diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 04:49:06 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 04:49:06 -0700 |
| commit | 9168a26279e669345c5dd100b14d4aba303842da (patch) | |
| tree | fdec3f555436db1c1131f691b40d28abb38dc994 /16528-8.txt | |
Diffstat (limited to '16528-8.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 16528-8.txt | 33784 |
1 files changed, 33784 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/16528-8.txt b/16528-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3822d9e --- /dev/null +++ b/16528-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,33784 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Forty-one years in India, by Frederick Sleigh Roberts + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Forty-one years in India + From Subaltern To Commander-In-Chief + +Author: Frederick Sleigh Roberts + +Release Date: August 14, 2005 [EBook #16528] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FORTY-ONE YEARS IN INDIA *** + + + + +Produced by Michael Ciesielski, Lesley Halamek and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + Transcriber's Note: "[=x]" represents any + letter "x" with a superior macron. + + +_PUBLISHED JANUARY 4, 1897._ + + * * * * * + +_First Edition (before publication), + two volumes, demy octavo_, 36s. _January_ 2, 1897. + +_Second Edition (before publication), + two volumes, demy octavo_, 36s. _January_ 2, 1897. + +_United States Edition, + two volumes, demy octavo_, 12 _dollars_ _January_ 4, 1897. + +_Indian Edition, + two volumes, demy octavo_, 32 _rupees_ _January_ 4, 1897. + +_Third Edition, + two volumes, demy octavo_, 36s. _January_ 4, 1897. + +_Fourth Edition, + two volumes, demy octavo_, 36s. _January_ 4, 1897. + +_Fifth Edition, + two volumes, demy octavo_, 36s. _January_ 14, 1897. + +_Sixth Edition, + two volumes, demy octavo_, 36s. _January_ 16, 1897. + +_Seventh Edition, + two volumes, demy octavo_, 36s _January_ 21, 1897. + +_Eighth Edition, + two volumes, demy octavo_, 36s. _January_ 27, 1897. + +_Ninth Edition, + two volumes, demy octavo_, 36s. _February_ 3, 1897. + +_Tenth Edition, + two volumes, demy octavo_, 36s. _February_ 8, 1897. + +_Eleventh Edition, + two volumes, demy octavo_, 36s. _February_ 12, 1897. + +_Twelfth Edition, + two volumes, demy octavo_, 36s. _February_ 17, 1897. + +_Thirteenth Edition, + two volumes, demy octavo_, 36s. _February_ 23, 1897. + +_Fourteenth, Edition, + two volumes, demy octavo_, 36s. _February_ 26, 1897. + +_Fifteenth Edition, + two volumes, demy octavo_, 36s. _March_ 8, 1897. + +_Sixteenth Edition, + two volumes, demy octavo_, 36s. _March_ 18, 1897. + +_Seventeenth Edition, + two volumes, demy octavo_, 36s. _April_ 6, 1897. + +_Eighteenth Edition, + two volumes, demy octavo_, 36s. _April_ 28, 1897. + +_Nineteenth Edition, + two volumes, demy octavo_, 36s. _May_ 31, 1897. + +_Twentieth Edition, + two volumes, demy octavo_, 36s. _July_ 7, 1897. + +_Twenty-first Edition, + two volumes, demy octavo_, 36s. _July_ 31, 1897. + +_Twenty-second Edition, + two volumes, demy octavo_, 36s. _August_ 28, 1897. + +_Twenty-third Edition, + two volumes, demy octavo_, 36s. _September_ 21, 1897. + +_Twenty-fourth Edition, + two volumes, demy octavo_, 36s. _October_ 21, 1897. + +_Twenty-fifth Edition, + two volumes, demy octavo_, 36s. _November_ 18, 1897. + +_Twenty-sixth Edition, + two volumes, demy octavo_, 36s. _December_ 14, 1897. + +_Twenty-seventh Edition, + two volumes, demy octavo_, 36s. _January_ 4, 1898. + +_A Braille type edition for the blind_ (_Nearly ready_.) + +_Twenty-eighth edition, + two volumes, demy octavo_, 36s. _May_ 11, 1898. + +_Twenty-ninth Edition, + one volume, small demy octavo_ (_Now ready_.) + + +[Illustration: Frontispiece.] + + * * * * * + + + + +FORTY-ONE YEARS IN INDIA + +FROM + +Subaltern to Commander-in-Chief + +BY + +FIELD-MARSHAL LORD ROBERTS OF KANDAHAR +V.C., K.P., G.C.B., G.C.S.I., G.C.I.E. + + +[Illustration: Seal] + + +_FIRST EDITION IN ONE VOLUME_ + + +WITH FORTY ILLUSTRATIONS + + +LONDON +RICHARD BENTLEY AND SON +Publishers in Ordinary to Her Majesty the Queen +1898 +[_All rights reserved_] + + + + + + +_A NEW EDITION, BEING THE TWENTY-NINTH_ + + + + + + +_TO THE COUNTRY TO WHICH I AM SO PROUD OF BELONGING, + +TO THE ARMY TO WHICH I AM SO DEEPLY INDEBTED, + +AND TO MY WIFE, + +WITHOUT WHOSE LOVING HELP + +MY 'FORTY-ONE YEARS IN INDIA' + +COULD NOT BE THE HAPPY RETROSPECT IT IS, + +I DEDICATE THIS BOOK._ + + * * * * * + + + + + + +PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. + + * * * * * + +I would never have ventured to intrude upon the public with my +personal reminiscences had I not been urged to do so by friends who, +being interested themselves in what I was able to tell them of India +as my father knew it, and as I found it and left it, persuaded me that +my experiences of the many and various aspects under which I have +known the wonderful land of my adoption and its interesting peoples +would be useful to my countrymen. It was thought that I might thus +contribute towards a more intimate knowledge of the glorious heritage +our forefathers have bequeathed to us, than the greater number of them +possess, and towards helping them to understand the characteristics +and requirements of the numerous and widely different races by whom +India is inhabited. + +It is difficult for people who know nothing of Natives to understand +and appreciate the value they set on cherished customs, peculiar +idiosyncrasies, and fixed prejudices, all of which must be carefully +studied by those who are placed in the position of their Rulers, if +the suzerain Power is to keep their respect and gain their gratitude +and affection. + +The Natives of India are particularly observant of character, and +intelligent in gauging the capabilities of those who govern them; and +it is because the English Government is trusted that a mere handful +of Englishmen are able to direct the administration of a country with +nearly three hundred millions of inhabitants, differing in race, +religion, and manners of life. Throughout all the changes which India +has undergone, political and social, during the present century, this +feeling has been maintained, and it will last so long as the services +are filled by honourable men who sympathize with the Natives, respect +their prejudices, and do not interfere unnecessarily with their habits +and customs. + +My father and I spent between us nearly ninety years in India. The +most wonderful of the many changes that took place during that time +may be said to date from the Mutiny. I have endeavoured in the +following pages to explain the causes which, I believe, brought +about that terrible event--an event which for a while produced a +much-to-be-regretted feeling of racial antagonism. Happily, this +feeling did not last long; even when things looked blackest for us, it +was softened by acts of kindness shown to Europeans in distress, and +by the knowledge that, but for the assistance afforded by the Natives +themselves, the restoration of order, and the suppression of a fierce +military insurrection, would have been a far more arduous task. Delhi +could not have been taken without Sikhs and Gurkhas; Lucknow could +not have been defended without the Hindustani soldiers who so nobly +responded to Sir Henry Lawrence's call; and nothing that Sir John +Lawrence might have done could have prevented our losing, for a time, +the whole of the country north of Calcutta, had not the men of the +Punjab and the Derajat[*] remained true to our cause. + +[Note *: Tracts beyond the Indus.] + +It has been suggested that all outward signs of the Mutiny should +be obliterated, that the monument on the Ridge at Delhi should be +levelled, and the picturesque Residency at Lucknow allowed to fall +into decay. This view does not commend itself to me. These relics of +that tremendous struggle are memorials of heroic services performed +by Her Majesty's soldiers, Native as well as British; and by the +civilians who shared the duties and dangers of the army. They are +valuable as reminders that we must never again allow ourselves to be +lulled into fancied security; and above all, they stand as warnings +that we should never do anything that can possibly be interpreted by +the Natives into disregard for their various forms of religion. + +The Mutiny was not an unmitigated evil, for to it we owe the +consolidation of our power in India, as it hastened on the +construction of the roads, railways, and telegraphs, so wisely and +thoughtfully planned by the Marquis of Dalhousie, and which have +done more than anything to increase the prosperity of the people and +preserve order throughout the country. It was the Mutiny which brought +Lord Canning into closer communication with the Princes of India, and +paved the way for Lord Lytton's brilliant conception of the Imperial +Assemblage--a great political success which laid the foundation of +that feeling of confidence which now, happily, exists between the +Ruling Chiefs and the Queen-Empress. And it was the Mutiny which +compelled us to reorganize our Indian Army and make it the admirable +fighting machine it now is. + +In the account I have given of our relations with Afghanistan and +the border tribes, I have endeavoured to bring before my readers +the change of our position in India that has been the inevitable +consequence of the propinquity upon our North-West Frontier of a +first-class European Power. The change has come about so gradually, +and has been so repeatedly pronounced to be chimerical by authorities +in whom the people of Great Britain had every reason to feel +confidence, that until recently it had attracted little public +attention, and even now a great majority of my countrymen may scarcely +have realized the probability of England and Russia ever being near +enough to each other in Asia to come into actual conflict. I impute no +blame to the Russians for their advance towards India. The force of +circumstances--the inevitable result of the contact of civilization +with barbarism--impelled them to cross the Jaxartes and extend their +territories to the Khanates of Turkestan and the banks of the Oxus, +just as the same uncontrollable force carried us across the Sutlej and +extended our territories to the valley of the Indus. The object I have +at heart is to make my fellow-subjects recognize that, under these +altered conditions, Great Britain now occupies in Asia the position of +a Continental Power, and that her interests in that part of the globe +must be protected by Continental means of defence. + +The few who have carefully and steadily watched the course of events, +entertained no doubt from the first as to the soundness of these +views; and their aim has always been, as mine is now, not to sound an +alarm, but to give a warning, and to show the danger of shutting our +eyes to plain facts and their probable consequences. + +Whatever may be the future course of events, I have no fear of the +result if we are only true to ourselves and to India. Thinking Natives +thoroughly understand the situation; they believe that the time must +come when the territories of Great Britain and Russia in their part of +Asia will be separated only by a common boundary line, and they would +consider that we were wanting in the most essential attributes of +Rulers if we did not take all possible precautions, and make every +possible preparation to meet such an eventuality. + +I send out this book in the earnest hope that the friendly +anticipations of those who advised me to write it may not be seriously +disappointed; and that those who care to read a plain, unvarnished +tale of Indian life and adventure, will bear in mind that the writer +is a soldier, not a man of letters, and will therefore forgive all +faults of style or language. + +ROBERTS. + +_30th September_, 1896. + + + + + * * * * * + + +[Illustration: KASHMIR GATE AT DELHI.] + + +CONTENTS. + +CHAPTER I. + +Voyage to India--Life in Calcutta--A destructive + cyclone--Home-sickness + +CHAPTER II. + +Bengal Horse Artillery--Incidents of the journey--New + Friends + +CHAPTER III. + +With my father at Peshawar--Peshawar in 1852--Excitements + of a frontier station--A flogging parade--Mackeson's + assassination--The Jowaki expedition--A strange dream--A + typical frontier fight + +CHAPTER IV. + +A trip to Khagan--The Vale of Kashmir--With the Horse + Artillery--My first visit to Simla--Life at Peshawar--A + staff appointment--The bump of locality + +CHAPTER V. + +Lord Dalhousie's Afghan policy + --Treaty with Dost Mahomed--War with Persia + --The advantage of the Amir's friendship + --John Nicholson + --'A pillar of strength on the frontier' + +CHAPTER VI. + +First tidings of the mutiny + --Prompt action at Peshawar--A bold policy + --The Movable Column--An annoying occurrence + --I leave Peshawar + +CHAPTER VII. + +First symptoms of disaffection + --Outbreak at Berhampur--Mangal Pandy + --Court-Martial at Meerut--Mutiny at Meerut + --The work of destruction--Want of energy + --Hugh Gough's experiences + --Nothing could arrest the mutiny + +CHAPTER VIII. + +General Anson--The news reaches Simla + --Anson loses no time--A long list of troubles + --John Lawrence--The Phulkian family + --Death of General Anson + +CHAPTER IX. + +John Lawrence's wise measures + --Disarmament at Peshawar + --Salutary effect in the valley + +CHAPTER X. + +Neville Chamberlain's presence of mind + --The command of the Column--Robert Montgomery + --Disarmament at Mian Mir + --A Drum-Head Court-Martial--Swift retribution + +CHAPTER XI. + +Ferozepore--Crawford Chamberlain at Multan + --Chamberlain's masterly conduct + --Nicholson succeeds Neville Chamberlain + --Irresolution at Jullundur--General Mehtab Sing + --Nicholson's soldierly instincts + --More disarmaments + +CHAPTER XII. + +George Ricketts at Ludhiana--Pushing on to Delhi + --In the camp before Delhi + +CHAPTER XIII. + +The first victory--Enthusiasm amongst the troops + --Barnard's success at Badli-ki-Serai + --The Flagstaff Tower--Position on the Ridge + --Quintin Battye--The gallant little Gurkhas + --Proposed assault--The besiegers besieged + --Hard fighting--The centenary of Plassy + +CHAPTER XIV. + +A new appointment + +CHAPTER XV. + +Reinforcements begin to arrive + --An assault again proposed--The attack on Alipur + --Death of General Barnard + --General Reed assumes command + --Two V.C.'s--Treachery in camp + --Fighting close up to the city walls + --Sufferings of the sick and wounded + --General Reed's health fails + +CHAPTER XVI. + +Archdale Wilson assumes command + --Enemy baffled in the Sabzi Mandi + --Efforts to exterminate the Feringhis + --A letter from General Havelock + --News of Henry Lawrence's death + --Arrival of the Movable Column + --The 61st Foot at Najafgarh + +CHAPTER XVII. + +Wilson's difficulties--Nicholson's resolve + --Arrangements for the assault + --Construction of breaching batteries + --Nicholson expresses his satisfaction + --Orders for the assault issued + --Composition of the attacking columns + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +Delhi stormed--The scene at the Kashmir Gate + --Bold front by Artillery and Cavalry + --Nicholson wounded--The last I saw of Nicholson + --Wilson wavers--Holding on to the walls of Delhi + +CHAPTER XIX. + +Capture of the Burn bastion + --The 60th Rifles storm the palace + --Hodson captures the King of Delhi + --Nicholson's death--Gallantry of the troops + --Praise from Lord Canning + +CHAPTER XX. + +Necessity for further action--Departure from Delhi + --Action at Bulandshahr--Lieutenant Home's death + --Knights-errant--Fight at Aligarh + --Appeals from Agra--Collapse of the administration + --Taken by surprise--The fight at Agra + --An exciting chase--The Taj Mahal + +CHAPTER XXI. + +Infatuation of the authorities at Agra + --A series of Mishaps + --Result of indecision and incapacity + +CHAPTER XXII. + +Advantage of being a good horseman--News from Lucknow + --Cawnpore--Heart-rending scenes--Start for Lucknow + --An exciting Adventure + --Arrival of Sir Colin Campbell + --Plans for the advance + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +Sir Colin's preparations--The Alambagh + --The Dilkusha and Martinière--Mayne's death + --A tall-talk story--Ammunition required + --A night march--The advance on Lucknow + --Sir Colin wounded--The attack on the Sikandarbagh + --Heroic deeds--The 4th Punjab Infantry + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +Henry Norman--The Shah Najaf--The mess-house + --Planting the flag--A memorable meeting + --The Residency + +CHAPTER XXV. + +Sir Colin's wise decision--Robert Napier + --Impressions on visiting the Residency + --Henry Lawrence--Lawrence as Statesman and Ruler + --Lawrence's friendliness for Natives + --A hazardous duty + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +Death of General Havelock--Appeals from Cawnpore + --General Windham--The passage of the Ganges + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +The fight at Cawnpore--Unexpected visitors + --A long chase--Unjur Tiwari--Bithur + --Windham at Cawnpore + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +The Fight at Khudaganj--A mêlée--Oudh or Rohilkand? + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +Mianganj--Curious effect of a mirage + --The Dilkusha revisited--Passage of the Gumti + --Capture of the Chakar Kothi + --Capture of the iron bridge--Hodson mortally wounded + --Outram's soldierly instinct--A lost opportunity + --Sam Browne--Start for England + --Death of Sir William Peel + +CHAPTER XXX. + +What brought about the Mutiny? + --Religious fears of the people--The land question + --The annexation of Oudh + --Fulfilment of Malcolm's prophecy + --The Delhi royal family--The Nana Sahib + --The Native army--Greased cartridges + --Limited number of British troops + --Objection to foreign service + --Excessive age of the British officers + +CHAPTER XXXI. + +Discontent of the Natives--Successful administrators + --Paternal despotism--Money-lenders and the Press + --Faddists--Cardinal points + + +CHAPTER XXXII. + +Home again--Back in India--Allahabad and Cawnpore + --The Viceroy's camp--State entry into Lucknow + --The Talukdars of Oudh--Loyalty of the Talukdars + --Cawnpore and Fatehgarh--The Agra Durbar + +CHAPTER XXXIII. + +Delhi under a different aspect--Lord Clyde + --Umritsar and Lahore--The Lahore Durbar + --Simla--Life at Simla + + +CHAPTER XXXIV. + +The Staff Corps--With the Viceroy's camp again + --The marble rocks--Lady Canning's death + --Pig-sticking at Jamu--Lord Canning + --Another cold-weather march--Gwalior and Jhansi + --Departmental promotion + +CHAPTER XXXV. + +The Umbeyla expedition--The Akhund of Swat + --The 'Eagle's Nest' and 'Crag piquet' + --The death of Lord Elgin + --Loyalty of our Pathan soldiers + --Bunerwals show signs of submission + --The conical hill--Umbeyla in flames + --Bunerwals agree to our terms--Malka destroyed + +CHAPTER XXXVI. + +A voyage round the Cape--Cholera camps + --The Abyssinian expedition--Landed at Zula + + +CHAPTER XXXVII. + +Sir Robert Napier to command--Defective transport + --King Theodore commits suicide--First A.Q.M.G. + +CHAPTER XXXVIII. + +Afzal Khan ousts Sher Ali + --Sher Ali regains the Amirship + --Foresight of Sir Henry Rawlinson + --The Umballa Durbar + +CHAPTER XXXIX. + +The Lushais--The Lushai expedition + --Defective transport again + --Practice _versus_ theory--A severe march + --Lushais foiled by Gurkhas + --A successful turning movement--Murder of Lord Mayo + +CHAPTER XL. + +Lord Napier's care for the soldier + --Negotiations with Sher Ali renewed + --Sher Ali's demands + +CHAPTER XLI. + +A trip in the Himalayas--The famine in Behar + --The Prince of Wales in India + --Farewell to Lord Napier + +CHAPTER XLII. + +Lord Lytton becomes Viceroy + --Difficulties with Sher Ali + --Imperial assemblage at Delhi + --Reception of the Ruling Chiefs + --Queen proclaimed Empress of India + --Political importance of the assemblage + --Sher Ali proclaims a 'Jahad' + --A journey under difficulties + +CHAPTER XLIII. + +Object of the first Afghan war + --Excitement caused by Russia's advances + +CHAPTER XLIV. + +Effect of the Berlin Treaty at Kabul + --Sher Ali decides against England + --A meeting of portentous moment + --Preparations for war--Letter from Sher Ali + +CHAPTER XLV. + +Shortcomings of my column + --Attitude of the Border tribes + +CHAPTER XLVI. + +The Kuram valley--Conflicting news of the enemy + --An apparently impregnable position + --Spingawi route decided on--Disposition of the force + --A night attack--Advantages of a night attack + --Devotion of my orderlies + --Threatening the enemy's rear--The Peiwar Kotal + +CHAPTER XLVII. + +Alikhel--Treachery of the tribesmen + --Transport difficulties + --Sher Ali looks to Russia for aid + --Khost--An attack on our camp + --An unsuccessful experiment + --An unpleasant incident--Punjab Chiefs' Contingent + +CHAPTER XLVIII. + +Sher Ali's death--Premature negotiations + --The treaty of Gandamak + --Making friends with the tribesmen + --Gloomy forebodings--Good-bye to Cavagnari + +CHAPTER XLIX. + +Massacre of the Embassy--The Kabul Field Force + --Lord Lytton's foresightedness--Start for Kabul + --Letter to the Amir + --Proclamation to the people of Kabul + --Yakub Khan's agents + --Reasons for remaining at Alikhel + +CHAPTER L. + +Hector Macdonald and Sher Mahomed--Yakub Khan + --A Proclamation and an Order + --The _maliks_ of Logar--Attack on the Shutargardan + --Reconnoitring roads leading to Kabul + +CHAPTER LI. + +The Afghan position--The fight at Charasia + --Highlanders, Gurkhas, and Punjabis + --Defeat of the Afghans--Kabul in sight + --Deh-i-Mazang gorge--The enemy give us the slip + +CHAPTER LII. + +Guiding instructions--Visit to the Bala Hissar + --Yakub Khan abdicates--The Proclamation + --Administrative measures + --Explosions in the Bala Hissar + +CHAPTER LIII. + +Afghans afraid to befriend us--Kabul Russianized + --Yakub Khan's abdication accepted + --State treasury taken over + +CHAPTER LIV. + +The amnesty Proclamation + --Strength of the Kabul Field Force + --Yakub Khan despatched to India + +CHAPTER LV. + +Political situation at Kabul + --Serious trouble ahead + --Macpherson attacks the Kohistanis + --Combined movements--The uncertainty of war + --The fight in the Chardeh valley--Forced to retire + --Padre Adams earns the V.C. + --Macpherson's column arrives + --The captured guns recovered--Melancholy reflections + +CHAPTER LVI. + +Attack on the Takht-i-Shah + --City people join the tribesmen + --Increasing numbers of the enemy + --Loss of the conical hill + --Captain Vousden's gallantry + --The retirement to Sherpur + +CHAPTER LVII. + +Sherpur--Defence of Sherpur--Arrest of Daud Shah + --Rumours of an assault--Attack and counter-attack + --Communication with India re-opened + --Sherpur made safe + +CHAPTER LVIII. + +Two important questions--A Ruler required + --News of Abdur Rahman Khan + --Abdur Rahman in Afghan-Turkestan + --Overtures made to Abdur Rahman + +CHAPTER LIX. + +Jenkins attacked near Charasia + --Sir Donald Stewart reaches Kabul + --Difficulties with Abdur Rahman + --Abdur Rahman proclaimed Amir + +CHAPTER LX. + +Affairs at Kandahar--The Maiwand disaster + --Relief from Kabul suggested + --A force ordered from Kabul + --Preparations for the march + --The Kabul-Kandahar Field Force + --Commissariat and Transport + +CHAPTER LXI. + +The order of marching--Ghazni and Kelat-i-Ghilzai + --Food required daily for the force + --A letter from General Phayre--Kandahar + --Reconnoitring the enemy's position + --A turning movement + +CHAPTER LXII. + +Commencement of the fight + --72nd Highlanders and 2nd Sikhs + --92nd Highlanders and 2nd Gurkhas + --Ayub Khan's camp--Difficulties about supplies + --Parting with the troops--A pleasing memory + +CHAPTER LXIII. + +Reception in England--A fruitless journey + --Andaman Isles and Burma--The Madras Army + --Measures for improving the Madras Army + --Memories of Madras--An allegory + +CHAPTER LXIV. + +Disturbing action of Russia--Abdur Rahman Khan + --The Rawal Pindi Durbar + --Unmistakable loyalty of the Natives + +CHAPTER LXV. + +The Burma expedition--The Camp of Exercise at Delhi + --Defence of the North-West Frontier + --Quetta and Peshawar + --Communications _versus_ fortifications + --Sir George Chesney + +CHAPTER LXVI. + +Nursing for the soldier + --Pacification of Burma considered + --Measures recommended + --The Buddhist priesthood + --The Regimental Institute + --The Army Temperance Association + +CHAPTER LXVII. + +Defence and Mobilization Committees + --The Transport Department + --Utilization of Native States' armies + --Marquis of Lansdowne becomes Viceroy + --Rajputana and Kashmir + --Musketry instruction + --Artillery and Cavalry training + +CHAPTER LXVIII. + +Extension of command + --Efficiency of the Native Army + --Concessions to the Native Army + --Officering of the Native Army + --The Hunza-Naga campaign + --Visit to Nepal--A Nepalese entertainment + --Proposed mission to the Amir + --A last tour--Farewell entertainments + --Last days in India + +APPENDIX + +INDEX + +[Illustration: PEIWAR KOTAL.] + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + +I. PORTRAIT OF FIELD-MARSHAL LORD ROBERTS. + (_From a Photograph by Bourne and Shepherd, + Simla, engraved upon wood by W. Cheshire_) _Frontispiece_ + +II. THE KASHMIR GATE AT DELHI _Over List of Contents_ + +III. THE PEIWAR KOTAL _Over List of Illustrations_ + +IV. PORTRAIT OF GENERAL SIR ABRAHAM ROBERTS, G.C.B. + (_From a Photograph, + engraved upon wood by W. Cheshire_) + +V. PORTRAIT OF BRIGADIER-GENERAL JOHN NICHOLSON, C.B. + (_From a Painting by J.R. Dicksee + in possession of the Rev. Canon Seymour, + engraved upon wood by George Pearson_) + +VI. PORTRAIT OF MAJOR-GENERAL SIR HARRY TOMBS, V.C., G.C.B. + (_From a Photograph by Messrs. Grillet and Co., + engraved upon wood by Swain_) + +VII. PORTRAIT OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR JAMES HILLS-JOHNES, + V.C., G.C.B. + (_From a Photograph by Messrs. Bourne and Shepherd, + engraved upon wood by George Pearson_) + +VIII. PORTRAIT OF FIELD-MARSHAL SIR DONALD MARTIN STEWART, + BART., G.C.B., G.C.S.I., C.I.E. + (_From a Photograph by Messrs. Elliott and Fry, + engraved upon wood by George Pearson_) + +IX. PLAN OF THE ENGAGEMENT AT NAJAFGARH. + (_From a Plan made by Lieutenant Geneste, by permission of + Messrs. Wm. Blackwood and Sons_) + +X. PLAN TO ILLUSTRATE THE SIEGE AND ATTACK OF DELHI, + IN 1857 + +XI. PORTRAITS OF GENERAL SIR COLIN CAMPBELL (LORD CLYDE) + AND MAJOR-GENERAL SIR WILLIAM MANSFIELD (LORD + SANDHURST). + (_From a Photograph taken in India, + engraved upon wood by George Pearson_) + +XII. PORTRAIT OF MAJOR-GENERAL SIR JAMES OUTRAM, G.C.B. + (_From a Painting by Thomas Brigstocke, R.A., + engraved upon wood by George Pearson_) + +XIII. PORTRAIT OF BRIGADIER-GENERAL SIR HENRY LAWRENCE, + K.C.B. (_From a Photograph taken at Lucknow, + engraved upon wood by Swain_) + +XIV. PLAN TO ILLUSTRATE THE RELIEF OF LUCKNOW, + IN 1857 + +XV. PLAN OF CAWNPORE + +XVI. PLAN OF THE ENGAGEMENT AT KHUDAGANJ + +XVII. PORTRAIT OF GENERAL SIR SAMUEL BROWNE, V.C., G.C.B., + K.C.S.I. + (_From a Photograph by Messrs. Elliott and Fry, + engraved upon wood by George Pearson_) + +XVIII. PLAN TO ILLUSTRATE THE SIEGE AND CAPTURE OF LUCKNOW, + IN 1858 + +XIX. PORTRAIT OF LADY ROBERTS (WIFE OF SIR ABRAHAM + ROBERTS). + (_From a Sketch by Carpenter, + engraved upon wood by W. Cheshire_) + +XX. PORTRAIT OF HIS EXCELLENCY EARL CANNING, K.G., G.C.B., + G.M.S.I., VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA. + (_From a Photograph by Messrs. Mayall, + engraved upon wood by Swain_) + +XXI. THE STORMING OF THE CONICAL HILL AT UMBEYLA BY THE + 101ST FOOT (BENGAL FUSILIERS). + (_From a Sketch by General Sir John Adye, G.C.B., R.A., + engraved upon wood by W. Cheshire_) + +XXII. PORTRAIT OF FIELD-MARSHAL LORD NAPIER OF MAGDALA, + G.C.B., G.C.S.I. + (_From a Photograph by Messrs. Maull and Fox, + engraved upon wood by W. Cheshire_) + +XXIII. PORTRAIT OF HIS EXCELLENCY THE EARL OF LYTTON, + G.C.B., G.M.S.I., G.M.I.E., VICEROY OF INDIA. + (_From a Photograph by Messrs. Maull and Fox, + engraved upon wood by George Pearson_) + +XXIV. THE ATTACK ON THE PEIWAR KOTAL. + (_From a Painting by Vereker Hamilton, + engraved upon wood by George Pearson_) + +XXV. GENERAL ROBERTS'S GURKHA ORDERLIES. + (_From a Water-colour Sketch + by Colonel Woodthorpe, C.B., R.E., + engraved upon wood by W. Cheshire_) + +XXVI. GENERAL ROBERTS'S SIKH ORDERLIES. + (_From a Water-colour Sketch + by Colonel Woodthorpe, C.B., R.E., + engraved upon wood by W. Cheshire_) + +XXVII. ONE OF GENERAL ROBERTS'S PATHAN ORDERLIES. + (_From a Water-colour Sketch + by Colonel Woodthorpe, C.B., R.E., + engraved upon wood by W. Cheshire_) + +XXVIII. ONE OF GENERAL ROBERTS'S PATHAN ORDERLIES. + (_From a Water-colour Sketch + by Colonel Woodthorpe, C.B., R.E., + engraved upon wood by W. Cheshire_) + +XXIX. THE ENTRANCE TO THE BALA HISSAR--THE LAHORE GATE + AT KABUL. + (_From a Photograph, + engraved upon wood by W. Cheshire_) + +XXX. SKETCH SHOWING THE OPERATIONS IN THE CHARDEH + VALLEY ON DECEMBER 10TH AND 11TH, 1879 + +XXXI. PLAN TO ILLUSTRATE THE DEFENCES OF SHERPUR AND + THE OPERATIONS ROUND KABUL IN DECEMBER, 1879 + + +XXXII. CROSSING THE ZAMBURAK KOTAL. + (_From a Painting by the Chevalier Desanges, + engraved upon wood by W. Cheshire_) + +XXXIII. PLAN OF THE ROUTE TAKEN FROM KABUL TO KANDAHAR + + +XXXIV. SKETCH OF THE BATTLE-FIELD OF KANDAHAR + +XXXV. PORTRAITS OF THE THREE COMMANDERS-IN-CHIEF IN INDIA + (SIR DONALD STEWART, SIR FREDERICK ROBERTS, AND + SIR ARTHUR HARDINGE). + (_From a Photograph, + engraved upon wood by Swain_) + +XXXVI. PORTRAIT OF HIS EXCELLENCY THE MARQUIS OF + DUFFERIN AND AVA, K.P., G.C.B., G.C.M.G., G.M.S.I., + G.M.I.E., F.R.S., VICEROY OF INDIA. + (_From an engraving by the Fine Art Society of a portrait + by the late Frank Holl, R.A., re-engraved + upon wood by George Pearson_) + +XXXVII. PORTRAIT OF HIS HIGHNESS ABDUR RAHMAN, AMIR OF + AFGHANISTAN. + (_From a Photograph, + engraved upon wood by Swain_) + +XXXVIII. MAP OF CENTRAL ASIA + +XXXIX. PORTRAIT OF LADY ROBERTS OF KANDAHAR. + (_From a Photograph by Messrs. Johnson and Hoffmann, + engraved upon wood by George Pearson_) + +XL. PORTRAIT OF HIS EXCELLENCY THE MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNE, + K.G., G.C.M.G., G.M.S.I., G.M.I.E., VICEROY + OF INDIA. + (_From a Photograph by Messrs. Cowell, Simla, + engraved upon wood by Swain_) + +XLI. PORTRAIT OF FIELD-MARSHAL LORD ROBERTS ON HIS + ARAB CHARGER 'VONOLEL.' + (_From an Oil-painting by Charles Furse, + made from an Instantaneous Photograph, and + engraved upon wood by E. Whymper_) + + * * * * * + + + + + +FORTY-ONE YEARS IN INDIA. + + + + +CHAPTER I. +1852 + + Voyage to India--Life in Calcutta--A destructive cyclone + --Home-sickness + + +Forty years ago the departure of a cadet for India was a much more +serious affair than it is at present. Under the regulations then in +force, leave, except on medical certificate, could only be obtained +once during the whole of an officer's service, and ten years had to be +spent in India before that leave could be taken. Small wonder, then, +that I felt as if I were bidding England farewell for ever when, on +the 20th February, 1852, I set sail from Southampton with Calcutta for +my destination. Steamers in those days ran to and from India but once +a month, and the fleet employed was only capable of transporting some +2,400 passengers in the course of a year. This does not include the +Cape route; but even taking that into consideration, I should doubt +whether there were then as many travellers to India in a year as there +are now in a fortnight at the busy season. + +My ship was the Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer _Ripon_, +commanded by Captain Moresby, an ex-officer of the Indian Navy, in +which he had earned distinction by his survey of the Red Sea. A few +Addiscombe friends were on board, leaving England under the same +depressing circumstances as myself, and what with wind and weather, +and the thought that at the best we were bidding farewell to home and +relations for ten long years, we were anything but a cheerful party +for the first few days of the voyage. Youth and high spirits had, +however, re-asserted themselves long before Alexandria, which place +we reached without incident beyond the customary halts for coaling at +Gibraltar and Malta. At Alexandria we bade adieu to Captain Moresby, +who had been most kind and attentive, and whose graphic accounts +of the difficulties he had had to overcome whilst mastering the +navigation of the Red Sea served to while away many a tedious hour. + +On landing at Alexandria, we were hurried on board a large mast-less +canal boat, shaped like a Nile dahabeah. In this we were towed up the +Mahmoudieh canal for ten hours, until we arrived at Atfieh, on the +Nile; thence we proceeded by steamer, reaching Cairo in about sixteen +hours. Here we put up at Shepherd's Hotel for a couple of days, which +were most enjoyable, especially to those of the party who, like +myself, saw an eastern city and its picturesque and curious bazaars +for the first time. From Cairo the route lay across the desert for +ninety miles, the road being merely a cutting in the sand, quite +undistinguishable at night. The journey was performed in a conveyance +closely resembling a bathing-machine, which accommodated six people, +and was drawn by four mules. My five fellow-travellers were all +cadets, only one of whom (Colonel John Stewart, of Ardvorlich, +Perthshire) is now alive. The transit took some eighteen hours, with +an occasional halt for refreshments. Our baggage was carried on +camels, as were the mails, cargo, and even the coal for the Red Sea +steamers. + +On arrival at Suez we found awaiting us the _Oriental_, commanded by +Captain Powell. A number of people met us there who had left England +a month before we did; but their steamer having broken down, they had +now to be accommodated on board ours. We were thus very inconveniently +crowded until we arrived at Aden, where several of the passengers left +us for Bombay. We were not, however, much inclined to complain, as +some of our new associates proved themselves decided acquisitions. +Amongst them was Mr. (afterwards Sir Barnes) Peacock, an immense +favourite with all on board, and more particularly with us lads. He +was full of fun, and although then forty-seven years old, and on his +way to Calcutta to join the Governor-General's Council, he took part +in our amusements as if he were of the same age as ourselves. His +career in India was brilliant, and on the expiration of his term of +office as member of Council he was made Chief Justice of Bengal. +Another of the passengers was Colonel (afterwards Sir John Bloomfield) +Gough, who died not long ago in Ireland, and was then on his way to +take up his appointment as Quartermaster-General of Queen's troops. He +had served in the 3rd Light Dragoons and on the staff of his cousin, +Lord Gough, during the Sutlej and Punjab campaigns, and was naturally +an object of the deepest veneration to all the youngsters on board. + +At Madras we stopped to land passengers, and I took this opportunity +of going on shore to see some old Addiscombe friends, most of whom +were greatly excited at the prospect of a war in Burma. The transports +were then actually lying in the Madras roads, and a few days later +this portion of the expedition started for Rangoon. + +At last, on the 1st April, we reached Calcutta, and I had to say +good-bye to the friends I had made during the six weeks' voyage, most +of whom I was never to meet again. + +On landing, I received a letter from my father, who commanded the +Lahore division, informing me that the proprietor of Spence's Hotel +had been instructed to receive me, and that I had better put up there +until I reported myself at the Head-Quarters of the Bengal Artillery +at Dum-Dum. This was chilling news, for I was the only one of our +party who had to go to a hotel on landing. The Infantry cadets had +either been taken charge of by the Town Major, who provided them with +quarters in Fort William, or had gone to stay with friends, and the +only other Artilleryman (Stewart) went direct to Dum-Dum, where he +had a brother, also a gunner, who, poor follow, was murdered with his +young wife five years later by the mutineers at Gwalior. I was still +more depressed later on by finding myself at dinner _tête-à-tête_ +with a first-class specimen of the results of an Indian climate. +He belonged to my own regiment, and was going home on medical +certificate, but did not look as if he could ever reach England. He +gave me the not too pleasing news that by staying in that dreary +hotel, instead of proceeding direct to Dum-Dum, I had lost a day's +service and pay, so I took care to join early the following morning. + +A few years before, Dum-Dum had been a large military station, but +the annexation of the Punjab, and the necessity for maintaining +a considerable force in northern India, had greatly reduced the +garrison. Even the small force that remained had embarked for Burma +before my arrival, so that, instead of a large, cheery mess party, to +which I had been looking forward, I sat down to dinner with only one +other subaltern. + +No time was lost in appointing me to a Native Field Battery, and I +was put through the usual laboratory course as a commencement to my +duties. The life was dull in the extreme, the only variety being an +occasional week in Fort William, where my sole duty was to superintend +the firing of salutes. Nor was there much in my surroundings to +compensate for the prosaic nature of my work. Fort William was not +then what it has since become--one of the healthiest stations +in India. Quite the contrary. The men were crowded into small +badly-ventilated buildings, and the sanitary arrangements were as +deplorable as the state of the water supply. The only efficient +scavengers were the huge birds of prey called adjutants, and so +great was the dependence placed upon the exertions of these unclean +creatures, that the young cadets were warned that any injury done to +them would be treated as gross misconduct. The inevitable result of +this state of affairs was endemic sickness, and a death-rate of over +ten per cent. per annum.[1] + +Calcutta outside the Fort was but a dreary place to fall back upon. It +was wretchedly lighted by smoky oil-lamps set at very rare intervals. +The slow and cumbrous palankin was the ordinary means of conveyance, +and, as far as I was concerned, the vaunted hospitality of the +Anglo-Indian was conspicuous by its absence. + +I must confess I was disappointed at being left so completely to +myself, especially by the senior military officers, many of whom were +personally known to my father, who had, I was aware, written to some +of them on my behalf. Under these circumstances, I think it is hardly +to be wondered at that I became terribly home-sick, and convinced +that I could never be happy in India. Worst of all, the prospects of +promotion seemed absolutely hopeless; I was a supernumerary Second +Lieutenant, and nearly every officer in the list of the Bengal +Artillery had served over fifteen years as a subaltern. This +stagnation extended to every branch of the Indian Army. + +There were singularly few incidents to enliven this unpromising stage +of my career. I do, however, remember one rather notable experience +which came to me at that time, in the form of a bad cyclone. I was +dining out on the night in question. Gradually the wind grew higher +and higher, and it became evident that we were in for a storm of no +ordinary kind. Consequently, I left my friend's house early. A Native +servant, carrying a lantern, accompanied me to light me on my way. At +an angle of the road a sudden gust of wind extinguished the light. The +servant, who, like most Natives, was quite at home in the dark, walked +on, believing that I was following in his wake. I shouted to him as +loudly as I could, but the uproar was so terrific that he could not +hear a word, and there was nothing for it but to try and make my own +way home. The darkness was profound. As I was walking carefully along, +I suddenly came in contact with an object, which a timely flash of +lightning showed me was a column, standing in exactly the opposite +direction from my own house. I could now locate myself correctly, and +the lightning becoming every moment more vivid, I was enabled to grope +my way by slow degrees to the mess, where I expected to find someone +to show me my way home, but the servants, who knew from experience the +probable effects of a cyclone, had already closed the outside Venetian +shutters and barred all the doors. I could just see them through the +cracks engaged in making everything fast. In vain I banged at the door +and called at the top of my voice--they heard nothing. Reluctantly I +became convinced that there was no alternative but to leave my shelter +and face the rapidly increasing storm once more. My bungalow was not +more than half a mile away, but it took me an age to accomplish this +short distance, as I was only able to move a few steps at a time +whenever the lightning showed me the way. It was necessary to be +careful, as the road was raised, with a deep ditch on either side; +several trees had already been blown down, and lay across it, and huge +branches were being driven through the air like thistle-down. I found +extreme difficulty in keeping my feet, especially at the cross-roads, +where I was more than once all but blown over. At last I reached my +house, but even then my struggles were not quite at an end. It was a +very long time before I could gain admittance. The servant who had +been carrying the lantern had arrived, and, missing me, imagined that +I must have returned to the house at which I had dined. The men with +whom I chummed, thinking it unlikely that I should make a second +attempt to return home, had carefully fastened all the doors, +momentarily expecting the roof of the house to be blown off. I had to +continue hammering and shouting for a long time before they heard and +admitted me, thankful to be comparatively safe inside a house. + +By morning the worst of the storm was over, but not before great +damage had been done. The Native bazaar was completely wrecked, +looking as if it had suffered a furious bombardment, and great havoc +had been made amongst the European houses, not a single verandah or +outside shutter being left in the station. As I walked to the mess, I +found the road almost impassable from fallen trees; and dead birds, +chiefly crows and kites, were so numerous that they had to be carried +off in cartloads. How I had made my way to my bungalow without +accident the night before was difficult to imagine. Even the column +against which I had stumbled was levelled by the fury of the blast. +This column had been raised a few years before to the memory of +the officers and men of the 1st Troop, 1st Brigade, Bengal Horse +Artillery, who were killed in the disastrous retreat from Kabul in +1841. It was afterwards rebuilt. + +Dum-Dum in ruins was even more dreary than before the cyclone, and I +felt as if I could not possibly continue to live there much longer. +Accordingly I wrote to my father, begging him to try and get me sent +to Burma; but he replied that he hoped soon to get command of the +Peshawar division, and that he would then like me to join him. Thus, +though my desire to quit Dum-Dum was not to be immediately gratified, +I was buoyed up by the hope that a definite limit had now been placed +to my service in that, to me, uninteresting part of India, and my +restlessness and discontent disappeared as if by magic. + +In time of peace, as in war, or during a cholera epidemic, a soldier's +moral condition is infinitely more important than his physical +surroundings, and it is in this respect, I think, that the subaltern +of the present day has an advantage over the youngster of forty years +ago. The life of a young officer during his first few months of exile, +before he has fallen into the ways of his new life and made friends +for himself, can never be very happy; but in these days he is +encouraged by the feeling that, however distasteful, it need not +necessarily last very long; and he can look forward to a rapid and +easy return to England and friends at no very distant period. At the +time I am writing of he could not but feel completely cut off from all +that had hitherto formed his chief interests in life--his family +and his friends--for ten years is an eternity to the young, and the +feeling of loneliness and home-sickness was apt to become almost +insupportable. + +The climate added its depressing influence; there was no going to the +hills then, and as the weary months dragged on, the young stranger +became more and more dispirited and hopeless. Such was my case. I had +only been four months in India, but it seemed like four years. My joy, +therefore, was unbounded when at last my marching orders arrived. +Indeed, the idea that I was about to proceed to that grand field of +soldierly activity, the North-West Frontier, and there join my father, +almost reconciled me to the disappointment of losing my chance of +field service in Burma. My arrangements were soon made, and early in +August I bade a glad good-bye to Dum-Dum. + + +[Footnote 1: In the fifty-seven years preceding the Mutiny the annual +rate of mortality amongst the European troops in India was sixty-nine +per thousand, and in some stations it was even more appalling. The +Royal Commission appointed in 1864 to inquire into the sanitary +condition of the army in India expressed the hope that, by taking +proper precautions, the mortality might be reduced to the rate of +twenty per thousand per annum. I am glad to say that this hope has +been more than realized, the annual death-rate since 1882 having never +risen to seventeen per thousand.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER II. +1852 + +Bengal Horse Artillery--Incidents of the journey--New Friends + + +When I went to India the mode of travelling was almost as primitive +as it had been a hundred, and probably five hundred, years before. +Private individuals for the most part used palankins, while officers, +regiments, and drafts were usually sent up country by the river route +as far as Cawnpore. It was necessarily a slow mode of progression--how +slow may be imagined from the fact that it took me nearly three months +to get from Dum-Dum to Peshawar, a distance now traversed with the +greatest ease and comfort in as many days. As far as Benares I +travelled in a barge towed by a steamer--a performance which took the +best part of a month to accomplish. From Benares to Allahabad it was a +pleasant change to get upon wheels, a horse-dâk having been recently +established between these two places. At Allahabad I was most kindly +received by Mr. Lowther, the Commissioner, an old friend of my +father's, in whose house I experienced for the first time that profuse +hospitality for which Anglo-Indians are proverbial. I was much +surprised and amused by the circumstance of my host smoking a _hookah_ +even at meals, for he was one of the few Englishmen who still indulged +in that luxury, as it was then considered. The sole duty of one +servant, called the _hookah-bardar_, was to prepare the pipe for his +master, and to have it ready at all times. + +My next resting-place was Cawnpore, my birthplace, where I remained +a few days. The Cawnpore division was at that time commanded by an +officer of the name of Palmer, who had only recently attained the +rank of Brigadier-General, though he could not have been less than +sixty-eight years of age, being of the same standing as my father. + +From Cawnpore I went to Meerut, and there came across, for the first +time, the far-famed Bengal Horse Artillery, and made the acquaintance +of a set of officers who more than realized my expectations regarding +the wearers of the much-coveted jacket, association with whom created +in me a fixed resolve to leave no stone unturned in the endeavour to +become a horse gunner. Like the Cavalry and Infantry of the East India +Company's service, the Artillery suffered somewhat from the employment +of many of its best officers on the staff and in civil appointments; +the officers selected were not seconded or replaced in their +regiments. This was the case in a less degree, no doubt, in the Horse +Artillery than in the other branches, for its _esprit_ was great, and +officers were proud to belong to this _corps d'élite_. It certainly +was a splendid service; the men were the pick of those recruited by +the East India Company, they were of magnificent physique, and their +uniform was singularly handsome. The jacket was much the same as that +now worn by the Royal Horse Artillery, but instead of the busby they +had a brass helmet covered in front with leopard skin, surmounted by +a long red plume which drooped over the back like that of a French +Cuirassier. This, with white buckskin breeches and long boots, +completed a uniform which was one of the most picturesque and +effective I have ever seen on a parade-ground. + +The metalled highway ended at Meerut, and I had to perform the +remainder of my journey to Peshawar, a distance of 600 miles, in a +palankin, or doolie. + +This manner of travelling was tedious in the extreme. Starting after +dinner, the victim was carried throughout the night by eight men, +divided into reliefs of four. The whole of the eight were changed at +stages averaging from ten to twelve miles apart. The baggage was +also conveyed by coolies, who kept up an incessant chatter, and the +procession was lighted on its way by a torch-bearer, whose torch +consisted of bits of rag tied round the end of a stick, upon which +he continually poured the most malodorous of oils. If the +palankin-bearers were very good, they shuffled along at the rate of +about three miles an hour, and if there were no delays, forty or +forty-five miles could be accomplished before it became necessary to +seek shelter from the sun in one of the dâk-bungalows, or rest-houses, +erected by Government at convenient intervals along all the principal +routes. In these bungalows a bath could be obtained, and sorely it was +needed after a journey of thirteen or fourteen hours at a level of +only a few inches above an exceedingly dusty road. As to food, the +_khansamah_, like 'mine host' in the old country, declared himself +at the outset prepared to provide everything the heart of man could +desire; when, however, the traveller was safely cornered for the rest +of the day, the _menu_ invariably dwindled down to the elementary +and universal 'sudden death,' which meant a wretchedly thin chicken, +caught, decapitated, grilled, and served up within twenty minutes of +the meal being ordered. At dinner a variety was made by the chicken +being curried, accompanied by an unlimited supply of rice and chutney. + +I was glad to be able to break the monotony of this long journey by +a visit to a half-sister of mine, who was then living at the +hill-station of Mussoorie. The change to the delightful freshness of a +Himalayan climate after the Turkish-bath-like atmosphere of the plains +in September was most grateful, and I thoroughly enjoyed the few days +I spent in the midst of the lovely mountain scenery. + +My next station was Umballa. There I fell in with two other troops of +Horse Artillery, and became more than ever enamoured with the idea of +belonging to so splendid a service. From Umballa it was a two nights' +journey to Ludhiana, where I rested for the day, and there met a +cousin in the Survey Department, who had been suddenly ordered to +Lahore, so we agreed to travel together. + +The next halting-place was Jullundur. To make a change, we hired a +buggy at this place, in which to drive the first stage, sending our +palankins on ahead; when we overtook them, we found, to our surprise, +that their number had increased to six. We were preparing for a start, +when it struck us that we ought to make some inquiries about the +additional four, which, from the luggage lying about, we assumed to +be occupied, but which appeared to be stranded for want of bearers to +carry them on. The doors were carefully closed, and it was some time +before we could get an answer to our offers of assistance. Eventually +a lady looked out, and told us that she and a friend, each accompanied +by two children and an _ayah_,[1] were on their way to Lahore; that +the bearers who had brought them so far had run away, and that they +were absolutely in despair as to how they were to proceed. It turned +out that the bearers, who had been engaged to carry the ladies on +the second stage towards Lahore, found it more amusing to attend the +ceremony of the installation of the Raja of Kaparthala, then going on, +than to fulfil their engagement. After discussing the situation, the +ladies were persuaded to get out of their palankins and into our +buggy. We divided the baggage and six doolies between our sixteen +bearers, and started off, my cousin, the _ayahs_, and I on foot. It +was then 10 p.m. We hoped relays of bearers for the whole party +would be forthcoming at the next stage, but we were doomed to +disappointment. Our reliefs were present, but none for the ladies. +We succeeded, however, in inducing our original bearers to come on a +further stage, thus arranging for the carriage of the _ayahs_, while +we two men trudged on beside the buggy for another ten or twelve +miles. It was a heavy, sandy road, and three stages were about as much +as the horse could manage. + +Soon after daybreak next morning we reached the Bias river. Crossing +by a bridge of boats, we found on the other side a small one-roomed +house with a verandah running round it, built for the use of the +European overseer in charge of the road. On matters being explained, +this man agreed to turn out. The ladies and children were put inside, +and my cousin and I spent the day in the verandah; in the evening, +with the assistance of the overseer, we were able to get a sufficient +number of bearers to carry us all on to Mian Mir without further +adventure. In the course of conversation we found that one of the +ladies was the wife of Lieutenant Donald Stewart,[2] of the 9th Bengal +Infantry, and that she and her friend were returning to join their +respective husbands after spending the summer months at Simla. This +meeting was the beginning of a close friendship with Sir Donald and +Lady Stewart, which has lasted to the present day. + +At Mian Mir (the military cantonment of Lahore) I stayed a few days +with another half-sister, and from there, as the weather was beginning +to get cooler, I travelled day and night. One evening about eight +o'clock I was disappointed at not having come across the usual +rest-house; lights could be seen, however, at no great distance, and +I proceeded towards them; they turned out to be the camp fires of a +Cavalry regiment which was halting there for the night. Being half +famished, and fearing that my craving for food was not likely to be +gratified unless someone in the camp would take pity upon my forlorn +condition, I boldly presented myself at the first tent I came across. +The occupant came out, and, on hearing the strait I was in, he with +kindly courtesy invited me to enter the tent, saying, 'You are just +in time to share our dinner.' My host turned out to be Major Crawford +Chamberlain,[3] commanding the 1st Irregular Cavalry, the famous +Skinner's Horse, then on its way to Peshawar. A lady was sitting at +the table--Mrs. Chamberlain--to whom I was introduced; I spent a very +pleasant evening, and in this way commenced another equally agreeable +and lasting friendship. + + +[Footnote 1: A Native woman-servant.] + +[Footnote 2: Now Field Marshal Sir Donald Stewart, Bart., G.C.B., +G.C.S.I.] + +[Footnote 3: Now General Crawford Chamberlain, C.S.I., a brother of +General Sir Neville Chamberlain.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER III. +1852-1853 + + With my father at Peshawar--Peshawar in 1852--Excitements of a + frontier station--A flogging parade--Mackeson's assassination + --The Jowaki expedition--A strange dream--A typical frontier fight + + +Even the longest journey must come to an end at last, and early +in November I reached Peshawar. My father, who was then in his +sixty-ninth year, had just been appointed to command the division +with the temporary rank of Major-General. Old as this may appear at +a period when Colonels are superannuated at fifty-seven, and +Major-Generals must retire at sixty-two, my father did not consider +himself particularly unlucky. As for the authorities, they evidently +thought they were to be congratulated on having so young and active an +officer to place in a position of responsibility upon the North-West +Frontier, for amongst my father's papers I found letters from +the Adjutant-General and Quartermaster-General expressing high +satisfaction at his appointment to this difficult command. + +It was a great advantage as well as a great pleasure to me to be with +my father at this time. I had left India an infant, and I had no +recollection of him until I was twelve years old, at which time he +came home on leave. Even then I saw very little of him, as I was at +school during the greater part of his sojourn in England, thus we met +at Peshawar almost as strangers. We did not, however, long remain so; +his affectionate greeting soon put an end to any feeling of shyness on +my part, and the genial and kindly spirit which enabled him to enter +into and sympathize with the feelings and aspirations of men younger +than himself, rendered the year I spent with him at Peshawar one +of the brightest and happiest of my early life. In one respect +particularly I benefited by the intercourse and confidence of the +year in question. My father spoke to me freely of his experiences in +Afghanistan, where he commanded during the Afghan war first a brigade, +and then Shah Shuja's contingent. The information I in this way +gathered regarding the characteristics of that peculiar country, and +the best means of dealing with its still more peculiar people, was +invaluable to me when I, in my turn, twenty-five years later, found +myself in command of an army in Afghanistan. + +Eleven years only had elapsed since the first Afghan war, when my +father went to Peshawar and found himself again associated with +several Afghan friends; some had altogether settled in the Peshawar +district, for nearly all of those who had assisted us, or shown any +friendly feeling towards us, had been forced by Dost Mahomed Khan, on +his return as Amir to Kabul, to seek refuge in India. One of the chief +of these unfortunate refugees was Mahomed Usman Khan, Shah Shuja's +Wazir, or Prime Minister. He had been very intimate with my father, so +it was pleasant for them to meet again and talk over events in which +they had both played such prominent parts. Usman Khan died some years +ago; but visitors to India who travel as far as Peshawar may still +meet his sons, one of whom is the Commandant of the Khyber Rifles, +Lieutenant-Colonel Aslam Khan, C.I.E., a fine specimen of a Native +soldier and gentleman, who has proved his loyalty and done excellent +service to the State on many trying occasions. + + +[Illustration: GENERAL SIR ABRAHAM ROBERTS, G.C.B. + +_From a photograph_.] + + +My father had also been on terms of intimacy with Dost Mahomed +himself and many other men of influence in Kabul, from whom, while at +Peshawar, he received most interesting letters, in which anxiety was +often expressed as to whether the English were amicably disposed +towards the Amir. To these communications my father was always careful +to send courteous and conciliatory replies. The correspondence which +took place confirmed him in his frequently expressed opinion that it +would be greatly to the advantage of the Government, and obviate +the necessity for keeping such large garrisons on the frontier, if +friendly relations could be established with the Amir, and with the +neighbouring tribes, who more or less looked to the Ruler of Kabul +as their Chief. My father accordingly addressed the Secretary to the +Government of India, and pointed out how successfully some of the most +experienced Anglo-Indian officials had managed barbarous tribes by +kindness and conciliation. + +My father was prevented by ill-health from remaining long enough at +Peshawar to see the result of his proposals, but it was a source of +great satisfaction to him to learn before he left India[1] that they +were approved by Lord Dalhousie (the Governor-General), and that they +were already bearing fruit. That the Amir was himself ready to respond +to any overtures made to him was evident from a letter written by a +brother of the Dost's, which was discovered amongst the papers of +Colonel Mackeson (the Commissioner of Peshawar) after his death. It +was still more gratifying to my father to find that the views of +Mackeson's successor, Lieutenant-Colonel Herbert Edwardes, on this +subject entirely coincided with his own. This distinguished officer +and brilliant administrator zealously maintained this policy, and +succeeded in establishing such a good understanding with the Ruler +of Kabul that, when the Mutiny broke out, Afghanistan stood aloof, +instead of, as might have been the case, turning the scale against us. + +The Peshawar division in 1852 was not only the most important, but +the largest, in India. It included besides Attock, Rawal Pindi, and +Jhelum, the hill-station of Murree, which had only been recently +occupied. The cantonment of Peshawar had been laid out by Sir Colin +Campbell (afterwards Lord Clyde), who commanded there when we first +occupied that place in 1849. He crowded the troops, European and +Native, into as small a space as possible in order that the station +might be the more easily protected from the raids of the Afridis +and other robber tribes, who had their homes in the neighbouring +mountains, and constantly descended into the valley for the sake of +plunder. To resist these marauders it was necessary to place guards +all round the cantonment. The smaller the enclosure, the fewer guards +would be required. From this point of view alone was Sir Colin's +action excusable; but the result of this overcrowding was what it +always is, especially in a tropical climate like that of India, and +for long years Peshawar was a name of terror to the English soldier +from its proverbial unhealthiness. The water-supply for the first +five-and-twenty years of our occupation was extremely bad, and +sanitary arrangements, particularly as regards Natives, were +apparently considered unnecessary. + +In addition to the cordon of sentries round the cantonment, strong +piquets were posted on all the principal roads leading towards the +hills; and every house had to be guarded by a _chokidar_, or watchman, +belonging to one of the robber tribes. The maintaining this watchman +was a sort of blackmail, without consenting to which no one's horses +or other property were safe. The watchmen were armed with all sorts of +quaint old firearms, which, on an alarm being given, they discharged +in the most reckless manner, making it quite a work of danger to pass +along a Peshawar road after dark. No one was allowed to venture beyond +the line of sentries when the sun had set, and even in broad daylight +it was not safe to go any distance from the station. + +In the autumn of 1851 an officer--Captain Frank Grantham, of the 98th +Foot--was riding with a young lady on the Michni road, not far from +the Artillery quarter-guard, when he was attacked by five hill-men. +Grantham was wounded so severely that he died in a few days, the +horses were carried off, but the girl was allowed to escape. She ran +as fast as she could to the nearest guard, and told her story; the +alarm was given, and the wounded man was brought in. The young lady +was called upon shortly afterwards to identify one of the supposed +murderers, but she could not recognize the man as being of the party +who made the attack; nevertheless, the murderer's friends were afraid +of what she might remember, and made an attempt one night to carry her +off. Fortunately, it was frustrated, but from that time, until she +left Peshawar, it was considered necessary to keep a guard over the +house in which she lived. + +From all this my readers may probably think that Peshawar, as I first +knew it, was not a desirable place of residence; but I was very happy +there. There was a good deal of excitement and adventure; I made many +friends; and, above all, I had, to me, the novel pleasure of being +with my father. + +It was the custom in those days for the General commanding one of the +larger divisions to have under him, and in charge of the Head-Quarter +station, a senior officer styled Brigadier. Soon after I went to +Peshawar, Sydney Cotton[2] held this appointment, and remained in +it for many years, making a great reputation for himself during the +Mutiny, and being eventually appointed to the command of the division. +The two senior officers on my father's staff were Lieutenant Norman[3] +and Lieutenant Lumsden,[4] the former Deputy Assistant-Adjutant-General +and the latter Deputy Assistant-Quartermaster-General. The high opinion +of them which my father had formed was subsequently justified by their +distinguished careers. Norman, with sixteen years' service, and at the +age of thirty-four, became Adjutant-General of the Army in India, and +a year or two later Secretary to Government in the Military Department. +He finished his Indian service as Military Member of Council. Lumsden +became Quartermaster-General, and afterwards Adjutant-General, the two +highest positions on the Indian staff. + +There was a separate mess for all the staff officers, and I remember +a curious circumstance in connexion with that mess which, unless the +exception proves the rule, is strong evidence against the superstition +that thirteen is an unlucky number to sit down to dinner. On the 1st +January, 1853, thirteen of us dined together; eleven years after we +were all alive, nearly the whole of the party having taken part in the +suppression of the Mutiny, and five or six having been wounded. + +From the time of my arrival until the autumn of 1853, nothing of +much importance occurred. I lived with my father, and acted as his +Aide-de-camp, while, at the same time, I did duty with the Artillery. +The 2nd Company, 2nd Battalion, to which I belonged, was composed of a +fine body of men, who had a grand reputation in the field, but, being +somewhat troublesome in quarters, had acquired the nickname of 'The +Devil's Own.' Because of the unusually good physique of the men, this +company was selected for conversion into a Mountain Battery, which it +was thought advisable to raise at that time. I was the only subaltern +with this battery for several months, and though my commanding officer +had no objection to my acting as A.D.C. to my father, he took good +care that I did my regimental duty strictly and regularly. + +One very painful circumstance stamped itself on my memory. I was +obliged to be present at a flogging parade--the only one, I am glad to +say, I have ever had to attend, although the barbarous and degrading +custom of flogging in the army was not done away with until nearly +thirty years later.[5] A few years before I joined the service, the +number of lashes which might be given was limited to fifty, but even +under this restriction the sight was a horrible one to witness. The +parade to which I refer was ordered for the punishment of two men who +had been sentenced to fifty lashes each for selling their kits, and to +a certain term of imprisonment in addition. They were fine, handsome +young Horse Artillerymen, and it was hateful to see them thus treated. +Besides, one felt it was productive of harm rather than good, for it +tended to destroy the men's self-respect, and to make them completely +reckless. In this instance, no sooner had the two men been released +from prison than they committed the same offence again. They were a +second time tried by Court-Martial, and sentenced as before. How I +longed to have the power to remit the fifty lashes, for I felt that +selling their kits on this occasion was their way of showing their +resentment at the ignominious treatment they had been subjected to, +and of proving that flogging was powerless to prevent their repeating +the offence. A parade was ordered, as on the previous occasion. One +man was stripped to the waist, and tied to the wheel of a gun. The +finding and sentence of the Court-Martial were read out--a trumpeter +standing ready the while to inflict the punishment--when the +commanding officer, Major Robert Waller, instead of ordering him to +begin, to the intense relief of, I believe, every officer present, +addressed the prisoners, telling them of his distress at finding two +soldiers belonging to his troop brought up for corporal punishment +twice in a little more than six weeks, and adding that, however little +they deserved such leniency, if they would promise not to commit the +same offence again, and to behave better for the future, he would +remit the flogging part of the sentence. If the prisoners were not +happy, I was; but the clemency was evidently appreciated by them, for +they promised, and kept their words. I did not lose sight of these +two men for some years, and was always gratified to learn that their +conduct was uniformly satisfactory, and that they had become good, +steady soldiers. + +The Commissioner, or chief civil authority, when I arrived at +Peshawar, was Colonel Mackeson, a well-known frontier officer who had +greatly distinguished himself during the first Afghan war by his work +among the Afridis and other border tribes, by whom he was liked and +respected as much as he was feared. During Shah Shuja's brief reign +at Kabul, Mackeson was continually employed on political duty in the +Khyber Pass and at Peshawar. On the breaking out of the insurrection +at Kabul, he was indefatigable in forwarding supplies and money to +Sir Robert Sale at Jalalabad, hastening up the reinforcements, and +maintaining British influence in the Khyber, a task of no small +magnitude when we remember that a religious war had been proclaimed, +and all true believers had been called upon to exterminate the +Feringhis. While at Peshawar, as Commissioner, his duties were arduous +and his responsibilities heavy--the more so as at that time the Afghan +inhabitants of the city were in a dangerous and excited state. + +On the 10th September, 1853, we were horrified to learn that Mackeson +had been murdered by a religious fanatic. He was sitting in the +verandah of his house listening to appeals from the decisions of his +subordinates, when, towards evening, a man--who had been remarked +by many during the day earnestly engaged in his devotions, his +prayer-carpet being spread within sight of the house--came up and, +making a low salaam to Mackeson, presented him with a paper. The +Commissioner, supposing it to be a petition, stretched out his hand to +take it, when the man instantly plunged a dagger into his breast. The +noise consequent on the struggle attracted the attention of some of +the domestic servants and one of the Native officials. The latter +threw himself between Mackeson and the fanatic, and was himself +slightly wounded in his efforts to rescue his Chief. + +Mackeson lingered until the 14th September. His death caused +considerable excitement in the city and along the border, increasing +to an alarming extent when it became known that the murderer had been +hanged and his body burnt. This mode of disposing of one of their dead +is considered by Mahomedans as the greatest insult that can be offered +to their religion, for in thus treating the corpse, as if it were that +of (by them) a hated and despised Hindu, the dead man is supposed to +be deprived of every chance of paradise. It was not without careful +and deliberate consideration that this course was decided upon, and it +was only adopted on account of the deterrent effect it would have upon +fanatical Mahomedans, who count it all gain to sacrifice their lives +by the murder of a heretic, and thereby secure, as they firmly +believe, eternal happiness, but loathe the idea of being burned, which +effectually prevents the murderer being raised to the dignity of a +martyr, and revered as a saint ever after. + +It being rumoured that the Pathans intended to retaliate by +desecrating the late Commissioner's grave, it was arranged that he +should be buried within cantonment limits. A monument was raised to +his memory by public subscription, and his epitaph[6] was written by +the Governor-General himself. + +Shortly before Mackeson's murder my father had found it necessary to +go to the hill-station of Murree; the hot weather had tried him very +much, and he required a change. He had scarcely arrived there, when +he was startled by the news of the tragedy which had occurred, and at +once determined to return, notwithstanding its being the most sickly +season of the year at Peshawar, for he felt that at a time of such +dangerous excitement it was his duty to be present. As a precautionary +measure, he ordered the 22nd Foot from Rawal Pindi to Peshawar. This +and other steps which he deemed prudent to take soon put an end to the +disturbances. + +No sooner had matters quieted down at Peshawar than the Jowaki +Afridis, who inhabit the country immediately to the east of the Kohat +Pass, began to give trouble, and we went out into camp to select a +site for a post which would serve to cover the northern entrance to +the pass and keep the tribesmen under surveillance. The great change +of temperature, from the intense heat he had undergone in the summer +to the bitter cold of November nights in tents, was too severe a trial +for my father. He was then close on seventy, and though apparently +active as ever, he was far from well, consequently the doctors +strongly urged him not to risk another hot weather in India. It was +accordingly settled that he should return to England without delay. + +Shortly before his departure, an incident occurred which I will relate +for the benefit of psychological students; they may, perhaps, be able +to explain it, I never could. My father had some time before issued +invitations for a dance which was to take place in two days' time--on +Monday, the 17th October, 1853. On the Saturday morning he appeared +disturbed and unhappy, and during breakfast he was silent and +despondent--very different from his usual bright and cheery self. +On my questioning him as to the cause, he told me he had had an +unpleasant dream--one which he had dreamt several times before, and +which had always been followed by the death of a near relation. As the +day advanced, in spite of my efforts to cheer him, he became more and +more depressed, and even said he should like to put off the dance. I +dissuaded him from taking this step for the time being; but that night +he had the same dream again, and the next morning he insisted on +the dance being postponed. It seemed to me rather absurd to have to +disappoint our friends because of a dream; there was, however, nothing +for it but to carry out my father's wishes, and intimation was +accordingly sent to the invited guests. The following morning the post +brought news of the sudden death of the half-sister at Lahore with +whom I had stayed on my way to Peshawar. + +As my father was really very unwell, it was not thought advisable for +him to travel alone, so it was arranged that I should accompany him to +Rawal Pindi. We started from Peshawar on the 27th November, and drove +as far as Nowshera. The next day we went on to Attock. I found the +invalid had benefited so much by the change that it was quite safe for +him to continue the journey alone, and I consented the more readily to +leave him, as I was anxious to get back to my battery, which had been +ordered on service, and was then with the force assembled at Bazidkhel +for an expedition against the Bori villages of the Jowaki Afridis. + +Having said farewell to my father, I started for Bazidkhel early on +the 29th November. At that time there was no direct road to that place +from Nowshera, nor was it considered safe to travel alone along the +slopes of the lower Afridi hills. I had, therefore, to go all the way +back to Peshawar to get to my destination. I rode as fast as relays of +horses could carry me, in the hope that I should reach Bazidkhel in +time for the fun; but soon after passing Nowshera I heard guns in the +direction of the Kohat Pass, and realized that I should be too late. +I was very disappointed at missing this, my first chance of active +service, and not accompanying the newly raised Mountain Train (as it +was then called) on the first occasion of its being employed in the +field. + +The object of this expedition was to punish the Jowaki section of the +Afridis for their many delinquencies during the three previous years. +Numerous murders and raids on the Kohat and Peshawar districts, +the plunder of boats on the Indus, and the murder of a European +apothecary, were all traced to this tribe. They had been blockaded, +and their resort to the salt-mines near Bahadurkhel and to the markets +of Kohat and Peshawar had been interdicted, but these measures +produced no effect on the recalcitrant tribesmen. John (afterwards +Lord) Lawrence, who had come to Peshawar for the purpose of taking (sic) +over frontier affairs with Edwardes, the new Commissioner, held a +conference with the _maliks_[7] of the villages connected with the +Jowaki Pass, and being anxious to avoid hostilities, offered to +condone all past offences if the tribes would agree to certain +conditions, which, briefly, were that no further crimes should be +committed in British territory; that such criminals as had taken +refuge in their villages should be given up; and that for the future +criminals and outlaws flying from justice should not be afforded +an asylum in Jowaki lands. To the second condition the whole tribe +absolutely refused to agree. They stated, with truth, that from time +immemorial it was their custom to afford an asylum to anyone demanding +it, and that to surrender a man who had sought and found shelter with +them would be a disgrace which they could not endure. + +Afridis have curious ideas as to the laws of hospitality; it is no +uncommon thing for them to murder their guests in cold blood, but it +is contrary to their code of honour to surrender a fugitive who has +claimed an asylum with them. + +The sections of the tribe living nearest our territory agreed to the +first and third of our conditions, no doubt because they felt they +were in our power, and had suffered considerably from the blockade. +But the Bori Afridis would make no atonement for the past and give +no security for the future, although they admitted having robbed and +murdered our subjects. There was nothing for it, therefore, but to +send a force against them. This force consisted of rather more than +1,500 men, British and Native. The Afridis made no stand until we +reached their main position, when they offered a stout resistance, +which, however, proved of no avail against the gallantry of the Guides +and 66th (now 1st) Gurkhas. The Bori villages were then destroyed, +with a loss to us of eight men killed and thirty-one wounded. + +Sufficient punishment having been inflicted, our force retired. The +rear-guard was hotly pressed, and it was late in the evening before +the troops got clear of the hills. + +The tribesmen with whom we had just made friends sat in hundreds on +the ridges watching the progress of the fight. It was no doubt a great +temptation to them to attack the 'infidels' while they were at their +mercy, and considerable anxiety was felt by Lawrence and Edwardes +as to the part which our new allies would play; their relief was +proportionate when it was found they intended to maintain a neutral +attitude. + +I shall not further describe the events of that day, more especially +as I was not fortunate enough to be in time to take part in the +proceedings. I have only referred to this expedition as being typical +of many little frontier fights, and because I remember being much +impressed at the time with the danger of trusting our communications +in a difficult mountainous country to people closely allied to those +against whom we were fighting. This over-confidence in the good faith +of our frontier neighbours caused us serious embarrassments a few +years later during the Umbeyla campaign. + +The force remained in camp for some time for the protection of the men +employed in building the post, which was called Fort Mackeson, after +the murdered Commissioner. When it was completed we returned to +Peshawar. + + +[Footnote 1: Shortly before my father left Peshawar he received +the following letter from Colonel Outram, dated Calcutta, the 23rd +October, 1853: 'As I know that your views as to the policy that should +be pursued towards Dost Mahomed must be in accordance with those of +the Governor-General, I accordingly showed your letter to Grant, +Courtney, and Colonel Low, all of whom were glad to learn that you +entertained such sound views, opposed though they be with the general +clamour for war with the Kabulese which appears to be the cry of the +army. This, together with the wise forethought you displayed before +the Kabul insurrection (which, though at the time it found no favour +at Head-Quarters, was subsequently so mournfully established by the +Kabul massacre, which would have been prevented had your warnings +been attended to), shows how well you would combine the military and +political control of the country beyond the Indus.'] + +[Footnote 2: The late General Sir Sydney Cotton, G.C.B.] + +[Footnote 3: Now General Sir Henry Norman, G.C.B., G.C.M.G., lately +Governor of Queensland.] + +[Footnote 4: Now General Sir Peter Lumsden, G.C.B.] + +[Footnote 5: 1881.] + +[Footnote 6: + + 'HERE LIES THE BODY OF FREDERICK MACKESON, + + LIEUTENANT-COLONEL IN THE BENGAL ARMY, COMPANION OF THE BATH, AND + + COMMISSIONER OF PESHAWAR, WHO WAS BORN SEPTEMBER 2ND, 1807, AND DIED + + SEPTEMBER 14TH, 1853, OF A WOUND INFLICTED BY A RELIGIOUS FANATIC. + + +He was the beau-ideal of a soldier--cool to conceive, brave to dare, +and strong to do. The Indian Army was proud of his noble presence in +its ranks--not without cause. On the dark page of the Afghan war the +name of "Mackeson" shines brightly out; the frontier was his post, and +the future his field. The defiles of the Khyber and the peaks of the +Black Mountain alike witness his exploits. Death still found him in +front. Unconquered enemies felt safer when he fell. His own Government +thus mourn the fall. + +'The reputation of Lieutenant-Colonel Mackeson as a soldier is known +to and honoured by all. His value as a political servant of the State +is known to none better than to the Governor-General himself, who in a +difficult and eventful time had cause to mark his great ability, and +the admirable prudence, discretion, and temper, which added tenfold +value to the high soldierly qualities of his public character. + +'The loss of Colonel Mackeson's life would have dimmed a victory; to +lose him thus, by the hand of a foul assassin, is a misfortune of +the heaviest gloom for the Government, which counted him amongst its +bravest and best. + +'General orders of the Marquis Dalhousie, Governor-General of India, +3rd October, 1853. + +'This monument was erected by his friends.'] + +[Footnote 7: Head men.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER IV. +1854-1856 + + A trip to Khagan--The Vale of Kashmir--With the Horse Artillery + --My first visit to Simla--Life at Peshawar--A staff appointment + --The bump of locality + + +I had had a great deal of fever during my eighteen months' residence +at Peshawar, and in April, 1854, I obtained six months' leave to +Kashmir. I travelled _viâ_ Murree to Abbottabad, along the route now +well known as the 'Gullies.' Here I was joined by Lieutenant George +Rodney Brown,[1] a subaltern of Horse Artillery, with whom I chummed +at Peshawar. + +Abbottabad was a very small place in those days. It was named after +its first Deputy-Commissioner, James Abbott,[2] famous for his journey +_viâ_ Bokhara and Khiva to Russia in 1839, undertaken for the release +of Russian prisoners who were kept as slaves by the Turkomans. He had +just left, and had been succeeded as Deputy-Commissioner by a Captain +Becher, who, fortunately for us, was away in the district. I say +fortunately, because we were bent on visiting Khagan, and had obtained +permission from the Commissioner of Peshawar to do so. He had told +us to apply to Becher for assistance, but from what we heard of that +officer, it did not seem likely he would help us. Khagan was beyond +our border, and the inhabitants were said to be even more fanatical +than the rest of the frontier tribes. The Commissioner, however, had +given us leave, and as his Deputy appeared to be the kind of man +to create obstacles, we made up our minds to slip away before he +returned. + +We started on the 21st May, and marched to Habibula-Ki-Ghari. Here the +road bifurcates, one branch leading to Kashmir, the other to Khagan. +We took the latter, and proceeded to Balakot, twelve miles further +on, which was then our frontier post. There we found a small guard of +Frontier Police, two of whom we induced to accompany us on our onward +journey for the purpose of assisting to look after the baggage and +collecting coolies. Three days' more marching brought us to Khagan. +The road almost the whole way from Balakot ran along a precipice +overhanging the Nainsukh river, at that time of year a rushing +torrent, owing to the melting of the snows on the higher ranges. The +track was rough, steep, and in some places very narrow. We crossed and +recrossed the river several times by means of snow-bridges, which, +spanning the limpid, jade-coloured water, had a very pretty effect. At +one point our _shikarris_[3] stopped, and proudly told us that on that +very spot their tribe had destroyed a Sikh army sent against them in +the time of Runjit Sing. It certainly was a place well chosen for a +stand, not more than fifty yards wide, with a perpendicular cliff on +one side and a roaring torrent on the other. + +The people apparently did not object to our being in their country, +and treated us with much civility throughout our journey. We were +enjoying ourselves immensely, so when an official cover reached us +with the signature of the dreaded Deputy-Commissioner in the corner, +we agreed that it would be unwise to open it just then. + +Khagan was almost buried in snow. The scenery was magnificent, and +became every moment more wonderful as we slowly climbed the steep +ascent in front of us; range after range of snow-capped mountains +disclosed themselves to our view, rising higher and higher into the +air, until at last, towering above all, Nanga Parbat[4] in all her +spotless beauty was revealed to our astonished and delighted gaze. + +We could not get beyond Khagan. Our coolies refused to go further, +alleging as their reason the danger to be dreaded from avalanches +in that month; but I suspect that fear of hostility from the tribes +further north had more to do with their reluctance to proceed than +dread of falling avalanches. We remained at Khagan for two or +three days in the hope of being able to shoot an ibex, but we were +disappointed; we never even saw one. + +We retraced our steps with considerable regret, and reached +Habibula-Ki-Ghari on the 31st May. Here we received a second official +document from Abbottabad. It contained, like the previous letter, +which we now looked at for the first time, orders for our immediate +return, and warnings that we were on no account to go to Khagan. Since +then Khagan has been more than once visited by British officers, and +now a road is in course of construction along the route we travelled, +as being a more direct line of communication with Gilghit than that +_viâ_ Kashmir. + +We made no delay at Habibula-Ki-Ghari, but started at once for the +lovely Vale of Kashmir, where we spent the summer, amusing ourselves +by making excursions to all the places of interest and beauty we had +so often heard of, and occasionally shooting a bear. The place which +impressed me most was Martund,[5] where stand the picturesque ruins of +a once renowned Hindu temple. These noble ruins are the most striking +in size and position of all the existing remains of the past glories +of Kashmir. + +From Martund we made our way to Vernag, the celebrated spring which +is supposed to be the source of the Jhelum river. The Moghul Emperor +Akbar built there a summer palace, and the arches, on which it is +said rested the private apartments of the lovely Nur Jehan, are still +visible. + +We wandered over the beautiful and fertile Lolab valley, and pitched +our little camp in the midst of groves of chunar, walnut, apple, +cherry, and peach trees; and we marched up the Sind valley, and +crossed the Zojji La Pass leading into Thibet. The scenery all along +this route is extremely grand. On either side are lofty mountains, +their peaks wrapped in snow, their sides clothed with pine, and their +feet covered with forests, in which is to be found almost every kind +of deciduous tree. From time to time we returned for a few days to +Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir, to enjoy the pleasures of more +civilized society. Srinagar is so well known nowadays, and has been +so often described in poetry and prose, that it is needless for me to +dwell at length upon its delights, which, I am inclined to think, are +greater in imagination than in reality. It has been called the Venice +of the East, and in some respects it certainly does remind one of the +'Bride of the Sea,' both in its picturesqueness and (when one gets +into the small and tortuous canals) its unsavouriness. Even at the +time of which I am writing it was dilapidated, and the houses looked +exactly like those made by children out of a pack of cards, which a +puff of wind might be expected to destroy. Of late years the greater +part of the city has been injured by earthquakes, and Srinagar looks +more than ever like a card city. The great beauty of the place in +those days was the wooden bridges covered with creepers, and gay with +booths and shops of all descriptions, which spanned the Jhelum at +intervals for the three miles the river runs through the town--now, +alas! for the artistic traveller, no more. Booths and shops have been +swept away, and the creepers have disappeared--decidedly an advantage +from a sanitary point of view, but destructive of the quaint +picturesqueness of the town. + +The floating gardens are a unique and very pretty characteristic of +Srinagar. The lake is nowhere deeper than ten or twelve feet, and in +some places much less. These gardens are made by driving stakes into +the bed of the lake, long enough to project three or four feet above +the surface of the water. These stakes are placed at intervals in an +oblong form, and are bound together by reeds and rushes twined in and +out and across, until a kind of stationary raft is made, on which +earth and turf are piled. In this soil seeds are sown, and the crops +of melons and other fruits raised in these fertile beds are extremely +fine and abundant. + +The magnificent chunar-trees are another very beautiful feature of the +country. They grow to a great height and girth, and so luxuriant and +dense is their foliage that I have sat reading and writing for hours +during heavy rain under one of these trees and kept perfectly dry. + +The immediate vicinity of Srinagar is very pretty, and the whole +valley of Kashmir is lovely beyond description: surrounded by +beautifully-wooded mountains, intersected with streams and lakes, and +gay with flowers of every description, for in Kashmir many of the +gorgeous eastern plants and the more simple but sweeter ones of +England meet on common ground. To it may appropriately be applied the +Persian couplet: + + 'Agar fardos baru-i zamin ast, hamin ast, hamin ast' + (If there be an Elysium on earth, it is this, it is this). + +The soil is extremely productive; anything will grow in it. Put a +stick into the ground, and in an extraordinary short space of time it +becomes a tree and bears fruit. What were we about, to sell such a +country for three quarters of a million sterling? It would have made +the most perfect sanatorium for our troops, and furnished an admirable +field for British enterprise and colonization, its climate being as +near perfection as anything can be. + +How sad it is that, in a country 'where every prospect pleases, +only man' should be 'vile'! And man, as he existed in Kashmir, was +vile--vile, because so miserable. The Mahomedan inhabitants were being +ground down by Hindu rulers, who seized all their earnings, leaving +them barely sufficient to keep body and soul together. What interest +could such people have in cultivating their land, or doing any work +beyond what was necessary to mere existence? However hard they might +labour, their efforts would benefit neither themselves nor their +children, and so their only thought was to get through life with +as little exertion as possible--in the summer sitting in the sun +absolutely idle the greater part of the day, and in the winter wrapped +up in their blankets, under which were concealed curious little +vessels called _kangris_, holding two or three bits of live charcoal. +Every Kashmiri still carries one of these _kangris_, as the most +economical way of keeping himself warm. + +Early in September we said good-bye to the happy valley and returned +to Peshawar, where I rejoined the Mountain Battery. + +In November, to my great delight, I was given my jacket. At first my +happiness was somewhat damped by the fact that the troop to which I +was posted was stationed at Umballa. I did not want to leave Peshawar, +and in the end I had not to do so, as a vacancy most opportunely +occurred in one of the troops of Horse Artillery at that station, +which was given to me. + +Life on the frontier in those days had a great charm for most young +men; there was always something of interest going on; military +expeditions were constantly taking place, or being speculated upon, +and one lived in hope of being amongst those chosen for active +service. Peshawar, too, notwithstanding its unhealthiness, was a +favourite station with officers. To me it was particularly pleasant, +for it had the largest force of Artillery of any station in India +except Meerut; the mess was a good one, and was composed of as nice +a set of fellows as were to be found in the army. In addition to the +officers of the regiment, there were a certain number of honorary +members; all the staff and civilians belonged to the Artillery mess, +and on guest-nights we sat down as many as sixty to dinner. Another +attraction was the 'coffee shop,' an institution which has now almost +ceased to exist, at which we all congregated after morning parade and +freely discussed the home and local news. + +The troop to which I was posted was composed of a magnificent body of +men, nearly all Irishmen, most of whom could have lifted me up +with one hand. They were fine riders, and needed to be so, for the +stud-horses used for Artillery purposes at that time were not the +quiet, well-broken animals of the present day. I used to try my +hand at riding them all in turn, and thus learnt to understand and +appreciate the amount of nerve, patience, and skill necessary to +the making of a good Horse Artillery 'driver,' with the additional +advantage that I was brought into constant contact with the men. It +also qualified me to ride in the officers' team for the regimental +brake. The brake, it must be understood, was drawn by six horses, each +ridden postilion fashion by an officer. + +My troop was commanded by Captain Barr, a dear old fellow who had seen +a good deal of service and was much liked by officers and men, but +hardly the figure for a Horse Artilleryman, as he weighed about +seventeen stone. On a troop parade Barr took up his position well +in advance and made his own pace, but on brigade parades he had to +conform to the movements of the other arms, and on these occasions he +used to tell one of the subalterns as he galloped past him to come +'left about' at the right time without waiting for his order. This, of +course, we were always careful to do, and by the time we had come into +action Barr had caught us up and was at his post. + +During the winter of 1854-55 I had several returns of Peshawar fever, +and by the beginning of the spring I was so reduced that I was given +eight months' leave on medical certificate, with orders to report +myself at Mian Mir at its expiration, in view to my going through the +riding course, there being no Riding-Master at Peshawar. + +I decided to return to Kashmir in the first instance, and thence to +march across the Himalayas to Simla. + +On my way into Kashmir I was fortunate enough to fall in with a very +agreeable travelling companion--Lieutenant John Watson.[6] He was then +Adjutant of the 1st Punjab Cavalry, and was looked upon as one of +the most promising officers of the Frontier Force. We spent a very +enjoyable time in Kashmir, and early in August I started for Simla +with two brother officers named Light and Mercer, whose acquaintance +I had only recently made, but who turned out to be very pleasant +fellow-travellers. + +We marched _viâ_ Kishtwar, Chamba, and Dharmsala, a distance of about +400 miles, through most beautiful scenery. At the last-named place I +parted from my companions, who travelled onwards to Simla by the Kulu +valley, while I took the shorter route _viâ_ Bilaspur. + +The Simla of those days was not the busy and important place it +has since become. The Governor-General seldom visited it, and the +Commander-in-Chief only spent a summer there occasionally. When I +arrived, Sir William Gomm, the Commander-in-Chief of that day, who had +been spending the hot weather months there, was about to give up his +command, and Colonel Grant,[7] who had been his Adjutant-General, had +left not long before. + +The only thing of interest to myself which occurred during the month I +remained at Simla was that I lunched with Colonel Arthur Becher, the +Quartermaster-General. I think I hear my reader say, 'Not a very +remarkable event to chronicle.' But that lunch was a memorable one to +me; indeed, it was the turning-point in my career, for my host was +good enough to say he should like to have me in his department some +day, and this meant a great deal to me. Joining a department at that +time generally resulted in remaining in it for the greater part +of one's service. There was then no limit to the tenure of staff +appointments, and the object of every ambitious young officer was to +get into one department or another--political, civil, or the army +staff. My father had always impressed upon me that the political +department was _the_ one to aspire to, and failing that, the +Quartermaster-General's, as in the latter there was the best chance of +seeing service. I had cherished a sort of vague hope that I might some +day be lucky enough to become a Deputy Assistant-Quartermaster-General, +for although I fully recognized the advantages of a political career, +I preferred being more closely associated with the army, and I had seen +enough of staff work to satisfy myself that it would suit me; so the +few words spoken to me by Colonel Becher made me supremely happy. + +It never entered into my head that I should get an early appointment; +the fact of the Quartermaster-General thinking of me as a possible +recruit was quite enough for me. I was in no hurry to leave the Horse +Artillery, to which I was proud of belonging, and in which I hoped to +see service while still on the frontier. I left Simla very pleased +with the result of my visit, and very grateful to Colonel Becher, who +proved a good friend to me ever after, and I made my way to Mian Mir, +where I went through the riding-school course, and then returned to +Peshawar. + +(1856) The winter of 1855-56 passed much as the cold weather generally +does in the north of India. Our amusements consisted of an occasional +race-meeting or cricket match. Polo was unknown in those days, and +hunting the jackal, a sport which has been a source of so much +recreation to the Peshawar garrison for thirty odd years, had not then +been thought of. It was a pleasant change to visit the outposts, and +whenever I got the chance I rode over to Mardan, where the Corps +of Guides were stationed, commanded by that gallant soldier, Harry +Lumsden,[8] who had raised the corps in 1846 under the auspices of +Henry Lawrence. Many were the good gallops I enjoyed with his hawks, +hunting the _aubara_.[9] Of work there was plenty at Peshawar, for the +Brigadier, Sydney Cotton,[10] kept us alive with field days, carefully +instilling into us his idea that parade-grounds were simply useful for +drill and preliminary instruction, and that as soon as the rudiments +of a soldier's education had been learnt, the troops should leave +their nursery, and try as far as possible to practise in peace what +they would have to do in war. Sydney Cotton was never tired of +explaining that the machinery of war, like all other machinery, should +be kept, so to speak, oiled and ready for use. + +My dream of a staff appointment was realized more quickly than I had +expected. In the early part of 1856 the Surveyor-General applied for +the services of two or three experienced officers to assist in the +survey of Kashmir. Lumsden, the D.A.Q.M.G., was one of those selected +for the duty, and I was appointed to officiate for him. So delighted +was I to get my foot on the lowest rung of the staff ladder, that I +cheerfully agreed to the condition my Captain insisted upon, that I +should perform my regimental duties in addition to the staff work. +Things went merrily with me for a short time, when most unexpectedly +my hopes of some day becoming Quartermaster-General of the Army in +India were dashed to the ground by the Governor-General refusing +to confirm my appointment, because I had not passed the prescribed +examination in Hindustani. A rule existed requiring a language test, +but it had seldom been enforced, certainly not in the case of 'acting +appointments,' so that this refusal came as a great blow to me. It +had, however, excellent results, for it made me determined to pass in +Hindustani. It was then May, and in July the half-yearly examination +was to be held. I forthwith engaged the best _munshi_[11] at Peshawar, +shut myself up, and studied Indian literature from morning till night, +until I felt pretty confident of success. + +Just before the examination took place, the officer who had stepped +into my shoes when I was turned out (Lieutenant Mordaunt Fitz-Gerald, +of my own regiment) was offered an appointment in the Punjab Frontier +Force. He consulted me as to the advisability of accepting it, and +I told him I thought he ought not to do so. I considered this most +disinterested advice, for I had good reason to believe that I should +be re-appointed to the staff, should the appointment again become +vacant. Fortunately for me, Fitz-Gerald followed the usual procedure +of those who delight in consulting their friends. He listened to my +advice, and then decided not to follow it. Accordingly, he joined the +Punjab Frontier Force, whilst I, having passed the examination, went +back to the coveted appointment, and continued in the department, with +the exception of one or two short intervals, until 1878, when I left +it as Quartermaster-General. + +The autumn of 1856 was a very sickly one at Peshawar; fever was rife +amongst the troops, and in the hope of shaking it off Brigadier Cotton +got permission to take a certain number into camp. It was September, +and the sun was still very hot, so that it was necessary to begin the +daily march long before dawn in order to reach the new camping ground +while it was still tolerably cool. We crossed the Kabul river at +Nowshera, which place was then being made into a station for troops, +and marched about the Yusafzai plain for three weeks. The chief +difficulty was the absence of water, and I had to prospect the country +every afternoon for a sufficient supply, and to determine, with regard +to this _sine quâ non_, where the camp should be pitched the next day. +On one occasion the best place I could discover was between two and +three miles off the main road. There was no difficulty in reaching it +by day, but I was afraid of some mistake being made when we had to +leave it in the small hours of the morning, few things being more +bewildering than to find one's way in the dark from a camp pitched in +the open country when once the tents have been struck. It was my duty +to lead the column and see that it marched off in the right direction; +knowing how anxious the Brigadier was that the new ground should be +reached while it was cool, and the men be thus saved from exposure to +the sun, I was careful to note my position with regard to the stars, +and to explain to the officer who was in orders to command the advance +guard the direction he must take. When the time came to start, and the +Brigadier was about to order the bugler to sound the march, I saw that +the advance guard was drawn up at right angles to the way in which we +had to proceed. The officer commanding it was positive he was right, +and in this he was supported by Brigadier Cotton and some of the other +officers; I was equally positive that he was wrong, and that if we +marched as he proposed, we should find ourselves several miles out +of our course. The Brigadier settled the question by saying I was +responsible for the troops going in the right direction, and ordering +me to show the way. The country was perfectly bare, there was not +a tree or object of any kind to guide me, and the distance seemed +interminable. I heard opinions freely expressed that I was on the +wrong road, and at last, when the Brigadier himself came up to me and +said he thought I must have lost the way, I really began to waver in +my conviction that I was right. At that moment my horse stumbled into +a ditch, which proved to be the boundary of the main road. I was +immensely relieved, the Brigadier was delighted, and from that moment +I think he was satisfied that I had, what is so essential to a +Quartermaster-General in the field, the bump of locality. + +In October the Artillery moved into the practice camp at Chamkanie, +about five miles from Peshawar. It was intended that we should remain +there for a couple of months, but before the end of that time I had +to join the General at Rawal Pindi, where he had gone on a tour of +inspection. Being anxious not to shirk my regimental duty, I did not +leave Chamkanie until the last moment, and had but one day in which +to reach Rawal Pindi, a distance of one hundred miles, which I +accomplished on horseback between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., only stopping at +Attock a short time for refreshment. + +This tour with General Reed ended my staff duties for a time, as +the survey in Kashmir had come to an end and Lumsden rejoined his +appointment before Christmas. + + +[Footnote 1: Now a retired Major-General.] + +[Footnote 2: Now General Sir James Abbott, K.C.B.] + +[Footnote 3: Men who carry the guns, and point out the most likely +places for game, etc.] + +[Footnote 4: 26,000 feet above the sea-level.] + +[Footnote 5: Three miles east of Islamabad.] + +[Footnote 6: Now General Sir John Watson, V.C., K.C.B.] + +[Footnote 7: The late Field-Marshal Sir Patrick Grant, G.C.B., +G.C.S.I.] + +[Footnote 8: The late General Sir Harry Lumsden, K.C.S.I., C.B.] + +[Footnote 9: Bastard florican.] + +[Footnote 10: This officer arrived in India as a Cornet in the 24th +Light Dragoons in the year 1810, and although, when he reached +Peshawar with his regiment--the 22nd Foot--in 1853, he had been +forty-three years in the army, and was sixty-one years of age, he had +not even succeeded to the command of a battalion. He was an officer +of unusual energy and activity, a fine rider, a pattern drill, and a +thorough soldier all round. He was not fortunate enough to see much +active service, but it must have been a source of consolation to him +to feel, when ending his days as Governor of the Royal Hospital at +Chelsea, that it was in a great measure owing to his foresight and +decision that there was no serious disturbance at Peshawar during the +eventful summer of 1857.] + +[Footnote 11: Instructor in Oriental languages.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER V. +1856-1857 + + Lord Dalhousie's Afghan policy--Treaty with Dost Mahomed + --War with Persia--The advantage of the Amir's friendship + --John Nicholson--'A pillar of strength on the frontier' + + +Towards the close of the year 1856, a rumour reached us that the Amir, +Dost Mahomed Khan, was shortly expected to arrive at Peshawar to meet +the Chief Commissioner, Sir John Lawrence, who had recently been made +a K.C.B. + +Before describing the Amir's visit and its results, it seems desirable +that I should briefly explain how and why the visit was brought about, +and then endeavour to show what an important bearing its results had +on the great crisis which occurred so unexpectedly a few months later. + +It will be remembered that the murdered Mackeson was succeeded +as Commissioner of Peshawar by Herbert Edwardes, one of the most +remarkable men that the Indian army has ever produced, and who, as I +have already mentioned, entirely concurred in my father's expressed +opinion as to the great advantage it would be for the Government of +India to enter into more friendly relations with the Ruler of Kabul. +They both held that the constant troubles all along our frontier were +in a great measure due to the Amir's hostility, and that such troubles +would increase rather than diminish unless we could succeed in +establishing an _entente cordiale_ with Dost Mahomed. + +In 1854 Edwardes had a correspondence with the Governor-General on the +subject, and on one occasion expressed himself as follows: 'My own +feeling is, that we have much injured Dost Mahomed, and may very well +afford to let by-gones be by-gones. It would contribute much to +the security of this frontier if open relations of goodwill were +established at Kabul. There is a sullenness in our present relations, +as if both parties were brooding over the past, and expecting an +opportunity in the future. This keeps up excitement and unrest, and +prevents our influence and institutions taking root. I should be very +glad to see a new account opened on the basis of an open treaty of +friendship and alliance.' + +Lord Dalhousie was quite in accord with Edwardes. He thought it very +desirable to be on better terms with Kabul, but believed this to be +a result difficult to attain. 'I give you,' he said in a letter to +Edwardes, _carte blanche_, and if you can only bring about such a +result as you propose, it will be a new feather in your cap.' + +Lord Dalhousie was supported by the British Government in his opinion +as to the desirability of coming to a better understanding with the +Amir. War with Russia was then imminent, and the strained condition of +European politics made it expedient that we should be on more amicable +terms with Afghanistan. + +The Governor-General thus wrote to Edwardes: + +'Prospects of a war between Russia and Turkey are watched with +interest by all.... In England they are fidgety regarding this border +beyond all reason, and most anxious for that declared amity and that +formal renewal of friendly relations which you advocate in your +letter.' + +The balance of Indian opinion, however, was against our making +overtures to Dost Mahomed. John Lawrence, at that time the great power +in the Punjab, was altogether opposed to Edwardes's policy in this +matter. He admitted that it might be wise to renew intercourse +with the Kabul ruler if he first expressed his regret for previous +misunderstandings; but later he wrote to Edwardes: + + 'I dare say you are right; still, I cannot divest myself of the + idea that it is _a mistake_, and will end in mixing us up in + Afghan politics and affairs more than is desirable. The strength + which a treaty can give us seems to be a delusion. It will be like + the reed on which, if a man lean, it will break and pierce his + hand.' + +John Nicholson, Outram, and James Abbott agreed with Lawrence. +They urged that any advance on our part would be looked upon as an +indication of conscious weakness; and the probability was that an +arrogant, irritated Mussulman ruler would regard an overture as a +proof of our necessity, and would make our necessity his opportunity. +But Lord Dalhousie, while anxious to avoid any communication being +made which could be liable to misconstruction, saw neither objection +nor risk in opening the door to reconciliation, provided no undue +anxiety was displayed on our part. The Governor-General practically +left the matter in the hands of Edwardes, who lost no time in trying +to attain the desired object. The greatest forbearance and diplomatic +skill were necessary to bring the negotiations to a satisfactory +termination, but they were concluded at last, most successfully, and +to Edwardes alone is due the credit. It is instructive to read the +full record[1] of this tedious and difficult piece of diplomacy, +for it serves as an interesting example of Oriental subtlety and +circumlocution, contrasted with the straightforward dealing of a +high-minded Englishman. + +The Amir wrote a letter to the Governor-General couched in most +satisfactory terms, which he forwarded to Peshawar by the hand of his +confidential secretary, and which received, as it deserved, a very +friendly reply. This resulted in Dost Mahomed sending his son and +heir-apparent, Sardar Ghulam Haidar Khan, to Peshawar, and deputing +him to act as his Plenipotentiary in the negotiations. Ghulam Haidar +Khan reached Peshawar in March, 1855, where he was met by the Chief +Commissioner, and on the 30th of that month the treaty was concluded. +'It guaranteed that we should respect the Amir's possessions in +Afghanistan, and never interfere with them; while the Amir engaged +similarly to respect British territory, and to be the friend of our +friends and the enemy of our enemies.' + +The Governor-General had at first resolved to entrust to Edwardes the +duty of meeting the expected Envoy from Kabul, and orders to that +effect were issued. But Edwardes, more anxious for the success of +the negotiations than for his own honour and glory, wrote to +Lord Dalhousie suggesting that the Government of India should be +represented by the Chief Commissioner of the Punjab, and promising to +afford Sir John Lawrence all the assistance in his power. Edwardes +believed that the importance of the treaty would be enhanced in the +eyes of the Afghans by the presence of the higher official; and in +this opinion the Governor-General concurred. On the conclusion of the +treaty, Lord Dalhousie wrote to Edwardes: 'I congratulate you and +myself and all else concerned on this successful issue of the +negotiations, which have now lasted just a year.' + +This treaty of March, 1855, was only preliminary to that for the +ratification of which the Amir came in person to Peshawar the +following year. + +Towards the end of 1855 Dost Mahomed found himaelf in considerable +difficulties, and appealed to us for assistance. A revolt had occurred +at Herat, and a Persian army was preparing to besiege that fortress; +the chiefs and people of Kandahar were disaffected; and the province +of Balkh was threatened with invasion both by the King of Bokhara and +by Turkoman hordes. The Amir looked upon Herat as an integral part of +the Afghan dominions, and was very desirous of re-establishing his +authority over that place and preventing its falling into the hands of +the Persians; but he felt himself too weak to have any hope of success +without help from us in men and money. It was, therefore, Dost +Mahomed's interest to convince the British Government that the Shah +had infringed the conditions of an engagement entered into with us in +1853, under which Persia abandoned all claim to Herat. The Amir thus +hoped to establish a quarrel between England and Persia for his own +benefit, and to secure our assistance against the latter power. To +further this design, Dost Mahomed offered to come to Peshawar and +consult with the British authorities. Edwardes was in favour of the +proposed visit. John Lawrence was opposed to it, saying he did not +think much good would result from such a meeting, because it could +hardly be anticipated that the views of the Amir and the British +Government would coincide, and if Dost Mahomed should fail to obtain +what he wanted, his dissatisfaction would be a positive evil. The +Governor-General admitted the force of these objections, but in the +end considered that they should be set aside if the Amir was in +earnest in desiring a consultation. 'A refusal or an evasion to comply +with his wish,' Lord Dalhousie thought, 'might be misunderstood, and +although a meeting might lead to disappointment and disagreement, it +would, at any rate, put the relations of the British Government with +the Amir, as regards Herat, upon a clear footing.' + +While this discussion was going on, the advance of a Persian army for +the purpose of besieging Herat, coupled with the insults offered to +the British flag at Teheran, led to the declaration of war between +England and Persia. The Chief Commissioner was therefore directed to +tell the Amir that he would be paid a periodical subsidy to aid him +in carrying on hostile operations against Persia, subject to certain +conditions. On receiving these instructions, the Chief Commissioner +directed Edwardes to invite the Amir to an interview. Dost Mahomed +accepted the invitation, but before the auspicious meeting could take +place Lord Dalhousie had left India, and Lord Canning reigned in his +stead. Lord Dalhousie resigned on the 29th February, 1856, after +having filled the arduous and responsible position of Governor-General +for no less than eight years, adding year by year fresh lustre to his +splendid reputation. + +The first day of 1857 witnessed the meeting between the Amir of Kabul +and the Chief Commissioner of the Punjab. The Amir's camp was pitched +at the mouth of the Khyber Pass, and that of the Chief Commissioner on +the plain near Jamrud. Barr's troop of Horse Artillery formed part of +the escort, so I was in the midst of it all. On the occasion of the +Amir's first visit to the English camp, there was a force present +of upwards of 7,000 soldiers, including three regiments of British +Infantry; the troops lined the road for more than a mile, and it was +evident that their strength and soldierly appearance inspired the +Amir and his followers with a very salutary feeling of awe and +admiration.[2] + +The result of the conferences between these two great personages was +an agreement confirming the treaty of the year before. In addition, +the Amir bound himself to keep up a certain number of regular troops +for the defence of Afghanistan, so long as the war with Persia +continued, in consideration of a monthly subsidy of Rs. 100,000 and +a gift of 4,000 muskets. He also engaged to communicate to the +Government of India any overtures he might receive from Persia, and +he consented to allow British officers to visit certain parts of his +dominions, either for the purpose of assisting his subjects against +Persia, or to ascertain that the subsidy was properly applied. + +I have dwelt at some length on this treaty with Afghanistan, first, +because the policy of which this was the outcome was, as I have +already shown, initiated by my father; and, secondly, because I do not +think it is generally understood how important to us were its results. +Not only did it heal the wounds left open from the first Afghan war, +but it relieved England of a great anxiety at a time when throughout +the length and breadth of India there was distress, revolt, bloodshed, +and bitter distrust of our Native troops. Dost Mahomed loyally held +to his engagements during the troublous days of the Mutiny which so +quickly followed this alliance, when, had he turned against us, we +should assuredly have lost the Punjab; Delhi could never have been +taken; in fact, I do not see how any part of the country north of +Bengal could have been saved. Dost Mahomed's own people could not +understand his attitude. They frequently came to him during the +Mutiny, throwing their turbans at his feet, and praying him as a +Mahomedan to seize that opportunity for destroying the 'infidels.' +'Hear the news from Delhi,' they urged; 'see the difficulties the +Feringhis are in. Why don't you lead us on to take advantage of their +weakness, and win back Peshawar?'[3] + +But I am anticipating, and must return to my narrative. + +The clause of the treaty which interested me personally was that +relating to British officers being allowed to visit Afghanistan, +to give effect to which a Mission was despatched to Kandahar. It +consisted of three officers, the brothers Harry and Peter Lumsden, and +Dr. Bellew, together with two of Edwardes's trusted Native Chiefs. The +selection of Peter Lumsden as a member of this Mission again left the +Deputy Assistant-Quartermaster-Generalship vacant, and I was a second +time appointed to officiate in his absence. + +Shortly afterwards the General of the division (General Reed) started +on his tour of inspection, taking me with him as his staff officer. +Jhelum was the first place we visited. Whether the sepoys had then +any knowledge of what was so soon to happen is doubtful. If they had, +there was no evidence that such was the case. Nothing could have +been more proper or respectful than their behaviour; no crimes were +reported, no complaints were made. The British officers, certainly, +had not the slightest idea of the storm that was brewing, for they +spoke in the warmest terms of their men. + +From Jhelum we went to Rawal Pindi. John Lawrence happened to be in +camp there at the time, and looked on at the General's inspection. +At the conclusion of the parade he sent his secretary to ask me if +I would like to be appointed to the Public Works Department. I +respectfully declined the offer, though very grateful for its having +been made. Some of my friends doubted the wisdom of my refusing +a permanent civil appointment; but it meant having to give up +soldiering, which I could not make up my mind to do, and though only +officiating, I was already in the department to which of all others I +wished to belong. + +Nowshera was the last station we visited. It was the beginning of +April, and getting rather hot for parading troops. I there met for the +first time the present Commander-in-Chief in India, General Sir George +White, who was then a subaltern in the 27th (Inniskilling) Regiment. + +I recollect the commanding officer of the 55th, the Native Infantry +corps at this station, who had served all his life with clean-looking, +closely-shaven Hindustanis, pointing with a look of contempt, not to +say disgust, to some Sikhs (a certain proportion of whom had been +under recent orders enlisted in regiments of Native Infantry), and +expressing his regret that he could not get them to shave their beards +and cut their hair. 'They quite spoil the look of my regiment,' he +said. In less than two months' time the Hindustanis, of whom the +Colonel was so proud, had broken into open mutiny; the despised Sikhs +were the only men of the regiment who remained faithful; and the +commanding officer, a devoted soldier who lived for his regiment, and +who implored that his men might not have their arms taken away, as he +had 'implicit confidence' in them, and would 'stake his life on their +fidelity,' had blown his brains out because he found that confidence +misplaced. + +Towards the end of April I was ordered to report on the capabilities +of Cherat (now well known to all who have been stationed at Peshawar) +as a sanatorium for European soldiers. I spent two or three days +surveying the hill and searching for water in the neighbourhood. It +was not safe to remain on the top at night, so I used to return each +evening to the plain below, where my tent was pitched. On one occasion +I was surprised to find a camp had risen up during my absence quite +close to my tent. I discovered that it belonged to Lieutenant-Colonel +John Nicholson, the Deputy-Commissioner, who was on his tour of +inspection, and very soon I received an invitation to dine with him, +at which I was greatly pleased. John Nicholson was a name to conjure +with in the Punjab. I had heard it mentioned with an amount of +respect--indeed, awe--which no other name could excite, and I was all +curiosity to see the man whose influence on the frontier was so great +that his word was law to the refractory tribes amongst whom he lived. +He had only lately arrived in Peshawar, having been transferred from +Bannu, a difficult and troublesome district ruled by him as it had +never been ruled before, and where he made such a reputation for +himself that, while he was styled 'a pillar of strength on the +frontier' by Lord Dalhousie, he was looked up to as a god by the +Natives, who loved as much as they feared him. By some of them he was +actually worshipped as a saint; they formed themselves into a sect, +and called themselves 'Nicholseyns.' Nicholson impressed me more +profoundly than any man I had ever met before, or have ever met since. +I have never seen anyone like him. He was the beau-ideal of a soldier +and a gentleman. His appearance was distinguished and commanding, with +a sense of power about him which to my mind was the result of his +having passed so much of his life amongst the wild and lawless +tribesmen, with whom his authority was supreme. Intercourse with +this man amongst men made me more eager than ever to remain on the +frontier, and I was seized with ambition to follow in his footsteps. +Had I never seen Nicholson again, I might have thought that the +feelings with which he inspired me were to some extent the result of +my imagination, excited by the astonishing stories I had heard of his +power and influence; my admiration, however, for him was immeasurably +strengthened when, a few weeks later, I served as his staff officer, +and had opportunities of observing more closely his splendid soldierly +qualities and the workings of his grand, simple mind. + +[Illustration: BRIGADIER-GENERAL JOHN NICHOLSON, C.B. + +_From a painting by J.R. Dicksee, in the possession of the Reverend +Canon Seymour._] + +It was the end of April when I returned to Peshawar from Cherat, and +rapidly getting hot. On the strength of being a D.A.Q.M.G., I had +moved into a better house than I had hitherto been able to afford, +which I shared with Lieutenant Hovenden of the Engineers. We were +just settling down and making ourselves comfortable for the long hot +weather, when all our plans were upset by the breaking out of the +Mutiny. + + +[Footnote 1: See 'Memorials of the Life and Letters of Major-General +Sir Herbert Edwardes.'] + +[Footnote 2: 'Memorials of Major-General Sir Herbert Edwardes.'] + +[Footnote 3: _Ibid._] + + + + +CHAPTER VI. +1857 + + First tidings of the mutiny--Prompt action at Peshawar + --A bold policy--The Movable Column--An annoying occurrence + --I leave Peshawar + + + +The first threatenings of coming trouble were heard in the early part +of 1857. During the months of February, March, and April, rumours +reached us at Peshawar of mysterious _chupattis_ (unleavened cakes) +being sent about the country with the object, it was alleged, of +preparing the Natives for some forthcoming event. There was also an +evident feeling of unrest and dissatisfaction in the minds of the +sepoys. We heard that the 19th Native Infantry at Berhampur, a +military station about 100 miles from Calcutta, had broken open the +bells-of-arms,[1] and forcibly taken possession of their muskets and +ammunition; that a sepoy named Mangal Pandy,[2] belonging to the 34th +Native Infantry at Barrackpore, had attacked and severely wounded +the Adjutant and Sergeant-Major of his regiment; that it was found +necessary to disband the 19th on the 30th March, and the 34th on the +6th May; that bungalows had been burnt in several stations; and +that the sepoys at the Schools of Musketry had objected to use the +cartridges served out with the new rifles, because, it was asserted, +they were greased with a mixture of cow's fat and lard, the one being +as obnoxious to the prejudices of the Hindu as the other is to those +of the Mussulman. + +It seems strange on looking back that these many warnings should have +passed almost unheeded, and that there should have been no suspicion +amongst the officers serving with Native regiments that discontent was +universal amongst the sepoys, and that a mutiny of the whole Bengal +Army was imminent. But at that time the reliance on the fidelity of +the Native troops was unbounded, and officers believed implicitly in +the contentment and loyalty of their men. Their faith in them was +extraordinary. Even after half the Native army had mutinied and many +officers had been murdered, those belonging to the remaining regiments +could not believe that their own particular men could be guilty of +treachery. + +At Peshawar there was not the slightest suspicion of the extent to +which the evil had spread, and we were quite thunderstruck when, on +the evening of the 11th May, as we were sitting at mess, the telegraph +signaller rushed in breathless with excitement, a telegram in his +hand, which proved to be a message from Delhi 'to all stations in the +Punjab,' conveying the startling intelligence that a very serious +outbreak had occurred at Meerut the previous evening, that some of +the troopers from there had already reached Delhi, that the Native +soldiers at the latter place had joined the mutineers, and that many +officers and residents at both stations had been killed. + +Lieutenant-Colonel Davidson, commanding the 16th Irregular Cavalry, +who happened to be dining at mess that evening, was the first to +recover from the state of consternation into which we were thrown +by the reading of this telegram. He told us it was of the utmost +importance that the Commissioner and the General should at once be put +in possession of this astounding news, and at the same time impressed +upon us the imperative necessity for keeping it secret. + +Davidson then hurried off to the Commissioner, who with his deputy, +Nicholson, lived within a stone's-throw of the mess. Edwardes drove at +once to the General's house, while Nicholson came to our mess. He too +pointed out to us the importance of preventing the news from getting +about and of keeping it as long as possible from the Native soldiers. + +We had at Peshawar three regiments of Native Cavalry and five of +Native Infantry, not less than 5,000 men, while the strength of the +two British regiments and the Artillery did not exceed 2,000. This +European force was more than sufficient to cope with the eight Native +corps, but in the event of any general disturbance amongst the Native +troops, we had to calculate on the probability of their being joined +by the 50,000 inhabitants of the city, and, indeed, by the entire +population of the Peshawar valley; not to speak of the tribes all +along the border, who were sure to rise. + +It was an occasion for the gravest anxiety, and the delay of even a +few hours in the sepoys becoming aware of the disastrous occurrences +at Meerut and Delhi meant a great deal to us. + +Fortunately for India, there were good men and true at Peshawar in +those days, when hesitation and irresolution would have been +fatal, and it is worthy of note that they were comparatively young +men--Edwardes was thirty-seven, Nicholson thirty-five; Neville +Chamberlain, the distinguished Commandant of the Punjab Frontier Force +(who was hastily summoned from Kohat, where he happened to be on his +tour of inspection), was thirty-seven; and the Brigadier, Sydney +Cotton, though much older, being sixty-five, was not only +exceptionally young for his years and full of energy and intelligence, +but actually much younger than the average of General officers +commanding stations in India. + +At once, on hearing of the Mutiny, Edwardes, acting in unison with +Nicholson, sent to the post-office and laid hands on all Native +correspondence; the letters they thus secured showed but too plainly +how necessary was this precaution. The number of seditious papers +seized was alarmingly great; they were for the most part couched in +figurative and enigmatical language, but it was quite sufficiently +clear from them that every Native regiment in the garrison was more or +less implicated and prepared to join the rebel movement. + +A strong interest attaches to these letters, for they brought to light +the true feeling of the Natives towards us at the time, and it was +evident from them that the sepoys had really been made to believe that +we intended to destroy their caste by various unholy devices, of +which the issue of contaminating cartridges was one. The seeds of +disaffection had been sown by agitators, who thought they saw an +opportunity for realizing their hope of overthrowing our rule, +maintained as it was by a mere handful of Europeans in the midst of a +vast population of Asiatics. This feeling of antagonism, only guessed +at before, was plainly revealed in these letters, never intended to +meet the European eye. Some corps did not appear to be quite so guilty +as others, but there could now be no doubt that all were tainted with +disloyalty, and that none of the Hindustani troops could any longer be +trusted. + +In the afternoon of Tuesday, the 12th May, I received a note from the +General commanding the division directing me to present myself at his +house the following morning, which I accordingly did. Besides General +Reed I found there the Brigadier, Sydney Cotton; the Commissioner, +Herbert Edwardes; the Deputy Commissioner, John Nicholson; +Brigadier Neville Chamberlain, and Captain Wright, Deputy +Assistant-Adjutant-General, who, like myself, had been summoned to +record the decisions that might be arrived at. + +This meeting was a most momentous one, and I remember being greatly +impressed with the calm and comprehensive view of the situation taken +by Edwardes and Nicholson. They had already been in communication with +the Chief Commissioner, and had, previous to the meeting, received a +telegram from him approving generally of the several proposals they +contemplated. John Lawrence also informed them that the authorities +at Lahore had decided on disarming the Native troops at Mian Mir that +very morning. + +The problem to be solved was how the Punjab could best be made secure +with the small force of British troops available--all told not more +than 15,000, with 84 guns--against upwards of 65,000 Natives (of whom +42,000 were Hindustanis), with 62 guns.[3] In all stations Native +troops preponderated, and in some there were no European soldiers at +all. + +Edwardes and Nicholson gave it as their opinion that the only chance +of keeping the Punjab and the frontier quiet lay in trusting the +Chiefs and people, and in endeavouring to induce them to side with us +against the Hindustanis. They undertook to communicate, regarding +the raising of levies and fresh troops, with their friends and +acquaintances along the border, who had proved such staunch allies in +1848-49, when we were fighting with the Sikhs. How nobly these loyal +men responded to the demand made upon them, and how splendidly the +frontier and Punjab soldiers whom they brought to our assistance +behaved, will be seen hereafter. + +Amongst other matters of importance, it was proposed by those two able +soldier-civilians, Edwardes and Nicholson, that General Reed, as the +senior officer in the Punjab, should join the Chief Commissioner at +Rawal Pindi, leaving Brigadier Cotton in command at Peshawar; that a +Movable Column, composed of reliable troops, should be organized +at some convenient place in the Punjab,[4] prepared to move in any +direction where its services might be required; that the Hindustani +regiments should be scattered as much as possible, in order to prevent +dangerous combinations; that a detachment of Punjab Infantry from +Kohat should replace the Hindustani sepoys in the fort of Attock, +which was a very important position, as it contained a magazine, and +covered the passage of the Indus; and that a small guard of Pathan +levies, under a tried and trusty frontier Native officer, should be +placed in charge of the Attock ferry. + +All these proposals were cordially and unanimously agreed to by the +military authorities present. + +The question of the command of the Movable Column was then discussed. +It was considered essential that the officer selected should, in +addition to other necessary qualifications, have considerable +experience of the country, and an intimate knowledge of Native +soldiers. It was no ordinary command. On the action of the Movable +Column would depend, to a great extent, the maintenance of peace and +order throughout the Punjab, and it was felt that, at such a crisis, +the best man must be selected, irrespective of seniority. It was a +position for which Cotton and Nicholson would have given much, and for +which they were well qualified, but there was important work for them +to do at Peshawar. Neville Chamberlain was available, and there was +a general consensus of opinion that he should be appointed. It was +necessary, however, to refer the matter to the Chief Commissioner, +with a request that he would submit it for the orders of the +Commander-in-Chief. This course was adopted, and in a few hours a +reply was received from General Anson nominating Chamberlain to the +command. My anxiety as to the Commander-in-Chief's decision was very +considerable; for Brigadier Chamberlain, to my infinite delight and +astonishment, had offered, in the event of his being appointed, to +take me with him as his staff officer--the most wonderful piece of +good fortune that could have come to me; my readers must imagine +my feelings, for it is impossible for me to describe them. My most +sanguine hopes seemed about to be more than realized; for though the +serious aspect of affairs seemed to promise the chance of active +service, I little thought that I should be lucky enough to be employed +as the staff officer of such a distinguished soldier as Neville +Chamberlain. + +When the meeting was over I was ordered to take the several messages, +which Wright and I had written out, to the telegraph office, and see +them despatched myself; as they disclosed more or less the measures +that had been decided upon, it was necessary to avoid any chance of +their falling into the hands of Native clerks. One of the messages[5] +contained a summary of the proceedings of the council, and was +addressed to the commanding officers of all stations in the Punjab, +with the view of imparting confidence, and letting them know what +steps were being taken for the protection of the British residents +throughout the province. This duty having been carried out, I returned +home in a not unpleasant frame of mind, for though the crisis was a +grave one, the outlook gloomy, and the end doubtful, the excitement +was great. There were stirring times in store for us, when every man's +powers would be tested, and the hopefulness of youth inclined me to +look only on the bright side of the situation. + +My equanimity was somewhat disturbed later in the day by an occurrence +which caused me a good deal of annoyance at the time, though it +soon passed away. Nicholson came to my house and told me that the +proceedings at the meeting that morning had in some unaccountable +manner become known; and he added, much to my disgust, that it was +thought I might perhaps have been guilty of the indiscretion of +divulging them. I was very angry, for I had appreciated as much as +anyone the immense importance of keeping the decisions arrived at +perfectly secret; and I could not help showing something of the +indignation I felt at its having been thought possible that I could +betray the confidence reposed in me. I denied most positively having +done so; upon which Nicholson suggested that we should proceed +together to the telegraph office and see whether the information +could have leaked out from there. The signaller was a mere boy, and +Nicholson's imposing presence and austere manner were quite too much +for him; he was completely cowed, and, after a few hesitating denials, +he admitted having satisfied the curiosity of a friend who had +inquired of him how the authorities intended to deal with the +crisis. This was enough, and I was cleared. The result to me of this +unpleasant incident was a delightful increase of intimacy with the +man for whom above all others I had the greatest admiration and most +profound respect. As if to make up for his momentary injustice, +Nicholson was kinder to me than ever, and I felt I had gained in him a +firm and constant friend. So ended that eventful day. + +At that time it was the custom for a staff officer, who had charge of +any Government property, to have a guard of Native soldiers in charge +of his house. That night it happened that my guard was furnished +by the 64th Native Infantry, a regiment with a particularly bad +reputation, and which had, in order to give effect to the measures +proposed at the morning's meeting, been ordered to leave Peshawar and +proceed to the outposts. The intercepted letters showed that this +regiment was on the point of mutinying, and I could not help feeling, +as I lay down on my bed, which, as usual in the hot weather, was +placed in the verandah for the sake of coolness, how completely I was +at the mercy of the sentry who walked up and down within a few feet of +me. Fortunately, he was not aware that his regiment was suspected, and +could not know the reason for the sudden order to march, or my career +might have been ended then and there. + +Within a week from that time I had started for Rawal Pindi to be ready +to join the Movable Column, which was to be formed at Wazirabad as +soon as the troops could be got together. I took with me only just +enough kit for a hot-weather march, and left everything standing in my +house just as it was, little thinking that I should never return to it +or be quartered in Peshawar again. + + +[Footnote 1: Place where the arms and accoutrements of Native +regiments were kept.] + +[Footnote 2: This name was the origin of the sepoys generally being +called Pandies.] + +[Footnote 3: At Meerut, Delhi, and Rurki, and in the Punjab there +were: + + _British Troops._ + + MEN. GUNS. + 2 Regiments of Cavalry 1,410 +12 Regiments of Infantry 12,624 + 9 Troops of Horse Artillery 1,017 54 + 5 Light Field Batteries 415 30 +10 Companies of Foot Artillerymen 837 + ------ -- + Total 16,303 84 + + + _Native Troops._ + + MEN. GUNS. + 7 Regiments of Light Cavalry 3,514 +14 Regiments of Irregular Cavalry and + Guides Cavalry 8,519 +31 Regiments of Regular Infantry } +15 Regiments of Irregular Infantry and } 50,188 + Guides Infantry } + 3 Troops of Horse Artillery 411 18 + 6 Light Field Batteries 930 30 (3 batteries had + only 4 guns each) + 2 Mountain Batteries 192 14 (1 battery had 8, + the other 6 guns) + 3 Companies of Foot Artillery 330 +Head-Quarters and 12 Companies of + Sappers and Miners 1,394 + ------ -- + Total 65,478 62 + +The above figures show the troops at full strength. There were +probably not more than 15,000 British soldiers in the Punjab available +for duty in May, 1857.] + +[Footnote 4: The original proposal was that the Movable Column should +be formed at Jhelum, and composed of the 24th Foot from Rawal Pindi, +the 27th Foot from Nowshera, a troop of Horse Artillery from Peshawar, +a Native Field Battery from Jhelum, the Guides from Murdan, the 16th +Irregular Cavalry from Rawal Pindi, the Kumaon battalion from Murree, +the 1st Punjab Infantry from Bannu, and a wing of the 2nd Punjab +Cavalry from Kohat. But events developed so rapidly that before the +column was formed every one of these troops was otherwise employed. It +was thought unwise to unduly weaken the Peshawar valley; the troop of +Horse Artillery, therefore, stood fast, the 27th Foot was halted at +Attock, and the 24th Foot and Kumaon battalion were kept at their +stations ready to move towards the frontier. The Guides, 2nd Punjab +Cavalry, and 1st Punjab Infantry were ordered to Delhi, and the 16th +Irregular Cavalry and the Native Field Battery were not considered +sufficiently loyal to be employed on such a duty. Eventually, the +column was formed of one troop of Horse Artillery, one Field Battery, +and one Infantry regiment, all British and all from Sialkot.] + +[Footnote 5: The full text of the message was as follows: + + 'To Sir John Lawrence, Rawal Pindi, the Commander-in-Chief, Simla, + and officers commanding all stations in the Punjab respectively; + to be forwarded by the assistant in charge of the telegraph + office, or post, as the case may be. + + 'The senior military officer in the Punjab, Major-General Reed, + having this morning received news of the disarming of the troops + at Mian Mir, a council of war was held, consisting of General + Reed, Brigadier Cotton, Brigadier Neville Chamberlain, Colonel + Edwardes, and Colonel Nicholson, and the following measures were + decided on, subject to the confirmation of the Commander-in-Chief. + General Reed assumes the chief military command in the Punjab; + his Head-Quarters will be the Head-Quarters of the Punjab Civil + Government, and a Movable Column will be formed at Jhelum at once, + consisting of [the troops were here detailed]. The necessary + orders for this column have been issued. The column will move on + every point in the Punjab where open mutiny requires to be put + down by force, and officers commanding at all stations in the + Punjab will co-operate with the column.'] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER VII. +1857 + + First symptoms of disaffection--Outbreak at Berhampur + --Mangal Pandy--Court-Martial at Meerut--Mutiny at Meerut + --The work of destruction--Want of energy + --Hugh Gough's experiences--Nothing could arrest the mutiny + + +Before proceeding with the account of my experiences with the Movable +Column, and the subsequent operations for the suppression of the +rebellion, in which I was fortunate enough to take part, it will, +I think, be advisable, for the better understanding of the whole +situation, to devote a little time to the consideration of the +progress of events from the first appearance of symptoms of +disaffection in Lower Bengal, to the crisis I have just been +describing, when Peshawar became involved in the general disturbance. + +The substitution of a new rifle for the old musket with which the +sepoys had hitherto been armed entailed a different kind of drill; +and in order that this drill should be speedily learned by the +whole Native army, depots were formed at convenient places for the +instruction of selected men from every corps, who, on becoming +proficient, were to return and instruct their own regiments. One of +these depots was at Dum-Dum, and as early as the 24th January General +Hearsay, commanding the Presidency division, reported to Head-Quarters +that he perceived an 'unpleasant feeling' amongst the Native soldiers +learning the new drill, caused by a belief instilled into them 'by +designing persons, most likely Brahmins,' that they were to be forced +to embrace Christianity, and that for the furtherance of this object +the new ball-cartridges received from the arsenal at Fort William were +greased with the fat of pigs and cows, with the intention of violating +the religious prejudices and destroying the caste of those who would +have to bite them. + +A little later various acts of incendiarism took place at other +stations in the command, and Hearsay became more than ever convinced +that there was grave dissatisfaction amongst the troops. He therefore +ordered a Court of Inquiry to be held to enable him to ascertain the +real cause of the ill-feeling which so evidently existed. + +In the General's opinion, the statements recorded in the proceedings +of this Court clearly established the fact, that the Native officers +and sepoys were undoubtedly imbued with the belief that an unholy +mixture of cow's fat and lard had been used in the manufacture of the +new cartridge, and he recommended that the rifle ammunition should in +future be made up with the same description of paper that had always +been used for the musket-cartridge, which, he conceived, would put an +end to their suspicions and uneasiness. + +The General, however, was told in reply that it was impossible to use +the old paper for the new cartridge, as the bore of the rifle being +much smaller than that of the musket, thinner paper was indispensable; +and he was directed to inform the sepoys that the new paper, though +tougher and less bulky, was made of exactly the same material as the +old. With respect to the lubricating mixture, he was to announce that +the Government had authorized the preparation of a grease, composed of +wax and oil, which was to be made up and applied to the cartridges +by the men themselves. These orders were carefully explained to the +Native troops, but without any good result. Their religious objection +to the new cartridge was not removed, and they frankly acknowledged +their fears. + +On the 6th February an officer of the 34th Native Infantry at +Barrackpore was informed by a sepoy of his company that the four +Native regiments at that station, fearing that they would be forced +to destroy their caste and become Christians, had determined to rise +against their officers, and when they had plundered and burned their +bungalows, to proceed to Calcutta and try to seize Fort William, +or, if that proved beyond their powers, to take possession of the +treasury. + +This circumstance was reported to Government by General Hearsay on the +11th February. In the same letter he said, 'We have at Barrackpore +been living upon a mine ready for explosion,' and he reported a story +which had reached him from Dum-Dum of a sepoy, on his way to cook +his food with his _lota_[1] full of water, meeting a low-caste man +belonging to the arsenal where the Enfield cartridges were being +manufactured. This man, it was said, asked the sepoy to allow him to +drink from his _lota_. The sepoy, a Brahmin, refused, saying: 'I have +scoured my _lota_; you will defile it by your touch.' The low-caste +man replied: 'You think much of your caste, but wait a little: the +_Sahib-logue_[2] will make you bite cartridges soaked in cow's fat, +and then where will your caste be?' The sepoy no doubt believed the +man, and told his comrades what was about to happen, and the report +rapidly spread to other stations. + +Early in March several of the Hindu sepoys belonging to the Dum-Dum +School of Musketry expressed their unwillingness to bite the new +cartridge, and the Commandant proposed that the drill should be +altered so as to admit of the cartridge being torn instead of bitten. +Hearsay supported the proposal, remarking that the new mode of loading +need not be made to appear as a concession to agitation, but as part +of the drill for the new weapon. Events, however, moved so quickly +that, before sanction could be received to this suggestion, the troops +at Berhampur had broken into open mutiny. They refused to receive +their ammunition, on the ground of its being polluted, even after +it was explained to them that they were not being given the new +cartridges, but those which had been made up in the regiment a year +before. That night they broke open the bells-of-arms, and carried off +their muskets. + +The Government then became aware that prompt action was necessary. +They decided that such open mutiny could not be excused on the grounds +of religious scruples, and ordered the regiment to be disbanded. As +Berhampur was somewhat isolated, and some distance from European +troops, it was arranged that the disbandment should take place at the +Head-Quarters of the Presidency division, and the 19th Native Infantry +was accordingly ordered to march to Barrackpore. + +The revolt of this regiment brought forcibly before Lord Canning and +his advisers the perilous position of Lower Bengal, owing to the +paucity of European troops. Well may the authorities have been +startled, for between Calcutta and Meerut, a distance of 900 miles, +there were only four regiments of British infantry and a few scattered +Artillerymen, numbering in all less than 5,000, while the Native +troops amounted to upwards of 55,000. One of the four Infantry +regiments was at Fort William; but as only a portion of it could +be spared for the disbandment of the 19th, a special steamer was +despatched to Rangoon to bring over the 84th Foot. This regiment +reached Calcutta on the 20th March, and on the 31st the disbandment of +the mutinous Native Infantry regiment was carried out. The men were +paid up and escorted across the river Hughly, whence they were allowed +to proceed to their homes. They behaved in the most orderly manner on +the march from Berhampur and throughout the proceedings, and as they +left the parade-ground they cheered General Hearsay, and wished him a +long life, apparently well pleased at being let off so easily. + +At Barrackpore itself an outbreak had occurred two days before in the +34th Native Infantry. As I have already related, the sepoy, Mangal +Pandy, shot at the sergeant-major.[3] The Adjutant, on hearing +what had happened, galloped to the parade-ground. As he neared the +quarter-guard he was fired at, and his horse shot by the mutineer, who +then badly wounded him with a sword as he was trying to disentangle +himself from the fallen animal. The General now appeared on the scene, +and, instantly grasping the position of affairs, rode straight at +Mangal Pandy, who stood at bay with his musket loaded, ready to +receive him. There was a shot, the whistle of a bullet, and a man fell +to the ground--but not the General; it was the fanatic sepoy himself, +who at the last moment had discharged the contents of his musket into +his own breast! The wretched man had been worked up to a pitch of +madness by the sepoys of his regiment, who stood by while he attacked +the Adjutant, and would have allowed him to kill their Commander, but +they were too great cowards to back him up openly. Mangal Pandy was +not dead. He was taken to the hospital, and eventually was tried by +a Court-Martial composed of Native officers, sentenced to death, and +hanged in the presence of all the troops at Barrackpore. The Native +officer in command of the quarter-guard met the same fate, and the +regiment was then disbanded. + +The orders for the disbandment of the 19th and 34th Native Infantry +were directed to be read to every Native corps in the service, and +it was hoped that the quick retribution which had overtaken these +regiments would check the spirit of mutiny throughout the army. For +a time this hope appeared to be justified. Satisfactory reports were +received from different parts of Bengal, and anything like a serious +or general outbreak was certainly not contemplated by the authorities. +General Hearsay reported to Government that he had directed the +European troops, temporarily located at Barrackpore, to return to +their respective cantonments, as he did not think it probable that +he would require their presence again. About the same time Sir John +Lawrence, after visiting the Musketry School at Sialkot, wrote +hopefully to the Governor-General of the aspect of affairs in the +Punjab. Lord Canning and his advisers, owing to these favourable +reports, were on the point of sending the 84th Foot back to Burma, +when news reached them from Upper India of the calamitous occurrences +at Meerut and Delhi. + +The Meerut division was commanded by Major-General Hewitt, an officer +of fifty years' service, and the station of Meerut by Brigadier +Archdale Wilson, Commandant of the Bengal Artillery. The garrison +consisted of the 6th Dragoon Guards, a troop of Horse Artillery, a +battery of Field Artillery, a company of Foot Artillery, the 1st +Battalion 60th Rifles, and three Native corps--the 3rd Light Cavalry, +and the 11th and 20th Native Infantry. + +Towards the end of April incendiary fires began to take place, and +the Native soldiers evinced more or less disrespect in their manner +towards their officers. These signs of disaffection were followed +by the refusal of some of the troopers of the 3rd Light Cavalry to +receive their cartridges, although the commanding officer carefully +explained to them that they were not the new cartridges, but the very +same they had always used, and that according to the new drill they +were not required to bite them when loading their carbines. + +A Court of Inquiry was held to investigate the matter, composed +entirely of Native officers, three of whom belonged to the offending +regiment. The verdict of the Court was that no adequate cause could be +assigned for the disobedience of orders in refusing to receive and use +the cartridges that were served out. 'The only conclusion the Court +can arrive at in regard to this point is that a report seems to have +got abroad which in some vague form attaches suspicion of impurity +to the materials used for making these cartridges, but the Court are +unanimously of opinion that there is nothing whatever objectionable in +the cartridges of the 3rd Regiment Light Cavalry, and that they may be +freely received and used as heretofore without in the slightest degree +affecting any religious scruple of either a Hindu or Mussulman, and if +any pretence contrary to that is urged, that it must be false.' This +opinion, it must be remembered, was the opinion of Natives, not +Europeans, and was given only sixteen days before the outbreak +occurred at Meerut. + +After carefully reviewing the evidence brought before the Court, and +considering the opinion expressed by the Native officers who composed +it, the Commander-in-Chief decided to try the eighty-five men who had +refused to receive the cartridges by a General Court-Martial composed +entirely of their own countrymen. The Court was formed of six +Mahomedans and nine Hindus, six Native officers being brought over +from Delhi for the purpose. + +The prisoners were tried on the 8th May, found guilty, and sentenced +to imprisonment with hard labour for ten years. + +The following morning there was a parade of the whole of the Meerut +garrison, and the finding and sentence of the Court were read to the +men. The eighty-five troopers were then stripped of their uniform and +fetters were fastened on their ankles. As each culprit was marched +forward, he called on his comrades to rescue him, but no response came +from the ranks; and when the ceremony was finished the prisoners were +marched down the line and escorted to the gaol. In his report of the +parade to Army Head-Quarters, General Hewitt stated that 'the majority +of the prisoners seemed to feel acutely the degradation to which their +folly and insubordination had brought them. The remainder of the +troops are behaving steady and soldier-like.' + +The action of the Meerut authorities in putting the prisoners in irons +on the parade-ground, in the presence of their regiment, before +being made over to the civil power, met with the disapproval of the +Commander-in-Chief and the Governor-General. The former expressed his +regret at the unusual procedure. The latter was more pronounced, and +thus expressed himself: 'The riveting of the men's fetters on parade, +occupying, as it did, several hours, in the presence of many who were +already ill-disposed and many who believed in the cartridge fable, +must have stung the brigade to the quick. The consigning the +eighty-five prisoners after such a ceremony to gaol with no other than +a Native guard over them was folly that is inconceivable.' + +The procedure was no doubt unusual, and it certainly was most +imprudent, under the circumstances, to trust the gaol to a Native +guard. I think also, considering the number of the prisoners, and the +length of time necessary for riveting the fetters, that it was not +judicious to subject the troops to such a severe and protracted +trial of their nerves and patience; but, before acquiescing in Lord +Canning's sweeping condemnation, it should be considered that the +object of the punishment was to produce a deterrent effect on those +who were likely to follow the bad example that had been set them, +and as the offence of the troopers had been public and ostentatious, +General Hewitt no doubt thought it right to make the punishment as +marked and public as possible. + +The next day was Sunday, and outwardly the cantonment of Meerut +had assumed its usual appearance of Sabbath calm; but there was an +undercurrent of unrest--there was considerable commotion in the Native +bazaars, which were unusually crowded, and had not the European +officers been blinded by over-confidence in their men, signs might +have been perceived amongst the Native soldiers of preparation for +some untoward event. + +It was late in the day before the storm burst. The Chaplain of Meerut +tells us that he was about to start with his wife for evening service, +when the Native nurse warned them of coming danger, beseeching her +mistress to remain indoors, and, on being asked to explain, saying +there would be a fight with the sepoys. The idea seemed incredible, +and the Chaplain would have paid no attention to the warning had not +his wife been greatly alarmed. At her earnest request he took his two +children with them in the carriage, instead of leaving them in the +house with the _ayah_, as had been intended. It was soon apparent that +the _ayah_ had not spoken without reason, for before the church was +reached sounds of musketry were heard and columns of smoke were +seen rising above the quarter occupied by the Native troops. As the +Chaplain arrived at the church enclosure, the buglers of the 60th +Rifles, who were drawn up ready to enter the church, sounded the +'alarm' and the 'assembly.' The parade was dismissed, and as the +British soldiers rushed to the barracks for their arms and ammunition, +the congregation rapidly dispersed, some to their homes, others to +seek safety in the nearest quarter-guard. + +It was the custom before the Mutiny for our soldiers to attend Divine +Service unarmed, save with their side-arms. The Native soldiers were +aware of this, and they no doubt calculated on the 60th Rifles being +safe and almost defenceless inside the church as soon as the bells +ceased tolling. What they were not aware of was the fact that, owing +to the lengthening days and the increasing heat, the evening church +parade had been ordered half an hour later than on the previous +Sunday. The mutineers therefore showed their hand half an hour too +soon, and as they galloped down the 60th Rifles lines they came upon +the men fully armed and rapidly falling in. Being thus disappointed in +their hope of surprising the white soldiers, the 3rd Cavalry proceeded +without a moment's delay to the gaol, broke into the cells, and +released their eighty-five comrades and all the other prisoners, about +1,200 in number. + +While this was going on, the two Native Infantry regiments assembled +on their respective parade-grounds in wild excitement, discharging +their muskets at random, and setting fire to their own huts. The +British officers, hearing the tumult, hastened to their lines and did +their best to restore order, but in vain. The sepoys had gone too +far, and were absolutely deaf to threats and entreaties. They did not +attack their own officers, but warned them to get away, telling them +the Company's '_raj_'[4] was at an end. Their clemency, however, did +not extend to officers of other regiments. + +Colonel Finnis, who had served forty years with the sepoys, and firmly +believed in their loyalty, was the first victim; he fell riddled with +bullets from a volley fired by the 20th, while exhorting the men of +his own regiment (the 11th) to be true to their salt. The work of +destruction then began in earnest, in which the population from the +bazaars and the neighbouring villages eagerly joined, for (as the +Commissioner reported) they were armed and ready for the onslaught +before the sepoys commenced the attack, plainly showing how perfectly +they were aware of what was about to happen. They poured forth in +thousands from every direction, and in a surprisingly short time +almost every bungalow belonging to a British officer serving with +Native troops was gutted and burnt. Besides Colonel Finnis, seven +officers, three officers' wives, two children, and every stray +European man, woman and child in the outskirts of the cantonments were +massacred. + +It was now time for the sepoys to think of themselves. They had thrown +off all allegiance to the _Sarkar_;[5] they had been guilty of murder, +robbery, and incendiarism, and they knew that retribution must +speedily overtake them if they remained at Meerut; they therefore +lost no time in making their escape towards Delhi. They had had ample +opportunity for consultation with the Native officers from that +station, who had come to Meerut as members of the Court-Martial on the +men of the 3rd Light Cavalry, and they knew perfectly well that the +troops at Delhi were prepared to help them to seize the magazine and +resuscitate the old Moghul dynasty. 'To Delhi! To Delhi!' was their +cry, and off they went, leaving naught behind them in their lines +but the smouldering fires of their officers' houses and the lifeless +bodies of their English victims. + +But it will be asked, Where were the British troops? Where indeed? +On the alarm being given, the British troops got under arms 'in an +incredibly short time,' but there was unaccountable delay in marching +them to the spot where their help was so greatly needed. The +Carabineers occupied barracks within a few hundred yards of the Native +Infantry lines, the 60th Rifles were only about a mile and a half +away, and the Artillery lay just beyond the 60th. The Brigadier +(Wilson) despatched one company of the Rifles to guard the treasury, +another he left to protect the barracks, and with the remainder, +accompanied by the Carabineers and Artillery, he leisurely proceeded +towards the Native Infantry lines. It was almost dark when he arrived, +but there was light enough to discern, from the ruined houses and the +dead bodies of the murdered officers lying about, in what a merciless +spirit the revolt had been perpetrated. A few shots were fired from +behind the burning huts, but not a single living being was visible, +except two or three Native troopers who were dimly perceptible in the +distance coming from the direction of the gaol, and it was evident +that the sepoys as a body had vanished. But whither? A lengthened +discussion took place as to what was the best course to pursue, which +only resulted in the troops being marched back to their own end of the +cantonment and bivouacking on the mall for the night. The General +and Brigadier, misled by the tumult in the city, which they could +distinctly hear, came to the conclusion that the sepoys had +congregated within its walls and might shortly be expected to attack +that part of the station where the European residents chiefly lived. +It was not discovered till the next morning that all three Native +regiments had made for Delhi. + +It is easy to be wise after the event, but one cannot but feel that +there was unaccountable, if not culpable, want of energy displayed by +the Meerut authorities on this disastrous occasion. The officer +in command was afterwards severely censured for not acting with +sufficient promptitude on first hearing of the outbreak; for not +trying to find out where the mutineers had gone; and for not +endeavouring to overtake them before they reached Delhi. The +Government of India finally signified their disapproval by removing +General Hewitt from his command. + +Wilson, the Brigadier, like everyone else at Meerut, appears to have +been completely taken by surprise. But why this should have been the +case, after the warning that had been given by the mutinous conduct +of the 3rd Cavalry, and why no steps should have been taken after the +exasperating parade on the 9th to guard against a possible, if not +probable, outbreak, is difficult to understand; and can only be +accounted for by that blind faith in the Native soldier, and disbelief +in his intention or ability to revolt, which led to such unfortunate +results all over India. + +The following story will exemplify how completely the authorities at +Meerut were blinded by this misplaced confidence. On the afternoon of +the 9th the British officers of the 3rd Light Cavalry went to the gaol +to pay up the prisoners belonging to their regiment. When Lieutenant +Hugh Gough,[6] who was one of these officers, returned to his house, +a Hindu Native officer, belonging to the troop Gough was temporarily +commanding, told him that the men had determined to rescue their +comrades, and that the Native guard over the gaol had promised to help +them. Gough went at once to his commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel +Carmichael Smyth, and reported what he had heard, but the Colonel +pooh-poohed the idea as ridiculous, and told Gough he must not give +credence to anything so monstrous. + +Later in the day Gough met Brigadier Wilson and told him of the +warning which had been given to him, without, however, producing any +impression; the information was received with the same contemptuous +disbelief displayed by Colonel Carmichael Smyth. + +The following day (Sunday), late in the afternoon, the same Native +officer, attended by two troopers, galloped to Gough's house, shouting +to him that the _hala_[7] had begun, and that the Native Infantry were +firing on their officers. Gough mounted his horse, and, accompanied by +the three Cavalry soldiers, proceeded as quickly as possible to the +Infantry parade-ground, where he arrived just as the wild scene of +excitement and confusion I have before described was at its height. +The sepoys, some in uniform, some in their own Native clothes, were +rushing about in the maddest disorder, yelling, shouting, and dancing +as if possessed, while the flames from the burning huts shed a lurid +light on the demoniacal proceedings. + +When Gough's party appeared in sight, the sepoys called to the three +troopers to get out of the way, as they wanted to shoot the _sahib_. +No notice being taken of this warning, they fired straight at the +whole party, but without hitting anyone. Gough, seeing things had gone +too far for him to do any good, rode off with his little escort to +his own lines, where he found the men busy saddling their horses, and +helping themselves to ammunition from the regimental magazine, which +they had broken open. He endeavoured in vain to allay the excitement; +one or two shots were fired at him by recruits, but no determined +attempt was made to take his life, and at last the Native officers +combined to force him away, saying they could no longer answer for his +safety. + +It was then all but dark. Gough rode off towards the European lines, +still accompanied by his trusty Native escort, and on his way came +upon an enormous crowd of people from the bazaar, armed with swords, +sticks, and anything they could get hold of, who tried to stop him. +Through these he charged, closely followed by the Native officer and +two troopers, who did not leave him until he was within sight of +the Artillery mess. Then they pulled up, and said they could go no +further. Gough did all he could to persuade them to remain with +him, but to no purpose. They told him it was impossible for them to +separate themselves from their friends and relations, and making the +officer they had so carefully protected a respectful salaam, they rode +off to join their mutinous comrades. Gough never heard of them again, +though he tried hard to trace what had become of the men who proved +themselves such 'friends in need.' + +However much the authorities at Meerut deserved to be censured for +their dilatoriness in dealing with the revolt in the first instance, +and their lack of energy in not trying to discover in what direction +the mutineers had gone, I doubt whether anything would have been +gained by following them up, or whether it would have been possible +to overtake them before they reached Delhi. Only a very few European +Cavalry were available for pursuit, for the Carabineers, having lately +arrived in India, were composed mainly of recruits still in the +riding-school, and their horses for the most part were quite unbroken. +These few, with the six Horse Artillery guns, might have been +despatched; but the mutineers had a considerable start, the Cavalry +could not have been overtaken, and as soon as the Infantry became +aware that they were being followed, they would have scattered +themselves over the country, the features of which were familiar to +them, and, favoured by the darkness, could have defied pursuit. Delhi +is forty miles from Meerut, and it would not have been possible for +the 60th Rifles, marching in the terrible heat of the month of May, to +have reached that place before the next evening (the 11th), and, as +was afterwards ascertained, the work of murder and devastation there +began on the morning of that day. The three Native Infantry regiments +and the battery of Artillery stationed at Delhi were prepared to +join the insurgent troopers from Meerut directly they arrived. The +magazine, with its vast stores of war material, was in the hands of +the King, and the 150,000 inhabitants of the city were ready to assist +in the massacre of the white men and women, and the destruction of +their property. + +After careful consideration of all the circumstances of the revolt at +Meerut, I have come to the conclusion that it would have been futile +to have sent the small body of mounted troops available in pursuit of +the mutineers on the night of the 10th May, and that, considering +the state of feeling throughout the Native Army, no action, however +prompt, on the part of the Meerut authorities could have arrested the +Mutiny. The sepoys had determined to throw off their allegiance to the +British Government, and the when and the how were merely questions of +time and opportunity. + + +[Footnote 1: A metal drinking vessel, which the Hindu religiously +guards against defilement, and to which he clings as a cherished +possession when he has nothing else belonging to him in the world.] + +[Footnote 2: European officers.] + +[Footnote 3: Each Hindustani regiment had a European sergeant-major +and quartermaster-sergeant.] + +[Footnote 4: Rule.] + +[Footnote 5: British Government.] + +[Footnote 6: Now Lieutenant-General Sir Hugh Gough, V.C., G.C.B.] + +[Footnote 7: Tumult.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER VIII +1857 + + General Anson--The news reaches Simla--Anson loses no time + --A long list of troubles--John Lawrence--The Phulkian family + --Death of General Anson + + +While the events I have recounted were taking place, the +Commander-in-Chief and the Head-Quarters staff were on their way up +country inspecting the troops at the various stations _en route_ to +Simla, at which place it had been arranged that the summer of 1857 was +to be spent. The Commander-in-Chief in India at that time was General +the Hon. George Anson, an officer of forty-three years' service, but +without much Indian experience, having been only four years in the +country. He was an able, intelligent man, an excellent judge of +character, a great authority on whist and on horses, and he was well +known in London society, which was somewhat surprised when he accepted +an appointment in India--the command of the Meerut division. He did +not, however, remain long in that position, for he was soon given +the command of the Madras Army, and a year and a half later became +Commander-in-Chief in India. General Anson was present at Waterloo as +an Ensign, but had seen no service afterwards, and until he arrived in +India had held no high appointment. + +When the Commander-in-Chief left Calcutta the previous autumn, all was +apparently quiet in the Native army. He visited the principal military +stations, amongst others Meerut and Delhi, and although reports of an +uneasy feeling amongst the Native troops in the Presidency division +had reached him from time to time, it was not until he arrived at +Umballa, about the middle of March, that these reports were confirmed +by personal communication with the sepoys attending the School of +Musketry which had been formed at that station. + +On the occasion of the Commander-in-Chief's inspection of the School, +he learnt from the men of the various regiments under instruction how +strongly opposed they were to using a cartridge which they believed +to be injurious to their caste. Anson listened attentively to all the +sepoys had to say, and then explained to them in a manly, sensible +speech, that the old cartridge was not suited to the rifle about to be +introduced. A new cartridge had, therefore, to be made; but they must +not listen to any foolish rumour as to its being designed to destroy +their caste. He assured them, 'on the honour of a soldier like +themselves,' that it had never been, and never could be, the policy of +the British Government to coerce the religious feeling of either the +military or the civil population of India, or to interfere in any way +with their caste or customs. He told the Native officers to do all in +their power to allay the men's unfounded fears, and called upon them +to prove themselves worthy of the high character they had hitherto +maintained; he concluded by warning all ranks that the Government were +determined not to yield to insubordination, which would be visited +with the severest punishment. + +The demeanour of the sepoys was most respectful, and when the parade +was over they expressed their high sense of the Commander-in-Chief's +goodness. They declared that he had removed their own objections, +but that the story was universally believed by their countrymen and +relations, and if they were to use the cartridge they must become +social outcasts. + +General Anson, feeling that the doubts and anxieties of the men with +regard to the use of the new cartridges were by no means imaginary, +suspended their issue until a special report had been prepared as to +the composition of the paper in which they were wrapped.[1] + +Having thus done all that he could at the time to allay any feeling of +uneasiness, and hoping that the news of the disbandment of the 19th +Native Infantry would check the spirit of insubordination, General +Anson continued his journey to Simla, that beautiful place in the +Himalayas, 7,000 feet above the sea, which has since become the seat +of the Government of India and Army Head-Quarters during the hot +weather months. + +The Commander-in-Chief had been at Simla rather more than a month, +when, on the afternoon of Tuesday, the 12th May, an Aide-de-camp +galloped in from Umballa (the Head-Quarters station of the Sirhind +division), distant eighty miles, bringing with him a copy of the +telegraphic message which had been despatched from Delhi the previous +day to 'all stations in the Punjab,' and which had caused such +consternation at Peshawar on the evening of the 11th May. + +Sir Henry Barnard, commanding the Sirhind division, desired the +Aide-de-camp (his own son) to inform the Commander-in-Chief that +the temper of the three Native regiments at Umballa was more than +doubtful, and that it seemed advisable that the three regiments of +British Infantry stationed in the hills near Simla should be ordered +at once to Umballa. So urgent did this seem to Barnard, that, in +anticipation of sanction from the Commander-in-Chief, he told his son +to warn the 75th Foot as he passed through Kasauli to be prepared for +an immediate move. + +General Anson at once saw the necessity for taking prompt action. That +same afternoon he despatched an Aide-de-camp to Kasauli to order the +75th to proceed without delay to Umballa, and the 1st Bengal Fusiliers +at Dagshai to follow the 75th as soon as carriage could be collected; +also to warn the 2nd Bengal Fusiliers at Subathu to be ready to move. +Expresses were sent at the same [time] to Ferozepore and Jullundur +directing that a European guard should be placed in charge of the +magazine at the former place, and a detachment of European Infantry +thrown into the fort of Philour from the latter. The confidence +reposed in the Native army before the Mutiny was so great that these +two important magazines, like almost all the arsenals and magazines in +India, were guarded by Native soldiers, and subsequent events proved +that, but for General Anson's timely precautions, the mutineers +must have obtained possession of the magazines at Ferozepore and +Philour.[2] + +Anson had not long to wait before he received confirmation of the +alarming news brought by General Barnard's son. The very next +afternoon a letter arrived from Meerut giving an account of the +outbreak on the 10th, and a few particulars of what had occurred at +Delhi. The Commander-in-Chief immediately decided on proceeding to +Umballa, to superintend personally the organization of the force +which, as he rightly judged, would have to be sent to Delhi. There +was no hesitation on General Anson's part, or delay in issuing the +necessary orders.[3] The 2nd Bengal Fusiliers were directed to march +to Umballa, and an Artillery officer was sent express to Philour with +instructions for a third-class siege-train to be got ready, and for +reserve Artillery and Infantry ammunition to be despatched to Umballa. +Orders were also issued for the Nasiri battalion, stationed at Jutog, +near Simla, and for the company of Native Artillery at Kangra and +Nurpur[4] to march with all expedition to Philour, for the purpose of +accompanying the siege-train; and for the Sirmur battalion of Gurkhas +at Dehra Dun, and the Sappers and Miners at Rurki, to proceed to +Meerut. + +Having thus pressed forward the measures for the suppression of the +revolt which to him seemed most urgent, General Anson left Simla early +on the 14th May, within forty-eight hours of the receipt of the first +news of the outbreak, and reached Umballa the following morning. His +last act at Simla was to draft a circular which he hoped would have +the effect of allaying excitement in the Native army. + +The report which Sir Henry Barnard had to make to the Chief on his +arrival at Umballa was not reassuring. The troops at that station +consisted of Her Majesty's 9th Lancers, two troops of Horse Artillery, +the 4th Bengal Light Cavalry, and two regiments of Native Infantry. +The 75th Foot and 1st Bengal Fusiliers had just marched in with only +thirty and seventy rounds of ammunition per man, respectively, and +(from want of carriage) without tents or baggage. The Commissariat and +Medical Departments were totally unprepared to meet the requirements +of a force suddenly ordered to take the field; there were no doolies +for the sick; supplies were difficult to collect, for the bazaars +were partially deserted; there was a scarcity of contractors, and no +ammunition was available nearer than Philour, eighty miles off. + +At Delhi all the Europeans who had not escaped had been massacred, and +the city had been taken possession of by the Native garrison and the +mutinous troops from Meerut in the name of the old King. + +At Meerut the European troops were entrenching themselves; the +surrounding district was in the most complete disorder, and the civil +courts powerless. + +At Umballa and Jullundur, although the presence of European troops had +hitherto kept the Native regiments from open mutiny, it was evident +that they were not in the least to be depended upon. + +At Ferozepore an aggravated revolt had occurred, and at Lahore it had +been found necessary to disarm all the Native troops. + +From below Meerut there was no intelligence whatever, but it seemed +more than probable that the spirit of rebellion had broken out in many +stations, and later this was known to be the case. + +To add to the Commander-in-Chief's anxieties, it was reported that the +Nasiri battalion at Jutog had got out of hand for a time and refused +to march to Philour, while a detachment of the same corps at Kasauli +plundered the treasury, rendering it necessary to send back 100 men +of the 75th Foot to reinforce the depot at that place, where a large +number of European soldiers' families were collected. + +The behaviour of the Gurkhas gave rise to a panic at Simla, +which, however, did not last long. Lord William Hay,[5] who was +Deputy-Commissioner at the time, induced most of the ladies, +with their children, to seek a temporary asylum with the Raja of +Kiunthal.[6] Hay himself managed to keep Simla quiet, and the men +of the Nasiri battalion coming to their senses, order was restored +throughout the hills. The money taken from the Kasauli treasury was +nearly all voluntarily given up, and before the year was out the +battalion did us good service. + +It was a long list of troubles that was placed before the +Commander-in-Chief. Disturbing as they all were, each requiring prompt +and special action, there was one amongst them which stood out in bold +relief--the situation at Delhi; and to wrest that stronghold from the +hands of the mutineers was, General Anson conceived, his most pressing +obligation. But could it be done with the means at his disposal? +He thought not; and in this opinion he was supported by the senior +officers at Umballa, with whom the question was anxiously discussed at +a conference held at Sir Henry Barnard's house on the 16th May.[7] It +was nevertheless determined to push on to Delhi, and General Hewitt +was asked what force he could spare from Meerut to co-operate with the +Umballa column. He was warned that time was an object, and that the +23rd May was the date on which his troops would probably be required +to start. All details were carefully considered. The first difficulty +to be overcome was the want of carriage. No organized system of +transport--one of the most essential requirements of an efficient +army--existed, and, owing to the restlessness and uncertainty which +prevailed throughout the country, the civil authorities were unable to +collect carts and camels with the usual rapidity.[8] + +That afternoon General Anson received a letter from Sir John Lawrence +urging the importance of an immediate advance on Delhi, and giving an +outline of the measures he proposed to adopt in the Punjab. He asked +the Commander-in-Chief to give a general sanction to the arrangements, +and concluded with these words: "I consider this to be the greatest +crisis which has ever occurred in India. Our European force is so +small that, unless effectively handled in the outset, and brought to +bear, it will prove unequal to the emergency. But with vigour and +promptitude, under the blessing of God, it will prove irresistible." + +Anson naturally hesitated to advance with an inefficient and only +partially equipped force against a strongly-fortified city with +an immense armed population, defended by many thousand desperate +mutineers, and in his reply (dated the 17th May) he put the case +plainly before Sir John Lawrence. He pointed out that the Europeans +were without tents; that there were no guns at Umballa or Meerut +heavier than six or nine pounders with which to batter down the walls +of Delhi; that the required amount of carriage could not be provided +in less than sixteen or twenty days; and that the three Native corps +at Umballa could not be depended upon. He asked Sir John whether he +considered 'it would be prudent to risk the small European force we +have here in an enterprise against Delhi,' and he wrote: 'My own view +of the state of things now is, by carefully collecting our resources, +having got rid of the bad materials which we cannot trust, and having +supplied their places with others of a better sort, it would not be +very long before we could proceed, without a chance of failure, in +whatever direction we might please.' Adding, 'this is now the opinion +of all here whom I have consulted--the Major-General and Brigadier, +the Adjutant-General, Quartermaster-General and Commissary-General.' +Anson concluded his letter with the following words: 'It would give me +great satisfaction to have your views upon the present crisis, for I +would trust to them more than to my experience.' + +John Lawrence, who was straining every nerve to check the Mutiny and +prevent a general rising of the population, was impatient at the idea +of delay, and lost no time in giving Anson his opinion. He telegraphed +it briefly on the 20th, and the following day he wrote to the effect +that he knew Delhi well, having been stationed there for nearly +thirteen years, and it seemed incredible to him that mutineers could +hold and defend it; his belief was 'that, with good management on the +part of the civil officers, it would open its gates on the approach of +our troops.' He admitted that 'on military principles, in the present +state of affairs, it may not be expedient to advance on Delhi until +the Meerut force is prepared to act.' But he protested against +European soldiers being 'cooped up in their cantonments, tamely +awaiting the progress of events.' He went on to say: 'Pray only +reflect on the whole history of India. Where have we failed when +we acted vigorously? Where have we succeeded when guided by timid +counsels? Clive with 1,200 men fought at Plassy, in opposition to +the advice of his leading officers, beat 40,000 men, and conquered +Bengal.' + +That Sir John Lawrence greatly under-estimated the difficulties which +Anson had to overcome we now know. Delhi did not open its gates on our +approach, but for more than three months defied all our efforts to +capture it. And in his eagerness to get the Commander-in-Chief +to think as he did, the resolute Chief Commissioner forgot that +Clive--not with 1,200 men, but with 3,000 disciplined troops--had to +deal in the open field with an enemy little better than a rabble; +whereas Anson had to attack a strong fortress, amply supplied with +stores and ammunition, possessing a powerful armament, and held +by soldiers who were not only well trained and equipped, but were +fighting for their lives, and animated by religious fanaticism. + +Still, there can be no doubt that John Lawrence's views as to the +necessity for Delhi being taken at all hazards were correct. The +Governor-General held the same opinion, and strongly urged it upon +Anson, who loyally responded, and during the short time he remained at +Umballa strenuously exerted himself to equip the troops destined for +the arduous task. + +While preparing for his advance on the Moghul capital, Anson did not +neglect to provide, as far as lay in his power, for the safety of +Umballa. The soldiers' wives and children were sent to Kasauli; a +place of refuge was made for the non-combatants at the church, round +which an entrenchment was thrown; a garrison, about 500 strong, was +formed of the sick and weakly men of the several European regiments, +assisted by some of the Patiala troops; and as an additional security +half the Native corps were sent into the district, and the other half +with the column to Delhi. + +John Lawrence had strongly advocated the policy of trusting the +Maharaja of Patiala and the Rajas of Jhind and Nabha. The attitude of +these Chiefs was of extreme importance, for if they had not been well +disposed towards us, our communication with the Punjab would have been +imperilled. There was therefore much anxiety at Umballa as to the +course Patiala, Jhind, and Nabha (the three principal members of +the great Phulkian family) would elect to take. Douglas Forsyth,[9] +Deputy-Commissioner of Umballa, who was a personal friend of the +Maharaja of Patiala, at once sought an interview with him. He +was beginning to explain to the Maharaja the difficulties of the +situation, when he was interrupted by His Highness, who said he was +aware of all that had happened; on which Forsyth asked if it was +true that emissaries from the King of Delhi had come to Patiala. The +Maharaja pointed to some men seated at a little distance, saying, +'There they are.' Forsyth then asked for a word in private. As soon as +they were alone, he addressed the Maharaja thus: 'Maharaja _sahib_, +answer me one question: Are you for us, or against us?' The Maharaja's +reply was very hearty: 'As long as I live I am yours, but you know +I have enemies in my own country; some of my relations are against +me--my brother for one. What do you want done?' Forsyth then asked the +Maharaja to send some of his troops towards Kurnal to keep open the +Grand Trunk Road. The Maharaja agreed on the understanding that +Europeans should soon be sent to support them--a very necessary +condition, for he knew that his men could only be trusted so long as +there was no doubt of our ultimate success. + +Patiala was true to his word, and throughout the Mutiny the Phulkian +Chiefs remained perfectly loyal, and performed the important service +of keeping open communication between Delhi and the Punjab.[10] + +On the 19th May General Anson was cheered by hearing from John +Lawrence that the Corps of Guides and four trusty Punjab regiments +were proceeding by forced marches to join him. On the 21st he received +a message from the Governor-General informing him that European troops +were coming from Madras, Bombay, and Ceylon. He also heard of the +arrival of the siege-train at Umballa, and he had the satisfaction of +telegraphing to the Chief Commissioner that the first detachment of +the column destined for Delhi had started. + +On the 23rd the Commander-in-Chief communicated his plan of operations +to General Hewitt. It was as follows: Two brigades were to advance +from Umballa, commanded by Brigadier Hallifax of the 75th Foot, and +Colonel Jones of the 60th Rifles; and one brigade from Meerut, under +the command of Brigadier Archdale Wilson. The two former were to be +concentrated at Kurnal by the 30th May, and were then to advance, +under General Anson, so as to arrive opposite Baghput on the 5th June, +at which place they were to be joined by the Meerut brigade, and the +united force was then to proceed to Delhi. + +All his arrangements being now completed, Anson left Umballa on the +24th May, and reached Kurnal the following morning. On the 26th he was +struck down by cholera, and in a few hours succumbed to that fatal +disease. His last words expressed a hope that his country would do him +justice, and it is grievous to feel that, in estimating his work and +the difficulties he had to encounter, full justice has not been done +him. Anson has been undeservedly blamed for vacillation and want of +promptitude. He was told to 'make short work of Delhi,' but before +Delhi could be taken more men had perished than his whole force at +that time amounted to. The advice to march upon Delhi was sound, but +had it been rashly followed disaster would have been the inevitable +result. Had the Commander-in-Chief been goaded into advancing without +spare ammunition and siege Artillery, or with an insufficient force, +he must have been annihilated by the overwhelming masses of the +mutineers--those mutineers, who, we shall see later, stoutly opposed +Barnard's greatly augmented force at Badli-ki-Serai, would almost +certainly have repulsed, if not destroyed, a smaller body of troops. + +On the death of General Anson the command of the Field Force devolved +on Major-General Sir Henry Barnard. + + +[Footnote 1: 'I am not so much surprised,' wrote General Anson to Lord +Canning on the 23rd March, 'at their objections to the cartridges, +having seen them. I had no idea they contained, or, rather, are +smeared with, such a quantity of grease, which looks exactly like fat. +After ramming down the ball, the muzzle of the musket is covered +with it. This, however, will, I imagine, not be the case with those +prepared according to the late instructions. But there are now +misgivings about the paper, and I think it so desirable that they +should be assured that no animal grease is used in its manufacture, +that I have ordered a special report to be made to me on that head +from Meerut, and until I receive an answer, and am satisfied that no +objectionable material is used, no firing at the depots by the sepoys +will take place. It would be easy to dismiss the detachments to their +regiments without any practice, on the ground that the hot weather is +so advanced, and that very little progress could be made, but I do not +think that would be admissible. The question, having been raised, must +be settled. It would only be deferred till another year, and I trust +that the measures taken by the Government when the objection was first +made, and the example of the punishment of the 19th Native Infantry +and of the other delinquents of the 70th, now being tried by a General +Court-Martial, will have the effect we desire.'--KAYE, vol. i., p. +558.] + +[Footnote 2: Surely those whom God has a mind to destroy, He first +deprives of their senses; for not only were the magazines at Delhi and +Cawnpore allowed to fall into the enemy's hands, but the great arsenal +at Allahabad narrowly escaped the same fate. Up till May, 1857, this +fort was garrisoned only by Native soldiers. Early in that month sixty +worn-out European pensioners were brought to Allahabad from Chunar, +with whose assistance, and that of a few hastily raised Volunteers, +Lieutenants Russell and Tod Brown, of the Bengal Artillery, were able +to overawe and disarm the Native guard on the very night on which the +regiments to which they belonged mutinied in the adjoining cantonment. +These two gallant officers had taken the precaution to fill the +cellars below the armoury (which contained some 50,000 or 60,000 +stands of arms) with barrels of powder, their intention being to blow +up the whole place in the event of the sepoys getting the upper hand. +This determination was known to all in the fort, and no doubt had +something to say to the guard submitting to be disarmed.] + +[Footnote 3: He has been accused of dilatoriness and want of decision +after hearing the news.] + +[Footnote 4: Places at the foot of the Himalayas.] + +[Footnote 5: Now the Marquis of Tweeddale.] + +[Footnote 6: A small hill state near Simla.] + +[Footnote 7: It is a remarkable fact that the five senior officers at +this conference were all dead in less than seven weeks. General Anson, +Brigadier Hallifax, commanding the Umballa station, and Colonel +Mowatt, commanding the Artillery, died within ten days; Colonel +Chester, Adjutant-General of the Army, was killed at Badli-ki-Serai on +the 8th June, and Sir Henry Barnard died at Delhi on the 5th July.] + +[Footnote 8: See Kaye's 'History of the Indian Mutiny,' vol. ii., p. +120.] + +[Footnote 9: The late Sir Douglas Forsyth, K.C.S.I.] + +[Footnote 10: See 'The Life of Sir Douglas Forsyth.'] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER IX. +1857 + + John Lawrence's wise measures--Disarmament at Peshawar + --Salutary effect in the valley + + +I will now continue my story from the time I left Peshawar to join the +Movable Column. + +On the 18th May Brigadier Chamberlain and I arrived at Rawal Pindi, +where we joined the Chief Commissioner, who had got thus far on his +way to his summer residence in the Murree Hills when tidings of the +disaster reached him. One of Sir John Lawrence's first acts after +talking over matters with Chamberlain was to summon Edwardes from +Peshawar, for he wished to consult with him personally about the +question of raising levies and enlisting more frontier men, the only +one of Edwardes's and Nicholson's proposals regarding which the Chief +Commissioner had any doubt; it appeared to him a somewhat risky step +to take, and he desired to give the matter very careful consideration +before coming to any decision. I remember being greatly struck with +the weight given by Lawrence to Edwardes's opinion. He called him his +Councillor, he eagerly sought his advice, and he evidently placed the +utmost reliance on his judgment. + +During the six days that we remained at Rawal Pindi waiting for the +Movable Column to be assembled, I spent the greater part of my time +in the Chief Commissioner's office, drafting or copying confidential +letters and telegrams. I thus learned everything that was happening in +the Punjab, and became aware of the magnitude of the crisis through +which we were passing. This enabled me to appreciate the tremendous +efforts required to cope with the danger, and to understand that the +fate of Delhi and the lives of our countrymen and countrywomen in +Upper India depended upon the action taken by the authorities in the +Punjab. I realized that Sir John Lawrence thought of every detail, and +how correct was his judgment as to which of his subordinates could, or +could not, be trusted. The many European women and children scattered +over the province caused him the greatest anxiety, and he wisely +determined to collect them as much as possible at hill stations and +the larger centres, where they would be under the protection of +British troops; for this reason he ordered the families of the +European soldiers at Sialkot (who were being withdrawn to join the +Movable Column) to be sent to Lahore. But, notwithstanding all that +had occurred, and was daily occurring, to demonstrate how universal +was the spirit of disaffection throughout the Native Army, Brigadier +Frederick Brind, who commanded at Sialkot, could not be brought to +believe that the regiments serving under his command would ever prove +disloyal, and he strongly objected to carry out an order which he +denounced as 'showing a want of confidence in the sepoys.' John +Lawrence, however, stood firm. Brind was ordered to despatch the +soldiers' families without delay, and advised to urge the civilians +and military officers to send away their families at the same time. A +few of the ladies and children were sent off, but some were allowed to +remain until the troops mutinied, when the Brigadier was one of the +first to pay the penalty of his misplaced confidence, being shot down +by one of his own orderlies. + +We had not been long at Rawal Pindi before we heard that the +uneasiness at Peshawar was hourly increasing, and that the detachment +of the 55th Native Infantry[1] at Nowshera had mutinied and broken +open the magazine. The military force in the Peshawar valley had been +considerably weakened by the withdrawal of the 27th Foot and Corps of +Guides; it was evident that disaffection was rapidly spreading, and +what was still more alarming was the ominously restless feelings +amongst the principal tribes on the frontier. Nicholson encountered +considerable difficulty in raising local levies, and there was a +general unwillingness to enlist. Our disasters in Kabul in 1841-42 +had not been forgotten; our cause was considered desperate, and even +Nicholson could not persuade men to join it. It was clear that this +state of affairs must not be allowed to continue, and that some +decisive measures must quickly be taken, or there would be a general +rising along the frontier. + +Matters seemed to be drawing to a head, when it was wisely determined +to disarm the Native regiments at Peshawar without delay. This +conclusion was come to at midnight on the 21st May, when the news of +the unfortunate occurrences at Nowshera reached Edwardes, who had +returned that morning from Rawal Pindi. He and Nicholson felt that +no time was to be lost, for if the sepoys heard that the regiment at +Nowshera had mutinied, it would be too late to attempt to disarm them. +Going forthwith to the Brigadier's house, they communicated their +views to Sydney Cotton, who thoroughly appreciated the urgency of the +case, and, acting with the most praiseworthy decision, summoned the +commanding officers of all the Native regiments to be at his house at +daybreak. + +When they were assembled, the Brigadier carefully explained to +the officers how matters stood. He pointed out to them that their +regiments were known to be on the verge of mutiny, and that they must +be disarmed forthwith, ending by expressing his great regret at having +to take so serious a step. + +The officers were quite aghast. They were persistent and almost +insubordinate in expressing their conviction that the measure was +wholly uncalled-for, that the sepoys were thoroughly loyal, and that, +notwithstanding what had occurred in other places, they had perfect +confidence in their men. + +The Brigadier, who knew the officers well, felt that every allowance +should be made for them, called upon as they were to disarm the men +with whom they had been so long associated, and in whom they +still implicitly believed. But although he regarded the officers' +remonstrances as natural and excusable, Cotton never wavered in his +decision, for he was experienced enough to see that the evil was +widespread and deep-seated, and that any display of confidence or +attempt at conciliation in dealing with the disaffected regiments +would be worse than useless. + +The parade, which was ordered for 7 a.m., was conducted with great +judgment. The European troops were skilfully disposed so as to render +resistance useless, and four out of the five regular Native regiments +were called upon to lay down their arms. The fifth regiment--the 21st +Native Infantry[2]--was exempted from this indignity, partly because +it had shown no active symptoms of disaffection, was well commanded +and had good officers, and partly because it would have been extremely +difficult to carry on the military duties of the station without some +Native Infantry. + +The two regiments of Irregular Cavalry were also spared the disgrace +of being disarmed. It was hoped that the stake the Native officers +and men had in the service (their horses and arms being their own +property) would prevent them from taking an active part in the Mutiny, +and it was believed that the British officers who served with them, +and who for the most part were carefully selected, had sufficient +influence over their men to keep them straight. This hope proved to be +not altogether without foundation, for of the eighteen regiments of +Irregular Cavalry which existed in May, 1857, eight are still borne on +the strength of the Bengal Army; while of the ten regiments of Regular +Cavalry and seventy-four of Infantry, none of the former, and only +eleven of the latter, now remain. + +How immediate and salutary were the effects of the disarmament on +the inhabitants of the Peshawar valley will be seen by the following +account which Edwardes gave of it. 'As we rode down to the disarming a +very few Chiefs and yeomen of the country attended us; and I remember +judging from their faces that they came to see which way the tide +would turn. As we rode back friends were as thick as summer flies, and +levies began from that moment to come in.' + +The Subadar-Major of the 51st--one of the four regiments disarmed--had +a few days before written to the men of the 64th, who were divided +amongst the outposts, calling upon them to return to Peshawar in time +to join in the revolt fixed for the 22nd May. The letter ran; 'In +whatever way you can manage it, come into Peshawar on the 21st +instant. Thoroughly understand that point! In fact, eat there and +drink here.' The rapidity with which the disarmament had been carried +through spoilt the Subadar-Major's little game; he had, however, gone +too far to draw back, and on the night of the 22nd he deserted, taking +with him 250 men of the regiment. His hopes were a second time doomed +to disappointment. However welcome 250 muskets might have been to the +Afridis, 250 unarmed sepoys were no prize; and as our neighbours in +the hills had evidently come to the conclusion that our _raj_ was not +in such a desperate state as they had imagined, and that their best +policy was to side with us, they caught the deserters, with the +assistance of the district police, and made them over to the +authorities. The men were all tried by Court-Martial, and the +Subadar-Major was hanged in the presence of the whole garrison. + +On the 23rd May, the day after the disarmament, news was received at +Peshawar that the 55th Native Infantry had mutinied at Mardan, and +that the 10th Irregular Cavalry, which was divided between Nowshera +and Mardan, had turned against us. A force was at once despatched to +restore order, and Nicholson accompanied it as political officer. No +sooner did the mutineers, on the morning of the 25th, catch sight +of the approaching column than they broke out of the fort and fled +towards the Swat hills. Nicholson pursued with his levies and mounted +police, and before night 120 fugitives were killed and as many more +made prisoners. The remainder found no welcome among the hill tribes, +and eventually became wanderers over the country until they died or +were killed. Poor Spottiswoode, the Colonel, committed suicide shortly +before the Peshawar troops reached Mardan. + + +[Footnote 1: The Head-Quarters of this regiment had been sent to +Mardan in place of the Guides.] + +[Footnote 2: Now the 1st Bengal Infantry.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER X. +1857 + + Neville Chamberlain's presence of mind + --The command of the Column--Robert Montgomery + --Disarmament at Mian Mir + --A Drum-Head Court-Martial--Swift retribution + + +While I was employed in the Chief Commissioner's office at Rawal Pindi +it became known that the Mutineers intended to make their stand at +Delhi, and immediately urgent demands came from the Head-Quarters of +the army for troops to be sent from the Punjab. Sir John Lawrence +exerted himself to the uttermost, even to the extent of denuding his +own province to a somewhat dangerous degree, and the Guides and 1st +Punjab Infantry, which had been told off for the Movable Column, were +ordered instead to proceed to Delhi. + +The Guides, a corps second to none in Her Majesty's Indian Army, was +commanded by Captain Daly,[1] and consisted of three troops of Cavalry +and six companies of Infantry. The regiment had got as far as Attock, +when it received the order to proceed to Delhi, and pushed on at once +by double marches. The 4th Sikhs, under Captain Rothney, and the 1st +Punjab Infantry, under Major Coke,[2] followed in quick succession, +and later on the following troops belonging to the Punjab Frontier +Force were despatched towards Delhi: a squadron of the 1st Punjab +Cavalry, under Lieutenant John Watson (my companion in Kashmir); +a squadron of the 2nd Punjab Cavalry, under Lieutenant Charles +Nicholson[3] (John Nicholson's brother); a squadron of the 5th Punjab +Cavalry, under Lieutenant Younghusband; and the 2nd and 4th Punjab +Infantry, commanded respectively by Captains G. Green[4] and A. +Wilde.[5] + +We (Brigadier Chamberlain and I) remained at Rawal Pindi until the +24th May to give our servants and horses time to reach Wazirabad, and +then started on a mail-cart for the latter place, which we reached +on the 27th. Lieutenant James Walker,[6] of the Bombay Engineers, +accompanied us as the Brigadier's orderly officer. + +The Grand Trunk Road, which runs in a direct line from Calcutta to +Peshawar, was then in course of construction through the Punjab, and +in places was in rather an elementary condition. The drivers of the +mail-carts sent along their half-wild and entirely unbroken ponies at +racing speed, regardless alike of obstacles and consequences. With an +enterprising coachman the usual pace was about twelve miles an +hour, including stoppages. As we were recklessly flying along, the +Brigadier, who was sitting in front, perceived that one of the reins +had become unbuckled, and warned Walker and me to look out for an +upset. Had the coachman not discovered the state of his tackle all +might have been well, for the ponies needed no guiding along the +well-known road. Unfortunately, however, he became aware of what had +happened, lost his head, and pulled the reins; the animals dashed off +the road, there was a crash, and we found ourselves on the ground, +scattered in different directions. No great damage was done, and in a +few minutes we had righted the cart, re-harnessed the ponies, and were +rushing along as before. + +In order that the authorities at Rawal Pindi might be able to +communicate with the Movable Column while on the march and away +from telegraph stations, which were few and far between in 1857, a +signaller accompanied us, and travelled with his instruments on a +second mail-cart, and wherever we halted for the day he attached his +wire to the main line. He had just completed the attachment on our +arrival at Wazirabad, when I observed that the instrument was working, +and on drawing the signaller's attention to it, he read off a message +which was at that moment being transmitted to the Chief Commissioner, +informing him of the death of the Commander-in-Chief at Kurnal the +previous day. This sad news did not directly affect the Movable +Column, as it had been organized by, and was under the orders of, the +Punjab Government, which for the time being had become responsible for +the military, as well as the civil, administration in the north of +India. + +The column had marched into Wazirabad the day before we arrived. +It consisted of Major Dawes' troop of European Horse Artillery, +a European battery of Field Artillery, commanded by Captain +Bourchier,[7] and Her Majesty's 52nd Light Infantry, commanded by +Colonel George Campbell. In addition, and with a view to reducing the +Native garrison of Sialkot, a wing of the 9th Bengal Light Cavalry and +the 35th Native Infantry were attached to the column. + +My first duty at Wazirabad was to call upon the senior officer, +Colonel Campbell, and inform him that Brigadier Chamberlain had come +to take over command of the Movable Column. I found the Colonel lying +on his bed trying to make himself as comfortable as it was possible +with the thermometer at 117° Fahrenheit. We had not met before, and he +certainly received me in a very off-hand manner. He never moved from +his recumbent position, and on my delivering my message, he told me he +was not aware that the title of Brigadier carried military rank +with it; that he understood Brigadier Chamberlain was only a +Lieutenant-Colonel, whereas he held the rank of Colonel in Her +Majesty's army; and that, under these circumstances, he must decline +to acknowledge Brigadier Chamberlain as his senior officer. I replied +that I would give his message to the Brigadier, and took my leave. + +When Chamberlain heard what had occurred, he desired me to return to +Campbell and explain that he had no wish to dispute the question of +relative seniority, and that in assuming command of the column he +was only carrying out the orders of the Commander-in-Chief in India. +Campbell, who technically speaking had the right on his side, was +not to be appeased, and requested me to inform the Brigadier of his +determination not to serve under an officer whom he considered to be +his junior. + +This was not a pleasant beginning to our duties with the column, and +Chamberlain thought that we had better take our departure and leave +Campbell in command until the question could be settled by superior +authority. Campbell was accordingly asked to march the troops to +Lahore, to which place we continued our journey by mail-cart. + +At the same time a reference was made to Sir John Lawrence and +General Reed, which resulted in the decision that, under the peculiar +circumstances of the case, it was essential that an officer of Indian +experience should be in command of the column, and that Campbell, +having only been a very short time in the country, did not fulfil this +condition; but Campbell was told that, if he objected to serve under +Chamberlain, he could remain at Lahore with the Head-Quarters of his +regiment. Campbell, who at heart was really a very nice fellow and an +excellent officer, would not be separated from the 52nd, and agreed +to serve under the Brigadier, reserving to himself the right of +protesting when the new Commander-in-Chief should arrive in India. + +There was probably another reason for Campbell not wishing to serve +under Chamberlain besides that of being senior to him in the army, in +the fact that the Brigadier was a servant of 'John Company,' while +Campbell belonged to the 'Queen's Service.' From the time of the +establishment of a local army there had existed an absurd and +unfortunate jealousy between the officers of the Queen's and Company's +services, and one of the best results of the Mutiny was its gradual +disappearance. This ill-feeling influenced not only fellow-countrymen, +but relations, even brothers, if they belonged to the different +services, and was distinctly prejudicial to the interests of the +Government. It is difficult to understand how so puerile a sentiment +could have been so long indulged in by officers who no doubt +considered themselves sensible Englishmen.[8] + +On the 31st May we arrived at Lahore, where we found everyone in a +state of considerable excitement. Lahore was and is the great centre +of the Punjab, and to it non-combatants and English ladies with their +children were hurrying from all the outlying districts. In the city +itself there was a mixed population of nearly 100,000, chiefly Sikhs +and Mahomedans, many of the former old soldiers who had served in the +Khalsa Army. The fort, which was within the walls of the city, was +garrisoned by half a regiment of sepoys, one company of European +Infantry, and a few European Artillerymen. Mian Mir, five miles +off, was the Head-Quarters of the Lahore division; it was a long, +straggling cantonment, laid out for a much larger force than it has +ever been found necessary to place there, with the European Infantry +at one end and the European Artillery at the other, separated by +Native troops. This arrangement (which existed in almost every station +in India) is another proof of the implicit confidence placed in the +Native army--a confidence in mercenary soldiers of alien races which +seems all the more surprising when we call to mind the warnings +that for nearly a hundred years had been repeatedly given of the +possibility of disaffection existing amongst Native troops. + +There were four Native regiments at Mian Mir, one of Cavalry and three +of Infantry, while the European portion of the garrison consisted of +one weak Infantry regiment, two troops of Horse Artillery, and four +companies of Foot Artillery. This force was commanded by Brigadier +Corbett, of the Bengal Army; he had been nearly forty years in the +service, was mentally and physically vigorous, and had no fear of +responsibility. Robert Montgomery[9] was then chief civil officer at +Lahore. He was of a most gentle and benevolent nature, with a rubicund +countenance and a short, somewhat portly figure, which characteristics +led to his being irreverently called 'Pickwick,' and probably if he +had lived in less momentous times he would never have been credited +with the great qualities which the crisis in the Punjab proved him to +possess. + +On receipt of the telegraphic news of the outbreaks at Meerut and +Delhi, Montgomery felt that immediate action was necessary. He at once +set to work to discover the temper of the Native troops at Mian Mir, +and soon ascertained that they were disaffected to the core, and were +only waiting to hear from their friends in the south to break into +open mutiny. He thoroughly understood the Native character, and +realized the danger to the whole province of there being anything in +the shape of a serious disturbance at its capital; so after consulting +his various officials, Montgomery decided to suggest to the Brigadier +the advisability of disarming the sepoys, or, if that were considered +too strong a measure, of taking their ammunition from them. Corbett +met him quite half-way; he also saw that the danger was imminent, and +that prompt action was necessary, but he not unnaturally shrank from +taking the extreme step of disarming men whose loyalty had never until +then been doubted--a step, moreover, which he knew would be keenly +resented by all the regimental officers--he therefore at first only +agreed to deprive the sepoys of their ammunition; later in the day, +however, after thinking the matter over, he came to the conclusion +that it would be better to adopt Montgomery's bolder proposal, and he +informed him accordingly that he would 'go the whole hog.' + +I do not think that Corbett's action on this occasion has been +sufficiently appreciated. That he decided rightly there can be no +doubt, but very few officers holding commands in India at that time +would have accepted such responsibility. His knowledge as to what had +happened at Meerut and Delhi was based on one or two meagre telegrams, +and the information Montgomery gave him as to the treacherous +intentions of the sepoys at Mian Mir had been obtained by means of +a spy, who, it was quite possible, might have been actuated by +interested motives. + +Having made up his mind what should be done, Corbett had the good +sense to understand that success depended on its being done quickly, +and on the Native troops being kept absolutely in the dark as to what +was about to take place. A general parade was ordered for the next +morning, the 13th May, and it was wisely determined not to put off a +ball which was being given that evening to the officers of the 81st +Foot. The secret was confided to very few, and the great majority of +those who were taking part in the entertainment were ignorant of the +reason for a parade having been ordered the following morning--an +unusual proceeding which caused a certain amount of grumbling. + +When the sepoys were drawn up, it was explained to them in their own +language that they were about to be deprived of their arms, in order +to put temptation out of their reach, and save them from the disgrace +of being led away by the evil example of other corps. Whilst they were +being thus addressed, the Horse Artillery and 81st Foot took up a +second line immediately in rear of the Native regiments, the guns +being quietly loaded with grape during the manoeuvre. The regiments +were then directed to change front to the rear, when they found +themselves face to face with the British troops. The order was given +to the sepoys to 'pile arms'; one of the regiments hesitated, but only +for a moment; resistance was hopeless, and the word of command was +sullenly obeyed. + +The same morning the fort of Lahore was secured. Three companies of +the 81st marched into it at daylight, relieved the sepoys of their +guards, and ordered them to lay down their arms. Another company +of the same regiment travelled through the night in carriages to +Umritsar, the holy city of the Sikhs, and occupied the fortress +of Govindgarh. Montgomery had been very anxious about these two +strongholds, and it was a great satisfaction to him to know that they +were at length safely guarded by British bayonets. + +Although, as I have said, we found Lahore in a state of considerable +excitement, it was satisfactory to see how fully the situation had +been grasped, and how everything that was possible had been done +to maintain order, and show the people of the Punjab that we were +prepared to hold our own. Montgomery's foresight and decision, and +Corbett's hearty and willing co-operation, checked, if not altogether +stopped, what, under less energetic management, would assuredly have +resulted in very grievous trouble. Excitement was inevitable. There +was a general stir throughout the province. Lahore was crowded with +the families of European soldiers, and with ladies who had come there +from various parts of the Punjab, all in terrible anxiety as to what +might be the ultimate fate of their husbands and relatives; some of +whom were with Native regiments, whose loyalty was more than doubtful; +some with the Movable Column, the destination of which was uncertain; +while others were already on their way to join the army hurrying to +Delhi. + +The difficulty with Campbell having been settled, Chamberlain assumed +the command of the Movable Column, the advent of which on the 2nd June +was hailed with delight by all the Europeans at Lahore. A regiment of +British Infantry and two batteries of Artillery afforded a much needed +support to the handful of British soldiers keeping guard over the +great capital of the Punjab, and gave confidence to the Sikhs and +others disposed to be loyal, but who were doubtful as to the wisdom of +siding with us. + +The disturbing element was the Native troops which accompanied the +column. They had not shown openly that they contemplated mutiny, but +we knew that they were not to be trusted, and were only watching for +an opportunity to break out and escape to Delhi with their arms. + +I was living with the Brigadier in a house only a few minutes' walk +from the garden where the Native regiments were encamped, and the +spies we were employing to watch them had orders to come to me +whenever anything suspicious should occur. During the night of the +8th June one of these men awoke me with the news that the 35th Native +Infantry intended to revolt at daybreak, and that some of them had +already loaded their muskets. I awoke the Brigadier, who directed me +to go at once to the British officers of the regiment, tell them what +we had heard, and that he would be with them shortly. As soon as the +Brigadier arrived the men were ordered to fall in, and on their arms +being examined two of them were found to have been loaded. The sepoys +to whom the muskets belonged were made prisoners, and I was ordered to +see them lodged in the police-station. + +Chamberlain determined to lose no time in dealing with the case, and +although Drum-Head Courts-Martial were then supposed to be obsolete, +he decided to revive, for this occasion, that very useful means of +disposing, in time of war, of grave cases of crime. + +The Brigadier thought it desirable that the Court-Martial should be +composed of Native, rather than British, officers, as being likely to +be looked upon by the prisoners as a more impartial tribunal, under +the peculiar circumstances in which we were placed. This was made +possible by the arrival of the 1st Punjab Infantry--Coke's Rifles--a +grand regiment under a grand Commander. Raised in 1849, composed +chiefly of Sikhs and Pathans, and possessing Native officers of +undoubted loyalty, the 1st Punjab Infantry had taken part in almost +every frontier expedition during the previous eight years. Its history +was a glorious record of faithful and devoted service, such as can +only be rendered by brave men led by officers in whom they believe and +trust.[10] The Subadar-Major of the corps was a man called Mir Jaffir, +a most gallant Afghan soldier, who entered the British service during +the first Afghan war, and distinguished himself greatly in all the +subsequent frontier fights. This Native officer was made president +of the Court-Martial. The prisoners were found guilty of mutiny, and +sentenced to death. Chamberlain decided that they should be blown away +from guns, in the presence of their own comrades, as being the most +awe-inspiring means of carrying the sentence into effect.[11] A parade +was at once ordered. The troops were drawn up so as to form three +sides of a square; on the fourth side were two guns. As the prisoners +were being brought to the parade, one of them asked me if they were +going to be blown from guns. I said, 'Yes.' He made no further remark, +and they both walked steadily on until they reached the guns, to which +they were bound, when one of them requested that some rupees he had on +his person might be saved for his relations. The Brigadier answered: +'It is too late!' The word of command was given; the guns went off +simultaneously, and the two mutineers were launched into eternity. + +It was a terrible sight, and one likely to haunt the beholder for many +a long day; but that was what was intended. I carefully watched +the sepoys' faces to see how it affected them. They were evidently +startled at the swift retribution which had overtaken their guilty +comrades, but looked more crest-fallen than shocked or horrified, and +we soon learnt that their determination to mutiny, and make the best +of their way to Delhi, was in nowise changed by the scene they had +witnessed. + + +[Footnote 1: The late General Sir Henry Daly, G.C.B.] + +[Footnote 2: Now General Sir John Coke, G.C.B.] + +[Footnote 3: Afterwards commanded by Lieutenant, now General, Sir +Dighton Probyn, V.C., G.C.V.O., K.C.B.] + +[Footnote 4: The late Major-General Sir George Green, K.C.B.] + +[Footnote 5: The late Lieutenant-General Sir Alfred Wilde, K.C.B., +K.C.S.I.] + +[Footnote 6: The late General James Walker, C.B., sometime +Surveyor-General in India.] + +[Footnote 7: Now General Sir George Bourchier, K.C.B.] + +[Footnote 8: Now, except for one short interval, every officer who has +joined the Indian Army since 1861 must, in the first instance, have +belonged or been attached to one of Her Majesty's British regiments: +the great majority have been educated at Sandhurst or Woolwich, and +all feel that they are members of the same army.] + +[Footnote 9: The late Sir Robert Montgomery, G.C.B.] + +[Footnote 10: During the operations in the Kohat Pass in February, +1850, within twelve months of the corps being raised, several of the +men were killed and wounded. Among the latter was a Pathan named +Mahomed Gul. He was shot through the body in two places, and as Coke +sat by him while he was dying, he said, with a smile on his face: +'_Sahib_, I am happy; but promise me one thing--don't let my old +mother want. I leave her to your care.'] + +[Footnote 11: Awe-inspiring certainly, but probably the most humane, +as being a sure and instantaneous mode of execution.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XI. +1857 + + Ferozepore--Crawford Chamberlain at Multan + --Chamberlain's masterly conduct + --Nicholson succeeds Neville Chamberlain--Irresolution at Jullundur + --General Mehtab Sing--Nicholson's soldierly instincts + --More disarmaments + + +For a few days after our arrival at Lahore nothing could be settled as +to the further movements of the column. It was wanted in all parts of +the Punjab: Ferozeporo, Multan, Jhelum, Sialkot, Umritsar, Jullundur, +Philour, Ludhiana--all these places were more or less disturbed, and +all were clamorous for help. + +At Ferozepore the Native regiments[1] broke out on the 13th May, when +they made a daring, but unsuccessful effort to seize the arsenal, +situated inside the fort and the largest in Upper India. Had that +fallen into the hands of the rebels, Delhi could not have been +captured without very considerable delay, for the besieging force +depended mainly upon Ferozepore for the supply of munitions of war. +The fort had been allowed to fall into bad repair, and the mutineers +had no difficulty in forcing their way inside; there, fortunately, +they were checked by the wall which surrounded the arsenal, and this +obstacle, insignificant as it was, enabled the guard to hold its own. +Originally this guard consisted entirely of Native soldiers, but, as +I have already recorded, after the outbreak at Meerut, Europeans +had been told off for the charge of this important post; so strong, +however, here as elsewhere, was the belief in the loyalty of the +sepoys, and so great was the reluctance to do anything which might +hurt their feelings, that the Native guard was not withdrawn. This +same guard, when the attack took place, did its best to assist the +assailants, and even prepared scaling-ladders to enable the latter to +gain access to the magazine enclosure. The Europeans, however, +were equal to the emergency; they overpowered and disarmed their +treacherous companions, and then succeeded in beating off and +dispersing the attacking party. + +Being foiled in this attempt, the mutineers returned to the +cantonment, set fire to the church and other buildings, and then +started for Delhi. Ferozepore had a large European garrison, a +regiment of Infantry, a battery of Field Artillery, and a company of +Foot Artillery, and was supposed to be able to look after itself, +although affairs had been greatly mismanaged. + +Multan had next to be considered. Matters at that station were very +unsettled, and indeed were causing the authorities grave anxiety, but +Multan was more fortunate than many places, in being in the hands of +an unusually able, experienced officer, Major Crawford Chamberlain. +Consequently, the Commander-in-Chief and Chief Commissioner agreed, +while fully appreciating the great value of Multan, that the presence +of British troops was less urgently needed there than elsewhere, +and it was decided they could not be spared from the Punjab for its +protection. + +The garrison at Multan consisted of a troop of Native Horse Artillery, +two regiments of Native Infantry, and the 1st Irregular Cavalry, +composed entirely of Hindustanis from the neighbourhood of Delhi; +while in the old Sikh fort there were about fifty European +Artillerymen, in charge of a small magazine. The station was nominally +commanded by an officer who had been thirty-four years in the army, +and had great experience amongst Natives; but he had fallen into such +a bad state of health, that he was quite unfit to deal with the +crisis which had now arrived. The command, therefore, was practically +exercised by Chamberlain. Next to Delhi and Lahore, Multan was the +most important place in Upper India, as our communication with the sea +and southern India depended on its preservation. + +To Chamberlain's own personality and extraordinary influence over the +men of the 1st Irregular Cavalry must be attributed his success. His +relations with them were of a patriarchal nature, and perfect mutual +confidence existed. He knew his hold over them was strong, and +he determined to trust them. But in doing so he had really no +alternative--had they not remained faithful, Multan must have been +lost to us. One of his first acts was to call a meeting at his house +of the Native officers of the Artillery, Infantry, and his own +regiment, to discuss the situation. Taking for granted the absolute +loyalty of these officers, he suggested that a written bond should +be given, in which the seniors of each corps should guarantee the +fidelity of their men. The officers of his regiment rose _en +masse_, and placing their signet-rings on the table, said: '_Kabúl +sir-o-chasm'_ ('Agreed to on our lives'). The Artillery Subadar +declared that his men had no scruples, and would fire in whichever +direction they were required; while the Infantry Native officers +pleaded that they had no power over their men, and could give no +guarantee. Thus, Chamberlain ascertained that the Cavalry were loyal, +the Artillery doubtful, and the Infantry were only biding their time +to mutiny. + +Night after night sepoys, disguised beyond all recognition, attempted +to tamper with the Irregular Cavalry. The Wurdi-Major,[2] a +particularly fine, handsome _Ranagar_,[3] begged Chamberlain to +hide himself in his house, that he might hear for himself the open +proposals to mutiny, massacre, and rebellion that were made to him; +and the promises that, if they succeeded in their designs, he (the +Wurdi-Major) should be placed upon the _gaddi_[4] of Multan for his +reward. Chamberlain declined to put himself in such a position, +fearing he might not be able to restrain himself. + +Matters now came to a climax. A Mahomedan Subadar of one of the Native +Infantry regiments laid a plot to murder Chamberlain and his family. +The plot was discovered and frustrated by Chamberlain's own men, but +it became apparent that the only remedy for the fast increasing evil +was to disarm the two Native Infantry regiments. How was this to be +accomplished with no Europeans save a few gunners anywhere near? Sir +John Lawrence was most pressing that the step should be taken at +once; he knew the danger of delay; at the same time, he thoroughly +appreciated the difficulty of the task which he was urging Chamberlain +to undertake, and he readily responded to the latter's request for a +regiment of Punjab Infantry to be sent to him. The 2nd Punjab Infantry +was, therefore, despatched from Dera Ghazi Khan, and at the same time +the 1st Punjab Cavalry arrived from Asni,[5] under Major Hughes,[6] +who, hearing of Chamberlain's troubles, had marched to Multan without +waiting for orders from superior authority. The evening of the day on +which these troops reached Multan, the British officers of the several +regiments were directed to assemble at the Deputy-Commissioner's +house, when Chamberlain told them of the communication he had received +from Sir John Lawrence, adding that, having reliable information that +the Native Infantry were about to mutiny, he had settled to disarm +them the next morning. + +It was midnight before the meeting broke up. At 4 a.m. the Horse +Artillery troop and the two Native Infantry regiments were ordered to +march as if to an ordinary parade. When they had gone about a quarter +of a mile they were halted, and the Punjab troops moved quietly +between them and their lines, thus cutting them off from their spare +ammunition; at the same time the European Artillerymen took their +places with the guns of the Horse Artillery troop, and a carefully +selected body of Sikhs belonging to the 1st Punjab Cavalry, under +Lieutenant John Watson, was told off to advance on the troop and cut +down the gunners if they refused to assist the Europeans to work the +guns. + +Chamberlain then rode up to the Native Infantry regiments, and after +explaining to them the reason for their being disarmed, he gave the +word of command, 'Pile arms!' Thereupon a sepoy of the 62nd shouted: +'Don't give up your arms; fight for them!' Lieutenant Thomson, the +Adjutant of the regiment, instantly seized him by the throat and threw +him to the ground. The order was repeated, and, wonderful to relate, +obeyed. The Native Infantry regiments were then marched back to their +lines, while the Punjab troops and Chamberlain's Irregulars remained +on the ground until the arms had been carted off to the fort. + +It was a most critical time, and enough credit has never been given to +Chamberlain. Considering the honours which were bestowed on others +who took more or less conspicuous parts in the Mutiny, he was very +insufficiently rewarded for this timely act of heroism. Had he not +shown such undaunted courage and coolness, or had there been the +smallest hesitation, Multan would certainly have gone. Chamberlain +managed an extremely difficult business in a most masterly manner. +His personal influence insured his own regiment continuing loyal +throughout the Mutiny, and it has now the honour of being the 1st +Regiment of Bengal Cavalry, and the distinction of wearing a different +uniform from every other regiment in the service, being allowed to +retain the bright yellow which the troopers wore when they were first +raised by Colonel James Skinner, and in which they performed such +loyal service.[7] + +At Jhelum and Sialkot it was decided that, as the Native troops had +been considerably reduced in numbers, the danger was not so great as +to require the presence of the Movable Column. + +Umritsar had been made safe for the time, but it was a place the +importance of which could not be over-estimated, and it was thought +that keeping a strong column in its vicinity for a few days would +materially strengthen our position there. Moreover, Umritsar lay in +the direct route to Jullundur, where the military authorities had +proved themselves quite unfitted to deal with the emergency. It was +decided, therefore, that Umritsar should be our objective in the +first instance. We marched from Lahore on the 10th June, and reached +Umritsar the following morning. + +News of a severe fight at Badli-ki-Serai had been received, which +increased our anxiety to push on to Delhi, for we feared the place +might be taken before we could get there. But to our mortification it +was decided that the column could not be spared just then even for +Delhi, as there was still work for it in the Punjab. To add to our +disappointment, we had to give up our trusted Commander; for a few +hours after our arrival at Umritsar a telegram came to Neville +Chamberlain offering him the Adjutant-Generalship of the Army in +succession to Colonel Chester, who had been killed at Badli-ki-Serai. +He accepted the offer, and I made certain I should go with him. My +chagrin, therefore, can easily be understood when he told me that I +must remain with the column, as it would be unfair to his successor to +take away the staff officer. We were now all anxiety to learn who +that successor should be, and it was a satisfaction to hear that John +Nicholson was the man. + +Chamberlain left for Delhi on the 13th; but Nicholson could not join +for a few days, and as troops were much needed at Jullundur, it was +arranged that the column should move on to that place, under the +temporary command of Campbell, and there await the arrival of the new +Brigadier. + +On my going to Campbell for orders, he informed me that he was no +longer the senior officer with the column, as a Colonel Denniss, +junior to him regimentally, but his senior in army rank, had just +rejoined the 52nd. Accordingly I reported myself to Denniss, who, +though an officer of many years' service, had never before held a +command, not even that of a regiment; and, poor man! was considerably +taken aback when he heard that he must be in charge of the column for +some days. He practically left everything to me--a somewhat trying +position for almost the youngest officer in the force. It was under +these circumstances I found what an able man Colonel Campbell really +was. He correctly gauged Denniss's fitness, or rather unfitness, for +the command, and appreciating the awkwardness of my position, advised +me so wisely that I had no difficulty in carrying on the work. + +We reached Jullundur on the 20th, Nicholson taking over command the +same day. He had been given the rank of Brigadier-General, which +removed all grounds for objection on the part of Campbell, and the two +soon learnt to appreciate each other, and became fast friends. + +Jullundur was in a state of the greatest confusion. The Native troops, +consisting of a regiment of Light Cavalry and two regiments of Native +Infantry, began to show signs of disaffection soon after the outbreak +at Meerut, and from that time until the 7th June, when they broke into +open mutiny, incendiary fires were almost of daily occurrence. The +want of resolution displayed in dealing with the crisis at Jullundur +was one of the regrettable episodes of the Mutiny. The European +garrison consisted of Her Majesty's 8th Foot and a troop of Horse +Artillery. The military authorities had almost a whole month's warning +of the mutinous intentions of the Native troops, but though they had +before them the example of the prompt and successful measures adopted +at Lahore and Peshawar, they failed to take any steps to prevent the +outbreak. + +The Brigadier (Johnstone) was on leave at the commencement of the +Mutiny, and during his absence the treasure was placed in charge of +a European guard, in accordance with instructions from Sir John +Lawrence. This measure was reversed as soon as the Brigadier rejoined, +for fear of showing distrust of the sepoys, and another wise order +of the watchful Chief Commissioner--to disarm the Native troops--was +never carried out. The Commissioner, Major Edward Lake, one of Henry +Lawrence's most capable assistants, had also repeatedly urged upon +Johnstone the advisability of depriving the sepoys of their arms, but +his advice remained unheeded. When the inevitable revolt took place +European soldiers were allowed to be passive spectators while property +was being destroyed, and sepoys to disappear in the darkness of the +night carrying with them their muskets and all the treasure and +plunder they could lay their hands on. + +A futile attempt at pursuit was made the following morning, but, as +will be seen, this was carried out in so half-hearted a manner, that +the mutineers were able to get safely across the Sutlej with their +loot, notwithstanding that the passage of this broad river had to be +made by means of a ferry, where only very few boats were available. +Having reached Philour, the British troops were ordered to push on to +Delhi, and as Jullundur was thus left without protection, Lake gladly +accepted the offer of the Raja of Kapurthala to garrison it with his +own troops. + +There was no doubt as to the loyalty of the Raja himself, and his +sincere desire to help us; but the mismanagement of affairs at +Jullundur had done much to lower our prestige in the eyes of his +people, and there was no mistaking the offensive demeanour of his +troops. They evidently thought that British soldiers had gone never +to return, and they swaggered about in swash-buckler fashion, as only +Natives who think they have the upper hand can swagger. + +It was clearly Lake's policy to keep on good terms with the Kapurthala +people. His position was much strengthened by the arrival of our +column; but we were birds of passage, and might be off at any moment, +so in order to pay a compliment to the officers and principal men with +the Kapurthala troops, Lake asked Nicholson to meet them at his house. +Nicholson consented, and a durbar was arranged. I was present on the +occasion, and was witness of rather a curious scene, illustrative +alike of Nicholson and Native character. + +At the close of the ceremony Mehtab Sing, a general officer in the +Kapurthala Army, took his leave, and, as the senior in rank at the +durbar, was walking out of the room first, when I observed Nicholson +stalk to the door, put himself in front of Mehtab Sing and, waving him +back with an authoritative air, prevent him from leaving the room. The +rest of the company then passed out, and when they had gone, Nicholson +said to Lake: 'Do you see that General Mehtab Sing has his shoes +on?'[8] Lake replied that he had noticed the fact, but tried to excuse +it. Nicholson, however, speaking in Hindustani, said: 'There is no +possible excuse for such an act of gross impertinence. Mehtab Sing +knows perfectly well that he would not venture to step on his own +father's carpet save barefooted, and he has only committed this breach +of etiquette to-day because he thinks we are not in a position to +resent the insult, and that he can treat us as he would not have +dared to do a month ago.' Mehtab Sing looked extremely foolish, and +stammered some kind of apology; but Nicholson was not to be appeased, +and continued: 'If I were the last Englishman left in Jullundur, you' +(addressing Mehtab Sing) 'should not come into my room with your +shoes on;' then, politely turning to Lake, he added, 'I hope the +Commissioner will now allow me to order you to take your shoes off and +carry them out in your own hands, so that your followers may witness +your discomfiture.' Mehtab Sing, completely cowed, meekly did as he +was told. + +Although in the kindness of his heart Lake had at first endeavoured to +smooth matters over, he knew Natives well, and he readily admitted +the wisdom of Nicholson's action. Indeed, Nicholson's uncompromising +bearing on this occasion proved a great help to Lake, for it had the +best possible effect upon the Kapurthala people; their manner at once +changed, all disrespect vanished, and there was no more swaggering +about as if they considered themselves masters of the situation. + +Five or six years after this occurrence I was one of a pig-sticking +party at Kapurthala, given by the Raja in honour of the +Commander-in-Chief, Sir Hugh Rose.[9] When riding home in the evening +I found myself close to the elephant on which our host and the Chief +were sitting. The conversation happening to turn on the events of the +Mutiny, I asked what had become of General Mehtab Sing. The Raja, +pointing to an elephant a little distance off on which two Native +gentlemen were riding, said, 'There he is.' I recognized the General, +and making him a salaam, which he politely returned, I said to him, 'I +have not had the pleasure of meeting you since those hot days in June, +1857, when I was at Jullundur.' The Raja then asked me if I knew +Nicholson. On my telling him I had been his staff officer, and with +him at the durbar at Lake _Sahib's_ house, the Raja laughed heartily, +and said, 'Oh! then you saw Mehtab Sing made to walk out of the room +with his shoes in his hand? We often chaff him about that little +affair, and tell him that he richly deserved the treatment he received +from the great Nicholson _Sahib_.' + +Sir Hugh Rose was greatly interested in the story, which he made me +repeat to him as soon as we got back to camp, and he was as much +struck as I was with this spontaneous testimony of a leading Native to +the wisdom of Nicholson's procedure. + +On taking over command, Nicholson's first care was to establish an +effective system of intelligence, by means of which he was kept +informed of what was going on in the neighbouring districts; and, +fully recognizing the necessity for rapid movement in the event of any +sudden emergency, he organized a part of his force into a small +flying column, the infantry portion of which was to be carried in +_ekkas_.[10] I was greatly impressed by Nicholson's knowledge of +military affairs. He seemed always to know exactly what to do and the +best way to do it. This was the more remarkable because, though +a soldier by profession, his training had been chiefly that of a +civilian--a civilian of the frontier, however, where his soldierly +instincts had been fostered in his dealing with a lawless and unruly +people, and where he had received a training which was now to stand +him in good stead. Nicholson was a born Commander, and this was felt +by every officer and man with the column before he had been amongst +them many days. + +The Native troops with the column had given no trouble since we left +Lahore. We were travelling in the direction they desired to go, which +accounted for their remaining quiet; but Nicholson, realizing the +danger of having them in our midst, and the probability of their +refusing to turn away from Delhi in the event of our having to retrace +our steps, resolved to disarm the 35th. The civil authorities in the +district urged that the same course should be adopted with the 33rd, a +Native Infantry regiment at Hoshiarpur, about twenty-seven miles from +Jullundur, which it had been decided should join the column. The +Native soldiers with the column already exceeded the Europeans in +number, and as the addition of another regiment would make the odds +against us very serious, it was arranged to disarm the 35th before the +33rd joined us. + +We left Jullundur on the 24th June, and that afternoon, accompanied by +the Deputy-Commissioner of the district, I rode to Philour to choose a +place for the disarming parade. The next morning we started early, the +Europeans heading the column, and when they reached the ground we had +selected they took up a position on the right of the road, the two +batteries in the centre and the 52nd in wings on either flank. The +guns were unlimbered and prepared for action. On the left of the road +was a serai,[11] behind which the officer commanding the 35th was told +to take his regiment, and, as he cleared it, to wheel to the right, +thus bringing his men in column of companies facing the line of +Europeans. This manoeuvre being accomplished, I was ordered to tell +the commanding officer that the regiment was to be disarmed, and that +the men were to pile arms and take off their belts. The sepoys and +their British officers were equally taken aback; the latter had +received no information of what was going to happen, while the former +had cherished the hope that they would be able to cross the Sutlej, +and thence slip off with their arms to Delhi. + +I thought I could discover relief in the British officers' faces, +certainly in that of Major Younghusband, the Commandant, and when I +gave him the General's order, he murmured, 'Thank God!' He had been +with the 35th for thirty-three years; he had served with it at the +siege of Bhurtpore, throughout the first Afghan war, and in Sale's +defence of Jalalabad; he had been proud of his old corps, but knowing +probably that his men could no longer be trusted, he rejoiced to feel +that they were not to be given the opportunity for further disgracing +themselves.[12] The sepoys obeyed the command without a word, and in a +few minutes their muskets and belts were all packed in carts and taken +off to the fort. + +As the ceremony was completed, the 33rd arrived and was dealt with in +a similar manner; but the British officers of this regiment did not +take things so quietly--they still believed in their men, and the +Colonel, Sandeman, trusted them to any extent. He had been with the +regiment for more than two-and-thirty years, and had commanded it +throughout the Sutlej campaign. On hearing the General's order, he +exclaimed: 'What! disarm my regiment? I will answer with my life for +the loyalty of every man!' On my repeating the order the poor old +fellow burst into tears. His son, the late Sir Robert Sandeman, who +was an Ensign in the regiment at the time, told me afterwards how +terribly his father felt the disgrace inflicted upon the regiment of +which he was so proud. + +It was known that the wing of the 9th Light Cavalry was in +communication with the mutineers at Delhi, and that the men were only +waiting their opportunity; so they would also certainly have been +disarmed at this time, but for the idea that such a measure might have +a bad effect on the other wing, which still remained at Sialkot. The +turn of this regiment, however, came a few days later. + +Up till this time we all hoped that Delhi was our destination, but, +greatly to our surprise and disappointment, orders came that morning +directing the column to return to Umritsar; the state of the Punjab +was causing considerable anxiety, as there were several stations at +which Native corps still remained in possession of their arms. + +The same afternoon I was in the Philour fort with Nicholson, when +the telegraph-signaller gave him a copy of a message from Sir Henry +Barnard to the authorities in the Punjab, begging that all Artillery +officers not doing regimental duty might be sent to Delhi, where their +services were urgently required. I at once felt that this message +applied to me. I had been longing to find myself at Delhi, and lived +in perpetual dread of its being captured before I could get there; now +at last my hopes seemed about to be realized in a legitimate +manner, but, on the other hand, I did not like the idea of leaving +Nicholson--the more closely I was associated with him the more I was +attracted by him--and I am always proud to remember that he did not +wish to part with me. He agreed, however, that my first duty was to my +regiment, and only stipulated that before leaving him I should find +someone to take my place, as he did not know a single officer with the +column. This I was able to arrange, and that evening Nicholson and I +dined _tête-à-tête_. At dawn the next morning I left by mail-cart for +Delhi, my only kit being a small bundle of bedding, saddle and bridle, +my servants having orders to follow with my horses, tents, and other +belongings. + + +[Footnote 1: One Cavalry and two Infantry.] + +[Footnote 2: Native Adjutant.] + +[Footnote 3: A name applied by the Hindus to any Rajput who has, or +whose ancestors have, been converted to Islam. There were several +_Rangars_ in the 1st Irregulars. One day in June, Shaidad Khan, a +Resaidar of this class, came to Chamberlain, and said: 'There was a +rumour that he (Chamberlain) had not as much confidence in _Rangars_ +as in other classes of the regiment, and he came to be comforted'! +Chamberlain asked him to sit down, and sent to the banker of the +regiment for a very valuable sword which he had given him for safe +custody. It had belonged to one of the Amirs of Sindh, was taken in +battle, and given to Chamberlain by Major Fitzgerald, of the Sindh +Horse. On the sword being brought, Chamberlain handed it over to +Shaidad Khan and his sect for safety, to be returned when the Mutiny +was over. The tears rose to the Native officer's eyes, he touched +Chamberlain's knees, and swore that death alone would sever the bond +of fidelity of which the sword was the token. He took his leave, +thoroughly satisfied.] + +[Footnote 4: Throne.] + +[Footnote 5: A station since abandoned for Rajanpur.] + +[Footnote 6: Now General Sir W. T. Hughes, K.C.B.] + +[Footnote 7: The two disarmed regiments remained quietly at Multan for +more than a year, when, with unaccountable inconsistency, a sudden +spirit of revolt seized them, and in August, 1858, they broke out, +tried to get possession of the guns, murdered the Adjutant of the +Bombay Fusiliers, and then fled from the station. But order by that +time had been quite restored, our position in the Punjab was secure, +and nearly all the sepoys were killed or captured by the country +people.] + +[Footnote 8: No Native, in Native dress, keeps his shoes on when he +enters a room, unless he intends disrespect.] + +[Footnote 9: The late Field Marshal Lord Strathnairn, G.C.B., +G.C.S.I.] + +[Footnote 10: A kind of light cart.] + +[Footnote 11: A four-walled enclosure for the accommodation of +travellers.] + +[Footnote 12: It will be remembered that this was the regiment in +which two men had been found with loaded muskets, and blown away from +guns at Lahore.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XII. +1857 + + George Ricketts at Ludhiana--Pushing on to Delhi + --In the camp before Delhi + + +The mail-cart rattled across the bridge of boats, and in less than an +hour I found myself at Ludhiana, at the house of George Ricketts,[1] +the Deputy Commissioner. Ricketts's bungalow was a resting-place for +everyone passing through _en route_ to Delhi. In one room I found +Lieutenant Williams of the 4th Sikhs, who had been dangerously wounded +three weeks before, while assisting Ricketts to prevent the Jullundur +mutineers from crossing the Sutlej. + +While I was eating my breakfast, Ricketts sat down by my side and +recounted a stirring tale of all that had happened at Philour +and Ludhiana consequent on the rising of the Native regiments at +Jullundur. The mutineers had made, in the first instance, for Philour, +a small cantonment, but important from the fact of its containing a +fair-sized magazine, and from its situation, commanding the passage +of the Sutlej. It was garrisoned by the 3rd Native Infantry, which +furnished the sole guard over the magazine--a danger which, as I have +mentioned, had fortunately been recognized by the Commander-in-Chief +when he first heard of the outbreak at Meerut. The men of the 3rd +remained quiet, and even did good service in helping to drag the guns +of the siege-train across the river, and in guarding the treasury, +until the mutineers from Jullundur arrived on the 8th June. They then +gave their British officers warning to leave them, saying they did not +mean to injure them or their property, but they had determined they +would no longer serve the _Sirkar_. Twelve British officers (there +could not have been more), confronted by 3,000 sepoys, felt themselves +powerless, and retired to the fort. + +Ricketts had with him at that time an assistant named Thornton,[2] who +had gone to Philour to lodge some money in the treasury. This officer +had started to ride back to Ludhiana, when he suddenly became aware of +what had happened, and how perilous was the position. Had he consulted +his own safety, he would have returned and taken refuge in the +fort, instead of which he galloped on, having to pass close by the +mutineers, until he reached the bridge of boats, which, with admirable +coolness and presence of mind, he cut behind him, then, hurrying on, +he informed Ricketts of what had taken place; and that the rebels +might shortly be expected to attempt the passage of the river. +Fortunately the 4th Sikhs from Abbottabad had that very morning +marched into Ludhiana, and Ricketts hoped, with their assistance, to +hold the sepoys in check until the arrival of the British troops, +which he believed must have been despatched from Jullundur in pursuit +of the mutineers. + +The garrison of Ludhiana consisted of a detachment of the 3rd Native +Infantry, guarding the fort, in which was stored a large amount of +powder. The detachment was commanded by Lieutenant Yorke, who, on +hearing Thornton's story, went at once to the fort. He was much liked +by his men, who received him quite civilly, but told him they knew +that their regiment had joined the rebels from Jullundur, and that +they themselves could no longer obey his orders. Ricketts then +understood that he had but the 4th Sikhs and a small party of troops +belonging to the Raja of Nabha to depend upon. There were only +two officers with the 4th Sikhs--Captain Rothney, in command, and +Lieutenant Williams, the Adjutant. Taking three companies of the +regiment under Williams, and two guns of the Nabha Artillery, one +dragged by camels, the other by horses, Ricketts started off towards +the bridge of boats. Galloping on alone, he found that the gap in the +bridge made by Thornton had not been repaired, which proved that the +rebels had not crossed by that passage, at all events. He widened the +gap by cutting adrift some more boats, and then had himself ferried +across the river, in order to ascertain the exact state of affairs at +Philour. He learnt that no tidings had been received of any British +troops having been sent from Jullundur in pursuit of the mutineers, +who, having failed to get across the bridge, owing to Thornton's +timely action, had gone to a ferry reported to be three miles up the +river. + +Ricketts recrossed the river as quickly as he could, and joined +Williams. It was then getting dark, but, hoping they might still be +in time to check the rebels, they pushed on in the direction of the +ferry, which proved to be nearer six than three miles away. The ground +was rough and broken, as is always the case on the banks of Indian +rivers, swollen as they often are by torrents from the hills, which +leave behind boulders and debris of all kinds. They made but little +way; one of the gun-camels fell lame, the guides disappeared, and they +began to despair of reaching the ferry in time, when suddenly there +was a challenge and they know they were too late. The sepoys had +succeeded in crossing the river and were bivouacking immediately in +front of them. + +It was not a pleasant position, but it had to be made the best of; and +both the civilian and the soldier agreed that their only chance was +to fight. Williams opened fire with his Infantry, and Ricketts took +command of the guns. At the first discharge the horses bolted with the +limber, and never appeared again; almost at the same moment Williams +fell, shot through the body. Ricketts continued the fight until his +ammunition was completely expended, when he was reluctantly obliged to +retire to a village in the neighbourhood, but not until he had killed, +as he afterwards discovered, about fifty of the enemy. + +Ricketts returned to Ludhiana early the next morning, and later in +the day the mutineers passed through the city. They released some 500 +prisoners who were in the gaol, and helped themselves to what food +they wanted, but they did not enter the cantonment or the fort. The +gallant little attempt to close the passage of the Sutlej was entirely +frustrated, owing to the inconceivable want of energy displayed by the +so-called 'pursuing force'; had it pushed on, the rebels must have +been caught in the act of crossing the river, when Ricketts's small +party might have afforded considerable help. The Europeans from +Jullundur reached Philour before dark on the 8th; they heard the +firing of Ricketts's guns, but no attempt was made by the officer in +command to ascertain the cause, and they came leisurely on to Ludhiana +the following day. + +Having listened with the greatest interest to Ricketts's story, and +refreshed the inner man, I resumed my journey, and reached Umballa +late in the afternoon of the 27th, not sorry to get under shelter, for +the monsoon, which had been threatening for some days past, burst with +great fury as I was leaving Ludhiana. + +On driving to the dâk-bungalow I found it crowded with officers, some +of whom had been waiting there for days for an opportunity to go on to +Delhi; they laughed at me when I expressed my intention of proceeding +at once, and told me that the seats on the mail-carts had to be +engaged several days in advance, and that I might make up my mind to +stay where I was for some time to come. I was not at all prepared for +this, and I determined to get on by hook or by crook; as a preliminary +measure, I made friends with the postmaster, from whose office the +mail-carts started. From him I learnt that my only chance was to +call upon the Deputy-Commissioner, by whose orders the seats were +distributed. I took the postmaster's advice, and thus became +acquainted with Douglas Forsyth, who in later years made a name for +himself by his energetic attempts to establish commercial relations +with Yarkand and Kashgar. Forsyth confirmed what I had already heard, +but told me that an extra cart was to be despatched that night, laden +with small-arm ammunition, on which I could, if I liked, get a seat, +adding: 'Your kit must be of the smallest, as there will be no room +for anything inside the cart.' + +I returned to the dâk-bungalow, overjoyed at my success, to find +myself quite an important personage, with everyone my friend, like the +boy at school who is the lucky recipient of a hamper from home. 'Take +me with you!' was the cry on all sides. Only two others besides the +driver and myself could possibly go, and then only by carrying our +kits in our laps. It was finally arranged that Captain Law and +Lieutenant Packe should be my companions. Packe was lamed for life +by a shot through his ankle before we had been forty-eight hours +at Delhi, and Law was killed on the 23rd July, having greatly +distinguished himself by his gallantry and coolness under fire during +the short time he served with the force. + +We got to Kurnal soon after daybreak on the 28th. It was occupied by a +few of the Raja of Jhind's troops, a Commissariat officer, and one or +two civilians, who were trying to keep the country quiet and collect +supplies. Before noon we passed through Panipat, where there was a +strong force of Patiala and Jhind troops, and early in the afternoon +we reached Alipur. Here our driver pulled up, declaring he would go no +further. A few days before there had been a sharp fight on the road +between Alipur and Delhi, not far from Badli-ki-Serai, where the +battle of the 8th June had taken place, and as the enemy were +constantly on the road threatening the rear of the besieging force, +the driver did not consider it safe to go on. We could not, however, +stop at Alipur, so after some consultation we settled to take the +mail-cart ponies and ride on to camp. We could hear the boom of guns +at intervals, and as we neared Delhi we came across several dead +bodies of the enemy. It is a curious fact that most of these bodies +were exactly like mummies; there was nothing disagreeable about them. + +Why this should have been the case I cannot say, but I often wished +during the remainder of the campaign that the atmospheric influences, +which, I presume, had produced this effect, could assert themselves +more frequently. + +We stopped for a short time to look at the position occupied by the +enemy at Badli-ki-Serai; but none of us were in the mood to enjoy +sight-seeing. We had never been to Delhi before, and had but the +vaguest notion where the Ridge (the position our force was holding) +was, or how the city was situated with regard to our camp. The sound +of heavy firing became louder and louder, and we knew that fighting +must be going on. The driver had solemnly warned us of the risk we +were running in continuing our journey, and when we came to the point +where the Grand Trunk Road bifurcates, one branch going direct to the +city and the other through the cantonment, we halted for a few minutes +to discuss which we should take. Fortunately for us, we settled to +follow that which led to the cantonment, and, as it was then getting +dark, we pushed on as fast as our tired ponies could go. The relief +to us when we found ourselves safe inside our own piquets may be +imagined. My father's old staff-officer, Henry Norman, who was then +Assistant-Adjutant-General at Head-Quarters, kindly asked me to share +his tent until I could make other arrangements. He had no bed to offer +me, but I required none, as I was thoroughly tired out, and all I +wanted was a spot on which to throw myself down. A good night's rest +quite set me up. I awoke early, scarcely able to believe in my good +fortune. I was actually at Delhi, and the city was still in the +possession of the mutineers. + + +[Footnote 1: George Ricketts, Esq., C.B., afterwards a member of the +Board of Revenue of the North-West Provinces.] + +[Footnote 2: Thomas Thornton, Esq., C.S.I., afterwards Secretary to +the Government of India in the Foreign Department.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. +1857 + + The first victory--Enthusiasm amongst the troops + --Barnard's success at Badli-ki-Serai--The Flagstaff Tower + --Position on the Ridge--Quintin Battye--The gallant little Gurkhas + --Proposed assault--The besiegers besieged--Hard fighting + --The centenary of Plassy + + +Before entering on the narrative of what came under my own observation +during the three months I was at Delhi, I will relate what took place +after Sir Henry Barnard succeeded General Anson in command on the 26th +May, and how the little British force maintained itself against almost +overwhelming odds during the first three weeks of that memorable +siege. + +Barnard had served as Chief of the Staff in the Crimea, and had held +various staff appointments in England; but he was an utter stranger to +India, having only arrived in the country a few weeks before. He +fully realized the difficulties of the position to which he had so +unexpectedly succeeded, for he was aware how unjustly Anson was being +judged by those who, knowing nothing of war, imagined he could have +started to attack Delhi with scarcely more preparation than would have +been necessary for a morning's parade. The officers of the column were +complete strangers to him, and he to them, and he was ignorant of the +characteristics and capabilities of the Native portion of his troops. +It must, therefore, have been with an anxious heart that he took over +the command. + +One of Barnard's first acts was to get rid of the unreliable element +which Anson had brought away from Umballa. The Infantry he sent to +Rohtuk, where it shortly afterwards mutinied, and the Cavalry to +Meerut. That these troops should have been allowed to retain their +weapons is one of the mysteries of the Mutiny. For more than two +months their insubordination had been apparent, incendiarism had +occurred which had been clearly traced to them, and they had even gone +so far as to fire at their officers; both John Lawrence and Robert +Montgomery had pressed upon the Commander-in-Chief the advisability +of disarming them; but General Anson, influenced by the regimental +officers, who could not believe in the disaffection of their men, had +not grasped the necessity for this precautionary measure. The European +soldiers with the column, however, did not conceal their mistrust of +these sepoys, and Barnard acted wisely in sending them away; but it +was extraordinary that they should have been allowed to keep their +arms. + +On the 5th June Barnard reached Alipur, within ten miles of Delhi, +where he decided to await the arrival of the siege-train and the +troops from Meerut. + +The Meerut brigade, under Brigadier Wilson, had started on the 27th +May. It consisted of two squadrons of the Carabineers, Tombs's[1] +troop of Horse Artillery, Scott's Field Battery and two 18-pounder +guns, a wing of the 1st Battalion 60th Rifles, a few Native Sappers +and Miners, and a detachment of Irregular Horse. + +Early on the 30th the village of Ghazi-u-din-nagar (now known as +Ghaziabad) close to the Hindun river, and about eleven miles from +Delhi, was reached. Thence it was intended to make a reconnaissance +towards Delhi, but about four o'clock in the afternoon a vedette +reported that the enemy were approaching in strength. A very careless +look-out had been kept, for almost simultaneously with the report a +round shot came tumbling into camp. The troops fell in as quickly as +possible, and the Artillery came into action. The Rifles crossed the +Hindun suspension bridge, and, under cover of our guns, attacked the +enemy, who were strongly posted in a village. From this position they +were speedily dislodged, and the victory was complete. Seven hundred +British soldiers defeated seven times their number, capturing five +guns and a large quantity of ammunition and stores. Our loss was one +officer and ten men killed, and one officer and eighteen men wounded. + +The following day (Sunday) the enemy reappeared about noon, but +after two hours' fighting they were again routed, and on our troops +occupying their position, they could be seen in full retreat towards +Delhi. The rebels succeeded in taking their guns with them, for our +men, prostrated by the intense heat and parched with thirst, were +quite unable to pursue. We had one officer and eleven men killed, and +two officers and ten men wounded. Among the latter was an ensign of +the 60th Rifles, a boy named Napier, a most gallant young fellow, full +of life and spirit, who had won the love as well as the admiration of +his men. He was hit in the leg, and the moment he was brought into +camp it had to be amputated. When the operation was over, Napier was +heard to murmur, 'I shall never lead the Rifles again! I shall never +lead the Rifles again!' His wound he thought little of. What grieved +him was the idea of having to give up his career as a soldier, and to +leave the regiment he was so proud of. Napier was taken to Meerut, +where he died a few days afterwards.[2] + +On the 1st June Wilson's force was strengthened by the Sirmur +battalion of Gurkhas,[3] a regiment which later covered itself with +glory, and gained an undying name by its gallantry during the siege of +Delhi. + +On the 7th June Wilson's brigade crossed the Jumna at Baghput, and +at Alipur it joined Barnard's force, the men of which loudly cheered +their Meerut comrades as they marched into camp with the captured +guns. The siege-train had arrived the previous day, and Barnard was +now ready for an advance. His force consisted of about 600 Cavalry and +2,400 Infantry, with 22 field-guns. There were besides 150 European +Artillerymen, chiefly recruits, with the siege-train, which comprised +eight 18-pounders, four 8-inch and twelve 5-1/2-inch mortars. The +guns, if not exactly obsolete, were quite unsuited for the work that +had to be done, but they were the best procurable. George Campbell, in +his 'Memoirs of my Indian Career,' thus describes the siege-train as +he saw it passing through Kurnal: 'I could not help thinking that it +looked a very trumpery affair with which to bombard and take a great +fortified city;' and he expressed his 'strong belief that Delhi would +never be taken by that battery.' + +Barnard heard that the enemy intended to oppose his march to Delhi, +and in order to ascertain their exact position he sent Lieutenant +Hodson (who had previously done good service for the Commander-in-Chief +by opening communication with Meerut) to reconnoitre the road. Hodson +reported that the rebels were in force at Badli-ki-Serai a little more +than halfway between Alipur and Delhi. Orders were accordingly issued +for an advance at midnight on the 7th June. + +When it became known that a battle was imminent, there was great +enthusiasm amongst the troops, who were burning to avenge the +massacres of Meerut and Delhi. The sick in hospital declared they +would remain there no longer, and many, quite unfit to walk, insisted +on accompanying the attacking column, imploring their comrades not to +mention that they were ill, for fear they should not be allowed to +take part in the fight.[4] + +[Illustration: MAJOR-GENERAL SIR HARRY TOMBS, V.C., G.C.B. + +_From a photograph by Messrs. Grillet and Co._] + +The mutineers had selected an admirable position on both sides of the +main road. To their right was a serai and a walled village capable +of holding large numbers of Infantry, and protected by an impassable +swamp. To their left, on some rising ground, a sand-bag battery for +four heavy guns and an 8-inch mortar had been constructed. On both +sides the ground was swampy and intersected by water-cuts, and about +a mile to the enemy's left, and nearly parallel to the road, ran the +Western Jumna Canal. + +At the hour named, Brigadier Hope Grant,[5] commanding the Cavalry, +started with ten Horse Artillery guns, three squadrons of the 9th +Lancers, and fifty Jhind horsemen under Lieutenant Hodson, with the +object of turning the enemy's left flank. Shortly afterwards the main +body marched along the road until the lights in the enemy's camp +became visible. Colonel Showers, who had succeeded Hallifax in the +command of the 1st Brigade,[6] moved off to the right of the road, and +Colonel Graves, who had taken Jones's place with the 2nd Brigade,[7] +to the left. The heavy guns remained on the road with a battery of +Field Artillery on either flank. Just as day broke our guns advanced, +but before they were in position the fight began by a cannonade from +the rebel Artillery, which caused us severe loss. To this destructive +fire no adequate reply could be made; our guns were too few and of too +small calibre. To add to our difficulties, the Native bullock-drivers +of our heavy guns went off with their cattle, and one of the waggons +blew up. At this critical moment Barnard ordered Showers to charge the +enemy's guns, a service which was performed with heroic gallantry by +Her Majesty's 75th Foot, who carried the position at the point of the +bayonet, with a loss of 19 officers and men killed and 43 wounded. +Then, supported by the 1st Fusiliers, the same regiment dashed across +the road and burst open the gates of the serai. A desperate fight +ensued, but the sepoys were no match for British bayonets, and +they now learnt that their misdeeds were not to be allowed to go +unpunished. Graves's brigade, having passed round the _jhil_,[8] +appeared on the enemy's right rear, while Grant with his Cavalry and +Horse Artillery threatened their left. The defeat was complete, and +the rebels retreated hastily towards Delhi, leaving their guns on the +ground. + +Although the men were much exhausted, Barnard determined to push on, +for he feared that if he delayed the rebels might rally, and occupy +another strong position. + +From the cross-roads just beyond Badli-ki-Serai could be seen the +Ridge on which the British force was to hold its own for more than +three months during the heat of an Indian summer, and under the rain +of an Indian monsoon. At this point two columns were formed, Barnard +taking command of the one, which proceeded to the left towards the +cantonment, and Wilson of the other, which moved along the city road. +Wilson's column fought its way through gardens and enclosures until it +reached the western extremity of the Ridge. Barnard, as he came under +the fire of the enemy's guns, made a flank movement to the left, and +then, wheeling to his right, swept along the Ridge from the Flagstaff +Tower to Hindu Rao's house, where the two columns united, the rebels +flying before them. + +Barnard had achieved a great success and with comparatively small +loss, considering the formidable position occupied by the enemy, their +great strength in Artillery, and their superiority in numbers. + +Our casualties were 51 killed and 131 wounded. Among the former was +Colonel Chester, the Adjutant-General of the Army. Of the troops +opposed to us it was reckoned that 1,000 never returned to Delhi; +thirteen guns were captured, two of them being 24-pounders. + +I have frequently wandered over the Ridge since 1857, and thought how +wonderfully we were aided by finding a ready-made position--not only a +coign of vantage for attack, but a rampart of defence, as Forrest[9] +describes it. This Ridge, rising sixty feet above the city, covered +the main line of communication to the Punjab, upon the retention of +which our very existence as a force depended. Its left rested on the +Jumna, unfordable from the time the snow on the higher ranges begins +to melt until the rainy season is over, and of sufficient width to +prevent our being enfiladed by field-guns; although, on the immediate +right, bazaars, buildings, and garden-walls afforded cover to the +enemy, the enclosed nature of the ground was so far advantageous that +it embarrassed and impeded them in their attempts to organize an +attack in force upon our flank or rear; and a further protection was +afforded by the Najafgarh _jhil_, which during the rains submerges a +vast area of land. + +The distance of the Ridge from the city walls varied considerably. On +our right, where the memorial monument now stands, it was about 1,200 +yards, at the Flagstaff Tower about a mile and a half, and at the end +near the river nearly two miles and a half. This rendered our left +comparatively safe, and it was behind the Ridge in this direction that +the main part of our camp was pitched. The Flagstaff Tower in the +centre was the general rendezvous for the non-combatants, and for +those of the sick and wounded who were able to move about, as they +could assemble there and hear the news from the front without much +risk of injury from the enemy's fire. + +The Flagstaff Tower is interesting from the fact that it was here the +residents from the cantonment of Delhi assembled to make a stand, +on hearing that the rebels from Meerut were murdering the British +officers on duty within the city, that the three Native regiments and +battery of Field Artillery had joined the mutineers, and that at any +moment they themselves might expect to be attacked. The tower was 150 +feet high, with a low parapet running round the top, approached by a +narrow winding staircase. Here the men of the party proposed to await +the attack. The ladies, who behaved with the utmost coolness and +presence of mind, were, with the wives and children of the few +European non-commissioned officers, placed for their greater safety on +the stairs, where they were all but suffocated by the stifling heat in +such a confined space. The little party on the roof consisted of some +twenty British officers, the same number of half-caste buglers and +drummers, and half a dozen European soldiers. Not a drop of water, not +a particle of food, was to be had. No help appeared to be coming from +Meerut, in the direction of which place many a longing and expectant +glance had been cast during the anxious hours of that miserable 11th +May. Constant and heavy firing was heard from the city and suburbs, +and the Cavalry were reported to be advancing on the cantonment. + +Before evening the weary watchers realized that their position was +untenable, and that their only possible chance of escaping the fate +which had befallen the officers within the city (whose dead bodies had +been inhumanly sent in a cart to the Tower) lay in flight. Shortly +before dark the move was made, the women and children were crowded +into the few vehicles available, and accompanied by the men, some on +foot and some on horseback, they got away by the road leading towards +Umballa. They were only just in time, for before the last of the party +were out of sight of the cantonment, crowds of Natives poured into it, +burning, plundering, and destroying everything they could find. + +Amongst the fugitives from Delhi was Captain Tytler, of the 38th +Native Infantry, who, after a variety of vicissitudes, reached Umballa +safely with his wife and children. When Anson's force was being formed +for the advance on Delhi, Tytler was placed in charge of the military +treasure chest, and through some unaccountable negligence Mrs. Tytler +was allowed to accompany him. I believe that, when Mrs. Tytler's +presence became known to the authorities, she would have been sent +out of camp to some safe place, but at that time she was not in a fit +state to travel, and on the 21st June, a few days after the force took +up its position under a heavy cannonade, she gave birth to a son +in the waggon in which she was accommodated. The infant, who was +christened Stanley Delhi Force, seems to have been looked upon by the +soldiery with quite a superstitious feeling, for the father tells us +that soon after its birth he overheard a soldier say; 'Now we shall +get our reinforcements; this camp was formed to avenge the blood +of innocents, and the first reinforcement sent to us is a new-born +infant.' Reinforcements did actually arrive the next day. + +It was on the afternoon of the 8th June that the British force was +placed in position on the Ridge. The main piquet was established at +Hindu Rao's house, a large stone building, in former days the country +residence of some Mahratta Chief. About one hundred and eighty yards +further to the left was the observatory, near which our heavy gun +battery was erected. Beyond the observatory was an old Pathan mosque, +in which was placed an Infantry piquet with two field-guns. Still +further to the left came the Flagstaff Tower, held by a party of +Infantry with two more field-guns. At the extreme right of the Ridge, +overlooking the trunk road, there was a strong piquet with a heavy +battery. + +This was the weak point of our defence. To the right, and somewhat +to the rear, was the suburb of Sabzi Mandi (vegetable market), a +succession of houses and walled gardens, from which the rebels +constantly threatened our flank. To protect this part of the position +as much as possible, a battery of three 18-pounders and an Infantry +piquet was placed on what was known as the General's Mound, with a +Cavalry piquet and two Horse Artillery guns immediately below. +In front of the Ridge the ground was covered with old buildings, +enclosures, and clumps of trees, which afforded only too perfect +shelter to the enemy when making their sorties. + +As described by the Commanding Engineer, 'the eastern face of Delhi +rests on the Jumna, and at the season of the year during which our +operations were carried on, the stream may be described as washing the +face of the walls. The river front was therefore inaccessible to +the besieging force, while at the same time the mutineers and the +inhabitants of the city could communicate freely across the river by +means of the bridge of boats and ferries. This rendered it impossible +for us to invest Delhi, even if there had been a sufficient number +of troops for the purpose. We were only able, indeed, to direct our +attack against a small portion of the city wall, while throughout the +siege the enemy could freely communicate with, and procure supplies +from, the surrounding country. + +'On the river front the defences consisted of an irregular wall with +occasional bastions and towers, and about one half of the length of +this face was occupied by the palace of the King of Delhi and its +outwork, the old Moghul fort of Selimgarh. + +'The remaining defences consisted of a succession of bastioned fronts, +the connecting curtains being very long, and the outworks limited +to one crown-work at the Ajmir gate, and Martello towers mounting a +single gun, at the points where additional flanking fire to that given +by the bastions themselves was required.'[10] + +The above description will give some idea of the strength of the great +city which the British force had come to capture. For more than two +months, however, our energies were devoted not to capturing the city, +but to defending ourselves, having to be ever on the watch to guard +our communication with the Punjab, and to repel the enemy's almost +daily sorties. + +The defences of Delhi, which remain almost unaltered up to the present +day, were modernized forms of the ancient works that existed when +the city fell before Lord Lake's army in 1803. These works had been +strengthened and improved some years before the Mutiny by Lieutenant +Robert Napier.[11] How thoroughly and effectually that talented and +distinguished Engineer performed the duty entrusted to him, we who had +to attack Delhi could testify to our cost. + +Barnard was not left long in doubt as to the intentions of the rebels, +who, the very afternoon on which he occupied the Ridge, attacked Hindu +Rao's house, where the Sirmur battalion, two companies of the 60th +Rifles, and two of Scott's guns had been placed. The enemy were driven +off before dark. The following day they began to cannonade from the +city walls, and in the afternoon repeated their attack. + +That same morning a welcome reinforcement reached camp, the famous +Corps of Guides having arrived as fresh as if they had returned from +an ordinary field day, instead of having come off a march of nearly +600 miles, accomplished in the incredibly short time of twenty-two +days, at the most trying season of the year. The General, having +inspected them, said a few words of encouragement to the men, who +begged their gallant Commandant to say how proud they were to belong +to the Delhi Force. Their usefulness was proved that same afternoon, +when, in support of the piquets, they engaged the enemy in a +hand-to-hand contest, and drove them back to the city. + +It was close up to the walls that Quintin Battye, the dashing +Commander of the Guides Cavalry, received his mortal wound. He was the +brightest and cheeriest of companions, and although only a subaltern +of eight years' service, he was a great loss. I spent a few hours with +him on my way to Delhi, and I remember how his handsome face glowed +when he talked of the opportunities for distinguishing themselves in +store for the Guides. Proud of his regiment, and beloved by his men, +who, grand fellows themselves, were captivated by his many soldierly +qualities, he had every prospect before him of a splendid career, but +he was destined to fall in his first fight. He was curiously fond of +quotations, and the last words he uttered were '_Dulce et decorum est +pro patriâ mori_.' + +While our Infantry and Field Artillery were busily engaged with the +enemy, the few heavy guns we had were put in position on the Ridge. +Great things were hoped from them, but it was soon found that they +were not powerful enough to silence the enemy's fire, and that our +small supply of ammunition was being rapidly expended.[12] The rebels' +guns were superior in number and some in calibre to ours, and were +well served by the Native Artillerymen whom we had been at such pains +to teach. Barnard discovered, too, that his deficiencies in men and +_matériel_ prevented regular approaches being made. There were only +150 Native Sappers and Miners with our force, and Infantry could not +be spared for working parties. + +On the 10th June another determined attack was made on Hindu Rao's +house, which was repulsed by the Sirmur battalion of Gurkhas under its +distinguished Commandant, Major Reid.[13] The mutineers quite hoped +that the Gurkhas would join them, and as they were advancing they +called out: 'We are not firing; we want to speak to you; we want you +to join us.' The little Gurkhas replied, 'Oh yes; we are coming,' on +which they advanced to within twenty paces of the rebels, and, firing +a well-directed volley, killed nearly thirty of them. + +The next day the insurgents made a third attack, and were again +repulsed with considerable loss. They knew that Hindu Rao's house was +the key of our position, and throughout the siege they made the most +desperate attempts to capture it. But Barnard had entrusted this +post of danger to the Gurkhas, and all efforts to dislodge them were +unavailing. At first Reid had at his command only his own battalion +and two companies of the 60th Rifles; but on the arrival of the Guides +their Infantry were also placed at his disposal, and whenever he +sounded the alarm he was reinforced by two more companies of the 60th. +Hindu Rao's house was within easy range of nearly all the enemy's +heavy guns, and was riddled through and through with shot and shell. +Reid never quitted the Ridge save to attack the enemy, and never once +visited the camp until carried into it severely wounded on the day of +the final assault. Hindu Rao's house was the little Gurkhas' hospital +as well as their barrack, for their sick and wounded begged to be left +with their comrades instead of being taken to camp.[14] + +Failing in their attempts on the centre of the position, the mutineers +soon after daylight on the 12th, having concealed themselves in the +ravines adjoining Metcalfe House, attacked the Flagstaff Tower, the +piquet of which was composed of two Horse Artillery guns and two +companies of the 75th Foot, under the command of Captains Dunbar and +Knox. A heavy fog and thick mist rolling up from the low ground near +the Jumna completely enveloped the Ridge and the left front of our +position, hiding everything in the immediate vicinity. The piquet +was on the point of being relieved by a detachment of the 2nd +Bengal Fusiliers, when a large body of the enemy, who had crept up +unobserved, made a rush at the Flagstaff Tower, and as nearly as +possible captured the guns. The piquet was hardly pressed, Knox +and several men were killed, and but for the timely arrival of two +companies of the 60th, the rebels would have gained the day. + +This engagement was scarcely over, when masses of insurgents advanced +from the Sabzi Mandi upon Hindu Rao's house, and into the gardens on +the right flank of the camp, threatening the Mound piquet. Reserves +were called up, these attacks, in their turn, were repulsed and the +rebels were pursued for some distance. It was most fortunate that +both attacks did not take place simultaneously, as was the obvious +intention of the enemy, for our strength would not have been +sufficient to repel them both at the same moment. + +In order to prevent the mutineers from coming to such close quarters +again, a piquet was placed in Metcalfe's House, and the Mound to the +rear of the ridge facing the Sabzi Mandi was strengthened. These +precautions ought to, and would, have been taken before, but for the +want of men. Our soldiers were scarcely ever off duty, and this fresh +demand made it impossible at times to provide a daily relief for the +several piquets. + +Our resources in siege guns and ammunition were so limited, daily +sorties, disease, and heat were making such ravages amongst our +small force, there was so little hope of receiving any considerable +reinforcements, and it appeared to be of such paramount importance to +capture Delhi without further delay, that Barnard agreed to a proposal +for taking it by a _coup de main_. + +The particular details of the project and disposition of the troops +were worked out by three young officers of Engineers, under the direct +orders of the General, and were kept a profound secret; even the +Commanding Engineer was not made acquainted with them. Secrecy was, of +course, of vital importance, but that the officers who ought to have +been chiefly concerned were kept in ignorance of the scheme, shows +there was little of that confidence so essential to success existing +between the Commander and those who were in the position of his +principal advisers. Practically the whole force was to be engaged, +divided into three columns--one to enter by the Kashmir gate, the +second by the Lahore gate, and the third was to attempt an escalade. +The three columns, if they succeeded in effecting an entrance, were to +work their way to the centre of the city, and there unite. + +It was intended that these columns should move off from camp so as to +arrive at the walls just before daybreak; accordingly, at one o'clock +on the morning of the 13th June the troops were suddenly paraded and +ammunition served out, and then for the first time the Commanders +of the three columns and the staff were made acquainted with the +General's intentions. It so happened that the 75th Foot, which had +followed the enemy into the grounds of Metcalfe House after the +repulse on the Flagstaff Tower the previous morning, had through some +oversight never been recalled; their absence was only discovered when +the order was given for the regiment to turn out, and a considerable +time was wasted in sending for it and bringing it back to camp. Day +was breaking when this regiment received its ammunition, and all hope +of an unperceived advance to the walls had to be given up. The +troops were therefore dismissed, and allowed to turn in, having been +uselessly disturbed from their much-needed rest. + +The failure to give effect to the young Engineer officers' plan may be +looked upon as a merciful dispensation of Providence, which saved us +from what would almost certainly have been an irreparable disaster. +When we think of the hard fighting encountered when the assault did +take place under much more favourable circumstances, and how the +columns at the end of that day were only just able to get inside the +city, those who had practical knowledge of the siege can judge what +chance there would have been of these smaller columns accomplishing +their object, even if they had been able to take the enemy by +surprise. + +The 13th and 14th passed in comparative quiet; but early on the 15th +a strong force advanced from Delhi against the Metcalfe House piquet, +with the object of turning our left flank, but it was driven back with +considerable loss. + +On the 17th we were attacked from almost every direction--a manoeuvre +intended to prevent our observing a battery which was being +constructed close to an Idgah,[15] situated on a hill to our right, +from which to enfilade our position on the Ridge. As it was very +important to prevent the completion of this battery, Barnard ordered +it to be attacked by two small columns, one commanded by Tombs, of the +Bengal Horse Artillery, the other by Reid. Tombs, with 400 of the 60th +Rifles and 1st Bengal Fusiliers, 30 of the Guides Cavalry, 20 Sappers +and Miners, and his own troop of Horse Artillery, moved towards the +enemy's left, while Reid, with four companies of the 60th and some +of his own Gurkhas, advanced through Kishenganj against their right. +Tombs drove the rebels through a succession of gardens till they +reached the Idgah, where they made an obstinate but unavailing +resistance. The gates of the mosque were blown open, and thirty-nine +of its defenders were killed. Tombs himself was slightly wounded, and +had two horses killed, making five which had been shot under this +gallant soldier since the commencement of the campaign. Reid's attack +was equally successful. He completely destroyed the battery, and +inflicted heavy loss on the enemy. + +The next day but one the rebels issued from the city in great force, +and threatened nearly every part of our position. The fighting was +severe throughout the afternoon, the piquets having again and again +to be reinforced. Towards evening, while nearly all the Infantry were +thus engaged, a large party of the insurgents, passing unperceived +through the suburbs and gardens on our right, reappeared about a mile +and a half to our rear. Very few troops were left in camp, and all +Hope Grant, who was in command at the time, could collect was four or +five squadrons of Cavalry and twelve guns. He found the enemy in a +strong position, against which his light guns could make but little +impression, while their Artillery and well-placed Infantry did us +considerable damage. Tombs's troop especially suffered, and at one +time his guns were in imminent danger of being captured. Just at +this moment some of the Guides Cavalry rode up. 'Daly, if you do not +charge,' called out Tombs, 'my guns are taken.' Daly spurred into the +bushes, followed by about a dozen of his gallant Guides. He returned +with a bullet through his shoulder, but the momentary diversion saved +the guns.[16] + +As long as it was light the steady fire of the Artillery and the +dashing charges of the Cavalry kept the rebels in check; but in the +dusk of the evening their superior numbers told: they very nearly +succeeded in turning our flank, and for some time the guns were again +in great jeopardy; the 9th Lancers and Guides, bent on saving them at +all hazards, charged the enemy; but, with a ditch and houses on each +side, their action was paralyzed, and their loss severe. All was now +in confusion, the disorder increasing as night advanced, when a small +body of Infantry (about 300 of the 60th Rifles) came up, dashed +forward, and, cutting a lane through the rebels, rescued the guns.[17] + +Our loss in this affair amounted to 3 officers and 17 men killed, and +7 officers and 70 men wounded. Among the latter was Hope Grant, +who had his horse shot under him in a charge, and was saved by the +devotion of two men of his own regiment (the 9th Lancers) and a +Mahomedan sowar of the 4th Irregular Cavalry. + +It was nearly midnight before the troops returned to camp. The enemy +had been frustrated in their attempt to force our rear, but they had +not been driven back; we had, indeed, been only just able to hold our +own. The result of the day added considerably to the anxiety of the +Commander. He saw that the rebels had discovered our weak point, +and that if they managed to establish themselves in our rear, our +communication with the Punjab would be cut off, our small force would +be invested, and without supplies and reinforcements it would be +impossible to maintain our position against the daily increasing +strength of the insurgents. Great was the despondency in camp when +the result of the day's fighting was known; but the fine spirit which +animated the force throughout the siege soon asserted itself, and our +men cheerfully looked forward to the next encounter with the enemy. + +At daybreak Grant was again upon the ground, but found it abandoned. +Many dead men and horses were lying about, and a 9-pounder gun, left +by the enemy, was brought into camp. + +The troops had scarcely got back, hoping for a little rest, when the +enemy again resumed their attack on the rear, and opened fire at so +short a distance that their shot came right through the camp. But on +this occasion they made no stand, and retreated as soon as our troops +showed themselves. + +In order to strengthen our position in rear a battery of two +18-pounders was constructed, supported by Cavalry and Infantry +piquets, and most of the bridges over the drain from the Najafgarh +_jhil_ were destroyed. + +For two days after the events I have just described the hard-worked +little body of troops had comparative rest, but our spies informed us +that the enemy were being largely reinforced, and that we might expect +to be hotly attacked on the 23rd. + +For some time an idea had been prevalent amongst the Natives that the +English _raj_ was not destined to survive its hundredth year, and that +the centenary of Clive's victory on the field of Plassy on the 23rd +June, 1757, would see its downfall. This idea was strengthened in +the Native mind by the fact that the 23rd June, 1857, was a date +propitious alike for Hindus and Mahomedans; the Jattsa, a Hindu +religious festival, was to take place on that day, and there was also +to be a new moon, which the Mahomedans looked upon as a lucky omen; +the astrologers, therefore, declared that the stars in their courses +would fight for the mutineers. If, however, prophecies and omens alike +appeared to favour the rebels, fortune was not altogether unkind to +us, for on the 22nd a reinforcement reached Rhai, twenty-two miles +from Delhi, consisting of six Horse Artillery guns, a small party +of British Infantry, a squadron of the 2nd Punjab Cavalry, and the +Head-Quarters of the 4th Sikhs, numbering in all about 850 men. + +A staff officer was sent at once to Rhai to hurry on the force and +tell them how urgently their assistance was required in camp; this +appeal was responded to with the utmost alacrity, and early the next +evening the welcome reinforcement made its appearance. + +It had scarcely arrived before the Artillery on the city walls opened +fire, while guns, which had been brought into the suburbs, enfiladed +our right and concentrated a heavy fire on Hindu Rao's house which the +few guns we had in position were quite unable to silence. The rebel +Infantry occupied Kishenganj and Sabzi Mandi in force, and threatened +to advance on the Mound battery, while a constant musketry fire was +maintained upon the Ridge. Reid reported that the mutineers made a +desperate attack at about twelve o'clock, and that no men could have +fought better; they charged the Rifles, the Guides, and the Gurkhas +again and again. The cannonade raged fast and furious, and at one +time it seemed as though the day must be lost. Thousands were brought +against a mere handful of men; but Reid knew the importance of +his position, and was determined at all hazards to hold it until +reinforcements arrived.[18] + +The mutineers were checked, but not driven off. The first attempt from +the Mound battery failed to repulse them, and Colonel Welchman, who +was in command, was dangerously wounded. Every available man in camp +had been engaged, and as a last resource the 2nd Fusiliers and the 4th +Sikhs, who had just arrived from Rhai, were sent to the front. Showers +was placed in command, and shortly before the day closed he succeeded +in forcing the enemy to retire. So the anniversary of Plassy saw us, +though hardly pressed, undefeated, and the enemy's hopes unfulfilled. +They lost over 1,000 men. Our casualties were 1 officer and 38 men +killed, and 3 officers and 118 men wounded. The heat all the while was +terrific, and several of our men were knocked over by the sun. + +The lesson taught us by this severe fighting was the importance +of occupying the Sabzi Mandi, and thus preventing the enemy from +approaching too close to the camp and enfilading the Ridge. This +entailed more constant duty upon our already overworked soldiers, but +Barnard felt that it would not do to run the risk of another such +struggle. + +A piquet of 180 Europeans was accordingly placed in the Sabzi Mandi, +part in a serai on one side of the Grand Trunk Road, and the rest in +a Hindu temple on the opposite side. These posts were connected by a +line of breastworks with the Hindu Rao piquets, and added considerably +to the strength of our position. + +After the 23rd there were real or threatened attacks daily; but we +were left fairly undisturbed until the 27th June, when the Metcalfe +and Sabzi Mandi piquets were assaulted, and also the batteries on the +Ridge. These attempts were defeated without any very great loss, only +13 of our men being killed, and 1 officer and 48 men wounded. + + +[Footnote 1: The late Major-General Sir Harry Tombs, V.C., K.C.B.] + +[Footnote 2: The Chaplain's Narrative of the siege of Delhi.] + +[Footnote 3: Now the 1st Battalion, 2nd Gurkhas.] + +[Footnote 4: 'Siege of Delhi; by an Officer who served there.'] + +[Footnote 5: The late General Sir Hope Grant, G.C.B.] + +[Footnote 6: 75th and 1st Bengal Fusiliers.] + +[Footnote 7: 1st Battalion 60th Rifles, 2nd Bengal Fusiliers, and +Sirmur battalion.] + +[Footnote 8: Swampy ground.] + +[Footnote 9: 'The Indian Mutiny,' by George W. Forrest.] + +[Footnote 10: The bastions were small, each mounting from ten to +fourteen pieces of Artillery; they were provided with masonry parapets +about 12 feet in thickness, and were about 16 feet high. The curtain +consisted of a simple masonry wall or rampart 16 feet in height, 11 +feet thick at top, and 14 or 15 feet at bottom. This main wall carried +a parapet loopholed for musketry 8 feet in height and 3 feet in +thickness. The whole of the land front was covered by a faussebraye of +varying thickness, ranging from 16 to 30 feet, and having a vertical +scarp wall 8 feet high; exterior to this was a dry ditch about 25 +feet in width. The counterscarp was simply an earthen slope, easy to +descend. The glacis was very narrow, extending only 50 or 60 yards +from the counterscarp, and covering barely one-half of the walls +from the besiegers' view. These walls were about seven miles in +circumference, and included an area of about three square miles (see +Colonel Baird-Smith's report, dated September 17, 1857).] + +[Footnote 11: The late Field Marshal Lord Napier of Magdala, G.C.B., +G.C.S.I.] + +[Footnote 12: So badly off were we for ammunition for the heavy guns +at this time, that it was found necessary to use the shot fired at +us by the enemy, and a reward was offered for every 24-pounder shot +brought into the Artillery Park.] + +[Footnote 13: Now General Sir Charles Reid, G.C.B.] + +[Footnote 14: Forrest's 'Indian Mutiny' and Norman's 'Narrative of the +Siege of Delhi,' two interesting accounts from which I shall often +quote.] + +[Footnote 15: A Mahomedan place of worship and sacrifice.] + +[Footnote 16: 'Siege of Delhi; by an Officer who served there.'] + +[Footnote 17: Forrest's 'The Indian Mutiny.'] + +[Footnote 18: Reid's own report.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. +1857 + + A new appointment + + +I will now continue my story from the 29th June, the morning after my +arrival in camp, when I awoke full of excitement, and so eager to hear +all my old friend Norman could tell me, that I am afraid he must have +been considerably bored with my questions. + +It is impossible for me to describe my pleasure at finding myself a +member of a force which had already gained imperishable fame. I longed +to meet and know the men whose names were in everyone's mouth. The +hero of the day was Harry Tombs, of the Bengal Horse Artillery, an +unusually handsome man and a thorough soldier. His gallantry in the +attack on the Idgah, and wherever he had been engaged, was the general +talk of the camp. I had always heard of Tombs as one of the best +officers in the regiment, and it was with feelings of respectful +admiration that I made his acquaintance a few days later. + +Jemmy Hills,[1] one of the subalterns in Tombs's troop, was an old +Addiscombe friend of mine; he delighted in talking of his Commander, +in dilating on his merits as a soldier and his skill in handling +each arm of the service. As a cool, bold leader of men Tombs was +unsurpassed: no fire, however hot, and no crisis, however unexpected, +could take him by surprise; he grasped the situation in a moment, +and issued his orders without hesitation, inspiring all ranks with +confidence in his power and capacity. He was somewhat of a martinet, +and was more feared than liked by his men until they realized what a +grand leader he was, when they gave him their entire confidence, and +were ready to follow him anywhere and everywhere. + +Another very distinguished officer of my regiment, whom I now met for +the first time, and for whom I ever afterwards entertained the warmest +regard, was Edwin Johnson,[2] Assistant-Adjutant-General of the Bengal +Artillery, in which capacity he had accompanied Brigadier Wilson from +Meerut. He had a peculiarly bright intellect--somewhat caustic, +but always clever and amusing. He was a delightful companion, and +invariably gained the confidence of those with whom he worked. + +[Illustration: LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR JAMES HILLS-JOHNES, V.C., G.C.B. +_from a photograph by Messrs. Bourne and Shepherd._] + +Johnson was the first person on whom I called to report my arrival and +to find out with which troop or battery I was to do duty. He told me +that the Quartermaster-General wished to keep me in his department. +So, after visiting General Chamberlain,[3] who I knew would be anxious +to hear all that had been going on in the Movable Column since his +departure, I made my way to Colonel Becher, whom I found suffering +from the severe wound he had received a few days before, and asked him +what was to be my fate. He replied that the question had been raised +of appointing an officer to help the Assistant-Adjutant-General of +the Delhi Field Force, who found it impossible to carry on the daily +increasing work single-handed, and that Chamberlain had thought of me +for this post. Had Chamberlain's wish been carried out my career might +have been quite changed, but while he was discussing the question with +Sir Henry Barnard, Donald Stewart unexpectedly arrived in camp. + +I was waiting outside Sir Henry Barnard's tent, anxious to hear what +decision had been come to, when two men rode up, both looking greatly +fatigued and half starved; one of them being Stewart. He told me +they had had a most adventurous ride; but before waiting to hear his +story,[4] I asked Norman to suggest Stewart for the new appointment--a +case of one word for Stewart and two for myself, I am afraid, for +I had set my heart on returning to the Quartermaster-General's +department. And so it was settled, to our mutual satisfaction, Stewart +becoming the D.A.A.G. of the Delhi Field Force, and I the D.A.Q.M.G. +with the Artillery. + + +[Footnote 1: Now Lieutenant-General Sir James Hills-Johnes, V.C., +G.C.B.] + +[Footnote 2: The late General Sir Edwin Johnson, G.C.B.] + +[Footnote 3: Chamberlain had been given the rank of Brigadier-General +on his arrival at Delhi.] + +[Footnote 4: The account of this adventurous ride is given in the +Appendix. (Appendix I.)] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XV. +1857 + + Reinforcements begin to arrive--An assault again proposed + --The attack on Alipur--Death of General Barnard + --General Reed assumes command--Two V.C.'s--Treachery in camp + --Fighting close up to the city walls + --Sufferings of the sick and wounded--General Reed's health fails + + +That my readers may better understand our position at the time I +joined the Delhi Field Force, I might, I think, quote with advantage +from a letter[1] written the very day of my arrival by General Barnard +to Sir John Lawrence, in which he describes the difficulties of the +situation, hitherto met by the troops with the most determined courage +and endurance, but to which no end could be seen. When he took over +the command, he wrote, he was expected to be able to silence at once +the fire from the Mori and Kashmir bastions, and then to bring his +heavy guns into play on the walls and open a way into the city, +after which, it was supposed, all would be plain sailing. But this +programme, so plausible in theory, was absolutely impossible to put +into practice. In spite of every effort on our part, not a single one +of the enemy's guns was silenced; they had four to our one, while the +distance from the Ridge to the city walls was too great to allow of +our comparatively light guns making any impression on them. Under +these circumstances the only thing to be done was to construct +batteries nearer to the city, but before these could be begun, +entrenching tools, sandbags, and other necessary materials, of which +the Engineers were almost entirely destitute, had to be collected. The +troops were being worn out by constant sanguinary combats, and the +attacks to which they were exposed required every soul in camp to +repel them. It was never certain where the enemy intended to strike, +and it was only by the most constant vigilance that their intentions +could be ascertained, and the men were being incessantly withdrawn +during the scorching heat of the day from one place to another. +General Barnard concluded as follows: 'You may ask why we engage in +these constant combats. The reason simply is that when attacked we +must defend ourselves, and that to secure our camp, our hospitals, our +stores, etc., every living being has to be employed. The whole thing +is too gigantic for the force brought against it.' + +Soon after Barnard wrote these lines reinforcements began to arrive, +and our position was gradually improved. By the 3rd July the following +troops had reached Delhi: four Horse Artillery guns (two British +and two Native), a detachment of European Foot Artillery, the +Head-Quarters of Her Majesty's 8th and 61st Foot, one squadron of the +5th Punjab Cavalry, the 1st Punjab Infantry, and some newly-raised +Sikh Sappers and Artillery. The strength of the force was thus +increased to nearly 6,600 men of all arms. The enemy's reinforcements, +however, were out of all proportion to ours--mutineers from Jullundur, +Nasirabad, Nimach, Kotah, Gwalior, Jhansi, and Rohilkand arrived about +this time. Those from Rohilkand crossed by the bridge of boats and +entered the city by the Calcutta gate; we could distinctly see them +from the Ridge, marching in perfect formation, with their bands +playing and colours flying. Indeed, throughout the siege the enemy's +numbers were constantly being increased, while they had a practically +unlimited number of guns, and the well-stocked magazine furnished them +with an inexhaustible supply of ammunition. + +I found myself under fire for the first time on the 30th June, when an +attack was made on the Sabzi Mandi piquet and Hindu Rao's house. Eight +of our men were killed and thirty wounded; amongst the latter were +Yorke and Packe, both attached to the 4th Sikhs. It appeared certain +that these two officers were wounded by the Hindustanis of their own +regiment; Packe, who was shot through the ankle, being so close up to +the breastwork that it was scarcely possible for the bullet which hit +him to have come from the front. Consequently all the Hindustanis +in the 4th Sikhs were disarmed and turned out of camp, as it was +manifestly undesirable to have any but the most loyal soldiers in our +ranks. + +[Illustration: FIELD-MARSHAL SIR DONALD MARTIN STEWART, BART., G.C.B., +G.C.S.I., C.I.E. +_From a photograph by Messrs. Elliott and Fry._] + +In the afternoon of the same day I was ordered to accompany a column +under Brigadier Showers, sent on reconnoitring duty towards the Idgah, +where we heard that the enemy were again constructing a battery. It +had not been commenced, but the intention to build one was evident, +for we found a number of entrenching tools, and a quantity of +sandbags. + +The question of attempting to take the city by a _coup de main_ was +now again discussed. It was urged that our numbers, already small, +were being daily reduced by casualties and sickness; that the want of +proper equipment rendered it impossible to undertake regular siege +operations; and that a rising in the Punjab was imminent. The chances +of success were certainly more favourable than they were on the 13th +June. The force to be employed was stronger; all concerned--the staff, +commanders, and troops--were fully apprised of what was intended, and +of the part they would have to play; above all, the details of the +scheme, which was drawn up on much the same lines as the former one, +were carefully worked out by Lieutenant Alex. Taylor,[2] who had +recently come into camp, and was acting temporarily as Commanding +Engineer. + +Of the supreme importance of regaining possession of Delhi there can +be no doubt whatever. But nevertheless the undertaking would, at that +time, have been a most desperate one, and only to be justified by +the critical position in which we were placed. In spite of the late +reinforcements, we were a mere handful compared with the thousands +within the walls. Success, therefore, depended on the completeness +of the surprise; and, as we could make no movement without its being +perceived by the enemy, surprise was impossible. Another strong reason +against assaulting at that time was the doubtful attitude of some +of the Hindustani Cavalry still with us; the whole of the effective +troops, too, would have to be employed, and the sick and wounded--a +large number--left to the mercy of the Native followers. + +General Barnard carefully weighed all the arguments for and against +the proposal, and at last reluctantly consented to the attack being +made, but the discovery of a conspiracy amongst the Natives in camp +caused it to be countermanded--a great disappointment to many, and +there was much cavilling and discontent on the part of some, who could +not have sufficiently appreciated the difficulties and risks of the +undertaking, or the disastrous consequences of a repulse. + +On the morning of the day on which it had been arranged that the +assault should be made, the staff at Delhi received a most valuable +addition in the person of Lieutenant-Colonel Baird-Smith, of the +Bengal Engineers. Summoned from Rurki to take the place of the Chief +Engineer, whose health had broken down, Baird-Smith was within sixty +miles of Delhi on the 2nd July, when news of the intended movement +reached him. He started at once, and arrived in camp early on the 3rd, +but only to find that the assault had been postponed. + +On the afternoon of the 3rd July the enemy came out in force (5,000 +or 6,000 strong with several guns), and occupied the suburbs to our +right. The troops were turned out, but instead of attacking us and +returning to the city as usual when it became dark, the rebels moved +off in the direction of Alipur, where we had an outpost, which was +held by Younghusband's squadron of the 5th Punjab Cavalry. They +reached Alipur about midnight, and had they attacked the serai at once +with Infantry, Younghusband and his men could hardly have escaped, but +fortunately they opened upon it with Artillery. This gave the sowars +time to mount and fall back on Rhai, the next post, ten miles to the +rear, which was garrisoned by the friendly troops of the Jhind Raja. +The sound of the guns being heard in camp, a column under the command +of Major Coke was got ready to pursue should the insurgents push up +the Trunk Road, or to cut them off should they try to make their way +back to the city. Besides his own corps (the 1st Punjab Infantry), +Coke was given a wing of the 61st Foot, six Horse and six Field +Artillery guns, one squadron of the Carabineers, one squadron of the +9th Lancers, and the Guides Cavalry; in all about 800 Infantry, 300 +Cavalry, and 12 guns, and I was sent with him as staff officer. + +It was generally believed that the enemy were on the look-out for +treasure coming from the Punjab, which was known to be under the +charge of a Native guard, and we quite expected to have a long chase +after them; we were, therefore, surprised to see them, as day broke, +crossing our front on their way back to Delhi. + +The rebels were moving on fairly high ground, but between us and +them was a swamp rendered almost impassable by recent heavy rain. It +extended a considerable distance on either side, and as there was +no other way of getting at the rapidly retreating foe, it had to be +crossed. Our Artillery opened fire, and Coke advanced with the Cavalry +and Infantry. The swamp proved to be very difficult; in it men and +horses floundered hopelessly, and before we were clear the enemy had +got away with their guns; they were obliged, however, to leave behind +all the plunder taken from Alipur, and a considerable quantity +of ammunition. My share of the loot was a nice-looking, white, +country-bred pony, which I found tied to a tree. I promptly annexed +it, glad to save my own horse, and I congratulated myself on having +made a most useful addition to my small stud. It did not, however, +remain long in my possession, for a few days afterwards it was claimed +by its rightful owner, Lieutenant Younghusband. + +The heat was great, and as the soldiers were much distressed, having +been under arms for ten hours, Coke halted the Infantry portion on the +banks of the Western Jumna Canal instead of returning direct to +camp. While we were enjoying a much-needed rest we were unexpectedly +attacked by some fresh troops (including about 800 Cavalry) which had +hurried out from the city. I was startled from a sound sleep by heavy +firing, and saw the enemy advancing within a few hundred yards of our +halting-place. Coke formed his Infantry along the bank of the canal, +and sent a mounted officer to recall the Cavalry and Artillery. +The enemy came on very boldly at first, but the steady fire of our +Infantry kept them at bay, and when the guns arrived we had no +difficulty in driving them off. They left 80 dead on the field; we had +on our side 3 killed and 23 wounded, besides losing several British +soldiers from sunstroke. + +Major Coke was much grieved by the loss in this engagement of a Native +friend of his, a Chief of the Kohat border, by name Mir Mubarak Shah. +He was a grand specimen of a frontier Khan,[3] and on hearing that the +1st Punjab Infantry was ordered to Delhi expressed his determination +to accompany it. He got together a troop of eighty of his own +followers, and leaving Kohat on the 1st June, overtook Coke at Kurnal +on the 27th, a distance of nearly 600 miles. A day or two afterwards +Coke's men were approached by the Hindustanis of the 2nd Punjab +Cavalry, and some Native officers of the 9th Irregulars, who tried to +induce them to join in the rebellion. Advances were made in the first +instance to Mir Mubarak Shah and Mir Jaffir, the Subadar-Major of the +1st Punjab Infantry, who at once informed Coke of what was going on. +As soon as the regiment reached Delhi the matter was investigated, and +the Native officers who had endeavoured to tamper with the men were +identified, tried, and executed. + +About noon on the 5th July we heard the woeful tidings that General +Barnard was seized with cholera. The army had never been free from +that terrible scourge since the Commander-in-Chief fell a victim to +it on the 26th May, and now it had attacked his successor, who was +carried off after a few hours' illness. The feeling of sadness amongst +the troops at the loss of their General was universal. Throughout the +six trying weeks he had been in command of the force he had never +spared himself. At work from morning till night in and about the +trenches, he personally attended to every detail, and had won the +respect and regard of all in camp. + +Few Commanders were ever placed in a more difficult position than +Barnard. He arrived at Umballa when the Native troops, to whose +characteristics and peculiarities (as I have already remarked) he was +a complete stranger, were thoroughly disaffected, and within a week of +his taking over the command of the Sirhind division the Mutiny broke +out. Without any previous knowledge of Indian warfare, he found +himself in front of Delhi with a force altogether too weak to effect +the object for which it was intended and without any of the appliances +to ensure success; while those who did not realize the extreme risk +involved never ceased clamouring at a delay which was unavoidable, and +urging the General to undertake a task which was impossible. + +Barnard has been blamed, and not unjustly, for mistrusting his own +judgment and for depending upon others for advice about matters on +which an experienced Commander ought to have been the best able to +decide. But every allowance must be made for the position he was +so unexpectedly called upon to fill and the peculiar nature of his +surroundings. Failing health, too, probably weakened the self-reliance +which a man who had satisfactorily performed the duties of Chief of +the Staff in the Crimea must at one time have possessed. + +On the death of Sir Henry Barnard, General Reed assumed command. He +had joined the force on the morning of the action of Badli-ki-Serai, +but though senior to Barnard, he was too much knocked up by the +intense heat of the long journey from Peshawar to take part in the +action, and he had allowed Barnard to continue in command. + +For the next few days we had a comparatively quiet time, of which +advantage was taken to render our position more secure towards the +rear. The secrecy and rapidity with which the enemy had made their way +to Alipur warned the authorities how easily our communication with the +Punjab might be cut off. Baird-Smith saw the necessity for remedying +this, and, acting on his advice, Reed had all the bridges over the +Western Jumna Canal destroyed for several miles, except one required +for our own use. The Phulchudder aqueduct, which carried the canal +water into the city, and along which horsemen could pass to the rear +of our camp, was blown up, as was also the Bussye bridge over the +drain from the Najafgarh _jhil_, about eight miles from camp. + +We were not left long in peace, for on the morning of the 9th July the +enemy moved out of the city in great force, and for several hours kept +up an incessant cannonade on our front and right flank. + +The piquet below the General's Mound happened to be held this day by +two guns of Tombs's troop, commanded by Second Lieutenant James Hills, +and by thirty men of the Carabineers under Lieutenant Stillman. A +little beyond, and to the right of this piquet, a Native officer's +party of the 9th Irregular Cavalry had been placed to watch the Trunk +Road. These men were still supposed to be loyal; the regiment to which +they belonged had a good reputation, and as Christie's Horse had +done excellent service in Afghanistan, where Neville and Crawford +Chamberlain had served with it as subalterns. It was, therefore, +believed at the Mound piquet that ample warning would be given of +any enemy coming from the direction of the Trunk Road, so that the +approach of some horsemen dressed like the men of the 9th Irregulars +attracted little notice. + +Stillman and Hills were breakfasting together, when a sowar from the +Native officers' party rode up and reported that a body of the enemy's +Cavalry were in sight. Hills told the man to gallop to Head-Quarters +with the report, and to warn Tombs as he passed his tent. Hills and +Stillman then mounted their men, neither of them having the remotest +idea that the news of the enemy's advance had been purposely delayed +until there was not time to turn out the troops. They imagined that +the sowar was acting in good faith and had given them sufficient +notice, and while Hills moved his guns towards the position from which +he could command the Trunk Road, Stillman proceeded to the top of the +Mound in order to get a better view of the ground over which the enemy +were said to be advancing. The troop of the Carabineers was thus left +by itself to receive the first rush of the rebel Cavalry; it was +composed of young soldiers, some of them quite untrained, who turned +and broke. + +The moment Hills saw the enemy he shouted, 'Action front!' and, in +the hope of giving his men time to load and fire a round of grape, he +gallantly charged the head of the column single-handed, cut down the +leading man, struck the second, and then was then ridden down himself. +It had been raining heavily, so Hills wore his cloak; which probably +saved his life, for it was cut through in many places, as were his +jacket and even his shirt. + +As soon as the body of the enemy had passed on, Hills, extricating +himself from his horse, got up and searched for his sword, which he +had lost in the mêlée. He had just found it when he was attacked by +three men, two of whom were mounted; he fired at and wounded the first +man; then caught the lance of the second in his left hand, and ran him +through the body with his sword. The first assailant coming on again, +Hills cut him down, upon which he was attacked by the third man on +foot, who succeeded in wrenching his sword from him. Hills fell in +the struggle, and must have been killed, if Tombs, who had been duly +warned by the sowar, and had hurried out to the piquet, had not come +to the rescue and saved his plucky subaltern's life.[4] + +Notwithstanding Hills's gallant attempt to stop the sowars, his men +had not time to fire a single round before they were upon them. Their +object, however, was not to capture these two guns, but to induce the +Native Horse Artillery to join them, and galloping past the piquet, +they made straight for the troop, and called upon the men to bring +away their guns. The Native Artillerymen behaved admirably: they not +only refused to respond to the call, but they begged the men of the +European troop, which was unlimbered close by, to fire through them on +the mutineers. + +Knowing nothing of what was happening, I was standing by my tent, +watching my horses, which had just arrived from Philour, as they +crossed the bridge over the canal cut which ran at the rear of our +camp, when the enemy's Cavalry galloped over the bridge, and for a few +moments my animals seemed in considerable danger; the sowars, however, +having lost more than one-third of their number, and having failed in +their attempt to get hold of the Native Horse Artillery guns, were +bent upon securing their retreat rather than upon plunder. My +servants gave a wonderful account of the many perils they had +encountered--somewhat exaggerated, I dare say--but they had done me a +real good service, having marched 200 miles through a very disturbed +country, and arriving with animals and baggage in good order. Indeed, +throughout the Mutiny my servants behaved admirably. The _khidmatgar_ +(table attendant) never failed to bring me my food under the hottest +fire, and the _saices_ (grooms) were always present with the horses +whenever they were required, apparently quite indifferent to the risks +they often ran. Moreover, they became imbued with such a warlike +spirit that, when I was invalided in April, 1858, four of them +enlisted in a regiment of Bengal Cavalry. The _khidmatgar_ died soon +after the Mutiny, but two of his brothers were afterwards in my +service; one, who was with me during the Lushai expedition and the +whole of the Afghan war, never left me for more than twenty years, and +we parted with mutual regret at Bombay on board the P. and O. steamer +in which I took my final departure from India in April, 1893. + +Mine was not a solitary instance; not only the officers' servants, +but the followers belonging to European regiments, such as cook-boys, +_saices_ and _bhisties_ (water-carriers), as a rule, behaved in the +most praiseworthy manner, faithful and brave to a degree. So much was +this the case, that when the troopers of the 9th Lancers were called +upon to name the man they considered most worthy of the Victoria +Cross, an honour which Sir Colin Campbell purposed to confer upon the +regiment to mark his appreciation of the gallantry displayed by all +ranks during the campaign, they unanimously chose the head _bhistie_! +Considering the peculiar position we were in at the time, it is +somewhat remarkable that the conduct of the Native servants should +have been so generally satisfactory. It speaks as well, I think, for +the masters as the servants, and proves (what I have sometimes heard +denied) that Native servants are, as a rule, kindly and considerately +treated by their European masters. + +To return to my story. The cannonade from within and without the city +continued unceasing, and the enemy had again to be driven out of the +near suburbs. This duty was entrusted to General Chamberlain, whom +I accompanied as one of his staff officers. His column consisted of +about 800 Infantry and six guns, a few more men joining us as we +passed the Ridge. This was the first occasion on which I had witnessed +fighting in gardens and walled enclosures, and I realized how +difficult it was to dislodge men who knew how to take advantage of the +cover thus afforded. Our soldiers, as usual, fought well against very +heavy odds, and before we were able to force the enemy back into the +city we had lost 1 officer and 40 men killed, and 8 officers and 163 +men wounded, besides 11 poor fellows missing: every one of whom +must have been murdered. The enemy had nearly 500 men killed, and +considerably more than that number wounded. + +The result of the day's experience was so far satisfactory that it +determined General Reed to get rid of all the Hindustani soldiers +still remaining in camp. It was clear that the Native officers' party +near the Mound piquet had been treacherous; none of them were ever +seen again, and it was generally believed that they had joined the +enemy in their dash through the camp. The other Native soldiers did +not hesitate to denounce their Hindustani comrades as traitors; the +latter were consequently all sent away, except a few men of the 4th +Irregular Cavalry who were deprived of their horses and employed +solely as orderlies. It was also thought advisable to take the guns +from the Native troop of Horse Artillery. A few of the younger men +belonging to it deserted, but the older soldiers continued faithful, +and did good work in the breaching batteries. + +There was a short lull after our fight on the 9th--a sure sign that +the enemy's loss was heavier than they had calculated upon. When the +mutineers received reinforcements we were certain to be attacked +within a few hours, but if no fresh troops arrived on the scene we +could generally depend upon a day or two's respite. + +Our next fight was on the 14th July. The rebels came out on that +morning in great numbers, attacking Hindu Rao's house and the Sabzi +Mandi piquets, and supported by a continuous fire of Artillery from +the walls. For some hours we remained on the defensive, but as the +enemy's numbers increased, and we were greatly harassed by their +fire, a column was formed to dislodge them. It was of about the usual +strength, viz., 800 Infantry and six Horse Artillery guns, with the +addition of a few of the Guides Cavalry and of Hodson's newly-raised +Horse. The command was given to Brigadier Showers, and I was sent as +his staff officer; Reid joined in at the foot of the Ridge with all +the men that could be spared, and Brigadier-General Chamberlain also +accompanied the column. + +We moved on under a very heavy fire until we reached an enclosure the +wall of which was lined with the enemy. The troops stopped short, when +Chamberlain, seeing that they hesitated, called upon them to follow +him, and gave them a splendid example by jumping his horse over the +wall. The men did follow him, and Chamberlain got a ball in his +shoulder. + +We had great difficulty in driving the enemy back; they contested +every inch of the ground, the many serais and walled gardens affording +them admirable cover; but our troops were not to be withstood; +position after position was carried until we found ourselves in sight +of the Lahore gate and close up to the walls of the city. In our +eagerness to drive the enemy back we had, however, come too far. It +was impossible to remain where we were. Musketry from the walls and +grape from the heavy guns mounted on the Mori and other bastions +committed terrible havoc. Men were falling on all sides, but the +getting back was hazardous to the last degree. Numerous as the enemy +were, they had not the courage to stand against us as long as we +advanced, but the first sign of retreat was the signal for them to +leave their shelter and press us the whole way to camp. + +When the retirement commenced I was with the two advanced guns in +action on the Grand Trunk Road. The subaltern in charge was severely +wounded, and almost at the same moment one of his sergeants, a smart, +handsome fellow, fell, shot through the leg. Seeing some men carrying +him into a hut at the side of the road, I shouted: 'Don't put him +there; he will be left behind; get a doolie for him, or put him on the +limber.' But what with the incessant fire from the enemy's guns, the +bursting of shells, the crashing of shot through the branches of the +trees, and all the din and hubbub of battle, I could not have been +heard, for the poor fellow with another wounded man was left in the +hut, and both were murdered by the mutineers. So many of the men with +the two guns were _hors de combat_, and the horses were so unsteady +(several of them being wounded), that there was great difficulty in +limbering up, and I was helping the drivers to keep the horses quiet, +when I suddenly felt a tremendous blow on my back which made me faint +and sick, and I was afraid I should not be able to remain on my horse. +The powerless feeling, however, passed off, and I managed to stick +on until I got back to camp. I had been hit close to the spine by a +bullet, and the wound would probably have been fatal but for the fact +that a leather pouch for caps, which I usually wore in front near +my pistol, had somehow slipped round to the back; the bullet passed +through this before entering my body, and was thus prevented from +penetrating very deep. + +The enemy followed us closely right up to our piquets, and but for the +steadiness of the retirement our casualties must have been even more +numerous than they were. As it was, they amounted to 15 men killed, 16 +officers and 177 men wounded, and 2 men missing. + +The enemy's loss was estimated at 1,000. For hours they were seen +carrying the dead in carts back to the city. + +My wound, though comparatively slight, kept me on the sick-list for a +fortnight, and for more than a month I could not mount a horse or put +on a sword-belt. I was lucky in that my tent was pitched close to that +of John Campbell Brown, one of the medical officers attached to the +Artillery. He had served during the first Afghan war, with Sale's +force, at Jalalabad, and throughout both the campaigns in the Punjab, +and had made a great reputation for himself as an army surgeon. He +looked after me while I was laid up, and I could not have been in +better hands. + +The Delhi Force was fortunate in its medical officers. Some of the +best in the army were attached to it, and all that was possible to be +done for the sick and wounded under the circumstances was done. But +the poor fellows had a bad time of it. A few of the worst cases were +accommodated in the two or three houses in the cantonment that had +escaped destruction, but the great majority had to put up with such +shelter from the burning heat and drenching rain as an ordinary +soldiers' tent could provide. Those who could bear the journey and +were not likely to be fit for duty for some time were sent away to +Meerut and Umballa; but even with the relief thus afforded, the +hospitals throughout the siege were terribly overcrowded. Anæsthetics +were freely used, but antiseptics were practically unknown, +consequently many of the severely wounded died, and few amputation +cases survived. + +A great aggravation to the misery and discomfort in hospital was the +plague of flies. Delhi is at all times noted for having more than its +share of these drawbacks to life in the East, but during the siege +they were a perfect pest, and for the short time I was laid up I fully +realized the suffering which our sick and wounded soldiers had to +endure. At night the inside of my tent was black with flies. At the +first ray of light or the smallest shake to the ropes, they were all +astir, and for the rest of the day there was no peace; it was even +difficult to eat without swallowing one or more of the loathsome +insects. I had to brush them away with one hand while I put the food +into my mouth with the other, and more than once I had to rush from +the table, a fly having eluded all my efforts to prevent his going +down my throat. + +As soon as I could get about a little, but before I was able to +perform my legitimate work, I was employed in helping to look after +the conservancy of the camp and its surroundings--an extremely +disagreeable but most important duty, for an Indian army must always +have a large following, for which sanitary arrangements are a +difficulty. Then, large convoys of camels and bullock-carts arrived +daily with supplies and stores, and a considerable number of transport +animals had to be kept in readiness to follow up the enemy with a +suitably sized force, whenever we could drive them out of the city. +Without any shelter, and often with insufficient food, deaths amongst +the animals were of constant occurrence, and, unless their carcases +could at once be removed, the stench became intolerable. Every +expedient was resorted to to get rid of this nuisance. Some of the +carcases were dragged to a distance from camp, some were buried, and +some were burnt, but, notwithstanding all our efforts, many remained +to be gradually devoured by the jackals which prowled about the camp, +and by the innumerable birds of prey which instinct had brought to +Delhi from the remotest parts of India.[5] + +At a time when the powers of each individual were taxed to the +uttermost, the strain on the Commander of the force was terribly +severe. Mind and body were incessantly at work. Twice in the short +space of six weeks had the officer holding this responsible position +succumbed, and now a third was on the point of breaking down. +Major-General Reed's health, never very strong, completely failed, and +on the 17th July, only twelve days after succeeding Sir Henry Barnard, +he had to give up the command and leave the camp on sick certificate. + + +[Footnote 1: See Kaye's 'History of the Indian Mutiny.'] + +[Footnote 2: Now General Sir Alexander Taylor, G.C.B.] + +[Footnote 3: Mahomedans of good family are so styled in northern +India.] + +[Footnote 4: Tombs and Hills both received the Victoria Cross for +their gallantry.] + +[Footnote 5: 'Adjutants,' never seen in ordinary times further north +than Bengal, appeared in hundreds, and were really useful scavengers.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. +1857 + + Archdale Wilson assumes command--Enemy baffled in the Sabzi Mandi + --Efforts to exterminate the Feringhis + --A letter from General Havelock--News of Henry Lawrence's death + --Arrival of the Movable Column--The 61st Foot at Najafgarh + + +General Reed was succeeded by Brigadier Archdale Wilson, the officer +who commanded the Meerut column at the beginning of the campaign, and +who was so successful in the fights on the Hindun. Though a soldier of +moderate capacity, Wilson was quite the best of the senior officers +present, three of whom were superseded by his selection. Two of these, +Congreve, Acting-Adjutant-General of Queen's troops, and Graves, who +had been Brigadier at Delhi when the Mutiny broke out, left the camp +on being passed over; the third, Longfield, took Wilson's place as +Brigadier. + +Wilson's succession to the command gave great relief to the troops on +account of the systematic manner in which he arranged for the various +duties, and the order and method he introduced. The comparative rest +to the troops, as well as the sanitary improvements he effected, did a +good deal for the health of the force. Wilson also took advantage of +the reinforcements we had received to strengthen our position. As far +as possible he put a stop to the practice of following up the enemy +close to the city walls when they were driven off after an attack (a +practice which had cost us many valuable lives), contenting himself +with preventing the rebels from remaining in the immediate vicinity of +our advanced posts. + +The day after Reed's departure another sharp and prolonged attack was +made upon the Ridge batteries and Sabzi Mandi piquets, and in the +afternoon a column was sent to drive the enemy away. It consisted +of four Horse Artillery guns, 750 Infantry, and the Guides Cavalry. +Lieutenant-Colonel Jones, of the 60th Rifles, commanded the column, +and, having gained experience from the lesson we had received on the +14th, he took care not to approach too near to the city walls, but +cleared the Sabzi Mandi, and took up a good position, where he +remained for some little time. This unusual procedure seemed to +disconcert the enemy, most of whom returned to the city, while those +who remained to fight did not come to such close quarters as on +previous occasions. Nevertheless, we had 1 officer and 12 men killed, +3 officers and 66 men wounded, and 2 men were missing. + +The four following days passed without any serious attack being made, +but an unfortunate accident occurred about this time to a cousin of +mine, Captain Greensill, of the 24th Foot. He was attached to the +Engineer department, and was ordered to undertake some reconnoitring +duty after dark. On nearing the enemy's position he halted his escort, +in order not to attract attention, and proceeded alone to examine the +ground. The signal which he had arranged to give on his return was +apparently misunderstood, for as he approached the escort fired; he +was mortally wounded, and died in great agony the next morning. + +The last severe contest took place in the Sabzi Mandi on the 18th, +for by this time the Engineers' incessant labour had resulted in the +clearing away of the old serais and walled gardens for some distance +round the posts held by our piquets in that suburb. The 'Sammy +House' piquet, to the right front of Hindu Rao's house, was greatly +strengthened, and cover was provided for the men occupying it--a very +necessary measure, exposed as the piquet was to the guns on the Burn +and Mori bastions, and within grape range of the latter, while the +enemy's Infantry were enabled to creep close up to it unperceived. + +The improvements we had made in this part of our position were, no +doubt, carefully watched and noted by the rebels, who, finding +that all attempts to dislodge us on the right ended in their own +discomfiture, determined to try whether our left was not more +vulnerable than they had found it in the earlier days of the siege. +Accordingly early on the 23rd they sallied forth from the Kashmir +gate, and, occupying Ludlow Castle and its neighbourhood, shelled +Metcalfe House, the stable piquet, and the mosque piquet on the Ridge. +As all attempts to silence the enemy's guns with our Artillery proved +unavailing, and it was feared that if not dislodged they would +establish a battery at Ludlow Castle, a small column under Brigadier +Showers moved out by a cutting through the Ridge on our left, its +object being (in conjunction with the Metcalfe House piquets) to turn +the enemy's right and capture their guns. + +The troops detailed for this duty consisted of six Horse Artillery +guns, 400 British Infantry, 360 of the 1st Punjab Infantry, and a +party of the Guides Cavalry, in addition to 250 men detached from the +Metcalfe House piquets. The advance of the column up the road leading +towards the Kashmir gate appeared to be unnoticed until it arrived +close to the enemy, who then opened with grape. Our troops pressed +on, and in their eagerness to capture the guns, which were being +withdrawn, got too near the city walls. Here Showers was wounded, and +the command devolved on Lieutenant-Colonel Jones, of the 60th, who +skilfully conducted the retirement. Our loss was 1 officer and 11 men +killed, 5 officers and 34 men wounded. Captain Law, one of my two +companions on the mail-cart from Umballa, was the officer killed. + +The enemy were fairly quiet between the 23rd and 31st July, on which +date they moved out of the city in considerable strength, with the +intention of making a temporary bridge across the cut in the swampy +ground I have before described, and so threatening our rear. A column +under Coke was sent to the other side of the cut to intercept the +enemy should they succeed in getting across; this column was joined +at Alipur by the Kumaon battalion (composed of Gurkhas and hill-men), +about 400 strong, which had just arrived from the Punjab as escort +to a large store of ammunition. The services of these troops were, +however, not required, for the rain, which had been coming down in +torrents for some hours, had caused such a rush of water that the +bridge was carried away before it was completed. The enemy then +retired towards the city. On reaching the suburbs they were reinforced +by a large body of Infantry, and a most determined attack was made on +the right of our position. This occurred about sunset, and all night +the roar of musketry and artillery was kept up without a moment's +cessation. + +The next day was the anniversary of a great Mahomedan festival, when +it was the custom for the King to pray and make sacrifice at the +Idgah, in commemoration of Abraham's intended offering up of +Ishmail.[1] On this particular occasion, however, the sacrifices were +to be dispensed with in deference to Hindu prejudices,[2] and in +their stead a tremendous united effort was to be made by Hindus and +Mussulmans to exterminate the Feringhis. All the morning of the +1st August mosques and Hindu temples were crowded with worshippers +offering up prayers for the success of the great attempt, and in the +afternoon the rebels, mad with excitement and fanaticism, issued +in countless numbers from the city gates, and, shouting the Moslem +battle-cry, advanced and threw themselves on our defences. They were +driven back by our deadly volleys, but only for a moment; they quickly +reformed and made a fresh attack, to be stopped again by our steady, +uncompromising fire. Time after time they rallied and hurled +themselves against our breastworks. All that night and well on into +the next day the fight continued, and it was past noon before the +devoted fanatics became convinced that their gods had deserted them, +that victory was not for them, and that no effort, however heroic on +their part, could drive us from the Ridge. The enemy's loss was heavy, +ours trifling, for our men were admirably steady, well protected by +breastworks, and never allowed to show themselves except when the +assailants came close up. We had only 1 officer and 9 men killed and +36 men wounded. + +The officer was Lieutenant Eaton Travers, of the 1st Punjab Infantry. +He had been seven years with the regiment, and had been present +with it in nearly all the many frontier fights in which it had been +engaged. He was a bright, happy fellow, and a great friend of mine. As +Major Coke, his commanding officer, published in regimental orders: +'This gallant soldier and true-hearted gentleman was beloved and +respected by the officers and men of the regiment. His loss is an +irreparable one.' + +The enemy were much depressed by the failure of the Bakhra Id attack, +from which they had expected great things. They began to despair of +being able to drive us from our position on the Ridge, which for seven +weeks had been so hotly contested. They heard that Nicholson with his +Movable Column was hastening to our assistance, and they felt that, +unless they could gain some signal victory before reinforcements +reached us, we should take our place as the besiegers, instead of +being, as hitherto, the besieged. Disaffection within the city walls +was on the increase; only the semblance of authority remained to the +old and well-nigh impotent King, while some of his sons, recognizing +their perilous position, endeavoured to open negotiations with us. +Many of the sepoys were reported to be going off to their homes, sick +and weary of a struggle the hopelessness of which they had begun to +realize. + +Our work, however, was far from being finished. Notwithstanding losses +from death and desertion, the enemy still outnumbered us by about +eight or nine to one. + +All this time our communication with the Punjab was maintained, and we +regularly received letters and newspapers from England by the northern +route; but for several weeks we had had no news from the south. +Rumours of disasters occasionally reached us, but it was not until the +second week in July that we heard of the fight at Agra, the retirement +of our troops, and the flight of all the residents into the fort. + +These scraps of intelligence, for they were mere scraps, written often +in Greek character, some screwed into a quill, some sewn between the +double soles of a man's shoe, and some twisted up in the messenger's +hair, were eagerly looked for, and as eagerly deciphered when they +came. It was cheering to learn that Allahabad was safe, that Lucknow +was still holding out, that troops from Madras, Ceylon, and the +Mauritius had reached Calcutta, and that Lord Elgin, taking a +statesmanlike view of the situation, had diverted to India[3] the +force intended for the China expedition, and we fondly hoped that some +of the six British regiments reported by one messenger to have arrived +at Cawnpore would be sent to the assistance of the Delhi Force. + +Strangely enough, we knew nothing of the death of Sir Henry Lawrence +or General Wheeler, and had not even heard for certain that Cawnpore +had fallen and that Lucknow was besieged, while there were constant +reports that Wheeler was marching up the Trunk Road. Being most +anxious to get some authentic intelligence, Norman[4] on the 15th July +wrote a letter in French addressed to General Wheeler at Cawnpore, or +whoever might be in command between that place and Delhi, giving an +account of our position at Delhi, and expressing a hope that troops +would soon march to our assistance. The letter was entrusted to two +sepoys of the Guides, who carried out their difficult task most +faithfully, and on the 3rd August returned with the following reply +from General Havelock, addressed to Major-General Reed: + + 'Cawnpore, left bank of the Ganges, + '_25th July, 1857._ + + 'MY DEAR GENERAL, + + 'Yesterday I saw Captain Norman's letter of the 15th instant from + Delhi, addressed to Sir Hugh Wheeler. That gallant officer and the + whole of his force were destroyed on the 27th June by a base act + of treachery. Sir Henry Somerset is Commander-in-Chief in India + and Sir Patrick Grant in Bengal. Under the orders of the supreme + Government I have been sent to retrieve affairs here. I have + specific instructions from which I cannot depart. I have sent a + duplicate of your letter to Sir P. Grant. In truth, though most + anxious to march on Delhi, I have peremptory orders to relieve + Lucknow. I have, thank God, been very successful. I defeated the + enemy at Futtehpore on the 12th, and Pandu Naddi on the 15th, and + this place, which I recaptured on the 16th. On each occasion I + took all the guns. Immense reinforcements are coming from England + and China. Sir Patrick Grant will soon be in the field himself. + Lucknow holds out. Agra is free for the present. I am sorry to + hear you are not quite well. I beg that you will let me hear from + you continually.' + +Two days afterwards another letter was received; this time from +Lieutenant-Colonel Fraser-Tytler, A.Q.M.G., with Havelock's force. It +was addressed to Captain Earle, A.Q.M.G., Meerut, and ran as follows: + + 'Cawnpore, _July 27th_. + + 'General Havelock has crossed the river to relieve Lucknow, which + will be effected four days hence. He has a strong force with him, + and he has already thrashed the Nana and completely dispersed his + force. We shall probably march to Delhi with four or five thousand + Europeans and a heavy Artillery, in number, not in weight. The + China force is in Calcutta, 5,000 men. More troops expected + immediately. We shall soon be with you.' + +These sanguine expectations were never fulfilled! Instead of Lucknow +being relieved in four days, it was nearly four months before that +result was achieved, and instead of troops from Cawnpore coming to +help us at Delhi, the troops from Delhi formed the chief part of the +force which relieved Lucknow. + +While we were rejoicing at the prospect of being reinforced by a large +number of British soldiers, a gloom was cast over the whole camp by +the rumour that Sir Henry Lawrence was dead. As the first British +Ruler of the Punjab, Henry Lawrence was known by reputation to, and +respected by, every man belonging to the Delhi Force, and all realized +what a serious loss his death would be to the beleaguered garrison of +Lucknow. Much time, however, was not given us for lamentation, for at +the end of the first week in August another attempt was made to drive +us from the Metcalfe House piquets. Guns were again brought out +through the Kashmir gate, and posted at Ludlow Castle and the +Kudsiabagh; at the same time a number of Infantry skirmishers kept up +an almost constant fire from the jungle in front of our position. The +losses at the piquets themselves were not heavy, good cover having +been provided; but the communications between the piquets and our main +position were much exposed and extremely hazardous for the reliefs. It +was felt that the enemy could not be allowed to remain in such close +proximity to our outposts, and Showers (who had recovered from his +slight wound) was again ordered to drive them off, for which purpose +he was given a strong body of Infantry, composed of Europeans, Sikhs, +and Gurkhas, a troop of Horse Artillery, a squadron of the 9th +Lancers, and the Guides Cavalry. The result was a very brilliant +little affair. The orders on this occasion were to 'move up silently +and take the guns at Ludlow Castle.' The small column proceeded in the +deepest silence, and the first sound heard at dawn on the 12th August +was the challenge of the enemy's sentry, '_Ho come dar?_' (Who comes +there?). A bullet in his body was the reply. A volley of musketry +followed, and effectually awoke the sleeping foe, who succeeded in +letting off two of their guns as our men rushed on the battery. +An Irish soldier, named Reegan, springing forward, prevented the +discharge of the third gun. He bayoneted the gunner in the act of +applying the port-fire, and was himself severely wounded. The rebel +Artillerymen stood to their guns splendidly, and fought till they were +all killed. The enemy's loss was severe; some 250 men were killed, and +four guns were captured. On our side 1 officer and 19 men were killed, +7 officers and 85 men wounded, and 5 men missing. Amongst the wounded +was the gallant Commander of the column, and that fine soldier, Major +John Coke, the Commandant of the 1st Punjab Infantry. The return to +camp was a stirring sight: the captured guns were brought home in +triumph, pushed along by the soldiers, all madly cheering, and the +horses ridden by men carrying their muskets with bayonets fixed. + +The following morning the Punjab Movable Column arrived. Nicholson had +preceded it by a few days, and from him I heard all about his fight +with the Sialkot mutineers at Trimmu Ghat and the various marches and +counter-marches which he had made since I left him at Philour. + +The column was a most welcome addition to our force. It now consisted +of the 52nd Light Infantry, a wing of the 61st Foot, a Field Battery, +a wing of the 1st Baluch Regiment, and the 2nd Punjab Infantry, beside +200 newly-raised Multani Cavalry and 400 military police. This brought +up our effective force to about 8,000 rank and file of all arms.[5] A +more powerful siege-train than we had hitherto possessed was on its +way from Ferozepore, and three companies of the 8th Foot, detachments +of Artillery and the 60th Rifles, the 4th Punjab Infantry, and about +100 recruits for the 4th Sikhs were also marching towards Delhi. In +addition, a small contingent from Kashmir and a few of the Jhind +Raja's troops were shortly expected, after the arrival of which +nothing in the shape of reinforcements could be looked for from the +north. + +Nor could we hope for any help from the south, for no definite news +had been received from Havelock since his letter of the 25th of July, +and rumours had reached us that, finding it impossible to force his +way to Lucknow, he had been obliged to retire upon Cawnpore. It was +felt, therefore, that if Delhi were to be taken at all, it must be +taken quickly, before our augmented numbers should be again diminished +by sickness and casualties. + +The enemy knew our position as well as we did, and appreciating the +great value the siege-train would be to us, they decided on making a +supreme effort to intercept it. A few days before they had been foiled +by Hodson in an attempt to cut off our communication with the Punjab, +and were determined to ensure success on this occasion by employing a +really formidable force. This force left Delhi on the 24th August, and +proceeded in the direction of the Najafgarh _jhil_. + +At daybreak the following morning Nicholson started with sixteen Horse +Artillery guns, 1,600 Infantry and 450 Cavalry, his orders being to +overtake the enemy and bring them to action. I hoped to have been of +the party, but Nicholson's request to have me as his staff officer +was refused, as I had not been taken off the sick-list, though I +considered my wound was practically healed. + +It proved a most difficult march. The rain fell in torrents, and the +roads were mere quagmires. In the first nine miles two swamps had to +be got through, on crossing which Nicholson heard that the insurgents +were at Najafgarh, twelve miles further off. He determined to push on, +and at 4 p.m. he found them occupying a strong position about a mile +and three-quarters in length. In front was an old serai which was held +in force with four guns, and on either side and in rear of the serai +was a village equally strongly held; while running round the enemy's +right and rear was a huge drainage cut, swollen by the heavy rain. +This cut, or nulla, was crossed by a bridge immediately behind the +rebels' position. Nicholson advanced from a side-road, which brought +him on their right with the nulla flowing between him and them. Even +at the ford the water was breast-high, and it was with much difficulty +and not without a good deal of delay that our troops crossed under a +heavy fire from the serai. It was getting late, and Nicholson had only +time to make a hasty reconnaissance. He decided to attack the serai, +drive out the mutineers, and then, changing front to the left, to +sweep down their line and get possession of the bridge. + +As the Infantry were about to advance, Nicholson thus addressed +them: 'Men of the 61st, remember what Sir Colin Campbell said at +Chilianwala, and you have heard that he said the same to his gallant +Highland Brigade at the Alma. I have the same request to make of you +and the men of the 1st Bengal Fusiliers. Hold your fire until within +twenty or thirty yards, then fire and charge, and the serai is yours.' +Our brave soldiers followed these directions to the letter, and, under +cover of Artillery fire, carried the serai. Front was then changed to +the left as had been arranged, and the line swept along the enemy's +defences, the rebels flying before them over the bridge. They +confessed to a loss of more than 800 men, and they left in our hands +thirteen field-pieces and a large quantity of ammunition, besides all +their camp equipage, stores, camels, and horses. Our casualties were 2 +officers and 23 men killed, and 3 officers and 68 men wounded--two of +the officers mortally, the third dangerously. + +The enemy in the city, imagining from the size of the force sent with +Nicholson that we could not have many troops left in camp, attacked us +in great strength on the following morning (26th), but were beaten off +with a loss on our side of only 8 killed and 13 wounded. + + +[Footnote 1: According to the religion of Islam, Ishmail, not Isaac, +was to have been offered up by Abraham.] + +[Footnote 2: Forrest's 'The Indian Mutiny.'] + +[Footnote 3: Since writing the above it has been brought to my notice +that the promptitude with which the troops were diverted to India +was due in a great measure to the foresight of Sir George Grey, the +Governor of the Cape, who, on hearing of the serious state of affairs +in India, immediately ordered all transports which touched at the Cape +on their way to take part in the China Expeditionary Force, to proceed +directly to Calcutta instead of to Singapore. He also despatched as +many of the Cape garrison as he could spare, with stores, etc., to +India. It is right, therefore, that he should share with Lord Elgin +the credit of having so quickly grasped the magnitude of the crisis +through which India was passing.] + +[Footnote 4: Owing to Brigadier-General Chamberlain having been placed +_hors de combat_ by the severe wound he received the previous day, +Norman was carrying on the duties of Adjutant-General.] + +[Footnote 5: There were besides in camp at this time 1,535 sick and +wounded, notwithstanding that several hundred men had been sent away.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. +1857 + + Wilson's difficulties--Nicholson's resolve + --Arrangements for the assault--Construction of breaching batteries + --Nicholson expresses his satisfaction--Orders for the assault issued + --Composition of the attacking columns + + +By the 6th September all the reinforcements that could be expected, +including the siege train (consisting of thirty-two pieces of ordnance +with ample ammunition) had arrived in camp, and the time had now come +when it was necessary for Wilson to determine whether Delhi was to be +assaulted, or whether the attempt must be given up. Long exposure to +sun and rain began to tell terribly on the troops; sickness increased +to an alarming extent, and on the 31st August there were 2,368 men in +hospital--a number which, six days later, had risen to 2,977. + +Norman, on whose figures implicit reliance can be placed, states that +on this date the total number of effective rank and file of all arms, +Artillery, Engineers, Cavalry, and Infantry, including gun-Lascars, +Native drivers, newly-raised Sikh Pioneers, and recruits for the +Punjab regiments, was 8,748. + +The strength of the British troops was 3,217, composed of 580 +Artillery, 443 Cavalry, and 2,294 Infantry. The Infantry corps were +mere skeletons, the strongest being only 409 effective rank and file. +The 52nd, which had arrived three weeks before with 600 healthy men, +had already dwindled to 242 fit for duty. + +The above numbers are exclusive of the Kashmir Contingent of 2,200 +men and four guns, which had by this time reached Delhi; and several +hundred men of the Jhind troops (previously most usefully employed +in keeping open our communication with Kurnal) were, at the Raja's +particular request, brought in to share in the glory of the capture of +Delhi, the Raja himself accompanying them. + +No one was more alive than the Commander of the Delhi Field Force to +the fact that no further aid could be expected, and no one realized +more keenly than he did that the strength of the little army at +his disposal was diminishing day by day. But Wilson had never been +sanguine as to the possibility of capturing Delhi without aid from the +south. In a letter to Baird-Smith dated the 20th August, he discussed +at length his reasons for not being in a position to 'hold out any +hope of being able to take the place until supported by the force from +below.' He now was aware that no troops could be expected from the +south, and Sir John Lawrence plainly told him that he had sent him the +last man he could spare from the Punjab. On the 29th August Lawrence +wrote to Wilson: 'There seem to be very strong reasons for assaulting +as soon as practicable. Every day's delay is fraught with danger. +Every day disaffection and mutiny spread. Every day adds to the danger +of the Native Princes taking part against us.' But Wilson did not find +it easy to make up his mind to assault. He was ill. Responsibility and +anxiety had told upon him. He had grown nervous and hesitating, and +the longer it was delayed the more difficult the task appeared to him. + +[Illustration: SKETCH TO ILLUSTRATE THE ENGAGEMENT AT NAJAFGARH IN +AUGUST, 1857.] + +Fortunately for the continuance of our rule in India, Wilson had about +him men who understood, as he was unable to do, the impossibility of +our remaining any longer as we were. They knew that Delhi must +either be taken or the army before it withdrawn. The man to whom +the Commander first looked for counsel under these conditions-- +Baird-Smith, of the Bengal Engineers--proved himself worthy of the +high and responsible position in which he was placed. He too was ill. +Naturally of a delicate constitution, the climate and exposure had +told upon him severely, and the diseases from which he was suffering +were aggravated by a wound he had received soon after his arrival in +camp. He fully appreciated the tremendous risks which an assault +involved, but, in his opinion, they were less than were those of +delay. Whether convinced or not by his Chief Engineer's arguments, +Wilson accepted his advice and directed him to prepare a plan of +attack. + +Baird-Smith was strongly supported by Nicholson, Chamberlain, Daly, +Norman, and Alex. Taylor. They were one and all in communication with +the authorities in the Punjab, and they knew that if 'Delhi were not +taken, and that speedily, there would be a struggle not only for +European dominion, but even for European existence within the Punjab +itself.'[1] + +Our position in that province was, indeed, most critical. An +attempted conspiracy of Mahomedan tribes in the Murree Hills, and an +insurrection in the Gogaira district, had occurred. Both these affairs +were simply attempts to throw off the British yoke, made in the belief +that our last hour was come. The feeling that prompted them was not +confined to the Mahomedans; amongst all classes and races in the +Punjab a spirit of restlessness was on the increase; even the most +loyally disposed were speculating on the chances of our being able to +hold our own, and doubting the advisability of adhering to our cause. +On the part of the Sikhs of the Manjha[2] there was an unwillingness +to enlist, and no good recruits of this class could be obtained until +after Delhi had fallen. + +It was under these critical circumstances that a council of war was +convened to decide definitely whether the assault should take place or +not. + +Nicholson was not a man of many intimacies, but as his staff officer +I had been fortunate enough to gain his friendship. I was constantly +with him, and on this occasion I was sitting in his tent before he set +out to attend the council. He had been talking to me in confidential +terms of personal matters, and ended by telling me of his intention +to take a very unusual step should the council fail to arrive at any +fixed determination regarding the assault. 'Delhi must be taken,' he +said, 'and it is absolutely essential that this should be done at +once; and if Wilson hesitates longer, I intend to propose at to-day's +meeting that he should be superseded.' I was greatly startled, and +ventured to remark that, as Chamberlain was _hors de combat_ from his +wound, Wilson's removal would leave him, Nicholson, senior officer +with the force. He smiled as he answered: 'I have not overlooked that +fact. I shall make it perfectly clear that, under the circumstances, I +could not possibly accept the command myself, and I shall propose that +it be given to Campbell, of the 52nd; I am prepared to serve under him +for the time being, so no one can ever accuse me of being influenced +by personal motives.' + +Happily, Nicholson was not called upon to take so unusual a step. I +walked with him to the Head-Quarters camp, waited in great excitement +until the council of war was over, and, when Nicholson issued from the +General's tent, learnt, to my intense relief, that Wilson had agreed +to the assault. + +That Nicholson would have carried out his intention if the council had +come to a different conclusion I have not the slightest doubt, and +I quite believe that his masterful spirit would have effected its +purpose and borne down all opposition. Whether his action would have +been right or wrong is another question, and one on which there is +always sure to be great difference of opinion. At the time it seemed +to me that he was right. The circumstances were so exceptional--Wilson +would have proved himself so manifestly unfit to cope with them had +he decided on further delay--and the consequences of such delay would +have been so calamitous and far-reaching, that even now, after many +years have passed, and after having often thought over Nicholson's +intended action and discussed the subject with other men, I have not +changed my opinion. + +In anticipation of an attack on Delhi, preparations had been commenced +early in September, one of the first of these being to form a trench +to the left of the 'Sammy House,' at the end of which a battery was +constructed for four 9-pounders and two 24-pounder howitzers. The +object of this battery was to prevent sorties from the Lahore or Kabul +gates passing round the city wall to annoy our breaching batteries, +and also to assist in keeping down the fire from the Mori bastion.[3] +This battery, moreover, led the enemy to believe that we should attack +them from our right, whereas it had been resolved to push the main +attack from our left, where we could approach nearer to the walls +under cover, and where our flank was completely protected by the +river. The Engineers had also employed themselves in getting ready +10,000 fascines, as many gabions, and 100,000 sand-bags, besides +field-magazines, scaling-ladders, and spare platforms. + +On the 7th September Wilson issued an order informing the force that +arrangements for the assault would be commenced at once. He dwelt upon +the hardships and fatigue which had been cheerfully borne by officers +and men, and expressed his hope that they would be rewarded for their +past labours, 'and for a cheerful endurance of still greater fatigue +and exposure.' He reminded the troops of the reasons for the deadly +struggle in which they were engaged, and he called upon all ranks to +co-operate heart and soul in the arduous work now before them. + +Ground was broken that evening. Unfortunately Baird-Smith was not able +to personally superintend the construction of the breaching batteries, +but he had in his second-in-command, Alex. Taylor, a thoroughly +practical Engineer, who not only knew how to work himself, but how to +get work out of others. Ever alert and cheerful, he was trusted and +looked up to by all his subordinates, and was of all others the very +man to be placed in charge of such a difficult and dangerous duty. + +The first battery, known as No. 1, was traced out in two parts, about +700 yards from the Mori bastion, which the right half, with its five +18-pounders and one 8-inch howitzer, was intended to silence; while +the left half, with its four 24-pounders, was to hold the Kashmir +bastion in check. + +All night the Engineers worked at the battery, but although before day +broke it was nearly finished and armed, it was not ready to open fire +until close on sunrise. The enemy did not fail to take advantage of +this chance. They poured in round after round of shot and grape, +causing many casualties. Their fire slackened as our guns were +gradually able to make themselves felt, and by the afternoon it was +silenced. Nothing remained of the Mori bastion but a heap of ruins. +No. 1 battery was commanded by Major James Brind,[4] the bravest of +the brave. It was said of him that he 'never slept'; and Reid (of +'Hindu Rao' fame) wrote of him: 'On all occasions the exertions of +this noble officer were indefatigable. He was always to be found where +his presence was most required; and the example he set to officers and +men was beyond all praise.' + +No. 2 battery was next taken in hand. This was erected in front of +Ludlow Castle, and about 500 yards from the Kashmir gate. Like No. 1, +it was formed in two parts, the right half being intended for +seven heavy howitzers and two 18-pounders, and the left for nine +24-pounders, commanded respectively by Majors Kaye and Campbell. All +these guns were intended to breach the Kashmir bastion, where the main +assault was to be made. + +Up till this time the enemy had imagined that the attack would be +delivered from our right, and they were quite taken by surprise when, +on the evening of the 8th September, we occupied Ludlow Castle. + +Baird-Smith showed his grasp of the situation in attacking from +our left, notwithstanding the greater distance of this part of our +position from the city wall. No counter-attack could be made on that +flank, and the comparatively open ground between the Kashmir and Mori +bastions would assist us in protecting the assaulting columns. + +As soon as the enemy discovered their mistake, they did their utmost +to prevent our batteries being constructed; but the Engineers were +not to be deterred. By the morning of the 11th No. 2 battery was +completed, armed, and unmasked, and No. 3 and No. 4 batteries were +marked out in the Kudsiabagh. No. 3, commanded by Major Scott, was +constructed for six 18-pounders, and twelve 5-1/2-inch mortars under +Captain Blunt. Norman in his narrative says: 'The establishment of +Major Scott's battery within 180 yards of the wall, to arm which +heavy guns had to be dragged from the rear under a constant fire of +musketry, was an operation that could rarely have been equalled in +war.' During the first night of its construction 89 men were killed +and wounded; but with rare courage the workmen continued their task. +They were merely unarmed pioneers; and with that passive bravery so +characteristic of Natives, as man after man was knocked over, they +would stop a moment, weep a little over a fallen friend, place his +body in a row along with the rest, and then work on as before.[5] + +No. 4 battery, armed with ten heavy mortars, and commanded by Major +Tombs, was placed under the shelter of an old building, about half-way +between No. 2 and No. 3 batteries.[6] + +I was posted to the left half of No. 2 battery, and had charge of the +two right guns. At eight o'clock on the morning of the 11th September +we opened fire on the Kashmir bastion and the adjoining curtain, and +as the shots told and the stones flew into the air and rattled down, +a loud cheer burst from the Artillerymen and some of the men of +the Carabineers and 9th Lancers who had volunteered to work in the +batteries. The enemy had got our range with wonderful accuracy, and +immediately on the screen in front of the right gun being removed, a +round shot came through the embrasure, knocking two or three of us +over. On regaining my feet, I found that the young Horse Artilleryman +who was serving the vent while I was laying the gun had had his right +arm taken off. + +In the evening of the same day, when, wearied with hard work and +exhausted by the great heat, we were taking a short rest, trusting to +the shelter of the battery for protection, a shower of grape came into +us, severely wounding our commander, Campbell, whose place was taken +by Edwin Johnson. We never left the battery until the day of the +assault--the 14th--except to go by turns into Ludlow Castle for our +meals. Night and day the overwhelming fire was continued, and the +incessant boom and roar of guns and mortars, with the ceaseless +rain of shot and shell on the city, warned the mutineers that their +punishment was at hand. We were not, however, allowed to have it all +our own way. Unable to fire a gun from any of the three bastions we +were breaching, the enemy brought guns into the open and enfiladed +our batteries. They sent rockets from their martello towers, and they +maintained a perfect storm of musketry from their advanced trench and +from the city walls. No part of the attack was left unsearched by +their fire, and though three months' incessant practice had made our +men skilful in using any cover they had, our losses were numerous, 327 +officers and men being killed and wounded between the 7th and 14th +September. + +On the evening of the 13th September Nicholson came to see whether we +gunners had done our work thoroughly enough to warrant the assault +being made the next morning. He was evidently satisfied, for when he +entered our battery he said: 'I must shake hands with you fellows; you +have done your best to make my work easy to-morrow.' + +Nicholson was accompanied by Taylor, who had to make certain that +the breaches were practicable, and for this purpose he detailed four +subaltern officers of Engineers to go to the walls as soon as it was +dark, and report upon the condition they were in. Greathed and Home +were told off for the Water bastion breach, and Medley and Lang[7] for +that of the Kashmir bastion. Lang asked to be allowed to go while it +was yet daylight; Taylor agreed, and with an escort of four men of the +60th Rifles he crept to the edge of the cover in the Kudsiabagh, and +then, running up the glacis, sat on top of the counterscarp for a few +seconds studying the ditch and the two breaches. On his return Lang +reported the breaches to be practicable; as, however, it was desirable +to ascertain whether ladders would be necessary, he was sent again +after dark, in company with Medley. They took a ladder and a +measuring-rod with them, and were escorted by an officer and +twenty-four riflemen, of whom all but six were left under cover in the +Kudsiabagh. Lang slipped into the ditch, which he found to be sixteen +feet deep. Medley handed him the ladder and rod, and followed him with +two riflemen, the other four remaining on the crest of the glacis to +cover their retreat. With the help of the ladder they ascended the +berm and measured the height of the wall. Two minutes more, and they +would have reached the top of the breach, but, quiet as they had been, +their movements had attracted attention, and several of the enemy +were heard running towards the breach. The whole party reascended as +rapidly as possible, and, throwing themselves on the grass, waited in +breathless silence, hoping the sepoys would go away, and that they +might be able to make another attempt to reach the top of the breach. +The rebels, however, gave no signs of retiring, and as all needful +information had been obtained, they determined to run for it. A volley +was fired at the party as they dashed across the open, but no one was +hit. + +Greathed and Home had been equally successful, and by midnight +Baird-Smith was able to report to General Wilson that both breaches +were practicable. + +Baird-Smith urged the importance of attacking without delay. He +pointed out the impossibility of continuing the high pressure at which +nearly every man[8] in the force had been working during the past few +days; that the tension was becoming too severe to last; and that every +hour that passed without assaulting was a loss to us and a gain to the +enemy. + +Before Wilson and Baird-Smith separated, orders had been issued for +the attack to be made at daybreak the next morning, the 14th. + +It was arranged that there were to be four assaulting columns and one +reserve column. + +The first, second and third columns, which were to operate on our +left, were under the command of Brigadier-General Nicholson, who +personally led No. 1 column. It consisted of: + + MEN. + Her Majesty's 75th Foot 300 + 1st Bengal Fusiliers 250 + 2nd Punjab Infantry 450 + ----- + Total 1,000 + +and was meant to storm the breach near the Kashmir bastion. + +[Note: I am indebted to the kindness of Mrs. Barter, the widow of my +gallant friend and comrade. General Richard Barter, C.B., who served +throughout the Mutiny with the 75th Foot, first as Adjutant and +afterwards as Captain, for the above 'Daily State' and for the +following extract from that officer's diary: + +'In the evening the order was published for the storming of Delhi a +little before daybreak the next morning, September 14, and we each +of us looked carefully to the reloading of our pistols, filling of +flasks, and getting as good protection as possible for our heads, +which would be exposed so much going up the ladders. I wound two +puggris or turbans round my old forage cap, with the last letter from +the hills [Mrs. Barter was then at Kasauli, in the Himalayas] in the +top, and committed myself to the care of Providence. There was not +much sleep that night in our camp. I dropped off now and then, but +never for long, and whenever I woke I could see that there was a light +in more than one of the officers' tents, and talking was going on in +a low tone amongst the men, the snapping of a lock or springing of a +ramrod sounding far in the still air, telling of preparation for +the coming strife. A little after midnight we fell in as quietly as +possible, and by the light of a lantern the orders for the assault +were then read to the men. They were to the following purport: Any +officer or man who might be wounded was to be left where he fell; no +one was to step from the ranks to help him, as there were no men to +spare. If the assault were successful he would be taken away in the +doolies, or litters, and carried to the rear, or wherever he could +best receive medical assistance. If we failed, wounded and sound +should be prepared to bear the worst. There was to be no plundering, +but all prize taken was to be put into a common stock for fair +division after all was over. No prisoners were to be made, as we +had no one to guard them, and care was to be taken that no women or +children were injured. To this the men answered at once, by "No fear, +sir." The officers now pledged their honours on their swords to abide +by these orders, and the men then promised to follow their example. +At this moment, just as the regiment was about to march off, Father +Bertrand came up in his vestments, and, addressing the Colonel, begged +for permission to bless the regiment, saying: "We may differ some +of us in matters of religion, but the blessing of an old man and a +clergyman can do nothing but good." The Colonel at once assented, and +Father Bertrand, lifting his hands to Heaven, blessed the regiment in +a most impressive manner, offering up at the same time a prayer for +our success and for mercy on the souls of those soon to die.'] + +No. 2 column, under Brigadier Jones, of Her Majesty's 61st Foot, +consisted of: + + MEN. + Her Majesty's 8th Foot 250 + 2nd Bengal Fusiliers 250 + 4th Sikhs 350 + --- + Total 850 + +and was intended for the storming of the breach near the Water +bastion. + +No. 3 column, under Colonel Campbell, of Her Majesty's 52nd Light +Infantry, consisted of: + + MEN. + Her Majesty's 52nd Light Infantry 200 + Kumaon Battalion 250 + 1st Punjab Infantry 500 + --- + Total 950 + +and was told off to enter the Kashmir gate after it had been blown in. + +No. 4 column was to operate on our right. It was commanded by Major +Reid, of the Sirmur battalion, and was composed of that regiment, the +Guides Infantry, and such men from the piquets (European and Native) +as could be spared. Its strength was 860 men, besides 1,200 of the +Kashmir Contingent, and its orders were to attack the suburbs of +Kisenganj and Paharipur, and support the main attack by effecting an +entrance at the Kabul gate. + +The Reserve column, under Brigadier Longfield, Her Majesty's 8th Foot, +was told to await the result of the attack, and afford assistance +wherever required. It consisted of: + + MEN. + Her Majesty's 61st Foot 250 + 4th Punjab Infantry 450 + Wing Baluch battalion 300 + ----- + Total 1,000 + +with 300 of the Jhind Contingent. + +There were besides 200 of the 60th Rifles, who were to cover the +advance of Nicholson's columns, and join the reserve as soon as the +assaults had been carried out. + +In order to provide these five columns, in all hardly 5,000 strong, +the services of every man who could bear arms had to be put into +requisition. Piquets were weakened to a dangerous extent, and many of +the sick and wounded who ought to have been in hospital were utilized +for the protection of the camp. + + +[Footnote 1: Punjab Administration Report, 1857-58.] + +[Footnote 2: The tract of country between the Sutlej and Ravi rivers.] + +[Footnote 3: Norman's narrative.] + +[Footnote 4: The late General Sir James Brind, G.C.B.] + +[Footnote 5: 'The Indian Mutiny,' by Forrest.] + +[Footnote 6: When his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales was coming to +India in 1875, I obtained permission from Lord Napier of Magdala, who +was then Commander-in-Chief, to erect miniature embrasures to mark +the gun of direction of each of the breaching batteries; and on these +embrasures are recorded the number, armament, and object of the +batteries.] + +[Footnote 7: Colonel Arthur Lang is the only one of the four now +alive.] + +[Footnote 8: Nearly every man was on duty. The daily state of the +several corps must have been very similar to the following one of the +75th Foot. + + DAILY STATE + OF + H.M.'S 75TH REGIMENT + + Camp Delhi, 13th September, 1857. + ++--------------------+--------------+------------+----------------+ +| | Sergeants. | Drummers. | Rank and File. | ++--------------------+--------------+------------+----------------+ +| Fit to turn out | 1 | 5 | 37 | +| On duty | 29 | 6 | 361 | ++--------------------+--------------+------------+----------------+ + + (Sd.) E. COURTENAY, + Sergt.-Major, + 75th Regt. + + True copy, + (Sd.) R. BARTER, Lieut.-Adj., + 75th Regiment.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. +1857 + + Delhi stormed--The scene at the Kashmir Gate + --Bold front by Artillery and Cavalry--Nicholson wounded + --The last I saw of Nicholson--Wilson wavers-- + Holding on to the walls of Delhi + + +It was intended, as I have before said, that the assault should be +delivered at break of day, but many of the men belonging to the +regiments of the storming force had been on piquet all night, and it +took some time for them to rejoin their respective corps. A further +delay was caused by our having to destroy the partial repairs to the +breaches which the enemy had succeeded in effecting during the night, +notwithstanding the steady fire we had kept up. + +While we were thus engaged, the Infantry were ordered to lie down +under cover. Standing on the crenellated wall which separated Ludlow +Castle from the road, I saw Nicholson at the head of his column, and +wondered what was passing through his mind. Was he thinking of the +future, or of the wonderful part he had played during the past four +months? At Peshawar he had been Edwardes's right hand. At the head +of the Movable Column he had been mainly instrumental in keeping the +Punjab quiet, and at Delhi everyone felt that during the short time +he had been with us he was our guiding star, and that but for his +presence in the camp the assault which he was about to lead would +probably never have come off. He was truly 'a tower of strength.' Any +feeling of reluctance to serve under a Captain of the Company's army, +which had at first been felt by some, had been completely overcome by +his wonderful personality. Each man in the force, from the General in +command to the last-joined private soldier, recognized that the man +whom the wild people on the frontier had deified--the man of whom a +little time before Edwardes had said to Lord Canning, 'You may rely +upon this, that if ever there is a desperate deed to be done in India, +John Nicholson is the man to do it'--was one who had proved himself +beyond all doubt capable of grappling with the crisis through which we +were passing--one to follow to the death. Faith in the Commander who +had claimed and been given the post of honour was unbounded, and every +man was prepared 'to do or die' for him. + +The sun had risen high in the heavens, when the breaching guns +suddenly ceased, and each soldier felt he had but a brief moment in +which to brace himself for the coming conflict. Nicholson gave the +signal. The 60th Rifles with a loud cheer dashed to the front in +skirmishing order, while at the same moment the heads of the first and +second columns appeared from the Kudsiabagh and moved steadily towards +the breaches. + +No sooner were the front ranks seen by the rebels than a storm of +bullets met them from every side, and officers and men fell thick on +the crest of the glacis. Then, for a few seconds, amidst a blaze of +musketry, the soldiers stood at the edge of the ditch, for only one or +two of the ladders had come up, the rest having been dropped by their +killed or wounded carriers. Dark figures crowded on the breach, +hurling stones upon our men and daring them to come on. More ladders +were brought up, they were thrown into the ditch, and our men, leaping +into it, raised them against the escarp on the other side. Nicholson, +at the head of a part of his column, was the first to ascend the +breach in the curtain. The remainder of his troops diverged a little +to the right to escalade the breach in the Kashmir bastion. Here +Lieutenants Barter and Fitzgerald, of the 75th Foot, were the first to +mount, and here the latter fell mortally wounded. The breaches were +quickly filled with dead and dying, but the rebels were hurled back, +and the ramparts which had so long resisted us were our own. + +The breach at the Water bastion was carried by No. 2 column. No sooner +was its head seen emerging from the cover of the old Custom-house than +it was met by a terrible discharge of musketry. Both the Engineer +officers (Greathed and Hovenden) who were leading it fell severely +wounded, and of the thirty-nine men who carried the ladders +twenty-nine were killed or wounded in as many seconds. The ladders +were immediately seized by their comrades, who, after one or two vain +attempts, succeeded in placing them against the escarp. Then, amidst +a shower of stones and bullets, the soldiers ascended, rushed the +breach, and, slaying all before them, drove the rebels from the walls. + +No. 3 column had in the meanwhile advanced towards the Kashmir gate +and halted. Lieutenants Home and Salkeld, with eight Sappers and +Miners and a bugler of the 52nd Foot, went forward to blow the gate +open. The enemy were apparently so astounded at the audacity of +this proceeding that for a minute or two they offered but slight +resistance. They soon, however, discovered how small the party was and +the object for which it had come, and forthwith opened a deadly fire +upon the gallant little band from the top of the gateway, from the +city wall, and through the open wicket. + +The bridge over the ditch in front of the gateway had been destroyed, +and it was with some difficulty that the single beam which remained +could be crossed. Home with the men carrying the powder-bags got +over first. As the bags were being attached to the gate, Sergeant +Carmichael was killed and Havildar Madhoo wounded; the rest then +slipped into the ditch to allow the firing party which had come up +under Salkeld to carry out its share of the duty. + +While endeavouring to fire the charge, Salkeld, being shot through +the leg and arm, handed the slow-match to Corporal Burgess, who fell +mortally wounded, but not until he had successfully performed his +task. + +As soon as the explosion had taken place, Bugler Hawthorne sounded +the regimental call of the 52nd. Meeting with no response, he sounded +twice again. The noise of firing and shouting was so great that +neither the sound of the bugle nor that of the explosion reached the +column, but Campbell, after allowing the firing party what he thought +was sufficient time, gave the order to advance. Captain Crosse, of the +52nd, was the first to reach the gate, followed closely by Corporal +Taylor of his own company, and Captain Synge of the same regiment, who +was Campbell's Brigade-Major. In single file along the narrow plank +they crossed the ditch in which lay the shattered remnant of the +gallant little band; they crept through the wicket, which was the only +part blown in, and found the interior of the gateway blocked by an +18-pounder gun, under which were lying the scorched bodies of two or +three sepoys, who had evidently been killed by the explosion. The rest +of the column followed as rapidly as the precarious crossing would +admit, and when Campbell got inside he found himself face to face with +both Nicholson's and Jones's columns, which, after mounting the three +breaches, poured in a mingled crowd into the open space between the +Kashmir gate and the church. + +No. 4 column advanced from the Sabzi Mandi towards Kisenganj and +Paharipur. Reid, the commander, was unfortunately wounded early in the +day. Several other officers were either killed or wounded, and for +a little time a certain amount of confusion existed owing to some +misconception as to whether the command of the column should be +exercised by the senior officer with the regular troops, or by the +political officer with the Kashmir Contingent. The fighting was very +severe. The enemy were in great numbers, and strongly posted on +the banks of the canal--indeed, at one time there appeared to be a +likelihood of their breaking into our weakly-guarded camp or turning +the flank of our storming parties. The guns at Hindu Rao's house, +however, prevented such a catastrophe by pouring shrapnel into the +ranks of the rebels; and just at the critical moment Hope Grant +brought up the Cavalry brigade, which had been covering the assaulting +columns. The Horse Artillery dashed to the front and opened fire upon +the enemy. From the gardens and houses of Kisenganj, only two or three +hundred yards off, the mutineers poured a deadly fire of musketry on +our men, and from the bastion near the Lahore gate showers of grape +caused serious losses amongst them. Owing to the nature of the ground +the Cavalry could not charge. Had they retired the guns would have +been captured, and had the guns been withdrawn the position would have +been lost. For two hours the troopers drawn up in battle array sat +motionless, while their ranks were being cruelly raked. Not a man +wavered. Hope Grant and four of his staff had their horses killed +under them; two of them were wounded, and Hope Grant himself was hit +by a spent shot. In Tombs's troop of Horse Artillery alone, 25 men out +of 50 were wounded, and 17 horses either killed or wounded. The +9th Lancers had 38 casualties amongst the men, and lost 71 horses. +'Nothing daunted,' wrote Hope Grant, 'those gallant soldiers held +their trying position with patient endurance; and on my praising them +for their good behaviour, they declared their readiness to stand the +fire as long as I chose. The behaviour of the Native Cavalry,' he +added, 'was also admirable. Nothing could be steadier; nothing could +be more soldierlike than their bearing.' + +The bold front shown by the Horse Artillery and Cavalry enabled No. 4 +column to retire in an orderly manner behind Hindu Rao's house, and +also assisted the Kashmir Contingent in its retreat from the Idgah, +where it was defeated with the loss of four guns. The repulse of this +column added considerably to our difficulties by freeing many hundreds +to take part in the fight which was being fiercely carried on within +the city. + +Meanwhile the three assaulting columns had made good their lodgment on +the walls. The guns in the Kashmir and Water bastions had been turned +so as to allow of their being used against the foe, and preparations +were made for the next move. + +Nicholson's orders were to push his way to the Ajmir gate, by the road +running inside the city wall, and to clear the ramparts and bastions +as he went. Jones was to make for the Kabul gate, and Campbell for the +Jama Masjid. + +These three columns reformed inside the Kashmir gate, from which +point the first and second practically became one. Nicholson, being +accidentally separated from his own column for a short time, pushed on +with Campbell's past the church, in the direction of the Jama Masjid, +while the amalgamated column under Jones's leadership took the rampart +route past the Kabul gate (on the top of which Jones had planted a +British flag), capturing as they advanced all the guns they found +on the ramparts, and receiving no check until the Burn bastion was +reached by some of the more adventurous spirits. Here the enemy, +taking heart at seeing but a small number of opponents, made a stand. +They brought up a gun, and, occupying all the buildings on the south +side of the rampart with Infantry, they poured forth such a heavy fire +that a retirement to the Kabul gate had to be effected. + +It was at this point that Nicholson rejoined his own column. His +haughty spirit could not brook the idea of a retirement; however +slight the check might be, he knew that it would restore to the rebels +the confidence of which our hitherto successful advance had deprived +them, and, believing that there was nothing that brave men could not +achieve, he determined to make a fresh attempt to seize the Burn +bastion. + +The lane which was again to be traversed was about 200 yards long, +with the city wall and rampart on the right, and on the left +flat-roofed houses with parapets, affording convenient shelter for the +enemy's sharp-shooters. + +As the troops advanced up this lane the mutineers opened upon them a +heavy and destructive fire. Again and again they were checked, and +again and again they reformed and advanced. It was in this lane that +Major Jacob, the gallant Commander of the 1st Bengal Fusiliers, fell, +mortally wounded. His men wanted to carry him to the rear, but he +would not allow them to remain behind for him, and refused their help, +urging them to press forward against the foe. The officers, leading +far ahead of their men, were shot down one after the other, and the +men, seeing them fall, began to waver. Nicholson, on this, sprang +forward, and called upon the soldiers to follow him. He was instantly +shot through the chest. + +A second retirement to the Kabul gate was now inevitable, and there +all that was left of the first and second columns remained for the +night. + +Campbell's column, guided by Sir Theophilus Metcalfe, who from his +intimate acquaintance with the city as Magistrate and Collector of +Delhi was able to conduct it by the route least exposed to the enemy's +fire, forced its way to the vicinity of the Jama Masjid, where it +remained for half an hour, hoping that the other columns would come to +its assistance. They, however, as has been shown, had more than enough +to do elsewhere, and Campbell (who was wounded), seeing no chance of +being reinforced, and having no Artillery or powder-bags with which to +blow in the gates of the Jama Masjid, fell back leisurely and in order +on the church, where he touched what was left of the Reserve column, +which had gradually been broken up to meet the demands of the +assaulting force, until the 4th Punjab Infantry alone remained to +represent it. + +While what I have just described was taking place, I myself was with +General Wilson. Edwin Johnson and I, being no longer required with the +breaching batteries, had been ordered to return to our staff duties, +and we accordingly joined the General at Ludlow Castle, where he +arrived shortly before the assaulting columns moved from the cover of +the Kudsiabagh. + +Wilson watched the assault from the top of the house, and when he was +satisfied that it had proved successful, he rode through the Kashmir +gate to the church, where he remained for the rest of the day. + +He was ill and tired out, and as the day wore on and he received +discouraging reports, he became more and more anxious and depressed. +He heard of Reid's failure, and of Reid himself having been severely +wounded; then came the disastrous news that Nicholson had fallen, and +a report (happily false) that Hope Grant and Tombs were both killed. +All this greatly agitated and distressed the General, until at last he +began seriously to consider the advisability of leaving the city and +falling back on the Ridge. + +I was ordered to go and find out the truth of these reports, and to +ascertain exactly what had happened to No. 4 column and the Cavalry on +our right. + +Just after starting on my errand, while riding through the Kashmir +gate, I observed by the side of the road a doolie, without bearers, +and with evidently a wounded man inside. I dismounted to see if I +could be of any use to the occupant, when I found, to my grief and +consternation, that it was John Nicholson, with death written on his +face. He told me that the bearers had put the doolie down and gone off +to plunder; that he was in great pain, and wished to be taken to the +hospital. He was lying on his back, no wound was visible, and but for +the pallor of his face, always colourless, there was no sign of the +agony he must have been enduring. On my expressing a hope that he was +not seriously wounded, he said: 'I am dying; there is no chance for +me.' The sight of that great man lying helpless and on the point of +death was almost more than I could bear. Other men had daily died +around me, friends and comrades had been killed beside me, but I never +felt as I felt then--to lose Nicholson seemed to me at that moment to +lose everything. + +I searched about for the doolie-bearers, who, with other +camp-followers, were busy ransacking the houses and shops in the +neighbourhood, and carrying off everything of the slightest value they +could lay their hands on. Having with difficulty collected four men, +I put them in charge of a sergeant of the 61st Foot. Taking down his +name, I told him who the wounded officer was, and ordered him to go +direct to the field hospital. + +That was the last I saw of Nicholson. I found time to ride several +times to the hospital to inquire after him, but I was never allowed to +see him again. + +Continuing my ride, I soon came up with Hope Grant's brigade. It had +shortly before been relieved from its perilous and unpleasant position +as a target for the enemy by the timely arrival of the Guides Infantry +and a detachment of the Baluch battalion. I was rejoiced to find Tombs +alive and unhurt, and from him and other officers of my regiment I +learnt the tremendous peppering they had undergone. Hodson was also +there with his newly-raised regiment, some officers of the 9th +Lancers, and Dighton Probyn, Watson, and Younghusband, of the Punjab +Cavalry. Probyn was in great spirits, having fallen temporarily +into the command of his squadron, owing to Charles Nicholson (John +Nicholson's younger brother) having been selected to take Coke's place +with the 1st Punjab Infantry. Probyn retained his command throughout +the campaign, for Charles Nicholson was wounded that very morning +while gallantly leading his regiment. His right arm was being +amputated when his heroic brother was carried mortally wounded into +the same hospital, and laid on the bed next to him. + +It seemed so important to acquaint the General without delay that Hope +Grant and Tombs were both alive, that the Cavalry had been relieved +from their exposed position, and that there was no need for further +anxiety about Reid's column, that I galloped back to the church as +quickly as possible. + +The news I was able to give for the moment somewhat cheered the +General, but did not altogether dispel his gloomy forebodings; and the +failure of Campbell's column (which just at that juncture returned to +the church), the hopelessness of Nicholson's condition, and, above +all, the heavy list of casualties he received later, appeared to crush +all spirit and energy out of him. His dejection increased, and he +became more than ever convinced that his wisest course was to withdraw +from the city. He would, I think, have carried out this fatal measure, +notwithstanding that every officer on his staff was utterly opposed +to any retrograde movement, had it not been his good fortune to have +beside him a man sufficiently bold and resolute to stimulate his +flagging energies. Baird-Smith's indomitable courage and determined +perseverance were never more conspicuous than at that critical moment, +when, though suffering intense pain from his wound, and weakened by +a wasting disease, he refused to be put upon the sick-list; and on +Wilson appealing to him for advice as to whether he should or should +not hold on to the position we had gained, the short but decisive +answer, 'We _must_ hold on,' was given in such a determined and +uncompromising tone that it put an end to all discussion. + +Neville Chamberlain gave similar advice. Although still suffering from +his wound, and only able to move about with difficulty, he had taken +up his position at Hindu Rao's house, from which he exercised, as +far as his physical condition would allow, a general supervision and +control over the events that took place on the right of the Ridge. He +was accompanied by Daly and a very distinguished Native officer of the +Guides, named Khan Sing Rosa, both of whom, like Chamberlain, were +incapacitated by wounds from active duty. From the top of Hindu Rao's +house Chamberlain observed the first successes of the columns, and +their subsequent checks and retirements, and it was while he was there +that he received two notes from General Wilson. In the first, written +after the failure of the attacks on the Jama Masjid and the Lahore +gate, the General asked for the return of the Baluch battalion, which, +at Chamberlain's request, had been sent to reinforce Reid's column, +and in it he expressed the hope that 'we shall be able to hold what +we have got.' In the second note, written at four o'clock in the +afternoon, the General asked whether Chamberlain 'could do anything +from Hindu Rao's house to assist,' adding, 'our numbers are +frightfully reduced, and we have lost so many senior officers that the +men are not under proper control; indeed, I doubt if they could be got +to do anything dashing. I want your advice. If the Hindu Rao's piquet +cannot be moved, I do not think we shall be strong enough to take the +city.' Chamberlain understood General Wilson's second note to imply +that he contemplated withdrawing the troops from the city, and he +framed his reply accordingly. In it he urged the necessity for holding +on to the last; he pointed out the advantages already gained, and the +demoralization thereby inflicted upon the enemy. The dying Nicholson +advocated the same course with almost his latest breath. So angry and +excited was he when he was told of the General's suggestion to retire, +that he exclaimed, 'Thank God I have strength yet to shoot him, if +necessary.' There was no resisting such a consensus of responsible and +reliable opinion, and Wilson gave up all idea of retreating. + +During the afternoon of the 14th, Norman, Johnson, and I, at the +General's desire and for his information, visited every position +occupied by our troops within the city walls. In some places there +was great confusion--men without their officers, and officers without +their men--all without instructions, and not knowing what was going on +in their immediate neighbourhood, the inevitable result of the rapid +advance. We did what we could to remedy matters, and were able to +report to Wilson that our troops were holding the wall from the Water +bastion to the Kabul gate in sufficient strength. But this was all the +comfort we could give him. The fact is, too much had been attempted +on that eventful morning. We should have been satisfied with gaining +possession of the Kashmir and Water bastions, and getting a lodgment +within the city walls. This was as much as three such weak columns +should have tried, or been asked to accomplish. No one who was +present on that occasion, and experienced the difficulty, indeed +impossibility, of keeping soldiers in hand while engaged in fighting +along narrow streets and tortuous lanes, would ever again attempt what +was expected of the assaulting columns. + +While engaged in this duty we (Norman, Johnson and I) were attacked by +a party of the enemy who had been hiding in considerable numbers in a +side-lane watching for a chance. A fight ensued; we had only a small +guard with us, but, fortunately, the firing was heard by the men of a +near piquet, some of whom came to our help. With their assistance we +drove off the sepoys, but in the scrimmage my poor mare was shot. She +was a very useful animal, and her death was a great loss to me at the +time. + +At sunset on the 14th of September only a very small portion of the +walls of Delhi was in our possession. The densely-populated city +remained to be conquered. The magazine, the palace, and the Fort of +Selimgarh, all strongly fortified, were still in the hands of the +enemy. The narrow strip of ground we had gained had been won at severe +loss. Three out of the four officers who commanded the assaulting +columns had been disabled, and 66 officers and 1,104 men had been +killed and wounded. + +The night of the 14th was spent by the General and staff in 'Skinner's +house,'[1] close to the church. Rest was badly needed, for almost +everyone in the force, officers and men alike, had been hard at work, +night and day, for a week. That night, luckily, we were allowed to be +at peace, for whether it was that the rebels were as tired as we were, +or that they were busy making preparations for further resistance, +they did not disturb us; and when day broke we were all refreshed and +ready to continue the struggle. At one time, indeed, early in the +evening, the enemy appeared from their movements to be preparing to +attack us, but just at that moment the band of the 4th Punjab Infantry +struck up 'Cheer, Boys, Cheer!' upon which the men of the regiment did +cheer, most lustily, and other regiments caught up and continued the +inspiriting hurrahs, which apparently had the effect of disconcerting +the mutineers and keeping them quiet. + + +[Footnote 1: The house belonged to the Skinner family, and was +originally built by James Skinner, a Eurasian, who served the Moghul +Emperor with great distinction towards the end of the last century. +When Lord Lake broke up that Mahomedan Prince's power, Skinner entered +the service of the East India Company and rose to the rank of Major. +He was also a C.B. He raised the famous Skinner's Horse, now the 1st +Bengal Cavalry. His father was an officer in one of His Majesty's +regiments of Foot, and after one of Lord Clive's battles married a +Rajput lady of good family, who with her father and mother had been +taken prisoners. Skinner himself married a Mahomedan, so that he had +an interest in the three religions, Christian, Hindu, and Mahomedan, +and on one occasion, when left on the ground severely wounded, he made +a vow that if his life were spared he would build three places of +worship--a church, a temple, and a mosque. He fulfilled his vow, and +a few years later he built the church at Delhi, and the temple and +mosque which are in close proximity to it.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. +1857 + + Capture of the Burn bastion--The 60th Rifles storm the palace + --Hodson captures the King of Delhi--Nicholson's death + --Gallantry of the troops--Praise from Lord Canning + + +On the morning of the 15th the situation was reviewed, and +preparations made for the conquest of the city. Order was restored +amongst the troops, who, as I have shown, had become somewhat +demoralized by the street fighting. Regiments and brigades were got +together; raids were made on all the store shops within reach, and +every bottle of beer and spirits was broken.[1] Some of the liquor +would doubtless have been of great use in the hospitals, but there was +no means of removing it, and the General wisely determined that it was +best to put temptation out of the men's way. Guns and mortars were +placed into position for shelling the city and palace, and a few +houses near, where the enemy's sharpshooters had established +themselves, were seized and occupied. We soon, however, gave up +attacking such positions, for we found that street fighting could not +be continued without the loss of more men than we had to spare, and +that the wisest plan would be to keep the soldiers under cover as much +as possible while we sapped from house to house. A battery commanding +Selimgarh and part of the palace was constructed in the college +gardens, and a breach was made in the wall of the magazine, which was +captured the next morning with but slight loss. + +On the 16th, and again on the 18th, Chamberlain took command of the +troops inside the city while the General rested for a few hours. He +was, as he expressed himself in a note to Chamberlain, 'completely +done.' + +The enemy now began to draw in their line. The suburbs were evacuated, +and riding through the Sabzi Mandi, Kisenganj and Paharipur, we gazed +with wonder at the size and strength of the works raised against us by +the mutineers, in attacking which we had experienced such heavy loss +during the early days of the siege, and from which No. 4 column had +been obliged to retire on the day of the assault. + +The smaller the position that had to be defended, the greater became +the numbers concentrated in our immediate front, and every inch of our +way through the city was stoutly disputed; but the advance, though +slow, was steady, and considering the numbers of the insurgents, and +the use they made at close quarters of their Field Artillery, our +casualties were fewer than could have been expected. + +I had been placed under the orders of Taylor, Baird-Smith's +indefatigable Lieutenant, who directed the advance towards the Lahore +gate. We worked through houses, courtyards, and lanes, until on the +afternoon of the 19th we found ourselves in rear of the Burn bastion, +the attempt to take which on the 14th had cost the life of the gallant +Nicholson and so many other brave men. We had with us fifty European +and fifty Native soldiers, the senior officer of the party being +Captain Gordon, of the 75th Foot. A single door separated us from the +lane which led to the Burn bastion. Lang, of the Engineers, burst this +door open, and out dashed the party. Rushing across the lane and up +the ramp, the guard was completely surprised, and the bastion was +seized without our losing a man. + +Early the next day we were still sapping our way towards the Lahore +gate, when we suddenly found ourselves in a courtyard in which were +huddled together some forty or fifty _banias_,[2] who were evidently +as much in terror of the sepoys as they were of us. The men of our +party nearly made an end of these unfortunates before their officers +could interfere, for to the troops (Native and European alike) every +man inside the walls of Delhi was looked upon as a rebel, worthy of +death. These people, however, were unarmed, and it did not require +a very practised eye to see that they were inoffensive. We thought, +however, that a good fright would do them no harm, and might possibly +help us, so for a time we allowed them to believe that they were +looked upon as traitors, but eventually told them their lives would +be spared if they would take us in safety to some place from which +we might observe how the Lahore gate was guarded. After considerable +hesitation and consultation amongst themselves they agreed to two of +their party guiding Lang and me, while the rest remained as hostages, +with the understanding that, if we did not return within a given time, +they would be shot. + +Our trembling guides conducted us through houses, across courtyards, +and along secluded alleys, without our meeting a living creature, +until we found ourselves in an upper room of a house looking out on +the Chandni Chauk,[3] and within fifty yards of the Lahore gate. + +From the window of this room we could see beneath us the sepoys +lounging about, engaged in cleaning their muskets and other +occupations, while some, in a lazy sort of fashion, were acting as +sentries over the gateway and two guns, one of which pointed in the +direction of the Sabzi Mandi, the other down the lane behind the +ramparts leading to the Burn bastion and Kabul gate. I could see from +the number on their caps that these sepoys belonged to the 5th Native +Infantry. + +Having satisfied ourselves of the feasibility of taking the Lahore +gate in rear, we retraced our steps. + +The two _banias_ behaved well throughout, but were in such a terrible +fright of anything happening to us that they would not allow us to +leave the shelter of one house until they had carefully reconnoitred +the way to the next, and made sure that it was clear of the enemy. +This occasioned so much delay that our friends had almost given us up, +and were on the point of requiring the hostages to pay the penalty for +the supposed treachery of our guides, when we reappeared on the scene. + +We then discussed our next move, and it was decided to repeat the +manoeuvre which had been so successful at the Burn bastion. The troops +were brought by the route we had just traversed, and drawn up behind a +gateway next to the house in which we had been concealed. The gate was +burst open, and rushing into the street, we captured the guns, and +killed or put to flight the sepoys whom we had watched from our upper +chamber a short time before, without losing a man ourselves. + +This was a great achievement, for we were now in possession of the +main entrance to Delhi, and the street of the city leading direct from +the Lahore gate to the palace and Jama Masjid. We proceeded up this +street, at first cautiously, but on finding it absolutely empty, and +the houses on either side abandoned, we pushed on until we reached +the Delhi Bank. Here there was firing going on, and round shot flying +about from a couple of guns placed just outside the palace. But this +was evidently an expiring effort. The great Mahomedan mosque had just +been occupied by a column under the command of Major James Brind; +while Ensign McQueen,[4] of the 4th Punjab Infantry, with one of his +own men had pluckily reconnoitred up to the chief gateway of the +palace, and reported that there were but few men left in the Moghul +fort. + +The honour of storming this last stronghold was appropriately reserved +for the 60th Rifles, the regiment which had been the first to engage +the enemy on the banks of the Hindun, nearly four months before, and +which throughout the siege had so greatly distinguished itself. + +Home, of the Engineers, the hero of the Kashmir gate exploit, first +advanced with some Sappers and blew in the outer gate. At this, the +last struggle for the capture of Delhi, I wished to be present, so +attached myself for the occasion to a party of the 60th Rifles, under +the command of Ensign Alfred Heathcote. As soon as the smoke of +the explosion cleared away, the 60th, supported by the 4th Punjab +Infantry, sprang through the gateway; but we did not get far, for +there was a second door beyond, chained and barred, which was with +difficulty forced open, when the whole party rushed in. The recesses +in the long passage which led to the palace buildings were crowded +with wounded men, but there was very little opposition, for only a +few fanatics still held out. One of these--a Mahomedan sepoy in the +uniform of a Grenadier of the 37th Native Infantry--stood quietly +about thirty yards up the passage with his musket on his hip. As we +approached he slowly raised his weapon and fired, sending the bullet +through McQueen's helmet. The brave fellow then advanced at the +charge, and was, of course, shot down. So ended the 20th September, a +day I am never likely to forget. + +At sunrise on the 21st a royal salute proclaimed that we were again +masters in Delhi, and that for the second time in the century the +great city had been captured by a British force. + +Later in the day General Wilson established his Head-Quarters in the +Dewan-i-khas (the King's private hall of audience), and, as was in +accordance with the fitness of things, the 60th Rifles and the Sirmur +battalion of Gurkhas[5] were the first troops of Her Majesty's army +to garrison the palace of the Moghuls, in which the traitorous and +treacherous massacre of English men, women and children had been +perpetrated. + +The importance of securing the principal members of the Royal Family +was pressed upon the General by Chamberlain and Hodson, who both +urged that the victory would be incomplete if the King and his male +relatives were allowed to remain at large. Wilson would not consent +to any force being sent after them, and it was with considerable +reluctance that he agreed to Hodson going on this hazardous duty with +some of his own men only. The last of the Moghul Emperors had taken +refuge in Humayun's tomb, about seven miles from Delhi, where, on the +afternoon of the 21st, he surrendered to Hodson on receiving a promise +from that officer that his own life and the lives of his favourite +wife and her son should be spared. Hodson brought them all into Delhi +and placed them under a European guard in a house in the Chandni +Chauk, thus adding one more to the many valuable services he had +rendered throughout the siege. + +I went with many others the next day to see the King; the old man +looked most wretched, and as he evidently disliked intensely being +stared at by Europeans, I quickly took my departure. On my way back I +was rather startled to see the three lifeless bodies of the King's two +sons and grandson lying exposed on the stone platform in front of the +_Kotwali_. On enquiry I learnt that Hodson had gone a second time +to Humayun's tomb that morning with the object of capturing these +Princes, and on the way back to Delhi had shot them with his own +hand--an act which, whether necessary or not, has undoubtedly cast a +blot on his reputation. His own explanation of the circumstance was +that he feared they would be rescued by the mob, who could easily have +overpowered his small escort of 100 sowars, and it certainly would +have been a misfortune had these men escaped. At the time a thirst for +revenge on account of the atrocities committed within the walls of +Delhi was so great that the shooting of the Princes seemed to the +excited feelings of the army but an act of justice; and there were +some men, whose opinions were entitled to the greatest respect, who +considered the safety of the British force would have been endangered +by the escape of the representatives of the house of Taimur, and that +for this reason Hodson's act was justified. + +My own feeling on the subject is one of sorrow that such a brilliant +soldier should have laid himself open to so much adverse criticism. +Moreover, I do not think that, under any circumstances, he should +have done the deed himself, or ordered it to be done in that summary +manner, unless there had been evident signs of an attempt at a rescue. + +But it must be understood that there was no breach of faith on +Hodson's part, for he steadily refused to give any promise to +the Princes that their lives should be spared; he did, however, +undoubtedly by this act give colour to the accusations of +blood-thirstiness which his detractors were not slow to make. + +The news that we had occupied the palace, and were in complete +possession of the city of Delhi, consoled Nicholson on his deathbed. +From the first there was little hope that this valuable life could +be saved. He was taken into hospital in a fainting condition from +internal hemorrhage, and he endured excruciating agony; but, wrote +General Chamberlain, 'throughout those nine days of suffering he bore +himself nobly; not a lament or sigh ever passed his lips.' His every +thought was given to his country, and to the last he materially aided +the military authorities by his clear-sighted, sound, and reliable +advice. His intellect remained unclouded to the end. With his latest +breath he sent messages of tender farewell to his mother, hoping she +would be patient under his loss, and to his oldest and dearest friend, +Herbert Edwardes. After his death some frontier Chiefs and Native +officers of the Multani Horse were permitted to see him, and I was +told that it was touching beyond expression to see these strong men +shed tears as they looked on all that was left of the leader they so +loved and honoured. + + * * * * * + +Thus ended the great siege of Delhi, and to no one could the tidings +of its fall have brought more intense relief and satisfaction than to +the Chief Commissioner of the Punjab. Although in the first instance +Sir John Lawrence certainly under-estimated the strength of the Delhi +defences and the difficulties with which General Anson had to contend, +he fully realized them later, and even at the risk of imperilling the +safety of his own province by denuding it of troops, he provided the +means for the capture of the rebel stronghold, and consequently the +army of Delhi felt they owed him a deep debt of gratitude. + +Like Norman when writing his narrative of the siege, I feel I cannot +conclude my brief account of it without paying my small tribute of +praise and admiration to the troops who bore themselves so nobly from +the beginning to the end. Their behaviour throughout was beyond +all praise, their constancy was unwearied, their gallantry most +conspicuous; in thirty-two different fights they were victorious over +long odds, being often exposed to an enemy ten times their number, +who, moreover, had the advantage of ground and superior Artillery; +they fought and worked as if each one felt that on his individual +exertions alone depended the issue of the day; they willingly, nay, +cheerfully, endured such trials as few armies have ever been exposed +to for so long a time. For three months, day after day, and for the +greater part of the day, every man had to be constantly under arms, +exposed to a scorching Indian sun, which was almost as destructive as, +and much harder to bear than, the enemy's never-ceasing fire. They saw +their comrades struck down by cholera, sunstroke, and dysentery, more +dispiriting a thousand times than the daily casualties in action. +They beheld their enemies reinforced while their own numbers rapidly +decreased. Yet they never lost heart, and at last, when it became +evident that no hope of further reinforcements could be entertained, +and that if Delhi were to be taken at all it must be taken at once, +they advanced to the assault with as high a courage and as complete a +confidence in the result, as if they were attacking in the first flush +and exultation of troops at the commencement of a campaign, instead +of being the remnant of a force worn out, by twelve long weeks of +privation and suffering, by hope deferred (which truly 'maketh the +heart sick'), and by weary waiting for the help which never came. +Batteries were thrown up within easy range of the walls, than which +a more heroic piece of work was never performed; and finally, these +gallant few, of whom England should in very truth be everlastingly +proud, stormed in the face of day a strong fortress defended by 30,000 +desperate men, provided with everything necessary to defy assault. + +The list of killed and wounded bears witness to the gallantry of all +arms of the service. The effective force at Delhi never amounted +to 10,000 men. Of these 992 were killed and 2,845 wounded, besides +hundreds who died of disease and exposure. Where all behaved nobly, it +is difficult to particularize; but it will not, I hope, be considered +invidious if I specially draw my readers' attention to the four corps +most constantly engaged: the 60th Rifles, the Sirmur battalion of +Gurkhas, the Guides, and the 1st Punjab Infantry. Placed in the very +front of the position, they were incessantly under fire, and their +losses in action testify to the nature of the service they performed. +The 60th Rifles left Meerut with 440 of all ranks; a few days before +the assault they received a reinforcement of nearly 200, making a +total of 640; their casualties were 389. The Sirmur battalion began +with 450 men, and were joined by a draft of 90, making a total of 540; +their loss in killed and wounded amounted to 319. The strength of +the Guides when they joined was 550 Cavalry and Infantry, and their +casualties were 303. The 1st Punjab Infantry arrived in Delhi with +3 British officers and 664 Natives of all ranks. Two of the British +officers were killed, and the third severely wounded, and of the +Natives, 8 officers[6] and 200 men were killed and wounded; while out +of the British officers attached to the regiment during the siege 1 +was killed and 4 wounded. Further, it is a great pleasure to me to +dwell on the splendid service done by the Artillery and Engineers. The +former, out of their small number, had 365 killed or disabled, and the +latter two-thirds of their officers and 293 of their men. I cannot +more appropriately conclude this chapter than by quoting the words of +Lord Canning, who, as Governor-General of India, wrote as follows in +giving publication to the Delhi despatches: 'In the name of outraged +humanity, in memory of innocent blood ruthlessly shed, and in +acknowledgment of the first signal vengeance inflicted on the foulest +treason, the Governor-General in Council records his gratitude to +Major-General Wilson and the brave army of Delhi. He does so in the +sure conviction that a like tribute awaits them, not in England only, +but wherever within the limits of civilization the news of their +well-earned triumph shall reach.' + + +[Footnote 1: A report was circulated that a large number of our men +had fallen into the trap laid for them by the Native shopkeepers, and +were disgracefully drunk. I heard that a few men, overcome by heat and +hard work, had given way to temptation, but I did not see a single +drunken man throughout the day of the assault, although, as I have +related, I visited every position held by our troops within the walls +of the city.] + +[Footnote 2: Sellers of grain and lenders of money.] + +[Footnote 3: 'Silver Bazaar,' the main street of Delhi, in which +were, and still are, situated all the principal jewellers' and +cloth-Merchants' shops.] + +[Footnote 4: Now Lieutenant-General Sir John McQueen, K.C.B.] + +[Footnote 5: The Gurkhas became such friends with the men of the 1st +Battalion 60th Rifles during the siege--the admiration of brave men +for brave men--that they made a special request to be allowed to wear +the same uniform as their 'brothers' in the Rifles. This was acceded +to, and the 2nd Gurkhas are very proud of the little red line on their +facings.] + +[Footnote 6: Amongst the Native officers killed was Subadar Ruttun +Sing, who fell mortally wounded in the glacis. He was a Patiala Sikh, +and had been invalided from the service. As the 1st Punjab Infantry +neared Delhi, Major Coke saw the old man standing in the road with two +swords on. He begged to be taken back into the service, and when Coke +demurred he said: 'What! my old corps going to fight at Delhi without +me! I hope you will let me lead my old Sikh company into action again. +I will break these two swords in your cause.' Coke acceded to the old +man's wish, and throughout the siege of Delhi he displayed the most +splendid courage. At the great attack on the 'Sammy House' on the 1st +and 2nd August, when Lieutenant Travers of his regiment was killed, +Ruttun Sing, amidst a shower of bullets, jumped on to the parapet and +shouted to the enemy, who were storming the piquet: 'If any man wants +to fight, let him come here, and not stand firing like a coward! I +am Ruttun Sing, of Patiala.' He then sprang down among the enemy, +followed by the men of his company, and drove them off with heavy +loss. + +On the morning of the assault the regiment had marched down to the +rendezvous at Ludlow Castle, 'left in front.' While waiting for the +Artillery to fire a few final rounds at the breaches, the men sat +down, and, falling in again, were doing so 'right in front.' Ruttun +Sing came up to Lieutenant Charles Nicholson, who was commanding the +regiment, and said: 'We ought to fall in "left in front," thereby +making his own company the leading one in the assault. In a few +minutes more Ruttun Sing was mortally wounded, and Dal Sing, the +Jemadar of his company, a man of as great courage as Ruttun Sing, but +not of the same excitable nature, was killed outright.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XX. +1857 + + Necessity for further action--Departure from Delhi + --Action at Bulandshahr--Lieutenant Home's death--Knights-errant + --Fight at Aligarh--Appeals from Agra + --Collapse of the administration--Taken by surprise + --The fight at Agra--An exciting chase--The Taj Mahal + + +The fall of Delhi was loudly proclaimed, and the glad tidings spread +like wildfire throughout the length and breadth of India, bringing +intense relief to Europeans everywhere, but more especially to those +in the Punjab, who felt that far too great a strain was being put upon +the loyalty of the people, and that failure at Delhi would probably +mean a rising of the Sikhs and Punjabis. Salutes were fired in +honour of the victory at all the principal stations, but the Native +population of the Punjab could not at first be made to believe that +the Moghul capital, with its hordes of defenders, could have been +captured by the small English army they saw marching through their +province a few months before. Even at that time it seemed all too +small for the task before it, and since then they knew it had dwindled +down to less than half its numbers. It was not, indeed, until they had +ocular demonstration of our success, in the shape of the loot which +some of the Native followers belonging to the besieging force took +back to their homes, that they became convinced of the reality of our +victory. + +[Illustration: PLAN TO ILLUSTRATE THE SIEGE OF DELHI, 1857] + +Sir John Lawrence being painfully alive to the weakness of our +position in the Punjab, as compared to the great strength of the +Sikhs, on hearing the news of the capture of Delhi, begged General +Wilson to send back at once a British regiment as a practical proof +that our triumph was complete, and that he no longer needed so many +troops. But though the city was in our possession, a great deal +remained to be done before a single soldier could be spared. Above all +things, it was necessary to open up communication with Cawnpore and +Lucknow, in order to ascertain exactly the state of affairs in that +part of the country. We had heard of the failure of Havelock's +attempts to reach Lucknow, and of his having been obliged in the end +to retire to Cawnpore and wait for reinforcements, but we had not been +able to learn whether such reinforcements had reached him, or how long +the beleaguered garrison of Lucknow was likely to hold out. + +No time was wasted at Delhi. On the 21st September, the very day +after the palace was occupied, it was decided to despatch a column +to Cawnpore; but, on account of the weakened condition of the whole +force, there was considerable difficulty in detailing the troops +for its composition. The total strength of the corps[1] eventually +selected amounted to 750 British and 1,900 Native soldiers, with +sixteen field-guns. + +No officer of note or high rank being available, the command of the +column should have been given to the senior regimental officer serving +with it, viz., Colonel Hope Grant, of the 9th Lancers; but for some +unexplained motive Lieutenant-Colonel Greathed, of the 8th Foot, was +chosen by General Wilson. Captain Bannatyne, of the same regiment, was +appointed his Brigade-Major, and I was sent with the column as Deputy +Assistant-Quartermaster-General. On the fall of Delhi the whole of +the Head-Quarters staff returned to Simla, except Henry Norman, whose +soldierly instincts made him prefer accompanying the column, in order +that he might be ready to join Sir Colin Campbell, the newly-appointed +Commander-in-Chief, who had shortly before arrived in India. + +Nicholson's funeral was taking place as we marched out of Delhi, at +daybreak on the morning of the 24th September. It was a matter of +regret to me that I was unable to pay a last tribute of respect to my +loved and honoured friend and Commander by following his body to the +grave, but I could not leave the column. That march through Delhi in +the early morning light was a gruesome proceeding. Our way from the +Lahore gate by the Chandni Chauk led through a veritable city of +the dead; not a sound was to be heard but the falling of our own +footsteps; not a living creature was to be seen. Dead bodies +were strewn about in all directions, in every attitude that the +death-struggle had caused them to assume, and in every stage of +decomposition. We marched in silence, or involuntarily spoke in +whispers, as though fearing to disturb those ghastly remains of +humanity. The sights we encountered were horrible and sickening to the +last degree. Here a dog gnawed at an uncovered limb; there a vulture, +disturbed by our approach from its loathsome meal, but too completely +gorged to fly, fluttered away to a safer distance. In many instances +the positions of the bodies were appallingly life-like. Some lay with +their arms uplifted as if beckoning, and, indeed, the whole scene was +weird and terrible beyond description. Our horses seemed to feel the +horror of it as much as we did, for they shook and snorted in evident +terror. The atmosphere was unimaginably disgusting, laden as it was +with the most noxious and sickening odours. + +It is impossible to describe the joy of breathing the pure air of the +open country after such a horrible experience; but we had not escaped +untainted. That night we had several cases of cholera, one of the +victims being Captain Wilde, the Commandant of the 4th Punjab +Infantry. He was sent back to Delhi in a hopeless condition, it was +thought, but he recovered, and did excellent work at the head of his +fine regiment during the latter part of the campaign. + +After a march of eleven miles we reached Ghazi-uddin nagar, to find +the place deserted. We halted the next day. The baggage animals were +out of condition after their long rest at Delhi; and it was necessary +to overhaul their loads and get rid of the superfluous kit and plunder +which the followers had brought away with them. We were accompanied +on our march by a few enterprising civilians, who had found their way +into Delhi the day after we took possession of the palace. Amongst +them was Alfred Lyall,[2] a schoolfellow of mine at Eton. He was +on his way to take up the appointment of Assistant-Magistrate at +Bulandshahr, where he was located when the Mutiny broke out. As +we rode along he gave me a most interesting little history of his +personal experiences during the early days of May, from the time when +the first symptoms of the coming storm were felt, until that when the +surrounding country rose _en masse_, and he and those with him had +to seek shelter at Meerut. I should like to repeat his story for the +benefit of my readers, but I refrain, as it would lose so much by my +telling; and I hope that some day Sir Alfred Lyall may be induced to +tell his own story in the picturesque and attractive language which is +so well known and so much appreciated by the reading public. + +Early on the morning of the 28th, Norman, Lyall, and I, marching with +Watson's Cavalry, two or three miles in advance of the column, arrived +at cross-roads, one leading to Bulandshahr, the other to Malagarh, a +fort belonging to a Mahomedan of the name of Walidad Khan, who, when +the British rule was in abeyance, assumed authority over the district +in the name of the Emperor of Delhi. We halted, and, having put out +our piquets, lay down and waited for the dawn. From information +obtained by the civil officers with the column, we suspected that +large numbers of mutineers were collected in the neighbourhood. + +We were not left long in doubt as to the correctness of our +surmisings, for we were soon rudely awakened by the rattle of shots +exchanged between our vedettes and those of the enemy. Information was +sent back at once to the advance guard and to our Commander, while we +set to work to ascertain the enemy's exact position; this proved to be +at Bulandshahr, and we were within a couple of miles of the main body. + +As we advanced the rebel Cavalry fell back, and when we got under fire +of their guns, our Horse Artillery came into action; our Infantry +coming up, found the enemy occupying an extremely strong position, in +the gaol and a walled serai at the entrance to the town, their left +being covered by the enclosed gardens and ruined houses of the +deserted civil station, within which they were collected in +considerable force. From these points they were driven by the 75th +Foot, who, in a most dashing manner, captured two 9-pounder guns, +while a third was taken by the Cavalry. The rebels then began to +retreat, and were followed up by a small body of Cavalry, under +Drysdale,[3] of the 9th Lancers, with whom were Sarel, of the same +regiment, Augustus Anson of the 84th Foot, and myself. We soon became +entangled in narrow streets, but at last found ourselves in a gateway +leading out of the town, which was crowded with bullock-carts, flying +townspeople, and a number of the enemy, some on horseback, some on +foot. There we had hard fighting; Sarel was wounded in the act of +running a sepoy through the body, the forefinger of his right hand +being taken off by a bullet, which then passed through his left arm; +Anson was surrounded by mutineers, and performed prodigies of valour, +for which he was rewarded with the Victoria Cross. I was riding a +Waziri horse, which had belonged to John Nicholson, and as it had been +a great favourite of his, I had commissioned a friend to buy him for +me at the sale of Nicholson's effects. He was naturally impetuous, +and, being now greatly excited by the firing and confusion, plunged +about a good deal. He certainly was not a comfortable mount on that +day, but all the same he saved my life. In the midst of the mêlée I +observed a sepoy taking deliberate aim at me, and tried to get at him, +but the crowd between him and me prevented my reaching him. He fired; +my frightened animal reared, and received in his head the bullet which +was intended for me.[4] + +The work fell chiefly on the Cavalry and Horse Artillery. Major Ouvry, +who commanded them, must have been a proud man that day, for they +behaved splendidly. Two of Blunt's guns also, under an old Addiscombe +friend of mine named Cracklow, did excellent service. The 9th Lancers, +under Drysdale, performed wonders; and the three squadrons of Punjab +Cavalry, under their gallant young leaders, Probyn, Watson, and +Younghusband, and the squadron of Hodson's Horse, under Hugh Gough, +showed of what good stuff they were made. Our casualties were 6 men +killed, 6 officers and 35 men wounded. The enemy's loss was 300. +A large quantity of ammunition and baggage fell into our hands, +including many articles plundered from European men and women. + +After the fight was over, the column passed through the town, and our +camp was pitched about a mile beyond, on the banks of the Kali Naddi. +The same afternoon Malagarh was reconnoitred, but was found to be +deserted, a satisfactory result of the morning's action, for the fort, +if defended, would have given us some trouble to take. Walidad Khan +evidently hoped to become a power in the district, for he had begun to +make gun-carriages, and we found roughly-cast guns on the lathes ready +for boring out. It was decided that Malagarh Fort, which was full of +articles of every description taken from the English residents, should +be destroyed. Its demolition, however, took some time to effect, and +as we could not move till transport came from Meerut to convey our +wounded officers and men back to that place, the column halted at +Bulandshahr for four days. + +On the afternoon of the 1st October the fort was blown up, and most +unfortunately, while superintending the operation, Lieutenant Home was +killed.[5] The mine had been laid and the slow-match lighted, but the +explosion not following as quickly as was expected, Home thought the +match must have gone out, and went forward again to relight it. At +that moment the mine blew up. His death was greatly felt in camp, +happening as it did when all the excitement of battle was over. + +We left Bulandshahr, and said good-bye to Lyall on the 3rd October, +feeling that he was being placed in a position of considerable risk, +thrown as he was on his own resources, with general instructions to +re-establish the authority of the British Government. He was not, +however, molested, and after two or three days he was joined by a +small body of troops from Meerut. During the months that followed +he and his escort had several alarms and some smart skirmishes; for +Rohilkand, a large tract of country to the east of Bulandshahr, was +held by the rebels until the following spring, and Lyall's district +was constantly traversed by bodies of mutinous sepoys. + +On the afternoon of the same day we reached Khurja, a fair-sized +Mahomedan town, from which some of our Cavalry soldiers were +recruited. The first thing that met our eyes on arrival at this place +was a skeleton, ostentatiously placed against the side of a bridge +leading to the encamping-ground; it was headless, and the bones were +hacked and broken. It was pronounced by more than one doctor to be the +skeleton of a European woman. This sight maddened the soldiery, who +demanded vengeance, and at one time it seemed that the town of Khurja +would have to pay the penalty for the supposed crime. The whole force +was greatly excited. At length calmer counsels prevailed. The people +of the town protested their innocence, and expressed their anxiety to +be our humble servants; they were, as a whole, given the benefit of +the doubt, but some soldiers found in the town, belonging to regiments +which had mutinied, were tried, and hanged or acquitted according to +the evidence given. + +Some excitement was caused on reaching camp by the appearance of a +fakir seated under a tree close to where our tents were pitched. The +man was evidently under a vow of silence, which Hindu devotees often +make as a penance for sin, or to earn a title to more than a fair +share of happiness in a future life. On our addressing him, the fakir +pointed to a small wooden platter, making signs for us to examine it. +The platter had been quite recently used for mixing food in, and +at first there seemed to be nothing unusual about it. On closer +inspection, however, we discovered that a detachable square of wood +had been let in at the bottom, on removing which a hollow became +visible, and in it lay a small folded paper, that proved to be a note +from General Havelock, written in the Greek character, containing +the information that he was on his way to the relief of the Lucknow +garrison, and begging any Commander into whose hands the communication +might fall to push on as fast as possible to his assistance, as he +sorely needed reinforcements, having few men and no carriage to speak +of. This decided Greathed to proceed with as little delay as might be +to Cawnpore. + +Just before we left Bulandshahr, a spy reported to me that an English +lady was a prisoner in a village some twenty miles off, and that she +was anxious to be rescued. As on cross-examination, however, the story +did not appear to me to be very reliable, I told the man he must bring +me some proof of the presence of the lady in the village. Accordingly, +on the arrival of the column at Khurja, he appeared with a piece of +paper on which was written 'Miss Martindale.' This necessitated the +matter being inquired into, and I obtained the Brigadier's permission +to make a detour to the village in question. I started off, +accompanied by Watson and Probyn, with their two squadrons of Cavalry. +We timed our march so as to reach our destination just before dawn; +the Cavalry surrounded the village, and with a small escort we three +proceeded up the little street to the house where the guide told us +the lady was confined. Not only was the house empty, but, with the +exception of a few sick and bedridden old people, there was not a +soul in the village. There had evidently been a hasty retreat, which +puzzled me greatly, as I had taken every precaution to ensure secrecy, +for I feared that if our intention to rescue the lady became known she +would be carried off. As day broke we searched the surrounding crops, +and found the villagers and some soldiers hidden amongst them. They +one and all denied that there was the slightest truth in the story, +and as it appeared a waste of time to further prosecute the fruitless +search, we were on the point of starting to rejoin our camp, when +there was a cry from our troopers of '_Mem sahib hai!_' (Here is the +lady), and presently an excessively dusky girl about sixteen years of +age appeared, clad in Native dress. We had some difficulty in getting +the young woman to tell us what had happened; but on assuring her that +no harm should be done to those with whom she was living, she told us +that she was the daughter of a clerk in the Commissioner's office at +Sitapur; that all her family had been killed when the rising took +place at that station, and that she had been carried off by a sowar to +his home. We asked her if she wished to come away with us. After some +hesitation she declined, saying the sowar had married her (after the +Mahomedan fashion), and was kind to her, and she had no friends and +relations to go to. On asking her why she had sent to let us know she +was there, she replied that she thought she would like to join the +British force, which she heard was in the neighbourhood, but on +further reflection she had come to the conclusion it was best for +her to remain where she was. After talking to her for some time, and +making quite sure she was not likely to change her mind, we rode +away, leaving her to her sowar, with whom she was apparently quite +content.[6] I need hardly say we got unmercifully chaffed on our +return to camp, when the result of our expedition leaked out. + +At Somna, where we halted for the night, we heard that the Mahomedan +insurgents, the prisoners released from gaol, and the rebel Rajputs of +the neighbourhood, were prepared to resist our advance on Aligarh, and +that they expected to be aided by a large number of mutineers from +Delhi. We came in sight of Aligarh shortly before daybreak on the 5th +October. Our advance was stopped by a motley crowd drawn up before +the walls, shouting, blowing horns, beating drums, and abusing the +Feringhis in the choicest Hindustani; but, so far as we could see, +there were no sepoys amongst them. The Horse Artillery coming up, +these valiant defenders quickly fled inside the city and closed the +gates, leaving two guns in our possession. Thinking we should be sure +to attack and take the place, they rushed through it to the other +side, and made for the open country. But we had had enough of street +fighting at Delhi. Our Cavalry and Artillery were divided into two +parties, which moved round the walls, one to the right and the other +to the left, and united in pursuit of the fugitives at the further +side. We followed them for several miles. Some had concealed +themselves in the high crops, and were discovered by the Cavalry on +their return march to camp. Ouvry formed a long line, and one by one +the rebels, starting up as the troopers rode through the fields, were +killed, while our loss was trifling. + +The inhabitants of Aligarh had apparently had a bad time of it under +the rebel rule, for they expressed much joy at the result of the +morning's work, and were eager in their proffers to bring in supplies +for our troops and to otherwise help us. + +Ill as we could afford to weaken our column, it was so necessary +to keep the main line of communication open, and put a stop to the +disorder into which the country had fallen, that it was decided to +leave two companies of Punjabis at Aligarh, as a guard to the young +civilian who was placed in charge of the district. + +Fourteen miles from Aligarh on the road to Cawnpore there lived two +Rajputs, twin brothers, who had taken such a prominent part in the +rebellion that a price had been put on their heads, and for the future +peace of the district it was considered necessary to capture them. In +order to surprise them the more completely, it was given out that the +column was to march towards Agra, from which place disquieting news +had been received, while secret orders were issued to proceed towards +Cawnpore. The Cavalry went on in advance, and while it was still dark, +succeeded in surrounding the village of Akrabad, where dwelt the +brothers. In attempting to escape they were both killed, and three +small guns were found in their house loaded and primed, but we had +arrived too suddenly to admit of their being used against us. We +discovered besides a quantity of articles which must have belonged +to European ladies--dresses, books, photographs, and knick-knacks +of every description--which made us feel that the twins had richly +deserved their fate. + +We halted on the 7th, and on the 8th marched across country to +Bryjgarh (a prettily situated village under a fortified hill), our +object being to get nearer to Agra, the reports from which place had +been causing us anxiety, and likewise to put ourselves in a position +to intercept the Rohilkand mutineers, who we were told were on their +way to Lucknow. + +No sooner had we got to Bryjgarh than we received information that the +detachment we had left behind at Aligarh was not likely to be left +undisturbed, and at the same time an urgent call for assistance came +from Agra, where a combined attack by insurgents from Gwalior, Mhow, +and Delhi was imminent. Fifty of Hodson's Horse, under a European +officer, and a sufficient number of Infantry to make the detachment we +had left there up to 200, were at once despatched to Aligarh. It was +clear, too, that the appeal from Agra must be responded to, for it +was an important place, the capital of the North-West Provinces; the +troops and residents had been shut up in the fort for more than +three months, and the letters, which followed each other in quick +succession, showed that the authorities were considerably alarmed. It +was felt, therefore, that it was imperative upon us to turn our steps +towards Agra, but it entailed our marching forty-eight miles out +of our way, and having to give up for the time any idea of aiding +Havelock in the relief of Lucknow. + +The column marched at midnight on the 8th October, the Horse Artillery +and Cavalry, which I accompanied, pushing on as fast as possible. We +had done thirty-six miles, when we were advised from Agra that there +was no need for so much haste, as the enemy, having heard of our +approach, were retiring; we accordingly halted, nothing loath, till +the Infantry came up. + +Early the next morning, the 10th October, we reached Agra. Crossing +the Jumna by a bridge of boats, we passed under the walls of the +picturesque old fort built by the Emperor Akbar nearly 300 years +before. + +The European residents who had been prisoners within the walls of the +fort for so long streamed out to meet and welcome us, overjoyed at +being free at last. We presented, I am afraid, but a sorry appearance, +as compared to the neatly-dressed ladies and the spick-and-span troops +who greeted us, for one of the fair sex was overheard to remark, 'Was +ever such a dirty-looking lot seen?' Our clothes were, indeed, worn +and soiled, and our faces so bronzed that the white soldiers were +hardly to be distinguished from their Native comrades. + +Our questions as to what had become of the enemy, who we had been +informed had disappeared with such unaccountable celerity on hearing +of the advance of the column, were answered by assurances that there +was no need to concern ourselves about them, as they had fled across +the Kari Naddi, a river thirteen miles away, and were in full retreat +towards Gwalior. It was a little difficult to believe in the complete +dispersion of the formidable rebel army, the mere rumoured approach +of which had created such consternation in the minds of the Agra +authorities, and had caused the many urgent messages imploring us to +push on. + +Our doubts, however, were met with the smile of superior knowledge. +We were informed that the rebels had found it impossible to get +their guns across to the Agra side of the stream, and that, feeling +themselves powerless without them to resist our column, they had taken +themselves off with the least possible delay. We were asked with +some indignation, 'Had not the whole country round been scoured +by thoroughly trustworthy men without a trace of the enemy being +discovered?' And we were assured that we might take our much-needed +rest in perfect confidence that we were not likely to be disturbed. +We were further told by those who were responsible for the local +Intelligence Department, and who were repeatedly questioned, that they +had no doubt whatever their information was correct, and that there +was no need to follow up the enemy until our troops were rested and +refreshed. + +We were then not aware of what soon became painfully apparent, that +neither the information nor the opinions of the heads of the civil +and military administration at Agra were to be relied upon. That +administration had, indeed, completely collapsed; there was no +controlling authority; the crisis had produced no one in any +responsible position who understood the nature of the convulsion +through which we were passing; and endless discussion had resulted (as +must always be the case) in fatal indecision and timidity. + +We could hardly have been expected to know that the government of so +great a province was in the hands of men who were utterly unfit to +cope with the difficulties of an emergency such as had now arisen, +although in quieter times they had filled their positions with credit +to themselves and advantage to the State. + +That this was the case can be proved beyond a doubt, but I do not give +it as an excuse for our being caught napping by the enemy, which +we certainly were. We ought, of course, to have reconnoitred the +surrounding country for ourselves, and posted our piquets as usual; +and we ought not to have been induced to neglect these essential +military precautions by the confident assertion of the Agra +authorities that the enemy were nowhere in our neighbourhood. + +The Brigadier gave orders for our camp to be pitched as soon as the +tents should arrive, but he saw no necessity for posting piquets +until the evening. Accordingly, I marked out the camp on the brigade +parade-ground, which had been selected as best suited for the +purpose--a grassy, level, open spot, a mile and a half from the fort. +On the left and rear were the ruined lines of the two Native Infantry +regiments which had been disarmed and sent to their homes, and the +charred remains of the British officers' houses. To the right and +front there was cultivation, and the high crops, almost ready to be +reaped, shut out the view of the country beyond. + +As the tents and baggage could not arrive for some time, I got leave +to go with Norman, Watson, and a few others to breakfast in the fort. +We had scarcely sat down, bent on enjoying such an unusual event as a +meal in ladies' society, when we were startled by the report of a gun, +then another and another. Springing to our feet, there was a general +exclamation of, 'What can it mean? Not the enemy, surely!' But the +enemy it was, as we were soon convinced by our host, who, having gone +to a point from which he could get a view of the surrounding country, +came back in hot haste, to tell us that an action was taking place. + +We who belonged to the column hurried down the stairs, jumped on +our horses, and galloped out of the fort and along the road in the +direction of the firing. We had got but half-way to camp, when we were +met and almost borne down by an enormous crowd, consisting of men, +women, and children of every shade of colour, animals and baggage all +mixed up in inextricable confusion. On they rushed, struggling and +yelling as if pursued by demons. + +The refugees from the fort, tired of their long imprisonment, had +taken advantage of the security which they thought was assured by the +arrival of the column to visit their deserted homes. Two-thirds of the +150,000 inhabitants of the city had also flocked out to see the troops +who had taken part in the capture of Delhi (the report of which +achievement was still universally disbelieved), to watch our camp +being pitched, and to see what was going on generally. All this varied +crowd, in terror at the first sound of firing, made for the fort and +city, and were met in their flight by the heavy baggage of the +column on its way to camp. Instantly, elephants, camels, led horses, +doolie-bearers carrying the sick and wounded, bullocks yoked to +heavily-laden carts, all becoming panic-stricken, turned round and +joined in the stampede. Elephants, as terrified as their _mahouts_[7], +shuffled along, screaming and trumpeting; drivers twisted the tails +of their long-suffering bullocks with more than usual energy and +heartlessness, in the vain hope of goading them into a gallop; and +camels had their nostrils rent asunder by the men in charge of them, +in their unsuccessful endeavours to urge their phlegmatic animals into +something faster than their ordinary stately pace. + +Into this surging multitude we rushed, but for a time our progress was +completely checked. Eventually, however, by dint of blows, threats, +and shouts, we managed to force our way through the motley crowd and +reach the scene of action. What a sight was that we came upon! I seem +to see it now as distinctly as I did then. Independent fights were +going on all over the parade-ground. Here, a couple of Cavalry +soldiers were charging each other. There, the game of bayonet _versus_ +sword was being carried on in real earnest. Further on, a party of +the enemy's Cavalry were attacking one of Blunt's guns (which they +succeeded in carrying off a short distance). Just in front, the 75th +Foot (many of the men in their shirt-sleeves) were forming square to +receive a body of the rebel horse. A little to the left of the 75th, +Remmington's troop of Horse Artillery and Bourchier's battery +had opened fire from the park without waiting to put on their +accoutrements, while the horses were being hastily harnessed by the +Native drivers and _saices_. Still further to the left, the 9th +Lancers and Gough's squadron of Hodson's Horse were rapidly saddling +and falling in. On the right the 8th Foot and the 2nd and 4th Punjab +Infantry were busy getting under arms, while beyond, the three +squadrons of Punjab Cavalry, under Probyn and Younghusband, were +hurrying to get on the enemy's flank. + +Watson galloped off to take command of the Punjab Cavalry, and Norman +and I rode in different directions to search for the Brigadier. While +thus employed, I was stopped by a dismounted _sowar_, who danced about +in front of me, waving his _pagri_[8] before the eyes of my horse with +one hand, and brandishing his sword with the other. I could not get +the frightened animal near enough to use my sword, and my pistol (a +Deane and Adams revolver), with which I tried to shoot my opponent, +refused to go off, so I felt myself pretty well at his mercy, when, to +my relief, I saw him fall, having been run through the body by a man +of the 9th Lancers who had come to my rescue. + +Being unable to find the Brigadier, I attached myself to the next +senior officer, Major Frank Turner, who commanded the Artillery. +Gradually the enemy were beaten off, and the troops formed themselves +up ready for pursuit, or whatever they might be called upon to do. At +this juncture Greathed appeared on the ground. + +With less experienced troops the surprise--and a thorough surprise it +was--would in all probability have had serious results. Most of the +men were asleep under the few tents which had already arrived, or such +shelter as could be obtained near at hand, when first one round shot, +then another, came right into their midst from a battery concealed +in the high crops to our right front. At the same time half a dozen +rebels, one of them playing the _nagàra_,[9] rode quietly up to the +Quarter-Guard of the 9th Lancers and cut down the sentry. Being +dressed, like Probyn's men, in red, they were mistaken for them, and +were thus enabled to get close to the guard. This act was quickly +followed by a general rush of the enemy's Cavalry, which brought about +the series of fights that were going on when we appeared on the scene. +The Commander was not to be found; no one knew who was the senior +officer present; consequently each regiment and battery had to act +according to its own discretion. The troops got ready with incredible +rapidity, and set to work to drive the enemy off the ground. The +Artillery replied to the insurgents' guns; the Infantry did what they +could, but were hampered by the fear of doing more injury to their +friends than their foes, and thus the brunt of the work fell upon the +Cavalry. The 9th Lancers made a succession of brilliant charges. One +troop especially distinguished itself by recovering Blunt's captured +gun; the Captain (French) was killed, and the subaltern (Jones), +covered with wounds, was left on the ground for dead. Watson, Probyn, +and Younghusband, with their three squadrons, cleared our right flank, +capturing two guns and some standards; and Hugh Gough, with his +squadron, performed a similar duty on the left. + +Probyn greatly distinguished himself on this occasion. In one of the +charges he got separated from his men, and was for a time surrounded +by the enemy, two of whom he slew. In another charge he captured a +standard. For these and numerous acts of gallantry during the Mutiny, +he was, to the great delight of his many friends in the column, +awarded the Victoria Cross. + +When Greathed arrived, the order for a general advance was given, +and we were just moving off in pursuit of the rebels, when the +3rd European Regiment and a battery of Field Artillery under +Lieutenant-Colonel Cotton arrived from the fort. This officer, being +senior to our Brigadier, took command of the force, and untimely +delay was caused while he learnt the details of our position. Having +satisfied himself that the enemy must be followed up, he endorsed +Greathed's order, and off we again started. + +We soon overtook the retreating foe, who every now and then turned and +made an ineffectual stand. At the end of about four miles we came upon +their camp; it covered a considerable space, and must have taken +a long time to transport and pitch--a circumstance which made the +ignorance on the part of the Agra authorities as to the close +proximity of the enemy appear even more unaccountable than before. + +Our Infantry were now pretty well done up; they had been on the move, +with one or two short intervals, for nearly sixty hours, and the 3rd +Europeans were not in trim for a long and hot day's work after such a +lengthened period of inactivity in the fort, and clad, as they were, +in thick scarlet uniform. The enemy, however, could not be allowed to +carry off their guns; so, leaving the Infantry to amuse themselves by +making hay in the rebels' camp, we pushed forward with the Cavalry and +Artillery. It was a most exciting chase. Property of all sorts and +descriptions fell into our hands, and before we reached the Kari Naddi +we had captured thirteen guns, some of them of large calibre, and a +great quantity of ammunition. The enemy's loss on this occasion was +not very great, owing to the extraordinary facility with which Native +troops can break up and disappear, particularly when crops are on the +ground. + +While watching a few of the rebel Cavalry making their escape along +the opposite bank of the Kari Naddi, I noticed about a dozen men +belonging to the 2nd and 4th Punjab Infantry quenching their thirst in +the stream. Carried away by excitement, they had managed to keep up +with the pursuit, never thinking of the inevitable trudge back to +Agra, which meant that, by the time they arrived there, they would +have accomplished a march of not less than 70 miles without a halt, +besides having had a severe fight with an enemy greatly superior in +numbers. + +Our casualties were slight: 12 officers and men were killed, 54 +wounded, and 2 missing, besides some 20 camp-followers killed and +wounded. + +There is no doubt that the enemy were almost as much taken by surprise +as we were. They knew that we were on our way from Aligarh, and had +arranged (as we afterwards heard) with the people of the city to +destroy the bridge of boats in time to prevent our crossing. But our +movements were sufficiently rapid to prevent their carrying their +intention into effect; and although the insurgents were informed that +we had actually crossed the river they refused to believe the report, +and, it was said, hanged the man who brought it. Their incredulity was +strengthened by the small dimensions of the ground taken up for our +camp, and the few tents which were pitched, and they made up their +minds that these were only being prepared for the troops belonging +to the Agra garrison, and so anticipated an easy victory. Their +astonishment first became known when they were repulsed by the 75th +Foot, and were heard to say to one another, '_Arrah bhai! ye Diliwhale +hain!_' (I say, brother! these are the fellows from Delhi!). + +We halted at Agra on the 11th, 12th, and 13th October, partly to +rest the men and transport animals, but chiefly on account of the +difficulty we had in getting out of the clutches of the North-West +Provinces Government, the local authorities not caring to be left to +their own resources. Our wounded were taken to the fort, and lodged in +the Moti Masjid,[10] which exquisite little building had been turned +into a hospital. The men were well taken care of by the ladies, who +seemed to think they could never do enough for the Delhi column. + +I now for the first time saw the lovely Taj Mahal--that beautiful, +world-famed memorial of a man's devotion to a woman, a husband's +undying love for a dead wife. I will not attempt to describe the +indescribable. Neither words nor pencil could give to the most +imaginative reader the slightest idea of the all-satisfying beauty and +purity of this glorious conception. To those who have not already +seen it, I would say: 'Go to India. The Taj alone is well worth the +journey.' + + +[Footnote 1: Two troops of Horse Artillery, with four guns and one +howitzer each, commanded respectively by Captains Remmington and +Blunt. One Field Battery, with six guns, commanded by Captain +Bourchier. One British Cavalry regiment, the 9th Lancers, reduced to +300 men, commanded by Major Ouvry. Two British Infantry regiments (the +8th and 75th Foot), commanded respectively by Major Hinde and Captain +Gordon, which could only number between them 450 men. Detachments of +three Punjab Cavalry regiments, the 1st, 2nd and 5th, commanded by +Lieutenants John Watson, Dighton Probyn and George Younghusband, +numbering in all 320 men. A detachment of Hodson's Horse, commanded by +Lieutenant Hugh Gough, and consisting of 180 men. Two Punjab Infantry +regiments, commanded by Captains Green and Wilde, each about 600 men; +and 200 Sappers and Miners, with whom were Lieutenants Home and Lang.] + +[Footnote 2: Afterwards Sir Alfred Lyall, G.C.I.E., K.C.B., +Lieutenant-Governor of the North-West Provinces, and now a member of +the Indian Council.] + +[Footnote 3: Now General Sir William Drysdale, K.C.B.] + +[Footnote 4: The horse, although badly hurt, was not killed, and +eventually did me good service.] + +[Footnote 5: This was the Engineer officer who had such a miraculous +escape when he blew in the Kashmir gate at Delhi, for which act of +gallantry he had been promised the Victoria Cross.] + +[Footnote 6: A few years afterwards she communicated with the civil +authorities of the district, and made out such a pitiful story of +ill-treatment by her Mahomedan husband, that she was sent to Calcutta, +where some ladies were good enough to look after her.] + +[Footnote 7: Men in charge of the elephants.] + +[Footnote 8: Turban.] + +[Footnote 9: Native kettle-drum.] + +[Footnote 10: Pearl Mosque.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. +1857 + + Infatuation of the authorities at Agra--A series of Mishaps + --Result of indecision and incapacity + + +During our three days' halt at Agra we were told the story of all that +had happened before we came, and a sad story it was of incapacity and +neglected opportunity. The Lieutenant-Governor, an able, intelligent +man under ordinary circumstances, had, unfortunately, no firmness of +character, no self-reliance. Instead of acting on his own convictions, +he allowed himself to be entirely led by men about him, who had not +sufficient knowledge of Natives to enable them to grasp how completely +the latter's attitude towards us had been changed by the loss of our +military hold over the country.[1] + +Deaf to warnings from those who did understand the magnitude of the +danger, the Lieutenant-Governor refused to listen to the Maharaja +Scindia, who, influenced by the wise counsels of his astute and +enlightened minister, Dinkar Rao, told him that the whole Native army +was disloyal, and that the men of his own (the Gwalior) Contingent[2] +were as bad as the rest. The authorities refused to allow the ladies +and children at Gwalior to be sent into Agra for safety; they objected +to arrangements being made for accommodating the non-combatants inside +the walls of the fort, because, forsooth, such precautions would show +a want of confidence in the Natives! and the sanction for supplies +being stored in the fort was tardily and hesitatingly accorded. It was +not, indeed, until the mutinous sepoys from Nimach and Nasirabad were +within sixty miles of Agra that orders were given to put the fort in +a state of defence and provision it, and it was not until they had +reached Futtehpore Sikri, twenty-three miles from Agra, that the women +and children were permitted to seek safety within the stronghold.[3] + +Fortunately, however, notwithstanding the intermittent manner in which +instructions were issued, there was no scarcity of supplies, for, +owing to the foresight and energy of Lieutenant Henry Chalmers, +the executive Commissariat officer, assisted by that prince of +contractors, Lalla Joti Persâd, and ably supported by Mr. Reade, the +civilian next in rank to the Lieutenant-Governor, food was stored in +sufficient quantities, not only for the garrison, but for all the +refugees from the surrounding districts.[4] + +Mr. Drummond, the magistrate of the district, who had from the first +been the chief opponent of precautionary measures for the security of +the residents, had the audacity to set the Lieutenant-Governor's order +for victualling the fort at defiance. He forbad grain or provisions +being sold to the Commissariat contractor, whose duty it was to +collect supplies, and positively imprisoned one man for responding to +the contractor's demands. It was at this official's instigation that +the Native police force was largely increased, instead of being done +away with altogether, as would have been the sensible course; and +as there was an insufficiency of weapons wherewith to arm the +augmentation, a volunteer corps of Christians, lately raised, was +disbanded, and their arms distributed amongst the Mahomedan police. So +far was this infatuated belief in the loyalty of the Natives carried +that it was proposed to disarm the entire Christian population, on the +pretext that their carrying weapons gave offence to the Mahomedans! It +was only on the urgent remonstrance of some of the military officers +that this preposterous scheme was abandoned.[5] The two Native +regiments stationed at Agra were not disarmed until one of the British +officers with them had been killed and another wounded. The gaol, +containing 5,000 prisoners, was left in charge of a Native guard, +although the superintendent, having reliable information that the +sepoys intended to mutiny, begged that it might be replaced by +European soldiers. The Lieutenant-Governor gave his consent to this +wise precaution, but afterwards not only allowed himself to be +persuaded to let the Native guard remain, but authorized the +removal of the European superintendent, on the plea of his being an +alarmist.[6] + +On the 4th July Mr. Colvin, the Lieutenant-Governor, whose health had +been very indifferent for some time, was induced, much against his +will, to retire to the fort, and for the time being the management of +affairs passed into the hands of Brigadier Polwhele. There was little +improvement--indecision reigned supreme. Notwithstanding that the +gradual approach of the mutineers from Gwalior and Nasirabad was well +known, no preparations were made, no plan of action decided upon. +Polwhele, who was a brave old soldier, and had seen a great deal of +service, had, indeed, wisely come to the conclusion that the rebels +would never venture to attack a fort like Agra, and that, if left +alone, they would in all probability continue their march towards +Delhi. The available troops numbered less than 1,000 effective men, +and Polwhele felt that, by going out to attack the enemy, there would +be a grave risk of the seat of government falling into the hands of +the disaffected police and city people. + +Unfortunately, however, the Brigadier allowed himself to be overruled, +and when the mutineers were reported to have arrived at Shahganj, four +miles from Agra, he gave way to the cry to 'Go out and do something!' +and issued orders for the troops to fall in. + +A series of mishaps then occurred. It was one o'clock in the afternoon +of the 5th July before the column[7] was ready to start; the men in +their thick red uniform suffered greatly from the heat and thirst; the +enemy, 9,000 strong, with twelve guns, instead of being at Shahganj, +were found to be strongly entrenched at Sarsia, some distance farther +off. A protracted engagement then took place, and our troops, having +expended all their ammunition, were obliged to retreat, leaving many +dead and a gun on the field. + +Meanwhile the city and cantonment were in a state of uproar. The first +gun was the signal for the guard at the gaol to release the 5,000 +prisoners, who, as they appeared in the streets, still wearing their +fetters, caused a perfect panic amongst the respectable inhabitants; +while the evil-disposed made for the cantonment, to plunder, burn, and +murder. Some of the residents who had not sought shelter in the fort, +confident that our troops would gain an easy victory, on hearing of +their defeat hurried with all speed to that place of refuge, and for +the most part succeeded in reaching it; but a few were overtaken and +killed by the mob, aided by the trusted police, who had early in the +day broken into open mutiny.[8] + +With one or two exceptions the officials, military and civil alike, +were utterly demoralized by all these disastrous occurrences, the +result of their own imbecility. For two days no one was allowed +to leave the fort or approach from the outside. Within was dire +confusion; without, the mob had it all their own way. + +Early in August a despatch was received from the Governor-General +acknowledging the receipt of the report on the fight of the 5th July, +and directing that Brigadier Polwhele should be removed from the +command of his brigade. On the 9th September Mr. Colvin died; he +never recovered the shock of the Mutiny. As a Lieutenant-Governor +in peace-time he was considered to have shown great ability in the +management of his province, and he was highly respected for his +uprightness of character. One cannot but feel that it was in a great +measure due to his failing health that, when the time of trial came, +he was unable to accept the responsibility of directing affairs +himself, or to act with the promptitude and decision which were +demanded from all those occupying prominent positions in 1857. + +Mr. Reade, the next senior civilian, assumed charge of the government +on Mr. Colvin's death, until orders were received from the Government +of India vesting the supreme authority in a military officer, and +appointing Colonel Hugh Fraser, of the Bengal Engineers, to be Mr. +Colvin's successor with the rank and position of a Chief Commissioner. +Lord Canning was doubtless induced to make this selection in +consequence of the courage and ability Colonel Fraser had displayed +during the Burmese War, and also on account of the sound advice he +had given to the Lieutenant-Governor in the early days of the +outbreak--advice which unfortunately was ignored. Mr. Reade, who had +proved himself worthy of his high position, gave Colonel Fraser +his cordial and unqualified support, but that officer, like his +predecessor, was in bad health, and found it difficult to exercise the +much-needed control. A constant state of panic continued to exist, and +no reliable information could be obtained of what was going on even in +the immediate neighbourhood. The relief afforded by the news of the +fall of Delhi was great, but short-lived, for it was quickly followed +by a report that the whole rebel army had fled from Delhi and was +hastening towards Agra, and that the mutineers from Gwalior and +Central India were advancing to attack the fort. Again all was +confusion. Reports as to the movements of the enemy were never the +same for two days together; at last what appeared to be authentic +intelligence was received: the Gwalior troops were said to be close +at hand, and those urgent appeals for assistance which were sent to +Greathed caused us to turn our steps towards Agra. + +Our object having been attained, we were all anxious to depart. The +Chief Commissioner, however, was quite as anxious that we should +remain; firmly believing that the Gwalior troops would reappear, he +suggested that we should follow them up at least as far as Dholpur; +but this proposal Greathed firmly refused to accede to. The orders he +had received were to open up the country[9] between the Jumna and +the Ganges, and he had not forgotten the little note from Havelock +discovered in the fakir's platter. + +At last the column was allowed to leave. The evening before our +departure Norman and I called on the Chief Commissioner to say +good-bye. We found Colonel Fraser greatly depressed, and inclined +to take a most gloomy view of the situation, evidently thinking the +restoration of our rule extremely doubtful. His last words to us were, +'We shall never meet again.'[10] He looked extremely ill, and his +state of health probably accounted for his gloomy forebodings. We, on +the contrary, were full of health and hope. Having assisted at the +capture of Delhi, the dispersion of the enemy who had attempted to +oppose us on our way through the Doab, and the troops we were serving +with having recently achieved a decisive victory at Agra over a foe +four times their number, we never doubted that success would attend +us in the future as in the past, and we were now only anxious to +join hands with Havelock, and assist in the relief of the sufferers +besieged in Lucknow. + + +[Footnote 1: 'They regarded the Mutiny as a military revolt; the rural +disturbances as the work of the mobs. The mass of the people they +considered as thoroughly loyal, attached to our rule as well from +gratitude as from self-interest, being thoroughly conscious of the +benefits it had conferred upon them. Holding these opinions, they did +not comprehend either the nature or the magnitude of the crisis. To +their inability to do so, many lives and much treasure were needlessly +sacrificed.'--'The Indian Mutiny,' Thornhill.] + +[Footnote 2: The Gwalior Contingent was raised in 1844, after the +battles of Punniar and Maharajpore, to replace the troops of Maharaja +Scindia ordered to be reduced. It consisted of five batteries of +Artillery, two regiments of Cavalry, and seven regiments of Infantry, +officered by British officers belonging to the Indian Army, and +paid for out of the revenues of districts transferred to British +management.] + +[Footnote 3: 'The Indian Mutiny,' Thornhill.] + +[Footnote 4: Throughout the campaign the Commissariat Department never +failed: the troops were invariably well supplied, and, even during the +longest marches, fresh bread was issued almost daily.] + +[Footnote 5: 'The Indian Mutiny,' Thornhill.] + +[Footnote 6: 'The Indian Mutiny,' Thornhill.] + +[Footnote 7: It consisted of the 3rd European Regiment, 568 strong, +a battery of Field Artillery, with Native drivers and a few European +Artillerymen, and about 100 mounted Militia and Volunteers, composed +of officers, civilians and others who had taken refuge in Agra.] + +[Footnote 8: The police were suspected of having invited the +insurgents who defeated Polwhele to Agra.] + +[Footnote 9: Known as the Doab.] + +[Footnote 10: Colonel Fraser died within nine months of our leaving +Agra.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. +1857 + + Advantage of being a good horseman--News from Lucknow + --Cawnpore--Heart-rending scenes--Start for Lucknow + --An exciting Adventure--Arrival of Sir Colin Campbell + --Plans for the advance + + +On the 14th October we moved camp to the left bank of the Jumna, where +we were joined by a small party of Artillerymen with two 18-pounder +guns, and some convalescents belonging to the regiments with us, who +had been left behind at Delhi--300 in all. Our camp was pitched in a +pretty garden called the Rambagh, only a short distance from Agra, +where we gave a picnic to the ladies who had been so kind to our +wounded men--a rough sort of entertainment, as may be imagined, but +much enjoyed by the easily-pleased people who had been prisoners for +so long, to whom the mere getting away from the fort for a few hours +was a relief. + +On the morning of the 15th we commenced our march towards Mainpuri, a +small station seventy miles from Agra, which we reached on the 18th. +While on our way there, Hope Grant, Colonel of the 9th Lancers, +arrived in camp to take over the command of the column. He had +remained at Delhi when superseded by Greathed, and being naturally +indignant at the treatment he had received, he protested against it, +and succeeded in getting the order appointing Greathed to the command +cancelled. + +Had an officer been specially selected on account of his possessing +a more intimate acquaintance with Native soldiers and a longer +experience of India, Hope Grant would no doubt have accepted the +inevitable. But Greathed did not know as much of the country and +Native troops as Hope Grant did; he had seen no service before he +came to Delhi, and while there had no opportunity of showing that he +possessed any particular qualification for command; he certainly did +not exhibit any while in charge of the column, and everyone in the +force was pleased to welcome Hope Grant as its leader. + +The Raja of Mainpuri, who had openly joined the rebels, fled the day +before we marched in, leaving behind him several guns and a quantity +of powder. We halted on the 20th, blew up his fort and destroyed the +powder. The European part of the station was in ruins, but a relation +of the Raja had been able to prevent the Government treasury from +being plundered, and he made over to us two and a half lakhs of +rupees. + +The civilians of the Mainpuri district were amongst the refugees at +Agra, and took advantage of our escort to return to their station. +We had also been joined by some officers whom the mutiny of their +regiments had left without employment; they were a welcome addition +to our Punjab regiments, as the limited number of British officers +attached to these corps had been considerably reduced by the +constantly recurring casualties. One of these officers was a Captain +Carey, whose story, as he told it to me, of his escape from the +massacre at Cawnpore and his subsequent experiences is, I think, worth +repeating. + +In the month of May Carey went into Wheeler's entrenchment with the +rest of the garrison; a few days before the investment, however, Sir +Henry Lawrence sent his Military Secretary, Captain Fletcher Hayes, to +Cawnpore, to report on what course events were taking at that place, +and, if possible, to communicate with Delhi. His escort was the 2nd +Oudh Irregular Cavalry. Hayes had already made Carey's acquaintance, +and, on finding him at Cawnpore, asked him to accompany him to Delhi, +which invitation Carey gladly accepted. When they got close to Bewar, +where the road to Mainpuri branched off, Hayes, wishing to gain +information from the civil authorities as to the state of the country +through which their route to Delhi lay, rode off to the latter place +with Carey, having first ordered the escort to proceed towards Delhi, +and having arranged with the British officers to catch them up at the +end of the next day's march. The following day, as the two friends +approached the encamping ground where they were to overtake the +escort, they beheld the regiment marching steadily along the road +in regular formation; there was nothing to warn them that it had +revolted, for as there were only three British officers with the +corps, whose dress was almost the same as the men's, their absence was +not noticed. + +Suddenly, when they had got within two or three hundred yards of the +regiment, the troopers with one accord broke into shouts and yells, +and, brandishing their swords, galloped towards Hayes and Carey, +who, turning their horses, made with all possible speed back towards +Mainpuri. Hayes, who was an indifferent rider, was soon overtaken and +cut to pieces, while Carey, one of the best horsemen in the army, +and beautifully mounted, escaped; the _sowars_ followed him for some +distance, but a wide irrigation cut, which he alone was able to clear, +put an end to the pursuit. Carey reached his destination in safety, +and, with the other Europeans from Mainpuri, sought refuge in the Agra +fort, where he spent the following five months. It was afterwards +ascertained that the three British officers with the escort had been +murdered by the _sowars_ shortly before Hayes and Carey came in sight. + +On the 21st October we reached Bewar, the junction of the roads from +Meerut, Agra, Fatehgarh, and Cawnpore, at which point the Brigadier +received a communication from Sir James Outram, written in Greek +character, from the Lucknow Residency, begging that aid might be sent +as soon as possible, as provisions were running short.[1] The note was +rolled up inside a quill, which the Native messenger had cunningly +concealed in the heart of his thick walking-stick. Outram's urgent +summons determined the Brigadier to push on. So the next day we made +a march of twenty-eight miles to Goorsahaigunj, and on the 23rd we +reached Miran-ki-Serai, close to the ruined Hindu city of Kanoj. + +The same day I went on as usual with a small escort to reconnoitre, +and had passed through the town, when I was fired upon by a party of +the rebels, consisting of some 300 Cavalry, 500 Infantry, and four +guns, who, having heard of the approach of the column, were trying to +get away before it arrived. Their Cavalry and Infantry were on the +opposite bank of a fairly wide stream, called the Kali Naddi, through +which were being dragged some heavy pieces of cannon. I retired +a short distance, and sent back word to the advance guard, which +hastened to my assistance. A few rounds from our Artillery caused the +enemy to abandon their guns, the Infantry dispersed and disappeared, +the Cavalry fled, and we, crossing the stream, had a smart gallop +after them for about four miles over a fine grassy plain. On we flew, +Probyn's and Watson's squadrons leading the way in parallel lines, +about a mile apart. I was with the latter, and we had a running fight +till we reached the Ganges, into which plunged those of the _sowars_ +whom we had not been able to overtake; we reined up, and saw the +unlucky fugitives struggling in the water, men and horses rolling over +each other; they were gradually carried down by the swiftly running +stream, and but a very few reached the opposite bank. + +Our casualties were trifling, only some half-dozen men wounded, while +my horse got a gash on his quarter from a sabre. Watson had the +forefinger of his right hand badly cut in an encounter with a young +_sowar_; I chaffed him at allowing himself to be nearly cut down by a +mere boy, upon which he laughingly retorted: 'Well, boy or not, he was +bigger than you.' + +It was on this occasion that I first recognized the advantage of +having the carbine slung on the trooper's back while in action, +instead of being carried in the bucket, as is the custom with our +British Cavalry. Several of the enemy's loose horses were going about +with carbines on their saddles, while their dismounted riders were at +an enormous disadvantage in trying to defend themselves from their +mounted adversaries with only their swords. I saw, too, one of +Watson's men saved from a fierce cut across the spine by having his +carbine on his back. More recent experience has quite satisfied me +that this is the only way this weapon should be carried when actual +fighting is going on. + +Three more marches brought us to Cawnpore, where we arrived on the +26th October. + +We now for the first time heard the miserable 'story of Cawnpore.' We +were told how, owing to Sir Hugh Wheeler's misplaced belief in the +loyalty of the sepoys, with whom he had served for upwards of half a +century, and to the confiding old soldier's trust in the friendship of +the miscreant Nana, and in the latter's ability to defend him until +succour should arrive, he had neglected to take precautionary measures +for laying in supplies or for fortifying the two exposed barracks +which, for some unaccountable reason, had been chosen as a place of +refuge, instead of the easily defensible and well-stored magazine. Our +visit to this scene of suffering and disaster was more harrowing than +it is in the power of words to express; the sights which met our eyes, +and the reflections they gave rise to, were quite maddening, and could +not but increase tenfold the feelings of animosity and desire for +vengeance which the disloyalty and barbarity of the mutineers in other +places had aroused in the hearts of our British soldiers. Tresses of +hair, pieces of ladies' dresses, books crumpled and torn, bits of work +and scraps of music, just as they had been left by the wretched owners +on the fatal morning of the 27th June, when they started for that +terrible walk to the boats provided by the Nana as the bait to induce +them to capitulate.[2] One could not but picture to one's self the +awful suffering those thousand Christian souls of both sexes and +of all ages must have endured during twenty-one days of misery and +anxiety, their numbers hourly diminished by disease, privation, the +terrific rays of a June sun, and the storm of shot, shell, and bullets +which never ceased to be poured into them. When one looked on the +ruined, roofless barracks, with their hastily constructed parapet and +ditch (a mere apology for a defence), one marvelled how 465 men, not +more than half of them soldiers by profession, could have held out +for three long weeks against the thousands of disciplined troops and +hordes of armed retainers whom the Nana was able to bring to the +attack. + +It is impossible to describe the feelings with which we looked on the +Sati-Choura Ghat, where was perpetrated the basest of all the Nana's +base acts of perfidy;[3] or the intense sadness and indignation which +overpowered us as we followed the road along which 121 women and +children (many of them well born and delicately nurtured) wended +their weary way, amidst jeers and insults, to meet the terrible fate +awaiting them. After their husbands and protectors had been slain, the +wretched company of widows and orphans were first taken to the Savada +house, and then to the little Native hut, where they were doomed to +live through two more weeks of intensest misery, until at length the +end came, and the last scene in that long drama of foulest treachery +and unequalled brutality was enacted. Our unfortunate countrywomen, +with their little children, as my readers will remember, were murdered +as the sound of Havelock's avenging guns was heard. + +We found at Cawnpore some men who had fought their way from Allahabad +with Havelock's force, from whom we heard of the difficulties they had +encountered on their way, and the subsequent hardships the gallant +little force had to endure in its attempts to reach Lucknow. They also +told us that Havelock and Outram, with only 3,179 men of all arms, and +14 guns, had succeeded in forcing their way through that great city +with a loss of 700, but only to be themselves immediately surrounded +by the vast multitude of the enemy, who for three whole months had +vainly endeavoured to overpower the heroic defenders of the Residency. + +At Cawnpore there were very few troops. The Head-Quarters of the 64th +Foot, under Colonel Wilson, and some recovered invalids belonging +to regiments which had gone to Lucknow, had held it for more than a +month, within an entrenchment thrown up on the river bank to protect +the bridge of boats. Just before we arrived four companies of the +93rd Highlanders had marched in. It was the first time I had seen a +Highland regiment, and I was duly impressed by their fine physique, +and not a little also by their fine dress. They certainly looked +splendid in their bonnets and kilts--a striking contrast to my +war-worn, travel-stained comrades of the Movable Column. An _avant +courier_ of the Naval Brigade had also come in, sent on by Captain +William Peel, of H.M.S. _Shannon_, to arrange for the rest of the +blue-jackets who were about to arrive--the first naval officer, I +imagine, who had ever been sent on duty so far up the country as +Cawnpore. + +Other troops were rapidly being pushed up, and officers who had been +on leave to England were daily arriving, having hurried out to join +their different regiments in various parts of India. Amongst these was +an old friend and brother subaltern of mine, Augustus Otway Mayne, +whom, greatly to my satisfaction, Hope Grant appointed D.A.Q.M.G. to +help me, for there was now more work to be done than I could well get +through. + +The day after our arrival at Cawnpore we heard that the new +Commander-in-Chief, Sir Colin Campbell, was to leave Calcutta that +evening to take command of the force with which he hoped to effect the +relief of the Lucknow garrison, and with this news came an order to +Hope Grant from Sir Colin to get into communication with the Alambagh, +a small garden-house not quite two miles from the city of Lucknow, +built by one of the Begums of the ex-King of Oudh, in which the sick +and wounded, tents and spare stores, had been left in charge of a +small detachment, when Outram and Havelock advanced towards the +Residency on the 25th September. + +On the 30th October we left Cawnpore, and crossed the Ganges into +Oudh, taking with us the four companies of the 93rd Highlanders, and +the men belonging to Havelock's force, whom I have mentioned as having +been left behind on account of sickness. + +On the 31st we were at Bani bridge, more than half-way to the +Alambagh, when a telegram reached the Brigadier directing him to halt +until Sir Colin Campbell (who had got as far as Cawnpore) should +arrive. + +Hope Grant did not think the ground we were on well adapted for a +prolonged halt; that afternoon, therefore, I went off with Mayne to +reconnoitre the country for a more suitable place. We fixed upon +an open plain at the village of Bhantira, about three miles nearer +Lucknow. We met with no opposition that day, but the country people +in the neighbourhood had shown marked hostility by killing one or two +soldiers and every camp-follower who had strayed from the main road; +so we were careful to examine Bhantira and all the neighbouring +villages, but were unable to discover the slightest sign of an enemy. + +As the next day's march was such a very short one, we did not start +until 7 a.m., instead of before daybreak as usual. Mayne and I rode on +ahead with a couple of _sowars_, and reached the site we had chosen +for the camp without meeting a single suspicious-looking individual. +We then sent back the escort to bring up the camp colour-men, and +while waiting for them, we entered into conversation with some passing +pilgrims, who told us they were on their way to Benares to procure +holy water from the Ganges. Suddenly a bullet whizzed over our heads, +fired from the direction from which we had just come. Looking back, +to our amazement we saw a crowd of armed men at a distance of between +three and four hundred yards, completely cutting us off from the +column. The whole plain was alive with them. When they saw they were +observed, they advanced towards us, shouting and firing. Fortunately +for us, we had made ourselves perfectly acquainted with the country +the previous day, and instantly realized that escape by our right (as +we faced Lucknow) was impossible, because of a huge impassable _jhil_. +There was another _jhil_ to our left front, but at some little +distance off, and our only chance seemed to be in riding hard enough +to get round the enemy's flank before they could get close enough to +this _jhil_ to stop us. + +Accordingly, we put spurs to our horses and galloped as fast as they +could carry us to our left; the enemy turned in the same direction, +and made for a village we must pass, and which we could see was +already occupied. The firing got hotter and more uncomfortable as +we neared this village, the walls of which we skirted at our best +possible pace. We cleared the village, and hoped we had distanced the +rebels, when suddenly we came upon a deep _nulla_. Mayne got safely to +the other side, but my horse stumbled and rolled over with me into the +water at the bottom. In the fall my hand was slightly cut by my sword, +which I had drawn, thinking we might have to fight for our lives; the +blood flowed freely, and made the reins so slippery when I tried to +remount, that it was with considerable difficulty I got into the +saddle. The enemy were already at the edge of the _nulla_, and +preparing to fire, so there was no time to be lost. I struggled +through the water and up the opposite bank, and ducking my head to +avoid the shots, now coming thick and fast, galloped straight into +some high cultivation in which Mayne had already sought shelter. +Finally we succeeded in making our way to the main body of the force, +where we found Hope Grant in great anxiety about us, as he had heard +the firing and knew we were ahead. The dear old fellow evinced his +satisfaction at our safe return by shaking each of us heartily by the +hand, repeating over and over again in his quick, quaint way, 'Well, +my boys, well, my boys, very glad to have you back! never thought +to see you again.' The column now moved on, and we found ourselves +opposed to a vast body of men, not soldiers, but country people, +who in those days were all armed warriors, and who spent their time +chiefly in fighting with each other. As we approached the crowd +turned, opened out, and fled in every direction, spreading over the +plain and concealing themselves in the long grass. We gave chase and +killed many, but a large proportion escaped. Favoured by the high +crops, they disappeared with that marvellous celerity with which +Natives can almost instantly become invisible, leaving in our +possession a 9-pounder brass gun. On this occasion we had thirty +killed and wounded. + +We could not at the time understand where the men had sprung from +who so suddenly attacked us; but it afterwards transpired that some +powerful _zemindars_[4] in the neighbourhood had collected all the +forces they could get together, and established them after dark in the +very villages we had so carefully examined the previous afternoon and +had found completely deserted, with the intention of falling upon the +column as it passed in the early morning. The unusually late hour at +which the march was made, however, disconcerted their little plan, +and giving up all hope of the force coming that day, they consoled +themselves by trying to get hold of Mayne and myself. + +We halted on the 3rd and 4th November. On the 5th, Hope Grant sent +a force to the Alambagh for the purpose of escorting a long line of +carts and camels laden with provisions and ammunition, which the +Commander-in-Chief was desirous of having near at hand, in case the +relief of the Lucknow garrison should prove a more prolonged operation +than he hoped or anticipated it was likely to be. + +As we neared the Alambagh the enemy's guns opened on us from our +right, while their Cavalry threatened us on both flanks. They were +easily disposed of, and we deposited the stores, receiving in exchange +a number of sick and wounded who were to be sent back to Cawnpore. + +A curious incident happened at the Alambagh. I was employed inside the +enclosure, when all at once I heard a noise and commotion some little +distance off. Getting on to the roof, I looked over the plain, and saw +our troops flying in every direction; there was no firing, no enemy in +sight, but evidently something was wrong; so I mounted my horse and +rode to the scene of confusion, where I found that the ignominious +flight of our troops was caused by infuriated bees which had been +disturbed by an officer of the 9th Lancers thoughtlessly thrusting a +lance into their nest. There were no serious consequences, but the +Highlanders were heard to remark on the unsuitability of their dress +for an encounter with an enemy of that description. + +On the 9th November Sir Colin Campbell joined the column, accompanied +by his Chief of the Staff, Brigadier-General Mansfield.[5] + +[Illustration: LORDS CLYDE AND SANDHURST. +(SIR COLIN CAMPBELL AND SIR WILLIAM MANSFIELD.) +_From a photograph taken in India._] + +The following morning we were surprised to hear that a European from +the Lucknow garrison had arrived in camp. All were keen to see him, +and to hear how it was faring with those who had been shut up in +the Residency for so long; but the new-comer was the bearer of very +important information from Sir James Outram, and to prevent any chance +of its getting about, the Commander-in-Chief kept the messenger, Mr. +Kavanagh, a close prisoner in his own tent. + +Outram, being anxious that the officer in command of the relieving +force should not follow the same route taken by himself and Havelock, +and wishing to communicate his ideas more at length than was possible +in a note conveyed as usual by a spy, Kavanagh, a clerk in an office +in Lucknow, pluckily volunteered to carry a letter. It was an offer +which appealed to the heart of the 'Bayard of the East,' as Outram has +been appropriately called, and just such an errand as he himself, +had he been in a less responsible position, would have delighted to +undertake. Outram thoroughly understood the risk of the enterprise, +and placed it clearly before the brave volunteer, who, nothing +daunted, expressed his readiness to start at once, and his confidence +in being able to reach the British camp. + +Disguised as a Native, and accompanied by a man of Oudh, on whose +courage and loyalty he was convinced he could rely, Kavanagh left the +Residency after dark on the 9th and got safely across the Gumti. He +and his guide remained in the suburbs mixing with the people until +the streets might be expected to be pretty well empty, when they +re-crossed the river and got safely through the city. They were +accosted more than once on their way, but were saved by the readiness +of the Native, who it had been arranged should answer all inquiries, +though Kavanagh, having been born and bred in the country, could +himself speak the language fluently. On the morning of the 10th they +made themselves known to a piquet of Punjab Cavalry on duty near the +Alambagh. + +Outram, profiting by his own experience, wished the relieving column +to be spared having to fight its way through the streets of Lucknow. +This was all the more necessary because the enemy, calculating on our +following the same route as before, had destroyed the bridge over the +canal and made extensive preparations to oppose our advance in that +direction. Outram explained his views most clearly, and sent with his +letter a plan on which the line he proposed we should take was plainly +marked. He recommended that the advance should be made, by the +Dilkusha[6] and Martinière,[7] and that the canal should be crossed +by the bridge nearest the Gumti. Outram showed his military acumen +in suggesting this route, as our right flank would be covered by the +river, and therefore could only be molested by a comparatively distant +fire. Sir Colin, appreciating all the advantages pointed out, readily +accepted and strictly adhered to this plan of advance, except that, +instead of crossing the canal by the bridge, we forded it a little +nearer the river, a wise divergence from Outram's recommendation, and +one which he would assuredly have advised had he been aware that the +canal was fordable at this spot, as it kept us altogether clear of the +streets. + +Outram did not touch in his despatch upon any question but the +all-important one of how the junction between his own and the +relieving forces could best be effected. Many other matters, however, +claimed the earnest consideration of the Commander-in-Chief before he +could proceed. He had to determine what was to be done to secure the +safety of the women and children in the Residency, after the first +most pressing duty of relieving the garrison had been accomplished. +Cawnpore was again in great danger from the Gwalior mutineers, who, +foiled at Agra, and finding that the Maharaja Sindhia would not +espouse their cause, had placed themselves under the orders of the +Rani of Jhansi and Tantia Topi, the vile Mahratta whom the Nana made +use of to carry out the massacre of the Sati-Choura Ghat; led by +this man the rebels were seriously threatening Cawnpore, and it was +necessary to take steps for its security. Then again the city of +Lucknow had to be thought of; its capture and the restoration of +British authority were alike essential, but our Chief knew that he +had neither the time nor the means at his disposal to undertake this +important operation at once. He therefore made up his mind that so +soon as the Residency had been relieved he would withdraw altogether +from Lucknow, and place a force at the Cawnpore side of the city, to +form the nucleus of the army with which he hoped later on to take the +place, and to keep open communication with his Head-Quarters, while +he himself should hurry back to Cawnpore, taking with him all the +non-combatants and the sick and wounded. + + +[Footnote 1: No account of the quantity and description of supplies +stored in the Residency had been kept, or, if kept, it was destroyed +when the Mutiny broke out. Captain James, the energetic Commissariat +officer, on receiving Sir Henry Lawrence's order to provision the +Residency, spent his time riding about the country buying supplies of +all descriptions, which were stored wherever room could be found for +them. James was very severely wounded at the fight at Chinhut, and was +incapacitated the greater part of the siege. It was only by degrees +that some of the supplies were discovered; no one knew how much had +been collected, and no record of the quantities issued from day to +day could be kept. When Outram joined hands with Inglis, his first +question was, 'How much food is there?' Thanks to Sir Henry Lawrence's +foresight, there was an ample supply, not only for the original +garrison, but for the numbers by which it was augmented on the arrival +of the relieving force. Of this, however, Outram must have been +ignorant when he despatched the little note to which I have alluded in +the text.] + +[Footnote 2: On the 25th June, after twenty-one days of intense +suffering--with his numbers so reduced as to render further defence +scarcely possible, with starvation staring him in the face, and with +no hope of succour--Sir Hugh Wheeler most reluctantly consented to +capitulate. The first overtures were made by the Nana, who, despairing +of being able to capture the position, and with disaffection in his +own camp, sent the following message to the General: 'All those who +are in no way connected with the acts of Lord Dalhousie, and are +willing to lay down their arms, shall receive a safe passage to +Allahabad.' This missive, which was without signature, was in the +handwriting of Azimula Khan, a Mahomedan who had been employed by the +Nana as his Agent in England, and was addressed, 'To the subjects of +Her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria.' General Wheeler agreed +to give up the fortification, the treasure, and the Artillery, on +condition that each man should be allowed to carry his arms and sixty +rounds of ammunition, that carriages should be provided for the +conveyance of the wounded, the women, and the children, and +that boats, with a sufficiency of flour, should be ready at the +neighbouring _ghat_ (landing-place). The Nana accepted these +conditions, and three officers of the garrison were deputed to go to +the river and see that the boats were properly prepared. They found +about forty boats moored, and apparently ready for departure, and in +their presence a show of putting supplies on board was made.] + +[Footnote 3: The Nana never intended that one of the garrison should +leave Cawnpore alive, and during the night of the 26th June he +arranged with Tantia Topi to have soldiers and guns concealed at the +Sati-Choura Ghat to open fire upon the Europeans he had been unable to +conquer as soon as the embarkation had been effected and they could no +longer defend themselves and their helpless companions in misery. The +river was low and the boats were aground, having been purposely drawn +close to the shore. When the last man had stepped on board, at a given +signal the boatmen jumped into the water and waded to the bank. They +had contrived to secrete burning charcoal in the thatch of most of the +boats; this soon blazed up, and as the flames rose and the dry wood +crackled, the troops in ambush on the shore opened fire. Officers and +men tried in vain to push off the boats; three only floated, and of +these two drifted to the opposite side, where sepoys were waiting to +murder the passengers. The third boat floated down the stream, and of +the number on board four eventually escaped--Lieutenants Thomson and +Delafosse, both of the 53rd Native Infantry, Private Murphy of the +84th Foot, and Gunner Sullivan, of the Bengal Artillery. The rest +of the officers and men were killed or drowned, and the women and +children who escaped were carried off as prisoners.] + +[Footnote 4: Permanent occupiers of the land, either of the landlord +class, as in Bengal, Oudh, and the North-West Provinces, or of the +yeoman class, as in the Punjab.] + +[Footnote 5: Afterwards General Lord Sandhurst, G.C.B., G.C.S.I.] + +[Footnote 6: The Dilkusha house was built at the beginning of the +century by a king of Oudh as a hunting-box and country residence, and +close to it he cleared away the jungle and laid out a large park, +which he stocked with herds of deer and other game.] + +[Footnote 7: The Martinière was built by Claude Martin, a French +soldier of fortune, who came out to India, under Count de Lally, +in the stirring days of 1757. In 1761 he was taken prisoner by the +English at Pondicherry and sent to Bengal. After the conclusion of +the war he enlisted in the English Army, and on attaining the rank of +Captain he got permission to attach himself to the Court of the King +of Oudh, where he soon obtained supreme influence, and became to all +practical purposes Prime Minister. He remained an officer of the East +India Company's Service, and at the time of his death held the rank +of Major-General. He amassed a large fortune, and by his will founded +colleges at Lucknow, Calcutta, and Lyons, the place of his birth. His +directions that his house at the former place should never be sold, +but should 'serve as a college for educating children and men in +the English language and religion,' were carried out by the British +Government, and Martin lies buried in its vault.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. +1857 + + Sir Colin's preparations--The Alambagh + --The Dilkusha and Martinière--Mayne's death--A tall-talk story + --Ammunition required--A night march--The advance on Lucknow + --Sir Colin wounded--The attack on the Sikandarbagh + --Heroic deeds--The 4th Punjab Infantry + + +The next morning, the 11th, I had the honour of making the +Commander-in-Chief's acquaintance. The manner of my introduction was +peculiarly unceremonious. I had left my own tent to be repaired at +Cawnpore, and was sharing one with Norman, who was well known to, and +greatly believed in by, His Excellency, whose Brigade-Major he had +been at Peshawar. Before we were out of bed we heard Sir Colin's +voice outside. He had come to speak to Norman about his plans for +the future, and as the conversation seemed likely to be of a very +confidential nature, and it was too dark for him to see me, I asked +Norman to make my presence known. Sir Colin said to Norman somewhat +roughly, 'Who is he?' and on my name being mentioned, he asked if I +were to be trusted. Norman having vouched for my discretion, the +old Chief was apparently satisfied, and then ensued an intensely +interesting discussion on Outram's letter, Kavanagh's description of +the state of affairs in the Residency, and the manner in which it was +best to carry out Outram's recommendations. + +That same afternoon the Commander-in-Chief reviewed the column, which +now amounted to about 600 Cavalry and 3,500 Infantry, with 42 guns.[1] +The parade was under the command of Hope Grant, who had been given the +rank of Brigadier-General, and put in executive command of the whole +force. + +Sir Colin spoke a few inspiriting words to each regiment and battery, +being particularly appreciative and complimentary in his remarks to +the Delhi troops, who certainly looked the picture of workmanlike +soldiers; and, considering what they had accomplished, there was +nothing invidious in the Chief's singling them out. The Bengal +Artillery came in for a large share of praise; he had a strong liking +for them, having been with them on service,[2] and seen of what good +stuff they were made. He recognized several old acquaintances amongst +the officers, and freely expressed his satisfaction at having such +reliable batteries to help him in the hazardous operation he was about +to undertake. He was careful also to say a few words of commendation +to the four squadrons of Punjab Cavalry, and the two regiments of +Punjab Infantry, the only Native troops, except the Sappers, with the +column. + +That evening orders were issued for a march to the Alambagh the +following morning. It may perhaps seem as if Sir Colin was rather +leisurely in his movements, but he had ascertained that the Lucknow +garrison was in no immediate want of food, as had been reported, and +he was determined to leave nothing undone to ensure the success of the +undertaking. He personally attended to the smallest detail, and he had +to arrange for the transport of the sick and wounded, and the women +and children, shut up in the Residency, numbering in all not less than +fifteen hundred souls. + +Everything being ready, we began our march towards Lucknow, one and +all eager to have a share in the rescue of our suffering countrywomen +and their children from a most perilous position, and in relieving +soldiers who had so long and so nobly performed the most harassing +duty, while they cheerfully endured the greatest privations. + +We had proceeded but a short distance, when the advance guard was +fired upon by some guns in position on our right, near the old fort of +Jalalabad. An extensive swamp protected the enemy's right flank, while +on their left were a number of water-cuts and broken ground. The +Infantry and Artillery wheeled round and attacked the battery in +front, while Hugh Gough pushed on with his squadron of Cavalry to see +if he could find a way through the apparently impassable swamp to the +enemy's right and rear. Bourchier's battery coming up in the nick of +time, the hostile guns were soon silenced, and Gough, having succeeded +in getting through the _jhil_, made a most plucky charge, in which he +captured two guns and killed a number of the enemy. For his gallant +conduct on this occasion Gough was awarded the Victoria Cross, the +second of two brothers to win this much-coveted distinction. + +The next morning Adrian Hope, who commanded a brigade, was ordered to +seize the Jalalabad fort, but finding it evacuated, he blew up one of +the walls, and so rendered it indefensible. + +On the afternoon of the 13th I accompanied the Commander-in-Chief in a +reconnaissance towards the Charbagh bridge and the left front of the +Alambagh, a ruse to deceive the enemy as to the real line of our +advance. When riding along he told me, to my infinite pride and +delight, that I was to have the honour of conducting the force to the +Dilkusha. The first thing I did on returning to camp was to find a +good guide. We had only about five miles to go; but it was necessary +to make sure that the direction taken avoided obstacles which might +impede the passage of the Artillery. I was fortunate in finding a +fairly intelligent Native, who, after a great deal of persuasion, +agreed, for a reward, to take me by a track over which guns could +travel. I never let this man out of my sight, and made him show me +enough of the road to convince me he knew the way and meant fair +dealing. + +The Alambagh now proved most useful; all our camp equipage was packed +inside the enclosure, for we took no tents with us, and all our spare +stores were left there. A rough description of semaphore, too, was +constructed on the highest point of the building, by means of which we +were able to communicate with the Residency. It was put in Orders that +the troops were to breakfast early the next morning, and that they +were to take three days' rations in their haversacks; while sufficient +for fourteen days was to be carried by the Commissariat. + +Just before we started on the 14th November we were strengthened by +the arrival of 200 of the Military Train equipped as Cavalry, two +Madras Horse Artillery guns, and another company of Madras Sappers. + +Captain Moir, of the Bengal Artillery, was placed in charge of the +Alambagh, with a garrison consisting of the 75th Foot, 50 of the +regiment of Ferozepore,[3] and a few Artillerymen. The 75th was the +first regiment to move down from the hills when the news of the +outbreak at Meerut reached Head-Quarters; it had done grand service, +had suffered heavily during the siege of Delhi, and had well earned, +and badly needed, a rest. It was now only 300 strong, and had lost in +six months 9 officers, in action and from disease, besides 12 wounded. +The officers were all friends of mine, and I was very sorry to leave +them behind, particularly Barter, the Adjutant, a jolly, good-hearted +Irishman, and an excellent officer. + +We marched at 9 a.m., keeping to the south of the Alambagh and the +Jalalabad fort. We then struck across the fields to the ground now +occupied by the Native Cavalry lines, and on to the open space upon +which the present race-course is marked out. On reaching this point +the Dilkusha came in sight about a mile in front. As we approached, a +few shots were fired at us; but the enemy rapidly disappeared as the +Cavalry and Horse Artillery, followed by the Infantry of the advance +guard, in skirmishing order, passed through an opening which had been +hastily made in the wall of the enclosure. + +The gallop across the Dilkusha park was quite a pretty sight: deer, +which had been quietly browsing, bounded away on all sides, frightened +by our approach and the rattle of the guns; while the routed sepoys +flew down the grassy slope leading to the Martinière. We reined up for +a few seconds to look at the view which opened out before us. In front +rose the fluted masonry column of the Martinière, 123 feet high; +directly behind, the picturesque building itself, and in the distance +the domes and minarets of the mosques and palaces within the city of +Lucknow; all looked bright and fair in the morning sun. + +We could see that the Martinière was occupied; a crowd of sepoys were +collected round the building; and as we showed ourselves on the brow +of the hill, a number of round shot came tumbling in amongst us. + +Remmington's troop of Horse Artillery, Bourchier's battery, and a +heavy howitzer brought up by Captain Hardy, now came into action, +and under cover of their fire the 8th Foot and 1st battalion of +Detachments attacked and drove the enemy out of the Martinière, while +the Cavalry pursued them as far as the canal. + +On this occasion my friend Watson greatly distinguished himself. +Entirely alone he attacked the enemy's Cavalry, and was at once +engaged with its leader and six of the front men; he fought gallantly, +but the unequal contest could not have lasted much longer had not +Probyn, who, with his own and Watson's squadrons, was only about 300 +yards off, become aware of his comrade's critical position, and dashed +to his assistance. For this 'and gallantry on many other occasions,' +Hope Grant recommended Watson for the Victoria Cross, which he duly +received.[4] + +By noon on the 14th we had occupied the Dilkusha and Martinière, and +placed our outposts along the right bank of the canal from the river +to the point immediately opposite Banks's house. The left bank was +held in force by the rebels. Early in the afternoon I went with Hope +Grant, accompanied by a small force of Cavalry, to ascertain whether +it would be possible to ford the canal somewhere close to the river, +and we succeeded in finding a place by which the whole force crossed +two days later. Our movements were fortunately not noticed by the +enemy, whose attention was concentrated on the roads leading direct to +the city from the Dilkusha and Martinière, by which they expected our +advance to be made. + +Sir Colin, meanwhile, had fixed his Head-Quarters in the Martinière, +on the topmost pinnacle of which he caused a semaphore to be erected +for communication with Outram. From this post of vantage Kavanagh was +able to point out to the Commander-in-Chief the different objects of +most interest to him--the positions taken up by the enemy; the group +of buildings, of which the Chatta Manzil[5] was the most conspicuous, +then occupied by the gallant troops led by Outram and Havelock, who, +by overwhelming numbers alone, had been prevented from carrying their +glorious enterprise to a successful issue; the Residency, where, +thanks to Sir Henry Lawrence's foresight and admirable arrangements, +a handful of heroic Britons had been able to defy the hordes of +disciplined soldiers and armed men who, for nearly three months, +day and night, had never ceased to attack the position; and the +Kaisarbagh, that pretentious, garish palace of the Kings of Oudh, the +centre of every kind of evil and debauchery. + +Later in the day the enemy made a determined attack on our centre, +which was checked by Brigadier Little advancing with the 9th Lancers +and some guns. On a few rounds being fired, they retired from the +immediate neighbourhood of the canal, and in the belief that there +would be no further trouble that day, the Cavalry and Artillery +returned to the Martinière; but the guns were hardly unlimbered before +heavy firing was heard from the direction of Banks's house. + +I galloped off with Mayne to ascertain the cause. Some little distance +from the canal we separated, Mayne going to the left, I to the right. +I found the piquets hotly engaged, and the officer in command begged +me to get him some assistance. I returned to Hope Grant to report +what was going on, but on the way I met the supports coming up, and +presently they were followed by the remainder of Hope's and Russell's +brigades. Russell had, early in the day, with soldierly instinct, +seized two villages a little above the bridge to the north of Banks's +house; this enabled him to bring a fire to bear upon the enemy as +they advanced, and effectually prevented their turning our left. Hope +opened fire with Remmington's troop, Bourchier's battery, and some of +Peel's 24-pounders, and as soon as he found it had taken effect and +the rebels were shaken, he proceeded to push them across the canal and +finally drove them off with considerable loss. + +Hope's and Russell's united action, by which our left flank was +secured, was most timely, for had it been turned, our long line +of camels, laden with ammunition, and the immense string of carts +carrying supplies, would in all probability have been captured. As it +was, the rear guard, under Lieutenant-Colonel Ewart,[6] of the 93rd +Highlanders, had a hot time of it; it was frequently attacked, and its +progress was so slow that it was more than twenty-four hours between +the Alambagh and the Dilkusha. + +At the conclusion of the fight I heard, with great grief, that my poor +friend Mayne had been killed, shot through the breast a few seconds +after he had left me. He was seen to turn his horse, and, after going +a short distance, fall to the ground; when picked up he was quite +dead. This was all I could learn. No one was able to tell me where his +body had been taken, and I looked for it myself all that evening in +vain. + +At daybreak the next morning, accompanied by Arthur Bunny, the cheery +Adjutant of Horse Artillery, I began my search afresh, and at +length we discovered the body inside a doolie under the wall of the +Martinière. As there was no knowing how soon our services might be +required, we decided to bury the poor fellow at once. I chose a spot +close by for his grave, which was dug with the help of some gunners, +and then Bunny and I, aided by two or three brother officers, laid our +friend in it just as he was, in his blue frock-coat and long boots, +his eyeglass in his eye, as he always carried it. The only thing I +took away was his sword, which I eventually made over to his family. +It was a sad little ceremony. Overhanging the grave was a young tree, +upon which I cut the initials 'A.O.M.'--not very deep, for there was +little time: they were quite distinct, however, and remained so long +enough for the grave to be traced by Mayne's friends, who erected the +stone now to be seen. + +The whole of that day (the 15th) was spent in preparing for the +advance. The Dilkusha was turned into a general depot, where the sick +and wounded were placed, also the Ordnance park and stores of every +description. A rough defence was thrown up round the building, and a +garrison was left to protect it, consisting of five Field guns, half +the 9th Lancers, the Military Train, a squadron of Punjab Cavalry, and +the 8th Foot, the whole under the command of Little, the Brigadier of +Cavalry. + +In the afternoon Sir Colin made a feint to the left of our position +for the purpose of diverting the attention of the enemy from the +real line of advance. He massed the Artillery in this direction, and +ordered a constant mortar fire to be kept up during the night on the +Begum palace and the barracks. To further strengthen the belief that +operations would be carried on from our left, some of the piquets +on our right were drawn in; this induced the enemy to make a slight +demonstration in that direction. They crossed the canal, but were +speedily driven back by the Madras Horse Artillery guns. They then +opened fire with a 12-pounder howitzer from the west side of the +Gumti, when a really most extraordinary incident happened, which I am +not sure I should have the courage to relate, were it not that Sir +Dighton Probyn and Sir John Watson, who were close by and saw what +took place, are able to vouch for the accuracy of my story. + +A shell, fortunately a blind one, from the enemy's howitzer came into +Watson's squadron, which was drawn up under the bank of the Martinière +tank; it struck a trooper's saddle in front, and must have lifted the +man partly out of it, for it passed between his thigh and the horse, +tearing the saddle[7] to shreds, and sending one piece of it high into +the air. The horse was knocked down, but not hurt; the man's thigh was +only badly bruised, and he was able to ride again in a few days. One +of Watson's officers, Captain Cosserat, having examined the man and +horse, came up and reported their condition to Watson, who, of course, +was expecting to be told they were both dead, and added: 'I think we +had better not tell this story in England, for no one would believe +it.' I myself was close to the squadron, and distinctly saw what +happened, [8] + +All that day (the 15th) I had been very hard at work, and was greatly +looking forward to what I hoped would be a quiet night, when an +Aide-de-camp appeared, who informed me that the Commander-in-Chief +desired my presence at the Martinière. + +On reporting myself to His Excellency, he told me that he was not +satisfied that a sufficient reserve of small-arm ammunition had been +brought with the force, and that the only chance of getting more in +time was to send back to the Alambagh for it that night, adding that +he could neither afford the time nor spare the troops which would be +required, were the business of fetching the additional supply to +be postponed until the following day. Sir Colin then asked me if +I thought I could find my way back to the Alambagh in the dark. I +answered, 'I am sure I can.' I might have hesitated to speak so +confidently had I not taken the precaution of placing the man who +had acted as my guide on the 14th in charge of some Afghan +_chuprassies_[9] attached to the Quartermaster-General's department, +with strict orders not to lose sight of him. I thought, therefore, +I would have him to depend upon if my own memory failed me. The +Commander-in-Chief impressed very strongly upon me the great necessity +for caution, and told me I could take what escort I thought necessary, +but that, whatever happened, I must be back by daybreak, as he had +signalled to Outram that the force would advance on the morrow. Sir +Colin desired that the Ordnance officer, whose fault it was that +sufficient ammunition had not been brought, should go back with me and +be left at the Alambagh. + +It was then dusk, and there was no time to be lost. In the first +instance I went to my General, and reporting the orders I had received +from the Commander-in-Chief, consulted him about my escort. Hope Grant +strongly urged my taking with me a troop of the 9th Lancers, as well +as some Native Cavalry, but for a night trip I thought it would be +better to employ Natives only. I knew that my one chance of success +depended on neither being seen nor heard, and Native Cavalry move more +quietly than British, chiefly because their scabbards are of wood, +instead of steel. I felt, too, that if we came across the enemy, which +was not improbable, and got scattered, Natives would run less risk, +and be better able to look after themselves. All this I explained to +the General, but in the kindness of his heart he pressed me to take +the Lancers, telling me he would feel happier about me if I had my own +countrymen with me; but I stuck to my own opinion, and it was arranged +that I was to be accompanied by Younghusband and Hugh Gough, with +their respective squadrons of Native Cavalry. I took leave of my kind +and considerate General, and hurried off first to warn the two Cavalry +officers, then to the Dilkusha to tell Lieutenant Tod Brown, in charge +of the Ordnance depot, that his assistant was to go with me, and +lastly to arrange with the Commissariat officer for camels upon which +to bring back the ammunition. + +It was quite dark before I got to the place where my servants had +collected, and where I expected to find my guide. What was my horror +to hear that he had disappeared! He had made his escape in the +confusion consequent on the enemy's attacks the previous afternoon. +What was to be done now? I was in despair--and became more and more +doubtful of my ability to find the Alambagh in the dark. By daylight, +and with the aid of a compass, which I always carried about me, I +should have had little difficulty, even though the country we had to +get over was intersected by ravines and water-courses, not to speak of +the uncompromising _jhil_ near the Jalalabad fort. However, go I must. +I could not possibly tell the Commander-in-Chief that I was unable to +carry out a duty for which he had selected me--there was nothing for +it but to trust to my own recollection of the route and hope for the +best. + +Everything having been put in train, I returned to the Artillery +bivouac, managed a hasty dinner, mounted a fresh horse, and, about +9 p.m., started off, accompanied by Younghusband, Hugh Gough, the +unlucky Ordnance officer, two squadrons of Cavalry, and 150 camels. + +We got on well enough until we reached the broken ground near the +present Native Cavalry lines, when we lost the road, or rather track, +for road there was none. We could see nothing but the lights of the +enemy's piquets at an uncomfortably short distance to our right. I +struck a match, and made out from the compass the right direction; but +that did not help us to clear the ravines, which, in our efforts to +turn or get through them, made our way appear interminable. At length +we found ourselves upon open ground; but, alas! having edged off too +much to our right we were in close proximity to the enemy's piquets, +and could distinctly hear their voices. We halted to collect the long +string of camels, and as soon as they were got in order started off +again. I led the way, every few minutes striking a light to see how +the compass was pointing, and to take an anxious look at my watch, for +I was beginning to fear I should not be able to accomplish my task by +the given time. Our pace was necessarily slow, and our halts frequent, +for the little party had to be carefully kept together. + +At last the Jalalabad fort was reached and passed. I then told Hugh +Gough, whose squadron was in front, that we had better halt, for +we could not be far from the Alambagh, and I was afraid that if we +approached in a body we should be fired upon, in which case the +camel-drivers would assuredly run away, there would be a stampede +amongst the camels, and we might find it difficult to make ourselves +known. I decided it would be best for me to go on alone, and arranged +with Gough that he should remain where he was until I returned. + +The Alambagh proved to be farther off than I calculated, and I was +beginning to fear I had lost my way, when all at once a great wall +loomed in front of me, and I could just make out the figure of the +sentry pacing up and down. I hailed him, and ordered him to ask the +sergeant of the guard to summon the officer on duty. When the latter +appeared, I explained to him my object in coming, and begged him to +have the ammunition boxes ready for lading by the time I returned with +the camels. I then rode back to where I had left Gough, and the whole +procession proceeded to the Alambagh. + +Already half the night was gone; but beyond the time required for +loading the camels there was no delay; the utmost assistance was +afforded us, and ere long we started on our return journey. + +Day had dawned before we came in sight of the Dilkusha, and by the +time I had made the ammunition over to the Ordnance officer it was +broad daylight. As I rode up to the Martinière I could see old Sir +Colin, only partially dressed, standing on the steps in evident +anxiety at my non-arrival. + +He was delighted when at last I appeared, expressed himself very +pleased to see me, and, having made many kind and complimentary +remarks as to the success of the little expedition, he told me to go +off and get something to eat as quickly as possible, for we were to +start directly the men had breakfasted. That was a very happy moment +for me, feeling that I had earned my Chief's approbation and justified +his selection of me. I went off to the Artillery camp, and refreshed +the inner man with a steak cut off a gun bullock which had been killed +by a round shot on the 14th. + +At 8 a.m. the troops moved off. I was ordered to go with the advance +guard.[10] Hope's and Russell's brigades came next, with Travers's +Heavy battery, Peel's Naval Brigade, and Middleton's Field battery. + +Greathed's brigade (except the 8th Foot left at the Dilkusha), with +Bourchier's battery, remained to guard our left flank until mid-day, +when it was ordered to follow the column and form its rear guard. + +The offer of a Native who volunteered to guide us was accepted, and +Sir Colin, who rode just behind the advance guard, had Kavanagh with +him, whose local knowledge proved very valuable. + +The enemy had been so completely taken in by the previous day's +reconnaissance that they had not the slightest suspicion we should +advance from our right, the result being that we were allowed to cross +the canal without opposition.[11] We kept close along the river bank, +our left being partially concealed by the high grass. About a mile +beyond the canal we turned sharp to the left, and passed through the +narrow street of a small village, coming immediately under fire from +some houses on our right, and from the top of a high wall above and +beyond them, which turned out to be the north-east corner of the +Sikandarbagh. + +The greatest confusion ensued, and for a time there was a complete +block. The Cavalry in advance were checked by a fierce fire poured +directly on them from the front: they were powerless, and the only +thing for them to do was to force their way back, down the confined +lane we had just passed up, which by this time was crammed with +Infantry and Artillery, making 'confusion worse confounded.' As soon +as the Cavalry had cleared out, the 53rd lined the bank which ran +along the side of the lane nearest the Sikandarbagh, and by their fire +caused all those of the rebels who had collected outside the walls +to retire within the enclosure. This opened a road for Blunt, who, +leading his guns up the bank with a splendid courage, unlimbered and +opened fire within sixty yards of the building. + +Blunt found himself under a heavy fire from three different +directions--on the right from the Sikandarbagh; on the left and left +front from the barracks, some huts (not twenty yards off), and a +serai; and in front from the mess-house, Kaisarbagh, and other +buildings. In these three directions he pointed his guns, regardless +of deadly fire, especially from the huts on the left. + +It would, however, have been impossible for the advance guard to have +held its ground much longer, so it was with a feeling of the utmost +relief that I beheld Hope's brigade coming up the lane to our +assistance. A company of the 53rd, in the most brilliant manner, +forced the enemy from the position they held on our left front, and +the Highlanders, without a moment's hesitation, climbed on to the +huts--the point, as I have already said, from which the heaviest fire +proceeded; they tore off the roofs, and, leaping into the houses, +drove the enemy before them right through the serai and up to the +barracks, which they seized, and for the remainder of the operations +these barracks were held by the 93rd. + +This action on the part of the Highlanders was as serviceable as it +was heroic, for it silenced the fire most destructive to the attacking +force; but for all that, our position was extremely critical, and Sir +Colin, perceiving the danger, at once decided that no further move +could be attempted until we had gained possession of the Sikandarbagh. +It was, indeed, a formidable-looking place to attack, about 130 yards +square, surrounded by a thick brick wall twenty feet high, carefully +loopholed, and flanked at the corners by circular bastions. There +was only one entrance, a gateway on the south side, protected by +a traverse of earth and masonry, over which was a double-storied +guard-room. Close to the north side of the enclosure was a pavilion +with a flat roof prepared for musketry, and from the whole place an +incessant fire was being kept up. + +Sir Colin, in order to get a better view of the position, and thus be +able to decide in what direction the attack could most advantageously +be made, rode up the bank and placed himself close to one of Blunt's +guns. Mansfield and Hope Grant were on either side, and Augustus +Anson and I were directly behind, when I heard the Commander-in-Chief +exclaim, 'I am hit.' Luckily it was only by a spent bullet, which had +passed through a gunner (killing him on the spot) before it struck Sir +Colin on the thigh, causing a severe contusion, but nothing more. It +was a moment of acute anxiety until it was ascertained that no great +damage had been done. + +By this time one of Travers's guns and a howitzer, which with +considerable difficulty had been dragged up the bank, opened fire on +the point selected by Sir Colin for the breach--the south-east corner +of the wall surrounding the Sikandarbagh.[12] Instantly Hardy (Captain +of the battery) was killed and the senior Subaltern wounded: Blunt's +charger was shot, and of the few men under his command 14 Europeans +and 6 Gun Lascars were killed or wounded; 20 of the troop-horses were +also knocked over.[13] + +While the heavy guns were at work on the breach, Adrian Hope, with the +53rd, cleared off a body of the enemy who had collected on our left +front, and connected the barracks with the main attack by a line of +skirmishers. + +In less than half an hour an opening three feet square and three feet +from the ground had been made in the wall. It would have been better +had it been larger, but time was precious; Sir Colin would not wait, +and ordered the assault to begin. The Infantry had been lying down, +under such slight cover as was available, impatiently awaiting for +this order. The moment it reached them, up they sprang with +one accord, and with one voice uttered a shout which must have +foreshadowed defeat to the defenders of the Sikandarbagh. The 93rd +under Lieutenant-Colonel Ewart, and the 4th Punjab Infantry under +Lieutenant Paul, led the way, closely followed by the 53rd under +Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon[14] of the 93rd Highlanders, and one of the +battalions of Detachments under Major Roger Barnston. + +It was a magnificent sight, a sight never to be forgotten--that +glorious struggle to be the first to enter the deadly breach, the +prize to the winner of the race being certain death! Highlanders and +Sikhs, Punjabi Mahomedans, Dogras[15] and Pathans, all vied with each +other in the generous competition.[16] + +A Highlander was the first to reach the goal, and was shot dead as he +jumped into the enclosure; a man of the 4th Punjab Infantry came next, +and met the same fate. Then followed Captain Burroughs and Lieutenant +Cooper, of the 93rd, and immediately behind them their Colonel +(Ewart), Captain Lumsden, of the 30th Bengal Infantry,[17] and a +number of Sikhs and Highlanders as fast as they could scramble through +the opening. A drummer-boy of the 93rd must have been one of the first +to pass that grim boundary between life and death, for when I got in +I found him just inside the breach, lying on his back quite dead--a +pretty, innocent-looking, fair-haired lad, not more than fourteen +years of age. + +The crush now became so great in the men's eagerness to get through +the opening and join the conflict within, that a regular block was the +consequence, which every minute became more hopeless. One party +made for the gateway and another for a barred window[18] close by, +determined to force an entrance by them. The traverse having +been rushed by the 4th Punjab Infantry gallantly led by a Dogra +Subadar,[19] a Punjabi Mahomedan of this distinguished corps behaved +with the most conspicuous bravery. The enemy, having been driven out +of the earthwork, made for the gateway, the heavy doors of which were +in the act of being closed, when the Mahomedan (Mukarrab Khan by name) +pushed his left arm, on which he carried a shield, between them, thus +preventing their being shut; on his hand being badly wounded by a +sword-cut, he drew it out, instantly thrusting in the other arm, when +the right hand was all but severed from the wrist.[20] But he gained +his object--the doors could not be closed, and were soon forced open +altogether, upon which the 4th Punjab Infantry, the 53rd, 93rd, and +some of the Detachments, swarmed in. + +This devoted action of Mukarrab Khan I myself witnessed, for, with +Augustus Anson, I got in immediately behind the storming party. As +we reached the gateway, Anson was knocked off his horse by a bullet, +which grazed the base of the skull just behind the right ear, and +stunned him for a moment--the next, he was up and mounted again, but +was hardly in the saddle when his horse was shot dead. + +The scene that ensued requires the pen of a Zola to depict. The +rebels, never dreaming that we should stop to attack such a formidable +position, had collected in the Sikandarbagh to the number of upwards +of 2,000, with the intention of falling upon our right flank so soon +as we should become entangled amongst the streets and houses of the +Hazratganj.[21] They were now completely caught in a trap, the only +outlets being by the gateway and the breach, through which our troops +continued to pour. There could therefore be no thought of escape, and +they fought with the desperation of men without hope of mercy, and +determined to sell their lives as dearly as they could. Inch by inch +they were forced back to the pavilion, and into the space between it +and the north wall, where they were all shot or bayoneted. There they +lay in a heap as high as my head, a heaving, surging mass of dead and +dying inextricably entangled. It was a sickening sight, one of those +which even in the excitement of battle and the flush of victory make +one feel strongly what a horrible side there is to war. The wretched +wounded men could not get clear of their dead comrades, however great +their struggles, and those near the top of this ghastly pile of +writhing humanity vented their rage and disappointment on every +British officer who approached by showering upon him abuse of the +grossest description. + +The firing and fighting did not cease altogether for some time after +the main body of the rebels were destroyed. A few got up into the +guard-room above the gateway, and tried to barricade themselves in; +others sought shelter in the bastions, but none escaped the vengeance +of the soldiers. There were some deadly combats between the mutinous +sepoys and the Sikhs. Eventually all the rebels were killed, save +three or four who dropped over the wall on the city side. It is to +be hoped they lived to tell the tale of the dauntless courage which +carried everything before it. + +Considering the tremendous odds which those who first entered through +the breach were exposed to, and the desperate nature of the fighting, +our losses were astonishingly small. The 93rd had 2 officers and 23 +men (including the Sergeant-Major) killed, and 7 officers and 61 men +wounded. + +The 4th Punjab Infantry went into action with four British officers, +of whom two were killed and one was severely wounded. Sixty-nine of +the Native officers and men were also killed or wounded.[22] + + +[Footnote 1: Besides the troops from Delhi, the force consisted of +Peel's Naval Brigade, with eight heavy guns and howitzers; Middleton's +Field Battery of Royal Artillery (the first that had ever served in +India), and two companies of garrison Royal Artillery, under Travers +and Longden, equipped with heavy guns and mortars; a company of Royal +Engineers under Lieutenant Lennox, V.C.;[*] a few Bengal, and two +newly-raised companies of Punjab Sappers; the 93rd Highlanders, +Head-Quarters and wing of the 23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers, and of +the 53rd Foot; part of the 82nd Foot, and detachments of the 5th +Fusiliers, 64th, 78th, 84th, and 90th Foot, and Madras Fusiliers, +regiments which had gone into the Residency with Outram and Havelock. +The Infantry was brigaded as follows: + + Wing 53rd Foot \ + 93rd Highlanders | Commanded by Brigadier the Hon. + Battalion of detachments | Adrian Hope, 93rd Highlanders. + 4th Punjab Infantry / + + 8th Foot \ + Battalion of detachments | Commanded by Brigadier Greathed, + 2nd Punjab Infantry / 8th Foot. + + Wing 23rd Fusiliers \ Commanded by Brigadier D. + Two companies 82nd Foot / Russell, 84th Foot.] + + [*Note: Afterwards General Sir Wilbraham Lennox, V.C., K.C.B.] + +[Footnote 2: Sir Colin Campbell had served throughout the Punjab +Campaign and on the Peshawar frontier.] + +[Footnote 3: Now the 14th (Sikhs) Bengal Infantry.] + +[Footnote 4: During one of Watson's many reconnaissances he received a +cut on the face from a sabre. One of the 2nd Punjab Cavalrymen, seeing +what had happened, rushed to Probyn, and said: 'Watson _sahib_ has got +a wound which is worth a lakh of rupees!'] + +[Footnote 5: Built by a king of Oudh for the ladies of his harem. +It takes its name from the gilt umbrella (Chatta) with which it is +adorned. Now the Lucknow Club.] + +[Footnote 6: Now General Sir John Ewart, K.C.B.] + +[Footnote 7: It was a Native saddle, such as Irregular Cavalry used in +those days, made of felt without a tree.] + +[Footnote 8: On one occasion, when I was telling this story to General +Sir Samuel Browne, V.C., he said that something similar happened at +the battle of Sadulapur on December 2, 1848. He (Browne) was Adjutant +of his regiment (the 46th Native Infantry), which was drawn up in +line, with a troop of Horse Artillery, commanded by Major Kinleside, +on its right flank. Seeing that something unusual had occurred, Browne +rode up to the troop, and found that one of the men had had his saddle +carried away from under him by a small round shot. The man, who +happened at the moment to be standing up in his stirrups, escaped with +a bruise, as did the horse.] + +[Footnote 9: A kind of more or less responsible servant or messenger, +so called from wearing a chuprass, or badge of office.] + +[Footnote 10: It consisted of Blunt's troop of Horse Artillery, the +wing of the 53rd Foot, and Gough's squadron of Hodson's Horse.] + +[Footnote 11: We had not, however, gone far, when a body of rebel +Infantry, about 2,000 strong, managing to elude Greathed's brigade, +crossed the canal, and, creeping quietly up, rushed the Martinière. +Sir Colin had left Lieutenant Patrick Stewart, an unusually promising +officer of the Bengal Engineers, on the top of the Martinière to keep +Outram informed of our movements by means of the semaphore, and +while Stewart was sending a message he and Watson (who was with him) +observed the enemy close up to the building. They flew down the +staircase, jumped on their horses, and, joining Watson's squadron and +the two Madras Native Horse Artillery guns, rode to the city side +of the Martinière to try and cut off the enemy, who, finding no one +inside the building, and seeing their line of retreat threatened, made +the best of their way back to the city. Several were killed by the +Horse Artillery, which opened upon them with grape, and by Watson's +_sowars_.] + +[Footnote 12: This wall has long since been built up, and the whole +place is so overgrown with jungle that it was with difficulty I could +trace the actual site of the breach when I last visited Lucknow in +1893.] + +[Footnote 13: Blunt's troop, when it left Umballa in May, 1857, +consisted of 93 Europeans and 20 Native Gun Lascars. It suffered so +severely at Delhi that only five guns could be manned when it marched +from there in September, and after the fight at Agra its total loss +amounted to 12 killed and 25 wounded. Four guns could then with +difficulty be manned. When Blunt left the troop in January, 1858, to +take command of Bourchier's Field Battery, 69 out of the 113 men with +whom he had commenced the campaign had been killed or wounded! The +troop would have been unserviceable, had men not volunteered for +it from other corps, and drivers been posted to it from the Royal +Artillery. At the commencement of the Mutiny Blunt was a subaltern, +and in ten months he found himself a Lieutenant-Colonel and a C.B. +Quick promotion and great rewards indeed, but nothing more than he +richly deserved; for seldom, if ever, has a battery and its commander +had a grander record to show.] + +[Footnote 14: Captain Walton was the senior officer of the regiment +present, and took a conspicuous part in leading it, but as in +Sir Colin Campbell's opinion he was too junior to be in command, +Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon was appointed as a temporary measure.] + +[Footnote 15: The word 'Dogra' was originally applied to the Rajput +clans in the hills and sub-montane tracts to the north of the Ravi. +In later years it included hill Rajputs south of the Ravi, and in +military parlance all these Rajputs who enlisted in our ranks came to +be called Dogras.] + +[Footnote 16: In consequence of the behaviour of the 4th Punjab +Infantry on this occasion, and in other engagements in which they +served with the 93rd Highlanders, the officers and men of the latter +corps took a great liking to the former regiment, and some years after +the Mutiny two officers of the 93rd, who were candidates for the Staff +Corps, specially applied to be posted to the 4th Punjab Infantry.] + +[Footnote 17: Attached as Interpreter to the 93rd Highlanders.] + +[Footnote 18: It was here Captain Walton, of the 53rd, was severely +wounded.] + +[Footnote 19: Subadar Gokal Sing was mentioned by the +Commander-in-Chief in despatches for his conduct on this occasion.] + +[Footnote 20: For this act of heroism Mukarrab Khan was given the +Order of Merit, the Indian equivalent to the Victoria Cross, but +carrying with it an increase of pay. At the end of the campaign +Mukarrab Khan left the service, but when his old Commanding officer, +Colonel Wilde, went to the Umbeyla expedition in 1863, Mukarrab Khan +turned up and insisted on serving with him as an orderly.] + +[Footnote 21: One of the principal thoroughfares of Lucknow.] + +[Footnote 22: Lieutenant Paul, the Commandant, was killed. Lieutenant +Oldfield mortally, and Lieutenant McQueen severely, wounded. +Lieutenant Willoughby, who brought the regiment out of action, was +quite a lad, and was killed at Ruhiya the following April. Both he +and McQueen were recommended for the V.C. for their gallantry on +this occasion. After the fight was over, one of the Native officers, +bemoaning the loss of the British officers, asked me who would be sent +to replace them. He added: '_Sahib, ham log larai men bahut tez hain, +magar jang ka bandobast nahin jante_' ('Sir, we can fight well, but +we do not understand military arrangements'). What the old soldier +intended to convey to me was his sense of the inability of himself and +his comrades to do without the leadership and general management of +the British officers.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. +1857 + + Henry Norman--The Shah Najaf--The mess-house--Planting the flag + --A memorable meeting--The Residency + + +The operation which I have tried to describe in the last chapter +was not completed until well on in the afternoon, when the movement +towards the Residency was at once proceeded with. To the left as we +advanced the ground was fairly open (with the exception of quite a +small village) for about 1,100 yards in the direction of the British +Infantry mess-house. To the right also, for about 300 yards, there was +a clear space, then a belt of jungle intersected by huts and small +gardens extending for about 400 yards farther, as far as the Shah +Najaf,[1] a handsome white-domed tomb, surrounded by a court-yard, and +enclosed by high masonry loopholed walls; and beyond the Shah Najaf +rose the Kadam Rasul,[2] another tomb standing on a slight eminence. + +But little opposition was experienced from the village, which was +carried by the Infantry, while the Artillery were brought up to open +fire on the Shah Najaf and Kadam Rasul. The latter was soon occupied +by the 2nd Punjab Infantry, belonging to Greathed's brigade, which had +by this time joined the main body; but the Shah Najaf proved a harder +nut to crack. This building was almost concealed by dense jungle, and +its great strength therefore remained unsuspected until we got quite +close up to it. + +Barnston's battalion of Detachments advanced in skirmishing order, +under cover of our guns. One of the shells most unfortunately burst +prematurely, wounding Major Barnston so severely that he died soon +afterwards. Whether it was that the men were depressed by the loss of +their leader, or that they were not prepared for the very damaging +fire which suddenly poured upon them, I know not, but certain it is +that they wavered, and for a few minutes there was a slight panic. The +Commander-in-Chief, with Hope Grant, Mansfield, Adrian Hope, and their +respective staffs, were sitting on their horses anxiously awaiting the +result of the attack, when all at once it became apparent that there +was a retrograde movement on the part of some of the men, who were +emerging from the belt of jungle and hastening towards us. Norman +was the first to grasp the situation. Putting spurs to his horse, +he galloped into their midst, and called on them to pull themselves +together; the men rallied at once, and advanced into the cover from +which they had for the moment retreated. I had many opportunities for +noting Norman's coolness and presence of mind under fire. On this +particular occasion these qualities were most marked, and his action +was most timely. + +More Infantry were brought up, but without avail. The enemy evidently +were determined to prevent the capture of the Shah Najaf. Fire was now +opened upon us from a heavy gun on the other side of the Gumti (the +first shot from which blew up one of the ammunition waggons belonging +to the Naval Brigade), and all the cannon that were collected at the +Kaisarbagh and mess-house were brought to bear upon us. The musketry +fire was incessant, and Peel's men suffered so severely that one of +his guns could not be worked. + +Sir Colin was beginning to get extremely anxious, and no wonder--the +position was most uncomfortable, and the prospect very gloomy. Three +hours since the attack began! The day was rapidly drawing to a close, +and we were no nearer our object; on the contrary, the opposition +became every moment stronger, and the fire more deadly. A retreat was +not to be thought of; indeed, our remaining so long stationary had +been an encouragement to the enemy, and every one felt that the only +chance for the little British army fighting against 30,000 desperate +mutineers, with every advantage of position and intimate knowledge of +locality in their favour, was to continue to advance at all hazards; +and this our gallant old Chief decided to do. Placing himself at the +head of the 93rd, he explained to the only too eager Highlanders the +dangerous nature of the service, and called on them to follow him. +There was no mistaking the response; cheer after cheer rent the air +as they listened to the words of the Chief they knew so well, and +believed in so thoroughly, assuring him of their readiness to follow +whithersoever he should lead, do whatever he should direct. They moved +off, followed by Peel's guns dragged by sailors and some of the Madras +Fusiliers, the advance of the party being covered by Middleton's Field +battery, which dashed to the front and opened with grape. + +Almost instantaneously the narrow path along which we were proceeding +was choked with wounded officers and dead and struggling horses. It +was here that Sir Archibald Alison, Sir Colin's Aide-de-camp, lost his +arm, and his brother (another Aide-de-camp) was wounded. Adrian Hope's +horse was shot dead--indeed, very few escaped injury, either to +themselves or their horses. I was one of the lucky few. On reaching +the wall of the Shah Najaf enclosure, it was found to be twenty feet +high, no entrance could be seen, and there were no scaling-ladders +available, so there was nothing for it but to endeavour to breach the +massive wall.[3] The 24-pounders hammered away at it for some time, +but proved quite unequal to the task; though only a few yards off, +they made no impression whatever, and it seemed as if the attempt to +take the position must be abandoned. Peel was, therefore, ordered to +withdraw his guns under cover of some rockets, which were discharged +into the enclosure, and Hope was directed to retire as soon as he +could collect the killed and wounded. + +Captain Allgood, Sir Colin's trusted Assistant Quartermaster-General, +was the bearer of the order. He and Hope, after consulting together, +determined that before the latter obeyed they would try to discover +if there did not exist an opening in some other part of the walls. +Assisted by a sergeant of the 93rd, they set about their search, and +actually did find a narrow gap, through which they could see that the +enemy, terrified and thrown into confusion by the exploding rockets +falling amongst them, were fast abandoning the building. The two +friends helped each other through the gap, and, followed by some +Highlanders, they proceeded across the now deserted enclosure to +secure the only gateway, which was on the opposite side to that which +we had attacked; and Allgood had the great pleasure of announcing +to the Commander-in-Chief that there was no need to retire, for the +formidable position was in our possession. + +It was getting dark when at length we occupied the Shah Najaf; some of +us got on to the top of the building to take a look round. There was +just light enough to show us a sepoy sauntering unconcernedly up to +the gate, evidently in happy ignorance of what had happened. He soon +discovered that his comrades were no longer masters of the situation, +and, letting his musket fall, he made all haste to the river, into +which he dropped, and swam to the other side. + +Sir Colin and my General took up their quarters in the Shah Najaf, but +only nominally, for after a scratch dinner we all joined the troops, +who bivouacked where they stood. + +The force was disposed in a semicircle, extending from the Shah +Najaf to the barracks. The wounded were placed in the huts near the +Sikandarbagh, where they passed a most comfortless night, for when +the sun set it rapidly got cold, and the hospital arrangements were +necessarily on a very limited scale. + +By this time I was dead beat, having been for sixty hours continually +in the saddle, except when I lay down for a short nap on the night of +the 14th. + +We were not allowed, however, to have a very long night's rest. Hours +before dawn on the 17th we were roused by the beating of drums and +ringing of bells (an impotent attempt on the part of the rebel leaders +to excite the enthusiasm of their followers), which caused the troops +to prepare for an attack and stand to their arms. But the enemy were +not in a mood to encounter us in the open, small as our numbers were; +they had suffered heavily the day before, and they must have begun to +realize that their strongest positions were inadequate against British +pluck and determination. + +The mess-house was the next point to be carried, but the +Commander-in-Chief thought it would be prudent to make our left quite +secure in the first instance. The duty of occupying the houses and +gardens situated between the barracks and Banks's house was entrusted +to Brigadier Russell. Four bungalows,[4] in which the officers of the +32nd Foot had lived, were first seized. Russell then pushed on towards +Banks's house, which it was necessary to occupy, as it commanded the +crossing over the canal, by which we communicated with the Dilkusha, +and by which it was thought that the people rescued from the Residency +would have to be brought away. Russell, avoiding the main road, +advanced under cover of his Artillery, and forced the rebels to +vacate this important position, and Banks's house was held during the +remainder of the operations by 50 men of the 2nd Punjab Infantry, +under Lieutenant F. Keen.[5] + +In the meantime a heavy fire from Peel's guns had been opened on the +mess-house--a double-storied building, situated on slightly rising +ground, surrounded by a ditch 12 feet broad, and beyond that at some +little distance by a loop-holed wall. + +Our losses on the previous day had been very severe, and Sir Colin, +anxious to spare his men as much as possible, decided to batter the +place freely with Artillery before permitting it to be attacked. +Peel's guns and Longden's mortars were therefore brought to bear upon +it, and kept up a continual fire until 3 p.m., when the enemy seemed +to think they had had enough, their musketry fire slackened off, and +the Commander-in-Chief, considering the assault might safely be made, +gave the order to advance. The attacking party was commanded by +Brevet-Major Wolseley,[6] of the 90th Light Infantry, and consisted of +a company of his own regiment, a piquet of the 53rd Foot under Captain +Hopkins, and a few men of the 2nd Punjab Infantry under Captain +Powlett, supported by Barnston's Detachments, under Captain Guise, of +the 90th. + +The building and its many outhouses were carried with a rush, and +the enemy, who hastily retreated to the Moti Mahal,[7] were followed +across the road, where our troops were stopped by the high wall which +enclosed that building. Wolseley then sent for some Sappers, who +quickly opened out a space through which they all passed. The Moti +Mahal was hotly defended, but without avail, and ere the sun set the +last position which separated the relieved from the relieving forces +was in our possession. + +As the party moved off to attack the mess-house, Sir Colin, who, on +his white horse, was interestedly watching the proceedings, ordered me +to procure a regimental colour and place it on one of the turrets +of the building, that Outram might be able to judge how far we had +advanced. I rode off accordingly to the 2nd Punjab Infantry, standing +close by, and requested the Commandant, Captain Green, to let me have +one of his colours. He at once complied, and I galloped with it to the +mess-house. As I entered, I was met by Sir David Baird (one of Sir +Colin's Aides-de-camp), and Captain Hopkins, of the 53rd Foot, by both +of whom I was assisted in getting the flag with its long staff up the +inconveniently narrow staircase, and in planting it on the turret +nearest the Kaisarbagh, which was about 850 yards off. No sooner did +the enemy perceive what we were about, than shot after shot was aimed +at the colour, and in a very few minutes it was knocked over, falling +into the ditch below. I ran down, picked it up, and again placed it in +position, only for it to be once more shot down and hurled into the +ditch, just as Norman and Lennox (who had been sent by Sir Colin to +report what was going on in the interior of the Kaisarbagh) appeared +on the roof. Once more I picked up the colour, and found that this +time the staff had been broken in two. Notwithstanding, I managed +to prop it up a third time on the turret, and it was not again hit, +though the enemy continued to fire at it for some time. + +Outram, unwilling to risk unnecessary loss of men, did not greatly +extend his position until he was sure we were close at hand, but he +was not idle. While Sir Colin was slowly working his way towards him +on the 16th, he had gradually occupied such buildings as lay in the +direction of our advance. From the mess-house we could see the British +flag flying on the top of the engine-house, only a short distance +beyond the Moti Mahal, which satisfactory piece of intelligence Norman +went down to report to Sir Colin, who, with his Chief of the Staff, +had just arrived. I followed Norman, and we two made our way to the +western wall of the Pearl Palace enclosure, outside which Outram and +Havelock were standing together. They had run the gauntlet of the +enemy's fire in coming from the engine house; Colonel Robert Napier +and two other officers who accompanied them, having been wounded, had +to be carried back. Some of Lennox's Sappers set to work, and soon +made a hole in the wall[8] large enough for these two distinguished +men to pass through. + +I had never before met either of them. In Afghanistan Outram had been +a friend of my father, who had often spoken to me about him in terms +of the warmest admiration, and his courage and chivalry were known and +appreciated throughout India. It was therefore with feelings of the +most lively interest that I beheld this man, whose character I so +greatly admired. He was then fifty-four years of age, strong and +broad-shouldered, in no way broken down by the heavy load of +responsibility and anxiety he had had to bear, or the hardships he had +gone through. Havelock, the hero of a hundred fights, on the contrary, +looked ill, worn and depressed, but brightened up a little when Norman +told him he had been made a K.C.B. + +Sir Colin waited to receive these two heroes on the ground sloping +down from the mess-house, and it was there that the meeting between +the three veterans took place. A most impressive and memorable scene +was that meeting, which has been well depicted in the historical +picture by Barker. + +As if to show the rage and disappointment of the enemy at this +evidence of the success of our operations, every gun in the Kaisarbagh +was turned upon us, and it was under a shower of shot and shell that +the interview was held; it did not last long, for it was neither the +time nor the place to discuss plans for the future. All Sir Colin +could then say was that the troops should be removed outside Lucknow +as soon as the women and children had been brought away, and he +expressed his 'thankfulness that the relief of the garrison had been +accomplished.' + +[Illustration: MAJOR-GENERAL SIR JAMES OUTRAM, G.C.B. +_From a painting by Thomas Brigstocke, R.A._] + +Norman and I obtained permission to accompany Outram and Havelock back +to the Residency. It was intensely but painfully interesting to visit +this scene of so many acts of heroism, and of so much suffering +endured with unexampled fortitude. We first went to the posts occupied +by Havelock's force in the Chatta Manzil, and in other buildings which +have long since disappeared. At one of these we stopped to watch the +Artillery trying to silence the enemy's guns on the opposite side of +the river. We talked to the men, who were keen to hear news from the +outer world and the story of our advance. It was some little time +before we discovered in one of them the Commander of the battery, +Captain William Olpherts,[9] for in his soiled and torn summer +clothing, his face thin, worn, and begrimed with smoke, it was +difficult to distinguish the officer from his men, and it was under +these levelling circumstances that I had the honour of making the +acquaintance of my distinguished brother officer, whose audacious +courage on the occasion of Havelock's advance over the Charbagh bridge +had won the admiration of everyone in the force, and gained for him +the Victoria Cross. + +We next came to the Bailey-guard; and as we looked at the battered +walls and gateway, not an inch without a mark from a round shot or +bullet, we marvelled that Aitken and Loughman could have managed to +defend it for nearly five months. There was plenty of evidence on all +the surrounding buildings of the dangerous nature of the service which +they and their gallant Native comrades had so admirably performed. +Although we were pressed for time, we could not resist stopping to +speak to some of the Native officers and sepoys, whose magnificent +loyalty throughout the siege was one of the most gratifying features +of the Mutiny. + +At length we came to the Residency itself, where we met a few old +friends and acquaintances, who welcomed us with the most touching +enthusiasm. Mrs. (afterwards Lady) Inglis and the Rev. J.P. Harris and +his wife I had known at Peshawar; there were also Mrs. Fletcher Hayes, +the widow of the poor fellow whose murder by the men of his own escort +near Mainpuri I have related, and Mrs. Case, the widow of the brave +Major of the 32nd, who lost his life at the affair of Chinhut. Mrs. +Inglis showed us the tiny room which she and her children had shared +with Mrs. Case all through the siege; but it was difficult to get any +of them to speak of their miserable experiences, which were too sad +and terrible, and too recent to be talked about, and they naturally +preferred to dwell on their thankfulness for the relief that had come +at last, and to listen to our account of what had happened in other +places. + +It was too late then to go round the position; that had to be left +for another day; indeed, it was quite dark when we returned to +Head-Quarters, established by our Chief in the open, his soldierly +instincts prompting him to remain with his troops. + + +[Footnote 1: Shah Najaf is the tomb of Ghazi-ud-din Haidar, first King +of Oudh, built by himself. It derives its name from Najaf, the hill +on which is built the tomb of Ali, the son-in-law of Mahomed, and of +which tomb this is said to be a copy.] + +[Footnote 2: The Kadam Rasul, or Prophet's footprint, a Mahomedan +place of worship, which contained a stone bearing the impress of the +foot of the Prophet, brought from Arabia by a pilgrim. During the +Mutiny the holy stone was carried off.] + +[Footnote 3: Lieutenant Salmon, R.N. (now Admiral Sir Nowell Salmon, +K.C.B.), climbed up a tree overhanging this wall, in order to see what +was going on behind it; he succeeded in obtaining useful information, +but on being perceived, was fired at and badly wounded. He received +the V.C.] + +[Footnote 4: Marked D on the map.] + +[Footnote 5: Now Major-General Keen, C.B. It was an extremely +responsible charge for so young an officer with such a small party, as +it was very isolated and exposed to attack.] + +[Footnote 6: Now Field-Marshal Viscount Wolseley, K.P., +Commander-in-Chief.] + +[Footnote 7: Called the Pearl Palace from the fancied resemblance of +one of its domes (since destroyed) to the curve of a pearl.] + +[Footnote 8: A slab let into the south-west corner of the wall marks +the spot.] + +[Footnote 9: Now General Sir William Olpherts, V.C., K.C.B.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. +1857 + + Sir Colin's wise decision--Robert Napier + --Impressions on visiting the Residency--Henry Lawrence + --Lawrence as Statesman and Ruler + --Lawrence's friendliness for Natives--A hazardous duty + + +The night of the 17th passed off quietly. Before daybreak the next +morning the troops were under arms. Thousands of the enemy had +collected in the Kaisarbagh, and for the protection of the mess-house, +the Tara Koti, about 200 yards to the south-west, was seized and held, +as from this position a flanking fire could be brought to bear upon +any enemy advancing from the Kaisarbagh. + +The most difficult part of Sir Colin's task had yet to be +accomplished--the bringing away of the women and children, and the +sick and wounded, from the Residency--and the question of how this +could best be done was one which caused the Commander-in-Chief much +anxious thought. Many, amongst whom were Outram and Hope Grant, +pressed him to attack the Kaisarbagh and capture the city in the first +instance; but 45 officers and 496 men out of our small force had been +killed or wounded; Sir Colin, therefore, decided that it would be to +the last degree imprudent to attempt such an undertaking with his +reduced numbers, and became more than ever determined to confine his +operations to the relief of the garrison. + +That the Chief was right there can be no room for doubt. This force +was barely strong enough for the service it had to perform. Every man +was on duty day and night; there was no reserve to fall back upon; and +had he listened to these proposals, and allowed himself to be drawn +into complications in the city, it is more than probable that those +he had come to succour would have been sacrificed. The wisdom of his +decision was fully proved by subsequent events, and unreservedly +acknowledged by Hope Grant and others who at the time differed from +him in their ideas of the course which should be adopted. + +From the Dilkusha to the Residency was not less than five miles; every +yard of the way had to be guarded, and the garrison at the former +place was so attenuated that it had to be reinforced by the withdrawal +of part of the 75th Foot from the Alambagh. Fortunately this could be +done without dangerously weakening that post, as it had been lately +strengthened by the arrival of a small body of troops from Cawnpore. + +It had now to be settled whether the evacuation should be effected +by the route we had ourselves followed, which was circuitous and in +places difficult for the wheeled vehicles necessary for the conveyance +of the sick and wounded, and the women and children; or by the way +past the barracks and Banks's house, which was shorter and had the +advantage of a metalled road throughout. But unless Russell, whose +brigade was in position at the barracks, could make the latter line +secure, it would be too hazardous to adopt, and up to the present the +reports from Russell had not been very promising. He had been +hardly pressed on the 17th, and had sent word that he could make no +impression on the enemy without heavy guns. Colonel Biddulph, the +Deputy-Quartermaster-General, was therefore ordered to proceed to +the barracks to ascertain how guns could best be sent to Russell's +assistance, and report to the Commander-in-Chief on the whole +situation. I was told to go with him and bring back the required +information. + +We found Russell in a very uncomfortable position, exposed to a hot +fire and closely surrounded by the enemy, who were holding the British +Infantry hospital and other buildings within a few yards of him. + +I remained with Russell while Biddulph reconnoitred the ground between +the barracks, the canal, and the Sikandarbagh. It was found covered +with villages and walled enclosures, but he discovered a path secure +from the enemy's fire, along which he was able to bring to Russell's +assistance a 9-pounder gun, a 24-pounder howitzer, and four 5-1/2-inch +mortars. As the 9-pounder was fired, a round shot from one of the +enemy's 18-pounders struck the mud wall immediately in front of it, +scattering great clods of earth, which knocked over Bourchier and +another officer; the round shot then hit Brigadier Russell, just +grazing the back of his neck, actually cutting his watch-chain in two, +and causing partial paralysis of the lower limbs for some days. + +Russell being for the time _hors de combat_, Biddulph assumed command, +and ordered me to return to Head-Quarters, report what had happened, +and inform Sir Colin that he intended to attack the hospital and +endeavour to drive the enemy out of his immediate neighbourhood. + +I never saw Biddulph again. I had scarcely delivered my message to the +Chief when heavy firing was heard from the direction of the barracks, +and shortly afterwards a determined attack was made by the rebels on +the piquets placed between the Sikandarbagh and the barracks, which +was repulsed by Remmington's troop of Horse Artillery, with two +companies of Infantry belonging to the 23rd and 53rd Foot, brought up +by the Commander-in-Chief himself, who expressed to Remmington his +warm approval of the brilliant manner in which his troop had come into +action. + +Sir Colin now received information that Biddulph was killed, and that +Hale, who succeeded to the command of the brigade, had attacked and +taken the hospital, but had been forced to abandon it, as the thatched +roof had been set on fire by the shells showered upon it by the enemy, +who were keeping our troops constantly on the alert. This decided Sir +Colin to give up the idea of withdrawing the relieved garrison by +Banks's house. + +Early on the following morning, the 19th, I was sent by the +Commander-in-Chief to the Residency with a note for Sir James Outram, +containing the information that arrangements for the withdrawal were +now complete, and that conveyances for the women, children, sick, and +wounded would be sent as soon as they arrived from the Dilkusha. + +When he had read the note Sir James questioned me as to the road, and +asked me particularly if I had noticed the openings made in the walls +of houses and enclosures, and whether I thought they were large enough +for the guns, carts, and carriages to get through. I replied that I +had not observed them very particularly, but I was inclined to +think some of them were certainly rather small. My answer, to my +astonishment, roused the ire of a wounded officer lying on a couch at +the end of the room, for he wrathfully asked me whether I had measured +the openings, and on my saying I had not, he added: 'You had better +wait to give your opinion until you know what you are talking about; +those openings were made by my orders, and I am quite sure they are +the necessary size.' The officer was no other than Colonel Robert +Napier, who, as I have already stated, was badly wounded on the 17th. +I felt myself considerably snubbed, but Sir James kindly came to the +rescue, and explained that I had merely answered his question and had +not offered any opinion of my own: Colonel Napier, however, was not +to be appeased, and I could plainly see that I had incurred his +displeasure, and that he thought me a very bumptious youngster. I do +not know whether the Chief of the Staff[1] ever heard of it, but it +was some satisfaction to me to find afterwards that I was right in my +estimation of the size of those apertures, some of which had to be +enlarged before the guns and carriages could pass through. + +By sunset that day the women and children had been brought away and +collected in the Sikandarbagh. Not a very agreeable resting-place, for +though the 2,000 dead mutineers had been got out of sight, they were +merely slightly covered over in a ditch which they themselves had +recently dug outside the north wall to strengthen the defences. The +survivors of the siege, however, had become too inured to horrors of +all kinds, and were too thankful for their deliverance from the fate +which for months had constantly threatened them, to be over-sensitive. + +It was a sad little assemblage; all were more or less broken down and +out of health, while many were widows or orphans, having left their +nearest and dearest in the Residency burial-ground. Officers and men +accorded them a respectful welcome, and by their efforts to help them +showed how deeply they felt for their forlorn condition, while our old +Chief had a comfortable tea prepared for them. When night set in, the +road having been carefully reconnoitred beforehand, the melancholy +convoy with its guard of soldiers started for the Dilkusha, where it +arrived in safety, and was warmly received by the officers of the 9th +Lancers and the rest of the garrison, who did all that circumstances +would allow to make the ladies and children comfortable. + +During the 20th, 21st, and 22nd, everything that was worth removing +and for which carriage could be provided was brought away. Such a +miscellaneous collection it was--jewels and other valuables belonging +to the ex-royal family, twenty-five lakhs of treasure, stores of all +kinds, including grain, and as many of the 200 guns discovered in the +palace as were considered likely to be of use. + +The troops were not moved away from the Residency till midnight on the +22nd, and I had several opportunities before then of going over the +position, to every point of which some thrilling story was attached, +and of renewing acquaintance with many of the garrison whom I had +known before. Amongst them was Sam Lawrence, of the 32nd Foot, a +friend of Peshawar days, who, for his gallant defence of the Redan, +was awarded the Victoria Cross. I was shown Innes's advanced post, +named after McLeod Innes,[2] a talented Engineer officer, who also +subsequently gained that coveted reward; the Cawnpore battery, where +so many valuable lives had been sacrificed, and the room where Sir +Henry Lawrence received his mortal wound; then I climbed up to the +tower, from which a good view of the city and the posts held by the +enemy could be obtained. + +The more I saw, the more I wondered at what had been achieved by such +a mere handful of men against such vast numbers. It was specially +pleasant to me to listen to the praises bestowed on the officers of my +own regiment, of whom nine were present when the siege commenced, and +only one escaped to the end unwounded, while five were killed or died +of their injuries. Of the other three, one was wounded three different +times, and both the others once. + +All were loud, too, in their praises of the Engineer officers. During +the latter part of the siege the rebels, finding they could not carry +the position by assault, tried hard to undermine the defences; but our +Engineers were ever on the watch, and countermined so successfully +that they were able to frustrate the enemy's designs on almost every +occasion. + +The wonderful manner in which the Hindustani soldiers held their +ground, notwithstanding that they were incessantly taunted by their +mutinous comrades for aiding the Feringhis against their own people, +was also much dilated upon. + +The casualties during the siege were extremely heavy. When it +commenced on the 1st of July, the strength of the garrison was 927 +Europeans and 765 Natives. Of the former, 163 were civilians--brave +and useful, but untrained to arms; of the latter, 118 were pensioners, +many of whom were old and decrepit. Up to the arrival of Outram and +Havelock (a period of eighty-seven days), 350 Europeans and 133 +natives were either killed or died of wounds and disease. Of the noble +and unselfish conduct of the ladies and soldiers' wives, everyone +spoke in the highest terms and with the warmest appreciation. They +suffered, without a murmur, the most terrible hardships; they devoted +themselves to the sick and wounded in the hospital, and were ever +ready to help in any way that was useful. Two ladies were killed, and +nine died, during the siege. + +The contemplation of the defence of Lucknow, and the realization of +the noble qualities it called forth in the defenders, cannot but +excite in the breast of every British man and woman, as it did in +mine, feelings of pride and admiration. But what impressed me more +than even the glorious defence was the foresight and ability of the +man who made that defence possible. + +Henry Lawrence was, apparently, the only European in India who, from +the very first, formed an accurate estimate of the extent of the +danger which threatened our rule in the early part of 1857, and who, +notwithstanding his thorough appreciation of the many good qualities +of Native soldiers, was not misled into a mistaken belief in the +absolute loyalty of the Native army. Fourteen years before Lawrence +had predicted the Mutiny[3] and the course it would take, and when +events shaped themselves as he had foreseen, he gave it as his opinion +that the disaffection would be general and widespread. But while his +intimate knowledge of Native character led him to this conviction, +so great was his influence with Natives--perhaps by reason of that +knowledge--that he was able to delay the actual outbreak at Lucknow +until his measures for the defence of the Residency were completed, +and he persuaded a considerable number of sepoys, not only to continue +in their allegiance, but to share with their European comrades the +dangers and privations of the siege--a priceless service, for without +their aid the defence could not have been made. + +[Illustration: BRIGADIER-GENERAL SIR HENRY LAWRENCE, K.C.B. +_From a photograph taken at Lucknow._] + +In no part of India was there greater need for the services of a +strong, enlightened, and sympathetic Ruler and Statesman. Difficult as +were the positions in which many men in authority were placed in +1857, none was more difficult than that in which Henry Lawrence found +himself when he took over the Chief Commissionership of Oudh in the +spring of that year. His colleagues in the administration were at +feud with each other, and by their ignorance of the proper methods of +dealing with the people they had succeeded in alienating all classes. + +While Lawrence was engaged in pouring oil on these troubled waters, +and in earning the gratitude of the people by modifying the previous +year's undue assessment, signs appeared of the disaffection, which +had begun amongst the troops at Barrackpore, having spread to the +cantonments in Oudh. Sir Henry met this new trouble in the same +intelligent and conciliatory spirit as that in which he had dealt with +his civil difficulties. He summoned to a durbar some Native officers +who had displayed a very proper feeling of loyalty by arresting +several fanatics who had tried to tamper with the soldiery, and he +liberally rewarded them, pointing out at the same time in forcible +language the disgrace to a soldier of being faithless to his salt. But +while doing everything in his power to keep the Natives loyal, and +with a certain amount of success, he did not neglect to take every +possible precaution. + +When first he heard of the outbreak at Meerut, he telegraphed to the +Governor-General advising him to send for British troops to China and +Ceylon, and to call on the Nepalese to assist; at the same time +he applied to Lord Canning for, and obtained, the rank of +Brigadier-General, which gave him military as well as civil control--a +very necessary measure, for none of the senior military officers in +Oudh were men to be relied upon; indeed, as in so many other places, +they had to be effaced when the troubles began. + +Very early in the day Henry Lawrence commenced his preparations for +the defence of the Residency; he cleared the ground of all cover +in its immediate vicinity, as far as it was possible to do so; he +fortified it, mounted guns, stored ammunition, powder, and firewood; +arranged for a proper supply of water; collected food, which proved +sufficient, not only for the original number of refugees, but for the +3,000 additional mouths belonging to Outram and Havelock's force; in +fact, he did everything which forethought and ingenuity could suggest +to enable the garrison to hold out in what he foresaw would be a long +and deadly struggle against fearful odds. There was no fort, as there +was at Agra, capable of sheltering every European in Oudh, and strong +enough to defy any number of mutineers, nor was there, as at Cawnpore, +a well-stocked and strongly-fortified magazine to depend upon. But +Henry Lawrence was not cast down by the difficulties which surrounded +him; he was fully alive to the danger, but he recognized that his +best, indeed, his only, chance of delaying the inevitable rebellion +until (as he hoped) assistance might arrive, was to show a bold front. + +On the 27th May Lawrence wrote to Lord Canning as follows: 'Hitherto +the country has been kept quiet, and we have played the Irregulars +against the line regiments; but being constituted of exactly the same +material, the taint is fast pervading them, and in a few weeks, if not +days--unless Delhi be in the interim captured--there will be but one +feeling throughout the army, a feeling that our prestige is gone, and +that feeling will be more dangerous than any other. Religion, fear, +hatred, one and all have their influence; but there is still a +reverence for the Company's _ikbâl_[4]--when it is gone we shall have +few friends indeed. The tone and talk of many have greatly altered +during the last few days, and we are now asked, almost in terms of +insolence, whether Delhi is captured, or when it will be. It was +only just after the Kabul massacre, and when we hesitated to advance +through the Khyber, that, in my memory, such a tone ever before +prevailed.[5] + +Feeling all this so strongly, it is the more remarkable that Henry +Lawrence never lost heart, but struggled bravely on 'to preserve the +soldiery to their duty and the people to their allegiance,' while +at the same time he was, as I have shown, making every conceivable +preparation to meet the outbreak whenever it should come. + +There is no doubt that Henry Lawrence was a very remarkable man; his +friendly feeling for Natives, and his extraordinary insight into +their character, together with his military training and his varied +political experience, peculiarly fitted him to be at the head of a +Government at such a crisis.[6] + +All this, however, is a digression from my narrative, to which I must +now return. + +While the withdrawal was being effected, Peel's guns distracted the +enemy's attention from the proceedings by keeping up a perpetual and +destructive fire on the Kaisarbagh, thus leading the rebels to believe +that our whole efforts were directed to taking that place. By the +evening of the 22nd three large breaches had been made, and the enemy +naturally expected an assault to take place the next morning. But the +object of that heavy fire had already been accomplished; the women and +children, the sick and wounded, were all safe in the Dilkusha; no one +was left in the Residency but the garrison, on duty for the last time +at the posts they had so long and so bravely defended, and they were +to leave at midnight. + +As the clock struck twelve, in the deepest silence and with the utmost +caution, the gallant little band evacuated the place, and passed down +the long line of posts, first those held by Outram's and Havelock's +men, and then those occupied by the relieving force, until they +reached the Martinière Park. As they moved on, Outram's and Havelock's +troops fell in behind, and were followed by the relieving force, which +brought up the rear. The scheme for this very delicate movement had +been most carefully considered beforehand by General Mansfield, the +clever Chief of the Staff, who clearly explained to all concerned the +parts they had to play, and emphatically impressed upon them that +success depended on his directions being followed to the letter, and +on their being carried out without the slightest noise or confusion. + +Sir Colin Campbell and Hope Grant, surrounded by their respective +staffs, watched the movement from a position in front of the +Sikandarbagh, where a body of Artillery and Infantry were held in +readiness for any emergency. When the time arrived for the advanced +piquets to be drawn in, the enemy seemed to have become suspicious, +for they suddenly opened fire with guns and musketry from the +Kaisarbagh, and for a moment we feared our plans had been discovered. +Fortunately, one of Peel's rocket-carts was still in position beyond +the Moti Mahal, and the celerity with which the officer in charge +replied to this burst of fire apparently convinced the enemy we were +holding our ground, for the firing soon ceased, and we breathed again. + +Mansfield had taken the precaution to have with him an officer from +Hale's brigade, which was on the left rear of our line of posts, that +he might go back and tell his Brigadier when the proper time came for +the latter to move off in concert with the rest of the force; but this +officer had not, apparently, understood that he would have to return +in the dark, and when Mansfield directed him to carry out the duty for +which he had been summoned, he replied that he did not think he could +find his way. Mansfield was very angry, and with reason, for it was +of supreme importance that the retirement should be simultaneous, and +turning to me, he said: 'You have been to Hale's position: do you +think you could find your way there now?' I answered: 'I think I can.' +Upon which he told me to go at once, and ordered the officer belonging +to the brigade to accompany me. I then asked the General whether he +wished me to retire with Hale's party or return to him. He replied: +'Return to me here, that I may be sure the order has been received.' + +I rode off with my companion, and soon found I had undertaken to +perform a far from easy, and rather hazardous, duty. I had only been +over the ground twice--going to and returning from the position on the +18th--and most of the villages then standing had since been burnt. +There was no road, but any number of paths, which seemed to lead in +every direction but the right one; at last, however, we arrived at our +destination, I delivered the order to Colonel Hale, and set out on +my return journey alone. My consternation was great on reaching the +Sikandarbagh, where I had been ordered to report myself to Mansfield, +to find it deserted by the Generals, their staffs, and the troops; not +a creature was to be seen. I then began to understand what a long time +it had taken me to carry out the errand upon which I had been sent, +much longer, no doubt, than Mansfield thought possible. I could not +help feeling that I was not in at all a pleasant position, for any +moment the enemy might discover the force had departed, and come out +in pursuit. As it turned out, however, happily for me, they remained +for some hours in blissful ignorance of our successful retirement, +and, instead of following in our wake, continued to keep up a heavy +fire on the empty Residency and other abandoned posts. Turning my +horse's head in the direction I knew the troops must have taken, I +galloped as fast as he could carry me until I overtook the rear guard +just as it was crossing the canal, along the right bank of which the +greater part of the force had been placed in position. When I reported +myself to Mansfield, he confessed that he had forgotten all about me, +which somewhat surprised me, for I had frequently noticed how exactly +he remembered the particulars of any order he gave, no matter how long +a time it took to execute it. + + +[Footnote 1: Colonel Napier was Chief of the Staff to Sir James +Outram.] + +[Footnote 2: Now Lieutenant-General McLeod Innes, V.C.] + +[Footnote 3: _Calcutta Review_, 1843. After commenting on the habitual +carelessness of Government and its disregard of ordinary military +precautions and preparations, Henry Lawrence had shown how possible it +was that a hostile party might seize Delhi, and, if the outbreak were +not speedily suppressed, what grave consequences might ensue. 'Let +this happen,' he said, 'on June 2, and does any sane man doubt that +twenty-four hours would swell the hundreds of rebels into thousands, +and in a week every ploughshare in the Delhi States would be turned +into a sword? And when a sufficient force had been mustered, which +could not be effected within a month, should we not then have a more +difficult game to play than Clive at Plassy or Wellington at Assaye? +We should then be literally striking for our existence at the +most inclement season of the year, with the prestige of our name +tarnished.' Going on to suggest that Meerut, Umballa, and Agra might +say that they had no troops to spare from their own necessities, or +that they had no carriage, 'Should we not, then,' he wrote, 'have to +strike anew for our Indian Empire?] + +[Footnote 4: Prestige, or, rather, good luck.] + +[Footnote 5: 'Life of Sir Henry Lawrence.'] + +[Footnote 6: In Sir Henry Lawrence's 'Life' two memoranda appear, +one by Lieutenant (now Lieutenant-General) McLeod Innes, Assistant +Engineer at Lucknow in 1857, the other by Sir Henry Lawrence himself. +They are worthy of perusal, and will give the reader some insight into +Lawrence's character; they will also exemplify how necessary it is +for anyone placed in a position of authority in India to study the +peculiarities of the people and gain their confidence by kindness and +sympathy, to which they readily respond, and, above all, to be firm +and decided in his dealings with them. Firmness and decision are +qualities which are appreciated more than all others by Natives; they +expect them in their Rulers, and without them no European can have any +power over them, or ever hope to gain their respect and esteem. + +(See Appendix II).] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. +1857 + + Death of General Havelock--Appeals from Cawnpore + --General Windham--The passage of the Ganges + + +The Relief of the Lucknow garrison was now accomplished--a grand +achievement indeed, of which any Commander might well be proud, +carried out as it had been in every particular as originally planned, +thus demonstrating with what care each detail had been thought out, +and how admirably movement after movement had been executed. + +November the 23rd was spent in arranging for the march to Cawnpore, +and in organizing the division which was to be left in position, under +Outram, in and about the Alambagh; it was to be strong enough to hold +its own, and to keep open communication with Head-Quarters. + +[Illustration: PLAN TO ILLUSTRATE THE RELIEF OF LUCKNOW, IN 1857] + +My time was chiefly occupied in assisting in the distribution of +transport, and in carrying out Hope Grant's directions as to the order +in which the troops were to march. Round the Dilkusha the scene of +confusion was bewildering in the extreme; women, children, sick +and wounded men, elephants, camels, bullocks and bullock-carts, +grass-cutters' ponies, and doolies with their innumerable bearers, all +crowded together. To marshal these incongruous elements and get them +started seemed at first to be an almost hopeless task. At last the +families were got off in two bodies, each under a married officer +whose wife was of the party, and through whom all possible +arrangements for their comfort were to be made, and their place on the +line of march, position in camp, etc., determined. + +In the afternoon the force was gratified by the issue of a General +Order by the Commander-in-Chief thanking the troops for the manner in +which the very difficult and harassing service of the Relief had been +performed. Alluding to the withdrawal, he said it was a model of +discipline and exactitude, the result of which was that the rebels +were completely thrown off their guard, and the retirement had been +successfully carried out in the face of 50,000 of the enemy along a +most inconveniently narrow and tortuous lane--the only line of retreat +open. + +The following morning Hope Grant's division marched to the Alambagh. +On arrival there, our transport was sent back for Outram's division, +which joined us the morning after, bringing with it General Havelock's +dead body. He had died the previous day--'a martyr to duty,' as the +Commander-in-Chief expressed it in his General Order. The brave old +soldier, who had served with distinction in four campaigns before the +Mutiny--Burma, Afghanistan, Gwalior, and the Sutlej--was buried inside +the Alambagh enclosure, respected and honoured by the whole army, but +more especially by those who had shared in his noble efforts to rescue +the Lucknow garrison. + +A wash and change of clothes, in which we were now able to indulge, +were much-appreciated luxuries. From the time we had left the Alambagh +every officer and man had been on duty without cessation, and slept, +if they slept at all, on the spot where the close of day found them +fighting. + +It was a rough experience, but, notwithstanding the exposure, hard +work, and a minimum of sleep, there was no great sickness amongst the +troops. The personal interest which every man in the force felt in +the rescue of his countrymen and countrywomen, in addition to the +excitement at all times inseparable from war, was a stimulant +which enabled all ranks to bear up in a marvellous manner against +long-continued privations and hardships--for body and mind are equally +affected by will--and there was no doubt about the will in this +instance to endure anything that was necessary for the speedy +achievement of the object in view. Personally, I was in the best +of health, and though I almost lived on horseback, I never felt +inconvenience or fatigue. + +The 25th and 26th were busy days, spent in allotting camp equipage +and making the necessary arrangements for fitting out Outram's +force--4,000 strong, with 25 guns and howitzers and 10 mortars. + +At 11 a.m. on the 27th we started on our return march towards +Cawnpore.[1] It was a strange procession. Everything in the shape of +wheeled carriage and laden animals had to keep to the road, which was +narrow, and for the greater part of the way raised, for the country +at that time of the year was partly under water, and _jhils_ were +numerous. Thus, the column was about twelve miles in length, so that +the head had almost reached the end of the march before the rear could +start. Delays were constant and unavoidable, and the time each day's +journey occupied, as well as the mode of conveyance--country carts +innocent of springs--must have been most trying to delicate women and +wounded men. Fortunately there was no rain; but the sun was still hot +in the daytime, causing greater sensitiveness to the bitter cold at +night. + +My place was with the advance guard, as I had to go on ahead to mark +out the camp and have ramps got ready to enable the carts to be taken +off the raised roads. Soon after leaving the Alambagh we heard the +sound of guns from the direction of Cawnpore, and when we reached +Bani bridge (about thirteen miles on, where a small post had been +established) the officer in command told us that there had been heavy +firing all that day and the day before. + +Camp was pitched about two miles further on late in the afternoon; but +my work was not over till midnight, when the rear guard arrived, for +it took all that time to form up the miscellaneous convoy. + +Next morning we made an early start, in order to reach our +destination, if possible, before dark. Having received no information +from Cawnpore for more than ten days, the Commander-in-Chief was +beginning to feel extremely anxious, and the firing we had heard the +previous day had greatly increased his uneasiness, for there seemed +little room for doubt that the Gwalior rebels were making an attack on +that place. The probability that this would happen had been foreseen +by Sir Colin, and was one of his reasons for determining to limit the +operations at Lucknow to the withdrawal of the garrison. + +We had not proceeded far, when firing was again heard, and by noon +all doubt as to its meaning was ended by a Native who brought a note +marked 'Most urgent,' written in Greek character, and addressed to +'General Sir Colin Campbell, or any officer commanding troops on the +Lucknow road.' This turned out to be a communication from General +Windham, who had been placed in command at Cawnpore when the +Commander-in-Chief left for Lucknow on the 9th of November. It was +dated two days earlier, and told of an attack having been made, that +there had been hard fighting, and that the troops were sorely pressed; +in conclusion Windham earnestly besought the Chief to come to his +assistance with the least possible delay. + +Two other letters followed in quick succession, the last containing +the disappointing and disheartening intelligence that Windham, with +the greater part of his troops, had been driven into the entrenchment, +plainly showing that the city and cantonment were in the possession +of the enemy, and suggesting the possibility of the bridge of boats +having been destroyed. + +Sir Colin, becoming impatient to learn the exact state of the case, +desired me to ride on as fast as I could to the river; and if I +found the bridge broken, to return at once, but if it were still in +existence to cross over, try and see the General, and bring back all +the information I could obtain. + +I took a couple of sowars with me, and on reaching the river I found, +under cover of a hastily-constructed _tête-de-pont_, a guard of +British soldiers, under Lieutenant Budgen, of the 82nd Foot, whose +delight at seeing me was most effusively expressed. He informed me +that the bridge was still intact, but that it was unlikely it would +long remain so, for Windham was surrounded except on the river side, +and the garrison was 'at its last gasp.' + +I pushed across and got into the entrenchment, which was situated on +the river immediately below the bridge of boats. The confusion inside +was great, and I could hardly force my way through the mass of men who +thronged round my horse, eager to learn when help might be expected; +they were evidently demoralized by the ill-success which had attended +the previous days' operations, and it was not until I reassured them +with the news that the Commander-in-Chief was close at hand that +I managed to get through the crowd and deliver my message to the +General. + +The 'hero of the Redan,' whom I now saw for the first time, though the +fame of his achievement had preceded him to India, was a handsome, +cheery-looking man of about forty-eight years of age, who appeared, in +contrast to the excited multitude I had passed, thoroughly calm and +collected; and notwithstanding the bitter disappointment it must have +been to him to be obliged to give up the city and retire with his +wholly inadequate force into the entrenchment, he was not dispirited, +and had all his wits about him. In a few words he told me what had +happened, and desired me to explain to the Commander-in-Chief that, +although the city and cantonment had to be abandoned, he was still +holding the enemy in check round the assembly-rooms (which were +situated outside and to the west front of the entrenchment), thus +preventing their approaching the bridge of boats near enough to injure +it. + +I was about to start back to Head-Quarters, when suddenly loud cheers +broke from the men, caused by the appearance in their midst of the +Commander-in-Chief himself. After I had left him, Sir Colin became +every minute more impatient and fidgety, and ere long started off +after me, accompanied by Mansfield and some other staff officers. He +was recognized by the soldiers, some of whom had known him in +the Crimea, and they at once surrounded him, giving enthusiastic +expression to their joy at seeing him again. + +The Chief could now judge for himself as to how matters stood, so, as +there was plenty of work in camp for me, I started back to rejoin my +own General. On my way I stopped to speak to Budgen, whom I found in +a most dejected frame of mind. Unfortunately for him, he had used +exactly the same words in describing the situation at Cawnpore to Sir +Colin as he had to me, which roused the old Chief's indignation, and +he flew at the wretched man as he was sometimes apt to do when greatly +put out, rating him soundly, and asking him how he dared to say of Her +Majesty's troops that they were 'at their last gasp.' + +I found Hope Grant about four miles from the river bank, where the +camp was being pitched. Sir Colin did not return till after dark, when +we were told that the rest of Windham's troops had been driven inside +the entrenchment, which only confirmed what we had suspected, for +flames were seen mounting high into the air from the direction of the +assembly-rooms, which, it now turned out, had been set on fire by the +enemy--an unfortunate occurrence, as in them had been stored the camp +equipage, kits, clothing, etc., belonging to most of the regiments +which had crossed the Ganges into Oudh. But what was more serious +still was the fact that the road was now open for the rebels' heavy +guns, which might be brought to bear upon the bridge of boats at any +moment. + +Owing to the length of the march (thirty-two or thirty-three miles), +some of the carts and the heavy guns did not arrive till daybreak. +Scarcely had the bullocks been unyoked, before the guns were ordered +on to the river bank, where they formed up, and so effectually plied +the enemy with shot and shell that the passage of the river was +rendered comparatively safe for our troops. + +When the men had breakfasted, the order was given to cross over. Sir +Colin accompanied the column as far as the bridge, and then directed +Hope Grant, with the Horse Artillery and most of the Cavalry, +Bourchier's battery and Adrian Hope's brigade, to move to the +south-east of the city and take up a position on the open ground which +stretched from the river to the Grand Trunk Road, with the canal +between us and the enemy. By this arrangement communication with +Allahabad, which had been temporarily interrupted, was restored, +a very necessary measure, for until the road was made safe, +reinforcements, which on account of the paucity of transport had to +be sent up in small detachments, could not reach us, nor could the +families and sick soldiers be sent down country. + +The passage of the huge convoy over the bridge of boats, under the +protection of Greathed's brigade, was a most tedious business, +occupying thirty hours, from 3 p.m. on the 29th till about 9 p.m. on +the 30th, when Inglis brought over the rear guard. During its transit +the enemy fired occasionally on the bridge, and tried to destroy it by +floating fire-rafts down the river; fortunately they did not succeed, +and the convoy arrived without accident on the ground set apart for it +in the rear of our camp. + +For the three first days of December I was chiefly employed in +reconnoitring with the Native Cavalry the country to our left and +rear, to make sure that the rebels had no intention of attempting to +get round that flank, and in making arrangements for the despatch of +the families, the sick, and the wounded, to Allahabad _en route_ to +Calcutta. We improvised covers for some of the carts, in which we +placed the women and children and the worst cases amongst the men; but +with all our efforts to render them less unfit for the purpose, these +carts remained but rough and painful conveyances for delicate women +and suffering men to travel in. + +We were not left altogether unmolested by the enemy during these days. +Round shot kept continually falling in our midst, particularly in the +neighbourhood of the Commander-in-Chief's tent, the exact position of +which must have somehow been made known to the rebels, otherwise they +could not have distinguished it from the rest of the camp, as it +was an unpretentious hill tent, such as was then used by subaltern +officers. + +Until the women left camp on the night of the 3rd December, we were +obliged to act on the defensive, and were not able to stop the enemy's +fire completely, though we managed to keep it under control by +occupying the point called Generalganj, and strengthening the piquets +on our right and left flank. On the 4th a second unsuccessful attempt +was made to destroy the bridge of boats by means of fire-rafts, and on +the 5th there were several affairs at the outposts, all of which ended +in the discomfiture of the rebels without any great loss to ourselves; +Lieutenant-Colonel Ewart of the 93rd Highlanders, who lost his arm on +the 1st, and Captain Crutchley of the same regiment, who was severely +wounded, being the only casualties amongst the officers. + + +[Footnote 1: Our force consisted of the troops which Sir Colin had +reviewed on the Alambagh plain on the 11th instant, with the exception +of the 75th Foot, which was transferred to Outram's division. We had, +however, in their place, the survivors of the 32nd Foot, and of the +Native regiments who had behaved so loyally during the siege. These +latter were formed into one battalion, called the Regiment of +Lucknow--the present 16th Bengal Infantry. The 32nd Foot, which was +not up to full strength (1,067) when the Mutiny broke out, had in +1857-58 no less than 610 men killed and wounded, exclusive of 169 +who died from disease. We had also with us, and to them was given an +honoured place, 'the remnant of the few faithful pensioners who had +alone, of many thousands in Oudh, responded to the call of Sir Henry +Lawrence to come in to aid the cause of those whose salt they had +eaten.'--Lecture on the Relief of Lucknow, by Colonel H.W. Norman.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. +1857 + + The fight at Cawnpore--Unexpected visitors--A long chase + --Unjur Tiwari--Bithur--Windham at Cawnpore + + +The time had now arrived to give the Gwalior troops a repetition of +the lesson taught them at Agra on the 10th October. They had had +it all their own way since then; and having proved too strong for +Windham, they misunderstood the Commander-in-Chief remaining for so +long on the defensive, and attributed his inaction to fear of their +superior prowess. + +Sunday, the 6th December, was one of those glorious days in which the +European in northern India revels for a great part of the winter, +clear and cool, with a cloudless sky. I awoke refreshed after a good +night's rest, and in high spirits at the prospect before us of +a satisfactory day's work; for we hoped to drive the enemy from +Cawnpore, and to convince those who had witnessed, if not taken part +in, the horrible brutalities perpetrated there, that England's hour +had come at last. + +The 42nd Highlanders, a battery of Royal Artillery, and detachments of +several different corps, had quite lately been added to the force, +so that the Commander-in-Chief had now at his disposal about 5,000 +Infantry, 600 Cavalry, and 35 guns. The Infantry were divided into +four brigades, commanded respectively by Greathed, Adrian Hope, +Inglis, and Walpole.[1] The Cavalry brigade, consisting of the +same regiments which had come with us from Delhi, was commanded by +Brigadier Little, the Artillery[2] by Major-General Dupuis, and the +Engineers by Colonel Harness, General Windham being placed in charge +of the entrenchments. + +Opposed to this force there were 25,000 men, with 40 guns, not +all disciplined soldiers, but all adepts in the use of arms, and +accustomed to fighting. They were divided into two distinct bodies, +one composed of the Gwalior Contingent, the Rani of Jhansi's +followers, and the mutinous regiments which had been stationed in +Bundelkand, Central India, and Rajputana, which occupied the right +of the enemy's position, covering their line of retreat by the Kalpi +road. The other consisted of the troops--regular and irregular--which +had attached themselves to the Nana, and held the city and the ground +which lay between it and the Ganges, their line of retreat being along +the Grand Trunk Road to Bithur. Tantia Topi was in command of the +whole force, while the Nana remained with his own people on the left +flank. + +On the centre and left the enemy were very strongly posted, and could +only be approached through the city and by way of the difficult broken +ground, covered with ruined houses, stretching along the river bank. + +While the men were eating their breakfasts, and the tents were being +struck, packed, and sent to the rear, Sir Colin carefully explained +his plan of operations to the Commanding officers and the staff; this +plan was, to make a feint on the enemy's left and centre, but to +direct the real attack on their right, hoping thus to be able to +dispose of this portion of Tantia Topi's force, before assistance +could be obtained from any other part of the line. + +With this view Windham was ordered to open with every gun within +the entrenchment at 9 a.m.; while Greathed, supported by Walpole, +threatened the enemy's centre. Exactly at the hour named, the roar of +Windham's Artillery was heard, followed a few minutes later by the +rattle of Greathed's musketry along the bank of the canal. Meanwhile, +Adrian Hope's brigade was drawn up in fighting formation behind the +Cavalry stables on our side of the Trunk Road, and Inglis's brigade +behind the racecourse on the other side. At eleven o'clock the order +was given to advance. The Cavalry and Horse Artillery moved to the +left with instructions to cross the canal by a bridge about two miles +off, and to be ready to fall upon the enemy as they retreated along +the Kalpi road. Walpole's brigade, covered by Smith's Field battery, +crossed the canal by a bridge immediately to the left of Generalganj, +cleared the canal bank, and, by hugging the wall of the city, +effectually prevented reinforcements reaching the enemy's right. + +Peel's and Longden's heavy guns, and Bourchier's and Middleton's Field +batteries, now opened on some brick-kilns and mounds which the enemy +were holding in strength on our side of the canal, and against which +Adrian Hope's and Inglis's brigades advanced in parallel lines, +covered by the 4th Punjab Infantry in skirmishing order. + +It was a sight to be remembered, that advance, as we watched it from +our position on horseback, grouped round the Commander-in-Chief. +Before us stretched a fine open grassy plain; to the right the dark +green of the Rifle Brigade battalions revealed where Walpole's brigade +was crossing the canal. Nearer to us, the 53rd Foot, and the 42nd and +93rd Highlanders in their bonnets and kilts, marched as on parade, +although the enemy's guns played upon them and every now and then a +round shot plunged through their ranks or ricocheted over their heads; +on they went without apparently being in the least disconcerted, and +without the slightest confusion. + +As the brick-kilns were neared, the 4th Punjab Infantry, supported by +the 53rd Foot, charged the enemy in grand style, and drove them across +the canal. Here there occurred a slight check. The rebels, having been +reinforced, made a stand, and bringing guns to bear upon the bridge +within grape range, they must have done us great damage but for the +timely arrival of Peel and his sailors with a heavy gun. This put new +life into the attacking party; with a loud cheer they dashed across +the bridge, while Peel poured round after round from his 24-pounder on +the insurgents with most salutary effect. The enemy faced about and +retired with the utmost celerity, leaving a 9-pounder gun in our +possession. + +The whole of Hope's brigade, followed by Inglis's, now arrived on the +scene and proceeded to cross the canal, some by the bridge, while +others waded through the water. Having got to the other side, both +brigades re-formed, and moved rapidly along the Kalpi road. We +(the Commander-in-Chief, Hope Grant, and their respective staffs) +accompanied this body of troops for about a mile and a half, when the +rebels' camp came in sight. A few rounds were fired into it, and then +it was rushed. + +We were evidently unexpected visitors; wounded men were lying about in +all directions, and many sepoys were surprised calmly cooking their +frugal meal of unleavened bread. The tents were found to be full of +property plundered from the city and cantonment of Cawnpore--soldiers' +kits, bedding, clothing, and every description of miscellaneous +articles; but to us the most valuable acquisition was a quantity of +grain and a large number of fine bullocks, of which those best suited +for Ordnance purposes were kept, and the rest were made over to the +Commissariat. + +That portion of the rebel force with which we had been engaged was now +in full retreat, and Sir Colin wished to follow it up at once; but +the Cavalry and Horse Artillery had not arrived, so that considerable +delay occurred; while we were waiting the Chief arranged to send +Mansfield with a small force[3] round to the north of Cawnpore, and, +by thus threatening the road along which the Nana's troops must +retreat, compel them to evacuate the city. The 23rd Royal Welsh +Fusiliers and a detachment of the 38th Foot were to be left to look +after the deserted camp, and Inglis's brigade was to move along the +Kalpi road in support of the Cavalry and Horse Artillery. But where +were the much-needed and anxiously-expected mounted troops? It was not +like them to be out of the way when their services were required; but +it was now nearly two o'clock, they had not appeared, and the days +were very short. What was to be done? The enemy could not be allowed +to carry off their guns and escape punishment. Suddenly the old Chief +announced that he had determined to follow them up himself with +Bourchier's battery and his own escort. + +What a chase we had! We went at a gallop, only pulling up occasionally +for the battery to come into action, 'to clear our front and flanks.' +We came up with a goodly number of stragglers, and captured several +guns and carts laden with ammunition. But we were by this time +overtaking large bodies of the rebels, and they were becoming too +numerous for a single battery and a few staff officers to cope with. +We had outstripped the Commander-in-Chief, and Hope Grant decided to +halt, hoping that the missing Cavalry and Horse Artillery might soon +turn up. We had not to wait long. In about a quarter of an hour they +appeared among some trees to our left, even more put out than we were +at their not having been to the front at such a time. Their guide had +made too great a détour, but the sound of our guns showed them his +mistake, and they at once altered their course and pushed on in the +direction of the firing. Sir Colin had also come up, so off we started +again, and never drew rein until we reached the Pandu Naddi, fourteen +miles from Cawnpore. The rout was complete. Finding themselves +pressed, the sepoys scattered over the country, throwing away their +arms and divesting themselves of their uniform, that they might pass +for harmless peasants. Nineteen guns, some of them of large calibre, +were left in our hands. Our victory was particularly satisfactory in +that it was achieved with but slight loss to ourselves, the casualties +being 2 officers and 11 men killed, and 9 officers and 76 men wounded. + +Hope Grant now desired me to hurry back to Cawnpore before it got too +dark, and select the ground for the night's bivouac. As there was some +risk in going alone, Augustus Anson volunteered to accompany me. +We had got about half-way, when we came across the dead body of +Lieutenant Salmond, who had been acting Aide-de-camp to my General, +and must have got separated from us in the pursuit. His throat was +cut, and he had a severe wound on the face. Soon after we met Inglis's +brigade, which, in accordance with my instructions, I turned back. On +reaching the Gwalior Contingent camp, we heard that an attempt had +been made to recapture it, which had been repulsed by the troops left +in charge. + +It was dusk by the time we reached the junction of the Kalpi and Grand +Trunk roads, and we agreed that this would be a good place for a +bivouac, the city being about a mile in front, and Mansfield's column +less than two miles to the left. I marked out the ground, and showed +each corps as it came up the position it was to occupy. When all this +was over I was pretty well tired out and ravenously hungry; but food +there was none, so I had made up my mind to lie down, famished as I +was. Just then I came across some sleeping men, who to my joy turned +out to be Dighton Probyn and the officers of the 2nd Punjab Cavalry, +who were magnanimous enough to forgive the abrupt interruption to +their slumbers, and to supply me with some cold mutton, bread, and a +bottle of beer. Never was man more grateful for a meal, and never was +a meal more thoroughly enjoyed. I lay down beside my friends and was +soon fast asleep, in spite of the bitter cold and being much troubled +about my horse; neither for him nor myself was there a vestige of +covering to be found. + +The next morning I was astir by cockcrow. Patrols who had been sent +forward to ascertain the truth of a rumour which had reached the +Commander-in-Chief the previous evening, to the effect that the city +had been evacuated, returned with confirmation of the report; but the +news in other respects was far from satisfactory. Mansfield's movement +had caused the enemy to retire, but they had got away without loss, +and had succeeded in carrying off all their guns; so that only one +half of Tantia Topi's force had really been dealt with; the other +half still remained to be disposed of, and to Hope Grant's great +satisfaction and my delight, the duty of following them up was +entrusted to him. + +His orders were to go to Bithur, as it was thought likely that the +Nana's troops would retire on that place. But as the news was not +very reliable, Hope Grant was told to use his own discretion, and act +according to circumstances. + +For several days I had been trying unsuccessfully to get hold of some +Natives upon whom I could rely to bring me trustworthy information as +to the enemy's movements. It is always of the utmost importance that a +Quartermaster-General on service should have the help of such men, and +I was now more than ever in need of reliable intelligence. In this +emergency I applied to Captain Bruce, the officer in charge of the +Intelligence Department which had been established at Cawnpore for the +purpose of tracing the whereabouts of those rebels who had taken +a prominent part in the atrocities. I was at once supplied with a +first-rate man, Unjur Tiwari by name,[4] who from that moment until +I left India for England in April, 1858, rendered me most valuable +service. He was a Brahmin by caste, and belonged to the 1st Native +Infantry. In a few words I explained what I required of him, and he +started at once for Bithur, promising to meet me the next day on the +line of march. + +[Illustration: PLAN OF CAWNPORE. 1857.] + +Early on the afternoon of the 8th we marched out of Cawnpore, and at +sunset Unjur Tiwari, true to his promise, made his appearance at the +point where the road turns off to Bithur. He told me that the Nana had +slept at that place the night before, but hearing of our approach, had +decamped with all his guns and most of his followers, and was now at a +ferry some miles up the river, trying to get across and make his way +to Oudh. We had come thirteen miles, and had as many more to go before +we could get to the ferry, and as there was nothing to be gained +by arriving there in the dark, a halt was ordered for rest and +refreshment. At midnight we started again, and reached Sheorajpur +(three miles from the ferry) at daybreak. Here we left our +impedimenta, and proceeded by a cross-country road. Presently a couple +of mounted men belonging to the enemy, not perceiving who we were, +galloped straight into the escort. On discovering their mistake, they +turned and tried to escape, but in vain; one was killed, the other +captured, and from him we learnt that the rebels were only a short +distance ahead. We pushed on, and soon came in sight of them and of +the river; crowds were collected on the banks, and boats were being +hurriedly laden, some of the guns having already been placed on board. +Our troops were ordered to advance, but the ground along the river +bank was treacherous and very heavy. Notwithstanding, the Artillery +managed to struggle through, and when the batteries had got to within +1,000 yards of the ferry, the enemy appeared suddenly to discover +our presence, and opened upon us with their Artillery. Our batteries +galloped on, and got considerably nearer before they returned the +fire; after a few rounds the rebels broke and fled. The ground was so +unfavourable for pursuit, being full of holes and quicksands, that +nearly all escaped, except a few cut up by the Cavalry. Fifteen guns +were captured, with one single casualty on our side--the General +himself--who was hit on the foot by a spent grape-shot, without, +happily, being much hurt. + +Hope Grant's successful management of this little expedition +considerably enhanced the high opinion the Commander-in-Chief had +already formed of his ability. He was next ordered to proceed to +Bithur and complete the destruction of that place, which had been +begun by Havelock in July. We found the palace in good order--there +was little evidence that it had been visited by an avenging force, and +in one of the rooms which had been occupied by the treacherous Azimula +Khan, I came across a number of letters, some unopened, and some +extremely interesting, to which I shall have to refer later on. + +We left Adrian Hope's brigade at Bithur to search for treasure +reported to have been buried near the palace, and returned to +Cawnpore, where we remained for about ten days, not at all sorry for +the rest. + +During this time of comparative idleness, I went over the ground where +the troops under Windham had been engaged for three days, and heard +many comments on the conduct of the operations. All spoke in high +terms of Windham's dash and courage, but as a Commander he was +generally considered to have failed. + +Windham was without doubt placed in an extremely difficult position. +The relief of the garrison at Lucknow was of such paramount importance +that Sir Colin Campbell was obliged to take with him every available +man,[5] and found it necessary to order Windham to send all +reinforcements after him as soon as they arrived, although it was +recognized as probable that Tantia Topi, with the large force then +assembled near Kalpi, would advance on Cawnpore as soon as the +Commander-in-Chief was committed to his difficult undertaking. +Windham's orders were to improve the defences of the entrenchment; to +carefully watch the movements of the Gwalior army; and to make as much +display as possible of the troops at his command by encamping them in +a conspicuous position outside the city; but he was not on any account +to move out to attack, unless compelled to do so in order to prevent +the bombardment of the entrenchment. The safety of this entrenchment +was of great importance, for it contained a number of guns, quantities +of ammunition and other warlike stores, and it covered, as already +shown, the bridge of boats over the Ganges. + +Windham loyally carried out his instructions, but he subsequently +asked for and obtained leave to detain any troops arriving at Cawnpore +after the 14th of November, as he did not feel himself strong enough, +with the force at his disposal, to resist the enemy if attacked. But +even after having received this sanction he twice despatched strong +reinforcements to Lucknow, thus weakening himself considerably in +order to give Sir Colin all possible help. + +Windham eventually had at his disposal about 1,700 Infantry and eight +guns, the greater part of which were encamped as directed, outside the +city, close to the junction of the Delhi and Kalpi roads, while the +rest were posted in and around the entrenchment. Meanwhile the rebels +were slowly approaching Cawnpore in detachments, with the evident +intention of surrounding the place. On the 17th two bodies of troops +were pushed on to Shuli and Shirajpur, within fifteen miles of the +city, and a little less than that distance from each other. Windham +thought that if he could manage to surprise either of these, he could +prevent the enemy from concentrating, and he drew up a scheme for +giving effect to this plan, which he submitted for the approval of the +Commander-in-Chief. No reply came, and after waiting a week he gave up +all idea of attempting to surprise the detachments, and determined to +try and arrest the rebels' advance by attacking the main body, still +some distance off. Accordingly he broke up his camp, and marched six +miles along the Kalpi road, on the same day that the Gwalior force +moved some distance nearer to Cawnpore. The next morning, the 25th, +the enemy advanced to Pandu Naddi, within three miles of Windham's +camp. + +Windham now found himself in a very critical position. With only 1,200 +Infantry[6] and eight light guns, he was opposed to Tantia Topi with +an army of 25,000 men and forty guns. He had to choose whether he +would fight these enormous odds or retire: he decided that to fight +was the least of the two evils, and he was so far successful that +he drove back that portion of the opposing force immediately in +his front, and captured three guns; but being unable to press his +advantage on account of the paucity of men and the total absence of +Cavalry, he had perforce to fall back--a grievous necessity. He was +followed the whole way, insulted and jeered at, by the rebel horsemen. +The result of the day was to give confidence to the wily Mahratta +leader; he pushed on to Cawnpore, and attacked Windham with such +vehemence that by nightfall on the 28th the British troops were driven +inside the entrenchment, having had 315 men killed and wounded, and +having lost all their baggage and camp equipage. + +Windham undoubtedly laid himself open to censure. His defence was +that, had he received the Commander-in-Chief's authority to carry out +his plan for surprising the rebels, he would certainly have broken up +their army, and the disaster could not have occurred. But surely when +he decided that circumstances had so changed since Sir Colin's orders +were given as to justify him in disregarding them, he should have +acted on his own responsibility, and taken such steps as appeared to +him best, instead of applying for sanction to a Commander far from +the scene of action, and so entirely ignorant of the conditions under +which the application was made, as to render it impossible for him to +decide whether such sanction should be given. The march which Windham +made towards the enemy on the 24th was quite as grave a disobedience +of orders as would have been the surprise movement he contemplated +on the 17th; but while the former placed him in a most dangerous +position, and one from which it was impossible to deal the enemy a +decisive blow, the latter, if successful, would have deserved, and +doubtless would have received, the highest praise. + + +[Footnote 1: Greathed's brigade consisted of the 8th and 64th Foot and +2nd Punjab Infantry. Adrian Hope's brigade consisted of the 53rd Foot, +42nd and 93rd Highlanders, and 4th Punjab Infantry. Inglis's brigade +consisted of the 23rd Fusiliers, 32nd and 82nd Foot. Walpole's brigade +consisted of the 2nd and 3rd Battalions Rifle Brigade and a detachment +of the 38th Foot.] + +[Footnote 2: The Artillery consisted of Peel's Naval Brigade, Blunt's, +Bridge's and Remmington's troops of Horse Artillery, Bourchier's, +Middleton's, and Smith's Field batteries, and Longden's Heavy +battery.] + +[Footnote 3: Mansfield was given the two Rifle Brigade battalions, the +93rd Highlanders, Longden's Heavy, and Middleton's Field battery.] + +[Footnote 4: Unjur Tiwari's career was a very remarkable one. A sepoy +in the 1st Bengal Native Infantry, he was at Banda when the Mutiny +broke out, and during the disturbances at that place he aided +a European clerk and his wife to escape, and showed his +disinterestedness by refusing to take a gold ring, the only reward +they had to offer him. He then joined Havelock's force, and rendered +excellent service as a spy; and although taken prisoner more than +once, and on one occasion tortured, he never wavered in his loyalty to +us. Accompanying Outram to Lucknow, he volunteered to carry a letter +to Cawnpore, and after falling into the hands of the rebels, and +being cruelly ill-treated by them, he effected his escape, and safely +delivered Outram's message to Sir Colin Campbell. He then worked +for me most faithfully, procuring information which I could always +thoroughly rely upon; and I was much gratified when he was rewarded by +a grant of Rs. 3,000, presented with a sword of honour, and invested +with the Order of British India, with the title of Sirdar Bahadur. I +was proportionately distressed some years later to find that, owing to +misrepresentations of enemies when he was serving in the Oudh Military +Police, Unjur Tiwari had been deprived of his rewards, and learning he +was paralyzed and in want, I begged Lord Napier to interest himself in +the matter, the result being that the brave old man was given a yearly +pension of Rs. 1,200 for his life. He was alive when I left India, +and although he resided some distance from the railway he always had +himself carried to see me whenever I travelled in his direction.] + +[Footnote 5: The garrison left at Cawnpore consisted of: + + Four companies of the 64th Foot, and small + detachments of other regiments 450 men. + Sailors 47 men. + -------- + Total 497 + +with a hastily organized bullock battery of four field guns, manned +partly by Europeans and partly by Sikhs.] + +[Footnote 6: The force was composed of the 34th Foot, and portions of +the 82nd and 88th Foot, and 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade; with four +9-pounders, manned partly by Royal and Bengal gunners and partly by +Sikhs; and four 6-pounders, manned by Madras Native gunners.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. +1857-1858 + + The Fight at Khudaganj--A mêlée--Oudh or Rohilkand? + + +Our stay at Cawnpore was more prolonged than the Commander-in-Chief +intended or wished it to be, but want of transport made it impossible +for us to move until the carts returned which had gone to Allahabad +with the women and children and the sick soldiers. We were thus +delayed until the 23rd December, on which date we commenced our march +towards Fatehgarh. + +At Chobipur, two marches from Cawnpore, where we spent Christmas Day, +we were joined by the troops who had been left behind at Bithur; +they had not succeeded in discovering any considerable quantity of +treasure, some silver vessels of various kinds being the only result +of their labours. + +The Commander-in-Chief's object in moving on Fatehgarh was to restore +order throughout the Doab and open communication between the Punjab +and Bengal. + +A brigade under Brigadier Walpole had been despatched on the 16th, +with orders to clear the country along the left bank of the Jumna up +to Mainpuri, where he was to be joined by Brigadier Seaton with a +strong column from Delhi, and whence the united force was to advance +on Fatehgarh. + +We reached Gursahaiganj, where the road turns off to Fatehgarh, on the +31st, and here the main body of the army halted on New Year's Day, +1858; but information having been received that 5,000 rebels under the +Nawab of Farakabad had partly destroyed the suspension bridge over +the Kali Naddi, about five miles ahead, and had then gone off towards +Fatehgarh, Adrian Hope's brigade was sent forward to repair the damage +and watch the bridge. + +Early the following morning Sir Colin, with Mansfield and the rest of +his staff, went on to inspect progress, leaving orders for the rest of +the force to follow later in the day. Very soon, however, Hope Grant +received an urgent message from the Chief of the Staff, telling him to +push on the troops with all possible speed, as the enemy had returned, +and were now in strength on the other side of the Kali Naddi. + +We (Sir Hope and his staff) started off with the Horse Artillery and +Cavalry, and found, on reaching the bridge, that the rebels were +occupying the village of Khudaganj, just across the river, and only +about 300 yards off, from which advantageous position they were +pouring a heavy fire on Hope's brigade. Our piquets on the further +side of the stream had been strengthened by a wing of the 53rd Foot, +and a wing of the 93rd Highlanders had been placed in reserve behind +the bridge on the nearer side, the rest of the regiment having been +despatched to watch a ford some distance down the river, while a +battery of Field Artillery had been brought into action in reply to +the enemy's guns. Immediately on the arrival of the main body, three +of Peel's guns, under Vaughan, his First Lieutenant, were pushed +across the bridge to the further side, and getting under shelter of +a convenient building, opened fire on the village, and on a toll-bar +directly in its front, about which the enemy were collected in +considerable numbers. Our Infantry now crossed over, followed by the +Cavalry and Horse Artillery--a tedious operation, as there had not +been time to fully repair the bridge, and in one place planks had only +been laid for half its width, necessitating horses being led, and +Infantry passing over in sections. Moreover, the enemy had got the +exact range, and several casualties occurred at this spot; one round +shot alone killed and wounded six men of the 8th Foot. Vaughan at +last succeeded in silencing the gun which had troubled us most, and +preparations were made for an attack on the village. While we were +watching the proceedings, the Interpreter to the Naval Brigade, Henry +Hamilton Maxwell, a brother officer of mine who had been standing +close to me, was very badly wounded in the leg, and both Sir Colin and +Sir Hope were hit by spent bullets, luckily without being much hurt. + +There was a feeling throughout the army that Sir Colin was inclined to +favour Highlanders unduly; and a rumour got about that the 93rd were +to be allowed the honour of delivering the assault on Khudaganj, which +was highly resented by the 53rd, and they determined that on this +occasion, at any rate, the Highlanders should not have it all their +own way. The 53rd was composed of a remarkably fine set of fellows, +chiefly Irish, and it was Mansfield's own regiment; wishing, +therefore, to do an old comrade a good turn, he had placed Major +Payn,[1] one of the senior officers, in command of the piquets. Payn +was a fine dashing soldier, and a great favourite with the men, who +calculated on his backing them up if they upset Sir Colin's little +plan. Whether what happened was with or without Payn's permission, I +cannot say, but we were all waiting near the bridge for the attacking +party to form when suddenly the 'advance' was sounded, then the +'double,' followed by a tremendous cheer, and we saw the 53rd charge +the enemy. Sir Colin was very angry, but the 53rd could not be brought +back, and there was nothing for it but to support them. Hope's and +Greathed's troops were instantly pushed on, and the Cavalry and Horse +Artillery were ordered to mount. + +The ground gradually sloped upwards towards Khudaganj, and the +regiments moving up to the attack made a fine picture. The 93rd +followed the impulsive 53rd, while Greathed's brigade took a line to +the left, and as they neared the village the rebels hastily limbered +up their guns and retired. This was an opportunity for mounted troops +such as does not often occur; it was instantly seized by Hope Grant, +who rode to the Cavalry, drawn up behind some sand hills, and gave the +word of command, 'Threes left, trot, march.' The words had hardly left +his lips before we had started in pursuit of the enemy, by this time +half a mile ahead, the 9th Lancers leading the way, followed by +Younghusband's, Gough's, and Probyn's squadrons. When within 300 yards +of the fugitives, the 'charge' was sounded, and in a few seconds we +were in their midst. A regular mêlée ensued, a number of the rebels +were killed, and seven guns captured in less than as many minutes. The +General now formed the Cavalry into a long line, and, placing himself +at the head of his own regiment (the 9th Lancers), followed up the +flying foe. I rode a little to his left with Younghusband's squadron, +and next to him came Tyrrell Ross, the doctor.[2] As we galloped +along, Younghusband drew my attention with great pride to the +admirable manner in which his men kept their dressing. + +On the line thundered, overtaking groups of the enemy, who every now +and then turned and fired into us before they could be cut down, +or knelt to receive us on their bayonets before discharging their +muskets. The chase continued for nearly five miles, until daylight +began to fail and we appeared to have got to the end of the fugitives, +when the order was given to wheel to the right and form up on the +road. Before, however, this movement could be carried out, we overtook +a batch of mutineers, who faced about and fired into the squadron at +close quarters. I saw Younghusband fall, but I could not go to his +assistance, as at that moment one of his _sowars_ was in dire peril +from a sepoy who was attacking him with his fixed bayonet, and had I +not helped the man and disposed of his opponent, he must have been +killed. The next moment I descried in the distance two sepoys making +off with a standard, which I determined must be captured, so I rode +after the rebels and overtook them, and while wrenching the staff out +of the hands of one of them, whom I cut down, the other put his musket +close to my body and fired; fortunately for me it missed fire, and I +carried off the standard.[3] + +[Illustration: Plan of the Engagement on the Banks of the KALI NADI at +KHUDAGANJ January 2nd. 1858.] + +Tyrrell Ross, attracted by a party of men in the rear of the squadron +bending over the fallen Younghusband, now came up, and, to everyone's +great grief, pronounced the wound to be mortal. From the day that I +had annexed Younghusband's pony at the siege of Delhi we had been so +much together, and had become such fast friends, that it was a great +shock to me to be told that never again would my gallant comrade lead +the men in whom he took such soldierly pride.[4] + +When the wounded had been attended to, we returned to camp, where +we found Sir Colin waiting to welcome us, and we received quite an +ovation from our comrades in the Infantry and Artillery. We must +have presented a curious spectacle as we rode back, almost every +man carrying some trophy of the day, for the enemy had abandoned +everything in their flight, and we found the road strewn with laden +carts and palankins, arms, Native clothing, etc. Our losses were +surprisingly small--only 10 men killed, and 30 men and 2 officers +wounded. + +The next day the column marched to Fatehgarh, which we found deserted. +The rebels had fled so precipitately that they had left the bridge +over the Ganges intact, and had not attempted to destroy the valuable +gun-carriage factory in the fort, which was then placed in the charge +of Captain H. Legeyt Bruce.[5] + +We remained a whole month at Fatehgarh, and loud were the complaints +in camp at the unaccountable delay. It was the general opinion that +we ought to move into Rohilkand, and settle that part of the country +before returning to Lucknow; this view was very strongly held by +Sir Colin Campbell, and those who accused him of "indecision, +dilatoriness, and wasting the best of the cold weather" could not have +known how little he deserved their censure. The truth was, that the +Governor-General and the Commander-in-Chief were not in accord as to +the order in which the several military operations should be taken in +hand; the latter urged that Rohilkand should be dealt with first, and +settled before the end of the cold weather; he thought that the troops +would then be the better for a rest, and that Lucknow could very well +wait till the following autumn. Lord Canning opined, on the other hand +(and I entirely agree with him), that, while it was most desirable +that order should be restored in Rohilkand, and indeed throughout the +whole of the North-West Provinces, the possession of Lucknow was of +'far greater value.' 'Every eye,' Lord Canning wrote, 'is upon Oudh as +it was upon Delhi: Oudh is not only the rallying-place of the sepoys, +the place to which they all look, and by the doings in which their own +hopes and prospects rise or fall; but it represents a dynasty; there +is a king of Oudh "seeking his own."' He pointed out that there was an +uneasy feeling amongst the Chiefs of Native States, who were intently +watching our attitude with regard to Lucknow, and that even in +'far-off Burma' news from Lucknow was anxiously looked for. The +Governor-General laid great stress also upon the advisability of +employing as soon and as close to their own country as possible the +troops from Nepal which, at Sir Henry Lawrence's suggestion, had been +applied for to, and lent us by, the Nepalese Government. + +The visit of Jung Bahadur (the Prime Minister of Nepal) to England a +few years before had opened his eyes to our latent power, and he had +been able to convince his people that time alone was required for us +to recover completely from the blow which had been dealt us by the +Mutiny, and that it was therefore to their advantage to side with us. +Lord Canning wisely judged, however, that it would be highly imprudent +to allow the province immediately adjoining Nepal to continue in a +state of revolt, and he felt that neither Jung Bahadur nor his Gurkhas +would be satisfied unless they were allowed to take an active part in +the campaign. + + +[Footnote 1: The late General Sir William Payn, K.C.B.] + +[Footnote 2: Tyrrell Ross was well known as a skilful surgeon, and +much esteemed as a staunch friend. He had just returned from England, +and had that very morning been placed in medical charge of the Cavalry +Brigade. When the order to mount was given, Ross asked the General +where he wished him to be, pointing out that he would not be of much +use in the rear if there were a pursuit across country. Hope Grant +replied: 'Quite so; I have heard that you are a good rider and can +use your sword. Ride on my left, and help to look after my third +squadron.' This Ross did as well as any Cavalry officer could have +done.] + +[Footnote 3: For these two acts I was awarded the Victoria Cross.] + +[Footnote 4: Younghusband met with an extraordinary accident during +the fight at Agra. While pursuing one of the Gwalior rebels, he fell +with his horse into a disused well, fifty feet deep, and was followed +by two of his men, also mounted. Ropes were brought, and the bodies +were hauled up, when, to the astonishment of everyone, Younghusband +was found to be alive, and, beyond being badly bruised, uninjured. +He had fallen to the bottom in a sitting position, his back resting +against the side of the well, and his legs stretched out in front +of him, while his horse fell standing and across him. He was thus +protected from the weight of the other two horses and their riders, +who were all killed.] + +[Footnote 5: Now Major-General H.L. Bruce, C.B.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. +1858 + + Mianganj--Curious effect of a mirage--The Dilkusha revisited + --Passage of the Gumti--Capture of the Chakar Kothi + --Capture of the iron bridge--Hodson mortally wounded + --Outram's soldierly instinct--A lost opportunity--Sam Browne + --Start for England--Death of Sir William Peel + + +Our prolonged stay at Fatehgarh was not altogether without advantage. +Such a large force being concentrated in the neighbourhood secured the +safety of the Doab for the time being, and as Fatehgarh was equally +conveniently situated for an advance, either into Rohilkand or upon +Lucknow, the rebels were kept in a state of uncertainty as to the +direction of our next move. + +At length it was decided that Lucknow was to be our first objective, +and Sir Colin at once communicated with Outram and Napier as to the +best means of conducting the siege. Then, leaving Hope Grant to take +the division across the Ganges, the Chief went to Allahabad, the +temporary Head-Quarters of the supreme Government, to discuss the +situation with the Governor-General. + +We marched through Cawnpore, and on the 8th February reached Unao, +where we found encamped the 7th Hussars, a troop of Royal Horse +Artillery, the 38th Foot and the 79th Highlanders. + +Sir Colin on his return from Allahabad on the 10th issued a General +Order detailing the regiments, staff, and Commanders who were to take +part in the 'Siege of Lucknow.'[1] Hope Grant, who had been made +a Major-General for the 'Relief of Lucknow,' was appointed to the +command of the Cavalry division, and I remained with him as D.A.Q.M.G. + +Rumours had been flying about that the Nana was somewhere in the +neighbourhood, but 'Wolf!' had been cried so often with regard to him, +that but little notice was taken of the reports, until my faithful +spy, Unjur Tiwari, brought me intelligence that the miscreant really +was hiding in a small fort about twenty-five miles from our camp. Hope +Grant started off at once, taking with him a compact little force, and +reached the fort early next morning (17th February), just too late +to catch the Nana, who, we were told, had fled precipitately before +daybreak. We blew up the fort, and for the next few days moved by +short marches towards Lucknow, clearing the country as we went of +rebels, small parties of whom we frequently encountered. On the 23rd +we reached Mianganj, a small fortified town on the old Cawnpore and +Lucknow road, where some 2,000 of the enemy had ensconced themselves. +Our advance guard having been fired upon as we approached, the +column was halted and the baggage placed in safety, while Hope +Grant reconnoitred the position in order to see where it could most +advantageously be attacked. We found the town enclosed by a high +loop-holed wall with circular bastions at the four corners and at +regular intervals along the sides, the whole being surrounded by a wet +ditch, while the gateways had been strengthened by palisades. Large +bodies of the enemy's Cavalry hovered about our reconnoitring party, +only to retire as we advanced, apparently not liking the look of the +7th Hussars and 9th Lancers, who formed the General's escort. + +After a careful inspection, Hope Grant decided to breach the +north-west angle of the wall, as from a wood near the Infantry could +keep down the fire of the enemy's sharpshooters, and the heavy guns +would be in a measure protected while the walls were being bombarded. +A sufficiently good breach was made in about two hours, and the 53rd +Regiment, having been selected for the honour of leading the assault, +was told to hold itself in readiness. Hope Grant then spoke a few +words of encouragement to the men, and their Colonel (English) replied +on their behalf that they might be depended upon to do their duty. The +signal was given; the Horse Artillery, under Lieutenant-Colonel Frank +Turner, galloped to within grape range of the town, and covered by +their fire the 53rd marched in steadily until they got within 100 +yards of the walls, when, with a ringing cheer, they dashed through +the water in the ditch and entered the breach. Hopkins, the plucky +Captain of the light company, was the first inside the walls, followed +closely by Augustus Anson and an adventurous Post-Captain of the Royal +Navy, who, being unemployed, came to see what 'a winter's campaign in +India' was like.[2] There was a good deal of hand-to-hand fighting, +and the enemy lost about 500 men, those who tried to escape being cut +down by the Cavalry outside the walls. We took about the same number +of prisoners, but as none of these were soldiers, and vowed they had +been forced to take up arms against us, the General, as much to their +astonishment as to their delight, ordered them to be set free. Our +losses were small. + +Next day we halted while the walls were being destroyed and the +place rendered indefensible. As I was superintending the work of +destruction, the horrors of war were once more brought very forcibly +before me by the appearance of an infirm old man, who besought me to +spare his house, saying: 'Yesterday I was the happy father of five +sons: three of them lie there' (pointing to a group of dead bodies); +'where the other two are, God only knows. I am old and a cripple, and +if my house is burned there is nothing left for me but to die.' Of +course I took care that his house and property were left untouched. + +On the 25th February we marched to Mohan, a picturesquely situated +village on the bank of the Sai Naddi, which stream we crossed the next +day and encamped on a fine grassy plain, there to remain until it +should be time to join the army before Lucknow. + +While we were halting at this place, Watson and I had rather a curious +adventure. During a morning's ride my greyhound put up a _nilghai_[3] +so close to us that Watson, aiming a blow at him with his sword, +gashed his quarter. Off he started, and we after him at full speed; +the chase continued for some miles without our getting much nearer, +when, all at once, we beheld moving towards us from our right front +a body of the enemy's Cavalry. We were in an awkward position; our +horses were very nearly dead beat, and we could hardly hope to get +away if pursued. We pulled up, turned round, and trotted back, very +quietly at first, that our horses might recover their breath before +the enemy got to closer quarters and we should have to ride for our +lives. Every now and then we looked back to see whether they were +gaining upon us, and at last we distinctly saw them open out and make +as if to charge down upon us. We thought our last hour was come. We +bade each other good-bye, agreeing that each must do his best to +escape, and that neither was to wait for the other, when lo! as +suddenly as they had appeared, the horsemen vanished, as though the +ground had opened and swallowed them; there was nothing to be seen +but the open plain, where a second before there had been a crowd of +mounted men. We could hardly believe our eyes, or comprehend at first +that what we had seen was simply a mirage, but so like reality that +anyone must have been deceived. Our relief, on becoming convinced +that we had been scared by a phantom enemy, was considerable; but +the apparition had the good effect of making us realize the folly +of having allowed ourselves to be tempted so far away from our camp +without escort of any kind in an enemy's country, and we determined +not to risk it again.[4] + +While we were occupied in clearing the country to the north of +the Cawnpore-Lucknow road, the main body of the army, with the +siege-train, Engineer park, Naval Brigade,[5] ammunition, and stores +of all kinds, had gradually been collecting at Bhantira, to which +place we were ordered to proceed on the 1st March. We had a +troublesome march across country, and did not reach the Head-Quarters +camp until close on midnight. There was much difficulty in getting the +guns through the muddy nullas and up the steep banks, and but for +the assistance of the elephants the task could hardly have been +accomplished. It was most curious and interesting to see how these +sagacious creatures watched for and seized the moment when their help +was needed to get the guns up the steep inclines; they waited till +the horses dragging the gun could do no more and were coming to a +stand-still, when one of them would place his forehead against the +muzzle and shove until the gun was safely landed on the top of the +bank. + +We started early on the morning of the 2nd for Lucknow, Hope Grant +taking command of the Cavalry division for the first time. + +On nearing the Alambagh, we bore to our right past the Jalalabad fort, +where Outram's Engineers were busily engaged in constructing fascines +and gabions for the siege, and preparing spars and empty casks for +bridging the Gumti. As we approached the Mahomedbagh we came under the +fire of some of the enemy's guns placed in a grove of trees; but no +sooner had the Artillery of our advance guard opened fire than the +rebels retired, leaving a gun in our hands. We moved on to the +Dilkusha, which we found unoccupied. The park had been greatly +disfigured since our last visit, most of the finest trees having been +cut down. + +My General was now placed in charge of the piquets, a position for +which he was admirably fitted and in which he delighted. He rode well, +without fatigue to himself or his horse, so that any duty entailing +long hours in the saddle was particularly congenial to him. I +invariably accompanied him in his rounds, and in after-years I often +felt that I owed Hope Grant a debt of gratitude for the practical +lessons he gave me in outpost duty. + +Strong piquets with heavy guns were placed in and around the Dilkusha, +as well as in the Mahomedbagh. The main body of the army was encamped +to the rear of the Dilkusha, its right almost on the Gumti, while its +left stretched for two miles in the direction of the Alambagh. Hope +Grant, wishing to be in a convenient position in case of an attack, +spent the night in the Mahomedbagh piquet, and Anson, the D.A.A.G., +and I kept him company. + +On the 3rd some of the troops left at Bhantira came into camp, and +on the 5th General Franks arrived. His division, together with +the Nepalese Contingent, 9,000 strong, brought the numbers at the +Commander-in-Chief's disposal up to nearly 31,000 men, with 164 +guns;[6] not a man too many for the capture of a city twenty miles in +circumference, defended by 120,000 armed men, who for three months and +a half had worked incessantly at strengthening the defences, which +consisted of three lines, extending lengthwise from the Charbagh +bridge to the Gumti, and in depth from the canal to the Kaisarbagh. + +In Napier's carefully prepared plan, which Sir Colin decided to adopt, +it was shown that the attack should be made on the east, as that +side offered the smallest front, it afforded ground for planting +our Artillery, which the west side did not, and it was the shortest +approach to the Kaisarbagh, a place to which the rebels attached the +greatest importance; more than all, we knew the east side, and were +little acquainted with the west. Napier further recommended that the +attack should be accompanied by a flank movement on the north, with +the object of taking in reverse the first and second lines of the +enemy's defences.[7] A division was accordingly sent across the +Gumti for this purpose, and the movement, being entirely successful, +materially aided in the capture of the city. The passage of the river +was effected by means of two pontoon bridges made of empty barrels, +and thrown across the stream a little below the Dilkusha. They were +completed by midnight on the 5th March, and before day broke the +troops detailed for this service had crossed over. + +Outram, who, since the 'Relief of Lucknow,' had been maintaining his +high reputation by keeping the enemy in check before the Alambagh, +commanded this division, with Hope Grant as his second in command. As +soon as it was light we moved away from the river to be out of reach +of the Martinière guns, and after marching for about two miles we came +in view of the enemy; the Artillery of the advance guard got to within +a thousand yards and opened fire, upon which the rebels broke and +fled. The Bays pursued them for a short distance, but with very little +result, the ground being intersected with nullas, and the enemy +opening upon them with heavy guns, they had to retire precipitately, +with the loss of their Major, Percy Smith, whose body, unhappily, had +to be abandoned. + +About noon we encamped close to Chinhut, and Hope Grant took special +care that day to see the piquets were well placed, for the rebels +were in great numbers, and we were surrounded by ravines and wooded +enclosures. It was thought by some that he was unnecessarily anxious +and careful, for he rode several times over the ground; but the next +morning proved how right he was to leave nothing to chance. + +While we were at breakfast, information was brought in that the enemy +were advancing in force, and directly afterwards half a dozen round +shot were sent into our camp; the troops fell in, the Infantry moved +out, and Hope Grant took the Horse Artillery and Cavalry to our right +flank, where the mutineers were collected in considerable numbers. In +less than an hour we had driven them off, but we were not allowed to +follow them up, as Outram did not wish to get entangled in the suburbs +until heavy guns had arrived. The piquets were strengthened and pushed +forward, affording another opportunity for a useful lesson in outpost +duty. + +All that day and the next I accompanied my General in his +reconnaissance of the enemy's position, as well as of the ground near +the Gumti, in order to determine where the heavy guns could best +be placed, so as effectually to enfilade the enemy's first line of +defences along the bank of the canal. On returning to report progress +to Outram at mid-day on the 8th, we found Sir Colin Campbell and +Mansfield with him, arranging for a joint attack the following day; +after their consultation was over, they all rode with us to see the +site Hope Grant had selected for the battery. It was a slightly +elevated piece of ground about half a mile north of the Kokrel nulla, +fairly concealed by a bend of the river; but before it could be made +use of it was considered necessary to clear the rebels out of the +position they were occupying between the nulla and the iron bridge, +the key to which was the Chakar Kothi, and Outram was directed to +attack this point the next morning. + +At 2 a.m. on the 9th the heavy guns, escorted by the 1st Bengal +Fusiliers, were sent forward to within 600 yards of the enemy. +The troops then moved off in two parties, that on the right being +commanded by Hope Grant. We marched along the Fyzabad road, the two +Rifle Brigade battalions leading the way in skirmishing order, with +the Cavalry well away to the right. The rebels retired as we advanced, +and Walpole, commanding one of our brigades, by wheeling to his left +on reaching the opposite bank of the nulla, was enabled to enfilade +their position. The column was then halted, and I was sent to inform +Outram as to our progress. + +When I had delivered my message, and was about to return, Outram +desired me to stay with him until the capture of the Chakar Kothi +(which he was just about to attempt) should be accomplished, that I +might then convey to Hope Grant his orders as to what further action +would be required of him; meanwhile Outram sent a messenger to tell +my General what he was about to do, in view of his co-operating on the +right.[8] + +The Chakar Kothi was attacked and taken, and the enemy, apparently +having lost heart, fled precipitately. One of the 1st Bengal +Fusiliers' colours was placed on the top of this three-storied +building by Ensign Jervis to show the Commander-in-Chief that it was +in our possession, and that the time had come for him to attack the +first line of the enemy's defences. We then continued our advance to +the river, where the parties united, and I rejoined Hope Grant. + +It was now only 2 p.m., and there was plenty of time to place the +heavy guns in position before dark. Major Lothian Nicholson,[9] +Outram's Commanding Engineer, was superintending this operation, when +he thought he perceived that the enemy had abandoned their first line, +but he could not be quite sure. It was most necessary to ascertain for +certain whether this was the case, as the Infantry of Hope's brigade, +which had attacked and driven the rebels out of the Martinière, could +be seen preparing to assault the works at the other side of the river. +A discussion ensued as to how this knowledge could be obtained, and a +young subaltern of the 1st Bengal Fusiliers, named Butler,[10] offered +to swim across the Gumti, and, if he found the enemy had retired, +to communicate the fact to Hope's men. This feat was successfully +accomplished by the plucky young volunteer; he found the enemy had +retired, and, on giving the information to Hope, the brigade advanced, +and before nightfall the whole of the enemy's first line was in our +possession--a success which had been achieved with but slight loss to +us, the chief casualty during the day being William Peel, the gallant +Commander of the Naval Brigade, who had been seriously wounded while +in command of a battery near the Dilkusha. + +The next day, the 10th, Outram's camp was moved close up to the Gumti, +and batteries were constructed from which fire could be poured on the +mess-house and the Kaisarbagh. For the protection of these works, +and to prevent an attack in force being made on the main part of the +column, Hope Grant kept moving about with the Horse Artillery and +Cavalry between the river and the Sitapur road, our reconnaissance +extending beyond the old cantonment. We had several little fights, +in one of which a very promising officer named Sandford, who had +succeeded Younghusband in command of the 5th Punjab Cavalry squadron, +was killed. + +At daybreak on the morning of the 11th the batteries opened fire on +the enemy's second line of defence; at the same time Outram himself +led a strong body of Infantry along the river with the object of +securing the approaches to the bridges. On reaching the Fyzabad road, +about half a mile from the iron bridge, Outram placed the 1st Bengal +Fusiliers in a mosque, with orders to entrench themselves and hold +the post, while he pushed on to the stone bridge about a mile away. +Outram's advance was covered by Hope Grant's Horse Artillery and +Cavalry, but we had to keep at some distance away to the right, in +order to avoid houses and walled enclosures. Soon after crossing the +Sitapur road we heard guns to our left, and proceeding at a smart +trot, came up with Outram just as he was about to attack a large body +of the rebels, who, finding themselves in an awkward position, with +the river in their rear and their retreat by the iron bridge cut off, +made but a feeble resistance before they broke and fled. Some few +escaped by the stone bridge, but the greater number, including the +whole of the mutinous 15th Irregular Cavalry, made for the old +cantonment. We pursued with our Cavalry, and very few of them got +away. A couple of guns and a quantity of plunder were left behind by +the enemy, who evidently had not expected us and were quite unprepared +for our attack. Outram pushed on to the stone bridge, but finding he +was losing men from the fire poured upon us by the rebels from the +opposite side of the river, he fell back to the mosque where he had +left the Fusiliers. + +That afternoon, as there was nothing particular for the Cavalry to do, +the General, Anson, and I rode across the river to see how matters +were progressing on the left of the attack. We reached the +Head-Quarters camp just as Sir Colin was about to receive a visit of +ceremony from the Nepalese General, the famous Jung Bahadur. Our old +Chief, in honour of the occasion, had doffed his usual workman-like +costume, and wore General's full-dress uniform, but he was quite +thrown into the shade by the splendour of the Gurkha Prince, who was +most gorgeously attired, with magnificent jewels in his turban, round +his neck, and on his coat. + +I looked at Jung Bahadur with no small interest, for his deeds of +daring had made him conspicuous amongst probably the bravest race of +men in the world, and the fact that a high-born Hindu, such as he was, +should, fifty years ago, have so far risen superior to caste prejudice +as to cross the sea and visit England, proved him to be a man of +unusually strong and independent mind. He was about five feet eight +inches high--tall for a Gurkha--with a well-knit, wiry figure, a +keen, dauntless eye, and a firm, determined mouth--in every respect a +typical, well-bred Nepalese. The interview did not last long, for Sir +Colin disliked ceremonial, and, shortly after the Nepalese Prince had +taken his seat, news was brought in that the assault on the Begum +Kothi had been successfully completed, upon which Sir Colin made the +necessity for attending to business an excuse for taking leave of his +distinguished visitor, and the interview came to an end. + +I then obtained leave to go to the scene of the recent fight, and, +galloping across the canal by the bridge near Banks's house, soon +found myself at the Begum Kothi. There I was obliged to dismount, for +even on foot it was a difficult matter to scramble over the breach. +The place was most formidable, and it was a marvel that it had been +taken with comparatively so little loss on our side. The bodies of a +number of Highlanders and Punjabis were lying about, and a good many +wounded men were being attended to, but our casualties were nothing in +proportion to those of the enemy, 600 or 700 of whom were buried +the next day in the ditch they had themselves dug for their own +protection. A very determined stand had been made by the sepoys when +they found there was no chance of getting away. There were many tales +of hair-breadth escapes and desperate struggles, and on all sides I +hoard laments that Hodson should have been one of those dangerously, +if not mortally, wounded in the strife. Hodson had been carried to +Banks's house, and to the inquiry I made on my way back to camp, as to +his condition, the answer was, 'Little, if any, hope.' + +A great stride in the advance had been made on this day. Outram +had accomplished all that was expected of him, and he was now +busy constructing additional batteries for the bombardment of the +Kaisarbagh; while Lugard,[11] from his newly-acquired position at the +Begum Kothi, was also able to bring fire to bear upon that doomed +palace. + +Hodson died the following day (the 12th). As a soldier, I had a very +great admiration, for him, and, in common with the whole army, I +mourned his early death.[12] + +On the 13th Lugard's division was relieved by Franks's, and to Jung +Bahadur and his Gurkhas, only too eager for the fray, was entrusted +the conduct of operations along the line of the canal between Banks's +house and the Charbagh bridge. On our side of the river nothing of +importance occurred. + +The capture of the Imambara (a mosque situated between the Begum Kothi +and the Kaisarbagh) was accomplished early next morning. The assault +was led by Brasyer's Sikhs and a detachment of the 10th Foot, +supported by the remainder of that regiment and the 90th Light +Infantry. After a short but very severe struggle, the enemy were +forced to retire, and were so closely pursued that the storming party +suddenly found themselves in a building immediately overlooking the +Kaisarbagh. + +It had not been intended to advance that day beyond the Imambara, +but, recognizing the advantage of the position thus gained, and the +demoralized condition of the rebels, Franks wisely determined to +follow up his success. Reinforcements were hurried forward, the troops +holding the Sikandarbagh and the Shah Najaf were ordered to act in +concert, and before nightfall the Kaisarbagh, the mess-house, and the +numerous buildings situated between those places and the Residency, +were in our possession. + +By means of the field telegraph, Outram was kept accurately informed +as to the movements of Franks's division, and he could have afforded +it valuable assistance had he been allowed to cross the Gumti with his +three brigades of Infantry. Outram, with his soldierly instinct, felt +that this was the proper course to pursue; but in reply to his request +to be allowed to push over the river by the iron bridge, he received +from the Commander-in-Chief through Mansfield the unaccountably +strange order that he must not attempt it, if it would entail his +losing 'a single man.' Thus a grand opportunity was lost. The bridge, +no doubt, was strongly held, but with the numerous guns which Outram +could have brought to bear upon its defenders its passage could have +been forced without serious loss; the enemy's retreat would have been +cut off, and Franks's victory would have been rendered complete, +which it certainly was not, owing to Outram's hands having been so +effectually tied. + +Lucknow was practically in our hands on the evening of the 14th March, +but the rebels escaped with comparatively slight punishment, and the +campaign, which should have then come to an end, was protracted for +nearly a year by the fugitives spreading themselves over Oudh, and +occupying forts and other strong positions, from which they were able +to offer resistance to our troops until towards the end of May, 1859, +thus causing the needless loss of thousands of British soldiers.[13] +Sir Colin saw his mistake when too late. The next day orders were +issued for the Cavalry to follow up the mutineers, who were understood +to have fled in a northerly direction. One brigade under Campbell (the +Colonel of the Bays) was directed to proceed to Sandila, and another, +under Hope Grant, towards Sitapur. But the enemy was not seen by +either. As usual, they had scattered themselves over the country and +entirely disappeared, and many of the rebels who still remained in the +city seized the opportunity of the Cavalry being absent to get away. + +Outram's command on the left bank of the Gumti was now broken up, with +the view to his completing the occupation of the city. Accordingly, on +the 16th, he advanced from the Kaisarbagh with Douglas's brigade[14] +and Middleton's battery, supported by the 20th Foot and Brasyer's +Sikhs, and occupied in quick succession, and with but slight +resistance, the Residency, the Machi Bhawan, and the great Imambara, +thus taking in reverse the defences which had been thrown up by the +enemy for the protection of the two bridges. As Outram pushed on, the +rebels retreated, some across the stone bridge towards Fyzabad, and +some through the city towards the Musabagh. They made two attacks to +cover their retirement, one on Walpole's piquets, which enabled +a large number (20,000 it was said) to get away in the Fyzabad +direction, and another on the Alambagh, which was much more serious, +for the garrison had been reduced to less than a thousand men, and the +rebels' force was considerable, consisting of Infantry, Cavalry and +Artillery. They attacked with great determination, and fought for four +hours and a half before they were driven off. + +It was not a judicious move on Sir Colin's part to send the Cavalry +miles away from Lucknow just when they could have been so usefully +employed on the outskirts of the city. This was also appreciated when +too late, and both brigades were ordered to return, which they did on +the 17th. Even then the Cavalry were not made full use of, for instead +of both brigades being collected on the Lucknow bank of the river, +which was now the sole line of retreat left open to the enemy (the +bridges being in our possession), one only (Campbell's) was sent +there, Hope Grant being directed to take up his old position on the +opposite side of the Gumti, from which we had the mortification of +watching the rebels streaming into the open country from the Musabagh, +without the smallest attempt being made by Campbell to stop or pursue +them. His brigade had been placed on the enemy's line of retreat on +purpose to intercept them, but he completely failed to do what was +expected of him. We, on our side, could do nothing, for an unfordable +river flowed between us and the escaping mutineers.[15] + +There was one more fight in Lucknow. The Moulvie[16] of Fyzabad (who +from the first was one of the prominent leaders of the rebellion) had +returned at the head of a considerable force, and had placed himself +in a strongly-fortified position in the very centre of the city. It +was not without a severe struggle that he was dislodged by the 93rd +Highlanders and 4th Punjab Infantry under Lugard. The brunt of the +fighting fell upon the last-named regiment, the gallant Commander +(Wilde) of which, and his second in command,[17] were severely +wounded. The Moulvie made his escape, but his followers were pursued, +and many of them were cut up. Thus at last the city was cleared of +rebels, and we were once more masters in Lucknow. + +On the 22nd March Hope Grant was ordered to proceed to Kursi, a small +town about twenty-five miles off between the Sitapur and Fyzabad +roads, reported to be occupied in force by the enemy. + +We started at midnight with a brigade of Infantry, 1,000 Cavalry, two +troops of Horse Artillery, and eight heavy guns and mortars. We were +delayed some hours by the heavy guns and their escort (the 53rd Foot) +taking a wrong turn when leaving the city, which resulted in the enemy +being warned of our approach in time to clear out before we arrived. + +On hearing they had gone, Hope Grant pushed on with the mounted +portion of the force, and we soon came in sight of the enemy in full +retreat. The Cavalry, commanded by Captain Browne,[18] was ordered +to pursue. It consisted of Browne's own regiment (the 2nd Punjab +Cavalry), a squadron of the 1st Punjab Cavalry under Captain Cosserat, +and three Horse Artillery guns. At the end of two miles, Browne came +upon a body of the mutineers formed up on an open plain. The Cavalry +charged through them three times, each time thinning their ranks +considerably, but they never wavered, and in the final charge avenged +themselves by killing Macdonnell (the Adjutant of the 2nd Punjab +Cavalry), and mortally wounding Cosserat. I arrived on the ground with +Hope Grant just in time to witness the last charge and the fall of +these two officers, and deplorable as we felt their loss to be, it was +impossible not to admire the gallantry and steadiness of the sepoys, +every one of whom fought to the death. + +[Illustration: GENERAL SIR SAMUEL BROWNE, V.C., G.C.B., K.C.S.I. +_From a photograph by Messrs. Elliott and Fry._] + +As soon as Browne could got his men together, the pursuit of the enemy +was continued; no further opposition was met with, and fourteen guns +fell into our hands. + +On the 24th we retraced our steps, halting for the night at the old +cantonment of Muriao, where we buried poor Macdonnell. On the 25th we +crossed the Gumti, and pitched our camp near the Dilkusha. + +Lucknow was now completely in our possession, and our success had been +achieved with remarkably slight loss, a result which was chiefly +due to the scientific manner in which the siege operations had been +carried on under the direction of our talented Chief Engineer, Robert +Napier, ably assisted by Colonel Harness; and also to the good use +which Sir Colin Campbell made of his powerful force of Artillery. Our +casualties during the siege amounted to only 16 British officers, 3 +Native officers, and 108 men killed; 51 British officers, 4 Native +officers, and 540 men wounded, while 13 men were unaccounted for. + +The capture of Lucknow, though not of such supreme importance in its +consequences as the taking of Delhi, must have convinced the rebels +that their cause was now hopeless. It is true that Jhansi had not yet +fallen, and that the rest of Oudh, Rohilkand, and the greater part +of Central India remained to be conquered, but there was no very +important city in the hands of the enemy, and the subjugation of the +country was felt to be merely a matter of time. Sir Hugh Rose, after a +brilliant campaign, had arrived before Jhansi, columns of our troops +were traversing the country in every direction, and the British Army +had been so largely increased that, on the 1st of April, 1858, there +were 96,000 British soldiers in India, besides a large body of +reliable Native troops, some of whom, although hurriedly raised, had +already shown that they were capable of doing good service--a very +different state of affairs from that which prevailed six months +before. + +For some time I had been feeling the ill effects of exposure to the +climate and hard work, and the doctor, Campbell Browne, had been +urging me to go on the sick-list; that, of course, was out of the +question until Lucknow had fallen. Now, however, I placed myself in +Browne's hands, hoping that a change to the Hills was all that was +needed to set me up; but the doctors insisted on a trip to England. It +was a heavy blow to me to have to leave while there was still work to +be done, but I had less hesitation than I should have had if most +of my own immediate friends had not already gone. Several had been +killed, others had left sick or wounded; Watson had gone to Lahore, +busily engaged in raising a regiment of Cavalry;[19] Probyn was on his +way home, invalided; Hugh Gough had gone to the Hills to recover from +his wounds; and Norman and Stewart were about to leave Lucknow with +Army Head-Quarters. + +On the 1st April, the sixth anniversary of my arrival in +India, I made over my office to Wolseley, who succeeded me as +Deputy-Assistant-Quartermaster-General on Hope Grant's staff, and +towards the middle of the month I left Lucknow. + +The Commander-in-Chief was most kind and complimentary when I took +leave of him, and told me that, in consideration of my services, +he would bestow upon me the first permanent vacancy in the +Quartermaster-General's Department, and that he intended to recommend +that I should be given the rank of Brevet-Major so soon as I should +be qualified by becoming a regimental Captain. I was, of course, much +gratified by his appreciative words and kindly manner; but the brevet +seemed a long way off, for I had only been a First Lieutenant for less +than a year, and there were more than a hundred officers in the Bengal +Artillery senior to me in that rank! + +I marched to Cawnpore with Army Head-Quarters. Sir William Peel, who +was slowly recovering from his wound, was of the party. We reached +Cawnpore on the 17th, and the next day I said good-bye to my friends +on the Chief's staff. Peel and I dined together on the 19th, when to +all appearances he was perfectly well, but on going into his room +the next morning I found he was in a high fever, and had some +suspicious-looking spots about his face. I went off at once in search +of a doctor, and soon returned with one of the surgeons of the 5th +Fusiliers, who, to my horror--for I had observed that Peel was nervous +about himself--exclaimed with brutal frankness the moment he entered +the room, 'You have got small-pox.' It was only too true. On being +convinced that this was the case, I went to the chaplain, the Rev. +Thomas Moore, and told him of Peel's condition. Without an instant's +hesitation, he decided the invalid must come to his house to be taken +care of. That afternoon I had the poor fellow carried over, and there +I left him in the kind hands of Mrs. Moore, the _padre's_ wife, who +had, as a special case, been allowed to accompany her husband to +Cawnpore. Peel died on the 27th. On the 4th May I embarked at Calcutta +in the P. and O. steamer _Nubia_, without, alas! the friend whose +pleasant companionship I had hoped to have enjoyed on the voyage. + +[Illustration: PLAN TO ILLUSTRATE THE SIEGE AND CAPTURE OF LUCKNOW, +March, 1858] + + +[Footnote 1: The Infantry portion of the army was divided into three +divisions, commanded respectively by Outram, Lugard, and Walpole. This +was exclusive of Franks's column, which joined at Lucknow and made a +fourth division. The Artillery was placed under Archdale Wilson, and +the Engineers under Robert Napier. Sir Colin's selection of Commanders +caused considerable heart-burnings, especially amongst the senior +officers who had been sent out from England for the purpose of being +employed in the field. But, as the Chief explained to the Duke of +Cambridge, the selection had been made with the greatest care, it +having been found that 'an officer unexperienced in war in India +cannot act for himself ... it is quite impossible for him to be able +to weigh the value of intelligence ... he cannot judge what are the +resources of the country, and he is totally unable to make an estimate +for himself of the resistance the enemy opposed to him is likely to +offer.' Sir Colin wound up his letter as follows: 'I do not wish to +undervalue the merits of General or other officers lately arrived +from England, but merely to indicate to your Royal Highness the +difficulties against which they have to contend. What is more, the +state of things at present does not permit of trusting anything to +chance, or allowing new-comers to learn, except under the command of +others.'--Shadwell's 'Life of Lord Clyde.'] + +[Footnote 2: The late Captain Oliver Jones, who published his +experiences under that title.] + +[Footnote 3: Literally 'blue cow,' one of the bovine antelopes.] + +[Footnote 4: A few days afterwards, when we were some miles from the +scene of our adventure, I was awakened one morning by the greyhound +licking my face; she had cleverly found me out in the midst of a large +crowded camp.] + +[Footnote 5: Peel had changed his 24-pounders for the more powerful +64-pounders belonging to H.M.S. _Shannon_.] + +[Footnote 6: + + Naval Brigade 431 + Artillery 1,745 + Engineers 865 + Cavalry 3,169 + Infantry 12,498 + Franks's Division 2,880 + Nepalese Contingent 9,000 + ------ + 30,588] + +[Footnote 7: Kaye, in his 'History of the Indian Mutiny,' gives +the credit for originating this movement to the Commander-in-Chief +himself; but the present Lord Napier of Magdala has letters in his +possession which clearly prove that the idea was his father's, +and there is a passage in General Porter's 'History of the Royal +Engineers,' vol. ii., p. 476, written after he had read Napier's +letters to Sir Colin Campbell, which leaves no room for doubt as to my +version being the correct one.] + +[Footnote 8: Outram's division consisted of the 23rd Royal Welsh +Fusiliers, 79th Highlanders, 2nd and 3rd battalions of the Rifle +Brigade, 1st Bengal Fusiliers, 2nd Punjab Infantry, D'Aguilar's, +Remmington's and Mackinnon's troops of Horse Artillery, Gibbon's and +Middleton's Field Batteries, and some Heavy guns, 2nd Dragoon Guards, +9th Lancers, 2nd Punjab Cavalry, and Watson's and Sandford's squadrons +of the 1st and 5th Punjab Cavalry.] + +[Footnote 9: The late Lieutenant-General Sir Lothian Nicholson, +K.C.B.] + +[Footnote 10: Now Colonel Thomas Butler, V.C.] + +[Footnote 11: Now General the Right Hon. Sir Edward Lugard, G.C.B.] + +[Footnote 12: It was current in camp, and the story has often been +repeated, that Hodson was killed in the act of looting. This certainly +was not the case. Hodson was sitting with Donald Stewart in the +Head-Quarters camp, when the signal-gun announced that the attack on +the Begum Kothi was about to take place. Hodson immediately mounted +his horse, and rode off in the direction of the city. Stewart, who had +been ordered by the Commander-in-Chief to accompany the troops, and +send an early report to his Excellency of the result of the assault, +had his horse ready, and followed Hodson so closely that he kept him +in sight until within a short distance of the fighting, when Stewart +stopped to speak to the officer in charge of Peel's guns, which had +been covering the advance of the troops. This delayed Stewart for a +few minutes only, and as he rode into the court-yard of the palace a +Highland soldier handed him a pistol, saying, 'This is your pistol, +sir; but I thought you were carried away mortally wounded a short time +ago?' Stewart at once conjectured that the man had mistaken him for +Hodson. In face they were not much alike, but both were tall, well +made and fair, and Native soldiers had frequently saluted one for the +other. It is clear from this account that Hodson could not have been +looting, as he was wounded almost as soon as he reached the palace.] + +[Footnote 13: In the month of May, 1858, alone, not less than a +thousand British soldiers died of sunstroke, fatigue and disease, and +about a hundred were killed in action.] + +[Footnote 14: Consisting of the 23rd Fusiliers, 79th Highlanders, and +1st Bengal Fusiliers.] + +[Footnote 15: Captain Wale, a gallant officer who commanded a newly +raised corps of Sikh Cavalry, lost his life on this occasion. He +persuaded Campbell to let him follow up the enemy, and was shot dead +in a charge. His men behaved extremely well, and one of them, by name +Ganda Sing, saved the life of the late Sir Robert Sandeman, who was a +subaltern in the regiment. The same man, two years later, saved the +late Sir Charles Macgregor's life during the China war, and when I was +Commander-in-Chief in India I had the pleasure of appointing him to be +my Native Aide-de-Camp. Granda Sing, who has now the rank of Captain +and the title of _Sirdar Bahadur_, retired last year with a handsome +pension and a small grant of land.] + +[Footnote 16: A Mahomedan Priest.] + +[Footnote 17: Now General Cockburn Hood, C.B.] + +[Footnote 18: Now General Sir Samuel Browne, V.C., G.C.B. This popular +and gallant officer, well known to every Native in Upper India as +'S[=a]m Br[=u]n _Sahib_,' and to the officers of the whole of Her +Majesty's army as the inventor of the sword-belt universally adopted +on service, distinguished himself greatly in the autumn of 1858. With +230 sabres of his own regiment and 350 Native Infantry, he attacked a +party of rebels who had taken up a position at Nuria, a village at the +edge of the Terai, about ten miles from Pilibhit. Browne managed to +get to the rear of the enemy without being discovered; a hand-to-hand +fight then ensued, in which he got two severe wounds--one on the knee, +from which he nearly bled to death, the other on the left shoulder, +cutting right through the arm. The enemy were completely routed, and +fled, leaving their four guns and 300 dead on the ground. Browne was +deservedly rewarded with the V.C.] + +[Footnote 19: The present 13th Bengal Lancers.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + + What brought about the Mutiny? + --Religious fears of the people--The land question + --The annexation of Oudh--Fulfilment of Malcolm's prophecy + --The Delhi royal family--The Nana Sahib--The Native army + --Greased cartridges--Limited number of British troops + --Objection to foreign service--Excessive age of the British officers + + +'What brought about the Mutiny?' and 'Is there any chance of a similar +rising occurring again?' are questions which are constantly being put +to me; I will now endeavour to answer them, though it is not a very +easy task--for I feel that my book will be rendered more interesting +and complete to many if I endeavour to give them some idea of the +circumstances which, in my opinion, led to that calamitous crisis in +the history of our rule in India, and then try to show how I think a +repetition of such a disaster may best be guarded against. + +The causes which brought about the Mutiny were so various, and some of +them of such long standing, that it is difficult to point them out as +concisely as I could wish; but I will be as brief as possible. + +During the first years of our supremacy in India, Hindus and +Mahomedans alike were disposed to acquiesce in our rule--the blessings +of rest and peace after a long reign of strife and anarchy were too +real not to be appreciated; but as time went by, a new generation +sprang up by whom past miseries were forgotten, and those who had real +grievances, or those who were causelessly discontented, were all ready +to lay the blame for their real or fancied troubles on their foreign +rulers. Mahomedans looked back to the days of their Empire in India, +but failed to remember how completely, until we broke the Mahratta +power, the Hindus had got the upper hand. Their Moulvies taught them +that it was only lawful for true Mussulmans to submit to the rule of +an infidel if there was no possibility of successful revolt, and they +watched for the chance of again being able to make Islam supreme. The +Hindus had not forgotten that they had ousted the Mahomedans, and they +fancied that the fate of the British _raj_ might also be at their +mercy. + +The late Sir George Campbell, in his interesting memoirs, says: 'The +Mutiny was a sepoy revolt, not a Hindu rebellion.' I do not altogether +agree with him; for, although there was no general rising of the rural +population, the revolt, in my judgment, would never have taken place +had there not been a feeling of discontent and disquiet throughout +that part of the country from which our Hindustani sepoys chiefly +came, and had not certain influential people been thoroughly +dissatisfied with our system of government. This discontent and +dissatisfaction were produced by a policy which, in many instances, +the Rulers of India were powerless to avoid or postpone, forced upon +them as it was by the demands of civilization and the necessity for a +more enlightened legislation. Intriguers took advantage of this state +of affairs to further their own ends. Their plan of action was to +alienate the Native army, and to increase the general feeling of +uneasiness and suspicion, by spreading false reports as to the +intentions of the authorities in regard to the various measures which +had been adopted to promote the welfare and prosperity of the masses. +It can hardly be questioned that these measures were right and proper +in themselves, but they were on that account none the less obnoxious +to the Brahmin priesthood, or distasteful to the Natives generally. +In some cases also they were premature, and in others they were not +carried out as judiciously as they might have been, or with sufficient +regard to the feelings and prejudices of the people. + +The prohibition of _sati_ (burning widows on the funeral pyres of +their husbands); the putting a stop to female infanticide; the +execution of Brahmins for capital offences; the efforts of +missionaries and the protection of their converts; the removal of all +legal obstacles to the remarriage of widows; the spread of western and +secular education generally; and, more particularly, the attempt to +introduce female education, were causes of alarm and disgust to the +Brahmins, and to those Hindus of high caste whose social privileges +were connected with the Brahminical religion. Those arbiters of +fate, who were until then all-powerful to control every act of their +co-religionists, social, religious or political, were quick to +perceive that their influence was menaced, and that their sway would +in time be wrested from them, unless they could devise some means for +overthrowing our Government. They knew full well that the groundwork +of this influence was ignorance and superstition, and they stood +aghast at what they foresaw would be the inevitable result of +enlightenment and progress. Railways and telegraphs were specially +distasteful to the Brahmins: these evidences of ability and strength +were too tangible to be pooh-poohed or explained away. Moreover, +railways struck a direct blow at the system of caste, for on them +people of every caste, high and low, were bound to travel together. + +The fears and antagonism of the Brahmins being thus aroused, it +was natural that they should wish to see our rule upset, and they +proceeded to poison the minds of the people with tales of the +Government's determination to force Christianity upon them, and +to make them believe that the continuance of our power meant the +destruction of all they held most sacred. + +Nor was opportunity wanting to confirm, apparently, the truth of their +assertions. In the gaols a system of messing had been established +which interfered with the time-honoured custom of every man being +allowed to provide and cook his own food. This innovation was most +properly introduced as a matter of gaol discipline, and due care was +taken that the food of the Hindu prisoners should be prepared by +cooks of the same or superior caste. Nevertheless, false reports were +disseminated, and the credulous Hindu population was led to believe +that the prisoners' food was in future to be prepared by men of +inferior caste, with the object of defiling and degrading those for +whom it was prepared. The news of what was supposed to have happened +in the gaols spread from town to town and from village to village, +the belief gradually gaining ground that the people were about to be +forced to embrace Christianity. + +As the promiscuous messing story did not greatly concern the +Mahomedans, other cries were made use of to create suspicion and +distrust amongst the followers of the Prophet. One of these, which +equally affected the Hindu and Mahomedan, was the alleged unfairness +of what was known in India as the land settlement, under which system +the right and title of each landholder to his property was examined, +and the amount of revenue to be paid by him to the paramount Power, as +owner of the soil, was regulated. + +The rapid acquisition of territory by the East India Company, and +the establishment of its supremacy as the sovereign Power throughout +India, were necessarily effected by military operations; but as peace +and order were established, the system of land revenue, which had +been enforced in an extremely oppressive and corrupt manner under +successive Native Rulers and dynasties, had to be investigated and +revised. With this object in view, surveys were made, and inquiries +instituted into the rights of ownership and occupancy, the result +being that in many cases it was found that families of position and +influence had either appropriated the property of their humbler +neighbours, or evaded an assessment proportionate to the value of +their estates. Although these inquiries were carried out with the best +intentions, they were extremely distasteful to the higher classes, +while they failed to conciliate the masses. The ruling families deeply +resented our endeavours to introduce an equitable determination of +rights and assessment of land revenue. They saw that it would put an +end to the system of pillage and extortion which had been practised +from time immemorial; they felt that their authority was being +diminished, and that they would no longer be permitted to govern their +estates in the same despotic manner as formerly. On the other hand, +although the agricultural population generally benefited materially +by our rule, they could not realize the benevolent intentions of a +Government which tried to elevate their position and improve their +prospects. Moreover, there were no doubt mistakes made in the +valuation of land, some of it being assessed at too high a rate, while +the revenue was sometimes collected in too rigid a manner, sufficient +allowance not being made for the failure of crops. Then the harsh +law for the sale of proprietary rights in land to realize arrears of +land-tax was often enforced by careless revenue authorities in far too +summary a manner. The peasantry of India were, and still are, ignorant +and apathetic. Accustomed from the earliest days to spoliation and +oppression, and to a periodical change of masters, they had some +reason to doubt whether the rule of the Feringhis would be more +permanent than that of the Moghuls or the Mahrattas. Much as a just +and tolerant Government would have been to their advantage, they were +unable to appreciate it, and if they had appreciated it, they were too +timid and too wanting in organization to give it their open support. +Under these social and political conditions, the passive attitude of +the rural population failed to counterbalance the active hostility +of a large section of the upper classes, and of their predatory +followers, who for centuries had lived by plunder and civil war. + +Another weighty cause of discontent, chiefly affecting the wealthy and +influential classes, and giving colour to the Brahmins' accusation +that we intended to upset the religion and violate the most cherished +customs of the Hindus, was Lord Dalhousie's strict enforcement of +the doctrine of the lapse of property in the absence of direct or +collateral heirs, and the consequent appropriation of certain Native +States, and the resumption of certain political pensions by the +Government of India. This was condemned by the people of India as +grasping, and as an unjustifiable interference with the institutions +of the country, and undoubtedly made us many enemies.[1] + +Later on, the annexation of Oudh, which was one of those measures +forced on the Rulers of India in the interests of humanity and good +government, and which could hardly have been longer delayed, created +suspicion and apprehension amongst all the Native States. For more +than sixty years Governor-General after Governor-General had pointed +out the impossibility of a civilized Government tolerating in the +midst of its possessions the misrule, disorder, and debauchery +which were desolating one of the most fertile and thickly-populated +districts in India. + +As early as 1801 Lord Wellesley wrote: 'I am satisfied that no +effectual security can be provided against the ruin of the province +of Oudh until the exclusive management of the civil and military +government of that country shall be transferred to the Company under +suitable provisions for the Nawab and his family.' + +In 1831 Lord William Bentinck warned the King of Oudh that, unless +he would consent to rule his territories in accordance with the +principles of good government and the interest of the people, the East +India Company would assume the entire administration of the province, +and would make him a state prisoner. + +In 1847 Lord Hardinge went in person to Lucknow and solemnly +reiterated the warning, giving the King two years to reform his +administration. + +In 1851 Colonel Sleeman, the Resident at Lucknow, whose sympathy with +the Rulers of Native States was thought to be even too great, and +who was the last person to exaggerate the misrule existing in Oudh, +reported to Lord Dalhousie that the state of things had become +intolerable, and that, if our troops were withdrawn from Oudh, the +landholders would in one month's time overrun the province and pillage +Lucknow. It is true Sleeman, with his Native proclivities, did not +contemplate annexation; his advice was to 'assume the administration,' +but not to 'grasp the revenues of the country.' The same mode of +procedure had been advocated by Henry Lawrence six years before in an +article which appeared in the _Calcutta Review_. His words were: 'Let +Oudh be at last governed, not for one man, the King, but for the King +and his people. Let the administration of the country be Native; let +not one rupee come into the Company's coffers.' + +Sleeman was followed in 1854 by Colonel Outram, than whom he could +not have had a more admirable successor, or one less likely to be +unnecessarily hard upon a State which, with all its shortcomings, had +been loyal to us for nearly a century. Colonel Outram, nevertheless, +fully endorsed the views of his predecessor. General Low, the then +Military Member of Council, who twenty years before, when Resident +at Lucknow, had deprecated our assuming even temporarily the +administration of Oudh, thinking our action would be misunderstood by +the people, now also stated his conviction that 'it was the paramount +duty of the British Government to interfere at once for the protection +of the people of Oudh.' + +In summing up the case, Lord Dalhousie laid three possible courses of +action before the authorities in England. The King of Oudh might be +forced to abdicate, his province being incorporated in the British +dominions; or he might be maintained in his royal state as a +subsidized Prince, the actual government being permanently transferred +to the East India Company; or the transfer of the government to +the East India Company might be for a limited period only. The +Governor-General recommended the second course, but the Court of +Directors and Her Majesty's Ministers decided to adopt the first, +and requested Lord Dalhousie to carry out the annexation before he +resigned his office. + +This measure, so long deferred and so carefully considered, could +hardly, in my opinion, have been avoided by a civilized and civilizing +Government. It was at last adopted with the utmost reluctance, and +only after the experiment of administering a province for the benefit +of the Natives, without annexing it, had been tried in the Punjab +and had signally failed. To use Lord Dalhousie's words, it was amply +justified on the ground that 'the British Government would be guilty +in the sight of God and man if it were any longer to aid in sustaining +by its countenance an administration fraught with suffering to +millions.' But the Natives generally could not understand the +necessity for the measure, or believe in the reasons which influenced +us; many of them, therefore, considered it an unprovoked usurpation, +and each Ruler of a Native State imagined that his turn might come +next. + +Thus, the annexation of Oudh in one sense augmented that weakness in +our position as an eastern Power which, so to speak, had its source +in our strength. So long as there was a balance of power +between ourselves and Native States--Mahratta, Rajput, Sikh, or +Mahomedan--they were prevented by their mutual jealousies and +religious differences from combining against us; but when that balance +was destroyed and we became the paramount Power in India, the period +of danger to us began, as was prophesied by the far-seeing Malcolm in +the early days of our first conquests. We had now become objects of +suspicion and dread to all the lesser Powers, who were ready to sink +their own disputes in the consideration of the best means to check the +extension of our rule and overthrow our supremacy; while we, inflated +by our power and satisfied with our apparent security, became more +dogmatic and uncompromising in enforcing principles which, though +sound and just in themselves, were antipathetic to Native ideas and +traditions. By a great many acts and measures we made them feel how +completely our ideas differed from theirs. They preferred their own, +and strongly resented our increasing efforts to impose ours upon them. +Even those amongst the Native Princes who were too enlightened to +believe that we intended to force our religion upon them and change +all their customs, felt that their power was now merely nominal, and +that every substantial attribute of sovereignty would soon disappear +if our notions of progress continued to be enforced. + +At a time when throughout the country there existed these feelings of +dissatisfaction and restless suspicion, it was not to be expected that +the most discontented and unfriendly of the Native Rulers would not +seize the opportunity to work us mischief. The most prominent of these +amongst the Mahomedans were the royal family of Delhi and the ex-King +of Oudh, and, amongst the Hindus, Dundu Pant, better known by English +people as the 'Nana Sahib.' + +All three considered themselves badly treated, and no doubt, from +their point of view, their grievances were not altogether groundless. +The King of Oudh's I have already indicated, and when his province was +annexed, he was removed to Calcutta. Having refused the yearly pension +of twelve lakhs[2] of rupees offered to him, and declined to sign the +treaty by which his territory was made over to the British Government, +he sent his mother, his son, and his brother to England to plead his +cause for him. + +The most influential of the three discontented Rulers, or, at all +events, the one whom the rebellious of all castes and religions were +most inclined to put forward as their nominal leader, was the head of +the Delhi royal family, by name Bahadur Shah. He was eighty years old +in 1857, and had been on the throne for twenty years. His particular +grievance lay in the fact of our decision that on his death the +title of King, which we had bestowed on the successors of the Moghul +Emperor, should be abolished, and his family removed from Delhi. + +In the early part of the century Lord Wellesley pointed out the danger +of allowing a Mahomedan Prince, with all the surroundings of royalty, +to remain at the seat of the old Moghul government, but the question +was allowed to remain in abeyance until 1849, when Lord Dalhousie +reconsidered it, and obtained the sanction of the authorities in +England to the removal of the Court from Delhi to a place about +fourteen miles off, where the Kutub tower stands. At the same time the +Heir Apparent was to be told that on his father's death the title of +King of Delhi would cease. + +Lord Dalhousie had been only a short time in India when he took +up this question, and he could not properly have appreciated the +estimation in which the Natives held the King of Delhi, for he wrote +in support of his proposals 'that the Princes of India and its people +had become entirely indifferent to the condition of the King or his +position.' But when the decision of the British Government on the +subject reached India, he had been more than two years in the country, +and although his views as to the desirability of the measure remained +unchanged, the experience he had gained enabled him to gauge more +accurately the feelings of the people, and, with the advice of his +Council, he came to the conclusion that it would be wiser to let +affairs remain _in statu quo_ during Bahadur Shah's lifetime. The +royal family were informed accordingly, and an agreement was drawn up, +signed, sealed, and witnessed, by which the Heir Apparent accepted the +conditions to be imposed upon him on the death of his father, who was +to be allowed to remain in Delhi during his lifetime, with all the +paraphernalia of royalty. + +However satisfactory this arrangement might be to the Government of +India, to every member of the Delhi royal family it must have seemed +oppressive and humiliating to the last degree. Outwardly they appeared +to accept the inevitable quietly and submissively, but they were only +biding their time, and longing for an opportunity to throw off the +hated English yoke. The war with Persia in 1856 seemed to offer the +chance they wanted. On the pretence that the independence of Herat +was threatened by the Amir of Kabul, the Persians marched an army to +besiege that place. As this act was a violation of our treaty with +Persia made three years before, Her Majesty's Government directed that +an army should be sent from India to the Persian Gulf. The troops had +scarcely left Bombay before the Lieutenant-Governor of the North-West +Provinces was warned by a Native correspondent that the King of +Delhi was intriguing with the Shah of Persia. At the same time a +proclamation was posted on the walls of the Jama Masjid (Shah Jehan's +famous mosque at Delhi), to the effect that a Persian army was coming +to relieve India from the presence of the English, and calling on all +true believers to rise and fight against the heretics. Reports were +also diligently circulated of our being defeated on the shores of +the Persian Gulf, and the people were made to believe that their +opportunity had arrived, and that the time was now favourable for a +successful rebellion. + +Of the three principal movers in the events which immediately preceded +the Mutiny, the Nana Sahib was by far the most intelligent, and had +mixed most with Europeans. He was the adopted son and heir of the last +of the Peshwas, the Chiefs of the Mahratta confederacy. His cause of +dissatisfaction was the discontinuance to him of a pension which, at +the close of the Mahratta war in 1818, was granted to the Peshwa, on +the clear understanding that it was to cease at his death. The Peshwa +died in 1851, leaving the Nana an enormous fortune; but he was not +content. The lapse of the pension, to which he was not entitled, +rankled in his breast, and when all his efforts to get it restored +to him proved of no avail, he became thoroughly disgusted and +disaffected. After failing to obtain in India a reconsideration of +the decision of the Government on the subject, he sent to England +as confidential agent a Mahomedan of the name of Azimula Khan, who +remained three years in Europe, residing for the most part in London; +but he also visited Paris, Constantinople, and the Crimea, arriving at +the latter place when we, in alliance with the French, were besieging +Sebastopol. He was a man of no rank or position in his own country, a +mere agent of the Nana's, but he was received into the best English +society, was everywhere treated as a royal Prince, and became engaged +to a young English girl, who agreed to follow him to India to be +married. All this was revealed by the correspondence to which I have +referred as having been found in the Nana's palace of Bithur. The +greater number of these letters were from people in England--not a few +from ladies of rank and position. One elderly dame called him her dear +eastern son. There were numerous letters from his English _fiancée_, +and two from a Frenchman of the name of Lafont,[3] relating to some +business with the French settlement of Chandernagore, with which he +had been entrusted by Azimula Khan, acting for the Nana. Written, as +these letters were, immediately before the Mutiny, in which the Nana +was the leading spirit, it seems probable that '_les principales +choses_,' to which Lafont hopes to bring satisfactory answers, were +invitations to the disaffected and disloyal in Calcutta, and perhaps +the French settlers at Chandernagore, to assist in the effort about to +be made to throw off the British yoke. A portion of the correspondence +was unopened, and there were several letters in Azimula's own +handwriting which had not been despatched. Two of these were to Omar +Pasha at Constantinople, and told of the sepoys' discontent and the +troubled state of India generally. That the Nana was intriguing with +the King of Delhi, the Nawab of Oudh, and other great personages, has +been proved beyond a doubt, although at the time he was looked upon by +the British residents at Cawnpore as a perfectly harmless individual, +in spite of its being known that he considered himself aggrieved on +account of his having been refused the continuance of the pension, and +because a salute of guns (such as it is the custom to give to Native +Princes on entering British territory) had not been accorded to him. + +While the spirit of rebellion was thus being fostered and stirred into +active existence throughout the country, it was hardly to be hoped +that the Native army would be allowed to remain unaffected by a +movement which could not easily attain formidable proportions without +the assistance of the Native soldiers, who themselves, moreover, had +not remained unmoved spectators of all that had happened during the +previous thirty or forty years. The great majority of the sepoys were +drawn from the agricultural classes, especially in the province +of Oudh, and were therefore directly interested in all questions +connected with rights of property, tenure of land, etc.; and questions +of religion and caste affected them equally with the rest of the +population. + +Quietly, but surely, the instigators of rebellion were preparing the +Native army for revolt. The greatest cunning and circumspection were, +however, necessary to success. There were so many opposing interests +to be dealt with, Mahomedans and Hindus being as violently hostile to +each other, with regard to religion and customs, as they were to us. +Soldiers, too, of all ranks had a great stake in their profession. +Some had nearly served their time for their pensions, that greatest +of all attractions to the Native to enter the army, for the youngest +recruit feels that, if he serves long enough, he is sure of an income +sufficient to enable him to sit in the sun and do nothing for the rest +of his days--a Native's idea of supreme happiness. The enemies of our +rule generally, and the fanatic in particular, were, however, equal +to the occasion. They took advantage of the widespread discontent to +establish the belief that a systematic attack was to be made on the +faith and habits of the people, whether Hindu or Mahomedan, and, as a +proof of the truth of their assertions, they alleged that the Enfield +cartridges which had been recently issued to the army were greased +with a mixture of cows' fat and lard, the one being as obnoxious to +the Hindu as the other is to the Mahomedan. The news spread throughout +the Bengal Presidency; the sepoys became alarmed, and determined to +suffer any punishment rather than pollute themselves by biting the +contaminating cartridge, as their doing so would involve loss of +caste, which to the Hindu sepoy meant the loss of everything to him +most dear and sacred in this world and the next. He and his family +would become outcasts, his friends and relations would look on him +with horror and disgust, while eternal misery, he believed, would be +his doom in the world to come. + +It has been made quite clear that a general belief existed amongst the +Hindustani sepoys that the destruction of their caste and religion had +been finally resolved upon by the English, as a means of forcing them +to become Christians, and it seems extraordinary that the English +officers with Native regiments were so little aware of the strength of +this impression amongst their men. + +The recent researches of Mr. Forrest in the records of the Government +of India prove that the lubricating mixture used in preparing the +cartridges was actually composed of the objectionable ingredients, +cows' fat and lard, and that incredible disregard of the soldiers' +religious prejudices was displayed in the manufacture of these +cartridges. When the sepoys complained that to bite them would destroy +their caste, they were solemnly assured by their officers that they +had been greased with a perfectly unobjectionable mixture. These +officers, understanding, as all who have come in contact with Natives +are supposed to understand, their intense abhorrence of touching the +flesh or fat of the sacred cow or the unclean pig, did not believe it +possible that the authorities could have been so regardless of the +sepoys' feelings as to have allowed it to be used in preparing their +ammunition: they therefore made this statement in perfect good faith. +But nothing was easier than for the men belonging to the regiments +quartered near Calcutta to ascertain, from the low-caste Native +workmen employed in manufacturing the cartridges at the Fort William +arsenal, that the assurances of their officers were not in accordance +with facts, and they were thus prepared to credit the fables which the +sedition-mongers so sedulously spread abroad, to the effect that the +Government they served and the officers who commanded them had entered +into a deliberate conspiracy to undermine their religion. + +Notwithstanding all the evil influence brought to bear on the Native +army, I do not think that the sepoys would have proved such ready +instruments in the hands of the civilian intriguers, had that army +been organized, disciplined, and officered in a satisfactory manner, +and had there been a sufficient proportion of British troops in India +at the time. To the great preponderance of Native, as compared with +British, troops may be attributed the fact that the sepoys dared to +break into open mutiny. Moreover, the belief of the Natives in the +invincibility of the British soldier, which formerly enabled small +numbers of Europeans to gain victories over large Native armies, had +been seriously weakened by the lamentable occurrences at Kabul during +the first Afghan war, terminating in the disastrous retreat in the +winter of 1841-42. + +To add to the exalted idea the sepoys were beginning to entertain of +their own importance, they were pampered by their officers and the +civil Government to a most absurd extent, being treated under all +circumstances with far greater consideration than the European +soldiers. For instance, in the time of Lord William Bentinck flogging +was abolished in the Native army,[4] while still in full swing amongst +British soldiers, and sepoys were actually allowed to witness the +humiliation of their white comrades when this degrading form of +punishment was inflicted upon them. + +In the early days of our connexion with India, we had no need for +an army. Living, as we were, on sufferance in a foreign land for +commercial purposes, armed men were only required to guard the +factories. As these factories increased in size and importance, these +armed men were given a semi-military organization, and in time they +were formed into levies as a reserve to the few Europeans entertained +by the merchants, to enable them to hold their own against the French, +who were then beginning to dispute with us for supremacy in southern +India. When employed in the field, the Native troops were associated +with a varying proportion of British soldiers, but the number of the +latter was limited by the expense of their maintenance, the difficulty +of supplying them from England, and the unadvisability of locking up a +part of the British army in distant stations, which at that time +were very inaccessible and generally unhealthy. Native troops were +therefore raised in continually increasing numbers, and after the +battle of Plassey the Native army was rapidly augmented, especially +in the Bengal Presidency; and, trained and led as it was by British +officers, it achieved remarkable successes. + +During the thirteen years preceding the Mutiny, the Native army, +numbering 217,000 men and 176 guns, was increased by 40,000 men and 40 +guns, but no addition was made to the small British force of 38,000 +until 1853, when one regiment was added to each Presidency, or less +than 3,000 soldiers in all. This insignificant augmentation was +subsequently more than neutralized by the withdrawal of six British +regiments from India to meet the requirements of the Crimean and +Persian wars. Lord Dalhousie, Governor-General in 1854, saw the danger +of this great preponderance of Native troops. He represented that the +annexations and conquests which had taken place during his tenure of +office necessitated a proportional increase of British soldiers; he +protested against the withdrawal of a single European regiment, either +on account of the war with Russia or for operations in the Persian +Gulf, and he solemnly warned Her Majesty's Government that the +essential element of our strength in India was the presence of a large +number of British troops. + +No attention, however, was paid to Lord Dalhousie's representations by +the authorities in England, who doubtless thought they understood the +requirements of India better than the Governor-General, with his +more than six years' experience of the country. In spite of his +remonstrances, two regiments were ordered to England, and four were +sent later to the Persian Gulf, with the result which I have already +stated. + +When the Mutiny broke out, the whole effective British force in India +only amounted to 36,000 men, against 257,000 Native soldiers,[5] a +fact which was not likely to be overlooked by those who hoped and +strived to gain to their own side this preponderance of numerical +strength, and which was calculated to inflate the minds of the sepoys +with a most undesirable sense of independence. An army of Asiatics, +such as we maintain in India, is a faithful servant, but a treacherous +master; powerfully influenced by social and religious prejudices with +which we are imperfectly acquainted, it requires the most careful +handling; above all, it must never be allowed to lose faith in the +prestige or supremacy of the governing race. When mercenaries feel +that they are indispensable to the maintenance of that authority which +they have no patriotic interest in upholding, they begin to consider +whether it would not be more to their advantage to aid in overthrowing +that authority, and if they decide that it would be, they have little +scruple in transferring their allegiance from the Government they +never loved, and have ceased to fear, to the power more in accordance +with their own ideas, and from which, they are easily persuaded, they +will obtain unlimited benefits. + +A fruitful cause of dissatisfaction in our Native army, and one which +pressed more heavily upon it year by year, as our acquisitions of +territory in northern India became more extended, was the sepoy's +liability to service in distant parts of India, entailing upon him a +life amongst strangers differing from him in religion and in all their +customs, and far away from his home, his family, and his congenial +surroundings--a liability which he had never contemplated except in +the event of war, when extra pay, free rations and the possibility +of loot, would go far to counterbalance the disadvantages of +expatriation. Service in Burma, which entailed crossing the sea, and, +to the Hindu, consequent loss of caste, was especially distasteful. So +great an objection, indeed, had the sepoys to this so-called 'foreign +service,' and so difficult did it become to find troops to relieve the +regiments, in consequence of the bulk of the Bengal army not being +available for service beyond the sea, that the Court of Directors +sanctioned Lord Canning's proposal that, after the 1st September, +1856, 'no Native recruit shall be accepted who does not at the time of +his enlistment undertake to serve beyond the sea whether within +the territories of the Company or beyond them.' This order, though +absolutely necessary, caused the greatest dissatisfaction amongst +the Hindustani sepoys, who looked upon it as one of the measures +introduced by the _Sirkar_ for the forcible, or rather fraudulent, +conversion of all the Natives to Christianity.[6] + +That the long-existing discontent and growing disloyalty in our +Native army might have been discovered sooner, and grappled with in a +sufficiently prompt and determined manner to put a stop to the Mutiny, +had the senior regimental and staff officers been younger, more +energetic, and intelligent, is an opinion to which I have always been +strongly inclined. Their excessive age, due to a strict system of +promotion by seniority which entailed the employment of Brigadiers of +seventy, Colonels of sixty, and Captains of fifty, must necessarily +have prevented them performing their military duties with the energy +and activity which are more the attributes of younger men, and must +have destroyed any enthusiasm about their regiments, in which there +was so little hope of advancement or of individual merit being +recognized. Officers who displayed any remarkable ability were allowed +to be taken away from their own corps for the more attractive and +better-paid appointments appertaining to civil employ or the Irregular +service. It was, therefore, the object of every ambitious and capable +young officer to secure one of these appointments, and escape as soon +as possible from a service in which ability and professional zeal +counted for nothing.[7] + +So far as I understand the causes which led to the rebellion of 1857, +I have now answered the question, 'What brought about the Mutiny?' The +reply to the second question, 'Is there any chance of a similar rising +occurring again?' must be left to another chapter. + + +[Footnote 1: In this matter it seems to me that Lord Dalhousie's +policy has been unfairly criticized. The doctrine of lapse was no +new-fangled theory of the Governor-General, but had been recognized +and acted upon for many years by the Native dynasties which preceded +the East India Company. Under the Company's rule the Court of +Directors had investigated the subject, and in a series of despatches +from 1834 to 1846 had laid down that, in certain cases, the selection +and adoption of an heir by a Native Ruler was an incontestable right, +subject only to the formal sanction of the suzerain Power, while in +other cases such a procedure was optional, and could only be permitted +as a special favour. Lord Dalhousie concurred in the view that each +case should be considered and decided on its merits. His words were: +'The Government is bound in duty, as well as in policy, to act on +every such occasion with the purest integrity, and in the most +scrupulous observance of good faith. Where even a shadow of doubt can +be shown, the claim should at once be abandoned. But where the right +to territory by lapse is clear, the Government is bound to take that +which is justly and legally its due, and to extend to that territory +the benefits of our sovereignty, present and prospective.'] + +[Footnote 2: In those days £120,000.] + +[Footnote 3: + + 'Benares, + '_April 4, 1857._ + + 'MON CHER AZIMULA KHAN, + + 'Je suis parti de Cawnpore le premier du mois et suis arrivé ici + ce matin, je partirai ce soir et serai à Chandernagore le 7 au + matin, dans la journée je ferai une visite au Gouverneur et + le lendemain irai à Calcutta, je verrai notre Consul General. + Ecrivez-moi et adressez-moi vos lettres, No. 123, Dhurumtollah. Je + voudrais que vous puissiez m'envoyer des fonds au moins 5 ou + 600 Rs. sans retard, car je ne resterai à Calcutta que le temps + nécessaire pour tout arranger et _le bien arranger_. Je suppose 48 + heures à Calcutta et deux ou trois jours au plus à Chandernagore, + ne perdez pas de temps mais répondez de suite. Pour toutes les + principales choses les réponses seraient satisfaisantes, soyez-en + assuré. + + 'Faites en sorte de me répondre sans délai afin que je ne sois pas + retenu à Calcutta. + + 'Présentez mes compliments respectueux. + + 'Rappelez-moi au souvenir de Baba Sahib, et croyez moi, + 'Votre bien dévoué + 'A. LAFONT. + + 'Mon adresse à Chandernagore, "Care of Mesdames Albert." + + 'N.B.--Mais écrivez-moi à _Calcutta_, car je serai chaque jour là, + en chemin de fer, je fais le trajet en 20 minutes. Si vous avez + quelque chose de pressé à me communiquer vous le pouvez faire par + télégraph en Anglais seulement. + 'A.L.' + + + 'Chandernagore, + '_April 9, 1857._ + + 'MON CHER AZIMULA KHAN, + + 'J'ai tout arrangé, _j'apporterai une lettre_, et elle sera + satisfaisante _cette lettre_ me sera donnée le 14 et le 15 je + partirai pour Cawnpore. Mes respects à son Altesse. + + 'Votre tout dévoué + 'A. LAFONT.'] + +[Footnote 4: Flogging was re-introduced in 1845.] + +[Footnote 5: This does not include the bodies of armed and trained +police, nor the lascars attached to the Artillery as fighting men. +These amounted to many thousands.] + +[Footnote 6: In a letter to Lord Canning, which Sir Henry Lawrence +wrote on the 9th May, 1857, he gave an interesting account of a +conversation he had had with a Brahmin Native officer of the Oudh +Artillery, who was most persistent in his belief that the Government +was determined to make the people of India Christians. He alluded +especially to the new order about enlistment, our object being, he +said, to make the sepoys go across the sea in order that they might be +obliged to eat what we liked; and he argued that, as we had made our +way through India, had won Bhartpur, Lahore, etc., by fraud, so it +might be possible that we would mix bone-dust with grain sold to +Hindus. Sir Henry Lawrence was quite unable to convince the Native +officer; he would give us credit for nothing, and although he would +not say that he himself _did_ or did _not_ believe, he kept repeating, +'I tell you Natives are all like sheep; the leading one tumbles, and +down all the rest roll over him.'] + +[Footnote 7: It is curious to note how nearly every military officer +who held a command or high position on the staff in Bengal when the +Mutiny broke out, disappeared from the scene within the first few +weeks, and was never heard of officially again. Some were killed, some +died of disease, but the great majority failed completely to fulfil +the duties of the positions they held, and were consequently +considered unfit for further employment. Two Generals of divisions +were removed from their commands, seven Brigadiers were found wanting +in the hour of need, and out of the seventy-three regiments of Regular +Cavalry and Infantry which mutinied, only four Commanding officers +were given other commands, younger officers being selected to raise +and command the new regiments.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. + + Discontent of the Natives--Successful administrators + --Paternal despotism--Money-lenders and the Press--Faddists + --Cardinal points + + +The India of to-day is altogether a different country from the +India of 1857. Much has been done since then to improve the civil +administration, and to meet the legitimate demands of the Native +races. India is more tranquil, more prosperous, and more civilized +than it was before the Mutiny, and the discipline, efficiency, and +mobility of the Native army have been greatly improved. Much, however, +still remains to be done, and a good deal might with advantage be +undone, to secure the contentment of the Natives with our rule. + +Our position has been materially strengthened by the provision of main +and subsidiary lines of communication by road and railway; by the +great network of telegraphs which now intersects the country; and by +the construction of canals. These great public works have largely +increased the area of land under cultivation, minimized the risk of +famine, equalized the prices of agricultural produce, and developed a +large and lucrative export trade. Above all, while our troops can now +be assembled easily and rapidly at any centre of disturbance, the +number of British soldiers has been more than doubled and the number +of Native soldiers has been materially reduced. Moreover, as regards +the Native equally with the British army of India, I believe that +a better feeling never existed throughout all ranks than exists at +present. + +Nevertheless, there are signs that the spirit of unrest and discontent +which sowed the seeds of the Mutiny is being revived. To some extent +this state of things is the natural result of our position in +India, and is so far unavoidable, but it is also due to old faults +reappearing--faults which require to be carefully watched and guarded +against, for it is certain that, however well disposed as soldiers the +men in our ranks may be, their attitude will inevitably be influenced +by the feelings of the people generally, more especially should their +hostility be aroused by any question connected with religion. + +For a considerable time after the Mutiny we became more cautious and +conciliatory in administrative and legislative matters, more intent +on doing what would keep the Chiefs and Rulers satisfied, the masses +contented, and the country quiet, than on carrying out our own ideas. +Gradually this wholesome caution is being disregarded. The Government +has become more and more centralized, and the departmental spirit +very strong. Each department, in its laudable wish for progress and +advancement, is apt to push on measures which are obnoxious to the +Natives, either from their not being properly understood, or from +their being opposed to their traditions and habits of life, thus +entailing the sacrifice of many cherished customs and privileges. Each +department admits in theory the necessity for caution, but in practice +presses for liberty of action to further its own particular schemes. + +Of late years, too, the tendency has been to increase the number of +departments and of secretariat offices under the supreme Government, +and this tendency, while causing more work to devolve on the supreme +Government than it can efficiently perform, results in lessening +the responsibility of provincial Governments by interference in the +management of local concerns. It is obvious that in a country like +India, composed as it is of great provinces and various races +differing from one another in interests, customs, and religions, each +with its own peculiar and distinct necessities, administrative details +ought to be left to the people on the spot. The Government of India +would then be free to exercise a firm and impartial control over the +Empire and Imperial interests, while guiding into safe channels, +without unduly restraining, intelligent progress. + +In times of peace the administration is apt to fall too exclusively +into the hands of officials whose ability is of the doctrinaire type; +they work hard, and can give logical and statistical reasons for the +measures they propose, and are thus able to make them attractive to, +and believed in by, the authorities. But they lack the more perfect +knowledge of human nature, and the deeper insight into, and greater +sympathy with, the feelings and prejudices of Asiatics, which those +possessed in a remarkable degree who proved by their success that they +had mastered the problem of the best form of government for India. +I allude to men like Thomas Munro, Mountstuart Elphinstone, John +Malcolm, Charles Metcalfe, George Clerk, Henry and John Lawrence, +William Sleeman, James Outram, Herbert Edwardes, John Nicholson, and +many others. These administrators, while fully recognizing the need +for a gradual reform, understood the peculiarities of our position +in the east, the necessity for extreme caution and toleration, and a +'live and let live' policy between us and the Natives. The sound and +broad views of this class of public servant are not always appreciated +either in India or England, and are too often put aside as +unpractical, obstructive, and old-fashioned. + +Amongst the causes which have produced discontent of late years, +I would mention our forest laws and sanitary regulations, our +legislative and fiscal systems--measures so necessary that no +one interested in the prosperity of India could cavil at their +introduction, but which are so absolutely foreign to Native ideas, +that it is essential they should be applied with the utmost gentleness +and circumspection. + +I think, also, that the official idea of converting the young Princes +and Nobles of India into English gentlemen by means of English tutors +and English studies should be carried out with great care and caution. +It has not hitherto invariably succeeded, and the feeling in many +States is strongly opposed to it. The danger of failure lies in the +wholesome restraint of the tutor being suddenly removed, and in the +young Prince being left at too early an age to select his advisers and +companions. The former, perhaps not unnaturally, are interested +in proving that the training of their young Ruler by his European +governor or tutor has not resulted in good either to himself or his +people, while the latter are too often of the lowest class of European +adventurers. + +The proceedings and regulations of the Forest Department, desirable +as they may be from a financial and agricultural point of view, have +provoked very great irritation in many parts of India. People who have +been accustomed from time immemorial to pick up sticks and graze their +cattle on forest lands, cannot understand why they should now be +forbidden to do so, nor can they realize the necessity for preserving +the trees from the chance of being destroyed by fire, a risk to which +they were frequently exposed from the Native custom of making use of +their shelter while cooking, and of burning the undergrowth to enrich +the grazing. + +The action taken by the Government in sanitary matters has also +aroused much ill-feeling and apprehension. Sanitary precautions are +entirely ignored in eastern countries. The great majority of the +people can see no good in them, and no harm in using the same tank +for drinking purposes and for bathing and washing their clothes. The +immediate surroundings of their towns and villages are most offensive, +being used as the general receptacles for dead animals and all kinds +of filth. Cholera, fever, and other diseases, which carry off hundreds +of thousands every year, are looked upon as the visitation of God, +from which it is impossible, even were it not impious to try, to +escape; and the precautionary measures insisted upon by us in our +cantonments, and at the fairs and places of pilgrimage, are viewed +with aversion and indignation. Only those who have witnessed the +personal discomfort and fatigue to which Natives of all ages and both +sexes willingly submit in their struggle to reach some holy shrine on +the occasion of a religious festival, while dragging their weary limbs +for many hundreds of miles along a hot, dusty road, or being huddled +for hours together in a crammed and stifling railway carriage, can +have any idea of the bitter disappointment to the pilgrims caused +by their being ordered to disperse when cholera breaks out at such +gatherings, without being given the opportunity of performing their +vows or bathing in the sacred waters.[1] + +Further, our legislative system is based on western ideas, its object +being to mete out equal justice to the rich and poor, to the Prince +and peasant. But our methods of procedure do not commend themselves +to the Indian peoples. Eastern races are accustomed to a paternal +despotism, and they conceive it to be the proper function of the local +representatives of the supreme Power to investigate and determine on +the spot the various criminal and civil cases which come under the +cognizance of the district officials. Legal technicalities and +references to distant tribunals confuse and harass a population which, +with comparatively few exceptions, is illiterate, credulous, and +suspicious of underhand influence. An almost unlimited right of +appeal from one court to another, in matters of even the most trivial +importance, not only tends to impair the authority of the local +magistrate, but gives an unfair advantage to the wealthy litigant +whose means enable him to secure the services of the ablest pleader, +and to purchase the most conclusive evidence in support of his claims. +For it must be remembered than in India evidence on almost any subject +can be had for the buying, and the difficulty, in the administration +of justice, of discriminating between truth and falsehood is thereby +greatly increased. Under our system a horde of unscrupulous pleaders +has sprung up, and these men encourage useless litigation, thereby +impoverishing their clients, and creating much ill-feeling against our +laws and administration. + +Another point worthy of consideration is the extent to which, under +the protection of our legal system, the peasant proprietors of +India are being oppressed and ruined by village shop-keepers and +money-lenders. These men advance money at a most exorbitant rate of +interest, taking as security the crops and occupancy rights of the +cultivators of the soil. The latter are ignorant, improvident, and +in some matters, such as the marriage ceremonies of their families, +inordinately extravagant. The result is that a small debt soon swells +into a big one, and eventually the aid of the law courts is invoked to +oust the cultivator from a holding which, in many cases, has been +in the possession of his ancestors for hundreds of years. The +money-lender has his accounts to produce, and these can hardly be +disputed, the debtor as a rule being unable to keep accounts of his +own, or, indeed, to read or write. Before the British dominion +was established in India, the usurer no doubt existed, but his +opportunities were fewer, his position more precarious, and his +operations more under control than they are at present. The +money-lender then knew that his life would not be safe if he exacted +too high interest for the loans with which he accommodated his +customers, and that if he became too rich, some charge or other would +be trumped up against him, which would force him to surrender a large +share of his wealth to the officials of the State in which he was +living. I do not say that the rough-and-ready methods of Native +justice in dealing with money-lenders were excusable or tolerable, but +at the same time I am inclined to think that, in granting these men +every legal facility for enforcing their demands and carrying on their +traffic, we may have neglected the interests of the agriculturists, +and that it might be desirable to establish some agency under the +control of Government, which would enable the poorer landholders to +obtain, at a moderate rate of interest, advances proportionate to the +security they had to offer.[2] + +Another danger to our supremacy in India is the license allowed to +the Native press in vilifying the Government and its officials, and +persistently misrepresenting the motives and policy of the ruling +Power. In a free country, where the mass of the population is well +educated, independent, and self-reliant, a free press is a most +valuable institution, representing as it does the requirements and +aspirations of important sections of the community, and bringing to +light defects and abuses in the social and political system. In a +country such as Great Britain, which is well advanced in the art of +self-government, intolerant and indiscriminate abuse of public men +defeats its own object, and misstatements of matters of fact can be +at once exposed and refuted. Like most of the developments of +civilization which are worth anything, the English press is a plant +of indigenous growth, whereas in India the Native press is an exotic +which, under existing conditions, supplies no general want, does +nothing to refine, elevate, or instruct the people, and is used by its +supporters and promoters--an infinitesimal part of the population--as +a means of gaining its selfish ends, and of fostering sedition, and +racial and religious animosities. There are, I am afraid, very few +Native newspapers actuated by a friendly or impartial spirit towards +the Government of India, and to Asiatics it seems incredible that we +should permit such hostile publications to be scattered broadcast over +the country, unless the assertions were too true to be disputed, or +unless we were too weak to suppress them. We gain neither credit nor +gratitude for our tolerant attitude towards the Native press--our +forbearance is misunderstood; and while the well-disposed are +amazed at our inaction, the disaffected rejoice at being allowed to +promulgate baseless insinuations and misstatements which undermine our +authority, and thwart our efforts to gain the goodwill and confidence +of the Native population. + +Yet another danger to the permanence of our rule in India lies in the +endeavours of well-intentioned faddists to regulate the customs and +institutions of eastern races in accordance with their own ideas. +The United Kingdom is a highly civilized country, and our habits and +convictions have been gradually developed under the influences of our +religion and our national surroundings. Fortunately for themselves, +the people of Great Britain possess qualities which have made them +masters of a vast and still expanding Empire. But these qualities have +their defects as well as their merits, and one of the defects is a +certain insularity of thought, or narrow-mindedness--a slowness to +recognize that institutions which are perfectly suitable and right for +us may be quite unsuited, if not injurious, to other races, and that +what may not be right for us to do is not necessarily wrong for people +of a different belief, and with absolutely different traditions and +customs. + +Gradually the form of Government in the United Kingdom has become +representative and democratic, and it is therefore assumed by some +people, who have little, if any, experience of the east, that +the Government of India should be guided by the utterances of +self-appointed agitators who pose as the mouth-pieces of an oppressed +population. Some of these men are almost as much aliens[3] as +ourselves, while others are representatives of a class which, though +intellectually advanced, has no influence amongst the races in whom +lies the real strength of India. Municipal self-government has been +found to answer well in the United Kingdom, and it is held, therefore, +that a similar system must be equally successful in India. We in +England consume animal food and alcoholic liquors, but have no liking +for opium; an effort has accordingly been made to deprive our Asiatic +fellow-subjects, who, as a rule, are vegetarians, and either total +abstainers or singularly abstemious in the matter of drink, of a small +and inexpensive stimulant, which they find necessary to their health +and comfort. British institutions and ideas are the embodiment of +what long experience has proved to us to be best for ourselves; but +suddenly to establish these institutions and enforce these ideas on +a community which is not prepared for them, does not want them, and +cannot understand them, must only lead to suspicion and discontent. +The Government of India should, no doubt, be progressive in its +policy, and in all things be guided by the immutable principles of +right, truth, and justice; but these principles ought to be applied, +not necessarily as we should apply them in England, but with due +regard to the social peculiarities and religious prejudices of the +people whom it ought to be our aim to make better and happier. + +It will be gathered from what I have written that our administration, +in my opinion, suffers from two main defects. First, it is internally +too bureaucratic and centralizing in its tendencies; and, secondly, it +is liable to be forced by the external pressure of well-meaning but +irresponsible politicians and philanthropists to adopt measures which +may be disapproved of by the authorities on the spot, and opposed to +the wishes, requirements, and interests of the people. It seems to me +that for many years to come the best form of government for India will +be the intelligent and benevolent despotism which at present rules the +country. On a small scale, and in matters of secondary importance, +representative institutions cannot perhaps do much harm, though I am +afraid they will effect but little good. On a large scale, however, +such a system of government would be quite out of place in view of +the fact that ninety-nine out of every hundred of the population are +absolutely devoid of any idea of civil responsibility, and that the +various races and religious sects possess no bond of national union. + +In reply, then, to the question, 'Is there any chance of a Mutiny +occurring again?' I would say that the best way of guarding against +such a calamity is-- + + By never allowing the present proportion of British to Native + soldiers to be diminished or the discipline and efficiency of the + Native army to become slack. + + By taking care that men are selected for the higher civil and + military posts whose self-reliance, activity, and resolution are + not impaired by age, and who possess a knowledge of the country + and the habits of the peoples. + + By recognizing and guarding against the dogmatism of theorists and + the dangers of centralization. + + By rendering our administration on the one hand firm and strong, + on the other hand tolerant and sympathetic; and last, but not + least, by doing all in our power to gain the confidence of the + various races, and by convincing them that we have not only the + determination, but the ability to maintain our supremacy in India + against all assailants. + +If these cardinal points are never lost sight of, there is, I believe, +little chance of any fresh outbreak disturbing the stability of our +rule in India, or neutralizing our efforts to render that country +prosperous, contented, and thoroughly loyal to the British Crown. + + +[Footnote 1: Few acts have been more keenly resented than the closing +of the great Hurdwar Fair in the autumn of 1892, on account of a +serious outbreak of cholera. It was looked upon by the Natives as a +direct blow aimed at their religion, and as a distinct departure from +the religious tolerance promised in Her Majesty's proclamation of +1858. The mysterious mud marks on mango-trees in Behar have been +attributed by some to a self-interested motive on the part of certain +priests to draw the attention of Hindus to the sanctity of some temple +outside the limits of British jurisdiction, where the devotees would +be at liberty to assemble in any numbers without being troubled by +officious inspectors, and where they could remain as long as they +pleased, irrespective of the victims daily claimed by cholera, that +unfailing avenger of the neglect of sanitary laws in the east.] + +[Footnote 2: The proposal would seem to be quite a practical one, for +I read in the _Times_ of the 28th November, 1894, that the Government +of New Zealand invited applications for Consols in connexion with the +scheme for granting loans at a reasonable rate of interest to farmers +on the security of their holdings.] + +[Footnote 3: I allude to the Parsis, who came from Persia, and whose +religion and customs are as distinct from those of the Natives of +India as are our own.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XXXII. +1858-1859 + + Home again--Back in India--Allahabad and Cawnpore + --The Viceroy's camp--State entry into Lucknow + --The Talukdars of Oudh--Loyalty of the Talukdars + --Cawnpore and Fatehgarh--The Agra Durbar + + +I travelled home _viâ_ Corfu, Trieste, Venice, and Switzerland, +arriving in England towards the end of June. The intense delight +of getting 'home' after one's first term of exile can hardly be +exaggerated, and certainly cannot be realized, save by those who have +gone through the exile, and been separated, as I had been for years, +from all that made the happiness of my early life. Every English tree +and flower one comes across on first landing is a distinct and lively +pleasure, while the greenness and freshness are a delicious rest to +the eye, wearied with the deadly whitey-brown sameness of dried-up +sandy plains, or the all-too gorgeous colouring of eastern cities and +pageants. + +My people were living in Ireland, in the county of Waterford, so after +only a short sojourn in London, for the very necessary re-equipment +of the outer man, I hastened over there. I found my father well +and strong for a man of seventy-four, and to all appearance quite +recovered from the effects of his fifty years of Indian service, and, +to my great joy, my mother was looking almost as young, and quite as +beautiful, as I had left her six years before. My little sister, too, +always an invalid, was very much as when I had parted from her--full +of loving-kindness for everyone, and, though unable to move without +help, perfectly happy in the many resources she had within herself, +and the good she was able to do in devoting those resources to the +benefit of others. + +There, too, I found my fate, in the shape of Nora Bews, a young lady +living with a married sister not far from my father's place, who a +few months later consented to accompany me on my return to India. The +greater part of my leave was, therefore, spent in Ireland. + +During the winter months I hunted with the Curraghmore hounds, and was +out with them the day before Lord Waterford was killed. We had no run, +and at the end of the day, when wishing us good-bye, he said: 'I hope, +gentlemen, we shall have better luck next time.' 'Next time' there was +'better luck' as regarded the hunting, but the worst of all possible +luck for Lord Waterford's numerous friends; in returning home after a +good run, and having killed two foxes, his horse stumbled over quite +a small ditch, throwing his rider on his head; the spinal cord was +snapped and the fine sportsman breathed his last in a few moments. + +I was married on the 17th May, 1859, in the parish church of +Waterford. While on our wedding tour in Scotland, I received a command +to be present on the 8th June at Buckingham Palace, when the Queen +proposed to honour the recipients of the Victoria Cross by presenting +the decoration with Her Majesty's own hands. + +Being anxious that my wife should be spared the great heat of a +journey to India in July, the hottest month of the year in the Red +Sea, and the doctors being very decided in their opinion that I should +not return so soon, I had applied for a three months' extension of +leave, and quite calculated on getting it, so our disappointment +was great when the answer arrived and I found that, if I took the +extension, I should lose my appointment in the Quartermaster-General's +Department. This, we agreed, was not to be thought of, so there was +nothing for it but to face the disagreeable necessity as cheerfully +as we could. We made a dash over to Ireland, said good-bye to our +relations, and started for India on the 27th June. + +[Illustration: LADY ROBERTS +(WIFE OF SIR ABRAHAM ROBERTS). +_From a sketch by Carpenter._] + +The heat in the Red Sea proved even worse than I had anticipated. Our +captain pronounced it the hottest trip he had ever made. Twice was the +ship turned round to steam against the wind for a short time in order +to revive some of the passengers, who were almost suffocated. + +We passed the wreck of the _Alma_, a P. and O. vessel which had struck +on a coral reef not far from Mocha. The wreck had happened in the dead +of night, and there had been only time to get the passengers into the +boats, in which they were rowed to another reef near at hand; there +they had remained for eighty hours in their scanty night garments, and +without the smallest shelter, until rescued by a friendly steamer. The +officers and crew were still on the rock when we passed, endeavouring +to get up the mails and the passengers' property. We supplied them +with provisions and water, of which they were badly in need, and then +had to leave them in their extremely uncomfortable position. + +We could not complain of lack of air after we passed Aden, for we +forthwith encountered the south-west monsoon, then at its height, and +on entering the Bay of Bengal we experienced something very nearly +akin to a cyclone. We broke our rudder; the lightships, on which a +certain number of pilots were always to be found, had all been blown +out to sea; and as we had only just sufficient coal to take us up the +Hugli when the pilot should appear, we did not dare to keep up steam. +Thus we had to remain at the mercy of the winds and waves for some +days, until at length a brig with a pilot on board was sent to look +for us, and eventually we arrived in Calcutta, in rather a dilapidated +condition, on the 30th July. + +We were not cheered by the orders I found awaiting me, which were to +proceed to Morar and join Brigadier-General Sir Robert Napier, then in +command of the Gwalior district. Morar in the month of August is one +of the hottest places in India, and my wife was considerably the worse +for our experiences at sea. However, a Calcutta hotel never has many +attractions, and at that time of year was depressing and uncomfortable +to the last degree; in addition, I had rather a severe attack of my +old enemy, Peshawar fever, so we started on our journey 'up country' +with as little delay as possible. + +The railway at that time was not open further than Raniganj; thence we +proceeded for a hundred miles in a 'dâk-ghari,' when, changing into +doolies, we continued our journey to Hazaribagh, a little cantonment +about twenty miles off the main road, where some relations of mine +were living; but a day or two after our arrival at their hospitable +house, I was ordered back to Calcutta. + +I left my wife with our kind friends, and retraced my steps in +considerable elation of spirits, for the China expedition was even +then being talked about, and I hoped this sudden summons might +possibly mean that I was to be sent with it in some capacity. On +reaching Calcutta, however, I was told that I had been appointed +to organize and take charge of the large camp to be formed for the +triumphal progress which Lord Canning proposed to make through Oudh, +the North-West Provinces, and the Punjab, with the view of meeting +the principal feudatory Chiefs, and rewarding those who had been +especially loyal during the rebellion. I was informed that the tents +were in store in the arsenal at Allahabad, and that the camp must be +ready at Cawnpore on the 15th October, on which date the Viceroy would +arrive, and a day or two later commence his stately procession towards +Lucknow. + +While I was in England a Royal Proclamation had announced to the +people of India that the Queen had taken over the government of their +country, which had hitherto been held in trust for Her Majesty by the +Honourable East India Company. This fact had been publicly proclaimed, +with befitting ceremony, throughout the length and breadth of the +land, on the 1st November, 1858. At the same time it was announced +that Her Majesty's representative in India was henceforth to be styled +Viceroy and Governor-General of India, and it was with the object of +emphasizing this Proclamation, and impressing the Native mind with the +reality of Queen Victoria's power and authority, that Lord Canning +decided on undertaking this grand tour. + +While in Calcutta on this occasion, I was offered a post in the +Revenue Survey Department. I refused it, for, although as a married +man the higher pay was a tempting bait, the recollection of the +excitement and variety of the year of the Mutiny was still fresh upon +me, and I had no wish to leave the Quartermaster-General's Department. +I therefore started for Allahabad, picking up my wife _en route_. + +It was then the middle of the rains, and the bridge of boats over +the Jumna had been taken down, so we had to cross in ferry-boats-- +dâk-gharis, horses, and all--rather a perilous-looking proceeding, +for the river was running at a tremendous pace, and there was some +difficulty in keeping the boat's head straight. At Allahabad we +stayed with a brother officer of mine in the fort, while I was +getting the camp equipage out of store, and the tents pitched for +inspection. There had not been a large camp for many years, and +everything in India deteriorates so rapidly, that I found most of the +tents in such a state of mildew and decay as to render it necessary +to renew them almost entirely before they could be used for such a +splendid occasion as that of the first Viceroy's first march through +the re-conquered country. + +From Allahabad we proceeded to Cawnpore, where I had a busy time +arranging for the multifarious requirements of such an enormous camp; +and sometimes I despaired of its being completed by the appointed +date. However, completed it was; and on the 15th October Lord and Lady +Canning arrived, and expressed themselves so pleased with all the +arrangements, and were so kindly appreciative of the exertions I had +made to be ready for them by the appointed time, that I felt myself +fully rewarded for all my trouble. + +The next day I took my wife to call upon Lady Canning, whose +unaffected and simple, yet perfectly dignified manner completely +charmed her, and from that day she was devoted, in common with +everyone who was at all intimately associated with Lady Canning, to +the gentle, gracious lady, who was always kindness itself to her. + +On the 18th the Viceroy made his first march towards Lucknow. The camp +equipage was in duplicate, so that everyone on arriving at the new +halting-place found things exactly the same as in the tents they had +left. + +The camp occupied a considerable space; for, in addition to the +Viceroy's large _entourage_, ground had to be provided for the +Commander-in-Chief and the officers of Army Head-Quarters, who +were marching with us; then there were the post-office, telegraph, +workshops, _toshikhana_,[1] commissariat, and a host of other offices +to be accommodated, beside the escort, which consisted of a battery of +Horse Artillery, a squadron of British Cavalry, a regiment of British +Infantry, a regiment of Native Cavalry, a regiment of Native Infantry, +and the Viceroy's Bodyguard. For the Viceroy, his staff, guests, and +secretaries alone, 150 large tents were pitched in the main street, +and when we came to a station the duplicate tents were also pitched. +For the transport of this portion of the camp equipage 80 elephants +and 500 camels were required.[2] + +It is very difficult to give any idea of the extraordinary spectacle a +big camp like this presents on the line of march. The followers, as a +rule, are accompanied by their wives and families, who are piled upon +the summits of laden carts, or perched on the loads borne by the +baggage animals. In the two camps marching together (Lord Canning's +and Lord Clyde's) there could not have been less than 20,000 +men, women, and children--a motley crowd streaming along about +four-and-twenty miles of road, for the day's march was usually about +twelve miles, and before every one had cleared out of the camp +occupied the night before, the advance guard had begun to arrive on +the ground to be occupied the next day. The strictest discipline had +to be maintained, or this moving colony would have been a serious +calamity to the peasantry, for the followers would have spread +themselves over the country like a flight of locusts, and taken +anything they could lay their hands on, representing themselves +as _Mulk-i-Lord-Sahib-Ke-Naukar_,[3] whom according to immemorial +tradition it was death to resist. The poor, frightened country-people, +therefore, hardly ventured to remonstrate at the _mahouts_ walking off +with great loads of their sugar-cane, or to object to the compulsory +purchase of their farm produce for half its value. There was a great +deal of this kind of raiding at the commencement of the march, and +I was constantly having complaints made to me by the villagers; but +after I had inflicted on the offenders a few summary and tolerably +severe punishments, and made the peasants to understand it was not the +_Mulk-i-Lord-Sahib's_ wish that they should submit to such treatment +from his servants, order was established, and I had very rarely any +trouble. + +Our first halt was at Lucknow. Sir Hope Grant was commanding the +division, and had established himself very comfortably in the +Dilkusha. He had written asking me to bring my wife straight there and +stay with him during the Viceroy's visit, as it was still very hot in +tents during the day. An invitation which I gladly accepted, for it +was pleasant to think of being with my old General again, and I wanted +to introduce him to my wife. + +The next day, the 22nd October, the state entry was made into Lucknow. +It must have been an imposing sight, that long array of troops +and guns, with Lord Canning in the centre, accompanied by the +Commander-in-Chief, and surrounded by their respective staffs in full +uniform. Lord Canning, though at that time not given to riding, looked +remarkably well on horseback; for he had a fine head and shoulders, +and sat his horse well; on foot, his height, not being quite in +proportion, rather detracted from the dignity of his presence. + +I headed the procession, leading it across the Charbagh bridge, the +scene of Havelock's fiercest encounter, past the Machi Bhawan, and the +Residency, to the Kaisarbagh, in front of which were drawn up in a +body the Talukdars of Oudh, who had with difficulty been persuaded +to come and make their obeisance, for, guiltily conscious of their +disloyalty during the rebellion, they did not feel at all sure that +the rumours that it was intended to blow them all away from guns, or +to otherwise summarily dispose of them, were not true. They salaamed +respectfully as the Viceroy passed, and the cavalcade proceeded to the +Martinière park, where the camp, which I had pitched the previous day, +lay spread before us, in all the spotless purity of new white tents +glistening in a flood of brilliant sunshine. The streets through which +we passed were crowded with Natives, who--cowed, but not tamed--looked +on in sullen defiance, very few showing any sign of respect for the +Viceroy. + +Sir William and Lady Mansfield, and several other people from our camp +were also staying with Sir Hope Grant, and that evening the whole +Dilkusha party went to a state dinner given by Lord and Lady Canning. +The latter was a delightful hostess; the shyest person was set at ease +by her kindly, sympathetic manner, and she had the happy knack of +making her guests feel that her entertainments were a pleasure to +herself--the surest way of rendering them enjoyable to those she +entertained. + +I made use of the next week, which was for me a comparatively idle +time, to take my wife over the ground by which we had advanced two +years before, and explain to her the different positions held by the +enemy. She was intensely interested in visiting the Sikandarbagh, the +Shah Najaf, the mess-house, and, above all, that glorious memorial +of almost superhuman courage and endurance, the Residency, ruined, +roofless, and riddled by round shot and bullets. Very little had then +been done towards opening out the city, and the surroundings of the +Residency were much as they had been during the defence--a labyrinth +of streets and lanes; it was therefore easier for the stranger to +realize exactly what had taken place than it is now that the landmarks +have been cleared away, and well-laid-out gardens and broad roads have +taken the place of jungle and narrow alleys. + +On the 26th the Viceroy held a grand durbar for the reception of the +Talukdars. It was the first function of the sort I had witnessed, and +was an amusing novelty to my wife, who, with Lady Canning and some +of the other ladies in camp, viewed the proceedings from behind a +semi-transparent screen, it not being considered at that time the +thing for ladies to appear at ceremonials when Natives were present. +The whole scene was very impressive, though not as brilliant in +colouring as it would have been in any other part of India, owing +to the Chiefs of Oudh being clad in simple white, as is the custom +amongst Rajputs. + +The Talukdars, to the number of one hundred and sixty, were ushered to +their places in strict order of seniority, the highest in rank being +the last to arrive. They were arranged in a half semicircle on the +right of the Viceroy's chair of state, while on the left the Europeans +were seated according to their official rank. When all was ready, the +words 'Attention! Royal salute! Present arms!' were heard without, +warning those within of the Viceroy's approach, and, as the bugles +sounded and the guns thundered forth their welcome, Lord Canning, +accompanied by the Commander-in-Chief, and preceded by their staffs, +entered the tent. + +Everyone rose, and remained standing until the great man took his +seat, when the Foreign Secretary came forward, and, making a low bow, +informed His Excellency that all who had been summoned to attend the +durbar were present. The Chiefs were then brought up and introduced +to the Viceroy one by one; each made a profound obeisance, and, as +a token of allegiance, presented an offering of gold mohurs, +which, according to etiquette, the Viceroy just touched by way of +acknowledgment. The presents from the Government to the Chiefs were +then handed in on trays, and placed on the ground in front of each, +the value of the present being regulated according to the rank and +position of the recipient. This part of the ceremony being over, the +Viceroy rose and addressed the Talukdars. + +After expressing his pleasure at meeting them in their own country, he +gave them an assurance that, so long as they remained faithful to the +Government, they should receive every consideration; he told them that +a new era had commenced in Oudh, and that henceforth they would be +allowed to revert to the conditions under which they had held their +estates prior to the annexation of the province. When Lord Canning had +finished speaking, a translation of his address in Urdu was read +to the Talukdars by Mr. Beadon, the Foreign Secretary; _atar_ and +_pan_[4] were then handed round, and the Viceroy took his departure +with the same formalities as those with which the durbar had been +opened. + +There is some excuse to be made for the attitude of the Talukdars, +who, from their point of view, had little reason to be grateful to the +British Government. These powerful Chiefs, whose individual revenues +varied from £10,000 to £15,000 a year, and who, in their jungle +fastnesses, often defied their sovereign's troops, had suddenly been +deprived of all the authority which in the confusion attending a long +period of misgovernment they had gradually usurped, as well as of a +considerable proportion of the landed property which, from time to +time, they had forcibly appropriated. The conversion of feudal Chiefs +into ordinary law-abiding subjects is a process which, however +beneficial to the many, is certain to be strenuously resisted by the +few. + +In March, 1858, when Lucknow was captured, a Proclamation was issued +by the Government of India confiscating the proprietary rights in the +soil. The object in view was not merely to punish contumacious Chiefs, +but also to enable the Government to establish the revenue system on +a sounder and firmer footing. Talukdars who submitted were to receive +their possessions as a free gift direct from the Government; while +those who had done good service, whether men of Oudh or strangers, +might be rewarded by grants of confiscated property. + +The Proclamation was considered in many influential quarters too +arbitrary and sweeping a measure; Outram protested against it, and +Lord Ellenborough (the President of the Board of Control) condemned +it; but Lord Canning was backed up by the British public, and Lord +Ellenborough resigned to save his Cabinet from being wrecked. That +Outram and Ellenborough took the right view of the case is, I think, +shown by the fact that Lord Canning cancelled the Proclamation on his +first visit to Lucknow. By that time he had come to recognize that the +Talukdars had reasonable grounds for their discontent, and he wisely +determined to take a step which not only afforded them the greatest +relief and satisfaction, but enlisted their interest on the side +of Government. From that day to this, although, from time to time, +subsequent legislation has been found necessary to save the peasantry +from oppression, the Chiefs of Oudh have been amongst the most loyal +of Her Majesty's Indian subjects. + +We remained a few days longer at Lucknow. Lord and Lady Canning +entertained all the residents, while a ball was given by the latter in +the Chatta Manzil to the strangers in camp, and the city and principal +buildings were illuminated in the Viceroy's honour with those curious +little oil-lamps which are the most beautiful form of illumination, +the delineation of every line, point, and pinnacle with myriads of +minute lights producing a wonderfully pretty effect. + +On the 29th the first march was made on the return journey to +Cawnpore. My duty was to go on ahead, select the best site for the +next day's camping-ground, and make all necessary arrangements for +supplies, etc. I waited till the Viceroy had given his orders, and +then my wife and I started off, usually in the forenoon; sometimes +we remained till later in the day, lunching with one or other of our +friends in camp, and on very rare occasions, such as a dinner-party at +the Viceroy's or the Commander-in-Chief's, we drove on after dinner by +moonlight. But that was not until we had been on the march for some +time and I felt that the head Native in charge of the camp was to +be trusted to make no mistake. It was a life of much interest and +variety, and my wife enjoyed the novelty of it all greatly. + +Lord Canning held his second durbar at Cawnpore on the 3rd November, +when he received the principal Chiefs of Bundelkand, the Maharaja of +Rewa, the Maharaja of Benares, and a host of lesser dignitaries. + +It was on this occasion that, in accordance with the Proclamation +which had already announced that the Queen had no desire to extend her +territorial possessions, and that the estates of Native Princes were +to be scrupulously respected, the Chiefs were informed that the right +of adoption was conceded to them. This meant that, in default of male +issue, they were to be allowed to adopt sons according to the Indian +custom of adoption, and that the British Government would recognize +the right of the chosen heir to succeed as Ruler of the State as well +as to inherit the personal property of the Chief by whom he had been +adopted. There had been no clear rule on this point previously, each +case having been considered on its own merits, but the doctrine that +adoption should not be recognized, and that, in default of natural +heirs, the State should lapse and be annexed by the supreme +Government, had been enforced in a good many instances. Lord Canning's +announcement therefore caused the liveliest satisfaction to certain +classes throughout India, and did more than any other measure to +make the feudatory Princes believe in the sincerity of the amnesty +Proclamation.[5] + +Our next move was to Fatehgarh, eight marches from Cawnpore, where, +on the 15th November, a third durbar was held, at which was received, +amongst other leading men of Rohilkand whose services were considered +worthy of acknowledgment, the Nawab of Rampur, who had behaved +with distinguished loyalty in our time of trouble. This Mahomedan +Nobleman's conduct was the more meritorious in that the surrounding +country swarmed with rebels, and was the home of numbers of the +mutinous Irregular Cavalry, while the close proximity of Rampur to +Delhi, whence threats of vengeance were hurled at the Nawab unless he +espoused the King's cause, rendered his position extremely precarious. + +From Fatehgarh we proceeded to Agra, nine marches, only halting on +Sundays, and consequently everyone appreciated being stationary there +for a few days. The camp was pitched on the parade-ground, the scene +of the fight of the 10th October, 1857. Here the Viceroy received some +of the bigger potentates, who were accompanied by large retinues, and, +as far as the _spectacle_ went, it was one of the grandest and most +curious gatherings we had yet witnessed. + +The occasions are rare on which a Viceroy has the opportunity of +receiving in durbar the great vassals of our Indian Empire, but when +these assemblies can be arranged they have a very useful effect, +and should not be looked upon as mere empty ceremonials. This was +especially the case at a time when the country had so recently been +convulsed by intestine war, and when the Native Princes were anxiously +considering how their prospects would be affected by Her Majesty's +assumption of the administration of India. + +The Chief of highest rank on this occasion was the Maharaja of +Gwalior, who, as I have already stated, influenced by his courageous +Minister, Dinkar Rao, had remained faithful to us. Like most Mahratta +Princes of that time, he was very imperfectly educated. Moreover, he +was possessed of a most wayward disposition, frequently threatening, +when thwarted in any way, to throw up the reins of government, and +take refuge in the jungle; manners he had none. + +Next came the enlightened head of the Princely house of Jaipur, the +second in importance of the great Chiefs of Rajputana. + +He was succeeded by the Karaoli Raja, whose following was the most +quaint of all. Amongst the curious signs of his dignity he had on his +escort four tigers, each chained on a separate car, and guarded by +strange-looking men in brass helmets. + +The Maharao Raja of Ulwar was the next to arrive, seated on a +superb elephant, eleven feet high, magnificently caparisoned with +cloth-of-gold coverings, and chains and breastplates of gold. He was a +promising-looking lad who had succeeded to his estate only two years +before; but he soon fell into the hands of low intriguers, who +plundered his dominions and so oppressed his people that the British +Government had to take over the management of his State. + +After Ulwar came the Nawab of Tonk, the descendant of an adventurer +from Swat, on the Peshawar border, who had become possessed of +considerable territory in Rajputana. The Nawab stood by us in the +Mutiny, when his capital was plundered by Tantia Topi. + +The sixth in rank was the Jât Ruler of Dholpur, a bluff, +coarse-looking man, and a very rude specimen of his race. + +Last of all arrived the Nawab of Jaora, a handsome, perfectly-dressed +man of considerable refinement of manner, and with all the courtesy of +a well-bred Mahomedan. Though a feudatory of the rebellious Holkar of +Indore, he kept aloof from all Mahratta intrigues, and behaved well to +us. + +Some of the highest of the Rajput Chiefs declined to attend, alleging +as an excuse the distance of their capitals from Agra; but the truth +is that these Rulers, the best blood of India, had never bowed their +heads to any Power, not even that of the Moghul, and they considered +it would be derogatory to their dignity to obey the summons of the +representative of a sovereign, of whom they considered themselves the +allies and not the mere feudatories.[6] + +Those of the Chieftains attending this durbar who had shown +conspicuous loyalty during the rebellion were not allowed to leave +without receiving substantial rewards. Sindhia had territory +bestowed on him to the value of £30,000 a year. Jaipur was given the +confiscated property of Kôt K[=a]sim, yielding £5,000 a year, while +others were recompensed according to the importance of the services +rendered. + + +[Footnote 1: The depository for jewels and other valuables kept for +presentation to Native Chiefs at durbars.] + +[Footnote 2: The following details will give some idea of the +magnitude of the arrangements required for the Viceroy's camp alone. +Besides those above mentioned there were 500 camels, 500 bullocks and +100 bullock carts for transport of camp equipage, 40 _sowari_ (riding) +elephants, 527 coolies to carry the glass windows belonging to the +larger tents, 100 _bhisties_, and 40 sweepers for watering and keeping +the centre street clean. These were in addition to the private baggage +animals, servants, and numberless riding and driving horses, for all +of which space and shelter had to be provided.] + +[Footnote 3: Servants of the Lord of the Country, or +Governor-General.] + +[Footnote 4: A few drops of attar of roses are given to each person, +and a small packet of _pan_, which is composed of slices of betel-nut +smeared with lime and wrapped in a leaf of the betel-tree.] + +[Footnote 5: The question of Native Rulers having the right to adopt +heirs was first brought to Lord Canning's notice by the three Phulkian +chiefs--Patiala, Jhind and Nabha--who jointly requested in 1858 that +the right of adoption might be accorded to them as a reward for the +services they had rendered during the Mutiny. The request was refused +at the time on the ground that it had never been the custom of the +country, though it had occasionally been done. Since then, however, +Lord Canning had come to see that the uncertainty which prevailed as +to the rights of succession was harassing to the owners of land, and +undesirable in many ways, and he urged upon the Secretary of State +that some distinct rule on the subject might with advantage be laid +down. He wrote as follows: 'The crown of England stands forth the +unquestioned Ruler and paramount Power in all India, and is now for +the first time brought face to face with its feudatories. There is a +reality in the suzerainty of the Sovereign of England which has never +existed before, which is not only felt, but eagerly acknowledged +by the Chiefs. A great convulsion has been followed by such a +manifestation of our strength as India has never seen; and if this in +its turn be followed by an act of general and substantial grace, over +and above the special rewards which have already been given to those +whose services deserve them, the measure will be seasonable and +appreciated.' Lord Canning's proposals met with the cordial approval +of Her Majesty's Government, and his announcement at Cawnpore rejoiced +the hearts of the Chiefs, one of whom, the Maharaja of Rewa, was a +leper and had no son. He said, on hearing the Viceroy's words, 'They +dispel an evil wind which has long been blowing upon me.'] + +[Footnote 6: These Rajput Chiefs, however, accepted Lord Lytton's +invitation to attend the Imperial Assemblage at Delhi on the 1st +January, 1877, and having once given their allegiance to the 'Empress +of India,' they have since been the most devotedly loyal of Her +Majesty's feudatory Princes.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII. +1859-1860 + + Delhi under a different aspect--Lord Clyde--Umritsar and Lahore + --The Lahore Durbar--Simla--Life at Simla + + +We remained at Agra until the 9th December. There was so much of +beauty and interest in and around the place, that Lady Canning found +a wealth of subjects for her facile pencil, and was well content to +remain there. There were the usual banquets to the residents, and +entertainments given by the Agra people to those in camp, one of them +being a party in the Taj gardens, to give us an opportunity of seeing +the tomb by moonlight, when it certainly looks its loveliest. My wife +was more delighted even than I had anticipated with the perfect +beauty of the Taj and the exquisite little mosque in the fort, the +Moti-Masjid. I greatly enjoyed showing her all that was worth seeing, +and witnessing her pleasure on first viewing these wonderful works of +art. + +There was no halt again, except the usual one on Sunday, until we +reached Meerut on the 21st December. + +Three marches from Agra a fire broke out in Lady Canning's tent soon +after she had retired for the night, caused by the iron pipe of +the stove, which passed through the side of the tent, becoming +over-heated. Lady Canning's tents were on one side of the big +dining-tent, and the Viceroy's on the other. Immediately on perceiving +the fire, Lady Canning ran across to awaken her husband, but the +Native sentry, who did not know her or understand a word of what she +was saying, would not let her in, and, in despair of being able to +make anyone hear, she rushed off to the tent of Sir Edward Campbell, +the Military Secretary, which was nearest her own. She succeeded +in awaking him, and then flew back to try and save some of her own +treasures. The first thing she thought of was her portfolio of +drawings, which she dragged outside; but it had already been partially +burned, and most of the valuable and characteristic sketches she had +made at the different durbars were destroyed. She next tried to rescue +her jewels, many of which she had worn the night before; her pearls +were lying on the dressing-table, and she was only just in time to +save them; one of the strings had caught fire, and several of the +pearls were blackened. She swept them off the table into a towel, and +threw them into a tub of water standing outside. Her wardrobe was +completely destroyed. More damage would have been done had not the +Private Secretary, Mr. Lewin Bowring, on the alarm being given, +hurried to the dining-tent, and, with great presence of mind, ordered +the Native Cavalry sentry to cut the ropes, causing it to fall at +once, and preventing the fire from spreading. Some office boxes and +records were destroyed, but nothing more. We were as usual in the +advance camp, and did not hear what had happened until next morning, +when Lady Canning arrived dressed in Lady Campbell's clothes; and as +Lady Canning was tall, and Lady Campbell was short, the effect was +rather funny. + +Christmas was spent at Meerut, where I met several of my brother +officers, amongst others my particular friend Edwin Johnson, whom I +had the great pleasure of introducing to my wife. With scarcely +an exception, my friends became hers, and this added much to the +happiness of our Indian life. + +Delhi, our next halting-place, was certainly not the least interesting +in our tour. Lord Canning was anxious to understand all about the +siege, and visited the different positions; the Ridge and its +surroundings, the breaches, and the palace, were the chief points +of interest. There were two 'Delhi men' besides myself to explain +everything to him, Sir Edward Campbell, who was with the 60th Rifles +throughout, and one of the best officers in the regiment, and Jemmy +Hills, who had now become the Viceroy's Aide-de-camp; while in Lord +Clyde's camp there were Norman, Stewart, and Becher. + +I had, of course, taken my wife to the scenes of the fights at Agra, +Aligarh, and Bulandshahr, but Delhi had the greatest fascination for +her. It is certainly an extraordinarily attractive place, setting +aside the peculiar interest of the siege. For hundreds of years it had +been the seat of Government under Rulers of various nationalities and +religions; few cities have the remains of so much pomp and glory, and +very few bear the traces of having been besieged so often, or could +tell of so much blood spilt in their defence, or of such quantities of +treasure looted from them. When Tamerlane captured Delhi in 1398 the +city was given over to massacre for five days, 'some streets being +rendered impassable by heaps of dead'; and in 1739 the Persian +conqueror, Nadir Shah, after sacking the place for fifty-eight days +and massacring thousands of its inhabitants, carried off thirty-two +millions sterling of booty. + +Although the fierce nature of the struggle that Delhi had gone through +in 1857 was apparent everywhere, the inhabitants seemed now to have +forgotten all about it. The city was as densely populated as it had +ever been; the Chandni Chauk was gay as formerly with draperies of +bright-coloured stuffs; jewellers and shawl-merchants carried on their +trades as briskly as ever, and were just as eager in their endeavours +to tempt the _Sahib log_ to spend their money as if trade had never +been interrupted; so quickly do Orientals recover from the effects of +a devastating war. + +We left Delhi on the 3rd January, 1860, marching _viâ_ Karnal. When at +this place my wife went to see Lady Canning, as she often did if we +remained at all late in camp. On this particular occasion she found +her busy with the English mail, which had just arrived, so she said +she would not stay then, but would come next day instead. Lady +Canning, however, would not let my wife go until she had read her part +of a letter from Lady Waterford, which she thought would amuse her. It +was in answer to one from Lady Canning, in which she had described +the camp, and given her sister a list of all the people in it. Lady +Waterford wrote: 'Your Quartermaster-General must be the son of +General Roberts, who lives near Waterford; he came home on leave last +year. I must tell you an amusing little anecdote about his father. One +night, when the General was dining at Curraghmore, he found himself +sitting next the Primate of Ireland, with whom he entered into +conversation. After some time they discovered they had known each +other in the days of their youth, but had never met since a certain +morning on which they went out to fight a duel on account of some +squabble at a mess; happily the quarrel was stopped without any harm +being done, each feeling equally relieved at being prevented from +trying to murder the other, as they had been persuaded they were in +honour bound to do. The two old gentlemen made very merry over their +reminiscences.' + +For some time I had been indulging a hope that I might be sent to +China with my old General, Hope Grant, who had been nominated to the +command of the expedition which, in co-operation with the French, was +being prepared to wipe out the disgrace of the repulse experienced +early in the year, by the combined French and English naval squadrons +in their attack on the Taku forts. My hope, however, was doomed to +disappointment. Lord Clyde decided to send Lumsden and Allgood as +A.Q.M.G.'s with the force, and I was feeling very low in consequence. +A day or two afterwards we dined with the Cannings, and Lord Clyde +took my wife in to dinner. His first remark to her was: 'I think I +have earned your gratitude, if I have not managed to satisfy everyone +by these China appointments.' On my wife asking for what she was +expected to be grateful, he said: 'Why, for not sending your husband +with the expedition, of course. I suppose you would rather not be +left in a foreign country alone a few months after your marriage? If +Roberts had not been a newly-married man, I would have sent him.' +This was too much for my wife, who sympathized greatly with my +disappointment, and she could not help retorting: 'I am afraid I +cannot be very grateful to you for making my husband feel I am ruining +his career by standing in the way of his being sent on service. You +have done your best to make him regret his marriage.' The poor old +Chief was greatly astonished, and burst out in his not too refined +way: 'Well, I'll be hanged if I can understand you women! I have done +the very thing I thought you would like, and have only succeeded in +making you angry. I will never try to help a woman again.' My wife +saw that he had meant to be kind, and that it was, as he said, only +because he did not 'understand women' that he had made the mistake. +She was soon appeased, and in the end she and Lord Clyde became great +friends. + +The middle of January found us at Umballa, where Lord Canning met in +state all the Cis-Sutlej Sikh Chiefs. Fine, handsome men they most of +them were, and magnificently attired. The beautifully delicate tints +which the Sikhs are so fond of, the warlike costumes of some of the +Sirdars, the quiet dignity of these high-born men who had rendered +us such signal service in our hour of need, made the scene most +picturesque and impressive. The place of honour was given to the +Maharaja of Patiala (the grandfather of the present Maharaja), as the +most powerful of the Phulkian Princes; and he was followed by his +neighbours of Nabha and Jhind, all three splendid specimens of +well-bred Sikhs, of stately presence and courtly manners. They were +much gratified at having the right of adoption granted to their +families, and at being given substantial rewards in the shape of +extension of territory. + +The Sikh Chiefs were followed by Rajas of minor importance, chiefly +from the neighbouring hills, whom the Viceroy had summoned in order to +thank them for assistance rendered during the Mutiny. Many of them had +grievances to be redressed; others had favours to ask; and the Viceroy +was able to more or less satisfy them by judiciously yielding to +reasonable demands, and by bestowing minor powers on those who were +likely to use them well. The wisdom of this policy of concession +on Lord Canning's part was proved in after years by its successful +results. + +On the 29th January the Raja of Kapurthala came out to meet the +Viceroy one march from Jullundur. He had supplemented the valuable +assistance rendered to Colonel Lake in the early days of the Mutiny +by equipping and taking into Oudh a force of 2,000 men, which he +personally commanded in six different actions. The Viceroy cordially +thanked him for this timely service, and in recognition of it, and his +continued and conspicuous loyalty, bestowed upon him large estates in +Oudh, where he eventually became one of the chief Talukdars. This Raja +was the grandfather of the enlightened nobleman who came to England +three years ago. + +After visiting Umritsar, gay with brilliant illuminations in honour +of the Viceroy, and crowded with Sikhs come to welcome the Queen's +representative to their sacred city, we arrived at Lahore on the 10th +February. + +Early the following morning Lord Canning made his state entry. As we +approached the citadel the long line of mounted Chiefs drawn up to +receive the Viceroy came into view. A brilliant assemblage they +formed, Sikh Sirdars, stately Hill Rajputs, wildly picturesque +Multanis and Baluchis with their flowing locks floating behind them, +sturdy Tawanas from the Salt range, all gorgeously arrayed in every +colour of the rainbow, their jewels glittering in the morning sun, +while their horses, magnificently caparisoned in cloth-of-gold saddle +cloths, and gold and silver trappings, pranced and curvetted under +pressure of their severe bits. As the procession appeared in sight +they moved forward in one long dazzling cavalcade, each party of +Chiefs being headed by the Commissioner of the district from which +they came; they saluted as they approached the Viceroy, and then +passing him fell in behind, between the Body Guard and the Artillery +of the escort. A royal salute was fired from the fort as we passed +under the city walls; we then wound through the civil station of +Anárkáli, and on to camp where the garrison of Mian Mir, under the +command of Major-General Sir Charles Windham, was drawn up to receive +the Viceroy. + +At nightfall there were illuminations and a procession of elephants; +the Viceroy, seated in a superb howdah, led the way through the +brilliantly lighted city. Suddenly a shower of rockets was discharged +which resulted in a stampede of the elephants, who rushed through the +narrow streets, and fled in every direction, to the imminent peril and +great discomfort of the riders. In time they were quieted and +brought back, only to become again unmanageable at a fresh volley of +fireworks; a second time they were pacified, and as they seemed to be +getting accustomed to the noise and lights, the procession proceeded +to the garden of the old palace. Here the elephants were drawn up, +when all at once a fresh discharge of rockets from every side drove +them mad with fright, and off they bolted under the trees, through +gates, and some of them could not be pulled up until they had gone far +into the country. Howdahs were crushed, hats torn off, but, strange to +say, there was only one serious casualty; an officer was swept out of +his howdah by the branch of a tree, and falling to the ground, had his +thigh broken. Lord Clyde declared that a general action was not half +so dangerous, and he would much sooner have been in one! + +The Lahore durbar, at which the Punjab Chiefs were received, surpassed +any former ceremonials in point of numbers and splendour of effect. +Many of Runjit Singh's Sirdars were present, and many who had fought +against us in the Sutlej and Punjab campaigns, but had now become our +fast friends. The Chiefs quite spontaneously prepared and presented +Lord Canning with an address, and, in reply, his Excellency made +an eloquent and telling speech, commenting in terms of the highest +appreciation on the courage and loyalty displayed by the Nobles and +people of the Punjab during the Mutiny. + +While the camp was marching to Sialkot, where the Maharaja of Kashmir +and some of the leading men of the Punjab were to be received, the +Viceroy, accompanied by Lady Canning, Lord Clyde, and a small staff, +went on a flying visit to Peshawar, with the object of satisfying +himself, by personal examination of our position there, as to the +advisability or otherwise of a retirement cis-Indus--a retrograde +movement which John Lawrence was still in favour of. The visit, +however, only served to strengthen Lord Canning in his preconceived +opinion that Peshawar must be held on to as our frontier station. + +My wife remained at Mian Mir with our good friends Doctor and Mrs. +Tyrrell Ross until it was time for her to go to Simla, and the kind +thoughtfulness of Lord Canning, who told me the camp now worked so +well that my presence was not always necessary, enabled me to be with +her from time to time. + +Lord Canning's tour was now nearly over, and we marched without any +halt of importance from Sialkot to Kalka at the foot of the hills, +where, on the 9th April, the camp was broken up. It was high time to +get into cooler regions, for the heat of the tents in the day had +become very oppressive. + +Thus ended a six months' march of over a thousand miles--a march never +likely to be undertaken again by any other Viceroy of India, now that +railway trains run from Calcutta to Peshawar, and saloon carriages +have taken the place of big tents. + +This progress through India had excellent results. The advantages of +the representative of the Sovereign meeting face to face the principal +feudatories and Chiefs of our great dependency were very considerable, +and the opportunity afforded to the Viceroy of personally +acknowledging and rewarding the services of those who had helped us, +and of showing that he was not afraid to be lenient to those who had +failed to do so, provided they should remain loyal in the future, had +a very good effect over the whole of India. The wise concessions also +announced at the different durbars as regards the adoption by Native +Rulers of successors to their estates, and the grant to Native +gentlemen of such a share as they were fitted for in the government +of the country, were undoubtedly more appreciated than any other +description of reward given for assistance in the Mutiny. + +My duty with the Viceroy being ended, I returned to Mian Mir to fetch +my wife and the little daughter, who had made her appearance on the +10th March, and escort them both to Simla. The journey up the hill was +a tedious one. Carriages were not then used as they are now, and my +wife travelled in a _jampan_, a kind of open, half-reclining sedan +chair, carried by relays of four men, while I rode or walked by her +side. She had been greatly exhausted by the heat of the journey from +Mian Mir, but as we ascended higher and higher up the mountain side, +and the atmosphere became clearer and fresher, she began to revive. +Four hours, however, of this unaccustomed mode of travelling in her +weak state had completely tired her out, so on finding a fairly +comfortable bungalow at the end of the first stage, I decided to +remain there the next day. After that we went on, stage by stage, +until we reached Simla. Our house, 'Mount Pleasant,' was on the very +top of a hill; up and up we climbed through the rhododendron forest, +along a path crimson with the fallen blossom, till we got to the top, +when a glorious view opened out before our delighted eyes. The wooded +hills of Jakho and Elysium in the foreground, Mahasu and the beautiful +Shalli peaks in the middle distance, and beyond, towering above all, +the everlasting snows glistening in the morning sun, formed a picture +the beauty of which quite entranced us both. I could hardly persuade +my wife to leave it and come into the house. Hunger and fatigue, +however, at length triumphed. Our servants had arranged everything in +our little abode most comfortably; bright fires were burning in the +grates, a cosy breakfast was awaiting us, and the feeling that at last +we had a home of our own was very pleasant. + +Lord Canning did not remain long at Simla. His Council in Calcutta was +about to lose its President, Sir James Outram, who was leaving India +on account of failing health; and as the suggestion to impose an +income-tax was creating a good deal of agitation, the Viceroy hurried +back to Calcutta, deeming it expedient to be on the spot. + +The measures necessary for the suppression of the Mutiny had emptied +the Government coffers; and although a large loan had been raised, +the local authorities found it impossible to cope with the increased +expenditure. Lord Canning had, therefore, applied to the Government in +England for the services of a trained financier; and Mr. Wilson, who +had a great reputation in this respect, was sent out. He declared the +only remedy to be an income-tax, and he was supported in this view +by the merchants of Calcutta. Other Europeans, however, who were +intimately acquainted with India, pointed out that it was not +advisable to ignore the dislike of Natives to such direct taxation; +and Sir Charles Trevelyan, Governor of Madras, argued well and wisely +against the scheme. Instead, however, of confining his action in the +matter to warning and advising the supreme Government, he publicly +proclaimed his opposition, thus giving the signal for agitation to all +the malcontents in India. Lord Elphinstone, the Governor of Bombay, +followed Trevelyan's example, but in a less pronounced manner, +and these attacks from the minor Presidencies proved a serious +embarrassment to the action of the Government. In spite of all this +antagonism, the income-tax was passed, and Sir Charles Trevelyan's +unusual procedure led to his recall. + +Lord Canning left Simla for his long and trying journey in May, about +the hottest time of the year. On my taking leave of him, he told +me that Sir Hugh Rose, then commanding the Bombay army, had been +appointed to succeed Lord Clyde, who had long been anxious to return +to England, and that Sir Hugh, though he intended to go to Calcutta +himself, wished the Head-Quarters of the Army to remain at Simla; a +question about which we had been rather anxious, as it would have been +an unpleasant breaking up of all our plans, had I been ordered to +Calcutta. + +Life at Simla was somewhat monotonous. The society was not very large +in those days; but there were a certain number of people on leave +from the plains, who then, as at present, had nothing to do but amuse +themselves, consequently there was a good deal of gaiety in a small +way; but we entered into it very little. My wife did not care much +about it, and had been very ill for the greater part of the summer. +She had made two or three kind friends, and was very happy in her +mountain home, though at times, perhaps, a little lonely, as I had to +be in office the greater part of each day. + +In the autumn we made a trip into the interior of the hills, beyond +Simla, which was a new and delightful experience for my wife. We +usually started in the morning, sending our servants on about half +way, when they prepared breakfast for us in some pretty, shady spot; +there we remained, reading, writing, or resting, until after lunch, +and it was time to move on, that we might get to our halting place for +the night before dinner. + +It was a lovely time of the year, when the autumn tints made the +forest gorgeous, and the scarlet festoons of the Himalayan vine stood +out in brilliant contrast to the dark green of the solemn deodar, +amongst the branches of which it loves to twine itself. + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV. +1860 + + The Staff Corps--With the Viceroy's camp again--The marble rocks + --Lady Canning's death--Pig-sticking at Jamu--Lord Canning + --Another cold-weather march--Gwalior and Jhansi + --Departmental promotion + +In 1860 an important alteration was made in the organization of the +army in India, by the passing of a Bill for the amalgamation of the +local European Forces with the Royal Army. + +On the transfer of the administration of India from the Honourable +East India Company to the Crown, a question arose as to the conditions +under which the European soldiers had enlisted. The Government +contended that the conditions were in no way affected by the abolition +of the Company. The soldiers, on the other hand, claimed to be +re-enlisted, and on this being refused they asked for their discharge. +This was granted, and 10,000 out of the 16,000 men serving in the +local army had to be sent to England. These men were replaced and the +local Forces were kept up to strength by fresh drafts from England; +but, from the date of the amalgamation, enlistment to serve solely in +India was to cease. + +There was great difference of opinion as to the advisability of this +measure; officers of the Queen's service for the most part, and +notably Sir Hugh Rose, were in favour of it, but it was not generally +popular in India. It was feared that the change would result in a +great increase to the military charges which the Indian Government +would be called upon to pay; that, notwithstanding such increase, +there would be a serious diminution in the control exercised by that +Government over the administration and organization of the British +Army in India; and that, under the pressure of political emergency in +Europe, troops might be withdrawn and Indian requirements disregarded. +On the other hand, those in favour of the Bill thought that, after the +transfer of India to the Crown, the maintenance of a separate Force +uncontrolled by the Horse Guards would be an anomaly. There was, no +doubt, much to be said on both sides of the question, but, although it +has been proved that the fears of those opposed to the change were not +altogether without foundation, in my opinion it was unavoidable, and +has greatly benefited both services. + +The amalgamation considerably accelerated my promotion, for, in order +to place the Indian Ordnance Corps on the same footing as those of the +Royal service, the rank of Second Captain had to be introduced into +the former, a rank to which I attained in October, 1860, only, +however, to hold it for one day, as the next my name appeared in the +_Gazette_ as a Brevet Major. + +The same year saw the introduction of the Staff Corps. This was the +outcome of the disappearance during the Mutiny of nearly the whole of +the Regular regiments of the Bengal Army, and their replacement by +Irregular regiments. But, as under the Irregular system the number of +British officers with each corps was too limited to admit of their +promotion being carried on regimentally, as had been done under the +Regular system,[1] some organization had to be devised by which the +pay and promotion of all officers joining the Indian Army in future +could be arranged. Many schemes were put forward; eventually one +formulated by Colonel Norman was, with certain modifications, accepted +by the Secretary of State, the result being that all officers about +to enter the Indian Army were to be placed on one list, in which they +would be promoted after fixed periods of service;[2] and all those +officers who had been thrown out of employment by the disbandment +of their regiments, or by the substitution of the Irregular for the +Regular system, were to have the option of joining it. The term Staff +Corps, however, was a misnomer, for the constitution of the Corps and +the training of its officers had no special connection with staff +requirements. + +Towards the end of the summer the Viceroy announced his intention of +making a march through Central India, and I was again ordered to take +charge of his camp, which was to be formed at Benares. My wife and her +baby remained at Simla with our friends the Donald Stewarts, and I +left her feeling sure that with them she would be happy and well taken +care of. + +Sir Hugh Rose was at Allahabad, and as I passed through that place I +availed myself of the opportunity to pay my respects to the new Chief, +being anxious to meet an officer whom I had held in great admiration +from the time when, as _Chargé d'affaires_ at Constantinople, his +pluck and foresight practically saved Turkey in her time of peril +from Russia's threatened attack--admiration increased by the masterly +manner in which he had conducted the Central India campaign, in spite +of almost overwhelming difficulties from want of transport and +other causes, and a severe attack of sunstroke, which would have +incapacitated many men. Sir Hugh Rose, when I first met him at +Allahabad, was fifty-nine years of age, tall, slight, with refined +features, rather delicate-looking, and possessing a distinctly +distinguished appearance. He received me most kindly, and told me +that he wished me to return to Head-Quarters when the Viceroy could +dispense with my services. + +The camp this year was by no means on so grand a scale as the +preceding one. The escort was much smaller, and the Commander-in-Chief +with Army Head-Quarters did not march with us as on the previous +occasion. + +Lord and Lady Canning arrived by steamer at Benares on the 6th +November, and I went on board to meet them. Lord Canning was cordial +and pleasant as usual, but I did not think he looked well. Lady +Canning was charming as ever; she reproached me for not having brought +my wife, but when I told her how ill she had been, she agreed that +camp was not quite the place for her. + +Benares, to my mind, is a most disappointing city; the streets +are narrow and dirty, there are no fine buildings, and it is only +interesting from its being held so sacred by the Hindus. The view of +the city and burning ghâts from the river is picturesque and pretty, +but there is nothing else worth seeing. + +Two days were occupied in getting the camp to Mirzarpur, on the +opposite bank of the Ganges. There was no bridge, and everything had +to be taken over in boats; 10,000 men, 1,000 horses, 2,000 camels, +2,000 bullocks, besides all the tents, carts, and baggage, had to be +ferried across the great river. The 180 elephants swam over with their +_mahouts_ on their backs to keep their heads straight and urge them +on; the stream was rapid, and it was a difficult business to land them +safely at the other side, but at last it was accomplished, and our +only casualty was one camel, which fell overboard. + +The march to Jubbulpur lay through very pretty scenery, low hills +and beautiful jungle, ablaze with the flame-coloured blossom of the +dhâk-tree. Game abounded, and an occasional tiger was killed. Lord +Canning sometimes accompanied the shooting expeditions, but not often, +for he was greatly engrossed in, and oppressed by, his work, which he +appeared unable to throw off. Even during the morning's drive he was +occupied with papers, and on reaching camp he went straight to his +office tent, where he remained the whole day till dinner-time, +returning to it directly the meal was over, unless there were +strangers present with whom he wished to converse. + +At Jubbulpur the Viceroy held a durbar for the Maharaja Tukaji Holkar +of Indore, and some minor Chiefs of that part of the country. Holkar's +conduct during the Mutiny was not altogether above suspicion, but, +considering that the only troops at his disposal belonged to the +mutinous Indore Contingent, which consisted mainly of Hindustanis +enlisted by English officers, over whom he could not be expected to +exercise much control, Lord Canning gave him the benefit of the doubt, +and was willing to attribute his equivocal behaviour to want of +ability and timidity, rather than to disloyalty, and therefore allowed +him to come to the durbar. + +Another potentate received at this time by the Viceroy was the Begum +of Bhopal, who, being a powerful and skilful Ruler, and absolutely +loyal to the British Government, had afforded us most valuable +assistance during the rebellion. She was one of those women whom the +East has occasionally produced, endowed with conspicuous talent and +great strength of character, a quality which, from its rarity amongst +Indian women, gives immense influence to those who possess it. Lord +Canning congratulated the Begum on the success with which she had +governed her country, thanked her for her timely help, and +bestowed upon her a large tract of country as a reward. She was +a determined-looking little woman, and spoke fluently in her own +language; she personally managed the affairs of her State, and wrote a +remarkably interesting account of her travelling experiences during a +pilgrimage to Mecca. + +Just as the Begum took her departure, news was brought in of the +presence of a tiger two or three miles from the cantonment, and as +many of us as could get away started off in pursuit. Not considering +myself a first-rate shot, I thought I should be best employed with the +beaters, but, as good luck would have it, the tiger broke from the +jungle within a few yards of my elephant: I could not resist having a +shot, and was fortunate enough to knock him over. + +While at Jubbulpur, I visited the famous marble rocks on the Nerbudda. +We rowed up the river for about a mile, when the stream began to +narrow, and splendid masses of marble came into view. The cliffs rise +to about a hundred feet in height, pure white below, gradually shading +off to gray at the top. The water at their base is of a deep brown +colour; perfectly transparent and smooth, in which the white rocks are +reflected with the utmost distinctness. In the crevices hang numerous +beehives, whose inmates one has to be careful not to disturb, for on +the bank are the graves of two Englishmen who, having incautiously +aroused the vicious little creatures, were attacked and drowned in +diving under the water to escape from their stings. + +A few days later the Viceroy left camp, and proceeded to Lucknow, +where he held another durbar for the Talukdars of Oudh. Lady Canning +continued to march with us to Mirzapur, where I took her on board her +barge, and bade her farewell--a last farewell, for I never saw this +good, beautiful, and gifted woman again. + +The camp being broken up, I returned towards the end of February to my +work in the Quartermaster-General's Office at Simla. I found the place +deep in snow; it looked very beautiful, but the change of temperature, +from the great heat of Central India to several degrees of frost, was +somewhat trying. My wife had benefited greatly from the fine bracing +air, and both she and our baby appeared pictures of health; but a day +or two after my arrival the little one was taken ill, and died within +one week of her birthday--our first great sorrow. + +We passed a very quiet, uneventful summer, and in the beginning of +October we left Simla for Allahabad, where I had received instructions +to prepare a camp for the Viceroy, who had arranged to hold an +investiture of the Star of India, the new Order which was originally +designed to honour the principal Chiefs of India who had done us +good service, by associating them with some of the highest and most +distinguished personages in England, and a few carefully selected +Europeans in India. Lord Canning was the first Grand Master, and Sir +Hugh Rose the first Knight. + +The durbar at which the Maharajas Sindhia and Patiala, the Begum of +Bhopal, and the Nawab of Rampur were invested, was a most imposing +ceremony. The Begum was the cynosure of all eyes--a female Knight +was a novelty to Europeans as well as to Natives--and there was much +curiosity as to how she would conduct herself; but no one could have +behaved with greater dignity or more perfect decorum, and she made a +pretty little speech in Urdu in reply to Lord Canning's complimentary +address. She was dressed in cloth-of-gold, and wore magnificent +jewels; but the effect of her rich costume was somewhat marred by a +funny little wreath of artificial flowers, woollen mittens, and black +worsted stockings with white tips. When my wife visited the Begum +after the durbar, she showed her these curious appendages with great +pride, saying she wore them because they were 'English fashion.' This +was the first occasion on which ladies were admitted to a durbar, out +of compliment to the Begum. + +That evening my wife was taken in to dinner by a man whose manner and +appearance greatly impressed her, but she did not catch his name when +he was introduced; she much enjoyed his conversation during dinner, +which was not to be wondered at, for, before she left the table, he +told her his name was Bartle Frere.[3] She never saw him again, but +she always says he interested her more than almost any of the many +distinguished men she has since met. + +From Allahabad the Viceroy again visited Lucknow, this time with the +object of urging upon the Talukdars the suppression of the horrible +custom of female infanticide, which had its origin in the combined +pride and poverty of the Rajputs. In various parts of India attempts +had been made, with more or less success, to put a stop to this +inhuman practice. But not much impression had been made in Oudh, in +consequence of the inordinately large dowries demanded from the Rajput +fathers of marriageable daughters. Two hundred Talukdars attended +Lord Canning's last durbar, and, in reply to his feeling and telling +speech, declared their firm determination to do their best to +discourage the evil. + +The Commander-in-Chief had decided to pass the winter in marching +through the Punjab, and inspecting the different stations for troops +in the north of India. The Head-Quarters camp had, therefore, been +formed at Jullundur, and thither we proceeded when the gathering at +Allahabad had dispersed. We had but just arrived, when we were shocked +and grieved beyond measure to hear of Lady Canning's death. Instead of +accompanying the Viceroy to Allahabad she had gone to Darjeeling, +and on her return, anxious to make sketches of the beautiful jungle +scenery, she arranged, alas! contrary to the advice of those with +her, to spend one night in the _terai_,[4] where she contracted +jungle-fever, to which she succumbed ten days after her return to +Calcutta. Her death was a real personal sorrow to all who had the +privilege of knowing her; what must it have been to her husband, +returning to England without the helpmate who had shared and lightened +the burden of his anxieties, and gloried in the success which crowned +his eventful career in India. + +The Commander-in-Chief arrived in the middle of November, and all the +officers of the Head-Quarters camp went out to meet him. I was mounted +on a spirited nutmeg-gray Arab, a present from Allgood. Sir Hugh +greatly fancied Arabian horses, and immediately noticed mine. He +called me up to him, and asked me where I got him, and of what +caste he was. From that moment he never varied in the kindness and +consideration with which he treated me, and I always fancied I owed +his being well disposed towards me from the very first to the fact +that I was riding my handsome little Arab that day; he loved a good +horse, and liked his staff to be well mounted. A few days afterwards +he told me he wished me to accompany him on the flying tours he +proposed to make from time to time, in order to see more of the +country and troops than would be possible if he marched altogether +with the big camp. + +We went to Umritsar, Mian Mir, and Sialkot; at each place there were +the usual inspections, mess dinners, and entertainments. The Chief's +visit made a break in the ordinary life of a cantonment, and the +residents were glad to take advantage of it to get up various +festivities; Sir Hugh, too, was most hospitably inclined, so that +there was always a great deal to do besides actual duty when we +arrived at a station. + +Jamu, where the Ruler of Kashmir resides during the winter, is not far +from Sialkot, so Sir Hugh was tempted to accept an invitation from the +Maharaja to pay him a visit and enjoy some good pig-sticking, to my +mind the finest sport in the world. His Highness entertained us right +royally, and gave us excellent sport, but our pleasure was marred by +the Chief having a bad fall: he had got the first spear off a fine +boar, who, feeling himself wounded, turned and charged, knocking over +Sir Hugh's horse. All three lay in a heap together; the pig was dead, +the horse was badly ripped up, and the Chief showed no signs of life. +We carried him back to Jamu on a _charpoy_[5] and when he regained +consciousness we found that no great harm was done beyond a severely +bruised face and a badly sprained leg, which, though still very +painful two or three days later, did not prevent the plucky old fellow +from riding over the battle-field of Chilianwalla. + +Very soon after this Norman, who was then Adjutant-General of the +Army, left Head-Quarters to take up the appointment of Secretary to +the Government of India in the Military Department. Before we parted +he expressed a hope that I would soon follow him, as a vacancy in the +Department was about to take place, which he said he was sure Lord +Canning would allow him to offer to me. Norman was succeeded as +Adjutant-General of the Indian Army by Edwin Johnson, the last officer +who filled that post, as it was done away with when the amalgamation +of the services was carried into effect. + +Two marches from Jhelum my wife was suddenly taken alarmingly ill, and +had to remain behind when the camp moved on. Sir Hugh Rose most kindly +insisted on leaving his doctor (Longhurst) in charge of her, and told +me I must stay with her as long as was necessary. For three whole +weeks we remained on the encamping ground of Sahawar; at the end of +that time, thanks (humanly speaking) to the skill and care of our +Doctor, she was sufficiently recovered to be put into a doolie and +carried to Lahore, I riding a camel by her side, for my horses had +gone on with the camp. + +While at Lahore I received a most kind letter from Norman, offering me +the post in the Secretariat which he had already told me was about +to become vacant. After some hesitation--for the Secretariat had its +attractions, particularly as regarded pay--I decided to decline the +proffered appointment, as my acceptance of it would have taken me away +from purely military work and the chance of service in the field. I +left my wife on the high-road to recovery, and hurried after the +camp, overtaking it at Peshawar just in time to accompany the +Commander-in-Chief on his ride along the Derajat frontier, a trip I +should have been very sorry to have missed. We visited every station +from Kohat to Rajanpur, a ride of about 440 miles. Brigadier-General +Neville Chamberlain, who was still commanding the Punjab Frontier +Force, met us at Kohat, and remained with us to the end. We did from +twenty-five to forty miles a day, and our baggage and servants, +carried on riding-camels, kept up with us. + +This was my first experience of a part of India with which I had later +so much to do, and which always interested me greatly. At the time of +which I am writing it was a wild and lawless tract of country. As we +left Kohat we met the bodies of four murdered men being carried in, +but were told there was nothing unusual in such a sight. On one +occasion General Chamberlain introduced to Sir Hugh Rose two young +Khans, fine, handsome fellows, who were apparently on excellent terms. +A few days later we were told that one of them had been murdered by +his companion, there having been a blood-feud between their families +for generations; although these two had been brought up together, and +liked each other, the one whose clan had last lost a member by the +feud felt himself in honour bound to sacrifice his friend. + +When I rejoined my wife at the end of the tour, I found her a great +deal worse than her letters had led me to expect, but she had been +much cheered by the arrival of a sister who had come out to pay us +a visit, and who lived with us until she married an old friend and +brother officer of mine named Sladen. We remained at Umballa till the +end of March; the only noteworthy circumstance that occurred there was +a parade for announcing to the troops that Earl Canning had departed, +and that the Earl of Elgin and Kincardine was now Viceroy of India. + +There are few men whose conduct of affairs has been so severely +criticized as Lord Canning's, but there are still fewer who, as +Governors or Viceroys, have had to deal with such an overwhelming +crisis as the Mutiny. While the want of appreciation Lord Canning at +first displayed of the magnitude of that crisis may, with perfect +justice, be attributed to the fact that most of his advisers had +gained their experience only in Lower Bengal, and had therefore a very +imperfect knowledge of popular feeling throughout India, the very +large measure of success which attended his subsequent action was +undoubtedly due to his own ability and sound judgment. + +That by none of Lord Canning's responsible councillors could the +extent of the Mutiny, or the position in Upper India, have been +grasped, was evident from the telegram[6] sent from Calcutta to the +Commander-in-Chief on the 31st May, three weeks after the revolt at +Meerut had occurred; but from the time Lord Canning left Calcutta +in January, 1858, and had the opportunity of seeing and judging for +himself, all that he did was wise and vigorous. + +Outwardly Lord Canning was cold and reserved, the result, I think, of +extreme sensitiveness; for he was without doubt very warm-hearted, +and was greatly liked and respected by those about him, and there +was universal regret throughout India when, three months after his +departure, the news of his death was received. + +We returned to Simla early in April. The season passed much as other +seasons had passed, except that there was rather more gaiety. The new +Viceroy remained in Calcutta; but Sir Hugh Rose had had quite enough +of it the year before, so he came up to the Hills, and established +himself at 'Barnes Court.' He was very hospitable, and having my +sister-in-law to chaperon, my wife went out rather more than she had +cared to do in previous years. We spent a good deal of our time also +at Mashobra, a lovely place, in the heart of the Hills, about six +miles from Simla, where the Chief had a house, which he was good +enough to frequently place at our disposal, when not making use of +it himself. It was an agreeable change, and one which we all greatly +enjoyed. But at the best one gets very tired of the Hills by the close +of the summer, and I was glad to start off towards the end of +October with my wife and her sister for Agra, where this year the +Head-Quarters camp was to be formed, as the Chief had settled the +cold-weather tour was to begin with a march through Bundelkand and +Central India, the theatre of his successful campaign. + +The second march out we were startled by being told, when we awoke +in the morning, that Colonel Gawler, the Deputy-Adjutant-General of +Queen's troops, had been badly wounded in the night by a thief, who +got into his tent with the object of stealing a large sum of money +Gawler had received from the bank the previous day, and for greater +safety had placed under his pillow when he went to bed. In the middle +of the night his wife awoke him, saying there was someone in the tent, +and by the dim light of a small oil-lamp he could just see a dark +figure creeping along the floor. He sprang out of bed and seized the +robber; but the latter, being perfectly naked and oiled all over, +slipped through his hands and wriggled under the wall of the tent. +Gawler caught him by the leg just as he was disappearing, and they +struggled outside together. When despairing of being able to make his +escape, the thief stabbed Gawler several times with a knife, which was +tied by a string to his wrist. By this time Mrs. Gawler had been +able to arouse two Kaffir servants, one of whom tried to seize the +miscreant, but in his turn was stabbed. The second servant, however, +was more wary, and succeeded in capturing the thief; Kaffir fashion, +he knocked all the breath out of his body by running at him head +down and butting him in the stomach, when it became easy to bind the +miscreant hand and foot. It was a bad part of the country for thieves; +and when some four weeks later I went off on a flying tour with the +Commander-in-Chief, I did not leave my wife quite as happily as usual. +But neither she nor her sister was afraid. Each night they sent +everything at all valuable to be placed under the care of the guard, +and having taken this precaution, were quite easy in their minds. + +[Illustration: THE EARL CANNING, K.G., G.C.B., G.M.S.I., VICEROY AND +GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA, +_From a photograph by Messrs. Mayall._] + +When the camp reached Gwalior, the Maharaja Sindhia seemed to think +he could not do enough to show his gratitude to Sir Hugh Rose for his +opportune help in June, 1858,[7] when the Gwalior troops mutinied, and +joined the rebel army under the Rani of Jhansi and Tantia Topi. The +day after our arrival Sindhia held a grand review of his new army in +honour of our Chief. The next day there was an open-air entertainment +in the Phulbagh (garden of flowers); the third a picnic and elephant +fight, which, by the way, was a very tame affair. We had nerved +ourselves to see something rather terrific, instead of which the great +creatures twisted their trunks about each other in quite a playful +manner, and directly the play seemed to be turning into earnest they +were separated by their _mahouts_, being much too valuable to be +allowed to injure themselves. Each day there was some kind of +entertainment: pig-sticking or shooting expeditions in the morning, +and banquets, fireworks, and illuminations in the evening. + +Gwalior is an interesting place. The fort is picturesquely situated +above a perpendicular cliff; the road up to it is very steep, and it +must have been almost impregnable in former days. It was made doubly +interesting to us by Sir Hugh Rose explaining how he attacked it, and +pointing out the spot where the Rani of Jhansi was killed in a charge +of the 8th Hussars. + +Our next halt was Jhansi. Here also Sir Hugh had a thrilling tale to +tell of its capture, and of his having to fight the battle of the +Betwa against a large force brought to the assistance of the rebels by +Tantia Topi, while the siege was actually being carried on. + +From Jhansi the big camp marched to Lucknow, _viâ_ Cawnpore; while the +Chief with a small staff (of which I was one) and light tents, made +a detour by Saugor, Jubbulpur, and Allahabad. We travelled through +pretty jungle for the most part, interspersed with low hills, and we +had altogether a very enjoyable trip. Sir Hugh was justly proud of the +splendid service the Central India Field Force had performed under +his command; and, as we rode along, it delighted him to point out the +various places where he had come in contact with the rebels. + +While at Allahabad, on the 13th January--quite the coolest time of the +year--I had a slight sunstroke, which it took me a very long time to +get over completely. The sensible custom introduced by Lord Clyde, +of wearing helmets, was not always adhered to, and Sir Hugh Hose was +rather fond of cocked hats. On this occasion I was wearing this--for +India--most unsuitable head-dress, and, as ill-luck would have it, the +Chief kept me out rather late, going over the ground where the present +cantonment stands. I did not feel anything at the time, but an hour +later I was suddenly seized with giddiness and sickness, and for a +short time I could neither see nor hear. Plentiful douches of cold +water brought me round, and I was well enough in the afternoon to go +with the Chief to inspect the fort; but for months afterwards I never +lost the pain in my head, and for many years I was very susceptible to +the evil influence of the sun's rays. + +We reached Lucknow towards the middle of January. Here, as elsewhere, +we had constant parades and inspections, for Sir Hugh carried out his +duties in the most thorough manner, and spared himself no trouble to +secure the efficiency and the well-being of the soldier. At the same +time, he was careful not to neglect his social duties; he took a +prominent part in all amusements, and it was mainly due to his liberal +support that we were able to keep up a small pack of hounds with +Head-Quarters, which afforded us much enjoyment during the winter +months. + +From Lucknow we marched through Bareilly, Meerut, and Umballa, and the +30th March saw us all settled at Simla for the season. + +Early in April Lord Elgin arrived in Simla for the hot weather, +and from that time to the present, Simla has continued to be the +Head-Quarters of the Government during the summer months. + +About this time the changes necessitated by the amalgamation of +the services took place in the army staff. Edwin Johnson lost his +appointment in consequence, and Colonel Haythorne,[8] Adjutant-General +of Queen's troops, became Adjutant-General of the Army in India, +with Donald Stewart as his deputy. The order limiting the tenure of +employment on the staff in the same grade to five years was also now +introduced, which entailed my good friend Arthur Becher vacating the +Quartermaster-Generalship, after having held it for eleven years. +He was succeeded by Colonel Paton, with Lumsden as his deputy, and +Charles Johnson (brother of Edwin Johnson) and myself as assistants in +the Department. + + +[Footnote 1: Under the Regular system, which was modelled on the Royal +Army organization, each regiment of Native Cavalry had 22, and each +regiment of Native Infantry 25 British officers, who rose to the +higher grades by seniority. From this establishment officers were +taken, without being seconded, for the multifarious extra-regimental +duties on which the Indian Army was, and is still, employed, viz., +Staff, Civil, Political, Commissariat, Pay, Public Works, Stud, +and Survey. With the Irregular system this was no longer possible, +although the number of British officers with each corps was (after +the Mutiny) increased from 3 to 9 with a Cavalry, and 3 to 8 with an +Infantry regiment.] + +[Footnote 2: Captain after twelve years,[*] Major after twenty years, +and Lieutenant-Colonel after twenty-six years.] + +[Footnote * to Footnote 2: Since reduced to eleven years.] + +[Footnote 3: The late Sir Bartle Frere, Bart, G.C.B., G.C.S.I.] + +[Footnote 4: The fever-giving tract of country at the foot of the +Himalayas.] + +[Footnote 5: Native string bed.] + +[Footnote 6: 'Your force of Artillery will enable us to dispose +of Delhi with certainty. I therefore beg that you will detach one +European Infantry regiment and a small force of European Cavalry to +the south of Delhi, without keeping them for operations there, so that +Aligarh may be recovered and Cawnpore relieved immediately.'] + +[Footnote 7: After the capture of Kalpi in May, 1858, Sir Hugh Rose, +worn out with fatigue and successive sunstrokes, was advised by his +medical officer to return at once to Bombay; his leave had been +granted, and his successor (Brigadier-General Napier) had been +appointed, when intelligence reached him to the effect that the rebel +army, under Tantia Topi and the Rani of Jhansi, had been joined by +the whole of Sindhia's troops and were in possession of the fort +of Gwalior with its well-supplied arsenal. Sir Hugh Rose at once +cancelled his leave, pushed on to Gwalior, and by the 30th of June had +re-captured all Sindhia's guns and placed him again in possession of +his capital.] + +[Footnote 8: The late General Sir Edmund Haythorne, K.C.B.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XXXV. +1863 + + The Umbeyla expedition--The Akhund of Swat + --The 'Eagle's Nest' and 'Crag piquet'--The death of Lord Elgin + --Loyalty of our Pathan soldiers--Bunerwals show signs of submission + --The conical hill--Umbeyla in flames--Bunerwals agree to our terms + --Malka destroyed + + + +In the autumn of 1863, while we were preparing for the usual winter +tour, Sir Hugh Rose, who had accompanied Lord Elgin on a trip through +the hills, telegraphed to the Head-Quarters staff to join him at Mian +Mir without delay. + +The news which greeted us on our arrival was indeed disturbing. Lord +Elgin was at Dharmsala in a dying condition, and the Chief had +been obliged to leave him and push on to Lahore, in consequence of +unsatisfactory reports from Brigadier-General Chamberlain, who was +just then commanding an expedition which had been sent into the +mountains near Peshawar, and had met with unexpected opposition. The +civil authorities on the spot reported that there existed a great deal +of excitement all along the border, that the tribes were collecting in +large numbers, that emissaries from Kabul had appeared amongst +them, and that, unless reinforcements could be sent up at once, the +Government would be involved in a war which must inevitably lead to +the most serious complications, not only on the frontier, but with +Afghanistan. In so grave a light did the Lieutenant-Governor, Sir +Robert Montgomery, view the position, that he contemplated the force +being withdrawn and the undertaking abandoned. + +Sir Hugh had had nothing to do with the despatch of this expedition; +it had been decided on by the Government of India in consultation with +the Lieutenant-Governor of the Punjab. When the Commander-in-Chief was +communicated with, he expressed himself adverse to the proposal, and +placed his views at length before the Government, pointing out the +inexpediency of entering a difficult and unknown country, unless the +troops were properly equipped with transport, supplies, and reserve +ammunition; that time did not permit of their being so equipped before +the winter set in; and that, to provide a force of 5,000 men (the +strength considered necessary by the Government), the frontier would +have to be dangerously weakened. Moreover, he gave it as his opinion +that it would be better to postpone operations until the spring, when +everything could be perfectly arranged. Subsequent events proved how +sound was this advice. But before proceeding with my narrative it will +be as well to explain the circumstances with led the authorities to +undertake this expedition. + +In 1857, when all our resources were required to quell internal +tumult, the Hindustani fanatics[1] took the opportunity to stir up +disturbances all along the Yusafzai frontier of the Peshawar district, +and, aided by the rebel sepoys who had fled to them for protection, +they made raids upon our border, and committed all kinds of +atrocities. We were obliged, therefore, to send an expedition against +them in 1858, which resulted in their being driven from their +stronghold, Sitana, and in the neighbouring tribes being bound down to +prevent them reoccupying that place. Three years later the fanatics +returned to their former haunts and built up a new settlement at +Malka; the old troubles recommenced, and for two years they had been +allowed to go on raiding, murdering, and attacking our outposts with +impunity. It was, therefore, quite time that measures should be taken +to effectually rid the frontier of these disturbers of the peace, +provided such measures could have been decided upon early enough in +the year to ensure success. + +The Punjab Government advocated the despatch of a very strong force. +Accordingly, two columns were employed, the base of one being in the +Peshawar valley, and that of the other in Hazara. The Peshawar column +was to move by the Umbeyla Pass, the Buner frontier, and the Chamla +valley, thus operating on the enemy's line of retreat. This route +would not have been chosen, had not Chamberlain been assured by the +civil authorities that no hostility need be feared from the Bunerwals, +even if their country had to be entered, as they had given no trouble +for fifteen years, and their spiritual head, the Akhund of Swat,[2] +had no sympathy with the fanatics. It was not, therefore, considered +necessary to warn the Buner people of our approach until preparations +were completed; indeed, it was thought unadvisable to do so, as it was +important to keep the proposed line of advance secret. The strength of +the force was 6,000 men, with 19 guns, but to make up these numbers +the stations in Upper India had to be considerably weakened, and there +was no reserve nearer than Lahore. + +The Peshawar column[3] being all ready for a start, a Proclamation was +forwarded to the Buner and other neighbouring tribes, informing +them of the object of the expedition, and stating that there was no +intention of interfering with them or their possessions. + +On the following morning, the 20th October, the Umbeyla Pass was +entered, and by noon the kotal[4] was reached without any resistance +to speak of; but, from information brought in, it was evident that any +further advance would be stoutly opposed. The road turned out to be +much more difficult than had been anticipated, and the hurriedly +collected transport proved unequal to the strain. Not a single baggage +animal, except the ammunition mules, got up that night; indeed, it was +not until the morning of the 22nd--more than forty-eight hours after +they started--that the rear guard reached the kotal, a distance of +only six miles. As soon as it arrived Colonel Alex. Taylor, R.E., was +sent off with a body of Cavalry, under Lieutenant-Colonel Probyn, to +reconnoitre the road in front. The delay in reaching the top of the +pass had given the tribes time to collect, and when the reconnoitring +party entered the Chamla valley the Bunerwals could be seen about two +miles and a half off, occupying in force the range which separates +Buner and Chamla. Whatever may have been their first intention, they +apparently could not resist the temptation to try and cut off this +small body of Cavalry, for our horsemen on their return journey found +a large number of the trusted Buner tribe attempting to block the +mouth of the pass. A charge was made, but mounted men could not do +much in such a hilly country; the proceedings of the Bunerwals, +however, had been observed from the kotal, and Major Brownlow,[5] with +some of his own regiment (the 20th Punjab Infantry), was sent to the +assistance of the party. A hand-to-hand fight ensued, and the enemy +pressed our troops closely on their way back, coming right in amongst +them with the utmost daring. + +There was now brought in to the Commissioner by a spy the copy of +a letter from the Hindustani fanatics, addressed to the Bunerwals, +telling them not to be taken in by our assurances that our only object +was to punish the fanatics, for our real intentions were to annex +Chamla, Buner, and Swat. This letter no doubt aroused the suspicions +of the tribes, and, encouraged by the slowness of our movements, they +all joined against us from Buner, Mahaban, and the Black Mountain. + +On the 23rd large bodies of men with numerous standards were to be +seen approaching the mouth of the pass, and a day or two later a +report was received that our foes were to have the support of the +Akhund of Swat, which meant a most formidable accession of moral as +well as material strength, and put a stop, for the time being, to +any possibility of a successful advance being made with the force at +Chamberlain's disposal. + +The position occupied by our troops was enclosed on the left (west) +by the Guru Mountain, which separates Umbeyla from Buner, and on the +right (east) by a range of hills, not quite so high. The main piquet +on the Guru occupied a position upon some precipitous cliffs known as +the Eagle's Nest, while that on the right was designated the 'Crag +piquet.' The Eagle's Nest was only large enough to accommodate 110 +men, so 120 more were placed under the shelter of some rocks at its +base, and the remainder of the troops told off for the defence of the +left piquet were drawn up on and about a rocky knoll, 400 feet west of +the Eagle's Nest. + +Some 2,000 of the enemy occupied a breastwork on the crest of a spur +of the Guru Mountain; and about noon on the 26th they moved down, and +with loud shouts attacked the Eagle's Nest. Their matchlock men posted +themselves to the greatest advantage in a wood, and opened a galling +fire upon our defences, while their swordsmen made a determined +advance. The nature of the ground prevented our guns from being +brought to bear upon the assailants, and they were thus able to +get across the open space in front of the piquet, and plant their +standards close under its parapet. For some considerable time they +remained in this position, all our efforts to dislodge them proving of +no avail. Eventually, however, they were forced to give way, and were +driven up the hill, leaving the ground covered with their dead, and a +great many wounded, who were taken into our hospitals and carefully +treated, while a still greater number were carried off by their +friends. Our losses were, 2 British officers, 1 Native officer, and +26 men killed; and 2 British officers, 7 Native officers, and 86 men +wounded. + +The day following the fight the Bunerwals were told they might carry +away their dead, and we took advantage of their acceptance of this +permission to reason with them as to the uselessness of an unnecessary +sacrifice of their tribesmen, which would be the certain result of +further opposition to us. Their demeanour was courteous, and they +conversed freely with General Chamberlain and Colonel Reynell Taylor, +the Commissioner, but they made it evident that they were determined +not to give in. + +Our position had now become rather awkward; there was a combination +against us of all the tribes between the Indus and the Kabul rivers, +and their numbers could not be less than 15,000 armed men. Mutual +animosities were for the time allowed to remain in abeyance, and +the tribes all flocked to fight under the Akhund's standard in the +interests of their common faith. Moreover, there was trouble in the +rear from the people along the Yusafzai border, who assisted the +enemy by worrying our lines of communication. Under these changed +conditions, and with such an inadequate force, Chamberlain came to +the conclusion that, for the moment, he could only remain on the +defensive, and trust to time, to the discouragement which repeated +unsuccessful attacks were sure to produce on the enemy, and to the +gradual decrease of their numbers, to break up the combination against +us; for, as these tribesmen only bring with them the quantity of food +they are able to carry, as soon as it is finished they are bound to +suspend operations till more can be procured. + +For three weeks almost daily attacks were made on our position; the +enemy fought magnificently, some of them being killed inside our +batteries, and twice they gained possession of the 'Crag piquet,' the +key of the position, which it was essential should be retaken at all +hazards. On the second occasion General Chamberlain himself led the +attacking party, and was so severely wounded that he was obliged to +relinquish the command of the force. + +The Lieutenant-Governor of the Punjab, being convinced that +reinforcements were necessary, in consultation with Colonels Durand[6] +and Norman (the Foreign and Military Secretaries, who had come to +Lahore to meet the Viceroy), and without waiting for the sanction of +the Commander-in-Chief, ordered to the frontier the three regiments +which had been detailed for the Viceroy's camp,[7] as well as the 93rd +Highlanders, then at Sialkot; and when Sir Hugh Rose on his arrival +at Lahore heard of the heavy losses the expeditionary force had +sustained, and of General Chamberlain being _hors de combat_ from his +wound, further reinforcements from every direction were hurried to the +front. Subsequently, however, it became a question whether the troops +should not be withdrawn altogether, and the punishment of the fanatics +given up, the Government of India and the Punjab Government being +completely in accord in favouring this view, while the Commissioner of +Peshawar, Major James (who had succeeded Reynell Taylor),[8] and Sir +Hugh Rose were as strongly opposed to a retrograde movement. The +Commander-in-Chief pointed out to the Government that the loss of +prestige and power we must sustain by retiring from the Umbeyla Pass +would be more disastrous, both from a military and political point +of view, than anything that could happen save the destruction of the +force itself, and that General Chamberlain, on whose sound judgment he +could rely, was quite sure that a retirement was unnecessary. + +Unfortunately at this time the Viceroy died at Dharmsala, and the +question remained in abeyance pending the arrival of Sir William +Denison, Governor of Madras, who was coming round to take over the +reins of Government until a successor to Lord Elgin should be sent +from England. + +In the meantime Sir Hugh Rose was most anxious to obtain exact +information respecting our position at Umbeyla, the means of operating +from it, the nature of the ground--in fact, all details which could +only be satisfactorily obtained by sending someone to report on the +situation, with whom he had had personal communication regarding +the points about which he required to be enlightened. He therefore +determined to despatch two officers on special service, whose duty it +would be to put the Commander-in-Chief in possession of all the facts +of the case; accordingly, Colonel Adye[9] (Deputy-Adjutant-General +of Royal Artillery) and I were ordered to proceed to Umbeyla without +delay. + +Adye proved a most charming travelling companion, clever and +entertaining, and I think we both enjoyed our journey. We reached the +pass on the 25th November. + +There had been no fighting for some days, and most of the wounded had +been removed. Sir Neville Chamberlain was still in camp, and I was +sorry to find him suffering greatly from his wound. We were much +interested in going over the piquets and listening to the story of the +different attacks made upon them, which had evidently been conducted +by the enemy with as much skill as courage.[10] The loyalty of our +Native soldiers struck me as having been most remarkable. Not a single +desertion had occurred, although all the Native regiments engaged, +with the exception of the Gurkhas and Punjab Pioneers, had amongst +them members of the several tribes we were fighting, and many of our +soldiers were even closely related to some of the hostile tribesmen; +on one occasion a young Buner sepoy actually recognized his own father +amongst the enemy's dead when the fight was over.[11] + +We listened to many tales of the gallantry of the British officers. +The names of Brownlow, Keyes,[12] and Hughes[13] were on everyone's +lips, and Brownlow's defence of the Eagle's Nest on the 26th October, +and of the 'Crag piquet' on the 12th November, spoke volumes for his +coolness and pluck, and for the implicit faith reposed in him by the +men of the 20th Punjab Infantry, the regiment he had raised in 1857 +when but a subaltern. In his official report the General remarked that +'to Major Brownlow's determination and personal example he attributed +the preservation of the "Crag piquet."' And Keyes's recapture of the +same piquet was described by Sir Neville as 'a most brilliant exploit, +stamping Major Keyes as an officer possessing some of the highest +military qualifications.' Brownlow and Keyes were both recommended for +the Victoria Cross. + +We (Adye and I) had no difficulty in making up our minds as to +the course which ought to be taken. The column was daily being +strengthened by the arrival of reinforcements, and although the +combination of the tribesmen was still formidable, the enemy were +showing signs of being disheartened by their many losses, and of a +wish to come to terms. + +Having consulted the civil and military authorities on the spot, we +informed the Commander-in-Chief that they were of opinion a withdrawal +would be most unwise, and that it was hoped that on the arrival of +General Garvock[14] (Chamberlain's successor) an advance would be made +into the Chamla valley, for there would then be a sufficient number +of troops to undertake an onward move, as well as to hold the present +position, which, as we told the Chief, was one of the strongest we had +ever seen. + +Sir William Denison reached Calcutta on the 2nd December. A careful +study of the correspondence in connexion with the Umbeyla expedition +satisfied him that the Commander-in-Chief's views were correct, and +that a retirement would be unwise. + +Sir Hugh Rose had previously requested to be allowed to personally +conduct the operations, and in anticipation of the Government acceding +to his request, he had sent a light camp to Hasan Abdal, from which +place he intended to push on to Umbeyla; and with the object of +collecting troops near the frontier, where they would be available +as a reserve should the expedition not be soon and satisfactorily +settled, he desired me to select an encamping-ground between Rawal +Pindi and Attock suitable for 10,000 men. + +Leaving Adye in the pass, I started for Attock, where I spent three +days riding about in search of a promising site for the camp. I +settled upon a place near Hasan Abdal, which, however, was not in the +end made use of. The people of the country were very helpful to me; +indeed, when they heard I had been a friend of John Nicholson, they +seemed to think they could not do enough for me, and delighted in +talking of their old leader, whom they declared to be the greatest man +they had ever known. + +On my return I marched up the pass with the Rev. W. G. Cowie[15] and +Probyn, who, with 400 Cavalry, had been ordered to the front to be in +readiness for a move into the Chamla valley. James, the Commissioner, +had been working to detach the Bunerwals from the combination against +us, and on the afternoon of our arrival a deputation of their headmen +arrived in camp, and before their departure the next morning they +promised to accompany a force proceeding to destroy Malka, and to +expel the Hindustani fanatics from the Buner country. + +Later, however, a messenger came in to say they could not fulfil their +promise, being unable to resist the pressure brought to bear upon them +by their co-religionists. The man further reported that large numbers +of fresh tribesmen had appeared on the scene, and that it was intended +to attack us on the 16th. He advised the Commissioner to take the +initiative, and gave him to understand that if we advanced the +Bunerwals would stand aloof. + +Sir Hugh Rose had been accorded permission to take command of the +troops in the field, and had sent word to General Garvock not 'to +attempt any operations until further orders.' James, however, thinking +that the situation demanded immediate action, as disturbances had +broken out in other parts of the Peshawar valley, deprecated delay, +and pressed Garvock to advance, telling him that a successful +fight would put matters straight. Garvock consented to follow the +Commissioner's advice, and arranged to move on the following day. + +The force was divided into three columns. The first and +second--consisting of about 4,800 men, and commanded respectively by +Colonel W. Turner, C.B.,[16] and Lieutenant-Colonel Wilde, C.B.--were +to form the attacking party, while the third, about 3,000 strong, +under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Vaughan,[17] was to be left +for the protection of the camp. + +At daybreak, on the 15th, the troops for the advance, unencumbered by +tents or baggage, and each man carrying two days' rations, assembled +at the base of the 'Crag piquet.' Turner, an excellent officer, who +during the short time he had been at Umbeyla had inspired great +confidence by his soldierly qualities, had on the previous afternoon +reconnoitred to the right of the camp, and had discovered that +about 4,000 men were holding the village of Lalu, from which it was +necessary to dislodge them before Umbeyla could be attacked. On being +told to advance, therefore, Turner moved off in the direction of Lalu, +and, driving the enemy's piquets before him, occupied the heights +overlooking the valley, out of which rose, immediately in front about +200 yards off, a conical hill which hid Lalu from view. This hill, +which was crowded with Hindustani fanatics and their Pathan allies, +was a most formidable position; the sides were precipitous, and the +summit was strengthened by _sangars_.[18] No further move could be +made until the enemy were dislodged, so Turner lined the heights all +round with his Infantry, and opened fire with his Mountain guns. +Meanwhile, Wilde's column had cleared off the enemy from the front +of the camp, and formed up on Turner's left. On the advance being +sounded, Turner's Infantry rushed down the slopes, and in ten minutes +could be seen driving the enemy from the heights on his right; at the +same time the 101st Fusiliers, the leading regiment of Wilde's column, +made straight for the top of the conical hill, and, under cover of +the fire from the Mountain guns of both columns, and supported by +the Guides, 4th Gurkhas, and 23rd Pioneers, they climbed the almost +perpendicular sides. When near the top a short halt was made to give +the men time to get their breath; the signal being then given, amidst +a shower of bullets and huge stones, the position was stormed, and +carried at the point of the bayonet. It was a grand sight as Adye and +I watched it from Hughes's battery; but we were considerably relieved +when we perceived the enemy flying down the sides of the hill, and +heard the cheers of the gallant Fusiliers as they stood victorious on +the highest peak. + +[Illustration: THE STORMING OF THE CONICAL HILL AT UMBEYLA BY THE +101ST FOOT (BENGAL FUSILIERS). +_From a sketch by General Sir John Adye, G.C.B., R.A._] + +Now that the enemy were on the run it was the time to press them, and +this Turner did so effectually that the leading men of his column +entered Lalu simultaneously with the last of the fugitives. The +rapidity of this movement was so unexpected that it threw the enemy +inside the walls into confusion; they made no stand, and were soon in +full retreat towards Umbeyla and the passes leading into Buner. + +While affairs were thus prospering on our right, the enemy, apparently +imagining we were too busy to think of our left, came in large +numbers from the village of Umbeyla, threatening the camp and the +communications of the second column. Wilde, however, was prepared for +them, and held his ground until reinforced by Turner, when he made a +forward movement. The Guides, and detachments of the 5th Gurkhas and +3rd Sikhs, charged down one spur, and the 101st down another; the +enemy were driven off with great slaughter, leaving a standard in +the hands of the Gurkhas, and exposing themselves in their flight to +Turner's guns. During the day they returned, and, gathering on the +heights, made several unsuccessful attacks upon our camp. At last, +about 2 p.m., Brownlow, who was in command of the right defences, +assumed the offensive, and, aided by Keyes, moved out of the +breastworks and, by a succession of well-executed charges, completely +cleared the whole front of the position, and drove the tribesmen with +great loss into the plain below. + +All opposition having now ceased, and the foe being in full retreat, +the force bivouacked for the night. We had 16 killed and 67 wounded; +while our opponents admitted to 400 killed and wounded. + +The next morning we were joined by Probyn with 200 sabres of the 11th +Bengal Lancers and the same number of the Guides; and after a hasty +breakfast the order was given to march into the Chamla valley. My duty +was to accompany the Mountain batteries and show them the way. As we +debouched into comparatively open country, the enemy appeared on a +ridge which completely covered our approach to Umbeyla, and we could +descry many standards flying on the most prominent points. The road +was so extremely difficult that it was half-past two o'clock before +the whole force was clear of the hills. + +General Garvock, having made a careful reconnaissance of the enemy's +position, which was of great strength and peculiarly capable of +defence, had decided to turn their right, a movement which was to be +entrusted to the second column, and I was told to inform Turner that +he must try and cut them off from the Buner Pass as they retreated. +I found Turner close to Umbeyla and delivered my message. He moved +forward at once with the 23rd Pioneers and a wing of the 32nd Pioneers +in line, supported by the second wing, having in reserve a wing of the +7th Royal Fusiliers. + +When we had passed the village of Umbeyla, which was in flames, having +been set fire to by our Cavalry, the wing of the 32nd was brought up +in prolongation of our line to the right. The advance was continued +to within about 800 yards of the Buner Pass, when Turner, observing a +large body of the enemy threatening his left flank, immediately sent +two companies of the Royal Fusiliers in that direction. Just at that +moment a band of _Ghazis_ furiously attacked the left flank, which +was at a disadvantage, having got into broken ground covered with low +jungle. In a few seconds five of the Pioneer British officers were +on the ground, one killed and four wounded; numbers of the men were +knocked over, and the rest, staggered by the suddenness of the +onslaught, fell back on their reserve, where they found the needed +support, for the Fusiliers stood as firm as a rock. At the +critical moment when the _Ghazis_ made their charge, Wright, the +Assistant-Adjutant-General, and I, being close by, rushed in amongst +the Pioneers and called on them to follow us; as we were personally +known to the men of both regiments, they quickly pulled themselves +together and responded to our efforts to rally them. It was lucky they +did so, for had there been any delay or hesitation, the enemy, who +thronged the slopes above us, would certainly have come down in great +numbers, and we should have had a most difficult task. As it was, we +were entirely successful in repulsing the _Ghazis_, not a man of +whom escaped. We counted 200 of the enemy killed; our losses were +comparatively slight--8 killed and 80 wounded. + +We bivouacked for the night near the village of Umbeyla, and the next +morning the Bunerwals, who, true to their word, had taken no part in +the fighting on the 15th or 16th, came in and made their submission. + +The question which now had to be decided was, whether a force fully +equipped and strong enough to overcome all opposition should be sent +to destroy the fanatic settlement of Malka, or whether the work of +annihilation should be entrusted to the Bunerwals, witnessed by +British officers. The latter course was eventually adopted, chiefly +on account of the delay which provisioning a brigade would entail--a +delay which the Commissioner was anxious to avoid--for although for +the present the combination had broken up, and most of the tribesmen +were dispersing to their homes, the Akhund of Swat and his followers +were still hovering about in the neighbourhood, and inaction on our +part would in all probability have led to a fresh gathering and +renewed hostilities. + +The terms which were drawn up, and to which the Bunerwals agreed, +were: + + The breaking-up of the tribal gathering in the Buner Pass. + + The destruction of Malka; those carrying out the work to be + accompanied by British officers and such escort as might be + considered necessary by us. + + The expulsion of the Hindustanis from the Buner, Chamla, and + Amazai countries. + + And, finally, it was stipulated that the headmen of their tribe + should be left as hostages until such time as the requirements + should have been fulfilled. + +On the afternoon of Saturday, the 19th December, the little party +of British officers who were to witness the destruction of Malka +assembled at Umbeyla. Its members were Reynell Taylor (who was in +charge), Alex. Taylor (Commanding Engineer), two Survey officers, +Wright, Adye, and myself. Twenty-five Cavalry and 4 companies of the +Guides Infantry, under four officers, formed our escort, and it had +been arranged that we were to be accompanied by four leading Buner +Khans, with 2,000 followers, who would be responsible for our safety, +and destroy the fanatics' stronghold in our presence. Rain was falling +heavily, but as all our arrangements had been made, and delay was +considered undesirable, it was settled that we should make a start. It +was rough travelling, and it was almost dark when we reached Kuria, +only eight miles on our way, where we halted for the night, and where +we had to remain the next day, as the Bunerwals declared they could +not continue the journey until they had come to an understanding with +the Amazais, in whose territory Malka was situated. + +We had noticed on leaving Umbeyla that, instead of 2,000 Bunerwals, +there were only about sixty or seventy at the most, and in reply to +our repeated questions as to what had become of the remainder, we were +told they would join us later on. It soon became evident, however, +that no more were coming, and that the Khans thought it wiser to trust +to their own influence with the Amazais rather than to intimidation. + +We made a fresh start on the morning of the 21st. Malka was only +twelve miles off, but the way was so difficult, and our guides stopped +so often to consult with the numerous bands of armed men we came +across, that it was sunset before we arrived at our destination. + +Malka was perched on a spur of the Mahabun mountain, some distance +below its highest peak. It was a strong, well-built place, with +accommodation for about 1,500 people. The Amazais did not attempt to +disguise their disgust at our presence in their country, and they +gathered in knots, scowling and pointing at us, evidently discussing +whether we should or should not be allowed to return. + +The next morning Malka was set on fire, and the huge column of smoke +which ascended from the burning village, and was visible for miles +round, did not tend to allay the ill-feeling so plainly displayed. The +Native officers of the Guides warned us that delay was dangerous, as +the people were becoming momentarily more excited, and were vowing we +should never return. It was no use, however, to attempt to make a +move without the consent of the tribesmen, for we were a mere handful +compared to the thousands who had assembled around Malka, and we were +separated from our camp by twenty miles of most difficult country. Our +position was no doubt extremely critical, and it was well for us that +we had at our head such a cool, determined leader as Reynell Taylor. I +greatly admired the calm, quiet manner in which he went up and spoke +to the headmen, telling them that, the object of our visit having been +accomplished, we were ready to retrace our steps. At this the +Amazais became still further excited. They talked in loud tones, and +gesticulated in true Pathan fashion, thronging round Taylor, who stood +quite alone and perfectly self-possessed in the midst of the angry and +dangerous-looking multitude. At this crisis the Bunerwals came to our +rescue. The most influential of the tribe, a grey-bearded warrior, +who had lost an eye and an arm in some tribal contest, forced his way +through the rapidly increasing crowd to Taylor's side, and, raising +his one arm to enjoin silence, delivered himself as follows: 'You are +hesitating whether you will allow these English to return unmolested. +You can, of course, murder them and their escort; but if you do, you +must kill us Bunerwals first, for we have sworn to protect them, and +we will do so with our lives.' This plucky speech produced a quieting +effect, and taking advantage of the lull in the storm, we set out on +our return journey; but evidently the tribesmen did not consider the +question finally or satisfactorily settled, for they followed us the +whole way to Kuria. The slopes of the hills on both sides were covered +with men. Several times we were stopped while stormy discussions took +place, and once, as we were passing through a narrow defile, an armed +Amazai, waving a standard above his head, rushed down towards us. +Fortunately for us, he was stopped by some of those less inimically +disposed; for if he had succeeded in inciting anyone to fire a single +shot, the desire for blood would quickly have spread, and in all +probability not one of our party would have escaped. + +On the 23rd December we reached our camp in the Umbeyla Pass, when the +force, which had only been kept there till our return, retired to the +plains and was broken up. + +During my absence at Umbeyla my wife remained with friends at Mian Mir +for some time, and then made her way to Peshawar, where I joined her +on Christmas Day. She spent one night _en route_ in Sir Hugh Rose's +camp at Hasan Abdal, and found the Chief in great excitement and very +angry at such a small party having been sent to Malka, and placed at +the mercy of the tribes. He did not know that my wife had arrived, and +in passing her tent she heard him say: 'It was madness, and not one +of them will ever come back alive.' She was of course dreadfully +frightened. As soon as Sir Hugh heard she was in camp, he went to see +her, and tried to soften down what he knew she must have heard; but +he could not conceal his apprehension; and my poor wife's anxiety was +terrible, for she did not hear another word till the morning of the +day I returned to her. + + +[Footnote 1: In 1825 a religious adventurer from Bareilly made his +appearance on the Yusafzai frontier with about forty Hindustani +followers, and gave out that he was a man of superior sanctity, and +had a divine command to wage a war of extermination, with the aid of +all true believers, against the infidel. After studying Arabic at +Delhi, he proceeded to Mecca by way of Calcutta, and during this +journey his doctrines had obtained so great an ascendency over the +minds of the Mahomedans of Bengal that they have ever since supplied +the colony which Syad Ahmed Shah founded in Yusafzai with money and +recruits. The Syad was eventually slain fighting against the Sikhs, +but his followers established themselves at Sitana, and in the +neighbourhood of that place they continue to flourish, notwithstanding +that we have destroyed their settlements more than once during the +last forty years.] + +[Footnote 2: The Akhund of Swat was a man of seventy years of age at +the time of the Umbeyla expedition; he had led a holy life, and had +gained such an influence over the minds of Mahomedans in general, +that they believed he was supplied by supernatural means with the +necessaries of life, and that every morning, on rising from his +prayers, a sum of money sufficient for the day's expenditure was found +under his praying carpet.] + +[Footnote 3: The Peshawar column consisted of half of 19th Company +Royal Artillery, No. 3 Punjab Light Field Battery, the Peshawar and +Hazara Mountain Batteries, the 71st and 101st Foot, the Guides, one +troop 11th Bengal Lancers, one company Bengal Sappers and Miners, 14th +Sikhs, 20th Punjab Infantry, 32nd Pioneers, 1st, 3rd, 5th and 6th +Punjab Infantry, and 4th and 5th Gurkhas. The Hazara column consisted +of a wing of the 51st Foot, 300 Native Cavalry, a regiment of Native +Infantry and eight guns, holding Darband, Torbela, and Topi on the +Indus.] + +[Footnote 4: The highest point of a pass crossing a mountain range.] + +[Footnote 5: Now General Sir Charles Brownlow, G.C.B.] + +[Footnote 6: The late Sir Henry Marion Durand, K.C.S.I., C.B., +afterwards Lieutenant-Governor of the Punjab.] + +[Footnote 7: 7th Royal Fusiliers, 23rd Pioneers, and 24th Punjab +Native Infantry.] + +[Footnote 8: Reynell Taylor remained with the force as political +officer.] + +[Footnote 9: General Sir John Adye, G.C.B.] + +[Footnote 10: The expedition was an admirable school for training men +in outpost duty. The Pathans and Gurkhas were quite at home at such +work, and not only able to take care of themselves, but when stalked +by the enemy were equal to a counter-stalk, often most successful. The +enemy used to joke with Brownlow's and Keyes's men on these occasions, +and say, 'We don't want you. Where are the _lal pagriwalas?_ [as the +14th Sikhs were called from their _lal pagris_ (red turbans)] or the +_goralog_ [the Europeans]? They are better _shikar_ [sport]!' The +tribesmen soon discovered that the Sikhs and Europeans, though full of +fight, were very helpless on the hill-side, and could not keep their +heads under cover.] + +[Footnote 11: Colonel Reynell Taylor, whilst bearing like testimony to +the good conduct of the Pathan soldiery, said the personal influence +of officers will always be found to be the only stand-by for the +Government interests when the religious cry is raised, and the +fidelity of our troops is being tampered with. Pay, pensions, and +orders of merit may, and would, be cast to the winds when the honour +of the faith was in the scale; but to snap the associations of years, +and to turn in his hour of need against the man whom he has proved +to be just and worthy, whom he has noted in the hour of danger, and +praised as a hero to his family, is just what a Pathan will not do--to +his honour be it said. The fact was that the officers in camp had been +so long and kindly associated with their soldiers that the latter were +willing to set them before their great religious teacher, the Akhund +of Swat ('Records of Expeditions against the North-West Frontier +Tribes').] + +[Footnote 12: The late General Sir Charles Keyes, G.C.B.] + +[Footnote 13: The late Major-General T. E. Hughes, C.B., Royal +Artillery.] + +[Footnote 14: The late General Sir John Garvock, G.C.B.] + +[Footnote 15: Now Bishop of Auckland and Primate of New Zealand.] + +[Footnote 16: The late Brigadier-General Sir W. W. Turner, K.C.B.] + +[Footnote 17: General Sir T. L. Vaughan, K.C.B.] + +[Footnote 18: Stone breastworks.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI. +1864-1868 + + A voyage round the Cape--Cholera camps--The Abyssinian expedition + --Landed at Zula + + +Early in the New Year (1864) Sir Hugh Rose, with the Head-Quarters +camp, marched into Peshawar, where we remained until the middle of +February. The time was chiefly spent in inspections, parades, and +field-days, varied by an occasional run with the hounds. The hunting +about Peshawar was very fair, and we all, the Chief included, got a +great deal of fun out of our small pack. + +On the 25th January a full-dress parade was held to announce to the +garrison that Sir John Lawrence had been appointed Viceroy of India, +and soon afterwards we left Peshawar and began our return march to +Simla. + +We changed our house this year and took one close to the Stewarts, an +arrangement for which I was very thankful later, when my wife had a +great sorrow in the death of her sister, Mrs. Sladen, at Peshawar. It +was everything for her at such a time to have a kind and sympathizing +friend close at hand, when I was engaged with my work and could be +very little with her during the day. At this time, as at all others, +Sir Hugh Rose was a most considerate friend to us; he placed his house +at Mashobra at my wife's disposal, thus providing her with a quiet +resort which she frequently made use of and which she learned to love +so much that, when I returned to Simla as Commander-in-Chief, her +first thought was to secure this lovely 'Retreat' as a refuge from the +(sometimes) slightly trying gaiety of Simla. + +The Commander-in-Chief was good enough to send in my name for a brevet +for the Umbeyla expedition, but the Viceroy refused to forward the +recommendation, for the reason that I was 'too junior to be made a +Lieutenant-Colonel.' I was then thirty-two! + +Throughout the whole of 1864 I was more or less ill; the office work +(which never suited me quite as well as more active employment) was +excessive, for, in addition to the ordinary routine, I had undertaken +to revise the 'Bengal Route-Book,' which had become quite obsolete, +having been compiled in 1837, when Kurnal was our frontier station. A +voyage round the Cape was still considered the panacea for all Indian +ailments, and the doctors strongly advised my taking leave to England, +and travelling by that route. + +We left Simla towards the end of October, and, after spending the next +three months in Calcutta, where I was chiefly employed in taking up +transports and superintending the embarkation of troops returning to +England, I was given the command of a batch of 300 time-expired men +on board the _Renown_, one of Green's frigate-built ships which was +chartered for their conveyance. Two hundred of the men belonged to +the 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the Rifle Brigade, the remainder to the +Artillery and various other corps; they had all been twelve years in +the army, and most of them were decorated for service in the Crimea +and Indian Mutiny. + +At the inspection parade before we embarked, a certain number of men +were brought up for punishment for various offences committed on +the way down country; none of the misdemeanours appeared to me very +serious, so I determined to let the culprits off. I told the men that +we had now met for the first time and I was unwilling to commence our +acquaintance by awarding punishments; we had to spend three or four +months together, and I hoped they would show, by their good behaviour +while under my command, that I had not made a mistake in condoning +their transgressions. The officers seemed somewhat surprised at +my action in this matter, but I think it was proved by the men's +subsequent conduct that I had not judged them incorrectly, for they +all behaved in quite an exemplary manner throughout the voyage. + +We had been on board more than six weeks, when one of the crew was +attacked by small pox--an untoward circumstance in a crowded ship. The +sailor was placed in a boat which was hung over the ship's side, and a +cabin-boy, the marks on whose face plainly showed that he had already +suffered badly from the disease, was told off to look after him. The +man recovered, and there was no other case. Shortly before we reached +St. Helena, scurvy appeared amongst the troops, necessitating +lime-juice being given in larger quantities, but what proved a more +effectual remedy was water-cress, many sacks of which were laid in +before we left the island. + +On the 29th May, 1865, we sighted the 'Lizard,' and took a pilot on +board, who brought with him a few newspapers, which confirmed the +tidings signalled to us by an American ship that the war between the +Federals and Confederates was at an end. How eagerly we scanned the +journals, after having heard nothing from home for four months, but +the only piece of news we found of personal interest to ourselves was +that my father had been made a K.C.B. + +On the 30th May we reached Portsmouth, and landed between two showers +of snow! I had a final parade of the men before leaving the ship, and +I was quite sorry to say good-bye to them; some of the poor fellows +were already beginning to be anxious about their future, and to regret +that their time with the colours was over. + +My father, mother, and sister came up to London to meet us, very +little changed since I had left them six years before. I remained in +England till March, 1866, when I returned to India, leaving my wife +behind to follow in the autumn. + +While I was at home, Sir Hugh Rose's term of the chief command in +India came to an end, and his place had been taken by Sir William +Mansfield. On my arrival in Calcutta, I received orders to join the +Allahabad division, and thither I proceeded. In October I went to +Calcutta to meet my wife and take her to Allahabad, where we remained +for nearly a year, her first experience of a hot season in the plains, +and a very bad one it was. Cholera was rife; the troops had to be sent +away into camps, more or less distant from the station, all of which +had to be visited once, if not twice, daily; this kept me pretty well +on the move from morning till night. It was a sad time for everyone. +People we had seen alive and well one day were dead and buried the +next; and in the midst of all this sorrow and tragedy the most +irksome--because such an incongruous--part of our experience was that +we had constantly to get up entertainments, penny readings, and the +like, to amuse the men and keep their minds occupied, for if once +soldiers begin to think of the terrors of cholera they are seized with +panic, and many get the disease from pure fright. + +My wife usually accompanied me to the cholera camps, preferring to do +this rather than be left alone at home. On one occasion, I had just +got into our carriage after going round the hospital, when a young +officer ran after us to tell me a corporal in whom I had been much +interested was dead. The poor fellow's face was blue; the cholera +panic had evidently seized him, and I said to my wife, 'He will be the +next.' I had no sooner reached home than I received a report of his +having been seized. + +We were fortunate in having at Allahabad as Chaplain the present +Bishop of Lahore, who, with his wife, had only lately come to India; +they never wearied in doing all that was possible for the soldiers. +Bishop Matthew is still one of our closest friends; his good, charming +and accomplished wife, alas! died some years ago. + +We remained at Allahabad until August, 1867, when we heard that a +brigade from Bengal was likely to be required to take part in an +expedition which would probably be sent from Bombay to Abyssinia for +the relief of some Europeans whom the King, Theodore, had imprisoned, +and that the Mountain battery, on the strength of which my name was +still borne, would in such case be employed. I therefore thought I had +better go to Simla, see the authorities, and arrange for rejoining +my battery, if the rumour turned out to be true. The cholera had now +disappeared, so I was at liberty to take leave, and we both looked +forward to a cooler climate and a change to brighter scenes after the +wretched experience we had been through. On my arrival at Simla I +called upon the Commander-in-Chief and told him that, if my battery +was sent on service, I wished to join it and was quite ready to resign +my staff appointment. + +Sir William Mansfield was particularly kind in his reception of me, +from which I augured well; but I could learn nothing definite, and it +was not until quite the end of September that it was announced that +Colonel Donald Stewart was to have command of the Bengal Brigade +with the Abyssinian Force, and that I was to be his Assistant- +Quartermaster-General. We at once hastened back to Allahabad, where +we only remained long enough to pack up what we wanted to take with +us, and arrange for the disposal of our property; thence we proceeded +to Calcutta, where, for the next two months, I had a busy time taking +up transports and superintending the equipment of the force. + +I had often read and heard of the difficulties and delays experienced +by troops landing in a foreign country, in consequence of their +requirements not being all shipped in the same vessels with +themselves--men in one ship, camp equipage in another, transport and +field hospital in a third, or perhaps the mules in one and their +pack-saddles in another; and I determined to try and prevent these +mistakes upon this occasion. With Stewart's approval, I arranged that +each detachment should embark complete in every detail, which resulted +in the troops being landed and marched off without the least delay as +each vessel reached its destination.[1] + +We were living with the Stewarts in the Commander-in-Chief's quarters +in Fort William, which His Excellency had placed at our disposal for +the time being. On the 1st November Calcutta was visited by the second +cyclone within my experience. We had arranged to go to the opera that +evening, but when it was time to start the wind was so high that there +seemed every chance of the carriage being blown over before we could +get there, so we decided not to attempt it. It was well we did, for +the few adventurous spirits who struggled through the storm had the +greatest difficulty in getting back to their homes. The opera-house +was unroofed before the performance was half over, and very little +of the building remained standing the next day. At bedtime we still +thought it was only a bad storm, but towards midnight the wind +increased to an alarming extent, and my wife awoke me, and begged me +to get up, as the windows were being burst open and deluges of rain +coming in. Stewart and I tried to reclose the windows, but the thick +iron bars had been bent in two and forced out of their sockets; a +heavy oak plate-chest and boxes, which we with much difficulty dragged +across the windows, were blown into the middle of the dining-room, +like so much cardboard, and the whole place was gradually flooded. +We were driven out of each room in turn, till at length we all took +refuge in a small box room, about ten feet wide, right in the middle +of the house, where we remained the rest of the night and 'hoped for +the day.' + +Towards morning the wind abated, but what a scene of desolation was +that upon which we emerged! The rooms looked as if they could never be +made habitable again, and much of our property was floating about in a +foot of water. + +My first thought was for the shipping, and I hurried down to the river +to see how my transports had fared. Things were much better than I +expected to find them--only two had been damaged. Most fortunately the +cyclone, having come from a different direction, was not accompanied +by a storm-wave such as that which worked so much mischief amongst the +shipping on a former occasion, but the destruction on land was even +greater: all the finest trees were torn up by the roots, a great part +of the Native bazaar was levelled, and lay from two to three feet deep +in water, while many houses were wholly or partly demolished. We came +across most curious sights when driving round Calcutta in the evening; +some of the houses were divided clean down the centre, one half +crumbled into a heap of ruins, the other half still standing and +displaying, as in a doll's house, the furniture in the different +stories. + +The work of filling up and loading the vessels was greatly retarded, +owing to a large number of cargo boats having been sunk, consequently +it was the 5th December before the first transport got off; from that +date the others started in quick succession, and on the 9th January, +1868, Stewart and his staff left Calcutta in the P. and O. steamer +_Golconda_. The officers and men of the Mountain battery were also on +board, Captain Bogle in command, my friend Jemmy Hills in my place as +second Captain, and Collen[2] and Disney as subalterns. Mrs. Stewart +and my wife accompanied us as far as Aden, where they were left to the +kind care of Major-General Russell,[3] commanding there at the time, +until the arrival of the mail-steamer in which they were to proceed to +England. + +On the 3rd February we anchored in Annesley Bay and landed at Zula. + + +[Footnote 1: The average strength of the regiments was as follows: +10th and 12th Bengal Cavalry, each 9 British officers, 13 Native +officers, 450 non-commissioned officers and men, 3 Native doctors, 489 +horses, 322 mules, 590 followers. 21st and 23rd Punjab Infantry, each +9 British officers, 16 Native officers, 736 non-commissioned officers +and men, 3 Native doctors, 10 horses, 350 mules, 400 followers. I +found that six ships were required for the conveyance of a Cavalry and +four for that of an Infantry regiment; for the Mountain battery three +ships were necessary, and for the coolie corps (1,550 strong) four; in +all twenty-seven ships, besides nine tugs. In selecting ships, care +was taken to secure those intended for Artillery or Cavalry as high +'tween-decks as possible; a sufficient number of these were procurable +at Calcutta, either iron clippers from Liverpool or large North +American built traders, with decks varying from 7 feet 6 inches to 8 +feet 2 inches high. I gave the preference to wooden ships, as being +cooler and more easily ventilated. The vessels taken up were each from +1,000 to 1,400 tons, averaging in length from 150 to 200 feet, with a +beam varying from 30 to 35 feet, and usually they had a clear upper +deck, where from forty to fifty animals were accommodated.] + +[Footnote 2: Now Major-General Sir Edwin Collen, K.C.I.E., Military +Member of the Governor-General's Council.] + +[Footnote 3: Now General Sir Edward Lechmere Russell, K.C.S.I.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVII. +1868-1869 + + Sir Robert Napier to command--Defective transport + --King Theodore commits suicide--First A.Q.M.G + + +It will, perhaps, be as well to recall to the reader's mind that the +object of the expedition in which we were taking part was to rescue +some sixty Europeans, who, from one cause or another, had found their +way to Abyssinia, and been made prisoners by the King of that country. +Amongst these were four English officials, Mr. Rassam, and Captain +Cameron, who had at different times been the bearers of letters from +Queen Victoria to King Theodore, and Lieutenant Prideaux and Dr. +Blanc of the Bombay Army; the rest were chiefly French and German +missionaries, and artisans, with their wives and children. The +prisoners were confined in a fort built on the Magd[=a]la plateau, +9,150 feet above sea-level, and 379 miles inland from Annesley Bay. + +The repeated demands of the British Government for the restoration of +the prisoners having been treated with contemptuous silence by the +King, Colonel Merewether, the Political Agent at Aden, who in July, +1867, had been directed to proceed to Massowa and endeavour to obtain +the release of the captives, and to make inquiries and collect +information in case of an expedition having to be sent, reported to +the Secretary of State that he had failed to communicate with the +King, and urged the advisability of immediate measures being taken to +prepare a force in India for the punishment of Theodore and the rescue +of the prisoners. Colonel Merewether added that in Abyssinia the +opinion had become very general that England knew herself to be +too weak to resent insult, and that amongst the peoples of the +neighbouring countries, even so far as Aden, there was a feeling of +contemptuous surprise at the continued long-suffering endurance of the +British Government. + +On receipt of this communication, Her Majesty's Government, having +exhausted all their resources for the preservation of peace, +decided to send an expedition from India under the command of +Lieutenant-General Sir Robert Napier, the Commander-in-Chief of the +Bombay Army. After carefully considering the distance along which +operations would have to be prosecuted, and the necessity for holding +a number of detached posts, Napier gave it as his opinion that the +force should consist of not less than 12,000 men.[1] + +Profiting by the experience of the Crimean War, the Government was +determined that the mobility of the force should not be hampered by +want of food and clothing. Stores of all descriptions were despatched +in unstinted quantities from England, and three of the steamers in +which they were conveyed were fitted up as hospital ships. But food, +clothing, and stores, however liberally supplied, would not take the +army to Magd[=a]la without transport. + +The question as to the most suitable organization for the Land +Transport Corps occupied a good deal of Sir Robert Napier's attention +while the expedition was being fitted out, and caused a considerable +amount of correspondence between him and the Bombay Government. The +Commissary-General wished to keep the corps under his own orders, and +objected to its being given an entirely military organization. Sir +Robert Napier preferred to establish the corps on an independent +basis, but was at first overruled by the Bombay Government. While +acting in accordance with their orders, the Commander-in-Chief wrote: +'I believe that the success of systems depends more on the men who +work them than on the systems themselves; but I cannot accept without +protest a decision to throw such a body of men as the drivers of our +transport animals will be (if we get them) on an expedition in a +foreign country without a very complete organization to secure order +and discipline.' Eventually Sir Robert got his own way, but much +valuable time had been lost, and the corps was organized on too small +a scale;[2] the officers and non-commissioned officers were not sent +to Zula in sufficient time or in sufficient numbers to take charge of +the transport animals as they arrived. + +A compact, properly-supervised train of 2,600 mules, with serviceable, +well-fitting pack-saddles, was sent from the Punjab; and from Bombay +came 1,400 mules and ponies and 5,600 bullocks, but these numbers +proving altogether inadequate to the needs of the expedition, they +were supplemented by animals purchased in Persia, Egypt, and on the +shores of the Mediterranean. The men to look after them were supplied +from the same sources, but their number, even if they had been +efficient, was insufficient, and they were a most unruly and +unmanageable lot. They demanded double the pay for which they had +enlisted, and struck work in a body because their demand was not at +once complied with. They refused to take charge of the five mules +each man was hired to look after, and when that number was reduced +to three, they insisted that one should be used as a mount for the +driver. But the worst part of the whole organization, or, rather, want +of organization, was that there had been no attempt to fit the animals +with pack-saddles, some of which were sent from England, some from +India, and had to be adjusted to the mules after they had been landed +in Abyssinia, where there was not an establishment to make the +necessary alterations. The consequence was that the wretched animals +became cruelly galled, and in a few weeks a large percentage were +unfit for work, and had to be sent to the sick depot. + +Other results of having no properly arranged transport train, and +no supervision or discipline, were that mules were lost or stolen, +starved for want of food, or famished from want of water. The +condition of the unfortunate animals was such that, though they had +been but a few weeks in the country, when they were required to +proceed to Senafe, only sixty-seven miles distant, a very small +proportion were able to accomplish the march; hundreds died on the +way, and their carcases, quickly decomposing in the hot sun, became a +fruitful source of dangerous disease to the force. + +On arrival at Zula, we were told that Sir Robert Napier was at Senafe, +the first station in the Hills, and the advanced depot for supplies. +We of the Bengal brigade were somewhat disconcerted at the orders +which awaited us, from which we learned that our brigade was to be +broken up; the troops were to proceed to the front; while Stewart was +to take command at Senafe, and I myself was to remain at Zula, as +senior staff officer. The disappointment was great, but, being the +last-comer, I had no unfairness to complain of, and I had plenty +to do. I spent the greater part of each day amongst the shipping, +superintending the embarkation and disembarkation of men, animals, and +stores. + +Zula was not an attractive place of residence. The heat was +intense--117° in the daytime in my tent. The allowance of fresh water +was extremely limited,[3] while the number of scorpions was quite +the reverse, and the food, at the best, was not appetizing. Few who +remained there as long as I did escaped scurvy and horrible boils or +sores. I was fortunate, however, in finding in charge of the transport +arrangements afloat, my old friend and Eton schoolfellow, George +Tryon,[4] to whom I owed many a good dinner, and, what I appreciated +even more, many a refreshing bath on board the _Euphrates_, a +transport belonging to the British India Steam Navigation Company +which had been fitted up for Captain Tryon and his staff. Indeed, all +the officers of the Royal Navy were most helpful and kind, and I +have a very pleasant recollection of the hospitality I received from +Commodore Heath[5] and those serving under him. + +During the four months I remained at Zula, Tryon and I were constantly +together, and I had plenty of opportunity for observing the masterly +manner in which he could grasp a situation, his intimate knowledge of +detail, and the strong hold he had over all those working with him, +not only the officers of the Royal Navy, but also the commanders of +the merchant vessels taken up as transports, and lying in Annesley +Bay. + +On the 17th April news reached us that four days before Sir Robert +Napier had successfully attacked Magd[=a]la and released the +prisoners, having experienced but very slight opposition; and that +King Theodore, deserted by his army, which had apparently become +tired of his brutalities, had committed suicide.[6] A few days later +Major-General Russell, who had come from Aden to take over the command +at Zula, received orders to prepare for the embarkation of the force. +Arrangements were accordingly made to enable regiments and batteries +to be embarked on board the transports told off for them directly they +arrived from the front--a matter of the utmost importance, both on +account of the fearful heat at Zula, and the absence of a sufficient +water-supply. + +On the 2nd June the Commander-in-Chief returned to Zula, and on the +10th he embarked on board the old Indian marine steamer _Feroze_ for +Suez. Sir Robert was good enough to ask me to accompany him, as he +wished to make me the bearer of his final despatches. My work was +ended, the troops had all left, and as I was pretty well knocked up, +I felt extremely grateful for the offer, and very proud of the great +honour the Chief proposed to confer upon me. + +We reached Alexandria on the 20th June, and the next day I started in +the mail-steamer for Brindisi, arriving in London on the evening of +Sunday, the 28th. I received a note at my club from Edwin Johnson (who +was at that time Assistant Military Secretary to H.R.H. the Duke of +Cambridge), directing me to take the despatches without delay to the +Secretary of State for India. I found Sir Stafford and Lady Northcote +at dinner; Sir Stafford looked through the despatches, and when he had +finished reading them, he asked me to take them without delay to the +Commander-in-Chief, as he knew the Duke was most anxious to see them. +There was a dinner-party, however, that night at Gloucester House, +and the servant told me it was quite impossible to disturb His Royal +Highness; so, placing my card on the top of the despatches, I told the +man to deliver them at once, and went back to my club. I had scarcely +reached it when the Duke's Aide-de-camp made his appearance and told +me that he had been ordered to find me and take me back with him. The +Commander-in-Chief received me very kindly, expressing regret that I +had been sent away in the first instance; and Their Royal Highnesses +the Prince and Princess of Wales, who were present, were most +gracious, and asked many questions about the Abyssinian Expedition. + +The next day I joined my wife, who was staying with my people at +Clifton, and on the 14th August, when the rewards for the +Abyssinian Expedition were published, my name appeared for a brevet +Lieutenant-Colonelcy. + +I was now anxious to ascertain in what manner I was to be employed. My +five years as A.Q.M.G. were about to expire, and I thought I should +like to go back to my regiment for a time. I therefore applied for the +command of a battery of Horse Artillery. I was told, in answer to my +application, that it was not the custom to appoint an officer who had +been in staff employment for some time to the mounted branch, but +that, in consideration of my services, the Duke of Cambridge was +pleased to make an exception in my favour. I was posted to a battery +at Meerut, and warned to be ready to start in an early troopship. +Before the time for our departure arrived, however, I received a +letter from Lumsden, who had now become Quartermaster-General, +informing me that the Commander-in-Chief had recommended, and the +Government had approved of, the formation of a fresh grade--that of +First A.Q.M.G.--and that he was directed by Sir William Mansfield to +offer the new appointment to me--an offer which I gratefully accepted; +for though the command of a Horse Artillery battery would have been +most congenial, this unexpected chance of five years' further staff +employ was too good to be refused. + +On the 4th January, 1869, having said good-bye to those dear to us, +two of whom I was never to see again, my wife and I, with a baby girl +who was born the previous July, embarked at Portsmouth on board the +s.s. _Helvetia_, which had been taken up for the conveyance of troops +to Bombay, the vessel of the Royal Navy in which we were to have +sailed having suddenly broken down. The _Helvetia_ proved most +unsuitable as a transport, and uncomfortable to the last degree for +passengers, besides which it blew a gale the whole way to Alexandria. +We were all horribly ill, and our child caught a fatal cold. We +thoroughly appreciated a change at Suez to the Indian trooper, the +_Malabar_, where everything possible was done for our comfort by our +kind captain (Rich, R.N.), and, indeed, by everyone on board; but, +alas! our beautiful little girl never recovered the cruel experience +of the _Helvetia_, and we had the terrible grief of losing her soon +after we passed Aden. She was buried at sea. + +It was a very sad journey after that. There were several nice, kind +people amongst our fellow-passengers; but life on board ship at such +a time, surrounded by absolute strangers, was a terrible trial to us +both, and, what with the effects of the voyage and the anxiety and +sorrow she had gone through, my wife was thoroughly ill when we +arrived at Simla towards the end of February. + + +[Footnote 1: The numbers actually despatched from India were 13,548, +of whom 3,786 were Europeans. In addition, a company of Royal +Engineers was sent from England.] + +[Footnote 2: At first it was thought that 10,000 mules, with a coolie +corps 3,000 strong, would suffice, but before the expedition was over, +it was found necessary to purchase 18,000 mules, 1,500 ponies, 1,800 +donkeys, 12,000 camels, and 8,400 bullocks.] + +[Footnote 3: Fresh water was obtained by condensing the sea-water; +there were few condensors, and no means of aerating the water.] + +[Footnote 4: The late Admiral Sir George Tryon, K.C.B.] + +[Footnote 5: Now Admiral Sir Leonid Heath, K.C.B.] + +[Footnote 6: He is said to have killed in one month, or burnt alive, +more than 3,000 people. He pillaged and burnt the churches at Gondur, +and had many priests and young girls cast alive into the flames.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVIII. +1869 + + Afzal Khan ousts Sher Ali--Sher Ali regains the Amirship + --Foresight of Sir Henry Rawlinson--The Umballa Durbar + + +In January, 1869, Sir John Lawrence, after a career which was +altogether unique, he having risen from the junior grades of +the Bengal Civil Service to the almost regal position of +Governor-General,[1] left India for good. He was succeeded as Viceroy +by Lord Mayo, one of whose first official acts was to hold a durbar at +Umballa for the reception of the Amir Sher Ali, who, after five years +of civil war, had succeeded in establishing himself on the throne +of Afghanistan, to which he had been nominated by his father, Dost +Mahomed Khan.[2] + +Sher Ali had passed through a stormy time between the death of the +Dost, in June, 1863, and September, 1868. He had been acknowledged as +the rightful heir by the Government of India, and for the first three +years he held the Amirship in a precarious sort of way. His two elder +brothers, Afzal and Azim, and his nephew, Abdur Rahman (the present +Ruler of Afghanistan), were in rebellion against him. The death of +his favourite son and heir-apparent, Ali Khan, in action near +Khelat-i-Ghilzai, in 1865, grieved him so sorely that for a time his +reason was affected. In May, 1866, he was defeated near Ghazni (mainly +owing to the treachery of his own troops) by Abdur Rahman, who, +releasing his father, Afzal, from the prison into which he had been +cast by Sher Ali, led him in triumph to Kabul, and proclaimed him Amir +of Afghanistan. + +The new Amir, Afzal, at once wrote to the Government of India +detailing what had occurred, and expressing a hope that the friendship +of the British, which he so greatly valued, would be extended to him. +He was told, in reply, that the Government recognized him as Ruler of +Kabul, but that, as Sher Ali still held Kandahar and Herat, existing +engagements with the latter could not be broken off. The evident +preference thus displayed for Sher Ali caused the greatest vexation to +the brothers Afzal and Azim, who showed their resentment by directing +an Envoy who had come from Swat to pay his respects to the new Amir +to return to his own country and set on foot a holy war against the +English; the Waziri _maliks_[3] in attendance at the court were +dismissed with presents and directions to harass the British frontier, +while an emissary was despatched on a secret mission to the Russians. + +After his defeat near Ghazni, Sher Ali fled to Kandahar, and in the +January of the following year (again owing to treachery in his army) +he met with a second defeat near Khelat-i-Ghilzai, and lost Kandahar. + +On this fact being communicated to the Government of India, Afzal Khan +was in his turn recognized as Amir of Kabul and Kandahar. But he was +at the same time informed that the British Government intended to +maintain a strict neutrality between the contending parties in +Afghanistan. John Lawrence, in his letter of the 20th of February, +said that 'neither men, nor arms, nor money, nor assistance of any +kind, have ever been supplied by my Government to Amir Sher Ali. Your +Highness and he, both equally unaided by me, have fought out the +battle, each upon your own resources. I purpose to continue the same +policy for the future. If, unhappily, the struggle for supremacy in +Afghanistan has not yet been brought to a close, and hostilities are +again renewed, I shall still side with neither party.' + +This reply altogether failed to satisfy Afzal and Azim. They answered +it civilly, but at the same time they sent a copy of it to General +Romanofski, the Russian Governor of Tashkent, who was informed by +the new Amir that he had no confidence in the 'Lord _sahib's_ fine +professions of friendship, and that he was disgusted with the British +Government for the ingratitude and ill-treatment shown towards his +brother Azim.[4] He looked upon the Russians as his real and only +friends, hoped soon to send a regular Ambassador to the Russian camp, +and would at all times do his utmost to protect and encourage Russian +trade.' + +In October of this year (1867) Afzal Khan died, and his brother Azim, +hastening to Kabul, took upon himself the Amirship. Abdur Rahman had +hoped to have succeeded his father, but his uncle having forestalled +him, he thought it politic to give in his allegiance to him, which he +did by presenting his dead father's sword, in durbar, to the new Amir, +who, like his predecessor, was now acknowledged by the Government of +India as Ruler of Kabul and Kandahar. + +The tide, however, was beginning to turn in favour of Sher Ali. Azim +and Abdur Rahman quarrelled, and the former, by his extortions and +cruelties, made himself detested by the people generally. + +In March, 1868, Sher Ali's eldest son, Yakub Khan, regained possession +of Kandahar for his father. In July father and son found themselves +strong enough to move towards Ghazni, where Azim Khan's army was +assembled. The latter, gradually deserted by his soldiers, took to +flight, upon which Sher Ali, after an absence of forty months, entered +Kabul on the 8th of September, and re-possessed himself of all his +dominions, with the exception of Balkh, where Azim and Abdur Rahman +(now reconciled to each other) still flew the flag of rebellion. + +One of the newly-installed Amir's first acts was to inform the Viceroy +of his return to Kabul, and of the recovery of his kingdom. He +announced his desire to send some trusted representatives, or else +proceed himself in person, to Calcutta, 'for the purpose of showing +his sincerity and firm attachment to the British Government, and +making known his real wants.' + +Sir John Lawrence, in his congratulatory reply, showed that a change +had come over his policy of non-interference in the internal affairs +of Afghanistan, for he stated that he was 'prepared, not only to +maintain the bonds of amity and goodwill which were established +between Dost Mahomed and the British Government, but, so far as may be +practicable, to strengthen those bonds'; and, as a substantial proof +of his goodwill, the Viceroy sent Sher Ali £60,000, aid which arrived +at a most opportune moment, and gave the Amir that advantage over his +opponents which is of incalculable value in Afghan civil war, namely, +funds wherewith to pay the army and bribe the opposite side. + +The energetic and capable Abdur Rahman Khan had in the meantime +collected a sufficient number of troops in Turkestan to enable him to +move towards Kabul with his uncle Azim. On nearing Ghazni, he found +himself confronted by Sher Ali; the opposing forces were about equal +in strength, and on both sides there was the same scarcity of ready +money. Suddenly the report was received that money was being sent from +India to Sher Ali, and this turned the scale in his favour. Abdur +Rahman's men deserted in considerable numbers, and a battle fought +on the 3rd January, 1869, resulted in the total defeat of uncle and +nephew, and in the firmer consolidation of Sher Ali's supremacy. + +The change in policy which induced the Government of India to assist +a struggling Amir with money, after its repeated and emphatic +declarations that interference was impossible, was undoubtedly brought +about by an able and elaborate memorandum written by the late Sir +Henry Rawlinson on the 28th July, 1868. In this paper Rawlinson +pointed out that, notwithstanding promises to the contrary, Russia was +steadily advancing towards Afghanistan. He referred to the increased +facilities of communication which would be the result of the recent +proposal to bring Turkestan into direct communication, _viâ_ the +Caspian, with the Caucasus and St. Petersburg. He dwelt at length upon +the effect which the advanced position of Russia in Central Asia would +have upon Afghanistan and India. He explained that by the occupation +of Bokhara Russia would gain a pretext for interfering in Afghan +politics, and 'that if Russia once assumes a position which, in virtue +either of an imposing military force on the Oxus, or of a dominant +political influence in Afghanistan, entitles her, in Native +estimation, to challenge our Asiatic supremacy, the disquieting effect +will be prodigious.' + +'With this prospect before us,' Sir Henry asked, 'are we justified +in maintaining what has been sarcastically, though perhaps unfairly, +called Sir John Lawrence's policy of "masterly inaction"? Are we +justified in allowing Russia to work her way to Kabul unopposed, and +there to establish herself as a friendly power prepared to protect the +Afghans against the English?' He argued that it was contrary to +our interests to permit anarchy to reign in Afghanistan; that Lord +Auckland's famous doctrine of 'establishing a strong and friendly +Power on our North-West Frontier' was the right policy for India, +'that Dost Mahomed's successful management of his country was in a +great measure due to our aid, and that, if we had helped the son as we +had helped the father, Sher Ali would have summarily suppressed +the opposition of his brothers and nephews.' Rawlinson then added: +'Another opportunity now presents itself. The fortunes of Sher Ali are +again in the ascendant; he should be secured in our interests without +delay.' + +Rawlinson's suggestions were not at the time supposed to commend +themselves to the Government of India. In the despatch in which they +were answered,[5] the Viceroy and his Councillors stated that +they still objected to any active interference in the affairs of +Afghanistan; they foresaw no limits to the expenditure which such a +move would entail, and they believed that the objects that they had at +heart might be attained by an attitude of readiness and firmness on +the frontier. It is worthy of note, however, that, after Sir Henry +Rawlinson's memorandum had been received by the Indian Government, and +notwithstanding these protests, the sum of £60,000 was sent to Sher +Ali, that Sir John Lawrence invited him 'to come to some place in +British territory for a personal meeting in order to discuss the best +manner in which a limited support might be accorded,' and that five +days from the time of writing the above-mentioned despatch, John +Lawrence sent a farewell letter to Sher Ali, expressing the earnest +hope of the British Government that His Highness's authority would be +established on a solid and permanent basis, and informing him that a +further sum of £60,000 would be supplied to him during the next few +months, and that future Viceroys would consider, from time to time, +what amount of practical assistance in the shape of money or war +materials should periodically be made over to him as a testimony of +their friendly feeling, and to the furtherance of his legitimate +authority and influence. + +Sher Ali expressed himself as most grateful, and came to Umballa full +of hope and apparently thoroughly well disposed towards the British +Government. He was received with great state and ceremony, and Lord +Mayo was most careful to demonstrate that he was treating with an +independent, and not a feudatory, Prince. + +At this conference Sher Ali began by unburdening himself of his +grievances, complaining to Lord Mayo of the manner in which his two +elder brothers had each in his turn been recognized as Amir, and +dwelling on the one-sided nature of the treaty made with his father, +by which the British Government only bound itself to abstain from +interfering with Afghanistan, while the Amir was to be 'the friend of +the friends and the enemy of the enemies of the Honourable East India +Company.' His Highness then proceeded to make known his wants, which +were that he and his lineal descendants on the throne that he had +won 'by his own good sword' should be acknowledged as the _de jure_ +sovereigns of Afghanistan; that a treaty offensive and defensive +should be made with him; and that he should be given a fixed subsidy +in the form of an annual payment. + +It was in regard to the first of these three demands that Sher Ali was +most persistent. He explained repeatedly and at some length that to +acknowledge the Ruler _pro tempore_ and _de facto_ was to invite +competition for a throne, and excite the hopes of all sorts of +candidates; but that if the British Government would recognize him and +his dynasty, there was nothing he would not do in order to evince his +gratitude. + +These requests, the Amir was informed, were inadmissible. There could +be no treaty, no fixed subsidy, no dynastic pledges. He was further +told that we were prepared to discourage his rivals, to give him warm +countenance and support, and such material assistance as we considered +absolutely necessary for his immediate wants, if he, on his part, +would undertake to do all he could to maintain peace on our frontier +and to comply with our wishes in matters connected with trade. + +As an earnest of our goodwill, the Amir was given the second £60,000 +promised him by Sir John Lawrence, besides a considerable supply of +arms and ammunition,[6] and was made happy by a promise that European +officers should not be required to reside in any of his cities. Before +the conference took place, Lord Mayo had contemplated British agents +being sent to Kabul in order to obtain accurate information regarding +events in Central Asia, but on discovering how vehemently opposed Sher +Ali was to such an arrangement, he gave him this promise. Saiyad Nur +Mahomed, the Minister who accompanied the Amir, though equally averse +to European agents, admitted that 'the day might come when the +Russians would arrive, and the Amir would be glad, not only of British +officers as agents, but of arms and troops to back them.' + +One request which the Amir made towards the close of the meeting the +Viceroy agreed to, which was that we should call Persia to account for +her alleged encroachments on the debatable ground of Sistan. This, +which seemed but an unimportant matter at the time, was one of the +chief causes of Sher Ali's subsequent estrangement; for the committee +of arbitration which inquired into it decided against the Amir, +who never forgave what he considered our unfriendly action in +discountenancing his claims. + +The Umballa conference was, on the whole, successful, in that Sher Ali +returned to his own country much gratified at the splendour of his +reception, and a firm personal friend of Lord Mayo, whose fine +presence and genial manner had quite won the Amir's heart, although he +had not succeeded in getting from him everything he had demanded. + + +[Footnote 1: I should have mentioned that Sir John Lawrence was not +the only instance of a Bengal civilian rising to the position of +Governor-General, as a predecessor of his, Sir John Shore, afterwards +Lord Teignmouth, was appointed Governor-General in 1792, and held that +office until 1798.] + +[Footnote 2: Dost Mahomed had several sons. Mahomed Akbar and Ghulam +Haidar, the two heirs-designate in succession, died before their +father. Sixteen other sons were alive in 1863, of whom the following +were the eldest: + + 1. Mahomed Afzal Khan, aged 52 years } By a wife not of Royal blood. + 2. Mahomed Azim Khan " 45 " } " " " " " " " + 3. Sher Ali Khan " 40 " } By a favourite Popalzai wife. + 4. Mahomed Amir Khan " 34 " } " " " " " + 5. Mahomed Sharif Khan " 30 " } " " " " " + 6. Wali Mahomed Khan " 33 " } By a third wife. + 7. Faiz Mahomed Khan " 25 " } " " " " + +Afzal Khan had a son Abdur Rahman Khan, the present Amir of +Afghanistan, and Sher Ali had five sons--Ali Khan, Yakub Khan, Ibrahim +Khan, Ayub Khan, and Abdulla Jan.] + +[Footnote 3: The headmen of villages in Afghanistan are styled +_maliks_.] + +[Footnote 4: Azim Khan behaved well towards the Lumsden Mission, and +it was reported that he encouraged his father, Dost Mahomed Khan, not +to disturb the Peshawar frontier during the Mutiny.] + +[Footnote 5: Dated 4th January, 1869.] + +[Footnote 6: Besides the remainder of the aggregate sum of twelve +lakhs, 6,500 more rifles were forwarded to the frontier for +transmission to the Amir, and in addition four 18-pounder smooth-bore +guns, two 8-inch howitzers, and a Mountain battery of six 3-pounders +complete, with due proportion of ammunition and stores, together with +draught bullocks and nine elephants.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIX. +1869-1871 + + The Lushais--The Lushai expedition--Defective transport again + --Practice _versus_ theory--A severe march + --Lushais foiled by Gurkhas--A successful turning movement + --Murder of Lord Mayo + + +We spent a very quiet year at Simla. My wife was far from strong, and +we had another great sorrow in the death of a baby boy three weeks +after his birth. + +That winter I was left in charge of the Quartermaster-General's +office, and we moved into 'Ellerslie,' a larger and warmer house than +that in which we had lived during the summer. + +Simla in the winter, after a fresh fall of snow, is particularly +beautiful. Range after range of hills clothed in their spotless +garments stretch away as far as the eye can reach, relieved in the +foreground by masses of reddish-brown perpendicular cliffs and +dark-green ilex and deodar trees, each bearing its pure white burden, +and decked with glistening fringes of icicles. Towards evening the +scene changes, and the snow takes the most gorgeous colouring from +the descending rays of the brilliant eastern sun--brilliant even in +mid-winter--turning opal, pink, scarlet, and crimson; gradually, as +the light wanes, fading into delicate lilacs and grays, which slowly +mount upwards, till at last even the highest pinnacle loses the +life-giving tints, and the whole snowy range itself turns cold and +white and dead against a background of deepest sapphire blue. The +spectator shivers, folds himself more closely in his wraps, and +retreats indoors, glad to be greeted by a blazing log-fire and a hot +cup of tea. + +In the spring of the next year (1870) Sir William Mansfield's term +of command came to an end, and he was succeeded by Lord Napier of +Magd[=a]la. The selection of this distinguished officer for the +highest military position in India was greatly appreciated by the +Indian army, as no officer of that army had held it since the days of +Lord Clive. + +In September a daughter was born, and that winter we again remained +at Simla. I amused myself by going through a course of electric +telegraphy, which may seem rather like a work of supererogation; but +during the Umbeyla campaign, when the telegraph office had to be +closed in consequence of all the clerks being laid up with fever, and +we could neither read nor send messages, I determined that I would on +the first opportunity learn electric signalling, in order that I might +be able to decipher and send telegrams should I ever again find myself +in a similar position. + +In May my wife and I went for a march across the hills to Chakrata, +and thence to Mussoorie and back by way of Dehra Dun and the plains. +The object of this trip was to settle the boundary of Chakrata, and my +wife took the opportunity of my being ordered on this duty to get away +from Simla, as we had now been there for more than two years, and were +consequently rather longing for a change. Our route lay through most +beautiful scenery, and notwithstanding that the trip was a little +hurried, and that some of the marches were therefore rather long, we +enjoyed it immensely. When passing along the ridge of a very high +hill one afternoon, we witnessed rather a curious sight--a violent +thunderstorm was going on in the valley below us, while we ourselves +remained in the mildest, most serene atmosphere, enjoying bright +sunshine and a blue sky. Dense black clouds filled up the valley a +thousand feet beneath us, the thunder roared, the lightning flashed, +and soon we could hear the rush of waters in the streams below from +the torrents of rain which the clouds were discharging; but it was not +until we had crossed over the mountain, and descended to a low level +on the other side, that we fully realized the effects of the heavy +storm. + +On our return to Simla we had the pleasure of a visit from +Major-General Donald Stewart, who had come up to receive Lord Mayo's +instructions before taking over his appointment as Superintendent +of the Andaman Islands. In September he and I travelled together to +Calcutta, to which place I was directed to proceed in order to make +arrangements for a military expedition into the country of the +Lushais, having been appointed senior staff officer to the force. + +Lushai, situated between south-eastern Bengal and Burma, was a _terra +incognita_ to me, and I had only heard of it in connexion with the +raids made by its inhabitants upon the tea-gardens in its vicinity, +which had now spread too far away from Cachar for the garrison of that +small military station to afford them protection. From time to time +the Lushais had done the planters much damage, and carried off several +prisoners, and various attempts had been made in the shape of small +military expeditions to punish the tribesmen and rescue the captives; +but from want of proper organization, and from not choosing the right +time of the year, these attempts had hitherto been unsuccessful, and +our failures had the inevitable result of making the Lushais bolder. +Raids became more frequent and more destructive; until at last a +little European girl, named Mary Winchester, was carried off, and +kept by them as a prisoner; on this the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal +declared that a punitive expedition was 'absolutely necessary for the +future security of the British subjects residing on the Cachar and +Chittagong frontiers.' + +The despatch of a force was therefore decided upon; it was to consist +of two small columns[1]--one having its base at Cachar, the other at +Chittagong--commanded respectively by Brigadier-Generals Bourchier, +C.B., and C. Brownlow, C.B., supreme political power being also vested +in these two officers. Long experience had taught Lord Napier the +wisdom of having only one head in time of war, and he impressed upon +the Government his opinion that the civil officers, while acting as +advisers and as the channels of communication with the tribes, should +be subordinate to the control of the two Commanders, who, after having +been put in possession of the views and wishes of the Government, +should be held responsible for carrying them out loyally so far as +circumstances and the safety of the force would permit. + +As the existence of the tea industry was at stake, the Lushais having +established a perfect terror on all the estates within their reach, +it was essential that they should be given a severe lesson, and this +could only be done by their principal villages, which lay at some +considerable distance from the base of operations, being visited in +force. The difficult country and the paucity of transport necessitated +the columns being lightly equipped; no tents were to be allowed, and +baggage and followers were to be reduced to a minimum. My instructions +were to fit out and despatch the two columns, and then join +Brigadier-General Bourchier at Cachar. + +I was kept in Calcutta all October--not a pleasant month, the climate +then being very muggy and unhealthy. Everyone who could get away had +gone to the Hills or out to sea; and the offices being closed for the +Hindu holidays of the _Durga Puja,_ it was extremely difficult to get +work done. Everything for the Chittagong column had to be sent by +sea. The shipping of the elephants was rather interesting: they clung +desperately to the ground, trying hard to prevent themselves being +lifted from it; and when at last, in spite of all their struggles, +they were hoisted into the air, the helpless appearance of the huge +animals and their despairing little cries and whines were quite +pathetic. I found it trying work being on the river all day; my eyes +suffered from the glare, and I became so reduced that before I left +Calcutta I weighed scarcely over eight stone--rather too fine a +condition in which to enter on a campaign in a mountainous country, so +thickly covered with jungle as to make riding out of the question. + +By the 3rd November the equipment and stores for both columns had been +despatched, and on the 16th I joined General Bourchier at the house of +that most hospitable of hosts, Mr. Edgar,[2] Deputy-Commissioner of +Cachar, who accompanied the left column as civil officer. + +We left Cachar on the 23rd, and from the outset we had to make our own +roads, a labour which never ceased until the end of January, by which +date 110 miles had been completed. There was not the vestige of a +track to direct us; but I got hold of some people of the country, with +whom I made friends, and induced them to act as guides. Many a long +and weary reconnaissance had to be executed, however, before the line +of advance could be decided upon. The troops worked with a will, and, +notwithstanding the vapour-bath-like atmosphere of the valleys and the +difficult nature of the country, which was a succession of hill-ranges +covered with jungle forests, made almost impenetrable from the huge +creepers, and intersected by rivers and watercourses, a good road, +from six to eight feet wide, was constructed, with a sufficiently easy +gradient for laden elephants to travel over. Cutting one's way day +after day through these dense, gloomy forests, through which hardly a +ray of light penetrates, was most stifling and depressing. One could +hardly breathe, and was quite unable to enjoy the beauty of the +magnificent trees, the graceful bamboos and canes, and the wonderful +creepers, which abounded, and under other circumstances would have +been a source of pleasure; the difficulties we encountered, and the +consequent delay in our progress, quite prevented me from being in a +frame of mind to appreciate my picturesque surroundings. + +It became evident from the first that our onward movements would be +greatly impeded by want of transport. Notwithstanding the experience +which ought to have been gained in many small mountain wars, the +Government had not been taught that a properly organized transport +corps was an absolute necessity, and that it was a mere waste of money +to collect a number of men and animals without providing trained +supervision. Fourteen hundred of our coolies were attached to +the Commissariat Department without anyone to look after them, +consequently officers and non-commissioned officers, who could ill be +spared from their regimental duties, had to be told off to organize +and work them. + +To add to our troubles, cholera broke out amongst some Nepalese +coolies on their way to join us; out of 840, 251 died in a few days, +and a number deserted panic-stricken, while the rest were so weakened +and shaken that, notwithstanding the care bestowed upon them by their +able and energetic Commandant, Major H. Moore, only 387 joined the +column. We were not much better off in the matter of elephants, which +had been so carelessly selected that only 33 out of the 157 sent with +our column were of any use. All this resulted in our being obliged to +still further reduce our already small kits. Officers were allowed +only forty pounds of baggage, and soldiers twenty-four pounds, limits +within which it was rather difficult to keep. A couple of blankets +were essential, as we should have to operate over mountains five and +six thousand feet high; so was a waterproof sheet, for even if we +should be lucky enough to escape rain, the dew is so heavy in those +parts that it wets one just as thoroughly as a shower of rain. These +three items with my cloak and cork mattress--which is also a very +necessary adjunct in such a damp climate--amounted to thirty-one +pounds, leaving only nine pounds for a change of clothes, plate, +knife, fork, etc.--not too much for a four months' campaign. However, +'needs must,' and it is surprising how many things one considers +absolute necessities under ordinary circumstances turn out to have +been luxuries when we are obliged to dispense with them. + +The advance portion of the column did not arrive at Tipai Mukh, only +eighty-four miles from Cachar, until the 9th December, which will give +an idea of the enforced slowness of our progress. Tipai Mukh proved a +very suitable place for our depot: it was situated at the junction +of two rivers, the Tipai and the Barak; thickly-wooded hills rose +precipitously on all sides, but on the right bank of the Barak there +was sufficient level space for all our requirements. With the help +of local coolies, the little Gurkhas were not long in running up +hospitals and storesheds; bamboo, the one material used in Lushailand +for every conceivable purpose, whether it be a house, a drinking +vessel, a bridge, a woman's ear-ring, or a musical instrument, grew +in profusion on the hillside. A trestle bridge was thrown across the +Tipai in a few hours, and about that bridge I have rather an amusing +story to relate. On my telling the young Engineer officer in charge of +the Sapper company that a bridge was required to be constructed with +the least possible delay, he replied that it should be done, but that +it was necessary to calculate the force of the current, the weight to +be borne, and the consequent strength of the timber required. Off he +went, urged by me to be as quick as he could. Some hours elapsed, and +nothing was seen of the Engineer, so I sent for him and asked him when +the bridge was to be begun. He answered that his plans were nearly +completed, and that he would soon be able to commence work. In the +meantime, however, and while these scientific calculations were being +made, the headman of the local coolies had come to me and said, if the +order were given, he would throw a good bridge over the river in no +time. I agreed, knowing how clever Natives often are at this kind +of work, and thinking I might just as well have two strings to this +particular bow. Immediately, numbers of men were to be seen felling +the bamboos on the hillside a short distance above the stream: these +were thrown into the river, and as they came floating down they were +caught by men standing up to their necks in water, who cut them to the +required length, stuck the uprights into the river-bed, and attached +them to each other by pieces laid laterally and longitudinally; the +flooring was then formed also of bamboo, the whole structure was +firmly bound together by strips of cane, and the bridge was pronounced +ready. Having tested its strength by marching a large number of men +across it, I sent for my Engineer friend. His astonishment on seeing a +bridge finished ready for use was great, and became still greater when +he found how admirably the practical woodmen had done their work; from +that time, being assured of their ability to assist him, he wisely +availed himself when difficulties arose of their useful, if +unscientific, method of engineering. + +By the 14th December matters had so far progressed as to warrant an +advance. As our route now lay away from the river, scarcity of water +entailed greater care being taken in the selection of encamping +grounds, so on arriving at our halting-place each day I had to +reconnoitre ahead for a suitable site for our next resting-ground, a +considerable addition to the day's work. Road-making for the passage +of the elephants became more difficult, and transport was so deficient +that the troops could only be brought up very gradually. Thus, it was +the 22nd of the month before we reached the Tuibum river, only twenty +miles from Tipai Mukh. On our way we were met by some scouts from +the villages ahead of us, who implored of us to advance no further, +saying, if we would only halt, their headmen would come in and submit +to whatever terms we chose to make. The villagers were informed in +reply that our quarrel was not with them, and so long as we remained +unmolested, not the slightest injury should be done to them, their +villages, or their crops; but that we were determined to reach the +country of Lalbura, the Chief who had been the ringleader in the raids +upon the tea-gardens. + +We pushed on as fast as the dense undergrowth would permit until +within about a mile of the river, where we found the road blocked by +a curious erection in the form of a gallows, from which hung two +grotesque figures, made of bamboo. A little further on it was a felled +tree which stopped us; this tree was studded all over with knife-like +pieces of bamboo, and from the incisions into which these were stuck +exuded a red juice, exactly the colour of blood. This was the Lushai +mode of warning us what would be our fate if we ventured further. We, +however, proceeded on our way, bivouacked for the night, and early the +next morning started off in the direction of some villages which we +understood lay in the road to our destination. + +For the first thousand feet the ascent was very steep, and the path so +narrow that we could only march in single file. Suddenly we entered +upon a piece of ground cleared for cultivation, and as we emerged from +the forest we were received by a volley from a position about sixty +yards off. A young police orderly, who was acting as our guide, was +knocked over by my side, and a second volley wounded one of the +sepoys, on which we charged and the enemy retired up the hill. We came +across a large number of these _jooms_ (clearings), and at each there +was a like effort to oppose us, always with the same result. After +advancing in this way for the greater part of the day, alternately +through dense jungle and open spaces, and occasionally passing by +scattered cottages, we sighted a good-sized village, where it was +decided we should remain for the night. The day's march had been very +severe, the village being 4,000 feet above the river; and the troops +were so worn out with their exertions that it was with difficulty the +piquets could be got to construct proper shelter for themselves out of +the plentiful supply of trees and underwood ready at hand. Throughout +the night the enemy's sharpshooters kept up an annoying fire under +cover of the forest which surrounded the village, and so as soon as +day dawned a party moved out to clear the ground all round. + +It was most aggravating to find from the view we got of the country +from this elevated position that the previous day's harassing march +had been an absolutely useless performance and an unnecessary waste of +time and strength. We could now distinctly see that this village did +not lead to Lalbura's country, as we had been led to believe it would, +and that there was no alternative but to retrace our steps as far as +the river. The men and animals were too tired to march that day, and +the next being Christmas, we made another halt, and commenced our +retirement on the 26th. This was an extremely nasty business, and +had to be carried out with very great caution. The ground, as I said +before, necessitated our proceeding in single file, and with only +250 fighting men (all that our deficient transport admitted of being +brought on to this point) it was difficult to guard the long line +of sick, wounded, and coolies. As soon as we began to draw in our +piquets, the Lushais, who had never ceased their fire, perceiving we +were about to retire, came down in force, and entered one end of the +village, yelling and screaming like demons, before we had got out +at the other. The whole way down the hill they pressed us hard, +endeavouring to get amongst the baggage, but were invariably baffled +by the Gurkhas, who, extending rapidly whenever the ground was +favourable, retired through their supports in admirable order, and +did not once give the enemy the chance of passing them. We had 3 men +killed and 8 wounded during the march, but the Lushais confessed +afterwards to a loss of between 50 and 60. + +As we were given to understand that our short retrograde movement had +been interpreted into a defeat by the Lushais, the General wisely +determined to pay the village of Kholel another visit. Our doing so +had the best possible effect. A slight resistance was offered at the +first clearance, but by the time the ridge was reached the Chief, +having become convinced of the uselessness of further opposition, +submitted, and engaged to give hostages and keep open communication +with our depot at Tipai Mukh, a promise which he most faithfully +performed. + +1872 opened auspiciously for me. On New Year's Day I was agreeably +surprised by a communication from the Quartermaster-General informing +me that, a vacancy having unexpectedly occurred, Lord Napier had +appointed me Deputy-Quartermaster-General. This was an important step +in my department, and I was proportionately elated. + +A few days later I received the good news of the birth of a son at +Umballa on the 8th. + +Paucity of transport and difficulty about supplies kept us stationary +on the Tuibum for some time, after which we moved on as before, the +Lushais retiring in front of us until the 25th, when they attacked +us while we were moving along a narrow ravine, with a stream at the +bottom and steep hills on either side. The first volley wounded the +General in the arm and hand, and killed his orderly. The enemy's +intention was evidently to push past the weak column along the +hillside and get amongst the coolies; but this attempt was again +foiled by the Gurkhas, who, flinging off their great-coats, rushed +into the stream and engaged the Lushais before they could get at the +baggage, pressing them up the mountain, rising 2,500 feet above us, as +fast as the precipitous nature of the ascent would allow. On the crest +we found the enemy occupying a good-sized village, out of which we +cleared them and took possession of it ourselves. On this occasion +we had only 4 killed and 8 wounded, including the General, while the +enemy lost about 60. In one place we found a heap of headless bodies. +The Lushais, if unable to remove their dead, invariably decapitate +them to prevent their adversaries from carrying off the heads, their +own mode of dealing with a slain enemy, as they believe that whoever +is in possession of the head will have the man to whom it belonged as +a slave in the next world. + +To complete the success we had gained, the General sent me the next +day with a small party to burn the village of Taikum, belonging to the +people who had attacked us. It was past noon before we could make a +start, owing to the non-arrival of the elephants with the guns. When +they did come in, the poor huge creatures were so fatigued by their +climb that it was considered advisable to transfer their loads to +coolies, particularly as the route we had to traverse was reported to +be even more difficult than anything we had yet encountered. When we +had proceeded a short distance, we perceived that our way was blocked +a mile ahead by a most formidable-looking stockade, on one side of +which rose perpendicular cliffs, while on the other was a rocky +ravine. As the nature of the ground did not admit of my approaching +near enough to discover whether the Artillery could be placed so as to +cover the Infantry advance, and being anxious to avoid losing many +of my small party, I settled to turn the stockade by a detour up the +hillside. This manoeuvre took some time, owing to the uncompromising +nature of the country; but it was successful, for when we struck +the track, we found ourselves about a mile on the other side of the +stockade. The Lushais, on realizing what we were about, retired to +Taikum, which place came into view at 5 p.m. It was situated on the +summit of a hill 1,200 yards in front, and was crowded with men. The +guns were brought at once into action, and while Captain Blackwood[3] +was preparing his fuses, I advanced towards the village with the +Infantry. The first shell burst a little beyond the village, the +second was lodged in its very centre, for a time completely paralyzing +the Lushais. On recovering from the shock, they took to their heels +and scampered off in every direction, the last man leaving the village +just as we entered it. The houses, as usual, were made of bamboo, and +after it had been ascertained that there was no living creature inside +any of them, the place was set on fire, and we began our return +journey. There was a bright moon, but even aided by its light we did +not reach our bivouac until midnight. This ended the campaign so far +as opposition was concerned, for not another shot was fired either by +us or against us during the remaining six weeks we continued in the +country. + +Soon after this we heard that some of the captives we had come to +relieve had been given up to the Chittagong column, and that Mary +Winchester was safe in General Brownlow's hands--very satisfactory +intelligence, showing as it did that the Lushais were beginning to +understand the advisability of acceding to our demands. The work of +our column, however, was not over, for although, from the information +we received of his whereabouts, we had given up hope of joining hands +with Brownlow, Bourchier determined that Lalbura's country must be +reached; he (Lalbura) being the chief offender, it would never have +done to let him think his stronghold lay beyond our power. + +In order that we might be well out of Lushailand before the rains, +which usually begin in that part of the world about the middle of +March, and are extremely heavy, it was decided not to wait until a +road could be made for elephants, but to trust to coolie-carriage +alone, and to push on rapidly as soon as supplies sufficient for +twelve days could be collected. Kits were still further reduced, +officers and soldiers alike being only allowed a couple of blankets +and one or two cooking utensils. + +We resumed our march on the 12th February; the route in many places +was strongly and skilfully stockaded, but the tidings of our successes +had preceded us, and our advance was unopposed. In five days we +reached the Chamfai valley, at the end of which, on a high hill, +Lalbura's village was situated.[4] Although Lalbura's father, Vonolel, +had been dead some years, the people still called the place Vonolel's +country. Vonolel had been a famous warrior, and they were evidently +very proud of his reputation. We were shown his tomb, which, like that +of all great Lushai braves, was decorated with the heads of human +beings (his slaves in paradise) and those of animals, besides +drinking-vessels and various kinds of utensils for his use in another +life. + +Lalbura had taken himself off; but his headmen submitted to us and +accepted our terms. We remained at this place till the 21st, in +accordance with an agreement we had made with Brownlow to send up +signals on the night of the 20th in case his column should be anywhere +in the neighbourhood. During the three days we stayed amongst them +we mixed freely with the Lushais, who were greatly delighted and +astonished with all we had to show them. The telescope and the +burning-glass amused them greatly; our revolvers excited their +envy; and for the little Mountain guns they displayed the highest +veneration. But what seemed to astonish them more than anything was +the whiteness of our skins, particularly when on closer inspection +they discovered that our arms and bodies were even fairer than our +faces and hands, which to our eyes had become from long exposure so +bronzed as to make us almost unrecognizable as Europeans. + +We were all glad that the duty entrusted to us had been satisfactorily +ended, and we were hoping that the Viceroy, who had taken a keen +personal interest in our proceedings, would be satisfied with the +result, when we were shocked and startled beyond measure by hearing +that Lord Mayo had been murdered by a convict while visiting the +Andaman Islands. The disastrous news arrived as we were in the midst +of firing signal-rockets, burning blue-lights, and lighting bonfires +to attract the attention of the Chittagong column. I could not help +thinking of the heavy loss India had sustained, for the manly, +open-hearted Governor-General had impressed the Native Chiefs in quite +an exceptional manner, and he was liked as well as respected by all +classes of Europeans and Natives. I felt also much for Donald Stewart, +to whom, I knew, such a terrible tragedy, happening while he was +Superintendent at Port Blair, would be a heavy blow. + +On the 6th March we reached Tipai Mukh, where we bade farewell to our +Lushai friends, numbers of whom accompanied us to get possession of +the empty tins, bags, and casks which were got rid of at every stage. +The hostages and those who had assisted us were liberally rewarded, +and we parted on the best of terms, with promises on their part of +future good behaviour--promises which were kept for nearly twenty +years. + +No one was sorry that the marching was at an end, and that the rest of +the journey back was to be performed in boats. Constant hard work and +exposure in a peculiarly malarious and relaxing climate had told upon +the whole force; while our having to depend for so long on tinned +meats, which were not always good, and consisted chiefly of pork, with +an occasional ration of mutton and salt beef, had been very trying to +the officers. One and all were 'completely worn out,' as the principal +medical officer reported; two out of our small number died, and the +General's condition gave cause for grave anxiety. For myself, having a +perfect horror of pork, I think I should have starved outright but +for the extraordinary culinary talent of Mr. Edgar, who disguised +the presence of the unclean animal in such a wonderful way in soups, +stews, etc., that I frequently partook of it without knowing what I +was eating. My wife and some anonymous kind friend sent by post small +tins of Liebig's extract, which were highly appreciated. + +Cholera pursued us up to and beyond Cachar; the wretched coolies +suffered most, and it is a disease to which Gurkhas are peculiarly +susceptible, while a feast on a village pig from time to time probably +helped to make matters worse for them. Many of these grand little +soldiers and some of the Sikhs also fell victims to the scourge. My +orderly, a very smart young Gurkha, to my great regret, was seized +with it the day after I reached Cachar, and died next morning. + +On my way to Simla, I spent a few days with Norman at Calcutta. The +whole place was in mourning on account of the terrible catastrophe +which had happened at Port Blair. + + +[Footnote 1: The Cachar column consisted of half of the Peshawar +Mountain battery, one company of Bengal Sappers and Miners, the 22nd +Punjab Infantry, 42nd and 44th Assam Light Infantry. The Chittagong +column consisted of the other half of the Mountain battery, the 27th +Punjab Infantry, and the 2nd and 4th Gurkhas. Each regiment was 500 +strong, and each column was accompanied by 100 armed police.] + +[Footnote 2: Now Sir John Edgar, K.C.S.I.] + +[Footnote 3: Major Blackwood, who was killed at Maiwand, in command of +E Battery, R.H.A.] + +[Footnote 4: Latitude 23° 26' 32", longitude (approximately) 93° 25'; +within a short distance of Fort White, lately built in the Chin Hills.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XL. +1872-1873 + + Lord Napier's care for the soldier + --Negotiations with Sher Ali renewed--Sher Ali's demands + + +Lord Napier of Murchiston, the Governor of Madras, had been summoned +to Calcutta to act as Viceroy until Lord Northbrook, Lord Mayo's +successor, should arrive. He seemed interested in what I had to tell +him about Lushai, and Lord Napier of Magd[=a]la spoke in laudatory +terms of the manner in which the expedition had been carried out. + +I reached Simla on the 1st of April, the twentieth anniversary of my +arrival in India. I found my wife, with the two children, settled in +Snowdon,[1] a house I had recently purchased. She had had much trouble +in my absence, having been at death's door herself, and having very +nearly lost our little son at Umballa three weeks after his birth +from a Native wet-nurse having tried to kill him. The English nurse's +suspicions had been aroused by one day finding a live coal in the +cradle, but she did not mention this discovery at the time for fear of +frightening my wife; but she determined to watch. A few days later, +while with our little girl in the next room, she heard the baby boy +choking, and rushed in to find, to her horror, blood on his lips, and +that he was struggling violently, as if to get rid of something in his +throat! She pushed down her finger and pulled out a sharp piece of +cane about two inches long; but other pieces had evidently gone down, +for the poor little fellow was in terrible agony for many days. It +turned out that the wretched woman hated the unwonted confinement of +her new life, and was determined to get away, but was too much afraid +of her husband to say so. He wanted her to remain for the sake of the +high pay this class of servant receives, so it appeared to the woman +that her only chance of freedom was to get rid of the child, and to +carry out her purpose she first attempted to set fire to the cradle, +and finding this did not succeed, she pulled some pieces of cane off +the chair upon which she was sitting, and shoved them down the child's +throat. She was, as my wife described her, a pretty, innocent, +timid-looking creature, to whom no one would ever have dreamt of +attributing such an atrocity. The boy was made extremely delicate for +several months by this misadventure, as his digestion had been ruined +for the time being, but eventually he completely recovered from its +effects. + +In September the C.B. was conferred upon me for the Lushai Expedition. +Lord Napier informed me of the fact in a particularly kind little +note. I was very proud of being a member of the Bath, although at the +time a brevet would have been a more useful reward, as want of rank +was the reason Lord Napier had given for not allowing me to act as +Quartermaster-General, on Lumsden being temporarily appointed Resident +at Hyderabad. + +We began our usual winter tour in the middle of October. At Mian Mir I +made the acquaintance of the Adjutant of the 37th Foot, the late Sir +Herbert Stewart, who was then a smart, good-looking subaltern, and I +recollect his bemoaning bitterly his bad luck in never having had a +chance of seeing service. How little at that time could it have been +anticipated that within twelve years he would see hard fighting in +Africa, and be killed as a Major-General in command of a column! + +We visited several of the stations in the Punjab, and spent a few days +at Jamu as guest of the Maharaja of Kashmir, who treated us royally, +and gave us some excellent pig-sticking; and on the 21st December we +joined Head-Quarters at Lawrencepur for a large Camp of Exercise, to +be held on the identical ground which I had selected for the camp +which Sir Hugh Rose proposed to have eleven years before. + +Lord Napier of Magd[=a]la did much to improve the efficiency of the +army by means of Camps of Exercise. He held one at Delhi in the winter +of 1871-72, and the Camp of which I am writing was most successful and +instructive. No Commander-in-Chief ever carried out inspections with +more thoroughness than did Lord Napier of Magd[=a]la. He spared +himself no trouble. On the hottest day he would toil through barrack +after barrack to satisfy himself that the soldiers were properly cared +for; Europeans and Natives were equally attended to, and many measures +conducive to the men's comfort date from the time he was in command in +India. + +At the close of this camp Lumsden, who had returned to his appointment +from Hyderabad, gave up the Quartermaster-Generalship for good. We had +been greatly thrown together during the twenty-one years I had been in +India, and my wife and I were very sorry to bid farewell to him and +Mrs. Lumsden. He was succeeded by Edwin Johnson, pending whose arrival +I was now allowed to officiate. + +From Lawrencepur I went with the Commander-in-Chief to Calcutta. Soon +after we arrived there I was asked by Sir Douglas Forsyth to accompany +him on his Mission to Yarkand and Kashgar. I should have much liked to +have done so, for the idea of a trip to these, at that time unknown, +regions possessed great fascinations for me. I was therefore well +pleased when Lord Napier told me he would not stand in the way of +my going, and proportionately disappointed when, the next day, His +Excellency said that on consideration he did not think I could be +spared just then, for the Quartermaster-General would be new to the +work at first, and he thought he would need my assistance. + +The end of April saw us back in Simla, and in July Edwin Johnson +arrived. + +During the summer of 1873 important events occurred which had much to +do with our subsequent relations with Afghanistan. The inquiries which +Sher Ali had begged Lord Mayo to make about Persian encroachments in +Sistan, had resulted in General Goldsmid[2] and Colonel Pollock[3] +being deputed in 1871 to proceed to Sistan to decide the question. The +settlement arrived at by these officers, which assigned to Afghanistan +the country up to the right bank of the Helmand, but nothing beyond, +satisfied neither the Shah nor the Amir, and the latter sent his +confidential Minister, Saiyad Nur Mahomed, the Afghan Commissioner +in the Sistan arbitration, to meet Lord Northbrook on his arrival in +Bombay for the purpose of appealing to him against the decision. It +could not, however, be reversed; but in a subsequent interview which +the new Viceroy accorded the Envoy, the latter was told that as soon +as Persia and Afghanistan had signified their acceptance of the +settlement, the Government of India would present the Amir with five +lakhs of rupees as compensation for the ceded territory which had for +a time belonged to Afghanistan. + +The action of Her Majesty's Ministers in communication with Russia +regarding the northern boundary of Afghanistan was another matter +about which the Amir was greatly exercised; and Lord Northbrook, +thinking that all such vexed questions could be more satisfactorily +explained by personal communication than by letter, proposed to the +Amir that His Highness should consent to receive at Kabul a British +officer 'of high rank and dignity, in whom I have full confidence' +(Mr. Macnabb),[4] 'who will also explain to Your Highness,' wrote +the Viceroy, 'the negotiations which have now been satisfactorily +concluded with the Government of His Majesty the Emperor of Russia, +whereby the Russian Government have agreed to recognize and respect +the integrity and independence of the territories now in Your +Highness's possession.' + +To this request Sher Ali replied that he considered it advisable that +one of his agents should first wait on the Viceroy to ascertain the +real views of the British Government on these important matters. This +was agreed to, and Saiyad Nur Mahomed was again selected to represent +the Amir. He reached Simla towards the end of June. On being informed +that Persia had unreservedly accepted the decision as to the Sistan +question, the Envoy declared that, whatever opinion the Amir might +hold as to his rights, His Highness would also scrupulously respect +that decision. With regard to the northern frontier, the Envoy begged +it to be clearly understood that the Afghan Government wished to be +allowed to make their own laws and follow their own customs within +their territories; that the internal affairs of the country should be +free from interference; and that the acknowledgment by Russia of the +Amir's claim to land south of the Oxus should be confirmed by Bokhara. +He further requested 'that the British Government would distinctly +promise that, in the event of any aggression on the Amir's +territories, they would consider the perpetrator of such aggression +as their own enemy.' It was explained to the Saiyad that the British +Government did not share the Amir's apprehension of Russia; that under +such circumstances as he contemplated, it would be the duty of the +Amir to refer to the British Government, who would decide whether it +was an occasion for assistance to be rendered by them, and what the +nature and extent of the assistance should be; moreover, that their +help must be conditional upon the Amir himself abstaining from +aggression, and on his unreserved acceptance of the advice of the +British Government in regard to his external relations. + +Two other questions were discussed: + + (1) The location in certain towns in Afghanistan of British + officers as representatives of the British Government. + + (2) The present assistance to be rendered to the Amir for the + purpose of strengthening his country against foreign aggression. + +On the first point the Envoy said he had no instructions, but that, in +his opinion, to ask Sher Ali to allow British officers to be located +in Afghanistan would give rise to mistrust and apprehension. He +recommended that a letter should be addressed to the Amir, pointing +out the desirability of a British officer being sent to inspect the +western and northern boundaries of Afghanistan, proceeding _viâ_ +Kandahar and returning _viâ_ Kabul, where he might confer personally +with His Highness. This suggestion was carried out. + +With regard to the second point under discussion, the Envoy stated +that 20,000 stand-of-arms were desired, laying very particular stress +on 5,000 Sniders being included in this number, and that hopes were +entertained by the Amir that he would be largely assisted with money. +In answer to this, the Saiyad was told that there was not then a +sufficient reserve supply of Sniders for the English troops in India, +and that it was impossible to spare more than 5,000 Enfields; that +this number should at once be placed at the Amir's disposal, and that +the remainder should be forwarded as soon as they were received from +England. He was further informed that five lakhs of rupees (exclusive +of the five lakhs promised the year before, as indemnification for the +loss of territory) would be given to Sher Ali. + +A final letter from the Viceroy was sent to the Amir through Saiyad +Nur Mahomed, dated 6th September, 1873, summing up the result of the +conference. His Highness was told, with reference to a fear expressed +by the Envoy lest Russia should press for the establishment of a +Russian Mission and agents in Afghanistan, that Prince Gortschakoff +had officially intimated that, while he saw no objection to British +officers going to Kabul, he engaged that Russian agents should abstain +from doing so, and that, far from apprehending a Russian invasion of +Afghanistan, the British Government believed that the effect of the +recent arrangements had been to render the occurrence of such a +contingency more remote than ever. At the same time, being desirous of +seeing the Amir strong and his rule firmly established, the Government +were prepared to give him any reasonable assistance. + +Sher Ali was greatly annoyed and disappointed at the result of his +Envoy's visit to Simla. He was of a very impulsive, passionate +disposition; his reply to the Viceroy's letter was discourteous and +sarcastic; he declined to receive a British officer at Kabul, and +although he condescended to accept the arms presented to him, he left +the ten lakhs of rupees untouched in the Peshawar treasury. Colonel +Valentine Baker, who was at that time travelling through Central Asia, +was forbidden by the Amir to pass through Afghanistan on his way +to India; and a few months later he refused to allow Sir Douglas +Forsyth's Mission to return to India by way of Afghanistan. + + +[Footnote 1: We lived in this house whenever we were in Simla, till +we left it in 1892. It has since been bought by Government for the +Commander-in-Chief's residence.] + +[Footnote 2: General Sir Frederick Goldsmid, K.C.M.G.] + +[Footnote 3: Major-General Sir Frederick Pollock, K.C.S.I.] + +[Footnote 4: Sir Donald Macnabb, K.C.S.I., then Commissioner of +Peshawar.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XLI. +1873-1877 + + A trip in the Himalayas--The famine in Behar + --The Prince of Wales in India--Farewell to Lord Napier + + +In the beginning of October my wife and I started for a fortnight's +trip to the top of the Chor, a fine mountain sixty-two miles from +Simla, and close on 12,000 feet high. We were accompanied by a very +dear friend of ours--now no more--Colonel Baigrie, who was soon +afterwards made Quartermaster-General in Bombay. He was a talented +artist and delightful companion, and notwithstanding the old adage +that two are company and three none, we three enjoyed our holiday +immensely. + +After crossing a stream called the Ghiri, below Fagu, the road passes +through beautiful forest and cliff scenery, and for the most part was +fairly easy, until the foot of the mountain was reached about six +miles from the top, when it became very precipitous and difficult. We +were the whole day doing this march, breakfasting in one place and +lunching in another higher up. There was a good deal of snow in the +shady spots. A few days before we had noticed that the top of the +mountain was white, but the sun was still too strong in the daytime +for the snow to lie long in exposed parts. The way being too steep +for my wife to ride or go in a dandy, we all three walked, or rather +climbed, up to the shoulder where our tents were pitched, about a mile +from the summit. + +The forest through which we passed was very beautiful, commencing with +dark-green ilex, glistening holly, and sombre brown oak, interspersed +with groups of the dainty, graceful, white-stemmed birch, and wreathed +with festoons of the scarlet Himalayan vine. As we mounted higher, +trees became fewer and the foliage less luxuriant, till at length only +oaks were to be seen, their branches twisted into all sorts of weird, +fantastic shapes from the strength of the south-west monsoon. Huge +rocks became more frequent, covered with lichens and mosses of every +shade, from dark-green to brilliant crimson. At length trees and +shrubs were left behind, except the red-berried juniper, which grows +at a higher elevation here than any other bush, and flourishes in the +clefts of the rocks, where nothing else will exist. We got up in time +to see the most glorious sunset; the colours were more wonderful than +anything I had ever seen before, even in India. My wife urged Baigrie +to make a rough sketch, and note the tints, that he might paint a +picture of it later. He made the sketch, saying: 'If I attempted to +represent truly what we see before us, the painting would be rejected +by the good people at home as absurdly unreal, or as the work of a +hopeless lunatic.' There was such a high wind that our small tents had +a narrow escape of being blown away. That night the water was frozen +in our jugs, and it was quite impossible to keep warm. + +We were up betimes the next morning, and climbed to the highest peak, +where we found breakfast awaiting us and a magnificent view of the +Himalayan ranges, right down to the plains on one side and up to the +perpetual snows on the other. We descended to the foot of the mountain +in the afternoon, and then returned, march by march, to Simla. + +Towards the end of the month Lord Napier began his winter tour, +visiting the hill stations first. At Chakrata I made the acquaintance +of the 92nd Highlanders, that distinguished corps which stood me +in such good stead a few years later in Afghanistan. At the end of +November we found ourselves at Lucknow, in time to take part in Lord +Northbrook's state entry, and be present at a fête given to the +Viceroy in the Wingfield Park by Sir George Cooper, the Chief +Commissioner. + +From Lucknow we went for a brief visit to a small Camp of Exercise +near Rurki, where Lord Napier left the Adjutant-General, Thesiger,[1] +in command, while he himself proceeded to visit some of the stations +in the Madras Presidency, and I returned for a short time to Simla. + +While riding up the hill from Kalka, I had a novel experience. One +of those tremendous thunder-storms which are not uncommon in the +Himalayas came on; the rain was blinding and incessant, and the peals +of thunder were simultaneous with the lightning. At last there was a +tremendous crash; a flash, more vivid than the rest, passed right +in front of my horse's head, accompanied by a whizzing noise and a +sulphurous smell, completely blinding me for a second. Two Natives +travelling a few yards ahead of me fell flat on their faces, and I +thought they were killed, but it turned out they were only knocked +over and very much frightened. + +Early in January, 1874, we received by telegram the infinitely sad +news of my father's death. We ought, I suppose, to have been prepared +for such an event, seeing that he was within a few months of his +ninetieth birthday; but he was so well and active, and took such a +keen interest in all that was going on, especially anything connected +with India, that we hardly realized his great age, and always hoped we +might see him once more. He had received the G.C.B. from Her Majesty's +hands at Windsor on the 8th December, and two days afterwards he wrote +me an account of the ceremony, and expressed himself much pleased and +gratified at the Queen's gracious manner to him. He said nothing about +his health, but we heard later that he had taken cold in the train on +his way home, and never recovered from the effects; he died on the +30th of December. His love for India had not been weakened by his +twenty years' absence from the country, and he never wearied of +being told of the wonderful changes which had taken place since his +day--changes which, for the most part, dated from the Mutiny, for up +till 1857 life in India was much the same as when my father first +landed in the beginning of the century. + +A continued drought in Behar was at this time causing grave fears of +a famine, such as from time to time had desolated various parts of +India. Nine years before such a drought, and the absence of means +of communication, which prevented grain being thrown into the +famine-stricken districts in sufficient quantities, resulted +in one-fourth of the population of Orissa being carried off by +starvation, or disease consequent on starvation. So on this occasion +Lord Northbrook was determined, at all costs, to ward off such a +calamity. He sent Sir Richard Temple to Behar in the confident hope +that his unbounded resource and energy would enable him to cope with +the difficulties of the situation, a hope that was fully realized. +Relief works were at once commenced; a transport train was quickly +improvised, worked chiefly by military and police officers; and one +million tons of rice were distributed amongst the people. Not a life +was lost, but the cost to the State was enormous--six millions and a +half sterling. + +In the beginning of February I was ordered by Government to proceed to +the famine districts to help Temple. I started at once; but I had +not been long in Behar before I was required to join the +Commander-in-Chief in Calcutta, His Excellency having determined to +nominate me Quartermaster-General, in succession to Johnson, who was +about to become Adjutant-General. Being only a Lieutenant-Colonel +in the army, I could not, according to the rules, be put at once +permanently into the appointment, which carried with it the rank of +Major-General. The difficulty was overcome, however, by my being +allowed to officiate till the following January, when, in the ordinary +course of promotion, I should become a Colonel. + +Lord Northbrook spent the summer of 1874 in Calcutta, in +consequence of the famine necessities having to be met; and as the +Commander-in-Chief determined to follow his example, I took a house in +Calcutta, and my wife joined me in the middle of March--rather a bad +time of year to come down to the plains after spending the winter +amongst the snows of Simla. But she did not fancy Simla in the season +as a grass-widow, and had had quite enough of being alone. + +We continued in Calcutta until August, when the Head-Quarters returned +to Simla, where we remained till November. + +We had a standing camp at Umballa during the winter of 1874-75, doing +our inspections from there, and returning to the camp at intervals. +There was the usual visit to Calcutta in March, towards the end of +which month another daughter was born. + +In October, 1875, I spent some time at Delhi, arranging for the Camp +of Exercise to be held there in January for His Royal Highness the +Prince of Wales. The camp was formed in the beginning of December, +and consisted of 17,000 men, in four divisions, commanded by +Major-Generals Sir Charles Reid, Macdonnell, the Hon. Arthur Hardinge, +and Donald Stewart. + +The country round Delhi is particularly well suited for extended +manoeuvres, and full advantage was taken of the facilities it afforded +during the two months the Camp of Exercise lasted. The Prince of Wales +landed at Calcutta on the 23rd December; and Lord Napier with his +staff went down to meet His Royal Highness, whose reception was loyal +and hearty to a degree. As the _Serapis_, with the Prince on board, +steamed slowly up the Hughli, salutes were fired from Fort William and +three ships of the Royal Navy. All the vessels in the river were gay +with flags, their yards were manned, and good hearty English cheers +resounded from stem to stern of each ship as the Indian troopship, +carrying the heir to England's throne, came in sight. As soon as the +_Serapis_ was moored, the Viceroy went on board to greet the Prince +and conduct His Royal Highness to the gaily-decorated landing-stage, +where the principal officials, Native Princes, and chief inhabitants +of Calcutta were assembled. Troops lined the road from the river to +Government House, and the _maidan_ (the great open space in front) was +thronged with a dense crowd of Natives in their most brilliant gala +attire, eager to catch a glimpse of the son of the great Queen of +England. + +That evening Lord Northbrook gave a State banquet. The next day there +was a reception of the Princes and Chiefs, followed by a levée, and +after dark the whole place was most beautifully illuminated. The +week that followed was taken up with entertainments of various +kinds--balls, races, and garden-parties, interspersed with official +visits--which I am afraid the Prince could not have found amusing--and +on New Year's Day, 1876, His Royal Highness held a Chapter of the +Order of the Star of India, after which the Commander-in-Chief +returned to Delhi to arrange to receive the Prince in that historical +city on the 11th January. + +His Royal Highness's camp, and that of the Commander-in-Chief, were +pitched on the ground occupied by the British army during the siege. +The road, five miles in length, from the station to the camp was lined +with troops, and on the Ridge itself were placed six Rifle corps, +three of which had taken part in the siege.[2] The 2nd Gurkhas were +very appropriately drawn up immediately under Hindu Rao's house, +and when this point was reached, the Prince stopped and warmly +complimented the men on the distinguished service the regiment had +performed. + +The next day there was a parade of all the troops in review order for +the inspection of the Prince, who was pleased to express his complete +satisfaction and approval of 'the steadiness under arms, soldier-like +bearing, and precision of movement, which distinguish the corps of the +three armies assembled at the camp at Delhi.' + +That evening the Prince was present at a ball in the _diwan-i-khas_ +(private audience hall) in the palace, given in His Royal Highness's +honour by the officers of the army. + +The next few days were taken up with manoeuvres, which the Prince +attended, accompanied by Lumsden[3] and myself. The defence was +commanded by Reid, the attack by Hardinge, the latter's object being +to gain possession of the Ridge, with a view to future operations +against the city on the arrival of the main army from the Punjab. But +the attack did not meet with the success which attended Barnard in +1857, while the Commander of the defence proved himself as skilful in +protecting the Ridge against an enemy advancing from the north as +he had been, twenty years before, in repulsing one coming from the +opposite direction. + +The Prince of Wales held another investiture of the Star of India +on the 7th of March at Allahabad, which Lord Napier and the staff +attended. At its close we took our leave of His Royal Highness, who +started that night for England. + +In less than a fortnight our dear old Chief followed, and I saw him +off from Bombay on the 10th April. I was very low at parting with him, +for though in the earlier days of our acquaintance I used to think +he was not very favourably disposed towards me, when I became more +intimately associated with him nothing could exceed his kindness. He +was universally regretted by Europeans and Natives alike. The soldiers +recognized that he had carefully guarded their interests and worked +for their welfare, and the Native Princes and people felt that he +was in sympathy with them, and to this day they speak of _Lat Napier +Sahib_ with the deepest respect and affection. + +Lord Napier was succeeded in the command by Sir Frederick Haines. + + +[Footnote 1: Now General Lord Chelmsford, G.C.B.] + +[Footnote 2: 60th Rifles, 2nd Gurkhas, and 1st Punjab Infantry.] + +[Footnote 3: Lumsden returned to Head-Quarters as Adjutant-General +on Edwin Johnson being appointed a member of the Indian Council in +London.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XLII. +1876-1878 + + Lord Lytton becomes Viceroy--Difficulties with Sher Ali + --Imperial assemblage at Delhi--Reception of the Ruling Chiefs + --Queen proclaimed Empress of India + --Political importance of the assemblage + --Sher Ali proclaims a 'Jahad'--A journey under difficulties + + +With a new Commander-in-Chief came a new Viceroy, and it was while +we were in Bombay seeing the last of Lord Napier that the _Orontes_ +steamed into the harbour with Lord Lytton on board. Little did I +imagine when making Lord Lytton's acquaintance how much he would have +to say to my future career. + +His Excellency received me very kindly, telling me he felt that I was +not altogether a stranger, as he had been reading during the voyage +a paper I had written for Lord Napier, a year or two before, on +our military position in India, and the arrangements that would be +necessary in the event of Russia attempting to continue her advance +south of the Oxus. Lord Napier had sent a copy of this memorandum to +Lord Beaconsfield, by whom it had been given to Lord Lytton. + +[Illustration: FIELD-MARSHAL LORD NAPIER OF MAGDALA, G.C.B., G.C.S.I. +_From a photograph by Messrs. Maull and Fox._] + +During the summer of 1876 our frontier policy was frequently under +discussion. Sir Bartle Frere wrote two very strong letters after the +Conservative Government came into power in 1874, drawing attention +to the danger of our being satisfied with a policy of aloofness, and +pointing out the necessity for coming into closer relations with +the Amir of Afghanistan and the Khan of Khelat. Soon afterwards the +Secretary of State communicated with the Government of India as to the +advisability of establishing British agents in Afghanistan, and of +persuading the Amir to receive a temporary Embassy at Kabul, as had +originally been proposed by Lord Northbrook. + +The members of Lord Northbrook's Council were unanimously opposed to +both these proposals, but they did not succeed in convincing Lord +Salisbury that the measures were undesirable; and on the resignation +of Lord Northbrook, the new Viceroy was furnished with special +instructions as to the action which Her Majesty's Government +considered necessary in consequence of the activity of Russia in +Central Asia, and the impossibility of obtaining accurate information +of what was going on in and beyond Afghanistan. + +The question of the Embassy was dealt with at once; Lord Lytton +directed a letter to be sent to the Amir announcing his assumption +of the Viceroyalty, and his intention to depute Sir Lewis Pelly to +proceed to Kabul for the purpose of discussing certain matters with +His Highness. + +To this communication a most unsatisfactory reply was received, and +a second letter was addressed to the Amir, in which he was informed +that, should he still decline to receive the Viceroy's Envoy after +deliberately weighing all the considerations commended to his serious +attention, the responsibility of the result would rest entirely on the +Government of Afghanistan, which would thus alienate itself from +the alliance of that Power which was most disposed and best able to +befriend it. + +This letter was the cause of considerable excitement in Kabul, +excitement which ran so high that the necessity for proclaiming a +religious war was mooted; and, to complicate matters, the Amir at +this time received overtures from General Kauffmann, the Russian +Governor-General in Turkestan. + +A delay of six weeks occurred before Sher Ali replied to Lord Lytton's +letter, and then he altogether ignored the Viceroy's proposal to send +a Mission to Kabul, merely suggesting that the British Government +should receive an Envoy from him, or that representatives from both +countries should meet and hold a conference on the border, or, as +another alternative, that the British Native Agent at Kabul should +return and discuss affairs with the Viceroy. + +The last suggestion was accepted by the Government of India, and the +agent (Nawab Ata Mahomed Khan) arrived in Simla early in October. The +Nawab gave it as his opinion that the Amir's attitude of estrangement +was due to an accumulation of grievances, the chief of which were--the +unfavourable arbitration in the Sistan dispute; the want of success of +Saiyad Nur Mahomed's mission to India in 1873, when it was the desire +of the Amir's heart to enter into an offensive and defensive alliance +with the British Government; the interposition of Lord Northbrook's +Government on behalf of Yakub Khan;[1] the recent proceedings in +Khelat,[2] which the Amir thought were bringing us objectionably near +Kandahar; the transmission of presents through Afghanistan, to his +vassal, the Mir of Wakhan, without the Amir's permission;[3] and, +above all, the conviction that our policy was exclusively directed to +the furtherance of British interests without any thought for those of +Afghanistan. + +As regarded the proposed Mission to Kabul, the Envoy said that His +Highness objected to it for many reasons. Owing to local fanaticism, +he could not insure its safety, and it seemed probable that, though of +a temporary nature to begin with, it might only be the thin end of the +wedge, ending in the establishment of a permanent Resident, as at the +courts of the Native Rulers in India. Furthermore, the Amir conceived +that, if he consented to this Mission, the Russians would insist upon +their right to send a similar one, and finally, he feared a British +Envoy might bring his influence to bear in favour of the release of +his son, Yakub Khan, with whom his relations were as strained as ever. + +In answer, the Viceroy enumerated the concessions he was prepared to +make, and the conditions upon which alone he would consent to them; +and this answer the agent was directed to communicate to the Amir. + +The concessions were as follows: + + (1) That the friends and enemies of either State should be those of + the other. + + (2) That, in the event of unprovoked aggression upon Afghanistan + from without, assistance should be afforded in men, money, and arms; + and also that to strengthen the Amir against such aggression, the + British Government was willing to fortify Herat and other points on + the frontier, and, if desired, to lend officers to discipline the + army. + + (3) That Abdulla Jan should be recognized as the Amir's successor to + the exclusion of any other aspirant; and that the question of + material aid in support of such recognition should be discussed by + the Plenipotentiaries. + + (4) That a yearly subsidy should be paid to the Amir on the + following conditions: + + That he should refrain from external aggression or provocation of + his neighbours, and from entering into external relations without + our knowledge. + + That he should decline all communication with Russia, and refer + her agents to us. + + That British agents should reside at Herat and elsewhere on the + frontier. + + That a mixed commission of British and Afghan officers should + determine and demarcate the Amir's frontier. + + That arrangements should be made, by allowances or otherwise, for + free circulation of trade on the principal trade routes. + + That similar arrangements should be made for a line of telegraph, + the direction of which was to be subsequently determined. + + That Afghanistan should be freely opened to Englishmen, official + and non-official, and arrangements made by the Amir, as far as + practicable, for their safety, though His Highness would not be + absolutely held responsible for isolated accidents. + + +The Viceroy concluded by suggesting that, if the Amir agreed to these +proposals, a treaty might be arranged between the agents of the +respective Governments, and ratified either at Peshawar, by the Amir +meeting Lord Lytton there, or at Delhi if the Amir accepted His +Excellency's invitation to be present at the Imperial Assemblage. + +The Amir at the time vouchsafed no reply whatever to these proposals +or to the invitation to come to Delhi. + +In the autumn of 1876 preparations were commenced for the 'Imperial +Assemblage,' which it was announced by the Viceroy would be held +at Delhi on the first day of January, 1877, for the purpose of +proclaiming to the Queen's subjects throughout India the assumption +by Her Majesty of the title of 'Empress of India.' To this Assemblage +Lord Lytton further announced that he proposed 'to invite the +Governors, Lieutenant-Governors, and Heads of Administration from all +parts of the Queen's Indian dominions, as well as the Princes, Chiefs, +and Nobles in whose persons the antiquity of the past is associated +with the prosperity of the present, and who so worthily contribute to +the splendour and stability of this great Empire.' + +Delhi was selected as the place where the meeting between the Queen's +representative and the great nobles of India could most appropriately +be held, and a committee was appointed to make the necessary +arrangements. As a member of the committee I was deputed to proceed to +Delhi, settle about the sites for the camps, and carry out all details +in communication with the local authorities. The Viceroy impressed +upon me that the Assemblage was intended to emphasize the Proclamation +Lord Canning issued eighteen years before, by which the Queen assumed +the direct sovereignty of her eastern possessions, and that he wished +no trouble or expense to be spared in making the ceremony altogether +worthy of such a great historical event. + +I returned to Simla in October, when my wife and I accompanied the +Commander-in-Chief on a very delightful march over the Jalauri Pass +through the Kulu valley, then over the Bubbu Pass and through the +Kangra valley to Chamba and Dalhousie. Our party consisted of the +Chief, his Doctor (Bradshaw), Persian interpreter (Moore), General and +Mrs. Lumsden, and ourselves. The first slight shower of snow had just +fallen on the Jalauri Pass, and as we crossed over we disturbed a +number of beautiful snow-pheasants and minals busily engaged in +scratching it away to get at their food. The scenery on this march is +very fine and varied; for the most part the timber and foliage are +superb, and the valleys are very fertile and pretty, lying close under +the snow-capped mountains. + +Having inspected the 'Hill stations,' we proceeded to Peshawar, +where the Viceroy had arranged to hold a conference with the +Lieutenant-Governor of the Punjab and the Commissioner of Peshawar +about frontier affairs. + +Early in December I was back again at Delhi, where I found the +arrangements for the several camps progressing most satisfactorily, +and canvas cities rising up in every direction, I had previously +chosen the site of the old cantonment for the camps of the Viceroy, +the Commander-in-Chief, and the principal officials, while for the +Assemblage itself I had selected ground about three miles off. + +The Chiefs and Princes were all settled in their several camps ready +to meet the Viceroy, who, on his arrival, in a few graceful words +welcomed them to Delhi, and thanked them for responding to his +invitation. He then mounted, with Lady Lytton, on a state elephant, +and a procession was formed, which, I fancy, was about the most +gorgeous and picturesque which has ever been seen even in the East. +The magnificence of the Native Princes' retinues can hardly be +described; their elephant-housings were of cloth of gold, or +scarlet-and-blue cloths embroidered in gold and silver. The howdahs +were veritable thrones of the precious metals, shaded by the most +brilliant canopies, and the war-elephants belonging to some of +the Central India and Rajputana Chiefs formed a very curious and +interesting feature. Their tusks were tipped with steel; they wore +shields on their fore-heads, and breastplates of flashing steel; +chain-mail armour hung down over their trunks and covered their backs +and sides; and they were mounted by warriors clad in chain-mail, and +armed to the teeth. Delhi must have witnessed many splendid pageants, +when the Rajput, the Moghul, and the Mahratta dynasties, each in its +turn, was at the height of its glory; but never before had Princes and +Chiefs of every race and creed come from all parts of Hindustan, vying +with each other as to the magnificence of their _entourage_, and met +together with the same object--that of acknowledging and doing homage +to one supreme Ruler. + +The next few days were spent by Lord Lytton in receiving the +sixty-three[4] Ruling Princes of India according to the strictest +etiquette. Each Prince, with his suite, was met at the entrance to +the camp, and conducted up the street to the durbar tent by mounted +officers, the salute to which he was entitled being fired while the +procession moved on. He was then presented by the Foreign Secretary to +the Viceroy, who placed him on a chair on his right, immediately +below a full-length portrait of Her Majesty. A satin banner, richly +embroidered with the Chief's armorial bearings, surmounted by the +Imperial crown, was next brought in by Highland soldiers and planted +in front of the throne, when the Viceroy, leading the particular Chief +towards it, thus addressed him: 'I present Your Highness with this +banner as a personal gift from Her Majesty the Queen, in commemoration +of her assumption of the title of Empress of India. Her Majesty trusts +that it may never be unfurled without reminding you not only of the +close union between the throne of England and your loyal and princely +house, but also of the earnest desire of the paramount power to see +your dynasty strong, prosperous, and permanent.' + +His Excellency then placed round the Chief's neck a crimson ribbon, to +which was attached a very handsome gold medal[5] with the Queen's head +engraved on it, adding: 'I further decorate you, by command of Her +Majesty. May this medal be long worn by yourself, and long kept as +an heirloom in your family in remembrance of the auspicious date it +bears.' + +The 1st January, 1877, saw the Queen proclaimed Empress of India, The +ceremony was most imposing, and in every way successful. Three tented +pavilions had been constructed on an open plain. The throne-pavilion +in the centre was a very graceful erection, brilliant in hangings and +banners of red, blue, and white satin magnificently embroidered in +gold, with appropriate emblems. It was hexagonal in shape, and rather +more than 200 feet in circumference. In front of this was the pavilion +for the Ruling Chiefs and high European officials, in the form of +a semicircle 800 feet long. The canopy was of Star of India +blue-and-white satin embroidered in gold, each pillar being surmounted +by an Imperial crown. Behind the throne was the stand for the +spectators, also in the form of a semicircle divided in the middle, +and likewise canopied in brilliant colours. Between these two blocks +was the entrance to the area. + +Each Chief and high official sat beneath his own banner, which was +planted immediately behind his chair, and they were all mixed up as +much as possible to avoid questions of precedence, the result being +the most wonderful mass of colour, produced from the intermingling of +British uniforms and plumes with gorgeous eastern costumes, set off by +a blaze of diamonds and other precious stones. + +All the British troops brought to Delhi for the occasion were paraded +to the north, and the troops and retainers belonging to the Native +Chiefs to the south, of the pavilion. Guards of Honour were drawn up +on either side of the throne and at each opening by which the Ruling +Chiefs were to enter the pavilion. + +The guests being all seated, a flourish of trumpets by the heralds +exactly at noon announced the arrival of the Viceroy. The military +bands played a march, and Lord Lytton, accompanied by Lady Lytton, +their daughters, and his staff, proceeded to the pavilion. His +Excellency took his seat upon the throne, arrayed in his robes as +Grand Master of the Star of India, the National Anthem was played, +the Guards of Honour presented arms, while the whole of the vast +assemblage rose as one man. The Chief Herald was then commanded to +read the Proclamation. A flourish of trumpets was again sounded, and +Her Majesty was proclaimed Empress of India. + +When the Chief Herald had ceased reading, the Royal Standard was +hoisted, and a salute of 101 salvoes of artillery was fired, with a +_feu de joie_ from the long line of troops. This was too much for the +elephants. As the _feu de joie_ approached nearer and nearer to +them they became more and more alarmed, and at last scampered off, +dispersing the crowd in every direction. When it ceased they were +quieted and brought back by their _mahouts_, only to start off again +when the firing recommenced; but, as it was a perfectly bare plain, +without anything for the great creatures to come in contact with, +there was no harm done beyond a severe shaking to their riders. As +the sound of the last salvo died away the Viceroy addressed the +assemblage. When he had ceased speaking, the assembly again rose _en +masse_ and joined the troops in giving several ringing cheers. + +His Highness the Maharaja Sindhia then spoke as follows: '_Shah in +Shah Padishah_. May God bless you. The Princes of India bless you, and +pray that your sovereignty and power may remain steadfast for ever.' + +Sir Salar Jung rose on behalf of the boy Nizam, and said: 'I am +desired by His Highness the Nizam to request your Excellency to convey +to Her Majesty, on the part of himself and the Chiefs of India, the +expression of their hearty congratulations on the assumption of the +title of Empress of India, and to assure the Queen that they pray for +her, and for the enduring prosperity of her Empire, both in India and +England.' + +The Maharajas of Udaipur and Jaipur, in the name of the united Chiefs +of Rajputana, begged that a telegram might be sent to the Queen, +conveying their dutiful and loyal congratulations; and the Maharaja +of Kashmir expressed his gratification at the tenor of the Viceroy's +speech, and declared that he should henceforth consider himself secure +under the shadow of Her Majesty's protecting care.[6] + +[Illustration: THE EARL OF LYTTON, G.C.B., G.M.S.I., G.M.I.E., VICEROY +or INDIA. +_From a photograph by Messrs. Maull and Fox._] + + +It is difficult to overrate the political importance of this great +gathering. It was looked upon by most of the Ruling Chiefs as the +result of the Prince of Wales's visit, and rejoiced in as an evidence +of Her Majesty's increased interest in, and appreciation of, the vast +Empire of India with its many different races and peoples. + +I visited all the camps, and conversed with every one of the Princes +and Nobles, and each in turn expressed the same intense gratification +at the Viceroy's reception of him, the same fervent loyalty to the +Empress, and the same satisfaction that the new title should have been +announced with such appropriate splendour and publicity. + +General rejoicings in honour of the occasion took place all over +India, in Native States as well as British cantonments. School-houses, +town halls, hospitals, and dispensaries were founded, large numbers of +prisoners were released, substantial additions were made to the pay of +all ranks in the Native Army, as well as a considerable increase in +numbers to the Order of British India; and the amnesty granted in 1859 +was extended to all but murderers and leaders in the Mutiny. + +When the Assemblage broke up, I started with Sir Frederick Haines +for a tour along the Derajat frontier. We visited Kohat, Bannu, Dera +Ismail Khan, and Multan; proceeded by steamer down the Indus to +Sukkur, and thence rode to Jacobabad. Then on to Kotri, from which +place we went to see the battle-field of Miani, where Sir Charles +Napier defeated the Amirs of Sind in 1843. From Kotri we travelled +to Simla _viâ_ Karachi and Bombay, where we were most hospitably +entertained by the Commander-in-Chief of Bombay (Sir Charles Stavely) +and his wife. + +Afghan affairs were this year again giving the Viceroy a great deal +of anxiety. The Amir had eventually agreed to a discussion of Lord +Lytton's proposals being held, and for this purpose Saiyad Nur Mahomed +and Sir Lewis Pelly had met at Peshawar in January, 1877. The +meeting, unfortunately, ended in a rupture, owing to Sher Ali's +agent pronouncing the location of European officers in any part of +Afghanistan an impossibility; and what at this crisis complicated +matters to a most regrettable extent was the death of Saiyad Nur +Mahomed, who had been in failing health for some time. + +On learning the death of his most trusted Minister, and the failure of +the negotiations, Sher Ali broke into a violent fit of passion, giving +vent to his fury in threatenings and invectives against the British +Government. He declared it was not possible to come to terms, and that +there was nothing left for him but to fight; that he had seven crores +of rupees, every one of which he would hurl at the heads of the +English, and he ended by giving orders for a _jahad_ (a religious war) +to be proclaimed. + +For the time being nothing more could be done with Afghanistan, and +the Viceroy was able to turn his attention to the following important +questions: the transfer of Sind from Bombay to the Punjab, a measure +which had been unanimously agreed to by Lord Northbrook's Government; +the removal from the Punjab government of the trans-Indus tract of +country, and the formation of the latter into a separate district +under the control of a Chief Commissioner, who would be responsible +to the Government of India alone for frontier administration and +trans-frontier relations. This post Lord Lytton told me, as much to my +surprise as to my gratification, that he meant to offer to me, if his +views were accepted by the Secretary of State. It was above all others +the appointment I should have liked. I delighted in frontier life and +frontier men, who, with all their faults, are men, and grand men, too. +I had felt for years what an important factor the trans-Indus tribes +are in the defence of India, and how desirable it was that we should +be on better terms with them than was possible so long as our policy +consisted in keeping them at arm's length, and our only intercourse +with them was confined to punitive expeditions or the visits of their +head-men to our hard-worked officials, whose whole time was occupied +in writing long reports, or in settling troublesome disputes to the +satisfaction of no one. + +I now hoped to be able to put a stop to the futile blockades and +inconclusive reprisals which had been carried on for nearly thirty +years with such unsatisfactory results, and I looked forward to +turning the wild tribesmen from enemies into friends, a strength +instead of a weakness, to our Government, and to bringing them by +degrees within the pale of civilization. My wife quite shared my +feelings, and we were both eager to begin our frontier life. + +As a preliminary to my engaging in this congenial employment, Lord +Lytton proposed that I should take up the command of the Punjab +Frontier Force. I gladly acquiesced; for I had been a long time on the +staff, and had had three years of the Quartermaster-Generalship. +My friends expressed surprise at my accepting the position of +Brigadier-General, after having filled an appointment carrying with it +the rank of Major-General; but this was not my view. I longed for +a command, and the Frontier Force offered opportunities for active +service afforded by no other post. + +We were in Calcutta when the question was decided, and started very +soon afterwards to make our arrangements for the breaking up of our +home at Simla. I took over the command of the Force on the 15th March, +1878. My wife accompanied me to Abbottabad--the pretty, quiet little +place in Hazara, about 4,000 feet above the sea, which was to be +henceforth our winter head-quarters. For the summer months we were to +be located in the higher hills, and my wife was anxious to see the +house which I had purchased from my predecessor, General Keyes, at +Natiagali. So off we set, nothing daunted by being told that we were +likely to find snow still deep in places. + +For the first part of the way we got on well enough, my wife in a +dandy, I riding, and thirteen miles were accomplished without much +difficulty. Suddenly the road took a bend, and we found ourselves in +deep snow. Riding soon proved to be impossible, and the dandy-bearers +could not carry my wife further; so there was nothing for it but to +walk. We were seven miles from our destination, and at each step we +sank into the snow, which became deeper and deeper the higher we +ascended. On we trudged, till my wife declared she could go no +further, and sat down to rest, feeling so drowsy that she entreated me +to let her stay where she was. Fortunately I had a small flask with +me filled with brandy. I poured a little into the cup, mixed it with +snow, and administered it as a stimulant. This restored her somewhat, +and roused her from the state of lethargy into which she had fallen. +Again we struggled on. Soon it became dark, except for such light as +the stars, aided by the snow, afforded. More than once I despaired +of reaching the end of our journey; but, just as I had become quite +hopeless, we saw lights on the hill above us, and heard our servants, +who had preceded us, shouting to attract our attention. I answered, +and presently they came to our assistance. Half carrying, half +dragging her, we got my wife up the steep mountain-side; and at +length, about 9 p.m., we arrived at the little house buried in snow, +into which we crept through a hole dug in the snow wall, which +encircled it. We were welcomed by a blazing wood-fire and a most +cheering odour of dinner, to which we did full justice, after having +got rid of our saturated garments. Next morning we started on our +return journey at daybreak, for it was necessary to get over the worst +part of the road before the sun had had time to soften the snow, which +the night's frost had so thoroughly hardened that we slipped over it +without the least difficulty. + +This was our only visit to our new possession, for very soon +afterwards I was informed that Lord Lytton wished me to spend the +summer at Simla, as the Lieutenant-Governor of the Punjab would be +there, and His Excellency was anxious to discuss the details of the +proposed Chief Commissionership. My wife, therefore, returned to Simla +at once, and I joined her at the end of May, having in the meanwhile +inspected every regiment and visited every post held by the Frontier +Force between Sind and Hazara--a most interesting experience, which I +thoroughly enjoyed. + + +[Footnote 1: The Amir's eldest son, who had rebelled on his younger +brother, Abdulla Jan, being nominated heir to the throne.] + +[Footnote 2: Before Lord Northbrook left India he sent Major Sandeman +on a Mission to Khelat to re-open the Bolan Pass, and endeavour to +settle the differences between the Khan and the Baluchistan tribes, +and between the tribes themselves, who were all at loggerheads.] + +[Footnote 3: Presents given by the British Government to the Mir of +Wakhan in recognition of his hospitable reception of the members of +the Forsyth Mission on their return from Yarkund.] + +[Footnote 4: 'Besides the sixty-three Ruling Chiefs, there were nearly +three hundred titular Chiefs and persons of distinction collected +at the Imperial Assemblage, besides those included in the suites +of Ruling Chiefs.--J. Talboys Wheeler, 'History of the Delhi +Assemblage.'] + +[Footnote 5: These gold medals were also presented to the Governors, +Lieutenant-Governors, and other high officials, and to the members of +the Imperial Assemblage Committee.] + +[Footnote 6: In endeavouring to describe this historical event, I have +freely refreshed my memory from Talboys Wheeler's 'History of the +Imperial Assemblage,' in which is given a detailed account of the +proceedings.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XLIII. +1878 + + Object of the first Afghan war + --Excitement caused by Russia's advances + + +Before continuing my story, it will, I think, be as well to recall to +the minds of my readers the train of events which led to England +and Russia becoming at the same moment solicitous for the Amir's +friendship, for it was this rivalry which was the immediate cause of +the second Afghan war. + +Less than two hundred years ago the British Empire in the East and +Russia were separated from each other by a distance of 4,000 miles. +Russia's most advanced posts were at Orenburg and Petropaulovsk, while +England had obtained but an uncertain footing on the seaboard of +southern India. The French were our only European rivals in India, and +the advance of Russia towards the Oxus was as little anticipated as +was England's advance towards the Indus. + +Thirty years later Russia began to absorb the hordes of the Kirghiz +steppes, which gave her occupation for more than a hundred years, +during which time England was far from idle. Bengal was conquered, or +ceded to us, the Madras Presidency established, and Bombay had become +an important settlement, with the result that, in the early part of +this century, the distance between the Russian and English possessions +had been diminished to less than 2,000 miles. + +Our progress was now more rapid. While Russia was laboriously +crossing a barren desert, the North-West Provinces, the Carnatic, the +territories of the Peshwa, Sind, and the Punjab, successively came +under our rule, and by 1850 we had extended our dominions to the foot +of the mountains beyond the Indus. + +Russia by this time, having overcome the difficulties of the desert, +had established herself at Aralsk, near the junction of the Syr Daria +with the waters of Lake Aral; so that in fifty years the distance +between the outposts of the two advancing Powers in Asia had been +reduced to about 1,000 miles. + +Repeated successful wars with Persia, and our desertion of that Power +owing to the conviction that we could no longer defend her against +the Russians, had practically placed her at their mercy, and they had +induced Persia, in 1837, to undertake the siege of Herat. At the +same time, the Russian Ambassador at Teheran had despatched Captain +Vitkievitch to Kabul with letters from himself and from the Czar +to the Amir, in the hope of getting Dost Mahomed Khan to join the +Russians and Persians in their alliance against the English. + +Vitkievitch's arrival at Kabul towards the end of 1837 had been +anticipated by Captain (afterwards Sir Alexander) Burnes, who had been +sent three months before by Lord Auckland on a Mission to the Amir, +ostensibly to improve our commercial relations with the Afghans, but +in reality to prevent them from joining the Russo-Persian alliance. + +Burnes had been most cordially received by Dost Mahomed, who hoped, +with the help of the Indian Government, to recover the district of +Peshawar, which had been wrested from him by the Sikhs. Vitkievitch's +reception was proportionately discouraging, and for some weeks he +could not obtain an interview with the Amir. + +The Dost's hopes, however, were not fulfilled. We declined to give him +any assistance towards regaining possession of Peshawar or defending +his dominions, should his refusal to join with Persia and Russia draw +down upon him the enmity of those Powers. + +Vitkievitch, who had been patiently biding his time, was now taken +into favour by the Amir, who accorded him a reception which fully +compensated for the neglect with which he had previously been treated. + +Burnes remained at Kabul until the spring of 1838, and then returned +to India to report that Dost Mahomed had thrown himself heart and soul +into the Russo-Persian alliance. + +Under pressure from the English Ministry the Governor-General of India +determined to take the extreme measure of deposing an Amir who had +shown himself so hostilely inclined, and of placing on the throne +of Kabul a Ruler who, it was hoped, would feel that it was to his +interest to keep on good terms with us. It was for this object that +the first Afghan war[1] was undertaken, which ended in the murder of +our nominee, Shah Shuja, and the triumphant return of Dost Mahomed. +The disastrous failure of our action in this matter taught the British +Government that our frontier on the Sutlej was too far removed for us +to think of exercising any real influence in Afghanistan, and that the +time had not arrived to warrant our interfering in Afghan affairs. + +After this came our war with the Sikhs, resulting in our conquest +of the Punjab, and our frontier becoming conterminous with that of +Afghanistan on the banks of the Indus. + +There was a lull in the movements of Russia in Central Asia until +after the Crimean War of 1854-56, which, while temporarily checking +the designs of Russia in Europe, seems to have stimulated her progress +in the East. After the passage of the great desert, Russia found +herself in the midst of fertile and settled countries, whose provinces +fell under her control as rapidly as those of India had fallen under +ours, until in 1864 Chimkent was occupied, the point beyond which +Prince Gortchakoff stated that there was no intention on the part of +Russia to make further advances. + +Notwithstanding these assurances, Tashkent was captured on the +29th June of the following year. In 1866 Khojent was successfully +assaulted. Tisakh fell on the 30th October; and in the spring of +1867 the fort of Yani-Kargan in the Nurata mountains was seized and +occupied. + +Bokhara alone remained unconquered, but the Ruler of that State, after +vainly endeavouring to gain assistance from Afghanistan and to enlist +the sympathies of the Indian Government, was compelled to sue for +peace. + +Important as these acquisitions were, they attracted but little +attention in England, owing partly to the policy of non-interference +which had been adopted as regards Central Asian affairs, and partly to +the British public being absorbed in European politics, until 1868, +when the occupation of Samarkand by Russia caused considerable +excitement, not to say consternation, amongst the authorities in +England. + +Conferences took place in the spring of 1870 between Lord Clarendon, +the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and Baron Brunow, the +Russian Ambassador, with the object of determining a neutral zone, +which should be the limit of the possessions of England and Russia in +Central Asia. For nearly three years, Russia was persistent in her +endeavours to have Afghanistan placed outside the pale of British +influence; but the Indian Government were equally persistent in +pointing out the danger of agreeing to such an arrangement, and it was +not until the 31st January, 1873, that the boundary, which neither +England nor Russia might cross, was finally agreed upon. + +Six months later the conquest of Khiva by Russia was effected. It +was at first given out that the expedition was to punish acts of +brigandage, and to rescue fifty Russian prisoners, but was on no +account to lead to a prolonged occupancy of the Khanate. Count +Schouvaloff, the Russian Statesman who was deputed to communicate the +object of the expedition to the British Government, declared that a +positive promise to this effect might be given to the British public, +as a proof of the friendly and pacific intentions of his master the +Czar; but, notwithstanding these assurances, the Russians never left +Khiva, and it has been a Russian possession from that time. + +Thus, in a little more than twenty years, Russia had made a stride of +600 miles towards India, leaving but 400 miles between her outposts +and those of Great Britain. Russia's southern boundary was now, in +fact, almost conterminous with the northern boundary of Afghanistan, +near enough to cause the Ruler of that country considerable anxiety, +and make him feel that Russia had become a dreaded neighbour, and that +the integrity of his kingdom could not be maintained save by the +aid of one of the two great Powers between whose fire he now found +himself. + +I have endeavoured to show how it was that Sher Ali, notwithstanding +his soreness and disappointment at the many rebuffs he had received +from us in the earlier part of his career, gratefully remembered +the timely aid afforded him by Sir John Lawrence, and the princely +reception accorded to him by Lord Mayo, and was still quite prepared +in 1873 to enter into friendly relations with us, provided we would +recognize his favourite son as his heir, and give a direct promise of +aid in the event of Russian aggression. Our refusal to accede to these +terms, added to our adverse decision in regard to the Sistan boundary, +turned Sher Ali from a friend into an enemy, and he decided, as his +father had done forty years before, to throw in his lot with Russia. + + +[Footnote 1: It is instructive to note how remarkably similar were the +circumstances which brought about the first and second Afghan wars, +viz., the presence of Russian officers at Kabul.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XLIV. +1878 + + Effect of the Berlin Treaty at Kabul + --Sher Ali decides against England--A meeting of portentous moment + --Preparations for war--Letter from Sher Ali + + + +In 1877 Russia declared war with Turkey; for more than a year fighting +had been going on between the two countries, and as it seemed possible +to the British Government that England might in the end be drawn into +the contest, it was deemed expedient to obtain help from India, and +a force of about 5,000 Native soldiers was despatched from Bombay to +Malta in response to the demand from home. + +Russia answered this move on our part by increased activity in +Central Asia; and in June, 1878, it was reported by Major Cavagnari, +Deputy-Commissioner of Peshawar, that a Russian Envoy of the same rank +as the Governor-General of Tashkent was about to visit Kabul, and +that General Kauffmann had written to the Amir that the Envoy must +be received as an Ambassador deputed by the Czar himself. A few days +later further reports were received of Russian troops being mobilized, +and of the intention of Russia to establish cantonments on the ferries +of Kilif and Kerki on the Oxus. + +The Amir, it was said, summoned a council of the leading Chiefs, +to discuss the question whether it would be most advantageous for +Afghanistan at this juncture to side with Russia or with England; it +was decided apparently in favour of the former, for from the moment +General Stolietoff's Mission set foot on Afghan territory it met with +an enthusiastic reception. Five miles from the capital Stolietoff and +his companions were welcomed by the Foreign Secretary. They were then +mounted on richly-caparisoned elephants, and escorted by a large body +of troops to the Bala Hissar, where the following morning they were +received in state by Sher Ali, and the nobles of highest degree in his +kingdom.[1] + +On the eve of the day that the Mission entered Kabul, Stolietoff +received a despatch from General Kauffmann giving him the heads of the +Berlin Treaty, with the following commentary in the handwriting of +the Governor-General himself: 'If the news be true, it is indeed +melancholy;' adding, however, that the Congress had finished its +sittings, and that, therefore, the Envoy in his negotiations with +the Amir had better refrain from arranging any distinct measures, or +making any positive promises, and '_not go generally as far as would +have been advisable if war with England had been threatened_.' +Evidently these instructions greatly modified the basis of +Stolietoff's negotiations with Sher Ali; for, although the Russians +deny that an offensive and defensive alliance with the Afghan Ruler +was contemplated, it seems probable, from the tone of Kauffmann's +despatch, that the Envoy's instructions were elastic enough to admit +of such an arrangement had the circumstances of the case made it +desirable--_e.g._, had the Berlin Congress failed to establish peace +in Europe. + +In telegraphing to the Secretary of State an account of these +proceedings at Kabul, the Viceroy requested explicit instructions from +Her Majesty's Government as to whether this conduct on the part of +Russia and Afghanistan was to be left to the Government of India to +deal with as a matter between it and the Amir, or whether, having +regard to Russia's formal promises, it would be treated as an Imperial +question. 'In the former case,' he concluded, 'I shall propose, with +your approval, to insist on an immediate suitable reception of a +British Mission.' + +Lord Lytton's proposition was approved of by Her Majesty's Ministers, +and a letter[2] was at once written by the Viceroy to the Amir, +announcing that a Mission would shortly be despatched to Kabul with +General Sir Neville Chamberlain, at that time Commander-in-Chief in +Madras, as its responsible head. + +Major Cavagnari was at the same time directed to inform the +authorities at Kabul that the object of the Mission was altogether +friendly, and that a refusal to grant it a free passage and safe +conduct, such as had been accorded to the Russian Envoy, would be +considered as an act of open hostility. Intimation of the Viceroy's +intentions reached Kabul on the 17th August, the day on which the +Amir's favourite son, Abdulla Jan, died. This untoward event was taken +advantage of to delay answering the Viceroy's letter, but it was not +allowed in any way to interfere with the progress of the negotiations +with Russia. When these were completed, Stolietoff inquired from Sher +Ali whether he meant to receive the English Mission, whereupon the +Amir asked for the General's advice in the matter. Stolietoff, while +replying somewhat evasively, gave Sher Ali to understand that the +simultaneous presence of Embassies from two countries in almost +hostile relations with each other would not be quite convenient, upon +which His Highness decided not to allow the British Mission to enter +Afghanistan. This decision, however, was not communicated to the +Viceroy, and on the 21st September the Mission[3] marched out of +Peshawar and encamped at Jamrud, three miles short of the Kyber Pass. + +In consequence of the extremely hostile attitude of the Amir, and the +very unsatisfactory reply received from General Faiz Mahomed Khan, +commanding the Afghan troops in the Kyber Pass, to a letter[4] he had +written a few days before, Sir Neville Chamberlain suspected that the +advance of the Mission would be opposed, and, in order 'to reduce to +a minimum any indignity that might be offered to our Government,' he +deputed Major Cavagnari to ride on with a few sowars to Ali Masjid, a +fort ten miles beyond the mouth of the Pass, and demand leave for the +Mission to proceed. + +When within a mile of the fort, Cavagnari was met by a body of +Afridis, who warned him that the road ahead was blocked by Afghans, +and that if he ventured further he would be fired upon. On this +Cavagnari halted, and while in the act of writing a letter to Faiz +Mahomed, complaining of the treatment he had met with, and informing +him that he and his companions intended to proceed until fired upon, +an act the responsibility for which would rest with the Amir's +representatives, a message was brought him from Faiz Mahomed to the +effect that he was coming to meet him, and would hear anything he had +to communicate. + +The interview took place near a water-mill on the right bank of the +stream which flows under Ali Masjid. I have several times since ridden +past the spot and pictured to myself the meeting between the British +political officer and the Afghan General. It was a meeting of most +portentous moment, for its result would mean peace or war. + +Faiz Mahomed's bearing was perfectly courteous, but he made it clear +that he did not intend to permit the Mission to pass, explaining that +he was only acting as a sentry under instructions from Kabul, and +that he was bound to resist the entrance of the Mission into +Afghan territory with all the force at his disposal. He spoke with +considerable warmth, and told Cavagnari that but for their personal +friendship he would, in obedience to the Amir's orders, have shot down +him and his escort. + +Faiz Mahomed's followers were not so respectful in their bearing as +their Chief, and their manner warned Cavagnari that it was unadvisable +to prolong the conversation; he, therefore, took leave of the Afghan +General, and returned to Jamrud. The Mission was dissolved,[5] our +Agent at Kabul was ordered to return to India, and Cavagnari was +instructed to remain at Peshawar and arrange for alienating the +Afridis in the Khyber from the Amir's interests. + +In reporting these circumstances to the Secretary of State, the +Government of India expressed their regret that this final endeavour +on their part to arrive at some definite understanding with the Amir +of Kabul should have been thus met with repudiation and affront, and +concluded their despatch in the following words: 'The repulse of Sir +Neville Chamberlain by Sher Ali at his frontier while the Russian +emissaries are still at his capital has proved the inutility of +diplomatic expedients, and has deprived the Amir of all claim upon our +further forbearance.' + +It had been arranged that, if it were unfortunately found to be +necessary to support political efforts by military measures, two +columns should be mobilized, one at Sukkur on the Indus, for an +advance in the direction of Kandahar, the other at Kohat for +operations in the Kuram valley, and that I was to have command of the +latter. As soon, therefore, as the tidings of Sir Neville's repulse +was received, I started from Simla to be on the spot in case the +proposal to employ force should be sanctioned by the authorities in +England. + +Between the time of my leaving Simla and my arrival at Kohat on +the 9th October, it was decided to employ a third column to make +a demonstration in the direction of the Khyber for the purpose of +clearing the Amir's troops out of the pass.[6] + +The formation of this column was no doubt a wise move, as the Afghans +were holding Ali Masjid, the spot on which the insult had been offered +to our Envoy, and the presence of a force on this line would tend to +relieve the pressure against my column; but looked at from my point of +view, this third column was not quite so desirable, as it involved the +withdrawal of three of my most efficient regiments, and the transfer +of a large number of my transport animals to the Khyber for its use. +There was some consolation, however, in the fact that my old friend +Major-General Sir Samuel Browne, who had been named for the command in +the Khyber, was to be the gainer by my loss. + +Major-General Donald Stewart, who was in England, was telegraphed for +to command the Kandahar column, the advanced portion of which, it was +intended, should push on under Major-General Biddulph to strengthen +Quetta. + +The long-expected reply[7] from the Amir to the Viceroy's letter of +the 14th August was received at Simla on the 19th October. Its tone +was considered extremely discourteous; it contained no apology for the +public affront offered to the British Government, and indicated no +desire for improved relations. + +The reply was at once communicated to the Secretary of State, who was +further informed that the Government of India proposed the following +measures:-- + + The immediate issue of a manifesto which should define the cause + of offence, declare a friendly disposition towards the Afghan + people and reluctance to interfere in their internal affairs, and + should fix the whole responsibility of what might happen upon the + Amir. + + An advance into the Kuram valley as soon as the force at Kohat was + ready to move. + + The expulsion of the Afghan troops holding the Khyber Pass. + + An advance from Quetta into Pishin, or, if necessary, to Kandahar. + +Lord Cranbrook (who had succeeded the Marquis of Salisbury as +Secretary of State for India) replied[8] that he did not consider +matters to be at present ripe for taking the extreme measures +recommended by the Government of India, and that, before crossing the +frontiers of Afghanistan, a letter should be addressed to the Amir +demanding, in temperate language, an apology, and the acceptance of a +permanent Mission within Afghan limits; that sufficient time should be +given for the receipt of a reply to this letter (the text of which was +to be telegraphed to Lord Cranbrook for approval before despatch), and +that meanwhile the massing of troops should be continued, and adequate +forces assembled at the various points where the frontier would be +crossed if war were declared. The Secretary of State went on to say: +'There must be no mistake as to our show of power to enforce what we +require; this _locus penitentiæ _should be allowed before hostile acts +are committed against the Amir.' + +These instructions were carried out, and on the 30th October the +ultimatum was despatched to Sher Ali, informing him that, unless his +acceptance of the conditions were received by the Viceroy not later +than the 20th November, he would be treated by the British Government +as a declared enemy. + + +[Footnote 1: On the 13th June, the day on which the Berlin Congress +held its first sitting, the news of the approach of General +Stolietoff's Mission reached Kabul. The Russians hoped that the +Mission might influence the decision of the Berlin Congress, and +although its despatch was repudiated by the Imperial Government at St. +Petersburg, it was subsequently ascertained on excellent authority +that the project of sending a Mission to Kabul was discussed three +times at the Council of Ministers, and, according to a statement in +the _Journal de St. Petersbourg_, orders were sent in April, 1878, to +General Kauffmann regarding its despatch. About the same time, the +Russian Minister of War proposed that the Army of the Caucasus should +be transferred bodily across the Caspian to Astrabad, whence the +troops would march in two columns on Herat; while three columns, +amounting in the aggregate to 14,000 men, were to move direct upon the +Oxus from Turkestan. The main part of this scheme was never carried +into effect, probably from its being found too great an undertaking at +a time when Russia had scarcely obtained a footing beyond the Caspian, +but the minor movement was partially carried out. The largest of the +three columns, under Kauffmann's own command, moved from Tashkent, +through Samarkand, to Jam, the most southern point of the Russian +possessions at that time, and within ten marches of Kilif, the main +ferry over the Oxus. There it remained for some weeks, when it +returned to Tashkent, the Afghan expedition being abandoned in +consequence of the Treaty of Berlin having been signed.] + + +[Footnote 2: + + 'SIMLA, + '14_th August,_ 1878. + + 'The authentic intelligence which I have lately received of the + course of recent events at Kabul and in the countries bordering on + Afghanistan has rendered it necessary that I should communicate + fully and without reserve with your Highness upon matters + of importance which concern the interests of India and of + Afghanistan. For this reason, I have considered it expedient to + depute a special and confidential British Envoy of high rank, who + is known to your Highness--his Excellency General Sir Neville + Bowles Chamberlain, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable + Order of the Bath, Knight Grand Commander of the Most Exalted + Order of the Star of India, Commander-in-Chief of the Madras + Army--to visit your Highness immediately at Kabul, in order that + he may converse personally with your Highness regarding these + urgent affairs. It appears certain that they can best be arranged + for the welfare and tranquillity of both States, and for the + preservation of friendship between the two Governments, by a + full and frank statement of the present position. This letter is + therefore sent in advance to your Highness by the hand of Nawab + Gholam Hussein Khan, C.S.I., a faithful and honoured Sirdar of my + Government, who will explain all necessary details as to the time + and manner of the Envoy's visit. It is asked that your Highness + may be pleased to issue commands to your Sirdars, and to all other + authorities in Afghanistan, upon the route between Peshawar + and Kabul, that they shall make, without any delay, whatever + arrangements are necessary and proper for effectively securing to + my Envoy, the representative of a friendly Power, due safe conduct + and suitable accommodation according to his dignity, while passing + with his retinue through the dominions of your Highness. + + 'I beg to express the high consideration I entertain for your + Highness, and to subscribe myself.'] + +[Footnote 3: The Mission was composed of General Sir Neville +Chamberlain, G.C.B., G.C.S.I.; Major Cavagnari, C.S.I.; Surgeon-Major +Bellew, C.S.I.; Major O. St. John, R.E.; Captain St. V. Hammick, +43rd Foot; Captain F. Onslow, Madras Cavalry; Lieutenant Neville +Chamberlain, Central India Horse; Maharaj Pertap Sing of Jodhpur; and +Sirdar Obed Ulla Khan, of Tonk. Lieutenant-Colonel F. Jenkins and +Captain W. Battye were with the escort.] + +[Footnote 4: + + 'PESHAWAR, + + '15_th September_, 1878. + + (After compliments.) 'I write to inform you that, by command + of His Excellency the Viceroy and Governor-General of India, a + friendly Mission of British officers, with a suitable escort, is + about to proceed to Kabul through the Khyber Pass, and intimation + of the despatch of this Mission has been duly communicated to His + Highness the Amir by the hand of the Nawab Ghulam Hussein Khan. + + 'I hear that an official from Kabul has recently visited you at + Ali Masjid, and he has doubtless instructed you in accordance with + His Highness the Amir's commands. As, however, information has + now been received that you have summoned from Peshawar the Khyber + headmen with whom we were making arrangements for the safe conduct + of the British Mission through the Khyber Pass, I therefore write + to inquire from you whether, in accordance with the instructions + you have received, you are prepared to guarantee the safety of the + British Mission to Daka or not; and I request that a clear reply + to this inquiry may be speedily communicated by the hand of + the bearer of this letter, as I cannot delay my departure from + Peshawar. It is well known that the Khyber tribes are in receipt + of allowances from the Kabul Government, and also, like other + independent tribes on this frontier, have relations with the + British Government. It may be well to let you know that when the + present negotiations were opened with the Khyber tribes, it was + solely with the object of arranging with them for the safe conduct + of the British Mission through the Khyber Pass, in the same manner + as was done in regard to the despatch of our Agent, the Nawab + Ghulam Hussein Khan; and the tribes were given clearly to + understand that these negotiations were in no way intended to + prejudice their relations with His Highness the Amir, as it was + well known that the object of the British Mission was altogether + of a friendly character to His Highness the Amir and the people of + Afghanistan. + + 'I trust that, in accordance with the instructions you have + received from His Highness the Amir, your reply to this letter + will be satisfactory, and that it will contain the required + assurances that the Mission will be safely conducted to Daka. I + shall expect to receive your reply to this letter not later than + the 18th instant, so please understand that the matter is most + urgent. + + 'But at the same time, it is my duty to inform you, in a frank and + friendly manner, that if your answer is not what I trust it will + be, or if you delay to send an early reply, I shall have no + alternative but to make whatever arrangements may seem to me best + for carrying out the instructions I have received from my own + Government.'] + +[Footnote 5: In a letter to Lord Lytton reporting the rebuff the +Mission had encountered, General Chamberlain wrote: 'No man was ever +more anxious than I to preserve peace and secure friendly solution, +and it was only when I plainly saw the Amir's fixed intention to drive +us into a corner that I told you we must either sink into a position +of merely obeying his behests on all points or stand on our rights +and risk rupture. Nothing could have been more distinct, nothing more +humiliating to the dignity of the British Crown and nation; and I +believe that but for the decision and tact of Cavagnari at one period +of the interview, the lives of the British officers and the Native +following were in considerable danger.'] + +[Footnote 6: The approximate strength of the three columns was as +follows: + + _Officers._ _Men._ _Guns._ + + I. The Kandahar Field Force 265 12,599 78 + + II. The Kuram Field Force 116 6,549 18 + + III. The Peshawar Valley Field Force 325 15,854 48 + ----- ------ --- + 706 35,002 144] + +[Footnote 7: + + 'KABUL, + '_6th October, 1878._ + + (After compliments.) 'Your Excellency's despatch regarding the + sending of a friendly Mission has been received through Nawab + Gholam Hussein Khan; I understand its purport, but the Nawab had + not yet an audience, nor had your Excellency's letters been seen + by me when a communication was received to the address of my + servant, Mirza Habibulla Khan, from the Commissioner of Peshawar, + and was read. I am astonished and dismayed by this letter, + written threateningly to a well-intentioned friend, replete with + contentions, and yet nominally regarding a friendly Mission. + Coming thus by force, what result, or profit, or fruit, could come + of it? Following this, three other letters from above-mentioned + source, in the very same strain, addressed to my officials, have + been perused by me. Thus, during a period of a few days several + letters from that quarter have all been before me, and none + of them have been free from harsh expressions and hard words, + repugnant to courtesy and politeness, and in tone contrary to the + ways of friendship and intercourse. Looking to the fact that I + am at this time assaulted by affliction and grief at the hand of + fate, and that great trouble has possessed my soul, in the + officials of the British Government patience and silence would + have been specially becoming. Let your Excellency take into + consideration this harsh and breathless haste with which the + desired object and place of conference have been seized upon, and + how the officials of the Government have been led into discussion + and subjection to reproach. There is some difference between this + and the pure road of friendship and goodwill. In alluding to those + writings of the officials of the opposite Government which have + emanated from them, and are at this time in the possession of + my own officials, the latter have in no respect desired to show + enmity or opposition towards the British Government, nor, indeed, + do they with any other Power desire enmity or strife; but when any + other Power, without cause or reason, shows animosity towards this + Government, the matter is left in the hands of God, and to His + will. The esteemed Nawab Gholam Hussein Khan, the bearer of this + despatch, has, in accordance with written instructions received + from the British Government, asked for permission to retire, and + it has been granted.'] + +[Footnote 8: 25th October.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XLV. +1878 + + Shortcomings of my column--Attitude of the Border tribes + + +It was a proud, albeit a most anxious, moment for me when I assumed +command of the Kuram Field Force; though a local Major-General, I was +only a Major in my regiment, and save for a short experience on one +occasion in Lushai, I had never had an opportunity of commanding +troops in the field. Earnestly longing for success, I was intensely +interested in ascertaining the qualities of those who were to aid me +in achieving it. To this end I lost no time in taking stock of the +several officers and corps who were to be associated with me, some of +whom were personally known to me, while others I had never met before; +and in endeavouring to satisfy myself as to their qualifications and +fitness for their several posts, I could not help feeling that they +must be equally anxious as to my capability for command, and that the +inspection must be of nearly as great moment to them as to me. + +The results of a very close investigation were tolerably satisfactory, +but there were weak points in my armour which gave me grave cause for +anxiety. + +I came to the conclusion that the force was not numerically strong +enough for the very difficult task before it--in the first instance, +the occupation of the Kuram valley and the expulsion of all Afghan +garrisons south of the Shutargardan Pass, and in the second, as +opportunity might offer, the pushing my reconnaissances into the Khost +valley, and, if military considerations would admit, the dislodging +the Amir's administration from that tract of country, so as to prevent +the Kabul Government drawing supplies from it. Finally, I was directed +to explore the roads leading to the unknown region beyond Khost. + +The Shutargardan was not less than 180 miles from Kohat, the garrison +of which station would, on my departure, be reduced to a minimum, and +Rawal Pindi, the nearest place from which aid could be procured, was +130 miles still further off, separated from Kohat by an execrable road +and the swiftly-flowing river Indus, crossed by a precarious bridge of +boats. It had to be taken into account also that the various Afridi +tribes were watching their opportunity, and at the first favourable +moment, in common with the tribesmen nearer Kuram, they might be +expected to take advantage of our weakness and attack our convoys and +the small posts which had necessarily to be established along our line +of communication. + +The attitude of the Mahomedan sepoys, of whom there were large numbers +in four out of my six Native Infantry regiments, was also a cause of +considerable anxiety; for I was aware that they were not altogether +happy at the prospect of taking part in a war against their +co-religionist, the Ruler of Afghanistan, and that the mullas were +already urging them to desert our cause. + +Furthermore, I discovered that my only British Infantry Regiment, the +2nd Battalion of the 8th Foot, was sickly to a degree, and therefore +in an unserviceable condition. It was largely composed of quite +young, unacclimatized soldiers, peculiarly susceptible to fever--that +terrible scourge which fills the hospitals of our Punjab stations in +the autumn of each year. I rode out to meet the battalion on its way +into Kohat, and was horrified to see the long line of doolies and +ambulance-carts by which it was accompanied. + +The inefficient state of the transport added to my anxieties. +Notwithstanding the difficulties experienced in former campaigns from +the same cause, the Government had neglected to take any steps for the +organization of a proper transport service while we were at peace; +consequently, when everything should have been ready for a start, +confusion reigned supreme in this all-important department. Large +numbers of camels, mules, and bullocks arrived daily, picked up at +exorbitant prices from anyone who would supply them; but most of these +animals were quite unfit to enter upon the hard work of a campaign, +and with a totally inexperienced and quite insufficient staff of +officers to supervise them, it was evident that the majority must +succumb at an early date. + +Hardly had I realized these shortcomings in the constitution and +equipment of my column than I received intelligence which led me to +believe that the Afghans would hold the Peiwar Kotal (the pass leading +into Afghanistan over the range of mountains bounding the Kuram +valley) in great strength, and were determined to oppose our advance +at this point. Under these circumstances I felt myself justified in +representing to the powers at Simla that I considered the number of +troops at my disposal inadequate for the task they were expected to +perform, which representation resulted in the 23rd Pioneers, whose +transfer to the Khyber column had been under consideration, being left +with me, and the 72nd Highlanders, a battery of Field Artillery, and +the 28th Punjab Infantry, being sent to Kohat. Of these, however, I +was allowed to take on with me only one wing of the 72nd, half the +battery, and the 28th Punjab Infantry; and the last-named regiment I +could hardly consider as part of my force, for when we should arrive +at Thal, our furthest frontier post, it would have to be dropped, +with a wing of the 5th Punjab Cavalry and No. 2 Mountain Battery, to +garrison that place. + +This small reinforcement was not given to me without considerable +demur on the part of the military authorities, who had made up +their minds that the Kuram column would meet with slight, if any, +opposition, and that the chief stand would be made in the Khyber. Lord +Lytton, however, supported my appeal, as did Sir Neville Chamberlain, +who was then acting as Military Member of Council, and who had +personal knowledge of the great natural strength of the Peiwar Kotal +position. + +I next turned my attention to the transport, and endeavoured by all +the means I could think of to render it more efficient. A certain +portion of it I placed in regimental charge; I had the men instructed +in loading and unloading, and I took great care that the animals were +not overladen. + +Happily, I had a very able staff. Major Galbraith, the +Assistant-Adjutant-General, though new to the work, proved +exceptionally good, and Captain Badcock, the chief Commissariat +officer, and Major Collett and Captain 'Dick' Kennedy, officers of +the Quartermaster-General's department, whom I had myself selected, I +could thoroughly depend upon. + +As regards my own personal staff I was equally lucky, Captain Pretyman +of the R.A. being my A.D.C., and Lieutenant Neville Chamberlain, of +the Central India Horse, and Lieutenant-Colonel George Villiers, of +the Grenadier Guards, my Orderly officers. + +As political adviser I had with me an old friend and schoolfellow, +Colonel Garrow Waterfield, Commissioner of Peshawar, who brought with +him a large following of Native gentlemen connected with the frontier, +by whom he thought our intercourse with the tribesmen would be +assisted. With scarcely an exception they proved loyal, and throughout +the campaign helped me materially. + +Knowing how important it was to secure the interest of the Chiefs and +Khans of the border on our side, especially those who had influence in +the Kuram valley, we lost no opportunity of becoming acquainted with +them while we were at Kohat. They were friendly and full of promises, +but it was clear that the amount of assistance to be given by +them depended on whether or not our occupation of Kuram was to +be permanent, and on this important point I solicited definite +instructions. I reported to the Commander-in-Chief that, from all I +had learnt, the advent of a British force would be welcomed by the +people, provided they understood that it was the forerunner of +annexation; that in this case we should be regarded as deliverers, and +all the resources of the country would be placed at our disposal; but +if the people were led to believe that the force would be withdrawn +when our work was finished, and that they would be again handed over +to the tender mercies of the Kabul Government, we must expect no aid +from them, as they would naturally dread the resentment of their +Afghan rulers. + +In reply, I was informed that I could assure the people of Kuram that +our occupation would be permanent; and my being enabled to make this +promise was undoubtedly the explanation of the friendly reception we +met with on entering the valley, and the cause of my receiving at the +same time a letter from the Chief of the Turis (the inhabitants of +the Kuram valley), inquiring when we might be expected, as they were +suffering greatly from the tyranny of the Afghan Government, and were +anxiously waiting the arrival of the British. + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XLVI. +1878 + + The Kuram valley--Conflicting news of the enemy + --An apparently impregnable position--Spingawi route decided on + --Disposition of the force--A night attack + --Advantages of a night attack--Devotion of my orderlies + --Threatening the enemy's rear--The Peiwar Kotal + + +By the 15th November my column[1] (consisting of 1,345 British and +3,990 Native soldiers, with 13 guns) was concentrated at Thal, and on +the 20th--the limit of time given to the Amir--no reply having been +vouchsafed to the Viceroy's ultimatum, orders were issued to the three +columns to advance the next day.[2] + +The Kuram valley, from which my force received its designation, is +about 60 miles long, and from 3 to 10 miles wide. On every side rise +high and magnificently-wooded mountains, those on the north and east +being the most lofty and precipitous, while on the north-west projects +the spur which runs down from Sika Bam, the highest peak of the Sufed +Koh range, upwards of 14,000 feet high. This spur forms the boundary +between Kuram and Afghanistan, and is crossed by the Peiwar Kotal. A +river, which varies from 100 to 500 yards in width, flows through the +valley, and the road, or, rather, track, which existed in 1878, ran +for the most part along its rocky bed. In the winter months the depth +of the water nowhere exceeded three feet, except after heavy rain, and +although the stream was rather swift, it could usually be forded +with very little risk. The valley itself had a bleak and deserted +appearance, save in the immediate vicinity of the few and +widely-scattered villages, around which were clustered fruit trees and +patches of cultivation. + +For six weeks the thoughts of every one in the force had been turned +towards Kuram, consequently there was considerable excitement when at +3 a.m. on the 21st November the leading troops crossed the river into +Afghan territory and encamped eight miles from Thal. The next morning +we marched fifteen miles farther up the valley to Hazir Pir, where we +halted for one day to improve the road (in some places impracticable +for guns and transport) and to allow of the rear part of the column +closing up. As we proceeded on our way, the headmen from the different +villages came out to welcome us, and on arriving at Hazir Pir we found +a plentiful repast awaiting us spread under the shade of some trees. +Knives and forks were evidently considered unnecessary adjuncts by our +entertainers, so I unhesitatingly took my first lesson in eating roast +kid and pillaued chicken without their aid. + +On the 24th we marched to the Darwazai defile, and the next day +proceeded through it to Kuram, forty-eight miles from Thal. We found +the fort evacuated by the Afghans, who had left behind one 6-pounder +gun. + +Notwithstanding the proffers of assistance I had received, I could get +no reliable information as to the whereabouts of the enemy; from one +account I was led to believe that they were in full retreat, from +another that they were being strongly reinforced. So, to find out the +truth, I reconnoitred as far as the cantonment of Habib Kila, fifteen +miles ahead, and there ascertained that the Afghan army, consisting +(it was said) of 18,000 men and eleven guns, had left the place only +a short time before, and was then moving into position on the Peiwar +Kotal. + +Depot hospitals were formed at Kuram, and all our surplus stores and +baggage were left there with the following garrison: Two guns of F/A, +Royal Horse Artillery, half of G/3, R.A., the squadron 10th Hussars, +one squadron 12th Bengal Cavalry, and the company of Bengal Sappers +and Miners, besides all the sick and weakly men of the column. + +At 5 a.m. on the 28th the remainder of the force, with the exception +of the troops who had been dropped at the several halting-places to +keep open our line of communication, marched towards the Peiwar. + +The stars were still shining when we started, but it was very dark, +and we were chilled to the bone by a breeze blowing straight off the +snows of the Sufed Koh; towards sunrise it died away, and was followed +by oppressive heat and clouds of dust. Our progress was slow, for the +banks of the numerous nullas which intersect the valleys had to be +ramped before the guns and baggage could pass over them. + +On reaching Habib Kila, intelligence was again brought that the Amir's +troops were in disorderly retreat, and had abandoned their guns at the +foot of the pass. I at once pushed a reconnaissance in force up the +south-eastern slopes of the mountain under the command of Colonel +Gordon,[3] of the 29th Punjab Infantry, who discovered that, so far +from the enemy having abandoned their guns, they had taken up an +extremely strong position on the pass, from which they fired on the +reconnaissance party as it advanced, wounding one British, one Native +officer[4] and nine men. + +As the Afghans seemed inclined to press Gordon, two guns were brought +into action, and, to cover his retirement, I sent out the 5th Gurkhas, +under Lieutenant-Colonel Fitz-Hugh, who skilfully effected this object +with the loss of only one Gurkha wounded. + +Gordon brought me back the valuable piece of information that no +further advance in that direction was possible, save in single +file--valuable because, had I attempted a front attack, the sacrifice +of life must have been enormous, even if the attack had proved +successful, the possibility of which I still greatly doubt. + +Our tents not having arrived, the force prepared to bivouac; but our +position proving untenable, from being within range of the Afghan +shells, we moved a mile to the rear. Strong piquets were posted on +the neighbouring heights, and the night passed without further +interruption. + +We halted the two following days. Men and cattle were exhausted from +their fatiguing marches, and supplies had to be brought up before +we could advance further; besides, I required time to look about +me before making up my mind how the Peiwar Kotal could most +advantageously be attacked. + +It was, indeed, a formidable position--a great deal more formidable +than I had expected--on the summit of a mountain rising abruptly 2,000 +feet above us, and only approachable by a narrow, steep, and rugged +path, flanked on either side by precipitous spurs jutting out like +huge bastions, from which an overwhelming fire could be brought to +bear on the assailants. The mountain on the enemy's right did not look +much more promising for moving troops, and I could only hope that a +way might be found on their left by which their flank could be turned. +The country, however, in that direction was screened from view by +spurs covered with dense forests of deodar. + +I confess to a feeling very nearly akin to despair when I gazed at +the apparently impregnable position towering above us, occupied, as I +could discern through my telescope, by crowds of soldiers and a large +number of guns. + +My Chief Engineer, Colonel Perkins,[5] made a reconnaissance, which +only too surely confirmed Gordon's opinion; and he further ascertained +that a deep ravine lay between the ground occupied by our piquets on +the north and the kotal, so that an attack on the enemy's immediate +left seemed as hopeless as on his right, or to his front. + +On the afternoon of the 29th I sent my Quartermaster-General, Major +Collett, with his assistant, Captain Carr, and a small escort, to the +top of a hill, which lay to the right rear of our camp, from which +they were able to get a fairly good view of the surrounding country. +Collett reported that, so far as he could judge, it seemed likely +that, as I had hoped, the enemy's left might be turned by a route over +what was known as the Spingawi Kotal, where it had been ascertained +that some Afghan troops were posted. This was encouraging, but before +I could finally decide on adopting this line of attack, it was +expedient to find out whether it was practicable for troops, and +whether the kotal itself was held in great strength. Accordingly, +early next morning, Collett was again despatched to make a closer +reconnaissance of the Spingawi approaches. + +While all this was going on, I did everything I could think of to +prevent what was in my mind being suspected by the enemy or, indeed, +by my own troops. Each day more than once, accompanied by an imposing +number of officers and a considerable escort, I climbed the lofty spur +by which a direct attack would have to be covered, and everyone in +camp was made to believe that an attack in this direction was being +prepared for. I was particularly careful to have this idea impressed +on the Turis and the Afghan camel-drivers, by whom the enemy were +pretty sure to be informed of what was going on; and also on the +Mahomedan sepoys, whom I suspected of being half-hearted. I confided +my real plan to only three people, my two senior staff-officers, +Galbraith and Collett, and my A.D.C., Pretyman, for I knew, from the +nature of the country, that, under the most favourable circumstances, +the way must be difficult and circuitous, and its passage must occupy +several hours; and that if the Afghans got wind of the contemplated +movement, and should attack my small force while on the march and +divided, defeat if not annihilation would be inevitable, for the +surrounding tribes would be certain to join against us if once they +believed us to be in difficulties. + +I had heard that the smallness of the column was being freely +commented on and discussed; indeed, people in Kuram did not care to +disguise their belief that we were hastening to our destruction. Even +the women taunted us. When they saw the little Gurkhas for the first +time, they exclaimed: 'Is it possible that these beardless boys think +they can fight Afghan warriors?' They little suspected that the brave +spirits which animated those small forms made them more than a match +for the most stalwart Afghan. There was no hiding from ourselves, +however, that the force was terribly inadequate for the work to be +done. But done it must be. A retirement was not to be thought of, and +delay would only add to our difficulties, as the Afghans were daily +being reinforced from Kabul, and we heard of still further additions +of both Artillery and Infantry being on their way. + +Collett returned soon after noon on the 30th; he had done admirably +and brought me most useful information, the result of which was that +I determined to adopt the Spingawi route. The nights were long, and I +calculated that by starting at 10 p.m., and allowing for unforeseen +delays, we should reach the foot of the pass while it was still dark. + +Fresh efforts were now made to distract the enemy's attention from the +real point of attack. In addition to the reconnoitring parties which +were ostentatiously moved towards the Peiwar, batteries were marked +out at points commanding the kotal, and a great display was made of +the arrival of the two Horse and three Field Artillery guns, which +I had left at Kuram till the last moment on account of scarcity of +forage at the front, and of the two squadrons of Bengal Cavalry, which +for the same reason I had sent back to Habib Kila. Even with these +additions the total strength of the force in camp, including British +officers, amounted to only 889 Europeans and 2,415 Natives, with 13 +guns. + +[Illustration: THE ATTACK ON THE PEIWAR KOTAL. +_From a painting by Vereker Hamilton._] + +These attempts to mislead the enemy were entirely successful, for +the Afghans shelled the working parties in the batteries, and placed +additional guns in position on the south side of the pass, showing +distinctly that they were preparing for a front attack, while in our +camp also it was generally believed that this was the movement which +would be carried out the next morning. + +When it became sufficiently dark to conceal our proceedings, all the +commanding and staff officers assembled in my tent, and I disclosed +to them my scheme for the attack, impressing upon them that success +depended upon our being able to surprise the enemy, and begging of +them not even to whisper the word 'Spingawi' to each other. + +I had had sufficient time since I took over the command to test the +capabilities of the officers and regiments upon whom I had to depend, +so that I had now no difficulty in disposing the troops in the manner +most likely to ensure success. + +For the turning movement I selected: + + 4 guns F/A, R.H.A., + The wing 72nd Highlanders, + No 1 Mountain Battery (4 guns), + 2nd and 29th Punjab Infantry, + 5th Gurkhas, + 23rd Pioneers-- + Total strength 2,263 men with 8 guns; + +and I determined to command the attack myself, with Brigadier-General +Thelwall as second in command. + +For the feint and for the defence of our camp I left under the command +of Brigadier-General Cobbe: + + 2 guns F/A, R.H.A., + 3 guns G/3, R.A., + 2nd Battalion 8th Foot,[6] + 12th Bengal Cavalry, + 5th Punjab Infantry. + +In all, a little more than 1,000 men with 5 guns. + +At 10 p.m. on Sunday, the 1st December, the little column fell in, +in absolute silence, and began its hazardous march. Tents were left +standing and camp-fires burning; and so noiselessly were orders +carried out that our departure remained unsuspected even by those of +our own people who were left in camp. + +The track (for there was no road) led for two miles due east, and +then, turning sharp to the north, entered a wide gorge and ran along +the bed of a mountain stream. The moonlight lit up the cliffs on the +eastern side of the ravine, but made the darkness only the more dense +in the shadow of the steep hills on the west, underneath which our +path lay, over piles of stones and heaps of glacier débris. A bitterly +cold wind rushed down the gorge, extremely trying to all, lightly clad +as we were in anticipation of the climb before us. Onward and upwards +we slowly toiled, stumbling over great boulders of rock, dropping +into old water-channels, splashing through icy streams, and halting +frequently to allow the troops in the rear to close up. + +In spite of the danger incurred, I was obliged every now and then to +strike a match and look at my watch to see how the time was going. I +had calculated that, by starting as early as ten o'clock, there would +be an hour or two to spare for rest. The distance, however, proved +rather greater than was expected and the road much rougher, but these +facts were, to my mind, not sufficient to account for the slowness of +our progress, and I proceeded to the head of the column, anxious to +discover the true cause of the delay. + +I had chosen the 29th Punjab Infantry to lead the way, on account of +the high reputation of Colonel John Gordon, who commanded it, and +because of the excellent character the regiment had always borne; +but on overtaking it my suspicions were excited by the unnecessarily +straggling manner in which the men were marching, and to which I +called Gordon's attention. No sooner had I done so than a shot was +fired from one of the Pathan companies, followed in a few seconds by +another. The Sikh companies of the regiment immediately closed up, and +Gordon's Sikh orderly whispered in his ear that there was treachery +amongst the Pathans. + +It was a moment of intense anxiety, for it was impossible to tell how +far we were from the Spingawi Kotal, or whether the shots could be +heard by the enemy; it was equally impossible to discover by whom the +shots had been fired without delaying the advance, and this I was +loath to risk. So, grieved though I was to take any steps likely to +discredit a regiment with such admirable traditions, I decided to +change the order of the march by bringing one company of the +72nd Highlanders and the 5th Gurkhas to the front, and I warned +Lieutenant-Colonel Brownlow, in command of the 72nd, to keep a watch +over the Pathans with his three remaining companies, for I felt +that our enterprise had already been sufficiently imperilled by the +Pathans, and that hesitation would be culpable; for, unless we +could reach the kotal while our approach was still concealed by +the darkness, the turning movement would in all probability end in +disaster. + +On the Gurkhas coming up, I told Major Fitz-Hugh, who commanded them, +that the moment he reached the foot of the kotal, he must front form +company, fix bayonets, and charge up the slope without waiting for +further orders. + +Soon afterwards, and just as the first streak of dawn proclaimed the +approach of day, the enemy became aware of our presence, and fired +into us, when instantly I heard Fitz-Hugh give the word to charge. +Brownlow, at the head of his Highlanders, dashed forward in support, +and two guns of the Mountain battery coming up at the moment, I +ordered its Commandant, Captain Kelso, to come into action as soon as +he could find a position. + +I was struck by the smile of satisfied pride and pleasure with +which he received the order. He was delighted, no doubt, that the +opportunity had arrived to prove what the battery--to perfect which he +had spared neither time nor labour--could do; but it was the last time +that gallant soldier smiled, for a few seconds later he was shot dead. + +The Gurkhas, forgetting their fatigue, rapidly climbed the steep side +of the mountain, and, swarming into the first entrenchment, quickly +cleared it of the enemy; then, guided by the flashes of the Afghan +rifles, they pressed on, and, being joined by the leading company of +the 72nd, took possession of a second and larger entrenchment 200 +yards higher up. Without a perceptible pause, the Highlanders and +Gurkhas together rushed a third position, the most important of all, +as it commanded the head of the pass. + +The Spingawi Kotal was won; but we were surrounded by woods, which +were crowded with Afghans, some 400 of whom made a dashing but +ineffectual attempt to carry off their guns, left behind in the first +scare of our sudden attack. These men were dressed so exactly like +some of our own Native soldiers that they were not recognized until +they got within 100 yards of the entrenchment, and they would +doubtless have succeeded in accomplishing their purpose--as the +Highlanders and Gurkhas were busy pursuing the fugitives--had not +Galbraith, whom I had sent with an order to the front, hurriedly +collected a certain number of stragglers and met the Afghans with such +a murderous fire that they broke and fled, leaving seventy dead in a +space of about fifty yards square. + +As the rising sun lighted up the scene of the conflict, the advantages +of a night attack became more apparent. The pass lay across the +shoulder of a mountain (9,400 feet above the sea), and through a +magnificent pine forest. Its approaches were commanded by precipitous +heights, defended by breastworks of felled trees, which completely +screened the defenders, who were quite comfortably placed in wide +ditches, from which they could fire deadly volleys without being in +the least exposed themselves. Had we not been able to surprise the +enemy before the day dawned, I doubt whether, any of us could have +reached the first entrenchment. As it was, the regiment holding it +fled in such a hurry that a sheepskin coat and from sixty to a hundred +rounds of ammunition were left behind on the spot where each man had +lain. + +We had gained our object so far, but we were still a considerable +distance from the body of the Afghan army on the Peiwar Kotal. + +Immediately in rear of the last of the three positions on the Spingawi +Kotal was a _murg_, or open grassy plateau, upon which I re-formed the +troops who had carried the assault. The 2nd Punjab Infantry, the 23rd +Pioneers, and the battery of Royal Horse Artillery were still behind; +but as the guns were being transported on elephants, I knew the +progress of this part of the force must be slow, and thinking it +unwise to allow the Afghans time to recover from their defeat, I +determined to push on with the troops at hand. + +A field hospital was formed on the _murg_, and placed under a guard, +ammunition-pouches were re-filled, and off we started again, choosing +as our route the left of two hog-backed, thickly-wooded heights +running almost longitudinally in the direction of the Peiwar Kotal, in +the hope that from this route communication might be established with +our camp below. I was not disappointed, for very soon Captain Wynne, +in charge of the signalling, was able to inform Brigadier-General +Cobbe of our progress, and convey to him the order to co-operate with +me so far as his very limited numbers would permit. + +Our advance was at first unopposed, but very slow, owing to the +density of the forest, which prevented our seeing any distance, and +made it difficult to keep the troops together. + +At the end of two hours we arrived at the edge of a deep hollow, on +the further side of which, 150 yards off, the enemy were strongly +posted, and they at once opened fire upon us. + +Fancy my dismay at this critical moment on discovering that the +Highlanders, Gurkhas, and the Mountain battery, had not come up! They +had evidently taken a wrong turn in the almost impenetrable forest, +and I found myself alone with the 29th Punjab Infantry. Knowing that +the missing troops could not be far off, I hoped that they would hear +the firing, which was each moment becoming heavier; but some time +passed, and there were no signs of their approach. I sent staff +officer after staff officer to search for them, until one only +remained, the Rev. J.W. Adams, who had begged to be allowed to +accompany me as Aide-de-camp for this occasion, and him I also +despatched in quest of the missing troops. After some time, which +seemed to me an age, he returned to report that no trace could he find +of them; so again I started him off in another direction. Feeling +the situation was becoming serious, and expecting that the Afghans, +encouraged by our inaction, would certainly attack us, I thought it +advisable to make a forward movement; but the attitude of the 29th +was not encouraging. I addressed them, and expressed a hope that they +would now by their behaviour wipe out the slur of disloyalty which +the firing of the signal shots had cast upon the regiment, upon which +Captain Channer,[7] who was just then in command, stepped forward, and +said he would answer for the Sikhs; but amongst the Pathans there +was an ominous silence, and Channer agreed with me that they did not +intend to fight. I therefore ordered Channer and his subaltern, Picot, +to advance cautiously down the slope with the Sikhs of the regiment, +following myself near enough to keep the party in sight. I had not +gone far, however, before I found that the enemy were much too +strongly placed to be attacked successfully by so few men; accordingly +I recalled Channer, and we returned to the position at the top of the +hill. + +[Illustration: MY GURKHA ORDERLIES. +_From a water colour sketch by Colonel Woodthorpe, C.B., R.E._] + +My orderlies[8] during this little episode displayed such touching +devotion that it is with feelings of the most profound admiration and +gratitude I call to mind their self-sacrificing courage. On this (as +on many other occasions) they kept close round me, determined that no +shot should reach me if they could prevent it; and on my being hit in +the hand by a spent bullet, and turning to look round in the direction +it came from, I beheld one of the Sikhs standing with his arms +stretched out trying to screen me from the enemy, which he could +easily do, for he was a grand specimen of a man, a head and shoulders +taller than myself. + +To my great relief, on my return to the edge of the hollow, Adams met +me with the good tidings that he had found not only the lost troops, +but the Native Infantry of the rear portion of the column, and had +ascertained that the elephants with the guns were close at hand. + +Their arrival was most opportune, for the enemy had been reinforced, +and, having discovered our numerical weakness, were becoming bolder; +they charged down the hill, and were now trying to force their way +up to our position, but our Mountain guns were quickly brought into +action, and under their cover another attempt was made to drive the +Afghans from their position. The 23rd Pioneers, under the command of +Colonel Currie, the two front companies led by Captain Anderson, moved +down the slope, and were soon lost to view in the thick wood at +the bottom of the dell; when they reappeared it was, to my great +disappointment, on the wrong side of the hollow: they had failed in +the attack, and Anderson and some men had been killed. The enemy's +position, it was found, could only be reached by a narrow causeway, +which was swept by direct and cross fires, and obstructed by trunks of +trees and a series of barricades. + +It was evident to me that under these circumstances the enemy could +not be cleared out of their entrenchment by direct attack without +entailing heavy loss, which I could ill afford and was most anxious to +avoid. I therefore reconnoitred both flanks to find, if possible, a +way round the hill. On our left front was a sheer precipice; on the +right, however, I discovered, to my infinite satisfaction, that we +could not only avoid the hill which had defeated us, but could get +almost in rear of the Peiwar Kotal itself, and threaten the enemy's +retreat from that position. + +At this juncture I was further cheered by the arrival of +Lieutenant-Colonel Perkins and Major McQueen, who, with the 5th Punjab +Infantry, had worked their way up the steep mountain-side, in the hope +of getting near to the Peiwar Kotal and co-operating with me. They +were, however, checked by the deep ravine I have before described, +and, guided by the sound of firing, pushed higher up the hill. They +brought me word that the Artillery left in camp had opened fire on the +kotal soon after daybreak, and had succeeded in silencing two of the +enemy's guns; that our Infantry had crept up within 1,400 yards of the +kotal, but were met by such a destructive fire that they could not +advance further; that Brigadier-General Cobbe had been severely +wounded, and that Colonel Barry Drew had assumed the command. Perkins +also gave me the useful information that he had observed on his way up +a spur from which the kotal position could be fired upon at a distance +of 1,100 yards. To this spot I ordered Lieutenant Sherries, who had +succeeded poor Kelso in command of the Mountain battery, to take his +guns, and I asked Perkins to return and tell Drew to press on to the +kotal, in the hope that Sherries's fire and the turning movement I was +about, to make would cause the enemy to retreat. + +I sent the 29th Punjab Infantry back to the Spingawi to protect the +wounded. I left the 2nd Punjab Infantry in the position we had up till +now been occupying, and I took McQueen's regiment with me. + +A few rounds from the Mountain battery, and the fact that their rear +was threatened and their retreat about to be cut off, soon produced +signs of wavering amongst the Afghans. Their Artillery fire slackened, +their Infantry broke, and about 2 p.m. Drew and Hugh Gough found it +possible to make a move towards the Peiwar Kotal. Gough was the first +to reach the crest, closely followed by Lieutenant Brabazon, his +orderly officer, and a fine plucky Dogra named Birbul. They were soon +joined by some hundreds of Turi levies collected by Waterfield and by +the 8th Foot. Another body of levies under Major Palmer,[9] who +had done good service by making a feint on the right of the Afghan +position, arrived about the same time. Plunder was of course the sole +object of the Turis, but their co-operation at the moment was useful, +and helped to swell our small numbers. The enemy having evacuated +their stronghold and retreated by the Alikhel road, abandoning in +their headlong flight guns, waggons, and baggage, were pursued by Hugh +Gough, whose Cavalry had by this time come up. + +[Illustration: MY SIKH ORDERLIES. +_From a water colour sketch by Colonel Woodthorpe, C.B., R.E._] + +The Peiwar Kotal was not visible from the route we had taken, but just +before daylight had quite gone I could make out with the aid of my +telescope a large body of Afghans moving towards the Shutargardan, +which made me feel quite satisfied that the enemy's position was in +our possession. + +Night overtook us before we could reach the kotal, and as everyone was +thoroughly tired out, having been hard at work since 10 p.m. the night +before, with but little food, I thought it better to bivouac where we +were, on the southern slope of the Sika Ram mountain. It was hardly +a pleasant experience lying on the ground without even cloaks at an +elevation of 9,000 feet, and with the thermometer marking twenty +degrees of frost; but spite of cold and hunger, thoroughly content +with the day's work, and with my mind at rest, I slept as soundly as I +had ever done in the most luxurious quarters, and I think others did +the same. At any rate, no one that I could hear of suffered from that +night's exposure. + +We continued our march at daybreak, and reached the kotal in an hour. + +The examination of the enemy's position was very interesting. It was +of enormous natural strength, the dispositions made for its defence +were most complete and judicious, and the impossibility of taking +it by other than a turning movement was proved beyond a doubt; it +extended from the Spingawi to some commanding heights nearly a mile +south of the Peiwar Kotal; thus having a front of about four miles +facing due east. From right to left the position ran along a lofty and +rugged range of mountains, clothed with dense pine-forests. Towards +the eastern side the range was precipitous, but descended on the west +by a succession of upland meadows to the valley of the Hariab; it was +crossed by only two roads, viz., the Peiwar and Spingawi Kotals; at a +few other points there were paths, but too narrow and precipitous for +the passage of troops. + +The Peiwar Kotal is a narrow depression in the ridge, commanded on +each side by high pine-clad mountains. The approach to it from the +Kuram valley was up a steep, narrow, zigzag path, commanded throughout +its entire length from the adjacent heights, and difficult to ascend +on account of the extreme roughness of the road, which was covered +with large fragments of rocks and boulders. Every point of the ascent +was exposed to fire from both guns and rifles, securely placed behind +breastworks constructed of pine-logs and stones. At the top of +the path was a narrow plateau, which was again commanded from the +thickly-wooded heights on each side, rising to an elevation of 500 +feet. + +The Afghan Commander had been quite confident of success, and was +only waiting for reinforcements to attack our camp; but these +reinforcements did not arrive until the afternoon of the 1st December, +just too late for him to carry out his intention. He had under his +command eight Regular regiments of the Afghan army, and eighteen +guns; while these numbers were augmented by hordes of neighbouring +tribesmen, who were only too glad to respond to the cry of a _jahad_ +against the infidel, firmly believing that as true believers their +cause would be victorious. + +Our loss at the Peiwar was not great--2 officers and 18 men killed, +and 3 officers and 75 men wounded. The Afghans suffered much more +severely, besides leaving in our possession all their guns, with +quantities of ammunition and other warlike stores. + + +[Footnote 1: The details of the column are given in the Appendix. +(Appendix III.)] + +[Footnote 2: On the 30th November a subordinate officer of the Kabul +Government reached Sir Samuel Browne's camp at Daka, and delivered the +following letter from the Amir to the address of the Viceroy: + + 'FROM HIS HIGHNESS THE AMIR OF KABUL TO THE VICEROY OF INDIA. + 'KABUL, _19th November, 1878_. + + 'Be it known to your Excellency that I have received, and read + from beginning to end, the friendly letter which your Excellency + has sent, in reply to the letter I despatched by Nawab Ghulam + Hussein Khan. With regard to the expressions used by your + Excellency in the beginning of your letter, referring to the + friendly character of the Mission and the goodwill of the British + Government, I leave it to your Excellency, whose wisdom and + justice are universally admitted, to decide whether any reliance + can be placed upon goodwill, if it be evidenced by words only. + But if, on the other hand, goodwill really consists of deeds and + actions, then it has not been manifested by the various wishes + that have been expressed, and the proposals that have been made by + British officials during the last few years to officials of this + God-granted Government--proposals which, from their nature, it was + impossible for them to comply with. + + 'One of these proposals referred to my dutiful son, the + ill-starred wretch, Mahomed Yakub Khan, and was contained in a + letter addressed by the officials of the British Government to + the British Agent then residing in Kabul. It was written in that + letter that, "if the said Yakub Khan be released and set at + liberty, our friendship with the Afghan Government will be firmly + cemented, but that otherwise it will not." + + 'There are several other grounds of complaint of similar nature, + which contain no evidence of goodwill, but which, on the contrary, + were effective in increasing the aversion and apprehension already + entertained by the subjects of this God-granted Government. + + 'With regard to my refusal to receive the British Mission, your + Excellency has stated that it would appear from my conduct that I + was actuated by feelings of direct hostility towards the British + Government. + + 'I assure your Excellency that, on the contrary, the officials of + this God-granted Government, in repulsing the Mission, were not + influenced by any hostile or inimical feelings towards the British + Government, nor did they intend that any insult or affront should + be offered. But they were afraid that the independence of this + Government might be affected by the arrival of the Mission, + and that the friendship which has now existed between the two + Governments for several years might be annihilated. + + 'A paragraph in your Excellency's letter corroborates the + statement which they have made to this Government. The feelings + of apprehension which were aroused in the minds of the people of + Afghanistan by the mere announcement of the intention of the + British Government to send a Mission to Kabul, before the + Mission itself had actually started or arrived at Peshawar, have + subsequently been fully justified by the statement in your + Excellency's letter, that I should be held responsible for any + injury that might befall the tribes who acted as guides to the + Mission, and that I should be called upon to pay compensation to + them for any loss they might have suffered; and that if, at any + time, these tribes should meet with ill-treatment at my hands, the + British Government would at once take steps to protect them. + + 'Had these apprehensions proved groundless, and had the object + of the Mission been really friendly, and no force or threats of + violence used, the Mission would, as a matter of course, have been + allowed a free passage, as such Missions are customary and of + frequent occurrence between allied States. I am now sincerely + stating my own feelings when I say that this Government has + maintained, and always will maintain, the former friendship which + existed between the two Governments, and cherishes no feelings of + hostility and opposition towards the British Government. + + 'It is also incumbent upon the officials of the British Government + that, out of respect and consideration for the greatness and + eminence of their own Government, they should not consent to + inflict any injury upon their well-disposed neighbours, and to + impose the burden of grievous troubles upon the shoulders of + their sincere friends. But, on the contrary, they should exert + themselves to maintain the friendly feelings which have hitherto + existed towards this God-granted Government, in order that the + relations between the two Governments may remain on the same + footing as before; and if, in accordance with the custom of allied + States, the British Government should desire to send a purely + friendly and temporary Mission to this country, with a small + escort, not exceeding twenty or thirty men, similar to that which + attended the Russian Mission, this servant of God will not oppose + its progress.' + +It was ascertained that this messenger had come to Basawal on the +22nd November, when, hearing of the capture of Ali Masjid by British +troops, he immediately returned to Kabul. The Amir's letter, though +dated the 19th November, was believed to have been re-written at Kabul +after the news of the fall of Ali Masjid. The text of this letter was +telegraphed to the Secretary of State on the 7th December; in reply +Lord Cranbrook pointed out that the letter evaded all the requirements +specified in the Viceroy's ultimatum, and could not have been accepted +even if it had reached him before the 20th November.] + + +[Footnote 3: Now General J. Gordon, C.B., Assistant Military +Secretary, Horse Guards.] + +[Footnote 4: The Native officer was Subadar-Major Aziz Khan, a fine +old soldier who had seen hard work with his regiment during the +Mutiny, and in many a frontier expedition. He twice obtained the Order +of Merit for bravery in the field, and for his marked gallantry on one +occasion he had received a sword of honour and a _khilat_ (a dress of +honour or other present bestowed as a mark of distinction). Aziz Khan +was shot through the knee, and after a few days the wound became so +bad the Doctors told him that, unless he submitted to amputation, or +consented to take some stimulants in the shape of wine, he would die +of mortification. Aziz Khan, who was a strict and orthodox Mahomedan, +replied that, as both remedies were contrary to the precepts of the +religion by which he had guided his life, he would accept death rather +than disobey them. He died accordingly.] + +[Footnote 5: Now General Sir Æneas Perkins, K.C.B.] + +[Footnote 6: The strength of this battalion had now dwindled down to +348 men.] + +[Footnote 7: Now Major-General Channer, V.C., C.B.] + +[Footnote 8: I had six orderlies attached to me--two Sikhs, two +Gurkhas, and two Pathans. The Sikhs and Gurkhas never left me for a +day during the two years I was in Afghanistan. The Pathans behaved +equally well, but they fell sick, and had to be changed more than +once. Whenever I emerged from my tent, two or more of the orderlies +appeared and kept close by me. They had always good information as to +what was going on, and I could generally tell whether there was likely +to be trouble or not by the number in attendance; they put themselves +on duty, and decided how many were required. One of the Gurkhas is +since dead, but the other and the two Sikhs served with me afterwards +in Burma, and all three now hold the high position of Subadar in their +respective regiments.] + +[Footnote 9: Now Major-General Sir Arthur Palmer, K.C.B.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XLVII. +1878-1879 + + Alikhel--Treachery of the tribesmen--Transport difficulties + --Sher Ali looks to Russia for aid--Khost--An attack on our camp + --An unsuccessful experiment--An unpleasant incident + --Punjab Chiefs' Contingent + + + +Perceiving that further pursuit of the enemy would be useless, I +decided to halt a few days to admit of our overtaxed transport +bringing up supplies and tents, and to arrange for the occupation of +the Peiwar position during the winter months. But I considered that my +work would be incomplete if we stopped short of the Shutargardan Pass. +Moreover, it was very desirable that we should investigate this route, +and, if possible, get into friendly communication with some of the +sections of the Ghilzai tribe. The Jajis, through whose territory +the first part of the road ran, now showed themselves to be as +well disposed as the Turis; they readily brought in supplies, and +volunteered to labour for us, and from the information obtained by +the political officers, the inhabitants of the Hariab valley seemed +equally anxious to be friendly. The dislodgment of the Afghan army by +a much smaller force, from a position they had themselves chosen, had +evidently had a salutary effect. + +As soon as I had leisure, I inquired from Colonel Gordon whether he +had been able to discover the men who had fired the signal shots on +the night of the 2nd, and whether he did not think that the Pathan +Native officers ought to be able to point out the offenders. Gordon +replied that he suspected the Jemadar of the Pathan company knew who +the culprits were, and that one soldier had confessed to firing the +second shot; moreover, he told me that eighteen Pathans had left the +regiment during the fight. On receiving this unpleasant information, +I assembled a Court of Inquiry, with orders to have the proceedings +ready for my consideration by the time I returned from the +Shutargardan. + +[Illustration: ONE OF MY PATHAN ORDERLIES. +_From a water-colour sketch by Colonel Woodthorpe, C.B., R.E._] + +Having despatched the sick and wounded to Kuram and made all necessary +arrangements, I marched on the 6th December to Alikhel, twelve miles +on the road to the Shutargardan. Before starting, I issued an order +thanking the troops for the efforts they had made to ensure success, +and I had the honour of communicating to them at the same time a +congratulatory message from the Queen.[1] + +We reached the foot of the Shutargardan on the 8th, and reconnoitred +to the top of the pass the next morning. This point was 11,000 feet +above the sea, commanded a fine view of the Logar valley, and I +discovered from it that there was nothing between us and the immediate +vicinity of Kabul to prevent a force moving rapidly on that place. + +We returned to Alikhel on the 10th, and, as it was important to retain +control of this advanced post, I decided to leave Captain Rennick in +political charge, a duty for which his nerve and determination of +character eminently fitted him. Colonel Waterfield, as a temporary +arrangement, remained there also with a battery of Artillery and two +regiments of Punjab Infantry, for the purpose of establishing friendly +relations with the neighbouring tribesmen. + +From Alikhel there were said to be two roads leading to Kuram, besides +the difficult path over the Peiwar Kotal; and as it was of +great importance to gain a knowledge of an alternative line of +communication, in view of further trouble, I determined to explore one +of them, choosing that which appeared to be the shortest, and which I +heard had been used some time before by an Afghan Mountain battery. +This route was described as practicable for camels, and ran through +lands belonging to tribes whose headmen were with me, a fact which +should, I thought, ensure our being free from attack. + +I left Alikhel on the 12th December, taking with me No. 1 Mountain +Battery, a wing 72nd Highlanders, the 5th Gurkhas, and the 23rd +Pioneers. The route lay for four miles along the banks of the Hariab +stream, a tributary of the Kuram river, through a valley which +gradually narrowed into a thickly-wooded ravine, three miles long: at +the end of this ravine the road, turning sharply to the left, ascended +till it reached an open grassy plateau, on which stood the hamlet of +Sapari. The inhabitants turned out to welcome us, bringing supplies, +and appearing so friendly that I settled to halt there for the night. +I had been warned, however, by the _maliks_ of some of the villages we +had passed through in the morning, that we should probably be attacked +on the march the next day, and that a defile which lay at the other +side of a mountain over which we had to cross would be particularly +dangerous to us. I determined, therefore, to send on troops that +evening to occupy the pass over this mountain, and to start the +baggage off long before daybreak, so that it should be out of the way +of the main body, which would also have to march at an early hour in +order to reach the kotal before the tribesmen had time to collect. + +This could have been accomplished without difficulty, but for the +machinations of our false friends in the village, who directed on to +the precipitous path we had to ascend a stream of water which soon +turned into a sheet of ice, and when I arrived on the spot I found +the road blocked by fallen animals vainly struggling to regain their +footing. This caused so much delay that it was nearly noon before the +last camel had got over the pass. + +The descent on the other side was scarcely less difficult, though free +from ice. We dropped 3,000 feet in the first two miles, down a way +which can only be described as a ruined staircase, with the steps +missing at intervals, ending in the defile against the dangers of +which we had been warned. This defile was certainly a nasty place to +be caught in, being five miles long, and so narrow that the camels' +loads struck against the rocks on either side; and it was impossible +to move flanking parties along the cliffs above, as they were +intersected by wide chasms running back for long distances. + +It was important to secure the exit from this gorge without delay, and +for this purpose I pushed on four companies of the 23rd Pioneers, and +in support, when the ravine began to widen out a little, I hurried +on the Highlanders and the Mountain battery, leaving the Gurkhas to +protect the baggage and bring up the rear. + +We only got possession of the exit just in time. The Pioneers, +by occupying commanding positions on either side of the opening, +effectually checkmated several large bodies of armed men who were +approaching from different directions, and whose leaders now declared +they had only come to help us! Later on we discovered still more +formidable gatherings, which doubtless would have all combined to +attack us, had they been in time to catch us in the ravine. + +The tail of the column was followed and much harassed by the enemy; +but they were kept at bay by the steadiness of the gallant Gurkhas, +and so successful were they in safe-guarding the baggage, that, +although many of the drivers ran away at the first shot, leaving the +soldiers to lead the animals as well as defend them, not a single +article fell into the hands of the tribesmen. The regiment lost three +men killed, and Captain Powell and eleven men wounded. Captain Goad, +of the Transport Department, was also badly hurt.[2] + +[Illustration: ONE OF MY PATHAN ORDERLIES. +_From a water-colour sketch by Colonel Woodthorpe, C.B., R.E._] + +On Goad being knocked over, Sergeant Greer, of the 72nd Highlanders, +assisted by three privates, picked him up, and having placed him under +cover of a rock, they turned their attention to the enemy. They were +only four against large numbers, but by their cool and steady use of +the Martini-Henry rifle, which had shortly before been issued to the +British soldiers in India, they were enabled to hold their ground +until help arrived, when they succeeded in carrying the wounded +officer away. + +I had observed in the advance on the Peiwar Kotal the skill and +gallantry displayed by Sergeant Greer, and noted him as a man fitted +for promotion. His distinguished conduct in rescuing and defending +Goad confirmed me in my opinion, and I accordingly recommended him +for a commission, which, to my great gratification, Her Majesty was +graciously pleased to bestow upon him. + +That night we halted at the village of Keria; thence the route was +easy enough, so, leaving the troops to rest and recover from the last +hard march, I rode on to Kuram, where there was much to be done. + +The ejectment of the Afghan ruler of Khost and the exploration of that +valley formed, it will be remembered, part of the programme given +to me to carry through, and it was very desirable that this service +should be completed before the winter rains set in. Peace and order +now reigned in Upper Kuram and in the neighbourhood of the Peiwar; but +there was a good deal of excitement in the lower part of the valley +and in Khost, our line of communication was constantly harassed by +raiders, convoys were continually threatened, outposts fired into, and +telegraph-wires cut. The smallness of my force made it difficult for +me to deal with these troubles, so I applied to the Commander-in-Chief +for the wing of the 72nd Highlanders left at Kohat, and the 5th Punjab +Cavalry at Thal to be ordered to join me at Kuram. At the same time I +moved up No. 2 Mountain Battery and the 28th Punjab Infantry, sending +the 29th Punjab Infantry to take the place of the 28th at Thal. + +I was greatly hampered by want of transport. Arrangements had to be +made for sending the sick and wounded, as well as the captured guns, +to Kohat (the sight of the latter, I fancied, would have a good effect +on the tribes in our rear); but hard work, scarcity of forage, and +absence of supervision, had told, as was to be expected, on animals in +bad condition at the outset. Mules and camels died daily, reducing our +all too small numbers to such an extent that it was with considerable +difficulty the convoy was at last despatched. + +From the first I foresaw that want of transport would be our greatest +difficulty, and so it proved; very few supplies could be obtained in +the vicinity of Kuram; the troops at Kohat had been drawing on the +adjacent districts ever since October, so that the purchasing +agents had every day to go further away to procure necessaries, and +consequently an increased number of animals were required for their +conveyance. My Commissary-General reported to me that only a few days' +provisions for the troops remained in hand, and that it was impossible +to lay in any reserve unless more transport could be provided. About +this reserve I was very anxious, for the roads might soon become +temporarily impassable from the rising of the rivers after the heavy +rain to be expected about Christmas. Contractors were despatched +to all parts of the country to procure camels, and I suggested to +Government that pack-bullocks should be bought at Mirzapur, and railed +up country, which suggestion being acted upon, the danger of the +troops having to go hungry was warded off. + +The treacherous soldiers of the 29th Punjab Infantry had now to be +dealt with--a necessary, but most unpleasant, duty. A perusal of the +proceedings of the Court of Inquiry satisfied me that the two men who +discharged their rifles during the night-march, the Jemadar of their +company who failed to report their criminal action, and the eighteen +who deserted their colours during the engagement, should all be tried +by Court-Martial. + +The prisoners were found guilty. The sepoy who fired the first shot +was sentenced to death, and the one who discharged the second to +two years' imprisonment with hard labour; the court, recognizing a +possibility that the latter, being a young soldier, might have loaded +and fired without intending treachery, gave him the benefit of the +doubt. The Jemadar was awarded seven years' transportation, and the +eighteen deserters terms varying from ten years to one year. + +It was with deep regret that I confirmed these several sentences, but +it was necessary that a deterrent example should be made. Treachery +was altogether too grave a crime to be lightly dealt with, and +desertions amongst the Pathans were becoming of much too frequent +occurrence, particularly as the deserters invariably carried away with +them their rifles and ammunition. + +The effect of these sentences was most salutary; there was not a +single desertion subsequent to the Court-Martial for more than a year, +although during that time the Mahomedan portion of my force were +severely tried by appeals from their co-religionists. + +On Christmas Eve authentic intelligence was brought to me that, on +hearing of the defeat of the Afghan army, Sher Ali, with the members +of the Russian Mission then at Kabul, had fled to Turkestan, and that +his son, Yakub Khan, had been released from prison, and had assumed +the reins of Government. + +About this time, also, Sir Samuel Browne, who was at Jalalabad, +received a letter[3] from the Amir, in which he announced his +intention of proceeding to St. Petersburg to lay his case before the +Czar and obtain the aid of Russia. + +Sher Ali's disappearance and Yakub Khan's assumption of authority +suggested new possibilities to the Viceroy, who at once instructed +Major Cavagnari, the political officer with the Khyber column, to +communicate, if possible, with Yakub Khan, and explain to him that our +quarrel was with Sher Ali alone, that he might rest assured of the +friendly disposition of the British Government towards him personally, +and that, unless he took the initiative, hostilities would not be +resumed. + +Before proceeding to Kuram, I invited all the Turis and Jajis who +had afforded us assistance to meet me in durbar that they might be +suitably rewarded. A goodly number responded to the invitation, and +were told, in accordance with the instructions I had received from +the Government of India, that they would henceforth be under British +protection; that no Amir of Afghanistan should ever again be permitted +to tyrannize over them; that while they would be expected to live +peaceably, neither their religion nor their customs would be +interfered with; that roads would be made and markets established, and +that whatever supplies they could provide for the use of the troops +would be liberally paid for. + +After this I started for Khost, accompanied by Colonel Waterfield, the +political officer. + +The column I took with me consisted of the squadron of the 10th +Hussars, 200 of the 72nd Highlanders, a wing of the 5th Punjab +Cavalry, the 21st and 28th Punjab Infantry, and Nos. 1 and 2 Mountain +Batteries. The corps were so weak that their total strength only +amounted to 2,000 men. + +We reached Matun, the name given to some three villages grouped round +a small fort in the centre of the valley, on the 6th January, 1879. +The Afghan Governor, with whom I had been in communication, met me and +arranged to surrender the fort, on condition that his personal safety +should be guaranteed, and that he should be allowed to go either to +Kabul or India, as he might desire. + +About half a mile from the fort I halted the column, and taking a +small escort of the 10th Hussars, I rode on with the Governor, who +invited me with my staff into his house. While tea was being handed +round, the Governor (Akram Khan by name) warned me that we should be +attacked, and that he could do nothing to prevent it, having only some +200 local militia and no regular troops. He further said that the +inhabitants of the valley were not directly opposed to the British +Government, and, if left to themselves, would give no trouble; but he +doubted their being able to resist the pressure put upon them by +a large number of tribesmen who had collected from the adjacent +districts, attracted by the smallness of the force, which they +believed 'had been delivered into their hands.' + +This intelligence showed me I must be prepared for a scrimmage, so I +ordered the camp to be pitched in the form of a square as compactly as +possible, with the transport animals and impedimenta in the centre, +and strong piquets at the four angles. Cavalry patrols were sent out +as far as the broken and hilly nature of the ground would permit, and +every endeavour was made to ascertain the strength and whereabouts +of the enemy, but to no purpose: the enemy were invisible, and +the patrols reported that they had come across numbers of +peaceable-looking husbandmen, but no one else. + +The night passed off quietly, but when advancing day made them +visible, multitudes of tribesmen were descried collecting on the +slopes of the neighbouring hills. Some friendly Natives were sent to +ascertain their intentions, followed by a Cavalry reconnoitring party, +when suddenly a number of camel-drivers and mule-men, who had gone to +the nearest village to procure fodder for their animals, came rushing +back to camp in the wildest terror and excitement, declaring that +the enemy seemed to rise as if by magic out of the ground, and that +several thousands were already in the village. No doubt some of these +were 'the peaceable-looking husbandmen' the patrols had encountered +the previous day. I now became somewhat anxious, not only for the +safety of the reconnoitring party, which appeared to be in danger of +being cut off, but for that of the whole force; such a mere handful as +we were compared to the numbers arrayed against us. + +Vigorous action was evidently necessary. Accordingly, I ordered all +the available Cavalry (only 70 men of the 10th Hussars, and 155 of +the 5th Punjab Cavalry), under Colonel Hugh Gough, to follow the +reconnoitring party in case of their being so hard pressed as to have +to retire, and Captain Swinley's Mountain battery, with six companies +of the 28th Punjab Infantry, under Colonel Hudson,[4] to move out +in support. Colonel Drew I left in charge of the camp, with 200 +Highlanders, the 21st Punjab Infantry, and a Mountain battery. I +myself joined Gough, who, by dismounted fire and several bold charges, +notwithstanding the difficult nature of the ground, succeeded in +driving the enemy to the highest ridges, over which Swinley's +well-directed fire eventually forced them to retreat. + +Heavy firing was now heard in the direction of our camp, and I hurried +back, taking with me a troop of the 5th Punjab Cavalry. I found that +during my absence Drew had been attacked on two sides; he had been +able to prevent the enemy from coming to close quarters, but they were +still hovering about at no great distance, and I thought it advisable +to clear them away by moving out against them with all the troops +at my disposal. As we approached, they disappeared with their usual +rapidity; the 5th Punjab Cavalry, however, got in amongst some of +them, and we returned to camp with 100 prisoners, 500 head of cattle, +some sheep, and a large quantity of grain. + +The tribesmen, however, had not been sufficiently punished to prevent +a repetition of the attack, probably with largely increased numbers; +so I ordered the destruction of the hamlets nearest us, in which they +had been sheltered and some of our camp followers had been murdered. + +The next night a most unfortunate occurrence took place, resulting in +the death of six of our prisoners; but it was just one of those things +which could hardly have been foreseen or guarded against, and for +which, however lamentable, no one was to blame. The headmen of the +particular Waziri tribe to which the captives belonged had been +summoned during the day, and told that the men would be released on +payment of a sum of fifty rupees each. The money was paid down at once +for a certain number, who were immediately set free; but there was not +quite enough for all, and the headmen went off to procure what was +required for the ransom of the remainder. Soon after dark, however, +some of the enemy[5] were discovered creeping up the banks of a nulla +at the back of the camp, where the unransomed men were detained under +a guard; the nearest sentry instantly fired, and the piquets all round +took up the firing, thinking that another attack on the camp had +commenced. At the sound of the first shot the prisoners all jumped to +their feet, and calling to each other to escape, attempted to seize +the rifles belonging to the guard, upon which the Native officer in +command (a Pathan like themselves) told them that if they persisted in +trying to escape, they would be shot. His words had no effect, and to +prevent his men being overpowered, he gave the order to fire. Six +of the prisoners were killed and thirteen wounded. It was a most +regrettable affair, but a Court of Inquiry decided that the Native +officer had no option, and completely exonerated the guard from +acting with undue severity. The wounded were, of course, taken to our +hospital, and well cared for by our Doctors.[6] + +The remainder of our sojourn in Khost was not marked by any incident +of particular interest. We marched to the end of the valley, and made +a careful survey of it and of the surrounding hills. + +The instructions I received with regard to Khost were, to occupy the +valley and dislodge the Afghan administration therefrom. To my great +chagrin, the smallness of my force made it impossible for me to give +effect to these instructions as I could have wished. To have remained +in Khost under the circumstances would have been to court disaster; +the numbers of the enemy were daily increasing, and it would have been +impossible to hold our own. It was, however, of great importance, if +practicable, to retain some control over the valley, a peculiarly +productive district, which, if left alone by us, I feared would become +a centre of dangerous intrigue against any settled government in +Kuram. Accordingly I determined to try how placing Khost in charge of +one of our own Native officials would answer, and I selected for the +position Shahzada Sultan Jan, a Saddozai gentleman of good birth, and +a Sunni Mahomedan in religion, who, I thought, would be a _persona +grata_ to the Khostwals, and, if supported by some Native levies, and +associated in his administrative duties with the chief _maliks_ of +Khost, would be more likely to hold his own than anyone else I could +place there. This was, however, a mere experiment, and I did not +disguise from myself that its success was very doubtful; but it was +the only way in which I could attempt to carry out the orders of +Government, my hands being so completely tied by paucity of troops. I +had no fear for the Shahzada's personal safety, and I felt that, if +in the end I should be obliged to abandon Khost altogether for the +present, it could later, if necessary, be easily re-occupied with a +somewhat larger force. + +Having decided on the course to be adopted, I held a durbar, which was +numerously attended, and addressed the people of Khost in much the +same way I had spoken to the Turis in Kuram, expressing a hope that +they would support the Shahzada's authority until a more permanent +form of government could be established. + +On the 27th January we left Khost and made one march; the next day +I halted, so as to be near the Shahzada in case of need. The +intelligence brought to me that evening satisfied me that my +experiment would not answer, and that without troops (which I could +not spare) to support the newly-established authority at first +starting off, we could not hope to maintain any hold over the country; +for though the Khostwals themselves were perfectly content with the +arrangements I had made, they could not resist the tribesmen, who +directly our backs were turned began to show their teeth. Accordingly, +I decided to bring the Shahzada away while I could do so without +trouble. I marched back to Matun the next morning with 1,000 men +(Cavalry and Infantry) and four Mountain guns. We found Sultan Jan in +anything but a happy frame of mind, and quite ready to come away. So +having formally made the place over to the _maliks_, we started on our +return journey. As we departed, a collection of our tribal enemies +(about 3,000) who had been watching the proceedings took the +opportunity to attack us; but two weak squadrons of Cavalry, skilfully +handled by Hugh Gough, kept them in check, and we reached camp without +further molestation. + +The next day, the last of January, we returned to Hazir Pir in Kuram. +There I received a visit from Sirdar Wali Mahomed Khan, brother of +Sher Ali, who was accompanied by several leading men of the Logar +valley, some of whom were of great assistance to me a few months +later. Wali Mahomed was a man of about fifty years of age; he had a +pleasing countenance, of the same Jewish type as the majority of the +Afghan nation, but he had a weak face and was evidently wanting in +character. He told me that he had fled from Kabul to escape the +vengeance of his nephew, Yakub Khan, who attributed his long +imprisonment by his father to the Sirdar's influence. Sir Samuel +Browne and Major Cavagnari, on the Khyber line, were conducting all +political negotiations with the Afghans, so I passed Wali Mahomed Khan +on to them. + +During the month of February my time was chiefly employed in +inspecting the roads and the defensive posts which my talented +and indefatigable Chief Engineer was constructing, examining the +arrangements for housing the troops, and looking after the transport +animals and Commissariat depots. No more military demonstrations were +necessary, for the people were quietly settling down under British +rule. Convoys were no longer molested nor telegraph wires cut; but I +had one rather unpleasant incident with regard to a war Correspondent, +which, until the true facts of the case were understood, brought +me into disrepute with one of the leading London newspapers, the +representative of which I felt myself compelled to dismiss from the +Kuram Field Force. + +Judging from his telegrams, which he brought to me to sign, the nerves +of the Correspondent in question must have been somewhat shaken by the +few and very distant shots fired at us on the 28th November. These +telegrams being in many instances absolutely incorrect and of the most +alarming nature, were of course not allowed to be despatched until +they had been revised in accordance with truth; but one, evidently +altered and added to after I had countersigned it, was brought to me +by the telegraph master. I sent for the Correspondent, who confessed +to having made the alterations, not apparently realizing that he had +done anything at all reprehensible, but he promised that he would +never do such a thing again. This promise was not kept; telegrams +appeared in his paper which I had not seen before despatch, and which +were most misleading to the British public. Moreover, his letters, +over which I could have no control, and which I heard of for the +first time when the copies of his paper arrived in Kuram, were most +subversive of the truth. It was on the receipt of these letters that I +felt it to be my duty to send the too imaginative author to the rear. + +No one could be more anxious than I was to have all details of the +campaign made public. I considered it due to the people of Great +Britain that the press Correspondents should have every opportunity +for giving the fullest and most faithful accounts of what might happen +while the army was in the field, and I took special pains from the +first to treat the Correspondents with confidence, and give them such +information as it was in my power to afford. All I required from them +in return was that the operations should be truthfully reported, and +that any Correspondent who did not confine himself to the recording +of facts, and felt himself competent to criticize the conduct of the +campaign, should be careful to acquaint himself with the many and +varied reasons which a Commander must always have to consider before +deciding on any line of action. + +What to my mind was so reprehensible in this Correspondent's conduct +was the publication, in time of war, and consequent excitement and +anxiety at home, of incorrect and sensational statements, founded on +information derived from irresponsible and uninformed sources, and +the alteration of telegrams after they had been countersigned by the +recognized authority, the result of which could only be to keep the +public in a state of apprehension regarding the force in the field, +and, what is even more to be deprecated, to weaken the confidence +of the troops in their Commander. It was satisfactory to me that my +action in the matter met with the fullest approval of the Viceroy. + +About this time my column was strengthened by the arrival of the +Contingent provided by the Punjab Chiefs, under the command of +Brigadier General John Watson, my comrade of the Mutiny days. The +Contingent consisted of 868 Cavalry, and 2,685 Infantry with 13 guns, +which were placed in position along the line of communication, and +proved of great use in relieving the Regular army of escort duty. +The senior Native officer with the Punjabis was Bakshi Ganda Sing, +Commander-in-Chief of the Patiala army, a particularly handsome, +gentlemanly Sikh, with whom I have ever since been on terms of +friendly intercourse. + +Towards the end of February I paid a visit to Kohat, where my wife met +me; we spent a week together, and I had the pleasure of welcoming to +the frontier that grand regiment, the 92nd Highlanders, which had +been sent up to be in readiness to join my column in the event of an +advance on Kabul becoming necessary. + + +[Footnote 1: + + 'FROM THE VICEROY, LAHORE, TO GENERAL ROBERTS. + '_6th December, 1878._ + + 'I have much pleasure in communicating to you and the force + under your command the following telegram just received + Her Majesty, and desire at the same time to add my warm + congratulations on the success achieved. Message begins: "I have + received the news of the decisive victory of General Roberts, + and the splendid behaviour of my brave soldiers, with pride and + satisfaction, though I must ever deplore the unavoidable loss of + life. Pray inquire after the wounded in my name. May we continue + to receive good news."'] + +[Footnote 2: Both officers died of their wounds soon afterwards.] + +[Footnote 3: + + 'FROM AMIR SHER ALI KHAN TO THE OFFICERS OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. + + 'Be it known to the officers of the British Government that this + suppliant before God never supposed, nor wished, that the matters + [in dispute] between you and myself should come to this issue + [literally, "should come out from the curtain"], or that the veil + of friendship and amity, which has for many years been upheld + between two neighbours and adjoining States, should, without any + cause, be thus drawn aside. + + 'And since you have begun the quarrel and hostilities, and have + advanced on Afghan territory, this suppliant before God, with the + unanimous consent and advice of all the nobles, grandees, and of + the army in Afghanistan, having abandoned his troops, his + realm, and all the possessions of his crown, has departed with + expedition, accompanied by a few attendants, to St. Petersburg, + the capital of the Czar of Russia, where, before a congress, the + whole history of the transactions between myself and yourselves + will be submitted to all the Powers [of Europe]. If you + have anything in dispute with me regarding State affairs in + Afghanistan, you should institute and establish your case at St. + Petersburg, and state and explain what you desire, so that the + questions in dispute between us may be made known and clear to all + the Powers. And surely the side of right will not be overlooked. + If your intentions are otherwise, and you entertain hostile and + vindictive feelings towards the people of Afghanistan, God alone + is their Protector and real Preserver. Upon the course of action + here above stated this suppliant before God has resolved and + decided.'] + +[Footnote 4: The late Lieutenant-General Sir John Hudson, K.C.B., who +died as Commander-in-Chief of the Bombay Army.] + +[Footnote 5: No doubt friends of the prisoners, who had come to help +them to escape.] + +[Footnote 6: This occurrence was made great capital of by the anti-war +party at home. A member of the House of Commons, in commenting upon +it, said that 'some ninety prisoners, who had been taken, had been +tied together with ropes'; that 'on their making some attempt to +escape they were set upon, and many of them slaughtered in their +bonds'; and that 'the dead, the living, the dying, and the wounded +were left tied together, and lying in one confused mass of bodies.'] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XLVIII. +1879 + + Sher Ali's death--Premature negotiations--The treaty of Gandamak + --Making friends with the tribesmen--Gloomy forebodings + --Good-bye to Cavagnari + + +I was informed by the Viceroy's Private Secretary in the beginning of +March that, unless satisfactory arrangements could soon be come to +with Yakub Khan, an onward move would have to be made. Accordingly I +now set about preparing for such a contingency. + +Sher Ali had died in Afghan Turkestan on the 21st February, and, in +communicating the event to the Viceroy, Yakub Khan wrote that he was +anxious matters might be so arranged that 'the friendship of this +God-granted State with the illustrious British Government may remain +constant and firm.' + +The new Amir was told in reply that Lord Lytton was prepared to enter +into negotiations for the conclusion of peace, and for the restoration +of a friendly alliance between the two Governments, provided that His +Highness renounced all claim to authority over the Khyber and Michni +Passes, and the independent tribes inhabiting the territory directly +connected with the main routes leading to India; that the district +of Kuram from Thal to the crest of the Shutargardan Pass, and the +districts of Pishin and Sibi, should remain under the control of the +British Government; that the foreign relations of Afghanistan should +be conducted in accordance with the advice and wishes of the British +Government; and that British officers should be accredited to the +Kabul Government, and permitted to reside at such places as might +hereafter be decided upon. + +Yakub Khan's reply was not altogether satisfactory. He agreed to +British officers being deputed to Afghanistan on the understanding +that they should reside in Kabul, and abstain from interference in +State affairs; but he declined to renounce his authority over the +Khyber and Michni Passes and the tribes in their vicinity, and refused +to consent to Kuram, Pishin, and Sibi being placed under British +protection. + +The Viceroy now determined to try what a personal conference between +the Amir and Cavagnari could effect towards a settlement of these +vexed questions, so in answering the Amir Cavagnari was directed +to convey a hint that an invitation to him to visit Kabul might be +productive of good results, and to point out that the places we +desired to occupy were looked upon as essential to the permanent +security of the Indian frontier. The Amir replied, expressing his +readiness to receive Cavagnari in his capital, and laying stress on +his determination to regulate his future conduct in strict conformity +with his professions of loyalty, but begged that he might not be +called upon to cede any portion of his territory. + +Hardly had this letter, dated the 29th March, been received, than a +proclamation addressed by Yakub to the Khagianis, a tribe which had +been giving much trouble, was intercepted and brought to Cavagnari; in +it the Amir praised and complimented the Khagianis for their religious +zeal and fidelity to himself. He exhorted them to have no fear of the +infidels, against whom he was about to launch an irresistible force of +troops and _Ghazis_, and wound up as follows: 'By the favour of +God, and in accordance with the verse "Verily God has destroyed the +powerful ones," the whole of them will go to the fire of hell for +evermore. Therefore kill them to the extent of your ability.' A +curious commentary this on the Amir's protestation of loyalty. + +Notwithstanding this piece of treachery, it was decided not to break +off negotiations, and Yakub Khan was informed by Cavagnari that a +Mission would proceed to Kabul so soon as the necessary arrangements +could be made for its reception. At the same time Lord Lytton himself +wrote to the Amir, telling him that, as he was willing to receive an +Envoy, Cavagnari would be deputed to visit Kabul, and communicate +unreservedly with him upon the questions at issue between the two +States. + +I, personally, was not at all satisfied that the time had come for +negotiation, for I felt that the Afghans had not had the sense of +defeat sufficiently driven into them to convince them of our strength +and ability to punish breach of treaty, and, therefore, that a peace +made now, before they had been thoroughly beaten, would not be a +lasting one, and would only end in worse trouble in the near future. +The Afghans are an essentially arrogant and conceited people; they had +not forgotten our disastrous retreat from Kabul, nor the annihilation +of our array in the Khurd Kabul and Jagdalak Passes in 1842, and +believed themselves to be quite capable of resisting our advance on +Kabul. No great battle had as yet been fought; though Ali Masjid and +the Peiwar Kotal had been taken, a small force of the enemy had been +beaten by Charles Gough's brigade, near Jalalabad, and a successful +Cavalry skirmish had occurred near Kandahar, the Afghans had nowhere +suffered serious loss, and it was not to be wondered at if the +fighting men in distant villages, and in and around Kabul, Ghazni, +Herat, Balkh, and other places, still considered themselves undefeated +and capable of defying us. They and their leaders had to depend for +information as to recent events upon the garbled accounts of those who +had fought against us, and it was unlikely they would be shaken in +their belief in their superiority by such one-sided versions of what +had occurred. On many occasions I had been amused, in listening to +Afghan conversation, to find that, while they appeared thoroughly +conversant with and frequently alluded to their triumphs over us, they +seemed to know nothing, or had no recollection, of Sale's successful +defence of Jalalabad, or of Pollock's victorious march through the +Khyber Pass and the destruction by him of the chief bazaar in Kabul. + +My ideas about the negotiations being premature were freely expressed +to Colonel Colley,[1] Lord Lytton's Private Secretary, who paid me a +visit in Kuram at this time, and had been a constant correspondent of +mine from the commencement of the war. Colley, however, explained to +me that, right or wrong, the Viceroy had no option in the matter; that +there was the strongest feeling in England against the continuance of +the war; and that, unless the new Amir proved actively hostile, peace +must be signed. He expressed himself sanguine that the terms of the +treaty which Cavagnari hoped to conclude with Yakub Khan would give us +an improved frontier, and a permanent paramount influence at Kabul, +the two points about which he said the Viceroy was most anxious, and +to which he assigned the first place in his political programme. Lord +Lytton foresaw that, whatever might be the future policy of the two +European Powers concerned, the contact of the frontiers of Great +Britain and Russia in Asia was only a matter of time, and his aim was +to make sure that the conterminous line, whenever it might be reached, +should be of our choosing, and not one depending on the exigencies of +the moment, or on the demands of Russia. + +The Native agent (Bukhtiar Khan), who was the bearer of the Viceroy's +and Cavagnari's letters to the Amir, reached Kabul at the moment +when the Afghan officials who had accompanied Sher Ali in his flight +returned to that place from Turkestan. Counsel was held with these men +as to the manner of receiving the British Mission; but there was an +influential military party averse to peace, and the Amir was strongly +advised to abandon the English alliance and trust to Russia. Upon +hearing this, our agent became alarmed for the safety of the Mission, +and being apprehensive that Yakub Khan would not have the power to +protect its members from insult, he suggested to the Amir that he +should visit our camp instead of the British Mission coming to Kabul, +a suggestion which was ultimately adopted, the Viceroy considering +that it was infinitely the best arrangement that could be made. + +On the 8th May the Amir arrived in Sir Samuel Browne's camp at +Gandamak, thirty miles on the Kabul side of Jalalabad, and on the +26th, owing to the tact and diplomatic skill of Louis Cavagnari, the +Treaty of Gandamak was signed, and so ended the first phase of the +second Afghan war. + +Under the terms of the treaty, Yakub Khan agreed to the cession of +territory considered necessary by us, and bound himself to conduct +his foreign policy in accordance with the advice of the British +Government; while, on our side, we promised to support him against +external aggression. It was further arranged that a British +representative, with a suitable escort, should reside at Kabul;[2] +that the Amir should in like manner (if he desired it) depute an agent +to the Viceregal Court; that British agents with sufficient escorts +should be at liberty to visit the Afghan frontiers whenever, in the +interests of both countries, it was considered necessary by the +British Government; that there should be no hindrance to British +subjects trading peaceably within the Amir's dominions; that traders +should be protected, the transit of merchandise facilitated, and roads +kept in good order; that a line of telegraph should be constructed +from India to Kabul, at the expense of the British, but under the +protection of the Afghan Government; and that an annual subsidy of six +lakhs of rupees should be paid to the Amir and his successors. + +The Khyber column was now withdrawn, with the exception of two +brigades, and orders were sent to the Kandahar column to prepare to +withdraw on the 1st September, the earliest date at which the troops +could safely march through the Bolan Pass. I was told to stay where +I was, as Kuram, by the treaty conditions, was to remain under our +control and be administered by the British Government. + +On the 24th May I held a parade in honour of the Queen's birthday, at +which 6,450 officers and men were present.[3] They were thoroughly fit +and workmanlike, and being anxious that the tribesmen should see what +grand soldiers I had at hand should an advance be necessary, I invited +all the neighbouring clans to witness the display. The Afghans were +seated in picturesque groups round the flag-staff, when suddenly, as +the first round of the _feu-de-joie_ was fired, they started to their +feet, thinking that treachery was intended, and that they were +caught in a trap: they took to their heels, and we had considerable +difficulty in bringing them back, and in making them understand that +the firing which had so upset their equanimity was only a sign of +rejoicing on that auspicious anniversary. By degrees they became +assured that there was no thought of taking an unfair advantage of +them, and at the conclusion of the ceremony they were made happy by a +present of sheep. In the afternoon an impromptu rifle meeting was got +up. The matchlock men could not hold their own against our good shots +armed with Martini-Henry rifles, a fact which evidently greatly +impressed the tribesmen, some of whom then and there came forward and +promised that if I should be required to advance on Kabul they would +not oppose me. + +I took advantage of our improved relations with the Afghans, +consequent on the ratification of the treaty, to enlarge our +geographical knowledge of the passes which lead from Kuram towards +Kabul, and the independent territories in the neighbourhood. The +presence of the troops, no doubt, had something to say to the cheerful +acquiescence of the tribesmen in these explorations, which they +appeared to look upon as the result of a wish to make ourselves +acquainted with the country assigned to us by the treaty, and having, +to use their own expression, lifted for us the _purdah_ (curtain) of +their country, they became most friendly, and took a curious pleasure +in pointing out to us the points of defence at which they would have +opposed us, had we been advancing as enemies. + +Towards the end of June I heard from Lord Lytton that he wished me to +be one of the military members of a Commission of Inquiry into army +expenditure and organization which was about to be convened at Simla, +if I thought I could be spared from my post at Kuram. The people of +the valley had by this time settled down so contentedly, and the +tribesmen showed themselves so peacefully disposed, that I thought I +could safely leave my post for a time, before returning to take up my +abode in the neighbourhood for some years, as I hoped to do, when my +appointment as Frontier Commissioner should have received the sanction +of the authorities in England. + +Meanwhile, however, some temporary arrangement was necessary for the +administration of Kuram, and I wrote to the Foreign Secretary (Alfred +Lyall), pointing out my views upon the subject. + +Seeing how much could be done with these wild people by personal +influence, and how ready they were to submit to my decisions when +disputes arose amongst them--decisions at times literally given from +the saddle--I was very adverse to their being handed over to some +official who, from his training, would not be able to understand +dealing out the rough-and-ready justice which alone was suited to +these lawless beings, and who could not imagine any question being +properly settled without its having undergone the tedious process of +passing through the law courts. Such a rule would, I knew, disgust +a people accustomed to decide their quarrels at the point of the +sword--a people to whom law and order had been hitherto unknown, +and must be distasteful, until they had had time to realize their +beneficial effects. Profitable employment and judicious management +would in time, no doubt, turn them into peaceful subjects. Friendly +intercourse had already done much towards this end, and tribes who for +generations had been at feud with each other now met, when visiting +our camp, on common ground, without (much I think to their own +astonishment) wanting to cut each other's throats. What was further +required, I conceived, was the opening up of the country by means of +roads, which would facilitate intercommunication and give remunerative +employment to thousands who had hitherto lived by plunder and +bloodshed. + +In answering my letter, the Foreign Secretary informed me that the +future of Kuram would be settled when I reached Simla, whither I +was to proceed so soon as I had seen the British Mission across the +frontier. + +On the 15th July Major Cavagnari, who had been selected as 'the Envoy +and Plenipotentiary to His Highness the Amir of Kabul,' arrived in +Kuram, accompanied by Mr. William Jenkins, C.I.E., of the Civil +Service, and Lieutenant Hamilton, V.C., Surgeon-Major Kelly, 25 +Cavalry and 50 Infantry of the Guides Corps. I, with some fifty +officers who were anxious to do honour to the Envoy and see the +country beyond Kuram, marched with Cavagnari to within five miles of +the crest of the Shutargardan Pass, where we encamped, and my staff +and I dined that evening with the Mission. After dinner I was asked to +propose the health of Cavagnari and those with him, but somehow I did +not feel equal to the task; I was so thoroughly depressed, and my mind +was filled with such gloomy forebodings as to the fate of these fine +fellows, that I could not utter a word. Like many others, I thought +that peace had been signed too quickly, before, in fact, we had +instilled that awe of us into the Afghan nation which would have been +the only reliable guarantee for the safety of the Mission. Had we +shown our strength by marching to Kabul in the first instance, whether +opposed or not, and there dictated the terms of the treaty, there +would have been some assurance for its being adhered to; as it was, +I could not help feeling there was none, and that the chances were +against the Mission ever coming back. + +Cavagnari, however, showed no sign of sharing my forebodings; he and +his companions were in the best of spirits; he spoke most hopefully of +the future, and talked of a tour he hoped to make with me in the cold +weather along the northern and western frontiers of Afghanistan. Other +matters of intense interest to us both were discussed, and before +separating for the night it was arranged that Mrs. Cavagnari should +either join him in Kabul the following spring, or come and stay with +my wife and me in Kuram, where I had already laid the foundations of a +house near the beautifully situated village of Shalufzan. + +Early next morning the Sirdar, who had been deputed by the Amir to +receive the Mission, came into camp, and soon we all started for the +top of the pass. We had gone about a mile, when we were joined by an +escort of Afghan Cavalry, dressed something like British Dragoons, +with the exception of their head-gear, which consisted of the +discarded helmets of the old Bengal Horse Artillery. They were mounted +on small, useful-looking horses, and were armed with smooth-bore +carbines and _tulwars_ (Native swords). + +As we ascended, curiously enough, we came across a solitary magpie, +which I should not have noticed had not Cavagnari pointed it out and +begged me not to mention the fact of his having seen it to his wife, +as she would be sure to consider it an unlucky omen. + +On reaching the Afghan camp, we were received in a large, tastefully +decorated tent, where tea was served, and we were afterwards conducted +to the top of the mountain, where carpets were spread and more tea +passed round, while we gazed on the fine view of the Logar valley +which stretched out beneath us. + +On descending to the camp, we were invited to partake of dinner, +served in Oriental fashion on a carpet spread on the ground. +Everything was done most lavishly and gracefully, and nothing was +omitted that was calculated to do us honour. Nevertheless, I could not +feel happy as to the prospects of the Mission, and my heart sank as I +wished Cavagnari good-bye. When we had proceeded a few yards in our +different directions, we both turned round, retraced our steps, shook +hands once more, and parted for ever. + +I did not delay at Kuram; there was nothing to keep me there, and the +prospect of getting back to my belongings and to civilization, now +that all active work was at an end, was too alluring to be withstood. +My wife met me at the foot of the Hills, and we drove up to Simla +together. I was greeted by Lord Lytton and many kind friends most +warmly, and had the gratification of hearing that I had been made a +K.C.B., and that I had been accorded the thanks of both Houses of +Parliament. + +I was soon deep in the work of the Army Commission, which met for +the first time under the presidency of the Hon. Sir Ashley Eden,[4] +K.C.S.I., on the 1st August. The heavy loss to the revenues of India, +consequent on the unfavourable rate of exchange, rendered extensive +reductions in public expenditure imperative, and the object of this +Commission was to find out how the cost of the army could be reduced +without impairing its efficiency. + +Very little was done at the first meeting, and at its close Eden +confessed to me that he did not at all see his way, and that he was +somewhat aghast at the difficulties of the task before the Commission. +To me it seemed clear that the maintenance of a separate army for each +presidency, Bengal, Bombay, and Madras, was at the root of the evils +it was our duty to consider and try to reform; and I promised the +President that, before the Commission again assembled, I would prepare +a scheme which might form a basis for them to work upon. + +I considered it an anachronism, since railways and telegraphs had +annihilated distance, to keep up three Commanders-in-Chief, and +separate departments, each having an independent head, in the three +different presidencies. I put my ideas on paper, and Eden announced +himself in favour of my scheme, which substituted for the three +presidential armies four army corps, all subordinate to the +Commander-in-Chief in India. Portions of my recommendation began to +be carried into effect directly they had received the sanction of the +authorities in England--such as the amalgamation of the Commissariat, +Pay, Ordnance, and Stud departments--but it was not until April, +1895, sixteen years after the proposal had been recommended by the +Government of India, and although, during that period, four successive +Viceroys, each backed up by a unanimous Council, had declared +themselves strongly in favour of the change, that the finishing touch +was given to the new organization, by the abolition of the offices of +Commanders-in-Chief of Madras and Bombay, and the creation of four +Army Corps, namely, the Punjab, the Bengal, the Madras, and the +Bombay, each commanded by a Lieutenant-General. + + +[Footnote 1: The late Major-General Sir George Colley, K.C.B.] + +[Footnote 2: Kabul was expressly selected by Yakub Khan as the place +where he wished the Embassy to reside.] + +[Footnote 3: At this parade I had the great pleasure of decorating +Captain Cook with the Victoria Cross, and Subadar Ragobir Nagarkoti, +Jemadar Pursoo Khatri, Native Doctor Sankar Dass, and five riflemen of +the 5th Gurkhas, with the Order of Merit, for their gallant conduct +in the attack on the Spingawi Kotal, and during the passage of the +Mangior defile. It was a happy circumstance that Major Galbraith, who +owed his life to Captain Cook's intrepidity, and Major Fitz-Hugh, +whose life was saved by Jemadar (then Havildar) Pursoo Khatri, should +both have been present on the parade.] + +[Footnote 4: Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER XLIX. +1879 + + Massacre of the Embassy--The Kabul Field Force + --Lord Lytton's foresightedness--Start for Kabul--Letter to the Amir + --Proclamation to the people of Kabul--Yakub Khan's agents + --Reasons for remaining at Alikhel + + +My wife and I thought and talked much over our new life on the +frontier, to which we both looked forward with great interest and +pleasure, but, before entering upon it, we settled to go home for +a time to place our boy at school and see our friends, and we were +arranging our plans accordingly, when suddenly our 'castles in the +air' were dashed to the ground by a ruthless blow from the hand of +Fate, and the whole of India, the whole of the civilized world, was +struck with grief, horror, and indignation at the awful news of the +massacre at Kabul of Cavagnari and his gallant companions. + +Throughout the month of August telegrams and letters constantly came +from Cavagnari (now a Lieutenant-Colonel and a K.C.B.) to the Viceroy, +the Foreign Secretary, and myself, in which he always expressed +himself in such a manner as to lead to the belief that he was +perfectly content with his position, and felt himself quite secure; +and in his very last letter, dated the 30th August, received after his +death, he wrote: 'I personally believe that Yakub Khan will turn out +to be a very good ally, and that we shall be able to keep him to +his engagements.' His last telegram to the Viceroy, dated the 2nd +September, concluded with the words, 'All well.' Cavagnari mentioned +in one of his letters that the Afghan soldiers were inclined to be +mutinous, and in another that a dispute had arisen in the bazaar +between them and the men of the British escort, but at the same time +he expressed his confidence in the Amir's ability and determination +to maintain order; I could not, however, help being anxious about +Cavagnari, or divest myself of the feeling that he might be +over-estimating Yakub Khan's power, even if His Highness had the will, +to protect the Mission. + +Between one and two o'clock on the morning of the 5th September, I was +awakened by my wife telling me that a telegraph man had been wandering +round the house and calling for some time, but that no one had +answered him.[1] I got up, went downstairs, and, taking the telegram +from the man, brought it up to my dressing-room, and opened it; it +proved to be from Captain Conolly, Political Officer at Alikhel, dated +the 4th September. The contents told me that my worst fears--fears I +had hardly acknowledged to myself--had been only too fully realized. +The telegram ran: + + 'One Jelaladin Ghilzai, who says he is in Sir Louis Cavagnari's + secret service, has arrived in hot haste from Kabul, and solemnly + states that yesterday morning the Residency was attacked by three + regiments who had mutinied for their pay, they having guns, and + being joined by a portion of six other regiments. The Embassy + and escort were defending themselves when he left about noon + yesterday. I hope to receive further news.' + +I was paralyzed for the moment, but was roused by my wife calling out, +'What is it? Is it bad news from Kabul?' She had divined my fears +about Cavagnari, and had been as anxious about him as I had been +myself. I replied, 'Yes, very bad, if true. I hope it is not.' But I +felt it was. I woke my A.D.C., and sent him off at once to the Viceroy +with the telegram. The evil tidings spread rapidly. I was no sooner +dressed than Mr. Alfred Lyall arrived. We talked matters over, I +despatched a telegram[2] to Captain Conolly, and we then went off to +Lord Lytton. + +Early as it was, I found the Council assembled. The gravity of the +situation was thoroughly appreciated, and it was unanimously decided +that, should the disastrous report prove to be true, troops must +proceed to Kabul with the least possible delay to avenge or, if +happily incorrect or exaggerated, to support the Mission. + +Sir Samuel Browne's force had been broken up, Sir Donald Stewart was +in far off Kandahar, and his troops had, all but a small number, left +on their return march to India; the Kuram force was, therefore, the +only one in a position to reach Kabul quickly, and I was ordered to +proceed at once to Kuram and resume my command. + +As a preliminary measure, Brigadier-General Massy, who had been placed +in temporary command during my absence, was directed to move troops +to the Shutargardan, where they were to entrench themselves and await +orders, while Stewart was directed to stop all regiments on their way +back to India, and himself hold fast at Kandahar. + +During the day further telegrams were received confirming the truth of +the first report, and telling of the Mission having been overwhelmed +and every member of it cruelly massacred; and later Captain Conolly +telegraphed that messengers had arrived from the Amir bringing two +letters addressed to me giving his version of what had occurred. + +During the few hours I remained at Simla I was busily engaged in +discussing with Sir Frederick Haines the formation of the Kabul Field +Force,[3] as my new command was designated, and the many important +matters which had to be considered. More troops had to be hurried up, +for it would be necessary to hold Kuram in strength while I moved +on to Kabul, and, as communication by the Shutargardan could not be +depended upon after December, on account of snow, the Khyber route +would have to be opened out. + +At the commencement of the last year's campaign my anxiety had been so +largely increased by having been given officers totally inexperienced +in war to fill the higher posts in the Kuram column, that I did not +hesitate to press upon the Commander-in-Chief, now that I had a far +more difficult operation to carry through, the importance of my senior +officers being tried men on whom I could implicitly rely; and I +succeeded in getting for the command of my two Infantry brigades +Herbert Macpherson[4] and T. D. Baker,[5] the Viceroy's Military +Secretary, both of whom had seen a good deal of service, while the +former had already commanded a brigade in the field. + +To the command of the Artillery and Cavalry, Lieutenant-Colonel B. +Gordon and Brigadier-General Massy were appointed, neither of whom had +much experience of war. Gordon had served in Central India during +the Mutiny, and Massy by his pluck as a subaltern of Infantry in the +Crimea had gained for himself the _sobriquet_ of 'Redan' Massy. But +he had not served with Cavalry in the field, and from my slight +acquaintance with him I could not say whether he possessed the very +exceptional qualities required in a Cavalry Commander. + +My staff had proved themselves so capable and reliable that I had no +wish to make any change; it was, however, materially strengthened by +the addition of Colonel MacGregor,[6] as 'Chief of the Staff,' with +Captain Combe,[7] 10th Hussars, and Lieutenant Manners Smith[8] as +Deputy-Assistant Quartermaster-Generals. + +Mr. H.M. Durand[9] was attached to me as Political Secretary, and +Major Hastings as Political Officer, in place of Colonel Waterfield, +who was _hors de combat_ from a broken leg. Hugh Gough, with the rank +of Brigadier-General, and Major Mark Heathcote as his assistant, were +placed in charge of the lines of communication. + +Before leaving Simla I paid a farewell visit to Lord Lytton. I found +him in a state of deep distress and depression. To a man of his +affectionate disposition, the fate of Cavagnari, for whom he had a +great personal regard, was a real grief. But on public grounds he felt +still more strongly the collapse of the Mission and the consequent +heavy blow to the policy he had so much at heart, viz., the +rectification of our defective frontier, and the rendering India +secure against foreign aggression--a policy which, though scouted at +the time by a party which later became all-powerful, has since been +justified by the action of successive Governments, Liberal and +Conservative alike, until at the present moment our frontier is +gradually becoming what Lord Lytton, with his clear foresightedness +and intelligent appreciation of our responsibilities and India's +requirements, would then have made it. + +In answer to my request for instructions as to the line I should take +about our future relations with the Afghans, Lord Lytton said: +'You can tell them we shall never again altogether withdraw from +Afghanistan, and that those who help you will be befriended and +protected by the British Government.' + +While I was with Lord Lytton, a telegram[10] was brought in from +Captain Conolly, reporting the details of the attack upon the Embassy, +as given to him by the messenger who had been entrusted by the Amir +to deliver the two letters addressed to me. In this telegram Conolly +solicited instructions as to what he was to communicate to the Amir in +reply to His Highness's request for aid, and inquired whether he was +at liberty to make terms with one Badshah Khan, an influential Ghilzai +Chief, who had come to Alikhel to offer his services. + +The following telegram was sent in reply by the Foreign Secretary: + + 'Your telegram 6th. Reply to the Amir at once from the Viceroy + that a strong British force under General Roberts will march + speedily on Kabul to his relief, from the Shutargardan, and + that he should use all his resources to co-operate with, and + facilitate, the advance of the troops through his country. Your + proposal to subsidize Badshah Khan and accept his services is + approved. Roberts will send detailed instructions.' + +Late in the afternoon of the same day (September 6th) I left Simla, +accompanied by my wife as far as Umballa, where I found my staff +waiting for me. She saw us off in the train, bidding us a cheery +good-bye and good luck, but I am afraid the return journey must have +been a sad one for her. + +Thought for the immediate future filled my mind as we sped on our way +to the front, and not a few difficulties connected with the proposed +advance on Kabul presented themselves to me. My chief causes for +anxiety were the insufficiency of transport, and the great extent of +the lines of communication which would have to be guarded. It would +be necessary to hold the country in strength from Thal to the +Shutargardan, a distance of 115 miles, until such time as the Khyber +route could be opened, and I felt that the force at my disposal +(7,500 men and 22 guns) was none too large for the work before +it, considering that I should have to provide a garrison for the +Shutargardan, if not for other posts between that place and Kabul. + +My Commissariat arrangements, too, caused me many misgivings, +increased by the fact that Major Badcock, my chief Commissariat +Officer, and Major Collett, my Assistant Quartermaster-General, who +had afforded such valuable aid in Kuram, thinking the war was at an +end, had taken leave to England. My doubts vanished, however, and my +spirits rose at the sight of my brave troops, and the enthusiastic +welcome they gave me as I rode through Kuram on the 12th September on +my way to Alikhel. A splendid spirit pervaded the whole force; the +men's hearts were on fire with eager desire to press on to Kabul, and +be led against the miscreants who had foully massacred our countrymen, +and I felt assured that whatever it was possible for dauntless +courage, unselfish devotion, and firm determination to achieve, would +be achieved by my gallant soldiers. + +On reaching Alikhel, Captain Conolly handed to me the Amir's +letters,[11] to which I replied at once, and the next day, under +instructions from the Government of India, I wrote to His Highness +that, in conformity with his own special request that an English +officer should be deputed as Envoy to his Court, and on condition that +he would himself be responsible for the protection and honourable +treatment of such an Envoy, Major Cavagnari and three British officers +had been allowed to go to Kabul, all of whom within six weeks had been +ruthlessly murdered by his troops and subjects; that his inability to +carry out the treaty engagements, and his powerlessness to establish +his authority, even in his own capital, having thus become apparent, +an English army would now advance on Kabul with the double object of +consolidating his Government, should he himself loyally do his best to +fulfil the terms of the treaty, and of exacting retribution from the +murderers of the British Mission. But that, although His Highness laid +great stress in his letter of the 4th September on the sincerity of +his friendship, my Government had been informed that emissaries had +been despatched from Kabul to rouse the country people and tribes +against us, and as this action appeared inconsistent with friendly +intentions, I considered it necessary for His Highness to send a +confidential representative to confer with me and explain his object. + +I had little doubt as to the truth of the report that the Amir was +using every effort to incite the Ghilzais and other tribes to oppose +us, and I was confirmed in my conviction by a Native gentleman, Nawab +Ghulam Hussein Khan,[12] at one time our agent at Kabul, who told me +that, although he did not believe that Yakub Khan had actually planned +the massacre of the Embassy, he had certainly taken no steps to +prevent it, and that he, Ghulam Hussein Khan, was convinced that the +Amir was now playing us false. It was, therefore, a relief to +find awaiting me at Alikhel several of the leading men from the +neighbouring districts, to whom I had telegraphed, before leaving +Simla, asking them to meet me. + +These men were profuse in their proffers of assistance, and, although +I did not place a great deal of faith in their promises, I came to the +conclusion that, notwithstanding Yakub Khan's treacherous efforts to +stir up the tribes, if I could only push on rapidly with a fairly +strong force, I need not anticipate any opposition that I could not +overcome. Everything depended on speed, but rapidity of movement +depended on the condition of the transport service, and my inspection +of the animals, as I passed through Kuram, was not calculated to +raise hopes of being able to make a very quick advance; for, owing +to continuous hard work and the want of a staff of trained transport +attendants, the numbers of animals had steadily diminished, and those +that remained were for the most part sickly and out of condition. + +On the 16th of September I issued a Proclamation,[13] copies of which +I caused to be sent to the people of Kabul, Ghazni, and all the +neighbouring tribes; this, I hoped, would facilitate our advance, and +reassure those who had taken no part in the attack on the Residency. +I also wrote a letter[14] to the _maliks_ of the Logar valley, whose +territory we must enter directly we had crossed the Shutargardan, and +whose co-operation I was most anxious to obtain. On the 18th I again +wrote[15] to the Amir, enclosing copies of these two documents, and +informing him that I was still awaiting a reply to my first letter +and the arrival of His Highness's confidential representative; that I +hoped he would soon issue the necessary orders for the furtherance of +our plans and that he might rest assured of the support of the British +Government. + +On the 19th September matters had so far progressed that I was able to +tell the Viceroy that Brigadier-General Baker was entrenched with his +brigade on the Shutargardan, and engaged in improving the road to +Kushi, the first halting-place in the Logar valley; that supplies were +being collected by means of local transport; that I was bringing up +reserve ammunition and treasure from the rear on Artillery waggons; +and that every possible effort was being made to render the force +mobile. + +On the 20th I received the Amir's reply. He expressed regret that +he was unable to come to Alikhel himself, but intimated that he was +sending two confidential agents, his Mustaufi (Finance Minister), +Habibulla Khan, and his Wazir (Prime Minister), Shah Mahomed Khan, who +accordingly arrived the next day. + +At each interview I had with these gentlemen during the three days +they remained in my camp, they impressed upon me that the Amir was +inclined to be most friendly, and that his only wish was to be guided +by the advice of the British Government. But, notwithstanding these +plausible assurances, I soon discovered that Yakub Khan's real object +in sending these two high officials was to stop the advance of the +force, and induce me to leave the punishment of the troops who had +committed the massacre in the hands of the Afghan authorities, or else +to delay us long enough to give time for the whole country to rise +against us. + +As the conversations which were carried on at the meetings with the +Afghan agents are interesting, and have an important bearing on the +subsequent proceedings, I give in the Appendix* the notes taken at the +time by my Political Secretary. + +(*Appendix V.) + +I was anxious to keep one of the Amir's representatives with me, but +neither of them was willing to remain, so I felt bound to let them +both depart, taking with them the following letter to the Amir: + + TO HIS HIGHNESS THE AMIR OF KABUL. + + _Camp, Alikhel, 25th September, 1879._ + + (After compliments.) I have received Your Highness's two letters + of the 19th and 20th September (1st and 2nd Shawal), delivered + to me by the hands of Your Highness's two confidential + representatives, Mustaufi Habibulla Khan and Wazir Shah Mahomed. + + I am much obliged to Your Highness for sending me two such + well-known men, and of such character as the Mustaufi and the + Wazir. They have informed me of Your Highness's wishes, and I + quite understand all they have told me. It is unfortunate that the + season is so late, and that winter will soon be here; but there is + yet time for a British army to reach Kabul before the great cold + sets in. + + The Viceroy of India is much concerned that there should have been + any delay in promptly acceding to Your Highness's request for + advice and assistance, as conveyed in Your Highness's letters of + the 3rd and 4th instant. It was His Excellency's earnest wish + that troops should march on Kabul at once, so as to ensure Your + Highness's personal safety and aid Your Highness in restoring + peace and order at your capital. + + Unfortunately, the want of transport, and the necessity for + collecting a certain amount of supplies, have caused a few weeks' + delay; it is, however, a source of gratification and happiness to + the Viceroy to learn that Your Highness's safety is not at present + endangered, and His Excellency trusts Your Highness will be able + to keep everything quiet in your kingdom, until such time as + British troops may reach Kabul. + + I am glad to be able to inform Your Highness that news reached me + yesterday of the departure of a considerable force from Kandahar + under the command of a brave and distinguished officer, and that + a large body of troops, under command of General Bright, were + advancing rapidly from Peshawar to Jalalabad and onwards _viâ_ + Gandamak to Kabul. My own force will, I hope, be in a state to + march before long. As Your Highness is aware, the Shutargardan has + been occupied for some days. Meanwhile regiments of Cavalry and + Infantry and batteries of Artillery have reached Kuram to replace + those I am taking on with me, and to reinforce my own column + should a necessity for more troops arise--a contingency I do not + in the least expect. + + The Viceroy of India, in His Excellency's anxiety for Your + Highness's welfare and safety, issued orders that each of the + three armies, now advancing from Kandahar, Kuram, and the Khyber, + should be strong enough to overcome any opposition Your Highness's + enemies could possibly offer. That each is strong enough there can + be no doubt. + + I understand that there is no one at Kelat-i-Ghilzai or Ghazni to + stop the progress of the troops _en route_ from Kandahar. There is + no reason, therefore, why they should not reach Kabul in a very + short time. + + The Khyber tribes, having understood and appreciated the Treaty + of peace made by Your Highness with the British Government in May + last, have unanimously agreed to assist the troops from Peshawar + in every way, and are now eager to keep the road through the + Khyber safe, and to place all their transport animals at the + disposal of the British Commander, who will thus be enabled to + concentrate his force rapidly at Kabul. Through the kindness of + Your Highness I have experienced much less difficulty than I could + have expected, and I may now reasonably hope to be with Your + Highness at least as soon as either the Kandahar or Khyber column. + I look forward with great pleasure to the meeting with Your + Highness, and trust that you will continue your kind assistance to + obtain for me supplies and transport. + + I have carefully considered Your Highness's proposal that you + yourself should be permitted to administer just punishment to the + mutinous troops and others who shared in the treacherous and cruel + attack on the British Envoy and his small escort, and thus save + Her Majesty's troops the trouble, hardship, and privation which + must necessarily be encountered by an advance on Kabul at this + season of the year. I thank Your Highness most cordially, on the + part of the Viceroy and Government of India, for this further + proof of Your Highness's friendly feelings. Under ordinary + circumstances such an offer would be gratefully and willingly + accepted, but after what has recently occurred, I feel sure that + the great British nation would not rest satisfied unless a British + army marched to Kabul and there assisted Your Highness to inflict + such punishments as so terrible and dastardly an act deserves. + + I have forwarded Your Highness's letters in original to the + Viceroy; a copy of this, my reply, will be submitted by to-day's + post for His Excellency's consideration. Meanwhile I have + permitted Mustaufi Habibulla Khan and Wazir Shah Mahomed to take + their leave and rejoin Your Highness. + +I delayed my own departure from Alikhel until a sufficiency of +supplies had been collected at Kushi, and everything was ready for as +rapid an advance on Kabul as my limited transport would admit of; for, +so long as I remained behind, the people of Afghanistan could not +be sure of my intentions, and no doubt hoped that the Amir's +remonstrances would have the desired effect, and prevent our doing +more than occupying the Shutargardan, or making a demonstration toward +Kushi. My crossing the pass would, I knew, be the signal for all those +determined on opposition to assemble; it was politic, therefore, to +remain behind until the last moment. + +When all arrangements were complete, so far as was possible with the +means at my disposal, I issued the following Field Force Order: + + 'The Government of India having decided that a force shall proceed + with all possible despatch to Kabul, in response to His Highness + the Amir's appeal for aid, and with the object of avenging the + dastardly murder of the British representative and his escort, Sir + Frederick Roberts feels sure that the troops under his command + will respond to the call with a determination to prove themselves + worthy of the high reputation they have maintained during the + recent campaign. + + 'The Major-General need address no words of exhortation to + soldiers whose courage and fortitude have been so well proved. The + Afghan tribes are numerous, but without organization; the regular + army is undisciplined, and whatever may be the disparity in + numbers, such foes can never be formidable to British troops. The + dictates of humanity require that a distinction should be + made between the peaceable inhabitants of Afghanistan and the + treacherous murderers for whom a just retribution is in store, + and Sir Frederick Roberts desires to impress upon all ranks the + necessity for treating the unoffending population with justice, + forbearance, and clemency. + + 'The future comfort and well-being of the force depend largely on + the friendliness of our relations with the districts from which + supplies must be drawn; prompt payment is enjoined for all + articles purchased by departments and individuals, and all + disputes must be at once referred to a political officer for + decision. + + 'The Major-General confidently looks forward to the successful + accomplishment of the object of the expedition, and the + establishment of order and a settled Government in Afghanistan.' + + +[Footnote 1: There are no such things as bells or knockers in India.] + +[Footnote 2: 'Lose no time and spare no money to obtain reliable +information of what is going on in Kabul, and keep me constantly +informed by urgent telegrams. I am in hopes that Jelaladin's report +will turn out to be greatly exaggerated, if not untrue. As, however, +his intelligence is sure to spread and cause a certain amount of +excitement, warn General Massy and Mr. Christie (the Political Officer +in Kuram) to be on the alert.'] + +[Footnote 3: The Kabul Field Force was composed as follows: + + ARTILLERY. + + Lieutenant-Colonel B. L. Gordon, commanding. + Captain J.W. Inge, Adjutant. + F/A, Royal Horse Artillery, Major J. C. Smyth-Windham. + G/3, Royal Artillery, Major Sydney Parry. + No. 1 (Kohat) Mountain Battery (four guns), Captain Morgan. + No. 2 (Derajât) Mountain Battery (four guns), Captain Swinley. + Two Gatling guns, Captain Broadfoot. + + ENGINEERS. + + Lieutenant-Colonel Æ. Perkins, C.B., commanding. + Lieutenant F. Spratt, Adjutant. + Captain Woodthorpe, R.E., in charge of surveying. + Captain Stratton, 22nd Regiment, in charge of signalling. + Lieutenant F. Burn-Murdoch, R.E., Royal Engineer Park. + + CAVALRY. + + Brigadier-General W.D. Massy, commanding. + Lieutenant J.P. Brabazon, 10th Hussars, Brigade-Major. + 9th Lancers, Lieutenant-Colonel R.S. Cleland. + 5th Punjab Cavalry, Major B. Williams. + 12th Bengal Cavalry, Major Green. + 14th Bengal Lancers, Lieutenant-Colonel Ross. + + 1ST INFANTRY BRIGADE. + + Brigadier-General H. Macpherson, C.B., V.C., commanding. + Captain G. de C. Morton, 6th Foot, Brigade-Major. + 67th Foot, Lieutenant-Colonel C.B. Knowles. + 92nd Highlanders, Lieutenant-Colonel G.H. Parker. + 28th Punjab Infantry, Lieutenant-Colonel J. Hudson. + + 2ND INFANTRY BRIGADE. + + Brigadier-General T. D. Baker, C.B., 18th Foot, commanding. + Captain W.C. Farwell, 26th Punjab Infantry, Brigade-Major. + 72nd Highlanders, Lieutenant-Colonel Brownlow. + 5th Gurkhas, Lieutenant-Colonel Fitz-Hugh. + 5th Punjab Infantry, Lieutenant-Colonel J. Macqueen. + 3rd Sikhs, Lieutenant-Colonel G.N. Money. + 23rd Pioneers, Lieutenant-Colonel Currie.] + +[Footnote 4: The late Lieutenant-General Sir Herbert Macpherson, V.C., +K.C.B., who died as Commander-in-Chief of Madras.] + +[Footnote 5: The late Sir Thomas Baker, K.C.B., who died as +Quartermaster-General at the Horse Guards.] + +[Footnote 6: The late Sir Charles MacGregor, K.C.B.] + +[Footnote 7: Now Major-General Combe, C.B.] + +[Footnote 8: This promising young officer greatly distinguished +himself at Kabul, and died a few years afterwards of cholera.] + +[Footnote 9: Now Sir Mortimer Durand, K.C.S.I., K.C.I.E., British +Minister at Teheran.] + +[Footnote 10: TELEGRAM DATED 6TH SEPTEMBER, 1879. + + _From_ CAPTAIN CONOLLY, ALIKHEL. + + _To_ FOREIGN SECRETARY, SIMLA. + + '_Clear the Line._--Sirkai Khan, bearer of the Amir's first + letter, confirms previous reports of disaster, and describes how + Badshah Khan visited the spot, and saw the dead bodies of the + Envoy, staff, and escort. Of the latter, some nine sowars are said + to have been out getting grass that day, and were not killed with + the rest; defence was very stubborn, and the loss of the Kabulis + heavy, put down at one hundred, or more. Finding they could not + storm the place, the mutineers set fire to the doorway below, + and, when that gave way, swarmed in and up to the upper story, + overwhelmed the defenders, and sacked the place. + + 'The second letter was brought by another messenger, servant of + the Embassy _Mehmandar_, whose story in all but a few unimportant + details is the same as that first received. + + 'If an advance on Kabul is decided on to revenge massacre of + Embassy, and also to quiet surrounding tribes, whom any (?) action + would tempt to break out, it appears to me all-important to + secure safe passage of the Shutargardan, and with this object to + subsidize Badshah Khan handsomely. + + 'I have detained the Kabul messengers pending receipt of + instructions as to the line of policy to follow, and what to + communicate to the Amir or Badshah Khan. The former invokes our + aid; the latter expresses himself, through his messenger, anxious + to serve us. Once in Logar valley, where they have had a bumper + harvest, we could live on the country.'] + +[Footnote 11: TRANSLATION OF A LETTER FROM THE AMIR OF KABUL TO +GENERAL ROBERTS, DATED KABUL, 8 A.M., THE 3RD SEPTEMBER, 1879. + + (After compliments.) The troops who had assembled for pay at the + Bala Hissar suddenly broke out and stoned their officers, and then + all rushed to the Residency and stoned it, receiving in return a + hail of bullets. Confusion and disturbance reached such a height + that it was impossible to quiet it. People from Sherpur and + country around the Bala Hissar, and city people of all classes, + poured into the Bala Hissar and began destroying workshops, + Artillery park, and magazine; and all the troops and people + attacked the Residency. Meanwhile, I sent Daud Shah[*] to help the + Envoy. On reaching the Residency, he was unhorsed by stones and + spears, and is now dying. I then sent Sirdar Yahia Khan and my own + son, the heir-apparent, with the Koran to the troops; but no use. + I then sent well-known Syads and Mullahs of each class, but of no + avail; up till now, evening, the disturbance continues. It will + be seen how it ends. I am grieved with this confusing state of + things. It is almost beyond conception. (Here follow the date and + the Amir's seal.) + + (Note *: The Commander-in-Chief of the Afghan army.) + + +SECOND LETTER FROM THE AMIR, DATED KABUL, THE 4TH SEPTEMBER, 1879. + + Yesterday, from 8 a.m. till evening, thousands assembled to + destroy the Embassy. There has been much loss of life on both + sides. At evening they set fire to the Residency. All yesterday + and up till now, I with five attendants have been besieged. I have + no certain news of the Envoy, whether he and his people have + been killed in their quarters, or been seized and brought out. + Afghanistan is ruined; the troops, city, and surrounding country + have thrown off their yoke of allegiance. Daud Shah is not + expected to recover; all his attendants were killed. The workshops + and magazine are totally gutted--in fact, my kingdom is ruined. + After God, I look to the Government for aid and advice. My true + friendship and honesty of purpose will be proved as clear as + daylight. By this misfortune I have lost my friend, the Envoy, and + also my kingdom. I am terribly grieved and perplexed. (Here follow + the date and the Amir's seal.)] + +[Footnote 12: The Nawab was on his way from Kandahar to Kabul, but on +hearing of the massacre he came to Alikhel.] + +[Footnote 13: TRANSLATION OF A PROCLAMATION ISSUED BY MAJOR-GENERAL +SIR FREDERICK ROBERTS. + + _Alikhel, 16th September_, 1879. + + Be it known to all the Chiefs and the people of the country of + Kabul and its dependencies that, in accordance with the Treaty + concluded in May, 1879, corresponding to Jamdi-ul-Akhir 1296 + Hijri, between the two great Governments, and to the terms of + which His Highness the Amir expressed his assent, and agreed to + the location of an Envoy of Her Imperial Majesty the Empress, a + British Envoy was, at the special request of His Highness the + Amir, located at the Kabul Court, and the Amir guaranteed that he + should be treated honourably and protected. + + Within six weeks after the said Envoy was received at and entered + Kabul the whole Embassy was besieged and massacred in the very + citadel of His Highness the Amir, who could not save or protect + them from the hands of the soldiers and the people. From this, the + lack of power of the Amir and the weakness of his authority in his + capital itself are quite apparent and manifest. For this reason + the British troops are advancing for the purpose of taking a + public vengeance on behalf of the deceased as well as of obtaining + satisfaction (_lit._, consolidation) of the terms entered into in + the Treaty concluded. The British troops are entering Afghanistan + for the purpose of strengthening the royal authority of His + Highness the Amir on condition that His Highness loyally uses + those powers for the maintenance of friendship and of amicable + relations with the British Government. This is the only course by + which the Amir's kingdom can remain intact, and (by which) also + the friendly sentiments and sincerity expressed in his letter of + the 4th September, 1879, after the occurrence of the (said) event + can be proved. + + For the purpose of removing any doubt about the concord of the two + Governments, the Amir has been addressed to depute a confidential + agent to my camp. The British force will not punish or injure + anyone except the persons who have taken part or joined in the + massacre of the Embassy unless they offer opposition. All the + rest, the small and great, who are unconcerned (therein) may rest + assured of this. Carriage and supplies of every description should + be brought into the British camp. Full price and hire shall be + paid for everything that may be taken. Whereas mercy and + humanity are the characteristics of this great Government, this + proclamation is issued beforehand for the information of the + people at large.] + +[Footnote 14: TRANSLATION OF A LETTER FROM MAJOR-GENERAL SIR FREDERICK +ROBERTS TO CERTAIN _maliks_ OF THE LOGAR VALLEY. + + From the Proclamation already issued by me, you will have learnt + the reasons for the march of the British troops to Kabul. Her + Majesty's Government, by the movement of troops, intends to + exact retribution for the massacre of the Embassy and to aid His + Highness the Amir in restoring order. + + Let all those not concerned in the massacre rest assured, provided + no opposition is shown, His Highness the Amir, in communications + received by me, expresses his friendship, and wishes to continue + amicable relations. As the British troops under my command will + shortly enter the Logar valley I write to reassure you, and expect + that you will inform all the residents of the valley not concerned + in the late hateful massacre the purport of the Proclamation, and + give every assistance in providing carriage and supplies required + for the troops for which adequate hire and payment will be made. I + hope that after the above assurance all the headmen will come to + meet me in my camp where I shall be glad to see them.] + +[Footnote 15: This letter is given in full in the Appendix.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER L. +1879 + + Hector Macdonald and Sher Mahomed--Yakub Khan + --A Proclamation and an Order--The _maliks_ of Logar + --Attack on the Shutargardan--Reconnoitring roads leading to Kabul + + +On the 27th September I made over the Kuram command to +Brigadier-General T. Gordon, and set out for Kushi, where Baker was +now encamped. + +Just before I started I had the pleasure of welcoming my old friend +and brother officer, Major-General J. Hills, V.C., C.B., who had +been with Sir Donald Stewart as Assistant Adjutant-General from the +beginning of the campaign, and who had, the moment he heard there was +to be an advance on Kabul, come with all speed to place his services +at my disposal. Although I had no employment for Hills at the time, +there would be plenty for all to do at Kabul, and I was delighted to +have so good a soldier with me. + +My escort consisted of the Head-Quarters of the Cavalry brigade, one +squadron 9th Lancers, 5th Punjab Cavalry, and detachments of the 5th +and 28th Punjab Infantry. We had only gone about halfway through the +pass when I pushed on with the Cavalry, in the hope of reaching the +camp on the top before dark, and was very soon met by twenty-five men +of the 92nd Highlanders, who brought me a note from Colonel Perkins, +R.E., in command on the Shutargardan, warning me that we were sure to +be attacked. We had not proceeded far, when at the narrowest part of +the defile we found the passage blocked by some 2,000 Afghans, and as +we approached a volley was fired from a party concealed by some rocks +on our left. I was told afterwards that it was intended for me, but I +remained unscathed, and the principal medical officer, Dr. Townsend, +who was riding on my right, and to whom I was talking at the moment, +was severely wounded. The Highlanders, supported by some dismounted +Cavalry, cleared away the enemy to the north, but as they clung to the +precipitous hills on the south, we had to wait till the main body of +the escort came up, when they were speedily dispersed. + +Meanwhile, a sharp little engagement had taken place further up the +gorge, and as we advanced we could see the enemy retiring before a +detachment of the 92nd Highlanders, under Colour-Sergeant Hector +Macdonald, and of the 3rd Sikhs, under Jemadar Sher Mahomed, a Native +of Kabul. The manner in which the Colour-Sergeant and the Native +officer handled their men gave me a high opinion of them both.[1] + +On the top of the Shutargardan Pass that evening I received the Amir's +reply[2] to my last letter, in which he expressed his gratitude for +the sympathy and support afforded him by the British Government, and +informed me that he had given orders to the Governor of Jalalabad that +the Khyber column should not meet with any opposition. I was also +given a letter from Sirdar Wali Mahomed Khan, and several other +Sirdars, professing loyalty to the British Government, and expressing +pleasure at my approach. And at the same time the rather embarrassing +information reached me that the Amir, desiring personal communication +with me, had already arrived in Baker's camp at Kushi, attended by his +son Musa Khan, a lad about seven years old, his father-in-law, and the +Commander-in-Chief of the Afghan army (Daud Shah), with a suite of 45 +members and an escort of 200 men. + +Although I had met with but slight opposition hitherto, it was evident +from the secret information I received that the Ghilzais were inclined +to be hostile, and intended to oppose us, and as it was important to +keep open communication with Alikhel through their country, I arranged +for the Shutargardan to be held by a Mountain battery, the 3rd Sikhs, +and the 21st Punjab Infantry, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel +G.N. Money, an officer on whose judgment and coolness I knew I could +rely. + +The next morning I rode to Kushi, where my first interview with the +Amir of Afghanistan took place. + +I cannot say that I was favourably impressed by his appearance. He was +an insignificant-looking man, about thirty-two years of age, with a +receding forehead, a conical-shaped head, and no chin to speak of, +and he gave me the idea of being entirely wanting in that force of +character without which no one could hope to govern or hold in check +the warlike and turbulent people of Afghanistan. He was possessed, +moreover, of a very shifty eye, he could not look one straight in the +face, and from the first I felt that his appearance tallied exactly +with the double-dealing that had been imputed to him. His presence in +my camp was a source of the gravest anxiety to me. He was constantly +receiving and sending messages, and was no doubt giving his friends +at Kabul all the information he could collect as to our resources and +intentions. He had, however, come ostensibly as our ally, seeking +refuge from his mutinous soldiers, and whatever suspicions I might +secretly entertain, I could only treat him as an honoured guest, so +long as there was nothing proved against him. + +My first visit to Yakub Khan was of a formal character. Nevertheless, +he seized the opportunity to urge strongly upon me the advisability +of delaying my advance, that he might have time, he said, to restore +order amongst his troops, and to punish those who had participated in +the attack on the Embassy. I replied that my orders were peremptory, +and that it was my duty, as it was my determination, to press on to +Kabul with all possible speed. Finding that his arguments had no +effect, he changed his tactics, and declared that he was much alarmed +for the safety of his family, whom he had left in the Bala Hissar; +that he had only one regiment on which he could depend; that he feared +when the others should hear of our approach they would break out +and attack the citadel; and that the innocent people in Kabul, not +considering it possible that a British force could get there so +quickly, had made no arrangements to convey their families away. + +Feeling that anxiety for the safety of the families was not the true +cause for the Amir's efforts to delay us, and that his sole object +was to gain time for the development of plans for opposing our +advance--which subsequent events proved had been made with great +care--I told him it was impossible to accede to his wishes, but that +time would be given for all women and children to clear out of the +city if it should prove necessary to attack it. This necessity, +however, I was most anxious to avoid, and earnestly hoped that +our fighting would be over before we entered Kabul, for I had not +forgotten Delhi, and I dreaded the idea of the troops having to force +their way through narrow streets and crowded bazaars. + +Yakub Khan was evidently much chagrined at my decision. He had left +Kabul hurriedly, his movements probably being hastened by hearing that +his uncle, Wali Mahomed Khan, and several other Sirdars with whom he +was at enmity, were on their way to join me. He had not even brought +a tent with him, and, had he succeeded in inducing me to delay our +advance, he would without doubt have returned to Kabul at once. As it +was, he was accommodated with a tent in the centre of the camp, and +the best arrangements possible, under the circumstances, made for his +entertainment. + +When his own tents arrived, he asked leave to have them pitched +outside camp limits. To this I consented, at the same time ordering +that a guard of the same strength as my own should be detailed as his +escort, ostensibly to do him honour, but in reality that I might +be kept informed as to his movements. Unwelcome guest as he was, I +thought the least of two evils was to keep him now that we had got +him, as his presence in Kabul would be sure to increase the opposition +I felt certain we should encounter. + +In response to the fears expressed by the Amir as to the safety of the +non-combatants, I issued the following Proclamation to the people of +Kabul: + + 'Be it known to all that the British Army is advancing on Kabul to + take possession of the city. If it be allowed to do so peacefully, + well and good; if not, the city will be seized by force. + Therefore, all well-disposed persons, who have taken no part in + the dastardly murder of the British Envoy, or in the plunder of + the Residency, are warned that, if they are unable to prevent + resistance being offered to the entrance of the British army, and + the authority of His Highness the Amir, they should make immediate + arrangements for their own safety, either by coming to the British + camp, or by such other measures as may seem fit to them. And as + the British Government does not make war on women and children, + warning is given that all women and children should be removed + from the city beyond the reach of harm. The British Government + desires to treat all classes with justice, and to respect their + religion, feelings, and customs, while exacting full retribution + from offenders. Every effort will, therefore, be made to prevent + the innocent suffering with the guilty, but it is necessary that + the utmost precaution should be taken against useless opposition. + + 'After receipt of this Proclamation, therefore, all persons found + armed in or about Kabul will be treated as enemies of the British + Government; and, further, it must be distinctly understood that, + if the entry of the British force is resisted, I cannot hold + myself responsible for any accidental injury which may be done to + the persons or property of even well-disposed people, who may have + neglected this warning.' + +At the same time, the matter having been brought to my notice by Lord +Lytton, and bearing in my mind that my father had told me one of +the chief causes of the outbreak in Kabul in 1841 was the Afghans' +jealousy of their women, and resentment at the European soldiers' +intimacy with them, I thought it well to impress upon all the +necessity for caution in this respect by publishing the following +Order: + + 'Sir Frederick Roberts desires General officers, and officers + commanding corps, to impress upon all officers under their command + the necessity for constant vigilance in preventing irregularities + likely to arouse the personal jealousies of the people of Kabul, + who are, of all races, most susceptible as regards their women. + + 'The deep-seated animosity of the Afghans towards the English has + been mainly ascribed to indiscretions committed during the first + occupation of Kabul, and the Major-General trusts that the same + excellent discipline so long exhibited by the troops under his + command will remove the prejudices of past years, and cause the + British name to be as highly respected in Afghanistan as it is + throughout the civilized world.[3] + +On the 30th September (my forty-seventh birthday), all arrangements +which it was possible for me to make having been completed, the +Cavalry brigade marched eight miles to Zargunshahr, the first +halting-place on the way to Kabul. I accompanied it, for I was +informed that Wali Mahomed Khan and the Sirdars had arrived so far, +and I could not let them come on to my camp so long as the Amir was +still in it. I wished, also, to interview the Logar _maliks_ and +ascertain whether I could procure supplies from their valley. There +was bread-stuff with the force sufficient for fourteen days, but for +the transport of so much grain a large number of animals was required, +which could ill be spared, for carriage was so short that I could only +move a little more than half the troops at one time, and instead of +being able to march direct on Kabul with 6,000 men, a halt would have +to be made every other day to admit of the animals going back to bring +up the rear brigade, which practically meant my only having at my +disposal rather more than half that number at any one time. How +fervently I wished that those in authority, who never can see the +necessity for maintaining transport in time of peace, could be made to +realize the result of their short-sightedness--the danger of having to +divide a none too large force in an enemy's country, the consequent +risk of failure, the enormous increase of anxiety to the Commander, +the delay in achieving the object of the campaign, and the additional +labour to all concerned in an undertaking, arduous enough under the +most favourable circumstances, in a difficult country, and under +a burning eastern sun, even if possessed of good and sufficient +transport. + +Stores had been collected at Kushi partly by means of local carriage, +and partly by our own animals doing the journey twice over from +Alikhel, a distance of thirty-six miles. So hard pressed was I for +transport that I had to make the Cavalry soldiers march on foot and +lead their horses laden with grain--an unusual piece of duty, which +was, however, performed with the cheerful alacrity which the troops of +the Kabul Field Force always displayed. + +But all this is a digression. To return to my story. The _maliks_ +of Logar, greatly to my relief, agreed to bring a certain amount of +supplies; while Wali Mahomed Khan and the other Sirdars were full of +protestations of loyalty and devotion. Most of them remained with me +all the time I was in Kabul, and some of them afforded me considerable +assistance. The Sirdars warned me to place no trust in the Amir, and +enlarged on the treachery of his conduct, but as I knew they looked +upon Yakub Khan as their own deadly enemy, I accepted their counsel +with some reservation. I was not, however, able to feel quite at ease +about the proceedings of my Royal guest, so I returned to Kushi that +same evening. + +On the 1st October the whole of the Kabul Field Force was assembled in +the Logar valley.[4] + +I waited at Kushi with the last of the Infantry until the morning of +the 2nd. Just as I was leaving camp, I became aware that firing was +going on in the direction of the Shutargardan, and later in the day I +received a report from Colonel Money as to what had happened there. + +The enemy, emboldened by the diminished numbers of the garrison, and +undervaluing what might be accomplished by a small number of good +soldiers, had assembled in force, and occupied the crest of the +mountain, the only place from which heliographic communication with me +could be kept up. Money very properly decided that this could not be +permitted, and considered it best to take the initiative before the +enemy should become still stronger, so ordered an advance. Under cover +of the Mountain battery's fire, Major Griffiths, of the 3rd Sikhs, +with 200 of his own men and 50 of the 21st Punjab Infantry, supported +by 150 rifles of the latter corps, stormed the Afghans' position. +The assault, delivered in a most spirited manner, was perfectly +successful. + +Major Griffiths, however, was wounded, also a signalling sergeant of +the 67th Foot and five men of the 3rd Sikhs, while the enemy left +thirty dead on the ground, and were pursued down the slope of the hill +without making any attempt to rally. + +On the 3rd we marched fifteen miles to Zahidabad, where we first came +in sight of the fortified hill above Kabul. The rear guard was fired +into on the way, and we had considerable difficulty in crossing +the Logar river, as the water from a large irrigation cut had been +directed back into the stream just above the ford. Our only casualty +on this day was Captain 'Dick' Kennedy, who was wounded in the hand. + +It was plain from these occurrences, and from the attack on the +Shutargardan, that the people generally were not disposed to be +friendly. From the Amir I could extract no information on this head, +although he must have been fully aware of the feelings and intentions +of his subjects. He was in constant communication with Kabul, and was +frequently being met by mounted messengers, who, from the haste with +which they travelled, as evidenced by the exhausted state of their +horses and the eagerness with which the Amir read the letters they +brought, appeared to be the bearers of important tidings. + +It may be imagined how irritating and embarrassing was Yakub Khan's +presence, since his position in my camp enabled him to give the +leaders at Kabul accurate information as to our numbers and movements. +That he felt pretty sure of our discomfiture was apparent from his +change of manner, which, from being at first a mixture of extreme +cordiality and cringing servility, became as we neared Kabul distant, +and even haughty. + +On the 5th October, one month from the receipt at Simla of the evil +tidings of the fate of the British Embassy, we reached the pretty +little village of Charasia, nestling in orchards and gardens, with a +rugged range of hills towering above it about a mile away. This range +descended abruptly on the right to permit the exit of the Logar river, +and rose again on its other side in precipitous cliffs, forming a fine +gorge[5] about halfway between our camp and Kabul city, now only from +ten to twelve miles distant. + +An uncle of the Amir (Sirdar Nek Mahomed Khan), and a General in the +Afghan army, came out to meet Yakub Khan at this place; he remained +some time in earnest conversation with his nephew, and, as he was +about to remount his horse, called out in so loud a tone that it was +evidently meant for us all to hear, that he was 'now going to disperse +the troops.'[6] Very different, however, was the story brought to me +by an escaped Native servant of Cavagnari's, who came into our camp +later in the day. This man declared that preparations for fighting +were steadily being carried on; that the soldiers and townspeople were +streaming into the arsenal and supplying themselves with cartridges; +that large bodies of troops were moving out in our direction; and +that, when we advanced next day, we should certainly be opposed by a +formidable force. The Amir, on having this intelligence communicated +to him, pretended to disbelieve it utterly, and assured me that all +was at peace in the city, that Nek Mahomed would keep the troops +quiet, and that I should have no trouble; but I was not taken in by +his specious assurances. + +Now more than ever I felt the want of sufficient transport! Had it +been possible to have the whole of my force with me, I should have +advanced at once, and have occupied that evening the range of hills I +have described; but Macpherson's brigade was still a march behind, +and all I could do was, immediately on arrival, to send back every +available transport animal to bring it up. I pushed forward Cavalry +patrols along the three roads leading to Kabul, and rode out myself to +reconnoitre the position in front. It was sufficiently strong to make +me wish I had a larger force. Towards evening groups of men appeared +on the skyline all round, giving unmistakable warning that the tribes +were gathering in large numbers. + +From the information brought me by the Cavalry, and from my own +examination of the ground, I decided to advance along the left bank of +the river: and to facilitate this movement I determined to seize the +heights on either side of the gorge at daybreak, whether Macpherson's +brigade had arrived or not. That night strong piquets were thrown out +round the camp, and Cavalry patrols were ordered to proceed at dawn to +feel for the enemy. _L'homme propose, mais Dieu dispose_. + + +[Footnote 1: Macdonald, having subsequently further distinguished +himself, was given a commission, and is now commanding a regiment in +the Egyptian Army. Sher Mahomed was rewarded with the Order of Merit.] + +[Footnote 2: + + FROM THE AMIR OF KABUL, DATED KUSHI, 27TH SEPTEMBER,1879. + + (After compliments.) Your friendly letter has reached me just at + this moment, 8 p.m., the 10th Shawal (27th September), and opened + the doors of joy and happiness on the face of my heart marked + with affection. I feel perfectly certain and confident that the + movements of Her Imperial Majesty's victorious troops are merely + for the purpose of consolidating the foundation of my kingdom and + strengthening the basis of my government. + + In truth, the sympathy of friends with friends is fitting and + proper, and the indulgence and kindness of a great Government to + a sincere and faithful friend are agreeable and pleasing. I am + exceedingly gratified with, and thankful to, the representatives + of the illustrious British Government for their expression of + sympathy and their support of my cause. Your friendly and wise + suggestion that none of the ignorant tribes of Afghanistan should + oppose the British troops, so that the officers of the British + Government should be the better able to support and protect me, is + very acceptable and reasonable. Before I received your letter, + I had sent orders repeatedly to the Governors of Jalalabad and + Lalpura not to let anyone oppose or resist the British troops, + and stringent orders have again been issued to the Governor of + Jalalabad to use his utmost endeavours and efforts in this + respect. The order in question to the address of the Governor of + Jalalabad will be shown you to-morrow, and sent by an express + courier.] + +[Footnote 3: It was a matter of intense gratification to me that the +whole time we remained in Afghanistan, nearly two years, not a single +complaint was made by an Afghan of any soldier in my force having +interfered with the women of the country.] + +[Footnote 4: The force was made up as follows: + +-------------------------------------------------------- +| |British | Other Ranks. | +| |Officers.|----------------| +| | |British.|Native.| +-------------------------------------------------------| +|Divisional, Brigade, | | | | +|and Departmental Staff | 60 | | | +|F/A, R.H.A. | 7 | 118 | | +|G/3, R.A. | 7 | 137 | | +|No. 2 Mountain Battery | 3 | | 223 | +|Two Gatling guns | 1 | 34 | | +|9th Lancers (one squadron) | 4 | 118 | | +|5th Punjab Cavalry | 7 | | 325 | +|12th Bengal Cavalry | 6 | | 328 | +|14th Bengal Lancers | 7 | | 407 | +|67th Foot | 18 | 686 | | +|72nd Highlanders | 23 | 746 | | +|92nd Highlanders | 17 | 717 | | +|5th Punjab Infantry | 8 | | 610 | +|5th Gurkhas | 7 | | 574 | +|23rd Pioneers | 6 | | 671 | +|28th Punjab Infantry | 8 | | 636 | +|7th Company Bengal Sappers | 3 | | 93 | +| and Miners ---------------------------| +| | 192 | 2,558 |3,867 | +-------------------------------------------------------- +] + +[Footnote 5: Known as the _sang-i-nawishta_ (inscribed stone).] + +[Footnote 6: Shortly after I was settled at Kabul, the following +letter, written by Nek Mahomed on the evening of the day he had been +with the Amir, to some person whom he wished to acquaint with the +state of affairs, was brought to me: + + 'MY KIND FRIEND,--The truth is that to-day, at sunrise, I went to + the camp, the Amir having summoned me. When I arrived, Mulla Shah + Mahomed [the Wazir] first said to me, "Go back and tell the people + to raise a holy war." I did not feel certain about what he said + [or was not satisfied with this], [but] the Amir afterwards told + me to go back that very hour and rouse the people to a _ghaza_. I + got back to Kabul about 7 o'clock, and am collecting the people. + Salaam.' + +The letter was not addressed, but it was sealed with Nek Mahomed's +seal, and there was no reason to doubt its authenticity.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER LI. +1879 + + The Afghan position--The fight at Charasia + --Highlanders, Gurkhas, and Punjabis--Defeat of the Afghans + --Kabul in sight--Deh-i-Mazang gorge--The enemy give us the slip + + +The Cavalry having reported that the road through the +_sang-i-nawishta_ gorge was impassable, I started off a party[1] +before it was fully light on the 6th, to work at it and make it +practicable for guns. I was preparing to follow with an escort of +Cavalry to examine the pass and the ground beyond, when the growing +daylight discovered large numbers of Afghan troops in regular +formation crowning the hills that I ought to have been in a position +to occupy the preceding evening. No hurry, no confusion was apparent +in their movements; positions were taken up and guns placed with such +coolness and deliberation that it was evident regularly trained troops +were employed. Very soon I received reports of our Cavalry patrols +having been fired upon, and of their having been obliged to retire. + +Immediate action was imperatively necessary; the Afghans had to be +dislodged from their strong position at any cost, or we should have +been surrounded by overwhelming numbers. Their occupation of the +heights was, I felt, a warning that must not be disregarded, and a +menace that could not be brooked. + +Behind this range of hills lay the densely-crowded city of Kabul, +with the scarcely less crowded suburbs of Chardeh, Deh-i-Afghan, and +numberless villages thickly studded over the Kabul valley, all of +which were contributing their quota of warriors to assist the Regular +troops in disputing the advance of the British. It did not require +much experience of Asiatics to understand that, if the enemy were +allowed to remain undisturbed for a single night in the position they +had taken up, their numbers would increase to an extraordinary extent. + +I now received a report from the rear that the road was blocked, and +that the progress of Macpherson's brigade would certainly be opposed; +while, on the crests of the hills to the right and left of my camp, +bodies of men began to assemble, who, I surmised (which surmise I +afterwards learnt was correct), were only waiting for the sun to go +down to make a general attack upon the camp under cover of dusk. + +The situation was one of great anxiety. The whole force with me was +not more than 4,000 men and eighteen guns. The treacherous Amir and +his equally treacherous Ministers had, of course, kept the Afghan +Commander fully informed as to the manner in which my troops were +perforce divided; the position of every man and every gun with me was +known; and I feared that, as soon as we were engaged with the enemy, +the opportunity would be taken to attack my weakly-defended camp and +to engage Macpherson's small brigade, encumbered as it was with its +large convoy of stores and ammunition. + +The numbers of the enemy were momentarily increasing, so delay would +assuredly make matters worse; the only chance of success, therefore, +was to take the initiative, and attack the Afghan main position at +once. Accordingly, I sent an officer with orders to the troops who +were moving towards the gorge not to commence work, but to take up +a defensive position until my plans were further developed. I sent +another messenger to Macpherson, informing him of my intention to take +immediate action, and telling him to keep a good look-out, and push on +to Charasia with all possible speed, and at the same time I reinforced +him by a squadron of Cavalry. + +The Afghan position formed the arc of a circle, extending from the +_sang-i-nawishta_ gorge to the heights above Chardeh. Both sides of +the gorge were occupied by the enemy, as was a semi-detached hill to +the south of it, and sixteen guns were observed in position. The line +they had taken up occupied nearly three miles of country; and their +main position was the ridge, which, close to the gorge, rose 1,000 +feet above the plain, running up at its western extremity to a peak +2,200 feet high. Thence the line stretched along the edge of some +lower heights to a rugged hill, the summit of which was about 1,800 +feet above Charasia. In front of this formidable position were a +succession of sandy hills, forming a series of easily defensible +posts, and at the foot of these hills ran a bare stony belt, sloping +down to the cultivated land surrounding Charasia and the hamlet of +Khairabad. + +My movements and reconnaissances up till now having led the enemy to +believe that I intended to deliver my attack on their left at the +_sang-i-nawishta_, they were seen to be concentrating their forces in +that direction. But this position could only have been carried with +such damaging loss to us that I determined to make the real attack by +an outflanking movement to their right. + +The men having made a hasty breakfast, I despatched General Baker in +this direction, and placing at his disposal the troops noted below,[2] +I entrusted to him the difficult task of dislodging the enemy, while +I continued to distract their attention towards the gorge by making a +feint to their left. + +Baker's little column assembled in a wooded enclosure close to +Charasia, where he left his field hospital and reserve ammunition, for +the safe guarding of which I sent him the 5th Punjab Infantry, while +he was further reinforced by 450 men of the 23rd Pioneers and three +Field Artillery guns. I was thus left with only six Horse Artillery +guns, 450 Cavalry, and between 600 and 700 Infantry for the protection +of the camp, where I was still handicapped by the presence of the Amir +and his untrustworthy following. + +While Baker advanced to the left, the party near the _sang-i-nawishta_ +gorge, commanded by Major White, of the 92nd Highlanders, was ordered +to threaten the pass and to prevent the enemy occupying any portion of +the Charasia village, to advance within Artillery range of the enemy's +main position above the gorge, and when the outflanking movement had +been thoroughly developed and the enemy were in full retreat, but not +before, to push the Cavalry through the gorge and pursue. + +At about 11.30 a.m. Baker's leading troops emerged into the open, and +were immediately engaged with a crowd of armed Afghans, supported by a +considerable body of Regular troops. The General now sent one company +of the 72nd, under Captain Hunt, to turn the Afghans off a succession +of peaks situated at right angles to the ridge they were occupying on +their extreme right. Running along this ridge, and stretching across +the Indiki road to the sandhills, the Afghan right wing held a +line considerably in advance of their left on the hill above the +_sang-i-nawishta_ gorge, and one which could not easily be turned, for +the peaks the 72nd were sent to occupy were almost inaccessible, and +the fire from them swept the slopes up which our troops must advance. +These peaks, therefore, formed the key of the position, and their +defenders had to be dislodged from them at all hazards before anything +else could be attempted. The company of the 72nd with much difficulty +fought their way up, and gained a footing on the first peak, where +they were obliged to pause, until reinforced by two companies of the +5th Gurkhas under Captain Cook, V.C., when they advanced all together, +clearing the enemy from each successive point, while the remainder of +the 72nd breasted the hill, and, under cover of the Mountain guns, +attacked the position in front. But the enemy were obstinate, and the +extremely difficult nature of the ground somewhat checked the gallant +Highlanders. Seeing their dilemma, Baker despatched two companies of +the 5th Gurkhas, under Lieutenant-Colonel Fitz-Hugh, and 200 men of +the 5th Punjab Infantry, under Captain Hall, to their assistance; +while the 23rd Pioneers were brought up on the right, in support, and +a detachment of the 5th Punjab Infantry echeloned in rear, on the left +of the line. + +The engagement now became hot, and the firing fast and furious. +My readers will, I am sure, be able to realize with what intense +excitement and anxiety I watched the proceedings. It was evident to +me that little progress could be made so long as the enemy retained +possession of the ridge, which the Afghan Commander apparently had +just begun to appreciate was the real point of attack, for his troops +could now be seen hurrying to this point, and it became more urgently +necessary than ever to carry the position before it could be +reinforced. At 2 p.m. it was seized; the Highlanders and Gurkhas could +no longer be resisted; the Afghans wavered, and then began to retreat, +exposed to a cross-fire that effectually prevented their rallying. + +The brunt of this affair was borne by the 72nd, admirably led by their +company officers, under the skilful direction of Lieutenant-Colonel +Clarke and his Adjutant, Lieutenant Murray. I closely watched +their movements, and particularly observed one man pushing up the +precipitous hillside considerably in advance of everyone else, and +apparently utterly regardless of the shower of bullets falling round +him. I inquired about him later on, and found that he was a young +Irish private of the 72nd, named MacMahon, to whose coolness and +daring was in a great measure due the capture of this very strong +post. Her Majesty, I am glad to be able to relate, subsequently +rewarded this intrepid soldier by bestowing on him the Victoria Cross. + +The general advance was now sounded, and gallantly was it responded +to. The main position was stormed by the Highlanders, Gurkhas, and +Punjab Infantry, each trying hard to be the first to close with its +defenders. The enemy fought desperately, charging down on the Gurkhas, +by whom, under the leadership of Lieutenant-Colonel Fitz-Hugh and his +Adjutant, Lieutenant Martin, they were repulsed and driven over the +crest with heavy loss. + +The Afghans now took up a position some 600 yards in the rear of that +from which they had just been dislodged, where they made an obstinate +stand for half an hour, but they were again forced back on the +attacking party being strengthened by the arrival of two companies of +the 92nd Highlanders, sent to their assistance by Major White, who +had already successfully engaged the Afghan left above the +_sang-i-nawishta_ gorge. As the enemy's advanced posts on the hill to +the south, and directly in front of the gorge, prevented our guns from +coming within range of their position on the heights above, these +posts had to be disposed of as a preliminary to effective co-operation +with Baker; accordingly, about noon the hill was captured by two +companies of the 92nd, under Captain Cotton, and half a battery of +Field Artillery was advanced to a point whence Major Parry was able to +engage the Afghan guns posted above the gorge. + +It was at this juncture, when Baker's troops, having carried the +main position, were proceeding to attack that to which the enemy had +retreated, that White despatched two companies of the 92nd, under +Captain Oxley, by whose timely aid the determined foe were at length +driven from this point of vantage also. The troops followed up their +success and advanced at the double, while our guns shelled the shaken +masses. + +The Afghan right and centre now gave way completely; the enemy broke, +and fled down the slopes on the further side in a north-westerly +direction, eventually taking refuge in the Chardeh villages. + +By 3.45 we were in possession of the whole of the main ridge. The +first objective having been thus gained, the troops, pivoting on their +right, brought round their left and advanced against the now exposed +flanks of the enemy's left wing, and simultaneously with this movement +White advanced from his position by the hill in front of the gorge, +and a little after four o'clock had gained possession of the pass and +twelve Afghan guns. + +Completely outflanked and enfiladed by Baker's fire, the left wing of +the Afghan force made but little resistance; they rapidly abandoned +the height, and retired across the river toward the north-east, +pursued by the small body of Cavalry attached to White's force, under +Major Hammond, and a party of the 92nd, under Major Hay. + +Baker now paused to allow of the Infantry's ammunition being +replenished, and then advanced along the ridge towards the pass, which +he reached in time to help the Cavalry who were engaged with the +enemy's rear guard at the river; the latter were driven off and forced +to retreat; but by this time the growing darkness made further pursuit +impossible. We were therefore compelled to rest satisfied with holding +the ground in advance by piquets and occupying both ends of the +_sang-i-nawishta_ defile, where the troops bivouacked for the night. I +was able to supply them with food from Charasia, and they were made as +comfortable as they could be under the circumstances. + +While the fighting was taking place on the heights in front of +Charasia, the hills on both flanks of my camp were crowded with the +enemy, anxiously watching the result; they did not approach within the +Cavalry patrols, but one party caused so much annoyance to a picquet +by firing into it that it became necessary to dislodge it, a service +which was performed in a very daring manner by a few of the 92nd, +under Lieutenant Grant and Colour-Sergeant Hector Macdonald, the same +non-commissioned officer who had a few days before so distinguished +himself in the Hazardarakht defile. + +Our casualties were wonderfully few, only 18 killed and 70 wounded,[3] +while the enemy left 300 dead behind them, and as they succeeded in +carrying numbers of their killed and wounded off the field, their loss +must have been heavy. I subsequently ascertained that we had opposed +to us, besides thirteen Regular regiments, between eight and ten +thousand Afghans. Ghilzais from Tezin and Hisarak had hurried up in +large numbers to join the enemy, but, luckily for us, arrived too +late. Of these some returned to their homes when they found the Afghan +army had been beaten, but the greater number waited about Kabul to +assist in any further stand that might be made by the Regular troops. + +The heliograph, worked by Captain Stratton, of the 22nd Foot, had been +of the greatest use during the day, and kept me fully informed of all +details. The last message as the sun was sinking behind the hills, +confirming my own observations, was a most satisfactory one, to the +effect that the whole of the enemy's position was in our possession, +and that our victory was complete. + +Throughout the day my friend (!) the Amir, surrounded by his Sirdars, +remained seated on a knoll in the centre of the camp watching the +progress of the fight with intense eagerness, and questioning everyone +who appeared as to his interpretation of what he had observed. So soon +as I felt absolutely assured of our victory, I sent an Aide-de-camp to +His Highness to convey the joyful intelligence of our success. It was, +without doubt, a trying moment for him, and a terrible disappointment +after the plans which I subsequently ascertained he and his adherents +at Kabul had carefully laid for our annihilation. But he received +the news with Asiatic calmness, and without the smallest sign of +mortification, merely requesting my Aide-de-camp to assure me that, as +my enemies were his enemies, he rejoiced at my victory. + +Macpherson's brigade, with its impedimenta, arrived before it was +quite dark, so altogether I had reason to feel satisfied with the +day's results. But the fact still remained that not more than twelve +miles beyond stood the city of Kabul, with its armed thousands ready +to oppose us should an assault prove necessary. I had besides received +information of a further gathering of Ghilzais bent upon another +attack on the Shutargardan, and that reinforcements of Regular troops +and guns were hastening to Kabul from Ghazni. Prompt action was the +one and only means of meeting these threatened difficulties. My troops +had had more than enough for one day, and required rest, but needs +must when the devil (in the shape of Afghan hordes) drives. I resolved +to push on, and issued orders for tents to be struck at once and an +advance to be made at break of day. + +At the first streak of dawn on the 7th I started, leaving Macpherson +to come on with the heavy baggage as quickly as he could. I marched by +the _sang-i-nawishta_ defile, where Major White met me and explained +to me his part in the victory of the previous day. From my inspection +of the ground, I had no difficulty in coming to the conclusion that +much of the success which attended the operations on this side was due +to White's military instincts and, at one supreme moment, his extreme +personal gallantry. It afforded me, therefore, very great pleasure to +recommend this officer for the Victoria Cross, an honour of which +more than one incident in his subsequent career proved him to be well +worthy. + +Our rapid advance, following on the defeat of the previous day, had +the effect I hoped it would have. On arriving at Beni Hissar, a +considerable village, surrounded by orchards and gardens, only two +miles south of the far-famed citadel of the Bala Hissar, I sent out +Cavalry patrols to reconnoitre, who brought me the pleasing news that +the Bala Hissar had been evacuated, and the only part of the city +visible seemed to be deserted. + +During the day I received visits from some of the chief merchants of +Kabul, who each told a different tale regarding the movements of the +defeated Afghan army and the intentions of the Afghan Commander. From +their conflicting accounts, however, I gathered that, fresh troops +having arrived from Kohistan, the remnants of the Charasia army had +joined them, and that the combined forces were then occupying +the range of hills immediately above Kabul, to the west, and had +determined to make another stand. + +Having received intelligence that the enemy, if again defeated, +intended to retire towards Turkestan, I directed Brigadier-General +Massy, on the morning of the 8th October, to move out with the Cavalry +brigade and place himself across their line of retreat.[4] The brigade +started at 11 a.m., and, in order to avoid the city and adjacent +heights, made a considerable detour by Siah Sang and Sherpur, the new +Afghan cantonment. On reaching the latter place, Massy heliographed +to me that he had found it deserted, the magazine blown up, and +seventy-five guns[5] abandoned inside the enclosure, and that the +enemy were now occupying a ridge[6] which seemed to him to be +a prolongation of the Shahr-i-Darwaza range above Kabul; then, +continuing his march, he crossed a depression in this ridge called +the Nanachi Kotal, and wheeling to his left, and skirting the Asmai +heights on the western side, he soon came in sight of the Afghan camp, +pitched on the slope of the hills about a mile from Deh-i-Mazang. + +Brigadier-General Massy was informed, in reply to his heliogram, +that Baker would be despatched at once to drive the enemy from their +position and force them to fall back upon the Cavalry, upon which +Massy immediately made the arrangements which appeared to him most +advisable for blocking, with the limited number of sabres at his +disposal, the several roads by which the enemy might attempt to +escape. + +I could only spare to Baker a very small force (1,044 rifles, two +Mountain guns and one Gatling), for Macpherson's and White's troops +had not yet come up. He started off without a moment's delay, and, +driving the enemy's scouts before him, worked his way along the +Shahr-i-Darwaza heights to the west; but his progress was very slow, +owing to the extreme difficulty of the ground, and the day was far +spent before he found himself near enough to the enemy to use his +Artillery. To his delight, Baker perceived that he commanded the +Afghan camp and the rear of their main position; but his satisfaction +was considerably allayed when he discovered that between him and them +lay a deep gorge[7] with precipitous sides, through which ran the +Kabul river, and that before he could attack he would have to descend +1,600 feet, and then climb up the opposite side, which was nearly as +high and quite as steep. + +Anxious as Baker was that there should be no delay in delivering the +assault, by the time his dispositions were made it had become too dark +to attempt it, and most reluctantly he had to postpone the movement +till daybreak the next day. He had ascertained that the Kabul river +was not fordable for Infantry except at a point which was commanded +by the enemy's camp, and was too far from support to warrant piquets +being pushed across at night. Nothing whatever could be seen, but +a very slight noise as of stealthy movement in the Afghan camp was +heard, and the fear seized Baker that the enemy might escape him. Soon +after 11 p.m., therefore, when the rising moon began in a measure +to dispel the darkness, Baker sent a strong patrol under a British +officer to feel for the enemy. The patrol came into contact with the +Afghan scouts on the river-bank, from some of whom, taken prisoners in +the struggle, they learned that the enemy had crept away under cover +of the night, and the greater number had dispersed to their own homes; +but about 800, mounted on Artillery horses, were reported to have +accompanied their Commander, Mahomed Jan, and to have escaped in the +direction of Bamian. + +Meanwhile, Brigadier-General Massy, from his point of observation +beneath the Asmai heights, had perceived that it was impossible for +Baker to carry the enemy's main position by daylight; he tried +to communicate with Baker and ascertain his plans, but the party +despatched on this service were unable to get through the villages and +woods, which were all held by the enemy, and returned unsuccessful. +Massy then collected his scattered squadrons and bivouacked for the +night, being anxious that his men and horses should have food and +rest, and it not having struck him that the enemy might attempt to +escape during the hours of darkness. + +The information that in very truth they had escaped was brought to +Baker at 4.30 a.m. He at once communicated it to Massy, telling him +at the same time that any movement the Cavalry might make in pursuit +would be supported by the troops under his immediate command, and +also by a brigade under Brigadier-General Macpherson, which I had +despatched to reinforce Baker; Macpherson and White, with their +respective troops, having arrived at Beni Hissar shortly after Baker +had started. + +I joined Baker at this time, and great was my disappointment at being +told that the Afghans had given us the slip. I went carefully over the +ground, however, and satisfied myself that Baker had done all that was +possible under the circumstances, and that the enemy having eluded us +could not in any way be attributed to want of care or skill on his +part. + +Massy scoured the country until nightfall on the 9th, but with very +little success, only one small party of fugitives being overtaken +about four-and-twenty miles on the road to Ghazni. Numbers, doubtless, +found shelter in the city of Kabul, others in the numerous villages +with which the richly-cultivated Chardeh valley was thickly studded, +and whose inhabitants were hostile to a man; others escaped to the +hills; and the remainder, having had ten hours' start, could not be +overtaken. + +The enemy's camp was left standing, and twelve guns, some elephants, +camels, mules, and ponies, fell into our possession. + +During that day our camp was moved nearer the city to Siah Sang, a +commanding plateau between the Kabul and Logar rivers, close to their +confluence, and less than a mile east of the Bala Hissar. The 5th +Gurkhas and two Mountain guns were left to hold the heights on which +Brigadier-General Baker had been operating, and the rest of the force +was concentrated on Siah Sang. + + +[Footnote 1: Twenty sabres, 9th Lancers, one squadron 5th Punjab +Cavalry, two guns, No. 2 Mountain battery, 284 rifles, 92nd +Highlanders, and 450 rifles, 23rd Pioneers.] + +[Footnote 2: Two guns, No. 2 Mountain battery, two Gatling guns, +detachment 12th Bengal Cavalry, 72nd Highlanders, 5th Gurkhas (300 +rifles), 5th Punjab Infantry (200 rifles), No. 7 Company Sappers and +Miners.] + +[Footnote 3: During the fight the Infantry expended 41,090 rounds, of +which over 20,000 were fired by the 72nd Highlanders. The half-battery +G/3 R.A. fired 6 common shell (percussion fuses) and 71 shrapnel (time +fuses); total, 77 rounds. No. 2 Mountain Battery fired 10 common shell +and 94 shrapnel, total, 104 rounds. The two Gatlings fired 150 rounds. + +At the tenth round one of the Gatlings jammed, and had to be taken to +pieces. This was the first occasion on which Gatling guns were used in +action. They were not of the present improved make, and, being found +unsatisfactory, were made but little use of.] + +[Footnote 4: The troops available for this purpose were: One squadron +9th Lancers, 5th Punjab Cavalry, 12th Bengal Cavalry, and 14th Bengal +Lancers; total, 720 of all ranks.] + +[Footnote 5: The guns included four English 18-pounders, one English +8-inch howitzer and two Afghan imitations of this weapon, and +forty-two bronze Mountain guns.] + +[Footnote 6: The Asmai heights.] + +[Footnote 7: The Deh-i-Mazang gorge.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER LII. +1879 + + Guiding instructions--Visit to the Bala Hissar--Yakub Khan abdicates + --The Proclamation--Administrative measures + --Explosions in the Bala Hissar + + +At last I was at Kabul, the place I had heard so much of from my +boy-hood, and had so often wished to see! The city lay beneath me, +with its mud-coloured buildings and its 50,000 inhabitants, covering +a considerable extent of ground. To the south-east corner of the city +appeared the Bala Hissar, picturesquely perched on a saddle just +beneath the Shahr-i-Darwaza heights, along the top of which ran +a fortified wall, enclosing the upper portion of the citadel and +extending to the Deh-i-Mazang gorge. + +Kabul was reported to be perfectly quiet, and numbers of traders came +into our camp to dispose of their wares; but I forbade anyone to +enter the city until I had been able to decide upon the best means of +maintaining order amongst a population for the most part extremely +fanatical, treacherous, and vindictive. + +So far our success had been complete: all opposition had been +overcome, Kabul was at our mercy, the Amir was in my camp ready to +agree to whatever I might propose, and it had been all done with +extraordinarily little loss to ourselves. Nevertheless, I felt my +difficulties were very far from being at an end--indeed, the part of +my duty still remaining to be accomplished was surrounded with far +greater difficulty, and was a source of much more anxiety to me than +the military task I had undertaken; for, with regard to the latter, I +possessed confidence in myself and my ability to perform it, whereas, +with respect to the political and diplomatic side of the question, +actual personal experience I had none, and I could only hope that +common-sense and a sense of justice would carry me through. + +The instructions I had received from the Government of India were very +general in their character, for the Viceroy felt that any proceedings +must necessarily depend on the state of affairs obtaining at Kabul, +the acts and attitude of the Amir and his people, and the various +conditions impossible to foresee when the Foreign Office letter was +written to me on the 29th September. But, though general, they were +very comprehensive. + +The troops were to be placed in strong and secure positions, such as +would give me complete control over the Amir's capital; any Afghan +soldiers remaining at Kabul, and the whole of the city population, +were to be disarmed; supplies were to be collected in sufficient +quantities to render my force independent in case of interruption +along the line of communication; Yakub Khan's personal safety was to +be secured, and adequate supervision maintained over his movements +and actions; a close investigation was to be instituted into all the +causes and circumstances connected with the 'totally unprovoked and +most barbarous attack by the Amir's soldiery and the people of his +capital upon the representative of an allied State, who was residing +under the Amir's protection in the Amir's fortress, in very close +proximity to the Amir himself, and whose personal safety and +honourable treatment had been solemnly guaranteed by the Ruler of +Afghanistan.' + +The retribution to be exacted was to be adapted to the twofold +character of the offence, and was to be imposed upon the Afghan nation +in proportion as the offence was proved to be national, and as the +responsibility should be brought home to any particular community. +Further, the imposition of a fine, it was suggested upon the city of +Kabul 'would be in accordance with justice and precedent,' and the +demolition of fortifications and removal of buildings within range of +my defences, or which might interfere with my control over the city, +might be 'necessary as a military precaution.' + +In forming my plans for the removal of obstructive buildings, I was to +consider 'whether they can be combined with any measures compatible +with justice and humanity for leaving a memorial of the retribution +exacted from the city in some manner and by some mark that will not be +easily obliterated.' + +I was told that 'in regard to the punishment of individuals, it should +be swift, stern, and impressive, without being indiscriminate or +immoderate; its infliction must not be delegated to subordinate +officers of minor responsibility acting independently of your +instructions or supervision; and you cannot too vigilantly maintain +the discipline of the troops under your orders, or superintend their +treatment of the unarmed population, so long as your orders are obeyed +and your authority is unresisted. You will deal summarily in the +majority of cases with persons whose share in the murder of anyone +belonging to the British Embassy shall have been proved by your +investigations, but while the execution of justice should be as public +and striking as possible, it should be completed with all possible +expedition, since the indefinite prolongation of your proceedings +might spread abroad unfounded alarm.' + +The despatch concluded with the words: 'It will probably be essential, +not only for the protection of your own camp from annoyance, but also +for the security of the well-affected population and for the general +maintenance of order, that you should assume and exercise supreme +authority in Kabul, since events have unfortunately proved that the +Amir has lost that authority, or that he has conspicuously failed to +make use of it.' + +On the 10th I visited Sherpur, and the next day I went to the Bala +Hissar, and wandered over the scene of the Embassy's brave defence +and cruel end. The walls of the Residency, closely pitted with +bullet-holes, gave proof of the determined nature of the attack +and the length of the resistance. The floors were covered with +blood-stains, and amidst the embers of a fire were found a heap of +human bones. It may be imagined how British soldiers' hearts burned +within them at such a sight, and how difficult it was to suppress +feelings of hatred and animosity towards the perpetrators of such a +dastardly crime. I had a careful but unsuccessful search made for the +bodies of our ill-fated friends. + +[Illustration: ENTRANCE TO THE BALA HISSAR, KABUL. +_From a photograph._] + +The Bala Hissar, at one time of great strength, was now in a somewhat +dilapidated condition. It contained eighty-five guns, mortars and +howitzers, some of them of English manufacture, upwards of 250 tons of +gunpowder, stowed away in earthen vessels, many millions of Enfield +and Snider cartridges, and a large number of arms, besides quantities +of saddlery, clothing for troops, musical instruments, shot, shell, +caps, and accoutrements, and a vast amount of lead, copper and tin. It +would not have given us much trouble to storm the Bala Hissar, had we +been obliged to do so, for Artillery could have opened on it within +easy range, and there was cover for Infantry close up to the walls. + +The reading of the Proclamation announcing the intentions of the +British Government with regard to the punishment of the city was +to take place in the Bala Hissar next day. The Amir had agreed to +accompany me. The leading people were invited to attend, and I had +given orders that all the troops were to take part in the procession, +so as to render as impressive as possible the ceremony, at which were +to be made known to the inhabitants of Kabul the terms imposed upon +them by the British Government. The object of my visit was to decide +how the troops might best be disposed so as to make the most imposing +display on the occasion. + +I decided to detain in custody two Sirdars, Yahia Khan[1] and his +brother Zakariah Khan, the Mustaufi, and the Wazir, as these four +were Yakub Khan's principal advisers, and I was satisfied that their +influence was being used against us, and that so long as they were at +large a mine might be sprung upon me at any moment. + +The Commander-in-Chief, Daud Shah, was also in the Amir's confidence; +but I determined to leave him at liberty, for, from what I could +learn, he had made an effort (not a very strong one, perhaps) to help +our unfortunate countrymen, and he had on several occasions since he +had been in my camp given me useful information; moreover, I hoped +to obtain further help from him, in which hope I was not altogether +disappointed. + +As to what I ought to do with the Amir I was considerably puzzled. +Lord Lytton had urged upon me the necessity for weighing well the +advisability of prematurely breaking with him, as it was very possible +he might become a useful instrument in our hands, an eventuality which +I thoroughly understood; but I was not at all sure that Yakub Khan +would not break with me when he learnt my decision with regard to his +Ministers, and I had received more than one warning that, if he failed +to keep me from entering Kabul, he contemplated flight and a supreme +effort to raise the country against me. + +Yakub Khan certainly did not deserve much consideration from us; for, +though no absolute proof was forthcoming of his having instigated the +attack upon the Embassy, he most certainly made not the slightest +effort to stop it or to save the lives of those entrusted to his +care, and throughout that terrible day showed himself to be, if not +a deliberate traitor, a despicable coward. Again, his endeavours to +delay the march of my force for the sole purpose of gaining sufficient +time to organize the destruction of the army to whose protection he +had appealed deprived him, to my mind, of the smallest claim to be +treated as an honourable ally. + +My doubts as to what policy I ought to pursue with regard to Yakub +Khan were all solved by his own action on the morning of the 12th +October. He came to my tent before I was dressed, and asked for an +interview, which was, of course, accorded. The only chair I possessed +I offered to my Royal visitor, who seated himself, and then and there +announced that he had come to resign the Amirship, and that he was +only carrying out a determination made before he came to Kushi; he had +then allowed himself to be over-persuaded, but now his resolution was +fixed. His life, he said, had been most miserable, and he would rather +be a grass-cutter in the English camp than Ruler of Afghanistan; he +concluded by entreating me to allow his tent to be pitched close to +mine until he could go to India, to London, or wherever the Viceroy +might desire to send him. I placed a tent at his disposal, ordered +breakfast to be prepared for him, and begged him not to decide at +once, but think the matter over for some hours, adding that I would +see him again at ten o'clock, the hour appointed for him to accompany +me to the Bala Hissar in order that he might be present at the reading +of the Proclamation. At this time, it must be remembered, the Amir did +not know what the terms of the Proclamation were, and was entirely +ignorant of my intentions regarding his Ministers. + +As arranged, I had another interview with Yakub Khan at ten o'clock, +when I found him unshaken in his resolve to abdicate, and unwilling, +under the circumstances, to be present at the ceremony which was about +to take place. He said, however, that he would send his eldest son, +and that all his Ministers should attend me. I begged him again to +reconsider the decision he had come to, and to think well over the +results to himself; but finding that he had finally[2] made up his +mind, I told His Highness I would telegraph his determination to the +Viceroy and ask for instructions; that he would not, of course, be +forced to continue to reign at Kabul against his will, but that I +would ask him to retain his title until I could receive a reply from +Simla. + +At noon I proceeded to the Bala Hissar, accompanied by my staff, the +Heir-Apparent, the Ministers, and a large gathering of the chief +Sirdars of Kabul. Both sides of the road were lined with troops, of +whom I felt not a little proud that day. Notwithstanding that the duty +required of them had been severe and continuous, now that they were +required to take part in a ceremonial parade, they turned out as clean +and smart as one could wish to see them. + +As the head of the procession entered the main gateway, the British +flag was run up, the bands played the National Anthem, and a salute of +thirty-one guns was fired. + +On arriving at the public Hall of Audience, I dismounted, and +ascending the steps leading to it, I addressed the assembled +multitude, and read to them the following Proclamation, containing the +orders of the British Government: + + 'In my Proclamation dated the 3rd October, I informed the people + of Kabul that a British army was advancing to take possession of + the city, and I warned them against offering any resistance to the + entry of the troops and the authority of His Highness the Amir. + That warning has been disregarded. The force under my command has + now reached Kabul and occupied the Bala Hissar, but its advance + has been pertinaciously opposed, and the inhabitants of the city + have taken a conspicuous part in the opposition offered. They have + therefore become rebels against His Highness the Amir, and have + added to the guilt already incurred by them in abetting the + murder of the British Envoy and his companions--a treacherous and + cowardly crime which has brought indelible disgrace upon the + Afghan people. It would be but a just and fitting reward for such + misdeeds if the city of Kabul were now totally destroyed and its + very name blotted out; but the great British Government ever + desires to temper justice with mercy, and I now announce to the + inhabitants of Kabul that the full retribution for their offence + will not be exacted, and that the city will be spared. + + 'Nevertheless, it is necessary that they should not escape all + penalty, and, further, that the punishment inflicted should be + such as will be felt and remembered. Therefore, such portions + of the city buildings as now interfere with the proper military + occupation of the Bala Hissar, and the safety and comfort of the + British troops to be quartered in it, will be at once levelled + with the ground; and, further, a heavy fine, the amount of which + will be notified hereafter, will be imposed upon the inhabitants + of Kabul, to be paid according to their several capacities. I + further give notice to all, that, in order to provide for the + restoration and maintenance of order, the city of Kabul and the + surrounding country, to a distance of ten miles, are placed under + martial law. With the consent of His Highness the Amir, a military + Governor of Kabul will be appointed, to administer justice and + punish with a strong hand all evil-doers. The inhabitants of Kabul + and of the neighbouring villages are hereby warned to submit to + his authority. + + 'This punishment, inflicted upon the whole city, will not, of + course, absolve from further penalties those whose individual + guilt may be hereafter proved. A full and searching inquiry into + the circumstances of the late outbreak will be held, and all + persons convicted of having taken part in it will be dealt with + according to their deserts. + + 'With the view of providing effectually for the prevention of + crime and disorder, and the safety of all well-disposed persons in + Kabul, it is hereby notified that for the future the carrying of + dangerous weapons, whether swords, knives, or firearms, within the + streets of the city or within a distance of five miles from the + city gates, is forbidden. After a week from the date of this + Proclamation, any person found armed within those limits will be + liable to the penalty of death. Persons having in their possession + any articles whatsoever which formerly belonged to members of + the British Embassy are required to bring them forthwith to the + British camp. Anyone neglecting this warning will, if found + hereafter in possession of any such articles, be subject to the + severest penalties. + + 'Further, all persons who may have in their possession any + firearms or ammunition formerly issued to or seized by the Afghan + troops, are required to produce them. For every country-made + rifle, whether breech or muzzle loading, the sum of Rs. 3 will be + given on delivery, and for every rifle of European manufacture Rs. + 5. Anyone found hereafter in possession of such weapons will be + severely punished. Finally, I notify that I will give a reward + of Rs. 50 for the surrender of any person, whether soldier or + civilian, concerned in the attack on the British Embassy, or for + such information as may lead directly to his capture. A similar + sum will be given in the case of any person who may have fought + against the British troops since the 3rd September (Shawal) last, + and therefore become a rebel against His Highness the Amir. If any + such person so surrendered or captured be a captain or subaltern + officer of the Afghan army, the reward will be increased to Rs. + 75, and if a field officer to Rs. 120.' + +The Afghans were evidently much relieved at the leniency of the +Proclamation, to which they listened with the greatest attention. +When I had finished reading it, I dismissed the assembly, with the +exception of the Ministers whom I had decided to make prisoners. To +them I explained that I felt it to be my duty to place them under +restraint, pending investigation into the part they had taken in the +massacre of the Embassy. + +The following day I made a formal entry into the city, traversing all +its main streets, that the people might understand that it and they +were at our mercy. The Cavalry brigade headed the procession; I +followed with my staff and escort, and five battalions of Infantry +brought up the rear; there were no Artillery, for in some places the +streets were so narrow and tortuous that two men could hardly ride +abreast. + +It was scarcely to be expected the citizens would give us a warm +welcome; but they were perfectly respectful, and I hoped the martial +and workmanlike appearance of the troops would have a salutary effect. + +I now appointed Major-General James Hills, V.C., to be Governor of +Kabul for the time being, associating with him the able and respected +Mahomedan gentleman, Nawab Ghulam Hussein Khan, as the most likely +means of securing for the present order and good government in the +city. I further instituted two Courts--one political, consisting of +Colonel Macgregor, Surgeon-Major Bellew,[3] and Mahomed Hyat Khan, a +Mahomedan member of the Punjab Commission, and an excellent Persian +and Pushtu scholar, to inquire into the complicated circumstances +which led to the attack on the Residency, and to ascertain, if +possible, how far the Amir and his Ministers were implicated. The +other, a military Court, with Brigadier-General Massy as president, +for the trial of those Chiefs and soldiers accused of having taken +part in the actual massacre.[4] + +Up to this time (the middle of October) communication with India had +been kept up by way of the Shutargardan, and I had heard nothing of +the approach of the Khyber column. It was so very necessary to open up +the Khyber route, in view of early snow on the Shutargardan, that I +arranged to send a small force towards Jalalabad, and to move the +Shutargardan garrison to Kabul, thus breaking off communication with +Kuram. + +Colonel Money had beaten off another attack made by the tribesmen +on his position, but as they still threatened him in considerable +numbers, I despatched Brigadier-General Hugh Gough with some troops to +enable him to withdraw. This reinforcement arrived at a most opportune +moment, when the augmented tribal combination, imagining that the +garrison was completely at its mercy, had sent a message to Money +offering to spare their lives if they laid down their arms! So sure +were the Afghans of their triumph that they had brought 200 of +their women to witness it. On Gough's arrival, Money dispersed the +gathering, and his force left the Shutargardan, together with the +Head-Quarters and two squadrons of the 9th Lancers, which had been +ordered to join me from Sialkot, and afterwards proved a most valuable +addition to the Kabul Field Force. + +I was sitting in my tent on the morning of the 16th October, when I +was startled by a most terrific explosion in the upper part of the +Bala Hissar, which was occupied by the 5th Gurkhas, while the 67th +Foot were pitched in the garden below. The gunpowder, stored in a +detached building, had somehow--we never could discover how--become +ignited, and I trembled at the thought of what would be the +consequences if the main magazine caught fire, which, with its 250 +tons of gunpowder, was dangerously near to the scene of the explosion. +I at once sent orders to the Gurkhas and the 67th to clear out, and +not to wait even to bring away their tents, or anything but their +ammunition, and I did not breathe freely till they were all safe on +Siah Sang. The results of this disaster, as it was, were bad enough, +for Captain Shafto, R.A. (a very promising officer), a private of the +67th, the Subadar-Major of the 5th Gurkhas, and nineteen Natives, most +of them soldiers, lost their lives. + +A second and more violent explosion took place two hours and a half +after the first, but there was no loss of life amongst the troops, +though several Afghans were killed at a distance of 400 yards from the +fort. + +There was given on this occasion a very practical exemplification +of the good feeling existing between the European soldiers and the +Gurkhas. The 72nd and the 5th Gurkhas had been much associated from +the commencement of the campaign, and a spirit of _camaraderie_ had +sprung up between them, resulting in the Highlanders now coming +forward and insisting on making over their greatcoats to the little +Gurkhas for the night--a very strong proof of their friendship, for at +Kabul in October the nights are bitterly cold. + +Two telegrams received about this time caused the greatest +gratification throughout the force. One was from the +Commander-in-Chief, conveying Her Majesty's expression of 'warm +satisfaction' at the conduct of the troops; the other was from the +Viceroy, expressing his 'cordial congratulations' and His Excellency's +'high appreciation of the ability with which the action was directed, +and the courage with which it was so successfully carried out.' I was +informed at the same time by Lord Lytton that, on the recommendation +of the Commander-in-Chief, I was given the local rank of +Lieutenant-General, to enable me to be placed in command of all the +troops in eastern Afghanistan, a force of 20,000 men and 46 guns, in +two divisions. The first division remained under my own immediate +command, and Major-General R. O. Bright, C.B.,[5] was appointed to the +command of the other. I was, of course very much pleased at this proof +of the confidence reposed in me. + + +[Footnote 1: Yahia Khan was Yakub Khan's father-in-law.] + +[Footnote 2: At an interview which Major Hastings, the Political +Officer, and Mr. Durand, my Political Secretary, had with His Highness +at my request on the 23rd October, he said, referring to the subject +of the Amirship: 'I call God and the Koran to witness, and everything +a Mussulman holds sacred, that my only desire is to be set free, and +end my days in liberty. I have conceived an utter aversion for these +people. I always treated them well, and you see how they have rewarded +me. So long as I was fighting in one place or another, they liked me +well enough. Directly I became Amir, and consulted their own good by +making peace with you, they turned on me. Now I detest them all, and +long to be out of Afghanistan for ever. It is not that I am unable to +hold the country; I have held it before and could hold it again, but I +have no further wish to rule such a people, and I beg of you to let me +go. If the British Government wish me to stay, I will stay, as their +servant or as the Amir, if you like to call me so, until my son is of +an age to succeed me, or even without that condition; but it will +be wholly against my own inclination, and I earnestly beg to be set +free.'] + +[Footnote 3: Dr. Bellew was with the brothers Lumsden at Kandahar in +1857.] + +[Footnote 4: My action in endorsing the proceedings of this court, +and my treatment of Afghans generally, were so adversely and severely +criticized by party newspapers and periodicals, and by members of the +Opposition in the House of Commons, that I was called upon for an +explanation of my conduct, which was submitted and read in both Houses +of Parliament by the Secretary of State for India, Viscount Cranbrook, +and the Under-Secretary of State for India, the Hon. E. Stanhope. In +the Parliamentary records of February, 1880, can be seen my reply to +the accusations, as well as an abstract statement of the executions +carried out at Kabul in accordance with the findings of the military +Court.] + +[Footnote 5: Afterwards General Sir Robert Bright, G.C.B.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER LIII. +1879 + + Afghans afraid to befriend us--Kabul Russianized + --Yakub Khan's abdication accepted--State treasury taken over + + +I had given much thought to the question of housing the troops during +the winter, which was now fast approaching. Some of the senior +officers were in favour of quartering them in the Bala Hissar, as +being the place with most prestige attached to it; but the fact that +there was not accommodation in it for the whole force, and that, +therefore, the troops would have to be separated, as well as the +dangerous proximity of the huge store of gunpowder, which could only +be got rid of by degrees, decided me to occupy in preference the +partly-fortified cantonment of Sherpur, about a mile north-east of the +city, and close to the ruins of the old British entrenchment. It was +enclosed on three sides by a high and massive loop-holed wall, and on +the fourth by the Bimaru heights, while it possessed the advantage of +having within its walls sufficient shelter in long ranges of brick +buildings for the British troops, and good hospital accommodation, +and there was ample space for the erection of huts for the Native +soldiers. + +The drawback was that the great extent of its perimeter, more than +four and a half miles, made it a very difficult place to defend; but, +remembering the grievous results of General Elphinstone's force being +scattered in 1841, I thought the advantage of being able to keep my +troops together outweighed the disadvantage of having to defend so +long a line. + +Materials for the Native soldiers' huts were brought from the Bala +Hissar, the demolition of which, as an act of retributive justice, I +had recommended to the Government of India, as it appeared to me that +the destruction of the fortified palace in which the massacre had +taken place, and which was the symbol of the power of the Afghans and +their boasted military strength, would be a more fitting punishment +for treachery and insult than any other we could inflict, and a more +lasting memorial of our ability to avenge our countrymen than any we +could raise. The tidings that their ancient citadel had been levelled +to the ground would, I felt sure, spread throughout the length and +breadth of Afghanistan, bearing with them a political significance +that could hardly be over-estimated. + +I now set to work to collect supplies for the winter. A1 _khalsa_, +or State grain, we took as our right, the justice of this being +recognized both by the Amir and the people, but what was the property +of private individuals was purchased at a price the avaricious Afghan +could not resist. There had been a good harvest, and supplies were +abundant; but the people from the outlying districts were chary of +assisting us, for they knew from experience that all who befriended +the British would be sure to suffer when we took our departure. + +I had repeated complaints brought to me of the harshness and injustice +with which those who had shown themselves well disposed towards us +were treated by the Amir on his return from signing the Treaty at +Gandamak, and most of the Afghans were so afraid of the Amir's +vengeance when they should again be left to his tender mercies, that +they held aloof, except those who, like Wali Mahomed Khan and his +following, were in open opposition to Yakub Khan, and some few who +were still smarting from recent injury and oppression. + +I was frequently asked by the Afghans, when requiring some service to +be rendered, 'Are you going to remain?' Could I have replied in the +affirmative, or could I have said that we should continue to exercise +sufficient control over the Government of the country to prevent their +being punished for helping us, they would have served us willingly. +Not that I could flatter myself they altogether liked us, but +they would have felt it wise in their own interests to meet our +requirements; and, besides, the great mass of the people were heartily +sick and tired of a long continuance of oppression and misrule, and +were ready to submit (for a time, at least) to any strong and just +Government. + +Lord Lytton, in the hope of saving from the resentment of the Amir +those who had been of use to us in the early part of the war, had +expressly stipulated in Article II. of the Gandamak Treaty that 'a +full and complete amnesty should be published, absolving all Afghans +from any responsibility on account of intercourse with the British +Forces during the campaign, and that the Amir should guarantee +to protect all persons, of whatever degree, from punishment or +molestation on that account.' + +But this stipulation was not adhered to. Yakub Khan more than once +spoke to me about it, and declared that it was impossible to control +the turbulent spirits in Afghanistan without being supreme, and that +this amnesty, had it been published, would have tied his hands with +regard to those who had proved themselves his enemies. + +His neglect to carry out this Article of the treaty added considerably +to my difficulty, as will be seen from the following letter from +Asmatula Khan, a Ghilzai Chief, to whom I wrote, asking him to meet me +at Kabul. + + 'I received your kind letter on the 8th of Shawal [28th + September], and understood its contents, and also those of the + enclosed Proclamation to the people of Kabul. I informed all whom + I thought fit of the contents of the Proclamation. + + 'Some time ago I went to Gandamak to Major Cavagnari. He + instructed me to obey the orders of the Amir, and made me over to + His Highness. When Major Cavagnari returned to India, the Amir's + officials confiscated my property, and gave the Chiefship to my + cousin[1] [or enemy], Bakram Khan. + + 'The oppression I suffered on your account is beyond description. + They ruined and disgraced every friend and adherent of mine. On + the return of Major Cavagnari to Kabul, I sent my Naib [deputy] to + him, who informed him of my state. Major Cavagnari sent a message + to me to the effect that I should recover my property by force if + I could, otherwise I should go to the hills, and not come to Kabul + until I heard from him. In the meantime I received news of the + murder of the Envoy, and I am still in the hills.' + +The thought of what might be in store for those who were now aiding me +troubled me a good deal. No doubt their help was not disinterested, +but they were 'friends in need,' and I could not be quite indifferent +to their future. + +I had several interesting conversations with Yakub Khan, and in +discussing with him Sher Ali's reasons for breaking with us, he dwelt +on the fact that his father, although he did not get all he wished out +of Lord Mayo, was fairly satisfied and content with what had been done +for him, but when Saiyad Nur Mahomed returned from Simla in 1873, +he became thoroughly disgusted, and at once made overtures to the +Russians, with whom constant intercourse had since been kept up. + +Yakub Khan's statements were verified by the fact that we found Kabul +much more Russian than English. The Afghan Sirdars and officers were +arrayed in Russian pattern uniforms, Russian money was found in the +treasury, Russian wares were sold in the bazaars, and although the +roads leading to Central Asia were certainly no better than those +leading to India, Russia had taken more advantage of them than we had +to carry on commercial dealings with Afghanistan.[2] + +When I inquired of Yakub Khan what had become of the correspondence +which must have been carried on between his father and the Russians, +he declared that he had destroyed it all when on his way to Gandamak; +nevertheless, a certain number of letters[3] from Generals Kauffmann +and Stoliatoff came into my possession, and a draft of the treaty the +latter officer brought from Tashkent was made for me from memory by +the man who had copied it for Sher Ali, aided by the Afghan official +who was told off to be in attendance on Stoliatoff, and who had +frequently read the treaty. + +In one of my last conversations with Yakub Khan, he advised me 'not to +lose sight of Herat and Turkestan.' On my asking him whether he had +any reason to suppose that his representatives in those places meant +to give trouble, he replied: 'I cannot say what they may do; but, +remember, I have warned you.' He, no doubt, knew more than he told +me, and I think it quite possible that he had some inkling of his +brother's[4] (Ayub Khan's) intentions, in regard to Kandahar, and he +probably foresaw that Abdur Rahman Khan would appear on the scene from +the direction of Turkestan. + +I duly received an answer to my telegram regarding the abdication of +Yakub Khan, in which I was informed that His Highness's resignation +was accepted by Her Majesty's Government, and I was directed to +announce the fact to the people of Afghanistan in the following terms: + + 'I, General Roberts, on behalf of the British Government, hereby + proclaim that the Amir, having by his own free will abdicated, + has left Afghanistan without a Government. In consequence of the + shameful outrage upon its Envoy and suite, the British Government + has been compelled to occupy by force of arms Kabul, the capital, + and to take military possession of other parts of Afghanistan. + + 'The British Government now commands that all Afghan authorities, + Chiefs, and Sirdars do continue their functions in maintaining + order, referring to me whenever necessary. + + 'The British Government desire that the people shall be treated + with justice and benevolence, and that their religious feelings + and customs be respected. + + 'The services of such Sirdars and Chiefs as assist in preserving + order will be duly recognized, but all disturbers of the peace and + persons concerned in attacks upon the British authority will meet + with condign punishment. + + 'The British Government, after consultation with the principal + Sirdars, tribal Chiefs, and others representing the interests and + wishes of the various provinces and cities, will declare its will + as to the future permanent arrangements to be made for the good + government of the people.' + +This manifesto was issued on the 28th October, and the same day +I informed Yakub Khan that his abdication had been accepted, and +acquainted him with the orders passed by the British Government in +connexion with this fact.[5] + +Yakub Khan showed no interest either in the Proclamation, a Persian +translation of which was read to him, or the Government's decision as +to himself, and made no comment beyond a formal '_bisyar khub_' ('very +good') and an inclination of the head. + +I then told Yakub Khan that, as I was now charged with the government +of the country, it was necessary that I should take possession of the +treasury and all moneys therein. He signified his assent, but demurred +to certain sums being considered as public property, contending +that they formed part of his father's wealth, and that the British +Government might as well take from him his _choga_,[6] this +also having come from the pockets of the people. 'My father was +_Padishah_,' he said; 'there was no distinction between public and +private money. However,' he went on, 'I have given up the crown, and I +am not going to dispute about rupees. You may take all I have, down to +my clothes; but the money was my father's, and is mine by right.' + +I replied that it was necessary that all money in his possession +should be given up, but that his private effects should not be +touched; that he would be given a receipt for the money, and that, if +the Government of India decided it to be his personal property, it +should be returned to him. + +This Yakub Khan at first declined to accept, with some show of temper. +Eventually he came round, and said, 'Yes, give me a receipt, so that +no one may say hereafter that I carried off State money to which I +had no right. It can be easily made sure that I have no money when I +go.'[7] + +Spite of all his shortcomings, I could not help feeling sorry for the +self-deposed Ruler, and before leaving him I explained that he would +be treated with the same consideration that had always been accorded +to him, that Nawab Sir Ghulam Hussein Khan[8] should have a tent next +to his, and that it should be the Nawab's care to look after his +comfort in every way, and that I should be glad to see him whenever he +wished for an interview. That same day, under instructions, I issued +the following further manifesto: + + 'In my Proclamation of yesterday I announced that His Highness the + Amir had of his own free will abdicated, and that for the present + the government of Afghanistan would be carried on under my + supervision. I now proclaim that, in order to provide for the cost + of administration, I have taken possession of the State treasury, + and that, until the British Government shall declare its will + as to the permanent arrangements to be made for the future good + government of the country, the collection of revenue and the + expenditure of public money will be regulated by me. All persons + concerned are hereby informed that they must obey without dispute + or delay such orders as may be issued by me in regard to the + payment of taxes and other connected matters; and I give plain + warning that anyone resisting or obstructing the execution of such + orders will be treated with the utmost severity as an enemy to the + British Government.' + + +[Footnote 1: In Pushtu the word _tarbur_ signifies a cousin to any +degree, and is not unfrequently used as 'enemy,' the inference being +that in Afghanistan a cousin is necessarily an enemy.] + +[Footnote 2: As I reported at the time, the magnitude of Sher +Ali's military preparations was, in my opinion, a fact of peculiar +significance. He had raised and equipped with arms of precision +sixteen regiments of Cavalry and sixty-eight of Infantry, while his +Artillery amounted to nearly 300 guns. Numbers of skilled artisans +were constantly employed in the manufacture of rifled cannon and +breech-loading small arms. Swords, helmets, uniforms, and other +articles of military equipment, were stored in proportionate +quantities. Upon the construction of the Sherpur cantonment Sher Ali +had expended an astonishing amount of labour and money. The size and +cost of this work may be judged from the fact that the main line of +rampart, with barrack accommodation, extended to a length of nearly +two miles under the western and southern slopes of the Bimaru hills, +while the original design was to carry the wall entirely round the +hills, a distance of four and a half miles, and the foundations were +laid for a considerable portion of this length. All these military +preparations must have been going on for some years, and were quite +unnecessary, except as a provision for contemplated hostilities with +ourselves. Sher Ali had refused during this time to accept the subsidy +we had agreed to pay him, and it is difficult to understand how their +entire cost could have been met from the Afghan treasury, the annual +gross revenue of the country at that time amounting only to about 80 +lakhs of rupees.] + +[Footnote 3: These letters, as well as my report to the Secretary to +the Government of India in the Foreign Department, with an account of +my conversation with Yakub Khan, are given in the Appendix.] + +[Footnote 4: Sirdar Ayub Khan was Governor of Herat in 1879.] + +[Footnote 5: There were present at the interview, besides myself, +Colonel Macgregor, Major Hastings, Surgeon-Major Bellew, Nawab Sir +Ghulam Hussein Khan, and Mr. H.M. Durand.] + +[Footnote 6: A kind of mantle worn by Afghans.] + +[Footnote 7: As Yakub Khan refused under one pretext or another to +deliver up any money, Major Moriarty, the officer in charge of the +Kabul Field Force treasure-chest, and Lieutenant Neville Chamberlain, +accompanied by an escort, searched a house in the city in which a +portion of Yakub Khan's money was said to be concealed. Upwards of +eight and a half lakhs of rupees, and a certain amount of jewellery +and gold coins, tillas and Russian five-rouble pieces, in all +amounting to nine and a half lakhs, were found. This sum was +subsequently refunded to the Afghan Government.] + +[Footnote 8: The Nawab had been made a K.C.S.I.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER LIV. +1879 + + The amnesty Proclamation--Strength of the Kabul Field Force + --Yakub Khan despatched to India + + +On the 1st November my Head-Quarters and the 1st division moved into +Sherpur, which the Engineers had prepared for winter quarters, and +where stores of provisions and forage were assuming satisfactory +proportions. The same day Brigadier-General Macpherson left Kabul with +a brigade of about 1,800 men and four guns to join hands with the +troops which I had lately heard were advancing from the Khyber, and +had reached Gandamak. I joined Macpherson the following morning at +Butkhak, about eleven miles from Kabul, where our first post towards +the Khyber had already been established. It was very important that +our communication with India should be by a route good enough for +wheeled carriages; I was therefore anxious to see for myself if it +were not possible to avoid the Khurd-Kabul Pass, which was said to be +very difficult. I had, besides, a strong wish to visit this pass, as +being the scene of Sir Robert Sale's fight with the tribesmen in +1841, and of the beginning of the massacre of General Elphinstone's +unfortunate troops in 1842.[1] The Afghan Commander-in-Chief, Daud +Shah, and several Ghilzai Chiefs, accompanied me; from them I learned +that an easier road did exist, running more to the east, and crossing +over the Lataband mountain. Personal inspection of the two lines +proved that Daud Shah's estimate of their respective difficulties +was correct; the Lataband route was comparatively easy, there was no +defile as on the Khurd-Kabul side, and the kotal, 8,000 feet above the +sea, was reached by a gradual ascent from Butkhak. However, I found +the Khurd-Kabul much less difficult than I had imagined it to be; it +might have been made passable for carts, but there was no object in +using it, as the Lataband route possessed the additional advantage +of being some miles shorter; accordingly I decided upon adopting the +latter as the line of communication with India. + +Macpherson reported that the country beyond Khurd-Kabul was fairly +settled, and that, on the 7th, he had been able to open communication +with Brigadier-General Charles Gough, commanding Bright's leading +brigade. I was thus again brought into communication with India, and +in a position to clear my hospitals of those amongst the sick and +wounded who were not progressing favourably, and could not soon be fit +for duty. + +By this time the Inquiry Commission had completed its difficult task +of trying to sift the truth concerning the fate of Cavagnari and his +companions from the mass of falsehood with which it was enveloped. The +progress had been slow, particularly when examination touched on the +part Yakub Khan had played in the tragedy; witnesses were afraid to +give evidence openly until they were convinced that he would not be +re-established in a position to avenge himself. The whole matter had +been gone into most fully, and a careful perusal of the proceedings +satisfied me that the Amir could not have been ignorant that an attack +on the Residency was contemplated. He may not have foreseen or desired +the massacre of the Embassy, but there was no room for doubt as to his +having connived at a demonstration against it, which, had it not ended +so fatally, might have served him in good stead as a proof of his +inability to guarantee the safety of foreigners, and thus obtain the +withdrawal of the Mission. + +It was impossible, under these circumstances, that Yakub Khan could +ever be reinstated as Ruler of Kabul, and his remaining in his present +equivocal position was irksome to himself and most embarrassing to me. +I therefore recommended that he should be deported to India, to +be dealt with as the Government might decide after reviewing the +information elicited by the political Court of Inquiry, which to +me appeared to tell so weightily against the ex-Amir, that, in my +opinion, I was no longer justified in treating as rebels to his +authority Afghans who, it was now evident, had only carried out his +secret, if not his expressed, wishes when opposing our advance +on Kabul. I decided, therefore, to proclaim a free and complete +amnesty[2] to all persons not concerned, directly or indirectly, +in the attack on the Residency, or who were not found hereafter in +possession of property belonging to our countrymen or their escort, on +the condition that they surrendered their arms and returned to their +homes. + +At Daud Shah's suggestion, I sent three influential Sirdars to the +Logar, Kohistan, and Maidan valleys, to superintend the collection of +the amount of forage which was to be levied from those districts; +and in order to lessen the consumption at Kabul, I sent away all +elephants,[3] spare bullocks, and sick transport animals. In +furtherance of the same object, as soon as Macpherson returned, I sent +Baker with a brigade into the Maidan district, about twenty miles from +Kabul, on the Ghazni road, where the troops could more easily be fed, +as it was the district from which a large proportion of our supplies +was expected, and I also despatched to India all time-expired men and +invalids who were no longer fit for service.[4] + +Towards the end of November, Mr. Luke, the officer in charge of the +telegraph department, who had done admirable work throughout the +campaign, reported that communication was established with India. As, +however, cutting the telegraph-wires was a favourite amusement of the +tribesmen, a heliograph was arranged at suitable stations between +Landi Kotal and Kabul, which was worked with fair success to the +end of the war. Had we then possessed the more perfect heliographic +apparatus which is now available, it would have made us, in that +land of bright sun, almost independent of the telegraph, so far as +connexion with Landi Kotal was concerned. + +Hearing that Baker was experiencing difficulty in collecting his +supplies, I joined him at Maidan to satisfy myself how matters stood. +The headmen in the neighbourhood refused to deliver the _khalsa_ grain +they had been ordered to furnish, and, assisted by a body of Ghilzais +from Ghazni and Wardak, they attacked our Cavalry charged with +collecting it, and murdered our agent, Sirdar Mahomed Hussein Khan. +For these offences I destroyed the chief _malik's_ fort and confiscated +his store of grain, after which there was no more trouble, and +supplies came in freely. I returned to Kabul, and Baker, with his +brigade, followed me on the 1st December. + +That same day Yakub Khan was despatched by double marches to India, +careful precautions having been taken to prevent his being rescued on +the way. When saying good-bye to him, he thanked me warmly for the +kindness and consideration he had received, and assured me that he +left his wives and children in my hands in the fullest confidence that +they would be well treated and cared for. + +A week later I sent off the two Sirdars, Yahia Khan and Zakariah Khan, +as well as the Wazir, whose guilt had been clearly proved, and whose +powerful influence, I had every reason to believe, was being used to +stir up the country against us. The Mustaufi I allowed to remain; he +had been less prominent than the others in opposing us, and, besides, +I had an idea that he might prove useful to me in the administration +of the country. + + +[Footnote 1: A most thrilling account of Elphinstone's retreat through +this pass is given in Kaye's 'History of the War in Afghanistan,' vol. +ii., p. 229.] + +[Footnote 2: The amnesty Proclamation ran as follows: + + 'KABUL, + '_12th November, 1879._ + + 'To all whom it may concern. On the 12th October a Proclamation + was issued in which I offered a reward for the surrender of any + person who had fought against the British troops since the 3rd + September, and had thereby become a rebel against the Amir Yakub + Khan. I have now received information which tends to show that + some, at least, of those who shared in the opposition encountered + by the British troops during their advance on Kabul, were led to + do so by the belief that the Amir was a prisoner in my camp, and + had called upon the soldiery and people of Kabul to rise on his + behalf. Such persons, although enemies to the British Government, + were not rebels against their own Sovereign, and the great British + Government does not seek for vengeance against enemies who no + longer resist. It may be that few only of those who took up arms + were thus led away by the statements of evil-minded men, but + rather than punish the innocent with the guilty, I am willing to + believe that all were alike deceived. On behalf of the British + Government, therefore, I proclaim a free and complete amnesty to + all persons who have fought against the British troops since the + 3rd September, provided that they now give up any arms in their + possession and return to their homes. The offer of a reward for + the surrender of such persons is now withdrawn, and they will + not for the future be molested in any way on account of their + opposition to the British advance; but it must be clearly + understood that the benefits of this amnesty do not extend to + anyone, whether soldier or civilian, who was concerned directly or + indirectly in the attack upon the Residency, or who may hereafter + be found in possession of any property belonging to members of the + Embassy. To such persons no mercy will be shown. Further, I hold + out no promise of pardon to those who, well knowing the Amir's + position in the British camp, instigated the troops and people of + Kabul to take up arms against the British troops. They have been + guilty of wilful rebellion against the Amir's authority, and they + will be considered and treated as rebels wherever found.'] + +[Footnote 3: There was a slight fall of snow on the 11th November, +followed by severe frost, and the elephants were beginning to suffer +from the cold. Three of them succumbed on the Lataband Kotal, much +to the annoyance of the olfactory nerves of all passers-by. It was +impossible to bury the huge carcasses, as the ground was all rock, and +there was not wood enough to burn them. So intense was the cold that +the ink froze in my pen, and I was obliged to keep my inkstand under +my pillow at night.] + +[Footnote 4: This party marched towards India on the 14th November, +followed by a second convoy of sickly men on the 27th idem. On this +latter date the strength of the 1st and 2nd Divisions, Kabul Field +Force, and the Reserve at Peshawar was as follows: + +--------------------------------------------------------------- + | British Force. | Native Force. |Total.| + |----------------+-----------------| | + |Officers.|Rank &| British |Troops.| | + | |File. |Officers.| | | +--------------------+---------+------+---------+-------+------| +1st Division, at | | | | | | +and around Kabul .. | 100 | 2,783| 71 | 5,060 | 8,014| +2nd Division, on | | | | | | +the Khyber line ... | 90 | 2,385| 118 | 8,590 |11,183| + |---------+------+---------+-------+------| + | 190 | 5,168| 189 |13,650 |19,197| +Reserve at Peshawar | 55 | 1,952| 49 | 4,654 | 6,710| + |---------+------+---------+-------+------| + | 245 | 7,120| 238 |18,304 |25,907| +--------------------------------------------------------------- + + Total:-- 483 British officers. + 7,120 British troops. + 18,304 Native troops. + Grand total:-- 25,907 with 60 guns, 24 with 1st Division, and 36 with + 2nd Division and the Reserve.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER LV. +1879 + + Political situation at Kabul--Serious trouble ahead + --Macpherson attacks the Kohistanis--Combined movements + --The uncertainty of war--The fight in the Chardeh valley + --Forced to retire--Padre Adams earns the V.C. + --Macpherson's column arrives + --The captured guns recovered--Melancholy reflections + + +The general political situation, as it developed itself in the +early part of December, and the causes which appeared to me to have +contributed to produce it, may be briefly summarized as follows. After +the outbreak in the previous September and the massacre of our Envoy, +the advance of the British force was too rapid to give the Afghans, as +a nation, time to oppose us. At Charasia, the troops, aided by large +numbers of the disaffected townspeople, were conspicuously beaten in +the open field; their organization as an armed body was at an end, and +their leaders all sought personal safety in flight. + +It appears probable that at this period the general expectation +amongst the Afghans was that the British Government would exact a +heavy retribution from the nation and city, and that, after vengeance +had been satisfied, the army would be withdrawn. + +Thirty-seven years before, a British massacre had been followed by a +temporary occupation of the city of Kabul, and just as the troops of +Pollock and Nott, on that occasion, had sacked and destroyed the great +bazaar and then retired, so in 1879 the people believed that some +signal punishment would again be succeeded by the withdrawal of our +troops. Thus a period of doubt and expectation ensued after the battle +of Charasia; the Afghans were waiting on events, and the time had not +arrived for a general movement. + +This pause, however, was marked by certain occurrences which doubtless +touched the national pride to the quick, and which were also +susceptible of being used by the enemies of the British Government to +excite into vivid fanaticism the religious sentiment, which has ever +formed a prominent trait in the Afghan character. + +The prolonged occupation by foreign troops of the fortified cantonment +which had been prepared by the late Amir Sher Ali for his own army; +the capture of the large park of Artillery, and of the vast munitions +of war, which had raised the military strength of the Afghans to a +standard unequalled among Asiatic nations; the destruction of their +historic fortress, the residence of their Kings; and, lastly, the +deportation to India of their Amir and his principal Ministers, +were all circumstances which united to increase to a high pitch the +antipathy naturally felt towards a foreign invader. + +The temper of the people being in this inflammable condition, it was +clear that only disunion and jealousy amongst their Chiefs prevented +their combining against us, and that if any impetus could be given +to their religious sentiment strong enough to unite the discordant +elements in a common cause, a powerful movement would be initiated, +having for its object our annihilation or expulsion from their +country. + +Such an impetus was supplied by the fervent preaching of the aged +mulla Mushk-i-Alam,[1] who denounced the English in every mosque +throughout the country. The people were further incited to rise by the +appeals of the ladies of Yakub Khan's family to popular sympathy, and +bribed to do so by the distribution of the concealed treasure at their +command. + +The mullas, in short, became masters of the situation, and, having +once succeeded in subordinating private quarrels to hatred of the +common foe, the movement rapidly assumed the aspect of a religious +war. The Afghan successes of 1841-42 were cited as examples of what +might happen again, and the people were assured that, if they would +only act simultaneously, the small British army in Sherpur would +be overwhelmed, and the plunder of our camp would be part of their +reward. + +From time to time reports reached me of what was going on, and, from +the information supplied to me, I gathered that the Afghans intended +to gain possession of the city, and, after occupying the numerous +forts and villages in the neighbourhood of Sherpur, to surround the +cantonment. + +It was under the stimulating influences of religious enthusiasm, +patriotic and military ardour, the prestige of former success, and +the hope of remuneration and plunder, that the Afghans took the field +against us early in December. + +It was arranged that the forces from the south[2] should seize the +range of hills extending from Charasia to the Shahr-i-Darwaza heights, +including the fortifications of the upper Bala Hissar and the high +conical peak called the Takht-i-Shah; that those from the north[3] +should occupy the Asmai heights and hills to the north of Kabul; and +those from the west[4] should make direct for the city. + +As it was evident to me that these several bodies, when once +concentrated at Kabul, would be joined by the thousands in the city, +and the inhabitants of the adjoining villages, I determined to try +and deal with the advancing forces in detail, and disperse them, if +possible, before the concentration could be effected. I had, however, +but a very imperfect idea of the extent of the combination, or of +the enormous numbers arrayed against us. My intelligence was most +defective; neither the nature of the country nor the attitude of the +people admitted of extended reconnaissances, and I was almost entirely +dependent for information on Afghan sources. Some of the Afghan +soldiers in our ranks aided me to the best of their ability, but by +the Sirdars, notably Wali Mahomed Khan, I was, either wilfully or from +ignorance, grossly misinformed as to the formidable character of the +rising. But that there was serious trouble ahead was plain enough when +the conflicting reports had been carefully sifted, and I therefore +thought it only prudent to telegraph to General Bright at Jalalabad to +push on the Guide Corps, although I was very much averse to augmenting +the Sherpur garrison, and thereby increasing the drain on our +supplies. + +In the meantime immediate action was necessary to carry out my idea of +preventing the different sections of the enemy concentrating at Kabul. +I accordingly prepared two columns: one under Macpherson, whose orders +were to attack the tribesmen coming from the north before they could +join those advancing from the west; the other under Baker, who was +instructed to place himself across the line by which the enemy would +have to retreat when beaten, as I hoped they would be, by Macpherson. + +Macpherson[5] started on the 8th towards Kila Aushar, about three +miles from Sherpur, _en route_ to Arghandeh. And on the following +morning Baker, with a small force,[6] proceeded to Chihal Dukhteran, +giving out that his destination was the Logar valley, and that he +would march by Charasia, as I had directed him to make a feint in that +direction, and then to turn to the west, and place himself between +Arghandeh and Maidan, on the Ghazni road. + +To give Baker time to carry out this movement, I halted Macpherson at +Kila Aushar on the 9th, whence he sent out two reconnoitring +parties--one in the direction of Kohistan, the other, in charge of +Lieutenant-Colonel Lockhart,[7] A.Q.M.G., towards Arghandeh. + +The intelligence brought in induced me to change my orders to +Macpherson. The first party reported that a very considerable force of +Kohistanis had collected at Karez-i-Mir, about ten miles north of +Kila Aushar, while Lockhart had discovered large numbers of the enemy +moving from Arghandeh and Paghman towards Kohistan. Accordingly, I +directed Macpherson to attack the Kohistanis, in the hope of being +able to disperse them before the people from Ghazni could join them; +and, as the part of the country through which he had to move was +unsuited to Horse Artillery and Cavalry, I ordered him to leave the +mounted portion of his column, except one squadron of Cavalry, at Kila +Aushar. + +Macpherson made a rapid advance on the morning of the 10th December, +skirting the fringe of low hills which intervenes between Kohistan and +the Chardeh valley. He reached the Surkh Kotal--which divides western +Kohistan from the Arghandeh valley--without opposition. From this +point, however, the Kohistanis were sighted, occupying a position +about two miles to his right front, their centre on a steep, conical, +isolated hill, at the base of which lay the village of Karez-i-Mir. + +Macpherson was now able to obtain a good view of the Paghman and +Chardeh valleys on his left and left rear, and the numerous standards +planted on the different knolls near the villages of Paghman gave +ample evidence of the presence of the enemy discovered by Lockhart the +previous day, and showed him that, unless he could quickly succeed in +scattering the Kohistanis, he would find himself attacked by an enemy +in his rear, in fact, between two fires. + +Macpherson made his disposition for an attack with skill and rapidity. +Leaving Lieutenant-Colonel Money with one company of the 67th, five +companies of the 3rd Sikhs, and two guns, to hold the ridge, he sent +the remainder of the Sikhs to harass the enemy's left flank and +support the Cavalry, who were ordered to hover about and threaten the +line of retreat, while Macpherson himself went forward with the rest +of the force. + +The Kohistanis retreated rapidly before our skirmishers, and the +attacking party, protected by a well-directed fire from Morgan's guns, +advanced with such promptitude that the enemy made no attempt to +rally until they reached the conical hill, where they made a stubborn +resistance. The hill was carried by assault, its defenders were driven +off, leaving seven standards on the field, and Morgan, bringing up his +Artillery, inflicted severe loss on the flying Kohistanis. On this +occasion Major Cook, V.C., of the 5th Gurkhas, was again noticed for +his conspicuous gallantry, and Major Griffiths, of the 3rd Sikhs, +greatly distinguished himself. Our casualties were one officer +(Lieutenant-Colonel Fitz-Hugh) and six men wounded. + +It was evident that the tribesmen from the directions of Arghandeh and +Paghman intended to ascend the Surkh Kotal, but suddenly they appeared +to change their minds, on discovering, probably, that our troops +held all the commanding positions and that their allies were in full +flight. + +Soon after noon on the 10th I received the report of Macpherson's +success and the enemy's retirement towards Arghandeh. I at once sent +off Lieutenant-Colonel B. Gordon, R.H.A., with orders to intercept +them with the Horse Artillery and Cavalry at Aushar; but when I rode +over myself later in the day to that place, I was much disappointed to +find that Gordon had not been able to give effect to my instructions, +as the enemy, on perceiving his troops, dispersed and took shelter in +the surrounding villages and on the slopes of the hills. + +Macpherson encamped for the night between the Surkh Kotal and +Karez-i-Mir, and Baker, who had steadily pursued his march along a +very difficult road, halted a short distance west of Maidan and eight +miles only from Arghandeh. + +To Macpherson I sent orders to march very early the next morning--the +11th--through Paghman towards Arghandeh and in Baker's direction; at +the same time I informed him that Massy, whom I had placed in command +of the troops at Aushar, would, according to directions from me, leave +that place at nine o'clock to co-operate with him, _viâ_ the Arghandeh +and Ghazni road. That evening Massy came to my room, and I carefully +explained to him his part in the next day's proceedings; I told him +that he was to advance cautiously and quietly by the road leading +directly from the city of Kabul towards Arghandeh, feeling for +the enemy; that he was to communicate with Macpherson and act in +conformity with that officer's movements; and I impressed upon him +that he was on no account to commit himself to an action until +Macpherson had engaged the enemy. + +Up to this time the combination of tribesmen, which later proved so +formidable, had not been effected; Macpherson for the time being had +dispersed the Kohistanis and checked the force advancing from Ghazni +under the leadership of Mahomed Jan; the Logaris and Ghilzais were +merely watching events, and waiting to see how it fared with the +Kohistani and Ghazni factions, before committing themselves to +hostilities; they had but recently witnessed our successful advance +through their country; they knew that their homes and property would +be at our mercy should we be victorious, and they were uncertain as to +Baker's movements. + +On the morning of the 11th December,[8] therefore, only one section +was actually in opposition to us, that led by Mahomed Jan, who during +the night of the 10th had taken up a position near the group of +villages known as Kila Kazi. + +Further, I felt that Mahomed Jan must be disheartened at our recent +success, and at his failure to induce the Logaris to join him, and +doubtless felt that a movement towards Kabul would expose his left +flank to Macpherson, while his rear would be threatened by Baker. + +The strength of Baker's and Macpherson's columns had been carefully +considered, as well as the routes they were to take. I was thoroughly +well acquainted with the ground comprised in the theatre of the +proposed operations, having frequently ridden over it during the +preceding two months; I was thus able to calculate to a nicety the +difficulties each column would have to encounter and the distances +they would have to cover, and arrange with the utmost precision the +hour at which each Commander should move off to insure a timely +junction. So that when I left Sherpur at ten o'clock on the 11th +December to take command of Macpherson's and Massy's columns as soon +as they should unite, I had no misgivings, and was sanguine that my +carefully arranged programme would result in the discomfiture of +Mahomed Jan; but the events which followed on that day afforded a +striking exemplification of the uncertainty of war, and of how even a +very slight divergence from a General's orders may upset plans made +with the greatest care and thought, and lead to disastrous results. + +Massy could not have clearly understood the part he was meant to take +in co-operation with Macpherson, for instead of following the route I +had directed him to take, he marched straight across country to the +Ghazni road, which brought him face to face with the enemy before he +could be joined by Macpherson. In his explanatory report Massy stated +that he had been misled by a memorandum[9] which he received from the +Assistant Adjutant-General after his interview with me (although this +memorandum contained nothing contradictory of the orders I had given +him); that he understood from it that his business was to reach the +Ghazni road at its nearest point in the direction of Arghandeh, and +that he thought it better, with a thirty miles' march in prospect, to +take the most direct line in order to save his horses, to economize +time in a short December day, and to keep as near as he could to the +column with which he was to co-operate; further, he stated that he was +under the impression there was little likelihood of his meeting with +any of the enemy nearer than Arghandeh. + +On starting from Aushar Massy detached a troop of the 9th Lancers to +communicate with Macpherson. This reduced his column to 247 British +and 44 Native Cavalry, with 4 Horse Artillery guns. + +As the party moved along the Chardeh valley, a loud beating of drums +was heard, and Captain Bloomfield Gough, 9th Lancers, commanding the +advance guard, perceived when he had moved to about a mile north of +Kila Kazi, that the enemy were occupying hills on both sides of the +Ghazni road, about two miles to his left front, and sent back word to +that effect. Massy, not believing that the Afghans had collected +in any considerable numbers, continued to advance; but he was soon +undeceived by the crowds of men and waving standards which shortly +came into view moving towards Kila Kazi. He then ordered Major +Smith-Wyndham to open fire, but the range, 2,900 yards, being +considered by Colonel Gordon, the senior Artillery officer, too far +for his six-pounders, after a few rounds the guns were moved across +the Ghazni road, and again brought into action at 2,500 yards; as this +distance was still found to be too great, they were moved to 2,000 +yards. The enemy now pressed forward on Massy's left flank, which was +also his line of retreat, and the guns had to be retired about a mile, +covered on the right and left by the 9th Lancers and the 14th Bengal +Lancers respectively, and followed so closely by the Afghans that when +fire was next opened they were only 1,700 yards distant. Four Horse +Artillery guns could do nothing against such numbers attacking without +any regular formation, and when the leading men came within carbine +range, Massy tried to stop them by dismounting thirty of the 9th +Lancers; but their fire 'had no appreciable effect.' + +It was at this critical moment that I appeared on the scene. Warned by +the firing that an engagement was taking place, I galloped across the +Chardeh valley as fast as my horse could carry me, and on gaining the +open ground beyond Bhagwana, an extraordinary spectacle was presented +to my view. An unbroken line, extending for about two miles, and +formed of not less than between 9,000 and 10,000 men, was moving +rapidly towards me, all on foot save a small body of Cavalry on their +left flank--in fact, the greater part of Mahomed Jan's army. To meet +this formidable array, instead of Macpherson's and Massy's forces, +which I hoped I should have found combined, there were but 4 guns, 198 +of the 9th Lancers under Lieutenant-Colonel Cleland, 40 of the 14th +Bengal Lancers under Captain Philip Neville, and at some little +distance Gough's troop of the 9th Lancers, who were engaged in +watching the enemy's Cavalry. + +The inequality of the opposing forces was but too painfully apparent. +The first glance at the situation showed me the hopelessness of +continuing the struggle without Infantry. Up to that moment our +casualties had not been many, as Afghans seldom play at long bowls, it +being necessary for them to husband their ammunition, and when, as in +the present instance, they outnumber their adversaries by forty to +one, they universally try to come to close quarters and use their +knives. + +My first thought was how to secure the best and shortest line of +retreat; it lay by Deh-i-Mazang, but in order to use it, the gorge +close by that village had to be held; for if the enemy reached it +first they would have no difficulty in gaining the heights above +Kabul, which would practically place the city at their mercy. + +I was very anxious also to prevent any panic or disturbance taking +place in Kabul. I therefore told General Hills, who just +then opportunely joined me, to gallop to Sherpur, explain to +Brigadier-General Hugh Gough, who had been placed in temporary +command of that place, how matters stood, and order 200 of the 72nd +Highlanders to come to Deh-i-Mazang with the least possible delay. I +directed Hills, after having delivered this message, to make for the +city, shut the gates, and do all in his power to keep the people +quiet, while warning the Kizilbashes[10] to be prepared to defend +their quarter. I then despatched my nephew and A.D.C., Lieutenant John +Sherston, to Macpherson to inform him of what had happened, and desire +him to push on with the utmost speed. + +Having taken these precautionary measures, I sent another A.D.C., +Captain Pole Carew, to Brigadier-General Massy to direct him to try +and find a way by which the guns could retire in case of a necessity, +which appeared to me to be only too probable. + +The engagement had now become a question of time. If Mahomed Jan could +close with and overwhelm our small force, Kabul would be his; but if, +by any possibility, his advance could be retarded until Macpherson +should come up, we might hope to retain possession of the city. It +was, therefore, to the Afghan leader's interest to press on, while it +was to ours to delay him as long as we possibly could. + +Pole Carew presently returned with a message from Massy that the enemy +were close upon him, and that he could not keep them in check. I +desired Pole Carew to go back, order Massy to retire the guns, and +cover the movement by a charge of Cavalry. + +The charge was led by Lieutenant-Colonel Cleland and Captain Neville, +the former of whom fell dangerously wounded; but the ground, terraced +for irrigation purposes and intersected by nullas, so impeded +our Cavalry that the charge, heroic as it was, made little or no +impression upon the overwhelming numbers of the enemy, now flushed +with the triumph of having forced our guns to retire. The effort, +however, was worthy of the best traditions of our British and Indian +Cavalry, and that it failed in its object was no fault of our gallant +soldiers. To assist them in their extremity, I ordered two of +Smyth-Windham's four guns to halt and come into action while the other +two continued to retire, but these had not gone far before they got +into such difficult ground that one had to be spiked and abandoned in +a water-cut, where Smyth-Windham found it when he came up after +having fired a few rounds at the fast advancing foe. I now ordered +Smyth-Windham to make for the village of Bhagwana with his three +remaining guns, as the only chance left of saving them. This he did, +and having reached the village, he again opened fire from behind a +low wall which enclosed the houses; but the ammunition being nearly +expended, and the enemy close at hand, there was nothing for it but to +limber up again and continue the retirement through the village. At +the further side, however, and forming part of its defences, was a +formidable obstacle in the shape of a ditch fully twelve feet deep, +narrowing towards the bottom; across this Smyth-Windham tried to take +his guns, and the leading horses had just begun to scramble up the +further bank, when one of the wheelers stumbled and fell, with the +result that the shafts broke and the gun stuck fast, blocking the only +point at which there was any possibility of getting the others across. + +With a faint hope of saving the guns, I directed Captain +Stewart-Mackenzie, who had assumed command of the 9th Lancers on +Cleland being disabled, to make a second charge, which he executed +with the utmost gallantry,[11] but to no purpose; and in the meanwhile +Smyth-Windham had given the order to unhook and spike the guns. + +By this time the enemy were within a few hundred yards of Bhagwana, +and the inhabitants had begun to fire at us from the roofs of their +houses. I was endeavouring to help some men out of the ditch, when the +headman of the village rushed at me with his knife, seeing which, a +Mahomedan[12] of the 1st Bengal Cavalry, who was following me on foot, +having just had his horse shot under him, sprang at my assailant, and, +seizing him round the waist, threw him to the bottom of the ditch, +thereby saving my life.[13] + +Suddenly the Afghans stayed their advance for a few minutes, thinking, +as I afterwards learnt, that our Infantry were in the village--a +pause which allowed many of our Cavalry who had lost their horses to +escape.[14] + +Directly we had got clear of the village the Cavalry reformed, and +retired slowly by alternate squadrons, in a manner which excited my +highest admiration, and reflected the greatest credit on the +soldierly qualities of Stewart-Mackenzie and Neville. From Bhagwana, +Deh-i-Mazang was three miles distant, and it was of vital importance +to keep the enemy back in order to give the Highlanders from Sherpur +time to reach the gorge. + +For a time the Afghans continued to press on as before, but after a +while their advance gradually became slower and their numbers somewhat +decreased. This change in Mahomed Jan's tactics, it afterwards turned +out, was caused by Macpherson's advance guard coming into collision +with the rear portion of his army; it was of the greatest advantage +to us, as it enabled the 72nd to arrive in time to bar the enemy's +passage through the gorge. My relief was great when I beheld them, +headed by their eager Commander, Brownlow, doubling through the gap +and occupying the village of Deh-i-Mazang and the heights on either +side. The Cavalry greeted them with hearty cheers, and the volleys +delivered by the Highlanders from the roofs of the houses in the +village soon checked the Afghans, some of whom turned back, while +others made for Indiki and the slopes of the Takht-i-Shah. For a time, +at any rate, their hopes of getting possession of Kabul had been +frustrated. + +It will be remembered that the orders I sent to Macpherson on the 10th +were that he was to march very early the next morning, as Massy with +the Horse Artillery and Cavalry would leave Aushar at 9 a.m., and that +he must join him on the Arghandeh road. Macpherson did not make so +early a start as I had intended; from one cause or another, he said, +he was not able to leave Karez-i-Mir before eight o'clock. On reaching +the Surkh Kotal he observed dense bodies of the enemy hurrying from +the Paghman and Arghandeh directions towards Kila Kazi, and he pushed +on, hoping to be able to deal with them individually before they had +time to concentrate. For the first three miles from the foot of the +pass the view was obstructed by a range of hills, and nothing could be +seen of the Horse Artillery and Cavalry; but soon after 10 a.m. the +booming of guns warned Macpherson that fighting was going on, but he +could not tell whether it was Baker's or Massy's troops which were +engaged. He was, however, not left long in doubt, for Lieutenant +Neville Chamberlain, attached to Macpherson as political officer, and +who had gone on with his advance guard, sent back word that he could +distinguish British Cavalry charging the Afghans, and as Baker had +only Native Cavalry with him, Macpherson knew at once that the action +was being fought by Massy. Suddenly the firing ceased, and he was +informed that the enemy were advancing on Kabul, and that their +vanguard had already reached the belt of orchards and enclosures, on +the further fringe of which the smoke from our guns and the charge of +our Cavalry had been seen. + +Macpherson, feeling that something serious had occurred, called on his +men to make a further effort. At 12.30 p.m., less than an hour after +we had begun to retire, he reached the ground where the fight had +taken place. The dead bodies of our officers and men, stripped and +horribly mutilated, proved how fierce had been the struggle, and +the dropping shots which came from the fortified villages in the +neighbourhood and from the ravines, warned the Brigadier-General that +some of the enemy were still in the neighbourhood. But these men, so +bold in the confidence of overwhelming numbers when attacking Massy's +Cavalry, were not prepared to withstand Macpherson's Infantry; after a +brief resistance they broke and fled in confusion, some to Indiki, but +the greater number to the shelter of the hills south of Kila Kazi, to +which place Macpherson followed them, intending to halt there for the +night. This I did not allow him to do, for, seeing the heavy odds we +had opposed to us, and that the enemy were already in possession +of the Takht-i-Shah, thus being in a position to threaten the Bala +Hissar, I sent orders to him to fall back upon Deh-i-Mazang, where he +arrived about 7 p.m. + +Meanwhile, Macpherson's baggage, with a guard of the 5th Gurkhas, +commanded by Major Cook, V.C., was attacked by some Afghans, who had +remained concealed in the Paghman villages, and it would probably have +fallen into their hands, as the Gurkhas were enormously outnumbered, +but for the timely arrival of four companies of the 3rd Sikhs, under +Major Griffiths, who had been left by Macpherson to see everything +safely down the pass. Cook himself was knocked over and stunned by +a blow, while his brother in the 3rd Sikhs received a severe +bullet-wound close to his heart. + +During the retirement from Bhagwana, Macgregor, my Chief of the Staff, +Durand, Badcock, and one or two other staff officers, got separated +from me and were presently overtaken by an officer (Captain Gerald +Martin), sent by Macpherson to tell Massy he was coming to his +assistance as fast as his Infantry could travel; Martin informed +Macgregor that as he rode by Bhagwana he had come across our abandoned +guns, and that there was no enemy anywhere near them. On hearing this, +Macgregor retraced his steps, and, assisted by the staff officers with +him and a few Horse Artillerymen and Lancers, and some Gurkhas of +Macpherson's baggage guard picked up on the way, he managed to rescue +the guns and bring them into Sherpur that night. They had been +stripped of all their movable parts, and the ammunition-boxes had been +emptied; otherwise they were intact, and were fit for use the next +day. + +I found assembled at Deh-i-Mazang Wali Mahomed and other Sirdars, who +had been watching with considerable anxiety the issue of the fight, +for they knew if the Afghans succeeded in their endeavours to enter +Kabul, all property belonging to people supposed to be friendly to us +would be plundered and their houses destroyed. I severely upbraided +these men for having misled me as to the strength and movements of +Mahomed Jan's army, and with having failed to fulfil their engagement +to keep me in communication with Baker. They declared they had been +misinformed themselves, and were powerless in the matter. It was +difficult to believe that this was the case, and I was unwillingly +forced to the conclusion that not a single Afghan could be trusted, +however profuse he might be in his assurances of fidelity, and that we +must depend entirely on our own resources for intelligence. + +I waited at Deh-i-Mazang until Macpherson arrived, and thus did not +get back to Sherpur till after dark. I was gratified on my arrival +there to find that Hugh Gough had made every arrangement that could be +desired for the defence of the cantonment, and that by his own +cool and confident bearing he had kept the troops calm and steady, +notwithstanding the untoward appearance of some fugitives from the +field of battle, whose only too evident state of alarm might otherwise +have caused a panic. + +For the safety of Sherpur I never for one moment had the smallest +apprehension during that eventful day. It was, I believe, thought by +some that if Mahomed Jan, instead of trying for the city, had made for +the cantonment, it would have fallen into his hands; but they were +altogether wrong, for there were a sufficient number of men within the +walls to have prevented such a catastrophe had Mahomed Jan been in +a position to make an attack; but this, with Macpherson's brigade +immediately in his rear, he could never have dreamt of attempting. + +The city of Kabul remained perfectly quiet while all the excitement +I have described was going on outside. Hills, with a few Sikhs, +patrolled the principal streets, and even when the Afghan standard +appeared on the Takht-i-Shah there was no sign of disturbance. +Nevertheless, I thought it would be wise to withdraw from the city; +I could not tell how long the people would remain well disposed, +or whether they would assist us to keep the enemy out. I therefore +directed Hills to come away and make over his charge to an influential +Kizilbash named Futteh Khan. I also telegraphed to General Bright at +Jalalabad to reinforce Gandamak by a sufficient number of troops +to hold that post in case it should be necessary to order +Brigadier-General Charles Gough, who was then occupying it, to move +his brigade nearer to Kabul; for I felt sure that, unless I could +succeed in driving Mahomed Jan out of the neighbourhood of Kabul, +excitement would certainly spread along my line of communication. +I concluded my message to Bright thus: 'If the wire should be cut, +consider it a bad sign, and push on to Gandamak, sending Gough's +Brigade towards Kabul.' + +I could not help feeling somewhat depressed at the turn things had +taken. I had no news from Baker, and we had undoubtedly suffered a +reverse, which I knew only too well would give confidence to the +Afghans, who, from the footing they had now gained on the heights +above Kabul, threatened the Bala Hissar, which place, stored as it was +with powder and other material of war, I had found it necessary to +continue to occupy. Nevertheless, reviewing the incidents of the 11th +December, as I have frequently done since, with all the concomitant +circumstances deeply impressed on my memory, I have failed to discover +that any disposition of my force different from that I made could have +had better results, or that what did occur could have been averted +by greater forethought or more careful calculation on my part. Two +deviations from my programme (which probably at the time appeared +unimportant to the Commanders in question) were the principal factors +in bringing about the unfortunate occurrences of that day. Had +Macpherson marched at 7 a.m. instead of 8, and had Massy followed the +route I had arranged for him to take, Mahomed Jan must have fallen +into the trap I had prepared for him. + +Our casualties on the 11th were--killed, 4 British officers, 16 +British and 9 Native rank and file; wounded, 4 British officers, 1 +Native officer, 20 British and 10 Native rank and file. + +[Illustration: SKETCH SHOWING THE OPERATIONS IN THE CHARDEH + VALLEY ON DECEMBER 10TH AND 11TH, 1879] + + +[Footnote 1: Fragrance of the universe.] + +[Footnote 2: Viz., Logar, Zurmat, the Mangal and Jadran districts, and +the intervening Ghilzai country.] + +[Footnote 3: Kohistan.] + +[Footnote 4: Maidan and Ghazni.] + +[Footnote 5: Macpherson had with him the following troops: 4 guns +R.H.A.; 4 guns Mountain battery; 1 squadron 9th Lancers; 2 squadrons +14th Bengal Lancers; 401 rifles 67th Foot; 509 rifles 3rd Sikhs; 393 +rifles 5th Ghurkas.] + +[Footnote 6: Baker's column consisted of: 4 guns Mountain battery; +3 troops 5th Punjab Cavalry; 25 Sappers and Miners; 450 rifles 92nd +Highlanders; 450 rifles 5th Punjab Infantry.] + +[Footnote 7: Now Lieutenant-General Sir William Lockhart, K.C.B., +K.C.S.I.] + +[Footnote 8: On the 11th December, the troops at and around Kabul +amounted to 6,352 men and 20 guns, which were thus disposed: + + _Men._ _Guns._ + Baker's column 1,325 4 + Macpherson's column 1,492 4 + Massy's column 351 4 + At Sherpur 3,184 8 + ----- -- + 6,352 20 + There were besides at Butkhak and Lataband 1,343 2 + And the Guides Corps, which reached Sherpur} + on the evening of the 11th December } 679 + ----- -- + Total 8,374 22] + + +[Footnote 9: The memorandum was as follows: + + 'Brigadier-General Massy will start at eight a.m. to-morrow with a + squadron of Cavalry, join the Cavalry and Horse Artillery now + out under Colonel Gordon, taking command thereof, and operating + towards Arghandeh in conjunction with Brigadier-General + Macpherson. The troops to return in the evening.'] + +[Footnote 10: Kizilbashes are Persians by nationality and Shiah +Mahomedans by religion. They formed the vanguard of Nadir Shah's +invading army, and after his death a number of them settled in Kabul +where they exercise considerable influence.] + +[Footnote 11: Stewart-Mackenzie's horse was shot, and fell on him, and +he was extricated with the greatest difficulty.] + +[Footnote 12: Mazr Ali was given the order of merit for his brave +action, and is now a Native officer in the regiment.] + +[Footnote 13: Our Chaplain (Adams), who had accompanied me throughout +the day, behaved in this particular place with conspicuous gallantry. +Seeing a wounded man of the 9th Lancers staggering towards him, +Adams dismounted, and tried to lift the man on to his own charger. +Unfortunately, the mare, a very valuable animal, broke loose, and was +never seen again. Adams, however, managed to support the Lancer until +he was able to make him over to some of his own comrades. + +Adams rejoined me in time to assist two more of the 9th who were +struggling under their horses at the bottom of the ditch. Without a +moment's hesitation, Adams jumped into the ditch. He was an unusually +powerful man, and by sheer strength dragged the Lancers clear of their +horses. The Afghans meanwhile had reached Bhagwana, and were so close +to the ditch that I thought my friend the padre could not possibly +escape. I called out to him to look after himself, but he paid no +attention to my warnings until he had pulled the almost exhausted +Lancers to the top of the slippery bank. Adams received the Victoria +Cross for his conduct on this occasion.] + +[Footnote 14: These men were much impeded by their long boots and +their swords dangling between their legs; the sight, indeed, of +Cavalry soldiers trying to defend themselves on foot without a firearm +confirmed the opinion I had formed during the Mutiny, as to the +desirability for the carbine being slung on the man's back when going +into action. Lieutenant-Colonel Bushman (Colonel Cleland's successor) +curiously enough had brought with him from England a sling which +admitted of this being done, and also of the carbine being carried in +the bucket on all ordinary occasions. This pattern was adopted, and +during the remainder of the campaign the men of the 9th Lancers placed +their carbines on their backs whenever the enemy were reported to +be in sight. At the same time I authorized the adoption of an +arrangement--also brought to my notice by Colonel Bushman--by which +the sword was fastened to the saddle instead of round the man's body. +This mode of wearing the sword was for some time strenuously opposed +in this country, but its utility could not fail to be recognized, and +in 1891 an order was issued sanctioning its adoption by all mounted +troops.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER LVI. +1879 + + Attack on the Takht-i-Shah--City people join the tribesmen + --Increasing numbers of the enemy--Loss of the conical hill + --Captain Vousden's gallantry--The retirement to Sherpur + + +On the morning of the 12th I was cheered by hearing that the Guides +had arrived during the night under the command of Colonel P. +Jenkins--a most welcome reinforcement, for I knew how thoroughly to be +depended upon was every man in that distinguished corps. + +The first thing now to be done was to endeavour to drive the Afghans +from the crest of the Takht-i-Shah; and I directed Macpherson, as soon +as his men had breakfasted, to attack the position from Deh-i-Mazang. +Just then my mind was considerably relieved by a heliogram from Baker +informing me that he was on his way back to Kabul. The message was +despatched from near Kila Kazi, within four miles of which place Baker +had encamped on the afternoon of the previous day. + +Macpherson deputed the task of trying to dislodge the enemy to +Lieutenant-Colonel Money, of the 3rd Sikhs, with a detachment +consisting of 2 Mountain guns and 560 British and Native Infantry. + +It was a most formidable position to attack. The slopes leading up +to it were covered with huge masses of jagged rock, intersected by +perpendicular cliffs, and its natural great strength was increased by +breastworks, and stockades thrown up at different points. + +After a gallant and persistent attempt had been made, I ordered the +assault to be deferred; for I perceived that the enemy were being +reinforced from their rear, and to ensure success without great loss, +it would be necessary to attack them in rear as well as in the +front. The arrival of Baker's brigade made it possible to do this. I +therefore ordered Macpherson to hold the ground of which he had gained +possession until Baker could co-operate with him next morning from the +Beni Hissar side. + +During the night Mahomed Jan, who had been joined by several thousands +from Logar and Wardak, occupied the villages situated between Beni +Hissar and the Bala Hissar and along the _sang-i-nawishta_ road. +Baker, who started at 8 a.m. on the 13th,[1] had, therefore, in the +first place, to gain the high ground above these villages, and, while +holding the point over-looking Beni Hissar, to wheel to his right and +move towards the Takht-i-Shah. + +When he had proceeded some little distance, his advance guard reported +that large bodies of the enemy were moving up the slope of the ridge +from the villages near Beni Hissar. To check this movement, and +prevent the already very difficult Afghan position being still further +strengthened, Major White, who was in command of the leading portion +of the attacking party, turned and made for the nearest point on the +ridge. It was now a race between the Highlanders and the Afghans as to +who should gain the crest of the ridge first. The Artillery came into +action at a range of 1,200 yards, and under cover of their fire the +92nd, supported by the Guides, rushed up the steep slopes. They were +met by a furious onslaught, and a desperate conflict took place. +The leading officer, Lieutenant Forbes, a lad of great promise, was +killed, and Colour-Sergeant Drummond fell by his side. For a moment +even the brave Highlanders were staggered by the numbers and fury of +their antagonists, but only for a moment. Lieutenant Dick Cunyngham[2] +sprang forward to cheer them on, and confidence was restored. With +a wild shout the Highlanders threw themselves on the Afghans, and +quickly succeeded in driving them down the further side of the ridge. + +By this successful movement the enemy's line was cut in two, and while +the Cavalry and a party of the 3rd Sikhs prevented their rallying in +the direction of Beni Hissar, the 92nd and Guides, protected by the +Mountain guns, which had been got on to the ridge, and the Field +Artillery from below, advanced towards the Takht-i-Shah. The Afghans +disputed every inch of the way, but by 11.30 a.m. White's men had +reached the foot of the craggy eminence which formed the enemy's main +position. They were here joined by some of the 72nd Highlanders, 3rd +Sikhs, and 5th Gurkhas, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Money, +who had fought their way from the upper Bala Hissar. + +A brilliant charge by the combined troops now took place, the two +Highlands corps vying with each other for the honour of reaching the +summit first. It fell to the 72nd, Colour-Sergeant Yule[3] of that +regiment being the foremost man on the top. The enemy made a most +determined stand, and it was only after a severe struggle and heavy +loss that they were driven off the heights. + +From my position at Sherpur I had the satisfaction of witnessing this +success. This satisfaction, however, was short-lived, for almost +immediately I received a report from the city that the inhabitants had +joined the tribesmen, and that the cantonment was being threatened; +indeed, I could see large bodies of armed men emerging from the city +and moving towards Siah Sang, whence the road between the Bala Hissar +and Sherpur would be commanded. + +Having only too evidently lost control over the city, the value of +Deh-i-Mazang was gone, so I ordered Macpherson to abandon it and move +to the Shahr-i-Darwaza heights, taking with him six companies of the +67th Foot for the protection of the Bala Hissar, to which it was +desirable to hold on as long as possible. The remainder of his troops +I ordered to be sent to Sherpur. To Baker I signalled to leave a +party on the Takht-i-Shah under Lieutenant-Colonel Money, and to move +himself towards the cantonment with the rest of his troops, driving +the enemy off the Siah Sang on the way. + +But from his point of vantage on the heights Baker could see, what +I could not, that the Afghans had occupied two strongly fortified +villages between Siah Sang and the Bala Hissar, from which it was +necessary to dislodge them in the first instance, and for this service +he detached the 5th Punjab Infantry and a battery of Artillery. It +was carried out in a masterly manner by Major Pratt, who soon gained +possession of one village. The other, however, was resolutely held, +and the Artillery failing to effect a breach, the gates were set on +fire; but even then a satisfactory opening was not made, and the place +was eventually captured by means of scaling-ladders hastily made of +poles tied together with the Native soldiers' turbans. + +Baker was now able to turn his attention to Siah Sang, so I despatched +the Cavalry under Massy, to act with him when a signal success was +achieved. The enemy fought stubbornly, but were at last driven off. +The 5th Punjab Cavalry, led by Lieutenant-Colonel Williams and Major +Hammond, greatly distinguished themselves, and a grand charge was made +by the Guides and 9th Lancers, in which Captain Butson, of the latter +regiment, was killed, also the troop Sergeant-Major and 3 men; and +Captain Chisholme,[4] Lieutenant Trower, and 8 men were wounded. + +This ended the operations on the 13th. Our losses during the day were: +killed, 2 British officers and 12 men; wounded, 2 British officers and +43 men, British and Native. + +I was in great hopes that our successes and the heavy losses the enemy +had sustained would result in the breaking up of the combination +against us; but in case these hopes should not be realized, I +decided to do away with some of the smaller posts on the line of +communication, and order up more troops. Accordingly, I telegraphed to +General Bright to send on Charles Gough's brigade, and I directed the +detachment at Butkhak to return to Kabul, and that at Seh Baba to fall +back on Lataband. Having great confidence in its Commander, Colonel +Hudson, I determined to hold on to Lataband for a time, though by +so doing the numbers I might otherwise have had at Sherpur were +considerably diminished. Lataband was the most important link in the +chain of communication between Kabul and Jalalabad; it was in direct +heliographic connexion with Kabul; it had sufficient ammunition +and supplies to last over the date on which Gough should arrive at +Sherpur, and its being held would be a check on the Ghilzais, and +prevent his encountering any serious opposition. At the same time, I +could not disguise from myself that there was a certain amount of risk +attached to leaving so small a garrison in this somewhat isolated +position. + +The night of the 13th passed quietly, but when day dawned on the 14th +crowds of armed men, with numerous standards, could be seen occupying +a hill on the Kohistan road; and as day advanced they proceeded in +vast numbers to the Asmai heights, where they were joined by swarms +from the city and the Chardeh valley. It then became apparent that the +combination was much more formidable than I had imagined, and that the +numbers of the enemy now in opposition to us were far greater than I +had dreamt was possible. Foiled in their attempt to close in upon us +from the south and west, the tribesmen had concentrated to the north, +and it was evident they were preparing to deliver an attack in great +strength from that quarter. I quickly decided to drive the enemy off +the Asmai heights, to cut their communication with Kohistan, and to +operate towards the north, much as I had operated the previous day to +the south of Sherpur. + +At 9 a.m. I despatched Brigadier General Baker to the eastern slope of +the Asmai range with the following troops: 4 guns, Field Artillery; 4 +guns, Mountain Artillery; 14th Bengal Lancers; 72nd Highlanders (192 +rifles); 92nd Highlanders (100 rifles); Guides Infantry (460 rifles); +and 5th Punjab Infantry (470 rifles). + +Covered by the fire of his Artillery, Baker seized the conical hill +which formed the northern boundary of the Aliabad Kotal, thus placing +himself on the enemy's line of communication, and preventing them +from being reinforced. He then proceeded to attack the Asmai heights, +leaving 2 Mountain guns, 64 men of the 72nd, and 60 Guides, under the +command of Lieutenant-Colonel W.H. Clarke, to hold the hill. + +To aid Baker in his difficult task, I brought four guns into action +near the north-west corner of the cantonment, and I signalled to +Macpherson to give him every possible assistance. Macpherson at once +sent the 67th across the Kabul river to threaten the enemy's left +rear; while the marksmen of the regiment and the Mountain guns opened +fire from the northern slope of the Bala Hissar heights. + +The enemy fought with the greatest obstinacy, but eventually our +troops reached the top of the hill, where, on the highest point, a +number of _ghazis_ had taken their stand, determined to sell their +lives dearly. + +All this I eagerly watched from my place of observation. There was a +fierce struggle, and then, to my intense relief, I saw our men on the +topmost pinnacle, and I knew the position was gained. + +It was now a little past noon, and I was becoming anxious about the +party left on the conical hill, as Macpherson had heliographed that +very large bodies of Afghans were moving northwards from Indiki, with +the intention, apparently, of effecting a junction with the tribesmen +who were occupying the hills in the Kohistan direction. I therefore +signalled to Baker to leave the 67th in charge of the Asmai heights, +and himself return to the lower ridge, giving him my reasons. + +Baker at once despatched a detachment of the 5th Punjab Infantry, +under Captain Hall, to reinforce Clarke, who I could see might soon be +hard pressed, and I sent 200 rifles of the 3rd Sikhs (the only troops +available at the moment) to his assistance. + +I watched what was taking place on the conical hill through my +telescope, and was startled to perceive that the enemy were, unnoticed +by him, creeping close up to Clarke's position. I could just see a +long Afghan knife appear above the ridge, steadily mounting higher and +higher, the bearer of which was being concealed by the contour of the +hill, and I knew it was only one of the many weapons which were being +carried by our enemies to the attack. The reinforcements were still +some distance off, and my heart sank within me, for I felt convinced +that after our recent victories the Afghans would never venture to +cross the open and attack British soldiers unless an overwhelming +superiority of numbers made success appear to them a certainty. Next I +heard the boom of guns and the rattle of musketry, and a minute or two +later (which, in my anxiety, seemed an eternity to me), I only too +plainly saw our men retreating down the hill, closely followed by the +enemy. The retirement was being conducted steadily and slowly, but +from that moment I realized, what is hard for a British soldier, +how much harder for a British commander, to realize, that we were +over-matched, and that we could not hold our ground. + +Clarke,[5] as well as every man with him, fought splendidly; the +Afghans by force of numbers alone made themselves masters of the +position and captured two guns.[6] + +While all that I have described was going on, the enemy began to +collect again on Siah Sang, and to make their way round the eastern +flank of the cantonment towards Kohistan. + +I had sent orders in the morning to Lieutenant-Colonel Williams, who +was quartered with his regiment (the 5th Punjab Cavalry) in the King's +Garden, between Sherpur and the city, to be on the look-out, and not +to allow any of the enemy to pass in that direction. About 1 p.m. some +400 Afghans were observed moving along the left bank of the river: +these were met by Captain Vousden of the same regiment, who with one +troop was employed in reconnoitring; he most gallantly charged +in amongst them with only twelve of his men, the remainder being +effectually stopped by a heavy fire opened upon them from behind a +low wall. Vousden succeeded in dispersing these heavy odds, and in +inflicting severe loss upon them--a very brilliant service, for which +he received the Victoria Cross. + +My object throughout these operations had been, as I hope I have +made clear, to break up the combination by dealing with the enemy in +detail, and preventing them getting possession of the city and the +Bala Hissar. + +Up till noon on the 14th I had no idea of the extraordinary numbers +they were able to bring together, and I had no reason to believe that +it would be possible for them to cope with disciplined troops; but +the manner in which the conical hill had been retaken gave me a +more correct idea of their strength and determination, and shook my +confidence in the ability of my comparatively small force to resist +the ever-increasing hordes, on ground which gave every advantage to +numerical superiority. It was a bitter thought that it might be my +duty to retire for a time within the defences of Sherpur, a measure +which would involve the abandonment of the city and the Bala Hissar, +and which I knew, moreover, would give heart to the tribesmen. + +I had to decide at once on the course I ought to pursue, for, if I +continued to act on the defensive, food and ammunition must be sent +before dark to Macpherson's brigade, occupying the hills above the +city, and arrangements must be made for Baker's retention of the Asmai +heights. I heliographed to Macpherson to inquire the direction in +which the enemy were moving, and whether their numbers were still +increasing. He replied that large masses were steadily advancing +from north, south, and west, and that their numbers were momentarily +becoming greater, to which the young officer in charge of the +signalling station added, 'The crowds of Afghans in the Chardeh valley +remind me of Epsom on the Derby day.' + +This decided me; I determined to withdraw from all isolated positions, +and concentrate my force at Sherpur, thereby securing the safety of +the cantonment and avoiding what had now become a useless sacrifice of +life. I only too thoroughly recognized the evils of the measure, but I +considered that no other course would be justifiable, and that I must +act for the present entirely on the defensive, and wait until the +growing confidence of the enemy should afford me a favourable +opportunity for attacking them, or until reinforcements could arrive. + +The inevitable order reached the two Generals at 2 p.m., and the +retirement was begun at once. The Afghans speedily discovered the +retrograde movement, and no sooner had each post in its turn been +evacuated than it was occupied by the enemy, who pressed our troops +the whole way back to the cantonment. There was hand-to-hand fighting, +and many splendid acts of courage were performed, Major Hammond, of +the Guides, earning the Victoria Cross; but throughout there was no +hurry or confusion, all was conducted with admirable coolness and +skill, and shortly after dark the troops and baggage were safe inside +Sherpur. That night the Afghans occupied the city and the Bala Hissar. + +It is comparatively easy for a small body of well-trained soldiers, +such as those of which the army in India is composed, to act on the +offensive against Asiatics, however powerful they may be in point of +numbers. There is something in the determined advance of a compact, +disciplined body of troops which they can seldom resist. But a +retirement is a different matter. They become full of confidence and +valour the moment they see any signs of their opponents being unable +to resist them, and if there is the smallest symptom of unsteadiness, +wavering, or confusion, a disaster is certain to occur. It may be +imagined, therefore, with what intense anxiety I watched for hours +the withdrawal. The ground was all in favour of the Afghans, who, +unimpeded by impedimenta of any kind, swarmed down upon the mere +handful of men retreating before them, shouting cries of victory and +brandishing their long knives; but our brave men, inspired by the +undaunted bearing of their officers, were absolutely steady. They took +up position after position with perfect coolness; every movement was +carried out with as much precision as if they were manoeuvring on +an ordinary field-day; and the killed and wounded were brought away +without the slightest hurry or confusion. In fact, the whole of the +hazardous operation was most successfully and admirably carried out; +and as each regiment and detachment filed through the Head-Quarters +gateway I was able to offer my warm congratulations and heartfelt +thanks to my gallant comrades. + +Our losses during the day were: 19 killed, including Captain Spens and +Lieutenant Gaisford, 72nd Highlanders, and 88 wounded, amongst whom +were Captain Gordon, 92nd Highlanders, Lieutenant Egerton, 72nd +Highlanders, and Captain Battye, of the Guides.[7] + + +[Footnote 1: His force consisted of 4 guns, Field Artillery; 4 +Mountain guns; 1 squadron 9th Lancers; 5th Punjab Cavalry; 6 companies +92nd Highlanders; 7 companies Guides; and 300 3rd Sikhs; and +subsequently it was strengthened by 150 of the 5th Punjab Infantry.] + +[Footnote 2: Dick Cunyngham received the Victoria Cross for +conspicuous gallantry and coolness on this occasion.] + +[Footnote 3: This gallant non-commissioned officer was killed the +following day.] + +[Footnote 4: Notwithstanding that his wound was most severe, Captain +Chisholme remained in the saddle, and brought the regiment out of +action.] + +[Footnote 5: Clarke never recovered the loss of this post. He and I +had been cadets together at Sandhurst, and I often visited him while +he was in hospital at Sherpur. He was apparently suffering from no +disease, but gradually faded away, and died not long after he reached +India.] + +[Footnote 6: General Baker, in his despatch, stated that 'No blame for +the loss of these guns is in any way to be attached to the officers +and men of No. 2 Mountain Battery.... Every credit is due to Captain +Swinley, the late Lieutenant Montanaro, and Lieutenant Liddell, +and the several Native officers, non-commissioned officers and men +composing the gun detachments, for the gallant manner in which they +stood to their guns to the last, and it was only on the sudden rush of +this overwhelming force of the enemy that they had to retire with the +loss of two guns.' + +Of the men composing the gun detachments, one was killed and six +wounded, and Surgeon-Major Joshua Duke was specially mentioned for his +attention to the wounded under heavy fire.] + +[Footnote 7: The same officer who so gallantly met his death during +the recent Chitral campaign, while commanding the regiment of which he +was so justly proud, and in which two brave brothers had been killed +before him--Quinton at Delhi, and Wigram during the first phase of the +Afghan war.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER LVII. +1879 + + Sherpur--Defence of Sherpur--Arrest of Daud Shah + --Rumours of an assault--Attack and counter-attack + --Communication with India re-opened--Sherpur made safe + + +The moment the gates were closed I telegraphed the result of the day's +operations to the Viceroy and Commander-in-Chief, for I knew that the +enemy's first thought would be to stop communication with India +by cutting the telegraph-wires. I reported that I had ordered +Brigadier-General Charles Gough's brigade to push on from Gandamak as +fast as possible; and I recommended that General Bright should have +more troops sent up to him, to allow of his keeping open the route to +Kabul, and of his reinforcing me should I find it impossible to clear +the country with the force at my disposal. It was a satisfaction to +be able to assure the authorities in these, to me, otherwise painful +telegrams, that there was no cause for anxiety as to the safety of the +troops; that sufficient supplies for men were stored in Sherpur for +nearly four months, and for animals for six weeks; that there +was abundance of firewood, medicines, and hospital comforts, and +sufficient ammunition both for guns and rifles to admit of an active +resistance being carried on for between three and four months. + +It was fortunate there was no lack of provisions, for our numbers were +considerably increased by the presence of Wali Mahomed Khan and many +other Sirdars, who begged for shelter in Sherpur, on the plea that +their lives would not be safe were they to return to the city. They +were far from being welcome guests, for I could not trust them; +ostensibly, however, they were our friends, and I could not refuse +their petition. I therefore admitted them, on condition that each +Sirdar should only be accompanied by a specified number of followers. + +The stormy occurrences of the 14th were succeeded by a period of +comparative calm, during which the entrenchments were strengthened, +and the heavy guns found in the Kabul arsenal were prepared for +service. + +The great drawback to Sherpur, as I have already mentioned, was its +extent and the impossibility of reducing the line of defences owing to +the length of the Bimaru ridge. The cantonment was in the form of a +parallelogram, with the Bimaru heights running along, and protecting, +the northern side. Between this range and the hills, which form the +southern boundary of Kohistan, lay a lake, or rather _jhil_, a barrier +between which and the commanding Bimaru ridge no enemy would dare to +advance. + +The massive wall on the south and west faces was twenty feet high, +covered at a distance of thirty feet by a lower wall fifteen feet +high; the southern wall was pierced at intervals of about 700 yards by +gateways, three in number, protected by lofty circular bastions, and +between these and at the four corners were a series of low bastions +which gave an admirable flanking fire. The wall on the western flank +was of similar construction, but had been considerably damaged at the +northern end, evidently by an explosion of gunpowder. + +The weak part of our defence was on the eastern face, where the wall, +which had never been completed, was only seven feet high, and did not +extend for more than 700 yards from the south-east corner; the line +then ran to the north-west, and, skirting the village of Bimaru, ended +at the foot of the ridge. + +From this description it will be seen that, though the perimeter[1] +of Sherpur was rather too large for a force of 7,000 effective men to +defend, its powers of resistance, both natural and artificial, were +considerable. It was absolutely necessary to hold the Bimaru ridge for +its entire length; to have given up any part of it would have been to +repeat the mistake which proved so disastrous to Elphinstone's army in +1841. In fact, the Bimaru heights were at once the strength and the +weakness of the position. So long as we could hold the heights we were +safe from attack from the north; but if we had been forced, either +from the weakness of our own garrison, or from any other cause, to +relinquish the command of this natural barrier, the whole of the +cantonment must have lain open to the enemy, and must forthwith have +become untenable. + +The question of how Sherpur could best be defended had been carefully +considered by a committee,[2] assembled by my orders soon after +our arrival in Kabul; and a scheme had been drawn up detailing the +measures which should be adopted in case of attack. + +On the recommendation of this committee six towers had been +constructed on the Bimaru heights, and shelter trenches and gunpits +made at the points where Infantry and Artillery fire could be used +with the greatest advantage. These trenches were now deepened and +prolonged, so as to form one continuous line of defence, protected by +an abattis; and the defences in the depression between the heights +were so arranged that fire could be brought to bear on an enemy +advancing from the north. To strengthen the north-east corner, a +battery was thrown up on the slope of the ridge, which was connected +with the tower above and the village below. The village itself was +loop-holed, the outlying buildings to the front made defensible, +and the open space to the north-east secured by abattis and wire +entanglements. The Native Field Hospital was strengthened in like +manner, and sand-bag parapets were piled upon the roof, which was +somewhat exposed. + +The unfinished wall on the eastern face was raised by logs of wood, +and abattis and wire entanglements were placed in front. In the open +space lying between the Bimaru ridge and the north-west circular +bastion, a defence on the _laager_ system was constructed out of +gun-carriages and limbers captured from the enemy; while the village +of Ghulam Hasan Khan, which formed an excellent flanking defence along +the northern and western faces, was held as an independent post. + +I divided the whole of the defences into five sections, under the +superintendence of five different commanders: Brigadier-General +Macpherson, Colonel Jenkins, Brigadier-General Hugh Gough, +Major-General Hills, and Colonel Brownlow. Brigadier-General Massy was +given the centre of the cantonment, where were collected the forage +and firewood; and Brigadier-General Baker commanded the reserve, which +was formed up at the depression in the Bimaru heights mentioned above, +that he might be able to move rapidly to either end of the ridge, the +weakest points in our defences. + +The several sections were connected with each other and with my +Head-Quarters by a telegraph-wire, and visual signalling was +established at all important points. + +In my arrangements for the defence of Sherpur I relied to a great +extent on the advice of my accomplished Chief Engineer, Colonel Æneas +Perkins, and it was mainly owing to him, and to the exertions of +his competent staff, that the work was carried on as rapidly and +satisfactorily as it was. + +During these days of preparation the enemy remained comparatively +inactive, being chiefly employed in looting the city and emptying the +Amir's arsenal. The gunpowder had been destroyed as far as possible; +but a great deal still remained, and many tons of it were carried off +by the army of Mahomed Jan, who had now become the practical leader of +the Afghan combination, and had lately proclaimed Yakub Khan's eldest +son, Musa Khan, Amir. + +On the afternoon of the 16th I received the welcome news that Colonel +Hudson had successfully resisted an attack on his position by the +Ghilzais--welcome because I could now feel assured that Lataband could +be depended upon to hold its own. + +For the next five days nothing of much importance was done on either +side. The enemy took up positions daily in the neighbouring forts and +gardens, causing a few casualties, and some of our troops moved out to +dislodge them from those places from which they could specially annoy +us. I destroyed some of the forts, and removed other cover in the +immediate vicinity of the walls; but I did not undertake any large +sorties, for to have attempted to drive the enemy out of the outlying +posts, which I could not then have held, would have been a useless +waste of strength. + +My chief trouble at this time was the presence of the Afghan Sirdars +within the cantonment. I had good reason to believe that some of them, +though full of protestations of friendship, had been in communication +with Mahomed Jan, the high-priest Mushk-i-Alam, and other Afghan +leaders, so that I felt sure that neither they nor their followers +were to be depended upon. I was also somewhat anxious about the Pathan +soldiers in our ranks, a feeling which I was unwilling to acknowledge +even to myself, for they had hitherto behaved with marked loyalty, +and done splendid service; but they were now being exposed to a most +severe trial, in that they were, as I knew, being constantly appealed +to by their co-religionists to join in the _jahad_ against us, and +bitterly reproached for serving their infidel masters. Whether they +would be strong enough to resist such appeals, it was impossible to +tell; but it would have been most unwise, as well as most painful +to me, to show the slightest suspicion of these fine soldiers. It +happened that the Corps of Guides and 5th Punjab Infantry, which had +of all regiments the largest number of Mahomedans amongst them, were +located at the two extremities of the Bimaru range, the points most +likely to be attacked; to have made any change in the disposition +would have been to show that they were suspected, so I determined +(after taking their commanding officers, Colonels Jenkins and McQueen, +into my confidence) to leave them where they were, and merely to +strengthen each post by a couple of companies of Highlanders. + +I was also considerably exercised about the safety of the large stacks +of firewood, grain, and forage, for if anything had happened to them +we could not have continued to hold Sherpur. There were not enough +British soldiers to furnish guards for these stacks, so I was obliged +to have them watched for a time by officers; an opportune fall of +snow, however, on the night of the 18th, rendered incendiarism +impossible. + +One other extremely unpleasant precaution I felt it my duty to take +was the placing of Daud Shah, Yakub Khan's Commander-in-Chief, under +arrest. I liked the man, and he had mixed freely with us all for more +than two months. He was not, however, absolutely above suspicion: some +of his near relatives were the most prominent amongst our enemies; and +I had been struck by a change in his manner towards me of late. In +trusting him to the extent I had done, I acted against the opinion of +almost everyone about me, and now that I had a doubt myself, I felt I +was not justified in leaving him at liberty, for if he were disposed +to make use of his opportunities to our disadvantage, his unrestrained +freedom of movement and observation would be certainly a source of +great danger. + +For three or four days cloudy weather prevented heliograph +communication with Lataband, and messengers sent by Hudson had failed +to reach Sherpur, so that we were without any news from the outer +world; but on the afternoon of the 18th I received a letter from +Brigadier-General Charles Gough, conveying the disappointing +intelligence that he had only got as far as Jagdalak, twenty-one miles +from Gandamak, and that he did not consider himself strong enough to +advance on Kabul. + +Gough no doubt felt himself in an awkward position. The line to his +rear was weakly held, the telegraph-wire on both sides of him was +cut, his rear guard had been attacked near Jagdalak, there was a +considerable collection of men on the hills to his front, and, as he +reported, 'the whole country was up.' Moreover, Major-General Bright, +under whom Gough was immediately serving, shared his opinion that it +would be wiser for him to wait until reinforcements came up from the +rear. + +Gough, however, had with him 4 Mountain guns and 125 Artillerymen, 73 +Sappers and Miners, 222 Native Cavalry, 487 British Infantry, and 474 +Gurkhas; in all, 1,381 men, besides 36 officers--not a very large +force, but composed of excellent material, and large enough, I +considered, augmented, as it would be, by the Lataband detachment, to +move safely on Kabul. I had no hesitation, therefore, in sending Gough +peremptory orders to advance without delay, thus relieving him of all +responsibility in the event of anything unexpected occurring. + +Hudson, at Lataband, as has already been recorded, was only victualled +until the 23rd, before which date I had calculated that Gough would +surely have relieved the garrison and brought the troops away. But now +all was uncertain, and it was incumbent upon me to send them food. The +difficulty as to how to get supplies to Lataband was solved by +some Hazaras, who had been working in our camp for several weeks, +volunteering to convey what was necessary, and it was arranged that +the provisions should be sent with two parties, one on the 19th, the +other on the 20th. The first got through safely, but the second almost +entirely fell into the hands of the enemy. + +On the 21st a heliogram from Hudson informed me that Gough's brigade +was expected the next day; but as it had been found necessary to drop +his Cavalry at the several posts he passed on the way for their better +protection, I deemed it expedient to send him the 12th Bengal Cavalry, +for he had to pass through some fairly open country near Butkhak, +where they might possibly be of use to him. Accordingly, they started +at 3 a.m. on the 22nd, with instructions to halt at Butkhak should +that post be unoccupied, otherwise to push on to Lataband. + +Finding the former place in possession of the Afghans, Major Green, +who was in command of the regiment, made for the further post, where +he arrived with the loss of only three men killed and three wounded. + +It was not easy to get reliable information as to the movements or +intentions of the enemy while we were surrounded in Sherpur; but from +spies who managed to pass to and from the city under cover of night, I +gathered that plans were being made to attack us. + +It was not, however, until the 21st that there were any very great +signs of activity. On that and the following day the several posts to +the east of the cantonment were occupied preparatory to an attack from +that quarter; and I was told that numbers of scaling-ladders were +being constructed. This looked like business. Next, information was +brought in that, in all the mosques, mullas were making frantic +appeals to the people to unite in one final effort to exterminate the +infidel; and that the aged Mushk-i-Alam was doing all in his power to +fan the flame of fanaticism, promising to light with his own hand +at dawn on the 23rd (the last day of the _Moharram_, when religious +exaltation amongst Mahomedans is at its height) the beacon-fire which +was to be the signal for assault. + +The night of the 22nd was undisturbed, save by the songs and cries of +the Afghans outside the walls, but just before day the flames of the +signal-fire, shooting upwards from the topmost crag of the Asmai +range, were plainly to be seen, followed on the instant by a burst of +firing. + +Our troops were already under arms and at their posts, waiting for the +assault, which commenced with heavy firing against the eastern and +southern faces. The most determined attack was directed against the +two sections commanded by Brigadier-General Hugh Gough and Colonel +Jenkins, who by their able dispositions proved themselves worthy of +the confidence I had reposed in them. + +It was too dark at first to see anything in front of the walls, and +orders were given to reserve fire until the advancing masses of the +assailants could be clearly made out. Gough's Mountain guns, under +Lieutenant Sherries, then fired star-shells, which disclosed the +attacking force up to a thousand yards off. The 28th Punjab Infantry +were the first to open fire; then the Guides, the 67th, and 92nd, each +in their turn, greeted by their volleys the _ghazis_ who approached +close to the walls. Guns from every battery opened on the foe moving +forward to the attack, and from 7 to 10 a.m. the fight was carried on. +Repeated attempts were made to scale the south-eastern wall, and many +times the enemy got up as far as the abattis, but were repulsed, +heaps of dead marking the spots where these attempts had been most +persistent.[3] + +Soon after 10 a.m. there was a slight lull in the fighting, leading us +to believe that the Afghans were recoiling before the breechloaders. +An hour later, however, the assault grew hot as ever, and finding we +could not drive the enemy back by any fire which could be brought +against them from the defences, I resolved to attack them in flank. +Accordingly, I directed Major Craster, with four Field Artillery guns, +and Lieutenant-Colonel Williams, with the 5th Punjab Cavalry, to move +out over the hollow in the Bimaru range and open fire on a body of the +enemy collected in and around the village of Kurja Kila. This fire had +the desired effect; the Afghans wavered and broke. + +From that moment the attacking force appeared to lose heart, the +assault was no longer prosecuted with the same vigour, and by 1 p.m. +it had ceased altogether, and the enemy were in full flight. + +This was the Cavalry's opportunity. I ordered Massy to follow in +pursuit with every available man, and before nightfall all the open +ground in the neighbourhood of Sherpur was cleared of the enemy. +Simultaneously with the movement of the Cavalry, a party was +despatched to destroy some villages near the southern wall which had +caused us much trouble, and whence it was necessary the enemy should +be driven, to facilitate the entrance of Brigadier-General Charles +Gough the next day, for that officer had arrived with his brigade +within about six miles of Sherpur, where I could see his tents, and +gathered from the fact of his pitching them that he meant to halt +there for the night. The villages were found to be occupied by +_ghazis_, who refused to surrender, preferring to remain and perish in +the buildings, which were then blown up. Two gallant Engineer +officers (Captain Dundas, V.C., and Lieutenant C. Nugent) were most +unfortunately killed in carrying out this duty. + +The relief I felt when I had gathered my force inside the walls of +Sherpur on the evening of the 14th December was small compared to that +which I experienced on the morning of the 24th, when I realized that +not only had the assault been abandoned, but that the great tribal +combination had dissolved, and that not a man of the many thousands +who had been opposed to us the previous day remained in any of the +villages, or on the surrounding hills. It was difficult to form an +accurate estimate of the numbers opposed to us. As the Contingent from +the more distant districts advanced, they received accessions from +every place they passed, and as they neared Kabul they were joined by +the inhabitants of the numerous villages, and by the disaffected in +the city. It was calculated by those best able to judge that the +combined forces exceeded 100,000, and I myself do not think that an +excessive computation. + +[Illustration: PLAN TO ILLUSTRATE THE DEFENCES OF SHERPUR AND + THE OPERATIONS ROUND KABUL IN DECEMBER, 1879] + +Our casualties between the 15th and the 23rd were remarkably few: 2 +officers, 9 men, and 7 followers killed, and 5 officers, 41 men, and +22 followers wounded; while the enemy lost not less than 3,000. + +I think I had great reason to be proud of my force. All night and +every night, the ground covered with snow and the thermometer marking +sixteen degrees of frost, officers and men were at their posts, and +each day every available man had to be hard at work strengthening the +defences. Native and European soldiers alike bore the hardships and +exposure with the utmost cheerfulness, and in perfect confidence that, +when the assault should take place, victory would be ours. + +Early on the 24th the fort of Mahomed Sharif was occupied, and a force +moved out to escort Charles Gough's brigade into Sherpur, a precaution +which, however, was hardly necessary, as there was no enemy to be +seen. + +I next set to work to re-open communication with India, Butkhak was +re-occupied, and the relaying of the telegraph was taken in hand. +General Hills resumed his position as military Governor of Kabul; the +dispensary and hospital were re-established in the city under the +energetic and intelligent guidance of Surgeon-Captain Owen;[4] and +in the hope of reassuring the people, I issued the following +Proclamation: + + 'At the instigation of some seditious men, the ignorant people, + generally not considering the result, raised a rebellion. Now many + of the insurgents have received their reward, and as subjects + are a trust from God, the British Government, which is just and + merciful, as well as strong, has forgiven their guilt. It is now + proclaimed that all who come in without delay will be pardoned, + excepting only Mahomed Jan of Wardak, Mir Bacha of Kohistan, + Samandar Khan of Logar, Ghulam Hyder of Chardeh, and the murderers + of Sirdar Mahomed Hassan Khan. Come and make your submission + without fear, of whatsoever tribe you may be. You can then remain + in your houses in comfort and safety, and no harm will befall you. + The British Government has no enmity towards the people. Anyone + who rebels again will, of course, be punished. This condition is + necessary. But all who come in without delay need have no fear or + suspicion. The British Government speaks only that which is in its + heart.' + +The effect of this Proclamation was most satisfactory: the city and +the surrounding country quieted rapidly, shops were re-opened, and +before the close of the year the bazaars were as densely thronged as +ever. Most of the principal men of Logar and Kohistan came to pay +their respects to me; they were treated with due consideration, and +the political officers did all they could to find out what they +really wanted, so that some basis of an arrangement for the peaceful +administration of the country might be arrived at. + +While taking these measures, which I thought would create confidence +in our clemency and justice, I endeavoured in other ways to prevent +a repetition of further serious troubles. Snow was still deep on the +ground, but I did not let it prevent my sending General Baker to +destroy a fort about twenty miles off, where dwelt an influential +_malik_, who was one of the chief ringleaders in the revolt. All +walled enclosures within 1,000 yards of the cantonment were razed to +the ground, roads fit for guns were made all round the outside walls +and towards the several gates of the city and Siah Sang, while two +bridges, strong enough for Artillery to pass over, were thrown across +the Kabul River. + +The increased numbers to be accommodated on the arrival of Gough's +brigade necessitated the re-occupation of the Bala Hissar, the +defences of which were reconstructed so as to give a continuous line +of fire, and admit of free circulation round the walls; roads were +made through the lower Bala Hissar, and redoubts and towers were built +on the Shahr-i-Darwaza range. + +A strong fort--Fort Roberts--was constructed on the south-west point +of Siah Sang, which commanded the Bala Hissar and the city; a smaller +one was built at the crossing of the river; and as these two forts +were not within sight of each other, a tower to connect them was +constructed at the north-west extremity of Siah Sang. + +Sherpur was thus made safe; but for the absolute protection of the +city against an enemy operating from the Chardeh direction, a third +fort was erected on the Asmai heights, which completed a formidable +line of defences most skilfully carried out by Colonel Perkins and his +staff. + + +[Footnote 1: Four and a half miles.] + +[Footnote 2: The committee consisted of Brigadier-General T. D. +Baker, Lieutenant Colonel Æ. Perkins, commanding Royal Engineers, and +Lieutenant-Colonel B. Gordon, commanding Royal Artillery.] + +[Footnote 3: A curious exemplification of the passive courage and +indifference to danger of some Natives was the behaviour of an old +Mahomedan servant of mine. At this juncture, just at the time when the +fight was hottest, and I was receiving reports every few seconds from +the officers commanding the several posts, Eli Bux (a brother of the +man who had been with me throughout the Mutiny) whispered in my ear +that my bath was ready. He was quite unmoved by the din and shots, and +was carrying on his ordinary duties as if nothing at all unusual was +occurring.] + +[Footnote 4: This hospital was admirably managed, and was attended by +a large number of patients, half of whom were women. The disease moat +prevalent in Kabul was ophthalmia, caused by dust, dirt, and exposure, +while cataract and other affections of the eye were very common. Dr. +Owen, amongst his other many qualifications, excelled as an oculist, +and his marvellous cures attracted sufferers from all parts of +Afghanistan.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER LVIII. +1880 + + Two important questions--A Ruler required--News of Abdur Rahman Khan + --Abdur Rahman in Afghan-Turkestan--Overtures made to Abdur Rahman + + +The outlook in Afghanistan on the 1st January, 1880, was fairly +satisfactory; the tidings of the defeat and dispersion of the +tribesmen had spread far and wide, and had apparently had the effect +of tranquillizing the country even in remote Kandahar, where the +people had been greatly excited by the news of our retiring from +Sherpur, and by the exaggerated reports of their countrymen's success. +No complications now existed anywhere, and preparations were commenced +for Sir Donald Stewart's force in southern Afghanistan to move +towards Ghazni, in anticipation of the carrying out of a complete and +connected scheme[1] for the pacification of the country, and an early +withdrawal from northern Afghanistan. No withdrawal, however, would be +possible until durable foundations had been laid for the future +safety of the Indian frontier, and reliable guarantees given for the +continued good behaviour of India's Afghan neighbours. + +The two questions, therefore, which chiefly exercised the minds of +people in authority, both in England and in India, with regard to +Afghan affairs were, What was to be done with Afghanistan now we had +got it? and, Who could be set up as Ruler with any chance of being +able to hold his own? + +The second question depended a good deal on the decision which might +be arrived at with regard to the first, for the selection of a Ruler +could hardly be considered until it had been determined whether the +several provinces of Afghanistan were to be again formed into one +kingdom, or whether the political scheme for the future government of +the country should be based on the separation of the several States. + +I myself had come to the conclusion, after much deliberation and +anxious thought, that the latter course was the least dangerous for us +to adopt. Disintegration had been the normal condition of Afghanistan, +except for a short period which ended as far back as 1818. Dost +Mahomed was the first since that time to attempt its unification, and +it took him (the strongest Amir of the century) eight years after his +restoration to establish his supremacy over Afghan-Turkestan, fourteen +years before Kandahar acknowledged his authority, and twenty-one years +ere he got possession of Herat, a consummation which was achieved only +just before his death. His successor, Sher Ali, was five years making +himself master of Afghanistan, and he could never have attained that +position but for the material assistance he received from us. I felt +it would be in the future as it had been in the past, and that there +would always be the danger of a Ruler, made supreme by the aid of our +money and our arms, turning against us for some supposed grievance, or +at the instigation of a foreign Power, as had happened with Sher Ali. +A strong, united Afghanistan was very desirable, no doubt, could we +be certain that its interests and ours would always remain identical; +but, in addition to the chance of its strength and unity being used +against us, there was the certainty that, even if the man we might +choose as Amir were to remain perfectly loyal, at his death Afghan +history would repeat itself; the succession to the throne would be +disputed, and the unification would have to begin all over again. For +these reasons I had no hesitation in giving it as my opinion that +Afghanistan should be disintegrated, and that we should not again +attempt to place the whole country under any one Sovereign. + +My views must have commended themselves to the Government of India, +for in their despatch to the Secretary of State, dated 7th January, +1880, they indicated them as the line of policy they proposed to adopt +in pursuance of the object they had at heart, viz., the safety of the +Indian Empire and the tranquillity of its northern frontier; and in +the communication to myself, conveying their idea of the general +principles upon which the permanent settlement of Afghanistan should +be based, the Foreign Secretary wrote that all arrangements for +the establishment of a durable Government at Kabul depended on the +selection of a suitable Ruler for that province; and that, as it was +essential to clear away any apprehension that the British Government +contemplated territorial annexation, which might be caused by a +prolonged interregnum, it would be very advantageous if one of the +principal Sirdars, qualified by his family connexions, his local +influence, and his personal following, could be selected as the Ruler +of the Kabul State. + +There was another very strong reason why the Government of India +should wish to find some one to whom the administration of the country +could safely be made over. The first warning notes of a General +Election were heard in India early in January. Afghan affairs were +being made a party question, and the policy of the Beaconsfield +Government with regard to them was being severely and adversely +criticized. Lord Lytton was, therefore, most anxious that a definite +conclusion should be arrived at as to the administration of +Afghanistan, and a period put to our occupation of the northern +province before the meeting of Parliament should take place. + +The difficulty was to find the right man. Abdur Rahman, who I had +reason to believe would be acceptable to the army, was far away, I +could not find out where, and I could think of no one else at all +suitable. Under the circumstances, I deemed it advisable to open +negotiations with the several leaders of the late combination against +us, who were congregated at Ghazni, and had with them the young +Heir-apparent, Musa Khan. In the middle of January I had received two +communications from these people, one ostensibly written by Musa Khan +himself, the other signed by seventy of the most influential +chiefs; the tenor of both was the same; they demanded Yakub Khan's +restoration, and asserted his innocence as to the massacre of the +Embassy. I replied that Yakub Khan's return was impossible, and that +they must consider his abdication final, as he himself had declared +that he wished it to be,[2] and a few days later I deputed the +Mustaufi[3] to visit Ghazni, in the hope that he might be able to +induce the leaders to make some more feasible suggestion for the +government of the country. + +The Mustaufi had scarcely started, before what seemed to be a reliable +report reached me that Abdur Rahman was at Kanduz, on his way to +Badakhshan, and I immediately communicated this news to Lord Lytton. + +A fortnight later Abdur Rahman's mother, who resided at Kandahar, +informed Sir Donald Stewart that Ayub Khan had received a letter from +her son, in answer to an offer from Ayub to join him at Balkh and +march with him against the British. In this letter Abdur Rahman had +replied that he would have nothing to do with any of Sher Ali's +family, who had deceived him and dealt with him in the same +treacherous manner that characterized Sher Ali's dealings with the +British; further, that he had no intention of opposing the British, +knowing full well he was not strong enough to do so; that he could not +leave Russian territory without the permission of the Russians, whose +pensioner he was; and that, even if he got that permission, he could +not come either into Turkestan or Kabul without an invitation from us, +but that, if he received such an invitation, he would obey it as an +order. He concluded by advising Ayub Khan to make his submission to +the British, as opposition was useless. Sir Donald Stewart telegraphed +the substance of this communication to the Foreign Secretary, adding +that Abdur Rahman's family were well disposed towards us, and that +there would be no difficulty in communicating with the Sirdar through +them. + +In the meantime, I had been careful to acquaint the Government of +India with my failure to come to any conclusion with the Ghazni +faction as to the future government of the country, and the +hopelessness of finding anyone of sufficient strength of character to +set up as Ruler of Kabul; and I had suggested, failing a really strong +man, the alternative of letting the Afghans choose for themselves some +Ruler, other than Yakub Khan, and thus leave us free to evacuate the +country. + +About this time Mr. Lyall, the Foreign Secretary, came to Kabul on +a visit to me, and Captain West Ridgeway[4] took the place of my +Political Secretary, Mr. Durand, who left me to join the Foreign +Office at Simla, Mr. (now Sir) Lepel Griffin, Secretary to the Punjab +Government, being appointed Chief of the political staff at Kabul. + +Lyall told me that the Indian Government fully appreciated the +difficulty I was in about finding a Ruler for the province, and that, +unless Abdur Rahman could be brought within negotiable distance, the +alternative I had suggested would have to be acted upon. + +Lord Lytton, however, was very sanguine about Abdur Rahman, and he +warned Mr. Griffin, before he started for Kabul, that the Sirdar's +letter to Ayub Khan indicated possibilities that might have the most +important bearing on the solution of the difficult problem to be dealt +with in northern Afghanistan. It was Lord Lytton's wish to place Abdur +Rahman on the throne of Kabul, or, at least, to afford him the best +opportunity of winning his own way to that position. The difficulty +was to get at him, in the first instance, and, in the second, to +convince him of our wish and power to help him; while a not unnatural +hesitation on the Sirdar's part to enter Afghanistan without Russia's +permission had to be considered. + +Lord Lytton impressed upon Mr. Griffin the necessity for overcoming +these difficulties in time to enable us to withdraw from northern +Afghanistan in the early autumn at latest; and he desired Sir Oliver +St. John (Sir Donald Stewart's political officer, who was at that time +in Calcutta), immediately on his return to Kandahar, to communicate +with Abdur Rahman, through his mother, the Viceroy's willingness to +make him Ruler of Kabul and Turkestan, if he would accept the terms +offered to him without delay. + +The Viceroy communicated his views to the Secretary of State in the +following telegram: + + 'Necessary to find without delay some Native authority to which we + can restore northern Afghanistan without risk of immediate anarchy + on our evacuation of Kabul not later than next autumn, and if + possible earlier. No prospect of finding in the country any man + strong enough for this purpose. I therefore advocate early public + recognition of Abdur Rahman as legitimate heir of Dost Mahomed, + and open deputation of Sirdars with British concurrence to offer + him throne of Afghanistan as sole means of saving the country from + anarchy. Do you approve?' + +Lord Cranbrook's reply was as follows: + + 'Assuming that Abdur Rahman is acceptable to the country, and that + he would be content with northern Afghanistan, it is desirable to + support him at Kabul; the more spontaneous any advances to him + on the part of the Sirdars, and the less appearance of British + influence, the better. But where is he? And how do you propose + to learn his wishes and intentions? If invited by Chiefs, every + inducement to bring him to Kabul should be then held out. Public + recognition should not precede, but follow, his adoption by + Sirdars, and his acceptance of the position.' + +By the end of March authentic intelligence was received that +Abdur Rahman had made himself master of Afghan-Turkestan, and was +corresponding with the representative Sirdars at Kabul. It seemed, +therefore, that the time had arrived when distinct overtures might +be made to Abdur Rahman; accordingly, on the 1st April Mr. Griffin +addressed to him the following letter: + + 'It has become known that you have entered Afghanistan, and + consequently this letter is sent you by a confidential messenger, + in order that you may submit to the British officers at Kabul + any representations that you may desire to make to the British + Government with regard to your object in entering Afghanistan.' + +Abdur Rahman, in his friendly but guarded reply,[5] expressed in +general terms his hope of being recognized as Amir. He greatly +desired, he wrote, the friendship of the British, and their assistance +in restoring peace and order to Afghanistan; but at the same time, +he hinted that his obligations to the Russian Government for the +hospitality they had extended to him placed him in some doubt as to +the terms upon which our friendship might be accorded to him, and +while he expressed a desire for the permanent establishment of +Afghanistan, with our assistance and sympathy, he let it be understood +that he wished to consider himself under the protection of Russia as +well as of Great Britain. + +In a verbal message, however, he added that he was ready to cross the +Hindu Kush to discuss matters with our officers, and he begged that +he might be furnished with information as to the 'nature of our +friendship' and 'its conditions.' + +In answer, Mr. Griffin was directed to inform Abdur Rahman that the +relations of Afghanistan to the British and Russian Empires was a +subject the Government of India must decline to discuss with him, and +to explain that their declared determination had been the exclusion +of foreign influence and interference from Afghanistan, a cardinal +condition 'which had at all times and under all circumstances been +deemed essential for the permanent security of Her Majesty's Indian +Empire,' a condition, moreover, which had always been accepted by the +Government of the Czar, which had repeatedly renewed those assurances, +solemnly given to Her Majesty's Ministers, that 'Russia considered +Afghanistan as entirely beyond the sphere of her influence.'[6] + +Early in April the Mustaufi (whom, it will be remembered, I had sent +to Ghazni to communicate with the Chiefs, and ascertain their ideas +and desires as to the future government of Kabul) returned without +having achieved much success. He had persuaded some of the leading men +to accompany him as far as Maidan, whence a few representatives came +on to Kabul as bearers of a document signed by Mahomed Jan, twelve +other Sirdars, and 189 influential tribesmen, setting forth their +views and wishes; but as these were all based upon the restoration of +Yakub Khan, their proposals could not be entertained. + +On the 13th April I held a durbar, at which I received this +deputation; all the Sirdars, Chiefs, and _maliks_ of Kabul and many +Hazaras being present. Mr. Griffin, on the part of the Government, +told them that Yakub Khan could not be allowed to return to +Afghanistan, but that the names of any Sirdars, approved of by a large +proportion of the people for the Amirship, would be laid before the +Viceroy; that there was no intention of annexing Afghanistan, and +that there would be no occupation of any places except such as were +necessary for the safety of our Indian frontier. They were further +informed that the British army would be withdrawn as soon as the +country had settled down peacefully and an Amir, amicably disposed +towards us, had been selected; but that Kandahar would not again be +united to Kabul. + +The effect produced was good. The deputation was greatly disappointed +that Yakub Khan was not to be permitted to return, but all present +felt that they had received a definite reply. + + +[Footnote 1: In reply to a reference made to me on the subject, +I represented that, before operations could be undertaken on so +extensive a scale as was proposed, it would be necessary to reinforce +the Kabul garrison and the several posts on the Kyber line by: + + One battery of Horse or Field Artillery. + One Heavy battery. + One Mountain battery. + A detachment of Garrison Artillery. + A brigade of Cavalry. + Three companies of Sappers and Miners. + Two regiments of British Infantry. + Six regiments of Native Infantry. + Drafts sufficient to raise each Infantry regiment at + Kabul to 800 men. + +This was agreed to; the reinforcements were sent up by degrees, and +a second division was formed at Kabul, to the command of which +Major-General J. Ross,[*] C.B., was appointed.] + + [Note *: Now General Sir John Ross, G.C.B.] + +[Footnote 2: As the deportation of Yakub Khan was believed to be one +of the chief causes of recent disturbances, and as a powerful party in +the country still looked forward to having him back as their Ruler, I +was directed to make it clear to his adherents that the ex-Amir would +never be allowed to return to Afghanistan, and that his abdication +must be, as he himself at the time wished it to be, considered +irrevocable. In support of this decision, I was informed that the +unanimous verdict of guilty of murder, recorded against Yakub Khan +by Colonel Macgregor's Commission, was substantially endorsed by the +Chief Justice of Calcutta and the Advocate-General; and that, although +other authorities who had considered the evidence did not quite go so +far as these two high legal functionaries, the general conclusion +come to was that, if the Amir did not connive at the massacre of the +Mission, he made no attempt whatever to interpose on its behalf, +and that his whole conduct on that occasion betrayed a culpable +indifference to the fate of Sir Louis Cavagnari and his companions, +and a total disregard of the solemn obligation which he had contracted +with the British Government.] + +[Footnote 3: I had released the Mustaufi from confinement when the +general amnesty was published on the 26th December, and he had +subsequently been usefully employed assisting the political officers +in revenue matters. I did not suppose that he had any great love for +the British, but he was anxious to see us out of the country, and was +wise enough to know that no armed opposition could effect his purpose, +and that it could only be accomplished by the establishment of a +stable government, under a Ruler that we could accept.] + +[Footnote 4: Now Colonel Sir West Ridgeway, K.C.B.] + +[Footnote 5: Abdur Rahman's letter is given in the Appendix.] (See +Appendix VIII.) + +[Footnote 6: This letter from the Foreign Secretary to Mr. Griffin is +given in full in the Appendix. (Appendix IX.)] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER LIX. +1880 + + Jenkins attacked near Charasia--Sir Donald Stewart reaches Kabul + --Difficulties with Abdur Rahman--Abdur Rahman proclaimed Amir + + +Sir Donald Stewart's division, which, I have mentioned, it had been +decided should be sent to Kabul to take part in the pacification of +northern Afghanistan, left Kandahar[1] on the 30th March, and was +expected to arrive at Ghazni about the 21st April. On the 16th I +received a letter from Sir Donald, dated six days before, asking me to +send supplies to meet him. I, therefore, that same day despatched a +small column, under the command of Major General Ross, C.B., with the +articles of food required; and as I thought it likely that my object +in sending this force might be misunderstood, the deputation which +attended the durbar was told to explain matters to the Chiefs at +Maidan, and assure them that the advance would be peaceful unless +hostilities should be provoked by their own action. Notwithstanding +this precaution, I thought it quite possible the column would be +opposed, for the news concerning Abdur Rahman's advent was causing +considerable excitement; and whilst the soldiers and a proportion of +the tribesmen were disposed to welcome him as a deliverer, those from +Wardak and Logar resented his appearance on the scene as putting an +end to their hopes of having Yakub Khan reinstated. + +With a view, therefore, to prevent the Logaris from joining any attack +which might be made on General Ross, I sent a party, 1,200 strong, +under Colonel Jenkins, in the direction of Charasia. + +On the 22nd April Ross reached Sar-i-top, forty-one miles from Ghazni; +Sir Donald Stewart having arrived that same day at the latter place, +heliographic communication was at once opened with him, and the +welcome news was signalled that Sir Donald had fought an engagement at +Ahmedkhel on the 19th, and had been entirely successful. On receipt of +this intelligence I ordered a Royal salute to be fired in honour of +the victory, the announcement of which I hoped might have a quieting +effect on the excitement which prevailed around Kabul. + +In this I was disappointed. On the evening of the 24th, Jenkins, who +was encamped at Charasia, heard that he was about to be attacked by +the Logaris, under Mahomed Hasan Khan. At once striking his tents, +and collecting his baggage in a sheltered spot, he ordered a party of +Cavalry to reconnoitre up the Logar valley, strengthened his piquets, +and sent off an express messenger to inform me of the situation. + +I immediately despatched Brigadier-General Macpherson to Jenkins's +assistance. By 9 a.m. he had started, with four Mountain guns and +962 Infantry, followed later by two more guns and a troop of the 3rd +Punjab Cavalry; and as a support to Macpherson, Brigadier-General Hugh +Gough, with the Cavalry brigade and four Horse Artillery guns, was +ordered to take up a position half-way between Kabul and Charasia. + +At 1 p.m. on the 25th Macpherson arrived on the high ground beyond the +_sang-i-nawishta_ gorge, whence he obtained a good view of Jenkins's +position; and seeing that the enemy formed a complete semicircle round +it, he pushed on. Jenkins had stood on the defensive from the early +morning, and the Afghans, who had advanced to within a couple of +hundred yards, were only kept at bay by the steadiness of his fire. + +Macpherson first sent back the baggage to Sherpur, so as to free all +hands for action, and then proceeded to attack the left horn of the +semicircle. The enemy broke, fell back, and were completely scattered +by a well-directed Artillery fire; the surrounding hills were speedily +cleared, and the Cavalry and Horse Artillery pursued for four miles. +By four o'clock not a single living Afghan was to be seen; more than +200 had been killed, while our casualties were only four killed and +thirty-four wounded. + +I came up just as the fight was over; and being sure from the decisive +character of the defeat that a retirement could not be misunderstood, +I ordered the troops to return to Kabul. + +In anticipation of Sir Donald Stewart's arrival, and the consequent +necessity for my making over to him, as my senior, the supreme command +of the Kabul Field Force, I prepared a report[2] for his information, +which explained the general military situation in northern +Afghanistan, and contained a statement of economic details which I +thought would be of use to the Government, and concerning which an +experience of eighteen months in the field enabled me to give an +opinion with some confidence. + +The strength of the Kabul Field Force at the end of April amounted to +nearly 14,000 men and thirty-eight guns, with 12,500 followers;[3] +besides 15,000 men and thirty guns on the Khyber line, under the +immediate command of Major-General Bright. + +Sir Donald reached Kabul on the 5th May. On the same day we heard +that the Beaconsfield Administration had come to an end; that a new +Ministry had been formed under Mr. Gladstone; that Lord Lytton had +resigned, and was to be succeeded by the Marquis of Ripon; and that +the Marquis of Hartington had become Secretary of State for India. + +Notwithstanding the pleasure of meeting an old friend in my new +Commander, that 5th of May was altogether not a happy day for me. +Lord Lytton's approaching departure was a source of real sorrow. +Personally, I felt that I was deeply indebted to him for the +confidence he had reposed in me, and for the warm support he had +invariably accorded me. I had hoped that he would have had the +gratification of seeing, while in office, the campaign in which he was +so much interested satisfactorily concluded, and with the prospect of +permanent results; and I dreaded that a change of Government might +mean a reversal of the policy which I believed to be the best for +the security of our position in India. Moreover, it was not in human +nature to feel absolute satisfaction in yielding up the supreme +command I had so greatly delighted in, into the hands of another, even +though that other was one for whom I had so great a personal regard, +and under whom I had already served in the field. + +The amalgamated troops were now styled the Northern Afghanistan Field +Force, and I retained the command of the two divisions at Kabul, with +Major-General John Ross as second in command; while Major-General +Hills was given the brigades from Kandahar, which now became the third +division of the Force. + +The idea in bringing Stewart away from Kandahar was that he should +occupy Ghazni and Kabul; that my divisions should operate in Kohistan +and in the direction of Bamian; that General Bright should move +against the Ghilzais; and that a column from Kuram should march over +the Shutargardan to Kabul. It was hoped that these operations would +have the effect of quieting the country, and, by the time they +had been carried out, it would be possible to evacuate northern +Afghanistan. + +With a view to having my divisions thoroughly efficient and mobile for +the service they were expected to perform, I had largely replenished +the numbers of my transport animals, which had suffered greatly from +the strain put upon them in supplying the troops with food and other +necessaries during the winter months; they had been continuously at +work in the most inclement weather, numbers had died, and those that +remained required to be carefully looked after and given complete +rest to render them fit for the contemplated operations. Major Mark +Heathcote, who had taken, at my particular request, the arduous charge +of this department, wished to revert to regimental duty, so I applied +for, and obtained, the services of Lieutenant Colonel B. Low[4] +as Director of Transport, under whose energetic and intelligent +management the transport service was rendered as perfect as it was +possible to make it. In the end, circumstances prevented the concerted +movements for which these preparations were made being carried out, +but I reaped the benefit of them when later in the year I was required +to undertake a rapid march to Kandahar, which could not possibly have +been successfully accomplished had my transport not been in such +admirable condition. + +In order to relieve the great pressure put upon the Commissariat +Department by having to provide for the increased number of troops at +Kabul, and with a view to opening up the roads upon which traffic had +been more or less impeded for some months, it was considered desirable +to send a strong brigade towards Maidan, which I accompanied, and +remained away from Kabul for some weeks. On my return, I found a +considerable change had taken place in the political situation. The +Mustaufi had been deported to India; the correspondence between Abdur +Rahman and Mr. Griffin had taken rather an unsatisfactory turn, and +the Sirdar's dealings with the leading Chiefs and tribesmen had given +cause to fear that, if he came to Kabul during our occupation, it +might be as an enemy rather than a friend. + +The Mustaufi was a firm adherent of the Sher Ali faction, and, finding +there was no hope of Yakub Khan being reinstated, and that we were +negotiating with Abdur Rahman, he had espoused the cause of Yakub's +younger brother, Ayub Khan, and had been proved guilty of inciting the +Sirdars and Chiefs to oppose us. For this he was very properly sent +out of Afghanistan; nevertheless, I looked upon his removal as a +misfortune, for it broke up the only party that could possibly be +formed to counterbalance Abdur Rahman, who was astute enough to see +that the weaker our position became, the more chance there was of his +being able to get his own terms from us. + +From the letters he had written to his friends and relations in +northern Afghanistan (the majority of which had fallen into our +hands), it was evident that he was doing all he could to strengthen +himself, even at our expense, and that he greatly disliked the idea of +Kandahar being separated from the kingdom of Kabul. Indeed, in one +of his communications to Mr. Griffin he had made it clear that he +expected the whole inheritance of his grandfather, Dost Mahomed Khan, +to be made over to him. + +The uncertainty as to the result of the correspondence with Abdur +Rahman, the rumours in circulation regarding his real disposition and +plans, and the general excitement throughout the country, suggested +such grave doubts of the Sirdar's good faith that, in some quarters, +the question was seriously discussed whether it might not be necessary +to break off negotiations with him, and reinstate Yakub Khan, or else +set up his brother, Ayub Khan, as Amir. + +I myself was altogether opposed to Yakub Khan's restoration, and as +to Ayub Khan, we were in total ignorance of his character and +proclivities, even if he had been near enough to treat with. It +appeared to me, moreover, that we had gone too far with Abdur Rahman +to throw him over because, in conformity with Afghan character and +tradition, he was not running quite straight. I, therefore, gave it as +my opinion that we should not change our tactics unless it was found +impossible to come to terms with him, or unless it was made evident on +his nearer approach to Kabul that the majority of his countrymen were +averse to have him as their Ruler. + +Soon after this the situation began to improve, and early in July +Mr. Griffin was able to inform the Government of India that 'the +probabilities of a settlement with Abdur Rahman appear far more +favourable than they did last week....' 'Abdur Rahman has seen that +we have been fully informed of the game he has been playing, that +trickery and treachery would not be tolerated, and that, if he intends +coming to a settlement with us at all, he must be prepared to accept +our terms rather than dictate his own.' + +A few days later a letter was received from Abdur Rahman, announcing +his arrival in Kohistan. His near approach, and the report that he +was willing to accept our terms, excited a keen and hopeful interest +throughout the country, for the Afghans had at length become convinced +that the only chance of getting rid of us was by agreeing to any form +of settled government we might establish, and they had grown heartily +tired of perpetual fighting and of having to maintain bands of +_ghazis_ to oppose us, who were eating them out of house and home. +With the exception of the Sher Ali faction, therefore, whose interests +were directly opposed to his, Abdur Rahman's advent was welcomed by +the people, and several of the most influential amongst them went to +meet him. + +Towards the end of July Sir Donald Stewart was empowered to conclude +all political and military arrangements preparatory to withdrawing +from northern Afghanistan. Abdur Rahman was to be recognized as 'Amir +of Kabul'; he was to be provided with a sufficient number of guns to +strengthen effectively his occupation of the city, and he was to be +given as much money (within a maximum of ten lakhs) as was thought +necessary to meet his present wants. It was to be clearly explained to +Abdur Rahman that the Government of India would not engage to give him +a regular subsidy, or a continuous supply of arms or money, and that +after he had taken possession of his capital he would have to rely +upon his own resources for holding it. There was to be no treaty, and +all questions of reciprocal engagements between the two Governments +were to be postponed until some settled and responsible administration +had been consolidated. + +General Stewart was directed to make the best arrangements he could +with Abdur Rahman for the protection of the tribes and individuals who +had assisted us, and the Sirdar was to be informed that, if he +desired our goodwill, he could give no better proof of his friendly +disposition than by his behaviour towards those of his own nation in +whom the British Government were interested. + +Sir Donald Stewart considered that the best way of giving effect to +these instructions was to publicly proclaim Abdur Rahman as Amir of +Kabul; for this purpose he held a durbar on the 22nd July, at which +the Sirdar's representatives were received. Sir Donald, in a few +words, gave his reasons for summoning them to meet him, and Mr. +Griffin then explained more fully the motives by which the Government +of India were actuated in acknowledging the claims of Abdur Rahman. +Immediately after the durbar orders were issued for an early +retirement. + +I was to withdraw my column by the Kuram route; but being anxious +to see something of the Khyber line while I had the opportunity, I +started off the following day to ride through the Jagdalak Pass to +Gandamak, where I was entertained by General Bright and his staff. +The next day I went on to Jalalabad, and was greatly interested +in wandering over the place where Sir Robert Sale in some measure +redeemed the lamentable failures of the first Afghan war. + +My intention, when I left Kabul, was to ride as far as the Khyber +Pass, but suddenly a presentiment, which I have never been able to +explain to myself, made me retrace my steps and hurry back towards +Kabul--a presentiment of coming trouble which I can only characterize +as instinctive. + +The feeling was justified when, about half-way between Butkhak and +Kabul, I was met by Sir Donald Stewart and my Chief of the Staff,[5] +who brought me the astounding news of the total defeat by Ayub Khan +of Brigadier-General Burrows's brigade at Maiwand, and of +Lieutenant-General Primrose,[6] with the remainder of his force, being +besieged at Kandahar. + + +[Footnote 1: Sir Donald Stewart's division was replaced at Kandahar by +troops from Bombay.] + +[Footnote 2: The part of the report which deals with economic details +is given in the Appendix (see Appendix X.); the military portion is +omitted, as it was only intended for Sir Donald Stewart's information +at the time.] + +[Footnote 3: Of these, more than 3,000 were doolie-bearers, and nearly +8,000 were _saices_ of Native Cavalry regiments, and men belonging to +the Transport and other Departments.] + +[Footnote 4: Now Major-General Sir Robert Low, G.C.B.] + +[Footnote 5: Colonel Macgregor and Lieutenant-Colonel Chapman had +changed places, the former joining Sir Donald Stewart as Chief of the +Staff, and the latter taking up the same position with me.] + +[Footnote 6: Lieutenant-General Primrose succeeded Sir Donald Stewart +in command of the troops at Kandahar.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER LX. +1880 + + Affairs at Kandahar--The Maiwand disaster + --Relief from Kabul suggested--A force ordered from Kabul + --Preparations for the march--The Kabul-Kandahar Field Force + --Commissariat and Transport + + +For more than six months rumours had been afloat of Ayub Khan's +determination to advance on Kandahar; but little attention was paid to +them by the authorities at that place until towards the end of May, +when a Sirdar, named Sher Ali,[1] who had been a few days before +formally installed as Wali, or Ruler, of Kandahar, informed the +political officer, Lieutenant-Colonel St. John, that the British +occupation of Kabul had had the effect of bringing about a +reconciliation between the various chiefs at Herat, who had placed +themselves under the leadership of Ayub Khan and induced him to +proclaim a _jahad_. Sher Ali, who evidently considered this news +authentic, declared his belief that his own troops,[2] who were then +engaged in collecting revenue in Zamindawar, would desert to Ayub Khan +as he approached Kandahar, and he begged that a brigade of British +soldiers might be sent to Girishk to support him. + +On General Primrose communicating this information to the +Commander-in-Chief in India, he recommended to the Government that the +Bombay reserve division, located at Jacobabad, Hyderabad, and Karachi, +should be mobilized so soon as it became certain that Ayub Khan really +contemplated this move, as in his opinion the garrison at Kandahar +would be left dangerously weak after a brigade had been detached for +Girishk. + +Ayub Khan's movements, however, were not ascertained until the 27th +June, when he had advanced halfway to the Helmand; it was too late +then to mobilize troops so far off as Jacobabad, Hyderabad, and +Karachi with any chance of their being in time to check his onward +march. The news of his approach spread rapidly, and had the most +disturbing effect in Kandahar and its neighbourhood. The Governor's +authority daily diminished, and many of the inhabitants left the city. + +Ayub Khan had with him, when he started from Herat on the 15th June, +7,500 men and ten guns as the nucleus of an army, which he calculated, +as he moved forward, would be strongly reinforced by tribesmen, +levies, and _ghazis_. + +On the 4th July a brigade, under the command of Brigadier-General +Burrows, started from Kandahar, and reached the Helmand on the 11th, +encamping on the near bank of the river opposite Girishk. On the +further bank Sirdar Sher Ali's troops were located, having with them +six guns. Two days afterwards these troops deserted in a body to the +enemy, but did not succeed in taking their Artillery with them, as +Burrows, on perceiving their intention, crossed the river and captured +the guns. + +Brigadier-General Burrows's position had now entirely changed; instead +of there being a loyal force under the Wali, with which to co-operate +and prevent Ayub Khan crossing the Helmand, he found himself with an +inadequate number of troops, the Wali's men gone over to the enemy, +and the Wali himself a fugitive in the British camp. The Helmand was +fordable everywhere at that season, making it easy for Ayub to cut off +Burrows's retreat; the first twenty-five of the eighty miles by which +he was separated from Kandahar was a desert, and no supplies were +forthcoming owing to the hostile attitude of the people. Burrows +therefore determined to retire to Khushk-i-Nakhud, an important +position half-way to Kandahar, covering the road from Girishk, and +where supplies and water were plentiful. + +Burrows reached Khushk-i-Nakhud on the 16th July. On the 22nd the +Commander-in-Chief in India, who had been inquiring from General +Primrose whether there were 'any routes from the Helmand passing by +the north to Ghazni, by which Ayub Khan might move with his guns,' +telegraphed to Primrose: 'You will understand that you have full +liberty to attack Ayub, if you consider you are strong enough to do +so. Government consider it of the highest political importance that +his force should be dispersed, and prevented by all possible means +from passing on to Ghazni.' + +On the afternoon of the 26th information was received by +Brigadier-General Burrows that 2,000 of the enemy's Cavalry and a +large body of _ghazis_ had arrived at Maiwand, eleven miles off, and +that Ayub Khan was about to follow with the main body of his army. + +To prevent Ayub Khan getting to Ghazni, General Burrows had to do one +of two things, either await him at Khushk-i-Nakhud, or intercept him +at Maiwand. After consulting with Colonel St. John, he determined to +adopt the latter course, as he hoped thus to be able to deal with the +_ghazis_ before they were joined by Ayub Khan. + +The brigade started soon after 6 a.m. on the 27th. It was encumbered +by a large number of baggage animals, which Burrows considered could +not be left behind because of the hostile state of the country, and +the impossibility of detaching any part of his already too small force +for their protection. + +At 10 a.m., when about half-way to Maiwand, a spy brought in +information that Ayub Khan had arrived at that place, and was +occupying it in force; General Burrows, however, considered it then +too late to turn back, and decided to advance. At a quarter to twelve +the forces came into collision, and the fight lasted until past three +o'clock. The Afghans, who, Burrows reported, numbered 25,000, soon +outflanked the British. Our Artillery expended their ammunition, and +the Native portion of the brigade got out of hand, and pressed back on +the few British Infantry, who were unable to hold their own against +the overwhelming numbers of the enemy. Our troops were completely +routed, and had to thank the apathy of the Afghans in not following +them up for escaping total annihilation. + +Of the 2,476 men engaged at Maiwand, 934 were killed and 175 were +wounded and missing;[3] the remnant struggled on throughout the night +to Kandahar, where the first of the fugitives arrived early on the +morning of the 28th. Brigadier-General Burrows, who had two horses +shot under him during the engagement, was amongst the last to reach +Kandahar. + +This lamentable story imparted to me by Stewart almost took my breath +away, and we eagerly discussed the situation as we rode back together +to Sherpur. It was impossible to predict how the news would affect +the recent arrangements entered into with Abdur Rahman, or what the +attitude of the tribesmen would be; but we agreed that, whatever might +happen in our immediate neighbourhood, the only means of affording +speedy relief to the Kandahar garrison was by sending a force from +Kabul. + +It soon, however, became apparent, by telegrams received from Simla, +that the Government were in doubt as to the best course to pursue, and +looked to Quetta rather than Kabul as the place from which Kandahar +could be most conveniently and rapidly succoured. This was not +altogether surprising, for the authorities naturally hesitated to +weaken Kabul until matters had been finally settled with Abdur Rahman, +and it was only to be expected that, after what had occurred at +Maiwand, they should be alarmed at the idea of a force being cut +off from all communication with India during the four weeks, or +thereabouts, it would take to reach Kandahar. But there was really +no alternative, for, as Major-General Phayre[4] (commanding in +Baluchistan) reported,[5] the troops available for Field Service were +but few in number, it would require at least fifteen days to equip +them, and there was no organized transport at hand, the animals having +been sent to distant grazing grounds on account of the scarcity of +water and forage. + +I knew nothing as to the actual condition of the troops in +Baluchistan, except that, as belonging to the Bombay Presidency, they +could not be composed of the best fighting races, and I had a strong +feeling that it would be extremely unwise to make use of any but the +most proved Native soldiers against Ayub Khan's superior numbers, +elated as his men must be with their victory at Maiwand. + +The disaster to our arms caused, as was to be expected, considerable +excitement all along the border; indeed, throughout India the +announcement produced a certain feeling of uneasiness--a mere surface +ripple--but enough to make those who remembered the days of the Mutiny +anxious for better news from the north. + +To me it seemed of such supreme importance that Kandahar should be +relieved without delay, and the reverse to our arms retrieved, that +I made up my mind to communicate my views to the Viceroy through +the Commander-in-Chief, in the hope that, when he realized that a +thoroughly efficient force was ready and willing to start from Kabul, +he would no longer hesitate as to what was best to do. + +On the 30th July, I dined with Stewart, and, leaving his mess-tent +at an early hour, I retired to my own quarters, and wrote out the +following telegram in cipher, but, before despatching it, I showed it +to Stewart, for, although I knew that his views were in accord with +mine, I could not with propriety have sent it without his knowledge: + + 'To Major-General Greaves,[6] Adjutant-General in India, Simla. + + 'Kabul, + '_30th July,_ 1880. + + 'Personal and secret. I strongly recommend that a force be sent + from this to Kandahar. Stewart has organized a very complete one + consisting of nine regiments of Infantry, three of Cavalry, and + three Mountain batteries. This will suffice to overcome all + opposition _en route_; it will have the best possible effect + on the country, and will be ready to go anywhere on reaching + Kandahar, being fully equipped in all respects. He proposes + sending me in command. + + 'I am sure that but few Bombay regiments are able to cope with + Afghans, and once the Kabul Field Force leaves this country, the + chance of sending a thoroughly reliable and well-equipped column + will be lost. The movement of the remainder of the Kabul troops + towards India should be simultaneous with the advance of my + division towards Kandahar, it being most desirable to limit the + area of our responsibilities as soon as possible; at the same + time, it is imperative that we should now show our strength + throughout Afghanistan. The withdrawal, under existing + circumstances, of the whole force from Kabul to India would + certainly be misunderstood, both in Afghanistan and elsewhere. You + need have no fears about my division. It can take care of itself, + and will reach Kandahar under the month. I will answer for the + loyalty and good feeling of the Native portion, and would propose + to inform them that, as soon as matters have been satisfactorily + settled at Kandahar, they will be sent straight back to India. + Show this to Lyall.' + +Exaggerated reports of the Maiwand affair being rife in the Kabul +bazaars, which were daily becoming crowded with armed Afghans from +Abdur Rahman's camp, and the prospect of troops having to leave at +once for Kandahar, made it more than ever necessary to bring the +negotiations with the new Amir to a speedy conclusion. It was +accordingly arranged that Mr. Griffin should meet him at Zimma, about +sixteen miles from Kabul. This interview had the happiest results, +and must have been extremely gratifying to Mr. Griffin, whom we all +heartily congratulated on the successful ending to the very delicate +and difficult negotiations which he had carried on with so much skill +and patience. + +In taking leave of His Highness, Mr. Griffin invited him to come +to the British camp the following day to be received by Sir Donald +Stewart. Abdur Rahman himself was quite willing to come, and some of +his supporters were in favour of his doing so, but others vehemently +opposed the idea, and 'swore by their faith they would leave him if he +persisted.' After a stormy meeting with his Chiefs, the Amir wrote +to Mr. Griffin as follows: 'If you really wish me to come to you, +irrespective of the opinion of the people, I am quite ready to do +so. Please write and let me know your wishes. I am in the hands of +ignorant fools, who do not know their own interests, good or bad. What +can I do? I am most anxious to meet you.' + +Upon receipt of this note Stewart decided that it would be impolitic +to press for an interview, for instead of strengthening the Amir, as +had been the intention, it was evident it would have the opposite +effect, so the meeting was given up. + +On the morning of the 3rd August the telegram arrived from Lord Ripon, +which I had been so anxiously expecting, authorizing the despatch of a +force to Kandahar, and directing that I should be placed in command. + +I heard afterwards that my message to the Adjutant-General was +received at Simla at a most opportune moment. Lyall took it without +delay to Lord Ripon, who from the first had been in favour of a force +being sent from Kabul, but had refrained from ordering the movement +in deference to the views held by some members of his Council, whose +longer experience of India, His Excellency considered, entitled their +opinions to be treated with respect. + +I set to work at once to organize the column which I was to have the +great honour of commanding. In this most congenial duty I received +every possible assistance and encouragement from Stewart; he gave me +carte-blanche, and I should only have had myself to blame if every +unit had not been as efficiently equipped as circumstances would +admit. + +I wished that the force should be composed, as far as possible, of +those who had served with me throughout the campaign; but as some of +the regiments (more especially Native corps) had been away from their +homes for two years, and had had more than their share of fighting, +besides having suffered heavy losses in action and through sickness, I +considered it right to consult their commanders before detailing the +troops. With the exception of three, who thought that their regiments +had been long enough away from India, all, to my great delight, +eagerly responded to my call, and I took upon myself to promise the +men that they should not be left to garrison Kandahar, but should be +sent back to India as soon as the fighting ceased. + +When the several regiments were decided upon, every man not likely to +stand the strain of prolonged forced marches was weeded out, and the +scale of baggage, tents, and impedimenta was reduced to a minimum.[7] + +I had no fear as to the officers and men ably and cheerfully +performing their part of the task; we had been long enough together to +enable us thoroughly to understand and trust each other, and I felt +that I could depend upon each and all to respond heartily to whatever +call I might make upon them. + +The question of supplies was my greatest anxiety, and I had many +consultations with my experienced Commissariat officer, Major Badcock, +before I could feel satisfied in this respect. + +The transport, as I have already recorded, was in good order; it was +fortunate that the soldiers had been practised in loading, leading, +and tending the animals, for the Afghan drivers deserted to a man a +march or two from Kabul, and the Hazaras followed their example on +reaching their own country. Sir Donald Stewart's account of the +troubles he had encountered during his march from Kandahar was not +very encouraging, and I should have been glad if I could have taken a +larger amount of supplies;[8] but on this point I had to be guided by +the number of animals that could be allotted to the column, which was +necessarily limited, as carriage had to be provided simultaneously for +the withdrawal of the rest of the army of occupation. + +The strength of the force placed at my disposal consisted of 9,986 +men of all ranks and eighteen guns, divided into three brigades of +Infantry, one brigade of Cavalry, and three batteries of Mountain +Artillery. There were, besides, over 8,000 followers[9] and 2,300 +horses and gun-mules. + +It was designated the Kabul-Kandahar Field Force. + +Major-General J. Ross, C.B., was given the command of the Infantry +division, his three Brigadier-Generals being Herbert Macpherson, T.D. +Baker, and Charles Macgregor. Brigadier-General Hugh Gough commanded +the Cavalry brigade; Colonel Alured Johnson the Artillery; while +Colonel Æ. Perkins held the position of Commanding Royal Engineer; +Deputy-Surgeon-General J. Hanbury that of Principal Medical Officer; +and Lieutenant-Colonel E.F. Chapman, Chief of the Staff. + +From the detail of the force given below,[10] it will be seen that +there was no wheeled Artillery, and that the number of guns was not +in proportion to the strength of the other branches. This was my own +doing; I was pressed to take more and heavier guns, but, after due +consideration, I decided that I would only have Mountain batteries. We +could not tell how long the Kandahar garrison would be able to hold +out, so that our first object must be to reach that place with the +least possible delay, and wheeled Artillery would, in a country where +there were practically no roads, have only prevented our moving as +rapidly as we might otherwise have done. + +For the equipment of the force, inclusive of carriage for footsore +soldiers[11] and followers, and allowing ten per cent. spare, more +than 8,000[12] animals were required. + +Fortunately, it turned out that a fair amount of Indian corn in the +ear was almost everywhere procurable, which was so nutritious that a +large majority of the Cavalry horses and transport animals reached +Kandahar in excellent condition. + +Throughout the march great difficulties were experienced in procuring +food, but they were always overcome, with the able assistance of Major +Hastings and his political staff,[13] and by means of the admirable +arrangements made by the Commissariat[14] and Transport[15] officers, +who were quite untiring, and after the longest march, and with the +prospect of having to start again at an early hour the following +morning, had often to work far into the night. + +The want of fuel was our chief drawback. We had on many occasions to +purchase houses and pull them to pieces for the sake of the wood to be +got out of them, and frequently there was nothing to cook with save +tiny roots of southernwood, which had to be dug out and collected +after a long day's march before the men could prepare their food and +satisfy their hunger. + +One day's corn was carried by each animal in addition to the ordinary +load, and as far as Ghazni grain was tolerably plentiful; beyond that +we had to depend for forage on the crops still standing. At the end of +the day's march, certain fields were told off to the several brigades; +from these all that was required was cut and carried away, the fields +were then measured and assessed, and compensation was awarded by the +political officers, who also adjusted all claims on account of wrecked +houses, and fruit, vegetables, etc., brought in for the troops. + +On Sunday, the 8th August, the force moved into camp by brigades, my +Head-Quarters being with the first and third Infantry brigades at +Beni Hissar, on the way to the Logar valley, which route I had chosen +instead of the slightly shorter line by Maidan, on account of the +greater facility it afforded for supplies. + +Sir Donald Stewart paid us a farewell visit in the afternoon, and at 6 +a.m. the following morning we began the march to Kandahar. + + +[Footnote 1: Sirdar Sher Ali had been appointed Governor of Kandahar +by the Amir Yakub Khan after the treaty of Gandamak, and had since +assisted Sir Donald Stewart in the civil administration of the +province.] + +[Footnote 2: Local Native levies.] + +[Footnote 3: + + _Killed_ _Missing_ + British officers 20 9 + " troops 290 48 + Native " 624 118 + --- --- + 934 175 + Total, 1,109 + +Of the regimental followers 331 were killed and 7 were missing; 455 +transport followers and drivers were reported as killed or missing, +but a number of these, being Afghans, probably joined the enemy. + +A large quantity of arms and ammunition was lost, including over 1,000 +rifles and carbines, and 600 or 700 swords and bayonets. + +201 horses were killed, and 1,676 camels, 355 ponies, 24 mules, 291 +donkeys, and 79 bullocks, were not forthcoming.] + +[Footnote 4: Afterwards General Sir Robert Phayre, G.C.B.] + +[Footnote 5: General Phayre reported on the 28th July that there +were only seven Native regiments in Baluchistan, three of which were +required for the lines of communication, leaving only four available +for Field Service; and that a battalion of British Infantry and a +battery of Field Artillery required for his column were a long way +off, being still in Sind.] + +[Footnote 6: Now General Sir George Greaves, G.C.B., G.C.M.C.] + +[Footnote 7: + + Each British soldier was allowed for kit and + camp-equipage, + including great-coat and waterproof sheet 30 lbs. + Each Native soldier 20 " + Each public and private follower 10 " + Each European officer 1 mule. + Every eight officers for mess 1 " + Each staff-officer for office purposes 80 lbs. + Each Native officer 30 "] + +[Footnote 8: The amount of supplies taken with the force was as +follows: + + FOR BRITISH TROOPS. + + Bread-stuff 5 days. + Preserved vegetables 15 " + Tea, sugar, salt, and rum 30 " + + FOR NATIVE TROOPS AND FOLLOWERS. + + Flour 5 days + _Dal_ and salt 30 " + Rum for spirit-drinking men 8 " + + Sheep, ten days' supply for British troops and four issues for Native + troops, with 20 per cent. spare. Nearly 5,000 sheep were purchased + on the march. N.B.--There are no horned cattle in + Afghanistan, except those used for the plough or transport. + +In addition to the above, a small reserve of lime-juice, pea-soup, and +tinned meat was taken; these proved most useful, and might have been +increased with advantage had carriage been available. + +I gave strict orders that the reserve of bread-stuff, flour, and sheep +was never to be used without my sanction, and that wherever +possible food for the day's consumption was to be purchased. We had +occasionally to trench upon the reserve, but we nearly made it up at +other places, and we arrived at Kandahar with three days' supplies in +hand.] + +[Footnote 9: The followers consisted of: + + Doolie-bearers 2,192 + Transport and other departments 4,698 + Private servants, and _saices_ of Native Cavalry regiments 1,244 + ----- + Total 8,134] + +[Footnote 10: DETAIL OF FORCE. + +1ST INFANTRY BRIGADE. + + _British_. _Native_. + 92nd Highlanders 651 -- + 23rd Pioneers 701 + 24th Punjab Native Infantry -- 575 + 2nd Gurkhas -- 501 + --- ----- + Total 651 1,777 + +2ND INFANTRY BRIGADE. + + _British_. _Native_. + 72nd Highlanders 787 -- + 2nd Sikh Infantry -- 612 + 3rd Sikh Infantry -- 570 + 5th Gurkhas -- 561 + --- ----- + Total 787 1,743 + +3RD INFANTRY BRIGADE. + + | | _British_. | _Native_. | + |60th Rifles, 2nd Battalion | 616 | -- | + |15th Sikhs | -- | 650 | + |25th Punjab Native Infantry | -- | 629 | + |4th Gurkhas | -- | 637 | + | | ___ | ___ | + | Total | 616 | 1,916 | + + |CAVALRY BRIGADE.---------------------------------------- + | | _British_. | _Native_. | + |9th Queen's Royal Lancers | 318 | -- | + |3rd Bengal Cavalry | -- | 394 | + |3rd Punjab Cavalry | -- | 408 | + |Central India Horse | -- | 495 | + | | ___ | ___ | + | Total | 318 | 1,297 | + + |ARTILLERY DIVISION.------------------------------------------ + | _British.|Native.|Guns_. | + |6-8th Royal Artillery--screw guns| 95 | 139 | 6 | + |11-9th Royal Artillery | 95 | 139 | 6 | + |No. 2 Mountain Battery | -- | 140 | 6 | + | | ___ | ___ | ___ | + | Total | 190 | 418 | 18 | + + |TOTAL OF FORCE.---------------------------------------------- + + |British troops 2,562 | + |Native " 7,151 | + |British officers 273 | + |Guns 18 | + |Cavalry horses 1,779 | + |Artillery mules 450 | + + + Two hundred rounds of ammunition were taken for each Infantry soldier: + seventy rounds were carried by each man, thirty rounds were in reserve + with the regiment, and a hundred rounds in the Field Park. + + Each Mountain battery had: + + Common shell 264 + Double shell 60 + Shrapnel shell 144 + Star shell 24 + Case shot 48 + ___ + + Total 540 rounds. + + And thirty rounds per gun in the Field Park.] + +[Footnote 11: British troops were allowed ponies at the rate of 2 per +cent, of strength. Native troops were allowed ponies at the rate of +2-1/2 per cent. of strength. Followers were allowed ponies at the rate +of 1-1/2 per cent. of strength.] + +[Footnote 12: + + ------------------------------------------------------------- + | |Yabus, | |Indian | | | + | | or |Mules.|ponies.|Donkeys.|Camels. | + | |Afghan | | | | | + | |ponies.| | | | | + ------------------------------------------------------------- + |Number of animals | | | | | | + | that left Kabul | 1,589 | 4,510| 1,244 | 912 | 6[1*]| + |Purchased during | | | | | | + | the march[2*] | 35 | 1| -- | 208 | 171 | + |Number of animals | | | | | | + | that reached | | | | | | + | Kandahar | 1,179 | 4,293| 1,138 | 1,078 | 177 | + |Casualties during | | | | | | + | the march | 445 | 218| 106 | 42 | | + -------------------------------------------------------------- + + Note 1*: With hospital equipment. + + Note 2*: Only twice had animals to be taken against the will of the + owners, and on both occasions the matter was amicably settled in the + end.] + +[Footnote 13: Major E. Hastings, Captain West Ridgeway, Major Euan +Smith, C.S.I., and Major M. Prothero.] + +[Footnote 14: Major A. Badcock, Captain A. Rind, and Lieutenants +C. Fitzgerald, H. Hawkes, and H. Lyons Montgomery, all of the Bengal +Staff Corps.] + +[Footnote 15: Lieutenant-Colonel R. Low, Bengal Staff Corps; Captain +W. Wynter, 33rd Foot; Captains G. H. Eliot and C. R. Macgregor, Bengal +Staff Corps; Lieutenants L. Booth, 33rd Foot, H. Elverson, 2nd Foot, +R. Fisher, 10th Hussars, R. Wilson, 10th Hussars, and C. Robertson, +8th Foot.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER LXI. +1880 + + The order of marching--Ghazni and Kelat-i-Ghilzai + --Food required daily for the force--A letter from General Phayre + --Kandahar--Reconnoitring the enemy's position--A turning movement + + +Before daybreak on the 11th August, as I was starting from camp, I +received my last communication from the outside world in the shape +of a telegram from my wife, sent off from a little village in +Somersetshire, congratulating me and the force, and wishing us all +God's speed. She had taken our children to England a few months +before, thinking that the war in Afghanistan was over, and that I +would soon be able to follow. + +Four days brought us to the end of the Logar valley, a distance of +forty-six miles. So far the country was easy and supplies plentiful. I +thought it wise, however, not to attempt long distances at first, that +both men and animals might become gradually hardened before entering +on the difficult and scantily cultivated ground between Ghazni and +Kelat-i-Ghilzai, where I knew that forced marches were inevitable, and +that their powers of endurance would be sorely taxed. Moreover, it +was necessary to begin quietly, and organize some system by which +confusion in the crowded camping-grounds might be avoided, and the +physical strain upon everyone lightened as much as possible. + +When it is remembered that the daily supply for over 18,000 men and +11,000 animals had to be drawn from the country after arrival in camp, +that food had to be distributed to every individual, that the fuel +with which it was cooked had often to be brought from long distances, +and that a very limited time was available for the preparation of +meals and for rest, it will readily be understood how essential it was +that even the stupidest follower should be able to find his place in +camp speedily, and that everyone should know exactly what to do and +how to set about doing it. + +On the march and in the formation of the camps the same principles +were, as far as possible, applied each day. The 'rouse' sounded at +2.45 a.m., and by four o'clock tents had been struck, baggage loaded +up, and everything was ready for a start. + +As a general rule, the Cavalry covered the movement at a distance of +about five miles, two of the four regiments being in front, with the +other two on either flank. Two of the Infantry brigades came next, +each accompanied by a Mountain battery; then followed the field +hospitals, Ordnance and Engineer parks, treasure, and the baggage, +massed according to the order in which the brigades were moving. The +third Infantry brigade with its Mountain battery and one or two troops +of Cavalry formed the rear guard. + +A halt of ten minutes was made at the end of each hour, which at eight +o'clock was prolonged to twenty minutes to give time for a hasty +breakfast. Being able to sleep on the shortest notice, I usually took +advantage of these intervals to get a nap, awaking greatly refreshed +after a few minutes' sound sleep. + +On arrival at the resting-place for the night, the front face of the +camp was told off to the brigade on rear guard, and this became the +leading brigade of the column on the next day's march. Thus every +brigade had its turn of rear guard duty, which was very arduous, more +particularly after leaving Ghazni, the troops so employed seldom +reaching the halting-ground before six or seven o'clock in the +evening, and sometimes even later. + +One of the most troublesome duties of the rear guard was to prevent +the followers from lagging behind, for it was certain death for anyone +who strayed from the shelter of the column; numbers of Afghans always +hovered about on the look-out for plunder, or in the hope of being +able to send a Kafir, or an almost equally-detested Hindu, to eternal +perdition. Towards the end of the march particularly, this duty became +most irksome, for the wretched followers were so weary and footsore +that they hid themselves in ravines, making up their minds to die, and +entreating, when discovered and urged to make an effort, to be left +where they were. Every baggage animal that could possibly be spared +was used to carry the worn-out followers; but notwithstanding this and +the care taken by officers and men that none should be left behind, +twenty of these poor creatures were lost, besides four Native +soldiers. + +The variation of temperature (at times as much as eighty degrees +between day and night) was most trying to the troops, who had to carry +the same clothes whether the thermometer was at freezing-point at +dawn or at 110° Fahr. at mid-day. Scarcity of water, too, was a great +trouble to them, while constant sand-storms, and the suffocating +dust raised by the column in its progress, added greatly to their +discomfort. + +Daily reports regarding the health of the troops, followers, and +transport animals were brought to me each evening, and I made it my +business to ascertain how many men had fallen out during the day, and +what had been the number of casualties amongst the animals. + +On the 12th August the Head-Quarters and main body of the force halted +to allow the Cavalry and the second Infantry brigade to push on and +get clear over the Zamburak Kotal (8,100 feet high) before the rest +of the column attempted its ascent. This kotal presented a serious +obstacle to our rapid progress, the gradient being in many places one +in four, and most difficult for the baggage animals; but by posting +staff officers at intervals to control the flow of traffic, and by +opening out fresh paths to relieve the pressure, we got over it much +more quickly than I had expected. + +On the 15th we reached Ghazni, ninety-eight miles from Kabul, a place +of peculiar interest to me from the fact that it was for his share in +its capture, forty-one years before, that my father was given the C.B. + +I was met by the Governor, who handed me the keys of the fortress, and +I placed my own guards and sentries in and around the city to prevent +collisions between the inhabitants and our troops, and also to make +sure that our demands for supplies were complied with. Up to this +point we had been fairly well off for food, forage, and water. + +Our next march was across a barren, inhospitable track for twenty +miles to a place called Yarghati. On the way we passed Ahmedkhel, +where Sir Donald Stewart won his victory; the name had been changed +by the Natives to 'the Resting-place of Martyrs,' and the numerous +freshly-covered-in graves testified to the _ghazis'_ heavy losses. The +remains of the few British soldiers, who had been buried where they +had fallen, had been desecrated, and the bones were exposed to view +and scattered about. + +At Chardeh, our next halting-place, a communication from Colonel +Tanner, Commanding at Kelat-i-Ghilzai, was brought to me by a Native +messenger; it was dated the 12th August, and informed me that Kandahar +was closely invested, but that the garrison had supplies for two +months and forage for fifteen days. + +On the 21st we arrived at a point thirty miles from Kelat-i-Ghilzai, +whence we opened heliograph communication with that place, and were +told of an unsuccessful sortie made from Kandahar five days before, in +which General Brooke and eight other British officers had been killed. + +[Illustration: CROSSING THE ZAMBURAK KOTAL. +_From a painting by the Chevalier Desanges._] + + +On the 23rd Kelat-i-Ghilzai was reached. The garrison[1] had been well +taken care of by Colonel Tanner,[2] and a large quantity of food for +man and beast had been collected; but I thought it unadvisable +at present to continue to hold the place, and have to keep open +communication between it and Kandahar, and as I could see no +compensating advantage in doing so, I determined to withdraw the +troops and take them along with me. + +Colonel Tanner's report satisfied me there was no immediate danger to +be apprehended at Kandahar, so I decided to halt for one day; both men +and animals greatly needed rest after a continuous march of 225 miles. + +I had endeavoured to keep the Government of India informed of my +progress by a message from Ghazni, and one from Oba Karez on the +18th August, but neither reached its destination. I now despatched a +message which was more successful, and was delivered at Simla on the +30th August. It was as follows: + + 'KELAT-I-GHILZAI, + '_23rd August,_ 1880. + + 'The force under my command arrived here this morning. The + authorities at Kandahar having stated on the 17th instant that + they have abundant supplies and can make forage last until + 1st September, I halt to-morrow to rest the troops, and more + especially the transport animals and camp-followers. The force + left Ghazni on the 16th, and has marched 136 miles during the last + eight days; the troops are in good health and spirits. From this I + purpose moving by regular-stages, so that the men may arrive fresh + at Kandahar. I hope to be in heliographic communication with + Kandahar from Robat, distant twenty miles, on the 29th. If General + Phayre reaches Takht-i-Pul, I should also hope to communicate with + him and arrange a combined movement on Kandahar. I am taking the + Kelat-i-Ghilzai garrison with me, making the Fort over to Mahomed + Sadik Khan, a Toki Chief, who had charge of the place when we + arrived in 1879; the present Governor, Sirdar Sherindil Khan, + refuses to remain. We have met with no opposition during the + march, and have been able to make satisfactory arrangements for + supplies, especially forage, which at this season is plentiful. + The Cavalry horses and Artillery mules are in excellent order; our + casualties to date are, one soldier 72nd Highlanders, one sepoy + 23rd Pioneers, one 2nd Sikhs, two sepoys 3rd Sikhs dead; one sepoy + 4th Gurkhas, two sepoys 24th Punjab Native Infantry, one Duffadar + 3rd Punjab Cavalry missing; six camp-followers dead, five missing. + The missing men have, I fear, been murdered. I telegraphed from + Ghazni on the 15th, and from Oba Karez on the 18th August.' + +I wrote also to Major-General Phayre, telling him of the date on +which I expected to reach Kandahar, and that if I heard of his being +anywhere near I would arrange my movements to suit his, in order that +the two forces might make a combined attack on Ayub Khan's position. + +As I was afraid the supplies at Kandahar would be insufficient for the +additional troops about to be collected there, I sent General Phayre +a memorandum[3] of the amount of food required daily by my force, and +begged him to get pushed up from the rear such articles as were more +particularly wanted. I pointed out that we were badly off for boots, +and that the 92nd Highlanders had only one hundred greatcoats fit for +wear, which were used by the men on night duties. + +On the 25th we marched to Jaldak, seventeen miles, and the same +distance the next day to Tirandaz, where I received a letter from +Lieutenant-General Primrose, informing me that Ayub Khan had raised +the siege on the 23rd, and was entrenching himself at Mazra, beyond +the Baba Wali Kotal, in the valley of the Arghandab. + +I awoke on the morning of the 27th feeling very unwell, and soon found +I was in for an attack of fever. The heat during the day was becoming +more and more overpowering as we proceeded south, and I had lately +been feeling somewhat knocked up by it and by exposure to the sun. I +had now to give in for the time being, and was compelled to perform +the march in a doolie, a most ignominious mode of conveyance for a +General on service; but there was no help for it, for I could not sit +a horse. + +That day the 3rd Bengal and 3rd Punjab Cavalry marched thirty-four +miles to Robat, in order to establish direct heliographic +communication with Kandahar. The main body halted about half-way, when +I again reported progress as follows: + + SHAHR-I-SAFA, + '_27th August, 1880._ + + 'My force arrived here to-day. I received a letter yesterday, + dated 25th, from Colonel St. John. He writes: "The rumours of the + approach of your force have been sufficient to relieve the city + from investment. On Monday night the villages on the east and + south were abandoned by their mixed garrisons of _ghazis_ and + regulars. Yesterday morning Ayub struck his camp, and marched to a + position on the Arghandab, between Baba Wali and Sheikh Chela, + due north of the city, and separated from it by a range of rocky + hills. He has about 4,000 Infantry regulars, six 12-pounders and + two 9-pounders rifled, four 6-pounder smooth-bore batteries, and + one 4-pounder battery, 2,000 sowars, and perhaps twice that number + of _ghazis_, of whom a third have firearms. The Kizilbashes and + Kohistanis in his army, about 1,200 Infantry and 300 Cavalry, + offered to desert and join us directly we made a show of attack. + They are at last aware of Abdur Rahman's succession, but I think + Ayub will remain unmolested until the arrival of the Kabul force, + provided he waits, which is unlikely. He will, I expect, strike + away north into Khakrez, on which line a vigorous pursuit will + give us his guns. Maclaine, Royal Horse Artillery, is still a + prisoner; I am making every effort to obtain his release, but I am + not very hopeful of success. This morning, the 25th, I went to the + field of the unlucky sortie of the 16th, and found the bodies of + the poor fellows who fell there, some forty in number; they will + be buried this afternoon. All the wounded are doing well. No + signs or tidings of Phayre." General Gough, with two regiments of + Cavalry, is at Robat; they are in heliographic communication + with Kandahar. General Primrose heliographs that Ayub Khan has + entrenched his camp at Baba Wali. The force marches for Robat + to-morrow, seventeen miles distant from Kandahar.' + +The following day the column joined the two Cavalry regiments at +Robat, where I was met by Lieutenant-Colonel St. John, from whom I +heard that Ayub Khan was likely to make a stand. I thought it prudent, +therefore, to halt on Sunday, the 29th, and divide the last twenty +miles into two short marches, in order that the men and animals might +arrive as fresh as possible, and fit for any work which might be +required of them; for should Ayub Khan retire towards Herat, he would +have to be followed up, and his army attacked and defeated wherever we +might overtake him. + +Before leaving Robat, a letter arrived from General Phayre, which put +an end to all hope of his force being able to co-operate with mine, +for his leading brigade, he wrote, had only just got to the Kohjak +Pass. This was to be regretted, but it was unavoidable. I was well +aware of the strenuous efforts the gallant Commander had made to +relieve the beleaguered garrison, and I knew if co-operation had been +possible it would have been effected. + +We encamped at Momund on the 30th, whence I sent the following +telegram to Simla: + + 'My force arrived here to-day; we march to Kandahar to-morrow. + General Primrose heliographs that a letter from Ayub's camp brings + information that the mother of the late Heir-Apparent, Abdulla + Jan, with other ladies, has been sent to Zamindawar. Arrival of + the young Musa Jan in Ayub's camp is confirmed. Hashim Khan is + also there. The position is being strengthened, especially on + the Pir Paimal side, where two guns have been placed with two + regiments. From further information, I learn that the Baba + Wali Kotal is occupied by three regiments and two guns. The + Kotal-i-Murcha is held by the Kabul regiments, and Ayub's own camp + is at Mazra, where it is said that the majority of his guns are + parked. I propose to encamp the Infantry to the west of Kandahar + immediately under the walls, and the Cavalry under the walls to + the south. Should I hear that Ayub contemplates flight, I shall + attack without delay. If, on the contrary, he intends to resist, + I shall take my own time. The country he is occupying is, from + description and map, extremely difficult and easily defensible, + and each separate advance will require careful study and + reconnaissance to prevent unnecessary loss of life.' + +On the morning of the 31st we marched into Kandahar, just over 313 +miles from Kabul. The fever, which had attacked me rather sharply, had +left me extremely weak, and I was unable to ride the whole way. I got +on my horse, however, some distance from Kandahar to meet Generals +Primrose, Burrows, and Nuttall, who came out to receive the column. As +we approached the city, the whole garrison turned out and gave us a +hearty welcome; officers and men, Native and British, crowded round +us, loud in their expressions of gratitude for our having come so +quickly to their assistance. We, on our side, were all anxiety +to learn the particulars about Maiwand, how they had fared while +invested, and all they could tell us of Ayub Khan, his position, +strength of his army, etc. + +I confess to being very greatly surprised, not to use a stronger +expression, at the demoralized condition of the greater part of the +garrison;[4] there were notable exceptions,[5] but the general bearing +of the troops reminded me of the people at Agra in 1857. They +seemed to consider themselves hopelessly defeated, and were utterly +despondent; they never even hoisted the Union Jack until the relieving +force was close at hand. The same excuses could not, however, be made +for them, who were all soldiers by profession, as we had felt inclined +to make for the residents at Agra, a great majority of whom were +women, children, and civilians. The walls[6] which completely +surrounded Kandahar were so high and thick as to render the city +absolutely impregnable to any army not equipped with a regular +siege-train. Scaling-ladders had been prepared by the enemy, and +there was an idea that an assault would be attempted; but for British +soldiers to have contemplated the possibility of Kandahar being taken +by an Afghan army showed what a miserable state of depression and +demoralization they were in. + +[Illustration: Map: SKETCH OF THE ROUTE TAKEN ON THE MARCH FROM KABUL +TO KANDAHAR. AUGUST. 1880.] + +I halted the column for two hours outside the south wall of the city, +where it was sheltered from the enemy's fire, Ayub Khan's position +being within long range directly north of Kandahar. While the men +rested and breakfasted, and the baggage animals were being unloaded, +fed, and watered, I went into the citadel to talk matters over with +General Primrose and Colonel St. John, and inquire whether there was +sufficient accommodation for the sick men of my force, numbering 940, +who needed to be taken into hospital. The thermometer now registered +105° Fahr. in tents during the day, but the nights were still bitterly +cold, and the sudden changes of temperature were extremely trying to +people in bad health. + +On the advice of Lieutenant-Colonel Chapman, whose intimate +acquaintance with the neighbourhood of Kandahar, gained while serving +on Sir Donald Stewart's staff, was now most valuable to me, I +determined to take up a position to the west of the city, with my +right on the cantonment and my left touching Old Kandahar. This +enabled me to cover the city, gave me command of a good supply of +water, and placed me within striking distance of Ayub Khan's camp. + +At 10 a.m. the first and third brigades moved off and occupied Piquet +Hill, Karez Hill, and the north-east spur of the hill above Old +Kandahar. A few shots were fired at the advance guard from distant +orchards, and the ground proved to be within range of some of the +enemy's Field-pieces on the Baba Wali Kotal, but it was a case of +Hobson's choice, as water was not to be found anywhere else at a +come-at-able distance. + +Large numbers of men were to be seen crowning the Baba Wali Kotal, and +constructing shelter-trenches along the crest of the low black ridge, +which jutted out in a south-easterly direction from the more lofty +range on which the kotal is situated. Piquets were immediately sent to +occupy the northern spur of the Kohkeran Hill commanding the road to +Gundigan, the village of Abbasabad, the Karez Hill, the village of +Chihal Dukhtaran, the greater and lesser Piquet Hills, and the village +of Kalachi, all of which were found to be deserted. + +From a cursory examination of the ground, I satisfied myself that any +attempt to carry the Baba Wali Kotal by direct attack must result in +very severe loss, and I determined to turn it. But before I could +decide how this could best be done, it was necessary to ascertain +the strength and precise extent of the Afghan position. I therefore +detailed a small party,[7] under the command of Brigadier-General Hugh +Gough, to make as complete a reconnaissance as time would allow. In +the meantime I despatched the following telegram to the authorities at +Simla: + + 'KANDAHAR, _31st August,_ 1880. + + 'The force under my command arrived here this morning without + opposition. Enemy are said to be in considerable strength at + Mazra, but the ridge of hills which divides Kandahar from the + Arghandab completely covers their position, and at present I have + only been able to ascertain that the Baba Wali Kotal and one or + two other points on this ridge are held in great strength, + and that the enemy are busily engaged in defensive works. + Reconnaissances are now being conducted, and I shall soon, I hope, + be sufficiently acquainted with affairs generally to enable me to + arrange for an attack. The Kandahar garrison are in good health; + the horses and transport animals appear to be in good condition. + Major Vandeleur, 7th Fusiliers, has died of his wounds; the + remainder of the wounded, both officers and men, are generally + doing well. The troops from Kabul are in famous health and + spirits. The assurance of the safety of this garrison enabled + comparatively short marches to be made from Kelat-i-Ghilzai, + which much benefited both men and animals. The Cavalry horses and + Artillery mules are in excellent condition, and the transport + animals are, as a rule, in very fair order. General Primrose has + arranged for the sick of the force from Kabul being accommodated + inside the city; many of the cases are sore feet; none are + serious. To-morrow the telegraph line towards India will commence + to be re-constructed, and as General Phayre is probably on this + side of the Kohjak to-day, through communication should soon be + restored.' + +The reconnaissance, which started at 1 p.m., proceeded towards the +high ground immediately above the villages of Gundigan and Murghan. +Here the Infantry and guns were halted, while the Cavalry advanced +between two or three miles, avoiding the numerous orchards and +enclosures, and coming out in front of Pir Paimal, which was found to +be strongly entrenched. + +As soon as the enemy's fire along this line had been drawn, the 3rd +Bengal Cavalry fell back, admirably handled by their Commandant, +Lieutenant-Colonel A. Mackenzie. In the meantime, two guns of No. +11 Battery 9th Brigade were brought into action, partly to test the +range, and partly to check the enemy, who were passing rapidly into +the gardens near Gundigan. The Infantry and Artillery then retired +within the line of piquets, and the moment they began to fall back the +Afghans came after them in great strength; they were so persistent +that I ordered the whole of the 3rd Brigade and part of the 1st +Brigade under arms. The enemy, however, were unable to come to close +quarters owing to the bold front shown by the 15th Sikhs, under the +command of Lieutenant-Colonel Hennessy, and before dark the troops +were all back in camp, with a loss of five men killed and fifteen +wounded. + +From the information obtained by this reconnaissance, I found that it +was quite practicable to turn the Afghan right, and thus place myself +in rear of the Baba Wali range; I decided, therefore, to attack the +position the following morning. It was too close to our camp to risk +delay. Moreover, I knew that the retrograde movement of Gough's small +body would be construed into a defeat by the enemy, who, if we did not +move at once, would assuredly think that we were afraid to take the +initiative, and would become correspondingly bold. + +I accordingly issued orders for the troops to breakfast at 7 a.m., and +for one day's cooked rations to be carried by the Infantry and two +days by the Cavalry and Horse Artillery. Brigades were to be in +position by eight o'clock, tents being previously struck and the +baggage stored in a walled enclosure. + +The night passed quietly except for occasional bursts of musketry +along the line of piquets to the west, showing that the Afghans were +holding the villages they had occupied the previous evening. + + +[Footnote 1: The garrison consisted of 2 guns of C/2, Royal Artillery, +145 rifles of the 66th Foot, 100 of the 3nd Sind Horse, and the 2nd +Baluch Regiment, 639 strong.] + +[Footnote 2: Now Lieutenant-General Sir Oriel Tanner, K.C.B.] + +[Footnote 3: Estimate of daily requirements for the Kabul-Kandahar +Field Force and the Kelat-i-Ghilzai garrison: + + Europeans 3,200 + Native troops 8,000 + Followers 8,500 + Horses 2,300 + Transport --yabus 1,592, + mules and ponies 5,926, + camels 400, + donkeys 400. + + Meat 4,000 lbs. + Bread-stuff 40 maunds.[*] + Vegetables 4,000 lbs. + Rice 800 " + Salt 133 " + Sugar 600 " + Tea 150 " + Rum, 25 per cent. 80 gallons. + Atta 320 maunds. + Dall 51-1/2 " + Ghee 19-1/4 " + Salt 8-1/2 " + Grain 700 " + + A. R. BADCOCK, Major, + Deputy Commissary-General. + + KELAT-I-GHILZAI, + _24th August,_ 1880. + + [Note *: A maund is equivalent to 80 lbs.] +] + +[Footnote 4: The effective garrison consisted of 1,000 British +soldiers, 3,000 Native soldiers, and fifteen Field guns.] + +[Footnote 5: One and all bore testimony to the unfailing good +behaviour and creditable bearing of the Royal Artillery and the Bombay +Sappers and Miners, not only during the investment, but in the very +trying time of the retreat from Maiwand.] + +[Footnote 6: The walls had an average height of 30 feet, and breadth +of 15 feet on the north and east fronts.] + +[Footnote 7: Two Royal Artillery guns, 3rd Bengal Cavalry, and 15th +Sikhs. Lieutenant-Colonel Chapman accompanied the party, and was of +great assistance to Brigadier-General Gough.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER LXII. +1880 + + Commencement of the fight--72nd Highlanders and 2nd Sikhs + --92nd Highlanders and 2nd Gurkhas--Ayub Khan's camp + --Difficulties about supplies--Parting with the troops + --A pleasing memory + + +The next morning, the 1st September, in accordance with instructions +from Simla, I assumed command of the army in southern Afghanistan. +There was no return to show the strength or composition of General +Phayre's column, but the troops at Kandahar all told now amounted in +round numbers to 3,800 British and 11,000 Native soldiers, with 36 +guns. + +An hour before daybreak the whole of the troops were under arms, and +at 6 a.m. I explained to Generals Primrose and Ross and the officers +commanding brigades the plan of operations. Briefly, it was to +threaten the enemy's left (the Baba Wali Kotal), and to attack in +force by the village of Pir Paimal. + +The Infantry belonging to the Kabul column, upon whom devolved the +duty of carrying the enemy's position, were formed up in rear of the +low hills which covered the front of our camp, their right being at +Piquet Hill and their left resting on Chitral Zina. The Cavalry of the +Kabul column were drawn up in rear of the left, ready to operate by +Gundigan towards the head of the Arghandab, so as to threaten the +rear of Ayub Khan's camp and his line of retreat in the direction of +Girishk. Four guns of E Battery Royal Horse Artillery, two companies +of the 2-7th Fusiliers, and four companies of the 28th Bombay +Infantry, were placed at the disposal of Brigadier-General Hugh Gough, +whose orders were to occupy with these troops the position above +Gundigan, which had been so useful during the previous day's +reconnaissance, and to push his Cavalry on to the Arghandab. + +Guards having been detailed for the protection of the city, the +remainder of Lieutenant-General Primrose's troops were ordered to be +disposed as follows: Brigadier-General Daubeny's brigade to occupy the +ground between Piquet Hill and Chitral Zina as soon as the Infantry of +the Kabul-Kandahar Field Force advanced to the attack. The remnant of +Brigadier-General Burrows's brigade, with No. 5 Battery, 11th Brigade +Royal Artillery, under Captain Hornsby, and the Cavalry under +Brigadier-General Nuttall, to take up a position north of the +cantonment, from which the 40-pounders could be brought to bear on +the Baba Wali Kotal, while the Cavalry could watch the pass, called +Kotal-i-Murcha, and cover the city. + +From an early hour it was clear that the enemy contemplated an +offensive movement; the villages of Gundigan and Gundi Mulla Sahibdab +were being held in strength, and a desultory fire was brought to bear +on the British front from the orchards connecting these two villages +and from the Baba Wali Kotal. + +The Bombay Cavalry moved out at 7.30 a.m., and Daubeny's brigade at +eight o'clock. Burrows's troops followed, and shortly after 9 a.m., +their disposition being completed, Captain Hornsby opened fire upon +the kotal, which was one mass of _ghazis_. + +This feint, made by General Primrose's troops, having had the effect I +had hoped, of attracting the enemy's attention, I gave the order +for Major-General Ross to make the real attack with the 1st and 2nd +Brigades of his division. The 3rd Brigade, under Brigadier-General +Macgregor, I placed in front of the village of Abbasabad, with the +double object of being a reserve to the 1st and 2nd Brigades and of +meeting a possible counter-attack from the Baba Wali Kotal. + +Ross's orders were to advance against Gundi Mulla Sahibdad, capture +the village, and then drive the enemy from the enclosures which lay +between it and the low spur of Pir Paimal hill. This duty he entrusted +to Brigadier-General Macpherson, and he directed Brigadier-General +Baker to advance to the west, to keep touch with the 1st Brigade, and +to clear the gardens and orchards in his immediate front. + +Greig's 9-pounder and Robinson's 7-pounder (screw gun) batteries +covered the attack on Gundi Mulla Sahibdad, which was made by the +2nd Gurkhas, under Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Battye, and the 92nd +Highlanders, under Lieutenant-Colonel G. Parker, supported by the 23rd +Pioneers, under Lieutenant-Colonel H. Collett, and the 24th Punjab +Infantry, under Colonel F. Norman. The village was carried with the +utmost gallantry, Highlanders and Gurkhas, always friendly rivals in +the race for glory, by turns outstripping each other in their efforts +to be first within its walls. The enemy sullenly and slowly withdrew, +a goodly number of _ghazis_ remaining to the very last to receive +a bayonet charge of the 92nd. Meanwhile, Baker's troops had been +threading their way through the narrow lanes and loop-holed enclosures +which lay in the line of their spirited attack; the resistance they +encountered was most stubborn, and it was during this advance that the +72nd lost their dashing Commander, Lieutenant-Colonel F. Brownlow,[1] +Captain Frome, and Lance-Sergeant Cameron, the latter a grand specimen +of a Highland soldier. + +In the 2nd Brigade, the 72nd Highlanders and the 2nd Sikhs bore +the brunt of the fighting; they were the leading battalions, and +frequently had to fix bayonets to carry different positions or to +check the desperate rushes of the Afghans. + +After continued and severe fighting, both leading brigades emerged +at the point of the hill close to Pir Paimal, and, wheeling to their +right, they pressed rapidly on, sweeping the enemy through the +thickly-wooded gardens which covered the western slopes, until noon, +when the whole of Pir Paimal was in our possession.[2] + +During the early part of the advance the Afghans collected in great +strength on the low hills beneath the Baba Wali Kotal, evidently +preparing for a rush on our guns; their leaders could be seen urging +them on, and a portion of them came down the hill, but the main body +apparently refused to follow, and remained on the crest until the +position was turned, when they at once retreated. + +Having become assured of General Ross's complete success, and seeing +that there was now no necessity for detaining Macgregor's (the 3rd) +brigade to meet a counter-attack, I pushed on with it to join Ross, +who, however, knowing how thoroughly he could depend upon his troops, +without waiting to be reinforced, followed up the retreating foe, +until he reached an entrenched position at the other side of the Baba +Wali Kotal, where the Afghans made another most determined stand. +_Ghazis_ in large numbers flocked to this spot from the rear, while +the guns on the kotal were turned round and brought to bear on our +men, already exposed to a heavy Artillery fire from behind the +entrenched camp. + +It now became necessary to take this position by storm, and +recognizing the fact with true soldierly instinct, Major White, who +was leading the advanced companies of the 92nd, called upon the men +for just one charge more 'to close the business.' The battery of screw +guns had been shelling the position, and, under cover of its fire +and supported by a portion of the 2nd Gurkhas and 23rd Pioneers, the +Highlanders, responding with alacrity to their leader's call, dashed +forward and drove the enemy from their entrenchments at the point of +the bayonet.[3] + +Major White was the first to reach the guns, being closely followed +by Sepoy Inderbir Lama, who, placing his rifle upon one of them, +exclaimed, 'Captured in the name of the 2nd (Prince of Wales' Own) +Gurkhas!' + +Whilst the 1st Brigade was advancing towards the last position, a +half-battalion of the 3rd Sikhs (belonging to the 2nd Brigade), under +Lieutenant-Colonel G. Money, charged a body of Afghans and captured +three guns. + +The enemy were now absolutely routed, but, owing to the nature of the +ground, it was impossible for General Ross to realize how complete had +been his victory, and he fully expected that the enemy would take up +a fresh position further on; he therefore ordered the 1st and 2nd +Brigades to halt while they replenished their ammunition, and then +proceeded for about a mile, when they suddenly came in sight of Ayub +Khan's enormous camp. It was entirely deserted, and apparently stood +as it had been left in the morning when the Afghans moved out to the +attack. With his camp was captured the whole of Ayub Khan's Artillery, +thirty-two pieces, including our two Horse Artillery guns[4] which had +been taken at Maiwand on the 27th July. + +Further pursuit by the Infantry being valueless, the 1st and 2nd +Brigades halted on the far side of Mazra, where I with the 3rd Brigade +shortly afterwards joined them. + +Brigadier-General Hugh Gough, having satisfied himself as to the +security of our left flank, scouted as far as Kohkeran, and then +proceeded with the Cavalry of the Kabul-Kandahar Field Force to +execute the extended movement entrusted to him. He crossed the +Arghandab, and pushed round to get in front of the line of the enemy's +retreat towards Khakrez. Some _ghazis_ and Irregular Afghan troops +were overtaken, but no Regular regiments were met with, the soldiers +having, as is their custom, quickly divested themselves of their +uniform and assumed the garb of harmless agriculturists. + +Ayub Khan himself had fled early in the day with his principal +Sirdars. + +As I rode into the abandoned camp, I was horrified to hear that the +body of Maclaine, the Horse Artillery officer who had been taken +prisoner at Maiwand, was lying with the throat cut about forty yards +from Ayub Khan's own tent. From what I could learn, the latter had +not actually ordered the murder, but as a word from him would have +prevented it, he must be held responsible for the assassination of an +officer who had fallen into his hands as a prisoner of war. + +Our losses during the day comprised: killed, 3 British officers,[5] +1 Native officer, and 36 men; wounded, 11 British officers, 4 Native +officers, and 195 men, 18 of whom succumbed to their wounds. It was +difficult to estimate the loss of the enemy, but it must have been +heavy, as between Kandahar and the village of Pir Paimal alone 600 +bodies were buried by us. + +With the exception of the 1st Brigade, which remained at Mazra for the +night to protect the captured guns and stores, the troops all returned +to camp before 9 p.m.[6] + +Utterly exhausted as I was from the hard day's work and the weakening +effects of my late illness, the cheers with which I was greeted by the +troops as I rode into Ayub Khan's camp and viewed the dead bodies of +my gallant soldiers nearly unmanned me, and it was with a very big +lump in my throat that I managed to say a few words of thanks to each +corps in turn. When I returned to Kandahar, and threw myself on the +bed in the little room prepared for me, I was dead-beat and quite +unequal to the effort of reporting our success to the Queen or to the +Viceroy. After an hour's rest, however, knowing how anxiously news +from Kandahar was looked for both in England and India, I managed +to pull myself together sufficiently to write out and despatch the +following telegram: + + 'KANDAHAR, + '_1st September, 1880_ (6 p.m.). + + 'Ayub Khan's army was to-day defeated and completely dispersed + with, I hope, comparatively slight loss on our side; his camp was + captured, the two lost guns of E Battery, B Brigade Royal Horse + Artillery were recovered, and several wheeled guns of various + calibre fell to the splendid Infantry of this force; the Cavalry + are still in pursuit. Our casualties are: 22nd Foot, Captain + Straton, killed; 72nd Highlanders, Lieutenant-Colonel Brownlow, + Captain Frome, killed, Captain Murray and Lieutenant Monro, + wounded, 7 men killed, 18 wounded; 92nd Highlanders, Lieutenants + Menzies and Donald Stewart wounded, 11 men killed and 39 wounded; + 2nd Gurkhas, Lieutenant-Colonel Battye, and 2nd Sikhs, Major + Slater wounded. It is at present impossible to ascertain the + casualties amongst the Native troops, but I have no reason to + believe they are excessive; full details will be telegraphed + to-morrow. The quite recently murdered remains of Lieutenant + Maclaine, Royal Horse Artillery, were found on the arrival of the + British troops in Ayub Khan's camp. Ayub Khan is supposed to have + fled towards Herat.' + +It can easily be imagined with what an intense sense of relief I awoke +on the morning of the 2nd September--the march had ended, Kandahar had +been relieved, Ayub Khan's army had been beaten and dispersed, and +there was an adequate force in southern Afghanistan to prevent further +disturbances. + +Amongst the innumerable questions of detail which now confronted me +was the all-important one, and that which caused me greatest anxiety, +of how the large body of troops hastily concentrated at Kandahar, and +for which the produce of the country was quite inadequate, were to be +fed. + +No supplies and very little forage were procurable between Quetta and +Kandahar, and in the neighbourhood of the latter place there was now +hardly anything in the shape of food for man or beast to be had for +love or money, the resources of this part of the country having been +quite exhausted. Relief could only be obtained by reducing the number +of mouths to be fed, and with this object I scattered the troops in +different directions, to posts as far distant from each other as +possible, consistent with safety; and in accordance with my promise to +the Kabul-Kandahar Field Force, that they should not be required to +garrison Kandahar when the fighting was at an end, I arranged to +despatch without delay to India the corps which had come with me from +northern Afghanistan. + +[Illustration: SKETCH OF THE BATTLE-FIELD OF KANDAHAR] + +One column proceeded to Maiwand to inter the bodies of our soldiers +who fell on the 27th July. The Cavalry brigade moved with a number +of sick men and transport animals to Kohkeran. Macgregor's brigade +started for Quetta on the 8th, and was followed soon after by Baker's +and Macpherson's brigades. I accompanied Macgregor in the hope that +the change to Quetta (where I remained about a month) would pick me +up, and enable me to meet Lord Ripon's wish that I should retain the +command in southern Afghanistan until some satisfactory settlement +could be arrived at. + +Before leaving Kandahar I issued an order thanking all ranks of the +Kabul-Kandahar Field Force for the work they had so nobly performed, +and I had the gratification of acknowledging, on their behalf and my +own, congratulatory messages from the Queen, the Duke of Cambridge, +the Marquis of Ripon, and many others. On the way to Quetta I had +the further gratification of being informed by the Viceroy that Her +Majesty had been graciously pleased to make me a G.C.B., and to +appoint me Commander-in-Chief of the Madras Army. + +I now heard that Abdur Rahman had been finally nominated Amir of +Kabul on the 10th August, and that immediately after the ceremony of +installation Sir Donald Stewart had marched the whole British force +of 6,678 men of all arms out of Kabul on their return to India. Sir +Donald left Peshawar to take up his appointment of Military Member of +Council at Simla on the 31st August, and by the 7th September the last +of his troops had arrived at the former place, except one brigade left +as a temporary measure in the Khyber Pass. + +At Quetta I stayed with Sir Robert Sandeman, the capable Resident, +who by his great personal influence had done much to allay excitement +amongst the tribes, and to prevent serious trouble in Baluchistan +and along the border. I had never before been to that part of the +frontier, and I was greatly impressed by the hold Sandeman had +obtained over the country; he was intimately acquainted with every +leading man, and there was not a village, however out of the way, +which he had not visited. 'Sinniman _sahib_,' as the Natives called +him, had gained the confidence of the lawless Baluchis in a very +remarkable manner, and it was mainly owing to his power over them that +I was able to arrange with camel contractors to transport to Quetta +and Kandahar the huge stocks of winter clothing, medical comforts, +grain, and the various requirements of an army in the field, which +had been brought by rail to Sibi, and had there remained for want of +transport to take them further on. + +As the change to Quetta did not benefit me, and as I found that, +owing to indifferent health, I was unable to carry on my duty with +satisfaction to myself, I applied to be relieved. My request was +acceded to, and I started on the 12th October for India. + +Riding through the Bolan Pass I overtook most of the regiments of the +Kabul-Kandahar Field Force marching towards Sibi, thence to disperse +to their respective destinations. As I parted with each corps in turn +its band played 'Auld Lang Syne,' and I have never since heard that +memory-stirring air without its bringing before my mind's eye the last +view I had of the Kabul-Kandahar Field Force. I fancy myself crossing +and re-crossing the river which winds through the pass; I hear the +martial beat of drums and plaintive music of the pipes; and I see +Riflemen and Gurkhas, Highlanders and Sikhs, guns and horses, camels +and mules, with the endless following of an Indian army, winding +through the narrow gorges, or over the interminable boulders which +made the passage of the Bolan so difficult and wearisome to man and +beast. + +I shall never forget the feeling of sadness with which I said good-bye +to the men who had done so much for me. I looked upon them all, Native +as well as British, as my valued friends. And well I might, for never +had a Commander been better served. From first to last a grand spirit +of _camaraderie_[7] pervaded all ranks. At the Peiwar Kotal, at +Charasia, and during the fighting round Kabul, all were eager to close +with the enemy, no matter how great the odds against them. Throughout +the march from Kabul all seemed to be animated with but one desire, to +effect, cost what it might in personal risk, fatigue, or discomfort, +the speedy release of their beleaguered fellow-soldiers in Kandahar; +and the unflagging energy and perseverance of my splendid troops +seemed to reach their full height, when they realized they were about +to put forth their strength against a hitherto successful enemy. Their +exemplary conduct, too, under circumstances often of the most +trying nature, cannot be praised in terms too strong or too full. +Notwithstanding the provocation caused by the cruel murder of any +stragglers who fell into the hands of the Afghans, not one act +infringing the rules of civilized warfare was committed by my troops. +The persons and property of the Natives were respected, and full +compensation for supplies was everywhere given. In short, the +inhabitants of the district through which we passed could not have +been treated with greater consideration nor with a lighter hand, had +they proved themselves friendly allies, and the conduct of the troops +will ever be to me as pleasing a memory as are the results which they +achieved. + + +[Footnote 1: Brownlow's death was a great loss, for throughout the +war he had frequently distinguished himself as a leader--at the Peiwar +Kotal, during the operations round Kabul, and notably on the 14th +December, when he won the admiration of the whole force by his +brilliant conduct in the attack on the Asmai heights.] + +[Footnote 2: The following Native officers, British and Native +non-commissioned officers, and Native soldiers were brought forward as +having been very conspicuous during this part of the fight: + + Colour-Sergeant G. Jacobs 72nd Highlanders. + Colour-Sergeant R. Lauder " " + Lance-Corporal J. Gordon " " + Subadar-Major Gurbaj Sing 2nd Sikhs. + Jemadar Alla Sing " " + Naick Dir Sing " " + Sepoy Hakim " " + Sepoy Taj Sing " " + Sepoy Pertap Sing " " + Sepoy Bir Sing " "] + +[Footnote 3: During this engagement the following officers and men +were specially remarked for their gallantry: + + Major G. White 92nd Highlanders. + Lieutenant C. Douglas " " + Corporal William McGillvray " " + Private Peter Grieve " " + Private D. Grey " " + Major Sullivan Becher 2nd Gurkhas. + Havildar Gopal Borah " " + Sepoy Inderbir Lama " " + Sepoy Tikaram Kwas " "] + +[Footnote 4: These guns were presented to me by the Indian Government, +and are now at the Royal Hospital Dublin.] + +[Footnote 5: The third British officer killed was Captain Straton, +22nd Foot, Superintendent of Army Signalling, a most accomplished +officer, under whose direction signalling as applied to Field +Service reached a wonderful pitch of perfection. His energy knew no +difficulties, and his enthusiasm was beyond praise.] + +[Footnote 6: The ammunition expended by the Kabul-Kandahar Field Force +on the 31st August and 1st September was: + + _Rounds_. + + Gun 102 /Shrapnel shell 78 + \Common " 24 + Rifle 57,705 /Martini-Henry 15,129 + \Snider 42,576 + +and in addition 313 rounds were fired by the Artillery, and 4,971 +rounds by the Infantry of the Kandahar Garrison.] + +[Footnote 7: The 72nd Highlanders and 5th Gurkhas were brigaded +together throughout the campaign, and at their return to India the +latter regiment presented the former with a shield bearing the +following inscription: + + FROM THE + + MEN OF THE 5TH GURKHAS + + TO THE + + MEN OF THE 72ND (DUKE OF ALBANY'S OWN) HIGHLANDERS, + + IN REMEMBRANCE OF + + THE AFGHAN CAMPAIGN, 1878 TO 1880. + + +The gift was entirely spontaneous, and was subscribed for by the +Native officers, non-commissioned officers, and men. + +In return, the non-commissioned officers and men of the 72nd gave the +5th Gurkhas a very handsome ebony, silver-mounted Drum-Major's staff.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER LXIII. +1880-1884 + + Reception in England--A fruitless journey--Andaman Isles and Burma + --The Madras Army--Measures for improving the Madras Army + --Memories of Madras--An allegory + + +On the 15th October I handed over my command to Major-General Phayre, +and started for England, making, by the desire of the Viceroy, a +diversion to Simla, where Lord Ripon received me most kindly, and, +to my great pride and pleasure, delivered to me a letter from the +Queen-Empress, written by Her Majesty's own hand, which conveyed in +the most gracious terms the Queen's satisfaction at the manner in +which the service entrusted to me had been performed, thanks to 'the +brave officers and men under my command,' sorrow 'for those of her +gallant soldiers who fell for Queen and country,' and anxiety for the +wounded. Her Majesty also wrote of 'the thrill of horror' with which +the news of the fate of Lieutenant Maclaine had been received, and +concluded with words of hope that my own health and that of the +troops would remain good, and that success might attend us 'till the +blessings of peace are restored.' + +A gracious letter, truly! And to me a deeply appreciated reward for +what I had been able to do. + +I landed at Dover on the 17th November. The reception I met with from +my countrymen was as enthusiastic as it was unexpected and gratifying. +After an absence of twelve years there must almost always be more or +less of sadness mingled with the pleasure of the home-coming, and two +vacant places in my family circle--those of my father and sister--cast +a deep shadow upon what would otherwise have been a most joyous +return, for my mother was alive to welcome me, and I found my children +flourishing and my wife well, notwithstanding all the anxiety she had +undergone. + +I was fêted and feasted to almost an alarming extent, considering that +for nearly two years I had been restricted to campaigning diet; but it +surprised me very much to find that the kind people, by whom I was so +greatly honoured, invariably appeared to think the march from Kabul to +Kandahar was a much greater performance than the advance on Kabul the +previous autumn, while, to my mind, the latter operation was in every +particular more difficult, more dangerous, and placed upon me as the +Commander infinitely more responsibility. The force with which I +started from Kuram to avenge the massacre of our fellow-countrymen was +little more than half the strength of that with which I marched to +Kandahar. Immediately on crossing the Shutargardan I found myself in +the midst of a hostile and warlike people, entirely dependent on the +country for supplies, heavily handicapped by want of transport, and +practically as completely cut off from communication with India as +I was a year later on the march to Kandahar. The Afghans' fanatical +hatred of Europeans had been augmented by their defeats the year +before, and by the occurrences at Kabul, and they looked upon my small +column as a certain prey delivered into their hands by a sympathizing +and all-powerful Allah. + +Before me was Kabul, with its large and well-equipped arsenal, +defended by an army better organized and more highly trained than that +possessed by any former Ruler of Afghanistan. On all sides of me were +tribesmen hurrying up to defend the approaches to their capital, and +had there been on our part the smallest hesitation or delay, we should +have found ourselves opposed by as formidable a combination as we had +to deal with two months later at Sherpur. Nothing could then have +saved the force, not one man of which I firmly believe would have ever +returned to tell the tale in India. Worse than all, I had in my own +camp a traitor, in the form of the Amir, posing as a friend to the +British Government and a refugee seeking our protection, while he was +at heart our bitterest enemy, and was doing everything in his power to +make my task more difficult and ensure our defeat. + +The march to Kandahar was certainly much longer, the country was +equally unfriendly, and the feeding of so large a number of men and +animals was a continual source of anxiety. But I had a force capable +of holding its own against any Afghan army that could possibly be +opposed to it, and good and sufficient transport to admit of its +being kept together, with the definite object in view of rescuing our +besieged countrymen and defeating Ayub Khan; instead of, as at Kabul, +having to begin to unravel a difficult political problem after +accomplishing the defeat of the tribesmen and the Afghan army. + +I could only account to myself for the greater amount of interest +displayed in the march to Kandahar, and the larger amount of credit +given to me for that undertaking, by the glamour of romance thrown +around an army of 10,000 men lost to view, as it were, for nearly a +month, about the fate of which uninformed speculation was rife and +pessimistic rumours were spread, until the tension became extreme, +and the corresponding relief proportionably great when that army +reappeared to dispose at once of Ayub and his hitherto victorious +troops. + +I did not return to India until the end of 1881, six weeks out of +these precious months of leave having been spent in a wild-goose chase +to the Cape of Good Hope and back, upon my being nominated by Mr. +Gladstone's Government Governor of Natal and Commander of the Forces +in South Africa, on the death of Sir George Colley and the receipt of +the news of the disaster at Majuba Hill. While I was on my way out +to take up my command, peace was made with the Boers in the most +marvellously rapid and unexpected manner, A peace, alas! 'without +honour,' to which may be attributed the recent regrettable state of +affairs in the Transvaal--a state of affairs which was foreseen and +predicted by many at the time. My stay at Cape Town was limited to +twenty-four hours, the Government being apparently as anxious to get +me away from Africa as they had been to hurry me out there. + +In August I spent three very enjoyable and instructive weeks as the +guest of His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Germany, while the +manoeuvres at Hanover and Schleswig-Holstein were taking place. + +Shortly before leaving England for Madras, I was asked by Mr. +Childers, the then Secretary of State for War, whether I would accept +the appointment of Quartermaster-General at the Horse Guards, in +succession to Sir Garnet Wolseley. The offer, in some ways, was +rather a temptation to me, for I had a great wish to take part in the +administration of our army; and had it been made sooner, before my +arrangements for going to Madras had been completed, I think I should +have accepted it at once; as it was, I begged to be allowed to join my +new command, and leave the question of the Quartermaster-Generalship +in abeyance until it was about to become vacant. This was agreed to, +and I started for Madras, taking my wife and two little daughters with +me, the boy being left at school in England. + +On arriving in Madras, on the 27th November, I had the pleasure +to find myself associated as a colleague in Council with Mr. +Grant-Duff,[1] who had recently been appointed Governor of the +Presidency. We spent a few pleasant days with him and Mrs. Grant-Duff +at Government House, before proceeding to deposit our children at +Ootacamund, that Queen of Indian Hill-stations, which was to be our +home for four years. We spent Christmas there, and then went to Burma, +visiting the Andaman Islands on the way. We had on board our ship some +prisoners destined for that convict settlement, amongst whom cholera +unfortunately broke out a few hours after we left Madras. They were +accommodated just outside my wife's cabin, and their cries and groans +were most distressing. Very little could be done for them on board, +for the Native Doctor accompanying us possessed no remedy but castor +oil! and as the disease was spreading rapidly, I took upon myself to +have the party landed at Vizagapatam. + +The cholera patients were put into tents on the sea-shore, under the +charge of a medical officer, and every arrangement possible for their +comfort and relief was made before we proceeded on our journey. + +During our stay at Port Blair, the Head-Quarters of the Andaman +Administration, we were the guests of the hospitable Superintendent, +Lieutenant-Colonel Protheroe, who had been one of the political +officers on my staff in Afghanistan. The group of islands forming the +settlement are extremely beautiful, but it is tropical beauty, and one +pays the penalty for the luxuriant vegetation in the climate, which is +very much like a Turkish bath, hot and damp. While going through the +prisons, I came across some of the sepoys of the 29th Punjab Infantry +who deserted during the advance on the Peiwar Kotal. I was told that +they were behaving well, and might in time be allowed some remission +of their sentences. + +A voyage of thirty-six hours brought us to Rangoon, where we had the +pleasure of meeting and being entertained by our old friends, Mr. +Bernard,[2] the Chief Commissioner of Burma, and his wife. + +In 1882 Thyetmyo and Tonghu were the two frontier stations of Burma, +and I had been asked to consider the question of the defence of the +proposed railway termini at these places. I accordingly visited them +both, and as I thought I foresaw that the lines of railway could not +end as then contemplated, I recommended that the absolutely necessary +works only should be attempted, and that these should be as +inexpensive as possible. Ere many years had passed, the line, as I +anticipated, was completed to Mandalay. + +The defences of Rangoon had also to be arranged for. An examination +of the approaches, however, satisfied me that no elaborate system of +fortification was necessary, and that Rangoon's best security lay in +her winding, dangerous river; so I gave it as my opinion that, with +two small batteries at Monkey Point and King's Point, and a couple of +torpedo-boats, Rangoon would be reasonably safe against attack. + +Before leaving Burma I received letters from H.R.H. the Duke of +Cambridge and Mr. Childers, in which were repeated the offer of the +Quartermaster-Generalship at the Horse Guards. But I had by this +time begun to like my new work, and had no desire to leave Madras; I +therefore definitely declined the appointment. + +From Burma we returned to Ootacamund, viâ Calcutta, where we spent a +few days with Lord and Lady Ripon and Sir Donald and Lady Stewart. + +Life at 'Ooty' was very pleasant; such peace and repose I had never +before experienced; I thoroughly enjoyed the rest after the turmoil of +the preceding years, and I quite recovered my health, which had been +somewhat shattered. Unlike other hill-stations, Ootacamund rests on an +undulating tableland, 7,400 feet above the sea, with plenty of room in +the neighbourhood for riding, driving, and hunting; and, although +the scenery is nothing like as grand as in the Himalayas, there are +exquisite views to be had, and it is more restful and homelike. We +made many warm friends and agreeable acquaintances, who when our time +in Madras came to an end presented my wife with a very beautiful +clock 'as a token of esteem and affection'; we were very sorry to bid +farewell to our friends and to our Nilgiri home. + +Each cold season I made long tours in order to acquaint myself with +the needs and capabilities of the men of the Madras Army. I tried hard +to discover in them those fighting qualities which had distinguished +their forefathers during the wars of the last and the beginning of +the present century. But long years of peace, and the security and +prosperity attending it, had evidently had upon them, as they always +seem to have on Asiatics, a softening and deteriorating effect; and I +was forced to the conclusion that the ancient military spirit had died +in them, as it had died in the ordinary Hindustani of Bengal and the +Mahratta of Bombay, and that they could no longer with safety be +pitted against warlike races, or employed outside the limits of +southern India. + +It was with extreme reluctance that I formed this opinion with regard +to the successors of the old Coast Army, for which I had always +entertained a great admiration. For the sake of the British officers +belonging to the Madras Army, too, I was very loath to be convinced of +its inferiority, for many of them were devoted to their regiments, and +were justly proud of their traditions. + +However, there was the army, and it was my business as its +Commander-in-Chief to do all that I possibly could towards rendering +it an efficient part of the war establishment of India. + +Madrassies, as a rule, are more intelligent and better educated than +the fighting races of northern India, and I therefore thought it could +not be difficult to teach them the value of musketry, and make them +excel in it. To this end, I encouraged rifle meetings and endeavoured +to get General Officers to take an interest in musketry inspections, +and to make those inspections instructive and entertaining to the men. +I took to rifle-shooting myself, as did the officers on my personal +staff,[3] who were all good shots, and our team held its own in many +exciting matches at the different rifle meetings. + +At that time the importance of musketry training was not so generally +recognized as it is now, especially by the senior officers, who had +all entered the service in the days of 'Brown Bess.' Some of them had +failed to note the remarkable alteration which the change from +the musket to the rifle necessitated in the system of musketry +instruction, or to study the very different conditions under which +we could hope to win battles in the present day, compared with those +under which some of our most celebrated victories had been won. It +required time and patience to inspire officers with a belief in the +wonderful shooting power of the Martini-Henry rifle, and it was even +more difficult to make them realize that the better the weapon, the +greater the necessity for its being intelligently used. + +I had great faith in the value of Camps of Exercise, and +notwithstanding the difficulty of obtaining an annual grant to defray +their cost, I managed each year, by taking advantage of the movement +of troops in course of relief, to form small camps at the more +important stations, and on one occasion was able to collect 9,000 +men together in the neighbourhood of Bangalore, where the +Commanders-in-Chief in India and of Bombay (Sir Donald Stewart and the +Hon. Arthur Hardinge) were present--the first and last time that +the 'three Chiefs' in India met together at a Camp of Exercise. The +Sappers and Miners were a brilliant exception to the rest of the +Madras Army, being indeed a most useful, efficient body of men, but +as no increase to that branch was considered necessary, I obtained +permission to convert two Infantry regiments into Pioneers on the +model of the Pioneer Corps of the Bengal Army, which had always +proved themselves so useful on service. Promotion amongst the British +officers was accelerated, recruits were not allowed to marry, or, if +married, to have their wives with them, and many other minor changes +were made which did much towards improving the efficiency of the +Native portion of the Madras Army; and I hope I was able to increase +the comfort and well-being of the British portion also by relaxing +irksome and useless restrictions, and by impressing upon commanding +officers the advisability of not punishing young soldiers with the +extreme severity which had hitherto been considered necessary. + +I had been unpleasantly struck by the frequent Courts-Martial on the +younger soldiers, and by the disproportionate number of these lads to +be met with in the military prisons. Even when the prisoners happened +to be of some length of service, I usually found that they had +undergone previous imprisonments, and had been severely punished +within a short time of their enlistment. I urged that, in the first +two or three years of a soldier's service, every allowance should be +made for youth and inexperience, and that during that time faults +should, whenever practicable, be dealt with summarily, and not visited +with the heavier punishment which a Court-Martial sentence necessarily +carries with it, and I pointed out that this procedure might receive a +wider application, and become a guiding principle in the treatment +of soldiers generally. I suggested that all men in possession of a +good-conduct badge, or who had had no entry in their company defaulter +sheets for one year, should be granted certain privileges, such as +receiving the fullest indulgence in the grant of passes, consistent +with the requirements of health, duty, and discipline, and being +excused attendance at all roll-calls (including meals), except perhaps +at tattoo. I had often remarked that those corps in which indulgences +were most freely given contained the largest number of well-behaved +men, and I had been assured that such indulgences were seldom abused, +and that, while they were greatly appreciated by those who received +them, they acted as an incentive to less well conducted men to try and +redeem their characters. + +[Illustration: THE THREE COMMANDERS-IN-CHIEF IN INDIA. + GENERAL SIR FREDERICK SLEIGH ROBERTS. +GENERAL SIR ARTHUR E. HARDINGE. GENERAL SIR DONALD MARTIN STEWART.] + +The reports of commanding officers, on the results of these small +ameliorations, after a six months' trial, were so favourable that I +was able to authorize still further concessions as a premium on good +behaviour. + +The Madras Presidency abounds in places of interest connected with our +earlier struggles in India, and it was possible to combine pleasure +with duty in a very delightful manner while travelling about the +country. My wife frequently accompanied me in my tours, and enjoyed as +much as I did our visits to many famous and beautiful places. Madras +itself recalled the struggles for supremacy between the English and +French in the middle of the eighteenth century. Arcot reminded one +that it was in the brilliant capture and still more brilliant defence +of the fort at that place that Clive's soldierly genius first became +conspicuous. Trichinopoly and Wandewash made one think of Stringer +Lawrence's and Eyre Coote's splendid services, and while standing on +the breach at Seringapatam, one was reminded of Wellington's early +life in India, and marvelled how heavily-armed men could have ventured +to cross the single plank which alone spanned the deep, broad ditch of +the inner defences. + +I should like to dwell on the architectural wonders of Tanjore and +the Caves of Ellora; the magnificent entertainments and Princely +hospitality accorded to us by the Nizam of Hyderabad, the late +Maharajas of Mysore and Travancore, the Maharaja of Vizianagram, the +Raja of Cochin, and many other Rulers of Native States; the delights +of a trip along the west coast by the beautiful 'back-water,' and the +return journey through the glorious forests of Cannara and Mysore; +the pleasure of visiting the lovely 'White Lady'[4] and the wonderful +Kaveri falls; but to give my readers any idea of their marvels would +be to put too great a strain upon their patience, which I fear has +already been severely taxed. + +The late Maharaja of Travancore was an unusually enlightened Native. +He spoke and wrote English fluently; his appearance was distinguished, +and his manners those of a well-bred, courteous English gentleman of +the old school. His speech on proposing the Queen's health was a model +of fine feeling and fine expression, and yet this man was steeped +in superstition. His Highness sat, slightly retired from the table, +between my wife and myself while dinner was going on; he partook of +no food or wine, but his close contact with us (he led my wife in to +dinner and took her out on his arm) necessitated his undergoing a +severe course of purification at the hands of the Brahmins as soon +as the entertainment was over; he dared not do anything without the +sanction of the priests, and he spent enormous sums in propitiating +them. + +Notwithstanding the high civilization, luxury, and refinement to +be found in these Native States, my visits to them strengthened my +opinion that, however capable and enlightened the Ruler, he could have +no chance of holding his country if deprived of the guiding hand of +the British Government as embodied in the Resident. It is just that +control, so light in ordinary times as to be hardly perceptible, but +firm enough when occasion demands, which saves the State from being +rent by factions and internal intrigue, or swallowed up by a more +powerful neighbour, for, owing to the influence of the Brahmins and +the practical seclusion which caste prejudices entail, involving +ignorance of what is taking place immediately outside their own +palaces, the Native Princes of the less warlike peoples would have +no chance amidst the anarchy and confusion that would follow the +withdrawal of British influence. + +A remark made to me by the late Sir Madhava Rao, ex-Minister of the +Baroda State, which exemplifies my meaning, comes back to me at this +moment. Sir Madhava was one of the most astute Hindu gentlemen in +India, and when discussing with him the excitement produced by the +'Ilbert Bill,' he said: 'Why do you English raise these unnecessary +questions? It is your doing, not ours. We have heard of the cry, +"India for the Indians," which some of your philanthropists have +raised in England; but you have only to go to the Zoological Gardens +and open the doors of the cages, and you will very soon see what would +be the result of putting that theory into practice. There would be +a terrific fight amongst the animals, which would end in the tiger +walking proudly over the dead bodies of the rest.' 'Whom,' I inquired, +'do you consider to be the tiger?' 'The Mahomedan from the North,' was +his reply. + + +[Illustration: THE MARQUIS OF DUFFERIN, K.P., G.C.B., G.C.M.G., +G.M.S.I., G.M.I.E., VICEROY OF INDIA. + +_From, an engraving by the Fine Art Society of a portrait by the late +Frank Holl, R.A._] + + +[Footnote 1: Now Sir Mount-Stuart Grant-Duff, G.C.S.I.] + +[Footnote 2: Now Sir Charles Bernard, K.C.S.I.] + +[Footnote 3: Lieutenant-Colonel G.T. Pretyman, R.A., was +Assistant Military Secretary until 1884, when he was succeeded by +Lieutenant-Colonel R. Pole-Carew, Coldstream Guards. Lieutenant +Neville Chamberlain, Central India Horse, and Captain Ian Hamilton, +the Gordon Highlanders, were Aides-de-camp.] + +[Footnote 4: The finest of the Gassapa falls.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER LXIV. +1885 + + Disturbing action of Russia--Abdur Rahman Khan--The Rawal Pindi Durbar + --Unmistakable loyalty of the Natives + + +In March, 1885, we again visited Calcutta. The Marquis of Ripon had +departed, and the Earl of Dufferin reigned in his stead. + +Affairs on our north-west and south-east frontiers were at this time +in a very unsettled state. Indeed, the political outlook altogether +had assumed rather a gloomy aspect. Our relations with the French had +become somewhat strained in consequence of their interference with +Upper Burma and our occupation of Egypt; while Russia's activity in +the valley of the Oxus necessitated our looking after our interests in +Afghanistan. These considerations rendered it advisable to increase +the army in India by 11,000 British and 12,000 Native troops, bringing +the strength of the former up to nearly 70,000, with 414 guns, and +that of the latter to 128,636. + +Russia's movements could not be regarded with indifference, for, while +we had retreated from our dominating position at Kandahar, she had +approached considerably nearer to Afghanistan, and in a direction +infinitely more advantageous than before for a further onward move. +Up to 1881 a Russian army advancing on Afghanistan would have had to +solve the difficult problem of the formidable Hindu Kush barrier, or +if it took the Herat line it must have faced the deserts of Khiva and +Bokhara. But all this was changed by Skobeloff's victories over the +Tekke Turkomans, which gave Merv and Sarakhs to Russia, and enabled +her to transfer her base from Orenburg to the Caspian--by far the most +important step ever made by Russia in her advance towards India. I +had some years before pointed out to the Government of India how +immeasurably Russia would gain, if by the conquest of Merv--a conquest +which I then looked upon as certain to be accomplished in the near +future--she should be able to make this transfer. My words were +unheeded or ridiculed at the time, and I, like others who thought as +I did, was supposed to be suffering from a disease diagnosed by a +distinguished politician as 'Mervousness.' But a little later those +words were verified. Merv had become a Russian possession, and +Turkestan was in direct communication by rail and steamer with St. +Petersburg. And can it be denied that this fact, which would have +enabled the army in the Caucasus to be rapidly transported to the +scene of operations, made it possible for General Komaroff practically +to dictate terms to the Boundary Commission which was sent to define +the northern limits of Afghanistan, and to forcibly eject an Afghan +garrison from Panjdeh under the eyes of British officers? + +Lord Dufferin took up the reins of the Government of India at a time +when things had come to such a pass that a personal conference with +the Amir was considered necessary to arrange for the defence and +demarcation of His Highness's frontier, the strengthening of Herat, +the extension of the Sakkur-Sibi railway to Quetta, and the +discussion of the general situation. Abdur Rahman was therefore +invited to meet the Viceroy at Rawal Pindi, where a large standing +camp was prepared, and my wife and I were bidden amongst a numerous +company, including Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess +of Connaught, the Ruling Punjab Chiefs, and the high officers of +Government from various parts of India, to be the guests of His +Excellency and Lady Dufferin on the interesting occasion. + +The meeting was fixed for the end of March, and as there was scarcely +time for us to return to Madras and get back again before then, we +proceeded leisurely up country, visiting different places and one or +two old friends on the way. + +At Multan I received a cipher telegram from Sir Donald Stewart +informing me that it had been decided to mobilize two Army Corps, and +that I was to have command of the first. This was exciting news, and +we lost no time in making our way to Rawal Pindi, where we should be +in direct communication with Head-Quarters, and hoped to hear what had +taken place since we left Calcutta to make it necessary to prepare for +war. + +I soon found out that this action on the part of the Government was +forced on them by the representatives of Russia on the Boundary +Commission, who were persistent in their attempts to encroach on +Afghan territory, in order that they might be in a position to control +the approaches to Herat, a Russian occupation of which fortress we +could not permit. + +Abdur Rahman arrived at Rawal Pindi on the last day of March; he was +about forty-five years of age, and although he required a stick +to walk with, being a martyr to rheumatism, and very stout, his +appearance was decidedly dignified and imposing. He had a manly, +clever, and rather handsome face, marred only by the cruel expression +of the mouth, and his manner was sufficiently courteous though +somewhat abrupt. + +Several semi-private meetings took place between the Viceroy and +the Amir, at the first of which His Highness, after expressing his +appreciation of the flattering and cordial reception he had met with, +reminded Lord Dufferin that he had consistently warned the British +Government of the approach of the Russians towards Afghanistan and of +the unsettling effect their advance was producing on the minds of +his countrymen; and he advocated the necessity for timely action. No +attention, he said, had been paid to his warnings, owing, probably, to +the strife of parties in England, and to the excessive caution of the +British Government. + +Lord Dufferin, in reply, pointed out that the Amir had been advised +to strengthen northern Afghanistan, and that the services of Engineer +officers had been offered to him for the purpose of putting Herat into +a satisfactory state of defence. His Excellency declared that England +was resolved that a Russian advance on Herat should be met by a +declaration of war; that preparations were then being made to give +effect to that resolve; and that it was now absolutely necessary for +His Highness to make up his mind which of his two powerful neighbours +he would elect to choose as his ally. + +[Illustration: HIS HIGHNESS ABDUR RAHMAN, AMIR OF AFGHANISTAN.] + +Abdur Rahman thanked the Viceroy for his offer of help, but showed +plainly that he had no intention of availing himself of the services +of our Engineers. He vowed that his own personal wishes were entirely +in favour of a close and practical alliance with the British, but that +his subjects did not share his feelings towards us. They were 'rude, +uneducated, and suspicious.' He hoped that in time they might become +more disposed to be friendly, but at present he could not pretend +to rely upon them. He then disclosed the real reason for his ready +response to the Viceroy's invitation by saying that he would +gratefully receive the assistance of the British Government in the +shape of money, arms, and munitions of war. + +At a later visit the conversation turned upon the difficulty of the +position in which the British members of the Boundary Commission were +placed, and the impossibility of the Afghan posts being able to hold +their own in the face of a Russian advance was explained to the Amir. +A map was produced, on which the country to the north of Herat was +carefully examined, and Russia's claims were made known to him. Abdur +Rahman's ideas of topography were not very accurate, but he displayed +considerable intelligence in his questions and perception of the +meaning of the answers, and eventually expressed his willingness to +leave the question of the delimitation of his northern frontier in the +hands of the British Government. + +On the 6th April there was a parade of the troops, 17,000 in number, +and that evening the Amir was present at a state banquet, at which, +after the usual loyal toasts, the Viceroy proposed the Amir's health. +His Highness, in reply, expressed a fervent hope that the prosperity +of the British Empire might long endure, as with it the welfare of +Afghanistan was bound up. He had watched, he said, the progress of +India under British rule, and he hoped that Afghanistan might flourish +in like manner; and he ended with a prayer that the Almighty would +preserve Her Majesty's troops in safety, honour, and efficiency. + +Two days later the Amir was publicly received in durbar by the +Viceroy, on whose right hand he was placed, while the Duke of +Connaught occupied the seat on his left. After a few words had been +exchanged, Abdur Rahman rose, and spoke as follows: 'I am deeply +sensible of the kindness which I have received from His Excellency the +Viceroy, and of the favour shown me by Her Majesty the Queen-Empress. +In return for this kindness and favour, I am ready with my army and +people to render any services that may be required of me or of the +Afghan nation. As the British Government has declared that it will +assist me in repelling any foreign enemy, so it is right and proper +that Afghanistan should unite in the firmest manner, and side by side +by the British Government.' + +On being presented, amongst other gifts, with a sword of honour, he +said in a loud and determined voice: 'With this sword I hope to smite +any enemy of the British Government.' + +That same evening the Viceroy received news of the Russian attack +on Panjdeh, and communicated it to the Amir, who heard it with +extraordinary equanimity, not appearing to attach any great importance +to the matter, and attributing the defeat of his troops to the +inferiority of their weapons. He observed that the excuse given by the +Russians, that the Afghans intended to attack them, was a frivolous +pretext, and declared all that his men had done was very properly to +make preparations to defend themselves. + +Abdur Rahman had expressed a desire for a British decoration, so +shortly before his departure from India he was invested, informally, +with the G.C.S.I. As the train was moving off, he said to the British +officers assembled on the platform: 'I wish you all farewell, and +commend you to the care of God. May your Government endure and your +honour increase. I have been greatly pleased and gratified by the +sight of the British Army. I hope and am certain that the friendship +now existing between us will last for ever.' + +Abdur Rahman had, indeed, every reason to be satisfied with the result +of his visit, for not only was Lord Ripon's promise that England +would defend his kingdom against foreign aggression ratified by Lord +Dufferin, but the Amir was given, in addition to the large sums of +money and the considerable amount of munitions of war already received +by him, ten lakhs of rupees, 20,000 breech-loading rifles, a Heavy +battery of four guns and two howitzers, a Mountain battery, and a +liberal supply of ammunition for both guns and rifles. + +On the Amir's departure the great camp was broken up, and the troops +returned to their respective stations, all prepared to move towards +the Quetta frontier at a moment's notice. The Native Chiefs, in taking +their leave of the Viceroy, were profuse in their offers and promises +of help should a recourse to arms be found necessary; and Lord and +Lady Dufferin's numerous guests, who, like my wife and myself, had for +more than a fortnight been recipients of the most profuse hospitality, +wished their generous host and hostess a hearty good-bye. + +Interesting as the whole proceeding had been, by far the most +gratifying result of the gathering was the unmistakable loyalty +displayed by the Native Rulers who were present, as well as by those +in distant parts of India, on hearing of the unprovoked attack made +by the Russians on the Afghan troops at Panjdeh, and our consequent +preparations for war. The greatest enthusiasm prevailed, and the +various military camps at Rawal Pindi were crowded with men desirous +of joining the ranks of our army. I was literally besieged by old +soldiers, begging that they might be allowed to return to the colours +and fight once more for the _Sirkar_; and one Native officer, who +had been with me in Afghanistan, came to me and said: 'I am afraid, +_sahib_, I am too old and infirm to do more work myself; but you +must take my two sons with you--they are ready to die for the +_Angrese_.'[1] + +[Illustration: MAP OF CENTRAL ASIA (THE RUSSIAN FRONTIERS).] + +We hastened back to Madras, and reached Ootacamund after seven +consecutive nights in the train, with a thermometer at 104° in the +daytime, the only pause in our journey being at Poona, where we spent +a few hours with our friend General Sir John Ross. + +I left my horses at Lahore, and for some weeks lived in daily +expectation of being ordered back to the Punjab to take command of the +1st Army Corps. A change of Government, however, took place just +in time to prevent the war. Lord Salisbury's determined attitude +convinced Russia that no further encroachments on the Afghan frontier +would be permitted; she ceased the 'game of brag' she had been allowed +to play, and the Boundary Commission were enabled to proceed with the +work of delimitation. + + +[Footnote 1: A Native corruption of the word 'English.'] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER LXV. +1885-1886 + + The Burma expedition--The Camp of Exercise at Delhi + --Defence of the North-West Frontier--Quetta and Peshawar + --Communications _versus_ fortifications--Sir George Chesney + + +We only remained three months at 'Ooty,' for on the 8th July a +telegram arrived from Lord Dufferin announcing the Queen's approval of +my being appointed to succeed Sir Donald Stewart as Commander-in-Chief +in India, and granting me leave to visit England before taking up the +appointment. + +At the end of a fortnight all our preparations for departure had been +made, and on the 18th August we left Bombay, in the teeth of the +monsoon. + +Our boy, whose holidays had just commenced, met us at Venice, and we +loitered in Italy and Switzerland on our way home. I spent but six +weeks in England, returning to the East at the end of November, to +join my new command. I met Lord Dufferin at Agra, and accompanied him +to Gwalior, whither his Excellency went for the purpose of formally +restoring to the Maharaja Sindhia the much coveted fortress of +Gwalior, which had been occupied by us since 1858--an act of sound +policy, enabling us to withdraw a brigade which could be far more +usefully employed elsewhere. + +At Gwalior we received the news of the capture of Mandalay, and I sent +a telegram to Lieutenant-General Prendergast,[1] to congratulate him +on the successful conduct of the Burma Expedition. + +Affairs in Burma had been going from bad to worse from the time King +Thebaw came to the throne in 1878. Wholesale murders were of constant +occurrence within the precincts of the palace; dacoity was rife +throughout the country, and British officers were insulted to such +an extent that the Resident had to be withdrawn. In 1883 a special +Mission was sent by the King of Burma to Paris, with a view to making +such a treaty with the French Government as would enable him to appeal +to France for assistance, in the event of his being involved in +difficulties with England. The Mission remained eighteen months in +Paris, and succeeded in ratifying what the French called a 'Commercial +Convention,' under the terms of which a French Consul was located at +Mandalay, who soon gained sufficient ascendancy over King Thebaw +to enable him to arrange for the construction of a railway between +Mandalay and Tonghu, and the establishment of a French bank at +Mandalay, by means of which France would speedily have gained full +control over the principal sources of Burmese revenue, and power to +exclude British trade from the valley of the Irrawaddy. In furtherance +of these designs, the King picked a quarrel with a British trading +company, threatened to cancel their leases for cutting timber, and +demanded a fine of ten lakhs of rupees. + +The Chief Commissioner proposed arbitration, but this was declined, +and the King refusing to modify his action with regard to the trading +company, the Viceroy proposed to the Secretary of State for India that +an ultimatum[2] should be sent to King Thebaw. + +In approving of the ultimatum, Lord Randolph Churchill expressed his +opinion that its despatch should be concurrent with the movement of +troops and ships to Rangoon, that an answer should be demanded +within a specified time, and that if the ultimatum were rejected, an +immediate advance on Mandalay should be made. + +A force[3] of nearly 10,000 men and 77 guns, under the command of +Lieutenant-General Prendergast, was accordingly ordered to be in +readiness at Thyetmyo by the 14th November, and as the reply of the +Burmese Government was tantamount to a refusal, Prendergast was +instructed to advance on Mandalay, with the result which it was +my pleasant duty to congratulate him upon in my capacity of +Commander-in-Chief of the Army in India. + +From Gwalior I went to Delhi to prepare for a Camp of Exercise on a +much larger scale than had ever before been held. Many weak points +in the Commissariat and Transport Department having become only too +apparent when the mobilization of the two Army Corps had been imminent +the previous spring, it was considered necessary to test our readiness +for war, and orders for the strength and composition of the force to +be manoeuvred had been issued before Sir Donald Stewart left India. + +The troops were divided into two Army Corps. The northern assembled at +Umballa, and the southern at Gurgaon, 25 miles from Delhi, the points +of concentration being 150 miles apart. + +After a fortnight passed in brigade and divisional movements, the +opposing forces advanced, and on the 7th January they came into +contact on the historic battlefield of Panipat.[4] + +Lord Dufferin, whose interest in the efficiency of the army induced +him to come all the way from Calcutta to witness the last two days' +manoeuvres, was present--with the twelve 'foreign officers'[5] from +the principal armies of Europe and America, who had been invited to +attend the camp--at a march-past of the whole force of 35,000 men on +the 18th. It was a fine sight, though marred by a heavy thunderstorm +and a perfect deluge of rain, and was really a greater test of what +the troops could do than if we had had the perfect weather we had +hoped for. The 'foreign officers' were, apparently, somewhat surprised +at the fine physique and efficiency of our Native soldiers, but they +all remarked on the paucity of British officers with the Indian +regiments, which I could not but acknowledge was, as it still is, a +weak point in our military organization. + +When the camp was broken up, I accompanied the Viceroy to Burma, where +we arrived early in February, 1886. Lord Dufferin must, I think, have +been pleased at the reception he met with at Rangoon. The people +generally tried in every possible way to show their gratitude to the +Viceroy, under whose auspices the annexation of Upper Burma had been +carried out, and each nationality had erected a triumphal arch in its +own particular quarter of the town. + +From Rangoon we went to Mandalay, where Lord Dufferin formally +announced the annexation by England of all that part of Upper Burma +over which King Thebaw had held sway. We then proceeded to Madras, +where I parted from the Viceregal party and travelled to Bombay to +meet my wife. Leaving her at Simla to arrange our house, which had +been considerably altered and added to, I proceeded to the North-West +Frontier, for the question of its defence was one which interested +me very deeply, and I hoped that, from the position I now held as a +member of the Government of India, I should be able to get my ideas on +this, to India, all-important subject listened to, if not altogether +carried out. + +The defence of the frontier had been considered under the orders of my +predecessor by a Committee, the members of which had recorded their +several opinions as to the means which should be adopted to make +India secure. But Sir Donald Stewart relinquished his command before +anything could be done to give effect to the measures they advised. + +The matter had therefore to be taken up afresh by me, and I carefully +studied the recommendations of the 'Defence Committee' before visiting +the frontier to refresh my memory by personal inspection as to the +points to be defended. + +It seemed to me that none of the members, with the exception of Sir +Charles Macgregor and the secretary, Major W.G. Nicholson, at all +appreciated the great change which had taken place in our position +since the near approach of Russia, and our consequent promise to the +Amir to preserve the integrity of his kingdom, had widened the limit +of our responsibilities from the southern to the northern boundary of +Afghanistan. + +Less than a year before we had been on the point of declaring war with +Russia because of her active interference with 'the authority of a +sovereign--our protected ally--who had committed no offence[6];' and +even now it was not certain that peace could be preserved, by reason +of the outrageous demands made by the Russian members of the Boundary +Commission as to the direction which the line of delimitation between +Russian and Afghan territory should take. + +It was this widening of our responsibilities which prevented me from +agreeing with the recommendations of the Defence Committee, for the +majority of the members laid greater stress on the necessity +for constructing numerous fortifications, than upon lines of +communication, which I conceived to be of infinitely greater +importance, as affording the means of bringing all the strategical +points on the frontier into direct communication with the railway +system of India, and enabling us to mass our troops rapidly, should we +be called upon to aid Afghanistan in repelling attack from a foreign +Power. + +Fortifications, of the nature of entrenched positions, were no +doubt, to some extent, necessary, not to guard against our immediate +neighbours, for experience had taught us that without outside +assistance they are incapable of a combined movement, but for the +protection of such depots and storehouses as would have to be +constructed, and as a support to the army in the field. + +The line chosen at that time for an advance was by Quetta and +Kandahar. In the first instance, therefore, I wended my way to +Baluchistan, where I met and consulted with the Governor-General's +Agent, Sir Robert Sandeman, and the Chief Engineer of the Sind-Pishin +Railway, Brigadier-General Browne.[7] + +We together inspected the Kwaja-Amran range, through which the +Kohjak tunnel now runs, and I decided that the best position for an +entrenched camp was to the rear of that range, in the space between +the Takatu and Mashalik mountains. This open ground was less than four +miles broad; nature had made its flanks perfectly secure, and in front +was a network of ravines capable of being made quite impassable by +simply flooding them. It was unfortunate that the railway had been +marked out in front instead of in rear of the Takatu range, and that +its construction was too far advanced before the question of defence +came to be considered to admit of its being altered, otherwise this +position would have been a complete protection for the line of rail +also. + +Having come to a definite conclusion as to the measures to be taken +for meeting the offensive and defensive requirements of Quetta and the +Bolan Pass, I turned my attention to Peshawar and the Khyber Pass, +which were infinitely more difficult to deal with, because of the +political considerations involved. + +Over the whole of Baluchistan we had entire control, so that in the +event of an army moving in that direction we could depend upon the +resources of the country being at our disposal, and the people +remaining, at least, neutral. But on the Peshawar side the +circumstances were altogether different: the tribes were hostile to a +degree, and no European's life was safe across the frontier. Except in +the Khyber itself (where the policy of establishing friendly relations +with the Afridis, and utilizing them to keep open the pass, had +been most successfully practised by the political officer, +Lieutenant-Colonel Warburton), we could not depend on the tribesmen +remaining passive, much less helping us if we advanced into +Afghanistan. While, should an army attempt to invade India from that +direction, we should to a certainty have every man of the 200,000 +warlike people who inhabit the mountainous district from Chitral to +Baluchistan combining against us, and pouring into India from every +outlet. + +For these reasons I recorded a strong opinion in opposition to the +proposals of the Defence Committee, which were in favour of the +construction of a large magazine at Peshawar and extensive entrenched +works at the mouth of the Khyber. I pointed out the extreme danger of +a position communication with which could be cut off, and which could +be more or less easily turned, for it was clear to me that until we +had succeeded in inducing the border tribes to be on friendly terms +with us, and to believe that their interests were identical with +ours, the Peshawar valley would become untenable should any general +disturbance take place; and that, instead of entrenchments close to +the Khyber Pass, we required a position upon which the garrisons +of Peshawar and Nowshera could fall back and await the arrival of +reinforcements. + +For this position I selected a spot on the right bank of the Kabul +river, between Khairabad and the Indus; it commanded the passage of +the latter river, and could easily be strengthened by defensive works +outside the old fort of Attock. + +It will be readily understood by those of my readers who have any +knowledge of our North-West Frontier, or are interested in the +question of the defence of India, that other routes exist between the +Bolan and the Khyber Passes which might be made use of either by an +army invading India, or by a force sent from India to the assistance +of Afghanistan; and by such it will probably be asked, as was the case +when my recommendations were being discussed, why I did not advise +these lines to be similarly guarded. My reply was, and is, that there +are no arsenals or depots near these passes to be protected, as at +Quetta and Rawul Pindi; that we should not be likely to use them for +an army moving into Afghanistan; that, although small parties of the +enemy might come by them, the main body of a force operating towards +India is bound to advance by the Khyber, for the reason that it would +debouch directly on highly cultivated country and good roads leading +to all the great cities of the Punjab; and finally that, even if our +finances would admit of the construction of such a long line of forts, +it would be impossible for our limited army to supply the garrisons +for them. + +Having completed my inspection of the frontier, I returned to Simla +and drew up a memorandum declaring the conviction I had arrived at +after careful deliberation, that the improvement of our communications +was of far greater importance than the immediate construction of +forts and entrenchments, and that, while I would not spare money in +strengthening well-defined positions, the strategical value of which +was unmistakable, I would not trouble about those places the primary +importance of fortifying which was open to argument, and which might +never be required to be defended; these, I contended, might be left +alone, except so far as to make a careful study of their localities +and determine how they could best be taken advantage of should +occasion require. My note ended with the following words: 'Meanwhile I +would push on our communications with all possible speed; we must have +roads, and we must have railways; they cannot be made on short notice, +and every rupee spent upon them now will repay us tenfold hereafter. +Nothing will tend to secure the safety of the frontier so much as the +power of rapidly concentrating troops on any threatened point, and +nothing will strengthen our military position more than to open out +the country and improve our relations with the frontier tribes. There +are no better civilizers than roads and railways; and although some +of those recommended to be made may never be required for military +purposes, they will be of the greatest assistance to the civil power +in the administration of the country.' + +Accompanying this paper was a statement of the defensive works which, +in my opinion, should be taken in hand without delay; also of the +positions which required careful study, and the roads and railways +which should be constructed, to make the scheme of defence complete. + +Seven years later, when I gave up my command of the Army in India, I +had the supreme satisfaction of knowing that I left our North-West +Frontier secure, so far as it was possible to make it so, hampered +as we were by want of money. The necessary fortifications had been +completed, schemes for the defence of the various less important +positions had been prepared, and the roads and railways, in my +estimation of such vast importance, had either been finished or were +well advanced. + +Moreover, our position with regard to the border tribes had gradually +come to be better understood, and it had been realized that they would +be a powerful support to whichever side might be able to count upon +their aid; the policy of keeping them at arm's length had been +abandoned, and the advantages of reciprocal communication were +becoming more appreciated by them and by us. + +It was not to be expected that these results could be achieved without +a considerable amount of opposition, owing partly to the majority of +our countrymen (even amongst those who had spent the greater part of +their lives in India) failing to recognize the change that had taken +place in the relative positions of Great Britain and Russia in Asia, +and to their disbelief in the steady advance of Russia towards +Afghanistan being in any way connected with India, or in Russia's wish +or power to threaten our Eastern Empire.[8] The idea was very common, +too, amongst people who had not deeply considered the subject, that +all proposals for gaining control over our troublesome neighbours +on the border, or for facilitating the massing of troops, meant an +aggressive policy, and were made with the idea of annexing more +territory, instead of for the purpose of securing the safety of India, +and enabling us to fulfil our engagements. + +Happily, the Viceroys who governed India while I was +Commander-in-Chief were not amongst those who held these opinions; +and while they had no expectation of India being invaded in the near +future, they realized that we could not unconcernedly look on while a +great Power was, step by step, creeping closer to our possessions. It +was a fortunate circumstance, too, that, for the first five years I +was at the head of the Army in India, I had as my military +colleague in Council the late General Sir George Chesney, a man of +unquestionable talent and sound judgment, to whose cordial support, +not only in frontier affairs, but in all my efforts to promote the +efficiency and welfare of the soldier, I was very greatly indebted. + + +[Footnote 1: Now General Sir Harry Prendergast, V.C., K.C.B.] + +[Footnote 2: The ultimatum informed King Thebaw that the British +Government insisted upon an Envoy being received at Mandalay, with +free access to the King, without having to submit to any humiliating +ceremony; that proceedings against the trading company would not be +permitted; that a British Agent, with a suitable guard of honour and +steamer for his personal protection, must be permanently stationed at +the Burmese capital; that the Burmese Government must regulate their +external relations in accordance with British advice; and that proper +facilities must be granted for the opening up of British trade with +China viâ Bhamo.] + +[Footnote 3: The force consisted of 364 seamen and 69 Marines formed +into a Naval Brigade, with 49 guns, including 27 machine guns, and +3,029 British and 6,005 Native soldiers, with 28 guns.] + +[Footnote 4: Panipat is famous for three great battles fought in its +immediate neighbourhood: one in 1526, by the Emperor Baber against +Sultan Ibrahim, which resulted in the establishment of the Mogul +dynasty; the second in 1556, when the Emperor Akbar beat the Hindu +General of the Afghan usurper, and re-established the Moguls in power; +and the third in 1761, when Ahmed Shah Durani defeated the Mahrattas.] + +[Footnote 5: I was much gratified at receiving subsequently from His +Imperial Majesty the Emperor William I. and from the Crown Princess of +Prussia autograph letters of acknowledgment of, and thanks for, the +reception accorded and the attention paid to Majors von Huene and von +Hagenau, the two representatives of the German army who attended these +manoeuvres.] + +[Footnote 6: Words used by Mr. Gladstone when asking for a vote of +credit for £6,500,000 for special preparations in connection with the +Afghan difficulty.] + +[Footnote 7: The late Major-General Sir James Browne, K.C.S.I., C.B., +who, like Sir Robert Sandeman, died while holding the important and +responsible position of Governor-General's Agent in Baluchistan.] + +[Footnote 8: A Statesman of high reputation in England was so strong +in his disbelief of the necessity for making any preparations in +India, that he publicly stated that if the only barrier between Russia +in Asia and Britain in Asia were a mountain ridge, or a stream, or a +fence, there would be no difficulty in preserving peace between Russia +and the United Kingdom.--Speech delivered by the Right Hon. John +Bright, M.P., at Birmingham on the 16th April, 1879.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER LXVI. +1886 + + Nursing for the soldier--Pacification of Burma considered + --Measures recommended--The Buddhist priesthood + --The Regimental Institute--The Army Temperance Association + + +Many interesting and important questions had to be dealt with during +this my first year as a member of the Viceroy's Council, and it was +pleasant to me to be able to bring before the Government of India a +scheme which my wife had had very much at heart for many years--for +supplying skilled nursing to the military hospitals in India. That +our sick soldiers (officers and men) should be entirely dependent for +nursing, even in times of the most dangerous illness, on the tender +mercies of 'the orderly on duty,' who, whether kind-hearted or the +reverse, was necessarily utterly untrained and ignorant of the +requirements of sickness, was a source of unhappiness to her, and had +been felt as a cruel want by many; but whenever she had discussed +the subject with those who might have helped her, she was told that +proposals for supplying this want had already been made, that the +Government could not, nor would they ever be able to, act on such +proposals, on account of the prohibitory expense, so she felt there +was no use in making any appeal until I might be in a position to +see that any suggestions made by her would be certain to receive the +careful consideration of Government. This time had now arrived, and +almost directly Lady Roberts returned to India in 1886 she drew up a +scheme for supplying lady nurses to the military hospitals throughout +India, and set to work to try and get the support of some of the +principal Medical officers. To her great joy, her recommendations +were accepted by Lord Dufferin and his Council, and her note upon the +subject was sent home to the Secretary of State, strongly backed up +by the Government of India. Lord Cross happily viewed the matter in +a favourable light, and consented, not only to a certain number of +nurses being sent out the following year as an experiment, but to the +whole of the cost of the movement being borne by the State, with the +exception of the provision of 'Homes in the Hills' for the nursing +sisters as health resorts, and to prevent the expense to Government +of their having to be sent home on sick-leave when worn out by their +trying work in the plains. The Secretary of State, however, declared +these Homes to be 'an important part' of the nursing scheme, 'and +indispensable to its practical working,' but considered that they +should be provided by private subscription, a condition my wife +undertook to carry out. She appealed to the Army in India to help her, +and with scarcely an exception every regiment and battery generously +responded--even the private soldiers subscribed largely in proportion +to their small means--so that by the beginning of the following year +my wife was able to set about purchasing and building suitable houses. + +[Illustration: LADY ROBERTS OF KANDAHAR. +_From a photograph by Messrs. Johnson and Hoffmann._] + +'Homes' were established at Murree, Kasauli and Quetta, in Bengal, +and at Wellington[1] in Madras, and by making a further appeal to the +officers of the army, and with the assistance of kind and liberal +friends in England and India, and the proceeds of various +entertainments, Lady Roberts was able to supply, in connexion with +the 'Homes' at Murree and Kasauli, wards for the reception of sick +officers, with a staff of nurses[2] in attendance, whose salaries, +passages, etc., are all paid out of 'Lady Roberts's Fund.' My wife was +induced to do this from having known many young officers succumb owing +to want of care and improper food at hotels or clubs on being sent to +the Hills after a hard fight for life in the plains, if they were not +fortunate enough to have personal friends to look after them. Although +it is anticipating events, I may as well say here that the nursing +experiment proved a complete success, and now every large military +hospital in India has its staff of nurses, and there are altogether 4 +superintendents, 9 deputy superintendents, and 39 nursing sisters, in +India. There are many more wanted in the smaller stations, where there +is often great loss of life from lack of proper nursing, and surely, +as my wife pointed out in her first appeal, 'when one considers what +an expensive article the British soldier is, costing, as he does, £100 +before landing in India, it seems certain that on the score of economy +alone, altogether setting aside the humane aspect of the question, +it is well worth the State's while to provide him with the skilled +nursing care' which has up to now saved so many lives. + +That officers as well as men might benefit by the devotion of the +'nursing sister,' I was able to arrange in all the large hospitals +for some room, or rooms, used until then for other purposes, to be +appropriated for an officers' ward or wards, and these have proved +a great boon to the younger officers whose income does not admit of +their obtaining the expensive care of a nurse from one of the large +civil hospitals in the Presidency towns. + +The next most interesting question, and also the most pressing, which +had to be considered by the Viceroy's Council during the summer of +1886, was the pacification of Upper Burma. People in England had +expressed surprise at this being so long delayed. It is extremely +easy, however, to sit at home and talk of what should be done, but +very difficult to say how to do it, and more difficult still to carry +it out. To establish law and order in a country nearly as large as +France, in which dacoity is looked upon as an honourable profession, +would be no light task even in Europe: but when the country to be +settled has a deadly climate for several months in the year, is +covered to a great extent with jungle, and is without a vestige of +a road, the task assumes gigantic proportions. In Upper Burma the +garrison was only sufficient to keep open communication along the line +of the Irrawaddy, and, to add to the embarrassment of the situation, +disaffection had spread to Lower Burma, and disturbances had broken +out in the almost unknown district between Upper Burma and Assam. + +It was arranged to send strong reinforcements to Burma so soon as the +unhealthy season should be over and it would be safe for the troops +to go there, and Lieutenant-General Sir Herbert Macpherson (who had +succeeded me as Commander-in-Chief in Madras) was directed to proceed +thither. + +In October my wife and I, with some of my staff, started from Simla on +a trip across the Hills, with the object of inspecting the stations of +Dhurmsala and Dalhousie before it was cool enough to begin my winter +tour in the plains. We crossed the Jalaurie Pass, between 11,000 and +12,000 feet high, and travelling through the beautiful Kulu valley and +over the Bubbu mountain, we finally arrived at Palampur, the centre +of the tea industry in the Kangra valley. Having been cut off from +telegraphic communication for some time, we went straight to the +telegraph-office for news, and found at the moment a message being +deciphered which brought me the terribly sad information that General +Macpherson had died of fever in Burma. In him the country had lost a +good soldier, and I a friend and comrade for whom I had a great +regard and admiration. We were discussing his untimely end, and I was +considering who should replace him, when a second message arrived. +This was from Lord Dufferin, telling me that he wished me to transfer +my Head-Quarters to Burma, and arrange to remain there until 'the neck +of the business was broken.' + +I hurried to Calcutta, embarked in the first mail-steamer, and landed +at Rangoon on the 9th November. + +Sir Charles Bernard (the Chief Commissioner) and General White had +done well under very difficult circumstances; but owing partly to +large districts being impassable from months of heavy rain, and partly +to the change in Commanders, unavoidable inaction had been forced upon +our troops, and the dacoits had in consequence made head against us. + +Having been in constant correspondence with General White, I had been +kept informed of his plans, and, as his responsible Chief, I had +approved of them; I therefore had the somewhat complicated military +situation at my fingers' ends, and did not need to lose a single day +in arranging for a series of combined movements being carried on all +over the country. + +It was hoped that the recently arrived reinforcements would be +sufficient for all requirements, but it soon became apparent that +the difficulties connected with the pacification of Burma had been +under-rated, and that, in addition to more troops, an efficient +civil administration would have to be provided, to take the place of +military authority so soon as anything like organized resistance had +been crushed; for to deal with ordinary robbers I conceived to be +work more suited to police than to soldiers. Upwards of thirty years' +experience had proved that the Burmese could not be relied upon for +this kind of service; I therefore recommended that a large body +of police should be raised in India without delay, and given a +semi-military organization, and in the meantime I asked for, and was +given, five additional regiments. + +I felt very confident of success, for I had taken great care in the +selection of the brigade commanders and staff officers, and I knew +the troops could be depended upon in any emergency that was likely to +arise. Nevertheless, as the work they would have to perform was of +rather an unusual character, irksome as well as difficult, I thought +it advisable to issue some general instructions for the guidance +of the officers in command of the different columns.[3] These +instructions were carried out so intelligently, and the troops did +such good service, especially a very fine body of Mounted Infantry +raised and organized by Major Symons, of the South Wales Borderers, +that before I returned to India in February, 1887, I was able to +report that the country was gradually becoming quiet and the Burmese +reconciled to our rule. Most of the principal dacoit leaders had been +killed or captured, and villages which had been in their hands for +months were being reoccupied by their legitimate inhabitants; caravans +were coming into Mandalay almost daily from districts on the Chinese +borders; contracts for making roads were readily taken up, and there +was no difficulty in obtaining labour for the railway then being +constructed between Lower Burma and Mandalay, the first sod of which +was turned within a month of my arrival at that place. + +In achieving these satisfactory results I was materially aided by the +hearty co-operation of Sir Charles Bernard and the civil officers +serving under him; while the entire absence of fanaticism amongst +the Burmese, and their cheerful, happy natures, facilitated our +intercourse with them. I received, besides, most valuable assistance +from the Buddhist _Poonghies_, or monks, with many of whom I made +friends. From the fact that education, secular and religious, is +imparted by these monks, and that every male, from the King to the +humblest peasant, was obliged to enter a monastery and wear the +saffron garb of a monk for a certain period, the priesthood had +enormous influence with the Burmese. There are no hereditary Chiefs or +Nobles in Burma, the _Poonghies_ being the advisers of the people and +the centre round which Native society revolves. + +Our occupation of Upper Burma was necessarily a great blow to the +Buddhist priesthood, for many of the monasteries[4] were kept up +entirely by the King, Queen, and Ministers of State; and, as it was +most advisable to have the influence of the monks in our favour, I +recommended that a monthly stipend should be paid to the Archbishop +and two senior Bishops of Mandalay. They showed their gratitude by +doing all they could to help me, and when I was leaving the country +the old _Thathanabain_ (Archbishop) accompanied me as far as Rangoon. +We corresponded till his death, and I still hear occasionally from one +or other of my _Poonghie_ friends. + +I remained only a short time in Calcutta on my return to India, and +then started off again for the North-West Frontier, in company with +General Chesney, who had previously expressed his general concurrence +in my defence proposals, but was anxious to see the several positions +and judge for himself, from an Engineer's point of view, of their +suitability to be treated as I suggested. It was a great source of +contentment to me to find that the sites chosen and the style of +entrenchments I had advocated commended themselves to my expert +companion. + +Simla was more than usually gay during the summer of 1887, in +consequence of the numerous entertainments given in celebration of Her +Majesty's Jubilee. We had just added a ballroom to 'Snowdon,' and we +inaugurated its opening by a fancy ball on the 21st June, in honour of +the auspicious anniversary. + +My name appeared in the Jubilee _Gazette_ as having been given the +Grand Cross of the Indian Empire, but what I valued still more was the +acceptance by the Government of India of my strong recommendation for +the establishment of a Club or Institute in every British regiment and +battery in India. In urging that this measure should be favourably +considered, I had said that the British Army in India could have no +better or more generally beneficial memorial of the Queen's Jubilee +than the abolition of that relic of barbarism, the canteen, and its +supersession by an Institute, in which the soldier would have under +the same roof a reading-room, recreation room, and a decently-managed +refreshment-room. + +Lord Dufferin's Government met my views in the most liberal spirit, +and with the sanction of Lord Cross 'The Regimental Institute' became +a recognized establishment, a fact which my colleagues in Council +referred to as a second Jubilee honour for me! + +At a time when nearly every soldier could read and write, and when +we hoped to attract to the army men of a better stamp and more +respectable antecedents than those of which it was composed in 'the +good old days,' it appeared to me a humiliating anachronism that the +degrading system of the canteen should still prevail, and that it was +impossible for any man to retain his self-respect if he were driven to +take his glass of beer under the rules by which regimental canteens +were governed. I believed, too, that the more the status of the rank +and file could be raised, and the greater the efforts made to provide +them with rational recreation and occupation in their leisure hours, +the less there would be of drunkenness, and consequently of crime, the +less immorality and the greater the number of efficient soldiers in +the army. Funds having been granted, a scheme was drawn up for the +erection of buildings and for the management of the Institutes. +Canteens were reduced in size, and such attractions as musical +instruments were removed to the recreation-rooms; the name 'liquor +bar' was substituted for that of 'canteen,' and, that there should be +no excuse for frequenting the 'liquor bar,' I authorized a moderate +and limited amount of beer to be served, if required, with the men's +suppers in the refreshment-room--an arrangement which has been +followed by the happiest results. + +At first it was thought that these changes would cause a great falling +off in regimental funds, but experience has proved the reverse. With +good management, the profits from the coffee-shop and the soda-water +manufactory far exceed those to be derived from the canteen, and this +without permitting anyone outside the regiment to purchase from the +coffee-shop and without interfering at all with local tradesmen. + +Another measure which I succeeded in carrying through the same year +was the amalgamation of the various sectarian societies that existed +in India for the prevention of drunkenness in the army into one +undenominational society, under the name of the Army Temperance +Association, which I hoped would admit of more united action and a +more advantageous use of funds, besides making it easier for the +Government to assist the movement. The different religious and 'total +abstinence' associations had no doubt done much towards the object +they had in view, but their work was necessarily spasmodic, and being +carried on independently of regimental authority, it was not always +looked upon with favour by officers. + +There was of necessity at first a good deal of opposition on the part +of the promoters of the older societies, but those who were loudest in +denouncing my proposals soon came to understand that there was nothing +in the constitution of the Army Temperance Association which could in +any way interfere with total abstinence, and that the only difference +between their systems and mine consisted in mine being regimental in +its character, and including men for whom it was not necessary or +expedient to forego stimulants altogether, but who earnestly desired +to lead temperate lives, and to be strengthened in their resolve by +being allowed to share in the advantages of the new Institution. + +To make the movement a complete success, it was above all things +important to secure the active co-operation of the ministers of the +various religions. To this end I addressed the heads of the different +churches, explaining my reasons and the results I hoped to attain +in establishing the amalgamated association, and I invited them to +testify their approval of the scheme by becoming patrons of it. +With two exceptions, the dignitaries to whom I appealed accepted +my invitation, and expressed sympathy with my aims and efforts, +an encouragement I had hardly dared to hope for, and a proof of +liberal-mindedness on the part of the prelates which was extremely +refreshing. + +The Government of India were good enough to sanction the allotment of +a separate room in each soldiers' Institute for the exclusive use of +the Association, where alcohol in any shape was not admitted, and to +the grant of this room I attribute, in a great measure, the success of +the undertaking. The success was proved by the fact that, when I left +India, nearly one third of the 70,000 British soldiers in that country +were members or honorary members of the Army Temperance Association. + + +[Footnote 1: The homes at Quetta and Wellington were eventually taken +over by Government, and Lady Roberts' nurses, who worked in the +military hospitals at these stations, were replaced by Government +nurses when the increase to the Army Nursing Service admitted of this +being done.] + +[Footnote 2: When the 'Homes in the Hills' are closed during the cold +months, these nurses attend sick officers in their own houses in the +plains, free of charge except travelling expenses.] + +[Footnote 3: These instructions are given in the Appendix. (See +Appendix XI.)] + +[Footnote 4: Monasteries in Burma are not merely dwelling-places for +the monks, but are the schools where all education is carried on.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER LXVII. +1887-1888 + + Defence and Mobilization Committees--The Transport Department + --Utilization of Native States' armies + --Marquis of Lansdowne becomes Viceroy--Rajputana and Kashmir + --Musketry instruction--Artillery and Cavalry training + + +In December I made a prolonged tour along the North-West Frontier, +accompanied by my wife, who was greatly delighted at being able at +last to see many places and meet many people of whom she had often +heard me speak. Part of this trip was made in company with the Viceroy +and Lady Dufferin, who visited all the principal stations on the +frontier, including Quetta. I rode with Lord Dufferin through the +Khyber Pass, and to the top of the Kwaja Amran range, our visit to +this latter point resulting, as I earnestly hoped it would, in His +Excellency being convinced by personal inspection of the advantage to +be gained by making the Kohjak tunnel, and of the necessity for our +endeavouring to cultivate more friendly relations with the border +tribes. We ended this very enjoyable tour at Rawal Pindi in order to +be present at the winding-up of a Cavalry Camp of Exercise in the +neighbourhood. There were assembled together under the direction of +Major-General Luck one regiment of British and eight regiments of +Native Cavalry, with two batteries of Royal Horse Artillery, and it +was a pretty sight, their advance at full gallop, and the halt, as +of one man, of that long line of Cavalry within a few yards of the +Viceroy, for the Royal salute. The spectators were much impressed with +Lord Dufferin's nerve in being able to remain perfectly calm and still +on his horse in the face of such an onslaught, and it certainly did +seem rather close quarters; but General Luck knew his regiments, and +had confidence in his men, and we knew General Luck. + +In the early part of 1888 I visited all the chief military stations in +the Bengal Presidency, and attended Camps of Exercise for all arms, +held at Rawal Pindi, Umballa, Meerut, and Lucknow, before going to +Calcutta for the usual discussion on the Budget; after which the +Government generally breaks up for the hot weather, and assembles in +Simla two or three weeks later. + +During 1887 and 1888 much useful work was got through by the Defence +Committee, and by another Committee which was assembled for the +consideration of all questions bearing upon the mobilization of the +army. As Commander-in-Chief I presided over both, and was fortunate +in being able to secure as my secretaries two officers of exceptional +ability, Lieutenant-Colonel W. Nicholson, R.E., for defence, and +Lieutenant-Colonel E. Elles, R.A., for mobilisation. It was in a great +measure due to Colonel Nicholson's clear-sighted judgment on the many +knotty questions which came before us, and to his technical knowledge, +that the schemes for the defence of the frontier, and for the ports +of Bombay, Karachi, Calcutta, Rangoon and Madras, were carried out so +rapidly, thoroughly and economically as they were;[1] and with regard +to measures for rendering the army mobile, Colonel Elles proved +himself equally capable and practical. The Secretary to Government +in the Military Department, Major-General Edwin Collen, was a +particularly helpful member of the Committees[2] from his intimate +acquaintance with the various subjects which had to be discussed. + +If my readers have had the patience to follow in detail the several +campaigns in which I took part, they will have grasped the fact that +our greatest difficulties on all occasions arose from the want of a +properly organized Transport Department, and they will understand +that I was able to make this very apparent when the necessity +for mobilizing rapidly only one Army Corps came to be seriously +considered. We were able to demonstrate conclusively the impossibility +of putting a force into the field, sufficiently strong to cope with a +European enemy, without a considerable increase to the existing number +of transport animals, and without some description of light cart +strong enough to stand the rough work of a campaign in a country +without roads; for it is no exaggeration to say that in the autumn of +1880, when I left Kandahar, it would have been possible to have picked +out the road thence to Quetta, and onward to Sibi, a distance of 250 +miles, with no other guide than that of the line of dead animals and +broken-down carts left behind by the several columns and convoys that +had marched into Afghanistan by that route. + +Soon after I took over the command of the Army in India, while +voyaging to Burma, I had brought this most pressing question of +transport to the notice of Lord Dufferin, who, with his usual quick +appreciation of a situation, at once fully recognized its urgency, and +promised to give me all possible help in my endeavour to render the +army mobile--a promise which he amply fulfilled by taking a keen +personal interest in the proceedings of the Committee, and giving his +hearty support to our various recommendations.[3] + +Our labours resulted in several thousand good pack animals (chiefly +mules) being purchased, and information collected and recorded as +to the districts where others could be rapidly procured in case of +emergency. A transport service was established, for which officers had +to go through a regular course of instruction, and pass an examination +in the loading and general management of the animals. A prize was +offered for a strong, useful light cart; and when the most suitable +had been selected, large numbers were made up of the same pattern.[4] +The constitution of two Army Corps, to be in readiness for taking the +field on short notice, was decided upon, and the units to form the +several divisions and brigades were told off and provided with the +necessary equipment. A railway time-table was prepared, giving the +hours at which the troops should leave their stations so as to avoid +any block _en route_. Special platforms were constructed for training +and detraining Cavalry and Artillery, and storehouses were erected and +stocked at those stations where road marching would probably commence. +Finally the conclusions we had arrived at were embodied in a manual +entitled 'General Regulations for Mobilization.' It was extremely +gratifying to me to learn from India that this manual, with such +additions and alterations as our subsequent experience in Burma and +various frontier expeditions proved would be advantageous, was +the guide by which the Chitral relieving force was last year so +expeditiously and completely equipped and despatched. + +Of the many subjects discussed and measures adopted during this the +last year of Lord Dufferin's Viceroyalty, I think the scheme for +utilizing the armies of Native States, as an auxiliary force for the +service of the Empire, was the most important both from a political +and military point of view. + +The idea was, in the first instance, propounded by Lord Lytton, who +appointed a committee to consider the pros and cons of the question. +I was a member of that committee, but at that time I, in common with +many others, was doubtful as to the wisdom of encouraging a high state +of efficiency amongst the troops of independent States; the excellent +work, however, done by the Native Contingent I had with me in Kuram, +and the genuine desire of all ranks to be allowed to serve side by +side with our own soldiers, together with the unmistakable spirit of +loyalty displayed by Native Rulers when war with Russia was imminent +in 1885, convinced me that the time had arrived for us to prove to +the people of India that we had faith in their loyalty, and in their +recognition of the fact that their concern in the defence of the +Empire was at least as great as ours, and that we looked to them to +take their part in strengthening our rule and in keeping out all +intruders. I believed, too, that we had now little to fear from +internal trouble so long as our Government continued just and +sympathetic, but that, on the other hand, we could not expect to +remain free from outside interference, and that it would be wise to +prepare ourselves for a struggle which, as my readers must be aware, I +consider to be inevitable in the end. We have done much, and may +still do more, to delay it, but when that struggle comes it will be +incumbent upon us, both for political and military reasons, to make +use of all the troops and war material that the Native States can +place at our disposal, and it is therefore to our advantage to render +both as efficient and useful as possible. + +The subject was, of course, most delicate and complex, and had to +be treated with the greatest caution, for not only was the measure +adapted to materially strengthen our military position in India, but +I was convinced it was politically sound, and likely to be generally +acceptable to the Native Rulers, provided we studied their wishes, and +were careful not to offend their prejudices and susceptibilities by +unnecessary interference. + +It was very satisfactory to find how cordially the Chiefs responded +to Lord Dufferin's proposals, and extremely interesting to watch the +steady improvement in their armies under the guidance of carefully +selected British officers. Substantial results have been already +obtained, valuable help having been afforded to the Chitral expedition +by the transport trains organized by the Maharajas of Gwalior and +Jaipur, and by the gallantry of the Imperial Service Troops belonging +to His Highness the Maharaja of Kashmir at Hunza-Naga and during the +siege and relief of Chitral. + +Two minor expeditions took place this year: one against the Thibetans +in retaliation for their having invaded the territory of our ally, the +Raja of Sikim; the other to punish the Black Mountain tribes for the +murder of two British officers. Both were a success from a military +point of view, but in the Black Mountain the determination of the +Punjab Government to limit the sphere of action of the troops, and +to hurry out of the country, prevented our reaping any political +advantage. We lost a grand opportunity for gaining control over this +lawless and troublesome district; no survey was made, no roads opened +out, the tribesmen were not made to feel our power, and, consequently, +very soon another costly expedition had to be undertaken. + +In November, 1888, Lord Dufferin left India amidst a storm of regret +from all classes of Her Majesty's subjects. He was succeeded by Lord +Lansdowne, one of whose earliest communications to me rejoiced my +heart, for in it His Excellency inquired whether anything could be +done towards improving our relations with the frontier tribes. This +augured well for the abandonment of the traditional, selfish, and, +to my mind, short-sighted policy of keeping aloof, and I hoped that +endeavours would at last be made to turn the tribesmen into friendly +neighbours, to their advantage and ours, instead of being obliged +to have recourse to useless blockades or constant and expensive +expeditions for their punishment, or else to induce them to refrain +from troubling us by the payment of a heavy blackmail. + +[Illustration: THE MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNE, K.G., G.C.M.G., G.M.S.I., +G.M.I.E.. VICEROY OF INDIA. +_From a photograph by Cowell, Simla_.] + +After a visit to the frontier in the autumn to see how the defences +were advancing, I attended a Cavalry Camp of Exercise at Delhi, and +an Artillery Practice Camp at Gurgaon, and then went to Meerut to +be present at the first meeting of the Bengal Presidency Rifle +Association, which was most interesting and successful. We spent +Christmas in camp--the first Christmas we had all been together for +ten years. Our boy, having left Eton, came out in the early part +of the year with a tutor, to be with us for eighteen months before +entering Sandhurst. + +At the end of December I proceeded to Calcutta rather earlier than +usual, to pay my respects to the new Viceroy, and in January of the +following year, accompanied by my wife and daughter, I started off +on a long tour to inspect the local regiments in Central India and +Rajputana, and to ascertain what progress had been made in organizing +the Imperial Service Troops in that part of India. + +Did space permit, I should like to tell my readers of the beauties of +Udaipur and the magnificent hospitality accorded to us there, as well +as at Bhopal, Jodhpur, Jaipur, and Ulwar, but, if I once began, +it would be difficult to stop, and I feel I have already made an +unconscionably heavy demand on the interest of the public in things +Indian, and must soon cease my 'labour of love.' I must therefore +confine myself to those subjects which I am desirous should be better +understood in England than they generally are. + +Upon seeing the troops of the Begum of Bhopal and the Maharana of +Udaipur, I recommended that Their Highnesses should be invited to +allow their share of Imperial defence to take the form of paying for +the services of an increased number of officers with their respective +local corps,[5] for I did not think it would be possible to make any +useful addition to our strength out of the material of which their +small armies were composed. The men were relics of a past age, fit +only for police purposes, and it would have been a waste of time and +money to give them any special training. My recommendation, however, +was not accepted, and neither of these States takes any part in the +defence scheme. + +At Jodhpur, on the contrary, there was splendid material, and a +most useful force was being organized by the Maharaja's brother, +Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Pertap Sing, himself a Rajput, and of the +bluest blood of India. The Cavalry were specially fine. The gallant +Rajput horsemen of Jodhpur had always been famous for their chivalrous +bravery, unswerving fidelity, and fearless self-devotion in their wars +with the Mahrattas and the armies of the Mogul Emperors, and I felt, +as the superbly mounted squadrons passed before me, that they had lost +none of their characteristics, and that blood and breeding must tell, +and would, if put to the test, achieve the same results now as of +old. There could be but one opinion as to the value of the 'Sirdar +Rissala,'[6] so named after the Maharaja's son and heir, Sirdar +Sing, a lad of only nine years old, who led the little army past the +saluting flag mounted on a beautiful thorough-bred Arab. + +The Jaipur troops were much on a par with those of Bhopal and Udaipur. +I was glad, therefore, that in lieu of troops, the Maharaja had agreed +to organize, as his contribution to the Imperial service, a transport +corps of 1,000 fully-equipped animals. + +At Ulwar I found the 600 Cavalry and 1,000 Infantry (all Rajputs) well +advanced in their drill and training; this was evidently owing to the +personal interest taken in them by the Maharaja, who seldom allowed a +day to pass without visiting the parade grounds. + +By the end of March I had finished my tour in Central India and +Rajputana, and as the heat was every day becoming more intense, I was +not sorry to turn my steps northwards towards Kashmir, the army of +which State still remained to be inspected, and the measures most +suitable for its re-organization determined upon. + +Our whole family party re-assembled at Murree early in April, and we +all went into the 'Happy Valley' together, where between business and +pleasure we spent a most delightful six weeks. The Maharaja personally +superintended the arrangements for our comfort. Our travelling was +made easy--indeed luxurious--and everything that the greatest care and +forethought and the most lavish hospitality could accomplish to make +our visit happy was done by the Maharaja and by the popular Resident, +Colonel Nisbet. + +The Kashmir army was much larger than any of those belonging to the +Native States I had lately visited; it consisted of 18,000 men and 66 +guns--more than was needed, even with the Gilgit frontier to guard. +Some of the regiments were composed of excellent material, chiefly +Dogras; but as the cost of such a force was a heavy drain upon the +State, and as many of the men were old and decrepit, I recommended +that the Maharaja should be invited to get rid of all who were +physically unfit, and to reduce his army to a total of 10,000 +thoroughly reliable men and 30 guns. I knew this would be a very +difficult, and perhaps distasteful, task for the Commander-in-Chief +(who was also the Maharaja's brother), Raja Ram Sing, to perform, so +I recommended that a British officer should be appointed military +adviser to the Kashmir Government, under whose supervision the work of +reformation should be carried out. + +At that time we had none of our own troops in the neighbourhood of +Gilgit, and as I thought it advisable, in case of disturbance, that +the Kashmir troops should be speedily put into such a state of +efficiency as would enable us to depend upon them to hold the passes +until help could arrive from India, I urged that the military adviser +should be given three British officers to assist him in carrying out +his difficult and troublesome duty; and at the same time I pointed +out that it was absolutely essential to construct at an early date a +serviceable road between Kashmir and Gilgit, as the sole approach to +that strategic position was not only difficult, but very dangerous. + +All these proposals commended themselves to, and were acted upon by, +the Viceroy. + +Lieutenant-Colonel Neville Chamberlain--a _persona grata_ to the +Kashmir authorities--was appointed Military Secretary to the Kashmir +State, and by his ability, tact, and happy way of dealing with +Natives, quickly overcame all obstacles. The Maharaja and his two +brothers, Rajas Ram Sing and Amar Sing, entered heartily into the +scheme; the army was remodelled and rendered fit for service; and an +excellent road was made to Gilgit. + +During the summer of 1889 I was able to introduce several much needed +reforms in the annual course of musketry for the Native Army. +The necessity for these reforms had not been overlooked by my +distinguished predecessors, nor by the able officers who served under +them in the Musketry Department, but it had not been possible to do +much with a system which dated from a period when fire discipline was +not thought of, and when the whole object of the course was to make +soldiers individually good shots. After the Delhi Camp of Exercise +in 1885-86, when the want of fire control was almost the only point +unfavourably criticized by the foreign officers, the Army in India +made a great advance in this important branch of musketry training; +nevertheless, I felt that further progress was possible, and that the +course of instruction was not altogether as practical as it might be. +I therefore gave over the work of improvement in this respect to +an enthusiast in the matter of rifle-shooting and an officer of +exceptional energy and intelligence, Lieutenant-Colonel Ian Hamilton, +and directed him, as Assistant Adjutant-General of Musketry, to +arrange a course of instruction, in which the conditions should +resemble as nearly as possible those of field service, and in which +fire discipline should be developed to the utmost extent. He was most +successful in carrying out my wishes, and the results from the first +year's trial of the new system were infinitely better than even I had +anticipated. + +Simultaneously with the improvement in musketry, a great advance was +made in gunnery. Artillery, like Infantry officers, had failed to +realize the value of the new weapon, and it required the teaching of +a man who himself thoroughly believed in and understood the +breech-loading gun to arouse Artillerymen to a sense of the tremendous +power placed in their hands, and to the importance of devoting much +more care and attention to practice than had hitherto been thought +necessary. Such a man was Major-General Nairne, and I was happily +able to induce the Government to revive in him the appointment of +Inspector-General of Artillery. + +Under the unwearying supervision of this officer, there was quite as +remarkable an improvement in Artillery shooting as Colonel Hamilton +had effected in musketry. Practice camps were annually formed at +convenient localities, and all ranks began to take as much pride in +belonging to the 'best shooting battery' as they had hitherto taken +in belonging to the 'smartest,' the 'best-horsed,' or the +'best-turned-out' battery. I impressed upon officers and men that the +two things were quite compatible; that, according to my experience, +the smartest and best turned-out men made the best soldiers; and while +I urged every detail being most carefully attended to which could +enable them to become proficient gunners and take their proper place +on a field of battle, I expressed my earnest hope that the Royal +Artillery would always maintain its hitherto high reputation for +turn-out and smartness. The improvement in the Cavalry was equally +apparent. For this arm of the service also the Government consented to +an Inspector-General being appointed, and I was fortunate enough to +be able to secure for the post the services of Major-General Luck, an +officer as eminently fitted for this position as was General Nairne +for his. + +Just at first the British officers belonging to Native Cavalry were +apprehensive that their sowars would be turned into dragoons, but +they soon found that there was no intention of changing any of their +traditional characteristics, and that the only object of giving them +an Inspector-General was to make them even better in their own way +than they had been before, the finest Irregular Cavalry in the world, +as I have not the slightest doubt they will always prove themselves to +be. Towards the end of the Simla season of 1889, Lord Lansdowne, to my +great satisfaction, announced his intention of visiting the frontier, +and asked me to accompany him. + +We rode through the Khyber and Gomal Passes, visited Peshawar, Kohat, +Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, and Quetta, looked into the Kohjak tunnel, +and attended some interesting manoeuvres, carried out with a view of +testing, in as practical a manner as possible, the defensive power +of the recently-finished Takatu-Mashalik entrenchment. The principal +works were fired upon by Artillery and Infantry, and, notwithstanding +the excellent practice made, infinitesimal damage was done, which +proved the suitability of the particular design adopted for the +defences. + +Lord Lansdowne expressed himself greatly interested, and much +impressed by all he saw of the frontier; and he was confirmed in his +opinion as to the desirability of establishing British influence +amongst the border tribes. With this object in view, His Excellency +authorized Sir Robert Sandeman (the Governor-General's Agent at +Quetta) to establish a series of police posts in the Gomal Pass, and +encourage intercourse between the people of the Zhob district and +ourselves. + +It was high time that something should be done in this direction, +for the Amir's attitude towards us was becoming day by day more +unaccountably antagonistic. He was gradually encroaching on territory +and occupying places altogether outside the limits of Afghan control; +and every movement of ours--made quite as much in His Highness's +interest as in our own--for strengthening the frontier and improving +the communications, evidently aroused in him distrust and suspicion as +to our motives. + + +[Footnote 1: The total coat of the coast and frontier defences +amounted to the very moderate sum of five crores of rupees, or about +three and a half millions sterling.] + +[Footnote 2: The Committees consisted, besides the Military Member of +Council and myself, of the heads of Departments with the Government of +India and at Army Head-Quarters.] + +[Footnote 3: When the report of the Mobilization Committee was +submitted to the Viceroy, he recorded a minute expressing his +'warm admiration of the manner in which the arduous duty had been +conducted,' and 'his belief that no scheme of a similar description +had ever been worked out with greater thoroughness, in more detail, +and with clearer apprehension of the ends to be accomplished.' He +concluded by conveying to the members an expression of his great +satisfaction at what had been done, and recording that 'the result +of the Committee's labours is a magnificent monument of industry and +professional ability.'] + +[Footnote 4: Statement of transport carriage maintained in India in +the years 1878 and 1893 for military purposes, exclusive of animals +registered by the civil authorities on the latter date, and liable to +be requisitioned in time of war: + + -------------------------------------------- + | | | | + |Date | September, 1878 | April, 1893 | + | | | | + |----------+-----------------+-------------| + |Elephants.| 733 | 359 | + |----------+-----------------+-------------| + |Camels. | 6,353 | 3,175 | + |----------+-----------------+-------------| + |Mules. | 1,536 | 16,825 | + |----------+-----------------+-------------| + |Ponies. | ... | 782 | + |----------+-----------------+-------------| + |Bullocks. | 1,424 | 7,211 | + |----------+-----------------+-------------| + |Donkeys. | ... | 31 | + |----------+-----------------+-------------| + |Army | | | + |Transport | ... | 5,316 | + |Carts. | | | + |----------+-----------------+-------------| + |Field | | | + |Ambulance | ... | 799 | + |Carts. | | | + |-------------------------------------------] + +[Footnote 5: According to treaty, the Bhopal State pays nearly two +lakhs of rupees a year towards the cost of the local battalion +maintained by the British Government for the purpose of keeping order +within the State itself. The battalion, however, has only four, +instead of eight, British officers, and it appeared to me only +reasonable that the Begum should be invited to pay the additional +amount necessary to make the battalion as efficient as the rest of the +Native army, as a 'premium of insurance' for the peace and prosperity +which Her Highness's State enjoys under our protection, and as her +quota towards the general scheme for the defence of the Empire.] + +[Footnote 6: Rissala is a body of Cavalry.] + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER LXVIII. +1890-1893 + + Extension of command--Efficiency of the Native Army + --Concessions to the Native Army--Officering of the Native Army + --The Hunza-Naga campaign--Visit to Nepal--A Nepalese entertainment + --Proposed mission to the Amir--A last tour--Farewell entertainments + --Last days in India + + +New Year's Day, 1890, found me in Calcutta, where I went to meet +Prince Albert Victor on his arrival in India. On my way thither I +received a letter from Mr. Edward Stanhope, Secretary of State for +War, telling me that he had heard from Lord Cross, the Secretary of +State for India, that there was a proposal to ask me to retain my +appointment of Commander-in-Chief in India for some time after the +expiration of the usual term of office; but that, while such an +arrangement would have his hearty approval, he thought the question +should be considered from another point of view, and that it would be +extremely agreeable to himself, and he felt to the Duke of Cambridge +also, if he could secure me for the post of Adjutant-General in +succession to Lord Wolseley. Mr. Stanhope went on to say he would +like to know whether I would be willing to accept the appointment, or +whatever position Lord Wolseley's successor would fill, should the +report of Lord Hartington's Commission cause a change to be made in +the staff at the Horse Guards. + +I was pleased, though somewhat surprised, at this communication, and I +replied to the Right Honourable gentleman that I would gladly accept +the offer, and that I could arrange to join on the 1st October, when +the appointment would become vacant, but that, as Lord Lansdowne had +expressed a wish that I should remain in India over the next cold +season, I hoped, if it were possible, some arrangement might be made +to admit of my doing so. The idea of employment in England, now that I +allowed myself to dwell upon it, was very attractive, for dearly as +I loved my Indian command, and bitterly as I knew I should grieve at +leaving the country, the peoples, and the grand army, which were all +sources of such intense interest to me, I felt that the evil day at +longest could only be postponed for a few years, and that there is a +limit to the time that even the strongest European can with impunity +live in an eastern climate, while I was glad to think I should still +be in a position to work for my country and for the benefit of the +army. + +From Calcutta I travelled north to Muridki, where a large force of +Horse Artillery and Cavalry was assembled for practice, and where we +had a standing camp, at which Prince Albert Victor did us the honour +of being our guest for the final manoeuvres. I think His Royal +Highness enjoyed the novelty of camp life, and was greatly attracted +by the picturesque and soldier-like appearance of the Native troops. +The Native officers were very proud at being presented to the grandson +of their Empress, and at His Royal Highness being appointed Honorary +Colonel of the 1st Punjab Cavalry. + +Towards the end of April I returned to Simla for what I thought was to +be our last season in that place; and shortly after I got up there, a +telegram from Mr. Stanhope informed me that my appointment had been +accepted by the Cabinet, and that my presence in England was strongly +desired in the autumn. It was therefore with very great surprise that +I received a second telegram three weeks later from the Secretary +of State, telling me that, as it was then found to be impossible to +choose my successor, and as the exigencies of the public service +urgently required my presence in India, the Cabinet, with the approval +of Her Majesty and the concurrence of the Duke of Cambridge, had +decided to ask me to retain my command for two more years. + +I felt it my duty to obey the wishes of the Queen, Her Majesty's +Government, and the Commander-in-Chief; but I fully realized that in +doing so I was forfeiting my chance of employment in England, and that +a long and irksome term of enforced idleness would in all probability +follow on my return home, and I did not attempt to conceal from Mr. +Stanhope that I was disappointed. + +At the latter end of this year, and in the early part of 1891, it was +found necessary to undertake three small expeditions: one to Zhob, +under the leadership of Sir George White, for the protection of our +newly-acquired subjects in that valley; one on the Kohat border, +commanded by Sir William Lockhart, to punish the people of the +Miranzai valley for repeated acts of hostility; and the third, under +Major-General Elles,[1] against the Black Mountain tribes, who, quite +unsubdued by the fruitless expedition of 1888, had given trouble +almost immediately afterwards. All these were as completely successful +in their political results as in their military conduct. The columns +were not withdrawn until the tribesmen had become convinced that they +were powerless to sustain a hostile attitude towards us, and that it +was their interest, as it was our wish, that they should henceforth be +on amicable terms with us. + +[Illustration: FIELD-MARSHAL LORD ROBERTS ON HIS ARAB CHARGER +'VONOLEL.' +_From an oil-painting by Charles Furse._] + +While a considerable number of troops were thus employed, a fourth +expedition had to be hurriedly equipped and despatched in quite the +opposite direction to punish the Raja of Manipur, a petty State on +the confines of Assam, for the treacherous murder of Mr. Quinton, the +Chief Commissioner of Assam, and four other British officers. + +Notwithstanding its inaccessibility, two columns, one from Burma, the +other from Cachar, quickly and simultaneously reached Manipur, our +countrymen were avenged, and the administration of the State was taken +over for a time by the Government of India.[2] + +Towards the end of January the Cesarewitch came to Calcutta, where +I had the honour of being introduced to our august visitor, who +expressed himself as pleased with what he had seen of the country and +the arrangements made for His Imperial Highness's somewhat hurried +journey through India. + +In April my military colleague in the Viceroy's Council for five +years, and my personal friend, General Sir George Chesney, left India, +to my great regret. We had worked together most harmoniously, and, as +he wrote in his farewell letter, there was scarcely a point in regard +to the Army in India about which he and I did not agree. + +Sir George was succeeded by Lieutenant-General Brackenbury, who had +been Director of Military Intelligence at the War Office. I was +relieved to find that, although in some particulars my new coadjutor's +views differed from mine, we were in accord upon all essential points, +particularly as to the value of the Indian Army and the necessity for +its being maintained in a state of preparedness for war. + +From the time I became Commander-in-Chief in Madras until I left India +the question of how to render the army in that country as perfect a +fighting machine as it was possible to make it, was the one which +caused me the most anxious thought, and to its solution my most +earnest efforts had been at all times directed. + +The first step to be taken towards this end was, it seemed to me, to +substitute men of the more warlike and hardy races for the Hindustani +sepoys of Bengal, the Tamils and Telagus of Madras, and the so-called +Mahrattas of Bombay; but I found it difficult to get my views +accepted, because of the theory which prevailed that it was +necessary to maintain an equilibrium between the armies of the three +Presidencies, and because of the ignorance that was only too universal +with respect to the characteristics of the different races, which +encouraged the erroneous belief that one Native was as good as another +for purposes of war. + +In former days, when the Native Army in India was so much stronger in +point of numbers than the British Army, and there existed no means +of rapid communication, it was only prudent to guard against a +predominance of soldiers of any one creed or nationality; but with +British troops nearly doubled and the Native Army reduced by more than +one-third, with all the forts and arsenals protected, and nearly the +whole of the Artillery manned by British soldiers, with railway and +telegraph communication from one end of India to the other, with the +risk of internal trouble greatly diminished, and the possibility of +external complications becoming daily more apparent, circumstances and +our requirements were completely altered, and it had become essential +to have in the ranks of our Native Army men who might confidently be +trusted to take their share of fighting against a European foe. + +In the British Army the superiority of one regiment over another is +mainly a matter of training; the same courage and military instinct +are inherent in English, Scotch, and Irish alike, but no comparison +can be made between the martial value of a regiment recruited amongst +the Gurkhas of Nepal or the warlike races of northern India, and of +one recruited from the effeminate peoples of the south. + +How little this was understood, even by those who had spent a great +part of their service in India, was a marvel to me; but, then, I +had had peculiar opportunities of judging of the relative fighting +qualities of Natives, and I was in despair at not being able to get +people to see the matter with my eyes, for I knew that nothing was +more sure to lead to disaster than to imagine that the whole Indian +Army, as it was then constituted, could be relied on in time of war. + +General Chesney fortunately shared my opinions, and as Lords Dufferin +and Lansdowne trusted us, we were able to do a great deal towards +increasing the efficiency of the Native Army and improving the status +and prospects of the Native soldier. Several companies and regiments +composed of doubtful material were disbanded, and men of well-known +fighting castes entertained instead. Class regiments were formed, +as being more congenial to the men and more conducive to _esprit +de corps_; recruiting was made the business of carefully selected +officers who understood Native character, and whose duty it was to +become acquainted with the various tribes inhabiting the districts +from which the recruits for their own regiments were drawn; and +special arrangements were made with the Nepalese Government by which a +sufficient number of the best class of men could be obtained for our +thirteen Gurkha regiments. + +The pay of Cavalry soldiers was improved, and it was pointed out to +the Government that an increase to the Infantry soldiers' pay +could not be long deferred;[3] the issue of good-conduct pay was +accelerated; _jagirs_[4] were sanctioned annually for a limited number +of specially distinguished Native officers; full pay was authorized +for recruits from date of enlistment instead of from the date of +joining their regiments; field _batta_[5] was sanctioned whenever +troops should be employed beyond sea or on service; pensions were +granted after a shorter period of service than heretofore; medals for +meritorious service and good conduct were given in commemoration of +Her Majesty's Jubilee; bronze war medals were sanctioned for all +authorized Government followers; a reserve, which it was arranged +should undergo an annual course of training, was formed for the +Artillery and Infantry; and a system of linked battalions was +organized, three battalions being grouped together, and the men being +interchangeable during war-time. + +While the tendency of these alterations and concessions was to make +all ranks happy and contented, their training was carefully attended +to, and, as I have before mentioned, musketry particularly reached a +very high standard. + +The one thing left undone, and which I should like to have been able +to accomplish before leaving India, was to induce the Government to +arrange for more British officers to be given to the Native regiments +in time of war. Nine to a Cavalry and eight to an Infantry corps may +be sufficient in time of peace, but that number is quite too small +to stand the strain of war. Indian soldiers, like soldiers of every +nationality, require to be led; and history and experience teach us +that eastern races (fortunately for us), however brave and accustomed +to war, do not possess the qualities that go to make leaders of men, +and that Native officers in this respect can never take the place +of British officers. I have known many Natives whose gallantry and +devotion could not be surpassed, but I have never known one who would +not have looked to the youngest British officer for support in time +of difficulty and danger. It is therefore most unwise to allow Native +regiments to enter upon a war with so much smaller a proportion of +British officers than is considered necessary for European regiments. +I have no doubt whatever of the fighting powers of our best Indian +troops; I have a thorough belief in, and admiration for, Gurkhas, +Sikhs, Dogras, Rajputs, Jats, and selected Mahomedans; I thoroughly +appreciate their soldierly qualities; brigaded with British troops, I +would be proud to lead them against any European enemy; but we cannot +expect them to do with less leading than our own soldiers require, and +it is, I maintain, trying them too highly to send them into action +with the present establishment of British officers.[6] + +In the late autumn of 1891 our latest acquisition, the Zhob Valley, +was included in my frontier tour, which I had the pleasure of +making, for the greater part of the way, in the company of General +Brackenbury. He was prevented from getting as far as Quetta by an +accident which laid him up for some time, but not, as he told me, +before he had seen enough of the frontier to satisfy him that the +tribes were a factor in our system of defence which could not be +ignored, and that I had not exaggerated the importance of having them +on our side. + +During this winter the brilliant little Hunza-Naga campaign took +place, which has been so graphically described in Mr. Knight's 'Where +Three Empires Meet.' It was brought about by Russia's intrigues with +the Rulers of the petty States on the northern boundary of Kashmir; +and our attention was first roused to the necessity for action by two +British officers, who were journeying to India by way of the Pamirs +and Gilgit, being forced by Russian soldiers to leave what the leader +of the party called 'newly-acquired Russian territory '[7]--territory +to which Russia had not the shadow of a claim. + +In addition to this unjustifiable treatment of Captain Younghusband +and Lieutenant Davison, Colonel Yanoff crossed the Hindu Kush with his +Cossacks by the Korabhut Pass, and, after reconnoitring the country on +the borders of Kashmir, re-crossed the range by the Baroghil Pass. +As this was a distinct breach of the promises made by the Russian +Government, and an infringement of the boundary line as agreed to +between England and Russia in 1873, it was necessary to take steps to +prevent any recurrence of such interference, and a small force was +accordingly sent against the Chief of Hunza, who had openly declared +himself in favour of Russia. He made a desperate stand, but was +eventually driven from his almost inaccessible position by the +determined gallantry of our Indian troops, assisted by a Contingent +from Kashmir. Three Victoria Crosses were given for this business, and +many more were earned, but of necessity there must be a limit to the +disposal of decorations; and in an affair of this kind, in which all +proved themselves heroes, each individual must have felt himself +honoured by the small force being awarded such a large number of the +coveted reward, in proportion to its size. + +We reaped the benefit of having taken this district under our own +control when Chitral required to be relieved, and the Hunza-Naga +people afforded Colonel Kelly such valuable help. + +On the 1st January, 1892, I received an intimation that Her Majesty +had been graciously pleased to bestow a peerage upon me, and the same +day the Secretary of State for India offered me a further extension +of my appointment as Commander-in-Chief--an offer I would gladly have +accepted, as I knew it had been made with the concurrence of the +Viceroy, if I could have taken even a few months' leave to England. +But during a quarter of a century I had only been able to spend +eighteen months out of India, and I felt the need of change of climate +and a little rest after so many years of continued hard work. Under +the existing regulations a Commander-in-Chief could have no leave. +Lord Cross had tried to remedy this hard rule by bringing in the +'Officers' Leave Bill'; but as he informed Lord Lansdowne it was +impossible to get it through the House of Commons that session, I was +obliged very reluctantly to beg to be allowed to resign my command in +the spring of 1893. + +Before returning to Simla for really the last time, my wife and I made +another trip to Burma as far as Mandalay, and after this was over +we paid a most interesting visit to Nepal, having received the very +unusual honour of an invitation to Khatmandu from Maharaja Bir +Shumsher Jung Rana Bahadur. + +Khatmandu is about a hundred miles from our frontier station of +Segowli, by a very rough road over a succession of steep, high hills +and along deep, narrow valleys, which would have been quite impossible +for a lady to travel by but for the excellent arrangements made by +the Nepalese officials; the last descent was the worst of all; we +literally dropped from one rock to the next in some places. But on +reaching the base of the mountain all was changed. A beautifully +cultivated valley spread itself out before us; comfortable tents were +prepared for our reception, where we were met by some of the State +officials; and a perfectly appointed carriage-and-four was waiting +to carry us on to Khatmandu, where we were received by the Resident, +Lieutenant-Colonel Wylie, and his wife, old friends of ours. That +afternoon the Maharaja paid me a private visit. + +The next morning the official call was made, which I returned soon +afterwards; and in the evening the Maharaja, accompanied by his eldest +son and eight of his brothers, all high officers of state, were +present at Mrs. Wylie's reception, wearing military frock-coats and +forage-caps. They all spoke English fluently; their manners were those +of well-bred gentlemen, easy and quiet, as free from awkwardness as +from forwardness; each, coming up in turn, talked very pleasantly +to Lady Roberts for a time, and then made way for someone else. The +Maharaja is extremely musical, and has several well-trained bands, +taught by an English bandmaster; three of them were in attendance, and +were directed to play selections from our favourite operas, and then a +number of the beautiful plaintive Nepalese airs. Altogether, we passed +a most agreeable evening. + +The following day a review of all the troops (18,000 men and 78 +guns)[8] was held on a ground one mile in length by half a mile in +breadth, perfectly level and well turfed. It would be considered a +fine parade-ground for the plains of India, and must have entailed a +considerable expenditure of time, labour, and money to make in such a +hilly place as Khatmandu. + +On reaching the ground, I was received by the Maharaja and Deb +Shamsher Jung, the eldest of his many brothers, and the nominal +Commander-in-Chief of the army; we rode along the line together, +and the march past then began. Everything was done with the utmost +precision; there was no fuss or talking, and from first to last not a +single bugle sound was heard, showing how carefully officers and men +had been drilled. I was told that the executive Commander-in-Chief, +the third brother, by name Chandra Shamsher, had almost lived on the +parade-ground for weeks before my arrival. The Maharaja's sons +and brothers, who all knew their work, and were evidently fond of +soldiering, commanded the several divisions and brigades. + +The troops were not, perhaps, turned out quite so smartly as those +in our service, and several of the officers were old and feeble; but +these were the only faults perceptible, and I came to the conclusion +that the great majority of the 18,000 men were quite as good as the +Gurkhas we enlist; and I could not help thinking that they would be a +valuable addition to our strength in the event of war. + +General Chandra Shamsher is a very red-hot soldier. He said to my +wife: 'Lady Roberts, when are the Russians coming? I wish they would +make haste. We have 40,000 soldiers in Nepal ready for war, and there +is no one to fight!' + +The next day a grand durbar was held, at which the King (the Maharaja +Dhiraj, as he is called) presided; he was an unusually handsome lad +of about eighteen years of age, fairer than most Nepalese, and very +refined looking. As on all previous occasions, everyone wore uniform +except the King, who had on a perfectly plain dress of spotless white. +Great deference is outwardly paid to the Dhiraj, but he has no power, +and is never consulted in matters of State, being considered too +sacred to be troubled with mundane affairs. Although a mere boy, he +had four wives, two of them daughters of the Maharaja Bir Shamsher +Jung. + +After the durbar, I was shown over the principal school and hospital; +both appeared to be well conducted, and evidently no expense was +spared upon them. I was then taken to a magazine, in which were a +number of guns of various calibre and any amount of ammunition. I was +told there were several other magazines, which I had not time to see, +and a few miles from Khatmandu extensive workshops, where all kinds of +munitions of war were manufactured. + +That evening, accompanied by Colonel and Mrs. Wylie, we attended a +reception at the Maharaja's palace. The durbar hall, which was filled +with men in uniform, was of beautiful proportions, and very handsomely +decorated and furnished. After the usual introductions and some +conversation with the chief officers, we were invited to visit the +Maharani in her own apartments, and having ascended a flight of steps +and passed through numerous corridors and luxuriously furnished rooms, +we were shown into a spacious apartment, the prevailing colour of +which was rose, lighted by lamps of the same colour. The Maharani +was sitting on a sofa at the further end of the room, gorgeously +apparelled in rose-coloured gauze dotted over with golden spangles; +her skirts were very voluminous, and she wore magnificent jewels on +her head and about her person. Two Maids of Honour stood behind her, +holding fans, and dressed in the same colour as their mistress, but +without jewels. On each side of her, forming a semicircle, were +grouped the ladies of the Court, all arrayed in artistically +contrasting colours; they were more or less pretty and refined +looking, and the Maharani herself was extremely handsome. My wife was +placed by her side on the sofa, and carried on a long conversation +with her through one of the ladies who spoke Hindustani and acted as +Interpreter. The Maharani presented Lady Roberts with a beautiful +little Chinese pug-dog, and the Maharaja gave me a gold-mounted +_kookri_ (Gurkha knife). After this little ceremony there was a grand +display of fireworks, and we took our leave. + +Nothing could exceed the kindness we met with during our stay in +Nepal. The Maharaja endeavoured in every way to make our visit +enjoyable, and his brothers vied with each other in their efforts to +do us honour. It was impressed upon me that the Nepalese army was at +the disposal of the Queen-Empress, and hopes were repeatedly expressed +that we would make use of it in the event of war. + +Notwithstanding the occasional differences which have occurred between +our Government and the Nepal Durbar, I believe that, ever since 1817, +when the Nepal war was brought to a successful conclusion by Sir David +Ochterlony, the Gurkhas have had a great respect and liking for us: +but they are in perpetual dread of our taking their country, and they +think the only way to prevent this is not to allow anyone to enter +it except by invitation, and to insist upon the few thus favoured +travelling by the difficult route that we traversed. Nepal can never +be required by us for defensive purposes, and as we get our best class +of Native soldiers thence, everything should, I think, be done to show +our confidence in the Nepalese alliance, and convince them that we +have no ulterior designs on the independence of their kingdom. + +On leaving Nepal we made a short tour in the Punjab, and then went to +Simla for the season. + +One of the subjects which chiefly occupied the attention of the +Government at this time was the unfriendly attitude of the Ruler of +Afghanistan towards us. Abdur Rahman Khan appeared to have entirely +forgotten that he owed everything to us, and that, but for our support +and lavish aid in money and munitions of war, he could neither have +gained nor held the throne of Kabul. We refused to Sher Ali much that +we could have gracefully granted and that would have made him a firm +friend, but in our dealings with Abdur Rahman we rushed into the other +extreme, and showered favours upon him; in fact, we made too much +of him, and allowed him to get out of hand. The result was that he +mistook the patience and forbearance with which we bore his fits +of temper for weakness, and was encouraged in an overweening and +altogether unjustifiable idea of his own importance; he considered +that he ought to be treated as the equal of the Shah of Persia, and +keenly resented not being allowed to communicate direct with Her +Majesty's Ministers. + +In the hope of being able to establish more satisfactory relations +with the Amir, Lord Lansdowne invited him to come to India, and, +on His Highness pleading that his country was in too disturbed a +condition to admit of his leaving it, the Viceroy expressed his +willingness to meet him on the frontier, but Abdur Rahman evaded this +arrangement also under one pretext or another. It was at last proposed +to send me with a Mission as far as Jalalabad, a proposal I gladly +accepted, for I was sanguine enough to hope that, by personal +explanation, I should be able to remove the suspicions which the +Amir evidently entertained as to the motives for our action on the +frontier, and to convince him that our help in the time of his need +must depend upon our mutually agreeing in what manner that help should +be given, and on arrangements being completed beforehand to enable our +troops to be rapidly transported to the threatened points. + +Abdur Rahman agreed to receive me in the autumn, and expressed +pleasure at the prospect of meeting me, but eventually he apparently +became alarmed at the size of the escort by which the Government +thought it necessary that I, as Commander-in-Chief, should be +accompanied; and, as the time approached for the Mission to start, +he informed Lord Lansdowne that his health would not permit of his +undertaking the journey to Jalalabad. + +Thus the opportunity was lost to which I had looked forward as a +chance for settling many vexed questions, and I am afraid that there +has been very little improvement in our relations with Abdur Rahman +since then, and that we are no nearer the completion of our plans for +the defence of his kingdom than we were four years ago[9]--a defence +which (and this cannot be too strongly impressed upon the Amir) it +would be impossible for us to aid him to carry through unless Kabul +and Kandahar are brought into connexion with the railway system of +India. + +In the autumn, just before we left Simla, our friends bestowed upon my +wife a farewell gift in the shape of a very beautiful diamond bracelet +and a sum of money for her fund for 'Homes in the Hills, and Officers' +Hospitals,' made doubly acceptable by the kind words with which Lord +Lansdowne, on behalf of the donors, presented it. Shortly afterwards +we bade a regretful adieu to our happy home of so many years, and made +our way to the Punjab for a final visit. + +We spent a few days at Peshawar, and then went to Rawal Pindi to +be present at a Camp of Exercise, and see how the works under +construction for the protection of the arsenal were progressing. +These works had been put in hand in 1890, when, according to my +recommendation, it had been decided not to fortify Multan. No place in +the Punjab appeared to my mind to possess the same military value as +Rawal Pindi, its strategical importance with regard to the right +flank of the frontier line being hardly inferior to that of Quetta in +relation to the left flank; but of late the advisability of completing +the works had been questioned by my colleagues in Council, greatly +to my concern, for I felt that it would be unwise to leave the +elaboration of the defences of such a position until war should be +imminent.[10] + +In January, 1893, a series of farewell entertainments were organized +for me at Lahore by the people of the Punjab, as touching as they +were highly appreciated, and intensely gratifying. Amongst the crowds +assembled in the Town Hall to bid me good-bye, I was greatly pleased +to see, besides the Maharaja of Kashmir, Chiefs and men from beyond +our frontier, from Kuram, from the confines of Baluchistan, even from +the wilds of Waziristan; for their presence on this occasion I felt to +be, not only a proof of their kindly feeling towards me personally, +and of their approval of the measures for their safety and welfare +that I had always advocated, but a very distinct sign of the much +to be desired change that was taking place in the sentiments of the +border tribes towards us as a nation. + +Four addresses were presented to me, from the Sikh*, Hindu*, Mahomedan*, +and European* communities of the Punjab, respectively, which I will +venture to give in the Appendix, as I feel sure that the spirit of +loyalty which pervades them will be a revelation to many, and a source +of satisfaction to all who are interested in the country to which we +owe so much of our present greatness, and which I conceive to be the +brightest jewel in England's crown. + +(See Appendices XII, XIII, XIV, AND XV.) + +It was a wonderful and moving scene upon which we looked from the +platform of the Town Hall on this memorable occasion, made up as +it was of such different elements, each race and creed easily +recognizable from their different costumes and characteristics, but +all united by the same kindly desire to do honour to their departing +friend, or comrade, for there were a great number of old soldiers +present. + +At each place that we visited on our way to Calcutta there was the +same display of kindly regret at our departure; friends assembled to +see us off at the railway-stations, bands played 'Auld lang syne,' and +hearty cheers speeded us on our way. + +In February we went to Lucknow for a few days, when the Talukdars of +Oudh gave my wife and me an entertainment on a very splendid scale in +the Wingfield Park, and presented me with an address[11] and a sword +of honour. + +On our return to Calcutta, just before we left for England, the +European community entertained me at a dinner, at which more than two +hundred were present, presided over by Sir James Mackay, K.C.I.E., +Chairman of the Calcutta Chamber of Commerce. Sir James was far +too kind and eulogistic in speaking of my services, but for his +appreciative allusion to my wife I could only feel deeply gratified +and thankful. After dinner a reception was given to Lady Roberts and +myself, at which the Viceroy and Lady Lansdowne and all the principal +Native and European residents of Calcutta were assembled. An +address[12] was presented to me on this never-to be-forgotten +occasion, in which, to my supreme satisfaction, the Native noblemen +and gentlemen expressed their hearty approval of what had been done +during my tenure of office as Commander-in-Chief to strengthen the +defences of the frontier and render the army in India efficient, +and declared that 'we cheerfully bear our share of the cost, as in +possession of these protections against aggressions from without we +believe all who dwell within the borders of the land will find their +best guarantee for peace, and in peace the best safeguard they and +their children can possess to enable them to pass their lives in +happiness and prosperity, and escape the misery and ruin which follow +war and invasion.' + +We travelled to Bombay _viâ_ Jeypur and Jodhpur. At both places we +were royally entertained by the Rulers of those states, and my staff +and I were given excellent sport amongst the wild boar, which was much +enjoyed by all, particularly by my son, who, having joined the King's +Royal Rifles at Rawal Pindi, was attached to me as A.D.C. during my +last six months in India, and had not before had an opportunity of +tasting the joys of pig-sticking. + +At Jodhpur my friend the Maharaja Sir Pertap Sing gave us a signal +proof that the ancient valour of the Rajputs had not deteriorated in +the present day. I had wounded a fine boar, and on his making for some +rocky ground, where I could hardly have followed him on horseback, I +shouted to Sir Pertap to get between him and the rocks, and turn him +in my direction. The Maharaja promptly responded, but just as he came +face-to-face with the boar, his horse put his foot into a hole and +fell; the infuriated animal rushed on the fallen rider, and, before +the latter could extricate himself, gave him a severe wound in the leg +with his formidable tushes. On going to his assistance, I found Sir +Pertap bleeding profusely, but standing erect, facing the boar and +holding the creature (who was upright on his hind-legs) at arms' +length by his mouth. The spear without the impetus given by the horse +at full speed is not a very effective weapon against the tough hide +of a boar's back, and on realizing that mine did not make much +impression, Pertap Sing, letting go his hold of the boar's mouth, +quickly seized his hind-legs, and turned him over on his back, crying: +'_Maro, sahib, maro!_' ('Strike, sir, strike!') which I instantly did, +and killed him. Anyone who is able to realize the strength and weight +of a wild boar will appreciate the pluck and presence of mind of Sir +Pertap Sing in this performance. Fortunately, my wife and daughter, +who had been following the pig-stickers in a light cart, were close at +hand, and we were able to drive my friend home at once. The wound was +found to be rather a bad one, but it did not prevent Sir Pertap from +attending some tent-pegging and other amusements in the afternoon, +though he had to be carried to the scene. + +A few months after my return to England the boar's head arrived, +set up, and with a silver plate attached to it, on which was an +inscription commemorating the adventure. + +At Ahmedabad, where the train stopped while we lunched, I was +presented with an address by the President and members of the +Municipality, who, 'with loyal devotion to Her Imperial Majesty the +Queen and Empress of India, to whose glorious reign we sincerely wish +a continuance of brilliant prosperity,' expressed their hope that Lady +Roberts and I would have 'a happy voyage home and enjoyment of perfect +health and prosperity in future.' + +The day before we left Bombay for England, the members of the Byculla +Club gave me a parting dinner. It was with great difficulty I could +get through my speech in response to the toast of my health on that +occasion, for, pleased and grateful as I was at this last mark of +friendship and approval from my countrymen, I could not help feeling +inexpressibly sad and deeply depressed at the thought uppermost in +my mind, that the time had come to separate myself from India and my +gallant comrades and friends, British and Native. + +In dwelling on the long list of farewell addresses and entertainments +with which I was honoured on leaving India, I feel that I may be +laying myself open to the charge of egotism; but in writing of one's +own experiences it is difficult to avoid being egotistical, and +distasteful as it is to me to think that I may be considered so, +I would rather that, than that those who treated me so kindly and +generously should deem me unmindful or ungrateful. + +Thus ended forty-one years in India. No one can, I think, wonder that +I left the country with heartfelt regret. The greater number of my +most valued friendships had been formed there; from almost everyone +with whom I had been associated, whether European or Native, civilian +or soldier, I had experienced unfailing kindness, sympathy, and +support; and to the discipline, bravery, and devotion to duty of the +Army in India, in peace and war, I felt that I owed whatever success +it was my good fortune to achieve. + + +[Footnote 1: The late Lieutenant-General Sir W.K. Elles, K.C.B.] + +[Footnote 2: A detachment of the Calcutta Volunteer Rifles, at the +particular request of the regiment, took part in the expedition, and +did good service.] + +[Footnote 3: The pay of the Native Infantry has been suitably +increased since I left India.] + +[Footnote 4: _Jagirs_ are grants of land.] + +[Footnote 5: _Batta_, extra allowances given to Native soldiers when +proceeding on field service.] + +[Footnote 6: During the Mutiny the casualties amongst the British +officers with the six Punjab regiments which saw the most fighting +amounted to 60 per cent.! Luckily, these were able to be replaced by +officers belonging to corps which had mutinied. This supply, however, +has long since been used up, and it behoves the Government either +to provide an adequate reserve of officers, or to arrange for a +sufficient number being sent out from England whenever India is likely +to be engaged in a serious war. + ++---------------------------------------------------------------------+ +| | Number of | CASUALTIES | +| | Officers +------------------------------------------+ +| CORPS. | who did |Killed | Died | | | | +| | Duty with | in | of |Died of | | In- | +| | each Corps.|Action.|Wounds.|Disease.|Wounded.|valided.| ++-------------+------------+-------+-------+--------+--------+--------+ +| 1st Punjab | | | | | | | +| Cavalry (1 | | | | | | | +| squadron) | 12 | 1 | ... | ... | 6 | 7 | +| 2nd Punjab | | | | | | +| Cavalry | 20 | 1 | ... | ... | 5 | 4 | +| 5th Punjab | | | | | | | +| Cavalry (1 | | | | | | | +| squadron) | 7 | 1 | 1 | ... | ... | ... | +| 1st Punjab | | | | | | | +| Infantry | 15 | 3 | ... | ... | 6 | ... | +| 2nd Punjab | | | | | | | +| Infantry | 22 | 3 | ... | ... | 4 | 3 | +| 4th Punjab | | | | | | | +| Infantry | 24 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 8 | ... | ++-------------+------------+-------+-------+--------+--------+--------+ +| Total | 100 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 29 | 14 | ++-------------+------------+-------+-------+--------+--------+--------+] + +[Footnote 7: Captain Younghushand was at Bozai-Gumbaz, and Lieutenant +Davison on the Alichur Pamirs, both places being south of the Aksu +branch of the Oxus, flowing from the Little Pamir Lake.] + +[Footnote 8: The Infantry comprised twenty-four battalions drawn up in +line of quarter columns. The Artillery consisted of one battery (six +7-pounders) carried on elephants, six batteries (six guns each, +5-pounders and 7-pounders) dragged by soldiers, and six batteries (six +guns each, 3-pounders and 5-pounders) carried by Bhutia coolies.] + +[Footnote 9: I am not unmindful of the visit which Sir Mortimer Durand +paid to Kabul after I had left India, but on that occasion, I believe, +the question of the defence of Afghanistan was not discussed.] + +[Footnote 10: The works were stopped after I left India, but not, I +was glad to think, before the redoubts had been finished, with the +communications thereto. The reasons given were that a change of +plans was necessary for economy's sake, and that the construction of +fortifications might induce the Natives to think we were doubtful of +the continuance of our supremacy. As regarded the first, I explained +that the total outlay for works and armaments was estimated at only +£332,274--considerably less than one half the cost of a British +line-of-battle ship; and as to the second, I urged that an argument +of this sort against frontier defences would hardly bear examination; +that the possibility of external attack was freely discussed in every +newspaper; that Russian movements and frontier difficulties were +known and commented on in every bazaar; that the construction of +fortifications in support of the Ruling Power had been an Oriental +practice from time immemorial; that our action in this respect was at +least as likely to instil the idea that we meant to retain our eastern +possessions at any cost, as to give an impression of weakness; that +the progressive re-organization and mobilization of our army were well +known to have reference to service beyond the frontier; and that we +had extended our confidence in this respect to Native Princes by +encouraging them to train their own troops and fit them to take their +place in line with ours.] + +[Footnote 11: Given in the Appendix. (Appendix XVI.)] + +[Footnote 12: _Ibid._ (Appendix XVII.)] + + * * * * * + + + +APPENDIX + + + +APPENDIX I. + +(See Chapter XIV, Footnote 4.) + + +The 9th Native Infantry, to which Captain Donald Stewart belonged, was +divided between Aligarh, Mainpuri, Bulandshahr, and Etawa, Stewart +being with the Head-Quarters of the regiment at Aligarh. + +The news from Meerut and Delhi had caused a certain amount of alarm +amongst the residents at Aligarh, and arrangements had been made for +sending away the ladies and children, but, owing to the confidence +placed in the men of the 9th, none of them had left the station. +Happen what might in other regiments, the officers were certain that +the 9th could never be faithless to their salt! The Native officers +and men were profuse in their expressions of loyalty, and as a proof +of their sincerity they arrested and disarmed several rebel sepoys, +who were making for their homes in Oudh and the adjoining districts. +As a further proof, they gave up the regimental pandit for +endeavouring to persuade them to mutiny. He was tried by a +Court-Martial composed of European and Native officers, found guilty, +and sentenced to be hanged. The sentence was carried out that same +afternoon. It was intended that the regiment should witness the +execution, but it did not reach the gaol in time; the men were +therefore marched back to their lines, and Stewart, in his capacity of +Interpreter, was ordered to explain to them the purpose for which +they had been paraded. While he was speaking a man of his own company +shouted out something. Stewart did not hear the words, and no one +would repeat them. The parade was then dismissed, when the same man, +tearing off his uniform, called upon his comrades not to serve a +Government which had hanged a Brahmin. A general uproar ensued. The +Commanding Officer ordered the few Sikhs in the regiment to seize the +ringleader; they did so, but not being supported by the rest they +released him. The Subadar Major was then told to arrest the mutineer, +but he took no notice whatever of the order. This Native officer had +been upwards of forty years in the regiment and was entitled to his +full pension. He had been a member of the Court-Martial which tried +the pandit, and, though a Brahmin himself, had given his vote in +favour of the prisoner being hanged; moreover he was a personal friend +of all the officers. Stewart, who had been for many years Adjutant, +knew him intimately, and believed implicitly in his loyalty. The man +had constantly discussed the situation with Stewart and others, and +had been mainly instrumental in disarming the sepoys who had passed +through Aligarh; and yet when the hour of trial came he failed as +completely as the last-joined recruit. + +The British officers went amongst their men and tried to keep order, +but the excitement rapidly spread; some of the young soldiers began to +load, and the older ones warned the officers that it was time for them +to be off. The sepoys then plundered the treasury, broke open the gaol +doors, released the prisoners, and marched in a body towards Delhi.[1] + +Stewart, being thus left without a regiment, attached himself to +the magistrate of the district, and took command of a small body of +volunteers sent from Agra by the Lieutenant-Governor of the North-West +Provinces, to aid the civil authorities in restoring order. Not caring +for this work, and thinking he might be more usefully employed, +Stewart made up his mind to find his way to Delhi; his idea was to try +and get there _viâ_ Meerut, but before deciding on the route, he went +to Agra, where he had been invited by the Lieutenant-Governor. At the +interview, Mr. Colvin advised Stewart to travel _viâ_ Muttra, as +the safer of the two routes, and told him that despatches had been +received from the Government in Calcutta for the Commander-in-Chief, +then understood to be with the army before Delhi. At the same time the +Lieutenant-Governor impressed upon Stewart that he was not giving him +any order to go, and that if he undertook to carry the despatches it +must be a voluntary act on his part, entailing no responsibility on +the Government of the North-West Provinces. + +Stewart accepted the duty, and took his leave of Mr. Colvin as the sun +was setting on the 18th June, delighted at the chance of being able +to join the army before Delhi. He reached Muttra, thirty-five miles +distant, without mishap. The streets of this city were crowded +with men, all carrying arms of some sort; they showed no signs of +hostility, however, and even pointed out to Stewart the house of which +he was in search. The owner of this house, to whose care he had been +commended by the Agra authorities, was a Brahmin holding an official +position in the town. This Native gentleman behaved with civility, +but did not attempt to conceal his embarrassment at the presence of a +British officer, or his relief when Stewart announced his intention of +resuming his journey an hour or so before daybreak. + +The Brahmin provided him with two sowars belonging to the Raja of +Bhartpur with orders to accompany him as far as Kosi. They were +cut-throat-looking individuals, and Stewart felt rather inclined to +dispense with their services, but, thinking it unwise to show any +signs of distrust, he accepted them with the best grace he could. + +After riding fifteen or sixteen miles, Stewart's horse fell from +exhaustion, on which his so-called escort laughed uproariously, and +galloped off, leaving our poor traveller to his own devices. + +Believing the horse could not recover, Stewart took off the saddle and +bridle and tramped to the nearest village, where he hoped to be +able to buy or hire an animal of some kind on which to continue his +journey. No one, however, would help him, and he was forced to seize +a donkey which he found grazing in a field hard by. About sunset he +reached Kosi, thirty-seven miles from Muttra. The _tehsildar_[2] +received him courteously, and gave him some bread and milk, but would +not hear of his staying for the night. He told him that his appearance +in the town was causing considerable excitement, and that he could not +be responsible for his safety. Stewart was much exhausted after his +hot ride, but as the _tehsildar_ stood firm there was nothing for him +to do but to continue his journey, and he consented to start if he +were provided with a horse. The _tehsildar_ promptly offered his own +pony, and as soon as it was dark Stewart set out for the Jaipur camp. +His progress during the night was slow, and it was not until eight +o'clock the next morning that he reached his destination, where he was +hospitably received by the Political Agent, Major Eden, who introduced +him to the Maharaja's Wazir. This official at first promised to give +Stewart a small escort as far as Delhi, but on various pretexts he put +him off from day to day. At the end of a week Stewart saw that the +Wazir either could not or would not give him an escort, and thinking +it useless to delay any longer, he made up his mind to start without +one. + +There were several refugees in the camp, and one of them, Mr. Ford, +collector and magistrate of Gurgaon, offered to join Stewart in his +venture. + +Stewart and his companion left the Jaipur camp on the afternoon of +the 27th June, and reached Palwal soon after dark. Ford sent for the +_kotwal_,[3] who was one of his own district officials, and asked him +for food. This was produced, but the _kotwal_ besought the _sahibs_ to +move on without delay, telling them that their lives were in imminent +danger, as there was a rebel regiment in the town, and he was quite +unable to protect them. So they continued their journey, and, escaping +from one or two threatened attacks by robbers, reached Badshahpur in +the morning. Here they rested during the heat of the day, being kindly +treated by the villagers, who were mostly Hindus. + +The travellers were now not far from Delhi, but could hardly proceed +further without a guide, and the people of Badshahpur declined to +provide one. They pleaded that they were men of peace, and could not +possibly leave their village in such evil times. Suddenly a man from +the crowd, offered his services. His appearance was against him, and +the villagers declared that he was a notorious cattle-lifter, who was +strongly suspected of having set fire to the collector's (Mr. Ford's) +office at Gurgaon, in order that the evidences of his offences might +be destroyed. Not a pleasant _compagnon de voyage_, but there was +nothing for it but to accept his offer. + +As soon as it was dark a start was made, and at daybreak on the +29th the minarets of Delhi rose out of the morning mist, while an +occasional shell might be seen bursting near the city. + +On reaching the Hansi road, the guide, by name Jumna Das, who, in +spite of appearances, had proved true to his word, stopped and said he +could go no further. He would not take any reward that it was then in +the power of Stewart or Ford to offer him, but he expressed a hope +that, when the country became settled, the slight service he had +performed would not be forgotten. They gratefully assured him on this +point, and thanked him cordially, giving him at the same time a letter +testifying to his valuable service. Stewart then went to the nearest +village, and for a small reward found a man who undertook to conduct +them safely to one of our piquets. + +One curious circumstance remarked by Stewart throughout the ride was +that the peasants and villagers, though not generally hostile to him, +had evidently made up their minds that the British _raj_ was at an +end, and were busily engaged in rendering their villages defensible, +to meet the troubles and disturbances which they considered would +surely follow on the resumption of Native rule. + +It is difficult to over-estimate the pluck and enterprise displayed +by Stewart during this most adventurous ride. It was a marvel that he +ever reached Delhi. His coming there turned out to be the best thing +that ever happened to him, for the qualities which prompted him to +undertake and carried him through his dangerous journey, marked him as +a man worthy of advancement and likely to do well. + +[Footnote 1: While the regiment was in the act of mutinying one of the +sepoys left the parade-ground, and running round to all the civilians' +houses, told the occupants what had happened, and warned them to make +their escape. He asked for no reward, and was never seen again.] + +[Footnote 2: Native magistrate.] + +[Footnote 3: City magistrate.] + + * * * * * + + + + +APPENDIX II. + +(These two memoranda are referred to in the note in Chapter XXV, +Footnote 6.) + +_Memorandum by Lieutenant McLeod Innes._ + + +'1. Sir H. Lawrence joined at Lucknow about the end of March, 1857, +succeeding Mr. Coverley Jackson in the Chief Commissionership. + +'2. On his arrival he found himself in the midst of troubles, of which +the most important were these: + + I. A general agitation of the empire, from the discontent of the + soldiery. + + II. A weak European force at Oudh, with all the military + arrangements defective. + + III. Grievous discontent among several classes of the population + of Oudh, viz., the nobility of Lucknow and the members and + retainers of the Royal Family, the official classes, the old + soldiery, and the entire country population, noble and peasant + alike. + +'3. This third was due to disobedience of, or departure from, the +instructions laid down by Government at the annexation, as very +clearly shown in Lord Stanley's letter of October 13, 1858. The +promised pensions had either been entirely withheld or very sparingly +doled out; the old officials were entirely without employment; +three-quarters of the army the same; while the country Barons had, by +forced interpretation of rules, been deprived of the mass of their +estates, which had been parcelled out among their followers, who, for +clannish reasons, were more indignant at the spoliation and loss of +power and place of their Chiefs than they were glad for their own +individual acquisitions. + +'4. The weakness of the European force could not be helped; it was +deemed politic to show the country that the annexation did not require +force. + +'5. But the inefficiency of the military arrangements arose from mere +want of skill, and was serious, under the threatening aspect of the +political horizon. + +'6. The discontent of the province, and the coming general storm, had +already found vent in the brigandage of Fuzl Ali, and the seditions of +the Fyzabad Moulvie. + +'7. And with all these Sir H. Lawrence had to grapple immediately on +his arrival. + +'8. But I may safely say that ten days saw the mass of them disappear. +The Fyzabad Moulvie had been seized and imprisoned. Fuzl Ali had been +surrounded and slain. The promised pensions had been paid, by Sir H. +Lawrence's peremptory orders, to the members and retainers of the +Royal Family. A recognition had been published of the fair rights of +the old Oudh officials to employment in preference to immigrants from +our old provinces, and instructions had been issued for giving it +effect. The disbanded soldiers of the Royal Army of Oudh were promised +preference in enlistment in the local corps and the police, and +a reorganization and increase to the latter, which were almost +immediately sanctioned, gave instant opportunities for the fulfilment +of the first instalment of these promises. While last, but not least, +durbars were held, in which Sir Henry Lawrence was able to proclaim +his views and policy, by which the landholders should be reinstated in +the possessions which they held at the annexation, the basis on which +the instructions had been originally issued, which had been hitherto +practically ignored, but to which he pledged himself to give effect. + +'9. To strengthen his military position, he placed Artillery with the +European Infantry; he distributed his Irregular Cavalry; he examined +the city, decided on taking possession of the Muchee Bawn and +garrisoning it as a fort; and summoned in Colonel Fisher and Captain +George Hardinge; and with them, Brigadier Handscombe and Major +Anderson, consulted and arranged for future plans against the storms +which he saw to be impending. + +'10. Much of this, and his policy for remaining in Oudh, and the +conduct of the defence of Lucknow, I know from recollections of what +he occasionally let drop to me in his confidential conversations while +inspecting the Muchee Bawn. He told me that nearly the whole army +would go; that he did not think the Sikhs would go; that in every +regiment there were men that, with proper management, would remain +entirely on our side; and that, therefore, he meant to segregate from +the rest of the troops the Sikhs and selected men, and to do his +best to keep them faithful allies when the rest should go; that, if +Cawnpore should hold out, we would not be attacked; but that if it +should fall, we would be invested, and more or less closely besieged; +that no troops could come to our relief before the middle of August; +that the besieging forces would, he thought, be confined to the +sepoys, for the people of the country had always liked our European +officers, whom they had frequently had to bless for the safety of +their lives and the honour of their families; and the whole Hindu +population had a lively recollection of our friendly line of conduct +in the late quarrel with the Mussulmans regarding the Hunnooman +Gurhee; that to hold out where we were was necessary, for the +slightest appearance of yielding, or of not showing a bold front, +would result in annihilation; that to hold out we must get provisions; +that to got provisions and prepare for an efficient defence we must +keep open our communication with the country, and keep the city quiet; +that to the former end the retention of the cantonment was necessary, +and of the Muchee Bawn to the latter, while the site of the permanent +defences, in case of the need of concentration, should be the +Residency. + +'11. All this I know, as before said, from Sir Henry Lawrence's own +casual and hurried remarks to me. Whether they are officially recorded +anywhere I do not know; but they must have been written in letters +to various persons, and repeated to others of his subordinates at +Lucknow. I mention these matters thus early, as although the facts on +which they bear did not immediately occur, still, Sir Henry Lawrence +had prescience of them, and had decided on his line of policy. + +'12. I understand, further, but not on authentic grounds, that Sir +Henry wrote at a very early stage to Sir H. Wheeler, urging him to +construct entrenchments at the magazine at Cawnpore, and to ensure his +command of the boats, whatever might happen; that he wrote early +to the Government, entreating them to divert one of the European +regiments in the course of relief, and divide it between Cawnpore and +Allahabad; and that subsequently he urged on Government to employ the +troops of the Persian expedition in Bengal, and to stop the Chinese +force for the same end, and to subsidize some of the Nepal troops for +the protection of our older provinces east of Oudh. + +'13. To revert to the narrative, the measures already mentioned +so entirely pacified the province, that, in spite of the previous +discontent, the previous troubles, the proverbial turbulence of its +inhabitants, and the increasing agitation throughout the empire, there +was no difficulty experienced in collecting the revenue by the close +of April. And the subsequent disturbances were, as will be shown, +entirely due to the soldiery, and, till long after Sir Henry's death, +participated in only by them, by the city ruffians, and by a few of +the Mussulman families of the country population. The mass of the city +people and the entire Hindu population held aloof, and would have +nothing to say to the outbreak; and, with one single exception, every +Talookdar, to whom the chance offered itself, aided, more or less +actively, in the protection of European fugitives. This phase in the +character of the disturbances in Oudh is not generally known; but it +is nevertheless true, and is due emphatically and solely, under Divine +Providence, to the benignant personal character and the popular policy +of Sir Henry Lawrence. + +'14. The 1st of May saw our disturbances commence with the mutiny of +the 7th Oudh Irregular Infantry. This, its suppression, and the durbar +in which he distributed rewards and delivered a speech on the aspect +of affairs, have been fully described elsewhere, and need not be +repeated by me. + +'15. The durbar was held on the twelfth. I am not aware whether he had +any intelligence at that time of the Meerut outbreak. The telegrams, +when they did arrive, were vague; but he indubitably kept on his guard +immediately on receiving them. The Cavalry were piqueted between the +cantonments and the Residency, and the Infantry and Artillery were +kept prepared for movement. His plans were evidently already decided; +but they were to be effected simultaneously and not successively, +and the movements of the Europeans were somewhat dependent on the +arrangements of the Quarter-master-General's Department. It was not +until the sixteenth that the tents required for the 32nd were ready; +and the morning of the 17th May saw an entirely new and effective +disposition of the troops. Half the Europeans were at the Residency, +commanding the Iron Bridge; half, with the Artillery, were at the +south end of the cantonments; the bridge of boats was moved and under +control, while the Muchee Bawn, not yet sufficiently cleansed from +its old conglomeration of filth, was garrisoned by a selected body of +Native troops. The whole of these dispositions could not have been +effected at an earlier date, and Sir Henry would not do them piecemeal +or successively. Simultaneous, they were effective, and tended to +paralyze any seditious plots that may have been hatching. Successive +and piecemeal, they would have incited the sepoys to mutiny and the +turbulent to insurrection.' + + +_Memorandum, 18th May, inserted in Sir Henry's own hand in his ledger +book._ + +'Time is everything just now. Time, firmness, promptness, +conciliation, and prudence; every officer, each individual European, +high and low, may at this crisis prove most useful, or even dangerous. +A firm and cheerful aspect must be maintained--there must be no +bustle, no appearance of alarm, still less of panic; but, at the same +time, there must be the utmost watchfulness and promptness; everywhere +the first germ of insurrection must be put down instantly. Ten men may +in an hour quell a row which, after a day's delay, may take weeks +to put down. I wish this point to be well understood. In preserving +internal tranquillity, the Chiefs and people of substance may be most +usefully employed at this juncture; many of them have as much to lose +as we have. Their property, at least, is at stake. Many of them have +armed retainers--some few are good shots and have double-barrelled +guns. For instance [name illegible], can hit a bottle at 100 yards. He +is with the ordinary soldiers. I want a dozen such men, European or +Native, to arm their own people and to make _thannahs_ of their own +houses, or some near position, and preserve tranquillity within a +circuit around them.' + + * * * * * + + + + +APPENDIX III. + +(Referred to in Chapter XLVI, Footnote 1.) + +The column was composed as follows: + + _Men._ _Guns._ + +F Battery, A Brigade, R.H.A., +commanded by Colonel W. Sterling 135 6 + +One squadron 10th Hussars, +commanded by Major Bulkeley 102 + +G Battery, 3rd Brigade, R.A., +commanded by Major Sydney Parry 83 3 + +2nd Battalion 8th Foot, +commanded by Colonel Barry Drew 620 + +Wing 72nd Highlanders, commanded +by Lieutenant-Colonel F. Brownlow 405 + ----- -- +Total British troops 1,345 9 + + +12th Bengal Cavalry, commanded +by Colonel Hugh Gough, V.C. 337 + +No. 1 Mountain Battery, +commanded by Captain Kelso 136 4 + +7th Company Bengal Sappers and Miners 113 + +2nd (Punjab Frontier Force) Infantry, +commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel +Tyndall 647 + +5th (Punjab Frontier Force) Infantry, +commanded by Major McQueen 502 + +5th (Punjab Frontier Force) Gurkhas, +commanded by Major Fitz-Hugh 438 + +21st Punjab Infantry, +commanded by Major Collis 496 + +23rd Pioneers, +commanded by Colonel Currie 650 + +29th Punjab Infantry, +commanded by Colonel J.J. Gordon 671 + ----- -- +Total Natives 3,990 4 + ----- -- +Grand total 5,335 13 + +Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander Lindsay commanded the Artillery, Colonel +Æneas Perkins was Commanding Royal Engineer. Colonel Hugh Gough +commanded the Cavalry, Brigadier-Generals Cobbe (17th Foot) and +Thelwall (21st Punjab Infantry) the two Infantry brigades. Major +W. Galbraith (85th Foot) was Assistant-Adjutant-General; Major +H. Collett, Assistant, and Captains 'Dick' Kennedy and F. Carr, +Deputy-Assistant-Quartermasters-General. Captains G. de C. Morton and +A. Scott, V.C., Brigade-Majors. Captain A. Badcock, Chief Commissariat +officer; Captain J. Colquhoun, R.A., Commissary of Ordnance; Major +Moriarty, Captain Goad, and Lieutenant F. Maisey, Transport officers; +Captain A. Wynne (51st Foot), Superintendent of Field Telegraphs; +Captain R. Woodthorpe, R.E., Superintendent of Surveys; +Deputy-Surgeon-General F. Allen, Principal Medical officer; Rev. J. W. +Adams, Chaplain. + + * * * * * + + + + +APPENDIX IV. + +(Referred to in Chapter XLIX, Footnote 15.) + +_Translation of a letter from_ MAJOR-GENERAL SIR FREDERICK ROBERTS _to +His Highness_ THE AMIR OF KABUL. + + + + ALIKHEL, _18th September_, 1879. + + (After the usual compliments.) Your Highness's letter of the 28th + Ramazan, with the enclosures from Herat and Turkestan, reached me + last night. I have acquainted myself with the contents. I am glad + to find your Highness is in good health, but sorry to hear of + the unfortunate disturbances in your Highness's dominions. Your + Highness's letter, in original, has been sent with enclosures to + His Excellency the Viceroy. I have already informed your Highness + of the wishes of His Excellency the Viceroy, and the reasons for + the movements of the British troops, and I have requested your + Highness to send a confidential representative to my camp. I + am awaiting a reply to that letter, and the arrival of your + Highness's confidential representative. + + In the meantime I have sent a Proclamation to the tribes, and + letters to some of the Logar _maliks_, your Highness's subjects, + to assure those not concerned in the hateful massacre, and asking + them for assistance in carriage and supplies on payment. As it + appears to me proper I should inform your Highness of what I have + done, I enclose copies of the Proclamation to the tribes and of my + letter to the Logar _maliks_, and hope that your Highness may also + issue necessary orders for the furtherance of our plans. Rest + assured of the support of the Government of India. + + * * * * * + + + + +APPENDIX V. + +(Referred to in Chapter XLIV, Note *.) + +_Notes of an interview between GENERAL SIR FREDERICK ROBERTS and +the AMIR'S AGENTS, MUSTAUFI HABIBULLA KHAN and WAZIR SHAH MAHOMED +KHAN. Dated ALIKHEL, 23rd September, 1879._ + + +After compliments, General Roberts intimated to the Agents that at +their desire he had granted them a second interview. He now requested +them to be good enough to speak freely all that they wished him to +know. + +The MUSTAUFI then spoke in the following sense: The interests of +England and Afghanistan are the same, and the Amir and his officials +are deeply grieved at the late occurrences in Kabul. Moreover, the +Amir is anxious to do whatever the British Government wishes, and +most desirous that the dignity of the British Government should be +maintained by any means which may seem proper to the Viceroy. But His +Highness cannot conceal from himself that the mutinous troops and +his people in general, ryots as well as soldiers, are in fear of +an indiscriminate revenge, which will fall alike upon innocent and +guilty. He hopes, therefore, that measures will be taken to guard +against the possibility of a general rising consequent on fear. + +The Mustaufi was here reminded of the tenor of General Roberts's +Proclamation on 15th September. He answered that the people were too +ignorant to be acted upon by a Proclamation, and then went on as +follows: + +Of course, it is possible that no such combination may take place. The +Afghans are selfish, and divided against themselves. Still, lest he +should be blamed if it should occur, the Amir thinks it right +to express his opinion, and give the British Government all the +information in his power. On the whole, his advice, as an earnest +friend, is that the advance of a British force on Kabul should be +delayed for a short time ('_Panjroz_'). In the interval he will +endeavour to disarm the Regular troops, raise new levies, and, by +the aid of the latter, punish all concerned in the late abominable +outrage. His idea is to get rid of Sher Ali's soldiery--always a +source of danger--and keep only 15,000 men for the future. It would +be very desirable to delay the advance until he could establish his +power. The Amir does not mean to imply that any Afghan army, were it +50,000 strong, could resist the British. The mutinous troops have +neither organization nor leaders. But the mutinous troops are of all +tribes; and if the British army destroys them, as it would undoubtedly +do in case of resistance, the whole country may combine against the +British and the Amir. It is for this reason that he advises delay, and +that the punishment of the guilty be left to him. The Viceroy may rest +assured that he will show no mercy. He will make an example which will +be conspicuous in the eyes of the world as the sun at noonday. Already +everyone in Kabul regards the Amir as an infidel, because of the +way in which he and his have thrown in their lot with the British +Government. + +Notwithstanding all that has been said, however, things might go right +if the mutinous troops would keep together and attempt a stand. But +the Amir fears they will not do so. They are more likely to scatter +here and there, and raise the country. In that case there will be +constant attacks on the communications of the force, and the gathering +of supplies will be difficult. They would come chiefly from the +direction of Ghazni, partly also from Logar. If the tribes rise it +would be hard to collect them. Only one month remains before the +setting in of winter. Of course, it is impossible to say what may +happen. There may be no opposition, and the Amir is in any case ready +to do what the British Government desires. But he feels it is his duty +to express his strong opinion that the present season is unsuited for +a forward movement. + +General Roberts replied that on behalf of the Viceroy he thanked the +Amir for his kind advice, which he was confident was the advice of +a friend. He said the matter was important, and required careful +consideration, and asked whether the Agents had anything more to bring +forward. + +The Mustaufi then spoke as follows: The Amir's advice to delay the +advance is that of a sincere friend, and it is the best he can give. +But if the British Army is to march on Kabul, there is one thing more +which I am desired to say: let it march in such strength as to crush +all hopes of mischief, and put down all rebellion throughout the +country. You cannot wait for reinforcements. If you come, you must +come in full strength--in sufficient strength to put down all +opposition. There may be no opposition, but you cannot count on this. + +General Roberts replied: The Amir's advice is of great importance, +and must be carefully considered. When His Highness first wrote, +announcing the outbreak at Kabul and asking for help, the first desire +of the Viceroy was to send British forces without delay. I was ordered +to Kuram at once to lead the force here. Simultaneously the Kandahar +force was ordered by telegram to return to Kandahar, which it was then +leaving, and to advance towards Kelat-i-Ghilzai, and instructions were +issued to collect a third force at Peshawar; all this was to help the +Amir. The Viceroy from the first contemplated the possibility of such +a general rising as the Amir now fears, and the several armies were, +therefore, by His Excellency's order, made up to such strength that +all Afghanistan combined could not stand against them for a moment. +The Kandahar troops were ready in a very short time, and are now +beyond Kandahar, on the road to Kabul.[1] The Peshawar force was +rapidly collected and pushed on; and the Amir may rest assured that +the British army is advancing in ample strength. I will think over the +Amir's advice, nevertheless, for it is important. But His Highness +must remember that the late occurrences at Kabul do not affect only +the English officers and the fifty or sixty men who were treacherously +killed--the honour of the English Government is concerned; and so long +as the bodies of these officers and men remain unburied or uncared for +in Kabul, I do not believe the English people will ever be satisfied. +They will require the advance of a British force, and the adequate +punishment of the crime. Still, the Amir's advice, which I am +convinced is that of a friend, must be carefully considered, and I +will think over it and give an answer later. + +The MUSTAUFI then said: We quite understand what has been said about +the strength of the British army. Doubtless it is sufficient, and +all Afghanistan could not stand against it. But the Amir asked us to +mention, what I have hitherto forgotten, that there are in Turkestan +24 regiments of Infantry, 6 of Cavalry, and 56 guns. These troops were +the first to show a disaffected spirit at Mazar-i-Sharif; and putting +aside external enemies, there are Abdur Rahman and the sons of Azim +Khan waiting their chance. Herat again is doubtful; when the troops +there hear what has occurred at Kabul, there is no saying what they +may do. If Abdur Rahman ingratiates himself with these people, Herat +and Turkestan will be permanently severed from the Afghan dominions. +This is another reason why the advance of the British force should be +delayed, in order that the Amir may have time to gain over the Herat +and Turkestan troops. + +GENERAL ROBERTS replied: All these reasons will have full +consideration. The Viceroy's first order was to push on at once to +help the Amir; but I am sure His Highness's advice is friendly, and +that in any case he will do his utmost to co-operate with the British +Government. Therefore every consideration will be given to what His +Highness has desired you to say. + +The MUSTAUFI: The Viceroy may be sure the Amir will do what he +pleases. + +The WAZIR: When the Amir learnt from General Roberts's letter that the +Viceroy had given General Roberts power to deal with the whole matter, +he was very pleased, knowing General Roberts's character as a soldier +and his kindness of heart. + +GENERAL ROBERTS replied that he would carefully consider the proposals +brought forward, and give an answer later on. Meanwhile, he must +request the Agents to stay a day or two in camp until he should +have thoroughly weighed the Amir's advice, which was of the utmost +importance to both the British and Afghan Governments. + +The interview then came to an end. + + (Signed) H. M. DURAND, + Political Secretary to General Roberts, K.C.B., V.C., + Commanding Kabul Field Force. + +[Footnote 1: The Agents here seemed surprised and anxious.--H.M.D.] + + * * * * * + + + + +APPENDIX VI. + +(Referred to in Chapter LIII, Footnote 3.) + +_From LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR F. ROBERTS, K.C.B., V.C., Commanding +Kabul Field Force, to A.C. LYALL, ESQ., C.B., Secretary to the +Government of India, Foreign Department._ + + + KABUL, _22nd November,_ 1879. + + 1. I Have the honour to submit a brief account of an interview + which took place between the Amir Yakub Khan and myself on the + 22nd October. The interview was a private and informal one; but + recent events have lent some interest to what passed on the + occasion, and I have, therefore, thought it desirable that + a report should be prepared for the information of the + Governor-General in Council. + + 2. After some conversation upon matters of no special importance, + the Amir introduced his father's name, and thus gave me the + opportunity I had often wished to have of leading him on to speak + naturally and unconstrainedly about Sher Ali Khan's feelings and + policy during the last ten years. I was most careful to avoid any + expression of my own views upon the subject in order that I might, + if possible, obtain from the Amir a perfectly spontaneous and + truthful account of the circumstances which led, in his opinion, + to Sher Ali's estrangement from ourselves and _rapprochement_ to + Russia. In this I think I succeeded. Yakub Khan spoke readily + and freely of all that had passed, and needed no question or + suggestion from me to declare his conviction regarding the cause + of his father's unfriendly attitude towards us during the past few + years. + + 3. The substance of the Amir's statement was as follows: + + 'In 1869 my father was fully prepared to throw in his lot with + you. He had suffered many reverses before making himself secure on + the throne of Afghanistan; and he had come to the conclusion that + his best chance of holding what he had won lay in an alliance with + the British Government. He did not receive from Lord Mayo as + large a supply of arms and ammunition as he had hoped, but, + nevertheless, he returned to Kabul fairly satisfied, and so he + remained until the visit of Saiyad Nur Muhammud to India in 1873. + This visit brought matters to a head. The diaries received from + Saiyad Nur Mahomed during his stay in India, and the report which + he brought back on his return, convinced my father that he could + no longer hope to obtain from the British Government all the aid + that he wanted; and from that time he began to turn his attention + to the thoughts of a Russian alliance. You know how this ended. + + 'When my father received from the Government of India the letter + informing him that a British Mission was about to proceed to + Kabul, he read it out in durbar. The members of the Russian + Embassy were present. After the reading was finished, Colonel + Stolietoff rose, saluted the Amir and asked permission to leave + Kabul. If permitted, he would, he said, travel without delay to + Tashkent, and report the state of affairs to General Kauffmann, + who would inform the Czar, and thus bring pressure to bear on + England. He promised to return in six weeks or two months, and + urged the Amir to do everything in his power meanwhile to prevent + the British Mission from reaching Kabul. + + 'Colonel Stolietoff never returned to Kabul. He lost no time in + reaching Tashkent, where he remained for a few weeks, and he then + started for Russia. + + 'The Afghan official, Mirza Mahomed Hassan Khan, generally known + as the "Dabir-ul-Mulk," who had travelled with Colonel Stolietoff + from the Oxus to Kabul, accompanied him on his return journey to + Tashkent. Here the Mirza was detained under pretence that orders + would shortly be received from the Emperor, until the news of my + father's flight from Kabul reached General Kauffmann. He was then + permitted to leave. Two Aides-de-Camp were sent with him, one a + European, the other a Native of Bokhara. + + 'My father was strongly urged by General Kauffmann not to leave + Kabul. At the same time the members of the Embassy were ordered to + return to Tashkent, the Doctor being permitted to remain with my + father if his services were required. + + 'Throughout, the Russian Embassy was treated with great honour,' + and at all stations between Mazar-i-Shariff and Kabul, orders were + given for the troops to turn out, and for a salute to be fired on + their arrival and departure.' + + 4. I cannot, of course, vouch for the exact words used by Yakub + Khan, but I am confident that the foregoing paragraph, which is + written from notes taken at the time, contains a substantially + accurate record of the conversation. + + 5. It would be superfluous for me to advance any proof of the fact + that for one reason or another Sher Ali did during the latter part + of his reign fall away from us and incline towards an alliance + with Russia. But I think the closeness of the connection between + Russia and Kabul, and the extent of the Amir's hostility towards + ourselves, has not hitherto been fully recognized. Yakub Khan's + statements throw some light upon this question, and they are + confirmed by various circumstances which have lately come to my + knowledge. The prevalence of Russian coin and wares in Kabul, + and the extensive military preparations made by Sher Ali of late + years, appear to me to afford an instructive comment upon Yakub + Khan's assertions. Our recent rupture with Sher Ali has, in fact, + been the means of unmasking and checking a very serious conspiracy + against the peace and security of our Indian Empire. + + 6. The magnitude of Sher Ali's military preparations is, in my + opinion, a fact of peculiar significance. I have already touched + upon this point in a former letter, but I shall perhaps be excused + for noticing it again. Before the outbreak of hostilities last + year the Amir had raised and equipped with arms of precision 68 + regiments of Infantry and 16 of Cavalry. The Afghan Artillery + amounted to nearly 300 guns. Numbers of skilled artizans were + constantly employed in the manufacture of rifled cannon and + breach-loading small arms. More than a million pounds of powder, + and I believe several million rounds of home-made Snider + ammunition, were in the Bala Hissar at the time of the late + explosion. Swords, helmets, uniforms, and other articles of + military equipment were stored in proportionate quantities. + Finally, Sher Ali had expended upon the construction of the + Sherpur cantonments an astonishing amount of labour and money. The + extent and cost of this work may be judged of from the fact that + the whole of the troops under my command will find cover during + the winter within the cantonment, and the bulk of them in the main + line of rampart itself, which extends to a length of nearly two + miles under the southern and western slopes of the Bimaru hills. + Sher Ali's original design was apparently to carry the wall + entirely round the hills, a distance of nearly five miles, and the + foundations were already laid for a considerable portion of this + length. All these military preparations were quite unnecessary + except as a provision for contemplated hostilities with ourselves, + and it is difficult to understand how their entire cost could + have been met from the Afghan treasury, the gross revenue of the + country amounting only to about eighty lakhs of rupees per annum. + + 7. I have referred to the prevalence of Russian coin and wares + in Kabul as evidence of the growing connexion between Russia and + Afghanistan. I am unable to find proof that the Czar's coin was + introduced in any other way than by the usual channels of trade. + It is quite possible that the bulk of it, if not the whole, came + in gradually by this means, the accumulation of foreign gold in + particular being considerable in this country, where little gold + is coined. Nevertheless, it seems to me a curious fact that the + amount of Russian money in circulation should be so large. No + less than 13,000 gold pieces were found among the Amir's treasure + alone; similar coins are exceedingly common in the city bazaar; + and great numbers of them are known to be in possession of the + Sirdars. Of course English goods of all kinds are plentiful + here--that is inevitable, particularly with a considerable body + of Hindu merchants settled in the city, but Russian goods also + abound. Glass, crockery, silks, tea, and many other things which + would seem to be far more easily procurable from India than from + Russian territory, are to be found in great quantities. A habit, + too, seems to have been growing up among the Sirdars and others of + wearing uniforms of Russian cut, Russian buttons, Russian boots, + and the like. Russian goods and Russian ways seem, in fact, to + have become the fashion in Afghanistan. + + * * * * * + + + + +APPENDIX VII. + +(Referred to in Chapter LIII, Footnote 3.) + + +_Translations of letters from _GENERAL-ADJUTANT VON KAUFFMANN, +_Governor-General of Turkestan, to the address of the_ AMIR OF +AFGHANISTAN, _received on 10th, Shaban, 1295, through_ GENERAL +STOLIETOFF, _9th August, 1878._ + + Be it known to you that in these days the relations between the + British Government and ours with regard to your kingdom require + deep consideration. As I am unable to communicate my opinion + verbally to you, I have deputed my agent, Major-General + Stolietoff. This gentleman is a near friend of mine, and performed + excellent services in the Russo-Turkish war, by which he earned + favour of the Emperor. The Emperor has always had a regard for + him. He will inform you of all that is hidden in my mind. I hope + you will pay great attention to what he says, and believe him as + you would myself, and, after due consideration, you will give him + your reply. Meanwhile, be it known to you that your union and + friendship with the Russian Government will be beneficial to + the latter, and still more so to you. The advantages of a close + alliance with the Russian Government will be permanently evident. + + This friendly letter is written by the Governor-General of + Turkestan and Adjutant-General to the Emperor, Von Kauffmann, + Tashkent, Jamadial Akbar, 1295 ( = June, 1878). + + +_To the_ AMIR _of the whole of Afghanistan_, SHER ALI KHAN. + + (After compliments.) Be it known to you that our relations with + the British Government are of great importance to Afghanistan and + its dependencies. As I am unable to see you, I have deputed my + trustworthy (official) General Stolietoff to you. The General + is an old friend of mine, and during the late Russo-Turkish war + earned the favour of the Emperor by his spirit and bravery. He has + become well known to the Emperor. This trustworthy person will + communicate to you what he thinks best. I hope you will pay + attention to what he says, and repose as much confidence in his + words as if they were my own; and that you will give your answer + in this matter through him. In the meantime, be it known to you + that if a friendly treaty will be of benefit to us, it will be of + far greater benefit to yourself. + + +GENERAL STOLIETOFF _sent the following letter, on his return to +Tashkent from Kabul, to the address of the Foreign Minister, _WAZIR +SHAH MAHOMED KHAN, _dated 23rd of the holy month of Ramazan, 1295 ( = +21st September, 1878)._ + + Thank God, I reached Tashkent safely, and at an auspicious moment + paid my respects to the Viceroy (Yaroni Padishah means 'half + king'). I am trying day and night to gain our objects, and hope I + shall be successful. I am starting to see the Emperor to-day, in + order to inform His Majesty personally of our affairs. If God + pleases, everything that is necessary will be done and affirmed. + _I hope that those who want to enter the gate of Kabul from the + east will see that the door is closed; then, please God, they will + tremble._ I hope you will give my respects to His Highness the + Amir. May God make his life long and increase his wealth! May you + remain in good health, and know that the protection of God will + arrange our affairs! + + (Signed) GENERAL STOLIETOFF. + + +_From_ GENERAL KAUFFMANN _to the_ AMIR, _dated Tashkent, 8th Zekada, +1295 ( = 22nd October, 1878)._ + + (After compliments.) Be it known to you that your letter, dated + 12th Shawal, reached me at Tashkent on the 16th October, _i.e._, + 3rd Zekada, and I understood its contents. I have telegraphed an + abstract of your letter to the address of the Emperor, and + have sent the letter itself, as also that addressed to General + Stolietoff, by post to Livadia, where the Emperor now is. I am + informed on good authority that the English want to come to terms + with you; and, as a friend, I advise you to make peace with them + if they offer it. + + +_From_ GENERAL STOLIETOFF _to_ WAZIR SHAH MAHOMED KHAN, _dated 8th +October 1878._ + + First of all, I hope you will be kind enough to give my respects + to the Amir. May God make his life long and increase his wealth! + I shall always remember his royal hospitality. I am busy day and + night in his affairs, and, thank God, my labours have not been + without result. The great Emperor is a true friend of the Amir's + and of Afghanistan, and His Majesty will do whatever he may think + necessary. Of course, you have not forgotten what I told you, + that the affairs of kingdoms are like a country which has many + mountains, valleys, and rivers. One who sits on a high mountain + can see things well. By the power and order of God, there is no + empire equal to that of our great Emperor. May God make his life + long! Therefore, whatever our Government advises you, you should + give ear to it. I tell you the truth that our Government is wise + as a serpent and harmless as a dove. There are many things which + you cannot understand, but our Government understands them well. + It often happens that a thing which is unpleasant at first is + regarded as a blessing afterwards. Now, my kind friend, I inform + you that the enemy of your famous religion wants to make peace + with you through the Kaisar (Sultan) of Turkey. Therefore you + should look to your brothers who live on the other side of the + river. If God stirs them up, and gives the sword of fight into + their hands, then go on, in the name of God (Bismilla), otherwise + you should be as a serpent; make peace openly, and in secret + prepare for war, and when God reveals His order to you, declare + yourself. It will be well, when the Envoy of your enemy wants to + enter the country, if you send an able emissary, possessing the + tongue of a serpent and full of deceit, to the enemy's country, so + that he may with sweet words perplex the enemy's mind, and induce + him to give up the intention of fighting with you. + + My kind friend, I entrust you to the protection of God. May God be + the protector of the Amir's kingdom, and may trembling fall upon + the limbs of your enemies! Amen. + + Write to me soon, and send the letter to the capital. Please write + in Arabic characters, so that I may be able to read your letter. + + +_From_, GENERAL KAUFFMANN _to the_ AMIR OF AFGHANISTAN, _dated 30th +Zekada (=26th November,_ 1878). + + (After compliments.) I was much pleased to receive your letter, + dated 24th Zekada, 1295 (=18th November, 1878), and to hear of + your good health. I have also received a copy of the letter which + you sent to the Governor-General. May God be pleased with you. The + British Ministers have given a pledge to our Ambassador in London + that they will not interfere with the independence of Afghanistan. + I am directed by His Majesty the Emperor to communicate this news + to you, and then, after forming friendship, to go to His Majesty. + I intend to go to the Russian capital after I have arranged the + affairs of this country (Turkestan). As I do not consider it + advisable to keep your trusted officials, whom you are in want + of, here any more, I send Mahomed Hassan Khan, Kamuah + (Deputy-Governor), and Gholam Haidar Khan, with two officers, back + to you. I hope you will consider me a well-wisher of your kingdom, + and write to me now and then. I have given instructions that, + until my return, every letter of yours which they receive at + Turkestan should be forwarded to the capital. Your good fortune is + a cause of happiness to me, and if any troubles come upon you, I + also shall be grieved. Some presents have been sent by me through + Mirza Mahomed Hassan, Kamuah; perhaps they may be accepted. + + +_Translation of a letter from,_ GENERAL KAUFFMANN _to_ GENERAL +VOZGONOFF, _dated Zel Hijja,_ 1295 _(=December,_ 1878). + + The Amir knows perfectly well that it is impossible for me to + assist him with troops in winter. Therefore it is necessary that + war should not be commenced at this unseasonable time. If the + English, in spite of the Amir's exertions to avoid the war, + commence it, you must then take leave of the Amir and start for + Tashkent, because your presence in Afghanistan in winter is + useless. Moreover, at such a juncture as the commencement of war + in Afghanistan, you ought to come here and explain the whole thing + to me, so that I may communicate it to the Emperor. This will be + of great benefit to Afghanistan and to Russia. + + +_From_ GENERAL KAUFFMANN _to the_ AMIR OF AFGHANISTAN, dated _25th +December,_ 1878 _(Russian, 13th Muharram,_ 1296). + + Your letter, dated 27th Zel Hijja (=20th November), 1878, has + reached me. I was pleased to hear tidings of your good health. + The Emperor has caused the British Government to agree to the + continuance of Afghan independence. The English Ministers have + promised this. I earnestly request you not to leave your kingdom. + As far as possible, consider your own interests, and do not lose + your independence. For the present come to terms with the British + Government. If you do not want to go back to Kabul for this + purpose, you can write to your son, Mahomed Yakub Khan, to make + peace with the English as you may direct him. Do not leave the + soil of Afghanistan at this time, because it will be of benefit + to you. My words are not without truth, because your arrival in + Russian territory will make things worse. + + * * * * * + + + + +APPENDIX VII (cont.) + + +_From_ GENERAL KAUFFMANN _to the_ AMIR OF AFGHANISTAN, _received at +Mazir-i-Sharif on the 17th January, 1879_. + + I have received your friendly letter, dated 13th Zel Hijja (=8th + December, 1878). In that letter you asked me to send you as many + troops as could be got ready. I have written to you a letter to + the effect that the Emperor, on account of your troubles, had + communicated with the British Government, and that the Russian + Ambassador at London had obtained a promise from the British + Ministers to the effect that they would not injure the + independence of Afghanistan. Perhaps you sent your letter before + you got mine. Now, I have heard that you have appointed your son, + Mahomed Yakub, as your Regent, and have come out of Kabul with + some troops. I have received an order from the Emperor to the + effect that it is impossible to assist you with troops now. I + hope you will be fortunate. It all depends on the decree of God. + Believe me, that the friendship which I made with you will be + perpetual. It is necessary to send back General Vozgonoff and his + companions. You can keep Dr. Yuralski with you if you please. No + doubt the doctor will be of use to you and to your dependents. I + hope our friendship will continue to be strengthened, and that + intercourse will be carried on between us. + + +_From_ GENERAL KAUFFMANN _to the_ AMIR SHER ALI, _dated 29th December, +1878 (=17th Muharram, 1296)_. + + (After compliments.) The Foreign Minister, General Gortchakoff, + has informed me by telegraph that the Emperor has directed me + to trouble you to come to Tashkent for the present. I therefore + communicate this news to you with great pleasure; at the same + time, I may mention that I have received no instructions about + your journey to St. Petersburg. My personal interview with you + will increase our friendship greatly. + + _Translation of a letter from_ MAJOR-GENERAL IVANOFF, _Governor of + Zarafshan, to the Heir-Apparent, _MAHOMED MUSA KHAN, _and others_. + + On the 26th of Rabi-ul-Awul, at an auspicious moment, I received + your letter which you sent me, and understood its contents. I + was very much pleased, and at once communicated it to General + Kauffmann, the Governor-General. With regard to what you wrote + about the friendly relations between the Russian and Afghan + Governments, and your own desire for friendship, I have the + honour to state that we are also desirous of being friends. The + friendship between the two Governments existed in the time of the + late Amir, and I hope that it will be increased and strengthened + by Amir Mahomed Yakub Khan. + + May God change the wars in your country to happiness; may peace + reign in it; and may your Government be strengthened! I have been + forwarding all your letters to the Governor-General, General + Kauffmann. May God keep you safe! + + The Zarafshan Province Governor, MAJOR-GENERAL IVANOFF. + + Written and sealed by the General. Written on 29th Mart (March), + 1879 (=5th Rabi-ul-Saui, 1296). + +_Treaty between the RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT and AMIR SHER ALI KHAN; +_written from memory by MIRZA MAHOMED NABBI._ + +1. The Russian Government engages that the friendship of the Russian +Government with the Government of Amir Sher Ali Khan, Amir of all +Afghanistan, will be a permanent and perpetual one. + +2. The Russian Government engages that, as Sirdar Abdulla Khan, son of +the Amir, is dead, the friendship of the Russian Government with +any person whom the Amir may appoint Heir-Apparent to the throne of +Afghanistan, and with the heir of the Heir-Apparent, will remain firm +and perpetual. + +3. The Russian Government engages that if any foreign enemy attacks +Afghanistan, and the Amir is unable to drive him out, and asks the +assistance of the Russian Government, the Russian Government will +repel the enemy, either by means of advice, or by such other means as +it may consider proper. + +4. The Amir of Afghanistan will not wage war with any foreign power +without consulting the Russian Government, and without its permission. + +5. The Amir of Afghanistan engages that he will always report in a +friendly manner to the Russian Government what goes on in his kingdom. + +6. The Amir of Afghanistan will communicate every wish and important +affair of his to General Kauffmann, Governor-General of Turkestan, and +the Governor-General will be authorized by the Russian Government to +fulfil the wishes of the Amir. + +7. The Russian Government engages that the Afghan merchants who may +trade and sojourn in Russian territory will be safe from wrong, and +that they will be allowed to carry away their profits. + +8. The Amir of Afghanistan will have the power to send his servants to +Russia to learn arts and trades, and the Russian officers will treat +them with consideration and respect as men of rank. + +9. (Does not remember.) + +10. I, Major-General Stolietoff Nicholas, being a trusted Agent of the +Russian Government, have made the above-mentioned Articles between the +Russian Government and the Government of Amir Sher Ali Khan, and have +put my seal to them. + + * * * * * + + + + +APPENDIX VIII. + +(Referred to in Chapter LVIII, Footnote 5.) + + +_Letter from SIRDAR ABDUR RAHMAN KHAN to LEPEL GRIFFIN, ESQ., +dated 15th April, 1880._ + + Whereas at this happy time I have received your kind letter. In + a spirit of justice and friendship you wrote to inquire what I + wished in Afghanistan. My honoured friend, the servants of the + great [British] Government know well that, throughout these twelve + years of exile in the territories of the Emperor of Russia, night + and day I have cherished the hope of revisiting my native land. + When the late Amir Sher Ali Khan died, and there was no one to + rule our tribes, I proposed to return to Afghanistan, but it + was not fated [that I should do so]; then I went to Tashkent. + Consequently, Amir Mahomed Yakub Khan, having come to terms and + made peace with the British Government, was appointed Amir of + Afghanistan; but since, after he had left you, he listened to the + advice of every interested [dishonest] person, and raised fools to + power, until the ignorant men directed the affairs of Afghanistan, + which during the reign of my grandfather, who had eighteen able + sons, was so managed that night was bright like day, Afghanistan + was, in consequence, disgraced before all States, and ruined. Now, + therefore, that you seek to learn my hopes and wishes, they are + these: that as long as your Empire and that of Russia exist, my + countrymen, the tribes of Afghanistan, should live quietly in ease + and peace; that these two States should find us true and faithful, + and that we should rest at peace between them [England and + Russia], for my tribesmen are unable to struggle with Empires, and + are ruined by want of commerce; and we hope of your friendship + that, sympathizing with and assisting the people of Afghanistan, + you will place them under the honourable protection of the two + Powers. This would redound to the credit of both, would give peace + to Afghanistan, and quiet and comfort to God's people. This is my + wish; for the rest, it is yours to decide. + + * * * * * + + + + +APPENDIX IX. + +(Referred to in Chapter LVIII, Footnote 6.) + +_Letter from A. C. LYALL, ESQ., C.B., Secretary to the Government of +India, Foreign Department, to LEPEL H. GRIFFIN, Esq., C.S.I., Chief +Political Officer, Kabul, dated Simla, April, 1880._ + + + I have the honour to inform you that the Governor-General has + received and considered in council your telegrams of the 22nd and + 23rd instant, forwarding the translation of a letter received by + you from Sirdar Abdur Rahman on the 21st instant, together with + a summary of certain oral explanations which accompanied that + letter, and a statement of the recommendations suggested by it to + Lieutenaut-General Sir Frederick Roberts and yourself. + + In conveying to you its instructions on the subject of this + important communication, the Government of India considers it + expedient to recapitulate the principles on which it has hitherto + been acting in northern Afghanistan, and clearly to define the + point of view from which it contemplates the present situation of + affairs in that country. The single object to which, as you are + well aware, the Afghan policy of this Government has at all times + been directed and limited, is the security of the North-West + frontier of India. The Government of India has, however, no less + invariably held and acted on the conviction that the security of + this frontier is incompatible with the intrusion of any foreign + influence into the great border State of Afghanistan. To exclude + or eject such influence the Government of India has frequently + subsidized and otherwise assisted the Amirs of Kabul. It has also, + more than once, taken up arms against them. But it has never + interfered, for any other purpose, in the affairs of their + kingdom. Regulating on this principle and limiting to this object + the conduct of our relations with the rulers of Kabul, it was our + long-continued endeavour to find in their friendship and their + strength the requisite guarantees for the security of our own + frontier. Failing in that endeavour, we were compelled to seek the + attainment of the object to which our Afghan policy was, and is + still, exclusively directed, by rendering the permanent security + of our frontier as much as possible independent of such + conditions. + + This obligation was not accepted without reluctance. Not even when + forced into hostilities by the late Amir Sher Ali Khan's espousal + of a Russian alliance, proposed by Russia in contemplation of a + rupture with the British Government, did we relinquish our desire + for the renewal of relations with a strong and friendly Afghan + Power, and, when the son of Sher Ali subsequently sought our + alliance and protection, they were at once accorded to him, on + conditions of which His Highness professed to appreciate the + generosity. The crime, however, which dissolved the Treaty of + Gandamak, and the disclosures which followed that event, finally + convinced the Government of India that the interests committed to + its care could not but be gravely imperilled by further adhesion + to a policy dependent for its fruition on the gratitude, the good + faith, the assumed self-interest, or the personal character of any + Afghan Prince. + + When, therefore, Her Majesty's troops re-entered Afghanistan in + September last, it was with two well-defined and plainly-avowed + objects. The first was to avenge the treacherous massacre of + the British Mission at Kabul; the second was to maintain the + safeguards sought through the Treaty of Gandamak, by providing + for their maintenance guarantees of a more substantial and less + precarious character. + + These two objects have been maintained: the first by the capture + of Kabul and the punishment of the crime committed there, the + second by the severance of Kandahar from the Kabul power. + + Satisfied with their attainment, the Government of India has no + longer any motive or desire to enter into fresh treaty engagements + with the Rulers of Kabul. The arrangements and exchange of + friendly assurances with the Amir Sher Ali, though supplemented on + the part of the Government of India by subsidies and favours of + various kinds, wholly failed to secure the object of them, + which was, nevertheless, a thoroughly friendly one, and no less + conducive to the security and advantage of the Afghan than to + those of the British Power. The treaty with Yakub Khan, which + secured to him our friendship and material support, was equally + ineffectual. Moreover, recent events and arrangements have + fundamentally changed the situation to which our correspondence + and engagements with the Amir of Afghanistan formally applied. Our + advance frontier positions at Kandahar and Kuram have materially + diminished the political importance of Kabul in relation to India, + and although we shall always appreciate the friendship of its + Ruler, our relations with him are now of so little importance to + the paramount objects of our policy that we no longer require to + maintain British agents in any part of his dominions. + + Our only reasons, therefore, for not immediately withdrawing our + forces from northern Afghanistan have hitherto been--_first_, the + excited and unsettled condition of the country round Kabul, + with the attitude of hostility assumed by some leaders of armed + gatherings near Ghazni; and, _secondly_, the inability of the + Kabul Sirdars to agree among themselves on the selection of a + Ruler strong enough to maintain order after our evacuation of the + country. + + The first-named of these reasons has now ceased to exist. In a + minute dated the 30th ultimo the Viceroy and Governor-General + stated that 'the Government is anxious to withdraw as soon as + possible the troops from Kabul and from all points beyond those + to be occupied under the Treaty of Gandamak, except Kandahar. In + order that this may be done, it is desirable to find a Ruler for + Kabul, which will be separated from Kandahar. Steps,' continued + His Excellency, 'are being taken for this purpose. Meanwhile, it + is essential that we should make such a display of strength in + Afghanistan as will show that we are masters of the situation, + and will overawe disaffection.'... 'All that is necessary, from a + political point of view, is for General Stewart to march to + Ghazni, break up any opposition he may find there or in the + neighbourhood, and open up direct communication with General Sir + Frederick Roberts at Kabul.' The military operations thus defined + have been accomplished by General Stewart's successful action + before Ghazni. + + With regard to the second reason mentioned for the retention of + our troops in northern Afghanistan, the appearance of Abdur + Rahman as a candidate for the throne of Kabul, whose claims the + Government of India has no cause to oppose, and who seems to be + approved, and likely to be supported, by at least a majority of + the population, affords fair ground for anticipating that our + wishes in regard to the restoration, before our departure, of + order in that part of the country will now be fulfilled. + + The Governor-General in Council has consequently decided that the + evacuation of Kabul shall be effected not later than October next, + and it is with special reference to this decision that the letter + and message addressed to you by Sirdar Abdur Rahman have been + carefully considered by His Excellency in Council. + + What first claims notice in the consideration of that letter is + the desire that it expresses for the permanent establishment of + Afghanistan with our assistance and sympathy under the joint + protection of the British and Russian Empires. This suggestion, + which is more fully developed in the Sirdar's unwritten message, + cannot be entertained or discussed. + + As already stated, the primary object and declared determination + of the Government of India have been the exclusion of foreign + influence or interference from Afghanistan. This cardinal + condition of amicable relations with Afghanistan has, at all times + and in all circumstances, been deemed essential for the permanent + security of Her Majesty's Indian Empire. As such, it has hitherto + been firmly maintained by successive Governors-General of India + under the explicit instructions of Her Majesty's Government. Nor + has it ever been ignored, or officially contested, by the Russian + Government. That Government, on the contrary, has repeatedly, and + under every recent change of circumstances in Afghanistan, renewed + the assurances solemnly given to the British Government that + 'Russia considers Afghanistan as entirely beyond the sphere of her + influence.' + + It is true that negotiations at one time passed between the two + Governments with a view to the mutual recognition of certain + territories as constituting a neutral zone between their + respective spheres of legitimate influence and action, and that at + one time it was proposed by Russia to treat Afghanistan itself as + a neutral territory. Those negotiations, however, having proved + fruitless, the northern frontier of Afghanistan was finally + determined by mutual agreement, and in 1876 the Russian Government + formally reiterated its adherence to the conclusion that, 'while + maintaining on either side the arrangement come to as regards the + limits of Afghanistan, which is to remain outside the sphere of + Russian action, the two Cabinets should regard as terminated the + discussions relative to the intermediate zone, which promised no + practical result.' + + The position of Afghanistan as defined and settled by these + engagements was again distinctly affirmed on behalf of the Queen's + Government by the Marquis of Salisbury in 1879, and the Government + of India unreservedly maintains it in the fullest conviction + of its essential necessity for the peaceable protection of Her + Majesty's Indian dominions. It is therefore desirable that you + should take occasion to inform Abdur Rahman that the relations of + Afghanistan to the British and Russian Empires are matters which + the Government of India must decline to bring into discussion with + the Sirdar. The Afghan states and tribes are too contiguous + with India, whose North-Western frontier they surround, for the + Government of India ever willingly to accept partnership with + any other Power in the exercise of its legitimate and recognized + influence over those tribes and States. + + The Governor-General in Council is, nevertheless, most anxious + that the Sirdar should not misunderstand the light in which his + personal sentiments and obligations towards Russia are regarded + by the Government of India. So long as the Rulers of Kabul were + amenable to its advice, this Government has never ceased to + impress on them the international duty of scrupulously respecting + all the recognized rights and interests of their Russian + neighbour, refraining from every act calculated to afford the + Russian authorities in Central Asia any just cause of umbrage or + complaint. The intelligence and good sense which are conspicuous + in the Sirdar's letter and messages to you will enable him to + appreciate the difference between conduct regulated on these + principles and that which cost Sher Ali the loss of his throne. + This Government does not desire, nor has it ever desired, to + impose on any Ruler of Kabul conditions incompatible with that + behaviour which Russia, as a powerful and neighbouring Empire, is + entitled to expect from him; least of all can we desire to impose + such conditions on a Prince who has received hospitality and + protection in Russian territory. I am therefore to observe that, + in the natural repugnance expressed by Abdur Rahman to conditions + which 'might make him appear ungrateful' to those 'whose salt he + has eaten,' the Governor-General in Council recognizes a sentiment + altogether honourable to the Sirdar, and perfectly consistent with + the sincerity of his professed goodwill towards ourselves. + + These observations will furnish you with a sufficient answer to + the question asked by Abdur Rahman as to the 'nature of our + friendship' and 'its conditions.' + + The frankness with which he has explained his position entitles + him to receive from us a no less unreserved statement of our own. + The Government of India cordially shares the wish expressed by + Abdur Rahman that, between the British and Russian Empires, his + 'tribes and countrymen may live quietly in ease and peace.' We do + not desire to place them in a position of unfriendliness towards a + Power which is pledged to us to regard their country as 'entirely + beyond the sphere of its action.' The injury to Afghan commerce + caused by the present condition of Afghanistan, to which the + Sirdar has alluded, is fully appreciated by the Government of + India, and on the restoration of peace between the two countries + the revival and development of trade intercourse need present no + difficulty. As regards our own friendship, it will, if sincerely + sought, be freely given, and fully continued so long as it is + loyally reciprocated. But we attach to it no other condition. We + have no concessions to ask or make, and the Sirdar will therefore + perceive that there is really no matter for negotiation or bargain + between him and us. + + On this point your reply to Abdur Rahman cannot be too explicit. + Previous to the Sirdar's arrival in Turkestan, the hostility and + treachery of those whose misconduct he admits and deplores had + compelled the Government of India to make territorial arrangements + of a material and permanent character for the better protection of + our frontier. The maintenance of these arrangements is in no wise + dependent on the assent or dissent, on the good will or ill-will, + of any Chief at Kabul. The character of them has been so fully + explained by you to all the other Kabul Sirdars that it is + probably well known to Abdur Rahman. But in order that our present + intercourse and future relations with the Sirdar may be perfectly + clear of doubt on a point affecting the position he aspires + to fill, the Governor-General in Council authorizes you, if + necessary, to make him plainly understand that neither the + district assigned to us by the Treaty of Gandamak, nor any part + of the province of Kandahar, will ever be restored to the Kabul + Power. + + As regards this last-mentioned province, the Government of India + has been authorized by that of Her Majesty to give to Sher Ali + Khan, the present Wali of Kandahar, a distinct assurance that + he will be not only recognized, but maintained, by the British + Government as the Ruler of that province. Sher Ali Khan is one of + the Native nobles of Kandahar. He is administering the province + with ability, good sense, and complete loyalty to the British + Government, which has promised him the support of a British + garrison so long as he requires such support. The Governor-General + in Council cannot doubt that Sirdar Abdur Rahman will readily + recognize the obligation incumbent on the honour of the British + Government to keep faith with all who, whether at Kandahar or + elsewhere, have proved themselves true and loyal adherents. + Yakub Khan forfeited our alliance, and with it his throne, by + mistrusting the assurances we gave him, and falsifying those + which he had given to us. If, misled by his example, Yakub Khan's + successor attempts to injure or oppress the friends of the British + Government, its power will again be put forth to protect or avenge + them. Similarly, if the next Kabul Ruler reintroduces into his + Court or country foreign influences adverse to our own, the + Government of India will again take such steps as it may deem + expedient to deal with such a case. These contingencies, however, + cannot occur if the sentiments of Abdur Rahman are such as + he represents them to be. Meanwhile, the territorial and + administrative arrangements already completed by us for the + permanent protection of our own interests are not susceptible of + negotiation or discussion with Abdur Rahman or any other claimant + to the throne of Kabul. + + To the settlement of Herat, which is not included in these + completed arrangements, the Governor-General in Council cannot + authorize you to make or invite any reference in your reply to + Abdur Rahman. The settlement of the future administration of + Herat has been undertaken by Her Majesty's Government; with those + present views in regard to this important question, the Government + of India is not yet acquainted. + + Nor can our evacuation of Kabul constitute any subject for + proposals in your correspondence with the Sirdar. This measure + was determined on by the Government of India long before the + appearance of Abdur Rahman as a candidate for the government of + the country we are about to evacuate. It has not been caused by + the hostility, and is not, therefore, conditional on the goodwill, + of any Afghan Power. + + The Government of India is, however, very willing to carry out the + evacuation of Kabul in the manner most conducive to the personal + advantage of Abdur Rahman, whose interests we believe to be, more + than those of any other Sirdar, in accordance with the general + interests of the Afghan people. For this reason it is desirable + that you should inform Abdur Rahman of our intention to evacuate + Kabul, and our desire to take that opportunity of unconditionally + transferring to his authority the whole of the country from which + our troops will be withdrawn. You are authorized to add that our + military and political officers at Kabul will be empowered to + facilitate any practical arrangement suggested by the Sirdar for + promptly and peaceably effecting, in co-operation with him, the + transfer thus contemplated on his behalf. Such arrangement must, + however, be consistent with our obligations towards those who have + served and aided the British Government during our occupation of + those territories. + + For this purpose, it appears to the Governor-General in Council + desirable that the Sirdar should lose no time in proceeding to + Kabul, and there settling, in conference with General Stewart and + yourself, such preliminary arrangements as may best promote the + undisturbed establishment of his future government. + + The Governor-General in Council has, however, no desire to press + this suggestion, should it appear to the Sirdar that his presence + at Kabul, previous to the withdrawal of our troops for the purpose + of personal conference with the British authorities, might have + the effect of weakening his popularity, or compromising his + position in the eyes of his future subjects. + + The point is one which must be left entirely to the Sirdar's own + judgment and inclination. + + But Abdur Rahman is doubtless aware that there are at present, + in and around Kabul, personages not destitute of influence, who + themselves aspire to the sovereignty he seeks, and that the family + of Yakub has still numerous personal adherents, who may possibly + take advantage of the withdrawal of our troops to oppose the + Sirdar's authority if he is not personally present to assert it. + + It should on both sides he remembered and understood that it is + not the policy of this Government to impose upon the Afghan people + an unpopular Ruler or to interfere uninvited in the administration + of a friendly one. If Abdur Rahman proves able and disposed to + conciliate the confidence of his countrymen, without forfeiting + the good understanding which he seeks with us, he will assuredly + find his best support in our political appreciation of that fact. + Our reason for unconditionally transferring to him the government + of the country, from which our forces will in any case be + withdrawn a few months hence, is that, on the whole, he appears to + be the Chief best able to restore order in that country, and also + best entitled to undertake such a task. In his performance of it + he will receive, if he requires it, our assistance. But we neither + need nor wish to hamper, by preliminary stipulations or provisoes, + his independent exercise of a sovereignty which he declares + himself anxious to maintain on a footing of peace and friendship + with the British Government. + + The present statement of the views and intentions of His + Excellency the Governor-General in Council respecting Abdur Rahman + will enable you to represent them with adequate accuracy in your + reply to the Sirdar's friendly overtures, and it will now be your + duty to convey to Abdur Rahman, without any avoidable delay, + the answer of the Government of India to the letter and message + received from him. His Excellency feels assured that you will give + full expression to the spirit of candour and goodwill in which + these communications have been received and are reciprocated. + + But I am to impress on your attention the importance of avoiding + any expression which might appear to suggest or admit matter for + negotiation or discussion in reference to the relative positions + of the Sirdar and the Government of India. + + In conclusion, I am to request that on receipt of this letter you + will be so good as to lose no time in submitting its contents to + General Sir Donald Stewart, should he then have reached Kabul. + In any case, you will, of course, communicate them to General + Roberts, and act upon them in consultation with the chief military + authority on the spot. + + * * * * * + + + + +APPENDIX X. + +(Referred to in Chapter LIX, Footnote 2.) + +_Extract from a Report by LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR FREDERICK ROBERTS, +V.C., K.C.B., to the QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL IN INDIA, dated Kabul, +17th April, 1880._ + +25. I think I have now dealt with all the points of military +importance connected with the military position in northern +Afghanistan, but there are a few questions of more general interest +which I desire to bring to the notice of His Excellency the +Commander-in-Chief and the Government of India. + +26. First with regard to rations. The daily scale of issue to Native +troops is given in the margin. + +[Sidenote: _Daily ration of Native soldiers_: + + Atta[1] 12 chittacks [2] + Dall[3] 2 chittacks + Ghi[4] 1 chittack + Salt 1/3 chittack + Meat 1 lb. bi-weekly + Rum 1 dram " ] + +It has been found throughout the campaign, even when the men were +employed upon hard work, that '12 chittacks' of 'atta' daily are amply +sufficient for the Native troops, supplemented, as of late, through +the liberality of Government, by a bi-weekly issue of 1 lb. of +meat. In a climate like Afghanistan, where the inhabitants are all +meat-eaters, this liberality has been most wise. Every endeavour was +made, before this sanction was granted, to supply the Native portion +of the force with meat on payment, and I attribute to this in great +measure the sound health and excellent stamina which they now exhibit. + +With regard to the issue of rum, I would suggest that it should not be +issued free to Native troops, except under exceptional circumstances +of fatigue and weather, but that the Commissariat Department should +be authorized to have in store a sufficiency of rum to admit of a +bi-weekly issue to such troops as drink the spirit, _on payment_, and +then only on the recommendation of the Medical Officer, and under the +sanction of the General Officer commanding. On all occasions when rum +is sanctioned, either free or on payment, those who do not partake +of spirits should he allowed a ration of tea and sugar under similar +conditions. + +27. The scale of rations for Native followers requires no alteration. + +[Sidenote: _Daily ration of European soldiers_: + + Meat 1-1/4 lb. + Bread 1-1/4 lb. + Vegetables 1-1/4 lb. + Rice 4 oz. + Salt 2/3 oz. + Tea 3/4 oz. + Sugar 3 oz. + Rum 1 dr.] + +28. The European rations now under issue in Kabul are as per margin, +and with reference to them I would make the following remarks: +The increase of 1/4 lb. in bread and meat is, in my opinion, very +desirable, for not only is the meat, as a rule, on service inferior to +that served in cantonments, but the extras which can be procured from +the coffee-shop are not here forthcoming. When the vegetable ration +consists of potatoes, 1 lb. is sufficient, but when it is made of +mixed vegetables 1-1/4 lb. is necessary. The substitution of _dall_ +for any portion of the vegetable ration I consider undesirable. + +Tinned soups and meats and biscuits are most valuable, and should be +liberally supplied to every force in the field. They are portable and +liked by the men, to whom they furnish a very welcome change of diet. +I would very strongly recommend that a much larger issue of these +articles than has hitherto been sanctioned should be provided. + +[Sidenote: Firewood.] + +29. A question which has arisen during this campaign, and which may +crop up again, has been the provision of firewood for cooking to +Native troops and followers. Throughout the winter firewood could not +be purchased at Kabul, and it was absolutely necessary to issue it to +these men. This was done at the rate of one _seer_[5] per man, but +this amount is not arbitrary, and might, under certain circumstances, +be diminished. Since roads were re-opened and markets re-established +the issue of wood has been discontinued. In framing any future rules +for the guidance of a force in the field, the question of providing +firewood through the Commissariat Department for Native troops and +followers, free or on payment, should be vested in the General +Officers commanding. + +[Sidenote: Shoes.] + +30. The scale of clothing authorized by Government for Native troops +and followers was found, even in the rigorous climate of Afghanistan, +to be most liberal, except that during the very coldest weather a +second blanket was required. This want I was able to meet from stock +in hand, and as the weather became milder these extra blankets were +withdrawn and returned into store. Warm stockings, too, are very +necessary in a climate where frostbite is not uncommon; fortunately, +some thousands were procured locally and issued to followers. The +ordinary Native shoe of India, as provided by the Commissariat +Department, is utterly unfitted for a country such as Afghanistan. +Major Badcock will send to Peshawar (where they can easily be made up) +a pattern Kabali shoe, which I am convinced would be found admirably +suited for Native troops and followers crossing the frontier. We are +now almost entirely dependent on the local market for our shoes. + +[Sidenote: Ammunition boots.] + +A large supply of English-made ammunition boots should always +accompany a force in the field, in order to allow those Natives who +use them, and who are often crippled by wearing other descriptions of +shoe, to obtain them on payment at the moderate rate now fixed, viz., +Rs. 4 per pair. + +[Sidenote: Waterproof sheets.] + +The country-made waterproof sheets, though slightly heavier, have +proved themselves quite as serviceable, if not more so, than the +English-made ones. + +At the close of the campaign, I would very strongly recommend that an +intelligent committee should be required to go thoroughly into +these questions of clothing for troops, British and Native, and for +followers. I would also suggest that when a decision is arrived at, +sealed patterns of every article approved should be deposited at all +manufacturing centres and in all the large jails, so that when certain +articles are required they need only be called for, and precious time +(often wasted in reference and correspondence) saved. + +[Sidenote: Doolie-bearers.] + +31. The number of doolie-bearers with the two divisions of the Kabul +Field Force now at Kabul is 3,536, with the very moderate sick report +of 35, or 1 per cent. of strength. + + Doolies and dandies are distributed as follows: + + British troops {doolies, 3 per cent. + {dandies, 2 per cent. + + Native troops {doolies, 2 per cent. + {dandies, 3 per cent. + +--a percentage which I consider sufficient for field-service, as, in +the event of any unusual number of casualties, transport animals could +and would be made use of, and it is most undesirable to increase the +number of followers. + +[Sidenote: The Lushai dandy.] + +The Lushai dandy for this sort of warfare is much preferable to the +carpet or dhurrie dandy, as it can be made into a bed, and men are not +so liable to fall out of it. + +[Sidenote: Bourke's doolie.] + +Bourke's doolie is very good, but liable to get out of order, and +difficult to repair when broken; the ordinary kind is fairly good and +serviceable. + +[Sidenote: Field-service tents.] + +32. I would urge that in future all field-service tents should be +made after the pattern of the Mountain Battery tent, single fly +for Natives, double for Europeans, and that the poles should be +constructed on the telescopic principle: that is, that no thinning +of the wood where it enters the socket should be allowed either on +uprights or ridge-pole, and that the old system of paring away should +be abandoned. Instead, the upper section should sit flat on the lower. +Doubtless the sockets will have to be longer and stronger than those +now in use, but this is the only means by which tents can be adapted +to mule and pony carriage, which will no doubt in future wars be our +chief means of transport. + +[Sidenote: Waler horses.] + +33. The Waler horses of the Cavalry and Artillery have stood the +strain remarkably well, considering the hard work and great exposure +they have had to bear, and also that for a considerable time they were +entirely deprived of green food. I feel sure this information will +be most satisfactory, seeing that, for the future, the Artillery and +Cavalry in India must mainly depend upon the Australian market for +their remounts. + +[Sidenote: Committee to record suggestions on equipment.] + +34. As there are some minor points of detail which might +advantageously be considered by those who have had the experience of +recent service, I have convened a committee, with Colonel MacGregor, +C.B., as President, which will take suggestions and record opinions +regarding packing transport animals, equipment, kit, dress, etc., of +both officers and men of the several branches of the service. From +the constitution of the committee, I feel certain that their +recommendations cannot but be valuable, and I hope to have the honour +of submitting them shortly for the consideration of His Excellency the +Commander-in-Chief. + + +[Footnote 1: Flour.] + +[Footnote 2: A chittack = 2 ounces.] + +[Footnote 3: A kind of pea.] + +[Footnote 4: Clarified butter.] + +[Footnote 5: A seer = 2 lb.] + + + * * * * * + + + + +APPENDIX XI. (Referred to in Chapter LXVI, Footnote 3.) + +INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE GUIDANCE OF GENERAL AND OTHER OFFICERS COMMANDING +COLUMNS IN BURMA. + +MANDALAY, _20th. November, 1886._ + +The following general instructions for the guidance of +Brigadier-Generals and Officers in command of columns are published by +order of His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief in India: + +_1st_.--Columns sent out for the pacification of a district, or in +pursuit of a particular gang of dacoits, must be amply provided and +able to keep the field for ten days at least. To enable this to be +done without employing an undue number of transport animals, it is +necessary that every endeavour be made to obtain grain for Cavalry +horses and Transport ponies from the villages passed through; careful +inquiry must be made as to where supplies can be obtained locally, and +the line of advance determined accordingly. Arrangements must be made +for replenishing the supply when necessary from depots which must be +formed at convenient centres when the nature of the operations may +necessitate it. These depots should be pushed forward from time to +time as the troops advance. The work of a column obliged to return to +its base of supply before it has had an opportunity of completing the +object of the expedition must be more harmful than beneficial, as its +failure emboldens the enemy and weakens the confidence of the people +in our power to protect them and to reach the offenders. + +_2nd_.--Where two or more columns are acting in concert, the details +of time and place of movement should be settled beforehand with the +greatest nicety, and the commanding officers of all such columns +should be provided with the same maps, or tracings from them, so that +subsequent changes of plan, rendered necessary by later information, +may be understood and conformed to by all. Officers commanding columns +must do their utmost to get into, and keep up, communication with one +another. This can be effected by: + + Visual signalling, + Spies and scouts, + Patrolling. + +_3rd_.--Movements to be executed in concert with the troops in other +brigades or commands, or likely to tell directly or indirectly on the +districts commanded by other officers, will be fully communicated to +those officers, both beforehand and when in progress. + +_4th_.--Brigadier-Generals are empowered to give very liberal +remuneration for the effective service of guides and for information +involving danger to those who give it. They may delegate this power to +selected officers in detached commands, but a close watch must be kept +on expenditure under this head. Opportunities should be afforded to +timid informers who are afraid to compromise themselves by entering +camp to interview officers at some distance out and in secrecy. + +_5th_.--Cavalry horses and Mounted Infantry ponies must be saved as +much as is compatible with occasional forced and rapid marches. On +ordinary occasions the riders should dismount, from time to time, and +march alongside of their horses or ponies. + +_6th_.--The special attention of all officers is called to the careful +treatment of pack-animals, and officers in command of columns and +parties will be held strictly responsible that the animals are +properly loaded for the march, saved as much as possible during it, +and carefully attended to and fed after it. Officers in command will +ascertain by daily personal supervision and inspection that these +orders are carried out. + +_7th_.--It must be remembered that the chief object of traversing +the country with columns is to cultivate friendly relations with the +inhabitants, and at the same time to put before them evidences of +our power, thus gaining their good-will and their confidence. It is +therefore the bounden duty of commanding officers to ascertain that +the troops under their command are not permitted to injure the +property of the people or to wound their susceptibilities. + +_8th_.--The most injurious accounts of our intentions have been +circulated amongst, and believed by, the people, and too much pains +cannot be taken to eradicate this impression, and to assure the people +both by act and word of our good-will towards the law-abiding. Chief +men of districts should he treated with consideration and distinction. +The success of the present operations will much depend on the tact +with which the inhabitants are treated. + +_9th_.--When there is an enemy in arms against British rule, all +arrangements must be made not only to drive him from his position, +but also to surround the position so as to inflict the heaviest loss +possible. Resistance overcome without inflicting punishment on the +enemy only emboldens him to repeat the game, and thus, by protracting +operations, costs more lives than a severe lesson promptly +administered, even though that lesson may cause some casualties on +our side. Arrangements should be made to surround villages and jungle +retreats with Cavalry, and afterwards to hunt them closely with +Infantry. In the pursuit the broadest margin possible will be drawn +between leaders of rebellion and the professional dacoit on the one +part, and the villagers who have been forced into combinations against +us. _Bohs_ and leaders will generally be found heading the column of +fugitives, and a portion of the Cavalry should be directed to pursue +them without wasting time over the rank and file of the enemy. + +_10th_.--Unless otherwise ordered, columns of occupation should move +in short marches, halting at the principal towns and villages. This +will give civil officers opportunities for becoming thoroughly +acquainted with their districts, and give military officers time to +reconnoitre and sketch the country. + +_11th_.--Where troops are likely to be quartered for some time, bamboo +platforms should be erected to keep the men off the ground. Tents, if +afterwards provided, can be pitched on the platforms. + +_12th_.--The greatest latitude will be allowed to Brigadier-Generals +and officers in local command in ordering and carrying out movements +for the pacification of their districts. They will, however, report as +fully as possible all movements intended and in progress, through +the regular channel, for the information of His Excellency the +Commander-in-Chief. + +_13th_.--Civil officers will be detailed under the orders of the Chief +Commissioner to accompany columns. As they are in a position to reward +loyalty and good service, they will be able to obtain more reliable +guides and intelligence than the military officers can hope to get. +The Chief Commissioner has authorized selected Burmans, men of +position who may look for official appointments, being employed as +scouts by the civil officers of districts and being attached to +columns. These scouts should wear some distinguishing and conspicuous +mark or badge to prevent them being fired on by the troops. They +should not be called upon to take the front when approaching an +unbroken enemy, or where ambuscades may be expected, but their +services will be most valuable in gaining information, and later in +hunting down the individuals of a broken-up gang. + +_14th_.--Absolute secrecy must be maintained regarding movements +against the enemy and every device resorted to to mislead him. + +_15th_.--When civil officers accompany columns, all prisoners will be +handed over to them for disposal. When no civil officer is present, +the officer commanding the column will, _ex officio_, have magisterial +powers to inflict punishment up to two years' imprisonment, or 30 +lashes. Offenders deserving heavier punishment must be reserved for +disposal by the civil officers. + +_16th_.--Officers commanding columns will be held responsible that the +troops are not kept in unhealthy districts, and that, when a locality +has proved itself unhealthy, the troops are removed at the earliest +possible opportunity. Military officers are responsible for the +location of the troops. The requisitions of civil officers will be +complied with, whenever practicable, but military officers are to +judge in all matters involving the military or sanitary suitability of +a position. + +_17th_.--In the class of warfare in which we are now engaged, where +night surprises and ambuscades are the only formidable tactics of the +enemy, the greatest care must be taken to ensure the safety of the +camp at night. To meet ambuscades, which usually take the form of a +volley followed by flight, and which, in very dense jungle, it may +be impossible to discover or guard against by means of flankers, His +Excellency the Commander-in-Chief would wish the following plan to be +tried: Supposing, for instance, the fire of the enemy to be delivered +from the right, a portion of the force in front should be ready to +dash along the road for 100 yards, or so, or until some opening in +the jungle offers itself. The party should then turn to the right and +sweep round with a view to intercepting the enemy in his flight. A +party in rear should similarly enter the jungle to their right with +the same object. The centre of the column would hold the ground and +protect the baggage or any wounded men. The different parties must be +previously told off, put under the command of selected leaders, and +must act with promptitude and dash. Each party must be kept in compact +order, and individual firing must be prohibited, except when there is +a clear prospect. Past experience suggests the adoption of some such +plan as the above, but in guerilla warfare officers must suit their +tactics to the peculiar and ever-varying circumstances in which they +may find themselves engaged. + +_18th_.--The Government have ordered a general disarmament of the +country, as soon as the large bands of rebels and dacoits are +dispersed. The orders for this disarmament direct that all firearms +are to be taken from the people, but that a moderate number may be +returned to responsible villagers who are loyal and are able to +defend themselves. No firearms will be returned save under registered +licenses; and licenses will be given only for villages which can +produce a certain number (5 to 10) guns, and are either stockaded or +fenced against sudden attack. The duty of disarming lies on civil +officers and the police; but as it is desirable that the disarmament +should be effected as quickly as possible, officers commanding posts +and columns will give such assistance as may be in their power in +carrying it out. + + * * * * * + + + + +APPENDIX XII. + +(Referred to in Chapter LXVIII, Note *.) + +_To His EXCELLENCY THE RIGHT HONOURABLE FREDERICK BARON ROBERTS +OF KANDAHAR AND WATERFORD, BART., V.C., G.C.B., G.C.I.E., R.A., +Commander-in-Chief of Her Majesty's Forces in India._ + +MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY, + +We, the undersigned, representing the Sikhs of the Punjab, most +respectfully beg to approach Your Excellency with this humble address +of farewell on Your Lordship's approaching departure from this +country. We cannot give adequate expression to the various ideas which +are agitating our minds at this juncture, relating as they do to the +past, present, and future, making us feel, at one and the same time, +grateful, happy, and sorrowful. The success which Your Excellency has +achieved in Asia is such as makes India and England proud of it. The +history of the British Empire in India has not, at least for the last +thirty years, produced a hero like Your Lordship, whose soldier-like +qualities are fully known to the world. The country which had been the +cradle of Indian invasions came to realize the extent of your power +and recognized your generalship. The victories gained by Sale, Nott, +and Pollock in the plains of Afghanistan have been shadowed by those +gained by Your Excellency. The occupation of Kabul and the glorious +battle of Kandahar are among the brightest jewels in the diadem of +Your Lordship's Baronage. Your Excellency's achievements checked +the aggressive advance of the Great Northern Bear, whose ambitious +progress received a check from the roar of a lion in the person of +Your Lordship; and a zone of neutral ground has now been fixed, and a +line of peace marked by the Boundary Commission. The strong defences +which Your Excellency has provided on the frontier add another bright +stone to the building of your fame, and constitute in themselves a +lasting memorial of Your Excellency's martial skill. Never had any +British General to face more arduous tasks, and none has proved more +completely successful in overcoming them than Your Lordship. The +result is that India has been rendered safe from the fear of invasion +from without. Your Excellency is not only adorned with heroic +qualifications, but the love and affection with which the people of +India regard Your Lordship show what admirable qualities are exhibited +in the person of Your Excellency. Terrible in war and merciful in +peace, Your Excellency's name has become a dread to the enemies of +England and lovely to your friends. The interest which Your Lordship +has always taken in the welfare of those with whom you have worked in +India is well known to everybody. The Sikhs in particular are, more +than any other community in India, indebted to Your Lordship. We find +in Your Excellency a true friend of the Sikh community--a community +which is always devoted heart and soul to the service of Her Most +Gracious Majesty the Empress of India. No one understands better than +Your Excellency the value of a Sikh soldier, and we feel very grateful +that the military authorities recognize the necessity of requiring +every Sikh recruit to be baptized according to the Sikh religion +before admission to the Army--a practice which makes the Sikhs more +true and faithful, and which preserves the existence of a very +useful community. The Sikhs are said to be born soldiers, but +they undoubtedly make very good citizens in time of peace also. +Unfortunately, however, they have had no opportunity of fully +developing their mental powers, so as to enable them to advance with +the spirit of the age. We thank God that Your Excellency was among +those who most desired to see the Sikhs refined and educated by +establishing a Central College in the Punjab for the use of the Sikh +people, and we confidently hope that the Sikhs, of whom a large +portion is under Your Excellency's command, will give their mite in +support of this national seminary. The subscriptions given by Your +Lordship, His Excellency the Viceroy, and His Honour the late +Lieutenant-Governor, were very valuable to the Institution, and the +Sikhs are highly gratified by the honour Your Excellency has lately +given to the Khalsa Diwan by becoming its honorary patron. In +conclusion, we beg only to repeat that it is quite beyond our power to +state how much we are indebted to Your Excellency, and how much we are +affected by the news that Your Lordship will shortly leave this land. +The very idea of our separation from the direct contact of so strong +and affectionate a leader, as Your Excellency undoubtedly is, makes us +feel very sorrowful; but as our hearts and prayers will always be with +you and Lady Roberts, we shall be consoled if Your Excellency would +only keep us in your memory, and on arrival in England assure Her Most +Gracious Majesty, the Mother-Empress, that all Sikhs, whether high or +low, strong or weak, old or young, are heartily devoted to her Crown +and her representatives in this country. Before retiring, we thank +Your Excellency for the very great honour that has been done to the +people of Lahore by Your Lordship's visit to this city. + + * * * * * + + + + +APPENDIX XIII. + +(Referred to in Chapter LXVIII, Note *.) + + +_To HIS EXCELLENCY GENERAL THE RIGHT HONOURABLE FREDERICK BARON +ROBERTS OF KANDAHAR AND WATERFORD, BART., V.C., G.C.B., G.C.I.E., +R.A., Commander-in-Chief of Her Majesty's Forces in India._ + +MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY, + +We are proud to stand in Your Lordship's presence to-day on behalf of +the Hindus of the Punjab, the loyal subjects of the Queen-Empress, who +appreciate the countless blessings which British Rule has conferred +upon this country, to give expression to the feelings of gratitude +which are uppermost in their hearts. We feel it really an honour that +we are able to show our appreciation of British Rule in the presence +of the eminent soldier and statesman who has taken an important +part in making the India of to-day what it is--contented within +and strengthened against aggression from abroad. The Punjab is +the province where the military strength of the Empire is being +concentrated, and the bravery of the warlike races inhabiting it, +which furnish the flower of Her Gracious Majesty's forces of the Army +in India, has been conspicuously displayed on several occasions during +the last thirty years. We Hindus have availed ourselves the most of +the facilities which British Rule has provided for the progress of the +people in commercial enterprise, educational advance, and political +progress. We are, therefore, all the more proud that we have been +allowed to-day to greet in person the mighty soldier, the sympathetic +Commander, and the sagacious Statesman, the record of whose +distinguished career in the East is virtually the history of nearly +half a century of glorious victories--victories both of peace and +war--achieved by the British Power in Asia, to show how intense is +our gratitude towards the Queen-Empress and one of her eminent +representatives in India, who have striven to do their duty by the +people of this country, and done it to the satisfaction of the people +and of their Gracious Sovereign. The interests of India and England +are identical, and the Hindus of the Punjab regard British Rule as a +Providential gift to this country--an agency sent to raise the people +in the scale of civilization. Anything that is done to guarantee +the continuance of the present profoundly peaceful condition of the +country is highly appreciated by us, and we are, therefore, all the +more grateful to Your Lordship for all that your courage, foresight, +sagacity, and high statesmanship have been able to achieve. At a time +when all the races and communities inhabiting this frontier province, +which has been truly described as the sword-hand in India, are vying +with each other in showing their high appreciation of the good work +done by Your Excellency, of which not the least significant proof lies +in the arrangement for the defence of the country at all vulnerable +points of the frontier, the Hindus are anxious to show that they yield +to none in the enthusiasm which marks the demonstrations held in your +honour. But Your Excellency commands our esteem and regard on other +grounds also. The deep interest that you have throughout your career +felt in the welfare of the sepoy, and the closest ties of genuine +friendship which you have established with many a notable of our +community, have laid us under deep obligations to Your Excellency. The +encouragement that you have given to the organization of the Imperial +Service Troops of the Native States is also gratefully appreciated by +us; and only the other day we were gratified to learn the high opinion +Your Excellency entertained of the appearance and military equipment +of the Imperial Service Troops of Jammu and Kashmir, the most +important Hindu State in this part of India. We should be wanting in +duty, we feel, did we not on this occasion give expression to the +great regret which the news of your approaching departure from India +has caused among the Hindus of the Punjab, who feel that they are +parting from a kind friend and a sympathetic Ruler. At the same time, +we feel that the country will not lose the benefit of your mature +experience and wise counsel for long; for we are hopeful that you may +some day be called upon to guide the helm of the State in India, a +work for which you are so specially fitted. In conclusion, we have +only to pray to the Father of All Good that He may shower His choicest +blessings upon you and your consort--that noble lady who has, in +addition to cheering you in your hard and onerous work in India, +herself done a great deal for the comfort of the soldier and the +sepoy, and that He may grant you many years of happy life--a life +which has done so much for the Queen-Empress's dominions, and which +may yet do much more. + + * * * * * + + + + +APPENDIX XIV. + +(Referred to in Chapter LXVIII, Note *.) + +_To HIS EXCELLENCY GENERAL THE RIGHT HONOURABLE FREDERICK BARON +ROBERTS OF KANDAHAR AND WATERFORD, BART., V.C., G.C.B., G.C.I.E., +R.A., Commander-in-Chief of Her Majesty's Forces in India._ + +MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY, + +We, the Mahomedans of the Punjab, have dared to approach Your +Excellency with this address with eyes tear-bedimmed, but a face +smiling. The departure of a noble and well-beloved General like +yourself from our country is in itself a fact that naturally fills our +eyes with tears. What could be more sorrowful than this, our farewell +to an old officer and patron of ours, who has passed the prominent +portion of his life in our country, developed our young progeny to +bravery and regular soldiery, decorated them with honours, and created +them to high titles? Your Excellency's separation is the harder to +bear for the men of the Punjab because it is our Punjab that is proud +of the fact that about forty years ago the foundation stone of all +your famous and noble achievements, which not only India, but England, +rightly boasts of, was laid down in one of its frontier cities, and +that the greater part of your indomitable energies was spent in the +Punjab frontier defence. If, therefore, we are sad at separating from +Your Excellency, it will not in any way be looked upon as strange. +But these feelings of sorrow are mixed with joy when we see that the +useful officer whom in 1852 we had welcomed at Peshawar, when the star +of his merits was beginning to rise, departs from us in splendour and +glory in the capacity of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armies of a +vast Empire like India, and is an example of the highest type to +all soldiers. This address is too brief for a detail of all the +meritorious services rendered by your Excellency in the Punjab, India +and other foreign countries from that early epoch to this date. Your +zeal in the Mutiny of 1857, your heroic achievements in the Abyssinian +and Afghan wars, your repeated victories of Kandahar, and your +statesmanlike conduct of the Burma wars--all these are facts which +deserve to be written in golden characters in the annals of Indian +history. Your appointment as legislative and executive member of the +Supreme Council of the Government of India for a considerable period +has proved a source of blessings to the whole of India, and Your +Excellency deserves an ample share of the credit due to the Council +for all its useful regulations and reforms. The great liking that +men of noble birth in India have been showing for some time towards +military service is a clear demonstration of the excellent treatment +received at your hands by military officers, as in the reforms made +by you in the military pay and pension and other regulations. Another +boon for which the Natives of India will always remember your name +with gratitude, is that you have fully relied upon, and placed your +confidence in, the Natives, thus uniting them the more firmly to the +British Crown, making them more loyal, and establishing the good +relations between the Rulers and the ruled on a firmer footing to +their mutual good. Especially as Mussalmans of the Punjab are we proud +that before Your Excellency's departure you have had the opportunity +of reviewing the Imperial Service Troops of the Mahomedan State of +Bhawalpur, one of the leading Native States of the Punjab, whose +Ruler's efforts to make his troops worthy to take their place by the +side of British troops for the defence of India is only one instance +of the spirit of active loyalty which we are glad to say animates the +entire Mussalman community of the Punjab. Disturbances arising from +foreign intrusions are not unknown to us, and we have not sufficient +words to thank your Lordship for the admirable management of the +frontier defence work carried on to protect our country from all +possible encroachments. The greatest pleasure and satisfaction, +however, that we Mahomedans feel in presenting this address to Your +Lordship emanates from the idea that you go on your way home to your +native country with a high and favourable opinion of the Mahomedans of +India, true and loyal subjects to Her Majesty the Queen-Empress, whose +number exceeds six crores, and who are rapidly growing. During the +Mutiny of 1857 the Chieftains and soldiers of our nation spared +neither money nor arms in the reduction and submission of the rebels. +Your Lordship is also aware what loyalty was displayed by the +Mahomedans of India during the Afghan and Egyptian wars, waged against +their own co-religionists, and the cheerfulness shown by them in +following your Lordship in all your victories. Frontier services, such +as the Kabul Embassy and the Delimitation Commission, rendered by the +officers of our creed are also well known to you. We are therefore +sanguine that Your Lordship's own observation will enable all the +members of the Ruling race in India to form an opinion of the +relations that exist between us and the British Crown. The Mahomedans +of India and the Punjab are proud of being the devoted subjects of the +Queen-Empress. In so acting we perform our religious duties, for our +sacred religion enjoins upon us faithfulness and obedience towards our +Ruling monarch, and teaches us to regard the Christians as our own +brethren. The regard and esteem which we should have, therefore, for +a Christian Government, as that of our kind mother the Queen-Empress, +needs no demonstration. Although, for certain reasons which we need +not detail here, our nation has been deficient in education, and we +have been left much behind in obtaining civil employment, we hope that +your long experience of our service will prove a good testimonial in +favour of the warlike spirit, military genius, and loyalty of +our nation, and if the circle of civil employment has become too +straitened for us, the military line will be generously opened to us. +We do not want to encroach upon Your Lordship's valuable time any +further. We therefore finish our address, offering our heartfelt +thanks to your Lordship for all those kindnesses you have been wont to +show during your time towards India and Indians in general, and the +Punjab and Punjabis in particular, and take leave of Your Lordship +with the following prayer: 'May God bless thee wherever thou mayest +be, and may thy generosities continue to prevail upon us for a long +time.' While actuated by these feelings, we are not the less aware +that our country owes a great deal to Lady Roberts, to whom we beg +that Your Excellency will convey our heartfelt thanks for her lively +interest in the welfare of Indian soldiers in particular and the +people generally. In conclusion, we wish Your Excellencies God-speed +and a pleasant and safe voyage. That Your Excellencies may have +long, happy, and prosperous lives, and achieve ever so many more +distinctions and honours, and return to us very shortly in a still +higher position, to confer upon the Empire the blessings of a +beneficent Rule, is our heartfelt and most sincere prayer. + + * * * * * + + + + +APPENDIX XV. + +(Referred to in Chapter LXVIII, Note *.) + +_To His EXCELLENCY GENERAL THE RIGHT HONOURABLE FREDERICK BARON +ROBERTS OF KANDAHAR AND WATERFORD, BART., V.C., G.C.B., G.C.I.E., +R.A., Commander-in-Chief of Her Majesty's Forces in India._ + +MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY, + +We, the representatives of the European community in the Punjab, are +the prouder to-day of our British blood, in that it links us in close +kinship, to one who has so bravely maintained the honour of the +British Empire alike in the years of peace and storm that India has +seen during the last three decades. During the Mutiny Your Excellency +performed feats of gallantry that are historic. Since then your +career has been one of brilliant success and growing military renown. +Whenever, in the histories of war, men speak of famous marches, that +from Kabul to Kandahar comes straightway to the lips. When our mind +turns to military administration, we remember the unqualified +success of Your Excellency's career as Quartermaster-General and as +Commander-in-Chief of Her Majesty's Forces in India, in both of which +high offices you have added honour and glory to your great name, which +will never be forgotten in India. When the private soldier, rightly or +wrongly, thinks he has a grievance, his desire is only that somehow it +may be brought to the notice of Your Excellency, from whom, through +experience, he expects full justice and generous sympathy. When we +look towards our frontier and see the strategic railways and roads, +and the strong places of arms that threaten the invader, we know that +for those safeguards the Empire is in no small degree indebted to +the resolute wisdom of Your Excellency as military adviser to the +Government of India. Last, but not least, as a Statesman, Your +Excellency ranks second to none in the Empire in the opinion of your +countrymen in this North-West frontier province; and we should gladly +welcome the day, if it might ever arrive, when Your Excellency +returned to India. It is here that we see most clearly the passage of +events beyond our borders and mark the signs of brooding trouble; and +our hope has always been that, when that trouble should break forth, +yours might be the hand to guide England's flag to victory again. The +Punjab is the sword of India, and Your Excellency has had the courage +to lean most strongly upon that sword. It is here that the pulse of +the army beats in India; it is hence that the enemies of our country +shall feel the downright blow; and it is here that the greatest +grief is felt in parting from so true a soldier and so far-seeing a +Statesman as Your Excellency. It is meet, therefore, that here we +should assemble upon this occasion of farewell to express the great +sorrow which we, the representatives of the Europeans in the Punjab, +feel at the prospect of losing so soon the clear brain and strong hand +that Your Excellency has always brought to the control of the Army in +India and to the solution of all questions of political or military +moment. In doing so, we mourn for the loss of one of the best +statesmen, the best general, and the best friend to the soldier in +India. We say nothing of the kindly relations Your Excellency has +always been able to establish with the other races in India; our +fellow-subjects here will doubtless do so in their turn. We say +nothing of Your Excellency's and Lady Roberts' charming social +qualities, nor Her Ladyship's philanthropic work in India. We are here +only to express our grief at parting with one whom we value so highly +for the sake of our common country, and our hope that as your past has +been full of glory to the Empire and honour to yourself, so may your +future be; and that you may be spared for many years to wield the +sword and guide the counsels of our country. + + * * * * * + + + + +APPENDIX XVI. + +(Referred to in Chapter LXVIII, Footnote 11.) + +_To His EXCELLENCY GENERAL THE RIGHT HONOURABLE FREDERICK BARON +ROBERTS OF KANDAHAR AND WATERFORD, BART., V.C., G.C.B., G.C.I.E., +R.A., Commander-in-Chief of Her Imperial Majesty's Army in India._ + +MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY, + +We, the Talukdars of Oudh, as loyal and faithful subjects of the +Empress of India, avail ourselves of the present opportunity of +offering Your Excellency a most cordial and respectful welcome to the +Capital of Oudh. + +The long and valuable services rendered by Your Excellency to the +Crown and the country are well known to, and are deeply appreciated +by, us. Your Excellency's wise and vigorous administration of Her +Majesty's Army in India has won for you our respectful admiration; +while your prowess in the battlefield, and your wisdom in Council +during the eventful period of your supreme command of Her Majesty's +Indian Forces, have inspired us with confidence in your great military +talents and your single-minded and earnest devotion to duty. In many +a battle you have led the British Army to victory, and the brilliant +success which has invariably attended the British Arms under Your +Excellency's command has added to the glory of the British Empire. + +But the pride and pleasure we feel at being honoured by Your +Excellency's presence in our capital town give place to sorrow and +regret at the approaching retirement of Your Excellency from the great +service of which you are an ornament. + +In grateful acknowledgment of the most important services rendered by +Your Excellency to our Empress and our country, we beg to be allowed +the privilege of presenting you with a Sword of Indian manufacture, +which will, we hope, from time to time, remind you of us and of Oudh. + +Wishing Your Lordship a safe and pleasant voyage home, and a long and +happy life, + + We subscribe ourselves, + Your Lordship's most humble + and obedient servants, + THE TALUKDARS OF OUDH. + + * * * * * + + + + +APPENDIX XVII. + +(Referred to in Chapter LXVIII, Footnote 12.) + +_To His EXCELLENCY GENERAL THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR FREDERICK +SLEIGH, BARON ROBERTS OF KANDAHAR AND WATERFORD, BART., V.C., G.C.B., +G.C.I.E., D.C.L., LL.D., R.A., Commander-in-Chief in India._ + + +YOUR EXCELLENCY, + +Viewing with concern and regret your approaching departure from India, +we beg--in bidding you farewell--to express our admiration of your +life and work as Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Forces in India, +and to request you to permit your portrait to be placed in the Town +Hall of Calcutta, in token for the present generation of their high +appreciation of your eminent services, and in witness to a +future generation of the esteem in which you were held by your +contemporaries. + +With foresight denoting wise statesmanship, Governments which you have +served have initiated and maintained a policy of Frontier Defence, and +encouraged the increased efficiency of the Forces. + +In the furtherance of these objects we recognize the salient points +of your career and character whilst holding the high rank of +Commander-in-Chief. + +In your continued efforts to ameliorate the condition of the private +soldier we recognize broad humanity. In the increasing efficiency of +the Army, which, in our belief, characterizes your tenure of command, +we recognize high soldierly qualities. In the state of strength which +the Frontier Defences have attained, mainly due, we believe, to you, +we recognize practical sagacity, conspicuous ability in discernment of +requirements, and in pursuit of your aims an unwearying industry, a +resolute persistence, and a determination that no difficulty can turn, +in which a noble example for all true workers may be found. + +In a word, your life and work are to us identified with Frontier +Defence and Efficient Forces. We cheerfully bear our share of the +cost, as in possession of these protections against aggression from +without, we believe all who dwell within the borders of the land will +find their best guarantee for peace, and in peace the best safeguard +they and their children can possess to enable them to pass their lives +in happiness and prosperity, and escape the misery and ruin which +follow war and invasion. For all that you have done to give them such +security, we feel you deserve, and we freely give, our heartfelt +thanks. + +Within the limitations of a farewell address, we hardly feel justified +in personal allusions trenching on your private life, but we cannot +refrain from noticing with responsive sympathy the feeling of personal +attachment to yourself which is widespread throughout India, and +assuring you that we share in it to the fullest extent that private +feeling can be affected by public services. We endorse our assurance +with an expression of the wish that, in whatever part of the British +Empire your future life may be spent, it may be attended, as in the +past, with honour, and, by the blessing of God, with health and +happiness for yourself and all those you hold dear. + +It is the prerogative of the Crown alone to bestow honours on those +who have served their country well, and none have been better merited +than those which you enjoy, and to which, we trust, additions may be +made. It is the privilege of a community to make public profession +of merit in a fellow-citizen where they consider it is due, and in +availing ourselves of the privilege to make this public recognition of +the great services which, in our opinion, you have rendered to India, +we beg with all sincerity to add a hearty God-speed and a regretful +Farewell. + + We have the honour to be, + Your Excellency, + Your obedient servants. + + CALCUTTA, + _11th March, 1893._ + + + + + +INDEX + +PERSONS. + +Abbott, General Sir James, K.C.B. +Abdulla Jan +Abdur Rahman +Adams, Rev. W. J. +Adye, General Sir John +Afzal Khan +Ahmed Shah Durani +Aitken, Major +Akbar, The Emperor +Akram Khan +Albert Victor, H.R.H. Prince +Ali +Ali Khan +Alison, Sir Archibald +Alla Sing, Jemadar +Allen, Surgeon-General +Allgood, Captain +Amar Sing, Raja +Anderson, Captain +Anderson, Major +Anson, Major Augustus +Anson, General the Hon. G. +Aslam Khan, Lieutenant-Colonel, C.I.E. +Asmatulla Khan +Ata Mahomed Khan, Nawab +Auckland, Lord +Ayub Khan +Azim Khan +Azimulla Khan +Aziz Khan, Subadar Major + + +Baber, The Emperor +Badcock, Major +Badshah Khan +Bahadur Shah +Baigrie, Colonel +Baird, Sir David +Baird-Smith, Colonel +Baker, Brigadier-General Sir Thomas +Baker, Colonel Valentine +Bakram Khan +Bannatyne, Captain +Barnard, Major-General Sir Henry +Barnston, Major Roger +Barr, Captain +Barter, Major Richard + Mrs. +Battye, Captain Wigram + Colonel Arthur + Frederick, Captain + Quintin, Lieutenant +Beaconsfield, The Earl of +Beadon, Sir Cecil +Becher, Captain + Major-General Arthur + Major Sullivan +Bellew, Dr. +Benares, Maharaja of +Bentinck, Lord William +Bernard, Sir Charles +Bertrand, Father +Bhartpur, Raja of +Bhopal, Begum of +Biddulph, Brigadier-General M. +Biddulph, Colonel +Birbul +Birsing, Sepoy +Blackwood, Major +Blanc, Dr. +Blunt, Colonel +Bogle, Captain +Booth, Lieutenant +Bourchier, General Sir George, K.C.B. +Bowring, Mr. Lewin +Brabazon, Lieutenant +Brackenbury, General +Bradshaw, Dr. +Brasyer, Colonel +Bridge, Captain +Bright, John, The Right Hon. + General Sir Robert, G.C.B. +Brind, Brigadier Frederick + General Sir James, G.C.B. +Broadfoot, Captain +Brooke, Brigadier-General +Brown, Major-General Rodney + Major Tod +Browne, Dr. John Campbell + Sir James + General Sir Samuel, V.C., G.C.B., K.C.S.I. +Brownlow, Colonel F. +Brownlow, General Sir Charles, G.C.B. +Bruce, Major-General H. Legeyt, C.B. +Brunow, Baron +Budgen, Lieutenant +Bukhtiar Khan, 377 +Bulkeley, Major +Bunny, Lieutenant Arthur +Burgess, Corporal +Burn-Murdoch, Lieutenant +Burnes, Sir Alexander +Burroughs, Captain +Burrows, Brigadier +Bushman, Colonel +Butler, Colonel Thomas. V.C. +Butson, Captain + + +Cambridge, H.R.H. the Duke of +Cameron, Captain + Lance-Sergeant +Campbell, Colonel (Bays) +Campbell, Colonel +Campbell, Lady + Major + Sir Colin. _See_ Clyde + Sir Edward + Sir George +Canning, Lady +Canning, Viscount, Governor-General and Viceroy, + succeeds Lord Dalhousie; + condemns action of Meerut authorities; + praises General Wilson and the Army of Delhi; + advised by Sir Henry Lawrence; + not in accord with Sir Colin Campbell; + insists on employment of Nepalese troops; + proposals regarding native recruits; + Viceregal progress; + passes the income tax against much opposition; + marches through Central India; + durbar at Jubbulpore; + durbar at Lucknow; + durbar at Allahabad; + third durbar at Lucknow; + loses his wife; + leaves India; + unjustly criticized; + his character +Carey +Carmichael +Carr, Captain +Case + Mrs. +Cavagnari, Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Louis, K.C.B. +Cavagnari, Lady +Cesarewitch, H.I.H. the +Chalmers, Major Henry +Chamberlain, General Crawford, C.S.I. +Chamberlain, General Sir Neville +Chamberlain, Colonel Neville +Chamberlain, Mrs. +Chandra Shamsher +Channer, Major-General, V.C., C.B. +Chapman, Lieutenant-Colonel +Chelmsford, General Lord, G.C.B. +Chesney, Sir George +Chester, Colonel +Childers, The Right Hon. Hugh +Chisholme, Captain +Christie, Mr. +Churchill, Lord Randolph +Clarendon, The Earl of +Clarke, Lieutenant-Colonel +Cleland, Lieutenant-Colonel +Clerk, Sir George +Clive, Lord +Clyde, Lord (Sir Colin Campbell) + lays out cantonment of Peshawar; + substituted helmets for cocked hats; + orders to his men at the Alma; + appointed Commander-in-Chief in India; + starts for relief of Lucknow; + takes command of relieving force; + plans and preparations for the relief; + his personal attention to details; + fixes his Head-Quarters in the Martinière; + makes a feint; + orders more ammunition; + wounded; + selects point for breach; + orders assault of Sikandarbagh; + leads the 93rd to the attack + his aide-de-camp wounded; + quartered in the Shah Najaf; + his prudence; + orders second assault; + orders colours to be planted on mess-house; + meeting with Havelock and Outram; + his soldierly instincts; + evacuation of the Residency; + thanks the troops for their services; + march to Cawnpore, 200-203; + defeats Nana Sahib and Tantia Topi at Cawnpore; + high opinion of Hope Grant; + favoured Highlanders unduly; + action at Khudaganj; + invidious selection of commanders; + prepares for siege of Lucknow; + adopts Napier's plan of attack; + interview with Jung Bahadur; + makes an error of judgment; + his good use of artillery; + kindness of heart; + accompanies Lord Canning to Peshawar; + succeeded by Sir Hugh Rose +Cobbe, Brigadier +Cochin, Raja of +Coke, General Sir John, G.C.B. +Collen, Major-General Sir Edwin, K.C.I.E. +Collett, Colonel +Colley, Major-General Sir George, K.C.B. +Collis, Major +Colquhoun, Captain +Colvin, Mr. +Combe, Major-General, C.B. +Congreve, Colonel +Connaught, H.R.H. the Duchess of +Connaught, H.R.H. the Duke of +Conolly, Captain +Cook, Major +Cooper, Lieutenant + Sir George +Coote, Sir Eyre +Corbett, Brigadier +Cosserat, Captain +Cotton, Captain + General Sir Sydney, G.C.B. + Lieutenant-Colonel +Courtney, Mr. +Cowie, Rev. W. G. +Cracklow, Lieutenant +Cranbrook, Earl of +Craster, Major +Cross, The Viscount +Crosse, Captain +Crutchley, Captain +Cunnyngham, Lieutenant Dick +Currie, Colonel + + +D'Aguilar, Major +Dalhousie, The Marquess of (Governor-General of India), + his epitaph on Colonel Mackeson; + his Afghan policy; + treaty with Dost Mahomed; + resigns +Dal Sing, Jemadar +Daly, General Sir Henry, G.C.B. +Daubeny, Brigadier-General +Daud Shah +Davidson, Colonel +Davison, Lieutenant +Dawes, Major +Deb Shamsher Jung +Delafosse, Lieutenant +Delhi, King of +Denison, Sir William +Denniss, Colonel +Dholpur, Raja of +Dinkar Rao, 154 +Dir Sing, Naick +Disney, Lieutenant +Dost Mahomed Khan +Douglas, Brigadier + Lieutenant C. +Drew, Colonel Barry +Drummond, Colour-Sergeant + Mr. +Drysdale, General Sir William, K.C.B. +Dufferin, The Marchioness of +Dufferin, The Marquess of +Duke, Dr. Joshua +Dunbar, Captain +Dundas, Captain, V.C., +Dundu Pant. _See_ Nana Sahib +Dupuis, Major-General +Durand, Sir Henry Marion, K.C.S.I., C.B. + Sir Mortimer, K.C.S.I., K.C.I.E. + + +Earle, Captain +Eden, Major + Sir Ashley +Edgar, Sir John, K.C.S.I. +Edwardes, Sir Herbert, Commissioner of Peshawar; + his remarkable character; + advocates friendly relations with Kabul; + strongly supported by Lord Dalhousie; + his magnanimity; + Lawrence's counsellor; + John Nicholson's dearest friend; +Egerton, Lieutenant +Elgin, The Earl of, Viceroy of India +Eli Bux +Eliot, Captain +Ellenborough, Lord +Elles, Lieutenant-Colonel E. + Lieutenant-General Sir W. K., K.C.B. +Elphinstone, General + Lord + Mountstuart +Elverson, Lieutenant +English, Colonel +Ewart, General Sir John, K.C.B. + + +Faiz Mahomed Khan +Farakabad, Nawab of +Farwell, Major +Finnis, Colonel +Fisher, Colonel + Lieutenant +Fitzgerald, Lieutenant +Fitzgerald, Lieutenant Mordaunt + Lieutenant C. + Major +Fitz-Hugh, Lieutenant-Colonel +Forbes, Lieutenant +Ford, Mr. +Forrest, Mr. George +Forsyth, Sir Douglas, C.B., K.C.S.I. +Franks, Major-General +Fraser, Colonel +Fraser-Tytler, Colonel +French, Captain +Frere, Sir Bartle, Bart., G.C.B., G.C.S.I. +Frome, Captain +Futteh Khan +Fuzl Ali +Fyzabad, Moulvie of + + +Gaisford, Lieutenant +Galbraith, Major +Ganda Sing, Captain + Bakshi +Garvock, General Sir John, G.C.B. +Gawler, Colonel + Mrs. +Ghazi-ud-din Haidar +Ghulam Haidar Khan, Sardar +Ghulam Hussein Khan, Nawab Sir, K.C.S.I. +Ghulam Hyder +Gibbon, Major +Gladstone, The Right Hon. W.E. +Goad, Captain +Gokal Sing, Jemadar +Goldsmid, General Sir Frederick, K.C.M.G. +Gomm, Sir William +Gopal Borah, Havildar +Gordon, Captain + Captain + Colonel B. + General John + Brigadier-General T. + Lance-Corporal + Lieutenant-Colonel +Gortchakoff, Prince +Gough, Brigadier-General Charles +Gough, Captain Bloomfield + Lieutenant-General Sir Hugh, V.C., G.C.B. + Lord + Sir John +Grant, Lieutenant + General Sir Hope, G.C.B. + Field-Marshal Sir Patrick, G.C.B., G.C.S.I. +Grant-Duff, Lady + Sir Mount Stewart, G.C.S.I. +Grantham, Captain Frank +Graves, Brigadier +Greathed, Brigadier-General +Greathed, Lieutenant +Greaves, General Sir George, G.C.B., G.C.M.G. +Green, Major + Major-General Sir George, K.C.B. +Greensill, Captain +Greer, Sergeant +Greig, Lieutenant +Grey, Sir George + Private +Grieve, Private +Griffin, Sir Lepel +Griffiths, Major +Guise, Captain +Gurbaj Sing, Subadar-Major +Gwalior, Maharaja of + + +Habibulla Khan, Mirza + Mustaufi +Hagenau, Major von +Haines, Sir Frederick +Hakim, Sepoy +Hale, Brigadier +Hall, Captain +Hallifax, Brigadier +Hammick, Captain St. V. +Hamilton, Lieutenant + Colonel Ian +Hammond, Major +Hanbury, Surgeon-General +Handscombe, Brigadier +Hardinge, Captain George + General the Hon. A.E. + The Viscount +Hardy, Captain +Harness, Colonel +Harris, Rev. J. +Hartington, The Marquis of +Hashim Khan +Hastings, Major +Havelock, General Sir Henry, K.C.B. + letter from; + fails to force his way to Lucknow; + note from, in Greek character; + made K.C.B.; + meeting with Sir Colin Campbell; + his death +Hawkes, Lieutenant +Hawthorne, Bugler +Hay, Lord William. _See_ Tweeddale + Major +Hayes, Captain Fletcher + Mrs. +Haythorne, General Sir Edmund, K.C.B. +Hearsay, General +Heath, Admiral Sir Leopold, K.C.B. +Heathcote, Lieutenant A. + Major Mark +Hennessy, Colonel +Hewitt, General +Hills-Johnes, Lieutenant-General Sir James, V.C., G.C.B. +Hinde, Major +Hodson, Major +Holkar, Maharaja +Home, Lieutenant +Hood, General Cockburn +Hope, Colonel the Hon. Adrian +Hopkins, Captain +Hornsby, Captain +Hovenden, Lieutenant +Hudson, Lieutenant-General Sir John, K.C.B. +Huene, Major von +Hughes, General Sir W. T., K.C.B. +Hughes, Major-General T. E., C.B. +Hunt, Captain +Hyderabad, Nizam of + + +Ibrahim Khan + Sultan +Inderbir Lama, Sepoy +Inge, Captain +Inglis, Brigadier +Inglis, Lady +Innes, Lieutenant-General McLeod, V.C. +Ivanoff, General + + +Jacob, Major +Jacobs, Colour-Sergeant +Jackson, Mr. Coverley +Jaipur, Maharaja of +James, Captain + Major +Jaora, Nawab of +Jelaladin Ghilzai +Jenkins, Colonel F. +Jenkins, Mr. William +Jervis, Ensign +Jhansi, Rani of +Jhind, Raja of +Jodhpur, Maharaja of +Johnson, Colonel Alured + Major Charles + General Sir Edwin, G.C.B. +Johnstone, Brigadier +Jones, Captain Oliver +Jones, Lieutenant + Lieutenant-Colonel John + Brigadier +Jumna Das +Jung Bahadur + Sir Salar + + +Kapurthala, Raja of +Karaoli, Raja +Kashmir, Maharaja of +Kauffmann, General +Kavanagh, Mr. +Kaye, Major +Kaye, Sir John +Keen, Major-General, C.B. +Kelly, Dr. + Colonel +Kelso, Captain +Kennedy, Captain 'Dick' +Keyes, General Sir Charles, G.C.B. +Khan Sing Rosa +Khelat, Khan of +Kinleside, Major +Kiunthal, Raja of +Knight, Mr. +Knowles, Colonel +Knox, Captain +Komaroff, General + + +Lafont, A., +Lake, Colonel Edward + Lord +Lalbura, Chief +Lalla Joti Persâd +Lally, Count de +Lang, Colonel +Lansdowne, The Marquis of +Lansdowne, The Marchioness of +Lauder, Colour-Sergeant +Law, Captain +Lawrence, Lord, Chief Commissioner of the Punjab; + made K.C.B.; + opposed to Edwardes' frontier policy; + meets Dost Mahomed; + hopeful of affairs in Punjab; + urges advance on Delhi; + trusts the Phulkian Rajas; + his wise measures for preserving order in the Punjab; + gratitude of Army of Delhi to; + begs for return of troops to Punjab; + favours a retirement cis-Indus; + appointed Viceroy; + leaves India for good; + his unique career; + neutrality towards rival Amirs; + his policy of 'masterly inaction'; + subsidizes Sher Ali; + farewell letter to the Amir; +Lawrence, Sir Henry, K.C.B. + Corps of Guides raised under his auspices; + first British ruler of the Punjab; + foresight in provisioning the Lucknow Residency; + his admirable arrangements for its defence; + predicted the Mutiny fourteen years before its occurrence; + his character as a Statesman and Ruler; + friendliness for Natives; + suggests employment of Nepalese troops; + opposed to annexation of Oudh; + letter to Lord Canning; + his dispositions for coping with the Mutiny; + memorandum in his ledger-book; +Lawrence, Captain Samuel, V.C. + Major Stringer +Lennox, General Sir Wilbraham, V.C., K.C.B. +Liddell, Lieutenant +Lindsay, Colonel +Little, Brigadier +Lockhart, Lieutenant-General Sir William, K.C.B., K.C.S.I. +Longden, Captain +Longfield, Brigadier +Longhurst, Dr. +Loughman, Captain +Low, Colonel +Low, General +Low, Major-General Sir Robert, G.C.B. +Lowther, Commissioner +Luck, General +Lugard, General the Right Hon. Sir Edward, G.C.B. +Luke, Mr. +Lumsden, Captain + General Sir Harry, K.C.S.I., K.C.B. + General Sir Peter, G.C.B. + Lady +Lyall, Sir Alfred, G.C.I.E., K.C.B. +Lyons-Montgomery, Lieutenant +Lytton, The Earl of +Lytton, The Countess of + + +Macdonald, Colour-Sergeant +Macdonnell, Captain +Macdonnell, Major-General +MacGregor, Captain C.R +MacGregor, Sir Charles, K.C.B. +Mackay, Sir James, K.C.I.E. +Mackenzie, Lieutenant-Colonel A. +Mackeson, Colonel +Mackinnon, Major +Maclaine, Lieutenant +MacMahon, Private +Macnabb, Sir Donald, K.C.S.I. +Macpherson, Lieutenant-General Sir Herbert, V.C., K.C.B. +Macqueen, Colonel +Madhoo, Havildar +Mahomed, The Prophet + Hussein Khan, Mirza + Nabbi, Mirza + Hyat Khan + Jan +Mahomed, Sadik Khan + Usman Khan +Mainpuri, Raja of +Maisey, Lieutenant +Malcolm, Sir John +Mangal Pandy +Manipur, Raja of +Manners-Smith, Lieutenant +Mansfield, Sir William. _See_ Sandhurst +Martin, Claude + Captain Gerald + Lieutenant +Martindale, Miss +Massy, Brigadier-General +Matthew, Bishop + Mrs. +Maxwell, Major Henry Hamilton +Mayne, Lieutenant Otway +Mayo, Lord +Mazr Ali, Jemadar +McGillivray, Corporal +McQueen, Sir John +Medley, Lieutenant +Mehtab Sing, General +Menzies, Lieutenant +Merewether, Colonel +Metcalfe, Sir Charles + Sir Theophilus +Middleton, Major +Mir Bacha + Mubarak Shah + Jaffir +Moir, Captain +Money, Colonel G. N. +Monro, Lieutenant +Montanaro, Lieutenant +Montgomery, Sir Robert, G.C.B. +Moore, Major Henry + Rev. Thomas + Mrs. +Moresby, Captain +Morgan, Captain +Moriarty, Major +Morton, Captain G. de C. +Mowatt, Colonel +Mukarrab Khan, Sepoy +Munro, Sir Thomas +Murphy, Private +Murray, Lieutenant +Musa Khan +Mushk-i-Alam +Mysore, Maharaja of + + +Nabha, Raja of +Nadir Shah +Nairne, Major-General +Nana Sahib +Napier, Ensign +Napier (of Magd[=a]la), Field-Marshal Lord, G.C.B., K.C.S.I. +Napier, Lord (of Murchiston) + Sir Charles +Nek Mahomed Khan +Nepal, Maharaja of +Nepal, Maharani of +Neville, Captain Philip +Nicholson, Lieutenant Charles + Colonel W.G. + Brigadier-General John, C.B. + a name to conjure with in the Punjab; + the beau-ideal of a soldier and a gentleman; + takes command of Movable Column; + punishment of Mehtab Sing; + his soldierly instincts; + defeats the rebels at Najafgarh; + his masterful spirit; + the man to do a desperate deed; + the first to ascend the breach; + mortally wounded; + the author's last sight of him; + his anger at the suggestion of retreat; + his death; + his funeral + Lieutenant-General Sir Lothian, K.C.B. +Nisbet, Colonel +Norman, Colonel F. + General Sir Henry, G.C.B., G.C.M.G. +Northbrook, The Earl of +Northcote, Lady + Sir Stafford +Nott, General +Nugent, Lieutenant +Nur Jehan +Nuttall, General + + +Obed Ulla Khan, Sirdar +Ochterlony, Sir David +Oldfield, Lieutenant +Olpherts, General Sir William, V.C., K.C.B. +Omar Pasha +Onslow, Captain +Oudh, Begum of + King of +Outram, General Sir James, G.C.B. + the Bayard of the East; + his military acumen; + his courage and chivalry; + differs with Sir Colin Campbell; + interview with the author; + commands an Infantry division at siege of Lucknow; + preparation for the siege; + maintains his high reputation; + captures the Chakar Kothi; + accomplished all that was expected of him; + overruled by Sir Colin Campbell; + completes the occupation of Lucknow; + his views on the administration of Oudh; + leaves India on account of failing health; +Ouvry, Major +Owen, Dr. +Oxley, Captain + + +Packe, Lieutenant +Palmer, Brigadier-General + Major-General Sir Arthur, K.C.B. +Parker, Colonel +Parry, Major +Patiala, Maharaja of +Paton, Colonel +Paul, Lieutenant +Payn, General Sir William, K.C.B. +Peacock, Sir Barnes +Peel, Sir William +Pelly, Sir Lewis +Perkins, General Sir Æneas, K.C.B. +Persia, Shah of +Pertap Sing, Maharaja +Pertap Sing, sepoy +Peshwa, The +Phayre, General Sir Robert, G.C.B. +Picot, Lieutenant +Pole-Carew, Lieutenant-Colonel, C.B. +Pollock, General Sir George + Major-General Sir Frederick, K.C.S.I. +Polwhele, Brigadier +Porter, General +Powell, Captain + Captain +Powlett, Captain +Pratt, Major +Prendergast, General Sir Harry, V.C., K.C.B. +Pretyman, Lieutenant-Colonel, C.B. +Prideaux, Lieutenant +Primrose, General +Probyn, General Sir Dighton, V.C., G.C.V.O., K.C.B. +Protheroe, Colonel +Prussia, Crown Princess of +Pursoo Khatri, Jemadar + + +Quinton, Mr. + + +Ragobir Nagarkoti, Subadar +Ram Sing, Raja +Rampur, Nawab of +Rao, Sir Madhava +Rassam, Mr. +Rawlinson, Sir Henry +Reade, Mr. +Reed, General +Reegan, Private +Reid, General Sir Charles, G.C.B. +Remmington, Captain +Rennick, Captain +Rewa, Maharaja of +Rich, Captain +Ricketts, George, C.B. +Ridgeway, Colonel Sir West K.C.B. +Rind, Captain +Ripon, The Marchioness of +Ripon, The Marquis of +Roberts, General Sir Abraham +Roberts, Hon. Frederick Hugh Sherston +Roberts, Lady (widow of Sir Abraham) +Roberts, The Hon. Aileen Mary +Roberts, The Hon. Ada Edwina +Roberts, Miss +Roberts, Lady +Roberts, Field-Marshal Lord, V.C., K.P., G.C.B., G.C.S.I., G.C.I.E., + leaves England; + arrives in India; + life in Calcutta; + journey to Peshawar; + at Peshawar; + visits Kashmir; + joins Horse Artillery; + at Umballa; + revisits Kashmir; + first visit to Simla; + returns to Peshawar; + at Mian Mir; + first Staff appointment; + studies native languages; + passes examination; + rides a hundred miles in one day; + tour with General Reed; + witnesses meeting between Dost Mahomed and Sir John Lawrence; + second Staff appointment; + second tour with General Reed; + refuses appointment in P.W.D.; + reports on sanatorium of Cherat; + first meeting with Nicholson; + returns to Peshawar; + hears first tidings of Mutiny; + at a Council of War; + Staff Officer to Brigadier Chamberlain; + at the mercy of a sentry; + starts for Rawal Pindi; + with Sir John Lawrence at Rawal Pindi; + joins Movable Column at Wazirabad; + _en route_ to Delhi; + at Lahore; + arrives at Delhi; + before Delhi; + appointed D.A.Q.M.G. with Artillery; + first under fire; + fidelity of his servants; + wounded; + intimacy with Nicholson; + knocked over by a round shot; + last sight of Nicholson; + charger killed; + takes part in storming of the palace; + leaves Delhi with Greathed's column for Cawnpore; + in action at Bulandshahr; + narrow escape; + in fight at Aligarh; + in fight at Agra; + first sight of Taj Mahal; + leaves Agra; + arrives at Cawnpore; + meets Sir Colin Campbell; + marches to Lucknow; + meets with a night adventure; + in the storming of the Sikandarbagh; + in the attack on the Shah Najaf; + plants the colours on the mess-house; + accompanies Outram and Havelock to the Residency; + meets the 'hero of the Redan'; + in fight at Cawnpore; + in fight at Khudaganj; + wins the V.C.; + at the siege of Lucknow; + with Outram at capture of the Chakar Kothi; + meets Jung Bahadur; + complimented by the Commander-in-Chief; + his views on the Mutiny; + on our present position in India; + takes furlough; + marries; + receives the V.C. from the hands of the Queen; + returns to India; + refuses post in Revenue Survey; + accompanies Lord Canning on his Viceregal progress; + loses chance of service in China; + visits Simla; + accompanies Lord Canning through Central India; + returns to Simla; + ordered to Allahabad; + accompanies Commander-in-Chief on tour; + returns to Simla; + again on tour with Commander-in-Chief; + has a sunstroke; + made A.Q.M.G.; + serves with Umbeyla expedition; + too junior to be a Lieutenant-Colonel; + voyage round the Cape; + at home again; + returns to India; + serves with Abyssinian Expedition; + bearer of the Abyssinian despatches; + first A.Q.M.G.; + returns to India; + birth of daughter; + serves with Lushai Expedition; + receives the C.B.; + officiating Q.M.G.; + with the Prince of Wales at Delhi; + first meeting with Lord Lytton; + takes part in the Imperial Assemblage at Delhi; + accepts command of Punjab Frontier Force; + assumes command of Kuram Field Force; + shortcomings of his column; + his able staff; + advances into the Kuram valley; + takes the Peiwar Kotal; + devotion of his orderlies; + congratulated by the Queen; + hampered by want of transport; + punishment of treachery; + action at Khost; + misrepresented in the House of Commons; + dismisses a war correspondent; + holds a Queen's birthday parade; + farewell to Cavagnari; + serves on the Army Commission; + his recommendations gradually carried out; + appointed Commander of Kabul Field Force; + starts for Kabul; + correspondence with Yakub Khan; + issues a Proclamation to the people of Kabul; + meeting with Yakub Khan; + issues a Proclamation and an order; + takes the Shutargardan; + defeats the Afghans at Charasia; + advances on Kabul; + instructions from the Government of India; + inspects the Embassy and the Bala Hissar; + receives abdication of Yakub Khan; + issues a Proclamation; + makes a formal entry into Kabul; + adopts measures for carrying on administration; + misrepresented in House of Commons; + congratulated by the Queen and the Viceroy; + wintering at Kabul; + attacked by the tribesmen on all sides; + life saved by Mazr Ali; + storming of the Takht-i-Shah; + further attacks; + concentrates his forces at Sherpur; + strengthens his defences; + arrests Daud Shah; + defeats and disperses the tribesmen; + reopens communication with India; + issues a Proclamation; + fortifies Sherpur; + negotiations at Kabul; + holds a durbar; + hands over supreme command to Sir Donald Stewart; + visits Jalalabad; + hears news of Maiwand; + telegram to Adjutant-General; + appointed Commander of Kabul-Kandahar Field Force; + preparations for the march; + details of the Force; + commissariat and transport; + starts for Kandahar; + order of marching; + reaches Ghazni; + reaches Kelat-i-Ghilzai; + telegraphs progress to Government; + food required daily for the force; + down with fever; + reports progress; + letter from General Phayre; + telegraphs to Simla; + reaches Kandahar; + demoralized condition of the garrison; + encamps to the west of the city; + reconnoitres the enemy's position; + assumes command of the Army of Southern Afghanistan; + defeats Ayub Khan; + and captures his camp; + telegraphs the news; + difficulties about supplies; + congratulated by the Queen and the Duke of Cambridge; + made G.C.B.; + appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Madras Army; + proceeds to Quetta; + parting with the troops; + pleasant memories; + receives autograph letter from the Queen; + reception in England; + appointed Governor of Natal and Commander of the Forces + in South Africa; + witnesses the manoeuvres of the German Army; + offered the Quartermaster-Generalship; + proceeds to Madras; + visits the Andaman Islands; + proceeds to Burma; + declines the Quartermaster-Generalship; + measures for improving the Madras Army; + memories of Madras; + visits Calcutta; + meeting with Abdur Rahman at Rawal Pindi; + returns to Madras; + appointed Commander-in-Chief in India; + brief visit to England; + accompanies Lord Dufferin to Gwalior; + proceeds to Delhi; + Camp of Exercise at Delhi; + accompanies Lord Dufferin to Burma; + proceeds to the North-West Frontier; + makes a tour of inspection; + draws up a memorandum on frontier defence; + Lady Roberts's Homes; + sends reinforcements to Burma; + lands at Rangoon; + measures for pacification of Upper Burma; + inspects North-West Frontier with General Chesney; + receives Grand Cross of the Indian Empire; + establishes 'Regimental Institutes'; + establishes the Army Temperance Association; + makes a tour with Lord Dufferin along the North-West Frontier; + official inspections; + presides over Defence and Mobilization Committees; + supports Lord Dufferin's scheme for the utilization of + Native States' armies; + visits the frontier; + spends Christmas in camp; + visits Calcutta; + makes a tour of inspection in Central India and Rajputana; + and in Kashmir; + remodels the system of musketry instruction for the Native Army; + improvements in Artillery and Cavalry; + visits the frontier with Lord Lansdowne; + offered the post of Adjutant-General; + meets Prince Albert Victor in Calcutta; + entertains the Prince at Muridki; + extension of command; + meets the Cesarewitch in Calcutta; + views on the Native Army; + steps taken to increase its efficiency; + concession to the Native Army; + unable to remedy the under-officering of Native regiments; + inspects the Zhob valley with General Brackenbury; + raised to the peerage; + visits Burma; + visits Nepal; + review of the Maharaja's troops; + a grand durbar; + an evening reception at the palace; + a short tour in the Punjab; + proposed Mission to the Amir; + the Mission abandoned; + adieu to Simla; + final tour in the Punjab; + farewell entertainments at Lahore; + at Lucknow; + and at Calcutta; + pig-sticking at Jaipur and Jodhpur; + address from the municipality of Ahmedabad; + parting dinner at the Byculla Club; + the end of forty-one years in India; + letter to Yakub Khan; + interview with Yakub Khan's agents; + official report on interview with Yakub Khan; + extract from Report on Commissariat; + instructions to officers commanding Column in Burma; + farewell address from Sikhs of the Punjab; + from Hindus of the Punjab; + from Mahomedans of the Punjab; + from the European community of the Punjab; + from the Talukdars of Oudh; + from the citizens of Calcutta +Robertson, Lieutenant +Robinson, Lieutenant +Romanofski, General +Rose, Sir Hugh. _See_ Strathnairn +Ross, General Sir John, G.C.B. +Ross, Lieutenant-Colonel + Dr. Tyrrell + Mrs. Tyrrell +Rothney, Captain +Runjit Sing +Russell, Brigadier D. +Russell, General Sir Edward Lechmere, K.C.S.I. +Russell, Lieutenant +Russia, Czar of +Ruttun Sing, Subadar + + +St. John, Sir Oliver +Saiyad Nur Mahomed +Sale, Sir Robert +Salisbury, The Marquis of +Salkeld, Lieutenant +Salmon, Sir Nowell +Salmond, Lieutenant +Samandar Khan +Sandeman, Colonel + Sir Robert +Sandford, Major +Sandhurst, General Lord, G.C.B., G.C.S.I. (Sir William Mansfield) +Sandhurst, Lady +Sankar Dass, Native Doctor +Sarel, Captain +Schouvaloff, Count +Scott, Captain A. + Major +Seaton, Brigadier +Shafto, Captain +Shah Jehan +Shah Mahomed Khan +Shah Shuja +Shaidad Khan, Resaidar +Sher Ali, Amir +Sher Ali, Sirdar +Sherindil Khan, Sirdar +Sher Mahomed, Jemadar +Sherries, Lieutenant +Sherston, Lieutenant John +Shore, Sir John. _See_ Teignmouth +Showers, Brigadier +Sikim, Raja of +Sindhia, Maharaja +Sirdar Sing +Skinner, James +Skobeleff, General +Sladen, Mrs. +Slater, Major +Sleeman, Colonel +Smith, Captain + Major Euan + Major Percy +Smyth, Colonel +Smyth-Windham, Major +Somerset, Sir Henry +Spens, Captain +Spottiswoode, Colonel +Spratt, Lieutenant +Stanhope, The Hon. E. +Stanley, Lord +Staveley, Lady + Sir Charles +Sterling, Colonel +Stewart, John + Patrick + Field-Marshal Sir Donald Martin, Bart., G.C.B., G.C.S.I., C.I.E. + Lieutenant Donald + Lady + Sir Herbert +Stewart-Mackenzie, Captain +Stillman, Lieutenant +Stolietoff, General +Strathnairn, Field-Marshal Lord, G.C.B., G.C.S.I. (Sir Hugh Rose) +Stratton, Captain +Sullivan, Gunner +Sultan Jan, Shahzada +Swat, Akhund of +Swinley, Captain +Syad Ahmed Shah +Symons, Major +Synge, Captain + + +Taj Sing, Sepoy +Tamerlane +Tanner, Lieutenant-General Sir Oriel, K.C.B. +Tantia Topi +Taylor, Corporal + Colonel Reynell + General Sir Alexander, G.C.B. +Teignmouth, Lord +Temple, Sir Richard +Thebaw, King +Thelwall, Brigadier +Theodore, King +Thesiger, General. _See_ Chelmsford +Thomson, Lieutenant + Lieutenant +Thornhill, M. +Thornton, Thomas, C.S.I. +Tikaram Kwas, Sepoy +Tombs, Major-General Sir Harry, V.C., K.C.B. +Tonk, Nawab of +Townsend, Dr. +Travancore, Maharaja of +Travers, Lieutenant Eaton +Trevelyan, Sir Charles +Trower, Lieutenant +Tryon, Admiral Sir George, K.C.B. +Turner, Colonel F. + Brigadier-General Sir W.W., K.C.B. +Tweeddale, William Hay, Marquess of +Tyndall, Colonel +Tytler, Captain + Mrs. + + +Udaipur, Maharana of +Ulwar, Maharaja of +Unjur Tiwari + + +Vandeleur, Major +Vaughan, Lieutenant + General Sir T. L., K.C.B. +Victoria, H.M. Queen +Villiers, Colonel +Vitkievitch, Captain +Vizianagram, Maharaja of +Vonolel, Chief +Vousden, Captain +Vozgonoff, General + +Wakhan, Mir of +Wale, Captain +Wales, H.R.H. the Prince of +Wales, H.R.H. the Princess of +Walidad Khan +Wali Mahomed Khan +Walker, General James, C.B. +Waller, Major Robert +Walpole, Brigadier +Walton, Captain +Warburton, Colonel +Waterfield, Colonel Garrow +Waterford, The Marchioness of + The Marquess of +Watson, General Sir John, V.C., K.C.B. +Welchman, Colonel +Wellesley, The Marquess +Wellington, Duke of +Wheeler, Sir Hugh + Talboys +White, Sir George +Wilde, Lieutenant-General Sir Alfred, K.C.B., K.C.S.I. +William I., The Emperor +Williams, Lieutenant + Colonel +Willoughby, Lieutenant +Wilson, Sir Archdale +Wilson, Colonel + James + Lieutenant +Winchester, Mary +Windham, Sir Charles +Wolseley, Field-Marshal Viscount, K.P. Commander-in-Chief +Woodthorpe, Captain +Wright, Major +Wylie, Colonel + Mrs. +Wynne, Captain +Wynter, Captain + +Yahia Khan +Yakub Khan +Yanoff, Colonel +Yorke, Lieutenant +Younghusband, Captain F. + Lieutenant George + Major +Yule, Colour-Sergeant +Yuralski, Doctor + + +Zakariah Khan + + + + +INDEX + + + +CHIEF PUBLIC EVENTS. + + +Abdul Rahman proclaimed Amir +Abolition of offices of Commanders-in-Chief, Bombay and Madras +Abyssinian Expedition +Afghan War, first +Agra, Fight at +Ahmedkhel, Battle of +Aligarh, Fight at +Alipur, Attack on +Army Commission + Temperance Association, Establishment of +Assassination of Colonel Mackeson + of Lord Mayo +Assaye, Battle of + + +Barrackpore, Outbreak at +Berhampur, Outbreak at +Berlin Treaty +Black Mountain Expeditions +Bulandshahr, Action at +Burma Expedition + + +Cawnpore, Fight at + Massacre at +Cesarewitch visits India +Charasia, Fights at +Chardeh Valley, Fight in the +Chitral Expedition + + +Delhi, Camp of Exercise at + Siege of; + the first victory; + enthusiasm of the troops; + Barnard's success; + the Flagstaff Tower; + attacking force placed in position; + the weak point of our defence; + defences; + death of Quintin Battye; + the besiegers besieged; + hard fighting; + arrival of reinforcements; + death of Barnard; + Reed takes command; + treachery in camp; + more hard fighting; + sufferings of sick and wounded; + Wilson takes command; + Nicholson and the Movable Column arrive; + Baird-Smith plans attack; + breaching batteries at work; + the assault; + Nicholson wounded; + storming of the palace; + Hodson captures the King; + Hodson shoots the Princes; + Nicholson dies; + the siege ended +Dost Mahomed, Treaty with + Death of + + +European Forces, Amalgamation of the + + +Ferozepore, Outbreak at + + +Gandamak, Treaty of +Gatling Guns, First use of +Gwalior fortress, Rendition of + + +Homes in the Hills, Establishment of +Hunza-Naga Campaign +Hurdwar Fair, closing of + + +Imperial assemblage of 1877 + + +Jowaki Expedition + + +Kabul, Cavagnari's Mission to + Expedition + Massacre of Embassy at + Repulse of British Mission to + Russian Mission to +Kandahar, Defeat of Ayub Khan at + March to +Khost, Action at +Khudaganj, Fight at +Kohat, Expedition near +Kuram Expedition + + +Lucknow, Relief of; + Sir Colin's preparations; + the advance begun; + reinforcements arrive; + attack by the enemy; + ammunition wanting; + the advance; + Sir Colin wounded; + attack on the Sikandarbagh; + the Shah Najaf; + the relief effected; + meeting of the Generals; + the evacuation + Siege of; + Napier's plan adopted; + capture of the Chakar Kothi; + capture of the iron bridge; + visit from Jung Bahadur; + Hodson mortally wounded; + Sir Colin's mistake; + the city taken +Lushai Expedition + + +Maiwand, Disaster at +Majuba Hill, Disaster at +Mandalay, Capture of +Manipur Expedition +Meerut, Mutiny at +Merv, Russian Occupation of +Mianganj, Taking of +Mian Mir, Disarmament at +Multan, Disarmament at +Mutiny, The, of 1857-1858; + Causes of; + Chances of its recurrence; + First tidings of; + New light on; + Predicted by Sir Henry Lawrence; + and by Sir John Malcolm + + +Oudh, Annexation of + + +Panipat, Three Battles of +Panjdeh, Incident at +Peiwar Kotal, Taking of +Persia, War with +Plassy, Battle of + Centenary of +Prince Albert Victor visits India +Prince of Wales visits India + + +Regimental Institutes, Establishment of +Royal Proclamation of 1859 + + +Sheorajpur, Fight at +Sher Ali, Death of + Russian Treaty with +Shutargardan, Attack on the +Sikandarbagh, Attack on the +Sikim Expedition +Staff-Corps, Introduction of the + + +Takht-i-Shah, Taking of the + + +Umbeyla Expedition +Upper Burma, Annexation of + + +Zhob Expedition + + + + +THE END. + + + + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Forty-one years in India +by Frederick Sleigh Roberts + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FORTY-ONE YEARS IN INDIA *** + +***** This file should be named 16528-8.txt or 16528-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/5/2/16528/ + +Produced by Michael Ciesielski, Lesley Halamek and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |