Bot at 13:52, 15 November 2022

2022-11-15T13:52:08Z

New page

{{short description|British Army general}}
{{for|Henry Havelock, son of Sir Henry|Sir Henry Havelock-Allan, 1st Baronet}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox military person
| name = Sir Henry Havelock
| honorific_suffix =
| image = Henry Havelock - 1865 Portrait.jpg
| caption = Henry Havelock, 1865 portrait
| birth_date = {{birth date|1795|04|05|df=y}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1857|11|24|1795|04|05|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Bishopwearmouth]], [[Sunderland]], England
| death_place = [[Lucknow]], [[British India]]
| nickname =
| allegiance = United Kingdom
| branch = [[British Army]]
| serviceyears = 1815–1857
| rank = [[Major-general (United Kingdom)|Major-General]]
| unit =
| commands =
| battles = [[First Anglo-Burmese War]] [[First Anglo-Afghan War]] [[First Anglo-Sikh War]] [[Anglo-Persian War]] [[Indian Rebellion of 1857|Indian Rebellion]]
| awards = [[Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath]]
| relations = [[Sir Henry Havelock-Allan, 1st Baronet]] (son)
| laterwork =
}}
[[Major-general (United Kingdom)|Major-General]] '''Sir Henry Havelock''' {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|KCB}} (5 April 1795 – 24 November 1857) was a British general who is particularly associated with India and his recapture of [[Siege of Cawnpore|Cawnpore]] during the [[Indian Rebellion of 1857]] (First War of Independence, Sepoy Mutiny).

==Early life==
Henry Havelock was born at [[Ford Estate|Ford Hall]], [[Bishopwearmouth]] (now in [[Sunderland, Tyne and Wear|Sunderland]]), the son of William Havelock, a wealthy shipbuilder, and Jane, daughter of John Carter, solicitor, of [[Stockton-on-Tees]]. He was the second of four brothers, all of whom entered the army.<ref name=EB1911>{{EB1911 |wstitle=Havelock, Sir Henry |volume=13 |pages=79–80 |inline=1}}</ref> The family moved to [[Ingress Abbey#History of the Ingress Estate|Ingress Park]], Greenhithe, Kent, when Henry was still a child, and here his mother died in 1811. From January 1800 until August 1804 Henry attended [[Dartford Grammar School]]<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Brock |first=William |year=1858 |url=https://archive.org/details/abiographicalsk02brocgoog |title=A biographical sketch of sir Henry Havelock. Copyright ed|publisher=Tauchnitz }}</ref> as a [[parlour boarder]] with the Master, Rev John Bradley,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kentarchaeology.org.uk/Research/Libr/MIs/MIsWilmington/MIsWilmington.htm|title=Wilmington churchyard M.I.'s|access-date=30 November 2014}}</ref> after which he was placed with his elder brother in the boarding-house of Dr. Raine, headmaster of [[Charterhouse School]] until he was 17.<ref>Parish, W. D. ''List of Carthusians, 1800–1879''. (14 January 2009). In Wikisource, The Free Library. Retrieved 07:57, 14 January 2009, from {{ws|[[s:List of Carthusians, 1800–1879/H|List of Carthusians, letter H]]}}</ref> Among his contemporaries at Charterhouse were [[Connop Thirlwall]], [[George Grote]], [[William Hale Hale|William Hale]], [[Julius Hare (theologian)|Julius Hare]], and William Norris (Recorder of [[Penang]]), the last two being his special friends. Shortly after leaving Charterhouse his father lost his fortune by unsuccessful speculation, sold Ingress Hall, and removed to Clifton.<ref name=EB1911/>

In accordance with the desire of his mother he entered the [[Middle Temple]] in 1813, and became a pupil of [[Joseph Chitty (the elder)|Joseph Chitty]]; his fellow-student was [[Thomas Talfourd]]. Havelock was thrown upon his own resources, and obliged to abandon the law as a profession.<ref name=EB1911/> By the good offices of his brother William, who had distinguished himself in the [[Peninsular War]] and at [[Battle of Waterloo|Waterloo]], he obtained on 30 July 1815, at the age of 20, a post as second lieutenant in the [[Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)|95th Regiment of Foot, Rifle Brigade]], and was posted to the company of Captain [[Harry Smith (army)|Harry Smith]], who encouraged him to study military history and the art of war. He was promoted lieutenant on 24 October 1821. During the following eight years of service in [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|Britain]] he read extensively all the standard works and acquired a good acquaintance with the theory of war.<ref name=EB1911/>

== India ==
Seeing no prospect of active service, he resolved to go to India, and at the end of 1822 transferred into the [[Somerset Light Infantry|13th (1st Somersetshire) Regiment (Light Infantry)]], then commanded by Major [[Robert Sale]], and embarked on the ''General Kyd'' in January 1823 for India.<ref>"The Fight of Faith: lives and testimonies from the battlefield" Bray, P./Claydon, M. (Eds) Ch 8 p102 (Pollock, J.): London, Panoplia, 2013 {{ISBN|978-0-9576089-0-0}}</ref> Before embarkation he studied the Persian and [[Hindustani language]]s with success under [[John Gilchrist (linguist)|John Borthwick Gilchrist]]. During the voyage a brother officer, Lieutenant James Gardner, awakened in Havelock religious convictions which had slumbered since his mother's death, but henceforth became the guiding principle of his life.<ref name=EB1911/>

Havelock served with distinction in the [[First Anglo-Burmese War]] (1824–1826), after which he returned to [[England]] and married Hannah Shepherd Marshman, the daughter of eminent [[Christians|Christian]] missionaries Dr. and Mrs. [[Joshua Marshman]]. At about the same time he became a [[Baptist]], being [[baptized]] by Mr. [[John Mack (Baptist)|John Mack]] at [[Serampore]].<ref name=EB1911/> He introduced some of his new family's missionary ideas to the army and began the distribution of [[bible]]s to all soldiers. He also introduced all-rank bible study classes and established the first non-church services for military personnel.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishempire.co.uk/forces/armyunits/britishinfantry/13thltinfhenryhavelock.htm|title=Sir Henry Havelock|publisher=British Empire|access-date=23 January 2019}}</ref>

===First Afghan War===
[[File:GenHHavelock noframe.png|thumb|left|Engraving of General Havelock from 1886 book ''True Stories of the Reign of Queen Victoria'' by [[Cornelius Brown]].]]
By the time Havelock took part in the [[First Anglo-Afghan War]] in 1839, he had been promoted to the rank of captain. He was present as [[aide-de-camp]] to [[Willoughby Cotton]] at the capture of [[Ghazni]], on 23 May 1839, and at the occupation of [[Kabul]]. After a short period in [[Bengal]] to secure the publication of his ''Memoirs of the Afghan Campaign'', he returned to Kabul in charge of recruits, and became interpreter to General [[William George Keith Elphinstone]].<ref name=EB1911/>

In 1841, being attached to Sir [[Robert Henry Sale]]'s force, he took part in the celebrated passage of the defiles of the [[Ghilzais]] and in the fighting from Tezeen to [[Jalalabad]]. Here, after many months siege, his column in a ''sortie en masse'' defeated [[Wazir Akbar Khan|Akbar Khan]] on 7 April 1842. He was now made Deputy Lieutenant-General of the infantry division in Kabul, and in September he assisted at [[Jagdalak]], at [[Tezeen]], and at the release of the British prisoners at Kabul, besides taking a prominent part at [[Istalif]]. He next went through the [[Gwalior Campaign]] as Persian interpreter to [[Hugh Gough, 1st Viscount Gough|Sir Hugh Gough]], and distinguished himself at [[Maharajpur, Madhya Pradesh|Maharajpur]] in 1843, and also in the [[First Anglo-Sikh War|Sikh Wars]] at the battles of [[Battle of Mudki|Mudki]], [[Battle of Ferozeshah|Ferozeshah]] and [[Battle of Sobraon|Sobraon]] in 1845.<ref name=EB1911/>

He used his spare time to produce analytical reports about the skirmishes and battles in which he was involved. These writings were returned to Britain and were reported on in the press of the day. For his military services he was made Deputy Adjutant-General at Bombay. He transferred from the [[13th Regiment of Foot]] to the [[39th Regiment of Foot|39th]], then as second major into the [[53rd Regiment of Foot|53rd]] at the beginning of 1849, and soon afterwards left for England, where he spent two years<ref name=EB1911/> and became involved in the running of the [[Baptist College, Stepney|Stepney Baptist Academy]], soon to move to Regent's Park. He returned to India in 1852 with further promotion: he was appointed Quartermaster-General, promoted to full colonel, and appointed [[Adjutant-General (India)|Adjutant-General, India]] in November 1854.<ref>{{London Gazette|nolink=y|issue=21638|page=3991|date=8 December 1854}}</ref>

===Indian Rebellion of 1857–1859===
[[File:Sir Henry Havelock Hero of Lucknow.png|thumb|Sir Henry Havelock: [[Siege of Lucknow|Hero of Lucknow]], [[The Halifax Club]], [[Nova Scotia]]]]
In that year, he was selected by [[Sir James Outram, 1st Baronet|Sir James Outram]] to command a division in the [[Anglo-Persian War]], during which he was present at the action of [[Khorramshahr|Muhamra]] against the forces of [[Nasser al-Din Shah]] under command of [[Khanlar Mirza]]. Peace with Persia freed his troops just as the [[Indian Rebellion of 1857|Indian Rebellion]] broke out; and he was chosen to command a column to quell disturbances in [[Allahabad]], to support [[Henry Montgomery Lawrence|Sir Henry Lawrence]] at [[Lucknow]] and [[Hugh Wheeler (general)|Wheeler]] at Cawnpore, and to pursue and utterly destroy all mutineers and insurgents.<ref name=EB1911/> Throughout August Havelock led his soldiers northwards across [[Oudh]] (present day [[Uttar Pradesh]]), defeating all rebel forces in his path, despite being greatly outnumbered. His years of study of the theories of war and his experiences in earlier campaigns were put to good use. At this time Lady Canning wrote of him in her diary: "General Havelock is not in fashion, but all the same we believe that he will do well." But in spite of this lukewarm commendation Havelock proved himself the man for the occasion and won a reputation as a great military leader.<ref name=EB1911/>

Three times he advanced for the relief of the [[Siege of Lucknow|Lucknow]], but twice held back rather than risk fighting with troops wasted by battle and disease.<ref name=EB1911/> Reinforcements arrived at last under Outram, who assumed command. With Havelock commanding the assault, Lucknow was relieved on 25 September 1857. However, a second rebel force arrived and besieged the town again. This time Havelock and his troops were caught inside the blockade.<ref name=EB1911/>

There he died on 24 November 1857 of [[dysentery]], a few days after the siege was lifted. He lived long enough to receive news that he was to be created a [[Baronet]] for the first three battles of the campaign; but he never knew of the major-generalship which was conferred shortly afterwards. With his baronetcy came a pension of £1,000 a year voted by Parliament. He was also appointed Colonel of the [[The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment)|3rd (East Kent) Regiment of Foot ("The Buffs")]] in December, as news of his death had yet to reach England. The baronetcy was afterwards bestowed upon his eldest son, [[Sir Henry Havelock-Allan, 1st Baronet|Henry]], in the following January; while to his widow, by [[Royal Warrant of Precedence]], were given the rights to which she would have been entitled had her husband survived and been created a baronet.<ref name=EB1911/> Parliament awarded pensions of £1,000 a year each to widow and son.<ref name=EB1911/>

==Legacy==

===Statue in Trafalgar Square===
[[File:UK-2014-London-Statue of Henry Havelock.jpg|thumb|upright|The statue of General Havelock in Trafalgar Square, London]]

There is a statue of Havelock (by [[William Behnes]]) in [[Trafalgar Square]], [[London]]. The plaque on the plinth reads:

{{blockquote|To Major General Sir Henry Havelock KCB and his brave companions in arms during the campaign in India 1857. "Soldiers! Your labours, your privations, your sufferings and your valour, will not be forgotten by a grateful country." H. Havelock}}

In 2000, there was a controversy when the then mayor of London, [[Ken Livingstone]] suggested that the Trafalgar Square statue, together with that of General [[Charles James Napier]], be replaced with "more relevant" figures.<ref>{{cite web |last=Kelso |first=Paul |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/oct/20/london.politicalnews |title=Mayor attacks generals in battle of Trafalgar Square |work=The Guardian|date=20 October 2000 |access-date=30 November 2014}}</ref>

===Statue in Mowbray Park===
[[File:Havelock statue Sunderland.jpg|thumb|upright|The statue of General Havelock in Mowbray Park, Sunderland]]

William Behnes also designed the statue of Havelock at the top of Building Hill in [[Mowbray Park]] Sunderland. Two [[cannon]] (replicas of cannons presented to Sunderland after the Crimean War in 1857) stand beside the statue, facing north commanding the view over the park. The statue, however, looks west towards Havelock's birthplace. The statue reads: ''Born 5, April 1795 at Ford Hall Bishopwearmouth Died 24 November 1857 at Dil-Koosa Lucknow''.<ref>[http://pmsa.cch.kcl.ac.uk/NE/TWSU22.htm Sunderland, TWSU22, Sculpture, Monument to Major General Sir Henry Havelock] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612122549/http://pmsa.cch.kcl.ac.uk/NE/TWSU22.htm |date=12 June 2011 }}</ref>

===Tomb in Lucknow===
[[File:Tomb of Sir Henry Havelock.jpg|thumb|The Tomb of Sir Henry Havelock]]

An imposing monument to Havelock's memory was erected by his sons, widow, and family. His tomb still stands in Chander Nagar – Alambagh area of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. These verses are inscribed on his tomb:
" His ashes in a peaceful urn shall rest;
His name a great example stands, to show
How strangely high endeavours may be blessed,
When piety and valour jointly go."
<ref>{{cite web|url=https://openlibrary.org/books/ia:gri_000033125008608313/The_Lucknow_album_containing_a_series_of_fifty_photographic_views_of_Lucknow_and_its_environs_togeth|title=The Lucknow album : containing a series of fifty photographic views of Lucknow and its environs together with a large sized plan of the city|access-date=30 November 2014}}</ref>

===Other===
*[[Havelock MRT station]] and Havelock Road along [[Singapore River]], [[Singapore]]<ref name="havSg">{{Cite web|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/meet-hajijah-and-boon-tat-10-singapore-roads-named-after-someones-grandmother-or|title=Meet Hajijah and Boon Tat: 10 Singapore roads named after someone's grandmother or grandfather|date=25 May 2017|website=The Straits Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=National Library Board, Singapore |url=http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_229_2004-12-15.html |title=Havelock Road |access-date=30 November 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131031115007/http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_229_2004-12-15.html |archive-date=31 October 2013}}</ref>
* [[Havelock Island]], in the [[Andaman Islands]] was also named in his honour (now [[Swaraj Dweep]]).<ref>{{Cite news|title=PM Narendra Modi renames 3 islands of Andaman Nicobar |date=30 December 2018 |newspaper=The Indian Times |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/pm-narendra-modi-renames-3-islands-of-andaman-nicobar/articleshow/67311660.cms }}</ref>
* Several [[public House]]s in [[England]] are named "The General Havelock":<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/results.shtml?n=General+Havelock |title=Pub information: Search results |publisher=Beerintheevening.com|access-date=18 June 2012}}</ref> The Haydon Bridge pub sign bears his portrait, as does the East Sleekburn one; in addition, there is a road/street called Havelock Mews next to the latter.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/East+Sleekburn,+Bedlington+NE22+7AZ/@55.1446899,-1.5477267,132m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x487e0d412c9b9665:0x386a2435bf37ddc3!8m2!3d55.14679!4d-1.5491649?shorturl=1|title=East Sleekburn|website=East Sleekburn}}</ref>
* Havelock Road in Luton is claimed to be named after him.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/Launch.aspx?referral=other&refresh=w04R9Q1se17H&PBID=e247e96d-4265-489f-ac40-5dbfd068449c|title=Luton on Sunday – 28/02/2016 digital edition|access-date=28 February 2016}} page 23.</ref> The road appears on The 1887 1st edition and 1901 2nd edition OS maps<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archiveDS/archiveDownload?t=arch-674-1/dissemination/pdf/Luton/fulltext/Luton_Assessment.pdf|title=Archaeology Data Service: myADS|access-date=28 February 2016}}</ref>
* Havelock Guest House in Jersey.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.havelockguesthouse.com/|title=Jersey Hotel: Havelock Guest House|website=www.havelockguesthouse.com|access-date=27 February 2017}}</ref>
* The New Zealand towns of [[Havelock, New Zealand|Havelock]], on the South Island, and [[Havelock North]], on the North Island, are named after him.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/keyword/havelock|title=Havelock | NZHistory, New Zealand history online|website=nzhistory.govt.nz}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/keyword/havelock-north|title=Havelock North | NZHistory, New Zealand history online|website=nzhistory.govt.nz}}</ref>
* Havelock Road in [[Southall]], London, was to be renamed Guru Nanak Road in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/road-in-southall-named-after-british-general-who-suppressed-1857-uprising-is-now-guru-nanak-road/|title=Road in Southall named after British general who suppressed 1857 uprising is now Guru Nanak Road|publisher=Indian Express|date=25 November 2020|access-date=26 November 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Curling|first=Cheryl|title=Southall road to be named after Guru Nanak|url=https://www.ealing.gov.uk/news/article/2048/southall_road_to_be_named_after_guru_nanak|access-date=6 December 2020|website=www.ealing.gov.uk|language=en}}</ref>
* [[Havelock, North Carolina]], a city in coastal North Carolina<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.havelocknc.us/210/History|title=History|publisher= Havelock, North Carolina|access-date=19 September 2022}}</ref>
* The town of [[Neighborhoods in Lincoln, Nebraska|Havelock, Nebraska]], which was incorporated in 1893 but was later annexed by the City of [[Lincoln, Nebraska|Lincoln]], was named after him. The former area of the town is still known today as the Havelock neighborhood in Lincoln.<ref>Fitzpatrick, Lilian Linder (1925). [http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/topic/resources/OLLibrary/Maps_Atlas/nebplacenames/placename5.html#lancaster "Lancaster County".] [http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/topic/resources/OLLibrary/Maps_Atlas/nebplacenames/index.html ''Nebraska Place-Names''.] Retrieved June 7, 2021.</ref>

===In fiction===
Havelock, referred to as ''Gravedigger Havelock'', appears as a character in several of the [[The Flashman Papers|Flashman novels]] by [[George MacDonald Fraser]] - ''[[Flashman (novel)|Flashman]]'',<ref>{{Cite book |last=Fraser |first=George MacDonald |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/29733 |title=Flashman : from the Flashman papers, 1839-1842 |date=1969 |isbn=0-257-66799-7 |location=London |oclc=29733 |quote=I didn't find out what, though, until the following day, when Sale came back again with the gravedigger at his elbow - he was Major Havelock, by the way, a Bible-moth of the deepest dye, and a great name now}}</ref> ''[[Flashman and the Mountain of Light]]''<ref name="Fraser1991">{{cite book|author=George MacDonald Fraser|title=Flashman and the Mountain of Light|quote=I was about to sidle off to the staff mess when I heard a great groan close by, and there was old Gravedigger Havelock, clasping his bony paws in supplication and looking like Thomas Carlyle with rheumatics—I never seemed to see that man but he was calling on God for something or other: possibly it was the sight of me that did it.|year=1991|publisher=Fontana|isbn=978-0-00-617980-1}}</ref> and ''[[Flashman in the Great Game]]''.<ref name="Fraser2006">{{cite book|author=George MacDonald Fraser|title=Flashman in the Great Game (the Flashman Papers, Book 8)|quote=...and since I had to be here I'd rather be under Havelock's wing than anyone's. He was a good soldier, you see, and as canny as Campbell in his own way; there'd be no massacres or Last Stands round the Union Jack with the Gravedigger in charge.|year=2006|publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=978-0-00-721719-9}}</ref> He is portrayed as a very competent officer<ref name="Fraser2006" /> and an exceptionally religious man.<ref name="Fraser1991" />

== Published works ==

* {{cite book |last=Havelock |first=Henry |title=Narrative of the War in {{not a typo|Affghanistan}} 1838–39 |url=https://www.wdl.org/en/item/17740/ |publisher=[[Henry Colburn]] |location=London |oclc=36579435|year=1840}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}{{Commons category|Henry Havelock}}

== Bibliography ==
* {{cite book |last=Brock |first=William |title=A Biographical Sketch of Sir Henry Havelock, K. C. B. |publisher=Tauchnitz |url=https://archive.org/details/abiographicalsk02brocgoog |year=1858 |location=Leipzig}}
* {{cite book |last=Marshman |first=John Clark |title=Memoirs of Major-General Sir Henry Havelock, K.C.B |url=https://archive.org/details/memoirsmajorgen01marsgoog |location=London |publisher=Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts |year=1860 |author-link=John Clark Marshman}}
* {{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Havelock, Sir Henry |volume= 13 | pages = 79–80}}
* {{cite book |last=Pollock |first=John |title=Way to Glory: the biography of General Henry Havelock |orig-year=1963 |year=1996 |publisher=[[Christian Focus Publications]] |isbn=978-1-85792-245-5 }}

{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Frederick Markham]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Adjutant-General (India)|Adjutant-General, India]]|years=1854–1857}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Edward Lugard]]}}
|-
{{succession box | title=Colonel of the [[The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment)|3rd (East Kent) Regiment of Foot]] (appointed posthumously) | before=[[Nicholas Wodehouse]] | after=[[Berkeley Drummond]] | years='''1857'''}}
{{S-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Havelock, Henry}}
[[Category:1795 births]]
[[Category:1857 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Sunderland]]
[[Category:British Army major generals]]
[[Category:British military personnel of the First Anglo-Burmese War]]
[[Category:British military personnel of the First Anglo-Sikh War]]
[[Category:British military personnel of the First Anglo-Afghan War]]
[[Category:British military personnel of the Anglo-Persian War]]
[[Category:British military personnel of the Indian Rebellion of 1857]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath]]
[[Category:English Baptists]]
[[Category:Rifle Brigade officers]]
[[Category:Somerset Light Infantry officers]]
[[Category:39th Regiment of Foot officers]]
[[Category:King's Shropshire Light Infantry officers]]
[[Category:Deaths from dysentery]]
[[Category:Infectious disease deaths in India]]
[[Category:People educated at Dartford Grammar School]]
[[Category:British military personnel killed in the Indian Rebellion of 1857]]
[[Category:People associated with Regent's Park College, Oxford]]
[[Category:Military personnel from County Durham]]

Henry Havelock - Revision history

Bot at 13:52, 15 November 2022