tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70049983219458928552024-02-07T03:04:15.867-08:00Sepoys and GriffinsNick Balmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12730750075841601992noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004998321945892855.post-26436328754046052552017-04-16T05:02:00.000-07:002017-04-16T05:02:07.010-07:00Lt. Col McDowell's Campaign in the Khandesh<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkC_jztdhSVL3icInkqx50mOcfynFWPD0jvuG_xd4XX73Tg-RqoADJszh2EIbK7P7zkY2bvncUGRF8SpndbewYnQrpiwpoFsDiRmixOvT2Ip8r3zcL4cMtr4XWMkdv3MNCwS_T7_I9DA/s1600/Ankai+Killa+Unkye+by+Vivek+Pillay.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkC_jztdhSVL3icInkqx50mOcfynFWPD0jvuG_xd4XX73Tg-RqoADJszh2EIbK7P7zkY2bvncUGRF8SpndbewYnQrpiwpoFsDiRmixOvT2Ip8r3zcL4cMtr4XWMkdv3MNCwS_T7_I9DA/s400/Ankai+Killa+Unkye+by+Vivek+Pillay.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Figure 1: Unke or Ankai Killa, </div>
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please click on this image for larger version. </div>
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Photo courtesy of Vivek Pillay</div>
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Following the breaking up of the Army of the Deckan, the Hyderabad Subsidiary Force, that had formerly been the Second Division or Hydrabad Division under Brigadier-General Doveton, was tasked with pursuing the Peishwah towards Nagpoor. <br />
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A detachment commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew McDowell, was however was sent at the request of Mountstuart Elpinstone to the Khandesh in order to reduce the fortresses and walled towns, that were being occupied by the defeated Arab mercenaries released from Holkar’s army defeated at Nagpoor, who had been allowed to make their way towards the western coast, but who were roaming the Kandeish attempting to live off the land, in the absence of any of the back pay they were owed by their former employer.
Lt. Col. McDowall’s detachment consisted of the following units.<br />
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2 Flank Companies[1] of His Majesty’s Royals.<br />
3 Companies of the Madras European Regiment.<br />
The 1st Batt. 2d Regiment Madras Native Infantry.<br />
4 Companies of the 2d Batt. 13th Regt. Native Infantry.<br />
Sappers and Miners 80 men.<br />
1 Company of foot-artillery. [2]<br />
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A small battering train consisting of two 18 pounders, two 12 pounders, two mortars, four howitzers and some field pieces, was attached that had been collected from those of the first, second and third Divisions of the Army of the Deccan. [3]<br />
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McDowell only had about 1000 firelocks in total in his column, when he had left Sirrisgaum [4] near Aurungabad [5] on the 30th of March 1818.<br />
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His force marched first to the west to Byzapoor [6] arriving on the 2nd of April, before turning towards the north towards its first target, Unkye Killa [7] which is a table-mountain overlooking an important pass about 70 miles from Aurungabad.
The fort contained a small garrison, and Lt Col McDowell summoned it, as he approached the Pettah [8] at the fort of the hill, to form his camp.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDP5R1BycXW-nE7kJJUdNhFcE5dT6-8AdmM7weoMkccveFF0wkPYnvBMEWBQy0SsqvgTMWh9q1LYSFq6oe5XJT-p5pD2TeiAuWmO5rS8HHfCXhA1Mk8QOKAVJqecrwzZ4ZW1JwiuS2uA/s1600/Route+taken+by+Lt+Col+McDowell%2527s+Column+001.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDP5R1BycXW-nE7kJJUdNhFcE5dT6-8AdmM7weoMkccveFF0wkPYnvBMEWBQy0SsqvgTMWh9q1LYSFq6oe5XJT-p5pD2TeiAuWmO5rS8HHfCXhA1Mk8QOKAVJqecrwzZ4ZW1JwiuS2uA/s320/Route+taken+by+Lt+Col+McDowell%2527s+Column+001.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Figure 2: Google Earth Image marked to show the route taken by McDowell's column</div>
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Lieutenant Edward Lake describes the type of fort that McDowell's forces was about to attack.<br />
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<i>“The reader must imagine a series of hills, rising very abruptly from 600 to 1100 feet above General the plain, and only connected with each other, and with the range of which they form part, by very low and narrow necks of land; and he must further imagine occasional bluff rocks, perfectly perpendicular, and varying in height from 80 to 100 feet, to rise from the summit of these hills. The range is evidently primitive, and the rocks which rise from them in this manner, basaltic, being so beautifully and regularly scarped, as to assume the appearance of having been formed by the chisel: and the number of them scattered throughout this range, which is much greater than could be required for the defence of the country, is the only fact, which makes the supposition of their having been formed by art incredible; for the excavation of the ditches at Dowlatabad, out of the same species of granite rock, is a proof of what difficulties the perseverance of the Natives of India is capable of surmounting.
Those hills, which contain water on their summit, have been fortified by the Natives, in periods of the most remote antiquity, for there is no record of their first occupation; and the space contained within the rocky scarp before described, which often assumes a very fantastic form, such as only could have been traced by nature, constitutes the interior of the Fort. There is seldom any work raised on them, or indeed any thing done, farther than to cut flights of steps out of the solid rock, and to construct a number of gateways over them; and great ingenuity has been exerted to render these as intricate as possible. Nothing is necessary, but a determined Garrison to render such positions perfectly impregnable. Fortunately for us, this latter requisite was wanting, Unkye and Unkye Tunkye set an example, which was surrenders generally followed, of surrendering without opposition, the Killedar being intimidated by the determined language held out to him.” [9]</i><br />
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Figure 3: Aerial View of Unkye, part of the Inyadree Range.</div>
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<i>“He arrived, on the 2d of April, at Byzapoor, on his route towards Unkye, a hill-fort on the summit of the Khandesh Ghats. It contained a small garrison, and commanded one of the principal passes descending into the low country. On this account it was considered of peculiar importance; and Lieutenant-colonel Mac Dowell summoned it, as he approached the pettah at the foot of the hill, to form his encampment. Some attempts at evasion from the garrison were met by a display of impatient determination; and the British troops proceeded to occupy the place on one side, as it was evacuated on the other. This proof of the impression which prevailed in the country, was highly satisfactory. Filled as it was with hill-forts, an opposition from all, however trifling, would have required larger means than those by which it could be met. The minds of the inhabitants also would have remained in a state of suspense, the prevention of which was very desirable. A party of forty Native infantry, under a European officer, was left in the place, wherein were found fourteen pieces of ordnance, with a large store of ammunition, and some treasure. The detachment halted till the 7th, and, on the three following days, marched to Chandoor, where it encamped on the 10th.” [10]</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNhgfo6iEMq1jHTtU_zxQHCaUGyt_1V3cjKj7UozUK-9KjeUQ12YtbI6ODoBOj-woty0o_QM9dLY3d9vTljkgSFUsmlhSN9Edi2rZKiuX4JDYduaZsgsutCpqvSrqnRwwzqGobVHyGoQ/s1600/Unke+Tunke.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNhgfo6iEMq1jHTtU_zxQHCaUGyt_1V3cjKj7UozUK-9KjeUQ12YtbI6ODoBOj-woty0o_QM9dLY3d9vTljkgSFUsmlhSN9Edi2rZKiuX4JDYduaZsgsutCpqvSrqnRwwzqGobVHyGoQ/s400/Unke+Tunke.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Figure 4:Unke or Ankai Killa. </div>
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Amongst the 14 captured guns, were two 18 pounders, that were unexpectedly to become of great importance to the success of the siege at Malleygaum.
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">[1]</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"> </span>There
were ten companies in a battalion at this period, of which two were called the
Flank Companies. The right-hand company
was the Grenadier Company traditionally composed of the tallest men, and who
had originally been equipped with grenades, for use in sieges, when first
formed in the late 17<sup>th</sup> Century. By 1818, grenades were rarely, if
ever issued. The left-hand company were
the Light Company, and their purpose was to skirmish ahead of the line,
adopting the tactics originated by the Croats, and taken up by the French Voltigeurs
and then the British Army. Frequently
during the Mahratta War these two Flank Companies were detached for special
purposes, and sometimes joined by other similar companies to form elite
forces. This often had a detrimental
effect on the unit as a whole, as many potential junior leaders and potential future
NCO’s were deployed in these companies, who borne the brunt of the assaults and
casualties.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">[2]</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"> </span>Operations of the British Army in India During the Mahratta War of 1817, 1818
& 1819, by Lt. Colonel Valentine Blacker.
Page 317, 318.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">[3]</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"> </span>Journals
of the Sieges of the Madras Army, in the Years 1817, 1818, and 1819 ... By
Edward John Lake, pages 87 & 88. At full strength, a battalion had ten
companies, each of approximately 80 to 100 men.
With 19 Companies and only 1000 firelocks, it can be seen that these
companies in McDowell's force can only have comprised of between 40 to 50 men each.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 107%;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span> </span>Sindhi
Sirasgaon, 19°54'8.83"N<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">[5]</span> Aurungabad
19°52'37.00"N 75°20'34.35"E<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">[6] </span>Vaijapur,
19°55'31.48"N 74°43'52.64"E<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">[7] </span>Unkye,
also Unky Tunke, known today as Ankai or Ankai Killa. 20°11'13.24"N
74°26'55.95"E<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">[8]</span></span></span><!--[endif]--></span>
Pettah, town or village.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">[9]</span></span></span><!--[endif]--></span> Lake
page 90.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">[10]</span></span></span><!--[endif]--></span>
Blacker page 318.<o:p></o:p></div>
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[11] Malegaon in modern Indian spelling, 20°32'43.60"N 74°31'48.33"E.</div>
Nick Balmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12730750075841601992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004998321945892855.post-10553094976868090202014-01-05T06:47:00.001-08:002014-01-06T12:57:19.157-08:00Captain Buckle and the Siege of Dohud<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPj_4t__E6wUOawXX9ruX3OEyhiNudD5GPlEPQ9vvUaxqDctiZinaOIC_6VWirdcqGhE0FdB6wy3k_YGjo6GLdUjhf5ggMhw3drDkyaKqo2RHwf-HJEamC5OGYgRgTE3RThm-aVYpl0g/s1600/Dahud+Gate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPj_4t__E6wUOawXX9ruX3OEyhiNudD5GPlEPQ9vvUaxqDctiZinaOIC_6VWirdcqGhE0FdB6wy3k_YGjo6GLdUjhf5ggMhw3drDkyaKqo2RHwf-HJEamC5OGYgRgTE3RThm-aVYpl0g/s400/Dahud+Gate.jpg" /></a></div>
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Figure 1. The Gate to Dohud Fort. [1]</div>
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While the story of the Indian Mutiny is well known to many, it is generally thought of as a conflict fought out in Bengal and Oudh, and the great cities of Delhi, Lucknow and Cawnpore.
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The Bombay Presidency is generally stated in the history books to have by and large have avoided the worst of the outbreak. Such treatment in the history books as is afforded to the Mutiny in the Bombay Presidency concentrates almost entirely on the campaign Sir Hugh Rose.<br />
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With the recently improved access to the archives that the internet provides, and also the reports now available from the English regional newspapers from the time it is becoming apparent that the mutiny had had the potential to have spread very much further, had it not been for the efforts of a few comparatively junior officers who took exceptional steps that prevented the outbreak spreading in their districts.
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One such officer was Captain Christopher Buckle who in 1855<br />
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<i>"was
appointed Assistant Political Agent Kattywar, and in the following year Acting
Political Agent in Rewa Kanta, and held that post on the breaking out of the
mutiny. Rebellion spread from Central India westward, and was threatening
Goozerat. Fort Dohud, on the high road from Indore to Baroda was besieged, and
Captain Buckle put himself into it in command of the available forces which he
could collect in a hurry, with the result that the communications between
Goozerat and Central India were maintained throughout the siege Delhi and the
whole war. For his services during the mutiny in India Captain Buckle received
the cordial thanks the Government Bombay, endorsed by the Government of India.
At the battle of Oodeypoor, December 1, 1858, Captain Buckle commanded the
cavalry forces, and was mentioned in Brigadier Parke's despatch the 6th."</i> [2]<br />
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<i>"The other letter from Dohud, and is dated 25th November:—
Yesterday we had news from a place called Sintlam, half way between this and
Neemuch. At a place called Mahidpore, belonging Holkar, the contingent
mutinied, at least the Mussulman portion it did, and thrashed the remainder,
who were staunch, taking the guns and magazine with them. The doctor and an
officer were killed in the affray—the former, I believe, by his own native
assistant. What a rascal! The ladies all escaped. The Mhow force went up to the
place and gave the Mussulmans an awful beating. They killed 300 of them, took
150 prisoners, and got back the guns. The letter from Sintlam was dated the
19th, and the Mhow force were then at Mundesore, which was expected to be taken
in two or three days. Mundesore is only twenty-four miles from Neemuch. At the
latter place the slaughter had been immense. "</i>
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<i>"6 p.m.—Another letter from the Neermuch direction gives
authentic news that the mutineers had all left that place. They got a gun up on
the top of a house and began to play on the fort. We got a 24-pounder to bear
upon them, and knocked the house and gun to pieces. They then tried to charge,
but a discharge of shrapnel killed 100 of them; and a mine of ours bursting in
the right time killed 130 more. The name of Lieutenant Wellington Rose is
mentioned the letter; so that if anything had happened to him, we should have
certainly heard of it. We took two of their guns from them, which one good thing."</i>[3]
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One of the challenges when using 19th Century accounts of events is that it is often very hard to work out where they occurred especially if you are using modern maps like Google Earth. Fortunately Dohud appears in Walter Hamilton's East Indian Gazetteer, which has longitude and latitudes.<br />
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<em>"This place stands on the common boundary of Malwa and Gujerat, at the north-east entrance of the Barreah jungle, which' extends above forty miles nearly to Godra, yet the road through it leading into Gujerat is the best and most frequented; lat. 22° 55' N., lon. 74° 20'E. Dohud is of considerable extent, the houses well built, and the bazar abundantly supplied with grain and water. It is in consequence much frequented by the traders of the interior, being a thoroughfare for the inland traffic between the provinces of Upper Hindostan and Malwa, with Baroda, Broach, Surat, and other large commercial towns of Gujerat. It is also of considerable importance on account of its position, which commands the principal pass into Gujerat from the north-east. The present fort of Dohud was a caravanserai at the eastern extremity of the town, said to have been built by Aurengzebe. It is 450 feet square, and has two strong gates, one on the north and another to the south, and the interior contains a mosque, two wells, and other handsome structures, all of excellent workmanship and durable materials.—"</em><br />
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These co-ordinates bring us to the modern town of Dahud and the fort or caravanserai is clearly visible.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5KCZKeCCVK3PY68VZrWElENu4zE_LbA1PyIYw4TAkh4YZQHa8ta0EzhXfLaxWiK7hckT8JbrxNVZIx6M_V0Odi2-1l9Rf5xHNvss5VRrrmmjZP0oQOFHG-975HmprPudZrqfFIfOOsA/s1600/Dohud+Fort.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5KCZKeCCVK3PY68VZrWElENu4zE_LbA1PyIYw4TAkh4YZQHa8ta0EzhXfLaxWiK7hckT8JbrxNVZIx6M_V0Odi2-1l9Rf5xHNvss5VRrrmmjZP0oQOFHG-975HmprPudZrqfFIfOOsA/s400/Dohud+Fort.jpg" height="303" width="400" /></a></div>
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Figure 2. Dohud Fort on Google Earth.</div>
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Hamilton records that the caravanserai had originally been built by Aurengzebe, and that it was 450 feet square.
This is confirmed below by a line drawn with Google Earths measuring tool with which I have traced a line 450 feet long onto a Google Earth image below.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUxzGTpApInpOgTPYcaHbfhfUwvLjmpQQODX0N4PEaDHkUi-tueOm9GJw5Jfv9Q5YxiBC9EeTkTgs5ZjquqszwYAdvjp4osNEdZcXRGYMNVDG4DXHKp5t6-NznhSilWO7bOVEGnT7cIA/s1600/Dohud+Fort+450+feet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUxzGTpApInpOgTPYcaHbfhfUwvLjmpQQODX0N4PEaDHkUi-tueOm9GJw5Jfv9Q5YxiBC9EeTkTgs5ZjquqszwYAdvjp4osNEdZcXRGYMNVDG4DXHKp5t6-NznhSilWO7bOVEGnT7cIA/s400/Dohud+Fort+450+feet.jpg" height="303" width="400" /></a></div>
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Figure 3. A Google Earth image of Fort Dohud with a 450 feet line drawn in red on it. </div>
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An 1868 report describes this fort, and fits very well to the modern buildings.</div>
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"<i>The Gaol consists of the east half of the fort, and the cells, 38 in number, are situated on its north, east, and south sides. The fort forms part of the northern boundary of the town, and is about 400 yards south of camp Dohud, the intervening space being used as a parade ground. In the west half of the fort the mamlutdar and moonsiff have their courts, and the sowars have their stables and houses. During the year the Gaol has neither been increased nor altered in any way."</i> [5]</div>
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If you live in Dohud and have the opportunity to take photos of the interior of the fort, I would be fascinated to receive copies of them.<br />
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If you know anything about the fate of the people mentioned above, I would be very interested to hear from you.<br />
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I can be contacted at <a href="mailto:Balmer.nicholas@gmail.com">Balmer.nicholas@gmail.com</a>
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[1] http://www.panoramio.com/photo/91686181?source=wapi&referrer=kh.google.com photo by&nbspMaximilian Lepik
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[2] From the obituary of Colonel Christopher Buckle, Worcestershire Chronicle - Saturday 13 August 1887.
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[3]Inverness Courier - Thursday 31 December 1857.
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[4]The East Indian gazetteer: containing particular descriptions of ..., Volume 1, By Walter (M. R. A. S.) Hamilton. Page 523. Published 1828.
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[5] Annual Report on the Bombay Gaols, including Sind and Aden.. By Bombay Government, Published 1868. Page 228. This very detailed report includes numbers of prisoners, deaths and details of the diet and drainage in the fort.
Nick Balmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12730750075841601992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004998321945892855.post-7461526010435654782014-01-05T06:30:00.001-08:002014-01-05T06:30:28.474-08:00Mulleer Viaduct carried away by storms in Sind in 1866<br />
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Mulleer Viaduct in Sind in 1866. </div>
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Note the windmill in the distance.</div>
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The original caption in pencil written beneath this photo in the album compiled by my great great grandfather Charles Barton, who was commanding a Royal Artillery battery stationed nearby at Karachi, read...</div>
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<em>"Mukeer Viaduct Sind Railway carried away August by a heavy storm during which 40 inches of rain were reported to have been gauged in 30 hours."</em>
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He may not have remembered the name of the bridge correctly at the time at which he wrote the captions, which may not have occurred until many years later because it was actually called the Mulleer Viaduct in those days. Today this bridge is known as the Malir Bridge.<br />
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In the aftermath of these floods in 1866, which appear to have affected a very wide swath of India and not just Sind, the following two reports were published in the proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers, which explain the sheer power of the terrible flood that swept away this bridge and many villages as well.<br />
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<em>"The rainfall of 1866 in Scinde, as also in Kattywar, will long be spoken of by the
people of those provinces as a time to be remembered with dread. It is
chronicled by whole villages overturned, fertile land devastated, roads
rendered impassable . The Mooktyear of Kurrachee has sent in a report of
the destruction that has been ascertained, apparently from the flooding of the Mulleer
alone.” ”Ninety human lives have been lost; 4,359 grazing stock, and 158 draught
animals have been swept away." . . . ''The Mulleer Viaduct washed away is
12 miles from Kurrachee; the Bahrum about the same distance this side of
Kotree." ..." The first breach is between Kurrachee and Landi, 9 1/2
miles from the former, and is 70 yards in width. At 12 1/2 miles from Kurrachee
is Bolton Road crossing; and from this road down to the Mulleer River, about a
mile, the line has been almost destroyed; two culverts only remain, with the
bank immediately over and adjoining them." ..." At one place in this
length the flood was strong enough to break the fish plates, and several rails
have been carried 50 yards. The most important works that have suffered are the
Mulleer Viaduct, the Joonshaie Bridge, and the Joolajee Bridge. Each of these
will require six weeks to be repaired, provided no further rain occurs."—Scindian,
Aug., 1866.</em> [1]
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The following is extracted from the Report made by Mr. McNeill, acting agent of the
Scinde Railway:—
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<em>"The Mulleer Viaduct was 1,800 feet long, in twenty-one spans of 80 feet each, built
on stone piers, each pier consisting of two upright pillars, sufficient only
for a single line. The foundations were of three kinds. Piers 1, 2, 5, 6,7, and
8, built in brick wells; 3 and 4 in coffer-dams; the remainder had piles driven
in the wells, and filled in with concrete. Two rivers meet the Mulleer above
the viaduct, the Dumb about half a mile above, and the Sookhan quite close to
the bridge. The sources of these streams are widely separated, and it would
appear on the morning of the 5th, when the viaduct was carried away, that the
streams were discharging themselves at different levels, causing great
turbulence in the water passing under the viaduct."
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<em>"At daybreak on the morning of the 5th there was little or no water visible in the
bed of the river, and at 8 A.M. it had almost reached rail level. At 9 A.M. the
bridge was carried away. The water came down in a succession of bores, the
largest of which, bringing down with it the ruins of a village about a mile and
a half up the river, came down with immense force, rising above the level of the
rails, and carrying away eleven spans of girders, with their piers, as if they
had been straws. Some of the girders are within a few feet of the bridge, but
two of them are at least half a mile down the stream; each span, with rails,
etc, would weigh about 60 tons."</em>
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<em>"The abutment at the Kurrachee side stood well."
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<em>"Mr. Newnham proposes to carry up the piers 6 feet higher than they are now, filling
them up solid; and where the foundations are made, as in piers 3 and 4, for a
double line, to build them up their full width, also solid." ..." The
Joolajee Bridge carried away consisted of nine openings, 20 feet each,
semicircular; bed of river to crown of arch, 20 feet. The water rose within 3
feet of the level of the rails or crown of arch."
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<em>"The Joongshaie Bridge consisted of six openings of 40 feet span each, semicircular
arches. One pier has given way, and the bridge must come down, and the waterway
he considerably increased. The water rose to crown of arches."
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<em>"I may say 60 miles of the line are useless for regular traffic until the
diversions (temporary) are completed.</em><br />
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<em>(Signed)
'David McNeill</em><br />
<em>Acting Agent.</em>
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[2]<br />
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The engineers writing after the event believed that between 1856 and 1860 the region had only had 4.82 inches of rain in total over the previous four years. In this single event Karachi had 10.0 inches. </div>
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Towns further inland including Dorbajee and Joongshaie, had received 40.24 and 41.49 inches respectively.</div>
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The railway had started to be built in 1857, when John Brunton Junior [1812-1899] had been appointed Chief Resident Engineer to the Sindh Railway, which was to run from Karachi to Kotri to the south bank of the Indus near the city of Hyderabad.<br />
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John Brunton was one of six sons of William Brunton Senior [1777-1851] who followed their father into civil engineering and who all became members of the Institute of Civil Engineers. [3] <br />
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William Senior had been very active in developing early horse drawn railways and inclined plains used in the Swansea area to work coal mines and copper foundries, and then extended his activities up the Tawe Valley towards Brecon. He was one of the first people to work out how convert railways to steam, and went on to develop many patents.<br />
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His son John had been sent aged 20 in 1832 to Ynysgedwyn in Wales to survey and build railways forming the new Brecon Forest Tramway. Although, he was not to know it at the time, this was going to be quite the best possible preparation and training for his later work in Sindh.<br />
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He has left highly entertaining accounts of his difficulties as an Englishman having to work amongst the hostile local Welshmen in the valleys with whom he had a very difficult time until he was able to learn to speak Welsh. He had to learn to deal with hostile and obstructive villagers, who resented his involvement in a wider scheme to take over the local common land, with the workmen who stole his washing, and was attacked on a lonely track by robbers who tried to steal his £400 payroll.<br />
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He went on to work in Northamptonshire on the Kilsby Tunnel section of the London to Birmingham Railway for Robert Stephenson, which was one of the epic jobs in the early railway mania period.<br />
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By 1855 he was one of a number of railway contractors who went out to the Crimean War to try to build infrastructure for the army. His project at Renkioi in Turkey involved building a 3,000 bed army hospital in an attempt to rectify the enormous number of deaths in the Army, that had been highlighted by Florence Nightingale. This hospital was prefabricated in Britain, using techniques following the work of Joseph Paxton for the Great Exhibition.<br />
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He must have been a very capable man, and was highly experienced by the time he arrived in Sindh, where conditions were going to be extremely challenging. He was following his elder brother William who had been appointed at Chief Engineer on the Punjab Railway from Multan to Lahore.</div>
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The Sindh Railway from Karachi to Kotri 1861. </div>
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[4] Please click on image for larger image.</div>
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During the construction of the railway, he wore a brace of pistols and a sword. The local contractor, absconded without paying the workforce of 12,000 for a year.</div>
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<span id="newspaperTitle"><span id="newspaperDate">On Saturday the 22nd of September 1860, readers in London of the </span>Morning Post</span> will have read the following, as part of a fascinating, and much longer article. This is probably referring to progress reports sent in March 1860.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>"SCINDE RAILWAY.<br /><br /> The ninth report of the directors of this
company, to be submitted to the half-yearly general meeting, on the 25th inst.,
states that : " In March last the proprietors were informed that considerable
progress had been made in the works along the line ; that the railway was
expected to be opened for traffic about the end of the present year ; that
above 50,000 tons of materials and machinery had been landed at Kurrachee
without accident ; that the commerce of the port and the internal traffic of
the country were rapidly progressing ; and that the sum of 500,000l. of additional
capital was required to complete the railway. The directors have now to state
that all the permanent way material, rolling stock, and machinery required for
the construction and working of the line, have been shipped from this country
for Kurrachee with the exception of iron girders required for the harbour works
in connexion with the railway, which are now being prepared. By recent advices,
the board are informed that the works generally along the line are proceeding
in a highly satisfactory manner. The cuttings and embankments are all in a very
forward state, and the masonry is being rapidly proceeded with. "The chief
engineer reports that 'the cast-iron bed plates are being fitted upon the piers
of the Mulleer Viaduct which are finished. Until after the rains nothing
further can be done as to fixing the girders; but they are all being sorted,
scraped, and painted.' The works on the Bahrun viaduct, Mr. Brunton states, are
'progressing very satisfactorily. Five arches are keyed, and the centres for
"the tenth arch are in place.' ' There is now no fear that the completion
of the Bahrun viaduct will delay the opening of the line. All the works
connected with it are in a very forward state.' Although the viaducts have
occupied the special attention of the engineers, the smaller bridges and
culverts have not been forgotten. We are assured that when the viaducts are
finished the force that can be put upon the smaller works will speedily
complete them; and such arrangements are in contemplation that the opening of
the line will not be delayed on their account."<o:p></o:p></em></span></div>
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The bridge at Mulleer was 14 miles inland from Karachi, and was critical to the success of the Sindh Railway which was being used to open up the Indus Valley for trade. The importance of the site is set out in the following extract from a much longer article in the <span id="newspaperTitle">London Daily News, published on</span> <span id="newspaperDate">Thursday the 26th March 1863.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>"SCINDE RAILWAY.</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>The report of the directors to the meeting
on Monday next has been issued. It states that at the Mc Leod Rd station at
Kurachee, sore than 100 waggons, conveying 600 tons of merchandise, are
unloaded daily, and additional sidings are being laid. The buildings at Joongshlee,
the central station on the line, have been finished. At each of the smaller
stations a loop-line and sidings, and a platform 300 feet long, have been
provided. At Kotree, the upper terminus, the subsidence of the lndus has shown
the soundness of the works it the low-water wharf. The length of the river
frontage now available for boats, flats, and steamers is 2,000 feet; and the
agent has directed the attention of the government to the necessity for
bringing all be craft resorting to it under proper regulations: this is
rendered necessary to prevent obstructions, and admit of ready access to the
railway. The higher-level lines have been laid for the convenience of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the Indus Steam Flotilla and the Commissariat
Department and the station has been brought up to the level of the rails,
affording great facilities to the through traffic. A plot of land has been made
over to the flotilla, and the flotilla has accommodated the railway, in return,
with buildings required for their servants. The progress in the workshops is
creditable to the department. The stock of locomotives is 20, and of passenger
carriages 27. There were according to last half-year's report, 227 waggons of
different sorts; there are now 372. Additional iron work has been provided for
the waggons to be made up in India, and iron framework for others of greater
carrying power than those now in use; as well as a supply of water tanks and
ammunition waggons. Five additional goods engines have been sanctioned and are
under construction. The traffic manager's report is very gratifying,
particularly as regards the evidence which it contains of the rapid development
of a cotton trade. Four through trains each way have for some time been
running. This has told on the accumulation of goods at Kotree, most of the
traffic being laden direct from the boats on to the trucks. 60,710 bales,
containing 17,138,960 lbs. of cotton, were conveyed during the year 1862 from
Kotree to Kurrachee by the Scinde Railway; and it is estimated that 150,000
bales will be exported during the current year. Samples of cotton grown in
Scinde, on the banks of the Mulleer River, about 14 miles from Kurrachee, were
sent by the late Mr. Bethcome for inspection of the Bombay Chamber of
Commerce, it order to compete for the prizes offered last year by the
government; and the following is the judgment pronounced by the chamber:-"
The cotton submitted by Mr. Bethcome is in every respect quite
unexceptionable and capable of competing successfully with the best qualities
of the American and Egyptian varieties. With the exception of Sea Island, it is
the best that has been submitted to the chamber 'for many a year."<o:p></o:p></em></span></div>
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<span id="newspaperTitle">The Morning Post</span> contained a report of the directors for the Sindh Railway on <span id="newspaperDate">Friday 17th December 1869.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>"The
directors regret to state that a heavy flood, which occurred on the 13th
September, destroyed a portion of the viaduct across the river Mulleer. A
proposal to carry the line across the bed of the river on piles about six feet
above the ground, in such a manner as to allow the free passage of a body of
water, has been recommended by the consulting engineer as an economical and
effective method of preventing such an occurrence in future. This proposal is
now under consideration, and in the meanwhile the rails have been laid across
the bed of the Mulleer, which is perfectly dry at this season." </em></span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">I have no idea if Charles had taken the picture, or if he is in it. Was this just a visit to witness the aftermath of the terrible flood, or was he in some way involved in trying to secure the crossing?<br /><br />In this year he had been promoted on the26 April 1866 from 1<sup>st</sup>Captain to Lieutenant Colonel.<br /><br />The loss of the railway with its rapid connections to garrisons up the Indus Valley must have been a major concern, quite apart from the obvious economic damage it would have caused.</span></div>
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Malir Bridge from Google Earth.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />The windmill in the background of the original photo is interesting. By chance in some of my other research into the history of Fort St David and Cuddalore, I have found earlier evidence from the from the 1730's of windmills being built by the EIC in India. See <br /><br /><a href="http://cuddalore-history.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/early-technology-transfer-windmills-in.html">http://cuddalore-history.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/early-technology-transfer-windmills-in.html</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">I am unsure if there were many others built in India, but here at Mukeer there is obviously another example of a windmill. <br /><br />Did John Brunton build it as part of his construction camp? With 12,000 men working on this railway for the contractors, he must have needed a very efficient supply system, just to have kept them fed. <br /><br />Or could this windmill be connected with Mr Bethcome's cotton plantations? Perhaps it was intended to pump water from the river into the new plantations. Is you come from the area around this bridge, or know the answers to these questions, I would love to hear from you. I can be contacted on <a href="mailto:balmer.nicholas@gmail.com">balmer.nicholas@gmail.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">I would like to acknowledge the help that I have received from Google Earth, and the British Library Newspaper website in putting together this blog.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><div align="left">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1] <span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Minutes of Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers; with Abstracts ...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong> </strong><span class="addmd">By Edited By James Forrest, Assoc. Inst. C.E., Secretary, The Institution of Civil Engineers</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><div align="left">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2] <span style="font-family: Times;">Minutes of Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers; with Abstracts ...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong> </strong><span class="addmd">By Edited By James Forrest, Assoc. Inst. C.E., Secretary, The Institution of Civil Engineers</span></span></div>
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Nick Balmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12730750075841601992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004998321945892855.post-76631372338072575772013-10-23T11:59:00.000-07:002013-10-24T00:46:08.571-07:00Sir Bartle Frere and family<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimT3OK1o_5SV0CXu30JM1w817TMe2edl2Cj8NQn75Ui8UF5rUVbMm7V_TOnPHbv4oIMFtAIvi-m2JPkAEVlT-Xc9xBq552m6OPz-ZDfaQd2QqHA9zF1_sT2sZkp4BV_MXgCzCSVh27Gg/s1600/CJ+Barton+Album+1+090-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimT3OK1o_5SV0CXu30JM1w817TMe2edl2Cj8NQn75Ui8UF5rUVbMm7V_TOnPHbv4oIMFtAIvi-m2JPkAEVlT-Xc9xBq552m6OPz-ZDfaQd2QqHA9zF1_sT2sZkp4BV_MXgCzCSVh27Gg/s400/CJ+Barton+Album+1+090-1.jpg" width="361" /></a></div>
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Sir Bartle Frere, his staff and family. From Left to right Sir Bartle Frere, Miss Frere, Moore CS. Mansfield CS. Marston, Lady Frere, Miss Frere.</div>
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The photograph above is believed to have been taken in Karachi, as it appears along with several other photos from my great great grandfathers collection, which are all marked as having been taken in Karachi in 1866. Sir Bartle Frere (1815-1884) who was Governor of Bombay, was planning to return to England in the following year, and it is very probable that the photograph was taken during his last visit to Karachi where he had spent much of his earlier career as Chief Commissioner for Sindh.</div>
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A rather poor photo of government house Karachi in the same year.</div>
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One of the two Miss Frere's must be Mary Frere (1845 to 1911) who wrote <i>Old Deccan Days; or, Hindoo Fairy Legends, Current in Southern India. Collected From Oral Tradition</i>
with help from an ayah called Anna Liberata de Souza, who was a Christian convert from the Lingayat community. <br /><br />Mary had received encouragement and assistance from time to time from her father. She accompanied her father on his frequent journeys around the Bombay Presidency.</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Anna Liberata de Souza,</span><br />
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Marston, shown in the first was Edward Marston, who at that time was running the police force in Karachi and Sind. He was a larger than life character who led a very eventful life as his obituary written in 1902 shows.
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<i>“A BRAVE SOLDIER. DEATH OF GEN. MARSTON. The last mail has
brought the news of the death at Karachi of Major-General Edward Charles
Marston, of the Bombay Army, at the age of 80. He entered the army in 1839, and
served with Gen. Sir Richard England's forces in the Afghan war. the battle of
Meeanee, in 1843, when Sir Charles Napier defeated the Ameers Sind, he
performed a feat which nowadays would have been rewarded with the Victoria
Cross. He encountered and slew with his sword three huge Beluchis who were making
for the General, and saved Sir Charles Napier's life. When Sir Charles
organized the Sind police, on the model of which the police throughout the rest
of India were established later, he entrusted the raising and command of the
Karachi district police force to Lieutenant Marston, who became Commandant of
Police for the province in a few years, A man of great activity and powerful
physique. Sir R. Burton describes him as excelling every native sportsman in
stripping the hills of ibex and wild sheep, and in 1855 Sir Bartle Frere
brought specially to the notice of the Bombay Government his undaunted courage
in a single-handed encounter with a gang of Afghan burglars. After his
retirement about 25 years ago he spent the remainder of his life in Karachi, a
place for which had a great attachment. He became a major-general 1891.” </i>[2]</div>
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[1] From <a href="http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Old_Deccan_Days/The_Narrator's_Narrative">http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Old_Deccan_Days/The_Narrator's_Narrative</a> This narrative is an extremely interesting account which deals with the life of Anna's father and grandfather. Her grandparents had campaigned in the wars with Tipu and were present at Kirkee. Deccan Days can be read here <a href="http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Old_Deccan_Days/The_Narrator's_Narrative">http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Old_Deccan_Days/The_Narrator's_Narrative</a></div>
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[2] From Cheltenham Chronicle - Saturday 19 April 1902</div>
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<br />Nick Balmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12730750075841601992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004998321945892855.post-35240086527389210632013-10-22T07:49:00.001-07:002013-10-22T07:50:48.470-07:00Kamptee Bridge & a case of Criminal Conversation<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvkJew7znIF2zeMk2P0CWHZSePtfZnd3183ifeeZYx5btU2khGAtH3J6qWyGQVejOm1kiB5Q9ZkJnUJXoNqppaaUiba1Y2aJV04KX9g5slKIZ15mWzUhpm8VCSOksZKxbMzncrv9px0g/s1600/Kamptee+Bridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvkJew7znIF2zeMk2P0CWHZSePtfZnd3183ifeeZYx5btU2khGAtH3J6qWyGQVejOm1kiB5Q9ZkJnUJXoNqppaaUiba1Y2aJV04KX9g5slKIZ15mWzUhpm8VCSOksZKxbMzncrv9px0g/s400/Kamptee+Bridge.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Figure 1. Kamptee Bridge. [Please click on the image for larger version.]</div>
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Today my good friend Harshawardhan Nimkhedkar posted several really interesting photos from the cantonment at Kamptee. <br /><br />One particularly fine photo of a 19th century stone bridge caught my eye, and so I set off to see if I could find out who had built it and when.<br /><br />As so often when you go off into the archives on Google Books and the British Newspaper Archives you stumble onto much more than you had originally expected to find.<br />
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Having found the bridge, I was trying to locate the garrison church shown below. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihZq0R7MouCGS602xdp3dstsQiv6Fc8vSMFxFDbTYxmbmZmKpK_7NiiMThBkBao7dxSsJR5SMypEUjGrrPAFHEnnV4Ycj2AGLyspQl5XjpZ-hHSdvRAtb6STn196dPr1989DbYs5syAA/s1600/Kamptee+Church+1833.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihZq0R7MouCGS602xdp3dstsQiv6Fc8vSMFxFDbTYxmbmZmKpK_7NiiMThBkBao7dxSsJR5SMypEUjGrrPAFHEnnV4Ycj2AGLyspQl5XjpZ-hHSdvRAtb6STn196dPr1989DbYs5syAA/s400/Kamptee+Church+1833.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Figure 2. Kamptee Church.</div>
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Although the images on Google Earth over Kamptee Cantonment are good, no obvious building that matched the church could be seen. Searching through the newspapers for anything on the church, the following came up in the Morning Post of Friday 25th September 1835..</div>
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<i>"Ramasawmy sworn. I was in the service of Lieutenant M'Nair, of the Artillery. I was a horsekeeper at Kamptee, and in that service in June and July last, and remember going out with my master's pony in the month of July. It was about the middle of last year that I took the pony to a large bridge near the church, where a horse was posted."</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzfj1fea7cvzq_P_p_aVEAuFiyCQKVKJ4bAk1BFp1tPrA2k4ZRHBg1_XpH81I4Gliy5kTp-o5pksfLMBH9-h7dOfNsziUNDAll-rzHZ13Xyvyxpgj4zdeVStR5pH-cuH8WmAhGTIPcFQ/s1600/Kamptee+Bridge+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzfj1fea7cvzq_P_p_aVEAuFiyCQKVKJ4bAk1BFp1tPrA2k4ZRHBg1_XpH81I4Gliy5kTp-o5pksfLMBH9-h7dOfNsziUNDAll-rzHZ13Xyvyxpgj4zdeVStR5pH-cuH8WmAhGTIPcFQ/s400/Kamptee+Bridge+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Figure 3. Google Earth Image marked with the bridge and church. The central bridge is the road bridge, flanked by two rail bridges. The arches show up as a shadow cast onto the river bed.</div>
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Knowing that the church was located close to the bridge enabled me to find the church very quickly. The bell tower can clearly be seen on top of the church building.</div>
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The clue was contained in a much longer and fascinating report of a court case where a Captain Best was accused of running off with the Colonel's wife.<br />
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<i>SUPREME COURT, CALCUTTA-APRIL 9. CALCUTTA-APRIL 9.</i><br />
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<i>CRIM. CON. — LETHBRIDGE V. BEST.</i><br />
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<i>Damages laid at 30,000 rupees. The Advocate-General stated the case for the plaintiff. The plaintiff is a Colonel of Infantry, and the defendant a Captain of Artillery-both in the Company's service. The plaintiff was married to Mrs. Lethbridge in 1823. The match was originally one of affection; they lived together ten or twelve years, and had five children. The defendant was on intimate terms with the plaintiff, and received from him every attention and kindness which it was possible for him to expect at the hands of a brother officer. He was welcomed to the house and entertained at the table of the plaintiff, and had every opportunity of witnessing the harmony and feeling which prevailed with the plaintiff and his wife towards each other— yet, in spite of all the happiness he had been witness to, he had done the plaintiff the bitter wrong to take from him the partner who had lived with him so many years in uninterrupted harmony and love. When about to quit Kamptee, Captain Best was invited to a farewell dinner; but though it was specially upon the occasion of his leaving the place, Captain Best to the surprise of all, was not there.</i><br />
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<i>The dinner, however, was partaken of, and Colonel Lethbridge, who was one of the party returned home between nine and ten O’clock, and then he found that his wife had left him. The plaintiff’s wife at the time of the elopement was on the eve of her confinement, and was subsequently delivered of a daughter at a place called Taukelgaut. The plaintiff hearing of this, sent two female servants to take charge of the child. Captain Best, who was with Mrs. Lethbridge when these servants arrived, left the tent soon after they came in. Mrs. Lethbridge inquired after her husband, and wept when she was told that he was in great misery? that he was in tears. This, if the defendant had any feeling about him, and it is impossible to suppose him dead to all the finer feelings of the human breast, must have stung him more than anything else; and if the Learned Counsel had not mistaken human nature, such a scene as this could not have taken place unless there were an affectionate bearing on the part of her husband, and of fond reflections on her own. The only redress which the law afforded the plaintiff, would be the damages awarded by the Court. There was hardly bitterness of spirit -- hardly misery of mind, greater than his client must suffer to the end of his days from the deep injury he had received from the defendant. The Learned Counsel would not expatiate upon the circumstances which he would prove in evidence, with any view to influence the minds of the Court, for those circumstances would speak but too forcibly themselves; and the Court would grant such damages as would mark its sense of the unjustifiable, the unwarrantable, and grievous wrong which the defendant had perpetrated against the peace and the happiness of his client. The Learned Counsel having concluded, put in the defendant's admission of the fact of" the plaintiff's marriage on the 18th of December, 1823, and called</i><br />
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<i>J. C. Morris, Esq., sworn - I am a member of the Civil Service, and know Colonel Lethbridge, of the 22d Regiment N. I. I have known him since 1827, when we met and were near neighbours on the Neilgherry Hills for several months. Mrs. Lethbridge was living with him. They had one little girl with them; another little boy, I understood from them, they had left at Cochin. I became extremely intimate, and visited them daily almost, and had most undoubtedly the fullest opportunity to see on what terms they lived. They seemed to me to be a most happy couple he was very much attached to her, and she appeared particularly attached to him.</i><br />
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<i>Lieutenant J. M. Rowlandson sworn. I am a Lieutenant in the Company's Service, and am acquainted with Colonel Lethbridge and Mrs. L. I have been acquainted with them since 1823, and with Mrs. L. since 1824. They were at Trevandrum, near Quilon, in Travancore, when I first became acquainted with them, and spent the month of May, 1824, with them in the same house. In the month of June I left for Madras. I saw them every day, and must have remarked if they were not on affectionate terms. His behaviour to her appeared to me to be particularly kind.</i><br />
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<i>Cross-examined by Mr. Teed. I am not acquainted with the defendant, but believe he is a Captain in the Artillery ; and think he was promoted about a year or two ago. I imagine his pay is about 400 rupees a month as a Captain of Artillery.</i><br />
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<i>Lieut. George Rowlandson sworn. I am a Lieutenant in the Artillery, and a brother of the last witness. I married Colonel L.'s daughter. I became acquainted with him on his return from England, about three months before my marriage. From having married Colonel Lethbridge's daughter, I became very intimate with the family, and was at their house every day. They lived on the most affectionate terms. The daughter I married was a daughter by a former wife. I have had correspondence with Colonel Lethbridge. They had four children before the birth of the last, three boys and one girl.</i><br />
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<i>Cross-examined. I know Captain Best, and think he was promoted about June last. I should think it will be at least eight years before he obtains his majority. I don't think he has more than his bare pay. On the contrary, I think he is involved, but have no idea to what extent.</i><br />
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<i>Ramasawmy sworn. I was in the service of Lieutenant M'Nair, of the Artillery. I was a horsekeeper at Kamptee, and in that service in June and July last, and remember going out with my master's pony in the month of July. It was about the middle of last year that I took the pony to a large bridge near the church, where a horse was posted. A gentleman was coming behind the pony. The pony was going fast and the gentleman (Best) was coming in a bandy. The pony was drawing the bandy. The horse belonged to my master and the bandy to Mr. Best. Mr. M'Nair and Mr. Best were living in the same house. The bandy was put at six o'clock in the evening. There was a mess dinner on that evening. After going along the road, a roundabout way, we went to Col. Lethbridge's house. Mr. Best stopped in the bandy. Then the lady came to the bandy. She came from the back of the house. She came round. The lady was the wife of Col. Lethbridge. I do not know of any message sent before the lady came out. It was one Indian hour before the lady came out. Immediately upon the lady's coming Mr. Best gave her his hand, got her into the bandy, and drove off towards Nagpoore.</i><br />
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<i> Shaik Ibram sworn. I am a dressing boy to Captain Best, and remember being at Kamptee last year. I left Kamptee before my master, and went to Nagpoore. Afterwards I went to a place called Goongaum, two days' march from Kamptee. My master came after I had been there one day. He arrived at night, about 11 or 12 o'clock. There was a lady with him. I have seen her before. She was the lady of Major Lethbridge. They stayed at Goongaum two days, and slept in tents. Mrs. Lethbridge was delivered of a child there. There was nobody there except this lady and gentleman. There were three tents, ln the large one the lady and gentleman lived, and in the smaller ones there was baggage. There was only one cot in the room in which the lady and gentleman slept. They eat together in the same place.</i><br />
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<i>Chouree Ummaul sworn. I am a married woman. I was sent to take a child from a lady, and went upon the directions of Major Lethbridge. My husband did not know I was sent for by master, and I was immediately sent in a palankeen. I came down here seven months ago. I was sent to Goongaum. The child was then about five days old. I went to fetch the child about two months before I came down. The lady was Mrs. Lethbridge. I knew her before, and was serving in her house. I was sent as Amah and nursed the child. I went to the tent and saw a gentleman, but don't know his name. After I went to the tent- he left it and went to a house. I had no conversation with the lady, but the Ayah had. I left the Ayah in the tent. She was there till about two o'clock.</i><br />
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<i>Caumatchee sworn. I was an Ayah in the service of Mrs. Lethbridge. About six o'clock in the evening my master dressed himself, and went to a supper. I remember going to fetch a child. My master went to the dinner about five days before I went to fetch the child, my mistress was then in the large hall drinking tea. I remember she went to her bedroom about seven o'clock in the evening. Upon my master's coming home he went and looked in the bedroom, and asked me where she was. I said" She is inside," my master said "No she is not." I repeated that she was. My master said "Come and see; she is not there." Myself and dressing boy then went and looked and my mistress was not there. I never saw my mistress again in that house. The fifth day after my mistress left the house I went to Goongaum from Kamptee.</i><br />
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<i>My mistress was at Taukelgaut. I found her at Taukelgaut in a tent, and spoke to her in the English language. She said .to me, "How is master, Ayah?" I said, "Master very sorry, can't eat anything." Mistress cried, and told me to go out, and I came away. She said, “I was very foolish that I came off.'' I saw a child. Immediately upon my going there, mistress said, “There is the child, Ayah look." Then I was desired to leave the tent. This was about half-past nine. I did not tell her that I came to take the child. I brought a letter from my master to a gentle man named Lador, and that gentleman gave me a letter to Mr. Best. Mistress told me, “Take this little baby, Ayah take care both children ? l can't come any more." I saw, gentleman, Mr. Best, in the tent. When I went into it he went out. Mr. Best was in the habit of coming to my master's to eat his meals.</i><br />
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<i>By the Court. Captain Best used to come once in two or three days. Mr. C. Teed addressed the Court for the defendants -- He submitted that there was no evidence of any great breach of friendship, or that the defendant or plaintiff had ever been on peculiarly intimate terms. The defendant, it had been proved, was in the receipt of 400 rupees per month, and one of the witnesses had said that he was involved. He was not therefore, in a situation to pay excessive damages; and the Learned Counsel submitted that it did not appear from the evidence to be a case which called for heavy damages. Sir R. Palmer, C. J., remarked that though there was no evidence of any intimacy between the plaintiff and defendant, there was yet no palliative circumstance whatever in favour of the defendant. The Court would not give damages so excessive as would incarcerate the defendant for life, but the Court ought to give such damages as would mark its sense of the great wrong committed by the defendant.</i><br />
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<i>Damages, 10,000 rupees. Sir R. Comyn agreed with the Lord Chief Justice. Poverty was no excuse, and it were monstrous to hold that be cause a man is poor he may therefore commit adultery wit impunity.</i><br />
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<i>Morning Post - Friday 25 September 1835."</i><br />
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Figure 4. Kamptee Bridge, the Church and what was probably the Colonel's house on Google Earth. </div>
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The bridge may have been rebuilt since the events in 1834. It appears as if one of the huge seasonal floods that the area often experiences may have seriously damaged the bridge in 1876.</div>
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Figure 5. Kamptee Cantonment. The cantonment is nearly three long.</div>
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<i>DISASTROUS FLOODS IN INDIA. REPORTED LOSS OF 1500 LIVES. The Standard gives the following extract from a private letter, dated Nagpore Sept. 5 </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>My dear</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Just a few lines to tell you that there has been a disastrous flood in Kamptee. It rained all day Sunday, Sunday night, and Monday, and the rain would appear to have been very heavy to the westward of Kamptee, as the river has swollen, and the Gora Bazaar washed away. It is reported that about 1500 lives are lost, but this may be over the mark. The bridge near the church is washed away. The flood extended as far as the Post Office... I hear since that the Post Office is down to the ground. Many who were saved have escaped as by a miracle. The families of the soldiers were taken away on elephants. Colonel M — went yesterday, but was stopped where the bridge used to be near the church. He then went on to the ' circular drive,' but could not get into the station; the water was too deep, so he had to return, and he has gone to-day." The writer concludes by remarking that these are only rough reports, and that more precise details will be learnt in a day or two. No doubt the number of lives said to be lost is very large, and probably the actual loss will be less. Persons acquainted with the Kamptee cantonment will understand in what great danger the residents were placed by the great overflow of the Kanhan river.</i><br />
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<i>Sheffield Independent -Wednesday 04 October 1876.</i><br />
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What is interesting on Google Earth is how the cantonment has grown over time. It appears that it is now nearly 3 miles across. The cantonment was one of the earliest purpose built cantonments outside of Bombay, Calcutta and Madras. It was founded in 1821 for troops from the Madras Presidency, and was located to overawe Nagpur. Nagpur had had a garrison located to the west of the Sitabuldee Hills but the Battle of Nagpur during the Mahratta War had shown how seriously exposed the garrison had been.<br />
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An extremely detailed report on the state of the cantonments in 1869 can be found on Google Books entitled "Report upon the military cantonments of Kamptee and Seetabuldee... By Madras presidency, sanitary commissioner, James Lancaster Ranking."<br />
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Figure 6. Kamptee Church circa 1892</div>
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The report recognised that the cantonment had been laid out in a very unsuitable place, which was low lying and close to the river. The area was intersected by streams, and frequently experienced fogs that arose from the river. The roof of the church was apparently a good vantage point from which to observe this phenomena, as the fogs generally were below the level of the church roof. Malaria was a frequent problem for the troops. In those days malaria had not been connected with mosquitoes, but was believed to issue out of the ground in miasmas, like the fog.</div>
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Besides the several thousand troops from the 91st Highlanders, several Royal Artillery Batteries and the 1st Madras Light Cavalry stationed at the cantonment, there were 681 horses, 230 camels, 216 bullocks and 97 mules.</div>
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These all had a detrimental effect on the water supply...</div>
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<i>“It is thus seen that the
Kanhan is polluted to a great extent by the affluence of the Koolar (in which
public cattle are watered, and refuse is often deposited) at its entrance into
the cantonment, and the organic matters appeared, during analyses, to be of
such a nature as would be got rid of with difficulty.</i></div>
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<i>While living in a house
(before mentioned) dependent on the river Koolar for its water-supply, I have
often remarked a smell of camel’s dung strongly apparent on warming the bathing
water during the cold weather by the addition of a kettleful of boiling water.</i></div>
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<i>Were this source of
contamination removed, the river water would be of rather superior quality to
that obtained from wells.<br />
Edward Nicholson, Assistant Surgeon.
F-20<sup>th</sup> Royal Artillery.”</i></div>
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The report strongly recommended removing the barracks occupied by the Europeans from the low ground to a nearby ridge knows as Bloggs Drive. What I wonder is Bloggs Drive called today?<br />
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This may account for the evident shift of the cantonment towards the west and away from the 1830's church and OC's House.
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It was not just the groundwater that was polluted...<br />
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<i>"The number of registered prostitutes
within the limits of the Cantonment of Kamptee is 114, 41 of whom are
Mahomedhans, and 73 Hindoos. There are
no registered Europeans or East Indian women.</i>
<br />
<i>“during 1867 the
admissions by venereal amongst the European troops were in the ratio of 23.45
per cent. to strength.”</i>
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The report lists the hospital admissions for the 1st Madras Native Infantry at Kamptee in 1868. The average strength of the battalion was 708 men. On average 28 would be in hospital on any given day. 891 admissions were made in a year, with a total of 19 deaths, 11 of which were due to cholera.
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Tables in the report show that Kamptee and Seetabuldee were two of the least healthly cantonments in India and South East Asia at that time. Only stations in Burma and Malaysia experienced similar levels of fever, as malaria was then known.
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It was calculated that between 1829 and 1838 9,574 European Troops had passed through Kamptee of which 7,304 had had to be admitted to hospital with fever or 76.2%. Between 12 and 21 died each year.
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Cholera was another hazard..
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<i>Cholera, says the Central India Times, has at last made its
appearance among the European troops at Kamptee, and "up to date about
fifty cases have occurred of which two-thirds have been fatal." The troops
it is understood, are to move into camp immediately.
</i><br />
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<i>Newcastle Guardian and Tyne Mercury - Saturday 22 August
1868 </i><br />
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If you can add anything to the points made above I would be pleased to hear from you. I can be contacted on balmer.nicholas@gmail.com </div>
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Nick Balmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12730750075841601992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004998321945892855.post-14733550018419441872013-10-05T08:38:00.000-07:002013-10-05T10:55:59.671-07:00Choultries and where to stay of a night?<br />
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A Choultry at Visakhapatnam<br />
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Recently Julian Craig raised a couple of interesting points in response to an earlier blog post that I had written about the Panwell Inn. <br /><br />Where did European travellers stay?<br />
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And did former EIC soldiers run inns?<br /><br />It is actually proving hard to find examples of European's running inns or hotels until the 1840's. It appears as if most travellers out side of the largest cities were using the existing system of Choultries.<br /><br />While reading Robert Grenville Wallace 1823 book, <i>Fifteen Years in India</i> I came across the following very interesting description of Choultries in the period around 1809 to 1816.<br />
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<i>"One effect of the institution of
casts is, that no stranger can be received into the house of a Hindoo as a guest or lodger; but a remedy for this is every where to be found by travellers who make regular stages, for in every village there is a building erected at the public charge for the accommodation of wayfaring-men, and a person appointed to provide them with fire, water, and all that the place produces, at regulated prices. In some cities these buildings are on a very large scale, and numerous; but in every town one will be found more or less convenient,according to the wealth of the place. They are called in the Carnatic Choultries and in most other places dhursumsollahs; and are superintended by the cutwal, whose peon is in general remarkably attentive to strangers,particularly to Europeans, who often receive poultry, milk, and butter from the magistrate as a present. The Hindoos really appear to be a tender-hearted people; but their institutions have produced customs and ceremonies at which humanity revolts with horror. To eat, drink, or associate with a stranger, would subject a man of cast to be alienated and forsaken. A military man guilty of cowardice, or a lady who had prostituted her honour in this country, would not meet with a more unfavourable reception from society than a Hindoo whose pity prompted him to help a dying traveller into his house from the road-side,when he saw the vultures and jackals watching the exit of life. The Hindoo women are very charitable, and never refuse to give a thirsty stranger water ;but he must drink it at the door out of his hands, into which they will pour it from a vessel, or stand over him stooping, and let it fall into his mouth; for were he to touch the pot, it would never after be used, but broken, as we destroy what has been impregnated with some filthy or noxious thing. I once by accident trod on a mat where there was an earthen dish full of rice prepared by a woman for her family-dinner. Upon which she burst into loud exclamations of sorrow, broke the chattee,threw away the rice, and tore the mat to pieces. I was very sorry for the pain I had unconsciously occasioned;but upon giving a rupee to a pretty little child which she took up in her arms and bathed with tears, she dried her eyes, looked highly pleased, and made me a salam to the very ground, saying in the sweetest tone of voice imaginable, " Bhote, bhote salam, atcha sahib, — Many, many thanks, good sir."</i> [2]<br />
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As Robert wrote<br />
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"<i>in every town one will be found more or less convenient, according to the wealth of the place."</i><br />
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they must have varied widely from the relatively modest one at Visakhapatnam shown above to very much grander ones, like the one in the south of India painted in about 1770 by Francis Swain Ward.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQEP6gkm9l7s76jKyOtLIeDrB69oefw_XnNXPuUp1Te6Mtb9GKDgTjryio9CF1cMDbnQmtY1DqPz94f4n9rXw8PDwMEmE44oeIlGoI9fzHntB2QiCqMEoTDu89LFUt1BqhyEwHBdmykg/s1600/Choultry+in+South+India+by+Francis+Swain+Ward+1770.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQEP6gkm9l7s76jKyOtLIeDrB69oefw_XnNXPuUp1Te6Mtb9GKDgTjryio9CF1cMDbnQmtY1DqPz94f4n9rXw8PDwMEmE44oeIlGoI9fzHntB2QiCqMEoTDu89LFUt1BqhyEwHBdmykg/s400/Choultry+in+South+India+by+Francis+Swain+Ward+1770.jpg" /></a></div>
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Choultries were not just a feature of towns and villages, but were spread along the routes most frequently used by traders. The distances quoted in the route description below between Choultries are interesting as they correspond to the 6 to 7 1/2 miles that pack bullocks were expected to be able to march each day.<br />
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<i>This Pass is as remarkable for its length as from the singularity of the road. It commences near Punacatmulla, a hill about two miles west from Caverypooram, and ends about three miles to the S. E. of Caudhully, the first respectable village above the ghat, in going from the eastward; being altogether a distance of near twenty-three miles. For the accommodation of travellers, the distance from Caudhully to Caverypooram is divided by choultries into four stages. The first is from Caverypoorum to Chinnicavil choultry,about seven miles, the road generally good excepting near the choultry. The second stage is from Chinnicavil choultry to Nundacavil choultry, a distance of seven miles more, and the road crosses the river no less than six times in this space. This with the addition of some rocky places, must render the road extremely bad, and at some seasons of the year entirely impassable. The third stage is from Nundacavil choultry to Mootapelly's choultry,'which is near seven and a half miles. For the first three or four miles, the road follows the bed of the river in a great measure, and crosses it three times, after which it quits the torrent, takes a N. westerly direction, and becomes very steep.,</i>[3]<br />
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The locations and distances between Choultry's were set out in tables in handbooks like Benjamin Seeley's <i>"The road book of India; or, East Indian traveller's guide through the ..." published in 1825.</i>
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When the English first arrived in India they frequently lived in Choultries until they became established enough to set up in buildings of their own. These Choultries had existed for many centuries before the English arrived in India and were used by travellers of all sorts. They seem frequently to have been used as courts to settle trade disputes much like the Medieval Pied Poudre Courts in market towns and at trade fairs in France and Britain. In the 1640's in Madras a Choultry Court was set up, and the first English magistrate was appointed in 1648. The earliest officials were generally Indian's and these included Kanappa, Virranna and Timanna.
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Choultry Rules [4]</div>
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It is clear that there were rules laid down in some Choultries that were run by temples, but how far these were observed by European travellers is hard to tell.
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Choultry were generally positioned on the outer boundaries of settlements. There were often several Choultrys at the larger settlements with one at each of the gates into these towns.
It was one such Choultry that won my great great great great grandfather his first promotion from Sergeant to Ensign becoming an officer that would set him on the route to eventually commanding Fort St David.
Edward Harrison, an East Indiaman Captain with considerable influence at home was appointed Governor of Madras in 1712 This upset Richard Rawdon, a long serving official at Madras who had expected the post to become his, and who was moved to Fort St David where tried to breakaway from the East India Company.
John De Morgan was part of a force sent under Edward Davenport from Madras to attempt to recapture Cuddalore. They captured a choultry located at the bound fence of the settement, and John De Morgan was tasked with holding it as a firm base as Davenport and the main force moved into the town. Raworth sent his men to attack the Choultry.
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"<i>Saturday 17<sup>th</sup>
Between one and two this morning Ensigns Handle & Ackman were sent with forty good men to endeavour to surprize Cundapau Choultry and Horsetail point, about four the deputy Governour was advis’d they had gott possession of the former, w’ch they found deserted, they put a guard into it, and immediately advanced towards Horsetail point, where they found only one Gunner, who upon their entering was going to fire an allarum Gun, w’ch. Ensign Handlee prevented by threatening him if he did not instantly lay down his match he was a Deadman.
By five this morning the whole body march’d for the bounds where soon after they arriv’d, and advanc’d to Cundapau Choultry where we drew up our men, Deputy Governor order’d Serjeant John D’Morgan with twenty men to keep possession of that Post, and
Sergeant John Cordall with Andrew Middleton and twenty men to Horsetail Point,immediately after we passed ye River when was sent a Peon to Ensign Hobbs to
summon him to his obedience to the Right Hon’ble: Company, and for what was pass’d shou’d be fogott; he return’d answer that Mr. Raworth was his Governour & he knew no other, so cou’d not quitt his post without his order after we were all over the river, we march’d towards the Company’s Garden always taking care to be undercover from the Forts Gunns, when haulted within a hundred & fifty yards of the Garden Gate, fronting before which they had thrown five or six thousand crows feet to prevent our advancing on them, the Deputy Governour sent Mr. Burton to summon the officers and soldiers to return to their obedience to the Right Hon’ble: Company, who all peremtorily refus’d except Sergeant Fox that came to us upon being summons and submitted himself to the order of the Deputy Governour, telling him that Mr. Raworth had kept ye men in a Continuall heat of Liquor, which he believ’d was the occasion of their being
obdurate,& during this parly a single Horseman from the Fort who we perceiv’d came to view us, and immediately return’d when Mr. Raworth was so kind to salute us with an eighteen pounder,which fled just over our heads, and litt between us and ye Garden, this was enough to provoke men of the best Tempers to have reveng’d themselves, when it
lay in our power to have Cutt off every man that was lodg’d in the Gardens but to shew Mr. Raworth and the rest of his rebellious Crew, we delighted not in blood, we march’d to secure Cuddalore, between which and Trepopalore he fir’d a second shott at us, w’ch: did no mischief, and was was soon after taken up and brought to the Deputy Governour, at Ten we enter’d Cuddalore by the Braminy Gate,which finding shutt Mr. Hugonin jump’d over the Pallasadoes, and open’d the Gate by Cutting the barr in two, we took possession of the point (finding no body upon it) with a Barrell and a Jarr of Powder; the Forces were drawn up when the Officers were order’d to draw out their men and take possession of severall Guards, after this the Deputy Governour went to Mr. Farmers house which he makes his residence for himself and all the Gentlemen.</i>[5]
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I was not entirely surprised to find as I researched this report, that many of the old Chouldries are disappearing from the scene in India, much like our public houses. The following photo shows a collapsed 100-year-old Ram Gopal Choultry in Vijayawada on Wednesday 13th July 2013.
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Choultry collapses in Vijayawada [6]</div>
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All of the books mentioned in this post are freely available through Google Books, and I express my great appreciation of their having copied so many books onto their system, which I and many others would not have otherwise had the opportunity to read.</div>
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If you live near a Choultry and have an opportunity to photograph it and to tell me about it I would be very pleased to hear from you. My contact email is balmer.nicholas@gmail.com </div>
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[1] From an excellent blog by Robert Schick at http://schickrobert.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/visakhapatnam-december-9-10.html<br />
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[2] Fifteen Years in India; Or, Sketches of a Soldier's Life: Being an Attempt ...By Robert Grenville Wallace, published in 1823 page 201, Robert was promoted Lieutenant in the 65th Regiment of Foot on the 4th May 1816, and later served in the 84th Foot. He was placed on half pay on the 7th of December 1820. He tried his hand at novel writing, and was published by Longman. He became a solicitor like his father in Newry. His death was announced as follows: - "DEATHS. August 12, In Newry, aged 64 years, Robert Grenville Wallace Esq, solicitor, formerly Lieutenant in the 64th regiment. Freeman's Journal Monday 18 August 1851<br />
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[3] Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society ..., Volume 4
By Bombay Geographical Society published 1840, page 8.
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[4] <a href="http://ram.viswanathan.in/2007/01/travelog-23-sholingar-temple.html">http://ram.viswanathan.in/2007/01/travelog-23-sholingar-temple.html</a>
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[5]IOR G/18/2/PT3 “Fort St David, 2. Pt 3
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[6] http://newindianexpress.com/states/andhra_pradesh/One-injured-as-100-year-old-choultry-collapses-in-Vijayawada/2013/07/11/article1677395.eceNick Balmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12730750075841601992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004998321945892855.post-59696115858618433642013-09-27T04:54:00.000-07:002020-07-16T11:07:37.059-07:00Panwell Inn<br />
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Panwell Inn. </div>
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From the Victoria & Albert Collection by Sir Charles Harcourt Chambers (1824-28)</div>
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Recently a copy of a water colour by <span style="text-align: center;">Sir Charles Harcourt Chambers of the Panwell Tavern from the Victoria and Albert Museum was posted on Facebook that caught my attention. Although not the finest or most historical of the millions of buildings in India it is one which generations of travellers from Bombay to Poona and the interior will have been familiar with.</span></div>
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My own great great and great great great grandfathers, Bombay Artillery Officers and their families must have known it well as the travelled up and down between Mumbai and Pune, because Panvel was the first stage or last stop on the journey.</div>
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Map showing the location of Panwell from Google Earth.</div>
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Although Panwell (known) today as Panvel was only 21 miles as the Seagull flies, in 1817 it was a frontier town, and the East India Company only had limited control of the area. Captain James Barton by gt gt gt grandfather, appears to have been stationed in Bassein at this time, a little to the north.
In late 1816 the Pindarees were raiding down the Ghats seizing silk. They were heading north. Did James see them pass the ramparts?<br />
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<i>"The Bombay Courier says, that the communication between the Seroor and Poonah, and the latter place and Panwell, had for a fortnight been unsafe without a guard. ' "Numerous Mahratta families have within these few days sought for refuge in the islands of Caranja and Salsette. The Principle object of the Pindarees in entering the Concan was to seize a large quantity of kincob (silks) which was exported from Bombay to Chowal for the interior. This they succeeded in. It is their intention to sweep the coast as far as Surat."</i> [1]<br />
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James Barton was tasked with cutting off access down the Ghats to the north. A more senior officer, Colonel Prother was sent with a column to attempt to drive the Mahrattas from the forts lining the crest of the Ghats to the south of the Poona Road. It was while I was researching these subsidiary campaigns, that I came across the following fascinating account of Panwell in a diary of an at present anonymous Bombay Artillery Officer in the British Library.<br />
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"<i>Tuesday Jan 13. [1818]
"Embarked along with Osborne </i>[2]<i> in a Bunder Boat having sent off the Detachment
with Declezean </i>[3]<i> an hour before -- We came up with them about half way &
arrived at Panwell about 1/2 past 4 the afternoon -- after disembarking the
Detachment getting Baggage etc. on shore we dine along with Mr Walker the
Officer of the port, at the Tavern -- This would pass for a very paltry inn in
England, nevertheless we got a very excellent dinner at a pretty moderate
charge from Don Lewis & he is very much deserves to be encouraged as such
an Establishment at a place generally (inhabited?), is a very great
convenience.
We were all busily employed this day in getting the carts & gun
carriage from the Boats, mounting guns & arranging stores.
Employed partly as the day before, & also in cutting fuzes, & preparing everything for a march-- The draught cattle arrived and I received
instructions to move on as soon as I was able-- In the evening rode out with
the others -- Panwell is a considerable village lately ceded to us by the
Peishwa chiefly inhabited by Musselmen, & one of the Chief Commercial
inlets to the Deccan. Boats come up within half or a 1/4 of a mile of it but the landing place is bad-- there is plenty of water in Tanks, but not particularly good.
I had a parade in the pro(?) with bullocks, & I did not intend to start
until next day, as the whole of the cattle had not arrived; but about midday
there arrived instructions to move that evening to Babenas, about half way on
the road to Chouken -- My detachment consists of 1 Serg't & 46 rank & file, 3 Tindals & 36 Lascars, & Mr Walker the officer stationed at Panwell with 30 Sepoys was placed under my orders. I had under my charge 2, 6 pdrs, 2 mortars, 8 inch, light 5 inch howitzers with a considerable quantity of ammunition & Horses, about 350 bullock loads, & 6 carts -- We marched from Panwell a little before 4 in the evening."</i> [4]<br />
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Just one month later in February 1818 George Fitzclarence, 1st Earl of Munster travelled down the Ghats in the opposite direction, and like our anonymous artillery officer approved of the food served in the inn. He had been in Poona, and had passed within sight of forts in the Ghats still held by hostile Mahrattas.<br />
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<i>"I had gone through so much fatigue and personal exertion, that I was quite unwell when I reached the bottom; and, lying down in my palanquin, was taken up by the hummalls(the Persian word) as they here call the bearers of Calcutta, the cahars of Hindoostan, and the bhoeys of Madras and the Dekhun, and never opened my eyes till called by Colonel Osborne in a little hovel dignified by the name of an inn,at Panwell, the village at which officers generally land from Bombay on their route to the Dekhun.
I found a boat belonging to the superintendant of the marine ready for me, and that the tide would answer at nine; and having dressed, and partaken of a splendid breakfast, I walked to the boat, which was very comfortable, and larger than the row boats on the Ganges. Panwell is situated on an inlet of the sea, which takes its name from the town; and, after a passage down of about ten miles, I reached the open harbour, of which the view was beautiful."</i> [6]<br />
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The Earl of Munster has left a most interesting account of his travels that is available on Google Books, covering his entire journey across the war torn Mahratta districts. He was travelling with the HEIC forces engaged in the campaigns going on at the time, and is most interesting on the less military aspects of that campaign.<br />
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As so often in war, the disruption caused to civilians, gave diseases huge opportunities to develop and spread. Cholera is thought to have been present in the Indian population in a relatively mild form in the Deccan for several hundred years before 1817.
At about this time it mutated into a far more dangerous disease. It got into the advancing HEIC army as well the population, killing far more soldiers and civilians than the war itself.
Although there are few direct reports of refugees in British accounts, besides the fleeing Pindarees and Mahratta forces, it is highly probable that entire communities were also on the road fleeing the advancing HEIC forces. These people deprived of food and shelter, mixed with other nearby populations creating the ideal opportunity for Cholera to spread.
An epidemic was soon underway that would eventually spread across the Middle East and reach as far as the industrial heartlands of the English Midlands where it would kill thousands of working families.
Panwell was on one of the major routes from the war zone to the coast, and it not surprising that Cholera soon arrived in the district. In January 1819 readers of the Morning Chronicle will have read the following account of events in far away places, in their morning papers, little imagining that this outbreak would eventually reach as far away as London. The report is referring to events during the previous summer of 1817.<br />
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"<i>Bombay. — A report of the Cholera Morbus having appeared at Panwell, reached the Presidency on Thursday, when a Medical Gentleman, with numerous assistants, was despatched to render the sufferers all the necessary aid, and to report on it; since which we have been informed, it has made its appearance in Bombay, though not attended with such violent symptoms as at other stations ; yet we understand that some deaths have occurred, We have, however, but little anxiety of its spreading to any degree, as measures have been taken by the Medical Board to ensure the most prompt assistance. Since the foregoing was written, we have been favoured with a perusal of a letter from Tannah, on the same subject, which mentions the casualties at Panwell as amounting to thirteen in all, among which is a Conductor of Stores, Mr.Llewellyn the Medical Gentleman who went from this to Panwell on Thursday, has we understand been fortunate in his practice, and the most beneficial results have already taken place from his exertions; the village of Bellapoor has been also visited by this malady, and a few casualties have occurred, but ample- supplies of medicine have been forwarded to that place and Tullijah. Connected with this subject we are sorry to state, that with a view to create alarm, in the Tannah district, some evil disposed persons had caused two Buffaloes to be painted in an extraordinary manner, and had sent them from village to village by means of the Haziree Bigaries, and the prevalent idea is that wherever these animals are gone, there the disease will follow; the Buffaloes have however been seized, and we are informed will be sold by public auction, and we treat the reward of 300 rupees that has been offered, will lead to the apprehension of the offenders. Our last letters from Poonah mention that this disease still continues in that city, and the deaths among the lower classes have been as many as thirty and forty a day.</i><br />
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Walter Hamilton writing in 1828, at about the time that Chambers had painted his watercolour was less charitable about Panwell inn.<br />
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<i>"PANWELL.—A town in the province of Aurungabad, situated on the river Pan, to which the tide flows up several miles from the harbour; but during the prevalence of easterly winds, the passage to Bombay, from which it is distant twenty-one miles E., is tedious and uncertain; lat. 18° 59' N., Lon. 73° 15 E. This place is extensive, and being eligibly situated for business, carries on a considerable commerce, although it stands in the midst of a salt morass. Panwell is the grand ferry to Bombay, and contains the rare convenience of an inn,although not of the first quality.</i>[8]<i>"</i><br />
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The inn remained in use for many years. In 1840 it was recorded that a wedding took place of the widow of a former innkeeper.<br />
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<i>"— At Bombay, Mr. Robert Maidment, to Helen, relict of the late Mr. J. W. Ward, inn-keeper at Panwell," </i>[9]<br />
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In the same magazine it is recorded that the<i> "HC Iron Steamer Satellite" </i>was sailing to Panwell from Bombay. Perhaps this was a response to the delays formerly caused by the easterly winds.
In 1847 it appears that a more formal and regular steamer route was being set up.<br />
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<i>"The Bombay Steam Navigation Company has contracted with government to carry the Calcutta, Madras, and Deccan mails from Panwell, a distance of miles for £50. a mouth. Two light steamers are now being built on purpose at Bombay, and will, it is expected, be in operation by October."</i><br />
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Cholera remained at large in the Deccan for many years, although in a less virulent state than before. However from time to time it burst out with renewed strength. Outbreaks occurred in 1845 in Panwell and the surrounding districts, leading to fears that it would reach Bombay.
The route from Panwell left the village through marshy tidal flats before climbing up into the Ghats. The Victoria & Albert collection includes a second watercolour by Chambers showing this road.<br />
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Panwell Bunder by Chambers.</div>
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By the 1840's the route down the Ghats was becoming increasingly important for commerce. Britain's steam driven cotton mills was importing many thousands of tonnes of cotton annually, and India was being overtaken as the main source of supply by America which grew better quality cotton, and which had better quality roads. Efforts were being made in increase production, and to improve the quality of cotton grown as far away as Dharwar. However the state of the roads was adding to the cost of the transport required to bring it to the coast.<br />
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Some of the readers of the Northampton Mercury on Saturday 7th of July 1849 will have read the following report: with interest -<br />
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<i>"The East India Company took possession of the Western Dekkan on the overthrow of the Mahratta empire 1818, now thirty years ago. The extent of made road," says Mr. Williamson, " along the great trunk lines of communication does not (exclusive of cross roads) exceed 350 miles, and these are very ill furnished with cross lines of communication." This statement however, though adduced to prove the negligence of the ruling powers, is, truth, far too favorable, if by the term "made road" is to be understood, as in Europe, a road bridged, drained, and covered with broken stones, so as to be practicable throughout for wheel carriages at all seasons. For this is true of very little more than the seventy miles of road from Panwell to Poona, and even this is so bad that nobody travels upon it private carriage. Sir Thomas M'Mahon, when Commander-in-Chief, had his carriage rolled over an unguarded precipice and broken to pieces. The other roads are either without regular bridges or culverts, or are not covered with broken stone; and in no other country or presidency would they be dignified with the title of a road. The Poona, or Bhore road, and another of greater length, but not quite practicable throughout all seasons, over the Thul Ghaut, are the only two tolerable passages across the Western Ghauts, and they receive the produce of country 300 miles long by 250 broad.</i>
<i>Wheel carriages can make their way on the Thul road without checks only during the fair season. By far the larger share of the traffic on both is carried on upon the backs of bullocks, ponies, and camels, but especially the former. The cotton stuffed into packs of about 125 1bs. each, and a pair of these form the load of a bullock. The animals travel in droves, from 100 to 1,000, or even more, under the conduct of the Brinjarries, to whom in many cases they belong, and in whose hands is the carrying trade of the country. Under ordinary circumstances, these Brinjarry bullocks pick up the cotton from the various villages at which it collected, traverse the open country, along routes regulated by the bargains made with the farmers of the transit duties, and often, therefore, very circuitous, until they reach the great cotton depots, or the trunk lines of the trackway, by which they descend the Ghauts, and discharge their loads at the sea-shore. This done, they either take return loads of piece goods, or other wares, or proceed to the Pans to to take salt. In fair weather, when forage and water are tolerably abundant, and the means of securing a return load easy, this mode of conveyance, though expensive and injurious to the cotton, is not ruinously so. It is, however, liable to, and frequently suffers, very serious disasters. Dr. Royle, judging from the results of the experimental cotton farms in Guzerat, the Dekkan, Khandeish, and Dharwar, established 1829, strongly of this opinion. The produce these farms, though Injured the cleansing, was worth from 6d 3/4. to 9d 1/2. per lb. The cotton harvest takes place in the interior somewhat earlier than near the sea. but everywhere the shortness of the period for ripening, conveying, and shipping the crop, is a serious evil. The wool does not reach the local market before February, and is not cleansed before April. It therefore work of difficulty to bring the crop into Bombay before the setting in of the rains early in June. The pack bullock does not travel,even when in motion, above six and a quarter miles a day, and from lameness or disease is often stopped for days together. From Kamgaon and Oomrawattee, the principal cotton marts, about sixty days are required to convey the crop to the sea. The hot season immediately precedes the monsoon. To avoid the latter, the bullocks are urged under heavy loads at their greatest speed, at a season when water and forage are least abundant, rather, are very scarce indeed, especially near the sea. The bullock is a slight animal, and quite incapable either of carrying an overload, or of travelling without proper supply of food and water. The droves descend the Ghauts in thousands, and even tens of thousands, drove after drove, pushing on through dense clouds of the minute volcanic dust of that district. The wells are few and low, made by the old Hindoo and Mussulman princes, and seldom repaired by us. At no season could they supply the wants of such numbers. The animals fall and die in scores from drought and fatigue, and their carcases are rolled to the road side. At first their loads are distributed over the others, but this resource soon fails; and after time the packs of cotton are rolled into the enclosure of some neighbouring village, there to take their chance of dirt, damp, or pillage, until the Brinjarries can return and take them up. The mortality of pack bullocks upon the Ghauts estimated at ten per cent, above that in the plain country, and near the salt pans it is much higher. Hundreds of their carcases," writes Mr. Fenwick are to be met with just previous to the monsoon, strewed along the paths they have traversed." When the droves are caught by the monsoon, the consequences are even more fatal. The trackways become heavy and impassable. The cotton absorbs moisture like a sponge, and, becoming double its usual weight, crushes the bullock to the ground. The produce is of course utterly spoiled. The enormous extent of this bullock traffic may be conceived from the fact, that a good cotton crop in the Oorarawattee districts alone, loads about 220,000 bullocks; of which about 20,000 find their way to Muzapoor to be conveyed by the Ganges to Calcutta —the remainder travel westward to Bombay. Some varieties ripen earlier than others ; and Dr. Royle is of opinion, that the crops in general might be brought forward by irrigation, so as to allow a longer time for the transit. But the grand remedy is a good road. The adventures of the cotton are not yet concluded. These two roads terminate, the Bhore upon Panwell, the Thul upon Kusseylee and Kolsette. Panwell is upon a tide river, which falls into Bombay harbour. The wind, during and for some time previous to the monsoon, blows steadily from Bombay; find the native boats (the unpressed cotton piled several feet above their decks) make the passage with great delay and damage from the wind and rain. Panwell is a wretched place, in which the cholera is frequently raging, and which offers little accommodation, either for shipping the cotton, or housing such of it as may arrive after the commencement of the monsoon. The terminations of the Thul road are upon a narrow arm of the sea, separating Salsette from the main land, and flowing into the top of Bombay harbour. </i>[11]<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_XIBx3i5MZVaNpsJhMjxl1KIvsAhLgOhe-UvghOtUYw_zjvs-LcGOQ-cKWm8lorQ3DdcvS-URt5IRNRB0NS1CKy4BReNYCkQKqRPzZN7t47qtsgjw4z1vRs8SKxH4S_mOJn-pnf8jA/s1600/Panwell+Mosque+by+William+Westall+published+in+Naval+Chronicle+1812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_XIBx3i5MZVaNpsJhMjxl1KIvsAhLgOhe-UvghOtUYw_zjvs-LcGOQ-cKWm8lorQ3DdcvS-URt5IRNRB0NS1CKy4BReNYCkQKqRPzZN7t47qtsgjw4z1vRs8SKxH4S_mOJn-pnf8jA/s400/Panwell+Mosque+by+William+Westall+published+in+Naval+Chronicle+1812.jpg" width="400" /></a> </div>
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Panwell Mosque drawn circa 1809 by William Westall,</div>
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and later engraved for the Naval Chronicle. </div>
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In 1856 my great great grandfather marched down the Ghats from Poona with his comrades to take part in the Persian Expedition, and once more back up the route on his way to Ahmednugger in 1858 on his return to take part in the Indian Mutiny. </div>
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Sadly, although but that time he had access to a camera, and took pictures of the head of the Ghats on his way to Poona, either the inn had gone, or it was no longer significant enough to justify making a picture of. </div>
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Did he ever stop at the inn? </div>
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Panvel today has become a commuter suburb of Mumbai, and a major town. The town plan appears to have been extensively redeveloped since 1817, so that I am unable to locate the old centre by inspection of Google Earth. Sadly I am unable to work out exactly where the inn was located, although presumably it was close to the main mosque that was such a feature of the village in early days. </div>
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I would be very grateful if any body who lives in Panvel today can help me locate the site of the inn. I would also like to find out what the modern name of the following two places are <i>Babenas, about half way on the road to Chouken" </i>and where they are. </div>
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I can be contacted on balmer.nicholas@gmail.com </div>
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I would like to acknowledge the assistance of Google Books, the British Newspaper Archive and the V&A without which this article could not have been written. </div>
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[1] Exeter Flying Post Thursday 29 May 1817 </div>
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[2] Probably Henry Lowry Osborne, born 22 July 1797. Addiscombe 1813-14. Lieutenant Fireworker. 3rd September 1815, Lieutenant 1 September 1818.
>Died 29 August 1819 at Bombay. Spring. </div>
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[3] Probably Marcus Claudius Decluzean, b. 1 Jan. 1799. Addiscombe 1814-1816, Lieutenant Fireworker 27 September 1817, Lieutenant 1st September 1818, Captain
28 September 1827, Married 13 Dec 1839. Retired 17th September 1850. Died 30 May 1881 at Baden. From Spring. </div>
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[4]From British Library Asian Collection, MSS Eur C418 Diary of a Bombay Artillery Officer 1818 </div>
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[5] George Augustus Frederick Fitzclarence First Earl of Munster. George was born illegitimately on 29 January 1794. He was the son of King William IV and Dorothea Bland. He married Mary Wyndham in October 1819. He died on 20 March 1842 at age 48 having committed suicide. </div>
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[6]Journal of a route across India, through Egypt, to England, in the latter ... By George Augustus Frederick Fitzclarence Munster (1st Earl of) </div>
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[7] Morning Post Wednesday 06 January 1819 courtesy of the British Newspaper Archive. </div>
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[8]The East Indian Gazetteer: Containing Particular Descriptions of ..., Volume 1. Walter Hamilton. </div>
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[9] Leicester Journal Friday 06 August 1847 </div>
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[10] The Asiatic journal and monthly register for British and foreign ..., Volume 33 </div>
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[11] Northampton Mercury Saturday 7th of July 1849.
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Nick Balmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12730750075841601992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004998321945892855.post-7657514160076541322013-09-01T03:48:00.002-07:002013-09-01T10:56:50.442-07:00Sumbhulpore, Diamonds, Dacoits and Distress<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Figure 1. Watercolour of the fort at Sambalpur in Orissa, by an anonymous artist for the Gilbert Collection, c. 1825. Inscribed on the front : 'The Fort of Sumbhulpore'; on the back: 'The Old Fort of Sumbhulpore.'</div>
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My good friend Harshawardhan Nimkhedkar recently drew my attention to two beautiful water colours of Sumbhulpore in Orissa from the collection held by the British Library, which really appealed to me. Deciding to see if I could locate this town which I had never previously heard of, I discovered a series of fascinating accounts of events in and around this town which I have decided to post because these accounts vividly illustrate the lives of many of the lesser known middle ranking officials of the East India Company.<br />
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<i>"On the following morning we crossed the Mahanuddy river at sunrise, and started for Sumbhulpore. The road for many miles ran through jungles, with lu<span class="text_exposed_show">mps of quartz rock strewn about I have since thought that it was a very auriferous-looking place. Approaching Sumbhulpore, we passed through a fine upland country, clear of jungle, but with noble groves of mango, tamarind, banyan and palm trees, forming a scene like an English park. After travelling all night, we arrived at Sumbhulpore on the morning of the 25th December. The town is situated on the left bank of the Mahanuddy river, which " derives its source amongst the mountains of Gondwaneh." It pursues an extremely winding and devious course, which has never been accurately surveyed; even in the parts which are better known there are many errors. In Arrowsmith's map, the towns of Sooree, Narrain, Kurkurdah, and Chunderpore, to the northward of Sumbhulpore, are all placed from twenty to thirty miles distant from the left bank of the river; whereas I was informed by Mr. Babbington, who had resided several years at Sumbhulpore, and was well acquainted with the country, that they are all situated immediately on that bank. Ten miles above Sumbhulpore, the Eeb river, which takes its rise near Jushpoor, joins the Mahanuddy at Buggra. This river is noted for the gold and diamonds found in its bed. A short distance below Buggra there is a rapid in the Mahanuddy, and it is at this place that the diamonds are chiefly procured. In 1836, a large one of fine water was found. It is of a somewhat pyramidal shape, and about the size of a large walnut It is, or was, in the possession of the Rajah of Sumbhulpore. In fact, all the diamonds found in the rapid are his property. Below Sumbhulpore there are numerous other rapids, but it is from the Eeb river that the diamonds and gold are derived, as they are not met with at any of the rapids below the one near Buggra. Small particles of gold are indeed occasionally found in the sandy bed of the Mahanuddy at Cuttack, but they may probably have been washed down from the upper parts of the river.<br />
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At Sumbhulpore, the Mahanuddy is about a mile and a half wide in the rains. In the cold season, the bed of the river for several miles, both up and down the stream, presents a very singular appearance, being thickly strewn with masses of granitic rocks from six to ten feet high, and around these the water winds. In some places pools have formed, and in others low brushwood is found growing on the sands, thus giving to the river the appearance of a large lake studded with innumerable little islets. From Sumbhulpore, the Mahanuddy flows nearly due south to Sohnpore, a distance of about fifty-five miles. It then suddenly bends east by north, and after pursuing a tolerably straight course, terminates in the Bay of Bengal, due east from Sohnpore. In this course it receives numerous tributary streams, and gives off several branches, the "largest of which is the Kajoori, and it is in the bifurcation formed here that the town of Cuttack is situated." I may here mention, en passant, that the Kajoori river in the rains is about two miles wide at Cuttack, and in 1834 the waters rose twenty-six feet in one night This may appear incredible, but it is nevertheless a fact correct measurements having been made of the rise of the river.</span></i><br />
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<i>To return to <span class="gstxt_hlt">Sumbhulpore. </span>My host was the postmaster, as well as a merchant, and with his wife and an</i><br />
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<i>assistant were the only Europeans within a hundred miles of the place. The house was situated on the elevated left bank of the river, and overlooked the singular scene I have described. I also observed two ranges of hills running north and south. The hills on the western side were about a mile from the river, and those on the east about four miles distant.</i></div>
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<i>In the evening, I drove out with my host, and by the road-side, within sight of his house, we passed three human heads, quite fresh, and stuck upon a pole one above the other. One head was that of a grey-bearded, savage looking old man; the other two were those of young men, about twenty or twenty-five years of aga It was with a feeling of horror I looked upon this barbarous sight, but my host spoke in the coolest manner imaginable about it, and informed me that they were the heads of three dacoits (robbers), forming part of a formidable band which had infested the country for a considerable time. The Rajahs of Boad, <span class="gstxt_hlt">Sumbhulpore, </span>and another neighbouring chief, with their united forces, surrounded the hill on which it was known that these desperadoes had fixed their residence, and, simultaneously advancing, captured the three men whose heads I saw elevated by the road-side. Many others of the gang escaped. After hearing this account I felt much more reconciled to the events seeing that I had advanced, and should be obliged to return, through the very district infested by these robbers; albeit these gentry rarely venture to attack Europeans, but they might make a mistake. Three days after my arrival at <span class="gstxt_hlt">Sumbhulpore, </span>the two men whom I had left at the Burmool Pass to look after the madman returned, and reported his death a few hours after my departure.</i></div>
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<i>In my host's garden I found a few cocoa-nuts growing, which surprised me, as it is far beyond the influence of<span class="gtxt_body"> the sea-breeze. There, indeed, they were, and flourishing very well Vegetables in general thrive remarkably well I measured a brinjal (solatium melongena) fourteen and a half inches in circumference; a casuarina tree, planted four years ago, measured sixteen inches round the trunk, one yard from the ground.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Early </span>on the morning of the 3rd of January I left <span class="gstxt_hlt">Sumbhulpore, </span>and arrived at Boad on the 5th . No fresh bearers were to be had for love or money; so, with a promise of ample backshish, I induced those whom I had brought from <span class="gstxt_hlt">Sumbhulpore </span>to proceed to Burmool Accordingly we left on the morning of the 6th, and when walking a-head of my palkee, as was my custom for ten or twelve miles, I saw a large splash of blood by the road-side, and the tall grass beaten down, as if the body of some large animal had been dragged through it I had no time to stop, but pushed on, speculating on the tragedy that had evidently been recently performed there. On the morning of the 8th, in passing through the Burmool Pass, and walking as usual a-head of my palkee, I perceived the fresh footprints of a large animal proceeding onwards. I took no notice, for fear of alarming my people, but kept a sharp look-out right and left After proceeding this way for a hundred yards or so, my servant who was behind me exclaimed, "Sahib, Sahib, bhag hy!"—"Sir, Sir, a tiger!"—and pointed to the footprints.<span class="gtxt_body"> I desired him not to say anything; but to give him confidence, I sent him to my palkee for a pair of pistols, one of which I gave to him, and advanced myself, sometimes' treading in the footprints of the tiger. The impressions which they made in the sandy path, wet with the morning dew, were nearly, if not quite, as large as a moderate sized cheese plate. This may appear exaggeration, but it is not so; and any one who has seen the footprints of a large tiger would corroborate this statement Our pistols would have been of little use in an encounter, for if the tiger had been lurking on either hand, we could not possibly have seen him, by reason of the jungle and rocks, until he had sprung upon us. By and by, all the people saw the dreaded footmarks, and stopped. I persuaded them, however, to go on, and to keep close together, I, of course, leading the way; and so we went on for perhaps a quarter of a mile further, when we came upon the site of a catastrophe. In the middle of the path lay a couple of small baskets, such as the natives carry on their heads, and a few cowrie shells were strewn about —this was all We saw no more footprints; the bearer of the baskets and cowries had evidently been swept from the path. A short distance further on we found some natives sitting on the ground and lamenting one of their companions, who, they said, had just been carried off by a tiger, in the place where we found the baskets. I must confess that we breathed more freely after hearing this, as there was less chance of the tiger wanting any of us to break his last on. The deed was done, and we could not help it, so pushed on, and soon arrived at Burmool where I procured a boat, and, after rewarding my bearers, embarked with my two servants, and dropped down the Mahanuddy to Kontillo, where I found my tents; and I never felt so heartily glad in all my life as I did then, in </span>feeling that I was, as it were, at home again, and once more within reach of civilized society."</i><br />
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[From Stray Leaves from the Diary of an Indian Officer, published in 1865 in London, page 134.]</div>
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Figure 2. Lieut.-Colonel W.R. Gilbert's bungalow at Sambalpur (Orissa).<br />
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It is very interesting to compare the picture [figure 2] with Google Earth images of Sambalpur.<br />
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There are two rivers which meet at Sambalpur, the larger one is the Mahanadi River, which is a very wide river with banks about 1.2 km apart. It appears that during the monsoon season the river fills the channel from bank to bank, however at other drier periods of the year, the water drops until it fills <span class="text_exposed_show">two low water flow channels, which are each about 200 metres wide.<br />
<br />By inspection of the Mahanadi river on GE it appears that there is a major sets of rapids that could be the ones shown in the painting. Drying the dry season the flows over these rapids are so reduced that the rocks are exposed to view.<br />
<br />In line with the rapids on the north bank are a concentration of three municiple buildings. One of which may well be the building shown in the painting.</span><br />
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I think this bungalow must have stood at a location near 21 degrees 27' 36.62"N 83 degrees 58' 25.02" E where there is a slight raised bit of land that appears to have become the administrative centre of the town a little way out of the centre. I wonder if this administrative centre originally grew up around the Collectors bungalow?</span> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNQ3-XcdhpdLVPMTK-7u8N59ePBOPz-5oLg8s1SPKzi2W5xfkBIkLM5jZJRP9CBm4dZmKo4g8MH4GTeevsoq8dse83v2gDyxcwYlb37oD7cM2-lhqzetdxy2kgW_Umr2fpF5RnlmRgUQ/s1600/Sambalpur+house+site+high+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNQ3-XcdhpdLVPMTK-7u8N59ePBOPz-5oLg8s1SPKzi2W5xfkBIkLM5jZJRP9CBm4dZmKo4g8MH4GTeevsoq8dse83v2gDyxcwYlb37oD7cM2-lhqzetdxy2kgW_Umr2fpF5RnlmRgUQ/s640/Sambalpur+house+site+high+up.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Figure 3. Sambalpur showing the river and the rapids, and there relation to the possible house site.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWcnowQRxF16TDpNCaI6GdY0AHw-kGdwIElCgpzrL1Yp86jgtYVD9Yu9RQsBSTkun6oYtsa3VIdRqHWMCWslfdBVNNkcbj91_Aj8SCvRvYAsMOpgBwDN8VjycxVbeogSVPnz1Zw89CA/s1600/Sambalpur+house+site+close+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWcnowQRxF16TDpNCaI6GdY0AHw-kGdwIElCgpzrL1Yp86jgtYVD9Yu9RQsBSTkun6oYtsa3VIdRqHWMCWslfdBVNNkcbj91_Aj8SCvRvYAsMOpgBwDN8VjycxVbeogSVPnz1Zw89CA/s640/Sambalpur+house+site+close+up.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show">Figure 4. A close up of the house that may be </span>Lieut.-Colonel W.R. Gilbert's bungalow.</div>
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Does anybody who reads this blog live close enough to Sambalpur to be able to visit the site and to take pictures of the building?</div>
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It appears that the building would no longer have such good views of the river, as the town has grown to surround it, during the intervening years.</div>
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Figure 3. Location of Sambalpur or Sumbhulpore </div>
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Just how tough life could be for European's, and how remote they were from fellow European's is illustrated by the following extract from missionaries who were attempting to set up in the town in the 1850's.</div>
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<i>"Sumbhulpore, a native tributary state, lying on the Mahanadi River, two hundred and fifty miles above Cuttack, was at first selected. After a tedious journey up the river, in native boats, which<span class="text_exposed_hide">...</span><span class="text_exposed_show"> occupied them nearly a month, a portion of which time was spent in preaching, and distributing Scriptures and tracts among the villages on its banks, they arrived at their station. .<br />
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The town of Sumbhulpore, the capital of a district of the same name, and the residence of the raja, is an important town, of some fifteen thousand inhabitants, and is situated in the midst of a populous country. They found but one European family residing there, but they showed them every possible kindness, and rendered them every assistance in their power. Several months were spent in erecting their houses, and in preparing for a permanent location.<br />
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They preached and distributed books as extensively as they were able, and there laid the foundation for our boarding-school system. Six starving children were given them by their parents or relatives, and with them our school commenced. Ere they had become settled in their new abodes, they were one by one prostrated by disease. An Indian fever, without medical treatment, and without nursing, is a formidable foe. Our brethren were their own doctors; and, ill as they were, to a considerable extent their own nurses. Few of the comforts of life surrounded them, and their hastily-constructed houses were not sufficient to shelter them from the scorching heat. Strange faces were about them; but sympathizing friends to care for them, anticipate their wants, and relieve them, there were none. Mr. Noyes on one occasion deeming it necessary to be bled, his wife was called up from her sick bed to perform the operation. For a time they were both prostrated together, while groan answered to groan. And, after consigning a beloved child to the grave, and having themselves been brought to death's door, they regained sufficient strength to admit of their being placed on board a boat, and floated down to Cuttack."</span></i><br />
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<span class="text_exposed_show">From <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Hinduism and Christianity in Orissa: Containing a Brief Description of the ...</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span class="addmd" style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; left: -5px; margin-left: 2px; position: relative;">By Otis Robinson Bacheler, page 127. </span><br />
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<span class="addmd" style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; left: -5px; margin-left: 2px; position: relative;">I can be contacted directly on balmer.nicholas@gmail.com</span><br />
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Nick Balmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12730750075841601992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004998321945892855.post-10074635448435066202011-04-10T09:01:00.000-07:002011-04-10T09:05:40.991-07:00Captain's Carpenter column moves inland, 1783<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96qfEP2tzcqFipMK1LE-UzUrUa00TJNdLEzw4Hxct3xrGfHY3cpCagbLE3cPter7tsKWCkWiHkwi4RP44vdyYuRaSbsCOZsTTc1we-8w_PJ5sDYxaGyY8Wp6NJQkd_WHIrLJtRV-iKQ/s1600/Mirjan+Fort+exterior.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96qfEP2tzcqFipMK1LE-UzUrUa00TJNdLEzw4Hxct3xrGfHY3cpCagbLE3cPter7tsKWCkWiHkwi4RP44vdyYuRaSbsCOZsTTc1we-8w_PJ5sDYxaGyY8Wp6NJQkd_WHIrLJtRV-iKQ/s400/Mirjan+Fort+exterior.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Figure 1. Exterior of Mirjan Fort.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">The forces from Bombay, were quickly reinforced by a brigade brought up from Ponnani on the Malabar Coast where they had narrowly escaped defeat by Tipu Sultan's forces, after a disastrous expedition to Palghat.</div><br />
Carpenter calculated that <i> </i><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><i>"the troops already assembled, under Gen. Matthews, I may, I think, venture to state, that the whole amount of force employed on this occasion, in the invasion of Kanara, did not exceed, at the utmost, 5,800 men; of whom scarcely 1,200 were European soldiers." [1]</i></div><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">General Matthews then determined to attack Mirjan Fort which lay up river along the route that would have to be taken to Compta (or Kumta as it is currently known.) and on to Onore.</div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Figure 2. Map showing the location of Mirjan Fort,</div><div style="text-align: center;">which threatened the flank of the General's army should it wish</div><div style="text-align: center;">to march to Onore which was situated south of Kumta,</div><div style="text-align: center;">which lay on the route the troops would have to take. </div><div style="text-align: center;">[Please click on image for larger version.]</div><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">The attack on Mirjan started off rather inauspiciously for the East India Company force, however it was quickly realised that the garrison in the fort at Mirjan was not able or willing to put up any significant resistance. </div><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><i>"The arrival of this powerful addition to our force, seems to have determined the General to employ a part of the troops in an immediate attack on Merjee, which looked so invitingly down the river, at the distance of about four or five miles. The division destined for this under Col. Mc'Leod, was accordingly embarked on the river; Lieut. Ross, with whom I became now for the first time acquainted, and myself, with a detachment from the second batt. being ordered on dutv with this force.</i></div><br />
<div class="gtxt_body"><i>We had, however, scarcely entered our boats, when having, for some reason or other, abandoned this design for the present, the General countermanded his orders, and we re-landed.</i></div><br />
<div class="gtxt_body"><i>It is, however, to be acknowledged, that in this change of plan, Gen. Matthews acted with the soundest discretion; since it is sufficiently obvious that by a waste of time, which might have been incurred in attacking a place of such minor importance, the paramount object of the expedition would have been exposed to the hazard of defeat. It is probable that he therefore determined to establish a more centrical, and more eligible basis for his operations, by the reduction of Onore.</i></div><br />
<div class="gtxt_body"><i>Not many nights preceeding, a body of the enemy supposed to belong to the garrison of that place, had made their appearance in the cocoa-nut tope or grove, immediately under the fortified post, at Compta; which I have already mentioned to have been occupied by Capt. Lampard and his corps of grenadiers. With a caution which exposed him to ridicule, that officer, instead of attacking these undisciplined irregulars, chose to cram his whole batt. about four hundred strong, into a work where there was hardly standing room for the men. The enemy deriving courage from this unusual proof of deference, became, as was to be expected, more daring and insolent; although they immediately withdrew on the appearance of the reinforcement, which was hastening to the relief of the post."</i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirOSmvMYuW4jydftuy3lrC0Cgff-dn6cs-Dm_yZMBXsFRUlRaKpYJJBt3ivuX_mU91a2K3-OCA689ISbIFa9OAoonMLlMrziYghYDCYEtKCSClFx6V5snYV9aGdb9nKR9m7_Yapz_lSw/s1600/11Kumta2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirOSmvMYuW4jydftuy3lrC0Cgff-dn6cs-Dm_yZMBXsFRUlRaKpYJJBt3ivuX_mU91a2K3-OCA689ISbIFa9OAoonMLlMrziYghYDCYEtKCSClFx6V5snYV9aGdb9nKR9m7_Yapz_lSw/s400/11Kumta2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Figure 3. Compta or Kumpta today.<i> </i></div><div style="text-align: center;">[Please click on image for larger version.]<i>[2]</i></div><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">While it is not possible to be certain where Captain Lampard and his grenadiers had built their fortified post. However Google Earth shows that today Kumpta stands on top of a kidney shaped ridge, some 20 to 25 metres higher than the surrounding fields and plantations.<i> </i>It is very probable that this ridge was the scene of the post and Lampard's humiliation. <i><br />
</i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPb9lurmB8uJEwPRxhXc16OA6d9vVsM17mmimXfnWUqlKGLw7Dqmd1AUpyULOYAnl_K512XCaDg6PFAVBHu3rvmyxCNgDTk0QZ6iDsn0SjPjeV-X6Gx8gzQiD23-rDijS8zt05NY7Q4A/s1600/Kumta+GE+image+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPb9lurmB8uJEwPRxhXc16OA6d9vVsM17mmimXfnWUqlKGLw7Dqmd1AUpyULOYAnl_K512XCaDg6PFAVBHu3rvmyxCNgDTk0QZ6iDsn0SjPjeV-X6Gx8gzQiD23-rDijS8zt05NY7Q4A/s400/Kumta+GE+image+001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Figure 4. Kumta today from Google Earth showing the</div><div style="text-align: center;">kidney shaped ridge that was probably the site</div><div style="text-align: center;">of Captain Lampard's post.<i></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">[Please click on image for larger version.]</div><br />
<div class="gtxt_body"><i>"Whether this circumstance might not have had some influence in drawing the attention of the General more immediately to that quarter, I cannot pretend to say. But the whole united force was shortly afterwards in full march for Onore; Capt. Carpenter's batt. the old second, to which I was attached, or the greater part of it, being left to protect the stores and other equipments, that remained at Rajamandroog."</i></div>[3]<br />
<br />
<div class="gtxt_body">General Matthew's main force moved off to Onore (known today as Honavar.), approximately 15 miles to the south, where he and his force set about besieging the town. Captain Carpenter's force was set the task of acting as a covering force, moving towards the west and the foothills of the ghats.</div><br />
<div class="gtxt_body"><i>"To our unfeigned satisfaction, our confinement at Rajamandroog was now to terminate. Our commandant having received orders, from head quarters, to proceed with his batt. into the districts within land of Onore to the eastward; for the purpose of repelling any attempt that might be made by the enemy in that direction. We marched accordingly in the direction indicated to us; our corps becoming thus a moving column of observation; acting about sixteen or eighteen miles to the eastward of Onore, and in the direct road as we afterwards found to the Bilghy gauht."</i></div><br />
<div class="gtxt_body">The position this column took cannot be determined exactly, but it is very likely that it was on the line of the modern road from Kumta heading inland towards Siddapura. The road traverses the Bilgi Ghat which rises to about 540 metres in about 2 miles as the Crow flies, although many more by actual twists and turns of the road.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRep14fKKoICu2Wcz_yXUx2NptpDrC4AX9Dws55FbGkAZhdPf4DIf0KwQaaKYElYi24t5mJLTqz6jFPIlJvQijO3kWZFIEWhFsShChQunWuw48yyRVEglXKIkfZgF-RtRXVpsY-OMRig/s1600/Bilgie+Ghat+GE+image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRep14fKKoICu2Wcz_yXUx2NptpDrC4AX9Dws55FbGkAZhdPf4DIf0KwQaaKYElYi24t5mJLTqz6jFPIlJvQijO3kWZFIEWhFsShChQunWuw48yyRVEglXKIkfZgF-RtRXVpsY-OMRig/s400/Bilgie+Ghat+GE+image.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="gtxt_body" style="text-align: center;">Figure 5. Google Earth Image showing the location of the</div><div class="gtxt_body" style="text-align: center;">Bilgie Ghat.<i> </i>It is probable that Carpenter's force was</div><div class="gtxt_body" style="text-align: center;">stationed in the plain at the toe of the Ghat.</div><br />
<div class="gtxt_body"><i>"I am disposed to think, that the corps with Capt. Carpenter at this period, after deducting the men detached, could not have mustered more than three hundred firelocks; one-half of which, however, were veteran grenadiers, inured to service.</i><br />
<i> <br />
To these latter, under Lieuts. Hodges and Weldon, I was now attached. The officers present were—Capt. Carpenter, Lieuts. Hodges, Weldon, Fyfe and Lawrence, Ensigns Morris, Lonsdale, and myself. Lieut. Ross must have been left in command at Rajamandroog."</i></div><br />
<div class="gtxt_body">As so often was the case with 18th Century armies, the column had little or no logistical support, and was expected to forage for it's own rations. </div><br />
<div class="gtxt_body">Lieutenant's Weldon and Price troops were engaged in plundering stocks of rice from one unfortunate village when they came under attack. It is not clear if the attackers were infuriated villagers, or part of a relief force heading towards Onore in support of that towns resistance to East India Company attack. <i> </i></div><br />
<div class="gtxt_body"><i>"Be this as it may, Lieut.Weldon and myself, with part of the grenadiers, were one day on the advanced guard, in front of an obscure hamlet, called Moordnulla, no longer perhaps in existence; and as we held the commissariat in our own hands, the sepoys were engaged in thrashing rice from the straw, which lay stacked about the villages; being at the time the only source from which we derived our subsistence. There was in front, a rice ground, about a hundred and fifty or two hundred yards over; skirted on the other side by a pretty thick wood of forest trees; and we had on our left, a shallow and transparent river, running over a bed of rock and gravel; and, I am inclined to think, the same river that runs by the fort of Merjee to Rajamandroog."</i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuUMLD1Ap1mCu3iVg9iajo8DuOAlNiRHtNwf_ttaiY_6x3Zpr509K5HeO02Ra9mbAHqhGy6NBYbW4lpIdkARCSmRUrO20BDDxieOjKfFVOZCMkpZR7CQQnDADlGb_CQlQDM0mSvJPWgg/s1600/Kumta+%2526+ghats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuUMLD1Ap1mCu3iVg9iajo8DuOAlNiRHtNwf_ttaiY_6x3Zpr509K5HeO02Ra9mbAHqhGy6NBYbW4lpIdkARCSmRUrO20BDDxieOjKfFVOZCMkpZR7CQQnDADlGb_CQlQDM0mSvJPWgg/s400/Kumta+%2526+ghats.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="gtxt_body" style="text-align: center;">Figure 6. A modern photo taken by trekker's showing</div><div class="gtxt_body" style="text-align: center;">the river near Kumta, with the ghats in the background.</div><div class="gtxt_body" style="text-align: center;">Although it is impossible to be sure if it is the same </div><div class="gtxt_body" style="text-align: center;">location described, it gives a very good idea of the<br />
type of territory the column was operating in.<br />
<br />
</div><div class="gtxt_body" gtxt_body="" style="text-align: left;"><i>"We had a small advanced party in the outskirts of the wood in our front; and it might have been about one or two in the afternoon, when some musket shot from the wood rendered it necessary that our sepoys should relinquish their employment of threshing, and betake themselves to their arms. In the meantime, I was sent forward by Lieut. Weldon, to bring off our party from the wood. While I was calling in the sentries, several shot were fired at us; and the sepoy orderly who attended me, received a dangerous wound between the thighs, which lamed him for life. I was observing their movements of the few matchlock men that made their appearance squatting among the trees, when a shot struck one of the trees by which I was standing; and a splinter grazed the corner of my eye; without, however, any great injury. I thought it, nevertheless, rather a narrow escape—and I now withdrew the party, and regained the advanced guard, which stood to their arms coolly, awaiting the attack. As the enemy gave no further indication of their presence, they must have immediately retired. And this was probably nothing more than what, in magniloquent terms, might be called a reconnaissance, to discover our force and position.</i><br />
<br />
<i>With that decision which marked his character, Capt. Carpenter, at the head of the main body of our diminutive force, immediately advanced to our support; and as if to demonstrate our readiness to accept the challenge, we all together entered the wood in our front: and having pushed through to the opposite side and some distance beyond, without discovering any vestige of the enemy, we took up our ground for the day.</i><i>"[4]</i></div><br />
The small column now decided to advance up the ghats. This must have been a daunting task as they faced a steep climb in the dark up a twisting mountain path, that they had never seen or marched up before. The path would be lined on both sides with dense forest. Today the area is very popular with trekkers and wildlife tourists.<br />
<br />
<div class="gtxt_body"><i>"At our evening parade of the same day, Lieuts. Hodges and Weldon received orders to march with both companies of grenadiers, immediately after night-fall, for the purpose of attacking the enemy— now known to have taken post in some strength, in the Bilghy gauht (or ghat—or pass of the mountains) at the distance of about twelve or fourteen miles. Immediately after dusk, accordingly, we set off; and having continued our march during the greater part of the night, about three in the morning, or at all events some time before day-break, we began to ascend the pass—not without considerable difficulty, in preserving the connection of our files in the darkness, and through the ruggedness of the road.</i></div><i><br />
</i><br />
<div class="gtxt_body"><i>At last, without meeting with any other obstacle, we came to a gateway defended by a tower, with guns on each flank; which we immediately assailed. Lieut. Weldon being lifted up by myself into one of the embrasures, while I pushed myself round the flank and came upon the rear ;—the enemy making off with great precipitation. Seizing a Frenchman, who had been posted here to manage the guns, I held him up in my arms to remove the gate fastenings, which were otherwise above our reach; and the gate being thus thrown open, the sepoys entered without difficulty. We now hastened forwards; and at a short distance further up the pass, came upon a second gateway, fortified in the same manner with the first. This was also immediately attacked and carried, after a very slight resistance."</i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzjykX6PtD5bk_92oK1-raFnr12zGHmNAKZx_5h7PR-SWg4buSRaEehyCX24q28Im50b5dIlTuhauUaELrff7cJPGUOhCzFXpJo2wZz0sBnvW06jQyG3tpy7iVhAJU_FTQh-QuNDucWw/s1600/Bilgie+Ghat+GE+image+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzjykX6PtD5bk_92oK1-raFnr12zGHmNAKZx_5h7PR-SWg4buSRaEehyCX24q28Im50b5dIlTuhauUaELrff7cJPGUOhCzFXpJo2wZz0sBnvW06jQyG3tpy7iVhAJU_FTQh-QuNDucWw/s400/Bilgie+Ghat+GE+image+002.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Figure 7. The head of the Bilgi Ghat. Even today, and without a tower</div><div style="text-align: center;">commanded by a solitary Frenchman in residence, it is a stiff climb</div><br />
<div class="gtxt_body"><i>"On this occasion, having warded off the push of a spear from under the eaves, which had nearly taken my eye, I ascended the tiled roof of the gateway; and the ground rising abruptly in the rear, I jumped down, as it happened, without injury.</i></div><br />
<div class="gtxt_body"><i>Day was now breaking, and we continued to advance to a considerable distance, perhaps more than a mile, beyond the summit of the pass; until we came to the enemy's bazaar, which we found abundantly furnished with every thing we could desire for the supply of our brave and faithful sepoys. All this was accomplished, as far as I am able to recollect, without a single casualty; which, considering how strongly fortified and armed these gateways were found to be, could not have been the case, unless the enemy had been completely panic stricken."</i></div><br />
<div class="gtxt_body">Following the fall of Onore, General Matthews had marched inland to Bednur using a route that ran to the south of the Bilgie Ghat route. His success in marching inland may have diverted attention away from the route Captain Carpenter's force was taking. Unfortunately Matthews was over stretching himself and disaster would follow.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile Captain Carpenter's detachment found itself in what sounds to have been a very pleasant and hitherto untouched settlement. As so often in war, the arrival of troops resulted in a disaster for the inhabitants, who after a brief resistance, took to the nearby hills, forced to look on in horror as their town was ransacked for food and valuables.</div><br />
<div class="gtxt_body"><i>"In the course of the two following days, Capt. Carpenter joined with the remainder of the detachment; and we had by this time learnt, that the town of Bilghy, the capital of the district, lay at the distance of about twelve or fourteen miles to the eastward of the pass, of which we had so fortunately obtained possession. On the night of the third, or at latest of the fourth day, after such possession, the whole detachment was on the march to attack the town. We encountered neither obstacle nor interruption until a little before day-light; when a small guard at a sort of barrier gate at the entrance of the place, discharged their matchlocks at us; but immediately making off, left us an unmolested passage.</i></div><br />
<div class="gtxt_body"><i>When day-light came, the town being completely evacuated by the inhabitants, we took possession of the palace of the Rajah; a spacious mansion at the eastern extremity of the long street, of which the town of Bilghy is principally composed; and we found it stored to profusion, with the richest stuffs, shawls, sauries, and other splendid articles of dress; which, at a proper market, might have been disposed of at considerable value. We afterwards learned, to our regret, that all this was the property of the Rajah, said to be favourably disposed towards the British government. Of all, however, we had, without ceremony, taken possession; making on the spot a fair and equitable distribution of the property. There were, however, other articles of considerable value, which we could not so conveniently dispose of; in particular, an extensive assortment of brass and copper ware of every variety, to the value of thirty or forty thousand rupees, which we were constrained to leave untouched.</i></div><br />
<div class="gtxt_body"><i>It may be needless to observe that our operations required despatch, as the enemy must have been in superior force close at hand; and there was full in our view to the eastward, at the distance of not more than eight or nine miles, a respectable looking hill<span class="gtxt_body"> fort, to which our information assigned the name of Goopty. Indeed we must reasonably have expected, considering the paucity of our numbers, that our retreat to the gauht would not be accomplished without molestation.</span></i></div><br />
<div class="gtxt_body"><i>Having therefore passed the day and the ensuing night, in, and about, the palace of Bilghy, we were assembled about four in the morning round a blazing fire, in the square of the palace; when a jassous or courier, entered, and delivered a note into Capt. Carpenter's hand. The note was from Gen. Matthews himself; announcing the triumphant intelligence, that he was in possession of the ancient and opulent metropolis of Bednour."[5]</i></div><br />
<div class="gtxt_body"><i>The enthusiasm with which this most welcome intelligence was hailed, may be easily conceived— nor shall I ever forget the joy, amounting almost to extacy, with which the sepoys passed to each other the triumphant word "Nuggar lear—Nuggar is fallen."* This gratifying information must then have been received by us about the 31st January, 1783; as Gen. Matthews is known, from his own letters, to have entered Bednour, at the invitation of Ayauz Saheb (usually called Hyat Saheb) on the 29th of that month. The General's note conveyed at the same time an order, that our small force should proceed immediately to the northward, for the reduction of the enemy's forts and districts, north of the river of Merjee. The resolution to withdraw from our present position, which had been taken prior to this information, was thus confirmed or enforced, by the instructions of our Commander-in-Chief.</i><br />
<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6y_YgkXkI6XU226PFzgvmxmdXE6CRWxGUm0sZpx3cnUj-8sOerg9uKKmL4kYjO7WnG4Icr7UwPv5BOFv3Lw0pblLKuIhsRp9hpe9DGGk9dbU3DZLueRyFolvf92KBz2N-EcpjdY7BGA/s1600/Bilgi+Bilghie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="349" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6y_YgkXkI6XU226PFzgvmxmdXE6CRWxGUm0sZpx3cnUj-8sOerg9uKKmL4kYjO7WnG4Icr7UwPv5BOFv3Lw0pblLKuIhsRp9hpe9DGGk9dbU3DZLueRyFolvf92KBz2N-EcpjdY7BGA/s400/Bilgi+Bilghie.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Figure 8. Bilgie Village.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">You get the sense that David Price and the other members of the column found a rather special village at Bilghie, and one that was different to the many others they had visited in their campaigns. Sadly they were like to pillage the village like many other generations of soldiers before and since them.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="gtxt_body"><i>"I have perfect recollection of the singular cleanness exhibited in every part of the very pleasing little town of Bilghy. The small verandah, in front of every house, was the very pattern of neatness and purity; and I do not bear in mind the image of any place that, in this respect, I can venture to compare with Bilghy as it then stood; unless it be the neat and well ordered weaving town of Gohkauk, below the fall of the river Gutpoorba. It was, however, a complete solitude: for, during the day and night which we remained there, we did not see a single living being, ourselves excepted, in the shape of an inhabitant."</i><br />
<br />
The poor inhabitants watching on from the nearby hills, must have been very pleased to see them leaving for the coast.<br />
<i> </i><br />
It is not possible from the Google Earth images to readily identify the Raja's Palace. Has anybody ever visited Bilgie?<br />
<br />
If you live in the area, I would be fascinated to see pictures of the village, and especially any of the older houses. Do they still have verandas?<i><br />
</i></div><br />
[1] David Price. Memoirs of the early life and service of a field officer, page 68.<br />
[2] Photo taken by Natasha Chanda Acharga, posted on the IndiaMike website. <br />
[3] David Price. Memoirs of the early life...<br />
[4] David Price. Memoirs of the early life...<br />
[5] David Price. Memoirs of the early life.page 76.Nick Balmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12730750075841601992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004998321945892855.post-3623834156229025372011-04-10T01:48:00.000-07:002011-04-10T01:48:06.745-07:00Captain Little's Detachment & the Fort of Jaigarh [or Jaigur] 1790<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga3QI4S4_JrUUFnZUL4IxWRC29KIN4jpdS2V5S4EPQuMKFSDVmMFsZaZGl-D4YJTwbjzTO_CNE1WYKqZzZwVB7XW-kPWxnuCW2f5WfEuutqYKFb8CIgohyphenhyphenufpNz_yQ4ztIwRaBOUueqw/s1600-h/Sepoys+Long.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421115278714105122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga3QI4S4_JrUUFnZUL4IxWRC29KIN4jpdS2V5S4EPQuMKFSDVmMFsZaZGl-D4YJTwbjzTO_CNE1WYKqZzZwVB7XW-kPWxnuCW2f5WfEuutqYKFb8CIgohyphenhyphenufpNz_yQ4ztIwRaBOUueqw/s400/Sepoys+Long.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 167px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 579px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKC05WBMQdzobJWUHjD8oYUhD3mNDafyEyKX7u73cBlEI7eRt022MaUUyRC0bwERNkPTepAcl9qoUT1LMiBfMFg-1JcZriyeoMpKMQSVDV0rfHEFl2wMDxb4bnQ70fvjfPfVlFNLozPg/s1600-h/23316617.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420961107992737266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKC05WBMQdzobJWUHjD8oYUhD3mNDafyEyKX7u73cBlEI7eRt022MaUUyRC0bwERNkPTepAcl9qoUT1LMiBfMFg-1JcZriyeoMpKMQSVDV0rfHEFl2wMDxb4bnQ70fvjfPfVlFNLozPg/s400/23316617.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Figure 1. Jaigad Fort. Showing one of the surviving towers.<br />
Click on image for larger version. </span>[1]</div><br />
If like me you enjoy reading dusty old books filled with tales of long ago, one of the greatest pleasures of recent years has been the ability to actually visit those places from the comfort of my own study.<br />
<br />
It is now possible to visualise the places that these events actually took place in. No longer are we limited to black and white illustrations and tiny maps.<br />
<br />
With many books now readily available on Google Books for the first time, and with the internet becoming readily available in India, many people are beginning to visit the places described in these books, and it is becoming possible to trace the routes of some of the many expeditions described so vividly in these old books.<br />
<br />
It is surprising just how many of the places and locations can still be found to have remains that witnessed those events so long ago.<br />
<br />
The following blog is based around my research into the route that was followed by Captain Little's Detachment in 1790. A fascinating account of this long forgotten expedition was written by Edward Moor, (1771-1848) one of the officers who accompanied this detachment. It is called <span style="font-style: italic;">"A narrative of the operations of captain Little's detachment"</span>[2]<br />
<br />
The first troops under Captain Little, consisting of the 800 men from both the 8th, and 11th Bombay Native Infantry, supported by one company of European, and two companies of Native Artillery equipped with six 6 pounder guns, left Bombay on the 23rd May 1790 and sailed south to Jaigur [3]<br />
<br />
Amongst the officers who went in the first detachment before Captain Little was his good friend and colleague Lieutenant David Price. Price has left a particularly good record of this expedition.<br />
<br />
The mobilisation of the first detachment and its departure from Bombay are described below.<br />
<br />
<div class="gtxt_body" style="font-style: italic;">"About that period, a detachment having been ordered to hold itself in readiness, under the command of Capt. Little, to join a Mahratta force, destined to operate against the northern part of Tippoo Sultaun's dominions, and finding that our battalion the ninth, was not to form a part of this detachment; on the contrary, that a junior corps, the eleventh, had received the preference; I applied to be removed to Capt.<span class="gtxt_body"> Little's battalion the 8th. and succeeded in my application. My friends Boden and Foster joined the eighth at the same time.</span></div><div class="gtxt_body" style="font-style: italic;"><br />
</div><div class="flow"><div class="gtxt_body"><div class="gtxt_body" style="font-style: italic; text-indent: 1em;">The detachment was composed of a company of European artillery, under Capt. now Col. Thompson, with Lieuts.West and Ireland; and of the eighth and eleventh, batts- of native infantry, each completed to eight hundred rank and file; with six six-pounder field pieces: constituting, altogether, a force of about 1700 strong. It cannot fail to be remarked, that on this, and many other occasions, the functions of a Brigadier were discharged by <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">a </span>Captain of infantry. </div><div class="gtxt_body" style="font-style: italic; text-indent: 1em;"></div><div class="gtxt_body" style="font-style: italic; text-indent: 1em;"><span style="font-variant: small-caps;"></span></div><div class="gtxt_body" style="font-style: italic; text-indent: 1em;"><span style="font-variant: small-caps;">On </span>Monday, the 24th of May, 1790, with the fourth company of the eighth batt. I embarked from the pier-head, at Bombay, on board of a batella, named the Ruparel, which seems to have been a favorite appellation with this description of craft. Our expedition commenced with sorrow; for while the embarkation was going on, the tolling of the church bell, announced to us, the funeral of a very amiable and interesting young woman; the dearly beloved, and recently departed, wife of our gallant commander—Little—whose feelings at such a crisis, may be easier conceived than described.</div><div class="gtxt_body" style="font-style: italic; text-indent: 1em;">At seven in the morning, we weighed anchor, by signal from the Wolf gallivat; and, in company with the other vessels which conveyed the detachment, stood to sea; and having cleared the entrance of the harbour, directed our course to the southward. On the 25th of May, we were off Jinjerah; recently described as among the last of the remaining possessions of the Siddees; at one time of considerable note on the coast, and in the Dehkan. At twelve o'clock, the breeze became fresh and fair, and we passed fort Victoria in the course of the afternoon. A ship was observed proceeding to the northward; and at midnight we came to anchor by signal from the Wolf— our Commandant being on board that vessel. [4]<br />
<br />
</div>The expedition was intended to support a Mahratta force under Putseram Bhow which was going to attack Tipu Sultan's Mysore. The East India Company was under threat from Tipu, as were his other neighbours the Nizam of Hyderabad, and the Mahrattas.<br />
<br />
The East India Company hoped to reduce Tipu's numerical superiority by forming a coalition with the Nizam and the Mahrattas, and to thereby be able to threaten Tipu's borders from all sides.<br />
<br />
It seems extraordinary today how such small forces could be projected over such long distances, and into parts of India which were so little known by the English at this time.<br />
<br />
Even today this area is little frequented, and has relatively poor communications.<br />
<br />
First the expedition sailed 180 miles south from Bombay to Jaigur. Then it sailed perhaps another 50 miles up the river from Jaigur, to cover the 25 miles, the Crow would have flown.<br />
<br />
The troops then disembarked and started to march overland covering 275 miles in a relatively straight line to Dharwad, but which was probably much further on foot for the poor Sepoys and camp followers.<br />
<br />
The first force arrived in late May 1790 in time to be caught in the onset of the Monsoon rains.<br />
<br />
Moor's description of this first detachment is quite brief.[5]<br />
<br />
A second contingent was sent down the coast as reinforcements after the Monsoon had blown out. The arrival this second detachment under the command of Colonel Frederick, that had departed from Bombay on the 19th of November 1790, is described in more detail by Moor who was present with this fleet.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small; font-style: italic;"><div class="gtxt_body">"The fleet of boats, with the Intrepid, anchored in the bay, formed by the entrance of Jaigur river, on the 21 st of November, and saluted the fort with five guns, to which one was returned. The entrance to this river is defended by forts on each side, considerably elevated under the southern one of which it is necessary to pass, and which would, were they in repair, be a sufficient defence. A wall of communication is carried up the side of the hill to the southern fort, from a battery of eleven embrasures on a level with the water, which, like the other fortifications, are in very bad repair. The bay will shelter small vessels from the violence of the south-west monsoon, but has not sufficient water to admit any of considerable draft, there being but two and a half fathoms on the bar at three quarters ebb, and the Intrepid grounded at low water. Lieutenant M'Luer says, there are eight fathoms near the fort, which he calls Zyghur, and observed it to be in latitude; 17°. 16'. N. " [6]</div><div class="gtxt_body"><br />
</div></span>From Figure 2 below, it is easy to see how the fort dominated the river entrance.<br />
<div class="gtxt_body" style="font-size: 108%;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6X3oaILN-hFPxTpUZ_bJPFzyX8rXSDiJUjrLo4q5QtWlN5gppFjOr3uXHfFuNJGb1uybEKdXCAE-KQSsHheaHcVXd8d3TKAauXCVpecNuDK5a40SjhLEDg8Qbxbczn3jzvZUigc82ew/s1600-h/Jaigad+Google+E+001.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420986299323760178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6X3oaILN-hFPxTpUZ_bJPFzyX8rXSDiJUjrLo4q5QtWlN5gppFjOr3uXHfFuNJGb1uybEKdXCAE-KQSsHheaHcVXd8d3TKAauXCVpecNuDK5a40SjhLEDg8Qbxbczn3jzvZUigc82ew/s400/Jaigad+Google+E+001.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 348px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Figure 2. Google Earth Image showing the entrance</span><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">to the Jaigad River. Click on image for a larger version.</span><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">The white bar at the left of the image is 1 mile long.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">Most of the Fort survives much as it must have looked in 1790. Sadly this magnificent lonely spot is currently being redeveloped as the site of a port for a coal jetty for a 1200 MWe Coal fired power station.</div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCvUtDNLiTswnI7o60IBXP40OxxzJfZzXLZqgPNB3fM7sRkGaG12__Qj2hkK9WvQDcPqexTC0AZIyxYJsKVal8Mv80-rwGsy8mgtu26hJae4Xs2tFDWKbhp62aHEJLjPZw_Re8AsuLTA/s1600-h/Jaigad+Fort+Google+E+002.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420990455575620690" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCvUtDNLiTswnI7o60IBXP40OxxzJfZzXLZqgPNB3fM7sRkGaG12__Qj2hkK9WvQDcPqexTC0AZIyxYJsKVal8Mv80-rwGsy8mgtu26hJae4Xs2tFDWKbhp62aHEJLjPZw_Re8AsuLTA/s400/Jaigad+Fort+Google+E+002.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 348px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">Figure 3. Google Earth Image showing the fort as well as the lower batteries<br />
along the</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> Jaigad River, as well as the surviving connecting walls. </span><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">The white scale bar measures 100 metres.<br />
Click on image for a larger version.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
The local Mahratta commander of the fort must have had a commanding view out to sea. It is just possible to make out the headland to the north around which Captain Pickett brought his small fleet of Country vessels containing the reinforcements for the force besieging Dharwad.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEwXUJPOZSp9oUTniNB0P5U_n9pXEfr2A_Lnr03iNKy3tCgwIJHn5Y_FoqHKisTB_NhcTW4IOv0rw_HO4CrpiDil1lNmU3OqodSjlSTyjaqUge3Ck_6horWtoS_bpb5wHWoiBZHXbWhA/s1600-h/8881047.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420991976805929410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEwXUJPOZSp9oUTniNB0P5U_n9pXEfr2A_Lnr03iNKy3tCgwIJHn5Y_FoqHKisTB_NhcTW4IOv0rw_HO4CrpiDil1lNmU3OqodSjlSTyjaqUge3Ck_6horWtoS_bpb5wHWoiBZHXbWhA/s400/8881047.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Figure 4. Photo showing one of the Fort Towers looking out to sea.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br />
Click on image for larger version.</span>[7]<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">The small port can be seen below.<br />
<br />
<br />
</div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcBwGzyfRAgO5fwiXyygGTyk4XQk6qPGDX_FpQIefUs-dAK__CUUkCwRN37UEMj6AcUf20y_XF98kxufHdwC29tEYLQtIwbv1qRE-KapmrlEd_5YJf788C4rmwrhXsKaYujTAisltqXA/s1600-h/26101926.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420994078152234306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcBwGzyfRAgO5fwiXyygGTyk4XQk6qPGDX_FpQIefUs-dAK__CUUkCwRN37UEMj6AcUf20y_XF98kxufHdwC29tEYLQtIwbv1qRE-KapmrlEd_5YJf788C4rmwrhXsKaYujTAisltqXA/s400/26101926.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 96px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">Figure 5. Photo showing the small port looking out to sea.</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />
Click on image for larger version.</span> [8]<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">The arrival of the first detachment is best described by Lieutenant David Price.<br />
</div><div class="gtxt_body" style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;">"On Wednesday, the 26th of May, at five in the morning, we weighed anchor; and soon after perceived that we had left Sevendroog to the northward. At nine o'clock we were off Gopalgurr, commonly called Dabul. At noon, or shortly afterwards, the breeze continuing auspiciously favourable, we<span class="gtxt_body"> rounded Cape Z ; and about two in the afternoon we entered Jygurr, or Zygurr, river, anchoring abreast of the fort. At this moment a boat passed to the shore from the Wolf; and soon returning on board, the signal was made for proceeding up the river. We now received a pilot on board, weighed anchor, and crossed the bar, about five o'clock—the channel lying close to the south bank. Both banks of the river wild, hilly and inhospitable, in appearance; but beautifully wooded to the water's edge. Winding in its course to right and left, every few hundred yards, and as smooth and transparent as a mirror, the river itself was as beautiful as it was romantic ; and this, with the gilding of hope fresh upon our minds, rendered our inland voyage indescribably delightful. About nine o'clock, the tide having turned, we came to an anchor; by the pilot's account about four kutcha, or short, kosse, or about five miles from the entrance of the river. We had observed a few solitary hovels, in the recesses on either side.<br />
<br />
On the 27th of May, we weighed at day-light; and gliding upwards with the tide, the surface of the river continued unruffled and transparent as crystal; while the alternate receding and overlopping of the wooded banks, exhibited the appearance of a chain of lakes. Nothing could be more enchanting than the varied scenery which we surveyed during this short passage. The banks as we advanced upwards, began to exhibit marks of cultivation, as they lost their mountainous character, and became more level." [9]<br />
</span></div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgO7loVlcr3YArMHRdVYJcs8UykctqyEzHwntKPJl5IANKl9ZN5AaQPE8wOaJe89CxLwO8E0LFlmYtKrpq8Xui21mb9dAhjBKvTzmPM0G-Q7wc5SAQMpaHdqvxawnR9BdfVk82P-9SjA/s1600-h/24624233.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420995254212724818" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgO7loVlcr3YArMHRdVYJcs8UykctqyEzHwntKPJl5IANKl9ZN5AaQPE8wOaJe89CxLwO8E0LFlmYtKrpq8Xui21mb9dAhjBKvTzmPM0G-Q7wc5SAQMpaHdqvxawnR9BdfVk82P-9SjA/s400/24624233.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">Figure 6</span>. <span style="font-style: italic;">Photo showing the headland on the northern side of the estuary near the spot in Figure 2, labelled Possible Site of Second Battery. </span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />
Click on image for larger version.</span><span style="font-style: italic;">[10]</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
The following sailing directions published in 1820 by Hamilton, based on the surveys carried out by Lieutenant Dominicetti, of the Bombay Marine, who was based at Fort Victoria through the Mahratta War of 1817 to 1818, describe the port in more detail.<br />
<br />
</div></div><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: small-caps;"><span class="gstxt_hlt">"Zyghur </span></span><span style="font-style: italic;">(or Jaighur).—A sea-port on the sea coast of the Concan, 123 miles S. by E. from Bombay. Lat. 17° 14' N. long. 73° 23' E, The two points that form the entrance of </span><span class="gstxt_hlt" style="font-style: italic;">Zyghur </span><span style="font-style: italic;">bay are about five miles distant, and it is about two miles and a half deep. The entrance of the river is about three quarters of a mile broad, with three fathoms and a half depth, at the least. The channel is navigable for a considerable way inland, and has a large town on the south side about 13 miles above the fort. There is no town at the mouth of the river, but there are several straggling villages on both sides. There is plenty of good water in the upper fort, and at some of the adjacent villages, but in the lower fort, and near the usual landing place, the water is brackish. In most respects the river is as safe and commodious as that of Viziadroog, only a little more caution is requisite while entering. At the entrance of both, the water is usually quite smooth during the S. W. monsoon; and inside, vessels of any draught of water may lie completely sheltered at all seasons of the year.—(Lieutenant Dominicette, etc.)"</span>[11]<br />
<br />
Edward Moor goes on to describe the journey up the river.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuKwJHqDOcmsCHyKF5t1xgzjpmIWGlQIXi6OjJriUuhOslXyWWKX9ZY1I-bwWHq2VE084eU2Al7tZ5SN0IGLA6CfgGwLEukkT6Tj7edbUbFbfZ7ye0gA75Q0ZLmpMknpIpX6Aj_FUJbg/s1600-h/Jaigad+looking+inland+up+river+photo+by+Murlinambiar.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421005923692767458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuKwJHqDOcmsCHyKF5t1xgzjpmIWGlQIXi6OjJriUuhOslXyWWKX9ZY1I-bwWHq2VE084eU2Al7tZ5SN0IGLA6CfgGwLEukkT6Tj7edbUbFbfZ7ye0gA75Q0ZLmpMknpIpX6Aj_FUJbg/s400/Jaigad+looking+inland+up+river+photo+by+Murlinambiar.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">Figure 7. The River Mouth, showing the bar at the entrance.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">The first detachment anchored at Noon on the 27th May and commenced landing. It is not possible to be sure where thus is, except that it was on the south bank of the river.<br />
<br />
Moor and his party landed at a place called Cadona, and it may well have been the same place David Price describes. Here's Moor's description of the landings.</div></div><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">"The boats continued on the river, dropping down with the tide, until the 26th, when the troops disembarked near Cadona, a small village, and marched five miles to Sungumseer, the same encampment formerly occupied by Captain Little. Cadona, where we disembarked, is not, we conjecture, more than twenty-five miles from Jaigur, although much more by water, from the river having so many turns among hills, which generally rife abruptly near its banks, and are chiefly covered with wood. Many villages, and some cultivation are seen, when the hills discontinuing allow any extensive prospect." [12]<br />
<br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdaXuGDw_TGVNf__VChV6eeDwjwbXg9QCg3E5Nz3rZxogNsApfZ9ooncH5Z-vNijdG6hbpCnMSYg-IiVG34hz2MH4JrZNGB9e6ira8onMjvIZb8T2l94vbImVzH6WvqioCeZpDIo2KIQ/s1600-h/9733189.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421002356702962802" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdaXuGDw_TGVNf__VChV6eeDwjwbXg9QCg3E5Nz3rZxogNsApfZ9ooncH5Z-vNijdG6hbpCnMSYg-IiVG34hz2MH4JrZNGB9e6ira8onMjvIZb8T2l94vbImVzH6WvqioCeZpDIo2KIQ/s400/9733189.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">Figure 8. The Jaigad River approximately 16 miles<br />
from the coast as the Crow flies. Perhaps 25 to 30 miles by boat.</span>[13]<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">David Price describes Captain Little's detachments next stage on the march as follows.<br />
</div><div class="gtxt_body" style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;">"We anchored at noon; and the rest of the boats gradually arriving, did the same. We now landed, and proceeding on board the Wolf, we there found that Capt. Little had just returned from an interview with some of the native authorities up the river; and we received orders to disembark immediately, on the south side. Our landing appears to have been attended with some difficulty which is not explained. About five in the afternoon, Lieut. Ross, our brigade<span class="gtxt_body"> major, and myself, with the disembarked men of the eighth batt. marched after Lieut. Boden, who had proceeded with his division to the ground marked out for our halting place.</span></div><div class="gtxt_body" style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="gtxt_body" style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><span class="gtxt_body"> During our short march, we experienced a violent thunder storm, with heavy rain; and reached our ground at dusk in the evening, completely drenched. We found our friend Boden with his division, attended by a Brahmin, said to have been the Killadaur, or military governor of Retnagheriah. Capt. M.<span class="gstxt_sup">c</span>. Donald's batt. the eleventh, dropped in by degrees in our rear. We were accommodated in a set of chuppers, pendals, or leaf-roofed huts; formed for our reception, of the green-leafed branches of trees, which the neighbouring woods furnished in abundance. Our temporary cantonment had its rear in a bend of the river; with our right flank towards the gauht, stated to be at the distance of two days' march to the south-east.</span></div><div class="gtxt_body" style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;"></div><div class="flow" style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><div class="gtxt_body"><div class="gtxt_body" style="text-indent: 1em;">On the 28th May, the guns and stores were gradually coming in; and we continued stationary on our ground, which we now understood to be near a village called Sungmiser, or Sungumiswara, the "confluence of Iswara." It was here that I first pitched my raouty, a description of tent, with dwarf walls, and no fly. At ten o'clock at night, Lieut. Boden with his company was sent forward to ascend the Ambah gauht, in order to protect the ammunition and stores, which proceeded at the same time. The guns and tumbrels were all brought up during the day and night.</div><div class="gtxt_body" style="text-indent: 1em;">On Sunday, the 30th of May, still stationary: sending off" stores and provisions. The guns and tumbrels moved forwards at ten o'clock at night, during which we had much lightning and some rain.</div><div class="gtxt_body" style="text-indent: 1em;">On the 31st of May, we continued on our ground, expecting however to march on the morrow; the stores and other equipments having now been all sent forward. We had thunder and rain, and every symptom of an approaching monsoon, during the<span class="gtxt_body"> former part of the night. Capt. Thompson marched, notwithstanding, with the artillery.</span></div></div></div><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;"></div><div class="gtxt_body" style="font-style: italic; text-align: left; text-indent: 1em;">On the 1st of June, the morning was fair and pleasant. At six o'clock, Lieut. Heath marched with part of the eleventh battalion." [14]<span style="font-style: italic;"></span></div><div class="gtxt_body" style="font-style: italic; text-align: left; text-indent: 1em;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">From the above detailed descriptions, it is possible to develop a map setting out the likely route of the detachments.<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>To do this I have used an American military map produced in the 1950's. It was probably developed from earlier British military mapping.<span style="font-style: italic;"><br />
<br />
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHKBJ1_s14Ej-eTP2fTL9dEnESxFTYaAU99Y0i3eLPvTyIjIqB9V_e4hSB4eX0GloH6E-vxm_xRiEFd2ND8SyCJPfm85gEuVYA7nBIV2AlbrD-06ShFbzzhoXf8zr5MmOPrIb-qeZiIw/s1600-h/Jaigad+Map+Marked+Up+001.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421100349411186114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHKBJ1_s14Ej-eTP2fTL9dEnESxFTYaAU99Y0i3eLPvTyIjIqB9V_e4hSB4eX0GloH6E-vxm_xRiEFd2ND8SyCJPfm85gEuVYA7nBIV2AlbrD-06ShFbzzhoXf8zr5MmOPrIb-qeZiIw/s400/Jaigad+Map+Marked+Up+001.jpg" style="display: block; height: 222px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div><span style="font-style: italic;">Figure 9.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Probable routes followed by the two detachments</span><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">of East India Company Troops in May and October 1791 to the Amba Ghat. Please Click on image for a larger version.</span> [15]<br />
<br />
<br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKWVejv5RbbJOqiQLIOzqPFuu8InUaomiXHM9V5hJpQRhyBlKcxWnC2LQl615eW-XdcmKeymAY0jtThDGAkk0qAAxJyoUW2iHxzF3nGvtea7hFkl9jiXmvLgT6MhEVaq_3BI8f_Q-Uig/s1600-h/Cadona.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421102517395634690" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKWVejv5RbbJOqiQLIOzqPFuu8InUaomiXHM9V5hJpQRhyBlKcxWnC2LQl615eW-XdcmKeymAY0jtThDGAkk0qAAxJyoUW2iHxzF3nGvtea7hFkl9jiXmvLgT6MhEVaq_3BI8f_Q-Uig/s400/Cadona.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 348px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Figure 10. Probable site of the camp at Candona. In the 1950's a village named as Kondya on the US Military maps was located here, and inspection of Google images suggest that very few other suitable sites are as readily accessible on the south bank for boats.</span><br />
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</div><div class="gtxt_body"><span style="font-size: small;">In my next installment I will follow Captain Little's detachment up over the Amba Ghaut [Ambaghat] and onto Darwar [Dharwad]</span></div><div class="gtxt_body"><br />
</div><div class="gtxt_body"><span style="font-size: small;">If you come from the area mentioned in this blog I would really like to hear from you.</span></div><div class="gtxt_body"><span style="font-size: small;">From my other research in Thalaserry and Cuddalore, I am aware that there are many Indian's with proud heritages that go back to events two hundred years ago. Did your family march with the Mahrattas to Darwar and Seringapatam?</span></div><div class="gtxt_body"><br />
</div><div class="gtxt_body"><span style="font-size: small;">If you have photos of any of the locations mentioned, I would be fascinated to receive copies.</span></div><div class="gtxt_body" style="font-size: 108%;"><br />
</div><div class="gtxt_body" style="font-size: 108%;"><span style="font-size: small;">My email address is balmer.nicholas@gmail.com</span></div><div class="gtxt_body"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="gtxt_body"><span style="font-size: small;">[1] Photo from http://www.panoramio.com/photo/8881047, by Kiran Patre.</span></div><div class="gtxt_body" size="108%">[2] Edward Moor, "A narrative of the operations of captain Little's detachment," available at http://books.google.com/books?id=tEoOAAAAQAAJ&lr=&pg=PA10#v=onepage&q=&f=false</div><div class="gtxt_body" size="108%">[3] Jaigur River is the spelling used by Edward Moor in 1790. These days it is spelt Jaigad, or sometimes Jaygad.</div><div class="gtxt_body" size="108%">[4]<span style="font-size: 100%;">David Price.</span> Memoirs of the early life and service of a field officer. Published 1839. Page 180.</div><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"></span></span><br />
<div class="gtxt_body" size="108%">[5] Edward Moor, A narrative of the operations of captain Little's detachment, page 2.</div><div class="gtxt_body" size="108%">[6] Edward Moor, A narrative of the operations of captain Little's detachment, page 10 & 11.</div><div class="gtxt_body" size="108%">[7] Photo by Exploredy from http://www.panoramio.com/photo/8881047</div><div class="gtxt_body" size="108%">[8] Photo by Toufique Shaikh.http://www.panoramio.com/photo/26101926</div><div class="gtxt_body" size="108%">[9] <span style="font-size: 100%;">David Price.</span>Memoirs, Page 180 & 181.</div><div class="gtxt_body" size="108%"><span style="font-size: 100%;">[10] Photo by Phynex. http://www.panoramio.com/photo/24624233</span></div><div class="gtxt_body" size="108%"><span style="font-size: 100%;">[11] </span><span class="addmd" style="font-size: 100%;">Walter Hamilton</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">. A geographical, statistical, and historical description of Hindostan. Volume 2. Published 1820. Page 214.</span></div><span style="font-size: 130%;"></span><br />
<div class="gtxt_body"><span style="font-size: small;">[12] Edward Moor, A narrative of the operations of captain Little's detachment, page 10 & 11.</span></div><div class="gtxt_body"><span style="font-size: small;">[13] Photo by Harshsurve. http://www.panoramio.com/photo/9733189</span></div><div class="gtxt_body"><span style="font-size: small;">[14] </span><span style="font-size: small;">David Price. Memoirs, Page 181 & 182.</span></div><div class="gtxt_body"><span style="font-size: small;">[15] Map draw from 1950's American Military Maps available from http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/india/</span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga3QI4S4_JrUUFnZUL4IxWRC29KIN4jpdS2V5S4EPQuMKFSDVmMFsZaZGl-D4YJTwbjzTO_CNE1WYKqZzZwVB7XW-kPWxnuCW2f5WfEuutqYKFb8CIgohyphenhyphenufpNz_yQ4ztIwRaBOUueqw/s1600-h/Sepoys+Long.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421115278714105122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga3QI4S4_JrUUFnZUL4IxWRC29KIN4jpdS2V5S4EPQuMKFSDVmMFsZaZGl-D4YJTwbjzTO_CNE1WYKqZzZwVB7XW-kPWxnuCW2f5WfEuutqYKFb8CIgohyphenhyphenufpNz_yQ4ztIwRaBOUueqw/s400/Sepoys+Long.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 167px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 577px;" /></span></a><br />
<div class="gtxt_body" style="font-size: 108%;"><br />
</div></div></div>Nick Balmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12730750075841601992noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004998321945892855.post-33214692000999163462011-04-10T01:42:00.001-07:002021-11-30T09:43:17.170-08:00Captain's Carpenter and his operations around Rajahmundroog, 1783<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQZ8wJMugZS6w3bgxoBgmvFCUEY0DouXNXZAyV_ed6DpUiu3B7Fmh6fOrLUHNF2rlTkxv78u5YSN1NtAEt26jRvu13TeZFkX6RVI0Xu3vIultvWlmjptzbW5YhwG27rzJM9dpHso89w/s1600/Shoba+picture+of+River+Aghanashini+IMG_0510.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQZ8wJMugZS6w3bgxoBgmvFCUEY0DouXNXZAyV_ed6DpUiu3B7Fmh6fOrLUHNF2rlTkxv78u5YSN1NtAEt26jRvu13TeZFkX6RVI0Xu3vIultvWlmjptzbW5YhwG27rzJM9dpHso89w/s1600/Shoba+picture+of+River+Aghanashini+IMG_0510.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456684416820076994" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQZ8wJMugZS6w3bgxoBgmvFCUEY0DouXNXZAyV_ed6DpUiu3B7Fmh6fOrLUHNF2rlTkxv78u5YSN1NtAEt26jRvu13TeZFkX6RVI0Xu3vIultvWlmjptzbW5YhwG27rzJM9dpHso89w/s400/Shoba+picture+of+River+Aghanashini+IMG_0510.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 227px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Figure 1. Mouth of River Aghanashini near Fort Rajahmundroog.<br />
This river used to be called the Merjee or Mijan River by the EIC. Photo courtesy of Shoba.</div><br />
Most people reading the history of the British involvement in India read about the events that occurred during the 19th Century, the Mutiny, the Sikh Wars or the North West Frontier.<br />
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With hundreds, if not thousands of books written about this period, and with these wars ending in most cases in British victories, it leaves the majority of readers with the impression that the development of the Empire was a forgone conclusion, and that all the action in India had taken place during these major campaigns.<br />
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This concentration on the 19th Century in India masks a far more fascinating stories. These come from the far less well known campaigns fought and often lost across the Deccan and Southern India during the 18th Century.<br />
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In the last couple of years with the huge increase in the availability of digital copies of original accounts thanks to the huge effort that Google has made to scan in these otherwise inaccessible books, it is becoming possible to piece together the fascinating and other otherwise virtually unknown stories of some of these campaigns.<br />
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In many of these accounts there are absolutely fascinating stories about minor or subsidiary campaigns fought in support of the major campaigns. With all of the campaigns run on a shoe string, by under resourced forces, these "second or third fronts" were often undertaken by a mere handful of European's and locally recruited Sepoys, who were taking on substantial Indian states like Mysore, with large armies that were often technically at least as well equipped as the East India Company was itself.<br />
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The following is the story of Captain Carpenter's campaign fought in 1783 between the modern towns of Karwar and Honavar on the west coast of India.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsVXZxXYDwIsCxmCsUYDg0kxFO9Ya-963ECvA8JAcqD2NZh5MRiKLOTdcW_ArtT29aI_en8A3Lu5fTLPDKml7NGo1AO9nSACioJCXmukoM13MOnqgIBqfA1rRTnbXuJGWHJF4DSU_XRg/s1600/location+of+Rajahmundroog+ge+001.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456667554335924402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsVXZxXYDwIsCxmCsUYDg0kxFO9Ya-963ECvA8JAcqD2NZh5MRiKLOTdcW_ArtT29aI_en8A3Lu5fTLPDKml7NGo1AO9nSACioJCXmukoM13MOnqgIBqfA1rRTnbXuJGWHJF4DSU_XRg/s400/location+of+Rajahmundroog+ge+001.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 348px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Figure 2. Google Earth Image showing the general location of Rajahmundroog and the operations undertaken by Captn. Carpenter's Detachment. Please click on this image for a larger version.</div><br />
In order to try to divert pressure away from the East India Company's settlements and forces on the Coromandel Coast, which were under sustained attack by Hyder Ali and Tipu, it had been decided to send a force from Bombay to land in Karnaka at Rajahmundroog, called today Kagal Kote, north of the town of Honavar.<br />
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Hyder Ali had died in December 1782, but Tippoo Sahib as he was then known by the British had already shown that he was a formidable opponent in his attack on Ponnani.<br />
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The purpose of the expedition was set out in the following orders sent to Captain Carpenter by General Mathews.<br />
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<div class="gtxt_body" style="font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">" To Captain Carpenter. </span></div><div class="gtxt_body" style="font-style: italic; text-indent: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;">" </span><span style="font-size: small; font-variant: small-caps;">Sir,</span><span style="font-size: small;">—It is necessary that an active, although small party, should remain in the field, and I have thought of you to command it. You will therefore proceed to </span><span class="gstxt_hlt" style="font-size: small;">Chundoor </span><span style="font-size: small;">or </span><span class="gstxt_hlt" style="font-size: small;">Comptah, </span><span style="font-size: small;">and collect your partizan force. It will at first consist of two iron three-pounders, drawn by bullocks, and the ammunition carried by men. And whatever men of the European artillery and lascars as can be drawn from Rajahmundroog and Onore, and as many sepoys as can be spared from each place, that is, from the immediate service and security of both garrisons. If you get 15 Europeans, and 150 sepoys, it will be reckoned a small army. The object is to protect the country from plunder and conflagration, and by seizing with spirit and judgment every opportunity of attacking the enemy, you may drive them from the frontiers of this district. It will be a fortunate circumstance if you can approach either the fort of Bilghie or Gurripah pass, as it may serve to keep the enemy at a distance, and alarm them for fear that you should really ascend the hills. The garrison of Mirjee also deserves your attention, and you should endea</span><span class="gtxt_body" style="font-size: small;">vour to keep them on the north side of the river. Being lightly equipped, and without tents or baggage, your movements may be as rapid as your sense may render them judicious. In short, all the country between the rivers of Mirjee and Onore, are under your protection ; and Capt. Torriano, who commands the garrison of Onore, has orders to supply you with every thing you may want, and to send all recovered officers and men, whether European or Native, to join you. You will strictly observe to keep this one material point constantly in view, which is, the safety of Onore, on account of our stores, provisions, and many etceteras: Capt. Torriano has orders to detain no more sepoys than the necessary guards. When we begin to act to the southward, the enemy may draw off part of their force ; then will be your time to make an impression, and I have hopes of hearing that the fort of Bilghie will, in a fortnight or three weeks, be in your possession. Capt. Torriano will send 2 three-pounders, and 2 artillery-men, with a few Europeans and what sepoys can be spared. You will keep up a constant correspondence with Capt. Torriano, who will occasionally acquaint me of your motions. Your command will be separate from his, unless he finds it necessary to call your party into Onore, for its apparent security, in which case only, you are to act under his orders. I wish you health and success.</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<div class="gtxt_body" style="font-style: italic; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: small;">(Signed) </span><span style="font-size: small; font-variant: small-caps;">"r.mathews. </span></div><div class="gtxt_body" style="font-style: italic; text-indent: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;">" Onore, 12th Jan. 1783."</span></div><div class="gtxt_body" style="font-style: italic; text-indent: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>It is very hard to understand how it was thought that a force of 15 European's and 150 Sepoys were going to be able to successfully take on the inhabitants of a substantial province well equipped, defended by large and well built forts.<br />
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This small force seems to have been intended act in a similar way to the Chindit columns sent into Burma in 1944, operating behind any force from Mysore sent to attack the larger landings at Onore or Mangalore.<br />
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One of the best accounts of the expedition comes from David Price's account which was published in 1834.<br />
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David Price was a young Ensign who had only landed in India during the previous year. He had however already taken part in the sieges of Negapatam and Trincomalee.<br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">"On the eve of embarkation on a service of such perilous importance, I shall endeavour to bring to mind the nature and amount of that force which was thus about to be employed. There must have been a considerable detachment of artillery, although I have no recollection of the number, under the command of Capts. Toriano and Jackson, with, I think, Lieuts. Jacob Thompson and West; a corps of European infantry, of about four hundred strong, under- Col. Jackson; the basis of two grenadier batts. under Capts. Lampard and Dunn; and the first batt. of sepoys, under Capt. Edward Nugent. To these must be added sundry details, destined to join' the several native batts. already on the coast. There were, moreover, proceeding to the same destination from Surat and Broach, the third, fifth, and fifteenth batts. under Capts. Richardson, Eames, and Maccullock; which would add to the force already mentioned, probably two thousand rank and file; with some very valuable and experienced officers ; and altogether making a total of about three thousand eight hundred rank and file, of every description. The merit of Lieut. Oakes was already so highly appreciated, that he had allotted to him the command of a separate and independent corps. But with the exception of Lieut. now Gen. Blachford, I have not been able to bring to my recollection the names of any other officers of engineers, who accompanied the expedition.<br />
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Of the precise date of our departure from Bombay on this occasion, I have preserved no memorandum; but as far as I am now able to judge, it must have been early in the month of December, 1782—just fifty-two years ago, calculating to the year 1834. There was not among the whole of us, I sincerely believe, a single individual who did not entertain the brightest hopes of success ; and our short voyage of three or four days, for it required no more to bring us to the scene of action, passed in cheerful and unalloyed enjoyment. Ensigns Morris, Lonsdale, and myself, with the detail for the second batt. were embarked on board of a Surat battela, a quarter-deck vessel, peculiar to the north west of India ; which may accommodate from an hundred to one hundred and fifty men."</span>[1]<br />
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Captain Carpenter's force was part of a larger force that was going to make landings at Honavar or Onore as it was known at the time. The force was carried down the coast by the ships of the Bombay Marine commanded by Commodore Emptage in his 28 gun flag ship Bombay.[2]<br />
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The area where the landings were made are surprisingly unchanged since these events took place in 1783, and it is quite easy to follow the course of the actual events on the ground, on maps and in Google Earth.<br />
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The landings were initially going to be made at the mouth of the Mergee or Aghanashini River at the Tadri Creek on the north bank near the modern town of Gokarna, with the intention that the force should attack and destroy a ship building yard at Tadri,where allies of Tipu were building a 50 gun ship, with the potential to out gun most East India Company vessels.<br />
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However at the last minute the force went for Rajahmundroog on the south bank. There are several potential landing beaches shown on Figure 3 below. It seems that Price's boat went straight for the smallest beach directly under the walls of the fort, whilst others landed on the slightly larger beach at 3.<br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">"On our arrival at a short distance to the northward of the river Merjee, a small sandy bight or cove was pointed out to us, as the spot on which we were likely to land. This would have brought us immediately on the rear of Tudry, where there was on the stocks, what was called a fifty-gun ship. It was, at all events, a vessel of considerable burden, at a subsequent period, burnt by my friend Ross. We had however, scarcely time to deliberate, when we were hailed to make for the beach, south of the river, just under the straggling fort of Rajamundroog. "We accordingly made for the shore, and ran the battela [3] aground. For some minutes we were rather unpleasantly exposed to the guns of the fort—and several shot passed over us. A party of our troops was approaching at the same time from the land side, to attack the gateway, which looked to the east: and we hastened also in the direction of the gateway, from whence a pretty sharp firing of musketry was kept up on the party under Lieut. Stewart, the major of brigade. The gateway was flanked by two towers with guns; and we were close at hand, when we saw Mr. Stewart lifted up by the sepoys into one of the embrasures ; on which the gateway was immediately thrown open to admit of our entrance.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBxr7qKn6mIZyx-g9JKE-LlDhzDvjtkoTCMEfhdncMPqPuiXAZsFRz1aoVy7s1jefzx4Im9uNCjqj7uf_gEKPjlcDu5kEFaDnISvlPBZz40t47r86LgANezH2YhIbWHro-j-fi1U85w/s1600/Landing+Site+RM+001.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456672373338075490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBxr7qKn6mIZyx-g9JKE-LlDhzDvjtkoTCMEfhdncMPqPuiXAZsFRz1aoVy7s1jefzx4Im9uNCjqj7uf_gEKPjlcDu5kEFaDnISvlPBZz40t47r86LgANezH2YhIbWHro-j-fi1U85w/s400/Landing+Site+RM+001.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 286px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Figure 3. The landing beach and fort at Rajahmundroog. Please click on image for larger version.</div><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />
"The garrison, whatever they were composed of, had entirely disappeared, with the exception of one man, a Carnatic matchlock man; who suddenly arose from among the long grass, with a wisp of hay in his mouth, and threw himself at our feet. I cannot but remember this man, who was one of the tallest and stoutest natives I ever saw; and I often met him afterwards, as he became enrolled among our ordnance lascars. The fort contained about twenty iron guns of different calibres."</span>[4]<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlu2ku47okTykvAMz-DFOmpepgLcHMxLVtqr8vaI9wHFxSMeag9gecjJSG25zuV5F4jO4q6Hg5r1ubqhxmulVLkM8Hurk8iqnnwzJZ7PYR8J3GWQOjtIG5WbPjsEki6vZ1Fx6jQKf79w/s1600/Rajahmundroog+Fort.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456693629929116514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlu2ku47okTykvAMz-DFOmpepgLcHMxLVtqr8vaI9wHFxSMeag9gecjJSG25zuV5F4jO4q6Hg5r1ubqhxmulVLkM8Hurk8iqnnwzJZ7PYR8J3GWQOjtIG5WbPjsEki6vZ1Fx6jQKf79w/s400/Rajahmundroog+Fort.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 348px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Figure 4. Rajahmundroog Fort, showing ruined building sites. Please click on image for larger images.</div><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">"The troops were now disembarking in various directions, particularly from the river, which enters the sea immediately below the hill on which the fort is erected; and was of sufficient depth to admit the anchoring of the old Bombay Grab, a ship of twenty guns. They were encamped across the ridge of the hill to the eastward of the fort, looking directly towards Merjee; which, in a declining sun, appeared rather formidable, with its double line of walls and towers, fausse-bray, and ditch. One of the grenadier batts. was detached under Capt. Lampard to occupy the post at Compta, a little hill fort on the beach, about five miles to the southward.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">A few days afterwards we were joined by the troops from Malabar: consisting of the forty-second, and hundredth, King's regiments, under Cols. Mc'Leod, and Humberstone: the second, eighth, and eleventh batts. of sepoys; with a proportion of artillery, under Capt. Hislop, a very promising officer of that corps, in the King's service. He was killed not long afterwards in the attack of Hyder gauht, on the march to Bednour. Adding these to the troops already assembled, under Gen. Matthews, I may, I think, venture to state, that the whole amount of force employed on this occasion, in the invasion of Kanara, did not exceed, at the utmost, 5,800 men; of whom scarcely 1,200 were European soldiers."[5]</span><br />
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It is possible to locate quite closely the probable site of the camp to the east of the fort, and from there it is clear that Merjee or Mirjan Fort must have appeared very formidable as it showed up in the setting sun, which would have been behind David Price's shoulders. With that red stone set into the green hill it must have been very impressive.<br />
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It must also have been frightening to think that you might have to try to climb up its walls in a few days time.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYxg4blCGG1pjl9uP2YNYwwOMCZmBV18uvFI8EYaiFoJ_VZ7RjzDVwf0fL1dSTODtLYnetuUPQsKjq_otqzTCslopUAwEzCUdRV7FSQC9tB9LPlKYtPgsrr3Zm1DkO0X8fiyps46tl5g/s1600/Rajahmundroog+Fort+%26+Camp+site.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456700763789816770" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYxg4blCGG1pjl9uP2YNYwwOMCZmBV18uvFI8EYaiFoJ_VZ7RjzDVwf0fL1dSTODtLYnetuUPQsKjq_otqzTCslopUAwEzCUdRV7FSQC9tB9LPlKYtPgsrr3Zm1DkO0X8fiyps46tl5g/s400/Rajahmundroog+Fort+%26+Camp+site.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 348px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Figure 5. Image showing possible site of camp and the view towards Mijan Fort. Please click on image for larger version of image.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFQYNEVTsAUtaWgOzQoYkSxXfCNdNlYncabyMtcWMAokYZwhyphenhyphenWALyWaxdmFx1lGTjnKMyHNCddF0JtlIU6xgNNF8PVWBx3FvXburI-J82onV01TV5HuG-xQ9UxqHMQaNsiupUsmZ6uDQ/s1600/Mijan+from+Skyscp+007.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><br />
</a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">As the following photo clearly shows the fort at Mirjan was a very formidable one, and it was going to require a very substantial attack if it was going to be taken.</div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioTntjYIS8Oj2cyFyn5Zf9z9r-e3U2O-T-wOQtxQNvvHAma7EJYg9djp7Q3KVB83HgGUE90qZZ49hmCYgLd9tUFY2URdhzbhQSv93PQ5r3uFkXZCXSDtw9qcj8kPg7ElFhNwRZdastHA/s1600/Mirjan+Fort+exterior+003.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456704496206166162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioTntjYIS8Oj2cyFyn5Zf9z9r-e3U2O-T-wOQtxQNvvHAma7EJYg9djp7Q3KVB83HgGUE90qZZ49hmCYgLd9tUFY2URdhzbhQSv93PQ5r3uFkXZCXSDtw9qcj8kPg7ElFhNwRZdastHA/s400/Mirjan+Fort+exterior+003.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>Figure 6. Mirjan Fort, looking towards Rajahmundry. [6]</div><br />
If you live near these forts or have pictures that you have taken of either Rajahmundroog or Mijan Fort, I would love to have a copy of those photos.<br />
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If you are able to point me in the direction of other accounts of these actions, I would also love to hear from you, especially if they come from the Indian point of view. From similar projects in Kerala I am aware that there are a surprising large number of oral stories preserved within the communities affected by these events, and they can be extremely accurate.<br />
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If you have one of these please contact me.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ProncaA3ZqGBFlj2LG7nCtXUmiyZVxT_hL6CeAsIxwBhUEwFkmOVsOxRD0l9J2SsWE2BAPvQVTY6lbMu3L7dLOiqrrYPYDTFIV62sc9QFjHdBKoJh6AdHjK1N2QPbCpUGA050Pg38w/s1600/Google+Earth+of+Mirjan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ProncaA3ZqGBFlj2LG7nCtXUmiyZVxT_hL6CeAsIxwBhUEwFkmOVsOxRD0l9J2SsWE2BAPvQVTY6lbMu3L7dLOiqrrYPYDTFIV62sc9QFjHdBKoJh6AdHjK1N2QPbCpUGA050Pg38w/s400/Google+Earth+of+Mirjan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Figure 7. Mirjan Fort from Google Earth. </div><br />
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In a future blog I will attempt to follow the fortunes of this expedition as it moves inland.<br />
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[1] David Price. Memoirs of the early life and service of a field officer, page 65 & 66.<br />
[2] C. R. Low, The History of the Indian Navy, volume 1. page 180.<br />
[3] Battela, a word that seems to come from Portuguese originally, that is applied today to a particular type of double ended rowing boat, but which seems to have been applied in this case to a local type of ship from Surat with a deck at the stern and substantially larger than the modern Portuguese Battela.<br />
[4] David Price. Page 67.<br />
[5] David Price. Page 68.<br />
[6] Photo by Ranjaub see http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1035227 This thread has many more photos of this very interesting and impressive fort, that appears to be undergoing a substantial restoration.Nick Balmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12730750075841601992noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004998321945892855.post-19059895832664917942011-02-27T03:06:00.000-08:002011-02-27T03:06:08.581-08:00Karachi in 1866<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOVU1RgNmqYtZmp2sgj9xIzx2bd-WxA2LdBLnRYPHX0yjujnNoKsSd3Io4mtDIyTZQY7a2VWxinPPtOc1FiEHHnXRUI30IVAfDh77XLPWkgVwfol8UsT2BLSw-UwSZ53LyH5iu3vXWrw/s1600/CJ+Barton+Album+1+040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOVU1RgNmqYtZmp2sgj9xIzx2bd-WxA2LdBLnRYPHX0yjujnNoKsSd3Io4mtDIyTZQY7a2VWxinPPtOc1FiEHHnXRUI30IVAfDh77XLPWkgVwfol8UsT2BLSw-UwSZ53LyH5iu3vXWrw/s400/CJ+Barton+Album+1+040.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Figure 1. Kurrachee, from Frere Hall, 1866 NE.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">For larger versions of this photo or any of the others,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> please click on image </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The photographs in this blog were taken by, or collected by Captain Charles James Barton who was stationed at Karachi from about 1865 until 1867 with A Battery 18th Brigade, Royal Artillery.<br />
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Charles Barton commanded this unit from 1862 to 1867. During this period it had previously been stationed at Belgaum and Hyderabad in Scinde. It was the first breech loading artillery to be deployed to India equipped with Armstrong Guns.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdrQoQdnU1v0lttgNhRTKoy14tbtcra0I2ziONJXGRSgQa7LWHKEKTbQJkpSEOsXsjmjp1qRuuIIOr9wuLCeFnpVBbW0gPLjB0IJRvui5vqaAzOuYw0U0vlb8PXpaqgB6xzvQojmcCXg/s1600/CJ+Barton+Album+1+020-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdrQoQdnU1v0lttgNhRTKoy14tbtcra0I2ziONJXGRSgQa7LWHKEKTbQJkpSEOsXsjmjp1qRuuIIOr9wuLCeFnpVBbW0gPLjB0IJRvui5vqaAzOuYw0U0vlb8PXpaqgB6xzvQojmcCXg/s640/CJ+Barton+Album+1+020-1.jpg" width="640" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Figure 2. A/18 R.A. Karachi, Persians [referring to the horses]</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The arrow leads to Capt. C.J. Barton.</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTrlxSQndIQ5DjAn7gEPRCpRbMVBWIz4jgjPKlyRz6P3zoB-O5DeVyO2IMmh4Iv38Vg_9rI3QHhEZkzrbjNv08h4XRjLLKI34mjCsewFvg28vp7dBb0KvENyCCA0e1GQxY0WS3G9kVuw/s1600/CJ+Barton+Album+1+041-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTrlxSQndIQ5DjAn7gEPRCpRbMVBWIz4jgjPKlyRz6P3zoB-O5DeVyO2IMmh4Iv38Vg_9rI3QHhEZkzrbjNv08h4XRjLLKI34mjCsewFvg28vp7dBb0KvENyCCA0e1GQxY0WS3G9kVuw/s400/CJ+Barton+Album+1+041-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Figure 3. Kurrachee from Frere Hall 1866 NW </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOqXTeIHvQK441nI-xWZmnkZsHrzmTEeMcSnvVpweD9f0QKaLXV7Bb6_IkDAB9kmkTG4kePy6lFz_3QZYxT3PTx2BIExn5vvgQBxUT17qoAh3Kr-_2erdzjauswy8Q0luYMsRLyU_-kQ/s1600/CJ+Barton+Album+1+045-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOqXTeIHvQK441nI-xWZmnkZsHrzmTEeMcSnvVpweD9f0QKaLXV7Bb6_IkDAB9kmkTG4kePy6lFz_3QZYxT3PTx2BIExn5vvgQBxUT17qoAh3Kr-_2erdzjauswy8Q0luYMsRLyU_-kQ/s400/CJ+Barton+Album+1+045-1.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Figure 4. Frere Hall 1866</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpMDPU2zASmNM55CeKeq6ey7cthWIruY3GdY7HOxtzw9Uq1vnJ5GbTC_fenPNWwtoWVGXhm5bycwQ5N5o_KpPoNKUhbsZIgv2ndrJA3k5g0eDORfIpIGS_Vi61OwzLcqqwbvcM-kL2KA/s1600/CJ+Barton+Album+1+046-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpMDPU2zASmNM55CeKeq6ey7cthWIruY3GdY7HOxtzw9Uq1vnJ5GbTC_fenPNWwtoWVGXhm5bycwQ5N5o_KpPoNKUhbsZIgv2ndrJA3k5g0eDORfIpIGS_Vi61OwzLcqqwbvcM-kL2KA/s400/CJ+Barton+Album+1+046-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Figure 5. Trinity Church Kurrachee 1866 </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj79k5vE4npSMgrziQCLKZewWYgHPYW0zGYx0D6ZMgErIdAm9oC-5SiiZNSDwGWW3fYCJnwgh-reA9NBXF492YV4-P-4lxmswbJ17o9mpqz52ip7EGEBj-jcn2tRVTaktyQYAp3X-B8Dg/s1600/CJ+Barton+Album+1+053-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj79k5vE4npSMgrziQCLKZewWYgHPYW0zGYx0D6ZMgErIdAm9oC-5SiiZNSDwGWW3fYCJnwgh-reA9NBXF492YV4-P-4lxmswbJ17o9mpqz52ip7EGEBj-jcn2tRVTaktyQYAp3X-B8Dg/s400/CJ+Barton+Album+1+053-1.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Figure 6. Kurrachee R.A. Lines 1866. Patterson Barton, son of </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Charles Barton, also an RA Officer has added a note</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">to say that he also lived in the same house from 1898 to 1900. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-QPeijcTzDTSldUf4FEB-JsL3xz6x1I68Re180_4q1l7oo3sQDLm4pREbEN3Cyes0jLu6w5S9DN6ZXmbFsCB6nwc1gf6bMxEmwH3Y-l1uvPt7WW05S_jqTq_pNFLuubQpNonmmSMuQg/s1600/CJ+Barton+Album+1+054-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-QPeijcTzDTSldUf4FEB-JsL3xz6x1I68Re180_4q1l7oo3sQDLm4pREbEN3Cyes0jLu6w5S9DN6ZXmbFsCB6nwc1gf6bMxEmwH3Y-l1uvPt7WW05S_jqTq_pNFLuubQpNonmmSMuQg/s400/CJ+Barton+Album+1+054-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Figure 7. R.A. Lines Kurrachee 1866. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_dhOiGufK71-8wj9mvkaaUBQ4C75weqUul-pZGK7ziCLVUHL3uOSvTzvD6q0v8UgvmX8-TyQAXRTyFgdD3erJtwN1AXBb091XFLPvkQdslv9Hsup2KO3ik47b1jVGjl5150PgXyTQg/s1600/CJ+Barton+Album+1+057-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_dhOiGufK71-8wj9mvkaaUBQ4C75weqUul-pZGK7ziCLVUHL3uOSvTzvD6q0v8UgvmX8-TyQAXRTyFgdD3erJtwN1AXBb091XFLPvkQdslv9Hsup2KO3ik47b1jVGjl5150PgXyTQg/s400/CJ+Barton+Album+1+057-1.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Figure 8. Kurrachee 1866. View from R.A. 2 Bgd. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGA5L_iYg8P7UAd_kySqHnxANEFeOZBsSPUrUNtdWWXSIxEA56uTgRE1thOdr51pAzlvf74N9Hx69FAEqk858wnGgD4N5gO3jGtbGX4TLNe0X-dMXxlScfd_UenUljMC__BFplLayUCA/s1600/CJ+Barton+Album+1+058-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGA5L_iYg8P7UAd_kySqHnxANEFeOZBsSPUrUNtdWWXSIxEA56uTgRE1thOdr51pAzlvf74N9Hx69FAEqk858wnGgD4N5gO3jGtbGX4TLNe0X-dMXxlScfd_UenUljMC__BFplLayUCA/s400/CJ+Barton+Album+1+058-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Figure 9. Kurrachee 1866. View from R.A. Lines Front Row. </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFVEP-hEvpmLoeynPK0tqSIimDke9raRZwfxEUOmDknS-b3LQPqUAWDwWOVUi7-TbcLEVZ2bqEu-cuM_a7G_sI_AjgmDvTXzQoHAXwRu2aQSo_nggSNxSS5lQgcIpFOOCRRXOGkM5pQA/s1600/CJ+Barton+Album+1+090-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFVEP-hEvpmLoeynPK0tqSIimDke9raRZwfxEUOmDknS-b3LQPqUAWDwWOVUi7-TbcLEVZ2bqEu-cuM_a7G_sI_AjgmDvTXzQoHAXwRu2aQSo_nggSNxSS5lQgcIpFOOCRRXOGkM5pQA/s400/CJ+Barton+Album+1+090-1.jpg" width="361" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Figure 10. Sir Bartle Frere, Miss Frere, Moore CS. Mansfield CS.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Manston, Lady Frere, Miss Frere. </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnh6TdtK00FEXLF_4ALcX2i835HlPgHcu-73ENl2M6EufG5cDmQgCzLPJP0JcCuXFmO83DX9oArSRTuC1BnhBJ9iVGHbA8s1qpyREMZYufL-vt28jlI1E3hp0CPpRFGFgMSGeacu7fjQ/s1600/CJ+Barton+Album+1+093-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnh6TdtK00FEXLF_4ALcX2i835HlPgHcu-73ENl2M6EufG5cDmQgCzLPJP0JcCuXFmO83DX9oArSRTuC1BnhBJ9iVGHbA8s1qpyREMZYufL-vt28jlI1E3hp0CPpRFGFgMSGeacu7fjQ/s400/CJ+Barton+Album+1+093-1.jpg" width="295" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Figure 11. Revd. Mr Bagnell, Chaplain at Karrachee. 1866.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">If you are able to locate any of these buildings today, I would be pleased to hear from you, and I would also like to be able to put biographical details to the people in the photos.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">My email address is balmer.nicholas@gmail.com</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Nick Balmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12730750075841601992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004998321945892855.post-764691810411333372010-07-04T04:29:00.000-07:002010-07-04T06:40:46.813-07:00Ahmadabad, tigers and narrow scrapes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU0PaCr4YDj27kkT4GVK-LTqEK6EMl-DYv0QNp8zNXc19BZksBUdz8AzgJ3va9v9flVuK4ww4TLE4EwdwV0y7dgwHysmzqZjDKh8LxBOTCmChAZr6c0bksY_S2mxEbxuAs_DnI0z9BwQ/s1600/Tiger+Hunting+from+Elephants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU0PaCr4YDj27kkT4GVK-LTqEK6EMl-DYv0QNp8zNXc19BZksBUdz8AzgJ3va9v9flVuK4ww4TLE4EwdwV0y7dgwHysmzqZjDKh8LxBOTCmChAZr6c0bksY_S2mxEbxuAs_DnI0z9BwQ/s400/Tiger+Hunting+from+Elephants.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"> Tiger hunting from elephants</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>As a small child my great aunt would delight in telling me stories about my great great grandfather Charles James Barton and his tiger hunts.<br />
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Charles served in the Bombay Artillery during the middle years of the Nineteenth Century, and eventually became a Major General. These stories were probably amongst the very first stories that fired up my abiding interest in India.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_r79iwRv2RzXVNs2FMQP8BX-AKEgyNwOn1_dMZgSpnif1hAnwb4DV36EubQMag90o7HJxkaQeLK6mbmxuii-LOIcxyDcwPK5T2U8NwTEEzmsdsxHo9px48NSn2GsjPhOjKbKML4YroA/s1600/CJB+daguer+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_r79iwRv2RzXVNs2FMQP8BX-AKEgyNwOn1_dMZgSpnif1hAnwb4DV36EubQMag90o7HJxkaQeLK6mbmxuii-LOIcxyDcwPK5T2U8NwTEEzmsdsxHo9px48NSn2GsjPhOjKbKML4YroA/s320/CJB+daguer+001.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Lieutenant Charles Barton circa 1850</div><br />
Very recently and quite by chance, I stumbled upon another account by a fellow East India Company officer, William Johnson, which although does not refer to the same incident, confirms Charles Barton’s involvement in tiger hunting, and a hair raising incident when a tiger came very close to killing him.<br />
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The first story recounts how Charles would hire an elephant and mahout, on which to go out into the jungle to flush out tigers. On one occasion he spotted a tiger in the long grass, at which he shot with his musket. He must have ether missed or failed kill it, for the tiger instantly sprang up onto the howdah situated on the elephants back, and had plunged its teeth into Charles arm, attempting to pull him from the elephants back.<br />
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At his point Charles is supposed to have shouted <i>"Drop me Sir!"</i>.<br />
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Which apparently is what the startled tiger did!<br />
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Where upon Charles was able pick up his second rifle, with which he dispatched the animal.<br />
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Commanding as he did an Artillery Battery, he must presumably have developed a fairly commanding voice, with which to pass on orders. It must have been a terrifying moment.<br />
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With the passing of time, we had no idea where these events had taken place, but by great good fortune I may have stumbled across the answer, <br />
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A description of another tiger shooting incident involving Charles Barton in about 1853 is contained in a book written by a brother officer serving in the Guzerat Irregular Horse who was stationed also stationed in Ahmadabad.<br />
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This rare book based on letters and journals kept by William Johnson have recently been republished by Leonaur Ltd. <br />
<br />
Johnson devotes many pages of his journals to hunting expeditions, and to a modern reader these often seem like wilful slaughter of wildlife that is sadly absent today.<br />
<br />
He describes how with his brother officers, Harington Bulkley, Gordon Cumming, Leeson, Babington, Seward and Whitehill starting in October 1851 they would set off on expeditions into the hills and forests surrounding Ahmadabad to hunt and to track down and kill wild boar, tigers and tanthers. <br />
<br />
These animals would frequently endure being shot many times before they were dead, and many fought back savagely often wounding beaters, and even jumping onto the backs and heads of elephants used to push through the forests. <br />
<br />
The dilemma for hunter’s who had wounded a tiger or panther but had not killed it, was that it would become even more dangerous for the villagers, on whose behalf many of these hunts were undertaken.<br />
<br />
The wounded animals had to be tracked into their refuges. <br />
<br />
<i>“There was once marked down for me in a small patch of bushes a large panther, which I knew to be very severely wounded, and I thought disabled. I took my rifle — a handy, double barrelled Lancaster – and walked towards the bushes. When I was within forty yards, he came out at me so quickly that I had but just time to put up my rifle, and fire both barrels as quick as I could. Most fortunately one bullet entered just above the left eye, and came out behind the ear, somewhat confusing him, but not in the least checking his speed He knocked me over, and bit and clawed me severely.</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>Some of my men of the Guzerat Irregular Horse behaved very well, and, attacking him, drove him off me with their swords and carbines; we killed him at last, but I had a very narrow escape.”</i><br />
<br />
Johnson, whose leg had been ripped open from top to bottom, wrote this account in a letter to his mother (who lived in Enborne in Berkshire) who was understandably worried. <br />
<br />
Johnson’s answering letter, can hardly have provided much reassurance to his mother, but provides me with another priceless glimpse into my great great grandfather’s life. <br />
<br />
<i>“You seem to have been in a great state of alarm about my accident, which I am sorry for. I think I told you I was nearly all right, and there was no cause to be anxious about it, although it was lucky it was no worse; and in one respect I dare say it is a good thing, as now, perhaps, it will be a warning to take better protection next time. Young Barton, of the Artillery, has been wounded much in the same way, but he was more mauled than I was; the tiger took him up and shook him, and knocked his head against the rocks; but he is a tough little chap, and is all right again now.</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>Graham, who was close to him at the time, fell off the same rock down below without a gun, and had the satisfaction of looking on, expecting his turn would come next, and soon as the brute caught his eye he came at him, but luckily missed him.”</i> [1] <br />
<br />
I have managed to establish that there was only one Barton in the Bombay Artillery at this time, and that Charles Barton was at that time Quarter Master & Interpreter to the Headquarters of 4th Battalion Bombay Foot Artillery based at Ahmadabad according to the Bombay Calendar for 1851.<br />
<br />
While many of his generation of artillery officers had the most adventurous of careers, particularly during the Indian Mutiny, Charles seems to have taken part in few if any actual battles. <br />
<br />
His main role was that of a staff officer. Perhaps his qualification as interpreter in three languages, Hindustani, Mahratta and Gujarati set him apart from the other artillery officers who rarely had this qualification for even one language, let alone three at this time. <br />
<br />
He appears in Johnson’s Journal for a second time, and on this occasion they are on an expedition after some robbers.<br />
<br />
<i>“I hate this country quite as much as ever, and rather more, if possible. I can’t make a residence out of England. I want to see some healthy-looking faces again; I feel as if even that would do me good. We are all of us on a wild-goose chase after some murders, about eighty or a hundred miles off, and we are going to try to put salt on their tails; but I am afraid they are quite sure to get news of our whereabouts, an bolt before we get near them. We shall get a lot of snipe, and perhaps have a run after a pig.”</i><br />
<br />
His history doesn’t recall if they ever got the murderers, but it does record Charles Barton getting a wild boar.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge6m5_IRCsD5tdBQCX0r8uMNwmjX7oucZntYCsJcpI_Y3Z0xYHLuBhqzObu3ipOHpDtmLKPoHSksDeEVvZjMDcATs6mzsrQOzpp-2n8jh7ICMBYkFDMmoY3WzX5_lF4DXK_nes26Iegw/s1600/Pig+Sticking+in+Bombay+Presidency+circa+1856.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge6m5_IRCsD5tdBQCX0r8uMNwmjX7oucZntYCsJcpI_Y3Z0xYHLuBhqzObu3ipOHpDtmLKPoHSksDeEVvZjMDcATs6mzsrQOzpp-2n8jh7ICMBYkFDMmoY3WzX5_lF4DXK_nes26Iegw/s400/Pig+Sticking+in+Bombay+Presidency+circa+1856.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Pig Sticking in Bombay Presidency 1856.[2]</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Describing a pig sticking outing Johnson writes:<br />
<br />
<i>"we were all close up at the first spear, which was taken by one Barton, who thoroughly deserved it, for he rides magnificently. I never saw a man ride a pig so perfectly as he does. He belongs to the Artillery, rather short and stoutly made, and rides an Arab Galloway, one of the cleverest animals I suppose that was ever foaled. It is a treat to see a man go across country in the way he does."[</i>3]<br />
<br />
Several small artefacts from his life in India survive to this day.<br />
<br />
One a small envelope, which contains several elephant’s hairs, labelled <br />
<br />
<i>"Elephants hairs, sent from India by my brother Charles".</i><br />
<br />
We like to think they are from the same elephant in the first story, but of course at this remove we shall never know.<br />
<br />
Charles had several sons who went on later to settle in America where Charles Barton had brought a house at Virginia Beach following his retirement.<br />
<br />
These families preserved a tiger skin until well into the 20<sup>th</sup> Century as well as one of his rifles.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixvamZkamll6oAQ_3Tw0yvzcz0IJosxRvJlfO4ubaXU_yU_wSlpNmrx2YFloSwiKrIIC9rJJWRJMjLFCuU7YpVffXO0gm8M6Qmb15Zko_DMMhBaLxg77vXFYR96I-Ax2KAuSRy_SBKQ/s1600/CJB's+Musk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixvamZkamll6oAQ_3Tw0yvzcz0IJosxRvJlfO4ubaXU_yU_wSlpNmrx2YFloSwiKrIIC9rJJWRJMjLFCuU7YpVffXO0gm8M6Qmb15Zko_DMMhBaLxg77vXFYR96I-Ax2KAuSRy_SBKQ/s400/CJB's+Musk.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Charles Barton's Rifle.</div><br />
[1] Page 29, John Company's Cavalryman, from the letters & journals of William Johnson re-published recently by Leonaur Ltd. http://www.leonaur.com<br />
<br />
[2]"A pig-sticking scene," from the Illustrated London News, 1856. from http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00routesdata/1800_1899/britishrule/hunting/hunting.html <br />
<br />
[3] Page 31, John Company's Cavalryman.Nick Balmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12730750075841601992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004998321945892855.post-58754751498417268822010-05-23T01:02:00.000-07:002010-06-02T13:00:15.966-07:00Photos of Bombay in 1857<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXbaTpVxc33uHdmM3cLsIe-ZbsWqO8FEM9nTOCngC6Il1EXy6r82V6-wr4doZvaa73Z9myYPTF22XFbW6ycvBGZX5J_7WLv5pcvtCk59ZWd4OEkhKuLN1u37MBjTSjv66wSHRcHXoKeQ/s1600/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+093.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474374907724196946" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXbaTpVxc33uHdmM3cLsIe-ZbsWqO8FEM9nTOCngC6Il1EXy6r82V6-wr4doZvaa73Z9myYPTF22XFbW6ycvBGZX5J_7WLv5pcvtCk59ZWd4OEkhKuLN1u37MBjTSjv66wSHRcHXoKeQ/s400/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+093.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Figure 1. The Esplanade, Bombay 1857.<br />
Please click on this image and later ones for larger images.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">The following photographs of Bombay were taken either by, or for Captain Charles Barton of the Bombay Artillery.<br />
<br />
Charles had been serving with the Expeditionary Force which had landed in Persia in 1856. While on that expedition, he or one of his colleagues had acquired a camera.<br />
<br />
The expeditionary force started to leave Persia in May 1857 to return to India. It is not clear on which of the ships Charles and his fellow officers came back on, but it is probable that these photos were taken between June and December 1857.<br />
<br />
The first photo suggests that the returning troops were at first unable to find room in the barracks or hotels in Bombay, so that they had set up camps inside gardens of bungalows along the Esplanade. The two tents are identical to those in the photo taken of his camp at Bushire earlier that year.<br />
<br />
</div></div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxU6E82DTS4VpLvKVxqxIgiqv0Gyf9zNNyhdf194dxmC0-K9RgoyBOQ58kwLrtO1Fbf8jVEHRj69lAeais64RPnnRNnl22XrgBs6dCxdHXdXbtjtbWHR7gpnhapoF5VUJubd39mjsxcQ/s1600/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+072.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474374687685674674" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxU6E82DTS4VpLvKVxqxIgiqv0Gyf9zNNyhdf194dxmC0-K9RgoyBOQ58kwLrtO1Fbf8jVEHRj69lAeais64RPnnRNnl22XrgBs6dCxdHXdXbtjtbWHR7gpnhapoF5VUJubd39mjsxcQ/s400/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+072.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 363px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Figure 2. The Adelphi Hotel Bombay. Dec 1857.<br />
This hotel is believed to have been at Byculla.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">The expeditionary force returned to India expecting to move into Cantonments where they could recuperate after a long and gruelling campaign in the heat and the dust of the Gulf.<br />
<br />
As the first ships pulled into Bombay they were greeted with the news that the Bengal Presidency Army had mutinied, and that it was very probable that the Bombay Army might do so at any moment.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2EY1-FLyg4VVlfEjuue86c2BVzo81u6ZF2aXJg9CTCNpeclgsQvlsCZF9qnIrwHTIzyo5iw_mRMmpH5b2h3Khouk6ruAcodsUK4ctsiAX5IO7KYMheFE7gmOiuw2u1JG_8KSc6zN6kg/s1600/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+071.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2EY1-FLyg4VVlfEjuue86c2BVzo81u6ZF2aXJg9CTCNpeclgsQvlsCZF9qnIrwHTIzyo5iw_mRMmpH5b2h3Khouk6ruAcodsUK4ctsiAX5IO7KYMheFE7gmOiuw2u1JG_8KSc6zN6kg/s320/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+071.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Figure 3. Temple at the Byculla Station Bombay.<br />
This temple was close to the Adelphi Hotel shown above.<br />
<br />
</div><br />
General Havelock, the expeditionary force commander. and the European Regiments were almost immediately re-embarked on steamers for the voyage to Calcutta, where Havelock was to take over command of the relief forces moving inland up the Ganges.<br />
<br />
It must have been a time of extraordinary fear and tension.<br />
<br />
Charles Barton at this time was a staff officer working with several batteries and he seems to have spent several weeks and possibly longer in Bombay. During this time most of the balance of the troops returned from Persia were moving up the Ghats and inland towards Ahmednugger.<br />
<br />
It appears likely that by December 1857 Charles had moved into the Adelphi Hotel. He had married Elizabeth Birch in November 1854, and it appears from the locations where her children were born that she was living at Ahmednuggur at this time. Nuggur was of course highly exposed in the event of the mutiny spreading, and he was on the coast.<br />
<br />
Their third daughter Lily was born on July 27th 1858 "at our house at Nuggur", when Charles was away with the expeditionary force, and it is quite probable that the upheavals of the Mutiny period contributed to her death on the 31st of July 1859. It appears that it was some kind of epidemic that carried her off, because Emily, her younger sister born on 19th July 1859 died on the 6th of August 1859, just a week after her elder sister.<br />
<br />
It is possible that Charles move from a camp on the sea front to the Adelphi Hotel was because his wife had come down from Nuggur to avoid the danger of her being attacked in Nuggur.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZDYL_smqB-EJ71UFBR8F5SPPaOwN5IV-ysIlOMWT4obSEBwQmBUnrlkiNknrjJi5nYIKmLpWW6unZjHWFgx45bT-qXDJ4l8offfynR3vRCC8CTjbmZYWehJp-E45XcXxQS6idjoQFfQ/s1600/Charles+James+Barton+pic+1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474380684843757234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZDYL_smqB-EJ71UFBR8F5SPPaOwN5IV-ysIlOMWT4obSEBwQmBUnrlkiNknrjJi5nYIKmLpWW6unZjHWFgx45bT-qXDJ4l8offfynR3vRCC8CTjbmZYWehJp-E45XcXxQS6idjoQFfQ/s400/Charles+James+Barton+pic+1.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 298px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Figure 4. Captain Charles James Barton.</div><br />
<br />
While in Bombay, Charles who had been born on the 22nd of April 1827 at Matoonga near Bombay took the opportunity to visit locations formerly lived in by his parents.<br />
<br />
Charles father, Captain James Barton had also been a Bombay Artillery Officer. In May 1822 he had married Eliza Hawkins, and Charles was their fourth child.<br />
<br />
Shortly after Charles was born, his father had become Agent for Gunpowder and Superintendent of Factory, on the 1st of October 1827, a post which he held until the 19th of May 1829 when he died at Matoonga.<br />
<br />
James was buried in the church at Matoonga, and his fellow officers put up a plaque to his memory. I have no idea if the church survives, and I would be very grateful if anybody can tell if it is still there.<br />
<br />
Charles and his widowed mother returned to Britain, where he was brought up. Much later in his will, Charles would write of being tortured throughout his adult life by having no idea of what his father had looked like. He left strict instructions that pictures should be passed on to his youngest children to avoid this happening to them. Which probably accounts both for the existence of the following pictures as Charles visits the former home of his parents.</div><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_wZSlCmvOc4wE1Yp_Lur-V2MLukkcBkwrrmHn5IXnvX4rWqiPwdqFzZiC5L45Ap29iKfJNbc1nF6xtOLP71qZ1NVS7gheTbkfcYAnPxsTn1Ch8a3REZcFBLSZHF4BtWyKGhaPa3yZiA/s1600/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+068.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474374471707223474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_wZSlCmvOc4wE1Yp_Lur-V2MLukkcBkwrrmHn5IXnvX4rWqiPwdqFzZiC5L45Ap29iKfJNbc1nF6xtOLP71qZ1NVS7gheTbkfcYAnPxsTn1Ch8a3REZcFBLSZHF4BtWyKGhaPa3yZiA/s400/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+068.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 352px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Figure 5. The Old Artillery Mess, Matoonga Bombay, Dec 1857.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">This building is quite possibly where his father had lived and worked. Does it survive today?</div></div><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpxziGcSOSDgKLN2e66wRJ-0O5r24I72rhGEre3UXY0fB9Q_fbfV9gGIaS-Lfxr1dVupTrV3kaZhQF1qWEEWVqeFHQAKfHa0_k6bI64m75gvgVAyFqtjqvLZD7wKayOLVT8T4qUGP7pw/s1600/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+064.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474387290718810786" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpxziGcSOSDgKLN2e66wRJ-0O5r24I72rhGEre3UXY0fB9Q_fbfV9gGIaS-Lfxr1dVupTrV3kaZhQF1qWEEWVqeFHQAKfHa0_k6bI64m75gvgVAyFqtjqvLZD7wKayOLVT8T4qUGP7pw/s400/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+064.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 355px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Figure 6. The Old Fives Courts, Matoongha Bombay. Dec 1857.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">Did his father play Fives?<br />
<br />
I used to play it without much enthusiasm at my school. I wonder, if I might have tried harder, if I had known my great great great grandfather had played it too?</div><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr_JhjlPWUmxC16FnQr4pzgusJ6CrN1z8CaRw3QbSdHysBHGP32rycXnRJq8ZTAtYFivjQYGh4P-SY7GmlrF5N0949ZHOG33C0uOlBvPbnSGG14r58TXQth-LoZEzOxE7QH6sNwbK8ZA/s1600/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+067.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474374265241814834" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr_JhjlPWUmxC16FnQr4pzgusJ6CrN1z8CaRw3QbSdHysBHGP32rycXnRJq8ZTAtYFivjQYGh4P-SY7GmlrF5N0949ZHOG33C0uOlBvPbnSGG14r58TXQth-LoZEzOxE7QH6sNwbK8ZA/s400/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+067.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 340px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Figure 7. Pattinars, Bombay. 1857.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">Bombay was a much smaller place in 1857 than it is today. Much of present day Bombay was under water in 1857. Here are a number of Indian trading vessels laid up at low water. I would be very grateful to any body with good local knowledge of Bombay who could help me locate where these pictures were taken. Sadly, I have never been to Mumbai, but it is one of the places I would like to visit, although, I expect all traces of these buildings must have gone by now.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1P1ZgDNS4q8BuZChjz0OV9D9am7FD8oQZ_8LrU5EGNyTxVJV9M0Ih5cPWViuaSSqDHueOeEmI2r6KmKe1JwjG7gV1_X1smCg4dvJQ-l3jdDZi9CF-mTE5OTImdzlk8A_Fi8cErAL1cA/s1600/bombay-map_1846.gif" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474390466732001458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1P1ZgDNS4q8BuZChjz0OV9D9am7FD8oQZ_8LrU5EGNyTxVJV9M0Ih5cPWViuaSSqDHueOeEmI2r6KmKe1JwjG7gV1_X1smCg4dvJQ-l3jdDZi9CF-mTE5OTImdzlk8A_Fi8cErAL1cA/s400/bombay-map_1846.gif" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 333px;" /></a><br />
<br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Figure 8. A map of Bombay in 1846 showing the location of Matoonga<br />
towards the north east tip of the island..</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNmqW2E6_0YLxPfBhlaUGRbmf_D5UtwXAYg4T7oWUOaTiOZ41asxueXM-USKNkdFoLzfYLw5BAW3hzRVs7ten290_8NN_1bTHcNZo6CjkASO6H4uNiIqf5GwHzL3DeWxbV4S1i-0vmDQ/s1600/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+064.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><br />
</a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8izdj4eJyiuZax15NvthFeZCgETsjN8jyksJgfy4FEU9yEwIipPMbv49ZkdNd0LSJ8eSsmuVOJOMeijOucsL9NHgk2ubhN501ncTCCw3WSiPDfX1bZddcUcfO5aT63iP0NQwhNaT_BA/s1600/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+065.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474373688344726162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8izdj4eJyiuZax15NvthFeZCgETsjN8jyksJgfy4FEU9yEwIipPMbv49ZkdNd0LSJ8eSsmuVOJOMeijOucsL9NHgk2ubhN501ncTCCw3WSiPDfX1bZddcUcfO5aT63iP0NQwhNaT_BA/s400/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+065.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 357px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Figure 9. The Woodstacks Bombay 1857.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">Where this was taken, or why he had this picture taken, I can only puzzle at today, but presumably there must have been hundreds of similar stacks in Bombay in those days.<br />
<br />
<br />
</div></div>Nick Balmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12730750075841601992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004998321945892855.post-69827441360895149492010-04-18T06:08:00.000-07:002014-01-11T13:33:06.800-08:00Ahmednagar and the Commencement of the Central India Campaign in the Indian Mutiny.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH3MhJzQLFz_mw-g3WF0C7jLujiOEJEv5iLES_hVn4msnYez5LcNEkkrZlmi68OJLOp3Cap53qy33GROHABuJ2jzxihWBN2-fa_dERoliqR4qGE6anRlsHn97hTqIer8DLdKDlkjWawA/s1600/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+023.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH3MhJzQLFz_mw-g3WF0C7jLujiOEJEv5iLES_hVn4msnYez5LcNEkkrZlmi68OJLOp3Cap53qy33GROHABuJ2jzxihWBN2-fa_dERoliqR4qGE6anRlsHn97hTqIer8DLdKDlkjWawA/s400/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+023.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461464153877975026" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
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Captain John Dobree Woollcombe, (1822-1875)<br />
4th Battalion 2nd Company Bombay Artillery in 1858. [1]<br />
Please click on image for a larger version.<br />
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If asked to recall a single event from the history of the British presence in India, the vast majority of people would respond with "the Indian Mutiny," and therefore for anybody like myself who had a great great grandfather who was present in India with the East India Company Army, at this time it is inevitable that I should wonder what his role must have been?<br />
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In the case of my great great grandfather Lieutenant Charles James Barton, this has proved to be very long and difficult search, because he doesn't appear to have been in any of the major campaigns, and he doesn't appear in any account that I can find so far that would link him to any of these events.<br />
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We know from Spring's list of Bombay Artillery Officers [2] that as a Lieutenant Charles Barton had been Adjutant of the 1st Battalion, Bombay Foot Artillery since the 6th of January 1853, and that he would remain so until he was promoted to Captain on the 26th August 1859 shortly after the end of the Mutiny.<br />
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However despite the lack of any written evidence that he took any active part in the campaign, it would appear from some surviving photos that have passed down in our family that he was probably involved in the Central India Campaign under Sir Hugh Rose.<br />
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Otherwise it is hard to account for the inclusion of quite so many of these photos in his albums.<br />
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The following is an attempt to piece together the accounts of Sir Hugh Rose's campaign and to place in context some of these photos which include many of the officers like Captain Woollcombe who are present in the albums and who played such important roles in these events.<br />
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For troops of the Bombay Army, the Indian Mutiny became a reality on the 9th of June 1857, when the 14th Light Dragoons were ordered by Major General Woodburn to leave Kirkee, a cantonment just north of Poona or Pune as it is called today. The Regiment was under orders to march to Ahmednuggur, or as it is known today, Ahmednagar.<br />
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Two days later the Dragoons who were a regiment recruited in Britain, were joined on their march by the 25th Bombay Native Infantry under Major Follett. There was an uneasy tension as the Dragoons wondered, as probably did the infantry battalion's officers, whether this regiment would go over to the mutineers as so many of the Bengal Armies units had done.<br />
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On the following day the force passed through Seroor the weather broke.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">"On the third day of the march of our small Force, the monsoon burst in full strength over us, just as we left Seeroor, and by the time our halting-place was reached the darkness and rain were thick and heavy, the black cotton soil was knee-deep in mud, so that the horses could not be kept at their pickets, and dashed about in the darkness like so many wild ones; and the mea whose tents and baggage had not arrived, got shelter as they best could, and, soaked through cloak and tunic, hailed the daylight, and order to march again, with something like satisfaction. Thus, battling with rain and mud, with the worst of carriage for our baggage, which had to be dragged over the worst of roads, and in the worst of seasons, for as yet rebel leaders had not taught us the value of animal transport, and limited baggage, we reached Ahmednugger. The Brigadier here was importuned by Civilians on all sides to send troops."</span>[3]<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5pxVntAZe71P3xUeYo_Kyc18iDOwJFZkuf_s4_ailmbPZoxAtGRT7Szm2IqTJjDA6P1fD7dnThCrxrHb8bRfTXiZ-x0x-ZFhiNblaJ_y2NJwLgy3Ux-7FQWE_CRjQdwPdXg0POTBjoA/s1600/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+046.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5pxVntAZe71P3xUeYo_Kyc18iDOwJFZkuf_s4_ailmbPZoxAtGRT7Szm2IqTJjDA6P1fD7dnThCrxrHb8bRfTXiZ-x0x-ZFhiNblaJ_y2NJwLgy3Ux-7FQWE_CRjQdwPdXg0POTBjoA/s400/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+046.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461545728355710018" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 271px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">"Sally Port & Bridge at Ahmednuggar Fort 1857."</span><br />
Please click on this and subsequent images for a larger version.<br />
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Troops were being assembled as fast as possible from the widely separated cantonments across the Deccan. This was leaving many civilians and administrators highly exposed if the insurgents became any more successful.</div>
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<span style="font-style: italic;">"On the 19th of June Captain H. O. Mayne arrived, with the ladies and children, from Aurungabad, and with such other tidings as induced the Major-General to march at once on that station; our force having the very acceptable reinforcement of the 4th Battalion 2d Company Bombay Artillery, manned by Europeans and commanded by Major Woolcombe, C.B. The roads were vile, and the Godavery river girth deep, but we did not stay to pitch our tents, and merely halted to feed. and give the Infantry and horses rest. The men were so overpowered by sleep that we halted from 11 p.m. till 3 a.m., on the road side, near Dygaon. Here, lining the road, the whole Force was to be seen fast asleep, without the slightest shelter, and the rain pouring steadily down on them.</span>"[4]<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitohYOr_Pp-RLUCd6Qzblpe3l3IEFT-edAUIY_sqHXYuSYAvmJkJSfVQHY_DUK91kbCYvpXqHC5QfJqAnXA4pbfcGDIS2NRuLyzZB6zEekggbsr2xwJd3Qc0vcAczC6dm8wCSPQmIrIg/s1600/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+030.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitohYOr_Pp-RLUCd6Qzblpe3l3IEFT-edAUIY_sqHXYuSYAvmJkJSfVQHY_DUK91kbCYvpXqHC5QfJqAnXA4pbfcGDIS2NRuLyzZB6zEekggbsr2xwJd3Qc0vcAczC6dm8wCSPQmIrIg/s400/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+030.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461547511648588706" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 283px;" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">"Mrs Woollcombe, 1857.</span>"<br />
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I have to presume that Mrs Woollcombe had been living with her husband in his garrison when the mutiny had begun, and it must have been an extremely anxious moment for them both, when he and his battery received orders to move out.<br />
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It appears that she may have remained in Ahmednuggur when her husband moved off with his unit. It is probable that the town was a refuge for many soldiers and officers wives.<br />
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The town appears to have been reinforced in the days and weeks after the town was re-taken by Major General Woodburn's force, and then was used to support the campaign as it moved inland.</div>
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On the following morning the troops set out to capture and punish the first mutineers that they had encountered so far. These mutineers had already left the town and barracks.<br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">At 10 A.M. on the morning of the 23rd, we reached our destination, and were joined by Captain Abbott and other officers. of the Contingent, who had remained in the mess-house with those officers and men of the 1st Regiment of Cavalry who were trustworthy,. and it was with the faithless of these corps that we had to deal. They were encamped on high ground beyond the cantonment on the Jaulna road'. Our column proceeded there,. and formed up, the Battery with 25th Regiment in square on its right flank, one squadron of Dragoons. on its left, the remaining squadron in its rear. The Major General and Staff now proceeded to the front,. and ordered the men of the Contingent to parade, which for the most part they did, and mild measures were resorted to to induce them to return to their allegiance. Many did so, but one native officer, seeing so many going against his cause, summarily ended the affair by discharging his pistol at Captain Abbott, which brought a shot in return. Neither of the missiles took effect, though but a few paces separated officer and trooper. The Brigadier now gave the order to open fire, and pour grape upon the troopers, who had all flown to their horses, ready saddled, in the lines; but unluckily the guns each had a nine-pounder shot in them, and these had first to be shot out, and now the mutineers were in full flight, and the 14th Dragoons were ordered to pursue. Captain Gall led his Troop after those escaping by the Jaulna road, and Captain Barrett followed the few who took the open country, Captain Abbott and some loyal sowars joining in pursuit. Few were overtaken, the tired horses of the Regulars, so heavily laden, being unable to catch the fresh, lightly-mounted cattle of the mutineers. I have no doubt Brigadier Woodburn was led to believe that the men simply required a little pacification, and they would return to. their duty. In order to prevent any disturbance in the Cantonment among the Native Infantry and Artillery, two guns, two Companies of the 25th Regiment, some Madras Sappers and Miners, and Dragoons, all under command of Lieutenant Leith,were judiciously placed near the bridge over the river leading to the Cavalry lines.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Txm7rNF8UCx2BQAOlEU28ZBweJEoLwB3iNZk0z29-oOUYw6gONrsisP1GQp8K73XzG7L5Z73XYXM7OHoPvMUIgsQbFkiKb_FH0UBhU53p3uXnJJRrUoTj8RZnnkV2Y-YCtcQl-aDcw/s1600/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+005.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Txm7rNF8UCx2BQAOlEU28ZBweJEoLwB3iNZk0z29-oOUYw6gONrsisP1GQp8K73XzG7L5Z73XYXM7OHoPvMUIgsQbFkiKb_FH0UBhU53p3uXnJJRrUoTj8RZnnkV2Y-YCtcQl-aDcw/s400/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+005.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461550524141200706" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 318px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">"The new barracks Ahmednuggur, 1857."</span><br />
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As was to be the case in so many other places in India at that time little time or mercy was shown towards the mutineers.<br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">This affair having been disposed of, and the prisoners marched into Camp, Courts Martial immediately commenced. The first prisoner tried was Meer Fider Ali, who attempted to prove an alibi, but the following day the whole of the troops in the station, including the Contingent, were paraded to see him hanged. This was done by placing him on a cart, which, after the adjustment of the noose, was driven from beneath him, and the whole Force present were marched past that they might have an uninterrupted view.<br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtz82hd7LqUnwl9ubx8gnoX0lkuAzDRtZw4gszwq5WloJ95iyX46W13xS5kT2yQ3BPzlAaJ8Dp_qKDtanvPRra9D6w3bGbXYfSGozHU7UA57yDYcsqEBhPNAJI-BkzMZIvtCDcPwwqlg/s1600/Ahmednuggur+Fort.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtz82hd7LqUnwl9ubx8gnoX0lkuAzDRtZw4gszwq5WloJ95iyX46W13xS5kT2yQ3BPzlAaJ8Dp_qKDtanvPRra9D6w3bGbXYfSGozHU7UA57yDYcsqEBhPNAJI-BkzMZIvtCDcPwwqlg/s400/Ahmednuggur+Fort.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461556244118701730" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 348px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></span></div>
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The Fort at Ahmednagar from Google Earth.<br />
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As soon as the town had been secured, the expeditionary force set off into the interior in an attempt to secure treasure from it's being lost to the mutineers.</div>
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<span style="font-style: italic;">That evening a Squadron of the 14th Dragoons, two of Woolcombe's. guns, two of the Nizam's, as well as some Contingent and Bombay Native Infantry,. all under command of Captain Gall, marched at dusk on Boldana in Berar, as there was a large sum of money in the treasury there, guarded by a troop of this mutinous corps of the Nizam's.</span><br />
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The town then became a base for further operations and I believe that it was as part of the reinforcements that poured into the area that Lieutenant Barton arrived in the town. It is quite possible that he became responsible for running the arsenal at Ahmednagar, which is shown in the following photograph.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqaME_wMQhkC-4-rYEjXtvU_sSOpTxXg8MqBzDBJCTH4KgysdOekL5zWvJ0Vd5eMn_a8MYx-ampqPONHWTZBWbff0yw_kdqQ3qaZwslTv-ryV4ebLdfuPWemaPxdyTJnDZDnIRK7Tfew/s1600/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+084.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqaME_wMQhkC-4-rYEjXtvU_sSOpTxXg8MqBzDBJCTH4KgysdOekL5zWvJ0Vd5eMn_a8MYx-ampqPONHWTZBWbff0yw_kdqQ3qaZwslTv-ryV4ebLdfuPWemaPxdyTJnDZDnIRK7Tfew/s400/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+084.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461560816014147970" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 305px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">"Arsenal Nuggur."</span><br />
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It is probable that when he first arrived at Ahmednagar that he was living in the building illustrated in the following photograph that appears to be a converted tomb or possibly temple.<br />
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Does this building still survive?<br />
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What was its former purpose?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWvwcd0eiaw2KXhhA57kDb3UQUx_J5lILz45BzzaBBvpDt9PcBhNRCOcP-XB2yKDkJqvQBurB-NgtvH5u2g33bZDxvNMZjUKx9Ygiyw_tUXERXKNSfsZ8Hzr3x5EBjRwzoVYUsW42ZKw/s1600/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+104.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWvwcd0eiaw2KXhhA57kDb3UQUx_J5lILz45BzzaBBvpDt9PcBhNRCOcP-XB2yKDkJqvQBurB-NgtvH5u2g33bZDxvNMZjUKx9Ygiyw_tUXERXKNSfsZ8Hzr3x5EBjRwzoVYUsW42ZKw/s400/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+104.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461562832446850338" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 368px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">"Adjutant's Qrs. N. I. Lines, Nuggur."</span><br />
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However it appears that his wife and children may have joined him a little later in the year, because the following bungalow became their home.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtQ8JXX-d3IzZWYI-LPce8M6EzIZocZTtT7CtFpGrea-11GP8Ey4RuARbPiCoLDFGi_Yi6gdnBrSiBGLfc4gVl55uUtI5wq3sSOv5SuuwXGMM4WTmOPSYPFYW7VzTh-O2vo5LlVGS5SA/s1600/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+111.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtQ8JXX-d3IzZWYI-LPce8M6EzIZocZTtT7CtFpGrea-11GP8Ey4RuARbPiCoLDFGi_Yi6gdnBrSiBGLfc4gVl55uUtI5wq3sSOv5SuuwXGMM4WTmOPSYPFYW7VzTh-O2vo5LlVGS5SA/s400/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+111.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461568066342578482" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 353px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">"Porch of our house at Nuggur 1857."</span><br />
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The cantonment would no doubt have struck a modern soldier as being rather basic, but it did at least have a library, in another converted building.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhKFYx-eJq0bc5PYIc809vQSzKH0JUqygu2Vs2NX66qbhg5BZ5IE0MvG5DbmK5FCrnOucKdSOAzvJAwIp_zX3tM4EsCTEiOBinaON6YPLg53c8SwTXab85OzRkT7zhT0skpvyNM0x3Og/s1600/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+059.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhKFYx-eJq0bc5PYIc809vQSzKH0JUqygu2Vs2NX66qbhg5BZ5IE0MvG5DbmK5FCrnOucKdSOAzvJAwIp_zX3tM4EsCTEiOBinaON6YPLg53c8SwTXab85OzRkT7zhT0skpvyNM0x3Og/s400/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+059.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461557843328614642" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 294px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">"Station Library Ahmednuggur Fort.</span>"<br />
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The cantonment also had a purpose built church where no doubt many soldiers wives prayed especially fervently for the safe return of their husbands away fighting the insurgents.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBTrjCPkNy5e9hzV9wtbO66Zc9pntnQBlSnOiwUNH7cqAwKDelp_PQzUs_XBYYCPlR4xjFmETP_LOaRPAm4_aguIgl1yYia2BEM-sEDX4mK6s86E3UWZZiEaxV3pvVTG5Zv1DGVUKRA/s1600/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+094.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBTrjCPkNy5e9hzV9wtbO66Zc9pntnQBlSnOiwUNH7cqAwKDelp_PQzUs_XBYYCPlR4xjFmETP_LOaRPAm4_aguIgl1yYia2BEM-sEDX4mK6s86E3UWZZiEaxV3pvVTG5Zv1DGVUKRA/s400/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+094.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461570065941516002" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 375px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">"Church Nuggur."</span><br />
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It appears that the security situation must have become safe enough for the officers and wives to start visiting local monuments and beauty spots by January 1858, because amongst the photos are several of Happy Valley.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8171cm4en1CfYhoAX1Fir-Plblkvmr4As7ksnH6C0j9ZwACtElZhzfyiCk7y-aTFbkoYDVKW-WZDs2_MSD17baExNRmMURrUzp66AEWrKoqz2aqcMjZJvr-v748m_4T2_IFttXGTr2w/s1600/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+063.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8171cm4en1CfYhoAX1Fir-Plblkvmr4As7ksnH6C0j9ZwACtElZhzfyiCk7y-aTFbkoYDVKW-WZDs2_MSD17baExNRmMURrUzp66AEWrKoqz2aqcMjZJvr-v748m_4T2_IFttXGTr2w/s400/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+063.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461571238915552082" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 302px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">"Salabut Khan's Tomb near Nuggar 1857"</span><br />
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I would love to hear from anybody who can tell me if these buildings still survive. What are they called today? What was their history?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpvH9Haq-VUv9nfGCwf0-yewGGr_QA8igRL_GNUJ6_pdRcMtSINV_kUb3r46g5yfzHTCRaSFWlDTCs9CA2Pwni4KIb4t7u1Uc3TjkCq_Frme5pmOXk5U6NDnojVCzlfNf8lIRN2WNHcg/s1600/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+087.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpvH9Haq-VUv9nfGCwf0-yewGGr_QA8igRL_GNUJ6_pdRcMtSINV_kUb3r46g5yfzHTCRaSFWlDTCs9CA2Pwni4KIb4t7u1Uc3TjkCq_Frme5pmOXk5U6NDnojVCzlfNf8lIRN2WNHcg/s400/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+087.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461571725223041538" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 318px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">"Aringaum, Nuggur"</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Is this a tomb, or perhaps a Serai?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3Xruok2Wp74vsgNTp7QFC1p2ixsLk4nj8jFb2i2hev9dkkGp3pM-FAjIkN_UGZX6qJiYFcLg5k2hIAaqr1L5eBwaTX2gfvg_9IJzYJbtrttb_nOJ-BsR94us87gfkaF1M4KN3mp0Eg/s1600/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+088.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3Xruok2Wp74vsgNTp7QFC1p2ixsLk4nj8jFb2i2hev9dkkGp3pM-FAjIkN_UGZX6qJiYFcLg5k2hIAaqr1L5eBwaTX2gfvg_9IJzYJbtrttb_nOJ-BsR94us87gfkaF1M4KN3mp0Eg/s400/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+088.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461572119203019938" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 358px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">"Fevrah Bagh, Nuggur."</span><br />
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Picnics were a favourite family activity for officers and their wives, and must have helped to relieve the tension and anxiety of the previous months when they can often have wondered if they were not to suffer the same fate as those other officers and their families at places like Meerut and Cawnpur.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNIYCJdxv_-S3i2UhAWw2zBfjMOTcJXegy-EeJsSIzdIYU9ty0-oXeJ8rJ5e6gCrl6c0lIgYsKYbu-P-ny2vQ2QoTuWKbDRPXopvC8Mnrkdtvtx5mY-mDqYY0qHntGd5EQUoSSAnoDDg/s1600/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+100.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNIYCJdxv_-S3i2UhAWw2zBfjMOTcJXegy-EeJsSIzdIYU9ty0-oXeJ8rJ5e6gCrl6c0lIgYsKYbu-P-ny2vQ2QoTuWKbDRPXopvC8Mnrkdtvtx5mY-mDqYY0qHntGd5EQUoSSAnoDDg/s400/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+100.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461575096156045602" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 347px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">"Happy Valley No 3 EGH"</span><br />
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I have no idea who took the photos, and so while it is possible that Charles Barton took them himself, it is probably more likely that there was a photographer active in the town during 1857.<br />
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Could this photographer had a name with the initials EGH?<br />
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The same initials appear elsewhere in the album.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrMR04UVzGsErL1YtKgbt41c9w1NGRv_99qQuiKkFEru_PA1GRxyQZMzGoKsW-74I__3HOYeqsFjDfJQyID_PjuJj9O2X3wQixbafdDAQTImx1CrA5eEFZNnlx1hR_5TdRBMCEzJXoeQ/s1600/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+076.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrMR04UVzGsErL1YtKgbt41c9w1NGRv_99qQuiKkFEru_PA1GRxyQZMzGoKsW-74I__3HOYeqsFjDfJQyID_PjuJj9O2X3wQixbafdDAQTImx1CrA5eEFZNnlx1hR_5TdRBMCEzJXoeQ/s400/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+076.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461559093666876850" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 276px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-style: italic;">"The Happy Valley near Nuggur Janry 1858. No 2. EGH"</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCEi6YhZq0zieT6xkVZQv2OyHI0bGqs9L6Wnsx32nD26LWCjAsoUfzazVXTFK8iFjDGTliKqL-W0inLAMbQRPUbh03bvOKV_x3NNUIx7FPCAIGos4VDgTwnY_BUriD8RfcEp8lJRFtDA/s1600/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+101.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCEi6YhZq0zieT6xkVZQv2OyHI0bGqs9L6Wnsx32nD26LWCjAsoUfzazVXTFK8iFjDGTliKqL-W0inLAMbQRPUbh03bvOKV_x3NNUIx7FPCAIGos4VDgTwnY_BUriD8RfcEp8lJRFtDA/s400/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+101.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461575631593108050" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 362px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">"Happy Valley No 4."</span></div>
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Is this valley still a popular resort today?<br />
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How far is it from the town itself?<br />
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If you have found this blog post and you come from Ahmednagar, I would love to see photos of these locations today, and it would be great if it were possible to locate where they were taken in the town.<br />
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If you are aware of any further sources of information on the activities of the Bombay Artillery at this time that can fill in the gaps in my knowledge, I would also very much like to hear from you.</div>
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[1] Colonel F.W,H. Spring, The Bombay Artillery List of Officers who have served in the Regiment of Bombay Artillery, Publ 1902. Page 95 has a short summary of Woollcombe's career.<br />
[2] Spring, page 99.<br />
[3]John Henry Sylvester, Recollections of the Campaign in Malwa and Central India under Major General Sir Hugh Rose. Published 1860.<br />
[4] Sylvester. Page 4.</div>
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Nick Balmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12730750075841601992noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004998321945892855.post-43487671582476306452009-12-20T03:25:00.000-08:002009-12-20T07:25:59.754-08:00War with Persia, 1856 and 1857. Introduction.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJWwyEzOkQiDWdVbxQaHRzfWeKAMmKxBnvmNzPxbP3EYTg0qAQ52TYZXj4VObnsKOWqYcZapuNeL9bscePsuyukKMd7yo_lYQRAJHj7fMkPBHdvlJe8pM3VffntN13xRwRTPDDSpaeSA/s1600-h/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+042.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 313px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJWwyEzOkQiDWdVbxQaHRzfWeKAMmKxBnvmNzPxbP3EYTg0qAQ52TYZXj4VObnsKOWqYcZapuNeL9bscePsuyukKMd7yo_lYQRAJHj7fMkPBHdvlJe8pM3VffntN13xRwRTPDDSpaeSA/s400/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+042.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417301923480773746" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">EGH Town of Bushire, 1856-57.<br /><br />A wind tower can be seen in the centre of the photograph. These clever devices use the daily occurring on and offshore winds to draw cool air through the house below. To the right of the photo can be seen the Flag Pole over the British Legation. From this it is possible to establish that the photo was taken from the south of the city, looking due north towards the anchorage.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Please click on image for larger version. Photo courtesy of Mr & Mrs A. Barton.</span></div><br /><br />With scarcely a day going by when Iran and its nuclear programme does not feature in our newspapers and media, it is perhaps worth reflecting that this situation is nothing new.<br /><br />What follows is an account of an earlier political struggle with Iran that turned into a fierce little war. As is the case today, Persia in the 19th Century was a proud and ancient nation, situated at a strategic cross roads in a very volatile part of the World. It found itself under pressure from the military Super Power of the day.<br /><br />My interest in this campaign stems from the discovery of a photograph album that belonged to my Great Great Grandfather Charles James Barton, an officer in the Bombay Artillery containing a number of pictures taken during this campaign.<br /><br />With the recent advent of Google Books and the re-publication of several accounts from the period it is now possible to put together a narrative to describe the campaign, using these photos to illustrate these events.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgorxucn8MYACdRnDS8Ngcb7mjKahCIgW9NnLHeQn4iQ51eRoafZYsahFSBeiUW_fxAnubrTW0NbPldiTuV-dB4f0aIboZHJlUfe9k4_l-ZdajK3EedTsznqCPtm87WZTq4oUZgySCQvg/s1600-h/Persia_1814+001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 338px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgorxucn8MYACdRnDS8Ngcb7mjKahCIgW9NnLHeQn4iQ51eRoafZYsahFSBeiUW_fxAnubrTW0NbPldiTuV-dB4f0aIboZHJlUfe9k4_l-ZdajK3EedTsznqCPtm87WZTq4oUZgySCQvg/s400/Persia_1814+001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417295535151201298" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">A map showing the political and military situation in 1856.<br /><br />Please click on the image for a larger version. [1]</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">With the ending of the Napoleonic Wars, Britain and Russia had been left with experienced armies, and with no real rivals to keep them in check as they both developed their Empires in the East. Russia had expanded its territories to the south east towards the Caspian Seas and towards Bokara and Samarkand.<br /><br />The East India Company was at the same time steadily absorbing the Punjab and much of what is now Pakistan. This forward expansion by the European's into Asia had been a bloody experience for all concerned, as small professional armies came up against strong local forces made up of tribal warriors with centuries of experience in fighting guerilla warfare.<br /><br />Some of these Asian and Caucasian nations like the Afghans, Sikhs and Georgians where able to inflict serious defeats on the European's.<br /><br />However by 1855, the remaining independent states of Afghanistan and Persia found themselves under pressure from both Russia and Britain, to come within their respective spheres of influence. The Crimean War was being fought out between the Russian's and the British, French and Turks around the Black Sea and in the eastern parts of the Ottoman Empire which added to the tensions in the region.<br /><br />Both Britain and Russia were engaged in what has since become known as the Great Game.<br /><br />Embassies and military missions, in towns like Kars, Tabriz, Teheran, Herat, Meshad and Kabul were increasingly occupied by competing diplomats, soldiers and adventurers from Britain and Russian, bent on increasing their respective countries dominance over these strategic centres.<br /><br />The existing rulers of Persia, led by the Shah, and Afghanistan by Dost Mahomed Khan tried their best to play off the two European Super Powers, to gain time and support in their own internal power struggles, and in those with their neighbours.<br /><br />Nether ruler entirely controlled their respective territories, so that Dost Mahomed Khan's nephew Syed Mahomed Khan was able to rest much of Kandahar and the west of modern Afghanistan away from his uncles control, and Herat had become a kind of no man's land between Persia and Afghanistan, ruled by Syed Mahomed Khan.<br /><br />Throughout the early 1850's the British representative in Teheran Colonel Sheil, appears to have maintained a difficult balance between representing his national interests in Persia, whilst at the same time maintaining dialogue with the Shah and his representatives.<br /><br />Reading the British correspondence, which seem through modern eyes, very overbearing and which must have been highly offensive to the Persian's, it is perhaps surprising that relations had not broken down earlier.[2]<br /><br />As in many wars, the final breakdown in relations between the countries came over a side issue, rather than because of the major grievances that had been building up over the previous decade.<br /><br />On the 15th of June 1854 Meeza Hashem Khan was appointed as Persian Secretary to the British mission at Teheran. He was a thirty year old member of the Nooree tribe, and he was married to a member of the Shah's family. This appointment caused great offence to the Shah and his advisers, possibly because Meeza Hashem Khan was in far too a good a position to advise the British about the internal workings of the court. Perhaps he was seen as threat to the Shah. The appointment became a diplomatic incident involving the British Government in London, and nether side wanted to back down.<br /><br />A compromise was suggested by the British whereby Meeza Hashem Khan would be appointed as British Agent at Shiraz. However on the 6th of November 1855, the Persian Government told Mr. Murray the new British representative in Teheran, that if Meeza Hashem Khan set out for Shiraz he would be detained. Shortly afterwards Meerza Hashem Khan's wife was seized and detained. Mr. Murray at once demanded this ladies release, threatening to take down the Missions flag and to break off friendly relations.<br /><br />Sadr Azim the Persian prime minister then stated that the reason Murray and Thomson were trying to get Meeza Hashem Khan's wife released was because they had been having an affair with her. He claimed that when the mission had gone into summer camp in the mountains above Tehran, with the Shah and his government, they had camped in the same village, and had been seen together.<br /><br />The Persian's then commenced a campaign to whip up local public indignation. Sadr Azim drew up a petition against Murray and the Khan family which was sent around the Mullah's to receive their seals. However the Chief priest Imaum o' Joomah refused to sign as he said he had no knowledge of the truth of its contents.<br /><br />Relationships broke down completely, and the mission was withdrawn. In November 1855 Kars fell to Russia, and sensing that the British who were still fighting Russia in the Crimea would be unable to prevent their taking Herat, the Persian army set off for the city, which they took.<br /><br />As far back as January 1853 Colonel Shiel had advised that in the event of Persia attacking Herat, the best practical option for Britain was to capture Bushire on the Persia Gulf, and to hold it as a bargaining counter, until such time as Persia could be pressured into giving up Herat.<br /><br />The British had several motives for this approach. The first was that they feared that if a Russian dominated Persia took Herat it would open up the route to the Bolan and Khyber Pass to the Russian's.<br /><br />It was feared that Russia could bring an army to the Punjab or Sindh.<br /><br />Britain however also wanted control of Bushire because it offered a better port than Basra, which was Britain's main base at the head of the Gulf. Kharg Island had particularly good fresh water, and was easily defensible with a small force against attacks, unlike Basra which was easily approached by land.<br /><br />Throughout the summer of 1856 Persian missions to London, and to Constantinople attempted to negotiate a resolution to the impasse.<br /><br />In Constantinople the British team was led by Lord Stratford de Redcliffe. He presented Ferokh Khan an ultimatum on the 17th of October demanding that Herat be evacuated, which Ferokh Khan signed consenting to the Persian's evacuating Herat.<br /><br />Herat had finally fallen to the Persian force on the 25th of October 1856. On the 25th of November Mr. Murray struck his flag at Teheran by the 5th of December 1856 he had travelled out of Persia and onto Baghdad.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnuUo-NNFQI8Q9Y_VszhsyKIiMMogQVqeNh1LCwqIRIOit_ZAOgvED2wJds1OE-TxtZ_nTNSJIf0Pg6Yx78yqUltgxyqz4r3K6LpZizApXFQp8KKn95yTj3FGGqxmMbHpHsEQcGfQd3A/s1600-h/467px-Faruk_Khan_Nadar.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 311px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnuUo-NNFQI8Q9Y_VszhsyKIiMMogQVqeNh1LCwqIRIOit_ZAOgvED2wJds1OE-TxtZ_nTNSJIf0Pg6Yx78yqUltgxyqz4r3K6LpZizApXFQp8KKn95yTj3FGGqxmMbHpHsEQcGfQd3A/s400/467px-Faruk_Khan_Nadar.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417333808740304242" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Ferokh Khan, known today as Faruk Khan Nadar.</span>[3]<br /></div><br /><br />The British seemed determined to push further and they demanded the dismissal of Sadr Azim the Persian Prime Minister. A proclamation of war was issued by the Governor General of India on the 1st of November 1856.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />[1] Thomson Map of 1814. Courtesy of Wikimedia. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Persia_1814.jpg<br />[2] Capt. G.H. Hunt, Outram & Havelock's Persian Campaign. Published 1857, re-published by The Naval & Military Press Ltd. 2009, pages 140 to 186.<br />[3] From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Faruk_Khan_Nadar.jpg<br /><br /><br /><br /></div></div>Nick Balmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12730750075841601992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004998321945892855.post-90271795933287372402009-11-17T11:10:00.000-08:002009-11-17T11:38:43.018-08:00Informal Group at Karachi in 1866<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxAtHaAfGyLdyq8EBLZS_7McCw5zqIt8YvNzB0IX1X_YHnT3-58Nokzy7XtlJG0_5j6Qd957B_rtrKrPfwLKMEyy1fFP3sUXw8UHD3VhhDxBtTfhJ089qLAvqYAkwj5mDUBihMdCjS5g/s1600/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+013.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 230px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxAtHaAfGyLdyq8EBLZS_7McCw5zqIt8YvNzB0IX1X_YHnT3-58Nokzy7XtlJG0_5j6Qd957B_rtrKrPfwLKMEyy1fFP3sUXw8UHD3VhhDxBtTfhJ089qLAvqYAkwj5mDUBihMdCjS5g/s400/CJ+Barton+Photo+Album+2+013.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405156327968293122" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Mrs Brab 1866, this is known to be the wife of Brabazon Pottinger, because she also appears in the following photo.</span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Xmq6eKhY-hDP_pE_LNCusOSo0hZ7OpppQWmnyWla4ZRdtfAYohqJvJzOfUsa7MsEHpywDiOD-ut7J1zNeCAadokgKOERAspZtNYlBqDNUWfixnM6Fyj-In50NsN4xG6otKJJmK24fg/s1600/CJ+Barton+Album+1+022.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 377px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Xmq6eKhY-hDP_pE_LNCusOSo0hZ7OpppQWmnyWla4ZRdtfAYohqJvJzOfUsa7MsEHpywDiOD-ut7J1zNeCAadokgKOERAspZtNYlBqDNUWfixnM6Fyj-In50NsN4xG6otKJJmK24fg/s400/CJ+Barton+Album+1+022.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405152170769374610" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Left to right, Miss Sealey, Thornhill, Mrs Nicholetts, Spring, Alfred Pottinger, Mrs Brab Pottinger, - Mrs Sealy.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfN-B6KjMR4b3VyTpQe7V9sySIGMFc7QP5XFXPZfFwl-yd5r29DnkMezfwUu3GSeNyrWqudHq97P4YcttzdV5J8wapkEnwVUEBbblREIRbMMi-qpQYe19b5HD7iHMVcc6T-Nk6SkOPYQ/s1600/CJ+Barton+Album+1+024.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 391px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfN-B6KjMR4b3VyTpQe7V9sySIGMFc7QP5XFXPZfFwl-yd5r29DnkMezfwUu3GSeNyrWqudHq97P4YcttzdV5J8wapkEnwVUEBbblREIRbMMi-qpQYe19b5HD7iHMVcc6T-Nk6SkOPYQ/s400/CJ+Barton+Album+1+024.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405152603989236146" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Spring, Barton, Griffith, Mrs Canfield{?}, Brab Pottinger, Mrs Do., Mrs Dende, Jenner, Myers, Miss Faithful, Thornhill.</span><br /><br />These photos come from a private collection originally put together by my great great grandfather Charles James Barton, Bombay Artillery, & Royal Artillery.<br /><br />They were almost certainly taken in Karachi, where Captain Barton was stationed with his battery.Nick Balmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12730750075841601992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004998321945892855.post-32022746788515331882009-10-17T13:00:00.001-07:002009-11-01T06:31:49.223-08:00Hill Fort of Mhowle or Mahuli<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirQbO4E1POY2OMtOmkbeCOBnctxp6XTgve-zOPf5WEXFx6oOS_tSf9krfST4ZDuVNFnFrWZ0G0ky0xSIRjZpI03-DRdn5sx10zb8ZDDMoKV54w8y2nr79zD0CwAKuv1Ain0a7R_ul8Lw/s1600-h/Mhowle+Fort+002.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirQbO4E1POY2OMtOmkbeCOBnctxp6XTgve-zOPf5WEXFx6oOS_tSf9krfST4ZDuVNFnFrWZ0G0ky0xSIRjZpI03-DRdn5sx10zb8ZDDMoKV54w8y2nr79zD0CwAKuv1Ain0a7R_ul8Lw/s400/Mhowle+Fort+002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393661611376240290" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Hill Fort of Mhowle Drawn by Captn. Barton and Lithographed by R Ackermann.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Please click on image for a larger version.</span><br /></div><br />The lithograph is one of a number made from drawings by James Barton my great great great grandfather, a Captain in the Bombay Artillery between 1811 and 1827.<br /><br />James Barton who originated from Manchester, had sailed out to India from Portsmouth shortly after 12th January 1811. Arriving in Bombay shortly before the 8th of June 1811, he was appointed as a Lieutenant Fireworker on the 8th of June 1811, and was promoted again on the following day to Lieutenant.<br /><br />It is not clear when the drawing that Ackermann subsequently turned into the lithograph was completed.<br /><br />James Barton was however on active service in this region of the Konkan during 1818 at the height of the Mahratta War.<br /><br />Following the war he married Eliza Georgiana Hawkins on the May 22<sup>nd</sup> 1821 at Bombay Cathedral. During the 1880's Eliza wrote an account of her life which said..<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">“I continued to reside with Catherine until in May 1821, I married Captn James Barton, who was Brigade Major in the East India Company’s Artillery. We were married in Bombay Cathedral, & went to live in Seroor, where my Husband held his appointment.We lived there very comfortably."</span><br /><br />It is quite possible that the drawings were done in the course of their journey or possibly honeymoon while on their way together to Seroor.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlxxMhB2yUdyh6usX75iHW_YWISu1yb9gyhh8zwV_7j7vaIx5-4ha_G3IGyvXiyBD31e94XqkkB93WmYO41lgXrbHZXTDRVOg8w_AEn8luaZA0JLOeJkEIZ2aC-bB83bG49KXIHb6ag/s1600-h/MRS+ELIZA+BARTON.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 335px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlxxMhB2yUdyh6usX75iHW_YWISu1yb9gyhh8zwV_7j7vaIx5-4ha_G3IGyvXiyBD31e94XqkkB93WmYO41lgXrbHZXTDRVOg8w_AEn8luaZA0JLOeJkEIZ2aC-bB83bG49KXIHb6ag/s400/MRS+ELIZA+BARTON.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399139444099437938" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Mrs James Barton, dressed in her best Muslin dress</span><br /></div><br />I have never been to this region of India, and I would be fascinated to learn where he had been camped. What does this mountain look like today?<br /><br />I do not know the route he was taking, but there was a route past the fort that was sufficiently important during the 1820's for it to appear in a guide book published in 1826. This perhaps provides a clue as to the location of the camp.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=GZMRAQAAIAAJ&dq=Mhowle&pg=PA80&ci=526%2C683%2C384%2C714&source=bookclip"><img src="http://books.google.com/books?id=GZMRAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA80&img=1&zoom=3&hl=en&sig=ACfU3U2amU6ZEpy9c-52hSEB00rktvNiOQ&ci=526%2C683%2C384%2C714&edge=0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=GZMRAQAAIAAJ&dq=Mhowle&pg=PA81&ci=86%2C198%2C377%2C850&source=bookclip"><img src="http://books.google.com/books?id=GZMRAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA81&img=1&zoom=3&hl=en&sig=ACfU3U1ACOlH8EEW87LmVo9j3cTb0gaPqw&ci=86%2C198%2C377%2C850&edge=0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">From "Itinerary and directory for Western India: being a collection of routes ..." by John Clunes published in 1826.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">It is interesting to try to fit the route given above with Google Earth images.<br /><br />Kalian, is now called Kalyan. If however you type Kalyan into Google Earth it takes you to a location at 19 degs 16' 23.32" N 73 degs 08' 13.16" E, which is a grassy bank on the Ulhas River a couple of miles upstream of a major unnamed city shown at 19 degs 14' 30.21"N 73 degs 07' 19.28" E which appears to be Kalyan, and which appears to fit mapping produced in the 1950's much better than the position given by Google Earth.<br /><br />The second location given in the itinerary Titwalla is spelt Titvala today.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQoDQsyh9rTLCCLskYfWKHIEu2IGVqqFXP4DLHSPac9MpVVKtAtra9Vo7jOIo3MEZU0lgc66J04YfD873ux8029Ao9LfjgqEVj2zRYKl8IQA87A_OlLEypCbuPdA7oZ8iogv6C7iGcEw/s1600-h/Extract+of+1953+Map+003+marked+with+route.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 235px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQoDQsyh9rTLCCLskYfWKHIEu2IGVqqFXP4DLHSPac9MpVVKtAtra9Vo7jOIo3MEZU0lgc66J04YfD873ux8029Ao9LfjgqEVj2zRYKl8IQA87A_OlLEypCbuPdA7oZ8iogv6C7iGcEw/s400/Extract+of+1953+Map+003+marked+with+route.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399138309541050786" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">A marked up copy of a 1950's American map of the Konkan, showing the approximate route given in John Clune's itinerary from 1826. Please click on the image for a larger map. [1]</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">If you measure the modern direct route to Titvala via Ambivli, it comes out at only 7 miles, where Clunes says 9.7 miles. Interestingly however if you followed the modern NH 222 to the point where it crosses the Ulhas River, and then strike off towards Titvala the distance comes out at 9.7 miles.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWe1JirBj31fSXbnBn_Bvsso-Uld7oyLDkcyJnIaRgLeri-mxPHEQgAkUipRbymF6VNyD_GlWgQzr_97aaH_GXdMyRsZ1miJCLqqQPcVwNu1X-rURu65M0VLFsqA51pjLRydEjjBvzDw/s1600-h/Titwalla+Ford.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 348px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWe1JirBj31fSXbnBn_Bvsso-Uld7oyLDkcyJnIaRgLeri-mxPHEQgAkUipRbymF6VNyD_GlWgQzr_97aaH_GXdMyRsZ1miJCLqqQPcVwNu1X-rURu65M0VLFsqA51pjLRydEjjBvzDw/s400/Titwalla+Ford.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399120303161640210" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Google Earth Image of the areas around Titwalla or Titvala.<br />Please click on image for larger version.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;">The most obvious ford of the Kalloo River, or Kalu River is the location shows at Titwalla Ford 1826, but the American military maps which were largely based on British military maps from the early 20th century show the ford at the alternative location I have marked. This alternative location certainly has a large gravel bank and is probably quite shallow. The actual ford used may of course have depended on the state of the river and rainfall at the time, as well as the determination of the party attempting to cross the river.<br /><br />The itinerary goes on to a village called Ootnah. This name has gone, but there is a village marked at Utan on the 1950's map, and which clearly shows on Google Earth in about the right sort of location.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIx05VHgclX8yO3aKKsB38GQw4-wgmC2n5WUCkEPydZ49ro0Qw8JhtWhvVao07msdp56vPJKMGRT2S2D4ScgK7Cj08aABMoHRrCPy3xaNiupx80714cABc6foCgPfIOte2vtRiTq-lqw/s1600-h/Routes+to+Kosle.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 348px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIx05VHgclX8yO3aKKsB38GQw4-wgmC2n5WUCkEPydZ49ro0Qw8JhtWhvVao07msdp56vPJKMGRT2S2D4ScgK7Cj08aABMoHRrCPy3xaNiupx80714cABc6foCgPfIOte2vtRiTq-lqw/s400/Routes+to+Kosle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399123440272849250" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Route between Titwalla and Kooslah.<br />Please click on image for larger version.<br /></span></div><br />As the itinerary clearly goes to Ootnah I have shown the probable route. The route traced follows a road that is still in use to this day, although as Kosle is neared it degenerates into little more than a cattle track, but this is often the case with routes whose importance is eclipsed by things like railways for new roads.<br /><br />I have also marked an alternative route that could also have been used. The intinerary talks of <span style="font-style: italic;">"Through thin jungle... 3. 6 miles."</span> The areas around Utan appear to be cultivated, and I can only presume that this has probably been the case for several centuries.<br /><br />It is possible that this jungle was the area of tree covered hills shown on the photo. There are tracks across these hills, as well as several long linear features which I take to be natural features, possibly part of the Deccan Traps?<br /><br />Are these lines caused by volcanic intrusions?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBqe7kPHEYmXhv3DP_klO0ehUda5hq_vzV538Ihkr8JSz9s4ZjKx8jo2VUsyDiRd_UVEugkf30BbGhge3jJ_Aq_0OqkYQcMFZDCHk1FrmbvNwXP6yCUXDGhmR993SxlTZ2rWO6tsU_Jg/s1600-h/Two+branches+of+Batsee+River.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 348px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBqe7kPHEYmXhv3DP_klO0ehUda5hq_vzV538Ihkr8JSz9s4ZjKx8jo2VUsyDiRd_UVEugkf30BbGhge3jJ_Aq_0OqkYQcMFZDCHk1FrmbvNwXP6yCUXDGhmR993SxlTZ2rWO6tsU_Jg/s400/Two+branches+of+Batsee+River.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399126522711488690" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">An image showing the two branches of the Batsee River. This river is nowadays called the Bhatsa River. Please click on image for larger version.</span><br /><br />The description rather suggests that the 1820's route was somewhat to the east of the existing modern bridge. Close examination of Google Earth imagery shows several tracks down to the river from the village centre which may have moved over time.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6nkCJjaWV_LpwjfNtxMeLImZ3Gg01Dppjjh05Q4buNV1FqQWEzBXxFuXg0y-9pF3VDPL8H60FGJr-dbixSnW5R0NtnZkoE5fag8zyNT8RZo1dQ0c91I374gEhHDDBAa5CnZz2zRzNiw/s1600-h/Asangon.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 348px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6nkCJjaWV_LpwjfNtxMeLImZ3Gg01Dppjjh05Q4buNV1FqQWEzBXxFuXg0y-9pF3VDPL8H60FGJr-dbixSnW5R0NtnZkoE5fag8zyNT8RZo1dQ0c91I374gEhHDDBAa5CnZz2zRzNiw/s400/Asangon.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399128405233886914" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Image of the route between the Batsee [Bhatsa] River and Assungaon [Asangaon]. Please click on image for larger version.</span><br /><br />The route in the itinerary clearly goes onto towards the modern town of Asangaon, and it would be easy to presume that James Barton might have travelled that route as well.<br /><br />However inspection of the following photo suggests that this was not the case.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5zlWeMq5qdjwad8XOgDDrNePvcot0X39zhzYdKY1cCWjXfnMzunfQuT-Umr1nBDqJgZFIREMEXEw5zx-YYnB_bvJYmkfb9WlKW10tczjWE5fdwS70DrNAoQw6QOz1CD1XDPnQYKvjVQ/s1600-h/Mahuli+from+Asangoan.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5zlWeMq5qdjwad8XOgDDrNePvcot0X39zhzYdKY1cCWjXfnMzunfQuT-Umr1nBDqJgZFIREMEXEw5zx-YYnB_bvJYmkfb9WlKW10tczjWE5fdwS70DrNAoQw6QOz1CD1XDPnQYKvjVQ/s400/Mahuli+from+Asangoan.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399103760689469058" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Mahuli from Asangaon, a photo posted by Nature Knights on a blog called Trekmahuli, taken from the south. From comparison from of this photo and the original drawing it would appear that the drawing was either turned into a lithograph in reverse of the drawing was done from the northern slopes. [2]</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhETUKWmNESvvr3pl9Qp0zMRu7NX4YuViEx5-jWVNKqSTsfZ3yZabPJ16Yduns8i778RgzmUzDoJtT4AYHi9UMuWIbFAi7Lt3qskrqZ8KcBO-JkbIO3DEdx5ZMlrePhfBhaEpAd4rXe_w/s1600-h/Mhowle+Fort+004.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 142px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhETUKWmNESvvr3pl9Qp0zMRu7NX4YuViEx5-jWVNKqSTsfZ3yZabPJ16Yduns8i778RgzmUzDoJtT4AYHi9UMuWIbFAi7Lt3qskrqZ8KcBO-JkbIO3DEdx5ZMlrePhfBhaEpAd4rXe_w/s400/Mhowle+Fort+004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399132280464665378" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The mountains either reversed or it looks very similar in profile from the north?</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Did Ackermann's draughtsman, just prick the drawing through in reverse?<br /><br />Have any of you been on the northern side of Mahuli?<br /><br />Can you work out where James Barton camped?<br /><br />The trekmahuli blog at http://trekmahuli.blogspot.com/ contains a good series of photos showing the roughness of the terrain that James was travelling through.<br /><br />In some senses he was nearing the edge of the map. I have tried to match Clunes itinerary beyond Asangaon, and I am finding that I cannot match the 19th century names to places on modern maps.<br /><br />Have I crossed an ethnic or language boundary? Which way was Clunes sending us?<br /><br />Is this why I can't match it any further?<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">[1] From http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/india/<br />[2] From http://trekmahuli.blogspot.com/</div></div></div><br /><br /><br /></div></div></div></div></div>Nick Balmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12730750075841601992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004998321945892855.post-78287993523087537002008-08-14T10:31:00.000-07:002009-10-17T13:00:06.037-07:00Lakes in Pune<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu_VGucAMNV9Ef3xmsClWVVP-r9O0PSTLAWGFNDgAV4PEXxugV2VgzsamCiKMeHzwA2MAqYTUUptCNLCEwL0yyB_lWyJLDRh8Rqta1u93wY1-KtZHDQH8w5gC_jhf-gYxPrs9Nj6GEzw/s1600-h/Poona+Lake+2+002.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu_VGucAMNV9Ef3xmsClWVVP-r9O0PSTLAWGFNDgAV4PEXxugV2VgzsamCiKMeHzwA2MAqYTUUptCNLCEwL0yyB_lWyJLDRh8Rqta1u93wY1-KtZHDQH8w5gC_jhf-gYxPrs9Nj6GEzw/s400/Poona+Lake+2+002.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234430161868899122" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />During 1857 my great great grandfather was serving with the Bombay Artillery in the campaign against the Persian's at Bulshire at the head of the Gulf. He's sitting in the boat holding onto the pontoon in the picture above.<br /><br />Somehow he came into contact with one of the very first cameras to be used in Asia.<br /><br />We don't know if he operated it himself, or if he used the services of a professional photographer.<br /><br />An album survives, and through it, it is possible to trace his route back to Bombay in India, and then up the Ghats to Poona, as he knew it.<br /><br />In the course of researching the locations that these photos were taken, I have received a great deal of help from young Indian trekkers who spend there weekends scrambling up the very passes my ancestors campaigned over.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUBb5oybxpojateOp25HfK1fTvhnPqSyqq33ANCvLzWqXSvvARIr7sqhU7SUSYvJJuy2n5mYEAhryiawZksMC3mU5xinSGcRB8Hyzu0f9HrsLim1TEaO17K5WPCi4iM3QtKHrNLVYj0w/s1600-h/Poona+Lake+2+001.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUBb5oybxpojateOp25HfK1fTvhnPqSyqq33ANCvLzWqXSvvARIr7sqhU7SUSYvJJuy2n5mYEAhryiawZksMC3mU5xinSGcRB8Hyzu0f9HrsLim1TEaO17K5WPCi4iM3QtKHrNLVYj0w/s400/Poona+Lake+2+001.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234430557030258514" /></a><br /><br />These same young trekkers are often very environmentally aware. They are trying to get the tree cover restored, and they are trying to halt the damage that is occurring to the lakes and rivers.<br /><br />Amongst the sadiest of the recent bits of environmental damage being done, is that occuring to the lakes in Pune.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZSPbjqzzAbtwFvZi2oo7VK2xgn2dvRZA0ygKUMl58GObKG0K3HOwIjEtYKXG2LrsXjeCvmglomFLuA-nlU5FTltrUOvHV7WJ-WE0n_Y1wcr8ag02_yz5pb3KBDWoxWondBW-ZC_5piA/s1600-h/Poona+Lake+2+004.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZSPbjqzzAbtwFvZi2oo7VK2xgn2dvRZA0ygKUMl58GObKG0K3HOwIjEtYKXG2LrsXjeCvmglomFLuA-nlU5FTltrUOvHV7WJ-WE0n_Y1wcr8ag02_yz5pb3KBDWoxWondBW-ZC_5piA/s400/Poona+Lake+2+004.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234430788215005602" /></a><br /><br />By chance, these lakes were one of Charles Barton's favourite recreational spots.<br /><br />As the pictures show he used to row on the lakes.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxefR-midrL6-Id8WM-6wQWb9ajooA_XX2LCB11dZ1VXUIheTukkreweUUFpYa7jOEBzeDM4YFz4vOK_xH057gBTBRsslMDcAbiaw1utSli5VZdrMzx0AF4eC6sR3fIMuahYtY8g0sww/s1600-h/Poona+Lake+2+003.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxefR-midrL6-Id8WM-6wQWb9ajooA_XX2LCB11dZ1VXUIheTukkreweUUFpYa7jOEBzeDM4YFz4vOK_xH057gBTBRsslMDcAbiaw1utSli5VZdrMzx0AF4eC6sR3fIMuahYtY8g0sww/s400/Poona+Lake+2+003.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234431050106984258" /></a><br /><br />Sadly these lakes are now much smaller and have been filled up in many cases.<br /><br />These lakes were once a very important part of Pune's life.<br /><br />Shouldn't they be protected?Nick Balmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12730750075841601992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004998321945892855.post-18338570942766967952008-01-13T00:38:00.000-08:002008-12-08T14:06:03.232-08:00Forts in the Vasai and Konkan Region.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiX4rxcWihOUE0V4YAmtDlaCTXW7n8PLW0oItgx3L9ZN5Hqt7O_ZiiQB1vW7M9LiduZD1idJTYEdPXB8OPzwXKWS0Sou_FnNB2JeNC8oGBguQNfslltZ_K_YakK7P_41ST-olM7zNOXA/s1600-h/Bassein+Bastions+001.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiX4rxcWihOUE0V4YAmtDlaCTXW7n8PLW0oItgx3L9ZN5Hqt7O_ZiiQB1vW7M9LiduZD1idJTYEdPXB8OPzwXKWS0Sou_FnNB2JeNC8oGBguQNfslltZ_K_YakK7P_41ST-olM7zNOXA/s400/Bassein+Bastions+001.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154881517967899394" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Bassein Fort circa 1817, an engraving by Akermann circa 1820, from a drawing by Captn. James Barton.<br /> Please click on the picture for a larger version.</span><br /><br />Hello,<br /><br />The purpose of this post is to provide a discussion area on the history of a number of forts in the area around Vasai, an area approximately twenty miles to the north of Mumbai.<br /><br />Why should I, an Englishman be interested in these forts?<br /><br />Well, it all stems from my great great great grandfather, Captain James Barton. James was an officer in the Bombay Artillery, who served in the area from 1811 until 1827, when he died at Matoonga.<br /><br />My interest originally stemmed from the fact that I had discovered that twenty one coloured engravings had survived, which had been made from drawings that he had sent to Ackermann in London.<br /><br />I wanted to see if I could find out where these forts were located. Little did I know quite where this journey would take me.<br /><br />These drawings are kept in the British Library, along with copies of his other drawings, which can be see on the Collect Britain website at http://www.collectbritain.co.uk/<br /><br />What is especially poignant, is that this particular drawing probably contains the only image that we have of James himself. We possess a letter dating from the 1870's from his son, retired Major General Charles James Barton, who nearing death, and with a one year old son, realised that this son, would probably also be faced with never being able to remember what his fathers face would look like.<br /><br />Poor Charles wrote, that thoughout his adult life, that he had been troubled by not knowing what his father had looked like, for he had been an infant when he was left without a father. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpjQQxvTr5weXvZq4zCi3PqABpQgupM0FX3NiaTPwPKmo0XAOeOryZ6Yd45FFZkHtgofLWamFSw_mD7t0uj7RAfE11LfiQGMGjQxzMQ1NXWzuPOkJpfrvsqfvu8a8qxO0QnoBzCkRhLA/s1600-h/James+Barton+001.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpjQQxvTr5weXvZq4zCi3PqABpQgupM0FX3NiaTPwPKmo0XAOeOryZ6Yd45FFZkHtgofLWamFSw_mD7t0uj7RAfE11LfiQGMGjQxzMQ1NXWzuPOkJpfrvsqfvu8a8qxO0QnoBzCkRhLA/s400/James+Barton+001.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154882784983251730" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">James Barton seated with his sketch pad</span><br /><br />Charles Barton also served in the Bombay Artillery in much the same area in the 1840's, 1850's, and 1860's.<br /><br />Unlike his father, as far as we know Charles was not an artists, although his brother was. Charles however embraced the new science of photography. It is not clear whether he took the photos himself, or whether he engaged the services of a professional photographer, but what is clear, is that he collected a series of photographs starting in 1857 at Bulshire in the Persian Gulf, as he returned from taking part in the expedition to Persia.<br /><br />Along his return journey he appears to have been deliberately visiting and recording the places where his father had served.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUb3g7waFjuIcyv6_clueGE2VXWGTJavHXldTBuPFH6NELbGHJymycwytMQb0tz9NR1CC_FUVgbBNvlEUmi0vIKm4sJeDKgrCaOHGwIrJsG61HgvcAzO2M_ushqvYIB1ZaHXxIlPwevA/s1600-h/CJ+Barton+Album+1+106.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUb3g7waFjuIcyv6_clueGE2VXWGTJavHXldTBuPFH6NELbGHJymycwytMQb0tz9NR1CC_FUVgbBNvlEUmi0vIKm4sJeDKgrCaOHGwIrJsG61HgvcAzO2M_ushqvYIB1ZaHXxIlPwevA/s400/CJ+Barton+Album+1+106.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154888763577727778" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Major General Charles J Barton, Bombay Artillery</span><br /><br />In attempt to research these events, I first visited the British Library Asia Pacific Collection, but wanting to go beyond the dry words on the page, and wanting like my great great grandfather, to be able to visualise the locations, I started to research the places through the internet.<br /><br />My starting point was the India Rootsweb, which can be joined by emailing and subscribing to INDIA-request@rootsweb.com<br /><br />One of the members of that list Arvind Kolhatkar, turned out to come from the Konkan region, and with his help we soon traced many of the locations.<br /><br />I also widened out the search, and discovered that there is an intrepid group of young Indian's who are increasingly spending their time trekking to these often remote forts, in the Ghats.<br /><br />Taking my courage in my hands, and to their great surprise, I began to approach these trekkers by email, and they have all been unfailing helpful in return. Kiran Kharade and Ravi Vaidyanathan, have been extremely helpful, and with there very good local knowledge and keen interest, I have been able to piece together a great deal of information on the places my ancestors visited.<br /><br />My interests have for a lot time extended beyond, just those directly connected with my own family. I have a deep interest in colonial history, which I believe should be called early globalisation.<br /><br />By learning about the events of what was in many ways a prototype for many of the events in todays complex world.<br /><br />Central to my research at Bassein as my ancestors, would have called it, or Vasai as it is now called, has been Shridatta Raut.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9Kjfk9aBaRbLi1nlDOF5Z9Hu2KqrWf-bK2gsZp04nCJXFmwR62v08K_wy7Q7wsmJ9pi5-bLOnU_Ikg0iE7zMO8lIM-8ARy7xI2ikDKRf2uEoj32MpKOsxRDqtgINAu8CfeDP6dCYEg/s1600-h/Shridatta+Raut+001.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9Kjfk9aBaRbLi1nlDOF5Z9Hu2KqrWf-bK2gsZp04nCJXFmwR62v08K_wy7Q7wsmJ9pi5-bLOnU_Ikg0iE7zMO8lIM-8ARy7xI2ikDKRf2uEoj32MpKOsxRDqtgINAu8CfeDP6dCYEg/s400/Shridatta+Raut+001.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154900892565371698" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Shridatta Raut [first on the right] explaining the history of one of these forts, </span><br /><br />Shridatta emailed me having seen one of my posts about Bassein. He lives in Vasai and visits the fort every week. He has sent up a group of volunteers dedicated to protecting and preserving the fort.<br /><br />He was kind enough to go out with copies of the drawings my ancestor had drawn, and to find the locations on the ground.<br /><br />Each week he has been organising visits for school groups and the general public. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKE3dC_utJDnreapfHBZuk9p2Phkiv0D3UUM5EJNxe8KBUjZdlJDoYaZa0v8BUnDQ3zpGVjZ4RIqes-nkIDATAjp46A3TaSs10mR-T-kfvtivXy2aG8frRz01nW5SoA0PqAqkcSfTGw/s1600-h/narration2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKE3dC_utJDnreapfHBZuk9p2Phkiv0D3UUM5EJNxe8KBUjZdlJDoYaZa0v8BUnDQ3zpGVjZ4RIqes-nkIDATAjp46A3TaSs10mR-T-kfvtivXy2aG8frRz01nW5SoA0PqAqkcSfTGw/s400/narration2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154902717926472530" /></a><br /><br />With his volunteers he has removed tonnes of rubbish, and he is working to remove the trees which are growing out of the very walls of the buildings.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9r6dx-TUg6LkvzZ2MWuyFjUKoKvYuFh2N7rlUtMxbOaRAYcGd65GLEfps0CsuJQreW1K6IwL5x_keLXpMY7SHYA_ktfCG2MHxKK-ewi4HMSkC_1vXyXtE2LFFuaS_-963ZmpeZbSlEQ/s1600-h/Ros(128).jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9r6dx-TUg6LkvzZ2MWuyFjUKoKvYuFh2N7rlUtMxbOaRAYcGd65GLEfps0CsuJQreW1K6IwL5x_keLXpMY7SHYA_ktfCG2MHxKK-ewi4HMSkC_1vXyXtE2LFFuaS_-963ZmpeZbSlEQ/s400/Ros(128).jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154903753013590898" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The team working out the plan for the following week.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg44zNtMy_HSUNUdGon8ElOj4FdO-XLDoHCkcwrj9jj9oDk6N7VfjPaFdnl6xK9ROgwVKJIdITYIs3u5JCTOUH__7K5AWcf9DfW-QGkupIe53eIUnnD4aBrMS6JPKTfVOQm1akpucgtLQ/s1600-h/Picture+105.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg44zNtMy_HSUNUdGon8ElOj4FdO-XLDoHCkcwrj9jj9oDk6N7VfjPaFdnl6xK9ROgwVKJIdITYIs3u5JCTOUH__7K5AWcf9DfW-QGkupIe53eIUnnD4aBrMS6JPKTfVOQm1akpucgtLQ/s400/Picture+105.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154903095883594594" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Mapping work in progress.</span> <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9to-ayyadfZbG02ThjkbfmExJKr_7WmFelkPHXns2WdhE9Iw116xfu4gf8QjYBXBqUyKp1ucYJRIvKMhlRkbsjK3-r1LKyeSGk-I6ImP0T1-vNIJi-UGSt6GG5_jmCSQblYG-_HWwFQ/s1600-h/Picture+125.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9to-ayyadfZbG02ThjkbfmExJKr_7WmFelkPHXns2WdhE9Iw116xfu4gf8QjYBXBqUyKp1ucYJRIvKMhlRkbsjK3-r1LKyeSGk-I6ImP0T1-vNIJi-UGSt6GG5_jmCSQblYG-_HWwFQ/s400/Picture+125.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154901798803471170" /></a><br /><br />The scale of the undertaking can be seen from the following aerial photograph.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfe6G4DuHh38PkmJ-2AmcsJ04XdXdr629nkxq1ApEBuEEZjO-WRlctXgcswmqmTK-zv_LNusE2rfAlMiRdKkPTyuUUyFUfxi3GmZNNn6apq0qnPfVKQeR-A5R7ubGlKMQnnwdxvr-2Xw/s1600-h/vasai.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfe6G4DuHh38PkmJ-2AmcsJ04XdXdr629nkxq1ApEBuEEZjO-WRlctXgcswmqmTK-zv_LNusE2rfAlMiRdKkPTyuUUyFUfxi3GmZNNn6apq0qnPfVKQeR-A5R7ubGlKMQnnwdxvr-2Xw/s400/vasai.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154904921244695426" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Vasai Fort</span><br /><br />However the quality of the buildings that he and his friends are seeking to protect are such, that I believe he deserves as much support as possible.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiycrOjZd6riRHjg8-XTFdTnDFPkUKJac5VKLUwDWM5E-rGkejUpSdi98RPiiQCt5iEYof7Esw8-4Q5SEgaJ_AZ10qpLPnSHrSREFtRfTQAF_ui2QozXfApgO3kKGxk2n_4hS7Y_irqgQ/s1600-h/Bassein+Feb+2007.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiycrOjZd6riRHjg8-XTFdTnDFPkUKJac5VKLUwDWM5E-rGkejUpSdi98RPiiQCt5iEYof7Esw8-4Q5SEgaJ_AZ10qpLPnSHrSREFtRfTQAF_ui2QozXfApgO3kKGxk2n_4hS7Y_irqgQ/s400/Bassein+Feb+2007.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154905810302925714" /></a><br /><br />Not content with coping with a project of this size, Shridatta Raut has recently started turning his attention to the forts to the north of Vasai, including Mahim and Shirgaon.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNxxYvVP6flYS8vrBjuqKkDMuDCE6_6D9-5bF4z0wecmxCqgeN2Kl9hd-LJPxfh_ehKjC4h5qQF5cNfN1YiaiUKGGcaxTfpUoiphRvpr_IWBrx8QXSXejdtEAnM3PhafhKS5PCC2dQwQ/s1600-h/Kelve-+Mahim+Work+Start.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNxxYvVP6flYS8vrBjuqKkDMuDCE6_6D9-5bF4z0wecmxCqgeN2Kl9hd-LJPxfh_ehKjC4h5qQF5cNfN1YiaiUKGGcaxTfpUoiphRvpr_IWBrx8QXSXejdtEAnM3PhafhKS5PCC2dQwQ/s400/Kelve-+Mahim+Work+Start.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154906497497693090" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Exploring Shigaon Fort</span><br /><br />So whether you know Vasai Fort as Vasai, Bassein, Baxay, Baçaim, we would like to hear from you.<br /><br />We would particularly like to hear from Mahratta or Portuguese people with access to accounts, maps or drawings that can tell us more about these fascinating forts and there history.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY43NVreHKc-2yrJJa9RPb9sjaMHdeaoa6WXadojUeIXCXEbeiqrV1F8a61rjsg2gIUusHENOQg_vlY3YNgcg4uTZ1rXeqh4j_kgH8n43sGIpeYRve9VqISwh4OZs2P_Iv2tHZX2ooPg/s1600-h/French+17th+century+engraving+of+Bassein+%26+Chaul.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY43NVreHKc-2yrJJa9RPb9sjaMHdeaoa6WXadojUeIXCXEbeiqrV1F8a61rjsg2gIUusHENOQg_vlY3YNgcg4uTZ1rXeqh4j_kgH8n43sGIpeYRve9VqISwh4OZs2P_Iv2tHZX2ooPg/s400/French+17th+century+engraving+of+Bassein+%26+Chaul.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154908486067551154" /></a><br /> <br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Engravings of Chaul [top] and Baçaim [bottom], from a French 17th Century book, courtesy of Gallica.</span>Nick Balmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12730750075841601992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004998321945892855.post-69302686151842905302007-12-13T08:06:00.000-08:002013-10-06T01:05:03.213-07:00Sepoys & Griffins.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfokifKGwnLc_sPekJLaAek_RKlxxH6kx61mxWkyMPjH_Pd_sPrO65TV7XIBscvhfyBAohVTq7RDzGnEdeQ6ee5w7XB1pbLr1WpJ9FsQtcgNY7_1c9VvHsxi4E1IzOQeLuGhLvSlqng/s1600-h/Sepoys+001.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfokifKGwnLc_sPekJLaAek_RKlxxH6kx61mxWkyMPjH_Pd_sPrO65TV7XIBscvhfyBAohVTq7RDzGnEdeQ6ee5w7XB1pbLr1WpJ9FsQtcgNY7_1c9VvHsxi4E1IzOQeLuGhLvSlqng/s400/Sepoys+001.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143491399864677826" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Madras Presidency Soldiers circa 1812</span><br /><br />Many people today have an interest in the campaigns and wars fought on the Indian subcontinent, and it is highly probable if you have found this blog, that you are already aware of many of the 19th century campaigns associated with the Raj.<br /><br />These battles are well known and are well provided with accounts and resources, however what are not nearly so well covered are the battles and campaigns of the earlier 17th and 18th Centuries, which are far less well documented.<br /><br />My aim in publishing this blog is to try to bring together some of the material that I have found over the past few years, on these lesser known conflicts, and to try to make it available to a wider audience.<br /><br />If you aware aware of additional sources for information on any of the battles or campaigns that I have included in my blog, I would be very pleased to hear from you. <br /><br />My interest in these events arises from having many ancestors who took part in these events. Having had my abiding interest in history sparked by visits to my great aunt, and having been spell bound as a kid by family legends, of places and events from that far away land.<br /><br />Many of the best stories, concerned my great great grandfather Charles James Barton. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUxC3yAkhwNZ8r91zLqTrEKv8HUOwmfgvkTcnZN7Q0DFfsdjKG5uN0iK4Vxurf-g-xXBr86_CZ-JxiWJFcuB_RPLO-uIfTXMvZ4OIkLH2GXHnriOfeVXKFhmOCbciGc-J0AZjFgbIOHQ/s1600-h/CJ+Barton+Album+1+027-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUxC3yAkhwNZ8r91zLqTrEKv8HUOwmfgvkTcnZN7Q0DFfsdjKG5uN0iK4Vxurf-g-xXBr86_CZ-JxiWJFcuB_RPLO-uIfTXMvZ4OIkLH2GXHnriOfeVXKFhmOCbciGc-J0AZjFgbIOHQ/s400/CJ+Barton+Album+1+027-1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154912261343804354" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Major Charles James Barton, [front row, left], and his brother offices of the Bombay Artillery, circa 1858.</span><br /><br />This blog is dedicated to my great great grandfather, and the very many other people who marched across the dusty plains of India, or who struggled up the rain filled ghats.<br /><br />It is also dedicated to those many thousands of foe, who played such an important part in their homelands history, doing their very best to keep out of their homes and towns, a difficult and dangerous opponent.<br /><br />I would particularly welcome input from peoples whose ancestors fought so hard against the armies of the East India Company. For this story is incomplete without their side of the story, for we should not forget, that we were taking over other people's lands, and that these poor people were often the innocent victims of these events. This is the story of one the World's first multinationals, and the effects of globalisation. It is very largely the story of one of the first Company Armies. <br /><br />However, out of strife grew a great personal respect for these brave Indian's.<br /><br />If we are to avoid the repeat of these events, it is important for future generations to understand the past, in many ways I believe the events described here, are more relevant towards an understanding of the potential struggles of tomorrow, than the studies are the ism's of Marx, Engels, or the works of the evil dictators of the 20th Century, Hitler, Stalin and Mao, which so many students of history and politics spend there time studying these days.<br /><br />As an amateur historian, I run the constant risk of offending orthodox historical methods, and am quite likely in error, or hold views that may not suit current thinking. Please be patient with me, or write to me and describe to me the error of my ways.<br /><br />I would be most interested in hearing from you, if you have any comments or additional information that you would like to share with me. I can be contacted on balmer.nicholas@gmail.com<br /><br />Nick Balmer December 2007.Nick Balmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12730750075841601992noreply@blogger.com1