Brig. Gen. John Nicholson despite his extreme brutality against Indians was a celebrated Victorian hero in England

Brig. Gen. John-Nicholson .econotimes.com

Above image: Brig. Gen John Nicholson (1821-1857), a  military officer  under Henry Lawrence became the Victorian "Hero of Delhi"  and his  exploits  during the Mutiny became subjects of many literary works and  ballads, inspiring generations of young English boys to join the army.  A quick-tempered bully and racist, he was among the  British officers in India, like Herbert Edwardes, James Abbott, Reynell Taylor and the Lawrence brothers (Henry and John) He was well- known  for his brutal punishment. To instill fear among the natives, Nicholson proposed a new  kind of death for the murderers and people who insulted English women. His suggestions included 'flaying alive, impalement or burning,' and commenting further, 'I would inflict the most excruciating tortures I could think of on them with a perfectly easy conscience...He died on Sept. 27, 1857 and his cemetery is in Delhi. ....................

Among many contentious figures  John Nicholson of the East India Company, is an unforgettable figure for his notoriety and his willingness to kill Indian natives on a mass scale. He  played a key role during the Indian Rebellion and was infamous for his ruthlessness, particularly in suppressing uprisings.  He advocated for collective punishment and extreme violence against those he deemed disloyal to British rule. His methods included the public execution of rebels and the use of intimidation tactics to subdue local populations. Nicholson’s legacy is memorialized by a statue in Duncannon, Northern Ireland, but his actions during his time in India have drawn criticism for their brutality.

John-Nicholson- factrepublic.com

General John Nicholson, during the first Indian Rebellion of 1857 against the corrupt and unjust East India company rule (a proxy to the British Crown), left a legacy marked by extreme brutality and violence. As an officer of the East India Company, Nicholson played a key  role in suppressing uprisings, particularly in regions like Allahabad and Delhi. His actions were characterized by an unyielding ruthlessness that earned him both fear and infamy. Nicholson viewed Indian rebels and civilians alike with disdain, often justifying severe punishments as necessary for maintaining British authority.  His visible  vengeful hatred, it is said,  sprang  from outrage that Indians should dare to challenge British rule at all.

In Allahabad, Nicholson orchestrated harsh reprisals against those suspected of participating in the rebellion. Reports of mass executions, public hangings, and collective punishment under his command highlight the extent of his cruelty. Nicholson believed in setting examples through terror, frequently resorting to actions intended to break the spirit of resistance among the local population. 

His conduct during the siege of Delhi in 1857 further cemented his reputation. Nicholson not only led successful assaults against the rebels but also sanctioned widespread looting and destruction in the aftermath. Civilians suffered greatly, as Nicholson's troops targeted anyone perceived as sympathetic to the rebellion.  

Despite his notoriety, Nicholson was idolized in British circles, where his methods were celebrated as decisive and effective. After India's independence,   Nicholson’s actions and his commemoration reveal the deep contradictions of colonial rule of supremacy and arrogance. The acts of extreme violence were glorified, and the perspectives of the colonized were largely silenced. Today, this mass killer's legacy serves as a stark reminder of the brutal  and inhuman methods employed by the colonists to sustain the India - its ''Milch Cow''  and the historical narratives that continue to shape collective memory.

The British Empire and the rulers  celebrated   considered such mass killers  martyrs, but Indian natives  considered them as an emblem of  colonial oppression and brutality and  had to be  vanquished from public view for ever. Many statues of British officers are now in the custody of museum as they were targets of vandalism in the past.   Once a symbol of colonial might, they  now stand on display a benign memorabilia.

https://www.navrangindia.in/2018/03/brig-gen-john-nicholson-and-sepoy.html

https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Nicholson

https://www.econotimes.com/John-Nicholson-the-sadistic-British-officer-who-was-worshipped-as-a-living-god-in-India-1405532