Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Wade, Claude Martine
WADE, Sir CLAUDE MARTINE (1794–1861), colonel, son of Lieutenant-colonel Joseph Wade (d. 1809) of the Bengal army, by his wife Maria, daughter of Lieutenant-colonel Robert Ross, was born on 3 April 1794. He derived his first two names from General Claude Martine, the French solider of fortune, who was a friend of his father. Wade was appointed a cadet in the Bengal service in 1809, and immediately proceeded to India. On arrival he joined the institution at Baraset, near Calcutta, where cadets were instructed in the native languages and in the practical part of their military duties. After the shortest possible period—six months— Wade passed out of Baraset, receiving the sword of honour for proficiency.
After serving with the first battalion 15th regiment of native infantry on 29 July 1812. With this first regiment Wade served in 1813 in a field force on the Gwalior frontier, and was afterwards stationed at the cantonment of Kúnch. Through the unhealthiness of the station he presently found himself in command of his own corps and of a detachment of artillery. He acquitted himself of his charge in a manner which earned the approval of the governor-general and commander-in-chief.
Wade was promoted to lieutenant on 20 Oct. 1815, and was actively engaged during that year in operations caused by aggressive movements of the combined forces of Sindhia and Holkar against the state of Bhopal, which was friendly to the British Government. From 1816 to 1819 he served in the Pindari campaigns, being also employed with the fifth division, under General Sir J. W. Adams, at the siege and capture of the fortified town of Chanda. On the termination of hostilities in 1819 he was stationed at Lucknow.
In 1820–21 Wade officiated as brigade-major to the troops in Oude, and in 1822 he was deputed on political duty to Calcutta, as a bearer of a letter from the king of Oude to the governor-general. On the completion of his duty he was appointed an extra assistant in the office of the surveyor-general of India, and completed the examination, arrangement and analysis of the numerous maps and surveys which had for so many years accumulated there. So satisfied was the governor-general, Lord Hastings, with his performance of this duty that he desired to appoint him to the political department, and recommended him to the notice of his temporary successor, John Adam [q. v.]
By the latter Wade was on 28 Feb. 1823 appointed to the office of political assistant at Ludhiana, where his principal duty was at first the charge of Shah Shuja-ul-Mulk, the exiled ruler of Afghanistan. Shortly after his appointment to Ludhiana, however, negotiations of a very important nature devolved on him, as the alarm and excitement caused in India by the ill success of early operations in Burma endangered our northern frontier. Ranjit Singh, at this period of full vigour and at the height of his power, suspended his operations against the Afghans, and, assembling his whole force about Lahore, was ready to avail himself of any British reverse by joining the insurgent raja of Bhurtpore and other chiefs who were disaffected to the British government. Wade, who was promoted to the rank of captain on 13 May 1825, was in constant communication with the Sikh ruler throughout this critical period, and gradually succeeded in convincing Ranjit Singh of both the power and the sincerity of the British government. In 1826 the termination of the Burmese war and the capture of Bhurtpore conclusively established in the maharaja's mind the conviction of British ascendency; and in the following year Wade conducted a complimentary mission from Ranjit Singh to the governor-general, Lord Amherst, who in return sent presents by Wade's hand to the court of Amritsar. Lord Amherst shortly afterwards (autumn of 1827) entrusted him with the entire charge of our dealings with the maharaja. Wade performed this duty for seventeen years, during which time he was chiefly instrumental in maintaining harmony between the British and the Sikh governments; moresoever, he gained the confidence of Ranjit Singh to such an extent as to be permitted freely to visit the Punjab at a time when it was rigidly closed to British officials. In 1830, on the occasion of the mission of Lieutenant (afterwards Sir Alexander) Burnes [q v.] to Lahore, Wade was instructed to take over the presents which Burnes was conveying to the maharaja on the arrival of Burnes at the frontier; but, seeing the importance of others beside himself obtaining access to the Punjab, Wade generously suggested that Burnes should complete the mission. Wade was instrumental in arranging the historical interview at Rupar in October 1832 between Ranjit Singh and Lord William Cavendish Bentinck, an event of the very highest importance, which afforded convincing proof of Wade's influence over the maharaja. The complete success of Wade's diplomatic dealings with the maharaja was repeatedly acknowledged officially in letters from the various governors-general under whom he served to the court of directors, and in the replies of the latter; but he received no other reward for these services.
At length the determination of the British government to depose Amir Dost Muhammad Khan from the throne of Afghanistan, and to replace him by the exiled shah, Shuja-ul-Mulk, gave Wade the opportunity of his life. The main advance of the invading army on Kabul was to be made through the Bolan Pass, and thence through Southern Afghanistan; but it was decided to make a converging attack through the Punjab and the Khaibar Pass. This subsidiary movement was entrusted to Wade, who was promoted to major on 28 June 1838, and was give the local rank of lieutenant-colonel, 'while serving beyond the Indus,' on 29 Sept. of the same year. Arriving at Peshawar, his base of operations in March 1839, he set to work with the utmost energy at his double task of collecting and organising an army, and of negotiating with various sections of the Afridi inhabitants of the Khaibar region, whom it was desired to propitiate. Wade was assisted by a small but very capable staff of eleven officers, of whom the most distinguished were Lieutenant Frederick Mackeson [q. v.], Dr. Percival Barton Lord [q. v.] and Lieutenant Joseph Davey Cunningham [q. v.] He first attempted to win over the Afridis, but, though partially successful, he eventually found it impossible to satisfy the greed of all parties, and was obliged to essay a passage of the Khaibar Pass by force of arms. His troops were most unpromising as regards discipline, though individually of good fighting material. They consisted of five thousand Punjabi Muhammadans from Ranjit Singh's regular army, of about four thousand untrustworthy Afghan levies, and of 380 of the company's regular troops.
The object of Wade's operations being to aid the advance of the army of the Indus by compelling Dost Muhammad Khan to divide his forces, it was necessary to penetrate the Khaibar Pass as early as possible. In consequence he attacked fort Ali Masjic on 22 July 1839, but little over four months from the day on which the formation of his force was begun. The fall of Ghazni compelled Dost Muhammad Khan to recall his son Muhammad Akbar Khan from Jalalabad, and thus deprive the Afridis of Afghan assistance. Notwithstanding the numerical superiority of the enemy, Wade captured Ali Masjid after four days' fighting; and, distributing his Afghan levies in positions commanding the road to Kabul, he continued his march to the Afghan capital, which he shortly afterwards entered unopposed at the head of the Sikh contingent. For his brilliant services on this occasion Wade was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel , receiving also the honour of knighthood, the companionship of the Bath, and the first class of the Durani order.
It was stated by Lord Auckland in an official despatch that 'it was not upon record that the celebrated Khaibar Pass had ever previously been forced.'
After the fall of Kabul and the flight of Dost Muhammad Khan, Wade returned to resume his political duties in India, and on 31 March 1840 he was appointed resident at Indore. He held this important office until his retirement from the service on 1 May 1844. During his service in Malwa Wade, among other achievements, effected the settlement of the Bhil tribes, who at that period gave much trouble: and it may be remarked that throughout his long political employment he was uniformly successful in dealing by peaceful methods with most turbulent races.
It is worthy of record that, at the time of his leaving India, Wade had served continuous; in that country from 1809, a longer period than any of his contemporaries, with the sole exception of Lord Metcalfe. Wade married, in August 1845, Jane Selina, daughter of Captain Thomas Nicholl of the Bengal horse artillery, an officer who was distinguished by his gallant services in Afghanistan, and who fell in action during the disastrous retreat of General Elphinstone's army from Kabul.
Wade, who had been promoted to the rank of colonel on 28 Nov. 1854, died on 21 Oct. 1861, leaving an only son, Claude FitzRoy Wade, barrister of the Middle Temple and associate of the north-eastern circuit.
[Kaye's History of the War in Afghanistan; Parliamentary Papers and Official Gazettes; manuscript records of Sir Claude Wade.]