Captivity Myths: Francis Pinto

On May 4, 1783, Campbell wrote: “There are a number of Native Christians here who had been formerly attached to the Artillery, 34 of them are taken in the same service here, and Francis Pinto, late an ensign in the ‘Bombay Natives’, whom General Mathews had promised to employ and give Ensign’s pay and batta, I have appointed to take charge of them with the same rank, pay and allowances as he had formerly. He is found useful in the line he is appointed to.”[1]

This statement has been wrongly put forth as evidence that Kanara Christians enlisted in British ranks and fought alongside them against Tipu. Campbell’s letter identifies Francis Pinto as a Native Christian who had served in the Bombay Native artillery, and that Mathews had promised to employ him. His name is common among Roman Catholic converts not only along the West Coast but throughout the territories where the Portugal had a presence, from Portugal to Timor, and various regions of India. He could have been from anywhere.

The first regular sepoy formations in the Bombay army were composed of independent companies commanded by subadars (Indian captains). By 1780, there were 15 battalions, which had been reduced to six by 1784. From its origin, this army was composed of Muslims, Hindus of all castes, Jews, and a few Christians. The Bombay sepoy was reported to be patient, faithful, and brave, and extremely loyal. Most spurned the many incentives offered during the time they were prisoners to join Tipu’s army, preferring to endure the hardships of prison life and wait hopefully for release. One officer wrote that during their march to freedom from Tipu’s prisons, sepoys came to them at night to give them the little money they had saved, saying "We can live upon anything, but you require mutton and beef."[2]

It was this Bombay Army that formed the major part of Mathews’s invasion force. While the defenders of Bednur had been made prisoners by Tipu in April, others had been posted to other places, and possibly made their way to Mangalore as they fell to Tipu’s advancing army. Francis Pinto may have been one of them. Wolsely’s dairy records that on May 24, among those fit for duty were 152 artillerymen.

Mangalore had its share of professional mercenaries who served whoever paid them. Haidar had recruited 9,000 to man his forts and munition factories, and groom his horses in the capital and other places inland.[3] Venn writes that two men, Pedro D’Silva and Joze Jokins who had served many local rulers, officered a company of them in the service of the English army that had occupied Mangalore briefly in 1768. He also writes that during this occupation one Egra Sinay, evidently a Konkana, had been of ‘prodiguous use’ to the occupation force, and was even appointed amildar of the district.[4] Francis Pinto and his men may have possibly been Topasse mercenaries who had served in the Bombay Army and returned after their terms of service were completed.  

In 1842, the region/ caste composition of the Bombay sepoys was as follows: Konkan 12,421, Gujarat 542, Deccan 2,143, Hindustan 16,358, Madras 238, Malabar 447, Christian 328, Jew 327, Muslim 2,937, Hindu 24,617, Low Castes 4,417.[5]

Christians constituted just 1% of its strength; Muslims 9%.

[1] Mascarenhas thesis unpublished, 1931

[2] R. Montgomery Martin.1835. History of the British Colonies. Volume I. Possessions in Asia. James  Cochrane & Co. London: 294-295

[3] Launay, A. 1898. Histoire des Missions de l’Inde, Pondichery, Maissour, Coimbatour, Vol I. Paris: Ancienne Maison Charles Douniol: LIV

[4] T W Venn. n.d. Mangalore: 23

[5] W.H. Sykes. n.d. Vital Statistics of the East India Company’s Armies in India: 2-3