Page:Dictionary of National Biography, Second Supplement, volume 3.djvu/32

 possess a charmed life, and was constantly unhurt when men were struck down by his side. His regiment was stationed at Lahore after the first Sikh war in 1846, as part of the force under Colin Campbell (afterwards Lord Clyde) [q. v.]. He became lieutenant on 25 Dec. 1847, and was soon made adjutant. When Vans Agnew and Anderson were murdered at Multan on 20 April 1848, Norman was on sick leave at Simla, but was at once recalled to his regiment, then stationed at Ferozepore. In the 'war with a vengeance' that followed Norman shared in every incident and battle. He witnessed the opening scene at Ramnagar, took part in Thackwell's inconclusive operations at Sadulapur on 3 Dec. 1848, joined in the confused and bloody melee at Chilianwala on 13 Jan. 1849, and shared the conspicuous honour won by his regiment in the decisive attack on Kalra at the crowning victory of Gujarat on 21 Feb. 1849. He was present at the grand svirrender of the Sikh army at Rawalpindi, and helped to chase the Afghans back to their hills, finally receiving the Sikh war medal and two clasps. In December 1849 he was brigade-major at Peshawar to Sir Colin Campbell. In 1850 he accompanied Sir Charles Napier on the Kohat pass expedition, and afterwards took part in expeditions against the Afridis, the Mohmands, and the Utman Kheyls. While he was at Panjpao on 15 April 1852 he was specially mentioned in despatches. Becoming deputy assistant adjutant-general and A.D.C. to General Sir Abraham Roberts [q. v.], he was credited in divisional orders (15 Dec. 1853) with 'all the qualifications for a good soldier and first-rate staff officer.' A brief interlude in Norman's service on the staff occurred when the Santals in 1855 rose against the extortionate money-lenders. He at once joined his regiment, taking part in the suppression of disturbances. In May 1856 he was at headquarters in Calcutta as assistant adjutant-general, and in the following year he reached Simla with the commander-in-chief, General George Anson [q. v.], a few days before news of the outbreak at Meerut and of the arrival of the mutineers at Delhi simultaneously reached headquarters. General Sir Henry Barnard [q. v.] took command of the relief force on the death of Anson (27 May 1857), united his forces at Alipur with those of Sir Archdale Wilson [q. v.] on 7 June, and next day defeated the rebels at Badli-ki-Serai, establishing himself on the Ridge of Delhi in sight of the walled city filled with some 10,000 mutineers and soon receiving 20,000 more trained sepoys. Chester, the adjutant-general, lay dead amongst the 183 killed and wounded, and upon Norman devolved his duties. From 8 June to 8 Sept., when the arrival and establishment in position of the siege guns enabled the assault to be delivered, Norman was invaluable to the several commanders of the Delhi field force: first to Barnard until he died of cholera on 5 July, then to (Sir) Thomas Reed [q. v.] until he left with the sick and wounded on 17 July, and then to Archdale Wilson until he established his headquarters in the palace of captured Delhi on 21 Sept. Neville Chamberlain [q. v. Suppl. II] arrived on 24 June to assume the duties of adjutant-general, but on 14 July he was severely wounded.

Notwithstanding the strain and sufferings of the siege, Norman without any hesitation left Delhi with Greathead's column, and took part in the fighting at Bulandshahr, Aligarh, and Agra. He was able early in November to report his arrival to Sir Colin Campbell, commander-in-chief, and proceed with him as deputy adjutant-general to the relief of Lucknow. In the attack on the Shah Nujeef on 16 Nov., his horse was shot under him, but he rallied and led some soldiers on the point of retreating; and when the relief was accomplished he was present at the battle of Cawnpore and took part in the defeat of the Gwalior troops (6 Dec. 1857). Then followed the final capture of Lucknow in March 1858, the Rohilkhand campaign (April to May), and the battle of Bareilly (5 May), at which he received his only wound. The cold season campaign in Oudh, 1858-9, found him present at the engagements of Buxar Ghat, Burgudia, Majudia, and on the Rapti, and at the close of these operations the commander-in-chief brought his merits to the notice of the viceroy. Up to this time, indeed, he had been mentioned twenty-three times in despatches or in general orders. But his rewards lagged, because his years were fewer than his services. Even so late as 2 Dec. 1860 he was gazetted as a captain in the new staff corps, on the heels of which followed a brevet majority, 3 Dec., and then a brevet lieutenant-colonelcy on 4 Dec. He became C.B. on 16 August 1859, and A.D.C. to Queen Victoria on 8 Sept. 1863, an honour which he held until 22 March 1869, when he was promoted major-general. Worn out by all he had endured, he proceeded home in December 1859, and was at once welcomed by the press and invited to