John Nicholson

Little is known about Nicholson's early life except that he was born in Lisburn Ireland, and at 16, his uncle, a member of Parliament, bought him an officer's commission with the British East India Company's Bengal Infantry. Nicholson's first action came in the First Anglo-Afghan War of 1839-1842, where he led a platoon of Sepoy infantry at the siege of Ghazni, assaulting the fortified city under constant fire and engaging in close combat with the Afghan warriors defending the city. Nicholson went on to lead an ambush on Afghan forces and, after being captured in battle, escape captivity by bribing the guard. However, by the time Nicholson had made his way back to British territory, the British military had fled Afghanistan in defeat.

A few years later, however, in 1845, the British East India Company invaded the Sikh Empire in the Punjab region. Nicholson playing a major role in the taking of the cities of Multan and Attock, in spite of his sustaining a dagger wound in Multan. After the battle, he was made the colonial administrator of Punjab, at that time a lawless region. Nicholson learned to speak Urdu and learned the local customs, however, he was very harsh with his dispensation of justice, ordering executions without trial. He survived two assassination attempts, after one, when he discovered his food was poisoned, he had the whole kitchen staff hanged. He also personally killed a dagger-wielding assassin by shooting him at point blank range with a rifle and engaged in personal combat with an outlaw, beheading him with his sword and keeping the severed head on his desk as warning to those who opposed him.

Nicholson saw military action one final time, when he was ordered to Delhi, which was in the midst of the 1857 Indian Mutiny. The rebels held the city, and the British and Gurkha forces in the area were demoralized and fatigued. Nicholson discovered the incompetent commanding general had not posted any troops to escort a supply train of artillery, so he personally led a force of 2500 men and routed a large 6000-man force sent to attack the supply train, losing only 800 of his own men. After the guns were delivered, the general still failed to attack, so Nicholson, who his troops now called "the General" though he was only a captain, appealed from the commanding general to be removed from power. After this, the general finally allowed an assault, in which Nicholson personally led a unit of Multani cavalry. During the battle, Nicholson was shot by a sniper and mortally wounded. He died nine days later.