The 5th Bengal European Cavalry was a

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from ''cheval'' meaning "horse") are groups of soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Until the 20th century, cavalry were the most mob ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...

of the

East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to Indian Ocean trade, trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (South A ...

, created in 1858 and disbanded in 1859. The regiment was raised in

Bengal Bengal ( ) is a Historical geography, historical geographical, ethnolinguistic and cultural term referring to a region in the Eastern South Asia, eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. The region of Benga ...

by the

in 1858 as the 5th Bengal European Light Cavalry, for service in the

Indian rebellion of 1857 The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against Company rule in India, the rule of the East India Company, British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the The Crown, British ...

; the "European" in the name indicated that it was manned by white soldiers, not Indian sowars. During the Mutiny, a Major of the regiment, Charles John Stanley Gough, received the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

White Mutiny

As with all other "European" units of the Company, the 5th Bengal European Cavalry regiment was placed under the command of the British Crown following the end of the Mutiny in 1858 and the passage of the

Government of India Act 1858 The Government of India Act 1858 ( 21 & 22 Vict. c. 106) was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed on August 2 1858. Its provisions called for the liquidation of the East India Company (who had up to this point been ruling Briti ...

. However, the regiment disbanded rather than be transferred into the

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

. The regiment had been among the most outspoken during "white mutiny" over the proposals to transfer the "European regiments" into the British Army. The mutiny successfully achieved concessions from the British government, which allowed men to opt for free discharges and passage home as an alternative to transferring into the British Army.

References

{{reflist Honourable East India Company regiments Military units and formations established in 1858 Military units and formations disestablished in 1859 Bengal European Bengal Presidency Bengal European Cavalry