Divisional commander of the British army under Lord Hugh Gough in
the second Anglo-Sikh war, was born at Northwold, England, on 27 February
1787, the son of Richard Whish. He received a commission in the Bengal
artillery in 1804. In 1826, He was appointed to command the Karnal
and Sirhind division of the artillery. In January 1848, he took over
from Sir John Littler the command of British troops stationed at Lahore.
In August 1848, he was given the command of the Multan field force,
8,000 strong, to march against Diwan Mul Raj. He took up position
in front of Multan and besieged the fort on 7 September. As the Darbar
troops under Sher Singh Atarivala withdrew a week later, Whish removed
his forces to Tibbi, and a period of inaction followed which enabled
Mul Raj to improve his defences. In the beginning of November Mul
Raj threw up his batteries which threatened Whish's camp, but on 21
December he was reinforced by a column from Bombay and, on 22 January
1849, he secured the Multan governor's surrender. After the fall of
Multan, Whish's division moved northwards to join Lord Gough's army.
He reached Ramnagar on 13 February and took part in the battle of
Gujrat (21 February 1849). In November 1851, he was promoted lieutenant-general.
Whish died in London on 25 February 1853. His eldest son, G. Palmer
Whish, general of the Bengal staff corps, had taken part in the
battle of Gujrat. Another son, Henry Edward Whish, a major-general
in the Bengal staff corps had also served with his father in the
siege of Multan.
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