General Neill
From The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia
Historical figure.
James George Smith Neill (27 may 1810 - 25 september 1857) was a British military officer of the East India Company, who served during the Indian rebellion of 1857.
In the Sherlock Holmes stories
- General Neill was the British officer leading a relief column moving up-country during the siege of Bhurtee (the fictional garrison where Henry Wood, Colonel James Barclay, Sergeant Devoy, and others were stationed) (CROO 327).
- When the water supply in Bhurtee ran out, the garrison's only hope was to get word to Neill so his forces could rescue them (CROO 327).
- Henry Wood volunteered to slip through enemy lines to deliver the warning — a mission that led to his betrayal by Colonel James Barclay and capture by the rebels (CROO 328).
- The next day, Neill's column did relieve Bhurtee, but by then Henry Wood had already been taken away as a prisoner (CROO 337).
