British Dispositions, 1857

Introduction

This shows the state of affairs current to 1^st January 1857, the year of the Mutiny. Over the following year 5 new regiments of cavalry and 25 battalions of infantry were raised (creating additional infantry brigades at Aldershot and Colchester, filling out some brigades lacking battalions, but most importantly 24 more battalions were stationed in India, so the Winchester and one of the Dublin Brigades ceased). Note the lack of numberings, which is a deliberate attempt at obfuscation.

The Mutiny

Units labelled in italics were sent to India as reinforcements. The Aldershot Division, was sent wholesale, the Dover Brigade went, an infantry and cavalry brigade was stripped out of the Irish Corps and the Rifle Brigade was sent. Other support was on a Battalion by Battalion basis.

Home Based Forces

Guards Division: 1/ Grenadier Guards, 3/ Grenadier Guards, 1/ Coldstream Guards, 1/ Scots Guards (all London), 2/ Coldstream Guards (Windsor) and 2/ Scots Guards (Aldershot)

Household Brigade: 1^st Life Guards (Windsor), 2^nd Life Guards, Royal Horse Guards (both London)

Curragh Division: 1/1^st, 18^th, 38^th, 51^st, 56^th and 94^th

Cavalry Brigade 1^st Dragoons and 2^nd Dragoons

Dublin Division: 2/ Grenadier Guards, 4^th, 33^rd, 3/60^th, 77^th and 95^th

1^st Cavalry Brigade: 2^nd Dragoon Guards, 3^rd Dragoon Guards, 17^th Lancers

2^nd Cavalry Brigade: 8^th Hussars (Dundalk), 13^th Light Dragoons (Cahir) and 16^th Lancers (Kilkenny)

Aldershot Division: 7^th, 17^th, 19^th, 23^rd, 82^nd, 88^th and 90^th

Cavalry Brigade: 3^rd Light Dragoons (London) and 7^th Hussars (Aldershot)

Rifle Brigade: 1/ Rifle Brigade, 2/Rifle Brigade and 3/ Rifle Brigade (Winchester)

Southeastern Division

Shorncliffe Brigade: 41^st, 44^th and 49^th, 6^th Light Dragoons

Dover Brigade: 42^nd and 93^rd (Dover), and 79^th (Canterbury)

Cavalry Brigade: 4^th Light Dragoons (Brighton), 6^th Light Dragoons (Shorncliffe) and 11^th Hussars (Canterbury)

Southern Division

Portsmouth Brigade: 20^th, 22^nd and 97^th

Plymouth Brigade: 54^th (Devonport) and 66^th (Plymouth)

Cavalry Brigade: 1^st Dragoon Guards (Exeter) and 15^th Hussars (Dorchester)

Northern Division

Edinburgh: 34^th, 5^th Dragoon Guards

Manchester: 25^th, 7^th Dragoon Guards

Sheffield: 98^th

Birmingham: 10^th Hussars

(Forms an infantry brigade and cavalry brigade)

Other:

Guernsey: 72^nd (Garrison)

Belfast: 50^th (Supporting Belfast District)

Cork: 99^th (Supporting Cork District)

Overseas Forces

Mediterranean:

Malta Division (3 Brigades): 2/1^st, 14^th, 21^st, 28^th, 31^st, 47^th, 48^th, 57^th and 71^st, Royal Malta Fencibles

Gibraltar Division: 15^th, 30^th, 55^th, 92^nd and 96^th

Corfu Brigade: 3^rd, 46^th and 68^th

Greece: 91^st

Mauritius: 5^th

South Africa:

Cape Division (3 brigades): 2^nd, 6^th, 2/12^th, 13^th, 2/60^th, 73^rd, 80^th, 85^th and 89^th, Cape Mounted Rifles

Australasia (and China):

New South Wales: 11^th and 40^th

Tasmania: 1/12^th

New Zealand: 58^th, 65^th

Hong Kong: 59^th

India:

Bengal: 8^th, 10^th, 24^th, 27^th, 29^th, 32^nd, 35^th, 52^nd, 53^rd, 1/60^th, 61^st, 70^th, 75^th, 81^st and 87^th

Bengal Cavalry: 6^th Dragoon Guards, 9^th Lancers

Madras: 43^rd, 74^th and 84^th

Madras Cavalry: 12^th Lancers

Bombay: 64^th, 78^th, 83^rd and 86^th

Bombay Cavalry: 14^th Light Dragoons

Ceylon: 37^th, Ceylon Rifles

North America and West Indies

Montreal Brigade: 16^th, 17^th and 39^th, Royal Canadian Rifles

Nova Scotia Brigade: 62^nd, 63^rd and 76^th, Royal Newfoundland Regiment

Jamaica: 1^st West Indian, 3^rd West Indian

Demerara: 2^nd West Indian

Bermuda: 26^th

Trinidad: 67^th

Barbados: 69^th