James George Smith Neill (27 May 1810 – 25 September 1857)[1] was a British military officer of the East India Company, who served during the Indian rebellion of 1857.

From 1828 to 1852 he was mainly employed in duty with his regiment, the 1st Madras Europeans (of which he wrote a Historical Record), but gained some experience on the general and the personal staffs as D.A.A.G.

He served throughout the war with distinction, became second-in-command to Cheape, and took part in the minor operations which followed, receiving the brevet of lieutenant-colonel.

[4] According to one of his officers, he also allowed troops under his command to summarily execute non-combatants without due process and burn their houses.

In one episode, he compelled randomly rounded up Brahmins from Cawnpore, who had nothing to do with the massacre, to wash up the blood of the Bibighar victims from the floor, an act that presumably degraded them with loss of caste, while they were whipped until they collapsed with cat-o-nine-tails by young ensigns.

[6] Meanwhile, Havelock, in spite of a succession of victories, had been compelled to fall back for lack of men; Neill criticized his superior's action.

A second expedition had the same fate, and Neill himself was now attacked, though by his own exertions and Havelock's victory at Bithor (16 August) the tension on the communications was ended.

Havelock's men returned to Cawnpore, and cholera broke out there, whereupon Neill again committed himself to criticisms, this time addressed to the commander-in-chief and to Outram, who was on the way with reinforcements.

The famous march from Cawnpore to Lucknow began on 18 September; on the 21st there was a sharp fight; on the 22nd incessant rain; on the 23rd intense heat.

[2] His men were entering the city when Neill was suddenly killed in action, shot in the head at Khas Bazaar.

Chisholm Lieut F. Dobbs 352 non-commissioned officers, drummers and rank and file of the First Madras Fusiliers who fell during the suppression of the rebellion in Bengal 1857-58."