69th Bengal Native Infantry

[Hugh]

I have the medal listed below in my possession, and would like to find out more about the recipient and his unit. We share the last name. Despite many trips to India, I have not tried to look for any information there (Shame!) I'd be grateful for any help.

GREAT BRITAIN - Punjab Campaign Medal 1848-49, w/bars

"Goojerat", "Chilianwala", named (block) to Lieut E Tulloch, 69th Bengal N. I., VF

Property of CW Tulloch, 12/91 - Code: UK33

[peter monahan]

The 69th Bengal NI were raised in 1824 but re-numbered '47'. The new 69th, raised in 1825 was disarmed in 1857, during the Indian Mutiny. Chiilianwallah was fought in 1848 in the Second Anglo-Sikh War and a stunning defeat for the British forces, but Goojerat, fought in 1849 and was a significant British victory against the Sikhs.

Tulloch came from a distinguished family: Lieutenant-General John Tulloch had at least four sons. Charles was killed at the Battle of Ferozshah [21-22 Dec. 1845], aged 22 years. John [Junior] and Alfred were still serving and commanding battalions of Bengal Infantry in 1882. His brother Alfred served in the Mutiny but I can't see any references to 'E'. Possibly he sold his commission after the Sikh War and before the Mutiny. But I'll keep looking!

Peter

[Mervyn Mitton]

A nice example of this medal Hugh. With Peter's excellent research , do you think you are related in any way to the Lt. Gen.? Mervyn

[Hugh]

Peter, how kind of you! I'm delighted to have the information. Thank you.

Don't know whether I'm related to the LTG, Mervyn, but there aren't that many Tullochs floating around (except in Inverness). I've never met one outside my extended family. My grandfather came to the US in 1893, leaving 5 brothers in Inverness. No active connection with those relatives now. I think we're some form of cousin to MG Derek Tulloch, Wingate's Chief of Staff with the Chindits. With this kind of help, I may assemble a respectable military pedigree.

Best,

Hugh

[Hugh]

MyHeritage lists the following for LTG John Tulloch:

• Birth: Feb 3 1791 - St James, London
• Death: Apr 13 1862 - Kensington, Greater London, UK
• Parents: Alexander Tulloch, Margaret Tulloch (geboren Munro)
• Sister: Margaret Ann Tulloch
• Wife: Jacobina Maria Tulloch (geboren Couperus)
• Children: Stamford William Raffles Tulloch, General John Samuel Drury Tulloch, Maria Whish (geboren Tulloch), Edward Tulloch, Lt. Charles Browne Tulloch, Alfred Tulloch, Frederick Duncan Tulloch, Arthur Tulloch, Hector Tulloch

So there is an Edward Tulloch, but listed without rank or regiment. Curiouser and curiouser!

[peter monahan]

I'm guessing that Edward is your man. His tenure in the HEIC may have been brief - NOT following in the family tradition, which might explain both a single medal and no rank associated with his name. If Tulloch is that rare a surname - and I'm sure if you say it is that's so - the cousin with Wingate may well be a lineal descendant of the Lt. General who, I'm morally certain, is your man's father or uncle or such. Too much a coincidence that there would be unrelated Tulloch's in the HEIC at the same time.

Thanks for that, Hugh. I tell myself [and the wife and former sweetheart] that all this 'detective work', which too frequentl;y takes up time when I should be cooking and cleaning, is what keeps the aging mind agile. My story and I'm sticking to it!

Peter

[Hugh]

Please tell your former sweetheart (funny how that happens once you marry 'em) that, whatever her reservations, the rest of us are profoundly grateful for your help. Try taking that to the bank.

H

[Hugh]

A couple of interesting things since my last post.

1) John Tulloch was married in Batavia, Dutch East Indies in 1812, and his first two children were born there, after the British 14th Foot occupied Java in 1811. Hence, Tulloch served there during the tenure of Governor General Sir Stamford Raffles. Was Tulloch in the 14th Foot?

2) His first child is named Stamford William Raffles Tulloch. I wonder if Raffles may have served as godfather? It must have been a small British contingent after the colony was restored to the Netherlands.

3) Raffles went on to found the city of Singapore in 1819.

Most frustrating of all, I lived in SIngapore for seven years, and probably could have had access to records which would have shed considerably more light on all this. But, no, I spent my time in the club drinking gin and tonic, along with business excursions to India and Pakistan. Alas!

H

Edited May 13, 2014 by Hugh

[Mervyn Mitton]

I was about to add this link to Sir Stamford Raffles. He was the Governor of Penang - but, didnt like the position

and persuaded the British Govt. to annexe the Island of Singapore. He was the Governor and Founder of Singapore.

When we seized Dutch Batavia, he went onto be the Governor .

He was a remarkable man and founded the first Zoo in the World - The London Zoo.

I would say that by naming his eldest son,Stamford Raffles,that there is a definite link - he was probably the Godfather.

Certainly worth more research - you may be a 'lost' Lord............ Mervyn

[Hugh]

Lost Lord - that's a giggle!

H

[hrtulloch]

Edward Tulloch (1822-1892) was the son of John Tulloch (1790-1862) and his wife Jacobina Maria Couperus (1797-1866).

War Services of Officers of the Bengal Army 1863, Vol S to U:

Rank: Captain

First Name(s): E.

Surname: Tulloch

Regiment: late 69th Native Infantry

Commissions: Ensign, 10 Dec. 39; Lieut., 2 Feb. 422; Captain, 17 Nov. 52

Service: Captain Tulloch served during the Punjab Campaign, '48, '49. Present at the passage of the Chenab, and the battles of Chillianwallah and Goojerat. Medal and 2 Clasps.

Edward was the great-great-uncle of my husband. I would be most interested to know more about the medal that you have Hugh and to hear from any relatives of this family as a history is currently being written about them.

Hilary

[Hugh]

Hilary, thanks for your information. It confirms much of what we've found so far. My surname is Tulloch, and the family comes from Inverness. My grandfather left in the late 1880's for the USA, and we have lost touch with most of the family on the other side of the Atlantic. Still know of a couple of us in Australia. Not sure whether there is a direct connection with Edward Tulloch, but we were a prolific family, so I wouldn't be surprised. I wasn't aware of an Irish side to the family. Is your husband connected to the Inverness crowd?

The medal actually belongs to my nephew, who has lent it to me long-term as he has given up collecting. I think he bought it from Spinks many years ago. Sorry to say that I have no more information on Edward Tulloch beyond these postings, but would be very interested in the history when it comes out.

Best,

Hugh

[hrtulloch]

Hugh,

Edward Tulloch died in 1892, a Colonel (retd) Bengal Native Infantry.

John Tulloch, Edward's father, appears to have been Adjutant with the 22nd Regiment Bengal Native Infantry when they landed in Java on 4 Aug 1811, part of the expeditionary force (HEIC Java medal). While in Batavia he met, and married, Jacobina, daughter of Dutch East India Company official Abraham Couperus. The Tullochs remained in Java for about six years, until 1817. John Tulloch was a keen botanist and it may have been through this interest that he became friends of the Raffles. John and Jacobina Tulloch's eldest son Stamford William Raffles did indeed have Thomas Stamford Raffles and his wife Olivia Marianne Raffles among his godparents.

John and Jacobina Tulloch had eight sons in the armies of the HEIC and their surviving daughter married an HEIC officer, George Palmer Whish.

As for John Tulloch's father, Alexander Tulloch (c1754-1832) of Charles Street, St James's, Westminster, he appears to have come to London from NE Scotland about 1776. In London he was a coal merchant. There is a memorial to him in St James's Church, Piccadilly. We have no documentary evidence of exactly who his parents were but his unmarried sister lived in the Nairn area. It's not so far from Inverness, by sea!

As for Major General DDC Tulloch (1903-1974) of Chindits' renown, he was a grandson of Edward Tulloch's brother Alfred (1829-1905). And, talking of godparents, my husband's godfather! I would be very interested to know your connection with him. What was your grandfather's name?

Hilary

[Hugh]

Just to be completely clear, I don't have any specific knowledge of direct connections with either the John Tulloch family nor Maj Gen. Derek Tulloch. My grandfather was Donald Tulloch (no middle name) - 1862-1938 - married to Isabella Ross Mackenzie - 1865-1943 - both born in Inverness.

His father was Donald Tulloch (no middle name) - 1827 - 1896 - married to Elizabeth Campbell - 1827-1896 . Their children were

Hugh Alexander Tulloch - 1856 - 1927, never married

William Tulloch - 1859-1922

Donald Tulloch (above), my grandfather, came to Worcester, Mass in 1889.

John Tulloch - 1866-??? - married Jeannie Baird

Kenneth Tulloch - 1870-1877

James Tulloch - 1873 - ???, no further data

I have a copy of a photo of the five surviving brothers, looking reasonably prosperous in their Sunday suits.

Do any of these names connect to your side? What's your husbands full name and date of birth? (Feel free to take this over to a private message if you prefer.)

Best,

Hugh

[peter monahan]

Hugh

Good for you for turning up all that! I started to look for Tullocks in the HEIC but got bogged down by the sheers number of them. Severeal obviously did important things during the Mutiny, but the contemporary references in biographies are all to 'Mr. Tulloch' or 'Lt Tulloch', no first names given. Presumably one was just supposed to know. Anyway, I got discouraged and then distracted, so only got as far as 'E' being 'Edward'.

[Hugh]

Thanks, Peter. Most of the credit goes to Hilary, who added some great stuff. I'd love to know how to access the HEIC material. Is there an online data base?

Best,

Hugh

[peter monahan]

Not that I'm aware of, Hugh. I got a pastiche of old memoirs, old London Gazettes and some odds and ends in my searches for Tullochs, but nothing like a central source for HEIC info.

[Hugh]

Hmm, disappointed but not surprised.

Thanks,

Hugh

[hrtulloch]

HEIC records are held by the British Library, see http://indiafamily.bl.uk/ui/home.aspx . Some of the records are being digitised and put online by www.findmypast.co.uk.

Other sources for records of those who served in India are available through the Families in British India Society at www.fibis.org and the British Association for Cemeteries in South Asia at www.bacsa.org.uk.

[Hugh]

Oh, this will have me "wasting" hours poking around in the records! Thank you, Hilary.

Hugh

[peter monahan]

Good to know, Hilary. What Hugh said, too, about hours spent!