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Bengal Native Infantry

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The regiments of Bengal Native Infantry, alongside the regiments of Bengal European Infantry, were the regular Infantry component of the East India Company's Bengal Army from the raising of the first Native battalion in 1757 to the passing into law of the Government of India Act 1858 (as a direct result of the Indian rebellion of 1857) at which point control of the East India Company's Bengal Presidency passed to the British Government. The first Native battalion was raised by the East India Company in 1757[1] and by the start of 1857 there were 74 regiments of Bengal Native Infantry in the Bengal Army.

'Native' Infantry

The 'Native' in the titles of the Bengal Native Infantry regiments indicated that the troops were locally recruited in India (or neighbouring areas), in contrast with the Bengal European Infantry which recruited in the United Kingdom. In 1885 the word 'Native' was dropped from the titles of all military units in the Bengal Army.

Numbering of regiments

The Bengal Native Infantry regiments underwent frequent changes of numbering during their period of existence, with the numbers assigned following a reorganisation bearing little or no connection to the regiments that held the pre-existing numbers. The traditional formation of British and Presidency armies' regiments was by a hierarchy in which the "1st Regiment" was the oldest and the highest number was given to the youngest. In 1764 however, the Bengal Native Infantry regiments were renumbered in the order of the seniority of their captain.[2]

Recruitment

The majority of recruits for the Bengal Native Infantry in the years leading up to the Mutiny were from the districts of Oude (Awadh) and the surrounding areas - around three quarters of the total numbers.[3] Following the Mutiny, the twelve surviving Bengal Native Infantry regiments were joined by a mix of hastily raised units (for example, the Allahabad Levy became the 37th Bengal Native Infantry[4]) or newly created units from the Punjab (for example, the 7th Regiment of Punjab Infantry becoming the 19th Bengal Native Infantry). In addition, soldiers who did not mutiny when the rest of their regiment did so joined units like The Loyal Purbiah Regiment.

Pre-1857 list of Bengal Native Infantry Regiments

20th (Punjab) Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry (formerly 24th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry; now 6th Battalion The Punjab Regiment, Pakistan Army); painting by Walter Fane, 1868
Subadar of the 21st Bengal Native Infantry, 1819 (published in An Assemblage of Indian Army Soldiers & Uniforms from the original paintings by the late Chater Paul Chater
A group photograph of 21st (Punjab) Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry, 1866
Portrait of General William Martin Cafe VC, a veteran of the Indian Mutiny; Captain Cafe served with the 56th Bengal Native Infantry, Indian Army during the Indian Mutiny
Regimental Colour Centre of the 41st Bengal Native Infantry, captured at Delhi in 1857
Pre-1857 Regiment Title Status after the Mutiny
1st Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Cawnpore
2nd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Disarmed at Barrackpore
3rd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Phillour - loyal portion joined The Loyal Purbiah Regiment
4th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Disarmed at Kangra and Noorpore
5th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Umballah
6th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Allahabad and Futtehpore
7th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Dinapore
8th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Dinapore
9th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Allygurh, Boolunshuhur, Etawah and Mynpoorie
10th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Futtehgurh
11th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Meerut
12th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Jhansi and Nowgong
13th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Lucknow
14th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Jhelum
15th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Nusseerabad
16th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Disarmed at Goojerat and Lahore
17th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Azimghur
18th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Bareilly
19th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Disbanded at Barrackpore
20th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Meerut
21st Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Did not mutiny - became 1st Bengal Native Infantry
22nd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Fyzabad and Oude
23rd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Mhow
24th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Disarmed at Peshawur
25th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Disarmed at Benares
26th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Lahore
27th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Disarmed at Peshawur
28th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Shahjehanpore
29th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Moradabad
30th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Ajmere, Jeypore and Nusseerabad
31st Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Did not mutiny - became 2nd Bengal Native Light Infantry
32nd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Deogurh - loyal portion became 3rd Bengal Native Infantry
33rd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Disarmed at Hosheysrpore - loyal portion became 4th Bengal Native Infantry
34th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Disbanded at Barrackpore
35th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Disarmed at Goojerat, Goojranwallah, Shahpore and Sealkote
36th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Jullundur - loyal portion joined The Loyal Purbiah Regiment
37th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Benares
38th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Delhi
39th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Disarmed at Dera Ishmael Khan
40th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Dinapore
41st Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Seetapore
42nd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Saugor - loyal portion formed 5th Bengal Native (Light) Infantry
43rd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Disarmed at Barrackpore - loyal portion formed 6th Bengal Native (Light) Infantry
44th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Disarmed and dispersed at Agra and Muttra
45th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Ferozepore
46th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Sealkote
47th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Disarmed at Mirzapore - loyal portion formed the 7th Bengal Native Infantry
48th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Lucknow
49th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Disarmed at Lahore
50th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Nagode
51st Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Peshawur
52nd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Jubbulpore
53rd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Cawnpore and Oorie
54th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Delhi
55th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Nowshera
56th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Banda and Cawnpore
57th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Ferozepore
58th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Disarmed at Rawul Pindee
59th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Disarmed at Umritsur - loyal portion formed 8th Bengal Native Infantry
60th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Rohtuck
61st Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Jullundur - loyal portion joined The Loyal Purbiah Regiment
62nd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Mooltan
63rd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Disarmed at Berhampore - loyal portion formed 9th Bengal Native Infantry
64th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Disarmed at Barrah, Fort Mackeson and Peshawur
65th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Disarmed at Ghazeepore - loyal portion formed 10th Bengal Native Infantry
66th (Goorkha) Bengal Native Infantry Did not mutiny - became 1st Goorkha Regiment
67th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Disarmed and dispersed at Agra and Muttra
68th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Bareilly
69th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Disarmed at Mooltan
70th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Disarmed at Barrackpore - loyal portion formed 11th Bengal Native Infantry
71st Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Lucknow
72nd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Neemuch
73rd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Dacca
74th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Mutinied at Delhi

The Mutiny

During the Indian Mutiny the vast majority of the Bengal Native Infantry regiments either:

  • Mutinied - engaged in armed conflict with their officers, other East India Company forces or British Army units
  • Were disarmed by their officers, other East India Company forces or British Army units using threat of force and then kept prisoner or allowed to disperse, or:
  • Disbanded peacefully and returned to their homes.

The twelve regiments that remained loyal - either as a whole regiment or as a majority of the regiment - were taken into the army of the British Raj following the complete overhaul in 1861 of the military in India.[5] In 1861 the Bengal Native Infantry was renumbered, the "loyal" regiments taking precedence starting with the 21st Regiment of BNI becoming the 1st BNI. There was a second renumbering of the regiments the same year as a result of transferring four regiments to the Goorkha list. The post-Mutiny Bengal Native Infantry consisted of 45 regiments.[6]

Post-1861 list of Bengal Native Infantry Regiments

First 1861 Title Second 1861 Title Previous Title
1st Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Unchanged 21st Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry
2nd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Unchanged 31st Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry
3rd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Unchanged 32nd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry
4th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Unchanged 33rd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry
5th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Unchanged 42nd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry
6th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Unchanged 43rd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry
7th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Unchanged 47th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry
8th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Unchanged 59th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry
9th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Unchanged 63rd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry
10th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry Unchanged 65th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry
11th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 1st Goorkha Regiment 66th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry
12th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 11th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 70th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry
13th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 12th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry The Regiment of Kelat-i-Ghilzie
14th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 13th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry The Shakhawati Battalion
15th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 14th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry The Regiment of Ferozepore
16th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 15th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry The Regiment of Ludhiana
17th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 2nd Goorkha Regiment The Sirmoor Rifle Regiment
18th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 3rd Goorkha Regiment The Kumaon Battalion
19th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 4th Goorkha Regiment The Extra Goorkha Battalion
20th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 16th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry The Regiment of Lucknow
21th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 17th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry The Loyal Purbeah Regiment
22th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 18th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry The Alipore Regiment
23th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 19th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 7th Punjab Regiment
24th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 20th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 8th Punjab Regiment
25th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 21st Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 9th Punjab Regiment
26th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 22nd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 11th Punjab Regiment
27th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 23rd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 15th Punjab Regiment
28th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 24th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 16th Punjab Regiment
29th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 25th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 17th Punjab Regiment
30th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 26th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 18th Punjab Regiment
31th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 27th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 19th Punjab Regiment
32th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 28th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 20th Punjab Regiment
33th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 29th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 21st Punjab Regiment
34th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 30th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 22nd Punjab Regiment
35th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 31st Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 23rd Punjab Regiment
36th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 32nd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 24th Punjab Regiment
37th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 33rd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry The Allahabad Levy
38th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 34th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry The Fatehgarh Levy
39th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 35th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry The Mynpoorie Levy
40th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 36th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry The Bareilly Levy
41th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 37th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry The Meerut Levy
42th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 38th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry The Agra Levy
43th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 39th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry The Aligarh Levy
44th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 40th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry The Shajehanpur Levy
45th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 41st Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 1st Gwalior Regiment
46th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 42nd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 1st Assam Light Infantry
47th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 43rd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 2nd Assam Light Infantry
48th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 44th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry The Sylhet Light Infantry
49th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 45th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry 1st Bengal Military Police Battalion

References

  1. ^ Raugh, Harold (2004). The Victorians at War, 1815-1914: An Encyclopaedia of British Military History. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO Inc. p. 45.
  2. ^ Luscombe, Stephen. "Land forces of the British Empire:Indian Mutiny". BritishEmpire.org. Retrieved 25 April 2008.
  3. ^ Mukherjee, Rudrangshu (2001). Awadh in Revolt, 1857-1858: A Study of Popular Resistance. Delhi: Permanent Black. p. 77.
  4. ^ Rizvi, Brig SHA. (1984). Veteran Campaigners – A History of the Punjab Regiment 1759–1981. Lahore: Wajidalis.
  5. ^ "Bengal Infantry Regiments - FIBIwiki". wiki.fibis.org. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  6. ^ Quarterly Army List of Her Majesty's British Forces on the Bengal Establishment. Calcutta: R C Lepage & Co. 1859.
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