Born at Halstead, near Sevenoaks, Kent.
Enlisted at London on the 27th of October 1837.
Age: 18.
Height: 5' 8".
Trade: Labourer.
"Deserted" from Dundalk on the 20th of September 1838 and rejoined the regiment on the 28th of October 1838.
Tried by a Regimental Court-martial on the 2nd of November 1838 and sentenced to 10 days' imprisonment, but this sentence was remitted.
From Private to Corporal: 11th of June 1843.
Corporal to Sergeant: 5th of August 1844.
Appointed Troop Sergeant Major on the 28th of June 1849.
Embarked for the Crimea aboard the H.T. "Marrianne" on the 19th of April 1854.
Promoted to Regimental Sergeant Major on the 17th of March 1854.
In a letter written on the 26th of October 1854, Lieutenant Seagar of the regiment said the "Harding was unable to ride in the Charge because of a boil on his leg."
Promoted to Cornet on the 26th of October 1854.
To Lieutenant: 1st of April 1856.
Embarked for India from Cork aboard the S.S. "Great Britain" on the 8th of October 1854.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman and Sebastopol.
Mutiny medal with clasp for Central India.
Served at Kotah and Gwalior.
[PB: is the following a quotation e.g. from Hart's?]
Harding became Adjutant of the regiment on the 26th of October 1854 and acted as such until his death. He served with great courage during the Indian Mutiny and was mentioned in despatches for distinguished conduct before Gwalior on the 19th of October 1858.
Whilst attacking a group of mutineers, single-handedly, he was mortally wounded. After being carried for some distance in a native dooly he finally died at Seronge.
He was held in great respect by the men of the regiment. An account of the action in which he was wounded is given in the book From Midshipman to Field Marshal, by Sir Evelyn Wood. V.C.
"Died of wounds" received in action at Dupnakaire, on the 23rd of November 1858.
In his manuscript account of the Indian Mutiny 1117 James Wightman of the 17th Lancers tells of the events leading up to his death:
"After the melee we reformed with the 8th Hussars on our left at intervals. On the open plain small masses of rebels who had given up all hope of escape kept up a smart fire upon us.
Several of my regiment and the 8th Hussars galloped out to kill them but were ordered back by Captain and Adjutant Harding, 8th Hussars, and in less than a minute he fell mortally wounded by those same rebels."
Extracts from letters written in a diary form by Captain Robert Pore, the originals being in the National Army Museum:
"Tuesday, 23rd November 1858. — Poor Harding, our Adjutant, who had been shot through the arm-pit on the 19th of October at Shower, died.
He had been going on very well until a day or so before I joined the Brigade and either the moving or sloughing about inside made the artery give way and they fancy he bled to death internally as they say what came out externally would not have been sufficient to have caused his death — we are all very sorry — as you would suppose.
Wednesday, 24th November. — Halt day. We buried Harding at 4.30 p.m. under some trees to the left rear of the camp.
Thursday, 25th November. — Halt day. Harding's things were all sold and went wonderfully well, a tumbler that he had going for 25 rupees or £2/10. and that was afterwards as people get warm and everything was sold beyond its value, and will bring in £300 or £400 to his wife. He has no family."