Difference between revisions of "John Nicholson"

From FIBIwiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(Create page Temp save)
 
 
(9 intermediate revisions by 4 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
−
'''Brigadier-General John Nicholson (1822-1857)''' was a British soldier who went to [[India]] in 1839 to join the [[41st Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry|41st Bengal Native Infantry]]. in 1841 where he served in the [[1st China War]]. After a period in Hong Kong he commanded the regiment in the Sutlej Campaign in the [[1st Sikh War]]. He again led the 9th lancers in the Punjab Campaign in the [[2nd Sikh War]] where he won a high reputation. He commanded the cavalry division and later a movable column during the [[Indian Mutiny]]. He commanded the British forces in the [[2nd China War]] and in 1861 was appointed commander-in-chief of the [[Madras Army]]. He returned to Britain in 1865.
+
[[Image:Brigadier-General John Nicholson.jpg‎|200px|thumb|right|Brigadier-General John Nicholson.]]
 +
 
 +
'''Brigadier-General John Nicholson (1822-1857)''' was a British soldier who served in India.
 +
 
 +
==Early career==
 +
He went to India in 1839 to join the [[41st Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry|41st Bengal Native Infantry]]. He then transferred to the [[27th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry|27th Bengal Native Infantry]] and served in the [[1st Afghan War]] when he was taken prisoner following the [[Siege of Ghazni]]. He also served in the [[1st Sikh War]] and was a protegé of Sir [[Henry Lawrence]] who made him a political officer on the North West Frontier. He was revered by local tribesmen and inspired the famous cult of 'Nikal Seyn', or 'Nikal-Seynis' (followers of Nikal-Seyn/Nicholson).
 +
 
 +
==The Indian Mutiny and later career==
 +
He commanded the Punjab Movable Column soon after the outbreak of the [[Indian Mutiny]] and carrid out numerous indiscriminate executions of suspected rebels. He was responsible for the destruction of the [[46th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry|46th Bengal Native Infantry]] at [[Battle of Trimmoo Ghaut|Trimmoo Ghat]]. He took part in the [[Recapture of Delhi Sep 1857|Recapture of Delhi]] where he led the 1st Column of the storming parties. He was mortally in the assault on the Kashmir Gate of old Dehli and died a few days later<ref>Charles Allen, ''Soldier-Sahibs:The Men who made the North-West Frontier'', London, 2000, p.323 and pp.325-327. Now available online, see Historical books online, above.</ref>. He had close links to the famous Hayat Family of [[Wah]], in northern [[Punjab]], as a prominent member of this family, Nawab Muhammad Hayat Khan, CSI (1833-1901), served under Nicholson's command until his demise<ref>Allen, pp. 307, 309, 321, 326 and 337-338</ref>.
 +
[[Image:Nicholson's Memorial 1.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Evening view of Nicholson's Memorial]]
 +
 
 +
==Memorial==
 +
A Memorial, called 'Nicholson's Memorial' or 'Nicholson's Monument', in the form of an obelisk, was erected in his honour by various friends and admirers later, in the Margalla Pass between [[Taxila]] and [[Rawalpindi]] in the Punjab. A drinking water fountain was also later on made at the base of this Pass, on the main [[Grand Trunk Road]], to facilitate travellers.  
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
−
[http://www.archive.org/stream/dictionaryofindi00buckuoft#page/315/mode/1up John Nicholson] ''Dictionary of Indian Biography'' (1906)<br />
+
*[http://www.archive.org/stream/dictionaryofindi00buckuoft#page/315/mode/1up John Nicholson] ''Dictionary of Indian Biography'' (1906)<br />
−
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Nicholson_(East_India_Company_officer) John Nicholson] Wikipedia<br />
+
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Nicholson_(East_India_Company_officer) John Nicholson] Wikipedia<br />
 +
*[http://www.azkhan.de/MyWebalbums_PhotosPakistan_NicholsonObelisk.htm Nicholson's obelisk] www.azkhan.de
 +
*Listen to [http://www.bacsa.org.uk/?page_id=2227 ''Dark Hero: Nicholson of Delhi''],  [[BACSA]] podcast from a presentation 11 February 2019 by Stuart Flinders, BBC journalist, broadcaster and author of ''Cult of a Dark Hero: Nicholson of Delhi'' (2018).
 +
==== Historical books online ====
 +
*''Lives of Indian Officers Vol II'' by John William Kaye 1867 [http://archive.org/stream/livesofindianoff02kayeiala#page/417/mode/1up John Nicholson] archive.org<br>
 +
*[http://archive.org/stream/lifejohnnicholso00trot#page/n9/mode/2up ''The life of John Nicholson, soldier and administrator. Based on private and hitherto unpublished documents''] by Captain Lionel J. Trotter 1897 Archive.org
 +
*[http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/21985 ''John Nicholson: The Lion of the Punjaub''] by RE Cholmeley, 1908. Gutenberg.org. [http://archive.org/details/johnnicholsonthe21985gut  Archive.org  download] (same file).
 +
*[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.503250/page/n7 ''The Hero of Delhi: a Life of John Nicholson, Saviour of India, and a History of his Wars'']  by Pearson Hesketh 1939. Archive.org, Public  Library of India Collection.
 +
*[https://archive.org/details/soldiersahibsmen0000alle ''Soldier Sahibs : the men who made the North-West Frontier''] by Charles Allen 2001, first published 2000.  Archive.org Books to Borrow/Lending Library.
 +
 
 +
==References==
 +
{{reflist}}
 +
{{#widget:Google PlusOne
 +
|size=small
 +
|count=true
 +
}}
  
 
[[Category:British Military commanders|Nicholson, John]]
 
[[Category:British Military commanders|Nicholson, John]]
 
[[Category:People|Nicholson, John]]
 
[[Category:People|Nicholson, John]]

Latest revision as of 10:23, 2 January 2021

Brigadier-General John Nicholson.

Brigadier-General John Nicholson (1822-1857) was a British soldier who served in India.

Early career

He went to India in 1839 to join the 41st Bengal Native Infantry. He then transferred to the 27th Bengal Native Infantry and served in the 1st Afghan War when he was taken prisoner following the Siege of Ghazni. He also served in the 1st Sikh War and was a protegé of Sir Henry Lawrence who made him a political officer on the North West Frontier. He was revered by local tribesmen and inspired the famous cult of 'Nikal Seyn', or 'Nikal-Seynis' (followers of Nikal-Seyn/Nicholson).

The Indian Mutiny and later career

He commanded the Punjab Movable Column soon after the outbreak of the Indian Mutiny and carrid out numerous indiscriminate executions of suspected rebels. He was responsible for the destruction of the 46th Bengal Native Infantry at Trimmoo Ghat. He took part in the Recapture of Delhi where he led the 1st Column of the storming parties. He was mortally in the assault on the Kashmir Gate of old Dehli and died a few days later[1]. He had close links to the famous Hayat Family of Wah, in northern Punjab, as a prominent member of this family, Nawab Muhammad Hayat Khan, CSI (1833-1901), served under Nicholson's command until his demise[2].

Evening view of Nicholson's Memorial

Memorial

A Memorial, called 'Nicholson's Memorial' or 'Nicholson's Monument', in the form of an obelisk, was erected in his honour by various friends and admirers later, in the Margalla Pass between Taxila and Rawalpindi in the Punjab. A drinking water fountain was also later on made at the base of this Pass, on the main Grand Trunk Road, to facilitate travellers.

External links

Historical books online

References

  1. ↑ Charles Allen, Soldier-Sahibs:The Men who made the North-West Frontier, London, 2000, p.323 and pp.325-327. Now available online, see Historical books online, above.
  2. ↑ Allen, pp. 307, 309, 321, 326 and 337-338

Retrieved from "https://wiki.fibis.org/index.php?title=John_Nicholson&oldid=85116"