William Braithwaite Lives and Dies in India, 1830-45
Soldiers' letters from India to Great Britain
Since millennia, India has been a magnet attracting those seeking fortune and name. The wave of foreigners coming in accelerated in the 16th century with the discovery and development of the all-sea route from Europe via the Cape of Good Hope.
In the anarchy following the collapse of the Mughal Empire in the first half of the 18th century, foreign powers saw an opportunity to upgrade themselves from traders to rulers. In the struggle over establishing hegemony, it was the British who came up trumps. By 1820, the East India Company had managed to subdue most of the local rulers too.
With vast parts of the country needing to be protected and governed, temporary1 immigrants from all classes of British society made their way to India. The gentry would find employment perhaps as an officer in the army or as a civil servant in the government. On the other hand, the lower classes would have to be content with less exalted positions like that of a soldier.
One such person of ordinary means was William Braithwaite.
Not much is known of his personal life.2 Originally from Dublin, he left England to come to India in 1830. For 15 years he served in the Company’s army, rising from the lowest rank of Gunner to Staff Sergeant’, until he was killed in the early days of the First Anglo-Sikh War - the Battle of Mudki on 18 December 1845 (Bengal Muster Rolls).
This article will seek to trace Braithwaite’s time in India through three ‘Soldiers’ Letters’ that he sent to his mother in 1830, 1836, and 1839.
Early Days in India
In his first letter from June 1830 penned soon after landing in India Braithwaite describes how he got enlisted a year earlier (emphasis mine).
On whitsun Sunday [i.e. 7 June 1829] I left home got to liverpooll that night, embarkrd. next morning for Dublin, landed next morning a[t] Kingstown, and a burning hot morning it was, what with being up all night…I was very much Fatigued, so when I came to dublin, the doctor rejected me for looking ill…I was returning home with a heavy heart, but all at one, I thought of Liverpool, straight I went and enlisted, the Doctor passed me in a minute, then I had a nice Journey…and then arrived at London…we then took a steam packet down the Thames, arriv’d at Gravesend, walked to Chatham, there my soldering comencd, July 29 [.] August was devoted to the drill…
As per records, Braithwaite was enlisted on 12/13 June 1829 at Liverpool. He was then described as “a carter aged 19, 5’ 5¼”, fresh complexion, blue eyes, brown hair, a native of Dublin” (Register of Recruits, Liverpool, 1827-40).
He left for India on the ship William Fairlie. On reaching India in April 1830, he was picked up for the Horse Artillery (Figure 1).
Left Chatham the 1st? January, and I was not sorry, as duty was very hard, it Hurt my feelings very much leaving England…we landed here the 23 of April which is reckon’d a beautifull passage…I being 2 inches taller … when I listed and now [.] I am picked out for … Horse Artillery
Let us now look at the postal history of this letter (Figure 2).
It was written at Dum Dum, a military station located just a few miles away from Calcutta. It was sent as a Soldiers’ Letter.3 Such letters were entitled to a concessionary rate of postage of just 1 penny (1d) plus any other out-of-pocket charges for the Post Office. So, they were free from inland postage in India as well as in Britain.
To qualify as a ‘Soldiers’ Letter’:
The sender’s name, rank, and regiment needed to be written on the front, usually on the top
Further, the commanding officer needed to countersign, usually on the front bottom left
In this case, the sender wrote ‘From Gunner Wm. Braithwaite, 3rd. C[ompany] 5th. Battalion / Bengal Artillery’ on the front top.4 He also inscribed “Soldiers Letter” to ensure that the Post Office did not miss giving it the necessary postage rate concessions.
The letter was countersigned by Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Faithfull, who was commanding the 5th Battalion of the Bengal Artillery.
On being put into the Post Office, a ‘DUM DUM / {14 June} / 18{30} / POST OFFICE’ handstamp was impressed.
On arrival at Portsmouth, the rare ‘INDIA SOLDIER&c / 3 / PORTSMOUTH’ (Robertson InSol1 used 1824-27) was applied. The ‘3’ indicates postage due of 3d (1d Soldiers’ Letter rate plus 2d ship captain’s gratuity). Just a handful of examples of this stamp from India are known. The renowned British postal historians Willcocks and Jay (1988, p.48) assign it, on a scale of ‘A’ to ‘H’, a rarity factor of ‘H’. Further, this is a three-year later-than-recorded use.
‘INDIA SOLDIER&c’ handstamps
It would be wise to discuss the ‘INDIA SOLDIER &c’ handstamp before moving forward. This mark is known applied at 10 different British ports (Figure 3).
These are, from the left coast of England to the right:
Liverpool (two types - one used 1827-38 and another used 1838-39)
Bristol (used 1838-39)
Falmouth (used 1833-37)
Plymouth (used 1829-37)
Devonport (used 1832; ‘SOLDIER’ is substituted by ‘SEAMAN’)
Portsmouth (used 1824-27)
Weymouth (used 1827)
Dover (used 1828-38)
Deal (used 1828-36)
London (at least eight types used 1816-1852)
The handstamps of London are most common. Just a few, a dozen or less (?), of Liverpool, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Dover, and Deal exist. Bristol is very rare. Just two of Falmouth and one each of Devenport and Weymouth are known.
Climbing up the Ladder
By July 1836, the soldier had moved from the rank of gunner to corporal.5
A number of letters written by Braithwaite in the 1830s exist currently and basis them we know that he was stationed in Cawnpore since at least 1834.
Recently, he had received bad news about one of his brothers.
It was with sad foreboding that I received your letter with that ominous black seal, that dampener of the joy that warns to the letter coming from those we love, it was with a throbbing brow and sickness at the heart that I opened this letter…when I came to the intelligence of my Brother Miles’ death the tears that has long been strangers to my eyes flowed fast and freely to the memory of my dear Brother
He informs his mother that it could well be more than 21 years before he could get back home (on the other hand, officers were generally entitled to a furlough every 10 years). Seeking discharge as soon as that period was over could be monetarily unwise.
For Mother it is twenty to one if ever we meet in this world…we are enlisted for unlimited service [.] there is a man in our Troop that is above twenty-three years in the service and he is not invalidated yet…but he is not such a fool as to demand his discharge after twenty-one years servitude and be invalidated upon six pence a day…if…he is invalidated as unfit for further service he gets more than six pence according as his merit entitles him for whatever it may be…I have heard of Invalids getting as much as nine pence besides their allowance from the company…
Of course, all this talk was quite premature since Braithwaite had another 15 years to go before he completed his 21.
Later, he got prickly at not being considered equivalent to a soldier in the British army. He urged his mother not to underestimate his service in the Company’s outfit.
...I dont know what your informant means by the English Service, is not the Company’s Service the English Service [?], Yes I believe so [.] who is keeping the extensive territory that all Europe is hardly equal to in extent? and that all People looks upon with jealous eyes, and which disturbed the rest of the Great Conqueror - Napoleon…I am proud to say that I am though an humble one, one of the number that holds this vast country for the Glory Honor and Benefit of our Mother Country Great Britain. Prosperity to Her and our King.
Coming to the letter’s postal history (Figure 4), as rules required, Braithwaite inscribed on the front top: ‘From Corporal William Braithwaite 2d. Troop 2d. Brigade Horse Artillery’.
The letter was then signed by Captain George Blake, who was commanding the 2nd Brigade of the Horse Artillery.
At the Cawnpore Post Office, the rare ‘CAWNPORE / FREE / 18’ was struck. The ‘Free’ of course indicates that the letter could travel free of inland postage (from Cawnpore to Calcutta in this case). About half a dozen examples of this mark are known to me.
On arrival at Liverpool, an ‘INDIA LETTER / LIVERPOOL’ (Robertson In2 used 1824-40) was applied. Usually this was done on civilian letters to indicate that the ‘India Letter’ incoming ship postage of 4d for the first 3 oz was due.
However, since this was a Soldiers’ Letter, the rare ‘INDIA SOLDIER&c / 3 / LIVERPOOL’ (Robertson In5 used 1827-38) was later impressed. Willcocks and Jay (1996, p.23) assign this their highest rarity factor of ‘H+’.
The ‘Great Game’ in Afghanistan
One of pointless wars fought in the backdrop of the ‘Great Game’ between Britain and Russia was the First Anglo-Afghan War of 1839-42. It was an unmitigated disaster for the British.
From Cabul, Braithwaite’s September 1839 letter referred to the Battle of Ghazni. And how the King, Shah Shuja Durrani, was so pleased with the British that he was going to give them all medals.
I received your very welcome letter dated 10th January/39 at Candahar just after I had written to you [.] Since then we have had a brush with the Afghans at Ghizni the fortress of which place we took by storm in one night on the 23rd. of July [.] Shah Soojah the King of Cabul is going to give us medals for the same with the sanction of our Gracious Queen Victoria…
His thinks that the Shah Shuja, is now firmly in charge and that the war has come to an end with the villain, Dost Mohammad Khan, having fled to Bukhara in Uzbekistan (Figure 5).
…the war is at an end now I believe Dost Mahomed the usurper of the country having fled to Bokhara leaving the rightful heir in quick possession of the throne
Things turned out differently though.
The high-handedness of the British and Shah Shuja turned much of Afghan society against them. The British in Kabul were compelled to surrender but negotiated a safe withdrawal to Jalalabad. But the Afghans, led by Mohammad’s son Akbar Khan, massacred some 16,500 British and Indian soldiers and camp followers during their retreat in January 1842 (Figure 6).
In April 1842, Shah Shuja was assassinated by a member of his own tribe.
Finally, Dost Mohammad was quietly released from British captivity and came back to rule the country.
Braithwaite managed to avoid what was coming since his troop left for India in October 1839.
We came in here on the 6th of last month [.] My troop Her Majesty’s 16th Lancers the Company’s European Regiment a Native Cavalry and two Native Infantry Regiments are to return to Bengal next month, which order you may depend has gladdened my heart…
It was not the first time in recent months that Braithwaite had escaped the grim reaper.
…since I wrote to you last I was nearly dying twice in Candahar with the bowel complaint / Dysentery but thank God in his goodness I have weathered it all out…
One happy news we get to know is that the soldier is now married and has a daughter.
…may be proud and happy to tell you that Charlotte and my little Fanny with Father [,] Mother and Sisters’ in law are all quite well thank God…don’t forget me to my Aunty Fanny and tell to her that I called my daughter after her…
On the front top of the letter (Figure 7) is: ‘From Serjeant W. Braithwaite 2d. Troop 2d. Brigade Bengal Horse Arty’.
Braithwaite had been promoted once more and become a Serjeant.6 Of course, it is human nature to want more. At one place in the letter, he writes:
…only for such unfortunate ill health I might still be Pay Serjeant…
The letter was countersigned by Captain Charles Grant commanding 2nd Troop, 2nd Brigade, Bengal Horse Artillery, Army of the Indus (India).
No postmark was applied in Afghanistan at this time. The letter took almost a month to go across the breadth of the subcontinent to Calcutta, where it was put on board a ship sailing for Britain.
On arrival, the rare ‘INDIA SOLDIER&c / 3 / PLYMOUTH’ (Robertson InSol1 used 1829-37) was struck. Once more, Willcocks and Jay (1996, p.92) award this mark their highest ‘H+’. In addition, applied in early 1840, this constitutes a much later-than-recorded use of this mark.
On Soldiers’ Letters
Why are Soldiers’ Letters almost always found in less than appealing condition? Look at the letter in Figure 1 for example. The one in Figure 7 looks decent but that is because it has been restored sometime in the past.
A renowned postal historian once told me that these letters were opened and read multiple times by family and friends i.e frequent handling led to wears and tears and their poor to average condition in general.
I wonder if this reasoning is correct. Letters sent by the more privileged class of officers and civil servants are usually found in good to excellent condition. Now, human emotions are universal and surely the upper class would read letters sent by their near and dear ones numerous times too.
So, I present two theories. One, the quality of letter paper that soldiers had access to was poorer. Second, the archival of these letters by soldiers’ families left much to be desired. The homes of soldiers, who were much poorer, were neither spacious nor sheltered enough to allow for proper filing and storage. This also explains the lower survival rate of Soldiers’ Letters in general.
References
Giles, D[erek]. Hammond. 1989. Catalogue of the Handstruck Postage Stamps of India. Christie’s Robson Lowe.
Tabeart, Colin. 1997. Robertson Revisited: A Study of the Maritime Postal Markings of the British Isles Based on the Work of Alan W Robertson. James Bendon Ltd.
Willcocks, R. M[artin]., and B[arry]. Jay, eds. 1988. The British County Catalogue of Postal History Volume 4. Vol. 4. R. M. Willcocks.
Willcocks, R. M[artin]., and B[arry]. Jay, eds. 1996. The British County Catalogue of Postal History. Volumes 1 & 2. 2nd edn. Vols 1 & 2. R. M. Willcocks
I use the word ‘temporary’ since in most cases the individuals would go back home after having earned enough; few intended to stay all their lives in India. Of course, disease and wars would cut short the lives of many.
I found a scrap of paper which was part of a lot containing another Braithwaite letter from 1834.
The person who wrote this is quite likely the famed postal historian and collector of campaign mails and soldiers’ letters - Gerald Sattin. The 1834 cover was in his collection in the past; further, he is known to have done detailed research on his important covers.
By virtue of an act of the British Parliament (35 George III c.53, 5 May 1795), soldiers and seamen serving in His Majesty’s army and navy respectively were allowed to send and receive single letters (i.e. letters containing one sheet of paper) at a 1d concessionary rate of postage.
In 1806 (46 Geo 3 c.92, 16 July 1806), the privilege was extended to the following categories of non-commissioned officers: “Serjeant, Corporal, Drummer, Trumpeter, Fifer, and Private Soldier, in His Majesty’s Regular Forces, Militia, Fencible Regiments, Artillery, or Royal Marines”.
By an act (55 George III c.153, 11 July 1815) popularly known as ‘India Packet Letter Act’ or ‘King’s Postage Act’ or ‘East India Postage Act’, the 1d concession was extended to soldiers and seamen employed in the East Indies or in the service of the East India Company (EIC).
When this act was replaced by another (59 Geo 3 c.111, 12 July 1819), popularly known as the ‘India Letter Act’, its sloppy drafting meant there was no clause which catered to such letters. Soldiers and seamen of HM forces stationed in East Indies as well as those serving the EIC lost this privilege. Their letters were subject to the same rates of postage as private individuals.
The concession was reinstated four years later when the East India Company’s Service Act (4 Geo 4 c.81, 18 July 1823) was passed.
A treasury warrant dated 27 December 1839, which introduced penny postage in UK, changed the definition of ‘single letter’ to one weighing ½ oz or less effective 10 January 1840.
A Gunner in the artillery is equivalent of a private and is the lowest rank of trained soldier.
A ‘section’ of a few soldiers, perhaps 6-12, comes under a Corporal.
A Sergeant is a senior soldier within a platoon or troop (which consists of 3-4 sections), acting as a second-in-command to a Lieutenant, who is the lowest rung officer.