Henry Worsley

Major-General Sir Henry Worsley, ( 20 January 1768 – 19 January 1841) was a British Army officer who served for most of his career in British India. Early life Worsley was born on 20 January 1768 at Appuldurcombe House in the Isle of Wight. He was the second son of Francis Worsley, rector of Chale in the Isle of Wight, by his wife Anne, daughter of Henry Roberts of Standen in the same island. Military career In June 1780 he embarked for Bengal as an infantry cadet, and in January 1781 he landed in Madras to take part in the defence of Fort St. George, which was besieged by Haidar Ali. Arriving in Bengal in April, he was promoted ensign and lieutenant in the course of the year, and joined the 2nd European Regiment at Cawnpur. In 1782 he served with the 30th regiment of sepoys in reducing Chait Singh's forts in the neighbourhood of Benares. In the following year he was appointed adjutant, and served with the 1st battalion of his regiment against insurgents in the Káimur Hills. In 1785 the regiment was disbanded in consequence of the general peace, and Worsley was appointed to the 8th regiment of sepoys. Early in 1789 he embarked with a detachment of volunteer sepoys for service in Sumatra. On their return in December the officers and men were honoured with the special approbation and thanks of Lord Cornwallis. Towards the close of 1791, Worsley volunteered for service in the Mysore war, and was appointed to the 7th battalion Bengal Sepoys. He took part with the centre column in the night attack on Tipú's fortified camp under the walls of Seringapatam on 6 Feb. 1792, and in the subsequent operations against that town. In the following year he was reappointed to the 32nd battalion, and by the regulations of 1796−7 he was posted to the 1st Native Infantry, receiving the brevet rank of captain. During a visit to Europe he was promoted captain-lieutenant and captain on 1 Nov. 1798, and was posted as captain to the 15th Native Infantry, which he joined in 1801. At the close of the year and during 1802 he was employed in command of part of the first battalion in tranquillising the districts ceded by the nawab of Oudh. On 4 Sept. 1803 he fought at Alígarh, and on 11 September he commanded his battalion at the Battle of Delhi. On 10 October he again commanded his battalion in the attack made on the enemy's infantry and guns under the walls of Agra, when he received the thanks of the commander-in-chief, Lord Lake, in general orders.