Dictionary of Indian Biography/Cunningham, Joseph Davey
CUNNINGHAM, JOSEPH DAVEY (1812–1851)
Son of Allan Cunningham and brother of Sir Alexander (q.v.) : born June 9, 1812 : educated at private schools and at Addiscombe, where his career was very distinguished : Sir Walter Scott obtained a cadetship for him : he went to Chatham and to India in the Bengal Engineers in 1834 : appointed assistant to Colonel Claud Wade (q.v.), the Agent on the Sikh frontier : fortified Firozpur, 1837 : was for 8 years in political employ : at the interview with Ranjit Singh, in the Khyber, at Ludiana, at Peshawar, with the Amir Dost Muhammad at Jammu, agent at Bahawalpur : Captain, etc. 1845 : in the first Sikh war was at Badiwal, Aliwal, and Sobraon : was Political Agent at Bhopal, 1846 : published the History of the Sikhs. This work, though favourably received in general, gave offence to some of Cunningham's superiors, as he stated that in the Sikh war two of the Sikh generals were bought : this was strenuously denied by high officers : the result to Cunningham was the loss of his political appointment and relegation to ordinary duty, on the ground of having used in his History information confidentially known to him in his official capacity. He died at Umbala, Feb. 28, 1851.