Battle Honours of the British Army: From Tangier, 1662, to the Commencement of the Reign of King Edward VIINorman, Charles Boswell
History
Battle Honours of the British Army: From Tangier, 1662, to the Commencement of the Reign of King Edward VII
Norman, Charles Boswell
Great Britain -- History, Military; Great Britain. Army -- History
In 1826, when the British army once more appeared before its walls,
the army of the Maharajah of Bhurtpore, remembering the successful
defence in 1804, felt pretty confident of holding its own against
the British. On our side, the Commander-in-Chief, Lord Combermere,
a Peninsular veteran, determined to leave nothing to chance.
Two divisions were assembled--one at Agra, under Major-General
Jasper Nicolls; the second at Muttra, under Major-General Reynell,
C.B.; whilst Lord Combermere assumed the chief command in
person. The cavalry division was composed of two brigades, under
Colonel Sleigh, of the 11th Hussars, who was given the rank of
Brigadier-General.
First Cavalry Brigade--Brigadier Murray (16th Lancers): 16th
Lancers, 6th, 8th, and 9th Bengal Cavalry.
Second Cavalry Brigade--Brigadier Childers (11th Hussars): 11th
Hussars, 3rd, 4th, and 10th Bengal Cavalry.
The infantry was composed as follows:
FIRST DIVISION: MAJOR-GENERAL T. REYNELL, C.B.
First Brigade--Brigadier M'Combe (14th Foot): 14th Foot (West
Yorkshire), 23rd and 63rd Bengal Infantry.
Fourth Brigade--Brigadier Whitehead (4th Bengal Infantry): 32nd,
41st, and 58th Bengal Infantry.
Fifth Brigade--Brigadier Paton, C.B. (18th Bengal Infantry): 6th,
18th, and 60th Bengal Infantry.
SECOND DIVISION: MAJOR-GENERAL JASPER NICOLLS, C.B.
Second Brigade--Brigadier Edwardes (14th Foot): 59th Foot (East
Lancashire), 11th and 31st Bengal Native Infantry.
Third Brigade--Brigadier Adams (14th Bengal Native Infantry):
33rd, 36th, and 37th Bengal Native Infantry.
Sixth Brigade--Brigadier Fagan (15th Bengal Native Infantry):
15th, 21st, and 25th Bengal Native Infantry.
The artillery of the force comprised eight horse and twelve field
batteries, with a siege-train of 112 pieces, including twelve
mortars of 10-inch and fifty-eight of 8-inch calibre. The siege
operations were under the directions of a very distinguished
Company's officer, Brigadier Anbury, C.B.
On December 9, 1825, the two columns advanced from Muttra and Agra
respectively, and on the 28th of the month the first battery opened
fire. On January 17 the breaches were reported practicable, and the
Commander-in-Chief determined to assault, Major-General Reynell
being placed in command of the three storming columns, which were
detailed as follows:
Right Column--Colonel Delamain: 200 of the Munster Fusiliers, the
58th Bengal Infantry, and 2nd Sirmoor Gurkhas.
Centre Column--Brigadier M'Combe (14th Foot): Four companies of
the 14th (West Yorkshire), the 23rd and 63rd Bengal Infantry.
Left Column--Brigadier Whitehead: Two companies of the 14th Foot
(West Yorkshire), the 18th and 60th Bengal Infantry.
Left Column--Brigadier Paton: Four companies of the 14th Foot
(West Yorkshire), the 6th and 41st Bengal Infantry.
Reserve--Brigadier Whitehead: Two companies of the 14th Foot
(West Yorkshire), the 21st and 32nd Bengal Infantry.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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