The "Pearl"s Naval Brigade was formed on 11 September 1857 when 175 officers and men of Royal Navy ship formed a Naval Brigade which operated ashore during the Indian Mutiny with the Gurkhas and Sikhs providing artillery support. The "Pearl" and the frigate were despatched from Hong Kong to Calcutta in July 1857 after receiving news of the rebellion. En route, they rescued the crew of the transport HMS "Transit", which wrecked off Bangka Island, Sumatra.