"Victoria Cross Winners of the Indian Mutiny 1857 - 1858" Portrait of Sergeant Major Cornelius Coughlan VC, a veteran of the Indian Mutiny. Colour Sergeant Coughlan served in the 75th Regiment (later The Gordon Highlanders), British Army during the Indian Mutiny. He was awarded the Victoria Cross, aged 28, for the following action: "On 8 June 1857 at Delhi, India, Colour-Sergeant Coughlan gallantly ventured under heavy fire, with three others, into a serai occupied by the enemy in great numbers and rescued a private of their regiment who was severely wounded." An account of his bravery on 18 July in the London Gazette read: "Colour Sgt Coughlan encouraged a party who hesitated to charge down a lane raked by a cross-fire, then entering with the said party, into an enclosure filled with the enemy, destroyed every man; for having also on the same occasion returned under a cross-fire to collect dhoolies stretchers to carry off the wounded." Queen Victoria felt moved to write a personal letter to Sgt Major Coughlan on hearing about his act of bravery.