War Medals and Their History

by William Augustus Steward

MEDAL FOR AFGHAN WAR.

ROBERTS STAR FOR MARCH TO KANDAHAR.

Cawnpore.—Náná Sáhib took his opportunity directly the news of the rebellion at Meerut and Delhi became known. Placing himself at the head of the rebels, he proclaimed himself Peshwa of the Mahrattas, and on June 6th informed General Sir Hugh Wheeler that he was about to attack the position held by him, a miserably slight fortification within which he had gathered about 1,000 souls, of whom only 465 were males of all ages and classes. How bravely they fought, despite hunger, thirst, and disease, for twenty days, and only surrendered when a safe passage to Allahabad had been guaranteed by the bloodthirsty Náná, and how by his treachery they were butchered by gunshot and sword, or burnt to death, is one of those heroic episodes which will live for ever; while the butchery of the women and children also by order of the Náná Sáhib will blot the pages of Indian history for all time. On July 16th General Havelock, who had hastened to the relief, defeated the Náná with 7,000 men and powerful artillery, a few miles south of the city, and he fled during the night. Next morning the British soldiers entered Cawnpore, too late to save the unfortunate captives. Havelock's little army, which had marched 126 miles in eight days and captured 24 guns, consisted of 435 men of the 64th, about 300 78th Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs), 190 of the 84th, 400 of the 1st Madras Fusiliers, 20 Volunteer Cavalry, 76 Royal Artillery, 450 Sikhs, and 50 Irregular Native Horse. "Better soldiers have never trod the earth," states Archibald Forbes; and when we consider the sweltering heat of the Indian summer, the men wading "in a sea of slush ... while the flood of tropical rain beat down," and fighting against overwhelming odds, we may heartily endorse Dr. Fitchett when he says, "In the whole history of war, men have seldom dared, and endured, and achieved more than did Havelock's column in the gallant but vain struggle to relieve Cawnpore"; and of the "Ironsides" who were to press on to relieve and reinforce Lucknow, only 250 remained to participate in the glorious march.

Delhi.—On May 11, 1857, the 3rd Native Cavalry, who had outstripped their infantry companions in revolt on the long march of 38 miles from Meerut, appeared before the King's palace at Delhi, and declared they had "slain all the English at Meerut, and had come to fight for the faith." The old King had no desire to become embroiled in the tumult that had begun to rage around him, but his guards, sympathising with the mutineers, opened the gates and stood by while the miscreants murdered the English officers and officials, and their families, and any white person they could find. Lieutenant Willoughby, with 2 other officers and 7 British soldiers, determined not only to sell their lives dearly, but to do as much hurt to the rebels as possible, before they accepted their fate. Their daring exploit of keeping nearly 2,000 mutineers at bay as long as they could serve the 10 guns, and coolly taking their chance of life and death as they blew the magazine and the surging masses of sepoys into the air, is one of the most brilliant in history. Brave Conductor Scully, who fired the train, and four of his companions heroically met their death, but the three officers, Willoughby (who was captured later and killed), Raynor, and Forrest, and Conductor Buckley, miraculously escaped for the time being.

Meanwhile the Commander-in-Chief, General Anson, had collected all the available troops and marched upon Delhi, but dying of cholera at Kurnaul, the command devolved upon Major-General Reed. Major-General Sir Henry Barnard had collected a number of men at Aleepore, and Brigadier-General Archdale Wilson had quitted Meerut with about 700 men in order to join forces with the Commander-in-Chief. On May 30th he was attacked by the mutineers at Ghazee-ood-deen-nuggur, but drove off his assailants numbering over 4,000. They returned to the attack on the following day (Whit-Sunday), but the 6th Carabineers and the Rifles drove them off with considerable slaughter, and captured 26 guns.

Then commenced the siege of Delhi, but for three and a half months the ancient city withstood the assaults of the besiegers. First Badlee-ke-Serai was taken, the 75th particularly distinguishing itself in the valiant fight which the English troops made in acquiring it, and then, after the Delhi cantonments had been taken and burned, the Goorkas giving splendid evidence of their loyalty and gallantry, the army sat down before the city, and the British lines were slowly but deliberately pushed forward. On June 17th one of the enemy's positions near the Ajmeer gate was taken; and on June 23rd, the fatal day of prophecy when British rule was to cease, the mutineers made a determined advance from the city, but after a hard day's fighting, in which they had charged the Rifles, the Guides, and the Goorkas again and again, they were compelled to retire.

In June cholera broke out in the camp, and early in July Sir Henry Barnard was among its victims, while the 8th and 61st regiments suffered considerably. Again and again the rebels sallied forth, only to be beaten back, and the fighting proceeded gallantly week after week, during which time Major Tombs, Lieutenant Hill, and a number of men gained the V.C. Then Brigadier-General John Nicholson, having gained a brilliant victory at Nujjuffhur, and prevented an attack upon the rear of the British camp, rode in on August 7th. Shortly after his little army marched in; it comprised 680 men of the 52nd, a wing of the 61st, the 2nd Punjab Infantry, and a field battery with detachments of Beloochees and military police.