Abstract: Copy of dispatch No. 23 from the East India Company Envoy to Persia [Iran], Lieutenant-Colonel John Macdonald Kinneir, at the Royal Camp near Ahar, to the Chief Secretary to the Supreme Government of India, George Swinton, of 6 October 1826. In the letter Macdonald Kinneir gives an account of the defeat of the Persian army led by Abbas Meerza [Crown Prince of Persia, ʿAbbās Mīrzā Qājār] and the Prime Minister of Persia, the Asuf oo Dowleh, Allah Yar Khan [Āṣaf al-Dawlah, Allāh Yār Khān Qājār Davallū], in battle by a Russian force led by General Madadoff [General Valerian Madatov] on 26 September 1826 [Battle of Ganja], and the subsequent Persian retreat. Macdonald Kinneir reflects on the performance of the Persian leadership and officers, the state of the Persian troops, and the losses sustained by both sides, and reports General Madadoff’s advance subsequent to the battle, including his occupation of Sheesha [Shusha].This document was originally enclosed, numbered 3, in Macdonald Kinneir’s letter to the Secret Committee of the East India Company of 13 October 1826 (IOR/L/PS/9/70/151).Physical description: 1 item (4 folios)
Abstract: Copy of dispatch No. 46 from the East India Company Envoy to Persia [Iran], Lieutenant-Colonel John Macdonald Kinneir, in Tabreez [Tabriz], to the Chief Secretary to the Supreme Government of India, George Swinton, of 9 May 1827. The letter concerns the ongoing war between Russia and Persia [Russo-Persian War, 1826-1828], detailing battles between the two sides including the unsuccessful attempt by General Madatoff [General Valerian Madatov] to cross the Araxes [River Aras] in Carabaugh [Karabakh]. The letter also reports the Russians having appointed the Archbishop of Tiflis [Tbilisi] to officiate as the Primate of the Armenian Church, details of Russian military logistics, and the replacement of General Yermoloff [General Aleksey Petrovich Yermolov] as Governor-General of Georgia by General Peskowitch [General Ivan Fyodorovich Paskevich].This document was originally enclosed in Macdonald Kinneir’s letter to the Secret Committee of the East India Company of 10 May 1827 (IOR/L/PS/9/70/225).Physical description: 1 item (3 folios)
Abstract: Copy of dispatch No. 55 from the East India Company Envoy to Persia [Iran], Lieutenant-Colonel John Macdonald Kinneir, at the Royal Camp at Khoee [Khoy], to the Chief Secretary to the Government of India, George Swinton, of 19 July 1827. The letter concerns military operations in the ongoing war between Russia and Persia in the Caucasus [Russo-Persian War, 1826-1828]. The letter gives details of the evacuation of Russian troops from the Province of Erivan [Yerevan] due to disease and lack of supplies, and the Russian siege of the fortress of Abbas-Abad ['Abbasabad], including a failed attempt by the besieging army to scale the fortress walls. Macdonald Kinneir also gives a detailed account of a battle between Persian forces led by Abbas Meerza [ʿAbbās Mīrzā Qājār, Crown Prince of Persia], Hussan Khan [Ḥasan Qulī Khān Qājār] and the Aussef ed Dowleh [Allāh Yār Khān Qājār Davallū, Āṣaf al-Dawlah, the Grand Vizier of the Shāh of Persia], and Russian troops from the besieging army, led by General Paskevitch [General Ivan Fyodorovich Paskevich-Erivansky, Governor-General of Georgia] on the River Arras [Aras].This document was originally enclosed, numbered 1, in Macdonald Kinneir’s letter to the Secret Committee of the East India Company of 22 July 1827 (IOR/L/PS/9/71/29).Physical description: 1 item (4 folios)
Abstract: Copy of dispatch No. 63 from the East India Company Envoy to Persia [Iran], Lieutenant-Colonel John Macdonald Kinneir, in camp near Tabreez [Tabriz], to the Chief Secretary to the Government of India, George Swinton, of 3 September 1827. Macdonald Kinneir reports the defeat of a Russian corps by a Persian force led by Prince Abbas Meerza [Crown Prince of Persia, ʿAbbās Mīrzā Qājār] in the ‘lower Aberan [Aparan]’. He details the numbers of troops involved and the losses sustained by the Russians in men and supplies. The letter also originally enclosed a letter from Hussan Khan Sirdar [Ḥasan Qulī Khān Qājār] to Macdonald Kinneir (now catalogued as IOR/L/PS/9/71/40).This document was originally enclosed in Macdonald Kinneir’s letter to the Secret Committee of the East India Company of 5 September 1827 (IOR/L/PS/9/71/38).Physical description: 1 item (2 folios)
Abstract: Copy of dispatch No. 64 from the East India Company Envoy to Persia [Iran], Lieutenant-Colonel John Macdonald Kinneir, in camp near Tabreez [Tabriz], to the Chief Secretary to the Government of India, George Swinton, of 5 September 1827. Macdonald Kinneir gives a detailed account of the victory won by Persian troops, led by Prince Abbas Meerza [Crown Prince of Persia, ʿAbbās Mīrzā Qājār], over Russian forces near Eutch Keleesia [an Armenian religious site, possibly at present-day Vagharshapat] during the ongoing war between Russia and Persia [Russo-Persian War, 1826-1828] (see IOR/L/PS/9/71/39). The account gives details of the troops involved, the events of the battle itself and the losses incurred by both sides, and includes a brief annex of the Persian troops present, detailing their numbers and where they were from. Macdonald Kinneir also praises the recent performance of Abbas Meerza’s troops, whom he notes have been trained by British officers, particularly Major Isaac Hart, and indicates that the victory has given confidence to the troops and will help to improve Abbas Meerza’s reputation in Azerbijan [Azerbaijan].The letter includes a list of papers concerning the battle, which were originally enclosed (now catalogued as IOR/L/PS/9/71/42-46).This document was originally enclosed in Macdonald Kinneir’s letter to the Secret Committee of the East India Company of 5 September 1827 (IOR/L/PS/9/71/38).Physical description: 1 item (4 folios)
Abstract: Copy of dispatch No. 66 from the East India Company Envoy to Persia [Iran], Lieutenant-Colonel John Macdonald Kinneir, in camp at Sooraab [Sirab?], to the Chief Secretary to the Government of India, George Swinton, of 22 September 1827. The letter concerns the recent Persian victory over Russia in a battle near Eutchkilisea [an Armenian religious site, possibly at present-day Vagharshapat] during the ongoing war between Russia and Persia [Russo-Persian War, 1826-1828], reporting the capture of Russian prisoners, including a number of officers. Letters concerning the battle were also originally enclosed (now catalogued as IOR/L/PS/9/71/48-49). Macdonald Kinneir gives an account of the fighting, as related by Russian officers, during which the Persian forces were led by Prince Abbas Meerza [Crown Prince of Persia, ʿAbbās Mīrzā Qājār] and the Sirdar of Erivan [Sardar of Iravan or Yerevan, Ḥusayn Qulī Khān Qājār], including the events of the battle, the performance of Abbas Meerza’s troops, and the casualties sustained by the Russians. Macdonald Kinneir also comments on the Persian practice of decapitating prisoners, which Abbas Meerza is attempting to put a stop to, and also gives details about the composition of the Persian artillery which took part in the battle.This document was originally enclosed in Macdonald Kinneir’s letter to the Secret Committee of the East India Company of 22 September 1827 (IOR/L/PS/9/71/50).Physical description: 1 item (4 folios)