James Skinner (soldier)
Encyclopedia
James Skinner CB was an Anglo-Indian
military adventurer in India
, who became known as Sikandar Sahib later in life, and most known for two cavalry regiments he raised for the British, later known as 1st Skinner's Horse and 3rd Skinner's Horse
(formerly 2nd Skinner's Horse) at Hansi
in 1803, which still are a part of the Indian Army
He was a fluent writer in Persian
, the court and intellectual language of India in his day, and wrote several books in Persian, including "Kitab-i tasrih al-aqvam" (History of the Origin and Distinguishing Marks of the Different Castes of India), now with the Library of Congress
.
) India. His father was Lieutenant-Colonel Hercules Skinner, an officer in the East India Company Army
of English origin, while his mother was a Rajput
princess, daughter of a zamindar
, she was taken prisoner at the age of fourteen, and came under the care of his father, then an ensign
, who treated her with much regard, and subsequently they had six children, three girls and three boys, David, James and Robert. When he was 12 years old his mother committed suicide, he was first educated at an English school in Calcutta, and then at a boarding school.
.jpg)
army and, at the age of sixteen, he entered the Mahratta
army as an ensign under Benoît de Boigne
, the French commander of Maharaja Scindia's forces of Gwalior State
. Boigne was impressed by his family ancestry, in which Skinners had served William the Conqueror in 11th century, King of England. Once taken in, Skinner soon showed military talent. He remained in the same service under Pierre Cuillier-Perron
, who became commander-in-chief of Sindhia's army after Boigne's retirement, until 1803, when, on the outbreak of the second Anglo-Maratha War
, all Anglo-Indians were dismissed from Mahratta service.
Eventually he joined the British Indian Army
where Lord Lake
, had become Commander-in-Chief
of British India in 1801. Subsequently, on 23 February 1803, Skinner raised a regiment of irregular cavalry called "Skinner's Horse" or the "Yellow Boys" because of the colour of their uniform. Later it became the most famous regiment of light cavalry
in the British Indian Army
and still exists today as part of the Indian Army
. He was present at the siege of Bharatpur
, and in 1818 was granted a jagir
of Hansi
(Hisar district
, Haryana
), yielding Rs
20,000 a year.
In 1828, James was finally given the rank of lieutenant-colonel
in the British service, while his brother, Robert that of Major. Later James became a Colonel having already been appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath on 26 December 1826.
and commanders-in-chief
. He commissioned paintings in the Company style
on a large scale. Additionally, Skinner wrote a volume of memoirs in Persian
of his military expeditions, titled Tazkirat al-umara which contained family biographies, of princely families in the Sikh and Rajput territories and 37 portraits of their current representatives. First translated from the original Persian by James Fraser
.
, also known as Skinner's Church, was commissioned by Skinner after he had vowed, while lying wounded in the battlefield of Uniara
in 1800, to build one if he survived. It was built at his own expense and at a cost of 95,000 Rupees. Designed by Major Robert Smith it was built between 1826-36 to a cruciform plan, with three portico
ed porches and a central octagonal dome. It was consecrated on 21 November 1836, by the Right Reverend
Daniel Wilson D.D. the Bishop of Calcutta
, making it the oldest church in Delhi
. Skinner is also reported to have built a temple and a mosque, though details of them are unknown.
Skinner died at Hansi
(in Hisar district
, Haryana), on 4 December 1841, at the age of 64. He was first buried in the Cantonment Burial Ground at Hansi and later after a period of 40 days, he was disinterred, and his coffin was brought to Delhi, escorted by 200 men of Skinner's Horse, subsequently he was buried in Skinner's Church on 19 January 1842 in a vault of white marble immediately below the Communion Table
.
It is said that James Skinner had fourteen wives and many children, one of whom was Mrs. Wagentreiber, who managed to escape the 1857 revolt due to the fact that he was greatly revered by the Indian Army regiments. Many of his family members and their descendants are buried in Skinner's family plot, north of the St. James' Church, Delhi
, where he lies buried today, just below the altar.
, Delhi
.
In 1960, Lt-Col Michael Skinner, a great-great-grandson, took command of Skinner's Horse, and was the first Skinner to command the Skinner's Horse regiment since its founder's death. In 2003, when a special service was held at St. James' Church, Delhi
to commemorate 200 years of Skinner's Horse, the cavalry regiment raised by Skinner in 1803, amongst those present was Patricia Sedwards (née Skinner), niece of Lt-Col Michael Skinner.
's debut novel, 'Red Earth and Pouring Rain' (1995), was inspired by the autobiography of James Skinner. In 1979, Philip Mason wrote 'Skinner of Skinner’s Horse: a fictional portrait' based upon Skinner's life.
Anglo-Indian
Anglo-Indians are people who have mixed Indian and British ancestry, or people of British descent born or living in India, now mainly historical in the latter sense. British residents in India used the term "Eurasians" for people of mixed European and Indian descent...
military adventurer in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, who became known as Sikandar Sahib later in life, and most known for two cavalry regiments he raised for the British, later known as 1st Skinner's Horse and 3rd Skinner's Horse
3rd Skinner's Horse
The 3rd Skinner's Horse was originally raised at Hansi by Lt.-Col. James Skinner as the 2nd Regiment of Skinner’s Horse in 1814, the various changes and amalgamations are listed below.*1814 2nd Regiment of Skinner's Horse*1821 Baddeley’s Frontier Horse...
(formerly 2nd Skinner's Horse) at Hansi
Hansi
Hansi is a city and a municipal council in Hisar district in the Indian state of Haryana. Its 2011 population is estimated to be 1,34,568. It is located at a distance of east of Hisar on National Highway 10. Geographically, it is semi-arid with around 46 cm of annual rainfall. It appears...
in 1803, which still are a part of the Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
He was a fluent writer in Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, the court and intellectual language of India in his day, and wrote several books in Persian, including "Kitab-i tasrih al-aqvam" (History of the Origin and Distinguishing Marks of the Different Castes of India), now with the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
.
Early life
Skinner was born in 1778 in Calcutta (KolkataKolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
) India. His father was Lieutenant-Colonel Hercules Skinner, an officer in the East India Company Army
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
of English origin, while his mother was a Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
princess, daughter of a zamindar
Zamindar
A Zamindar or zemindar , was an aristocrat, typically hereditary, who held enormous tracts of land and ruled over and taxed the bhikaaris who lived on batavaslam. Over time, they took princely and royal titles such as Maharaja , Raja , Nawab , and Mirza , Chowdhury , among others...
, she was taken prisoner at the age of fourteen, and came under the care of his father, then an ensign
Ensign
An ensign is a national flag when used at sea, in vexillology, or a distinguishing token, emblem, or badge, such as a symbol of office in heraldry...
, who treated her with much regard, and subsequently they had six children, three girls and three boys, David, James and Robert. When he was 12 years old his mother committed suicide, he was first educated at an English school in Calcutta, and then at a boarding school.
Career
Because of his Indian heritage, Skinner was unable to serve as an officer in the East India CompanyEast India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
army and, at the age of sixteen, he entered the Mahratta
Maratha Empire
The Maratha Empire or the Maratha Confederacy was an Indian imperial power that existed from 1674 to 1818. At its peak, the empire covered much of South Asia, encompassing a territory of over 2.8 million km²....
army as an ensign under Benoît de Boigne
Benoît de Boigne
Benoît Leborgne , better known as Count Benoît de Boigne or General Count de Boigne, was a military adventurer from the Alps of French Savoy, who made his fortune and name in India...
, the French commander of Maharaja Scindia's forces of Gwalior State
Gwalior state
Gwalior State was an Indian kingdom and princely state ruled by the Maratha dynasty. The state took its name from the old town of Gwalior, which, although never the actual capital, was an important place because of its strategic location and the strength of its fort. The state was founded in the...
. Boigne was impressed by his family ancestry, in which Skinners had served William the Conqueror in 11th century, King of England. Once taken in, Skinner soon showed military talent. He remained in the same service under Pierre Cuillier-Perron
Pierre Cuillier-Perron
Pierre Cuillier-Perron , French military adventurer in India, whose name was originally Pierre Cuillier, was born at Luceau near Château-du-Loir in France, the son of a cloth merchant....
, who became commander-in-chief of Sindhia's army after Boigne's retirement, until 1803, when, on the outbreak of the second Anglo-Maratha War
Second Anglo-Maratha War
The Second Anglo-Maratha War was the second conflict between the British East India Company and the Maratha Empire in India.-Background:...
, all Anglo-Indians were dismissed from Mahratta service.
Eventually he joined the British Indian Army
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
where Lord Lake
Gerard Lake, 1st Viscount Lake
General Gerard Lake, 1st Viscount Lake was a British general. He commanded British forces during the Irish Rebellion of 1798 and later served as Commander-in-Chief of the military in British India.-Background:...
, had become Commander-in-Chief
Commander-in-Chief, India
During the period of the British Raj, the Commander-in-Chief, India was the supreme commander of the Indian Army. The Commander-in-Chief and most of his staff were based at General Headquarters, India, and liaised with the civilian Governor-General of India...
of British India in 1801. Subsequently, on 23 February 1803, Skinner raised a regiment of irregular cavalry called "Skinner's Horse" or the "Yellow Boys" because of the colour of their uniform. Later it became the most famous regiment of light cavalry
Light cavalry
Light cavalry refers to lightly armed and lightly armored troops mounted on horses, as opposed to heavy cavalry, where the riders are heavily armored...
in the British Indian Army
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
and still exists today as part of the Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
. He was present at the siege of Bharatpur
Bharatpur, India
Bharatpur is a city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It was founded by Maharaja Suraj Mal in 1733. Located in the Brij region, Bharatpur was once an impregnable, well-planned and well-fortified city, and the capital of Jat kingdom ruled by Sinsinwar Maharajas.The trio of Bharatpur, Deeg and...
, and in 1818 was granted a jagir
Jagir
In historic India, a jagir was a small territory granted by the ruler to an army chieftain in fairly short terms usually of three years but not extending beyond his lifetime, in recognition of his military service...
of Hansi
Hansi
Hansi is a city and a municipal council in Hisar district in the Indian state of Haryana. Its 2011 population is estimated to be 1,34,568. It is located at a distance of east of Hisar on National Highway 10. Geographically, it is semi-arid with around 46 cm of annual rainfall. It appears...
(Hisar district
Hisar District
Hisar district is one of the 21 districts of Haryana state, India. Hisar city serves as the district headquarters. The district is also part of Hisar division, which is headed by a commissioner who belongs to the Indian Administrative Service....
, Haryana
Haryana
Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...
), yielding Rs
Rupee
The rupee is the common name for the monetary unit of account in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, Mauritius, Seychelles, Maldives, and formerly in Burma, and Afghanistan. Historically, the first currency called "rupee" was introduced in the 16th century...
20,000 a year.
In 1828, James was finally given the rank of lieutenant-colonel
Lieutenant-Colonel (UK)
Lieutenant colonel is a rank in the British Army and Royal Marines which is also used in many Commonwealth countries. The rank is superior to major, and subordinate to colonel...
in the British service, while his brother, Robert that of Major. Later James became a Colonel having already been appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath on 26 December 1826.
Other works
He had an intimate knowledge of the characters of the people of India, and his advice was highly valued by successive governor-generalsGovernor-General of India
The Governor-General of India was the head of the British administration in India, and later, after Indian independence, the representative of the monarch and de facto head of state. The office was created in 1773, with the title of Governor-General of the Presidency of Fort William...
and commanders-in-chief
Commander-in-Chief, India
During the period of the British Raj, the Commander-in-Chief, India was the supreme commander of the Indian Army. The Commander-in-Chief and most of his staff were based at General Headquarters, India, and liaised with the civilian Governor-General of India...
. He commissioned paintings in the Company style
Company style
Company style or Company painting is a term for a hybrid Indo-European style of paintings made in India by Indian artists, many of whom worked for European patrons in the British East India Company or other foreign Companies in the 18th and 19th centuries...
on a large scale. Additionally, Skinner wrote a volume of memoirs in Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
of his military expeditions, titled Tazkirat al-umara which contained family biographies, of princely families in the Sikh and Rajput territories and 37 portraits of their current representatives. First translated from the original Persian by James Fraser
James Baillie Fraser
James Baillie Fraser was a Scottish traveller and author.He was born at Reelig in the county of Inverness. He was the eldest of the four sons of Edward Satchel Fraser of Reelick, all of whom travelled in the East and had successful careers.In early life James went to the West Indies and from there...
.
St. James' Church
St. James' ChurchSt. James' Church, Delhi
St. James' is an Anglican church in Delhi, India, built in 1836 by Colonel James Skinner. It is one of the oldest churches in the city, and part of the Church of North India Diocese of Delhi ....
, also known as Skinner's Church, was commissioned by Skinner after he had vowed, while lying wounded in the battlefield of Uniara
Uniara
Uniara is a city and a municipality in Tonk district in the Indian state of Rajasthan.-Geography:Uniara is located at . It has an average elevation of 266 metres .-Demographics:...
in 1800, to build one if he survived. It was built at his own expense and at a cost of 95,000 Rupees. Designed by Major Robert Smith it was built between 1826-36 to a cruciform plan, with three portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
ed porches and a central octagonal dome. It was consecrated on 21 November 1836, by the Right Reverend
Right Reverend
The Right Reverend is a style applied to certain religious figures.*In the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church in Great Britain it applies to bishops except that The Most Reverend is used for archbishops .*In some churches with a...
Daniel Wilson D.D. the Bishop of Calcutta
Bishop of Calcutta
The Bishop of Calcutta exercises episcopal leadership over the Diocese of Calcutta of the Church of North India. The diocese was established in 1813 as part of the Church of England and the first bishop was Thomas Fanshawe Middleton and the second Reginald Heber...
, making it the oldest church in Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
. Skinner is also reported to have built a temple and a mosque, though details of them are unknown.
Skinner died at Hansi
Hansi
Hansi is a city and a municipal council in Hisar district in the Indian state of Haryana. Its 2011 population is estimated to be 1,34,568. It is located at a distance of east of Hisar on National Highway 10. Geographically, it is semi-arid with around 46 cm of annual rainfall. It appears...
(in Hisar district
Hisar District
Hisar district is one of the 21 districts of Haryana state, India. Hisar city serves as the district headquarters. The district is also part of Hisar division, which is headed by a commissioner who belongs to the Indian Administrative Service....
, Haryana), on 4 December 1841, at the age of 64. He was first buried in the Cantonment Burial Ground at Hansi and later after a period of 40 days, he was disinterred, and his coffin was brought to Delhi, escorted by 200 men of Skinner's Horse, subsequently he was buried in Skinner's Church on 19 January 1842 in a vault of white marble immediately below the Communion Table
Communion table
A Communion table is used by many Protestant churches, particularly from Reformed, Baptist, Congregational, and non-denominational traditions, for the preparation of the Eucharist ....
.
Personal life
All his three sisters married gentlemen in the East India Company's service; while his elder brother, David, went to sea, and his younger brother, Robert, also became a soldier.It is said that James Skinner had fourteen wives and many children, one of whom was Mrs. Wagentreiber, who managed to escape the 1857 revolt due to the fact that he was greatly revered by the Indian Army regiments. Many of his family members and their descendants are buried in Skinner's family plot, north of the St. James' Church, Delhi
St. James' Church, Delhi
St. James' is an Anglican church in Delhi, India, built in 1836 by Colonel James Skinner. It is one of the oldest churches in the city, and part of the Church of North India Diocese of Delhi ....
, where he lies buried today, just below the altar.
Descendants
There is mention of a grandson, also called James Skinner, who erected a statue of Queen Victoria upon her death, at his own expense at Chandni ChowkChandni Chowk
Chandni Chowk , originally meaning moonlit square or market, is one of the oldest and busiest markets in Old Delhi, now in central north Delhi, India...
, Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
.
In 1960, Lt-Col Michael Skinner, a great-great-grandson, took command of Skinner's Horse, and was the first Skinner to command the Skinner's Horse regiment since its founder's death. In 2003, when a special service was held at St. James' Church, Delhi
St. James' Church, Delhi
St. James' is an Anglican church in Delhi, India, built in 1836 by Colonel James Skinner. It is one of the oldest churches in the city, and part of the Church of North India Diocese of Delhi ....
to commemorate 200 years of Skinner's Horse, the cavalry regiment raised by Skinner in 1803, amongst those present was Patricia Sedwards (née Skinner), niece of Lt-Col Michael Skinner.
In popular culture
Vikram ChandraVikram Chandra
Vikram Chandra is an Indian writer. His first novel, Red Earth and Pouring Rain, won the 1996 Commonwealth Writers' Prize, Best First Book....
's debut novel, 'Red Earth and Pouring Rain' (1995), was inspired by the autobiography of James Skinner. In 1979, Philip Mason wrote 'Skinner of Skinner’s Horse: a fictional portrait' based upon Skinner's life.
Works
- Military Memoir of Lieut-Col. James Skinner, C. B.: For Many Years a Distinguished Officer Commanding a Corps of Irregular Cavalry in the Service of the H. E. I. C. : Interspersed with Notices of Several of the Principal Personages who Distinguished Themselves in the Service of the Native Powers ..., by James Baillie Fraser. Published by Smith, Elder, 1851. Full book
- The Recollections of Skinner of Skinner's horse - James Skinner and his 'Yellow Boys' - Irregular cavalry in the wars of India between the British, Mahratta, Rajput, Mogul, Sikh & Pindarree forces, by James Skinner. LEONAUR . 2006. ISBN 1846770610.
Further reading
- Sikander Sahib; the life of Colonel James Skinner, 1778-1841., by Dennis Holman. London, Heinemann. 1961.
- Between Battles:The Album of Colonel James Skinner, by Milfred Archer. London. Al-Falak and Scorpio. 1982.