Major General Sir Henry Havelock was a British general who is particularly associated with India and his recapture of Cawnpore from rebels during the Indian Mutiny of 1857.
Background
Henry Havelock was born on 5 April 1795 at Ford Hall, Bishopwearmouth (now in Sunderland). His parents were William Havelock, a wealthy shipbuilder in Sunderland, and Jane, daughter of John Carter, solicitor at Stockton-on-Tees.
The family moved to Ingress Park, Greenhithe, Kent, when Henry was still a child, and here his mother died in 1811.
Education
From January 1800 until August 1804 Henry attended Dartford Grammar School as a parlour boarder with the Master, Rev John Bradley, after which he was placed with his elder brother in the boarding-house of Dr. Raine, headmaster of Charterhouse School until he was 17.
In accordance with the desire of his mother, who had died in 1811, he entered the Middle Temple in 1813, studying under Chitty the eminent special pleader.
His legal studies having been abridged by a misunderstanding with his father, he in 1815 accepted a second lieutenancy in the Rifle Brigade (95th), procured for him by the interest of his brother William.
Career
During the following eight years of service in Britain he read extensively and acquired a good acquaintance with the theory of war.
In 1823, having exchanged into the 216t and thence into the 13th Light Infantry, he followed his brothers William and Charles to India, first qualifying himself in Hindustani under Dr Gilchrfst, a celebrated Orientalist. At the (dose of twenty-three years' service he was still a lieutenant, and it was not until 1838 that, after three years' adjutancy of his regiment, he became captain.
About the same time he became a Baptist, being baptized by Mr John Mackat Serampore.
During the first Afghan war he was present as aide-de-camp to Sir Willoughby Cotton at the capture of Ghazni, on the 23rd of July 1839, and at the occupation of Kabul.
In 1840, being attached to Sir Robert Sale's force, he took part in the Khurd- Kabul fight, in the celebrated passage of the defiles of the Ghilzais (1841) and in the fighting from Tezeen to Jalalabad.
Here, after many months' siege, his column in a sortie en masse defeated Akbar Khan on the 7 th of April 1842.
He was now made deputy adjutant-general of the infantry division in Kabul, and in September he assisted at Jagdalak, at Tezeen, and at the release of the British prisoners at Kabul, besides taking a prominent part at Istaliff.
Having obtained a regimental majority he next went through the Mahratta campaign as Persian interpreter to Sir Hugh (Viscount) Gough, and distinguished himself at Maharajpore in 1843, and also in the Sikh campaign at Moodkee, Ferozeshah and Sobraon in 1845.
For these services he was made deputy adjutant-general at Bombay.
In 1854 he became quartermaster-general, then full colonel, and lastly ajdutant-general of the troops in India. In 1857 he was selected by Sir James Outram for the command of a division in the Persian campaign, during which he was present at the actions of Muhamra and Ahwaz.
Peace with Persia set him free just as the Mutiny broke out; and he was chosen to command a column " to quell disturbances in Allahabad, to support Lawrence at Lucknow and Wheeler at Cawnpore, to disperse and utterly destroy all mutineers and insurgents. "
At Fatehpur, on the 12th of July, at Aohg and Pandoobridge on the 15th, at Cawnpore on the 16th, at Unao on the 29th, at Busherutgunge on the 29th and again on the 5th of August, at Boorhya on the 12th of August, and at Bithur on the 16th, he defeated overwhelming forces.
Twice he advanced for the relief of Lucknow, but twice prudence forbade a reckless exposure of troops wasted by battle and disease in the almost impracticable task.
Reinforcements arriving at last under Outram, he was enabled by the generosity of his superior officer to crown his successes on the 25th of September 1857 by the capture of Lucknow.
He lived long enough to receive the intelligence that he had been created K. C. B. for the first three battles of the campaign; but of the major-general-ship which was shortly afterwards conferred he never knew.
To both widow and son pensions of £1000 were awarded by parliament.
Achievements
Religion
He became a Baptist, being baptized by Mr. John Mack at Serampore. He introduced some of his new family's missionary ideas to the army and began the distribution of bibles to all soldiers. He also introduced all-rank bible study classes and established the first non-church services for military personnel.
Membership
He was a member of Sir James Outram's expedition to Persia in 1857 but returned to India after the outbreak of the Indian mutiny.
Personality
No doubt he is fussy and tiresome, but his little old stiff figure looks as active and fit for use as if he were made of steel. "
Interests
Before embarkation he studied the Persian and Hindustani languages with success under John Borthwick Gilchrist.
Connections
In 1828 he published at Serampore Campaigns in Ava, and in 1829 he married Hannah Shepherd, daughter of Dr Marshman, the eminent missionary.
The baronetcy was afterwards bestowed upon his eldest son; while to his widow, by royal order, was given the rank to which she would have been entitled had her husband survived and been created a baronet.