198

No. XIV.

MAJOR-GENERAL LITTELLUS BURRELL,

OF THE BENGAL ESTABLISHMENT.

THIS HIS distinguished officer, whose success in his profession was entirely owing to his own meritorious exertions, commenced his career as a volunteer in the service of the Hon. East India Company in 1769, when about sixteen years of age. He proceeded to India early in 1770, on board the Company's ship Vansittart. He joined the 2d regiment of European Infantry in Bengal, and carried arms in Captain Rawstorne's company, in the 2d battalion of that regiment. In 1771 he was promoted to the rank of Corporal, and in 1772 to that of Serjeant.

In 1774 he was removed, on Captain Rawstorne's recommendation, to the 18th battalion of Sepoys, commanded by Captain Edmondson, by whom he was promoted to be Serjeant-Major of the corps in 1775. He was present with that corps at the battle of Cutra (or St. George), fought on the plains of Rohilcund, April 23. 1774, and in all the subsequent services on which the corps was employed during the campaign under Colonel Champion. He continued with it until 1779, when, on the recommendation of Captain Edmondson, he was appointed, in March, a cadet on the Bengal establishment, by the illustrious Warren Hastings, then GovernorGeneral of India.

In October of the same year Mr. Burrell obtained a commission as Ensign, and immediately joined a detachment then forming at Caunpoor for field service, under the command of Captain William Popham, to assist and co-operate with the Rana of Gohud against the Mahratta States, by the troops of

which the Rana's dominions were overrun. Ensign Burrell was posted to the 1st battalion of Sepoy drafts, commanded by Captain Clode, in which he served during the time that corps was employed in the districts of Gohud and Gualior, under Captain Popham. During that active campaign the fort of Lohar was carried by assault, and the important fortress of Gualior by escalade.

In September, 1780, the 1st battalion of drafts became the 40th battalion of the line, under the command of Captain Clode, and on that occasion Ensign Burrell was appointed Adjutant to the corps. In October following, the 40th battalion joined Colonel Camac's detachment at Salbhy, and thence marched into the Mahratta province of Malwa, through the Narwa pass, advancing as far as Sipparee without much opposition. The Mahratta commander of that place having refused to surrender, it was carried by storm, without much loss on either side.

In January, 1781, when the Bengal army was reorganized, and the several corps of Native Infantry were embodied into regiments of two battalions each, the 40th battalion became the 33d regiment, when Major Clode was continued in the command, and Ensign Burrell in the situation of Adjutant. In May, 1781, Ensign Burrell was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. After a series of arduous services under the command of Colonels Camac and Muir, in Malwa, which included several partial actions, and the capture, after an extraordinary forced march, of all Mhadajee Scindia's guns, standards, elephants, and baggage (during which operations the troops were greatly straitened for provisions, and harassed by the enemy's superior bodies of horse), a separate treaty of peace was concluded with that chieftain; when the detachment recrossed the Jumna at the latter end of the year 1781, and the 33d regiment proceeded to the station of Burhampoor, where it remained until May, 1783. In consequence of the general peace at the close of that year, it was one of the number which fell under the reduction of the army, and Lieutenant Burrell was, in March, 1784, appointed Adjutant

to the 2d regiment of Native Infantry, which he joined at the field station of Futtehgurh, and thence marched with it to Midnapore, in Orissa, at the beginning of 1786. He served with that corps until 1797, when he was removed, at his own request, to the 2d battalion 3d regiment of Native Infantry (then in the field, on the expected invasion of Zemaun Shah, King of Cabool), and joined at Mindy Ghaut, in March of that year. Lieutenant Burrell was advanced to the rank of Captain by brevet, January 8. 1796. In 1797 he became Captain-Lieutenant in the 3d regiment; and on the 31st Aug. 1798, Captain of a company in that corps.

In November, 1797, the 3d regiment marched to Lucknow, on the occasion of the deposition of Vizier Ally, and the accession to the Musnud of the Newaub Saadut Ally Khan, brother to the former Vizier, Assooful Dowla. On the final arrangements for the introduction of regimental rank, by the regulations of 1796-7, Captain Burrell was posted to the 5th regiment of Native Infantry, and joined its second battalion at Lucknow.

Towards the close of 1798, on the expectation of hostilities with Tippoo Saib, the government of Bengal called for a body of volunteers, amounting to 3000 men, from the Native Infantry of that establishment, to proceed by sea to the coast of Coromandel. On that occasion, Captain Burrell's offer for foreign service was accepted, and the volunteers from the several corps at the field stations were placed under his command, and proceeded down the Ganges to the presidency; where the volunteers from all the corps of the army having assembled, they were formed into three battalions, and Captain Burrell was appointed to command the third battalion. The whole embarked under Major-General W. Popham about the 20th December, and landed at Madras the end of that month. The Bengal volunteers immediately proceeded to join the army assembled under the command of General (the present Lord) Harris, when they were brigaded under the command of the late Colonel John Gardiner, of the Bengal army, and formed the 4th native brigade of the line. They

participated in the field action of Malavelli and the capture of Seringapatam, in May, 1799; for which service Captain Burrell, in common with his comrades, received an honorary medal. After the fall of the capital, the army proceeded, under General Harris, towards the northern frontier of Mysoor; when the General having returned to Madras, the command devolved on Colonel the Hon. Arthur Wellesley, and the troops were employed in subjugating refractory chiefs, who continued in arms after the fall of the Sultaun and his capital.

When that service was accomplished, the corps separated to different quarters. The 3d Bengal volunteers, under Captain Burrell, formed part of the garrison of Chittledroog, and had the honour to share, with the other troops and corps employed, the high approbation, acknowledgment, and thanks of the commander of the forces, for their good conduct throughout the arduous service on which they had been engaged. After a few months' repose, the three battalions of Bengal volunteers were ordered to commence their march for Bengal, under Lieut.-Colonel Gardiner. On their route they were employed to quell some disturbances which had broken out at Palaveram, in the Raja Mundry district; thence they continued their march towards Bengal, where, on their arrival, the sense of their services was expressed in general orders by the Supreme Government, in terms of cordial approbation, for the "distinguished services rendered to the British empire in India by the European and Native officers and privates of those gallant and meritorious corps, during the late arduous crisis of public affairs." Honorary medals were conferred by the Supreme Government on all the native officers and men of the volunteer battalions; which, in May, 1800, were formed into the 18th and 19th regiments on the establishment; and the Commander-in-chief was pleased to direct that, in order to perpetuate the honour which they had acquired, they should bear, in the upper canton of their regimental colours, an embroidered radiant star, encircled with the words, "Bengal Volunteers."

Towards the close of 1798, the 15th regiment was added to the establishment of Bengal, and Captain Burrell was one of the officers transferred to it. He accordingly joined the second battalion in January, 1801, at the post of Dulliel Gunge, in Oude; and in March, 1802, he was detached in command of half the battalion for the duty of the garrison of Allahabad, where he continued six months, and in November rejoined the head-quarters at Caunpoor. In January, 1803, his battalion joined the troops employed in the districts of the Dooaub recently ceded by the Newaub Vizier; was engaged at the capture of the forts of Saussnie, Bejigurh, and Cutchoura, under the personal command of General Lake, the Commander-in-chief; and had the proud honour of participating in all the arduous services of that brilliant campaign, in prosecution of hostilities against Dowlut Rao Scindia, in Hindostan. It was prominently engaged in the battle of Delhi, the siege of Agra, and the battle of Laswarree; during all which service Captain Burrell was the senior Captain, and second in command of the battalion.

At the battle of Laswarree in particular, Captain Burrell was with the advanced picquets, as captain of the day; which picquets, consisting of a detail of a subaltern and fifty men from each corps of infantry, under the field-officers of the day, headed the column of attack in the hard-fought contest, and were, of course, prominently and closely engaged with the enemy. In the general orders by the Commander-inchief, expressing his approbation and thanks to the corps most particularly engaged, the details composing the advanced picquets were overlooked; but his Excellency shortly afterwards adverting to the subject, sent for Captain Burrell, in the most handsome manner expressed his hope that Captain Burrell did not feel hurt at the omission, and directed him to communicate to every officer and man of those details his Excellency's most cordial approbation and thanks for their gallantry and good conduct, which he had not failed personally to observe during the action.