Edward Vibart was born on 15 Nov 1807 at Amberd House, Pitminster, Somerset. He reached the rank of major in the 2nd Bengal Light Cavalry and was in command of the regiment at Cawnpore, at the time of the Mutiny in 1857. At the beginning of June the mutiny broke out and Major Vibart, his wife, Emily, and four of his children took refuge in Wheeler’s entrenchment. The British and their supporters were offered safe passage down the Ganges to Allahabad. He was the last person to leave the defences, and joined his wife and two surviving children in one of the boats. When the boats were attacked on embarkation, Vibart organised the defence of his vessel, which managed to float downstream over two days, under frequent attack. Finally they were forced to surrender. He had been shot in both arms and is thought to have bled to death on 27 June 1857. His family was taken back to Cawnpore. Emily was killed, as was John, aged 8, William, aged 4 and their baby daughter, Emily. Four of their children avoided the carnage at Cawnpore, three daughters; Louisa (1845-1932), Georgina (1844-1926), and Henrietta (1838-1926). Their eldest child, Edward Daniel Hamilton Vibart (1837-1923) also served as an officer in India and wrote The Sepoy Mutiny as Seen by a Subaltern: from Delhi to Lucknow (Smith, Elder & Co 1898). He was 20 years old at the time of the Mutiny.
