Hussards Photos

Cropped album page with Carte-de-Visite size albumen print

Captain John Burton Phillipson in 1862

This photograph shows Captain John Burton Phillipson in frock coat. He's wearing a forage cap that has a much "louser" aspect than the subsequent "pillbox" patterns. Only Field Officers (major and up) displayed badges of rank on the collar of their frock coat.

John Burton Phillipson joined the 7th Hussars on December 21 1855.

On March 31 1858, Cornet Phillipson was in command of a party of 30 men of the 7th Hussars, from Canterbury, who embarked at Gravesend on board the Abeona, for Calcutta.

He was promoted Lieutenant on July 16 1858. He served in the Indian Campaign from September to December, 1858, including the affair of Doadpore (October 20 1858). He's wearing the ribbon of the Indian Mutiny Medal (no clasp).

He purchased his Commission of Captain on June 24 1862.

On October 16 1863, the London Gazette publishes :
"7th Hussars - Lieut. Richard Topham to be Capt. by purchase, vice John B. Phillipson, who retires : Cornet John Gaspar Watkins Le Marchant to be Lieut., by purchase vice Topham ; Ensign Gerald Montgomery Porter, from the 15th Foot, to be Cornet, Vice Le Marchant."

John Burton Phillipson's death is recorded in late 1874 in Atcham (Shropshire) ; he was 43 years old.

The affair at Doadpore
from The History of the Royal and Indian Artillery in the Mutiny of 1857
by Colonel Julian R.J.Jocelyn
reprinted by The Naval & Military Press

On october 20 Brigadier Horsford marched from Sultanpore towards the Kandu river with a mixed force* including two guns of F Troop R.H.A. (Lieutenant F.Lyon) and two guns of Q Battery (Lieutenant T.B.Strange).
Rebels estimed at 4,200 men with six guns were reported at the village of Doadpore ; but when Horsford reached that place he found that they had retired towards the Kandu River, and he determined to pursue them with four guns and a small body of horse, for the bulk of his cavalry were already carrying out a wide turning movement. The track he followed led through a jungle unsuited for the movements of mounted troops, but fresh wheel ruts of the rebel guns were plainly to be seen, and the advance was as rapid as possible. Presently small bodies of the rebels came in view, and Lyon got in a round at a range of 100 yards. Brigadier Horsford then ordered Strange to follow up the cavalry, and the advance was continued at racing speed. On the left of the road a body of the enemy opened fire and emptied a few cavalry saddles, but they were scattered by Strange with a couple of rounds of case, and the cavalry went on. Soon afterwards two abandoned ammunition waggons on the roadside showed that the guns were not far off, and a little farther on it was discovered that the rebels had made an emplacement right across the road. It was unoccupied, but the handful of cavalry turned aside to find an easier way through the jungle and scrub. The leading gun of Q Battery, however, went straight at the obstacle and the leaders fell. Nothing daunted, a second attempt was made, the gun got across, the second followed with two ammunition waggons, and the ditch and parapet were soon trampled down. The course of events had thus placed two field battery guns at the head of a cavalry chase, and blind Fortune gave them the prize. At a turn of the road Strange suddenly came upon the rebel guns. One was limbered up and continued its flight ; the other was in action on the road. Some sepoys stood round it, while others were trying to unhook the traces of the horses in order to escape on their backs. The gun was loaded and might have been fired, but Strange and a few mounted N.C. officers were upon it in an instant. The naik in charge of the escort raised his musket as Starnge approached, but that officer passed his sword through his body, and a little later the quartermaster-sergeant of F Troop overtook and slew the native commandant, who wore the full-dress belts of an artillery officer. The Staff, the handful of cavalry, and Lyon's guns now came up, and at some distance away was found the second piece, a howitzer, abandoned on the road. Then, the main body of the cavalry having now carried out their flanking movement and rejoined the column with some captured elephants, Horsford returned to Sultanpore, his cavalry and artillery having marched thirty-five miles. About 250 rebels were killed ; yet the British casualties were trifling, and the captured guns received a great ovation. (...)

* Horsford's force consisted of detachments of the 7th Hussars, Hodson's Horse, Oudh Mounted Police, the 32nd Foot, 1st Madras European Fusiliers, 5th Punjaub Infantry, and Oudh Police. In all some 1,400 men, and the four guns mentioned in the text.