United Kingdom
11th (Prince Albert's Own) Hussars


Carte-de-Visite, not signed
Hussar in Mhow, 1867


There is no studio backmark on this photograph, but the back bears the hand written mention :
"Taken at Mhow, East Indies, April 1st 1867."

"The historical records of the Eleventh Hussars, Prince Albert's Own" (Godfrey Trevelyan Williams, Newnes, 1908) tell us more about this period :

"1866
(...)
After a good voyage, in which no casualties occurred, the Agamemnon arrived at Bombay on October 25. They reached Poona on the 26th, and here on the 30th they were joined by the Renown party.
In November the regiment left Poona and marched to Mhow.
Inspected on November 6 by Brigadier-General Sir C. Stavely.
1867
Inspected on January 30, March 18, and October 28 by Major-General Adams, C.B., whose report on the condition of the regiment resulted in a congratulatory letter to the Colonel from the Adjutant-General, M.D.A.
In November the regiment relieved 2nd Dragoon Guards ("Queen's Bays") at Muttra, being inspected en route to Agra by Brigadier-General Stamms, C.B. On arriving at their destination the regiment exchanged "native establishments" with the " Queen's Bays."
(...)


Mhow was a very unhealthy station for the fresh European, as we learn from the "Army Medical Department report for the Year 1867" :

"III. BOMBAY.

During the year the average strength of the European troops in the Bombay. Bombay Command was 11,866; the admissions into hospital amounted to 15,294, and the deaths to 228, to which must be added 22 of invalids on their passage to England and at Netley, making a total of 250. The admissions were in the ratio of 1,289, and the deaths of 21-07 per 1,000 of mean strength, the former being lower, and the latter one-third higher thau in 1866.
The admissions have been higher than in 1866 in the Presidency, Mhow Bombay. and Scinde Divisions, and the deaths in the Mhow, Northern, and Scinde, and among Troops on the March: in the other divisions there has been a reduction in both sickness and mortality.
Paroxysmal Fevers were less prevalent than in 1866 in the Presidency and Bombay. Pooua, but more prevalent in the otheT divisions. The increase was most marked in the Northern and Scinde Divisions, but in the former it was more than counterbalanced by a reduction in fevers of the continued type. In the Northern the great prevalence of paroxysmal fevers was in the Royal Artillery at Ahroedabad, and the 49th Regiment at Deesa. The latter corps which had a remarkably high proportion of caBes of continued fever at the same station in the preceding year, returned only three cases of that type during the year under review. In the Scinde Division, paroxysmal fevers were very prevalent at both Hyderabad and Kurrachee, at the former in the Artillery and the detachment of the 2nd Regiment, and at the latter in the Artillery and the 33rd Regiment. The Mhow Division, as in former years, had the highest ratio of admissions by these feverB. The 95th Regiment at Mhow had 659 admissions in a strength of 819 men ; the 11th Hussars at the same station, the Artillery at Neemuch, and the 2nd Battalion 1st Regiment at Nusseerabad and Ajmere also had a very high ratio of admissions, while the Artillery at Mhow and Nusseerabad escaped with a comparatively small number of cases.
Continued Fevers were not a source of much tickness except at Aden, where the ratio of admissions by them amounted to 199 per 1,000 of the strength, but they were not of a severe form, only one case having terminated fatally at that station. But although continued fevers were not the cause of much sickness, they gave rise to an unusually high ratio of deaths in the Mhow Division, confined chiefly to the 11th Hussars at Mhow and the 2nd Battalion 1st Regiment at Nusseerabad. The former corps had 16 cases, of which 6 died; and the latter 25 cases, with 12 deaths. The cases in the 1st Regiment occurred chiefly in May, June, and July, and in the 11th Hussars in August and September.
Dysentery and Diarrhoea-Here less prevalent than in 1866 in all the divisions except Mhow and Scinde.
Spasmodic Cholera prevailed as an epidemic at the station of Nusseerabad only, and it was confined almost entirely to the 2nd Battalion 1st Regiment. The first case among the men occurred on the 3rd of September, and the last on the 29th, and in that short space of time there were 62 cases and 49 deaths by cholera among the men. Five cases and three deaths occurred in the F Battery 14th Brigade Royal Artillery, quartered also at Nusseerabad. On the outbreak of the epidemic the troops were moved into camp, and the camps were frequently changed during the 2b'days of the prevalence of the disease. The progress of the epidemic was checked in the Artillery after the first move, but the mi asure was net attended with the same success in the infantry regiment. In neither of the corps were the officers attacked. In the Artillery no case occurred among the women, and only one, which however proved fatal, among the children; in the 1st Regiment there were 11 cases and 0 deaths among 81 women, and 13 cases and 12 deaths among 119 children.
Ophthalmia was more prevalent than in 1866 in the Mhow Division, but this was due to the arrival at Mhow, from Kurrachee, of the 95th Regiment, in which ophthalmia had been very prevalent during the four preceding years. The admissions in this corps were net so numerous as in 1806, but they still amounted to 10 per cent, of the strength.
Esthetic Diseases were considerably more prevalent than in 1866 in the Poona Division, the results differed very little in the Northern and Scinde Divisions, and there was a marked decrease in all the others. The increase in the Poona Division was due to the prevalence of these diseases in the 26ih Regiment at Belgaum. In a strength of 846 men there were 612 admissions, being in the ratio of 723 per 1,000. The cases were chiefly syphilitic, 285 being recorded as primary syphilis, 102 as secondary, and 108 as Bubo, while there were only 113 of gonorrhoea, 3 of orchitis, and 1 of stricture. Omitting the 26th Regiment, the ratio of admissions by these diseases in the Poona Division amounted to 222 per 1,000, being under the proportion in 1866, but higher than in any of the other divisions.
Diseases of The Digestive System were more prevalent than in 1866 in the Presidency, Mhow, Northern, and Scinde Divisions, and were the cause of a higher rate of mortality in all the Divisions. The increase of the admissions was most marked in cases of dyspepsia, and that of the deaths was caused by inflammation of the liver.
Accidental And Violent Deaths.—In this class are included 11 deaths from sunstroke; 3 of these occurred at Aden in May, and 3 at Deesa, 2 in June, and 1 in July. Nusseerabad furnished 2, and Mhow and Hydrabad 1 each; the eleventh occurred on the line of march.

The following Table shows the admissions and deaths in each corps serving in the Command:—
(...)
11th Hussars
Average Annual Strength : 449
Admitted into Hospital : 736
Deaths : 16
Stations during the Year : Mhow, 11 months ; on the march, 1.
(...)

The ratio of admissions has been lowest in the Cavalry, and highest in the Bombay. Artillery; but the latter has very slightly exceeded the Infantry. The mortality has been lowest in the Artillery, and highest in the Infantry. The 1st Foot had an enormously high ratio of deaths from the prevalence of cholera, and the 108th a still higher ratio for the short period it was in the Command. The latter corps arrived in Bombay, from Secunderabad, on the 23rd of November, in a very sickly condition, and before the end of the year lost 11 men, of whom 5 died from hepatic disease, and 2 from intemperance.
Of the regiments in the Command during the whole year, excepting the 2nd Battalion 1st Foot, the 14th Brigade Royal Artillery had the highest ratio of deaths, and the 11th Hussars had but a trifle lower. In the latter it was caused by the prevalence of fever at Mhow, as already stated. The 3rd Dragoon Guards, at Ahmednugger, had the lowest ratio of deaths, and next to it was the 26th Regiment at Belgaum."