Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Honourable East India Company’s Edwardes Medal 1848, by W. Wyon R.A., obv. diademed bust of Queen Victoria left; rev. inscription, ‘From the East India Company to Lieut. & Brevt. Major H. B. Edwardes C.B., for his services in the Punjab A.D. MDCCCXLVIII’, bronze striking, 45mm., of the unique gold medal, unmounted, extremely fine £120-160

Herbert Benjamin Edwardes was born in Fordesley, Shropshire on 12th November 1819. He was educated privately and went to King’s College, London. He was nominated to a cadetship in the H.E.I.Co. in 1840 and arrived in India late in 1841. Edwardes was posted Ensign with the 1st Bengal European Fusiliers, joining them at Kurnaul. In November 1845, on the outbreak of the Sikh War, he was appointed A.D.C. to Sir Hugh (later Viscount) Gough, then commander-in-chief in India. He was severely wounded at the battle of Moodkee but soon recovered and was present at the battle of Sobraon. After the war he was appointed 3rd Assistant to the Commissioner of the Trans-Sutlej Territory and in January 1847 was made 1st Assistant to Sir Henry Lawrence (later of ‘Lucknow’ fame) at Lahore. The following year he was appointed Collector at Bannu, a wild district on the Waziri frontier. In the Spring of 1848, owing to the murder of two British Residents - Mr Per van Agnew and Lieutenant Anderson at Mooltan, punitive action became necessary. Edwardes therefore organised a force from the raw levies at his disposal and marched to attack Mulraj Singh - the Sikh Governor of the province. Edwardes with his small force several times defeated the enemy and after the action of 1st July, Mulraj was obliged to seek refuge behind the walls of Mooltan.

The Lahore and Ferozepore Brigades under General Whish were ordered to Mooltan to support Edwardes (then still a Lieutenant), these arriving in September 1848. The city was besieged and in January 1849 was finally taken. Edwardes then took part in the battle of Goojerat, 21st February 1849. After the action he received the local rank of Major and shortly after this he lost his right hand as a result of the explosion of a pistol in his belt. Following the fall of Mooltan, Edwardes received the thanks of both Houses of Parliament, commendation from the Duke of Wellington, the brevet of Major, the C.B., a special gold medal and a pension of £100 per year. After a time in England, he returned to India and in 1853 was appointed Commissioner of the Peshwar Frontier, a post he held throughout the difficult time of the Indian Mutiny. Returning to England in 1859, he was awarded the K.C.B. and received the brevet of Colonel. Returning again to India in 1862, he was appointed Commissioner at Umballa and agent for the Cis-Sutlej states. Declining health compelled him to refuse the appointment as Governor of the Punjab and in 1865 he returned to England. Here, he was awarded the K.C.S.I. and a further pension and in 1868 was promoted Major-General in the Indian Army. He died in December 1868 and was buried in Highgate Cemetery.