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Presidency armies

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449: 40: 409:. The Bengal Army, Madras Army, and Bombay Army were quite distinct, each with its own Regiments and cadre of European officers. All three armies contained European regiments in which both the officers and men were Europeans, as well as a larger number of 'Native' regiments, in which the officers were Europeans and the other ranks were Indians. They included Artillery, Cavalry and Infantry regiments, so historical sources refer to the Bengal/Madras/Bombay Artillery/Cavalry/Infantry (the latter often termed "Native Infantry" or "N.I."). From the mid-eighteenth century onwards, the Crown began to dispatch regiments of the regular 272: 437:" (British soldiers), and commanded by a nucleus of British officers. The Madras Presidency followed suit with six battalions in 1759, followed by the Bombay Presidency in 1767. Recruitment in all cases was done locally, with battalions each drawn from single castes, and from specific communities, villages, and families. Regular cavalry regiments were raised in 1784, of which only three survived the 460:. The number of British officers went up to 22 per battalion, which diminished the importance of native officers. Control by Regimental commanders was excessive and exasperating to the battalions, and the system was reverted in 1824. Thereafter, units were formed into single battalion regiments, which were numbered per their seniority of raising. 491:
In 1895, the separate Presidency Armies were at last abolished and a fully unified Indian Army came into being. As before, its British officers were not members of the British Army, though as young subalterns they did serve for a year with a British Army regiment as part of their training before
476:, its European regiments were amalgamated in 1860 with the British Army, but its 'Native' regiments were not. The three separate Presidency Armies therefore continued to exist, and their European officers continued to be listed as members of the Bengal, Madras or Bombay Army rather than the 326:. Initially, only Europeans served as commissioned or non-commissioned officers. In time, Indian Army units were garrisoned from Peshawar in the north, to Sind in the west, and to Rangoon in the east. The army was engaged in the wars to extend British control in India (the 377:
The origin of the British Indian Army and subsequently the army of independent India lies in the origins of the Presidency Armies which preceded them. The first purely Indian troops employed by the British were watchmen employed in each of the Presidencies of the
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By 1824, the size of the combined armies of Bengal, Madras, and Bombay was about 200,000 and had at least 170 sepoy and 16 European regiments. In 1844 the combined average strength of the three armies was 235,446 native and 14,584 European.
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In the "silladar" system, the soldier provided his own horse, weapons, and military attire as prescribed, for which he received in exchange from the state a lump sum grant and maintenance grants from time to
445:" employed by rulers of Indian states. Irregular cavalry regiments had very few British officers. In addition, native artillery and pioneers (referred to later as Sappers and Miners) were also raised. 935: 955: 456:
Between 1796 and 1804, a regimental system on a two battalion basis was introduced. The battalions were only theoretically linked together and shared no
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system. Another change resulting from the Indian Rebellion of 1857 was that henceforward artillery was confined to the British Army.
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to India, to reinforce the Company's armies. These troops are often referred to as "H.M.'s Regiments" or "Royal regiments".
365:, when the Crown took over the Company and its three armies. In 1895, the three presidency armies were merged into a united 950: 940: 825: 331: 242: 149: 393:
From the mid-eighteenth century, the East India Company began to maintain armies at each of its three main stations, or
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battalions for the Bengal Presidency. These would be Indian soldiers, armed, dressed, and trained the same as the "
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Sykes, W. H. (May 1847). "Vital Statistics of the East India Company's Armies in India, European and Native".
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Swords Trembling in Their Scabbards. The Changing Status of Indian Officers in the Indian Army 1757–1947
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Roy, Kaushik. "The hybrid military establishment of the East India Company in South Asia: 1750–1849",
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Roy, Kaushik. "Military Synthesis in South Asia: Armies, Warfare, and Indian Society, c. 1740–1849",
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The Military in British India: The Development of British Land Forces in South Asia, 1600–1947
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The presidency armies, like the presidencies themselves, belonged to the Company until the
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Bryant, G. J. "Asymmetric Warfare: The British Experience in Eighteenth-Century India",
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Fidelity & Honour: The Indian Army from the Seventeenth to the Twenty-First Century
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Gilbert, Arthur N. "Recruitment and Reform in the East India Company Army, 1760–1800",
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An officer of Col Gardiner's irregular Cavalry, composed of Hindustani Mussalmans
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From Hydaspes to Kargil: A History of Warfare in India from 326 BC to AD 1999
139: 484:. Following the Rebellion recruitment of 'Native' Regiments switched to the 485: 480:. However, the Presidency Armies began to be described collectively as the 477: 410: 382:
to protect their trading stations. These were all placed in 1748 under one
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and the consequent takeover of power by the British government from the
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Britain's Army in India: From its Origins to the Conquest of Bengal
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Red Coats to Olive Green: A History of the Indian Army, 1600–1947
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taking up permanent commissions with their Indian Army regiment.
275: 750:(8th ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 223. 495: 406: 402: 314:. The presidency armies were named after the presidencies: the 311: 271: 844:
Barua, Pradeep. "Military developments in India, 1750–1850",
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who is regarded as the "Father of the Indian Army".
866:Journal of British Studies (1975) 15#1 pp. 89–111 936:Military history of the British East India Company 661: 118:"By command of the King and Parliament of England" 927: 956:Military units and formations of British India 773:Journal of the Statistical Society of London 496:Operational history of the Presidency armies 420: 723: 721: 719: 717: 278:of the 21st Bengal Native Infantry (1819) 884:(London: George Allen & Unwin, 1978) 447: 441:. Irregular cavalry were raised by the " 270: 742: 727: 14: 928: 815: 714: 770: 732:. London: Low, Marston. pp. 1–8. 877:(Manchester University Press, 1995) 24: 838: 25: 972: 592:European influence in Afghanistan 115:Auspicio Regis et Senatus Angliae 27:Armies of the East India Company 38: 728:Jackson, Major Donovan (1940). 662:List of presidencies and armies 556: 531: 310:, composed primarily of Indian 809: 799: 764: 736: 581: 500: 13: 1: 858:(2004) 68#2 pp. 431–469 848:, (Oct 1994) 58#4 pp 599–616 707: 610: 463: 395:Presidencies of British India 286:were the armies of the three 905:, (July 2011) 6#2 00 195–218 648: 629: 7: 910:Journal of Military History 856:Journal of Military History 846:Journal of Military History 695: 302:, later the forces of the 10: 977: 951:History of the Indian Army 941:British East India Company 912:, (2005) 69#3 pp 651–690, 585: 380:British East India Company 946:Military of British India 903:Journal of Global History 891:(New Delhi: Viking, 1993) 429:came up with the idea of 372: 203: 198: 122: 110: 100: 74: 64: 54: 46: 37: 32: 816:Creese, Michael (2015). 569:Second Anglo-Burmese War 544:Second Anglo-Maratha War 470:Indian Rebellion of 1857 439:Indian Rebellion of 1857 363:Indian Rebellion of 1857 190:Indian Rebellion of 1857 655:Expedition to Abyssinia 604:Second Anglo-Afghan War 575:Third Anglo-Burmese War 563:First Anglo-Burmese War 550:Third Anglo-Maratha War 538:First Anglo-Maratha War 525:Fourth Anglo-Mysore War 513:Second Anglo-Mysore War 421:Regimental organisation 356:Expedition to Abyssinia 18:East India Company Army 898:(Bombay: Allied, 1974) 748:A New History of India 598:First Anglo-Afghan War 519:Third Anglo-Mysore War 507:First Anglo-Mysore War 453: 279: 170:First Anglo-Afghan War 702:Company rule in India 642:Second Anglo-Sikh War 451: 274: 180:Second Anglo-Sikh War 636:First Anglo-Sikh War 175:First Anglo-Sikh War 880:Lawford, James P. 474:East India Company 454: 384:Commander-in-Chief 338:) and beyond (the 292:East India Company 280: 243:Archibald Campbell 233:Charles Cornwallis 165:Anglo-Burmese wars 160:Anglo-Nepalese War 150:Anglo-Maratha Wars 69:East India Company 873:Heathcote, T. A. 757:978-0-19-533756-3 686:Madras Presidency 677:Bombay Presidency 668:Bengal Presidency 388:Stringer Lawrence 352:Second Opium Wars 284:presidency armies 266: 265: 213:Stringer Lawrence 185:Anglo-Persian War 145:Anglo-Mysore Wars 130:Battle of Plassey 33:Presidency armies 16:(Redirected from 968: 832: 831: 813: 807: 803: 797: 796: 768: 762: 761: 744:Wolpert, Stanley 740: 734: 733: 725: 623:Second Opium War 386:, Major-General 238:Arthur Wellesley 42: 30: 29: 21: 976: 975: 971: 970: 969: 967: 966: 965: 926: 925: 887:Menezes, S. L. 841: 839:Further reading 836: 835: 828: 827:9-781909-982819 814: 810: 804: 800: 785:10.2307/2337686 769: 765: 758: 741: 737: 726: 715: 710: 698: 664: 651: 632: 617:First Opium War 613: 594: 584: 559: 534: 503: 498: 466: 458:esprit de corps 443:silladar system 423: 375: 269: 262: 205: 194: 135:Battle of Buxar 117: 96: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 974: 964: 963: 961:Private armies 958: 953: 948: 943: 938: 924: 923: 918:Roy, Kaushik. 916: 906: 899: 892: 885: 878: 871: 862: 852: 840: 837: 834: 833: 826: 820:. p. 28. 808: 798: 763: 756: 735: 712: 711: 709: 706: 705: 704: 697: 694: 693: 692: 683: 674: 663: 660: 659: 658: 650: 647: 646: 645: 639: 631: 628: 627: 626: 620: 612: 609: 608: 607: 601: 588:The Great Game 583: 580: 579: 578: 572: 566: 558: 555: 554: 553: 547: 541: 533: 530: 529: 528: 522: 516: 510: 502: 499: 497: 494: 468:Following the 465: 462: 422: 419: 374: 371: 267: 264: 263: 261: 260: 255: 250: 245: 240: 235: 230: 228:Charles Napier 225: 220: 215: 209: 207: 201: 200: 196: 195: 193: 192: 187: 182: 177: 172: 167: 162: 157: 155:Vellore Mutiny 152: 147: 142: 137: 132: 126: 124: 120: 119: 112: 108: 107: 102: 98: 97: 95: 94: 89: 84: 78: 76: 72: 71: 66: 62: 61: 56: 52: 51: 48: 44: 43: 35: 34: 26: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 973: 962: 959: 957: 954: 952: 949: 947: 944: 942: 939: 937: 934: 933: 931: 921: 917: 915: 911: 907: 904: 900: 897: 893: 890: 886: 883: 879: 876: 872: 870: 869: 863: 861: 857: 853: 851: 847: 843: 842: 829: 823: 819: 812: 802: 794: 790: 786: 782: 778: 774: 767: 759: 753: 749: 745: 739: 731: 724: 722: 720: 718: 713: 703: 700: 699: 691: 687: 684: 682: 678: 675: 673: 669: 666: 665: 656: 653: 652: 643: 640: 637: 634: 633: 624: 621: 618: 615: 614: 605: 602: 599: 596: 595: 593: 589: 576: 573: 570: 567: 564: 561: 560: 551: 548: 545: 542: 539: 536: 535: 526: 523: 520: 517: 514: 511: 508: 505: 504: 493: 489: 487: 483: 479: 475: 471: 461: 459: 450: 446: 444: 440: 436: 432: 428: 418: 414: 412: 408: 404: 400: 396: 391: 389: 385: 381: 370: 368: 364: 359: 357: 353: 349: 345: 341: 337: 333: 329: 325: 321: 317: 313: 309: 305: 304:British Crown 301: 297: 293: 289: 285: 277: 273: 268:Military unit 259: 256: 254: 251: 249: 246: 244: 241: 239: 236: 234: 231: 229: 226: 224: 221: 219: 216: 214: 211: 210: 208: 202: 197: 191: 188: 186: 183: 181: 178: 176: 173: 171: 168: 166: 163: 161: 158: 156: 153: 151: 148: 146: 143: 141: 140:Carnatic Wars 138: 136: 133: 131: 128: 127: 125: 121: 116: 113: 109: 106: 103: 99: 93: 90: 88: 85: 83: 80: 79: 77: 73: 70: 67: 63: 60: 57: 53: 49: 45: 41: 36: 31: 19: 919: 909: 902: 895: 894:Longer, V. 888: 881: 874: 865: 855: 845: 817: 811: 801: 776: 772: 766: 747: 738: 730:India's Army 729: 557:Burmese wars 532:Maratha wars 490: 486:Martial Race 478:British Army 467: 457: 455: 427:Robert Clive 424: 415: 411:British Army 392: 376: 360: 288:presidencies 283: 281: 253:James Outram 223:Robert Clive 114: 101:Headquarters 690:Madras Army 681:Bombay Army 672:Bengal Army 582:Afghan wars 501:Mysore wars 482:Indian Army 367:Indian Army 324:Bombay Army 320:Madras Army 316:Bengal Army 248:Gerard Lake 123:Engagements 92:Madras Army 87:Bengal Army 82:Bombay Army 930:Categories 779:(2): 120. 708:References 611:Opium wars 586:See also: 464:After 1857 401:(Bengal), 354:, and the 258:Hugh Gough 218:Eyre Coote 206:commanders 199:Commanders 65:Allegiance 657:(1867–68) 649:Abyssinia 644:(1848–49) 638:(1845–46) 630:Sikh wars 625:(1856–60) 619:(1839–43) 606:(1878–81) 600:(1839–42) 577:(1885–86) 571:(1852–53) 565:(1823–26) 552:(1817–18) 546:(1803–05) 540:(1775–82) 521:(1789–92) 515:(1780–84) 509:(1766–69) 435:red coats 425:In 1757, 336:Sikh wars 105:GHQ India 50:1774–1895 868:in JSTOR 860:in JSTOR 850:in JSTOR 746:(2009). 696:See also 399:Calcutta 322:and the 111:Motto(s) 793:2337686 332:Maratha 290:of the 276:Subedar 204:Notable 55:Country 922:(2004) 914:online 824:  791:  754:  688:, the 679:, the 670:, the 527:(1799) 407:Bombay 403:Madras 373:Origin 344:Afghan 328:Mysore 318:, the 312:sepoys 75:Branch 47:Active 806:time. 789:JSTOR 431:sepoy 397:, at 348:First 340:Burma 308:India 300:India 59:India 822:ISBN 752:ISBN 590:and 405:and 350:and 334:and 296:rule 282:The 781:doi 358:). 306:in 298:in 294:'s 932:: 787:. 777:10 775:. 716:^ 369:. 346:, 342:, 330:, 830:. 795:. 783:: 760:. 20:)

Index

East India Company Army

India
East India Company
Bombay Army
Bengal Army
Madras Army
GHQ India
Battle of Plassey
Battle of Buxar
Carnatic Wars
Anglo-Mysore Wars
Anglo-Maratha Wars
Vellore Mutiny
Anglo-Nepalese War
Anglo-Burmese wars
First Anglo-Afghan War
First Anglo-Sikh War
Second Anglo-Sikh War
Anglo-Persian War
Indian Rebellion of 1857
Stringer Lawrence
Eyre Coote
Robert Clive
Charles Napier
Charles Cornwallis
Arthur Wellesley
Archibald Campbell
Gerard Lake
James Outram

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