March

GENERAL HENRY CHARLES van CORTLANDT

(1814-1888)

General in the Sikh Army & Governor of Dera Ghazi Khan

The Van Cortlandts have descended from one of the noblest families in Holland whose ancestors migrated to America. Henry Charles was born in Meerut and educated in England. During his arrival in India he entered the services of Maharajah Runjeet Singh in the Muslim Battalion on a salary of 250 Rupees per month in 1832.

Serving in several campaigns he was present at the Battle of Jamrud where he witnessed the death of General Hari Singh Nalwa. By 1841, during the reign of Maharajah Sher Singh he took part in the siege of the Lahore fort and assisted the British campaign during the Afghan wars in the Peshawar valley. He was absent during the assassination of Maharajah Sher Singh and during the outbreak of the first Anglo-Sikh war of 1845.

After the termination of the Sikh wars he returned to Lahore and was employed by the British Army as a political agent. Known to be a favourite amongst the prominent Sikh chiefs at court, he was duly promoted to the rank of general and married an Anglo Indian lady Susanna Turner in Karnal.

His services were highly appreciated by the British Government that he was created a C.B and lived out his retirement in London where he spent most of his remaining life reminiscing of the opulent Sikh court. One of the few officers to be decorated at the ‘Court of Lahore’ for his wisdom and loyal services firstly by Raja Lal Singh, Prime Minister of the Sikh Kingdom and later by Maharajah Duleep Singh in 1845.

He died from pneumonia aged 73 in London.

IMAGE AND CAPTIONS.

151: General Henry Charles van Cortlandt.

153: The rare medal presented to General van Cortlandt by Raja Lal Singh of Lahore in 1845.

160: Emerald studded medal presented to General van Cortlandt by Maharajah Duleep

Singh in 1845.

161: Susanna van Cortlandt – wife of General van Cortlandt.