"A British Army for the Sikh War" Topic

Part one of a British Army for the First Anglo Sikh War is now up on my blog.

Part two follows soon and then its a look at the first engagement of the first Anglo Sikh War the battle of Mudki.

Link withob.blogspot.co.uk

Oooo…more yummy Colonial goodness! Looks great! Keep the posts coming.

Interesting blog post,too. Did you list what figures you're using on there somewhere?

All the ones in the latest post are QRF Hafen. I will be doing a 15mm figure review pretty soon.

Very nice, looking forward to your figure review.

I would note that Gough did learn to rely much more on his artillery. I suspect that their use of binoculars allowed them to suppress Sikh guns at a range where the Sikhs could not respond in kind.

Thanks vtsao, I do have a load of Sikh War 15mm figures but I don't have every figure by all three manufacturers. Still I can review what I have.

That is a very interesting observation about Gough and I touch on it in my next blog post which will be up by Monday morning. Suffice to say it seems he was over confident.

OB,maybe you can answer a question I've had for a while. Mollo's Indian Army book shows Sepoy Light Infantry company uniforms, and Rifle Companies with green uniforms. Were both present in every regiment? I have a vague memory of reading somewhere that some had Rifles,others Lights,but I can't seem to find it in Mollo,and maybe I imagined it(!).

I've done some TMP and Google searches under various headings,but haven't been able to come up with anything yet. Know anything about this?

I'm familiar with light companies but not with rifle companies.

I have a link somewhere for a forum where you could ask. Let me get back to you.

There we go Hafen.

link

I was also looking at the pictures of the Indian regiments Light companies in rifle green.
Worked out it happened after the '49 but before the Mutiny.

Lovely figures
What figures do you use for the British higher command element?

Thanks deflatermouse.

The British higher command figures are a bit tricky for the Sikh War. I currently use the QRF pack which are OK, Black Hat have two nice mounted officers which you can see on the blog. That said they missed the trick with their actual general figure who is wearing a plumed bowler hat which seems to have been a pre or early 19th century Company style.

So no Paddy Gough in his long white coat unless the Milliput comes out. I might actually attempt to do that with the Black Hat General.

OB,thanks very much for the link! I was in complete ignorance of it. I can see I'll be spending a lot of time there.

DFM,that would certainly make things easier,if less colorful. Can you recall the source? Maybe it's in Mollo's book,and I missed it?
(Not that I'm doubting you,it's just been bugging me for some time that I couldn't pin it down). I'll be combing through the site OB linked as soon as I get a chance.

(Ahem!)I will point out that Old Glory has High Command packs for both British and Sikhs--in 25mm(nyaah nyaah!).

I kid! This is "aspirational" on my part, I figured it will run me circa $1,200 USD,even with the OG Army card. Let's see, I already have one bag so far…

I really like the look of those OG 25mm but I'll have to stick with 15mm now.

I've been using the 15mm Dixon Indian Mutiny fellow as Gough
BRC1 Officer pointing with sword
He is the fellow commanding the cavalry unit on the right foreground.

Not my work but that of Pedrobear.
TMP link

DFM nice figures from Pedro, I have some of BRC1. But who is the fellow at the head of the infantry columns I wonder? He would be a great figure for Gough.

Ah he's 18mm …shame, for me anyway.

The rifle companies seem to have been in addition to the battalion companies. They were in existence before 1850 and not all battalions owned them:

`Fort William, May 12th 1841 – The Right Hon. the Governor-General of India in council is pleased to direct, that the rifle companies of the 9th, 41st, 57th, 68th, 69th and 72nd of N.I. be designated the 7th companies in their respective regiments, and completed to the established strength of the other companies, by selections of the best marksmen in each of the six corps. The present ninth companies of the regiments raised under the operation of Gov. G. Os. No 129, of 31st July 1839, will be distributed through their respective corps.'
The Asiatic Journal, May-August 1841.

It appears that French, in the Foundry book about the British in India up to 1859, lists the battalions who had rifle companies, but I haven't seen this book.

Mollo, page 73, has a picture originating with Lieutenant Charles Wyndham showing rifle and battalion sepoys of the 41st BNI in 1850. The rifle companies wore green with black equipment, facings and wings. They were armed with the Brunswick rifle.

Gough in my army is an ACW Union officer of unknown origin with the appropriate coat and a FFL head.

Yes that sounds the ticket John. I also saw on OG FPW mounted officer who would do. I'm not buying 16 figures to get him though.

Good stuff on the rifle co's too.

I was looking for a figure for Gough when I came across this image of the man himself.

He is,presumably, wearing his famous white fighting coat. I realised I had just the figure to represent him down to the coat and facial hair – a QRF Wurtemburg General. I'm delighted even the sword is right.