428:
Lieutenant
Broughton with his detachment immediately following up the movement, with excellent effect from his position upon the enemy's left. The rebel right wing, of about 300 men, broke at once, but the centre and left, observing the great labour of the horses in crossing the heavy ground, stood, and, receiving the charge with repeated volleys, were cut down or broke only a few yards ahead of the cavalry. From this moment the pursuit was limited to the strongest and best horses of the force, numbering some 60 of all ranks, who, dashing into and swimming a deep and wide nullah, followed the flying enemy through the village of Russowlee and its sugarcane khets, over two miles of swamp, and five hundred yards into the thick jungles near Peroo, when, both men and horses being completely exhausted, I sounded the halt and assembly, and, collecting my wounded returned to Camp at Munjhaen about 6 P.M.
462:"I have the honour to request, on the part of his lordship, that you will have the goodness to direct the attention of the Right Honourable the Governor-General to the brilliancy of the exploit performed by Lieutenant G. C. Baker, of the Bengal Police Battalion, which is deserving of the highest encomium, on account both of conception and execution. His lordship is of opinion that the Victoria Cross should be awarded to Lieutenant Baker, and to Mr. Chicken, of the Indian Navy, and he will take immediate measures for the execution of his intention in this respect."
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After a journey totalling over 500 miles (800 km), the boat reached Hong Kong on the morning of 3 June. Baker reported the wreck, and was successful in securing rescue for the passengers and crew of the Douro, with the
Steamships Malta, Tartar, and Pekin arriving at the site of the wreck on 5, 6
419:
Requesting
Lieutenant Broughton, with the 3rd Seikh Irregular Cavalry, to take up a position to the north-west of Suhejnee, clear of the enemy's fire, which was now very hot, I halted my troop, and despatched a note to Lieutenant Colonel Turner, C.B., reporting the position of the enemy and the very
407:
SIR, FOR the information of
Lieutenant-Colonel Turner, C.B., Commanding Field Force, I have the honour to report the details of a successful attack by the cavalry detachments under my command, upon the rebel force at Suhejnee, near Peroo, which resulted in the total rout of the enemy, whose loss is
423:
The enemy observing us stationary, and seeing no infantry or guns advancing in support, became bold, threw out skirmishers, and emerging from their cover drew up in line, their right resting on
Suhejnee, and their left on the village of Russowlee . At this moment the rebel force must have mustered
415:
On nearing the village above mentioned, I discovered the enemy in possession of it, as well as in occupation of all the neighbouring topes of trees, sugar-cane khets, &c., from which positions a heavy fire was at once opened. An irregular fire at intervals from the adjacent village of Nonar
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The enemy advanced. Without exchanging a shot I at once retired slowly, followed up steadily by the rebel line for a hundred yards clear of village or jungle, when suddenly wheeling about my divisions into line with a hearty cheer, we charged into and through the centre of the enemy's line,
484:
In the despatch sent by
Lieutenant Baker to his superiors, the action is stated as taking place on 26 September 1858. The date noted in reports from his commanders, and the date noted in the London Gazette however, is 27 September 1858. The reason for this discrepancy is not known.
327:. The first vessels they encountered on their journey turned out to be pirates who refused food, water, and other assistance unless the crew allowed themselves to be stripped of all valuables. The boat was able to escape, facing adverse weather conditions and taking on water.
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In compliance with the orders of the officer commanding the field force, the detachments of cavalry noted in the margin marched at about 1 P.M. yesterday, with the view of intercepting the retreat of the rebel force posted in the village of
Suhejnee, distant five miles.
347:. He was appointed as Second in Command of the Bengal Military Police Battalion on its formation, on 15 April 1856, while simultaneously holding the positions within the unit of Commandant of Cavalry and Officiating Commandant. Baker served with them through the
527:, working under him and eventually succeeding him as head of the Egyptian police force. He went on to become Chief of the Public Security Department of the Egyptian Ministry of the Interior, holding that post until his retirement in 1895.
869:
539:
with his wife
Charlotte, residing in the South Cliff Hotel on Belle Vue Road. He died on 19 February 1906 in Southbourne, and was laid to rest in Christchurch Cemetery in Dorset.
255:
forces. He subsequently went on to serve in the
Turkish Army, becoming a Major General and Lewa Pasha. Following this he became head of the Egyptian Police Force.
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Lieutenant C. G. Baker, Commandant of
Cavalry, 1st Bengal Police Battalion, to Captain Gordon, Field Adjutant, Lieutenant-Colonel Turner's Field Force.
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he kept, on arrival at the island of Hainan they were unable to locate signs of habitation, so the decision was made by him to head for
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Engraving of the wreck of the Steamship "Douro" on the Paracels in the China Sea, taken from the Illustrated London News, 5 August 1854
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portion of the Bengal Military Police Battalion was assigned to the Field Force commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel William West Turner
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On 27 September Lt. Baker sent the following despatch to Lt. Col. Turner, detailing action at Suhejnee (Sahejani), near Peroo (
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difficult nature of the ground for cavalry to act upon, being a succession of muddy rice khets, intersected by water-courses.
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512:, and was taken prisoner by the Russians. As a reward from the Sultan for his service in Turkey, Baker was given the rank of
493:
After the Mutiny, Baker continued to serve with the Bengal Military Police Battalion, and took part in an 1861 Expedition to
331:
and 8 June respectively. The only loss of life from this incident was a member of the ship's crew who had fallen overboard.
497:. In 1863 he was appointed as Officiating Deputy Inspector-General of Military Police for the Dacca Circle of Bengal.
509:
169:
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For gallant conduct on the occasion of an attack on the rebels at Suhejnee, near Peroo, on the 27th September, 1858
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estimated at from 80 to 90 killed and many wounded, with but a comparatively small list of casualties on our side.
251:, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and
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Shortly afterwards Baker found employment in the East India Company's Bengal Army, eventually joining the
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it struck the north shoal and was wrecked. On 26 May, accompanied by seven volunteers, Baker took a
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For his actions on that day Lieutenant Baker was awarded the Victoria Cross. His citation reads:
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Only one man under Lt. Baker's command was killed during this action and 17 wounded including
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556:"Asiatic Journal and Monthly Register for British and Foreign India, China and Australasia".
275:'s Medical Service. The young Baker was sent to England to be educated, attending schools in
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When the report of Lt. Baker's actions reached the Commander-in-Chief of the Army in India (
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After retiring from service with the Egyptian government, Major General Baker moved to
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This article is about the Victoria Cross recipient and Pasha. For other people, see
454:) he directed his Adjutant-General to write the following to the Governor-General,
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Quarterly Army List of Her Majesty's British Forces on the Bengal Establishment
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He was responsible for the rescue of the passengers and crew of the wrecked
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aboard the Douro, a passenger vessel. As the ship was sailing near the
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which he estimated was 123 miles (198 km) away. According to the
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594:"Connected to Christchurch - Christchurch History Society"
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Indian Rebellion of 1857 recipients of the Victoria Cross
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proved that place to be also held by the mutineer force.
621:. London: Simpkin, Marshall & Co. 1854. p. 505.
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The Anglo-African Who's Who and Biographical Sketchbook
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After leaving India, he served in the forces of Sultan
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from 900 to 1000 strong in infantry, with 50 cavalry.
686:(1907 ed.). London: L. Upcott Gill. p. 403.
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671:. Calcutta: R C Lepage & Co. 1859. p. 196.
633:"P&O Heritage - Ship Fact Sheet - Douro (1853)"
619:The Nautical Magazine and Naval Chronicle for 1854
814:. Dunedin, New Zealand. 4 July 1906. p. 406.
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851:
301:Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company
373:, then responsible for the security of the
263:Charles George Baker was born in Noacolly (
221:(8 December 1830 – 19 February 1906) was a
824:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
523:. Baker then went with Valentine Baker to
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910:British expatriates in the Ottoman Empire
890:British East India Company Army officers
875:British recipients of the Victoria Cross
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754:"The London Gazette, Issue 22224 p.377"
733:"The London Gazette, Issue 22224 p.380"
719:"The London Gazette, Issue 22224 p.379"
698:"The London Gazette, Issue 22224 p.377"
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271:. John Baker was a Doctor in the
206:Head of the Egyptian Police Force
885:British police officers in India
783:. 25 February 1862. p. 956.
341:Bengal Military Police Battalion
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212:Major General and Lewa Pasha
106:Christchurch Cemetery, Dorset
915:British expatriates in Egypt
880:British Indian Army officers
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598:www.historychristchurch.org
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359:He was 27 years old, and a
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214:Charles George Baker
32:Charles George Baker
441:George Bell Chicken
435:Further Information
402:September 27, 1858.
197:Indian Mutiny Medal
96:Southbourne, Dorset
780:The London Gazette
592:Raban, Elizabeth.
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287:Wreck of the Douro
273:East India Company
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136:Turkish Army
91:(1906-02-19)
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865:1906 deaths
860:1830 births
775:"No. 22601"
537:Southbourne
232:officer, a
230:Bengal Army
228:officer, a
131:Bengal Army
854:Categories
799:Wills 1907
543:References
531:Retirement
361:lieutenant
313:Jolly boat
277:Halesworth
259:Early life
112:Allegiance
57:1830-12-08
820:cite book
325:Hong Kong
281:Lowestoft
245:Steamship
467:Citation
265:Noakhali
240:Police.
238:Egyptian
122:Service/
64:Noakhali
842:. 1901.
560:. 1831.
391:Bhojpur
365:cavalry
345:Rattray
269:Suffolk
223:British
895:Pashas
759:29 May
738:29 May
703:29 May
653:31 May
603:31 May
504:under
495:Sikkim
317:Hainan
179:Awards
124:branch
102:Buried
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647:(PDF)
636:(PDF)
525:Egypt
521:Pasha
826:link
761:2016
740:2016
705:2016
655:2016
605:2016
579:help
518:Lewa
387:Piro
279:and
145:Rank
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51:Born
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
