[ 340 ] British 1857 1858 India Mutiny Medal

Description

British 1857 1858 India Mutiny Medal correctly named to JAs Merriott 75th Reg
The regiment was already in India at the outbreak of the Mutiny. some info about the regiment is as follows, I have no research on the medal recipient Private James Merriott as yet.

The regiment was raised in Stirling by Colonel Robert Abercromby in October 1787. Originally named the 74th (Highland) Regiment of Foot, it was formed for service in India with the forces of the East India Company. Although the Company was charged with the regiment’s upkeep while in India, it was still a British Army unit.

Arriving there in late 1788, it fought in the Third Mysore War (1789-92) at Travancore (1789) and Seringapatam (1792). It also took part in the Fourth Mysore War (1798-99). This included the capture of Seringapatam and the final defeat of Tipu Sultan in 1799.

Service in the Second Maratha War (1803-05) followed, including the Siege of Bharatpur (1805). For its Indian services, the regiment won the Royal Bengal Tiger on its Colours and headdress.

It returned to Scotland in 1807. But, two years later, it lost its Highland status and dress owing to recruiting difficulties.
Its next overseas posting was to Sicily from 1811 to 1814. This period also saw it carry out raids against the French in Calabria.

Nine years on the Ionian Islands and Gibraltar followed, before the regiment returned to Britain in 1823. It then spent 26 years on home service, only interrupted by a year fighting in the Sixth Cape Frontier War (1834-36) in South Africa in 1834.

In 1849, it returned to India, so it was already in theatre on the outbreak of the Indian Mutiny (1857-59). It went on to serve at the Siege of Delhi (1857), the Siege of Lucknow (1857) and the Capture of Lucknow (1858).