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The Indian Mutiny – Part 2

Corresponding Author: Captain (Retd) PH Starling MA, DHMSA, FRHistS; Director Army Medical Services Museum, Keogh Barracks, Ash Vale, Aldershot GU12 5RQ Tel: 01252 868820 Fax: 01252 868832 Email: armymedicalmuseum@btinternet.com Lucknow Lucknow sits as the capital of Oudh and was the home of the British Resident. To the mutineers it symbolised British rule and so they directed their attention to it. The Chief Commissioner had spent most of his life in India and aware of the trouble brewing amongst the native troops had prepared for the eventuality of troubles. His force numbered 1730 men plus civilians and non-combatants. Once the Commissioner heard of the mutiny he immediately disarmed his Sepoy forces and drove them out of the city which he then prepared for the arrival of the mutineers. Over the next few months the city was besieged with the Residency becoming the centre of resistance. A relief force set out for Lucknow in July and after capturing Cownpore en route, had to wait there for reinforcements. By 23rd September the relief column was just a few miles south of Lucknow and prepared to assault the city and relieve the Residency which it did, two days later. By now the relief column itself was severely depleted and found itself besieged in the Residency; this lasted a further six weeks. On 12th November, a further relief column approached the Residency and by 19th November had broken through and began to evacuate it [1]. Marching in that first relief column were the 78th Highlanders who had as their Surgeon, Joseph Jee with Valantine McMaster as an Assistant Surgeon.