Personal info
- Name: Henry HARTIGAN
- D.O.B: 1st Mar, 1826
- D.O.A: 8th Jun, 1857
- D.O.D: 29th Oct, 1886
- Award: Victoria Cross
- Occupation at time of action: Sergeant, 9th (Queen's Royal) Lancers, 1st Cavalry Brigade
- Book: The Complete History - Volume 1
Badli-ki-Serai, India 8 June 1857
8 June 1857
The Indian Mutiny 1857-59
On 8 June 1857 General Sir Henry Barnard advanced south down the Grand Trunk Road from Alipore. Five miles north-west of Delhi, the rebels attempted to block his progress at the village of Badli-ki-Serai. The rebel artillery proved accurate but Barnard’s force soon overwhelmed them, men of the 75th Regiment bursting into the Serai. During the course of the Battle, Lieutenant A S Jones, 9th Lancers (Queen’s Royal), captured one of the enemy’s guns as it was being driven away from the battle. It proved to have belonged to Captain de Tessier’s Field Battery, which had mutinied at Delhi the previous month. Meanwhile Sergeant H Hartigan rescued Sergeant H Helstone (both also of the 9th Lancers). After a brief rest the Field Force marched on to establish itself on Delhi Ridge. Hartigan was subsequently to distinguish himself at the Battle of Agra on 10 October 1857.
Citation
For daring and distinguished gallantry in the following instances:- At the battle of Budle-ke Serai, near Delhi, on the 8th June, 1857, in going to the assistance of Serjeant H. Helstone, who was wounded, dismounted, and surrounded by the enemy, and at the risk of his own life, carrying him to the rear. On the 10th October, 1857, at Agra, in having run unarmed to the assistance of Serjeant Crews, who was attacked by four rebels. Hartigan caught a tulwar from one of them with his right hand, and with the other hit him on the mouth, disarmed him, and then defended himself against the other three, killing one and wounding two, when he was himself disabled from further service by severe and dangerous wounds.
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