Scotland and the Victoria Cross: The Indian Mutiny

Charge of the 93rd Regiment of Foot (Sutherland Highlanders), Indian Mutiny, November 1857.

Charge of the 93rd Regiment of Foot (Sutherland Highlanders), Battle of Cawnpore, Indian Mutiny, November 1857, by W. Skeoch Cumming. Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders Museum, Stirling Castle, Scotland.

1857 – 1859

In all 182 soldiers were awarded the Victoria Cross for their actions during the Indian Mutiny. Of these recipients 31 were born in Scotland. Several other Victoria Crosses were awarded to soldiers serving with Scottish regiments though born elsewhere. The following records the Scottish-born recipients. Please note the numerous given spellings for such Indian place names as Sikandar Bagh.

Lieutenant Frederick Robertson Aikman
Amethi, India, 1 March 1858
4th Bengal Native Infantry
Born Ross, South Lanarkshire, Scotland (6 February 1828)

A painting of the Aikman Victoria Cross action and an oil on canvas portrait of Aikman by Captain I A Goldingham, 1860 are held by the National Army Museum, Chelsea, London.

A photographic portrait of Aikman wearing the Victoria Cross is known.

Lieutenant Robert Hope Moncrieff Aitken
Defence of the Residency of Lucknow, India, 30 June – 22 November, 1857
13th Bengal Native Infantry
Born Cupar, Fife, Scotland (8 February 1826)

A photographic image, and an illustration of Aitken wearing the Victoria Cross is known.

Lieutenant Robert Blair
Bolandsahr, India, 28 September 1857
2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen’s Bays) attached 9th (Queen’s Royal) Lancers
Born Linlithgow, Scotland (13 March 1834)

Died 28 March 1859, Cawnpore, India.

A photographic portrait of Blair is known.

Lieutenant Andrew Cathcart Bogle
Attack on Oonao, India 29 July 1857
78th (Highland) Regiment of Foot (Ross-shire Buffs)
Born Glasgow, Scotland (20 January 1829)

A photographic portrait of Bogle is known.

Lieutenant Thomas Cadell
Delhi, India 12 June 1857
2nd European Bengal Fusiliers
Born Cockenzie, East Lothian, Scotland (5 September 1835)

A few photographic portraits of Cadell are known. One in the collection of the National Army Museum, Chelsea, London depicts Cadell in later life wearing the Victoria Cross.

Lieutenant Aylmer Spicer Cameron
Kotah, India 30 March 1858
1st Battalion 72nd Regiment of Foot (Duke of Albany’s Own Highlanders)
Born Perth, Scotland (12 August 1833)

A photographic portrait of Cameron wearing the Victoria Cross is known.

Lieutenant Hugh Stewart Cochrane
Near Jhansi, India 1 April 1858
86th Regiment of Foot (Royal County Down)
Born Fort William, Scotland (4 August 1829)

A photographic portrait of Cochrane wearing the Victoria Cross is known.

Private James Davis (True name James Davis Kelly)
Fort Ruhya, India 15 April 1858
42nd (Highland) Regiment of Foot
Born Edinburgh, Scotland (February 1835)

A photographic portrait of Davis is known.

Lieutenant F.E.H. Farquharson’s Victoria Cross action at Lucknow, 9 March 1858. By L.W. Desanges.

Lieutenant Francis Edward Henry Farquharson
Lucknow, India 9 March 1858
42nd (Highland) Regiment of Foot
Born Glasgow, Scotland (25 March 1837)

Painting of the Farquharson Victoria Cross action, shown above, is held by the The Black Watch & Castle Museum, Perth, Scotland.

A photographic portrait of Farquharson is known.

Colour-Sergeant William Gardner DCM
Bareilly, India 5 May 1858
42nd (Highland) Regiment of Foot
Born Nemphlar, Lanarkshire, Scotland (3 March 1821)

Awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal in 1855 for actions during the Crimea War.

A photographic portrait of Gardner is known.

Surgeon Anthony Dickson Home (Later Sir A.D. Home KCB)
Relief of Lucknow, India 26 September 1857
90th Regiment of Foot (Perthshire Volunteers Light Infantry)
Born Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland (30 Novmeber 1826)

A photographic portrait of Home is known.

Lieutenant William Alexander Kerr
Kolapore, India 10 July 1857
24th Bombay Native Infantry
Born Melrose, Scottish Borders, Scotland (18 July 1831)

A painting of the Kerr Victoria Cross action is held by the National Army Museum, Chelsea, London.

A photographic portrait of Kerr is known to exist.

Lieutenant James Leith
Betwah, India 1 April 1858
14th Light Dragoons (King’s Regiment)
Born Glenkindie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland (26 May 1826)

A photographic portrait of Leith is known.

Interior of Secundra Bagh. Felice Beato, 1858.

Private David MacKay
Secundrabagh, Siege of Lucknow, India 24 December 1858
93rd Regiment of Foot (Sutherland Highlanders)
Born Caithness, Scotland (23 November 1831)

Elected for the award of the Victoria Cross by the private soldiers of the Regiment

Lieutenant Herbert MacPherson (Later Sir H. MacPherson GCB KCSI)
Siege of Lucknow 25 September 1857
78th (Highland) Regiment of Foot (Ross-shire Buffs)
Born Ardersier, Inverness-shire, Scotland (22 January 1827)

An Oleolithograph after Harry Payne, published, 1890 is held by the National Army Museum, Chelsea, London.

A photographic portrait of MacPherson wearing the Victoria Cross is known to exist.

Lieutenant William McBean
Lucknow, India 11 March 1858
93rd Regiment of Foot (Sutherland Highlanders)
Born Inverness, Scotland (1 January 1818)

A photographic portrait of McBean wearing the Victoria Cross is known to exist.

“The Relief of Lucknow”. Painting by Thomas Jones Barker, National Portrait Gallery, London.

Gunner Hugh McInnes
Relief of Lucknow 14 – 22 November 1857
Bengal Artillery
Born Glasgow, Scotland (October 1815)

Elected by fellow officers and soldiers to receive the award of the Victoria Cross.

Colour-Sergeant Stewart McPherson
Lucknow Residency, India 26 September 1857
78th (Highland) Regiment of Foot (Ross-shire Buffs)
Born Culross, Fife, Scotland (Born 1822)

Victoria Cross presented to McPherson by Queen Victoria, Windsor Castle, 4 January 1860.

A photographic image of McPherson wearing the Victoria Cross is known.

A memorial to Stewart McPherson is located at the Abbey Church in Culross, Fife.

Private Duncan Millar
Maylah Ghaut, India 15 January 1859
42nd (Highland) Regiment of Foot
Born Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland (19 June 1824)

A photographic image of Millar is known.

Conductor James William Miller
Near Agra, India 28 October 1857
Bengal Ordnance Department
Born Glasgow, Scotland (5 May 1820)

A photographic image of Miller is known.

“The 93rd Highlanders storming the Secundra Bagh” Watercolour by Orlando Norie, 1858. National Army Museum, London.

Colour-Sergeant James Munro
Secunderabagh, Lucknow, India 16 November 1857
93rd Regiment of Foot (Sutherland Highlanders)
Born Nigg, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland (11 October 1826)

Received the Victoria Cross from Queen Victoria, Windsor Castle, 1860.

A photographic image of Munro is known.

Gunner James Park
Relief of Lucknow, India 14 – 22 November 1857
Bengal Artillery
Born Glasgow, Scotland (1835)

Elected by fellow officers and soldiers to receive the award of the Victoria Cross.

Killed in Action Lucknow, 14 June 1858.

Sergeant John Paton
Round the Shah Nujiff, Siege of Lucknow, India 16 November 1857
93rd Regiment of Foot (Sutherland Highlanders)
Born Stirling, Scotland (23 December 1833)

Elected by Non-commissioned officers to receive the award of the Victoria Cross.

A photographic image of Paton is known.

Lieutenant William Rennie
Advance upon Lucknow, India 21 September 1857 and Lucknow, India 25 September 1857
90th Regiment of Foot (Perthshire Volunteers Light Infantry)
Born Elgin, Moray, Scotland (1 November 1821)

A photographic image of Rennie is known.

Ensign Patrick Roddy
Return from Kuthirga, India 27 September 1858
Bengal Army
Born Elphin, County Roscommon, Scotland (17 March 1827)

A photographic image of Roddy is known.

Private George Rodgers
Marar, Gwalior, India 16 June 1858
71st (Highland) Regiment of Foot
Born Glasgow, Scotland (January 1829)

Private Same (John) Shaw
Lucknow, India 13 June 1858
3rd Battalion, The Rifle Brigade
Born Prestonpans, East Lothian, Scotland (Date of Birth unknown)

Died 27 December 1859. Buried at Sea.

Quartermaster-Sergeant John Simpson
Attack on Fort Ruhya, India 15 April 1858
42nd (Highland) Regiment of Foot
Born Edinburgh, Scotland (29 January 1826)

A photographic image of Simpson is known.

Troop Sergeant-Major David Spence
Shumsabad, India 17 January 1858
9th (Queen’s Royal) Lancers
Born Inverkeithing, Fife, Scotland (1818)

In 1862 Spence became a Yeoman of the Guard.

A photographic portrait of Spence wearing the Victoria Cross is known.

Captain William George Drummond Stewart
Sikandarabagh, India 16 November 1857
93rd Regiment of Foot (Sutherland Highlanders)
Born Grandtully, Perthshire, Scotland (February 1831)

Elected by the Officers of his regiment to receive the award of the Victoria Cross.

Lance-Corporal Alexander Thompson
Fort Ruhya, India 15 April 1858
42nd (Highland) Regiment of Foot
Born Perth, Scotland (1824)

A photographic image of Thompson is known.

Tags: 1857, 1857-1859, 1858, 1859, Abbey Church (Culross Fife), Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders Museum, Charge of the 93rd Highlanders, Indian Mutiny, National Army Museum, Scottish-born, Victoria Cross, William Skeoch Cumming

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pferguson

Paul has worked with the Paradigm Motion Picture Company since 2009 as producer, historian and research specialist. Paul first met Casey and Ian WIlliams of Paradigm in April 2007 at Ieper (Ypres), Belgium when ceremonies were being held for the re-dedication of the Vimy Memorial, France. Paul's sensitivity to film was developed at an early age seeing his first films at RCAF Zweibrucken, Germany and Sardinia. Paul returned to Canada in 1967 and was captivated by David Lean's "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Bridge on the River Kwai". Over time Paul became increasingly interested in storytelling, content development, character, direction, cinematography, narration and soundtracks. At the University of Victoria, Paul studied and compared Japanese and Australian film and became interested in Australian film maker Peter Weir and his film "Gallipoli" (1981). Paul was inspired when he learned Weir visited the beaches, ridges and ravines of the peninsula. "Gallipoli", the film, led Paul on many journeys to sites of conflict in England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Malta, Hawaii, Gallipoli, North Macedonia and Salonika. When Paul first watched documentary filmmaker Ken Burns, "The Civil War", Paul understood how his own experience and insight could be effective and perhaps influential in film-making. Combining his knowledge of Museums and Archives, exhibitions and idea strategies with his film interests was a natural progression. Paul thinks like a film-maker. His passion for history and storytelling brings to Paradigm an eye (and ear) to the keen and sensitive interests of; content development, the understanding of successful and relational use of collections, imagery and voice. Like Paul's favorite actor, Peter O'Toole, Paul believes in the adage “To deepen not broaden.” While on this path Paul always remembers his grandmother whose father did not return from the Great War and how his loss shaped her life and how her experience continues to guide him.

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