Seven Mewatis, recruits for the regiment of Skinner's Horse.
by Col James Skinner.
James Skinner (East India Company officer) - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Skinner_(East_India_Company_officer)
Colonel James Skinner CB (1778 – 4 December 1841) was an Anglo-Indian military adventurer in India, who became known as Sikandar Sahib later in life, and ...
Early life · Career · St. James' Church · Descendants
A home in the hills for Col James Skinner - Times of India
timesofindia.indiatimes.com › City
Oct 14, 2015 - Here live those descended from Col James Skinner, founder of Skinners Horse Regiment. Lillian Skinner, sister of the late Michael Skinner, theA home in the hills for Col James Skinner
Prachi Raturi Misra| TNN | Oct 14, 2015, 09.51 PM IST
MUSSOORIE: Look out carefully, or you might miss this cottage tucked away on the Barlowgunj-Jharipani Road of Mussoorie. It has bright yellow nameplates on the sides of the gate: 'Sikander Hall', they proclaim, bright and clear.
Here live those descended from Col James Skinner, founder of Skinners Horse Regiment. Lillian Skinner, sister of the late Michael Skinner, the last of the Skinners to command the regiment, is a treasure trove of historical information. Scottish historian William Darlymple, author of White Mughals relied on her memory, using it as a reference library of sorts.
Gopal Bharadwaj, chronicler of Mussoorie and historian, said, "Rockcliffe Parsonage (now Christ Church),
Evelyn Hall (now Shevlin Estate), Beffet Hall (now Kasmada Castle)
, Mount Rose and North View were all once owned by the Skinners. James Skinner's widow, Sophia Elizabeth Skinner, lived in Mussoorie for several years. Sikander Hall in fact was bought by one of James Skinner's granddaughters, Alice, on the liquidation of the assets of the old Crown Brewery."
James Skinner, part-Scottish and part-Rajput, was referred to as Sikander Sahib and wrote several books in Persian, among them "Kitab-i tasrih al-aqvam" (History of the Origin and Distinguishing Marks of the Different Castes of India), now with the Library of Congress in Washington DC.
Skinner turned to scholarship rather late in life. As a young man, thanks to his mixed parentage, he could join neither the East India Company army nor any of those of the Indian rulers.
In 1795, however, he managed a place in the regular army of Maharaja Daulat Rao Scindia.
The next eight years saw him learning many sharp Maratha tactics. At just 22, he was commanding three battalions, Bharadwaj said.
A near-death experience in 1800 while on the battlefield of Uniara (in modern Rajasthan) was what spurred him to swear that if he lived, he would build a church. St James Church in Kashmiri Gate, Delhi, where Skinner lies buried, was the result of that oath.
During the Anglo-Maratha War of 1803
The new regiment Skinner raised was the Skinners Horse Regiment
. Their war cry, 'Himmat e Mardaan Madad e Khuda' (God helps the brave), has led their charge, and the regiment went on to win some rare laurels. Many of the men were from Haryana. Skinner also lived in Hansi, Haryana for several years, and that is where he died.
In his book Mussoorie Medley, photographer Ganesh Saili writes, "Born of a Rajput mother and a Scotsman, he lived like a Moghul, preferring to be addressed by his formal title: Nasir-ud-Dowlah Colonel James Skinner Bahadur Ghalib Jung. But to those around him, he was simply 'Sikander sahib'. A Christian by upbringing, he still managed to keep a harem of Hindu and Muslim wives,
and to keep the peace built them in turn a church, a mosque and temple too. He raised Skinner's Horse on February 23, 1803, choosing for them the bright yellow tunics or the 'Clothes of the Dead' as warriors who had sworn that if they could not win, they would do battle and die."
Probably tired out after many battles, Col Skinner retired to the sylvan beauty of Mussoorie, where he acquired many large properties.
When he died aged 63 in 1841, Sikander Sahib was probably a contented man. His epitaph at St James Church in Delhi reads: "Here rest the remains of Late Colonel James Skinner CB who departed this life at Hansi 4th December 1841. The body was disinterred, removed from Hansi and buried here on January 19, 1842."
Here live those descended from Col James Skinner, founder of Skinners Horse Regiment. Lillian Skinner, sister of the late Michael Skinner, the last of the Skinners to command the regiment, is a treasure trove of historical information. Scottish historian William Darlymple, author of White Mughals relied on her memory, using it as a reference library of sorts.
Gopal Bharadwaj, chronicler of Mussoorie and historian, said, "Rockcliffe Parsonage (now Christ Church),
Evelyn Hall (now Shevlin Estate), Beffet Hall (now Kasmada Castle)
Hotel Kasmanda Palace
www.kasmandapalace.com/history.html
Kasmanda Palace, one of the oldest buildings of Mussoorie was originally a part ... Of these, the Kapurthala Chateau, Katesar Castle and the Kasmanda Palace James Skinner, part-Scottish and part-Rajput, was referred to as Sikander Sahib and wrote several books in Persian, among them "Kitab-i tasrih al-aqvam" (History of the Origin and Distinguishing Marks of the Different Castes of India), now with the Library of Congress in Washington DC.
Skinner turned to scholarship rather late in life. As a young man, thanks to his mixed parentage, he could join neither the East India Company army nor any of those of the Indian rulers.
In 1795, however, he managed a place in the regular army of Maharaja Daulat Rao Scindia.
Shrimant Daulat Rao Shinde
| |
 Maratha ruler of Gwalior | |
|---|---|
| Reign | 12 February 1794— 21 March 1827 |
Daulat Rao Scindia - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daulat_Rao_Sindhia
Shrimant Daulat Rao Scindhia (1779 – 21 March 1827) was the king (Maharaja) of Gwalior state in central India from 1794 until his death in 1827. His reign ...
Father: Anand Rao Scindia
Religion: Hinduism
The next eight years saw him learning many sharp Maratha tactics. At just 22, he was commanding three battalions, Bharadwaj said.
A near-death experience in 1800 while on the battlefield of Uniara (in modern Rajasthan) was what spurred him to swear that if he lived, he would build a church. St James Church in Kashmiri Gate, Delhi, where Skinner lies buried, was the result of that oath.
During the Anglo-Maratha War of 1803
| Second Anglo-Maratha War | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Anglo-Maratha wars | |||||||
 The Battle of Assaye, a painting by J.C. Stadler | |||||||
| |||||||
Second Anglo-Maratha War - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Anglo-Maratha_War
The Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803–1805) was the second conflict between the British East India Company and the Maratha Empire in India.
Background · War · Conclusion
Third Anglo-Maratha War - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Anglo-Maratha_War
The Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817–1818) was the final and decisive conflict between the .... This was the start of the Second Anglo-Maratha War in 1803.
Date: November 1817 – February 1818
Location: The modern state of Maharashtra and ...
First Anglo-Maratha War - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Anglo-Maratha_War
The First Anglo-Maratha War (1775–1782) was the first of three Anglo-Maratha wars fought between the British East India Company and Maratha Empire in India
Result: Maratha victory: Treaty of Salbai;
Location: Pune
Date: 1775–1782
The new regiment Skinner raised was the Skinners Horse Regiment
1st Horse (Skinner's Horse) - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Horse_(Skinner%27s_Horse)
The 1st Horse (Skinner's Horse) is a cavalry regiment of the Indian Army, which served in the British Indian Army before independence. The regiment was raised
Colonel of the Regiment: George VI of the Unit...
Notable commanders: James Skinner
James Skinner (East India Company officer) - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Skinner_(East_India_Company_officer)
Colonel James Skinner CB (1778 – 4 December 1841) was an Anglo-Indian military adventurer in India, who became known as Sikandar Sahib later in life, and is most known for two cavalry regiments he raised for the British, later known as 1st Skinner's Horse and ...
3rd Skinner's Horse - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3rd_Skinner%27s_Horse
The 3rd Skinner's Horse was a cavalry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was originally raised at Hansi by Lt.-Col. James Skinner as the 2nd Regiment of ...Yellow Boys - Skinner's Horse - Bharat Rakshak - Indian Army & Land ...
www.bharat-rakshak.com/ARMY/Units/.../411-Yellow-Boys-Skinners-Horse.html
Mar 27, 2012 - Skinner's Horse: – One of the most distinguished cavalry regiments of the Indian Army was raised by legendary Lt. Col. James Skinner in 1803 ...Yellow Boys – Skinner's Horse » Indian Defence Review
www.indiandefencereview.com/yellow-boys-skinners-horse/
Feb 14, 2016 - Skinner's Horse: – One of the most distinguished cavalry regiments of the Indian Army was raised by legendary Lt. Col. James Skinner in 1803 ...Army chief visits Skinner's Horse - StratPost
https://www.stratpost.com/army-chief-visits-skinners-horse/
Oct 2, 2010 - Indian Army Chief of Staff, Gen Vijay Kumar Singh was been appointed the fourth Honorary Colonel of the Regiment of Skinner's Horse on .... Their war cry, 'Himmat e Mardaan Madad e Khuda' (God helps the brave), has led their charge, and the regiment went on to win some rare laurels. Many of the men were from Haryana. Skinner also lived in Hansi, Haryana for several years, and that is where he died.
In his book Mussoorie Medley, photographer Ganesh Saili writes, "Born of a Rajput mother and a Scotsman, he lived like a Moghul, preferring to be addressed by his formal title: Nasir-ud-Dowlah Colonel James Skinner Bahadur Ghalib Jung. But to those around him, he was simply 'Sikander sahib'. A Christian by upbringing, he still managed to keep a harem of Hindu and Muslim wives,
Second edition of 'Mussoorie Medley' comes out
www.dailypioneer.com/STATE.../second-edition-of-mussoorie-medley-comes-out.ht...
May 30, 2013 - A Christian by upbringing, he still managed to keep a harem of Hindu and Muslim wives, and to keep the peace built them in turn a churchand to keep the peace built them in turn a church, a mosque and temple too. He raised Skinner's Horse on February 23, 1803, choosing for them the bright yellow tunics or the 'Clothes of the Dead' as warriors who had sworn that if they could not win, they would do battle and die."
Probably tired out after many battles, Col Skinner retired to the sylvan beauty of Mussoorie, where he acquired many large properties.
When he died aged 63 in 1841, Sikander Sahib was probably a contented man. His epitaph at St James Church in Delhi reads: "Here rest the remains of Late Colonel James Skinner CB who departed this life at Hansi 4th December 1841. The body was disinterred, removed from Hansi and buried here on January 19, 1842."
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