*A Fine Lucknow Bridge Action Punjab and Mutiny Pair awarded to Major General Alfred Chicheley Plowden, Bengal Staff Corps, late 50th Bengal Native Infantry and 14th Irregular Cavalry, who commanded a division of Gurkhas before Lucknow, Punjab, 1848-49, single clasp Mooltan (Lieut. A.C. Plowden, 14th Irregular Cavy), Indian Mutiny 1857-59, single clasp Lucknow (Capt. A.C. Plowden. 50th N.I. Attd. Goorkha Force), first with minor edge bruise, good very fine or slightly better (2). The following is taken from Captain Plowden’s despatch, London Gazette May 7 1858: Captain A. C. Plowden, in Military Charge of a Division Goorkha Force, to Captain MacAndrew, Secretary to Military Commissioner. SIR, Before Lucknow, March 11, 1858, ‘I HAVE the honor to report, for the information of Brigadier-General MacGregor, C.B., particulars of an action in which the advanced division of. the Goorkha force under my military charge, was engaged, on the 5th instant, against a force of the enemy, amounting to 4000 men, under the command of Nazim Mehndee Hoossein, which resulted in a loss to the rebels of nearly 600 killed, and the capture of 1 gun, whilst the casualties on our side were 1 killed and 16 wounded, 2 of the latter having since died. ‘Having received information that the rebels had taken up a strong position on the Kandoo Nuddee, and had erected a battery by the side of the bridge on the Lucknow road, for the purpose of disputing our passage ; moreover, that they had advanced across the bridge, I proposed a plan of attack, which was approved of by General Kurruck Bahadoor, and successfully carried out. ‘The division, consisting of the strength as per margin, advanced in quarter distance columns, at deploying distances, 5 regiments, forming the first line, and 2 on either flanks as a reserve. ‘On viewing the enemy, who was posted in detached parties extending from our left to right front, I halted the columns and deployed into line 13 guns, 7 Regiments of Infantry; aggregate force, 3,800. No. 22137. I was much deceived as to the nature of the ground between us and the enemy; what at first appeared to be level, with a few fields of cultivation in front of the Bight Brigade, afterwards proved to be deep ravines, with bush jungle, though the ground in front of the left brigade was a plain facing the enemy’s battery. At this point our guns opened; after a few rounds from the right, or Brigadier Run Singh Bahadoor’s Brigade, which caused the enemy in front to retire into the ravines, the advance was sounded. The Eight Brigade had scarcely advanced fifty yards, when the enemy opened a sharp fire of musketry from a jungle on our right front; presuming he was in greatest force in that direction, I requested Brigadier Run Sing Bahadoor to make an oblique movement in that direction, which at once brought him in contact with the rebels. The brigade rushed gallantly into the jungle with a loud cheer, formed a line of skirmishers, and forced the rebels to make a rapid retreat. The Goorkhas were quite at home in this mode of warfare; their pursuit was so rapid through the ravines that numbers of the rebels were very soon overtaken, shot, and cut down. Many instances of individual bravery on the part of the Goorkhas were brought to my notice; there were several who each cut down three or four of the enemy. The pursuit was followed up for two miles, when the enemy having disappeared through a thick jungle, the “ assembly “ was sounded, and we formed our camp on the Nuddee.” Major General Alfred Chicheley Plowden was born in India in 1819. He was appointed Captain, December 1855, Major, August 1859 and Major-General September 1869. He died in India in January, 1875.
Estimate: £3000-£4000