Anthony Pohlmann facts for kids
Anthony Pohlmann was a soldier from Hanover, a region in Germany. He served in the armies of the British East India Company and also for an Indian ruler named Daulat Scindia.
Life as a Soldier
Pohlmann first arrived in India as a sergeant, which is a non-commissioned officer rank, in a Hanoverian army unit. This unit was working for the East India Company in a city called Madras. Around 1792 or 1793, he left his regiment without permission, which is called deserting. He then started working for Daulat Scindia, a powerful prince of the Maratha Confederacy.
Rising Through the Ranks
Pohlmann served under a French soldier named Benoît de Boigne, who was a mercenary, meaning he fought for money. De Boigne saw Pohlmann's skills and promoted him to captain in 1794. By 1795, Pohlmann was in charge of a battalion of infantry soldiers. He even fought alongside another famous soldier, James Skinner, who was part-British and part-Indian.
In early 1799, another French commander, Pierre Cuillier-Perron, took over from de Boigne. Perron recognized Pohlmann's abilities and promoted him to colonel. This made Pohlmann the commander of Scindia's second brigade, a large group of soldiers.
Key Battles and Commands
Pohlmann played a very important role in defeating the armies of the Rajput kingdoms of Jodhpur and Jaipur at the Battle of Malpura.
His most significant command came at the Battle of Assaye in 1803. During this battle, Pohlmann effectively led all the regular infantry units in the Maratha Army. This happened because Scindia and the Rajah of Berar were not present when the fighting began. After this major battle, Pohlmann returned to serve the East India Company again in 1804, this time as a lieutenant colonel.
In Books
Anthony Pohlmann is a character in two historical adventure novels by Bernard Cornwell. These books are called Sharpe's Triumph and Sharpe's Trafalgar.
