Alexander Jack, (19 October 1805 – 27 June 1857) was a Scottish officer in the service of the

East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...

in the

Bengal Army The Bengal Army was the army of the Bengal Presidency, one of the three presidencies of British India within the British Empire. The presidency armies, like the presidencies themselves, belonged to the East India Company (EIC) until the Govern ...

. He was educated at

King's College, Aberdeen King's College in Old Aberdeen, Scotland, the full title of which is The University and King's College of Aberdeen (''Collegium Regium Abredonense''), is a formerly independent university founded in 1495 and now an integral part of the Universi ...

. He was with the 30th Bengal Native Infantry at Aliwal, and acted as brigadier of the force sent against Kangra, in 1846, during the

First Sikh War A Sikh War may mean: *The Mughal-Sikh Wars *The Afghan–Sikh Wars *The Gurkha-Sikh War (1809) *The Sino-Sikh War (1841-1842) *The First Anglo-Sikh War (1845–1846) *The Second Anglo-Sikh War The Second Anglo-Sikh War was a military con ...

. He commanded his battalion in the

Second Sikh War The Second Anglo-Sikh War was a military conflict between the Sikh Empire and the East India Company, British East India Company that took place in 1848 and 1849. It resulted in the fall of the Sikh Empire, and the annexation of the Punjab r ...

; was promoted colonel in 1854, and brigadier in 1857. He was treacherously shot and killed during the

Cawnpore massacre The siege of Cawnpore was a key episode in the Indian rebellion of 1857. The besieged East India Company forces and civilians in Cawnpore (now Kanpur) were unprepared for an extended siege and surrendered to rebel forces under Nana Sahib in ret ...

in June 1857.Chichester 1892, p. 85.

Origins

Alexander Jack was a grandson of William Jack, the minister of

Northmavine Northmavine or Northmaven ( non, Norðan Mæfeið, meaning ‘the land north of the Mavis Grind’) is a peninsula in northwest Mainland Shetland in Scotland. The peninsula has historically formed the civil parish Northmavine. The modern Northmavi ...

, Shetland. His father, the Rev. William Jack (died 9 February 1854) (

M.D. Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated M.D., from the Latin ''Medicinae Doctor'') is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the M.D. denotes a professional degree. T ...

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

), was sub-principal of University and King's colleges, Aberdeen, from 1800 to 1815, and principal from 1815 to 1854. Principal Jack married in 1794 Grace, daughter of Andrew Bolt of Lerwick, Shetland, by whom he had six children. Alexander, one of four sons, was born in Old Machar,

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...

, on 19 October 1805, was a student in mathematics and philosophy at

, in 1820–1822, and was remembered by a class-fellow who survived him as a tall, handsome, soldierly young man.

Career

Jack obtained a Bengal cadetship in 1823, was appointed ensign in the 30th Bengal Native Infantry on 23 May 1824, and became lieutenant in the regiment on 30 August 1825, captain on 2 December 1832, and major and brevet-lieutenant-colonel on 19 June 1846.

First Sikh War

Jack was present with his battalion at the

Battle of Aliwal The Battle of Aliwal was fought on 28 January 1846 between the British and Sikh forces in northern India (now Punjab). The British were led by Sir Harry Smith,Smith, Sir Harry. ‘'The Autobiography of Lieutenant-General Sir Harry Smith Baro ...

(medal), and acted as brigadier of the force sent against the town and fort of Kangra in the

Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...

, when he received great credit for his extraordinary exertions in bringing up his 18-pounder guns, which he had been recommended to leave behind. The march was said 'to reflect everlasting credit on the Bengal artillery'.Buckle 1852, p. 520. Some views of the place taken by Jack were published under the title ''Six Sketches of Kot-Kangra, drawn on the spot'' (London, 1847, fol.).

Second Sikh War

Jack was in command of his battalion in the

, including the battles of Chillianwalla and Goojerat (medal and clasps and C.B.). He was promoted to lieutenant-colonel in the 34th Bengal Native infantry on 18 December 1851. He became colonel on 20 June 1854, and on 18 July 1856 was appointed brigadier at Cawnpore, the headquarters of Sir

Hugh Wheeler Hugh Callingham Wheeler (19 March 1912 – 26 July 1987) was a British novelist, screenwriter, librettist, poet and translator. He resided in the United States from 1934 until his death and became a naturalized citizen in 1942. He had attended Lon ...

's division of the Bengal Army.

Indian Mutiny

On 7 June 1857 the mutiny broke out at

Cawnpore Kanpur or Cawnpore ( /kɑːnˈpʊər/ pronunciation (help·info)) is an industrial city in the central-western part of the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Founded in 1207, Kanpur became one of the most important commercial and military stations o ...

. Wheeler maintained his position in an entrenched camp until 27 June, when an attempted evacuation was made in accordance with an arrangement entered into with

Nana Sahib Nana Saheb Peshwa II (19 May 1824 – 24 September 1859), born as Dhondu Pant, was an Indian Peshwa of the Maratha empire, aristocrat and fighter, who led the rebellion in Kanpur (Cawnpore) during the Great Revolt of 1857. As the adopted so ...

. After the troops had embarked in boats for

Allahabad Allahabad (), officially known as Prayagraj, also known as Ilahabad, is a metropolis in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.The other five cities were: Agra, Kanpur (Cawnpore), Lucknow, Meerut, and Varanasi (Benares). It is the administrat ...

, the mutineers treacherously shot down Jack and all the Englishmen except four. During the previous defence of the lines a brother, Andrew William Thomas Jack, who was on a visit from Australia, had his leg shattered, and succumbed under amputation.

Honours

Companion of the Order of the Bath Companion may refer to: Relationships Currently * Any of several interpersonal relationships such as friend or acquaintance * A domestic partner, akin to a spouse * Sober companion, an addiction treatment coach * Companion (caregiving), a caregive ...

Sutlej Medal The Sutlej Medal was a campaign medal approved in 1846, for issue to officers and men of the British Army and Honourable East India Company who served in the Sutlej campaign of 1845–46 (also known as the First Anglo-Sikh War). This medal was the ...

, with clasp for Aliwal * Punjab_Medal_BAR

Punjab Medal __NOTOC__ The Punjab Medal was a campaign medal issued to officers and men of the British Army and Honourable East India Company who served in the Punjab campaign of 1848-49, which ended in the British annexation of the Punjab.Medal Yearbook 2015, ...

, with clasps for Chillianwalla and Goojerat

''Six Views of Kot-Kangra''

File:'Six Views of Kot Kangra and the Surrounding Country', 1847 (c) (2).jpg,

Title page The title page of a book, thesis or other written work is the page at or near the front which displays its title (publishing), title, subtitle, author, publisher, and edition, often artistically decorated. (A half title, by contrast, displays onl ...

File:Transporting artillery by boat across the river Beas, Himachal Pradesh. Coloured lithograph after Alexander Jack, c. 1847 (cropped).jpg, Crossing the

River Beas The Beas River (Sanskrit: ; Hyphasis in Ancient Greek) is a river in north India. The river rises in the Himalayas in central Himachal Pradesh, India, and flows for some to the Sutlej River in the Indian state of Punjab. Its total length is ...

File:'Crossing of the River Guj', 1846 (2).jpg, Crossing the River Guj File:'Showing part of the road by which the guns were taken up above the town of Mulkera', 1846 (2).jpg, Part of the road by which guns were taken up above the town of Mulkera File:'View of the mountains round Kot Kangra', 1846 (2).jpg, View of the mountains round Kot Kangra File:'Gilt Temple in the town of Muklera', 1846 (2).jpg, Gilt temple in the town of Mulkera File:'Fortress of Kot Kangra', 1846 (2).jpg, Fortress of Kot Kangra

References

Sources

* Buckle, E. (1852).
Memoir of the Services of the Bengal Artillery from the Formation of the Corps to the Present Time
'. Kaye, J. W. (ed.). London: Wm. H. Allen. p. 520. * * Jack, Alexander (1847).
Six Views of Kot Kangra and the Surrounding Country. Sketches on the Spot
'. London: Smith, Elder & Co. plates Attribution: *