Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 3 clasps, Delhi, Relief of Lucknow, Lucknow (Eli Fry, 9th. Lancers) nearly extremely fine £800-1200

Provence: Lovell Collection, Sotheby’s, November 1977.

Eli Fry was born in Bridport, Dorset, in 1831 and attested for the 9th Lancers on 26 September 1851. He served with the Regiment in India from early 1854, initially stationed at Umballa, and served in ‘E’ Troop, under the command of Captain O. H. S. G. Anson, during the Great Sepoy Mutiny, in which the 9th Lancers saw more action than any other British Cavalry Regiment. Fry received a share of both the Delhi and Lucknow prize money. A letter written by him to his brother, whilst in Camp before Delhi, dated 5 August 1857, was published in the Bridport News on 17 October of that year:

‘My dear brother, I have but very poor news for you by this mail. We are now besieging Delhi, a very large fortified native city, about twelve miles in circumference, and with very high and strong walls- all this has occurred through the native troops mutinying throughout the whole of the country; they had plotted to rise on one day, and massacre the whole of the Europeans, soldiers, and civilians, and that day with the 10th of last May, but, thank God, their evil intentions were frustrated in most stations where there happened to be many British Regiments lying, but those unfortunate people, who resided where such was not the case, were murdered and mutilated in the most atrocious manner; in nearly every case, the officers belonging to these native regiments, together with their families, were destroyed in most fearful manner that the ingenuity of these monsters could devise.
We had a narrow escape in my regiment, we were to have been shot in church, as we sat there unarmed, but by the interposition of Providence, we learned sufficient to defeat their plans: of Europeans in Umballa, there were only us and a troop of artillery against three regiments of infantry, and one of cavalry, all natives, so that you may imagine we had to be on the alert to keep this force at bay, which we managed to do, however, until joined by three European infantry regiments from the Hill stations, when the sepoys suddenly left. They came to Delhi, where there are gathered about 40 regiments of infantry, 1,200 cavalry, and an immense quantity of guns and ammunition, as unfortunately Delhi was our principal magazine, and our infatuated government never allowed a single European regiment to lie here, so that they had it all their own way here and murdered all before them, to the amount of about 300 officers and civilians. The British force are not strong here, and the weather is against us, it begin the hot and rainy season, but thank God we all keep a stout heart and wait patiently, which we are obliged to do for more reinforcements before we storm the place.
When we advanced on Delhi we beat the enemy back from a strong position they held for the purpose of checking our advance, My regiment charged several times, and my squadron lost upwards of 20 men killed and wounded; I escaped unhurt. This was on the 8th June, when we managed to obtain our present position, which is a very strong one, being a range of rugged hills adjacent to the city, and from which we can batter their principal fort and palace. We have skirmishes every day nearly, and four or five severe conflicts in which both sides suffered severely have come off, the sepoys always attacking, as we are reserving our attack till joined by more forces, hastening to our assistance, when I hope to announce to you a victory. Remember me to all, your affectionate brother, Eli Fry.’

Returning home, Fry died of pneumonia at the cavalry barracks in Exeter on 23 February 1860.

Sold with copied medal roll and prize money extracts, and other copied research.