels, and a 24 ft trail, was discovered behind a wall, but commanding the main street from the gate. It had a 12 inch bore and carried a shot weighing two hundred and forty pounds. Three or four hundred guns were found in the grass in the courtyard, and in another place guns, mortars, and howitzers in large numbers. A huge amount of treasure was also seized. Most of the shells were made of pewter, and some were of most fanciful design. The fact was that the British force had arrived six months too soon, and the Nawab's force did not amount to more than 1,000 men. While his stores were being disclosed the Nawab remained in an enclosure near the tomb of his father to which he had retired. The fort technically was still his own, and he was permitted to send things in and out - and some treasure was no doubt removed.

On October 17th the British Commander, Colonel Dyce, received instructions how to act. Two days previously a party of six or seven officers had penetrated into the enclosure unarmed, and had had an interview with the Nawab. It was a risky thing to do, as his followers crowded the place, and all were fine tall men and armed to the teeth. It is recorded that this party of officers, save one who belonged to the 13th Light Dragoons, were all small men. The interview, however, though by no means friendly, passed off without violence, and the party withdrew, having, however, refused the proffered presents of fruit - presents, though, which their syces took possession of and carried away on their heads. On October 18th arrangements were made to surround the Nawab and his following, and to arrest him. The troops took up a position between the Nawab's enclosure and the village of Zorapore. Captain Pears and Lieutenant Ouchterlony of the Sappers galloped over to Zorapore, where they found Colonel Dyce holding a parley with some of the leaders of the Nawab's following. The terms offered them were to hand over the Nawab, receiving all arrears of pay and a safe-conduct with their arms to their own country. Some time was occupied in pretended discussion, pretended at least on the native side, in which a Persian Munshi took considerable part. But Wullee Khan, the Vizier, would not come to terms, nay, more, was insolent. He came out clad in armour and bristling with weapons, a huge broadsword being specially noticeable. Wullee Khan was a huge fellow, beside whom Colonel Dyce, a man of six foot six in height, did not look tall.

Meanwhile the Pathans, of which there were not a few among the troops of the Nawab, disliking the appearance of the guns, cleared out of the enclosure and threw themselves out in front of the British left. For four hours the force remained quiet, and Colonel Dyce then ordered the buglers to sound " fire." The Nawab with thirty or forty men took refuge in the Durgah, but the rest moved out of the enclosure in the front of the British, some meaning fight, others flight across the river. For ten minutes Rohillas and Pathans kept up a hot fire, and worked round on the British flank. Captain Pears was sent to bring up some of the 13th Light Dragoons, but on arrival at the river he found that they were fully occupied in endeavouring to prevent the enemy, here numbering some hundreds, from getting round them by means of the river. The enemy would enter the stream, and being out of reach would endeavour to pass up or down, above or below, where the dragoons were posted, and thus escape. The 13th had therefore to keep on the move to prevent it. A body of the 34th Native Infantry were then despatched there, and they shot down numbers both in the river and on sundry sandbanks. The artillery now ceased to fire, and the 39th British - with the 34th Native Infantry advanced. Against them rushed out Wullee Khan, his brother, and three other Rohillas, sword in hand. These five brave fellows were at once bayonetted. The Durgah was now entered, and there the verandah was found full of the enemy. As the intention was to take the Nawab alive, to effect it Captain Pears rushed in, but Major Armstrong of the 34th Native Infantry was already before him and was dragging his captive out, to whom three natives clung, and a soldier of the 39th British. It seems that the soldier believed the Nawab had killed a Lieutenant White of the 39th a few minutes before, and was vowing vengeance. As a matter of fact it was an Arab, Shaik Said, who killed Lieutenant White. An officer of the 34th, Lieutenant Yates, was killed in the scuffle, and Colonel Wright was stabbed by a desperate man who rushed out at him. Lieutenant Ouchterlony was thrice wounded when helping a sepoy against a Rohilla, one cut being a very severe one in the left elbowjoint. He did not, however, quit the field, and even accompanied the 13th halfway across the river when they forded it in pursuit of the fugitives.

About 25,000 rupees, some jewellery, 85 horses, and 22 elephants, were found in the Durgah. The British force consisted of 350 to 400 native infantry, 80 of the 39th Regiment, 150 of the 13th Light Dragoons, 150 native cavalry, and the guns. Two British officers were killed, two wounded; five or six men of the 39th fell, and a few were wounded; one of the native infantry killed, and twelve or fourteen wounded. The enemy numbered 900 men, but had no artillery. Two hundred prisoners were taken, and fully one hundred and fifty killed. One private of the 13th was drowned while crossing the river, but there were no other casualties in the action. The two squadrons of the 13th returned to Bangalore on November 28, but not without serious loss, for cholera on the march claimed no less than thirty-two men. Of the horses, six were lost. The thanks of the Government for the services of the regiment on this service appeared in general orders.

Return to England

The 13th Light Dragoons had now been serving in India for upwards of twenty years. It was now under orders for England. Early in 1840 the regiment marched from Bangalore for Madras, and on the way lost by cholera forty men as well as many women and children. On arrival in Madras the 13th was received by Major General Sir R. Dick KCB KCH, and on the next day transferred its horses to the 15th Hussars. Such non-commissioned officers and privates as volunteered to remain in India being permitted to transfer their services to other corps. Major-General Sir R. Dick on the morning of January 29 1840, after the review, wrote in the highest possible terms of the regiment. He expressed his high appreciation of everything he had that day witnessed. He praised the appearance and steadiness of the men and the condition of the horses. The movements executed were performed with precision and celerity, "notwithstanding the heavy sandy ground", and the horses were well in hand. He greatly regretted that the services of so efficient a regiment would be so soon lost to the Indian Army. Finally, he trusted that Lieut-Colonel Brunton, the officers, and men, would have a safe passage to England.

The general order was even more highly complimentary. Beginning in more general terms, it concludes as follows: "The Major-General is enabled to bear testimony [as well as from the Reports of his Predecessors] to the uniform correctness of its conduct, and throughout the course of its lengthened Service in Mysore, he believes it may safely be asserted that not an instance has occurred of a complaint or appeal being preferred against an Officer, Non-Commissioned Officer or Private of this Distinguished Corps to the Civil Authorities. In taking leave therefore [for a time he hopes only] of the 13th Light Dragoons, the Major-General begs Lt-Colonel Brunton will accept himself and convey to the Officers and Soldiers under his Orders the assurance of the Esteem the Major-General feels for, and the warm interest he shall ever take in the prospects and fair fame of the Regiment, and it will constitute a pleasing part of his Duty to make the General Commanding-in-Chief of His Majesty's Army, acquainted with the sentiments he has thus felt to be due to the Corps, to Express of its character and merits, and one in no wise diminished by a Twenty Years' absence from its Native Land."

The 13th Light Dragoons embarked at Madras in February 1840, and landed at Gravesend in the following June. The regiment had been absent from England for a space of twenty-one years and three months. During its service in India, of the officers fifteen died, of the non-commissioned officers and men one thousand and fifty-one. Of the officers of the regiment only five remained of those who had sailed from England more than twenty years before.

Timeline of stations in India

First period of service

Second period of service


External Links

13th Hussars Wikipedia
13th/18th Royal Hussars Wikipedia
The Light Dragoons Wikipedia

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