THE NINETEENTH “PRINCESS OF WALES’ OWN” HUSSARS
(1858–1899)
CHAPTER I
RAISING OF THE REGIMENT
(1858–1882)
The East India Company raises European Cavalry regiments—Their formation—The Bengal 1st European Light Cavalry—Services transferred to the Crown—The “White Mutiny”—Made 19th Light Dragoons, afterwards Hussars—General Pattle—Regiment at Meerut—General Hall—Regiment ordered to England—Badges of old 19th Light Dragoons granted—Regiment ordered to Ireland—Guidons of old 19th Light Dragoons presented to the regiment—Regiment returns to England—Ordered on active service.
In May 1857, the mutiny of the Bengal Native Army occurred, which so profoundly changed the nature of British administration in India. Through carelessness and false economy, the East India Company had allowed the number of European troops in India to sink to a dangerously low level, in proportion to the number of native troops. As against some 230,000 native soldiers, the European troops numbered less than 40,000 men, of whom about 23,500 were royal troops. The Company’s European troops in India consisted, at that time, of nine battalions of Infantry, seventeen troops of Horse Artillery, and forty-eight companies of Foot Artillery. Apart from other measures for restoring tranquillity, it was determined to raise three additional battalions of Infantry, and to replace the mutinous Bengal Native Cavalry by Europeans. Of the ten regiments of regular Bengal Native Cavalry, seven had mutinied, and two had been disarmed.
In November 1857, intimation was sent to the Governor General that it had been decided to form four regiments of Cavalry, for the Company’s service, of men recruited in England, of ages between 20 and 30 years, and of a standard height not less than 5 ft., and not exceeding 5 ft. 4 in. Each regiment was to consist of ten troops, with 70 privates per troop, together with the usual number of officers, non-commissioned officers and staff. All accoutrements, arms, and equipments were to be of a lighter description than those in common use by British Cavalry: and the men were to be collected at a depot in England (Warley), to be trained for three months, before being embarked for India. A lower standard of height than that of the Royal Army was adopted, with the intention that the recruiting for the Royal Army should not be interfered with, and it was thought that, by tapping a new stratum of recruits, men would be easily obtained. These anticipations were justified. The whole nation had been roused by the sufferings of our countrywomen in India, and recruits flocked in. Three weeks later, the Court of Directors were obliged to write to the Governor General that, in consequence of the very rapid recruiting, accommodation could not be provided for the men, in England, and it was necessary to embark a large body of them, for Calcutta, at once.
With regard to these undersized men, it may be said here, that a large number of them made excellent soldiers in time; but there was a considerable proportion of them, big men on short legs, over 25 years of age at the time of enlistment, who were unfit for cavalry purposes.
After being kept some time near Calcutta, the men were gradually forwarded to Allahabad, where they were collected in June 1858, an almost undisciplined mob, without permanent officers, without horses, and without equipments. On the 17th June, we find Major General Sir William Mansfield (afterwards Lord Sandhurst) writing to Major General Sir Hope Grant, then in the field against the rebels: “We are about to organize the four regiments of Bengal Dragoons, and to divide the recruits into four bodies without delay. How would it suit you to have one of these young corps attached to the ‘Bays’ (2nd Dragoon Guards), and another to the 7th (Hussars)? Not a man has ever been on a horse, and the men are at present armed with muskets.”
By the end of June, the apportioning of the men into regiments was complete, and, on the 3rd July, the regiment with which our interest lies, became established as the Bengal 1st European Light Cavalry, to be quartered at Allahabad. The other three regiments marched for various cantonments in North Western India. A fifth regiment was formed at Peshawur, in November, of volunteers from Royal infantry regiments, who had been formed into a cavalry corps for temporary service during the Mutiny.