Major Henry Christopher Marriott's dates of rank, regimental appointments,
duty stations, and campaign service are as follows:
Ensign, 2nd Bn., Royal Regiment, 1st Foot (Late Royal Scots): purchased,
5 Sept. 1843.
Lieutenant, Royal Newfoundland Companies: purchased, 19 June 1846.
Captain, Royal Newfoundland Companies: purchased, 2 Feb. 1849.
Captain, 82nd Foot, by exchange: 22 June 1849.
Newfoundland, Canada from: 4 Aug. 1846 - 30 July 1849.
British Isles from: 1849 - 1855.
Crimean War (Medal with Sebastopol & Turkish Medal) from: 4 Sept.
1855 - c. 1856.
British Isles from: c. 1856 - c. May 1857.
Indian Mutiny (Medal & Brevet Major) and India from: Sept. 1857 -
c. 1861.
Brevet Major, 82nd Foot, (L.G. 14 June 1859): 26 April 1859.
Major, 82nd Foot, (L.G. 16 Nov. 1860): purchased, 16 Nov. 1860.
Major, 13th Foot, by exchange, (L.G. 16 Aug. 1861): 31 May 1861.
Major, 60th Foot, by exchange, (L.G. 7 Nov. 1862): 7 Nov. 1862.
Sold Commission or retired by commutation: Exact Date Unknown.
Henry Christopher Marriott was born at Pershore, Worchestershire, England
on the 14th of March 1826.
He entered the army by purchase as an Ensign in the 2nd Battalion of
the Royal Regiment (Later the Royal Scots) on the 5th of September 1843.
He was 17 years and 6 months of age. On the 19th of June 1846 he is listed
as a Lieutenant by purchase in the Royal Newfoundland Companies, a regiment
of the Canadian Army. He was promoted to Captain by purchase in this regiment
on the 2nd of February 1849. [1]
On the 2nd of April 1849 he married Rosamond Carrington at St. Johns,
Newfoundland. He was married by the Garrison Chaplain the Rev. Charles Blackman,
MA. Both he and Rosamond are shown as 23 years of age. Two of the witnesses
listed are brother officers of the Royal Newfoundland Companies, Lieutenants
C.F. Tyler and M. Petrie.[2]
On the 22nd of June 1849 Captain Marriott transferred to the 82nd Regiment
of Foot by exchange. Captain Marriott was probably familiar with this regiment.
The 82nd had been stationed in Canada from the end of May 1843 to the beginning
of May 1848, being successively quartered in Quebec, Kingston, Toronto,
London, again at Quebec, and for a short time at Halifax before sailing
for England. The regiment arrived at Plymouth on the 8th of June 1848 being
stationed at Devonport.[3]
Captain Marriott and Rosamond, who accompanied him from Canada, would
have joined the 82nd while they were stationed at Devonport.
The Marriotts had their first child, a daughter named Harriet Julia
Catherine Marriott born at Archestone, St. Marys, Notts, England, on the
29th of December 1849. Their next children came in the form of twins, while
the regiment was stationed at Brecon, Wales. Thomas Henry Beckett Marriott
and Louisa Marriott were born on the 19th of August 1851.[4]
The 82nd was employed on routine garrison duties in England and was
under orders for India when war broke out between Russia and Turkey at the
end of 1853. In 1854 England declared war on Russia, and the 82nd stayed
at home and served as a draft-finding unit for others ordered to the Crimea.
Finally, in January, 1855, the regiment was ordered to the Crimea. They landed
at Balaclava on the 4th of September and were in position with the First
Brigade of Lieutenant General Markham's Second Division on the Balaclava
Heights for the Fall of Sebastopol on the 8th of September 1855. The regiment
had played a small role in the Fall of Sebastopol, but were permitted to
wear the battle honour, 'Sebastopol' for their part.[5]
Captain Marriott was awarded the Crimean War medal with the bar for Sebastopol
and the Turkish Crimea medal for his services during the war.
The regiment returned home after the Crimean War. In 1857 they were
stationed at Aldershot when they were ordered to proceed to the Far East
as one of four regiments selected as the advance guard of a British Force
(along with the French) being sent to China in reaction to a long series
of treaty violations, various attacks on foreigners, and general insolence.
The regiment (48 officers and 896 rank and file) embarked at Portsmouth for
China in the troop ship "Assistance" and in H.M.S. "Adventure" on the 20th
of May 1857. [6]
Towards the end of July both ships carrying the regiment had just left
the Cape of Good Hope missing their new orders to India following the outbreak
of the Indian Mutiny. The orders caught up with the ships after they had
past Singapore, when they turned and headed as quickly as possible to Calcutta,
landing there in September of 1857.[7]
Following several incidences of mutiny beginning in February of 1857
the principle mutiny that fired the mutiny of the Bengal Army was to occur
at Meerut on the 11th of May 1857. The British were to quickly find themselves
severely out number, under siege, under supplied, and with poor lines of
communication in short order. Captain Marriott, now was to find himself in
the first serious military action of his career and in a true fight for his
life not only against the mutinous rebels of the Bengal Army but against
the climate and conditions of service in India.
The 82nd was part of Sir Colin Campbell's force that was advancing to the Relief of Lucknow. Part of the regiment (10 officers & 200 men) under the commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Edward Blagden Hale, advanced to the Alumbagh to be part of the relief force. On the 9th of November 1857 the other part of the regiment had been left with Major General Windham to protect Cawnpore and guard the bridge of boats across the Ganges River. Captain Marriott was with this portion of the regiment in command of No. 1 Company. Initially, the regiment was employed in reinforcing the roughly made entrenchment's thrown up to command the passage of the river. This work proved vitally important to the coming Defense of Cawnpore.
General Windham's force was initially about 500 strong but he soon received
intelligence that Tanti Topi's Gwalior Contingent (25,000 strong) meant
to seize the opportunity offered by General Campbell's occupation with the
relief of Lucknow by falling on the British at Cawnpore.[9]
General Windham notified General Campbell of this fact and on the 15th
of November received instructions to detain all detachments until further
orders. By the 19th of November all communication with Sir Colin had been
cut. Windham's effective forces now numbered 1,700 men.
Tantia Topi continued to tighten the grip around Cawnpore and on the
26th of November, believing that safety lay in audacity, Windham decided
to attack the rebels at Pandoo River. Windham's force drove the enemy back
in confusion across the stream, capturing three guns. But Tanti Topi confident
in his overwhelming numbers continued to press the attack boldly forward
and it became clear to Windham that he must retire. He fell back to a position
covering Cawnpore, pitching his camp across the Kalpi Road close to some
brick kilns on the western margin of the city.
The 82nd, part of Brigadier Carthew's detachments on Windham's right,
occupied a wood west of the village of Seesambow in position to attempt
to save Cawnpore from pillage and cover the bridge of boats across the Ganges.
Captain Marriott was with No. 1 Company of the 82nd in the center of this
position. On the 28th of November the enemy launched a general attack all
along the line. Early in the day, command of No. 1 Company devolved to Captain
Marriott with the wounding of Major Bunbury Isaac, who received a bullet
in the right elbow which necessitated amputation of his arm. Particularly
hard pressed were Carthew's forces as Tontia Topi wished to capture Cawnpore
and the bridgehead across the Ganges before the Lucknow force could come to
Windham's relief.
The 82nd had been hard pressed and had engaged in hand to hand fighting
through out the day defending the wood and the city and capturing three
field pieces. They were forced to give ground. General Windham had held
out but had failed to appreciate the importance of his right side. The defenses
of the vital bridgehead remained barely intact.
Windham had made a gallant stand, however, by the end of the 28th of
November the bulk of Cawnpore had been captured by the rebels and their
advantage was being pressed toward the bridgehead.
On the morning of the 29th of November, just as rebel artillery was
attempting to injure the bridge, the guns of Sir Colin's Lucknow force arrived
and with the guns mounted on the bridgehead, some manned by the 82nd, the
bridge was saved and the enemy forced to withdraw.
In the three days' of severe fighting Windham's causalities amounted
to 36 officers and 306 men killed and wounded. Captain Marriott could indeed
consider himself lucky to have survived his first engagement unscathed.
This holding action fought by Windham may be more important than the actual
relief of Lucknow in securing a British victory and may actually be one
of the most important battles fought during the mutiny. The defense of Cawnpore
allowed for the 2nd Battle of Cawnpore to take place and with its victory
Sir Colin was guaranteed logistical support, reinforcements, and sound lines
of communication for the remainder of the Indian Mutiny.
On the 6th of December, Captain Marriott again was in action. Sir Colin
had made the decision to meet Tantia Topi's forces in the field. The 82nd
was in the entrenchment's at Cawnpore and participated in Sir Colin's general
attack against the enemy. The British carried the day with ease, leveling
defeat to the enemy with little difficulty, pursuing them for some miles,
and causing them considerable causalities.
After Tantia Topi's defeat, Captain Marriott and his regiment were now
to take part in a number of small operations to clear out pockets of rebel
resistance in the country around Cawnpore and Fatehgarh, which was now the
headquarters of Sir Colin Campbell. This work took them to the beginning
of February, 1858 when preparations for the final capture of Lucknow were
well advanced.
The 82nd was now placed in a force under Sir Thomas Seaton, with headquarters
at Fatehgarh, with Sir Colin's orders being to watch the river line in that
neighborhood. The work of guarding the river foods meant a number of small
mobile columns and the bulk of the regiment was employed on this work during
the rest of February and March.
In this battle Captain Marriott accompanied his regiment as part of
Brigadier General Thomas Seaton's forces at Fatehgarh [12]
which had moved out on the evening of the 6th of April 1858 to carry out
a surprise attack on a large body of rebels [13]
known to be at the village of Kunkur twenty miles from Fatehgarh.
On their arrival at the village it was quickly determined that the enemy
occupied the grove of trees to the right and left of the village. Brigadier
Seaton formed the 82nd in a loose line, with the 7th Punjab Infantry in
support, 2nd in line, the cavalry on the left flank, and the artillery to
the right front. With this arrangement of forces he then advance on the
enemy. The rebel cavalry showed strong on the right and left. The right side
was engaged by the British artillery which quickly dispersed them. The left
then advanced through a dry nullah, about 700 yards distant. All that was
visible of this force was their heads. The 82nd was ordered to open fire
on them and in 10 minutes they were in full retreat.
The artillery now engaged the enemy artillery on our left, they replied
but their fire was slow and poorly aimed most over our heads. The advance
continued steadily against the village with the rebels fleeing in large
numbers abandoning a 10 pound gun.
It was now determined that the rebels were in strength in and to the
rear of the village, having withdrawn from the groves of trees. Lieutenant
Colonel Hale was ordered to clear the village. The 82nd entered the village
and engaged in some sharp street fighting, but the village was gained quickly.
The fleeing rebels were pursued by the cavalry who returned after about
an hour with having killed a number of rebels and capturing several standards
and a small gun. The losses of the enemy this day were over 250 killed with
the number of wounded unknown. British losses were a total of 27 killed
and wounded with the 82nd bearing the brunt of these losses with 3 killed
and 17 wounded.
Brigadier Seaton's despatch states, "The great enemies we had to encounter,
were the long march out and home, full forty miles, the great heat of the
weather, and scarcity of water, for all along the road the wells were few
and the water foul; but the patience and determination of the troops was
worthy of all praise, and enabled me to strike a smart blow." Interesting
that he does not mention the sharp action with the rebels in his list of,
"great enemies".
On the 27th of April 1858 the Commander-in-Chief, Sir Colin Campbell
had order the army to advance north on Shahjehanpore and Bareilly. The hot
weather was now at its height and the men suffered severely from the heat.
Many men were to die from heat stroke. On the way through Shahjehanpore
Sir Colin received intelligence that a large force of rebels had retired
from the area just prior to the arrival of the British forces. Sir Colin
believed that on his leaving Shahjehanpore the enemy would close in behind
him so he left a force of 500 (the right wing) of the 82nd Foot, a detachment
of artillery (2 - 24 pounders & 2 - 9 pounders), and DeKantzow's Horse
under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Hale of the 82nd to defend the jail
at Shahjehanpore on the 2nd of May. Captain Marriott was one of the officers
of the 82nd chosen for this responsibility. Early on the 3rd, Lieutenant
Colonel Hale received word from Mr. Money of the civil service that a spy
had brought news that the Fyzabad Moulvie was 4 miles away on the Mohumdee
Road with 8,000 rebels and 12 field pieces. Hale met the advancing enemy
with the 82nd advancing out to protect the movement of the camp into the
jail. Lieutenant DeKantzow also charged the enemy, but seeing himself outnumbered
and being under orders from Hale to act "strictly on the defensive" retreated
to the jail. Hale's force now in the confines of the jail and it's earth
works were quickly subjected to artillery bombardment and infantry fire which
was to do little damage to the carefully organized and concealed British
force. Lieutenant Colonel Hale did fail to mention in his despatch that he
was wounded in the leg by a musket ball. The regimental history notes, "The
stench and heat of this filthy place was stifling, and few situations during
the war could have been more trying to the temper, patience, and courage
of Europeans than these nine days of compulsory imprisonment and inactivity."
[15]
On the 11th of May Brigadier General John Jones arrived with a relief
column, including the left wing of the 82nd, which had been part of Sir Colin's
force which had captured Bareilly on the 5th of May. This served to relieve
the jail temporarily but the enemy was strong and remained in the area around
Shahjehanpore until a few days later when more reinforcements of Sir Colin's
Bareilly forces arrived and a brisk action was fought outside Shahjehanpore
a few days later. Captain Marriott had now been involved in two difficult
and hard fought defensive actions in the mutiny, where no quarter was given
and none was taken. We can only wonder at what he was thinking. Did he think
that the British were winning or was he in the mode of a soldier in hard
combat, simply concerned with survival. The enemies were many, besides the
rebels and their constant threat, an officer had to concern himself with his
men and dangers of, severe heat, lack of water, and the fact that a simple
scratch could result in dangerous life-threatening infection.
The 82nd continued to be engaged in exhausting column work in the vicinity
of Shahjehanpore until the end of May. One of the more significant mobile
column operations took place from the 24th to the 26th of May against rebels
under the Fyzabad Moulvie operating in a large area around Mohumdee.
On the night of the 23rd of May, Brigadier J. Jone's Shahjehanpore Field
Force cross the river by the bridge of boats and formed up in front of
the village of Loodipore. At daylight on the 24th the force advanced and
found the enemy in position at the Fort of Burnai.
The enemy opened a heavy artillery fire, but the effect of the answering
British 24 pounders caused them to withdraw. As the line advanced the fort
was also abandoned and was entered without further stand. One damaged gun
was taken and the fort was blown up. The enemy was pressed for six miles
beyond the fort when the heat of the day obliged a halt by the infantry.
The press was continued for some distance by the cavalry and light artillery
when they were also forced to suspend operations for the day.
Early on the 25th, Jone's force found the enemy forming up on the road
in front of Mohumdee. The 9th Lancers and the Horse Artillery were immediately
sent forward and a few rounds quickly dispersed the rebels. The rebels were
apparently tired of being pressed by the British advance and evacuated the
town and fort at Mohumdee which were immediately occupied. For the next
several days the cavalry operated in the area tracking down and engaging
small bands of rebels.
After carefully scouring the country, and burning several of the villages
in the area, the force returned to Shahjehanpore arriving there on the morning
of the 29th of May. The rebels in the area were effectively dispersed, 9
field pieces and many gun carriages were captured during operations. The
cost was 5 killed, 12 wounded, with 27 lost to sun stroke on the 24th and
25th. The heat had proved a greater enemy than the rebels. The 82nd was to
remain in garrison at Shahjehanpore for the next few months, a much need
rest. [17]
The last engagement of the 82nd in the Indian Mutiny was the action against a rebel force at Bunkagong, some twelve miles from Shahjehanpore. On the 8th of October Major General Sir Thomas Seaton left Shahjehanpore to go to the aid of the Rajah of Powain. He engaged the rebels, the remainder of the Fyzabad Moulvie forces, inflicting great loss due in large measure to the effectiveness of the Enfield Rifle. The force then returned to Shahjehanpore. The 82nd continued to serve in India after the mutiny until 1869.
Captain Marriott was to receive a Brevet of Major on the 26th of April
1859 and the Indian Mutiny Medal with no bar for his services during the
Indian Mutiny.[19]
This group of medals serves to show us that a no bar medal deserves the
same respect as a medal with bars. Marriott received a bar (Sebastopol) during
the Crimean War for essential what amounts to four days in the operational
theater. He then goes to the mutiny, serves over a year in military operations,
suffers the climate and numerous hardships of India service, and received
for it all a medal with no bar.
Major Marriott was to secure his substantive rank of Major by purchase
on the 16th of November 1860.[20]
Major Marriott was to leave India before the 82nd as he transferred on
the 31st of May 1861 to the 13th Foot.[21]
Just slightly more than a year later, Major Marriott again transferred,
this time to the 60th Rifles on the 7th of November 1862.[22]
Major Marriott was to serve with the 2nd Battalion of the 60th until
1865 when he was either retired by commutation or sold his commission, it
is unclear which occurred, after 23 years service in the British Army. It
is uncertain as to whether or not Major Marriott returned to Canada or settled
down with his wife and children in the British Isles.
One point to make here. The purchase system is routinely challenged as
a bad system, and surely it was in some cases, however, a man who worked
within the purchase system wanted to be in the Army. An important point
that would seem to overlooked in the zeal to criticize purchase. Major Marriott,
I believed, was an officer who wanted to be in the army and purchased every
level of rank he received during his career. He was certainly very proud
of his medals as they are held by a very fine custom made carrying box.
We can learn something in our world today from the dedication and devotion to responsibility show by the Captains of history like Major Henry Christopher Marriott of the British Army.
[1] See WO76/178.
[2]See WO76/178 and
WO25/3240.
[3]See WO76/178 and
Jarvis, S.P., Historical Record of the Eighty-Second Regiment, or Prince
of Wales Volunteers, p. 73-74.
[4]See WO76/178.
[5]Mullaly, B.R., The
South Lancashire Regiment, p.115. The First Brigade, of the Second Division
contained the 41st, 47th, 49th, 62nd, & 82nd Regiments.
[6]Jarvis, S.P., Historical
Record of the Eighty-Second Regiment, or Prince of Wales Volunteers, p.
78-80.
[7]Mullaly, B.R., The
South Lancashire Regiment, p.115.
[8]This section was
collected from: Mullaly, B.R., The South Lancashire Regiment, p.119-121,
Jarvis, S.P., Historical Record of the Eighty-Second Regiment, or Prince
of Wales Volunteers, p. 99, Jocelyn, J.R.J, The History of the Royal and
Indian Artillery, p.231-235 and Cawnpore Dispatches published in the London
Gazette, 29 January 1858.
[9]Tantia Topis Force
was 14,000 disciplined sepoys of the line, 11,000 irregulars of the Gwaior
Contingent, and some 60 field pieces.
[10]Mullaly, B.R., The
South Lancashire Regiment, p.121.
[11]This section was
collected from: Mullaly, B.R., The South Lancashire Regiment, p.121, and
Brigadier General T. Seatons Dispatch published in the Suppliment to the
London Gazette, 16 July 1858.
[12]Brigadier Seatons
force was 1024 strong of which 714 were of the 82nd.
[13]The numbers of the
enemy were estimate at 800 horse and 1,800 infantry including sepoys of
the 41st and 10th Native Infantry, and Gwalior Contingent.
[14]This section was
collected from: Colin Campbells Despatch from Camp Bareilly, May 8, 1858
and Brigadier General J. Jones Despatch from Camp Shahjehanpore, May 19,
1858 in The Suppliment to the London Gazette, 7 July 1858. Also the Governor-Generals
and Deputy Adjutant-Generals comments on Lieutenant Colonel Hales defence
of the jail along with his Despatch on the defence in The London Gazette,
10 August 1858.
[15]Jarvis, S.P.,
Historical Record of the Eighty-Second Regiment, or Prince of Wales Volunteers,
p. 110.
[16]Brigadier General
J. Jones Despatch from Camp Shahjehanpore, June 1, 1858 in The London
Gazette, 31 August 1858.
[17]After Mohumdee the
Moulvie made for Powain, a town on the frontier of Oude and Rohilkhund,
where he was shot dead from the walls by the brother of the Rajah of Powain.
[18]This section was
collected from: Mullaly, B.R., The South Lancashire Regiment, p.122, and
Jocelyn, J.R.J, The History of the Royal and Indian Artillery, p. 385-386.
[19]Brevet Major,
dated 26th of April 1859. The London Gazette, 14 June 1859.
[20]The London Gazette,
16 November 1860.
[21]The London Gazette,
16 August 1861.
[22]The London Gazette,
7 November 1862.