The 19th Madras Native Infantry was one of the infantry battalions of the British Indian Army. The unit was raised in the year 1759 under the British East India Company and remained in existence till 1922. It was under the Madras Native Infantry which was a part of the Madras Army, before the start of the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The armed forces of Madras Presidency were amongst of the 3 primary Presidency Armies in British India. The Madras Presidency Army was founded with the objective of protecting the commercial interests of the East India Company. The military regiment was also included as a part of the Madras Command. The military forces of the British Presidencies operated under the British East India Company until the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. The Government of India Act 1858, authorized after the Great Revolt in 1857, reassigned the control of the 3 Presidency Armies from the British East India Company to the British Empire in India.
Later in 1903, the three distinct presidency armies, namely the Bengal Army, the Madras Army and the Bombay Army, were joined to raise the United British Indian Army. The 19th Madras Native Infantry was also known as the 79th Carnatic Infantry.
History of 19th Madras Native Infantry
The 19th Madras Native Infantry was formed as the 20th Carnatic Battalion in the year 1777. It was developed by merging the 1st Carnatic Battalion, 3rd Carnatic Battalion, 8th Carnatic Battalion and 16th Carnatic Battalion units.
Military Operations of 19th Madras Native Infantry
The military regiment first participated in the Wars of Carnatic and afterwards fought in the Battle of Seringapatam and the Battle of Sholinghur during the Second Anglo Mysore War. The 19th Madras Native Infantry also fought in the Third Mysore War and took part in the campaign to Pegu. The battalion remained loyal to the British administration during the Great Revolt of 1857 and fought at the military campaign in Central India. As a result, Captain Herbert Mackworth Clogstoun of the 19th Madras Native Infantry under Madras Army was honoured with the Victoria Cross during the Indian Rebellion. The infantry regiment also provided significant military services during the First World War.
Dissolution of 19th Madras Native Infantry
Following the First World War, the British Government of India eventually reorganized and regrouped the entire British army in India. The separate single battalion infantry regiments were amalgamated together in order to create regiments of 4 to 6 battalions. Later in 1922, the 19th Madras Native Infantry was re-designated as the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Madras Regiment. The newly formed army unit was finally dissolved in the year 1922.
Designations of 19th Madras Native Infantry
The 19th Madras Native Infantry regiment comprised of many titles through out its service in the British Indian Army. These are mentioned as follows -
* 20th Carnatic Battalion in 1777
* 20th Madras Battalion in 1784
* 2nd Battalion, 7th Madras Native Infantry in 1796
* 19th Madras Native Infantry in 1824
* 19th Madras Infantry in 1885
* 79th Carnatic Infantry in 1903
* 3rd Battalion, 3rd Madras Regiment in 1922
