Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare Indian Mutiny medal to a civilian casualty awarded to Mr George William Bagley, who was wounded in the right hand at the battle of Sussia (Agra) on 5 July 1857; the remarkable events at Agra are recorded by his eldest son, Frederick Robert Bagley, who in March 1930, aged 78, published his reminiscences under the title “A small boy in the Indian Mutiny” for Blackwood's Magazine - he relates a story of horror and deprivation with an amusement and impishness that comes from the innocence of youth

Indian Mutiny 1857-59, no clasp (G. W. Bagley,) good very fine £600-£800

George William Bagley was baptised at Calcutta on 12 August 1821, the eldest son of John Thomas Bagley, Master Pilot in the Honourable Company’s Bengal Marine Establishment, and his wife Mary née Eade (Ede.) His father died in 1834, aged 39, leaving his wife with 5 children and an unborn child.

Bagley entered the Bengal Education Department and by 1837 was the acting 6th Master at the Calcutta High School, under the Lord Bishop of Calcutta. By 1840 he was 2nd Master at the Calcutta Madrassa or Mohammedan College, earning Rupees 200 per month but was abruptly terminated in 1844.

The following is taken from East India Lords' Report of 4 November 1852 - 20 August 1853, which states ‘The dismissal of Mr G. W. Bagley, the late Second Master, for inefficiency and gross neglect of duty, together with other means adopted for stimulating the Mohammedan pupils to the acquisition of a sound English education, will, it is hoped, meet with a greater degree of success than we have heretofore succeeded.’

Bagley next joined the Civil Auditor's Office in Agra, a profession he remained in until retirement. On 9 October 1850, he married Miss Sophia Theresa Anthony at Agra and by the mutiny had issue 3 boys namely, Frederick Robert, Walter James and William Albert. George Clarence had died in 1853 aged 2.

His son comments that they lived a life of ‘respectable comfort’. His mother was a tall, graceful quiet woman, whereas his father was a large handsome superior being with strange habits, as he ate boiled eggs in the morning with ‘toast water’ and came home each evening rather cross with everything in general. There was the thatched cottage with a wide cool verandah, the pillars of which were covered in honeysuckle. To the front there was a ‘Mehndi’ hedge enclosing a flower plot smelling of roses and to the rear a vegetable plot in which he revelled in stealing the garden peas from the ‘Mali’, or gardener. There was also a ‘buggy’ drawn by a sedate white horse in which they drove each evening to ‘eat the air.’ Living with the family was Mary, his grand-mother, described as a rigid Calvinistic Presbyterian in theory but in practice the ‘most sweet-natured, kind-hearted person who ever lived. I owe to her all I have ever learned of human feelings and consideration for others.’

Frederick relates that prior to moving into Agra Fort, the family was first taken to Mr Grant's House, a very grand mansion with an imposing archway and massive masonry pillars. All was total confusion, with tales of murder and treachery from the districts. There was little food and water and their misery was compounded when a Doolie brought in the first casualty, an old grey haired lady called Mrs Palmer, who had been left for dead in the district. The doctor pronounced she was still alive but had sixty seven wounds. Happily she made a wonderful recovery.

A few days later they made a hurried flight to a place called the Secundra which was very boring. Returning to their home they were dismayed to find that it has been destroyed and plundered. The removal to the Fort commenced a ‘picnic’ full of thrilling incidents which filled all his days. Hunger, heat and food mattered nothing although he remembers the occasional cold chapati. The journey to the fort through the huge red stone gateway and battlements looked as if they reached the sky. He was asked occasionally to grind some grain to make chapatis but spent most of his time exploring the fort. The underground passages were dark and foreboding but he most enjoyed being an observer at the fort gate where a good natured ‘Tommy’ told him who everybody was. He watched in fascination the prisoners passing in and out of the gate either for trial or execution. He was forbidden to view the gallows but could not help but hear the distant guns doing their killing. His friendly ‘Tommy’ gave him all the gruesome details.

The Agra Fort Census taken on 27 July 1857, shows that Bagley was mustered at the Armoury Square East Side together with wife 3 children and his mother Mary. Two of his uncles were also under arms in the fort. One was in the Militia Infantry and the other was head of the Militia Artillery with the nickname of the ‘Greek Pirate’.

Allen's Indian Mail of 31 August 1857, quoting the Mofussilite Press of 30 June 1857, states that the Agra Militia was embodied last Friday and Saturday and drilled on the parade ground at Hurree Purbut. The Infantry Militia under Captain Lamb consisted of four companies which mustered each about 45 men. Frederick writes that he paid great attention and critical spirit to his father and uncle at their daily drill and, compared to the regulars, his father's efforts were unlikely to strike terror in the ‘Baghis,’ comments, his parents told him, to keep to himself.

On 5 July 1857, the combined force departed the Fort to make battle with the mutineers. The Civil Militia Infantry was formed in a line at the rear to protect the fort and its occupants. Mr N. A. Chick described the battle as a ‘singularly bold and brave affair.’ Vastly outnumbered, the little force managed to drive the mutineers from the village of Sussia at the points of their bayonets but did not follow up their success as Brigadier Polwhele sounded the retreat and with a gnashing of teeth and maddening rage the victorious soldiers fell back back to the defence of the fort. The Civil Militia had been in the field for 6 hours and increasingly came under fire from the advancing rebels. It was only when the last of the regular troops and the Militia Cavalry had passed though their lines to the safety of the fort that the Civil Militia retreated themselves. The total casualties of the force amounted to 49 dead and 92 wounded.

Frederick recalls that rumour of impending battle with the Neemuch mutineers was in the air, culminating in the order that all the Militia were to parade the next morning. He woke early before dawn to see his father taking his ‘chota hazri’ by candlelight and then marching out to the sound of bugles with his Brown Bess musket on his shoulder. His mother attempted to be cheerful but broke down after his father had left. He ran off to his uncle who had his gun on the ramparts. With all the intense excitement nobody paid any attention to him so he climbed the ramparts to watch the battle. All he could see from the corner of an embrasure were clouds of dust and smoke and the continuous roar of artillery. Two officers in dark uniforms came to the ramparts with telescopes and stood in the embrasure next to his. “My God,” said the elder, “why doesn't ______ go for them; their artillery will knock ours into a cocked hat.” Their excitement increased and there was much strong language, until a faint rattle of musketry could be heard between the gun reports. “At last,” swore the elder, ”but probably too late!” Frederick’s presence was noticed and he was told to run away home.

The whole of the Agra Fort residents were in the open square where he found his mother carrying his small brother and sobbing quietly. Nothing he said would console her. He therefore ran back to the ramparts where the big gun was being prepared. Tempers were running short and Ihewas again observed and sternly sent away with a flea in his ear. He went home disconsolately. Near to the gateway he saw clouds of dust and and running to it witnessed the arrival of our defeated army. First came the rabble of camp followers and then a line of Doolies with a wounded man in each; two or three of their faces remained photographed in his memory, especially one handsome, powerful young man, with his open chest covered in blood and many scattered black spots within a circle of ten inches (shot at close range by a charge of slugs). Another with side whiskers had a blackened mouth and sightless eyes and a burnt-up look. Both had drawn, set faces.

His general impression was one of dust, sweat and bloody bandages and above all ‘hurry.’ His friendly ‘Tommy’ spat and swore, “poor beggars, blown up with their own powder; cut and run you little ooloo (owl) or the Baghis will get you.” But he stood his ground and held on to his empty bayonet sheath.

The line of Doolies was long and followed by another disorderly rabble of dirty sweating men on foot. Many were wounded, slouched and limped with arms in slings and bloody bandages. Desperate for water his old ‘Tommy’ produced sympathetic strong language and water in buckets. Some troops then came along marching more or less in order, sweating but worn out. Afterwards there appeared a very disreputable crowd with open necks, blackened faces and such fierce looks that he thought these must be the rebels themselves. Panic stricken he shouted “Baghis” and ran for his life until he reached home and clasped his mother's knee, crying “the Baghis have come!” The servants screamed and ran but his mother and the weeping women kept their heads and smiled as all eyes were on a small company of blackened armed men that marched into the square and were dismissed. “There they are” he shouted as he recognised the authors of his panic but was dumbfounded to see one of the dirtiest villains come to their quarters and stagger into a chair, flinging his musket into a corner and calling for a drink! It was his father with his right hand a lump of bloody bandages. He had been shot in the thumb.

The siege of Agra was lifted on 2 October 1857, when a moveable column led by Brigadier Greathead fought and defeated the rebels close to Agra. Frederick describes how they left Agra Fort and travelled by ‘bullock bandy’ to Cawnpore, where they visited the site of the massacre and then travelled to Allahabad where the family would live for many years.

George William Bagley was to have 3 further children, Arthur Herbert, 1859; Eliza Catherine, 1860; and Sophie Theodora, 1862. His wife Sophie Theresa died on 31 October 1863, and on 25 April 1868, aged 46, he married Sophie Caroline née Williams.
In 1864 G. W. Bagley wrote A Companion to the Civil Paymaster's manual North-West Provinces (IOR/V/27/301/405). In 1870 he is shown as Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner of paper money in Allahabad, eventually rising to become the Assistant Accountant General, N.W.P. He retired to Nagpur, where he died on 4 August 1907, aged 86. His son, Frederick Robert Bagley, became one of India's leading railway engineers working throughout the sub-continent. On retirement he returned to England and acted as a consultant to the British Government on all things railways.

Sold with comprehensive research including a compact disc containing a full scan of A Small Boy in the Indian Mutiny, from Blackwood's Magazine.