Henry Lawrence's "Young Men" facts for kids
Henry Lawrence's "Young Men" were a special group of officers from the East India Company. They were also known as "the Paladins of the Punjaub." These men were sent to help the Sikh rulers as "advisers" after the First Sikh War in 1846.
One of these officers, George St Patrick Lawrence, said his job was to be "a friendly adviser to the native officials." These young men worked under Sir Henry Montgomery Lawrence. He was the main British official in charge in Lahore.
Together, these officers helped set up British control in the Punjab and the Northwest Frontier. This happened between the First Anglo-Sikh War and the Indian Rebellion in 1857.
How it Started
After the East India Company defeated the Maratha Empire in the Third Anglo-Maratha War, they started to spread their influence west. This brought them close to the growing Sikh Empire, led by Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
At the same time, Russia was also trying to gain more land and power in Asia. The British government worried that Russia might threaten its business interests in India. Britain saw Afghanistan as a country they could protect. They wanted a route through Sind and the Punjab to reach Afghanistan.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh died in 1839. After his death, the Sikh Empire faced many problems. To protect their lands, the East India Company built a new army camp near the border in Firozpur. This, along with Britain taking over Sindh in 1843, made the Sikhs very suspicious. This led to the end of peaceful talks and the start of the First Anglo-Sikh War in 1845.
The British army walked into Lahore without a fight on February 20, 1846. A peace agreement, called the Treaty of Lahore, was signed. This treaty said that British soldiers would stay in Lahore to protect the Maharajah and the city.
Later in 1846, another agreement, the Treaty of Bhyrowal, was officially approved. This treaty stated that a main British officer, with helpers, would be put in charge of everything in the Sikh state.
The Paladins of the Punjaub
Henry Montgomery Lawrence became the new main British officer. He had helped write the Lahore Treaty. Lawrence then carefully chose a group of assistants to carry out his orders.
These assistants included important people like James Abbott, Frederick Mackeson, and his own brothers, George Lawrence and John Lawrence. Most of them were young officers in their twenties from the British Indian army.
Some of the most important officers Lawrence chose had served with him in the First Anglo-Sikh War. For example, Herbert Edwardes, William Hodson, and Harry "Joe" Lumsden were all at the Battle of Sobraon.
Lawrence was always looking for new recruits. He even carried a notebook to write down names and observations. Lawrence was a very inspiring leader. He helped his young officers become like a close family, sharing a common mission. They were like brave knights serving their leader.
Later, some killings in Multan involving Patrick Alexander Vans Agnew and Lt. Anderson started the Second Anglo-Sikh War. This war led to Britain taking over the Punjab.
"Young Men" List
- James Abbott
- Lewin Bowring
- Neville Bowles Chamberlain
- John Coke
- Henry Coxe
- Henry Daly
- Herbert Edwardes
- William Hodson
- George Lawrence
- Harry "Joe" Lumsden
- Frederick Mackeson
- Philip Melvill
- John Nicholson
- Richard Pollock
- Reynell Taylor
- Patrick Alexander Vans Agnew
