Britain Mobilizes an Expeditionary Force The British invasion force that was to be dispatched to the Persian Gulf in an effort to intimidate the Iranian government from further pressing its claim to Herat was eventually divided into two divisions.
Sir James Outram of the Bombay army was to lead the British operations in Iran. By 28 January, the party was off
Basaidu, on the island of
Qeshm. Two days later, the
French frigate
Sibylle commanded by
Captain Maisonneuve passed the British ships. The French ship had left
Bombay eight days prior on a mission to the Persian Gulf to protect French interests there. On 30 January, the British squadron anchored off of
Bushehr around 2:00 PM. The next morning, the British command gave orders to disembark and join the force already stationed at the encampment. With the arrival of the reinforcements, supplies were plentiful in the camp. By 6:00 PM on the afternoon of 3 February, the entire force was raised outside of the entrenchments in two lines of contiguous quarter-distance columns. Led by Outram, the army marched through the night to the village of
Chahkootah. A few hours before the British army arrived, a Qajar cavalry picket had stopped at the village before continuing their patrol. At 4:00 PM on 4 February, Outram resumed the march with arms loaded. By the morning of 5 February, the British army travelled towards
Borazjan, where the Persian army had been entrenched with 18 guns.
Charles Murray, the
Minister Plenipotentiary to Iran, had given Outram the aid of Mirza Agha, the Iranian Secretary of Her Majesty's Mission to Iran. Mirza Agha, whose appointment was the subject of dispute between the
British Foreign Office and the Iranian government, accompanied Outram on the expedition to
Borazjan.
Capture of Borazjan Shortly before 1:00 PM, the approaching British army saw the Iranian garrison's vedettes and
reconnoitering parties. By the time the British regiments had moved into their positions, the Iran army decided to withdraw from
Borazjan and avoid a direct confrontation there. The general noted that Tehran had planned to extend its reinforcements to 12 regiments of regular infantry with 35 guns, while the provincial governors were preparing to conscript 4,000 irregular infantry from among the local tribes. Outram's sense of urgency in his letter to the
Governor-General of India dated 14 February 1857 was visible through his concern for the prospective loss of
Bushehr should Iran raise a larger than expected army.
Tahmasp Mirza Mo’ayed ol-Dowleh was the Governor-General (
Nawab Vala) of the
province of Fars during the Anglo-Persian War. By order of Tahmasp Mirza, the 1st Arab Regiment of Brig. Gen. (
Sartip)
Reza Qoli Khan Arab, stationed in
Kazerun, was to join the other regional regiments raised under Shoja ol-Molk. For the duration of the war, Tahmasp Mirza granted Reza Qoli Khan control of the Inanlu and Baharlu regiments. On 14
Jumada l-Ula, Reza Qoli Khan left the Iranian encampment with a contingent of 400 from the 1st Arab Regiment and 2 field guns to gather additional rations and supplies for the province's defense. During his sortie, Reza Qoli Khan was joined by 300 troops from the 1st Qashqai Regiment with one piece of artillery. The Iranian cavalrymen aimed to instill fear and cause confusion among the British rank and file by sounding English
bugle-calls. Given that English officers were once employed by the Qajar military, the Iranian army was well-versed in several standard bugle-calls that the British used. The buglers of the Qashqai cavalry sounded a “Cease Fire” and “Incline to the Left” order which had no effect on the Highlanders, but the 20th Native Infantry reportedly stopped firing, thinking that it was their own force firing on them. The Iranian light skirmishers fired a salvo and then stopped firing in that direction. The Iranian cavalry engaged the 78th Highlanders head on at various points during the skirmish. The British army adopted an oblong formation as the five heavy guns of the Iranian artillery opened fire with round shots. While the Iranian artillery had calculated the range very accurately, there were few casualties given the lengthy bombardment. However, one shot dealt considerable damage to the 64th Regiment and took off a foot from Lieutenant Greentree, while severely wounding Captain Mackler. During this engagement, Outram's horse fell and rolled over him, rendering the general incapacitated for the duration of the ambush. The Chief of his staff,
Colonel Lugard took command of the British forces and quietly covered the mishap, ensuring few others knew of Outram's condition until the next morning.
Battle of Khoshab The Iranian guns continued to fire on British positions until dawn. The Iranian army had gathered near the British encampment and prepared for a battle. Ravanji cites the Iranian army as 7,000 troops in total while Sandes lists the Iranian troops as being 8,000 strong, composed of 6,000 infantry and 2,000 cavalry. On the morning of 8 February, the Iranian army under Shoja ol-Molk drew up in line with the right flank of its infantry resting on the walled village of
Khushab. The left flank of the Iranian army was covered by a round fortalice tower. Shoja ol-Molk had ordered two rising mounds placed at the center of the Iranian infantry. He ordered the bulk of the Iranian guns placed at the center and had deep nullahs covering the right front and flank. The Qashqai cavalry was led by Sohrab Khan, the hereditary chief of the
Qashqai peoples native to the region. As the morning mist cleared, the two sides began firing their cannons at each other's positions. in its entirety, illustrated in English's
The War for a Persian Lady. The British brigades began maneuvering into different positions, moving up as they deployed. The British army formed two lines, with the first consisting of the
78th Highlanders and a contingent of Indian sappers to their right, the rest included the 26th Regiment Native Infantry, the 2nd European Light Infantry, and the 4th Rifle Regiment at the far-left of the line. The second line included her Majesty's
64th Regiment to the right, the 20th Regiment Native Infantry, and the Belooch Battalion to the left. Reza Qoli Khan Arab commanded the Inanlu, Baharlu and 1st Arab Regiment. The Persian army relied primarily on the
Sarbaz from its reformed Nezam Regiments as opposed to the irregular infantry outside the auspices of the Qajar military. As such, Shoja ol-Molk refused to consider inviting the
Tangestani Braves (
Daliran-e Tangestan) to the defense of
Borazjan. during Naser al-Din Shah's reign. As the British lines advanced, Hunt and Townsend cite few casualties among the Highlanders and 26th Native Infantry but note that the first brigade, first division fared worse against the Iranian bombardment. The second brigade, first division is noted to have suffered equally with more dead among the 2nd European Light Infantry. The British artillery resumed the firing after advancing to closer action, which slackened the degree of the Iranian bombardment. Sohrab Khan charged forward with the Qashqai cavalry on the Iranian left flank which were met halfway by the squadrons of the 3rd Cavalry and Tapp's irregulars. (right) from 1807 to 1848. The Silver Hand of Ali surmounts the standard. The British infantry lines rapidly advanced to meet the Iranian army in closer action. As the British cavalry advanced on the right, the 3rd Bombay Light Cavalry and the Poona Horse charged the Nezam Infantry Regiments on the left flank of the Iranian line. Under musket and cannon fire, the 1st Qashqai Regiment of Fars entered an infantry square formation with kneeling ranks and sustained the charge of the 3rd Cavalry. The Iranian infantry fired volleys at the charging British cavalrymen. In the close action, the Iranian regiment's standard-bearer was shot, and the standard was taken by the 3rd Cavalry. The standard, which has the phrase
“God’s hand is above all things” (يد الله فوق عداهم) etched into it, now rests atop the
Poona Horse Regiment's standard. For publicity, the English media capitalized on the action as the most gallant event of the war. Two
Victoria Crosses were awarded to the Commander's Adjutant
Lieutenant Arthur Thomas Moore for first breaking into the square, and
Captain John Grant Malcolmson. Upon charging the 1st Qashqai's square, Moore's horse was shot and bayoneted, falling on its rider. The infantry to the right of the Iranian left flank began fleeing in a disorderly manner, despite no major altercation with the British lines in front. In contrast, Townshend and Hunt highlight that the Nezam Regiments protecting the Iranian left flank soon retired with order. The Iranian cavalry regiments remained on the battlefield, posing a threat to the British rear and the wounded. However, the long range of the new
Enfield rifles hindered the Iranian cavalry, which made off before 10:00 AM. The British record cited one officer and 18 men killed, with four officers and 60 wounded. Other records, however, cite 220 killed and 64 wounded. The British claimed the Iranian casualties to be approximately 700, and considered the battle a British victory. at the annual Royal Inspection (
San Didan) of Qajar troops at
Mashq Square. By 10:00 AM, the British army regrouped a short distance to the right of the battlefield before resuming the march back to
Bushehr. Out of fear of the raids and ambushes by
Tangestani guerilla fighters, the British army decided against taking the road from
Chahkootah. Outram instead made his way to
Shif and took the coastal passage back to Bushehr. Despite Outram's decision, the British expedition through Shif was still met by an ambush from the guerilla fighters of
Ziarat. Shoja ol-Molk had retreated to Khesht and wrote despondently to the Shah that the Iranian army was in dire need of reinforcements after the battle. By 14 February, Tehran had decided to relieve Shoja ol-Molk of his command due to the retreat at the Battle of Khoshab.
Mirza Mohammad Khan Qajar-Dolu, Commandant of the Shah's Bodyguard was to assume command of the southern Iranian army. Mirza Mohammad Khan set out to reorganize the Fars division with equipment costing 50,000
tomans, gold-mounted swords, and robes of honour. Hamzeh Mirza's royal presence granted the new leadership of the Iranian army the full powers to negotiate with
Outram. However, at this stage the Qajar court had not given any indications of a desire to communicate with the British expeditionary force. The British army resumed its march back to
Bushehr but in deplorable conditions; torrential rains created mud deep enough to pull a man's boots from his feet. The troops went through a harrowing ordeal but finally reached Bushire on 10 February: On 9 February, the troops halted at the village's well until 2:00 PM amid heavy rainfall. The regiments reached the camp on the morning of 10 February. During the two or three days of rest,
Brigadier-General Havelock took command of the second division and Brigadier Hamilton took control of the division's first brigade. The British army began constructing a sequence of
redoubts and a
Martello tower at the center of their entrenchment. During this time, heavy rain and damp weather persisted, making rest more difficult. Several companies of the light battalion and guns from the mountain train joined the British force during this period. The arrival of the 23rd Native Light Infantry and a troop of horse artillery contributed to motivation for contemplated attack on
Mohammareh. In anticipation of a potential assault on Mohammareh, the Iranian military focused its best available batteries there. Outram believed that the Iranian government could not raise more troops beyond those stationed at
Mohammareh and the army the British faced at
Khushab. Outram did not expect the Shah to recall his expeditionary force under
Soltan Morad Mirza Hesam ol-Saltaneh from
Herat. The British believed that they could coerce the Shah into accepting their demands by employing the semi-autonomous demographic of Iran's northwest against the Iranian government. Namely, Outram believed that the
Chaab,
Bakhtiari and
Feyli were particularly resistant to Iranian authority and considered negotiating an alliance with them. The British reported seeing the fires of the enemy on the hills surrounding their camp. In response, the
Poona Horse expanded the range of its patrols, but did not report any confrontations. In his correspondence with
Governor-General Canning, Outram reported that the total size of the new forces raised between
Shiraz and
Khesht for
Mirza Mohammad Khan's army was 27,800 men with 85 guns. Of this army, 2,000 were attributed to cavalry, 3,000
tofangchi infantry (Musketeers), and 31 regiments of regular infantry at 800 each. This army was exclusive of the 10,000 to 13,000 troops and 16 guns estimated to be garrisoned at
Mohammareh under
Prince Khanlar Mirza. He was to await the arrival of General
Mirza Mohammad Khan Qajar-Dolu, at which point he would make over all of his troops and return to Shiraz.
Jafar Qoli Khan Ilkhani was stationed at Shiraz with a cavalry detachment of 3,000. The three contingents were to make their way to Nanizak through different roads so as to not exhaust the provisions on the route. Outram decided that Major-General Stalker was to remain in command at Bushehr along with Brigadiers Wilson, Honnor, and Tapp. The troops that would stay in the encampment included two field batteries, the mountain-train, the entire cavalry of the first division, three companies from her Majesty's 64th and the 78th Highlanders, the 4th rifles, 20th Native Infantry, and the Belooch battalion. The force at Bushehr numbered around 3,000. This left just under 4,000 troops under the command of Outram. (fifth from the left), among
Abbas Mirza's other sons at the Nezamiyeh Hall (by
Sani-ol-Molk)
Ehtesham ol-Dowleh, just over the age of 40. The portrait was dated November 1866 and inscribed by Zayn al-'Abidin al-Husayni. By this point, the defence of
Mohammareh was given to
Prince Khanlar Mirza commanding seven regular regiments composed of 13,000 infantry and cavalry in total. The British army would counter the Iranian bombardment with the broadsides of the
Clive and
Falkland sloops as well as the
Ajdaha, Feroze, Semiramis, Victoria, and
Assaye steamers. As the other ships reached the anchorage in the river, Iranian cavalry patrols took cite of the enemy. The British troops were also made aware of a considerable detachment of irregular cavalry and infantry occupying the village of Mahamur, where pickets had been constructed along some ruined buildings. Upon his return from a visit to Mohammareh, Captain Maisonneuve warned the British troops that the Iranian defences were formidable and that Outram's forces could not easily take them. By 15 March, the
Berenice steamer brought the headquarters of the Highlanders with Brigadier-General Havelock and the staff of the second division. Lieutenant Sinclair of the 78th Highlanders had died a few days prior to departure due to fever. Hunt & Townshend and Ballard cite Stalker's main motive for suicide as a loss of mental balance and macular degeneration. Outram left Colonel
John Jacob in command of the garrison at Bushehr. In the night of 17 March, Commodore
Richard Ethersey, who Rear Admiral
Henry Leeke had appointed in command of the British navy at Bushehr, also committed
suicide. By 24 March, the rendezvous point was set to three miles below the Iranian fortifications. As some of the British forces disembarked and assembled, a considerably large party of Persian reconnoitrers sighted the enemy within firing range. However, the Iranian troops did not engage the British. On the same night, the British placed two 8 and two 5-inch mortars northward behind a low swampy island facing the Persian army's most powerful battery. The Iranian soldiers were noted to have been mid-prayer for
Fajr. As such, it took Khanlar Mirza's artillerymen a few minutes to identify where the missiles came from. As the Iranian batteries began to return fire by 6:00 AM, the British attack ships advanced and began to engage them. Arab inhabitants on the Turkish side of the border had gathered to watch the battle, but as some of the Iranian shots ricocheted in their direction, they dispersed. At this point, Commodore Rennie hoisted the signal for the British flotilla carrying the troops. The Iranian guns managed to cut the rigging and damage the hull of the
Berenice, which carried
Havelock and the
78th Highlanders, as she entered within 100 yards of the Iranian battery. The transports disembarked about 100 yards above the Persian army's north battery. The disembarkation lasted an hour and went unopposed. The Iranian army of 13,000 made its way to Ahvaz along the Karun river. Most of the forces were soon inducted into operations in Central India to quell the
Indian Rebellion of 1857 in which both Havelock and Outram would distinguish themselves at the
siege of Lucknow. ==Diplomacy==