Brigadier General John NICHOLSON Marble Memorial inside Lisburn Cathedral, County Down Northern Ireland
Born 1821 to Doctor Alexander Jaffray of Virgemont county Dublin and Clara Nicholson nee Hogg
en.wikipedia.org
The grave of Brigadier General John NICHOLSON, C.B. is beneath the fortress which he died to take. This monument is erected by his mother, to keep alive his memory and example among his countrymen.
Inscription on the memorial.
Comrades who loved and mourn him, add this story of his life.
He entered the army of the H.E.I.C. in 1839, and served in four great wars. Afghanistan 1841_42. Sutlej 1845_ 46. Punjab 1848_49. India 1857. In the first he was and Ensign; in the last a Brigadier-General and Companion of Bath. In all, a hero. Rare gifts had marked him for great things in peace and war. He had an iron mind and frame, a terrible courage and indomitable will. His form seemed made for an army to behold. His heart, to meet the crisis of an empire. Yet was he gentle exceedingly; most loving; most kind. In all he though, and did, unselfish, earnest, plain and true. Indeed a most noble man! In public affairs he was the pupil of the great and good Sir Henry Lawrence; and worthy of his master. Few took a greater share in either the conquest of government of the Punjab. Perhaps none so great in both. Soldier and Civilian he was a tower of strength; the type of the conquering race. Most fitly, in the great siege of Delhi, he led the first column of attack and carried the main breach; dealing the death-blow to the greatest danger that ever-threatened British India. Most mournfully, most gloriously, in the moment of victory, he fell mortally wounded on the 14th and died on the 23rd of September 1857; aged only 34.
