Prince Grant was born around 1800, the son of John Grant and Margaret Crawford
1800. Prince Crawford Grant b.ca. 1800 Co.Tipperary. His service record says in Parish of Kilvalneg near Thurles,but that does not exist. The closest I can get is Killavinoge, Tipperary which is 4 miles NE of Templemore or Kilvalure, which is in the Moyalife townsland and there is a church and cemetery there now. It is near both Ballycahill and Drombane villages in co. Tipperary . Another record says Hilvalney, Tipp
1819 Enlisted in Dublin in 14th Light Dragoons 1819. Regiment served in Ireland, England & Scotland in 1831 suppressing the Bristol riots, 1832 based at Hounslow Barracks for Royal Escort duties. His service record exists
1831 He married Kezia Griffiths on 18 April 1831 at Old Swinford, Worcester, England. Prince Grant, Bachelor of this Parish to Kezia Griffiths, spinster of this Parish. By Banns 18 April 1931 by Tho P Foley, Rector. Witnesses: Joseph HYRONS & Sophia GRIFFITHS (Diocese of Worcester. Bishops Transcripts. Bishop's Parish Register Transcripts of the 19th & 20th Cent. 1813-1946. Class 736 BA 2245. Parcel 7 Old Swinford 1831-1843. Filmed at Worcestershire Record Office, Worcester.
They had 6 children:
1841 He went to India in 1841 with his wife and family with the 14th Light Dragoons.
1846 Jun 8. Discharged as Saddler Sergeant 1846. Entered in the Bombay Times Calendar & Directory as Saddler & Harness Maker & partner in the business of Grant & Son of Medow Street, Bombay.
1846 Married Esther Cusack at 29 Jul 1846 • Trinity Church, Parish of Maidstone, Kent
1849, nothing to do with him as he had been discharged, but the 14th Light Dragoons suffered an ignominious rout. At Chillianwala on 13 January 1849, one of the most illustrious cavalry regiments of the British Army H.M 14th Light Dragoons, when ordered to charge the Sikhs, turned about and galloped rearwards! It was a single British Chaplain who blocked the headlong, panic stricken retreat of British soldiers in 1849 in The Second Sikh War. To quote: ‘On they galloped (14th Light Dragoons), crowding too close together, they overturned four of their own guns, upset wagons and horses. The flight of the cavalrymen was halted by a Chaplain the Rev. W. Whiting. He was attending the sick and wounded at a Field Hospital when he saw frightened dragoons fleeing the battlefield. The Chaplain stopped them and demanded to know what had happened. ‘The day is lost !’ cried a dragoon. ‘All our army is cut up and the Sikhs have taken our guns and everything.’ ‘No Sir, ‘ the Chaplain said . The Almighty God would never will it that a Christian Army should be cut up by a pagan host. ‘Halt Sir, or I, as I am a Minister of the word of God. I’ll shoot you.’ That stopped the rout. ..Under the cover of darkness the Sikhs withdrew, taking most of their guns with them as well as three British Regimental Colours and leaving politicians, soldiers and historians to debate for years whether the Brits had won the Battle of Chillianwala or was it a draw ? The British lost 2357 men killed and wounded. Havelock described it ‘one of the most sanguinary ever fought by the British in India and the nearest approximation to our defeat.’
1872 He died 28.02.1872 in Bombay, India, aged 71 and buried the next day by Charles Walford, Chaplain in the Sonapure Cemetery, Bombay.