The Bengal Naval Brigades during the Great Sepoy Mutiny

Source: British Library: IOR: L/MAR/762 - Bengal Naval Brigades - Ms. list of European Officers and Seamen who served on the books of H.M.’s vessel CALCUTTA 1^st August 1858 to 31^st December 1859

This is one of two volumes relating to the great Sepoy Mutiny that are supposed to be available as original documents. However, I have attempted to draw this twice, but on both occasions have had to rely on the microfilmed version. Unfortunately, some entries are so faint and difficult to make out that the original would be required. Most, both officers and men, are shown as either having come from Acbar (the Bengal Marine’s flagship), or as volunteers. Interestingly, some of the latter were seemingly raised at Singapore and some were shown as having come from Semiramis and Calcutta. At this point, I am not entirely sure of the administrative importance of some of these differences.

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Examples:-

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General Number	6214
Entry	August 1 1858
Where	Acbar
Names	Avis, George
Rank	AB
Country where bore	Maryburg Maritius
D, DD, or Run	D
When	January 24 1859
Where	Service

General Number	7162
Entry	August 20 1858
Where	Volunteer
Names	Bulkley, William
Rank	AB
Country where bore	New York, America
D, DD, or Run	R
When	Decr 31 1858
Where	“Calcutta”

General Number	5792
Entry	August 1 1858
Where	Acbar
Names	Gilham, John
Rank	AB
Country where bore	Bristol, England
D, DD, or Run	DD
When	Decr 13 1858
Where	Singhboour

General Number	7463
Entry	September 6 1858
Where	Volunteer Singapore
Names	Bell James
Rank	1C PO
Country where bore	Greenock, Scotland
D, DD, or Run	D
When	December 8 1859
Where	“Punjuab”

Source: BL: IOR: L/MAR/763 - Bengal Naval Brigades - Names of Officers and European Seamen employed, being original printed copy with autograph signatures, and enclosure of Marine Letter from Fort William, No 28. Also Alphabetical List of European Officers and Seamen of the Indian Navy serving with the Bengal Naval Brigades 1860

This is the other volume whereby the original cannot be found and has to be seen as a microfilm copy. I am not sure whether the second list has been microfilmed or not, but I certainly could not identify this while working on this microfilm.

The list that is there was constructed in June 1859, as per a request from the Bombay Presidency and is printed by Naval Brigade (alphabetically). From there the general format is by rank, or at least those in command and then the rest, sometimes in strict rank and alphabetical order and sometimes less efficiently. Often a military style of ranks is shown, but not always and occasionally naval ranks and rates are used. These others include 1^st Officer, 2^nd Officer, petty officers, cooks and boatswains. Once again, at this stage of my studies I do not understand the reasons behind this (other than surmising that these units were perhaps more shambolic than is maintained in the British accounts of these events). Promotions also appear in the remarks columns and occasionally other pertinent info, such as those discharged sick. Incidentally, the details in the casualty returns have been identical in all the checks that I have so far conducted.

Examples:-

Naval Brigade Berhampore

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NAMES	Rank	Date of Entry	Date of Discharge	REMARKS
James Smart	Commander	Dec 7, 1857	July 3, 1858
John Kaine	Ditto	June 20, 1858	Jan 22, 1859
Charles Bennett	Serjeant	Dec 8, 1857	Dec. 13, 1858
George Shepperd	Ditto	Ditto	Ditto
Edward Roberts	Guard	Ditto	Ditto
W. Davis	Ditto	Ditto	Ditto
...
A. Harrison	Ditto	Ditto		Died, 9^th September 1858
...

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