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Henry Havelock was born in
England in 1795. By the time of his death in 1857 he had achieved
world-wide fame as a British major general. Eight years after
entering the army as a young man in 1815, Havelock was ordered to India.
He gained military field experience in the first Burma War (1812-26), the
first Afghan War (1839), and the Sikh Wars (1843-49).
During the Sepoy Mutiny of
1857, Havelock took the initiative and recaptured Cawnpore from the rebels
following a series of military victories. There he and his men
discovered the gruesome massacre of British citizens by Indian mutineers.
In September, 1857, he relieved Lucknow from a lengthy siege, but he and
his forces were then besieged themselves. By the time of his death a
few days after the relief of the city in November, Havelock's fame had
spread around the world.
Five North American cities
were named for him as were other cities, streets, schools, businesses and
geological features around the world.
Full details of the life of
Havelock are recounted in In This Small Place. |