Field Marshal Sir Patrick Grant, colonel of the regiment in the 1860s
Early history
The regiment as first raised by the Honourable East India Company as the 2nd Bengal European Regiment when it was formed from the 1st Bengal European Regiment in 1765.[1] It went to take part in an action at Rohilkhand in April 1774 during the First Rohilla War[2] before being absorbed by the Marine Battalion in 1803.[1] It was re-raised as the 2nd Bengal (European) Regiment in 1822 and took part in a deployment to Burma in 1825 before being disbanded in 1830.[1]
The regiment was re-raised as the 2nd Bengal (European) Light Infantry from a nucleus of 1st Bengal (European) Regiment in 1839.[1] It saw action at the Battle of Chillianwala in January 1849 and the Battle of Gujrat in February 1849 in the Punjab during the Second Anglo-Sikh War.[2] The regiment became the 2nd Bengal (European) Fusiliers in 1850 was deployed to Burma again in 1853 during the Second Anglo-Burmese War and then served at the Siege of Delhi in autumn 1857 during the Indian Rebellion.[2] After the Crown took control of the Presidency armies in the aftermath of the Indian Rebellion, the regiment became the 2nd Bengal Fusiliers in November 1859 and then the 1st Royal Bengal Fusiliers in May 1861.[1] It was then renumbered as the 104th Regiment of Foot (Royal Bengal Fusiliers) on transfer to the British Army in September 1862.[1] Although a new commanding officer was appointed on transfer to the British Army, both majors and six of the twelve captains had prior service in the regiment.[3]
During the cholera epidemic of 1869, the regiment left its barracks at Peshawar on the North West Frontier for the countryside, to try to alleviate the impact of the disease. After the regiment had returned to barracks with the end of the epidemic, the commanding officer's wife, Elizabeth Webber Harris, was presented with a gold replica Victoria Cross, by the officers of the regiment, for her tireless endeavours tending the sick men.[4] The presentation had the approval of Queen Victoria and was made by General Sir Sam Browne, commander of the Peshawar garrison. The regiment embarked for England in 1871.[2]
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