Frederick Mackeson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Frederick Mackeson
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|---|---|
| Born | 2 September 1807 Hythe, Kent, United Kingdom |
| Died | 14 September 1853 (aged 46) Peshawar, British India |
| Buried |
Khalid Bin Waleed Park, Peshawar
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| Allegiance | .svg){kind=small} East India Company |
| Service/ |
Bengal army |
| Years of service | 1825-1853 |
| Rank | Lieutenant-Colonel |
| Unit | Bengal Native Infantry |
| Battles/wars | First Anglo-Afghan War First Anglo-Sikh War Second Anglo-Sikh War |
Frederick Mackeson (born September 2, 1807 – died September 14, 1853) was a brave Lieutenant-Colonel in the East India Company army. He worked in a region called the North West Frontier in what was then British India. He was known as one of "Henry Lawrence's "Young Men"," a group of talented officers.
Contents
Early Life and Career
Frederick Mackeson was born in Hythe, Kent, England. His parents were William and Harriett Mackeson. He went to school at the King's School, Canterbury and also studied in France.
In 1825, he joined the Bengal Native Infantry, which was part of the East India Company's army. He became a Lieutenant in 1828. In 1831, he moved to Ludhiana, where he stayed for several years.
Diplomatic Missions
In 1832, Mackeson became an assistant political agent in Ludhiana. This meant he helped with diplomatic tasks. He joined Claude Martin Wade on a trip to Lahore and Bahawalpur. They were working on a plan to use the Indus river for shipping.
Later, in 1837, he traveled with Sir Alexander Burnes to Kabul.
Service in the Anglo-Afghan War
In 1838, Mackeson was sent to Peshawar. His job was to get local people to support Shuja Shah Durrani. Shuja Shah Durrani was trying to become the ruler of Afghanistan again.
Mackeson stayed in Peshawar during the entire First Anglo-Afghan War. He was in charge of sending supplies and money to Sir Robert Sale in Jalalabad. He also made sure more soldiers arrived quickly. He helped keep British influence strong in the Khyber Pass area.
His reputation grew during the war. A friend, Henry Lawrence, called him an "excellent officer." He also said Mackeson was a "first-rate linguist" and very energetic. Lawrence noted that Mackeson spent his time talking with different groups of people. He often traveled the paths of the Khyber Pass almost alone.
After British troops left Afghanistan in 1842, Mackeson got new roles. He became a superintendent and later an assistant to political agents.
Role in the Anglo-Sikh Wars
During the First Anglo-Sikh War, Mackeson served under Harry Smith. He was part of the Battle of Aliwal. After the war, he hoped to become the British Resident in Lahore. However, Henry Lawrence got the job instead.
In March 1846, Lord Hardinge appointed Mackeson. He became the Superintendent of the Cis-Sutlej states in the Punjab. This area was separate from Lawrence's control.
In the Second Anglo-Sikh War, he worked as an aide to Lord Gough. Both Lord Gough and the Governor General, Lord Dalhousie, praised him. After the Battle of Chillianwala, Mackeson swam across the dangerous Jhelum river. He warned another group of soldiers about an approaching Sikh force. This action saved the soldiers. In 1849, he was made a local Lieutenant-Colonel.
Escorting the Koh-i-Noor Diamond
In 1850, Lord Dalhousie chose Mackeson for a very important task. He and his nephew, Captain Ramsay, had to safely take the Koh-i-Noor diamond to Britain.
The diamond had been given to the East India Company after the Second Anglo-Sikh War. It was meant as a gift for Queen Victoria. Mackeson and Ramsay left Bombay on April 6, 1850. They sailed on a ship called the Medea.
Their journey was full of dangers. First, there was an outbreak of cholera on the ship. Later, a huge storm threatened to sink them all. They arrived in Portsmouth on June 30. From there, they were taken to the East India Company's main office. They safely handed the diamond to the Company chairman, John Shepherd.
Later Years and Death
Mackeson returned to India in 1851. He was then a senior captain and a brevet Lieutenant-Colonel. He was made Deputy Commissioner at Peshawar. For the next two years, Mackeson worked to keep peace with the local tribes. There were worries that some groups were causing trouble.
In 1852, he took part in actions against the Yusufzai clans in the Black Mountain area. Two British officers had been killed by a group called the Hassanzais. The Hassanzai clan refused to hand over the killers. They also took control of two local forts. The government sent a force led by Mackeson. This force, which included soldiers led by Robert Napier and James Abbott, successfully took back the forts.
On September 10, 1853, Mackeson was listening to people's requests on his porch. A religious fanatic from Swat greeted him and then stabbed him with a large knife. Mackeson died four days later, on September 14, 1853. It was thought that someone had offered money to kill Mackeson. His attacker was caught, tried, and hanged on October 1, 1853.
Legacy
Frederick Mackeson was buried in Khalid Bin Waleed Garden in Peshawar. His friends paid for a monument to be built in his memory in the Peshawar Cantonment.
There is also a large memorial plaque for him in Canterbury Cathedral in England. It was put there by his friends and admirers in India.
Local people knew him by the name Kishin Kaka. This was a simpler way of saying his last name, Mackeson.
Images for kids
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Frederick Mackeson tomb plate
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Frederick Mackeson Tomb in Peshawar, KP, Pakistan
See also
