The times., 1899-05-14
THE DoGRA SEPoY.
A Little Known But Brave Constit-
uent of EngInnd,s Indian Army.


OF all the martial races of the North
who furnish recruits for the ranks OF our
native army, the Dogras OF the Kangra
Valley are. undoubtedly, the least known.
The gallant little Gurkhas, the daring and
impetuous Pa.hans, and the grim warrior
Sikhs have all worldwide reputation
(the man in the street at home can tell
you all about them, but the Dogras, good
and sterling soldiers though they have
proved themselves TO be. have not yet at
tanned like pinnacle OF fame. And yet
our Dogra sepoys have done us equally
gallant service, as the records of our from
tier expeditions amply prove, and on many
a hard-fought field have shed their blood
freely for the honor of the British Rsj.
hillman, like the Gurkha, the Dogra
also possesses in a measure the soldierly
qualities of the Sikh and Pathan, and
withal excels all three in intelligence
The Dogra loves his fair native hills and
valleys as much as the Pathan tribesman
does his rugged Businesses, and Dogra Sc
Toys, more thrifty than their spendthrift
Pathan comrades, save money steadily in
order to return to their homes.
The Dogras are natives OF the billy
country lying along the base of the snowy
Himalayas. extending from the Sutlej In
the south to the Chenan in the north.
These hill regions consist of series OF
/
valleys, which increase gradually in ele-
vation as they recede from the plains and
| approach the snowy barrier which forms
the northern boundary. Here every zone
of climate and variety of vegetation are
| to be met with, from the scorching heat
and exuberant growth OF the tropics to
| barren heights destitute OF verdure and
\ capped with perpetual snow. The four
| Dogra classes which furnish recruits for
Il Ea pvaf, ms fnrgf-
Rathees and Girths, and these four classes
comprise upward Of four- -ifths of the en-
| tire population of their hills. 1t might
| well be imagined that, on service, the
caste prejudices of the Dogras would ere
ate difficulties and tend materially to de-
| preciate their value as soldiers. This
however. has been proved not to be the
case. For example. the Dogra. particu-
lar as he is about his drinking water iI
cantonments. will, on active service
| cheerfully drink out of a mussuck.
In appearance the Dogra is distinctly
prepossessing, his features being well
formed, and his complexion, owing to the
| temperate climate of his native hills, de-
cidedly fair. In stature Dogras seldom ex-
ceed medium height and it must be ad-
mitted that in bodily strength and vigol
lthey compare unfavorably with the stalwart
| Sikhs and Pathans. However their ply
sique and strength are quite up to the
standard required by our recruiting Off
GERS, and as regards their inferority II
stature to the latter races, 1t must be re-
membered that it is not always the big
gest men who can stand the most fatigue
and hard work As "Wardens OF thi
Marches" the Dogras have proved them
selves well worthy of confidence. and thu
recalcitrant border tribesmen know t.
their cost that in them they have to dea
with foes whose martial instincts are a
highly developed as their own, and who
moreover, in discipline, and intelligence
are immeasurably their superiors.
Dogras also enlist in the Bengal cavalr.
regiments, and, as a rule, prove excellen
horsemen. 4 few years ago the expert
ment of forming class regiments OF Do
gras was tried, and the Thirty-seventh an
Thirty eighth Bengal Infantry became tn
Thirty-seventh and Thirty-eighth Dogras
The experiment has been wholly success
full, rs the records OF both these corps
short though they be-are extremely fin
ones. The Thirty seventh Dogras serve
with credit throughout the Chitral cam
paign, while the deeds OF the Thirty
eighth Dogras during the operations OF tn
Malakand field force are still fresh in ou
memory. Dogras seem more suitable tha
any other race to form into class regi
ments, and we could well do with a fe'
, more regiments entirely composed c
them There is no more loyal and faith
. full soldier in the native army than tn
Dogra, whose motto and watchword ma
with truth be said to be ''Semper Fidelis.