File:John NICHOLSON.jpg

Lisburn Cathedral North Nave

Brigadier General John NICHOLSON Marble Memorial inside Lisburn Cathedral, County Down Northern Ireland Born 1821 to Doctor Alexander Jaffray of Virgemont county Dublin and Clara Nicholson nee Hogg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Nicholson_(East_India_Company_officer)

The grave of Brigadier General John NICHOLSON, C.B. is beneath the fortress which he died to take. This monument is erected by his mother, to keep alive his memory and example among his countrymen. Inscription on the memorial. Comrades who loved and mourn him, add this story of his life. He entered the army of the H.E.I.C. in 1839, and served in four great wars. Afghanistan 1841_42. Sutlej 1845_ 46. Punjab 1848_49. India 1857. In the first he was and Ensign; in the last a Brigadier-General and Companion of Bath. In all, a hero. Rare gifts had marked him for great things in peace and war. He had an iron mind and frame, a terrible courage and indomitable will. His form seemed made for an army to behold. His heart, to meet the crisis of an empire. Yet was he gentle exceedingly; most loving; most kind. In all he though, and did, unselfish, earnest, plain and true. Indeed a most noble man! In public affairs he was the pupil of the great and good Sir Henry Lawrence; and worthy of his master. Few took a greater share in either the conquest of government of the Punjab. Perhaps none so great in both. Soldier and Civilian he was a tower of strength; the type of the conquering race. Most fitly, in the great siege of Delhi, he led the first column of attack and carried the main breach; dealing the death-blow to the greatest danger that ever-threatened British India. Most mournfully, most gloriously, in the moment of victory, he fell mortally wounded on the 14th and died on the 23rd of September 1857; aged only 34.

London Gazette dated 17 November 1857. WAR-OFFICE, November 14,1857. MEMORANDUM. Colonel James George Neill, of the Madras Fusiliers, and Lieutenant-Colonel John Nicholson, of the 27th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry, would have been recommended for the dignity of Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath, had they survived

London Gazette dated 15 December 1857. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/22073/page/4433

Major-General A, Wilson, Commanding Field Force, to Captain Norman, Assistant Adjutant General of the Army. Sir, Camp before Delhi, August 30th 1857-

I HAVE the honor to report, for the information of Major-General Gowan, C.B., Commanding the Forces in the Upper Provinces, and for submission to Government, that, learning that a large force of rebels had moved out from the city in the direction of Nujufghur for the purpose of attacking us in the rear, cutting off our supplies, and capturing the siege-train now en route from Ferozepore, I detached a column under Brigadier-General Nicholson on the morning of the 25th instant, to intercept them. I enclose herewith the Brigadier-General's report of his operations, with plans of the route pursued by the column, and of the action of Nujufghur, with returns of the killed and wounded, and ammunition expended, as well as of the captured ordnance and ammunition. I also enclose a copy of a field-force order I have issued on the occasion. To Brigadier-General Nicholson's judgment' energy, and determination I attribute mainly the glorious result of the expedition, and next, to the steadiness and gallantry in action, and the cheerfulness under great privation and fatigue exhibited by the officers and men placed under his command. They all most richly deserve my highest praise, and, in forwarding this report for submission to Government, I beg that Major-General Gowan will bring to the favourable notice of Government the name of Brigadier-General J. Nicholson, as well as all those officers mentioned in his report as those to whom, he was most indebted for their service on this occasion. I have, Ec., A. WILSON.

Supplement to the London Gazette dated 15 December 1857 4th Infantry Brigade. Brigadier-General J. Nicholson, Commanding 4th Infantry Brigade, wounded dangerously.

Source for the following. Dictionary of National Biography, Volumes 1-22 for John Nicholson (Ancestry) John Nicholson. (1821-1857), brigadier-general; born in Dublin; obtained cadetship in Bengal infantry, 1839; served in Afghanistan and (1842) took a prominent part on the defence of Ghazni; made prisoner, but ultimately rescued by Major-general (afterwards Sir) George Pollock {q.v.}, 1842; promoted adjutant of his regiment, 1843; accompanied the Maharajah Gulab Singh to Kashmir, 1846; captain, 1848; regarded as a demi-god by the natives, a brotherhood of fakirs in Hazara origination the worship of Nikkul Seyn, 1848; when in charge of Sind Sagar Doab, secured Attak and scoured the country on the rebellion of Mulraj, performing almost incredible marches and prodigies of valour, distinguished himself during the second Sikh war, especially at Gujrat, 1849, and was promoted brevet-major, 1849; administrative officer at Bannu, 1851-6; brevet lieutenant-general, 1854; was promoted brigadier-general on the out-break of the mutiny, and commander of the Punjab movable column; disarmed suspected sepoy regiments; intercepted the mutineers who were hastening to Delhi, and destroyed them at Trimmu Ghaut and at the Ravi river; he arrived at Delhi 14 Aug 1857; captured thirteen guns and the camp equipment of the enemy who were manoeuvring to get the British rear, 25 Aug 1857; commanded the main storming party in the assault on Delhi 14 Sept 1857; was shot through the chest and died a few days later.

The Illustrated London News. Obituary if Eminent Persons General NICHOLSON. “GENERAL JOHN NICHOLSON, of the 27th Bengal Native Infantry and in command of the Punjab division, who has died of the wounds he received at the Capture of Delhi, was an officer of no ordinary experience and promise. He was the eldest son of the late Dr. Alexander Nicholson, a physician of eminence, at Virgemont county Dublin, by his wife, who was daughter of William Hogg, Esq., and sister of Sir James Weir Hogg, Bart. He was born at Virgemont on the 11th of December 1822; he received his early education at the Grammar School of Dungannon, county Tyrone, and completed his studies under Dr. Wall, of Hume-street, Dublin, who had also the instruction of Nicholson’s three brothers, one of whom fell in the Kyber Pass. Nicholson obtained a direct appointment and went to India in 1830. At the very outset of his career he gained practical experience in war. at the period of the murder of Sir William McNaghten and the massacre of the British troops at Jugdulluck, Nicholson was in the fortress of Ghuznee, under Colonel Palmer, and shared with him the dangers of the siege. General Nicholson served in the Sutlej campaigne of 1845-46. He was present at the battle-fields of Moodkee and Fereshah, and received a medal for his gallantry in action. In the second Punjaub campaign General Nicholson was the constant companion and adjunct of Major Herbert Edwardes, the hero of Mooltan. While the siege of mooltan was still proceeding, Nicholson was sent to seize the fortress of Attock, which he succeeded in taking. As soon as his services could be spared, he accompanied Lord Gough in his advance, and was able to render Sir J.Thackwell material assistance in transporting his forces across the Chenab just previous to the battle of Ramnugger. Nor was he less distinguished on the field of Goojerat, where Lord Gough finally routed and crushed the Sikh forces. For his conduct in the Punjaub campaigne, Nicholson was promoted by special brevet to rank of Major in the army, and received the additional honours of a medal clasp. He was engaged in civil employment in the Punjaub for some few years the outbreak of the recent mutinies having had under his charge the Dera Ishmail Khan district since January 1852. The glorious close and termination of his career will have unfading mention on one of the most brilliant pages of our history.

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