COMMANDER // 1821–1857
John Nicholson
Lifespan
1821 – 1857
Active service 1857 — 2 battles across 1 war; first command at age 36.
Profile
Brigadier-General John Nicholson, was an Ulster-Scot officer who rose to prominence during his career in British India. Born in Ireland, Nicholson moved to the Indian subcontinent at a young age and obtained a commission in the Bengal Army where he spent the majority of his career helping to expand the East India Company's territories in numerous conflicts, including the First Anglo-Afghan War, the First Anglo-Sikh War, and the Second Anglo-Sikh War. Nicholson created a legend for himself as a political officer under Henry Lawrence in the frontier provinces of British India, especially in the Punjab, and he was instrumental in the establishment of the North-West Frontier. Nicholson's most defining moment in his military career was his crucial role in suppressing the Indian Rebellion of 1857, a conflict in which he died.
Battles (2)
1857
Battle of NajafgarhIndian Mutiny of 1857 · United Kingdom
1857
Siege of DelhiIndian Mutiny of 1857 · British Empire