This uprising was against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British Crown, and had been in place for nearly 250 years. To the British it was termed the Indian or Sepoy Mutiny, but to Indians it was the First War of Independence.
Indian Mutiny (1857-1859)
| Person | Date(s) | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Briscoe, Henry Harrison | 16-Nov-1855 | The purchase was made for an Ensign commission in the 81st Regiment of Foot (Loyal Lincoln Volunteers). The Regiment had embarked earlier for India on 1 July 1853. |
| 10-Dec-1855 | It is likely that Henry was among "a draft arrived ... of 1 Lieut., 2 Ensigns and 53 privates. | |
| 22-Jul-1856 | He was promoted by purchase of Lieutenant commission: "Ensign Henry Harrison Briscoe to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Weir, whose promotion, by purchase, on the 18th April 1856, has been cancelled. (Dated 22 July 1856.") | |
| 23-Jul-1856 | At this time the price of Lieutenant's commission was 700 pounds with the difference in value from an Ensign being 250 pounds. This is likely the amount Henry had to pay for his promotion. | |
| 1857 | THE INDIA, SEPOY MUTINY The Indian Mutiny was against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British Crown. When the Indian Mutiny broke out in May 1857 the 81st Regiment stationed at Meean Meer in the Punjab. The 81st regiment history records that "when word reached the Punjab of the mutiny, the 81st disarmed the Company battalions at Meean Meer during a surprise parade inspection. The initial operation took the mutineers by surprise and they were disarmed with no casulaties. As the sepoy units at Meean Meer were being disarmed, three companies of the 81st tricked their way into the fort guarding Lahore, surprising and disarming the native infantry units there as well. The 81st were able to maintain order around Lahore preventing the spread of the mutiny in the Punjab. | |
| Feb-1858 | "Captain Chichester, Lieuts. Musgrave, Faircloth, Speedy, Briscoe and Jackson and Qr Master Correll, served in the Eusoofxie expedition, which was a punative expedition against Hindustani fanatics who had been instrumental in the mutiny near Peshawar. | |
| He was a recipient of Indian Mutiny Medal for his service. | ||
| 12-Mar-1861 | He retired from the army and it was noted "81st Foot, Ensign Henry Maturin to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Henry Harrison Briscoe." | |
| 1-Jun-1872 | The London Gazette recorded that Lieutenant Henry Harrison Briscoe resigns his Commission. |