Lot Essay
James Hartley was born in 1745, and entered the Indian army in 1764. In 1768, having already taken part in expeditions at Mari and Malwan, he was promoted to lieutenant, and two years later was made aide-de-camp to the Governor of Bombay; he was promoted to Captain in July 1774 and took command of the 4th Battalion of Bombay sepoys.
With the outbreak of the first Mahratta war in 1775 he was sent to Guzerat with Colonel Keating, but with the ending of the war he returned to Bombay. Three years later hostilities began again, and the Bombay Government sent an army to Korkan, with orders to march on Poonah. The advance party of six companys of Grenadier Sepoys under Captain Stewart took the Bhore Ghant; Hartley refused the post of Quarter-Master-General and fought with his own battalion, taking over command when Captain Stewart was killed. The army advanced on to Tullygaom, but the Civil Commissioner became alarmed at the growing numbers of Mahrattas and advised a retreat. Hartley, resisting strongly, was ordered to form the rear guard, fighting with such skill that on his return to Bombay he was generally regarded as having saved the Indian army from annihilation. He was promoted Lieut-Colonel and given command of the European infantry. In February 1780 he led the storming party at the capture of Ahmedabad, and later that year was sent to Konkan again to secure the district. In November he was at the siege of Bassein, successfully preventing the Mahrattas from raising the seige. He was still acting as military commander in Konkan when he received a notice from London declaring his promotion to Lieut-Colonel had not been formal and that others should have been promoted before him. He resigned from the army deeply hurt, and returned to England. Through representations to the king he was given the Liet-Colonecy of the 75th Foot Regiment.
In April 1788 he returned to India and with the outbreak of the war with Tippoo, Sultan of Mysore, he was sent to Palghatcher, and inflicted a crushing defeat on Tippoo's forces at Calicut. He was sent to Seringapatam, joining the main army at Cannanore, and after peace was declared was made commander of the forces in the South West provinces ceded by Tippoo. In 1793 he was in command at the capture of the French settlement of Matié; he was promoted to the rank of Colonel, and Major-General in 1796. He came back to England for a short while, but on his return to Bombay in 1797 was made Major-General as well as supervisor and Magistrate for Malabar.
In 1799 war again broke out with Tippoo and an attack was planned at Seringapatam. The Bombay army, with Hartley as second in command mustered at Cannanore and set off for Tippoo's capital. Through brilliant tactics, Hartley avoided a defeat, and was able to hold out until reinforcements arrived and Tippoo retreated. Hartley was present at the storming of Tippoo's capital on 5 May 1799. He returned to his civil duties at Malabar, but died on 4 October that year after a short illness.
Sittings are recorded throughout 1783, in 1784, 1786 and 1789 and a payment of #105 was noted from 'S. Hartley, Esq., for the full length portrait of Col. Hartley, with a horse'.
With the outbreak of the first Mahratta war in 1775 he was sent to Guzerat with Colonel Keating, but with the ending of the war he returned to Bombay. Three years later hostilities began again, and the Bombay Government sent an army to Korkan, with orders to march on Poonah. The advance party of six companys of Grenadier Sepoys under Captain Stewart took the Bhore Ghant; Hartley refused the post of Quarter-Master-General and fought with his own battalion, taking over command when Captain Stewart was killed. The army advanced on to Tullygaom, but the Civil Commissioner became alarmed at the growing numbers of Mahrattas and advised a retreat. Hartley, resisting strongly, was ordered to form the rear guard, fighting with such skill that on his return to Bombay he was generally regarded as having saved the Indian army from annihilation. He was promoted Lieut-Colonel and given command of the European infantry. In February 1780 he led the storming party at the capture of Ahmedabad, and later that year was sent to Konkan again to secure the district. In November he was at the siege of Bassein, successfully preventing the Mahrattas from raising the seige. He was still acting as military commander in Konkan when he received a notice from London declaring his promotion to Lieut-Colonel had not been formal and that others should have been promoted before him. He resigned from the army deeply hurt, and returned to England. Through representations to the king he was given the Liet-Colonecy of the 75th Foot Regiment.
In April 1788 he returned to India and with the outbreak of the war with Tippoo, Sultan of Mysore, he was sent to Palghatcher, and inflicted a crushing defeat on Tippoo's forces at Calicut. He was sent to Seringapatam, joining the main army at Cannanore, and after peace was declared was made commander of the forces in the South West provinces ceded by Tippoo. In 1793 he was in command at the capture of the French settlement of Matié; he was promoted to the rank of Colonel, and Major-General in 1796. He came back to England for a short while, but on his return to Bombay in 1797 was made Major-General as well as supervisor and Magistrate for Malabar.
In 1799 war again broke out with Tippoo and an attack was planned at Seringapatam. The Bombay army, with Hartley as second in command mustered at Cannanore and set off for Tippoo's capital. Through brilliant tactics, Hartley avoided a defeat, and was able to hold out until reinforcements arrived and Tippoo retreated. Hartley was present at the storming of Tippoo's capital on 5 May 1799. He returned to his civil duties at Malabar, but died on 4 October that year after a short illness.
Sittings are recorded throughout 1783, in 1784, 1786 and 1789 and a payment of #105 was noted from 'S. Hartley, Esq., for the full length portrait of Col. Hartley, with a horse'.