17/02/2025
Meeanee day greetings to all members of the The Cheshire Regiment Association and members of The Mercian Regiment.
THE VICTORY OF MEEANEE 17th FEBRUARY 1843.
The following is Sir Charles Napier's account of the battle of Meeanee, in which, on the 14th February last, the British army under his command, amounting to 2,800 men, obtained a complete victory over the Belochees to the number of 22,000 men. On the 14th inst., the whole body of the Ameers assembled, in full durbar, formally affixed their seals to the draught treaty.
On leaving the durbar, Major Outram and his companions were in great peril, a plot had been laid to murder them all. They were saved by the guards of the Ameers; but the next day (the 15th), the residence of Major Outram was attacked by 8000 of the Ameers' troops, headed by one or more of the Ameers.
The report of this nefarious transaction I have the honour to enclose. I heard of it at Hala, at which place the fearless and distinguished Major Outram joined me with his brave companions in the stern and extraordinary defence of his residence against so overwhelming a force, accompanied by six pieces of cannon.
On the 16th, marched to Muttaree : having there ascertained that the Ameers were in position at Meeanee (ten miles' distance) to the number of 22,000 men, and well knowing that a delay for reinforcements would both strengthen their confidence and add to their numbers, already seven times that which I commanded, I resolved to attack them, and we marched at 4 a.m.
On the morning of the 17th, at eight o'clock, the advanced guard discovered their camp; nine o'clock we formed in order of battle, about 2800 men of all arms, and twelve pieces of artillery. We were now within range the enemy's guns,and fifteen pieces of artillery opened upon us, and were answered by our cannon.
The enemy were very strongly posted, woods were on their flanks, which I did not think could be turned. These two woods were joined by the dry bed of the river Fulaillee, which had a high bank. The bed of the river was nearly straight, and about 1200 yards in length. Behind this and in both woods were the enemy posted. In front of their extreme right and on the edge of the wood was a village.
Having made the best examination of their position which so short a time permitted, the artillery was posted on the right line, and some skirmishes of Infantry with the Scinde Irregular Horse were sent in front to try to make the enemy show his force more distinctly; we then advanced from the right in echellon of battalions, refusing the left to save it from the fire of the village.
The 9th Bengal Light Cavalry formed the reserve in rear of the left wing, and the Poonah Horse, together with four companies of Infantry, guarded the baggage. In this order of battle we advanced as at a review, across fine plain swept by the cannon of the enemy.
The Artillery, and her Majesty's 22nd Regiment in line, formed the leading echellon, the 25th Native Infantry the second, the 12th Native Infantry the third, and the 1st Grenadier Native Infantry the fourth. The enemy was one thousand yards from our line, which soon traversed the intervening space.
Our fire of musketry opened at about one hundred yards from the bank in reply to that of the enemy, and in a few minutes the engagement became general along the bank of the river, on which the combatants fought for about three hours or more with great fury, man to man. Then, my Lord, was seen the superiority of the musketry and bayonet over the sword and shield, and matchlock.
The brave Belochees first discharging their matchlock and pistols, dashed over the bank with desperate resolution; but down went these bold and skilful swordsmen under the superior power of the musket and bayonet. At one time, my Lord, the courage and the numbers of the enemy against the 22nd, the 25th, and the 12th Regiments, bore heavily in that part of the battle.
There was no time to be lost, and I sent orders to the cavalry to force the right of the enemy's line. This order was very gallantly executed by the 9th Bengal Cavalry and the Scinde Horse, the details of which shall be afterwards stated to your Lordship, for the struggle on our right and centre was at that moment so fierce, that I could not go to the left. In this charge the 9th Light Cavalry took a standard, and several pieces of artillery, and the Scinde Horse took the enemy's camp, from which a vast body of their cavalry slowly retired fighting.
Lieutenant, Fitzgerald gallantly pursued them for two miles,and, I understand, slew three of the enemy in single combat. The brilliant conduct of these two cavalry regiments decided, in my opinion, the crisis of the action, for from the moment the cavalry were seen in the rear of their right flank the resistance of our opponents slackened, the 22nd Regiment forced the bank, the 25th and 12th did the same, the latter regiment capturing several guns, and the victory was decided.
The artillery made great havoc, among the dense masses of the enemy and dismounted several of their guns. The whole of the enemy's artillery, ammunition, standards, and camp, with considerable stores and some treasure, were taken. Meer Reostum Khan, and Meer Nusseer Khan; Meer Wullee Mahomed, of Khyrpore; Meer Nusseer Khan, Meer Shadad Khan, and Meer Hoosein Khan, all of Hyderabad, came into my camp and surrendered their swords as prisoners of war. Their misfortunes are of their own creation, but as they are great, I returned to them their swords. They await your lordship's orders. Their highnesses have surrendered Hyderabad, and I shall occupy it to-morrow.
It is not to he supposed that so hard-fought an engagement, could be sustained without considerable loss on both sides. That of the British force is men killed and wounded. The enemy is generally supposed to have lost 5,000.
A month later the Baluchis were defeated again at Hyderbad. The province of Scinde fell into British hands and the Cheshire Regiment gained the honours of Meeanee, Hyderbad and Scinde. The honours of Meeanee and Hyderbad are shared with some Indian Regiments. That of Scinde is borne by The Cheshire Regiment alone.
Napier was supposed to have despatched to his superiors the short, notable message, "Peccavi", the Latin for "I have sinned" (which was a pun on I have Sindh). This pun appeared under the title 'Foreign Affairs' in Punch magazine on 18 May 1844. The true author of the pun was, however, Englishwoman Catherine Winkworth, who submitted it to Punch, which then printed it as a factual report. Later proponents of British rule over the East Indians justified the conquest thus: "If this was a piece of rascality, it was a noble piece of rascality!"
