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 Memorials of Old Haileybury College
| Date transcribed | 2000-00-00 | | Transcribed by | Benda Cook | | Comment | Publication Date: 1894
Author: F. C. Danvers, Sir M Monier -Williams, Sir S. C. Bayley, P. Wigram, the late Brand Sapte, and many contributors.
Publisher Constable & Co.: Westminster
British Library: OIR 354.54 Held in the Asia, Pacific and Africa Collections.
This book can be found online. To find out more visit our fibiwiki page on Books online containing strong Biographical Interest |
| | No. | 588 |  | Surname | Chester | | | Christian Names | Charles | | | Dates at Haileybury | 1831-32 | | | Presidency | Bengal  | | | Career in India | 1833-59 | | | Annuitant | 1859 | | | Final Appointment 1 | Commissioner of Allahabad | | | Mutiny Service | Commissioner of the Allahabad Division. In his own unobtrusive way did excellent service at a most critical time and was the means of saving many Christian lives. Sir Henry Lawrence telegraphed from Lucknow recommending the residents at Allahabad to retire to the Fort, as he had intelligence that the troops were ripe for mutiny. This was the last message that passed down the wire before it was destroyed at Cawnpore, but it did arrive and saved many lives. Chester himself had a narrow escape, for he had spent the day of June 6 in his office and dined in his own house, and only drove down to the Fort by one road as the detachment of Sepoys, who had mutinied and murdered the Officers at the bridge across the Ganges, marched up another to the Parade Ground, where the whole Regiment shot down their Officers. In the Fort affairs were most critical. The Sikhs, long tampered with and having heard that their fellow Regiment had been dispersed at Benares, were for the time out of hand, and the two Companies of Sepoys had to be disarmed by a few invalids who had been brought from Chunar and the Civilian Volunteers. This was accomplished. The Sepoys were expelled, the Sikhs returned to their duty, and the Fort with all its occupants and the enormous and invaluable Arsenal saved from destruction by Lieutenant Brasyer, Commandant of the Sikhs, and Lieutenant Russell, of the Artillery. Outside the revolt was complete. The city was full of rebels and when the garrison, relieved by Neill with the Madras Fusiliers on June 11, could go forth they found the Civil Station utterly wrecked and ruined, the only thatched house which had not been burnt being the Commissioner's Office. This was saved by the neighbouring villagers, who were otherwise most prominent in the plunder, because it contained the records of a suit decided in their favour. It was not until June 18 that the city was recovered. After this the work which fell on Chester was stupendous. Order had to be restored throughout the Division, including, besides Allahabad, Cawnpore, Futtehpore and Banda; intelligence had to be obtained and supplies provided for the troops passing; through daily on their way to Cawnpore and Lucknow, and whatever information did find its way from Agra and Dehli and the whole country above Allahabad passed through his hands on its way to the Governor General. Early in 1858 his health gave way under the strain, and he was compelled to retire without seeing the completion of the glorious work which he had begun. |
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