Frederick Brooke CORFIELD ¹

  General Notes:

Frederick Brooke Corfield became a cadet in 1819 and Lieutenant in 1823. As Adjutant, Calcutta Native Militia, Frederick was promoted Captain, 22nd April 1831, becoming Brigade Major at Delhi in 1835; and was Major in 1843 receiving a medal with clasp.
Transferred to 70th NI, Frederick served during the Second Sikh War in the Punjab 1848-49. The war between the HEIC (Honourable East India Company) and the Sikhs began following the death of Ranjit Singh, the Sikh "Lion of Lahore". After a Court coup, the Sikh army was used on small Princely States and the HEIC mustered a force to protect some of these states. After a series of battles with the HEIC the Sikh Army was reduced in size and British troops were stationed in the Punjab. After the assassination of two British officials in Muraj, the rest of the depleted Sikh Army was re-deployed to join battle with the HEIC. Dalhousie, the British Governor General of Begal declaring on 5th October 1848 that if the Sikhs wanted war 'they shall have it with a vengeance'.
Lord Gough led the campaign in January 1849, and after a disastrous attack at Ramnagar he fought the Sikhs at Chilianwala on 13th January. The battle was a fiasco. The Sikhs held a fortified position, and trying to capture the Sikh guns, one regiment lost 23 officers, 459 men and its colours. Some of the HEIC cavalry, after receiving an ambiguous order retired from the battle, allowing the Sikhs to capture four British guns, with darkness ending the carnage, leaving 89 officers and 2337 men of Lord Gough's amry dead or wounded. The 70th NI under Frederick's command, in the right flank, were later awarded Battle Honours, with the name being authorised to be borne on the colours of the Regiment. Lord Gough was recalled.
The next battle that Frederick fought at was Gujerat on 20th February where 50,000 Sikhs held the town against 20,000 HEIC troops. After silencing the Sikh guns with superior firepower, the infantry and cavalry charged, routing the Sikhs. The 70th NI were once again awarded battle honours after the conflict and as a result the Sikh Maharaja was exiled. The Sikh troops were to be the most loyal soldiers in the Indian Mutiny 8 years later. Following the end of the Sikh War, Frederick became a Lieut-Colonel and was transferred to the 6th NI, 26th September 1857, which had largely mutinied on 6th June. It was disbanded after the Mutiny and Frederick remained in India for 20 years, being promoted General in 1877.
He died at home at Knowle House (which had been named after his father's house). In his will he left £14,423 naming his widow as executrix.

  Notes:

• Occupation: General, 20th NI, 1843-1855, Bengal, India. ²

• Probate, 18 Feb 1885, London, England. ³

Frederick married Annie NAIRNE, daughter of Robert NAIRNE and Unknown, on 27 Apr 1825 in Kishnaghur. (Annie NAIRNE died on 27 Apr 1862 in Maida Vale, London.)

Frederick next married Julia Elizabeth. (Julia Elizabeth was born in 1838-1844 in Shaftesbury, Dorset, England and died on 9 Oct 1899 in Herne Bay, Kent, England ⁴.)