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Auction: 19002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 81

(x) An unusual and rare 'double issue' Indian Mutiny pair awarded to Brevet Major J. M. Biddle, 21st Hussars, late 100th Regiment of Foot, 8th Hussars, and Assistant Surgeon to the 60th Royal Rifles, 43rd Foot and 94th Foot

Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 2 clasps, Delhi, Central India (Lieut. I. Biddle, 8th. Hussars.), note initial, the second clasp loose and a tailor's copy; Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 2 clasps, Delhi, Central India (Asst. Surg. J. M. Biddle, 1st. Bn. 60th. Rifles), the second clasp a tailor's copy with unofficial rivets, good very fine (2)

A unique medal with clasp 'Delhi' to the 8th Hussars.

John Matthew Biddle was born on 1 April 1832 at Bristol, and is recorded in 1850 as a medical student at the Middlesex Hospital, then located at Mortimer Street, London. Appointed Assistant Surgeon on 3 June 1853 and posted to the 94th Foot on 26 July 1853, 43rd Foot on 5 August 1853, 60th Foot on 6 April 1855, and reserve on 25 September 1857, he was re-commissioned Cornet (without purchase), 8th Hussars that same day, Lieutenant (without purchase) on 5 February 1858 and Captain (without purchase) on 26 July 1861.

Mutiny - four V.C.s at Gwalior

The 8th Hussars were called up in England in late 1857 and were ready for war in February 1858, Biddle amongst their ranks. Three months later at Gwalior, a squadron of the 8th under Captain Heneage fought a large Indian force under Rani Lakshmibai, the Queen of the Princely State of Jhansi in northern India and one of the leading rebellion leaders. Charging into the enemy, the Hussars killed swathes of Indian soldiers and took two artillery pieces before continuing the momentum right through to the Phul Bagh encampment at Gwalior Fort. The Queen - dressed as a cavalry leader - was unhorsed and badly wounded when attacked by one of the Hussars, probably by his sabre.

'Shortly afterwards, as she sat bleeding by the roadside, she recognised the soldier and fired at him with a pistol, whereupon he "dispatched the young lady with his carbine"' (The Indian Mutiny: 1857 and Brigadier M. W. Smith June 25th 1858 to General Hugh Rose, refer)

According to tradition, the Queen told a local hermit to burn her body lest it fall into British hands, and a few local people cremated her body. A little later, Field Marshal Henry Hugh Rose, 1st Baron Strathnairn and Commander of the Central Indian Field Force gave 'the most dangerous of all Indian Leaders' a respectful burial, 'with great ceremony under a tamarind tree under the rock of Gwalior, where I saw her bones and ashes' (Ibid). Today her tomb is in the Phool Bagh area of Gwalior.

In consequence of the action at Gwalior, the Hussars were awarded four V.C.s under Clause 13 of the Warrant; Captain C. W. Heneage, Sergeant J. Ward, Farrier G. Hollis and Private J. Pearson were chosen to be recipients. The remaining year was spent pursuing the rebel forces, the Hussars inflicting further heavy losses at Beejapore on 5 September 1858 - of 850 enemy troops, no less than 450 bodies were counted dead on the field. In its time in India, the 8th Hussars shifted camp over 300 times and it is believed that the men marched over 3000 miles. Reaching Meerut in February 1861, Biddle's previous medical knowledge and expertise was likely in high demand, not just dealing with extreme heat and foot complaints, but also an epidemic of cholera in which the regiment lost two officers and 31 men.

Biddle shortly afterwards married Charlotte Elizabeth Osborn at Meerut on 2 November 1861, giving his rank as Captain in H.M.'s 8th Hussars. Exchanged to the 100th Foot on 5 July 1864 and the 21st Hussars on 20 June 1865, Biddle was promoted Brevet-Major on 2 October 1874. He died at Feltham on 15 December 1878 after a short illness; sold with copied roll entry and private research confirming service during the Indian Campaign, including the siege and capture of Delhi and extensive copied research noting that his younger brother, Thomas James Biddle, also served during the Indian Mutiny as Assistant Surgeon to the 8th (The King's) Regiment of Foot.


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Sold for
£1,700