Description
Maharajpoor Star, 29th December 1843, Private John Keane, 39th Regt of Foot, Wounded in Action at Maharajpoor, Veteran of 1834 Coorg Campaign with 48th Foot.
John Keane, was a man of many regiments, initially joining the Army with the 48th Foot at 20, he served in the Coorg War of 1834, followed by joining the 39th Foot, to fight at Mahajpore, earning this star, during which he was wounded in action where:
“Her Majesty’s Thirty-ninth foot, with their accustomed dash, ably supported by the Fifty-sixth Native infantry, drove the enemy from their guns into the village, bayoneting the gunners at their posts. Here a most sanguinary conflict ensued; the Mahratta troops, after discharging their matchlocks, fought sword in hand with the most determined courage.”
This was followed by service in the 9th Foot & then 24th Foot, he finished out a 23 year career to return home and retire after 20 years campaigning in India.
Officially engraved in running script: “Private John Keane H.M. 39th Regt”
With full copy service papers.
John Keane was an Irishman, born in Killalee (Killaly as written on his papers), County Limerick, Ireland circa 1806.
He first attested for service into the 48th (Northamptonshire) Regiment of Foot on 29th March 1826.
He would go on to see an extensive career spanning 23 years and 187 days, of which 21 years and 11 months were spent on service overseas.
All of which was in India aka “The East Indies”.
His conduct on discharge: “It is Very Good. Present at the Capture of the Coorg Territory in April 1834. Present at Maharajpore during 1843, Wounded at Maharajpore and in possession of Star for Mahrajpore.”
On discharge he was assessed at Fort Pitt by the Doctors who stated he was “Failing efficiency after very long Indian Service and was wounded in action at Mahajpoor.”
Being posted back home after decades in India and various wars, he was fully discharged at Chatham on 8th April 1851.
His service:
Having joined the 48th Foot, he was not long at home before being posted for the East Indies from 31st October 1827, and was not due home for over 2 decades.
During his service in the 48th Foot, the regiment was mobilised in the 1834 Coorg War.
As noted on his papers he was “Present at the Capture of the Coorg Territory”.
The 48th Foot were amongst an Army of about 7,000 assembled in the region to aid the British East India Company waging war against the Kingdom of Coorg.
Coorg was led by the defiant Raja of Coorg, Chikka Virarajendra, leading to a short yet bloody campaign.
In February 1834, the force of some 7,000 soldiers was assembled by Brigadier General Lindsay to commence operations against the Raja who had begun his fight against the British.
The British hoped to advance easily and capture the area, but the roads were on a poor state and the force being split into columns forced them to fight not at full strength, the Advanced Guard who arrived in front of the foritified position of Somwarpet launched an attack but were forced into a retreat having been severely mauled, thanks for the skillful leadership of the Coorg Resistance by Madanta Appachu, a similar fate would befall another of the 4 columns.
After fighting on 4th April 1834, Diwan Lakshminarayana and Mahomed Taker Khan, a friend of the Raja, carried a peace flag to the British camp. Kulputty Karnikara Manoon who had been held prisoner by the Raja was handed over to the British.
However this was not enough, the British demanded the surrender of the Raja, and after increasing the pressure the Raja was forced out of Nalknad Palace and surrendered alongside his wives to the British on 10th April 1834.
As campaign medals were not being awarded at this time no medal was issued, the “Coorg Medal 1837” a large medallion was later instituted for another conflict issued to loyal Coorg who upheld the British side during another Rebellion that year.
Not long after the end of this war, Private Keane volunteered to transfer over to the 39th (Dorsetshire) Regiment of Foot.
It was with this regiment he earned this medal, his only medallic entitlement for his 23 year long Army Career which was made from the very cannons he would risk his life to capture at the Battle of Maharajpoor on 29th December 1843, part of the Gwalior War.
An account of the battle can be read at the bottom of the description.
After this he would once again Volunteer to transfer over to the 9th Foot on 1st February 1846, followed by another transfer, Volunteering over to the 24th Foot on 1st December 1846.
He finished out his service with the 24th Foot on 30th September 1849, being later fully discharged on 8th April 1851, as he was old and quite knackered, he was fortunate to avoid their service in the Anglo-Sikh War of 1849, where they lost many in action at Chillianwala.
An account of the campaign from the regimental history:
START OF THE CAMPAIGN
The Thirty-ninth regiment formed part of the fifth brigade of the “Army of Exercise,” assembled at Agra on the 25th of November 1843. This force had been assembled in consequence of affairs in the state of Gwalior, which had for some time required the attention of the Indian Government, although it was not anticipated that actual hostilities would take place. The events which led to the collision between the Anglo-Indian troops and those of the once powerful Mahratta kingdom, are as follow:—Upon the decease of Maharajah Jhunkojee Rao Scindia, the British Government promptly acknowledged as his successor the Maharajah Jyajee Rao Scindia, who was nearest in blood to the late sovereign of Gwalior, and whose adoption by the Maharanee, his Highness’s widow, was approved by the chiefs.
During the minority of the Maharajah, the office of regent was to be held by Mama Sahib. In a short period the regent was compelled by force to quit the Gwalior state, and the Dada Khasgee Walla succeeded to the confidence of the Maharanee without possessing generally that of the chiefs, and by his influence various acts were committed insulting and injurious to the British Government. The delivery of the Dada being peremptorily insisted upon as a necessary preliminary to the re-establishment of the customary relations with the Gwalior state, the Maharanee at length complied with the request.
The Governor-General, in order to give friendly support to the youthful Maharajah, directed the immediate advance of forces sufficient for the purpose. The Anglo-Indian troops entered the dominions of Scindia, and a strong government having been established at Gwalior, they received orders to withdraw; but were not destined to return to their own territory without a severe conflict.
They had quitted Agra in the early part of December, immediately after the arrival there of the Governor-General of India, The Right Honorable Lord Ellenborough. His Lordship accompanied the troops, and on the 23rd of December they crossed the Chumbul river, and halted at Hingona, about twenty miles from Gwalior, where the army rested for five days.
During this interval the Mahratta vakeels, or agents for the Gwalior durbar, had an interview with the Governor-General, and the negotiations appeared proceeding to an amicable issue. The design of the enemy was, however, merely to gain time to concentrate his forces, and this at last became so evident that his Lordship determined upon active measures of hostility. While the main body of the army, of which the Thirty-ninth formed part, moved on from Agra under General Sir Hugh (now Viscount) Gough, Bart., G.C.B., Commander-in-Chief in India, another division under Major-General John Grey, C.B., advanced on Gwalior from Bundlekund.
THE DAY OF THE BATTLE
The Thirty-ninth, with the main division, crossed the Koharee river early in the morning of the 29th of December, and found the Mahratta forces drawn up in front of the village of Maharajpore, in a very strong position, which they had occupied during the previous night, and which they had carefully entrenched. The British were about fourteen thousand strong, with forty pieces of artillery, while the enemy mustered eighteen thousand men, including three thousand cavalry with a hundred guns. Notwithstanding the extreme difficulty of the country, intersected by deep and almost impassable ravines, the whole of the Anglo-Indian troops were in their appointed positions by eight o’clock in the morning of the 29th of December. The action commenced by the advance of Major-General Littler’s column, which was exactly in front of Maharajpore; and although the Mahratta troops fought with desperate bravery, nothing could withstand the rush of British soldiers. The part taken by the Thirty-ninth in the victory which ensued, is shown in the accompanying extracts from the despatch of General Sir Hugh Gough, Bart., G.C.B.
“Her Majesty’s Thirty-ninth foot, with their accustomed dash, ably supported by the Fifty-sixth Native infantry, drove the enemy from their guns into the village, bayonetting the gunners at their posts. Here a most sanguinary conflict ensued; the Mahratta troops, after discharging their matchlocks, fought sword in hand with the most determined courage.”
“Major-General Littler, with Brigadier Wright’s brigade, after dispersing the right of the enemy’s position at Maharajpore, steadily advanced to fulfil his instructions of attacking the main position at Chonda in front, supported most ably by Captain Grant’s troop of horse artillery, and the First regiment of light cavalry. This column had to advance under a very severe fire over very difficult ground; but when within a short distance, again the rush of the Thirty-ninth regiment, us before, under Major Bray, gallantly supported by the Fifty-sixth regiment of Native infantry under Major Dick, carried every thing before them, and thus gained the entrenched main position of Chonda. In this charge the Thirty-ninth regiment lost the services of its brave commanding-officer, Major Bray, who was desperately wounded by the blowing up of one of the enemy’s tumbrils in the midst of the corps, and were ably brought out of action by Major Straubenzee. This gallant corps on this occasion captured two regimental standards.”
