Single Campaign Medals 451


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.


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