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Auction: 19001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 605

(x) The important pair to Chief Medical Officer T. E. Dempster, Bengal Horse Artillery, late 47th Bengal Native Infantry; as Medical Officer of the 47th he witnessed the 1824 Barrackpoor Mutiny, writing a fascinating account of the incident

Appointed Superintending Surgeon at the siege of Mooltan in 1848, Dempster was praised in General Whish's report for the efficiency of his field hospital, which saved countless valuable lives

Tragedy befell this talented and respected physician when, in June 1857, his son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren were murdered by rebel sepoys at Cawnpore

Sutlej 1845-46, for Sobraon, no clasp (Surgn. T: E: Dempster 1st Brigade H: Ay.); Punjab 1848-49, 1 clasp, Mooltan (Surgn. T. E. Dempster, 1st Bde. H. Arty.), one or two contact marks, otherwise good very fine (2)

Thomas Erskine Dempster was born at St. Andrew's, Scotland in September 1799. Having qualified in Medicine at Edinburgh University, he joined the Bengal Horse Artillery as an Assistant Surgeon on 19 May 1820. Transferring to the 47th Bengal Native Infantry, he was Medical Officer of that Regiment when it mutinied at Barrackpoor in November 1824. His eyewitness account of this disturbing incident, fully reproduced in the Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research, Vol. 54 (Spring 1976), contains the following:

'We were sitting at mess that night after dinner, when a tremendous uproar was heard in the direction of the native "Lines". All instantly mounted their horses (kept ready saddled for any emergency) and galloped to the parade. We soon learnt - to our no small disgust - that parties belonging to three other native regiments had suddenly seized their colours, and with a wild hurrah, had carried them off in triumph to join the mutineers.

Next morning before day-break we had received the following reinforcements - viz. 2 full regiments of European infantry, a formidable battery of European artillery and the Governor General's Body Guard. The artillery was masked by being placed immediately behind the ditch and thick hedge of "The Park", several hundred yards but somewhat obliquely in the rear of the 47th native "Lines" situated on the extreme right of the parade. One European regiment was also concealed among the thick foliage in this quarter.

These dispositions having been made quickly and while it was yet dark, it is doubtful if the mutineers were aware of the exact position or strength of the masked force in their rear. A tremendous cannonade opened from the masked batteries. This sudden and destructive attack evidently surprised them and deranged all their calculations. The European Light Companies, the Body Guard and officers of the 47th N.I. were ordered to the front and directed the former to pursue and shoot down all the fugitives - the latter to point out and identify their men. "No prisoners" - "No quarter" were the orders that they received.

A long gallows was erected opposite the old lines of the 47th N.I. and in the presence of such a force as to render any attempt at a rescue impracticable - the whole of the condemned were marched up to the foot of the gallows, and nine men, whose names had been secretly marked, and against whom specific acts of insubordination and mutiny had been distinctly proved in Court, were selected and at once executed.'

Within minutes Dempster had organised a field hospital, collecting the wounded on dhoolies (stretchers). He made no distinction between mutineers and loyal sepoys, treating both with the same level of care. He clearly felt some revulsion at the heavy-handed way in which the mutiny was suppressed, and he 'greatly rejoiced' when it was over. He believed the mutiny was caused by 'congregating in one Cantonment so large a body of native troops without a single European regiment to overawe them.'

Mooltan

Stationed at Benares in 1825, Dempster married Maria Christiana Innes, the daughter of Major-General William Innes, with whom he fathered eight children. Promoted to Surgeon on 2 March 1832 (East India Register, 1855), he oversaw the Peshawur Station until 9 September 1840, when he was appointed Surgeon of 1st Brigade, Bengal Horse Artillery. He was present at the Battle of Sobraon on 10 February 1846 (medal). During the 1848-49 Punjab campaign he oversaw all medical arrangements for the Siege of Mooltan, receiving the special thanks of General Whish in his report on 22 January (London Gazette, 7 March 1849):

'The Superintending Surgeon, Dempster, has uniformly and successfully applied his talents and assiduity to the promotion of the health and comfort of our sick and wounded.'

Whish is remembered for the care and devotion he showed towards the wounded (see Spink's magazine, Insider, Issue 30 (Spring 2018), pp. 103-106), but none of that would have been possible without Dempster. Private Waterfield of the 32nd Foot commented on the efficiency of the hospital transport system, with men being placed on dhoolies and given rapid treatment even under enemy fire. It came as no surprise that Dempster was appointed Superintending Surgeon on the Bengal Medical Establishment on 1 September 1854.

Tragedy at Cawnpore

Dempster's son, Lieutenant Charles Dempster, was appointed Adjutant of the 7th Battery, Bengal Artillery on 1 November 1853. He was stationed at Cawnpore as part of General Wheeler's Garrison when it was besieged by Nana Sahib's followers in June 1857. He was killed in the last stages of Wheeler's desperate defence. His wife, Jean Birrell, and his four sons were murdered by the mutineers as they crossed the Satichaura Ghat in boats (London Gazette, 24 November 1857). Dempster must have reflected bitterly on how little had been learnt from the mutiny of 1824.

The 1861 census records him working on Guernsey as Chief Medical Officer for the Channel Islands, residing at 10 Grange Road, St. Peter Port. On 25 September 1861 he was placed on Half Pay, and ten years later he was living at No. 12 North Parade, Bath. He died there on 15 February 1883; sold with a copy of the Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research, Vol. 54 (Spring 1976), and copied entries from the East India Register, 1855-73.

Recommended reading:

Swinson, A. and Scott, D., eds., The Memoirs of Private Waterfield (London, 1968).






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Sold for
£2,700