Major Alfred Harris was the last commanding officer of the 1st Bengal Light Cavalry. He was murdered by the mutineers at Mhow on 1 July 1857.
Alfred Harris was born in London on 9 Jan 1815. He was a ward of the Earl of Essex. He joined the 3rd BLC as a cornet on 6 Feb 1834, then moved to the 1st BLC on 9 June 1836. He was then posted to the 3rd Local Horse as Acting Adjutant on 6 Oct 1838 until 7 Feb 1839. He returned to the 1st BLC and was Interpreter and Quartermaster until 30 July 1839. He was then appointed as 3rd Assistant to the Resident at Indore, and 2nd Assistant on 6 Dec 1841. All this time he held the rank of cornet, and in 1842 went on active service in the First Afghan War. After the war he returned to staff duties at Indore and on 17 April 1843 he was finally promoted to lieutenant. He stayed with the Resident of Indore until 8 April 1850 when he rejoined the 1st BLC to take part in all the battles of the Second Sikh War of 1848-49. He was then promoted to captain on 1 Jan 1852 and appointed Assistant Commissioner in the Leiah Division from Sep 1853 until 1854. He went on furlough from 1855-56 and was promoted to Major on 1 Jan 1857. He was married to Elizabeth Ann Darling at Mhow on 30 Sep 1840.
