I to am searching for information on a James Ferguson of around the same period and below is a little history of the 15th Kings Hussrs that may helpw:
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On May 17, 1838, The King's Hussars again changed quarters, occupying Glasgow and Hamilton, and
here on the 1st of the following January they received orders to prepare for embarkation for India.
On February 26 1839 the Regiment commenced its march from Glasgow and Hamilton to Chatham,
giving up the horses en-route to the different corps to whom they were to be distributed, and the
dismounted men marched on the 18th of the following month to Leith, where they embarked for
Gravesend. At Chatham the Fifteenth were formed into eight service troops and a depot troop,
having the following establishment : 1Colonel. 1 Regimental Sergeant-Major. 2 Lieutenant-Colonels.
9 Troop Sergeant-Majors. 2 Majors. I Pay Sergeant. 9 Captains. I Armourer Sergeant. 18 Lieutenants.
I Saddler Sergeant. 8 Cornets. 1 Schoolmaster Sergeant. 1 Paymaster. I Orderly-room Clerk. 1
Adjutant. 40 Sergeants. 1 Quartermaster. 40 Corporals. 1 Surgeon. 11 Trumpeters. 2 Assistant
Surgeons. 8 Farriers. 1 Veterinary Surgeon. 627 Privates. The Indian establishment of horses per
British cavalry regiment at this period was 701.
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Arrived in Bombay, the Head-quarter Division re-embarked on November 30, and arrived in Ma d r a
s on January 8, while the other two divisions, leaving Bombay on February 7 and 14, 1840, 1840
reached Cannanore on the 14th and 20th respectively, and at last, on March 30, the whole of the
15th ~Hussars were united at Bangalore. The Regiment had already been joined by 99 volunteers
from the 13th Light Dragoons, and had received 390 horses from that Regiment, while 265 more
remounts, making a total of 655 horses, were drawn from the stud of the East India Company at
Ossoor.
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On January 28, I 854, The King's Hussars commenced their march from Bangalore-where the whole
of their tour of Indian service had been passed-to Madras, preparatory to embarking for England.
Three privates had volunteered for the 9th Lancers, and 13 sergeants, 12 corporals, 2 trumpeters, 4
farriers, and 48 privates for the 12th Lancers.
9th/12th Royal Lancers Museum
http://www.9th12thlancersmuseum.org/about“The Indian Mutiny 1857-1858”
Both the 9th and 12th regiments were stationed in India when the mutiny of some Indian soldiers
(sepoys) under British command in Bengal broke out in 1857. The Mutiny is known by many names,
including ‘The First War of Indian Independence’ and ‘The Sepoy Rebellion’. The reasons for the
mutiny were complex. They included the fear of forced conversion to Christianity, resentment of
British rule and both Muslim and Hindu mutineers believed that the grease used to seal musket
cartridges was made from those animals sacred to their religion. Many sepoys, both Sikh and Hindu,
stayed loyal to the British.
The war was focused around the old capital of India, Delhi. It was believed that whoever held Delhi
controlled India. The 9th Lancers was the only British regiment present at all three main
engagements, the Siege of Delhi, the Relief of Lucknow and the Siege of Lucknow. Thirteen men of
the 9th Lancers won the new Victoria Cross for valour, justifying the unique honour of a Twenty-one
Gun Salute on leaving India. The mutineers gave them the nickname ‘The Delhi Spearmen’, and this
name is still used today by the combined regiment.
Regrads
Norman
