ABSTRACT

Major-General Sir Hugh Rose, born in 1803, was educated at Berlin, and had joined the army in 1820. Sir Hugh Rose, landing in Bombay late in September, was commanding the Puna division when he was ordered to Central India. While Sir Hugh waited three weeks for the Madras column, under General Whitlock, to leave Jabalpur in order that the march northwards might be simultaneous, Sir Robert Hamilton from Rose’s camp re-established order in the neighbouring districts. On March 20, when Sir Hugh Rose was 14 miles from Jhansi, he and Sir Robert Hamilton received nearly identical despatches from Sir Colin Campbell and Lord Canning informing Sir Hugh that, as General Whitlock was too far back to be available, he was to march immediately to the relief of the Rajah of Charkari, a loyalist, who was besieged by the rebels under Tantia Topi.