General James Blair, VC

British India Office Births & Baptisms
James Blair
Birth year 1828
Birth date 27 Jan 1828
Baptism year 1828
Baptism date 2 May 1828
Place - Numuch, Calcutta
Presidency Bengal
Father Edward Macleod Blair (Lieut 5th Cavalry)
MotherSusanna
Archive reference N-1-20
Folio 227
Catalogue descriptions Parish register transcripts from the Presidency of Bengal
Record set British India Office Births & Baptisms
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory Parish Baptisms
Collections from Great Britain, UK None

General James Blair, V.C.
The Peerage #360205,
Born on 27 January 1828 at Nimach, Gwallor, India
Died on 18 January 1905 at age 76 at Melrose, Roxburghshire, Scotland
Buried at Trinity Churchyard, Melrose, Roxburghshire, Scotland
Awarded the Victoria Cross (V.C.), 12 August 1857 and 23 October 1857.
Captain in the 2nd Bombay Light Cavalry.
Fought in the Indian Mutiny in 1857.
Companion, Order of the Bath (C.B.)
Child of General James Blair, V.C.
James Edward Blair
https://www.thepeerage.com/p36021.htm#i360205

VC Citation

He was 29 years old, and a captain in the 2nd Bombay Light Cavalry during the Indian Mutiny when the following deeds took place for which he was awarded the VC.

For having on two occasions distinguished himself by his gallant and daring conduct.

1. On the night of the 12th of August, 1857, at Neemuch, in volunteering to apprehend 7 or 8 armed mutineers who had shut themselves up for defence in a house, the door of which he burst open. He then rushed in among them and forced them to escape through the roof; in this encounter, he was severely wounded. In spite of his wounds he pursued the fugitives, but was unable to come up with them, in consequence of the darkness of the night.

2. On the 23rd of October, 1857, at Jeerum, in fighting his way most gallantly through a Body of rebels who had literally surrounded him. After breaking the end of his sword on one of their heads, and receiving a severe sword cut on his fight arm, he rejoined his troop. In this wounded condition, and with no other weapon than the hilt of his broken sword, he put himself at the head of his men, charged the rebels most effectually, and dispersed them.

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/22601/page/956
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/26072/page/4046

References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Blair_(Indian_Army_officer)
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:M355-CR4

• Reference: FamilySearch Family Tree - SmartCopy: Jul 29 2023, 6:48:40 UTC