Michael White

Lieutenant-General Sir Michael White (1791 – 27 January 1868) was a British Army officer. The son of a major in the 27th Dragoons, he received a commission in the same regiment (since retitled the 24th Light Dragoons) in 1804. White served in India on the Sikh frontier; during the 1817 Siege of Hathras; the 1817-18 Third Anglo-Maratha War and the 1825-26 Siege of Bharatpur. From 1839 he commanded the 3rd Light Dragoons and led them in the 1842 invasion of Afghanistan for which he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath.

White served as a brigade commander in the 1845-46 First Anglo-Sikh War. At the Battle of Mudki he turned the Sikh flank and silenced their artillery. On the first day of the Battle of Ferozeshah he led a cavalry charge that George Bruce described as having "probably saved the day" for the British. The second day he led another charge that prevented Sikh cavalry from charging British infantry in a precarious condition. Despite being wounded he continued to campaign and his gallant service at the Battle of Sobraon was rewarded by appointment as aide-de-camp to Queen Victoria.

White also served in the Second Anglo-Sikh War of 1848-49. He took command of the 14th Light Dragoons at the Battle of Ramnagar after the death of their commanding officer and led another cavalry charge. He also served at the battles of Chillianwala and Gujrat. White was promoted to major-general in 1854 and to lieutenant-general in 1860. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1862.

Early life and career as a junior officer Michael White was the third son of Major Robert White of the 27th Dragoons and Ann White, daughter of Sir John St Aubyn, 4th Baronet. He was born at St Michael's Mount, Cornwall, his mother's family seat, in 1791. White was educated at Westminster School, London.

White was commissioned as a cornet in his father's regiment, which had been renamed the 24th Light Dragoons in 1803, on 15 August 1804. He was promoted to lieutenant on 14 May 1805 and served in 1809 on the Sutlej, the river forming the boundary between British India and the Sikh Empire. He married Mary Mylne, the daughter of a major in his regiment, in 1816. White was given command of the cavalry attached to Sir George Pollock's army during the 1842 invasion of Afghanistan. White's troops helped to force the Khyber Pass, take the heights of Jagdalak, defeat an Afghan force at Tezin and capture Haft Kotal. His men were also part of the British garrison at Kabul. White commanded a cavalry brigade at the 21–22 December Battle of Ferozeshah. On the second day of the battle White led another charge against the Sikh cavalry, who threatened the British infantry who were desperately short of ammunition. The 3rd Light Dragoons and two native cavalry regiments hit the Sikhs when they were only from the British infantry. Despite superior numbers the Sikh cavalry retired after fierce hand-to-hand combat. During the battle White's horse was killed and he was wounded. White afterwards led the 3rd Light Dragoons in the final battle of the campaign, the 10 February 1846 Battle of Sobraon. The British force were defeated in the battle. White's brigade protected the British left flank during the 13 January 1849 Battle of Chillianwala and were present in the victory in the final engagement of the war, the 21 February Battle of Gujrat. White was awarded the Punjab Medal and two clasps for his service in the war.

General officer and retirement White was promoted to major-general on 20 June 1854. He received the colonelcy of the 7th Dragoons on 26 August 1858 and was promoted to lieutenant-general on 1 September 1860. White was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath on 10 November 1862. In later life he lived in London, where he died at Bayswater on 27 January 1868.