Famous Fights of Indian Native Regiments

Book excerpt: This work presents an account of the several battles fought by the most effective regiments of India before the First World War. The Army in India was mainly composed of Sikhs, Pathans, Punjabi Musalmans, and Gurkhas. Each of these races held a high prestige for courage and military skill in its own way. Reginald Hodder details the famous wars that the brave native regiments of India took part in. He describes the war in Scinde, the first Sikh war, the third Afghan war, the battle of Dargai, and many more. Hodder begins with short introductions to the various regiments in the Indian Army during the period. He writes that almost a third of the Indian Army comprised Sikhs. They were not precisely a race but military and religious caste. The Pathans originated from the Afghan race and inhabited the hills of the northwest border of India. The Punjabi Musalmans were the earliest residents of Punjab, and their firm characteristics were uppermost in that region. They were Rajput and Jat by race, but their clans were numerous. This work is a must-read for anyone interested in knowing the role of the Indian Army in history.