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Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pagH blanches ajoutias kirs d'ime restauration apparaissent dans la lexia, mais, lorsque eela *tait possible, ces pages n'ont pas M filmias. n AfWitional eomiiMnts:/ Connmnnirtt tuppttimntaim: Thi> iMiR ii f ihntd at th* raduetion ratio chackad btlow/ Ca doeumant ast film* au uux da riductiofi indiqiii ci^now. 'OX 14X 18X 12X MX L'lnttitut a mierof itm* la maillaur ammplalra qu'il lui a M potiiMa da w procunr. La> dtoib da cat a x awpl a iia qui aont paEF |„c ;!S-S".«" »~ <^ . y/ 7 / / /P V ' f^ /^, i. ft 'CJ y y J^. EARL ROBERTS, V.C. :6arl IRoberts, ID.C, from Cadet te Co«iuiii(ler«iN»Cb{ef. ^ .•8WT.ON; THE ABVSS.NIAN KXPEDIIION "nto ThJ C. (B. fRarquis, B. a. Author of the Lushab .... XXII. Roberts' F:bst Cohhahd 253 XXIII. Sir Fredebiok Roberts' Maboh to Kabot. . . 287 XXIV. In Possession of Kabul 282 XXV. The Stbuoole at Sherpdb XXVI. Events Leading dp to tee Great Maboh . . gU XXVn. The Gbeat Makch from K.-.Bi,i, TO Kankahab '. 824 XXVni. Scattering Ayub Khan's Abmt .... 337 XXIX. Home, and the Iirst Boeb War . XXX. Ret«rn to India, and Commandeb-in-Ch,ef of the Indian Army . XXXI. Fabbwell to India *'•*•.. 884 XXXn. The Gbeat Boer War . . , XXXIII. The Subbendeb of Bi.oemfontkin . . . ' . 413 XXXIV. On to Pbetoeia • • . 428 XXXV. After Pretoru XXXVI. Earl Roberts XXXVII. A Canadian's Reminiscenoe. of Eakl Robert, „ Sodth Afeioa . 477 Appendix 491 UsT of Illustbatioot , . . .Q^ Index 605 206 218 227 241 263 267 282 283 811 824 837 862 866 884 896 413 428 468 177 ^91 99 06 KINO IDWARO VII. PREFACE profit.be company. W. c«not look, however imperfectlj Tl^ pe. m«. ^.hout gaining „„ethi„g by him. He i. the I^ijl fountam, which it ia good and pleaaant to be near " * whieht;r:::i"i"i" :r '"'^ '-^ ''- -■''''"='' "-"'^•' »iHU^ caree^;t^,gZTni;rZm!:° *■'""*'' '"'"'■'^ battiefield. and in the couni chamb:,^': ; L^ i We" Z'^Jl T hvmg rf.fo„nU:n. one who would be profitable cmpany for he young man .XTro^the'Jd"' '"'• T' "''"" "- "^ '^^ ^- "^ '^--"^ « o.« m the «bevement. of tho« who began the race with him. It ia with " \^. °"' *' pageant : ead and slow. As bts an universal woe, Let the long, long procession go. And let the sorrowing crowd about it grow. And let the mournful martial mueio blow • The last great Englishman is low." «««. the power m the governing body of the nation that Welhngton wal; 10 rUVAOB. true Wellington «ined S,\T^^JZZr '"J"''"' ""' "-^ "« ^^'^ «» the Peman^vLtZvo' «r^ " "^^^ """ 'rb"»l«<«l» found wwR„.eH.,pe™ted'r„';;ri^r;irt^::::''"^^^^^ ''^•^ with hi. Afghan campaign) he fou^d „ J!i^.^*' " » S*"""' ^'^P^' Hfl« Which th;,kneth::L^J:l7^''J2Lr'"''^ "^ ""^"- behind almort impregnable hiZ ^ut '^'""^ »' ''«''«°8 ation would add lurtre to or detL f, T'*""" °' '""' «*"' <"<>?"• their «nown that th^Lt .^ r^LT SvT^ " ' "''"'"* '^' work they undertook, only ultim.rBu"r ' " '^'"^ "° '""'*'^" There ii, however, one direction in which TUh^. y. prerion, generala Other, have i„.r„Wl ^ ""I"'**' «" fi.W their tidier, with g^' "wT^t 1« 'a-deO under hi. eomm.nd.^:,rrhi::r:ir±:^^"- ""'■'"» »em ever to have filled him with admi^l? T "^ ' ^°""« S**"*^ a euperior race to him«V sTlLT^ T . ""^ "^*' ^' ''''" «"«» care to make eaaie^ti nS^^^y'^^hV: ' -.^ " ha. ever b.n hi. ennoble them; and very lar. utUri, r^ inception won d b.^^ Sri'Jlt^ ^"'"' "" '^' " thi. book, u . tidier „d „ „ .r , , . **■* " '• *^'"> him i» Of .pic p«.portio.. rwi^^rs's^" "Tf^"-"" ' -- Hi. u.k in Indi. w„ .'diffl~ " hltfi^ ti^I^ ""''^ befor* him in a w»v the h«L^^ _ j. . ^. . ' ""*"•'>»» now «d ftr-mohing dumgei "^ ' ^ '"*^' «""• "<»'«1 of th. W.r Office in lOOlh. h« n 1 L '" "^^ "" "' *~^ '^"H' truth h- h.«.U..riii"ri^''' '"""""'•'»''«•' •'"*'.«<' CHAPTER L ■OBCHn' EARLY TEAU. «ob.m . Delicto Cilld-aTyZd y.r„^'',''°''"'; '-'l«"- o* «'"-', Stock- THE y«r 1882 .a. in m„y ,„p,et. the mort imporUnt of th. I«t «n.ury I„ i. the H.fc™ Bill, which w„ .o'Zg, L LS^ complexion of the Englid. P^u^^, .^^ ^„ ^, people fo^^ flnrttm^ the government of the «,„nt.y, w„ pa^^,*^ That ifS'^J to force thi. me«ure through both Common, and Lord. w« due v.,v^, ..thefact th.t England wa. at ^ with thew^J:" tZ S •rom foro,gn enemie., had time «,d opportunity to colder Z I, «n.v«.ce.. ^d .o «,mpel th. r^r^ JT^^ gLll ^^Z expedition againat the fierce robber band, of the hiH. on the ^h^ It wa. in thi. year, when. «, iiir « the BritUh were concerned, " No war or battle", sound Wa. heard the world around," that Frederiolc Sleigh Robert, was bom 18 y<>«» of Ui. ontaiy, WM flUj •ppoinM Q)inm«.d.i^n.Ohlaf of th* BritUi . p«iodof «fo™ in India. u,n Wi!ll«. B«tinok h.d b^ .pp^l„ J «c.n.tru«in, Indi. Among other ™f„„„. h. „n^,nJZ j„dL, ~bb.™, „d .uoc«d«i in .boli.hing th. rif of 8utt», by wl>ioh widow, it w« i„^?.'' '^';"'''? ^^'*' ""* '"' *'* -" ~''"»« '» c*"»j>»-. "<« li Z."" *"■'' ""'• '"'"•"■'* "• """ "" ""'J«' -' «"■ -w U» mort importarjt mili..:7 "'"°"' '" ^"'>'»- 8itu.t«l on tl,e b.rL of th. G«,g« .bout ,000 mile, f„m it. mouth, U «rved .. . kind .f h.,,..,- hou« between th. «„..rn coast .u.- the northern fn>nUer of India. It Z then, „ .t « UHlay, a narrow town extending for mile, along th. .luggi.h nver, pr,«,nt,ng, ..pecUlly to th. eye of on. accustomed to western dZ . most picture«iue appearance. Here «,d there were Hindoo tempi- ««den<« of wealthy naUve.. ghauts, and the c«.l bungalow, of tht European sojourner, m the east; and the eye, as it gazed on the«, fln. semens of eastern architecture was ever relieved ' • the restful groves Z grow m great magnificence about the more important buildings frinJ^!*/ n"™T " "'"*'' ^""^ *''° "™'' •"" •''hind the narrow faoge of dwelhng. that skirted the Ganges for si, miles was a ve:y diCn' town. Here was a w,de wilderaes, of huts of unbaked mud. among which ^rTnL H ■, ""'' "^ " ''' '^^•" "°<^ ™' ™b;tantiaf houi ".rronnded by ple.«u,t gard«« The c«.tonmente, however, ^ of th. MIBMl' BABLT TIAU; j5 rwlMl IntwMl to th. EnglWi Mud«it of Eiit IndU hMorr B». a,. .w.y «.ri, „i.uno. in th. fcv,rid. din,.t. of Indi. doing pouTJZt Ih. «^„di„g di.triC. „ ,„ in u.«. cntonmenu'on th. b^^ fcr India and tlie Indian army, waa bom. «h.,^,T'' k"^'^" '™' ""■ """• " ''° "*'' «"• """Wing of hi. SnOOB rr '^'"'^' '''• »'"*"• '^"""^ 8" Abraham tt^. of hf hi r. T ""' ' '"'• "' ""'^'"■" ""-^ '■> >"• vein., at th. Um. of h„ birth had alroady «.„ much „rvic. in India, and wa. on of England'. ,ort t™.,«i olScra H. had baen, dnc. th, banning oTth^ ^t^^ry. acuvaly .ngag«I in th. difficult oounv^ bordaringTu th. moun tjunou. „gi„„ occupied by th. fi.™ Afghan .,ib« ^Lik. h . mo™ m„.,riou. «n, h. couple, .p..ndid judgm.nt with daun. . courag. and by h.. wiriom and miUt«7 *m gain«i .. one. th. confident of the rXT: •'"'"*"""""" •M.Amirof.fghani.Un, a^d 1,!^ th. pol«y of h., .ucoe.*,™. Although hi. «n wa. not to com. direcUy nnde, h:. mfluenc till h. had re.ched hi. twentieth y„, much Mh" mam,Uou, .uco he ha. had in handling Indian t^op. ani dealing i fr^ndly p„n^ and tr««,herou, chieOaiu., ha. been due ve.y la^sely to hU Ab«f^ 7 K ' "" "' '""""^ '*°<=^- ^'"g » ''""Bhter oV Major Abmham Burabury, 62nd foot, of Kilf^le, County Tinneran- Irel.nH t «rly Hf. eha married M^or Maxwell of An well, liZ7X^^L h husband at the time Of hi. death. Hergreat beauty .^e "J circle e" won he .dm,ration of Abraham Robert., who, after the death of hL 2 wfe, t:ll meehng her, .eemed to have determined to forget 2 ll^L^, proe«on. On Augurt 2, 1830, they were married; Id on Z 3oTh September 1832 our hero wa. bom. "' He was a delicate child, and hi. parent, fearing or hi, Kf. took him *„ Robert,, and after a brief re.t ,n the genial climate of England, he and S 16 EABL BOBIKTB. Wife «tumed to India leaving their child to be educated and rear«) h, Grangers, a, has ever been the custom and the necesTv „f Th . ^ Anglo-Indiin children. He was not to J ^ ^ ' P*"""" "^ Cromwai's ear., Hfe, the stories'that Car^thas^ltd" 'r^^ "'""' of the illustrious Teufelsd«,ch in Sartor Resartusadd ., ^"'" When his parents returned to India they left him at ri,ft.„ v v remained for some six v.„~ ti ■ , ^""°'' '''"'™ •»» Missoa«;i:i::„ -,~ ata^^^rtTri r - by one Monsieur Desorez at ri,ft„o if v i ^ excellent school kept have not Chronicled "^ :!:::r^zz:;^ t:^' TT A.r leaving these scLls LTl jS in' r::^:?^:^^ Hamp.,„hop„pared him for Eton, which great pnbHc schoofbee:;:;' He made only a brief stay in this institution, but must have h»^ ban „rd,na,y ab.lity, as he obtained a prize in malhelZ oj eve 'atZ .me the course of mstructiou was altogether classical, and it wL not ' 18.1 that mathematics was incorporated into the curriculum of eZ P . A late writer in dealing with the life of Lord RobeZ tWs t „ ^^'• -He was never .entup for good.- whi. ^:'::::Z'S: ^1, SARL. ROBERTS' MOTHER EARL ROBERTS' FATHER GENERAL SIR ABRAHAM ROBERTS, G C B. EARL ROBERTS' FIRST SCHOOL EARL I.OBE.TS- EDUCATIOK; B,3 SCHOOL AND COU.^^^'^ BOBSBn' BAKLT TBABS. 19 -ngW out for exceptional «holarship. Nor was he ever ■ Knt up for play-- •IS^™! !r"" ':" *:• "" ""' " '"^ "^ of pn^^en therelL" Robert, at this per. d. If he played 'footer' it wo with uothiug more "au orina^r aphtude, and the ■Cricket Kleven- and ■ Boating Eight ' luilce knew him not" * The a«ociations of Eton could not but influence his life. He has ever been a hero-worahipper, and the knowledge that he was' walking the halls where befo™h,m had walked Sir Robert, Walpole, Lord Bolingb le, Horace Walpole, Hallam the historian, and the great Duke of w;ilingt;n, mTs have done much to mould the character of this sensitive, impressio^ble boy. !ld Z^)^ I " " '""^''« ^"'"' "'^'^ '">> -"^h toil at home and abroad for h.s country, he looks upon the scene of his early education he can say with the poet Gray : "■-"■wu, "Ye-distant Spires I Ye antique Towers I ■..r? """"' ">« watery gladt Where grateful science still adores Her Henry's holy shade ; And ye that from the stately brow Of Wmdsor's height the expaiue below Uf grove, of lawn, of mead, suney W„^ '"^K- 1*""* t"^^- ''^'^ "owe™ among Wanders the hoary Thames along ^ His silver-winding way. ^^fe^i^u",'' ?h pleasing shade I An nelds beloved in vain I Where once my careless childhood straved. A stranger yet to pain I ^ 1 feel the gabs that from ye blow A momentary bliss bestow. As waving fresh their gladsome wine My weary soul they seem to soothe. And, redolent of joy and youth, To breathe a second spring." 30 • occurred at Addiscombe where "John r '" ,f "'•™»'7 1850 . vacancy in the Indian Army and Robertstr^?"' '"''^'^^'^ '« »erV^ futu™ career, and fJ; or^!: "f'^!! '^'T'' ''^^^^^'''^^ the land where hi. father L Zl,::^'"'' '" ""^ '"' "' '" ^^' ^ Although but few of the facte of hi, daily Ufe at thi, fi . down to US, sufficient is known to show .h,. ""* ^»™ ""»• " father to the man" trueTthan in 1 ''""'"""' ""^"S' "^he child heart on serving in ^^1^ ;'i\r:tiL't?/^ '""'' "'' on the constitution of the European iTdr^r/. ^ ""■'" '" *^"' ^"" health was far (torn good iThlrt ' °?'' """« at Addiscombe hi, -hject to attacks of fainis^LtmlT""!' ''^ ""^ "»■> '«' -" oftherigo^usclimateofirdirLr ""'■''■""'''» '"' '■>»"«" none of his comrades realized that h t' T""""' "" '"■^""•itahle will and period Of his life. rC^^e Im^Z ■:^ 7"""' ''"'" "'-"^''"^ "' «^' that kept him resolutely 2 : ' SCSont r J't' '^ ^'"''"'"• convoy wagons with the food for his ^ oMO 00^; fw '"' '" ''" to rise by s,ow degrees from a hent„n,„, Tu „ ™' """ ^^W*' him of Commander-inlief of L Bn"il '" . ""' ^'"""^ "' ""> "^^ to be a soldier and tol?;:^: Ca'-'''''* ""^ '^'^ *" ^ -'- 'a.-hel!l'lenUt rktSr^'^™' "''' -'^•'-■'^ing hi, Hethenentere' the Honor^^^ eI ^ri " ''^ '""^ "•* "^P^- . lieutenancy in the Bengal L^IyH P"',"'''"*' ""* "«'^«> the country of his hopes. I two m^^ JL"" °'' """ "" "" "*"* '«"° BOBIBK' BABIT TXAIU. 21 «nd the tempestuous Bay of Bi«8y, began, with sinking hearts, to realize what a senous step they had taken. The opening sentences of Lord Roberts' magnificent autobiography-an autobiography with few superiom in modem hteratur^-Forty^ne Yea™ in India," give an excellent idea of the thoughts that must have burdened their hearts as the shores of England sank irom view. " Forty years ago," he says, ■• 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 a medical certificate, could only be obtained once dunng the whole of an officer's service, and ten years had to be spent in India before that leave could be taken." If they were lucky some of them might return to spend the closing years of their lives in England, but for the most part each felt that he was saying good-bye forever to the land of his boyhood This was in 1852, just forty-nine years ago, and yet in that brief period what changes have been wrought in the world, and particularly in war. The Suez canal bringing the east to the doo>^ of the west had yet to be constructed; the great modem guns and modem explosives had yet tc be mvented; ^ips capable of carrying large bodies of troops rapidly overaeas were yet to be buU^nd the nerves of the world, the electric cables capab" Irtf TT.V"' " '"" "'* ''"' ™-"^"- "f "ght around the world had yet to be laid, in this modem development no nation has stood ou mo«, prominently than the English nation, and no man in that naUon more prominently than the one who was now about to enter on hi, career as a boy-lieutenant of the Bengal Artillery. CHAPTER U. On »Mrt the SteuK, "Ripon "-At Oibmlwr .nd M.It.-p|cttin»<.ti. c.1-^t~.i. ^ , u,. Dun .. P„« wmi.. .„, Du„.Du. "^.""kTrt-i^S:^- S«7 THE .teamer "Ripon" after d slormy trip reached the historic rock of Gibraltar, where h«r bunkers were replenished, and where the youne rtill n^ •*'" ..'' t" T'""'''' "' "'™« ""^ magnificent fortr«, that rt,ll proclaims that England has the key to the Mediterranean and the east Another bnef halt was made at Malta, and then after a tedious voyage, of which they were all heartily tired, they landed at Alexandria. From this P^^ce ,hey were towed up the Mahmoudieh Canal until Atfleh on the ZZrZ^- """^ ""^ ''"''' " ^-^ -' ""^^ »'^'«" "- Much to the delight of the young cadets they had to spend a couple of days at Shepherd;s Hotel in this picturesque city. They^made rlel IXMSible use of their tima They were in a strange, new world ; a world! eastern dr^, eastern manners, eastern bazaars. Lieutenant Roberts and h^comnides gazed with the curiosity of school-boys, and despite thoTr mb,.ons and nussion thoy were nothing more, on the beturbid Turk the donkey boys with their gayly caparisoned asses waiting for customer. ^ ^ebeggar asleep on the Steps of the mc«que; the veiled woman filling h!; Cl3th t7"'"ri°''"'^'"" «°^ *'^--' «" ">- - from th England they had just left. The buildings, too, tall and narrow, the nar^w unpaved streets the "little wooden shop-fronts, like open cabinets ful"' helves, where the merchant, sit cros^legged in the midst of their good!' Uking out at the passers-by and smoking in sil.nce," interested them ^ ■thtsten* rhelr Skip, Dmpany the ds Mllitaij 'Q Remote. rock of he young tress that the east, oyage, of ''rom this 1 on the >n hours Bonple of the best world of arts and te their i Turk, stomers; ing her om the narrow full 0'. goods, L much. HI IITDU. SS And wh»t • mixed, itniigt crowd the; Jortlad igiinit in thoM nwiow Ml •"8yTi«n dngomuu in baggy tnuwn ud bnudcd jaoktU- Ure-fooW Egyptiu, fclljjem in ii«ged blue thirte ud felt «!ull<.p,. Gnek. in abnirdl; MB white tuui«^ like walking pen-wipen ; Porwma with high mitre-like cap. of dark woven rtuff; .warthy Bedouin, in flowing gannenH creamy white, with chocolate itripea a foot wide, and a head-ehawl of the lame bound about the brow with a fillet of twiated camel', hair- Englidimon in palm-leaf hat.; native women of the poorer claas in black veil, that leave only the eye. uncovered, derviehe. in patchwork coa^ their matted hair rtreaming from under fantartio head^iresse. ; blue-blwik Abywiman.; Armenian prierts; m^ertio gho!rt.of Algerian Arab.- all in wkte; mounted Janiaarie. with jingling «iber. and gold-embroidered jacket.; merchant., beggan^ wldiers, boatmen, laborers, workmen, in every variety of cortume, and of every ent in going through with cunou. eye., the saddle bazaar, the .Upper bazaar, the bazaar of the gold and ^Ive«mith.-eveiy conceivable trade had it. bazaar. These rtrange oght^ the odd buildings, the picturesque gate., the churcbe. and the mowjue. kept their two days in Cairo fully occupied. They were loath to leave the dty . won, and r-uld fain have q«nt a few da, 3 longer in Shepherd'. Hotel rouMd m the morning by the croaking of the grey and black crows, tb- .avenge™ of Cairo. These two days, however, gave them an insight into the eart. This balf-way-house on the road to India prepared them for their hfe on the Ganges. If the trip to Cairo had been tiresome, the next stage of their eartward journey was to be still more «.. They had to cros. the Egyptian desert for mnety mile, through the burning sand, and this journey had to be made in a conveyance like a gigantic bathing machine drawn by four mules While the travellera were borne in this feahion, beade them toiled the heavy-gaited • Umrdi I " A Thoumnd Hllet up the NUe." '^^~~ ■«>i> aoaun. U»t tim. h. «.med thoroughly TU^^r T "" "''' """' " T«..»tion for old„ .nd mo« .xperie„c«, men than' il^. ""'°"'* ' With regard to thia trip, he aaya : • " w. „„ ,i„, , iwiuDay. we were not, however, much inclined to oomolain » w,m. ^f new aaanrinbia nmn.^ .1, I . ""I" uuiupiain, aa aome of our aasociatea proved themaelvee decided aoauiritionn A™» waa Mr. (afterwarda Sir Bame.^ P«^t wquintiona Among them Kvi»> -L ^ Peacock, an immense favorite with all on board, and more particularly with us lada He wa. fall JT ^ ^Jthough then forty^ven year, old, and on hi, way 7c^^^\!'"- T r::r»^rv:''^rr;:rr~ ^r:?C^™i°»7tf— '^^---- til u Tl ^ "PP^"*""™' «3 Quartermaster^Jeneral of Queen's than any of h. fellowt raveller. ever attained, an d yet with the modLy • bbwu: FortjOn. Te.t> In Indta. ^ ■ ; ni nsiA. fcr th* * 87 rft™p«to«i h. rtill M,m«l to look upon th. m.n who« .onl. „d •ctioni had done much to direot hi. geniu. u greater than himwir. The .hip "Oriental" «a. Kon out of .ight of Aden, and pounding her way .teadily «»o. the blue .tretch of the Indian Ocean. It wa. a lonir journey to CalcutU and the traveller, were glad to have it broken by a .hort rert at Madrui. The long .tretche.of «ndy .hore, the .mall barren hill, fonnmg a background to the city were not very prepo«e«ing, but it wa. India, and Robert, wa. delighted to get arf,o« to vi«t wme Addi«»mb« boy. who were Rationed here. The wbrtantial .tructure of Fort St Geoige, with the Iight-hou« ri-ng nearly , hundred feet above it, built aImo,t to the water", edge- the pictureeque minaret, and pagoda. «t off by a background of Invariant «»tern foliage made quite a. deep an impre»ion on the young traveller a. the bazaa™ and mo^juee of Cairo. Thoroughly reeled by th. change of «penence he once more boarfed the steamer and began the final .tageof hi. journey to Calcutta-^ long voyage of it«lf of 1030 mile.. While at Madra, he got hi, first glimp« of real war. Out in the roads about two forli '"'* "^' ' '"' '"'"""P"'^ ■"«'"■'« preparation, to «,a In 1862 the Earl of Dalhoume wa. governing India. He h«l had control of .t. affal™ for four yea™, and for the last two years, wUh the excephon of several expedition, against theAfridi. and other robbeMribe, r; Jl : ^""""""^ ^^^^ ™ *«"' l-^^^'- - --ers«l peace had reigned throughout Indi. When he took control of affairs the finfnce. of the country had been in a most unsatisfactory condition ; but during thi. hme of peace the able administrator had got them on an excelleot basi. He had, however, httle hope that they would remain so. He droaded ^rt'f tT"'"' """'""' ^''"' hovered over that kingdom made him fear for the future, and he had declared to the home authorities that ^a.nqu^ in Burmah would be a calamity «cond only to the caltil If a IL / k'?1 ^ ""'"^'"' '° ™" "-^ ^"'l of D^'ho^ie a Little Engander.but he feared that Imperial extension in that direction at 1«^ would mean <■ exhausted cash balances and ripened loan. " uu aoBnn. viouma Thi. campaign proved to be a particularly Mvere on. Jd .7 K the "Oriental " with hi. comrade,. ^ ^ "" "^•«' "^ Six week, after leaving Kngland Calcutta wa. ,e«,hed H.™ Lieutenant Robert, wa, to be left veiy ,ch alone mTZ^' command of the Lahore divi.on. but hTd bee^ mtl, ofhi. C'-Th,:: ttere until he should report at the headquarter of the Bengal ArtilCr^^ Dum-Dum, a military station eight mile, from Calcutta. ^ This wa, not an altogether welcome letter H« I,.J k ■ ■ u m.t hi, father, or like the other cadet, whoTad al^lniXt L^ once plunged mto military life in India by way of Fort William »T Wore.thorough,y .„„e,y and depre, J whe'n L L^ Z T di^r il' :rrZt'r;r^ -wen-foreve^.^lcaecto^r^;: In recalling thi, experience he «.y,: -l „„ ^iU more dep.«ed at findmg my«,f teu^a-tete with a fi.t.la. specimen of the re^W.:' ■NTM.OR OF PORT WLL.AM, CALCUTTA ■NDIAK CONVKVAHCE ■». INDIA. 31 India olimate. He oeloag:.! to my own regiment, and was going home on medical certiflcate, but did not look as if he could ever reach Kngland." Lieutenant Roberta felt no doubt, as he gazed into the sallow face of the soldier fleeing from the death that would not yield him up, that the country from which he hoped so much might strike him down before he could achieve anything. But he determined to begin his military career without delay, and on the advice of his new-made friend reported himself at Dum-Dum on the following morning. Here again he was to meet with disappointment. He had expected a bright, rollicking mess, "a cheery and laige party"; but instead he found there only one subaltern. The Burmese War had depleted the garrison, and only a few soldiers, practically all natives, were about the place. It is Httle wonder that this boy was thoroughly homesick. The name India had lost its magic sound for him ; the reality was far less than the dream. What he needed was plenty of work, with the hope of advancement, and for four months he was to eat his heart out in practical inactivity in and about Calcutta. However, he had an excellent opportunity of studying the Hindoo character in that crowded and filthy c iy. His Ufe was spent between the monotonous routine of military duty at Dum-Dum, and an occasional week in Fort William where his "sole duty was to superintend the firing of salutes ; " but he must have been interested in the teeming life of Calcutta. At that time the population of the city proper was almost half a milUon, while within a circle of twenty miles, according to the estimates of the magistrates some years before Roberts' arrival, at least 2,225,000 people struggled for -existence. There seems to have been but little care taken for the health of the place, and daily much waste food from the tables of the wealthy Europeans was cast into the streets. This kept great flocks of crows kites, and vultures ever hovering over the city, perched on the house-to™ and m the trees, and gorging themselves without fear of being disturbed at the very feet of the wayfarers. Chief among these feathered scavenger, were potesque adjutant birds (a species of stork), one of the nndertokers of Kiphng-s "Jungle Book." According to Lord Roberts these were the only S2 ■iltt. KOBKBn. .«-».».. ,„.,jr^i-*-«v-., w «., ... crept stealthily through the d»rt„ M . ^ ''°^' '^*™' »"* jackals had been unable to de™l " ''" ""' ""' "'^^ «"' 8-> J birds There was another sidn tr, «(,;. buildings, it, squa:., it, Lg^s it.""^ "^ " "^ '" '^'"'««'' , had a sturdy intellectual lifefr'a^ .*" °'' "^^ """ "•'"'"- » published a greater numbe of 1"^ - cty n, the British Isles in 1852 P-«dency of Calcutta, ^ut S h^M ^^''^ '^"^^^ '^"^ '"« impression on the young soldiersl t, !^^ ""'' '"'™ ■"'^« «"»« enforced inactivity in barracks "df'""."'^ ™ '"' ■^■=«"^'»'^ -* hi, or away to the north-w. Jh rhl^^fe^^^^ " "■""" *" "" °«' '» «»™'^. be could see nothing g^ 1 Caf ,T "" "^"^ '° '"*'^'' "">=. "^at -ghtmare; but hi, L^on „f LT ^° '™ " ^'^ " '™'«hed of his mind. ^^""^ °^ ^'^«""« '" 'a'gely due to the state be needed was eo.pall J IT^,:" ^^ "'T"'" ^"^^ others «, ,a„eh was more dl™nd T °"° '"'"' ^^ helped Hoberts. and he gives the ^el^ih^''^"^^'' "' ""^'" '^- must confess I was di™ w Tf . "'"PP''"'' ''^en he says : ."I specially by L 1 ^S^^l^r^ '«« " -P'-ly to' myself known to my father, who hTd I L """"^ "' "^""^ """> ^^--'^y behalf Under thjse ITm ^ T"' ™"*'' *" »"« "^ ^hem on my tbat I became terl^;Ce^,^:;V ^H" '"''^ '""' ^^^'^^'^ iu India. lV„„t of airTe T'"""' "'^' ' """ °-« •« happy hopeless,. I was th: Su^r^ L^^^f,"' ~- -med absoJ^J officer in the list of th^ ^^1^ k^'"'™""'' -""^ •"-'' -^-T as a mibaltem." ^ "^"""^ '>'"' »^"cd over fifteen year, • Bo„,„, ratj^jn, T..r. ta Injii. ■ . .^ a iKou. U Lncfc of comr.v1«5hip, the carelessness and thoughtlessness of those from whom he had expected much, the remoteness of the brilliant future he had hoped for when stepping on board the " Ripon," were the true causes of his homesi-^kness. But all those things had to be borne for some months in dreary Calcutta; and no doubt this painful experience was an excellent initiation for the young soldier into his new life. Much paUence and knowledge of men were the things most essntial to the great career that was to b* his, and these things are best learned through suffering; CHAPTER m. TODBKIY TO PKSHAWAl. make himself new friends in h;. n« witHout the power to Heine h. ., aptr:^':.:;::"^:' ^7-"^ l" ''"' autobiography he rarely complains, he rarely re^L but the.. ""' in it on homesickness that admirablv Jbrli^A " """ P^^^ he had fallen. """""Wy shows the deep melancholy into which friends for himself can never h T^' *•" "'"' """ "■"' »'«'« encou^ged by th fZ. Z H "'^ /'^^' '"' *" ">*» '^''y» >>« " >- v^4; anlte^n' 1 ~Jl™^ ^ ^'^ England and friends at no very distaZriod At TV r*"^ """™ *" he could not but feel comp J„ cut o/f^mal. hat r/iZTf ""*:' his chief interests in life—hi. fc i ^ , hitherto formed 84 JODBNEY TO PESHAWAB. S5 In mich spiritual condition his new life could interest him in no way. The enthusiasm he had had for a military career in India was dead for the time being. The palms and temples of the east had lost all attraction for him ; the strange crowded life of Calcutta disgusted him ; his mind as yet seemed to take no interest in the new civilization, in the strange manners, in the mystic religions, that met him at every turn. He would gladly have retravelled tliat long hot passage across the Indian Ocean, through the scorching Red Sea, to get away from the monotonous inactivity of his existence at Dum-Dura. England by absence had grown much dearer to him, and he would fain have transported himself to the banks of the Thames without even seeing the father whom he had so looked forward to meeting. Only one incident seems to have enlivened, to use his own word his experience at Dum-Dum; and this was an exceedingly violent cyclone ' So tempestuous was the night that it came very nearly ending his career He was caught out in black darkness on a narrow road with a deep ditch on either side, and along this narrow road he had to grope his way, stumbling over fallen trees, his heart standing still while before and behind him buildings, trees and pillars fell crashing to the ground; about him "huge branches were being driven through the air like thistle-down." He was preserved for great deeds, however, and after several hours of peril succeeded in reaching his house uninjured. How narrow were his escapes can be judged by the scene that he beheld next morning. "As I %lked to the mess," he writes, "I found the road ahnost impassable from fallen trees- and dead birds, chiefly crows and kites, were so numerous that they had to' be earned off in cart-loads." At the beginning of the gale he had stumbled against a column which " had been raised a few years before to the memory of Uie 1st Troop, 1st Brigade, Bengal Horse Artillery, who were killed in the disastrous retreat from Kabul in 1841." In the morning he found that this massive column had been buried down. This seem, to have been the last stmw. Away from the vicinity of Calcutta he must get, and so he wrote to his father urgently requesting him to use h|s influence to have him sent to Burmah. He had had enough rf barrack, and fort, he wanted active service; and the Burmese war was M ■^■I- BOBIEn. oamp di«ipH„e before IJ^^^X".! ^h 7" ''■'"" ''" ^*"" " did not grant the reauMt „f ft, • ' campaign ; and, while h, having ^i^ZT.L^zc::::':'^'' '''' -»" «>« --^ o^- get the command. ' '""'' '*'"'"•" ">« K™"™' «pected t< by magic." The homlLess wr-TH!^? 'T''"' '''"'""*"^ " " he needed, but «rvice that would be th'e gateway to ~' ""^'"•"'"""P once:r:nsrTS---if^--..at held in the greater .rlr^JlT:' ""^"'"'" '"' '"«' -' Dum-Dum, and about the begin^nrof A ! T """'"^ ■'^^ '■> '»^» three month, towa^. the ASanZntiL"""'' ''^''" '^^ '™« ^^'-^ »' »nv:r„:re::frg;:::::;:r7"°v '"- ^'^^ -"^^ »' •■The Arabian Nigh^" th! vl^lL ^a 'C '""f "'^' '''^ ''''^ '^'- a ravelation even to one who had 1^„ f r '""'"^ "" '"" "»'«• ''«« hi» boyhood. ^ ^ '^'''" '^"'^ ^'o™ of India bom .ba^L'rsi'jwrbTrrr^^r "'^""'---' "-•-- otherwise. At the end 7tht gTT I' """ """''^ "<" ''"« »«» ^.ht oMhe Holy City ^ t^lJl^^etrrhrtT"" '^ ' sacred cities of Hindustan. The minarets tr^ T *' """^ stately residence of Paishwa fine 2 n "'/""'"e^^he's mosque, the houses here where they n^M reL'" . ''^"'"•^ "-d- who had wealthy Americans now got Cv^J " h %." "^ *" ""'^^P' «« «>^ fioberts had a brief oppoCtyr^r^'.^^/^—^.^^''"'^ "" -• wondering at the Brahmanee bull, »i"k '""""'^ "' ^'""^ the naJw streets, vLXf^m I "''"''"' "'^'''^ his passage i^ . viewing from .ome eminence the stately gardens, th. JOCBHIT TO PESHAVAB. S7 ! buildings, the broad squ.™, the fountains and gardens that on a level were [ concealed from the eye. With a vivid impresrionof this dty. which according to the Brahman. had originally been built of gold, but which the sins of the Hindus had changed to stone and even to clay, he boarded a horse-dak and journeyed towards Allahabad. It was a short journey of only eighty miles, and at the : end of .t one of his father's dearest friends, a Mr. Lowther, was to give him J a welcome nich as he had not experienced since coming to India i Allahabad, like Benares, was a holy city, as many as 200,000 pilgrim. I having visits it in a single year. The Hindus seemed to wo«hipl^eir ^^ great fertilizing nve«, and here there was a double reason for worehip- at this point the Jumna and the Ganges united their sacred waters and rolled by the masrive fort whose toweni and bastion, bristled with guni Beneath I >" !"^ 1 '"''°""' '^'^"^ °' *" '""P'" of Siva, the destroyer I attracted the curiosity of the travellers. I So far Roberts had come about 600 miles, and as he was rtiU onlv a short way on his journey there wa. no time for loitering, «, forward he went to Cawnpore, the city of hi. birth. He made a longer stay here and shows I himeolf not only observant but a thoughtful critic of existing militaiy institution. The fact that the Cawnpore Division was then commanded 7y Bngadie^General Palmer, who had attained his rank when probably not J than SIX y.eight yean, old, made a deep impression on him. The wretched system of promotion by seniority and not by merit, which was the bane of Uie English amy m India, and which to some extent tied the hands of the War Office and Uie commander-inK=hief even so late as in the recent Boer war, and which the great majority of Englishmen hope to see the present great then attracting his attention. The hopeless yeai. that he looked forward to when he landed in India, the sight of old men filling positions of diffic^y nd trust when both their years and their health demanded that they Thou d From Cawnpore Robert, proceeded to Meerut He here met the Bengal Hon. Amw,, ua U, mMmiuU, j..,„, ., ^ much th. «m, „ tint now «»n1LTr» ' '""Jwn* Th. j,*^ „ »nno„nWb,a,»g^p,„^'';J^r^'«ft«« ;;** 1~I^ Ala. «o P-h.w„. there still i^terv^TS)' JSlt! tf ' ""^ ""• "^ **««™» •nii-ight into Indi.beCtT.lIrtrr'r' "'«*'-">• "«>" «.e north and the «nth h«, bee^^LL^JYnt' *l"* ""^ *' '^^ !*• I»l«.quin journey w., ^oT^^.^T^ "^ '^'"^ «»« to twelve n.i,e..p^. n..X;r^c:l'*r k""^ »— ;«^-W. Who., to^h c^nuJ"^;-" "JS^ *" *'■ '"' "^ ihck. upon which he oontinnUly Boa«d ft! JT* ^ ™^ *» "«' ^ « ««. mile. „ ho„, «uJ tf C wl t^f "^l!' *• -'• '" ■*«»• could be .cc^npliahed befo™ it ZlTrZ^^ ^ " ''^^ »«- m one of the dak.bung.,„^, o/^I^TlLt t"" '*~' *^ "» -v.ni.nt int.rv.1. .long a., the pH^^ J S:*!::^:::- LORD VISCOUNT CAHNINO GENERAL SIR HENRY HAVSLOCK, K.C.B. roURKIT TO rBHAWAI. 41 brth ooald b* obtained, ud »rely it wu needed after a Journey of thirteen or fourteen hoan at a level of only a fov inohea above an exceedingly duity road." ^^ ' It i> no wonder that he hailed with delight the hillniUtion of MuMoorie, where a half-eirter live fagged with the dust and the heat of the plain., and the bracing air of the hills made him over anew. The few jdayi he spent here gave him a genuine rest The gorgeous winery of these piled-up mountaina; the charming sunsets, unequalled by any in the world ; the mists that settle like a veil over the neat-like dwellings on the hillsides, and then are dispersed, giving the varied landscape the charm of almost fairy-like beauty, held his young heart and mind under their spell. But his duty was before him, his goal, Peshawar, was still far off, and once more he had to consign himself to the tender mercies of the doolie-bearem. Through Umballa he proceeded to Ludhiana, where he met a cousin with whom he was to travel as far as Mian Mir, where another half.«i,ter lived. It is interesting to note how deeply young Roberts' life was bound up with India. On this journey to join his father it will be noticed that he met no fewer than three relatives, resident in India. His birth, his training, his connections, all made him an ideal man for the country in which, without ortentotion, he was to do such magnificent work for the Empire. At length hie tedious journey came to an end, and, early in November, three months after leaving Calcutta, he reached Peshawar. This city, built by Akber, is the frontier town of Hindustan towards Afghanistan. Its name is significant, and means the "Advanced Post." Here he would have an opportunity of studying his profession in a military camp kept wide awake by the bold tribes that dwelt in the surrounding hills, and were ever ready to swoop down in their predatory expeditions on tha men of the plaina Hla great reward, however, for his long journey was the meeUng with hi3 father. Abraham Roberts was, it is worthy of no^ just siity-nine, the age of his more illustrous son in the present year, when he received the temporary rank of m^jor-general. In almost every way he had a character Uke his son's. He had the same deep religious feeling, the same high sense 49 UBL Msnm of honor. A. -m. ~p«^ f., hi. f.ll.w „ldie,^ . l.^ ., t^ ^,^ ^ unUring energy. Lik. hi. «n, too. h. h«i . thoroughly .ymp.thrtio n,tu« «d young Roboru found in him .t one . father .nd .friend UnUl thi. m«Ung .t P.,h.w.r. h. h«J known nothing p„«„.I|y of h« fa her. He h.d. it i. true, caught pa«ing g,i™p«. „f JJl^,,, ^^ of twelve at «hooI in England, and had a fain. recolleeUon ofabron^. Z »ld.er, km ly .nd gentle; but thi. „„ all, and he «.y. they "^e. t P«hawar al.«t a, ..ranger." "We did not, however." he add., "long tenuun »; h,. affect.onate greeUng «x,n put an end to any feeling rf .hyne^ on my part, .nd the genial and kindly .pirft which enabled him to than h T, ''TT': ""' "'" '"""^ "'"' "P'»«»-" »' '»- younger than lun„elf, rendered the year I .pent with him at Peehuwar one of Z bnghteet and happiert of my early life." it h ? 7rl"""' ". l""^' '"'* "'"'''^ '""' *"" ' """' P"fi"''>le one. In it he Ia,d he ba«. of h,. whole future career. Robert,- great renown will oTlrn '. ": T""'"'" ■"""- South Africa; and that he w... of all Bnt.h general., the be* fitted to cope with the peculiar people, a^ ^^'1' , ^5 """::"" ™ '"' '"'^'^ *" "" <"» trainingrreceiv J at hu father', hand, in that year. M^-o.General Robert, had «en «rvice «,m. eleven year, before in tTTTT: rT'""'"'^"'"'"' *'"»' «"" ShujV. contingent, and what he had learned of the country and it, inhabitant, from hard experience he gave to hi. »n in no .tinted measure. Twenty year, later the world wa. to nng w.th the prai«. of the young British general who carried h., troop, ,ucce»fully flr,t on Kabul and then to the relief of Kandahar fighfng under the greatest dilBcultie, and handling the tribe, with which he came ,nt„ contact with diplomacy and .kill. That he wa, able to do hi, work «, we wa, due largely, a. he «.y,, t„ the information he gathered from hi. father regarding the eharac.ori,tie., of that peculiar country, and the best mean, of deaUng with it. stiU more peculiar people." CHAPTER TV. "»« AT PUHAWA*. THE life of Robert, .t P,d,aw« w« to be comp.r.Uv.ly «Maki„g uneTentfol, but thi« dirtrict gave him the be.t training he could have received at that time in India. It wa.. as has already been stated, the lart town toward, the Afghan frontier. The general who wa, fortunate enough to be placed over thi, part of the Empire held command over what wu at once the largest and most important division in India. It included Attoclc Rawal Pindi, and Jhelum; «,d through ita whole length and breadth unceasing vigilance wa. necessary. General Abraham Roberts wa. just the man for the porition-carefUl method,cal, .ympathetio. nothing ewoped his eye ; kindly toward, hi. friend.' heat the «ime time wa. most considerate of his enemies, and ever in hii dealings with the Afghans endeavored to make friends of them He was not only roccessftil to a great extent himself, but shaped the poUcy of the other men in authority in India and of the commander at Peshawar who followed in his step,. Lord Dalhousie, the Governor^eueral of India approved of the good work he did in the .hort period he commanded al PMhawar; and the commisaoners of Peshawar, Colonel MackcMn and Lieutenant^lonel Herbert Edwardes, adopted the same policy, the latter Ertabhrfung mch a good understanding with the ruler of Kabul that, 43 44 ■ABL BOBIBTB. I When the matiny broke out, Afghanistan stood aloof instead o? .. might have been the case, turning the scale against n&" Peshawar seems to have been an excellent training «*ool for other, besides young Roberts. At that time on his father's staff were two young men. Lieutenant Norman and Lieutenant Lumsden. Whether it was their native genius, the difficult school in which they were trained, or the fine character of their commanding officer (no doubt all three) these twc men rose to very high positions in the army and the nation, and when Roberts was wnting his " FortyOne Years in India," he speaks in a foot note of his one tune friends at Peshawar as General Sir Henry Norman, G.C.B QCM.Q lately Governor of Queensland, and General Sir Peter Lumaden, G.C B " In this fine school he was placed under the immediate eye of his father • for although he was in the Artilleiy in the 2nd Company, 2nd Battalion of "The Devil's Own," auJ had to perform his regimental duties "strictly and regularly," he lived with and acted as aide^loKiamp to his father The homesickness was now gone ; never again does he coirpl ,in of India and his hfe m the army. He is of course critical of existing institutions, but has no thought of deserting his post as he had in those first four Calcutta months • instead he looks upon the army and India as part of himself, and the weaknesses and spots in their government are his to remedy. ^ However Peshawar was not an earthly paradise. The cantonment had been laid out by Sir Colin Campbell, and on account of the Afridis, who were forever swooping down on the plains from their hill strongholds, his chief aun had been t» give the forces under him as much concentration as possible; as a result Peshawar, close and crowded, was a most unhealthy rtation. That th. troops in it were never very fer from war was evidenced by the great watchfiUness exercised in it by the authorities. If hostiUUe. had been under way between India, and Afghanistan a greater number of sentries, outposts, and piquets than surrounded Peshawar at that time would scarcely have been needed. At any moment the call to arms might be sounded, and the soldiers, unlike the men stationed in other parts of India, were ever hoping for and expectmg the action that bring, danger and death or honor and advancement. The description given by Lord Roberts of th^ UM AT PKSHAWAB. Am v- "ati: Never has it been better illustrated what actual war is to th„ ...l,- , a soldier than the contest which Lorf Roberts b^ugl ^a^ti J^ o all termmation when he caused Pretoria to open her gates JhTs 2pl Th SaTd ''?""';■:,•'•• '"'"^ '" "'^ '"'"^^' discipline of be JTviceL England and m India, found themselves in no way superior to the rT , Indeed m the opm.on of many military critics the long pea.-CKlrill tl, troops, and when it came to fighting where wit and individual couraZ 1 Canadians, proved themselves the superiors of the old and tried regiment There was much surrendering in the dark years .hat have just taxe/te bZ h 1 "T"""' "' ''"°'"«' '"-"P' """ f«" -to the hand of te Boer, has boen^aall indeed; and yet time and time again their advetuj 4« KAht. roSkrM. ! fit spirit led them into hot corner, where they were wrrounded by . numerou. enemy. With his father's watchfiil eye upon him, with vigilant robbers ever ready to sweep down upon this station for plunder or for revenge, with daily contart with such men as Sydney Cotton, (afterwards Sir Sydney Cotton, G C B )and Lieutenant Henry Norman, and Lieutenant Peter Lumsden, it is little wonder that the young cadet, who a few months before would have given all he possessed to get out of India, rapidly pew to love the country and his callmg, and that he began to show an astonishing insight into every detail of his profession. During this first year all he saw in India did not delight him with his new life. The "barbarous and degrading custom of flogging," to use his own words, was still practised in the army. That it was not practised to any great extent is evident from the fact that during his whole military career he attended but one flogging parade ; still the punishment was possible, and until 1881 this mode of treating men for wrongdoing was not abolished from the Enghsh service. In tliis first year he saw two handsome young horse artilleiymen punished by this means, and the fifty lashes administered to their bare backs seemed to bum into his own flesh. He felt then that such punishment was not educative, as all punishment should be, but merely tended to harden the heart and stiffen the neck of the sinner, and the sympathy felt for the two young fellows shows how intensely modem he was in his feelings and ideas. The Lord Robert, that watched with such . fatherly eye over his soldiers on their trying march to Pretoria was one with the Lieutenant Roberts whose soul cried out with indignation at the bratal punishment administered to hU comrades-in-arms (and every good fighUng man, be he private or general, has ever been his comrade-in-arms) on the parade ground of Peshawar. He saw that the punishment had no good effect on the moral natures of the men, for no sooner were they out of prison than, as If in defiance, they committed the crime (selling their kits) for which they had first been punished, and were one*, more sentenced to the "cat" This time, however, they were forgiven. Now the value of this incident to the student of Loid Robert.' life jt UPK AT PK8HAWAR. 47 The Peshawar district before Roberts finished his first year i^it was thrown mto the wildest excitement by the death c" th„ Lieutenant-Cobnel Frederick Mackeson' He I J^e J"""'""'"' « rhyare,i,ions fanatic on J ZLZT^ Z:,^: H, smurderer for h.s dastardly crime was hanged, and his body bnmed Td ^tl„s .n the eyes of all Mahomedans, ^eant that he was foLeHxI^dJ the P.«hawar cantonment was engendered in the heart, of all true Mahoineduns along the Afghan frontier oliml'irplrwa:"™," ^''""""" '^'*'"' "" ^^''-^ *"' «'f-' of *"« bad TT .f r^ ' "'' -^cuperating at the hill station of Mnrree but the death of Colonel Mackeson made hi. forget self and hi, own safT' and he hastened back to Peshawar to endeavor to prevent the Z^ T Genera, Roberts and his son and a considemble force went out JZ^Z ::X B-r ::l:^ ""^' ^ - - ~ - ^^^ This higl land region in late autumn was verv dificrent fr„™ ,i. ., . weather of the plains, and General Ro^rts. .^^'^J^Jl^ ZT Z : T"' "^ '^^ "' *'■' '-""P-'^"- "-•> to his reg^t the lu ' """^"«""« -""I he found that the enemy, after a stiff resist., ehaTl "'°""" '"' '""^'^ and that their villages had been destroJj ., '*™'''"^ l'""«hed, 31 wounded to the British. Te 1 ad it Th " '"" "' ™"^- ' '"'^ -" 1.500 men retired to.at^s Pesl^ «";,'• '''' ""' "^ "'« '''>- "' and they did not fee, safe til, they we:e "l^^^ S. ""^ ^^ «- The Peshawar life began to tell „„ .i suffered a good deal from fever. Fin ,,! h'l 'Zi ''""'"'""'"' -■» h. April, 1854, he obtained si. month L/lT '""'"*' ^^ "»" """ "" -- v.e of Kashmir With a CO- i^ --,--:- - e^p^-rrcrrrrtrC""""'"^^''^^-- - «.mmi.ioner, Captain B.eher, he aware of 2 T '"" "'^ ''^■'""^• lieutenants he would never h.ve permit ed.h '""'' °' "'" ■'-"« out.f.th.way district, a journy to ^nir 7 '" """"P' '» -^'' "'at kinds, and the greatest w,. the s'.l a^dVo?,- T'f ' "" '""^^-^ "^ "" He found out their intentions a^r t y ^'T ."'""T "' "'^ "™'"«- rccalhngtl.em; hut they conveniently fori to J Ik" ""' " "'"''"«" were returning from Khagan Thev 3 '". '""'"'" "'"" "-y journey over .now bridges and JZ" '"'"^ ' '" "'"' '""«™- round the inhabitants^^ore f::l:d h r^tr' ''^^^ ''^^ ^r^ «,nery made a lasting iHipLon^rL^'ouTmLV" '"^ I{: UW AT POHAWAa, g. •"Khagan wag almost buried in anovr tt,« _„. .nd became eve^ „„„., „„„ J^;. ^^^JeZJ Z^T toweri„,abovea.i;N:«a2b f;;;^ :f 'J- ? "''-'" «" -. -r .0.,. b... .a. La.ea : ^21::^^::;::;^:- - K.,.::;:. 'a^rir «:::-! "?- -'-^ '» •■ - --^ ™,e . .he --a„„;;r:rHTrtz"rcr" it^"'- vale and the capital of Kashmir s ''««=npt.on of the famoua show, that the h °d tharSld^!:""^":." ■"™' '"''''"'"' ''""''"«-'"«' pen with great plwer "' '"""^ '" ™"'' P^'P"- »>"d "- the join hie batte.,. He wae loath to leave the flllVZ o^S •'r™:,'" surrounding mountains, the st^ms and lakes- and h! f ! •?"' " with flowera of every description for in I .' " """ *"«»y easte. phmU and ti^e rnoJ^J^^C ^ITSJ^: .''l^^^- common ground." "weeter ones of England meet on However he was n:^:'rlT::^tir;:^r ^ ^ received his "Jacket," and shortlv after» 7 November he one of the troops of the Horsf Sle^ "'' ''" ^"""^"^ " '-'--' - .l.at sjiendid body of t^oon i 1, T ^''7 "" '"" '" *" ""'"'"'^'^ "^ his deHght was unbo ndT' vttT U "™"" ""' '' ">«'' "S-" admiral. Like hrn^ th / wernet^? r/ri;;" "^ r "^ ''""'-- big fellows; "most of whom" he rs"^rnr"~'""^^'''"™y- 52 •.or«. were flerj-. Vdou. rtudho^ J *'"."'"""'"" ''^ '"»?• ^h. conquered them one by one and oT/. '"'' "'™ "" '° «""> «nd Pesh..„ tHnn the .Jht "Ct I':'? T '''*^' " ^™"«" '^<'" ™ Wmself thoroughly u«eH up LSl •7'"" "" '"^ "P""« '"« fo-d and once more hastened away to the drj 71 """"'" ''''" "' '"«-™, that he had completely g„t rid ^ thTen . ""• '" ^"«""' "^ '«' Joun,eyof400milesaeLfthel;atHma7" "■' *"'■ ""-^ '""^ "" " important part in the life of European, inlJ ? """' '" ^''^ »»'' «» Robert,. It p„b,„, ,t ^^^2 2, ""• r "* "■'■"' '■""»'^"« f» -'1. the qnartcrmaster^eLrar ciel ^r ^^ '" "^' ""-^ •""> '""O .he eonve^ation betwe™ thT„p riel 1" ^^^ ""^ "" '-— of Colonel Becher expressed a wirZ ^ ^T' *"' "" ^o^^ lieutenant, department. He touched thl Ij J^ r"" """' "'^ ™'- »'. heart. It had been hi, desire h hi " "'^"' ^»""« »'<■'"'» deputy-aseista„t.,uarterma,ter.ge'„eml ^, . T " '°°"' "^"^ t" he hefore he lett India he would not only be larlr T " '""«'" """ have attained the highest ,K,ssible ra„ri„„'l„T '""'"""'• *"■' «°"'<' S.mla after his long journey rejoie ng ha K /T"' "^ '>'«' --'""^ fever; he left it with a stilllig rrToart f "■<"'™ "^ 'he dreaded had opened to him the gateway L J^' '"""^ "^ '"""S" ^'""^l Becher Before returning to Peshawar he went .„ W »■ ndmg school course, after which he rllnel ^ ' "''^"' ''^ '«'' the The next winter w«. »n ^ ' ^raent -uMCng volcant but no hiroTr';""- '"''' "'"^ "' """ '- « We „ach. the troop in the ^lX:rZZ: "'^'' ^^ ^ jrrovmces. The tune was ,pent Unc AI PtaRAWAR. 83 n ,p<»^ in hunting. „d .t drill. The Brigadier, Sydney Cotton «■«, „ tho^ugh „ld,er .nd kept office™ and n,en at .ork. I„ describing "LiI I, m the hght of recent event, in South Africa i« well worth reflecting over He says that Sydney Cotton maintained that, -.parade g„!,„d/«e,v -mply ««>ful for drill and p„Kn,i„a,y in.truc.ion, and that a! Jn a^ , ™d.n,ent, of a «, d.er's education had been learned .he troop, .ho^j j t:: :r^''r;^ - '- - -^^^^ - --- ^^ .- -at ...ey „::;:, When the humiliating di»rte« to the British troops at the close of IS-m »e re., led this sentence seen,. al„«t like irony. ^„e .hoi Tis, ^ England . war, goes to prove that the nation has not practised in peace wl, her so d.™ would have to do in war, and, as in South Africa, Knglnl' generals have learned to fight only ai^er severe reverses. HoCr «mm„nder..n.h,ef has now an excellent opportunity of putting in praHi , thelesson he learned f^™ Sydney Cotton. Drill for show is of litf.? ' ' and .nstead of wheeling and turning, officers and men alike should be taught to ride, to shoot, to dig, and to use their heads. ^ A joy was shortly in .tore for young Koberts. The government «quircd a number of competent office™ t. asssist in a survey oTk„" «id Lumsden, the- deputy.assistant.,uartera,aster^ener„l „as se i among others for this important task, and Koberts w^ appoint, o ^ although the apponument wa. only a tempora,^ one he felt .l,„, he no, had a chance to become as distinguished as his illustrious father He sZ even dreaming that some day he might be q„arterm.,ster.gen.™l when he received word that the governor-general had refused to rati fv hi; „;,",-,. ment, as he was unacquainted with Hindustani. " This would have been a crushing blow for most young n,e„, I ,„ i, ,,,,1,. served as a spur to him. An opening might soon occur again, and he „ ^ ready for it. The half yearly examinations were still two month, a„„v He had a ridiculously short time in which to master such . difficult U„^,„, .s Hindustani, but he had the will and the way was opened to him He M <*Bi ROBinn, n- work, and «™^.„„, the deti,,! , d T"' °""'"'""'" "P"" "i- but .urelj, „.ui, he left i, i„ j^g ^"JZIT"' """ '"' "^ "'-'X opportunitie, i„ the year 1S.M Tf IT '■*""""'• ""''ad «,venU "nvmcod hi, commanding „ffl.e„,Jr"«,'"' '">""y. «■"' tho^uJJ .ppo.ntn.ent. He had, aa he Cd^;' "" ""T'" '"^ "^^ -<»« - tt "■'-hedhad it, quartet aTIilV"' """"^ ™T« to .hich he .,« P- he received o^o„ to Join fhT ^ ^ "'T'"''- ^""« »' '^^ tour of inspection at Ra>val Pi„,,i 'j™'"^ fi™^"'! (Roed) „ho w,« „„ » «""P - long a, po.ib,e, „ he alloZ him ; k "' '"""' »' ""> ?-<=''» ^"".ey. He started at 7 a.m., and th JlT: '"' '"""'' '» "■■"<« the f-'T"? ""' ""'- f" food, an^ at pm' '.^.'"""^'"'^ "« ^-''oped, hundred milea in eleven hou«, A t™l T ^'"'^' >"" "«««. A but then Robert, .a, a feathel ^1^™ Z ''^ ""'^^ ""^ "-"-'--I do.ng,ueh thing, could not but -i,e Ipidl Ti;' " '"""' """" ™P'"-'« » h-n the admimtion of the aoldier, t^e '?' " ' ""='' ^ ""' ™uld give This year so fu,l of ,,,,2 TZ;;'-"''^^"- "^ the offi^: dreamed that befo,, another year had endld b u "'"^' """^ "« '■"'» ' ""* P^ved in bloody and cruel coaflicj "'"'"'' ''' " »'•!'- "ained CHAPTER V. tatOLAm AND AFOBANtlTAN. In till Air. KoMrt. D.icnpiioi, of John NiclioI«m-Mmlny SHORTLY Wo™ th. Great Mutiny bur,t forth with «,h • • . , violence on the Engliri, in i„di, r'J"™. !* ""^ """""''» con.idemble importance in h" life Thflr. °" "'*"™'" "' l^.^h,..an.thrteni„«onrih:™^r:rrrrfr n>uMeHn„ thr^^enin^ cZ tre X ^tC^L^'rtT:'^' England', colonial history. It i, a hil„ If ^ '"'"'"' '"«" °" management at home, a^d ba geneIrL 7:;,"' ''""''""«■ " ""^ part of the office™, and too often ^tVard: I ,' "' "'T'" ^' "" '"" part of the troops. The gravest inius! Th K . '' ™"""''"' °" "" Khan, and for that i^JusUl J^ .^d Xt^l^^V^^ A British column was wiped out .Jl Ti '"^ '™=''™- after«-ards march in triunrho,,Kah , "^ ^" ""'"^^^ ''"""''^ '^''^ hin., the memo,^ of hat " had d 'TT f" ''"'"■■' ^°^™^ ""^f- .he people of Aflha„is.„:' l^L^H In" ^.h^^^r ^ f""'"'^ ""' ^""' °^ What the soldiers suffered in that ill-atarredill n '" °™' ""^ ""• Kabul can bo gathered fron, this t^^^^^^tnT T"''' '™"' Pollock's column ■ " The bodl» ™^''.''°'*°"' S^*™" ^y ""•> who was with The b>^,« lay ,„ heaps of flftiea and hundmi,, our S5 56 *Ata. aoinn. m gun -h*l« erasing ih. bon« of our l.f com™d« „„, y.rf for four or fly. mil«, lnde«l the whol. march from O.nd.m^ to 7.bul m.y U Jd to bav. b««n ov«r the bodic. of the muucred army." J' « "la Abrahwn Robert., who »u through thi, humilUting w.r. h«i Ion. «nc. «en the need of diplom«,y rather th,„ fon» i„ dealing „i,h , J it ofTl' ; ";:; " "" ""■ ■"'"" ™' """ p""-- ^'^ ""«"«^^ he moet friendly term, with D«t Mahomed and many of the Ie«iin,r tribal Uader. Mr. Herbert EdwaMe., the Commi«ioner'of P Jwt ' «« «w the w,«lom of th.. poHcy. and wrote to the Govemo.(ien.r.I of India Lord Da]hou„e, wuh regard to Afghaniatau in the following ^^. .-i ^ould be veiy glad to «e a new account opened on tl.. b.«. of an open treaty of friendship and alliance." " « m open England to make advance, to the Afghan Government France «,d Britain were at that moment making preparation, to go to war with Ru»ia, and many of the cml and military authoritie. in India felt U,at.ny attempt to n^gofata . r.endly alliance with the follower of the Amir would ^ fcgland f 1 hke handhng at a tima Weak„e» and not friendli„e« would be thought .^ be the cau» impelling her to seek an alliance, and the fanatic .mongthe Afgha,« would take advantage of the «tuati„n to rou« the" oMo.en, who m the.r heart, thoroughly detested the Engliah, to attack he, Ind'T '" T ": "■' "'"'*' """« «"' ""' ^'^-^«' <"" -« dem- and betwp h,m and Dost Mohamad a diplomaUc correspondence Tthe Ma^h 185. Do»t, son and hei,^apparent. Ghulam Haidar Khan, arrived at Pesha.-ar. He had come in his father's name to consider terms of alliance and before the end of the month a most satisfactory treaty was concludec' ^IuI^aLT •" '" "' """^^ "' ^^'"''^ "*'"" - should wh^ belt •"T"'".'" "S"""'^'""' ""-l "-er interfe,. with them • frio 1 f "T^"^ '""''"'■^' '" "'P"''' B"'i''' 'o'ritory, and to be t^ frioud of our friends and the enemy of our enemies." ■MOLAKO 4N0 ArOHAHItTAV. .. For ioin« monthn matten raatoj ham m^A .1, ._ . Mahomed's own riirht iirm wbm noi .!»,„ u rortrew. D,„t F..wa^e, ana ,„eh «.HieL7, I,^;'S1 7^^^^^^^^^^ A.^^..a™a..o«„.j:-r::i^ts:j:: England had an excellent opportunity of winning the good rill of ..,„ Amir and h s couiitrvmen Th. Hh„K » d • . *^ ' ""' TelKMn ca,isa., '.!e authorities to declare war with P ■ T ' despatched f™m .Jombay with Gel^T n . '"' ""'' '""'^ """^ bring the Shah to hi, Icni ^ !he «™"""" " """"-"""-'-"ief, to Tacatcd. ^"°"* °""P''«' "'» »«<=« >>« h« chief. 68 «*BI. BOBCBn. AfghanisU,, so long ,, .^e war .iurPel ' " """^ '"' '"« 0^^™™ of -nth,, «„b„„, of R. 100,000 and gm ofZ t '" ""^"^^™«» «' « u connnnnieate to tho g„ve™,„„„t of l„l ' ""*''" "" "■- -S»ged ^jon, re.i„, and he consented to a, o?B;,Zr''"" '^ ""^'" ^o'™ of t.,s dominions, either for the purpose 'f/r "^ "^■' ''"""" >«"*» P-.a, or to ascertain that the subLrrsnLr;"' his subjects against L.eute„ant Roberts was attached ^"^T"^ ""P'''^'^-" I' ™ '■■« first contact with the ^tl and tre ' ""' "" "' ">'" "^''-g- :,"" "" --"«""« Powe» enabled hi! 1 r::'^™™ ""'"'^ "^ ">^ Afghan' "-greatest service to hi„, when, so™ twen^ '" """' """ ™' '» ''^ » -ga,.t then, both with diplon,ac an7w ^ IZ "'' '' ""' '" ""'"^ "le importance of tu- . "wora. M«hon,ed,whosec,„s,desp!L';::> it^ '-'^- ^^^ b, n.t have desired to live on terms of since" fn. .'■'" '" "' ''""' ^^^'-'y *« «enera,l, grasped b, the student 1^1™:;'" ""' •*" ^"«"*' '^ "°* of .^ far reaching influence is giv. „"': ^'^'T ^^ ''«"- ''"'e-'-nt -ccnct parag^pb by Roberts. He IZs .of ' ''" """ ™'-"-d - a ""» -ting; ^ hi,„ it was the crolZ^Z^Z y"l 7"'"'" "''-^ '" "'I have dwelt," he says "at 1 '" *'""'■"» ''i* Policy Af«l.«..istan, «.t, because the ^ icy orrr'' on this treaty'^.Uh "-already shown, initiated by my father . "" "'<">'"«'">o was, as I ".";"' ■' ''^™™"y unde^tood how in : tl't : ' """"'■^■' ""'»'- ' "o not d.J n heal the wounds left open tZ T, 1 ZT" '"^ '''""'■ ^otonly England of a great anxiety at a "1 1 f^'^" "'"' ">-' " -lieved "-dth of India the. was'distrl rl; bM "kT'""' *^ ■''"«'" """^ - nafve troops. Dost Mahomed o^a ^he Id t;"' """ "'"^ "'»'-" of •^^^^^^^^^^;;^s;r;n;;T:i;;ir-^ ji:;i^%joiio«^i3 a„i^^^_ "AWOMKD SUR.J.OO.DKEH OAZEE, T.-UL*. Kmn „. » Z«HAT MAHAL, lEOUlI OH QUEEN OF DELHI IWatAin> AKl) AJOHAMIWAIf. f] Si^«l'"' *°T' T™' •"• "' *""" '^'""y '"'" '"♦ '"e Punjab ■ Delhi could never have been taken ; in fact 1 do not see how «.y nart of tL' Z.7 "t 1 ^*^ -""' ''''™ ^" -<^- Do! mTCI own people could not understand hi. attitude. Thev fr-ouentlv „„ 7 I dun.« tho Mutiny, throwing their turbans J^^Z'^l^ZZ T. n^ws from Delh., they urged, -see the difficulties the Feringhi, are in ^el'aS .'"" '"^ •" '""" '*''' ''™"'^« "^ «"''' '«*-. -^w inba:- Under the terms of the treaty a mission was despatched to Kandahar »^Pe..r Lumsden the deputy^istant^uartermaster^eneral was one"; tt«e selected for this mi..,i„n. and Roberts was once m^„ called onTfi that .mportju,t office. He went on an extended tour of inspection Llff oflker w.th General Reed, and while at Raw., Pindi attraZ^the notic^* PuWicwT'n ''•"'^■"""»^'»'". --0 offered him a position in the Pubhc Work, Department. This was a tempting offer, and aCt any othe young soldier would have seized it. but it was otherwise with R^l^I To enter the Public Works Department would mean that he would ha't giv op «.ld.e„ng. He was then in the department where he was most lirelvto ~e service m the field, and so he declined the generous offer ' Durmg this tour he met at Nowshera a promising young subaltern five ZT^^Z2 T T' "^''"'^ ^°^"" «'^ '^^ ^« " '>^ Z iTt ^ T '»'°°"» d.,encha„t him „f the oo„eepti„„ he had 1™!, /.r""""' ""'»°' """"d loved, and most feared officer in Ind ^ But ""' '"''^■"f' »-« ad-iration. Nichol«.„ ,.ands forth! ^2^7^"^ ""'^ '"'^'"'^ ^ia « does Gordon on China'e. To RoUrJh T °' '"*"'' '»""«'y h'»to,y of Nloholaon'ssonl .ould almL^rto;'" "*'""""'*'»•■ -^-J "methinT alike «.m to have loved anHvIn^'l^r^ ^ "™- ^""'""■a'l h- "a pi„ar of strength on thr f^l^. "p- ^"^ """"'-'e called "wayed the natives ,nth whom he camTir '. ' '°'*°*"'' '^"•"'a'ity » god, gave him a place in their s^n^rJl X H T """ ""•"«"' ^'" " bent their knee, to this ne,v Allah G^: """^ "^^ " Nicholseyn, •' even ".epyschol^ical moment, of irts^.^^t*""'' ^'""olson ..s „ Jl^ « ell worth study. "'*> ""* ''^ "npression of the man i. beforeV:ftl"^:::rrrav?^''^ ''"""'^ - lever met w»3 the beau-ideal of . eoldier .Id ."'" "'^ <"""'=« J-im. He distinguished and comman:^^ "^a ir;"""- "' "'"--«' - ».; mind was the «nlt of having paL^":: l^" »!»«' "im which to ;"" "'"' '-'- tribesmen, wfth^om hT 1 "^ """'"«»' «>« I., ercou^ with this man amongst ml L ' "'^ "" '"P-'^e- -nam on tl. „.„ntier, and I w« r^":'r\"°«' ^S" '"an ever to f -teps. Had 1 never seen Nicholn ^n mit 1 " *" ''"""^ '" "'^ feelings with which he inspired me I7"l *"' "'""' "^""S*" '"at the 68 WOI.AND AND AWHANISTAir. hi' grand, simple mind." qualities and the working, of bimr;ri,:r:j:foir"ri •""^ •-" '^"'" °^ «»»«- rand, simple mid In wrr^ "'f " ""''"'•^- '"■'"'■'■- ""-l "is and native alike is heldt v '" ^T*"" "'«—""« ^Wiers Nicholson's. He has indeed „ZT1''' ^^^ ""P"* ■" '>'«' '-""> »»noe imagine ^-e -SiriLr e^^i^^^^^^^^^^ - necessity of passing a law authorizing "the flTviL . *^ "' "'' buying of the m„..e„„ of the wome^' anJl rn^te^i'T 7" ' " conceive of him ever usine nich Bitr«v»™ .1 " "■ "ellji, nor can we h«..i„g the perpetrate™ of Ze I St iT"'" "V^^ '"^ "^^'"fy Nichol«.n was and something mor^^rhL;"'."^ '*' '^ "" '"'" -ervice been forced to send ml?' t ^""^ *"' '""« '"^' »' "-^'ive l.e has always Z^e^rl Z^uT". "' '"""' ""' '"" "^"^ ^"'y 1..1U life. A Christ a^nilfrK """""" """ ""'"'^ '«"' '"^"dly "e whereas in the p^l" „f J JltT "'"r "^^ '" "^^ -- «' the worf. Nicholson allow" LZZ ^^t "' """" '""'■' ^*"'" ^'"'" Roberts under the most 7^ng illZf T " '''"' *'"''^ ""* unruled .,m and has ne.erTsed^^mZ:lX^™' — »^ - when, with the sndden^of a T T '^ " t" ""joy comparative rest f«.m Peshawar totttr^ncrtlmr' T """"^ ''™''«°"'^ -<»' Europeans. Roberts seelTr K . '^^ ^''^ *^ "^"^'y «""«! but t^ is notTTwoTdL at wh " " "' ''" '""""'''"« «"«"'- ■■ . rew months -o^^r^ :'K:iLr:::it:;rfrznr "" ^" » poaoeful and «,ntented ., i„ the last year of ll ^ "" "*'" CHAPTER VI .' «H» OCTBKIilK 0» THK iniTDIT. Ike Gre«l IndUn MnUny— C>um of Rcfaellinn Ti.. t. i. t ~ . Error—Th. S.poy. oTouJh^LpL?,^ . Slumb^nng Gi„t-Lord D.lhou.U'. ENGLAND hn, had ^any rtrugg,«, which have tried her rt,.ngth, and for a fme filled the nation with despair; but the one that will P^ \''"'**""^'"""°"'<'P''e^"''f''erhistoy„sthenrt , rag.c, and at the same tin.e most picture«,«e, will be the G J nZ , Mufny. The h«,,dful of English t^ops in the vast eo«nt,y. tCd sta ce I 11 ^^ «>e hon^land, the tens of thousands of rebels in anns or ™dy to s^ ^ on:™bur :r /f" "'™-''— <>o «•« stmggle a ml une',! one . but n the end, after receiving many hard knocks, no doubt the just years, England triumphed. The world can at this distance judge the causes of this great outbreak Tuh th t; r:T t"^ ""^ ""' ••^^ '- - "^«' -te'Tporan X Taitt ttT . ry^*- '''"''"• "" ""^""'^ of ■"- <>'-- the reasons for the Great Indmn Mutiny with the brief woMs, "greased cartridges' This w^ only one among many causes, and served me^^ra^ the match to touch off the powder magazine. In the opinion of many the explconcommg when it did through these same greased cartridges. Led England from graver disasters than did actually befall her It would be well briefly to consider some of the many cause, that were >»pon«ble for the «vage upriang that spread like wildfire from Calcutta to 84 I ■ABl BOBUn, ■„ ''"I'T'^V- "• "P''''''K '" "'•''''' E«l Robert. w« to get hi. early training. «.d in which he wa. to play an important and heroic part between the Bnt..h in India and the Hindoo. The native. we« .7^^ ra« ; they conld cook for their oonquero™, wait on them, fight their battk, ; but for the mo.t part no effort was made to win their affection and esteem Taylor ,n h.s y«it to India." published in 1853. four year, befo« .he Mutmy. wrote; "I allude to the <»ntemptuou, manner in which the natives, even tho« of the best and most intelligent classes, are almost invariabW jpoken of and treated. The tone adopted toward, the lower clas«« i. one of lordly arrogance ; towards the rich and enlightened, one of condescension and patronage^ . ' t"" '"'"^ ">« **"» '"iSK^™' «PP'i»d to the whole race by ^cee h,gh m office ; with the lower order of the English it is the designation m general us." S.r Charl. Napier, who seemed to have a clear insight into J ,. u ■ ""' '"'° ""^""^'y P"»8«» 'he Mutiny, said " That nothmg cou d be worse th«. the manner of Englishmen in India toward, natives of all ranks." wwaroB ahl tl7- "''"t^'"^ «'■«'«' "*«*' P"W«hed, in 1858, in CalcutU an able book m which he acknowledged the great benefit British rule had been to ha, counter; but he likewise saw where it had failed, and it was thi. failure that very largely enaWed the Mutiny to become such a colossus. "But It 1,.. failed," he «.ys, "to fostor the growth of an upper clasa thetZ th " T".^ :"""""""« """ '«'"■"'' "•« Govemmentt^ «^e mas, of the people. The higher order of the natives have, ever since it, commencement, been shut out of all avenu« of official distinction Thev dM>lomas and honors m colleges and universities; but they cannot 1^ admitted into the civil service, or the higher grades'in the mHta" .^ .mp«<,t.cble conditions. TTie highest situaUons to which they canlpii; are Deputy-magatratoships and Sadder ameenships " 1«JA b^^fro^ stefcng. Howsvei the rat that will «uttle to hi, hole at the M ■AHt BOBXBn. wa. going on in .he natt 'inl M ' f"! oTT"' """"■"'^ °' "-• of the «rvice were raw youth, who Z .n ^ '" '"'"^ '""Partment intheirown«,„nt^,:rd 'hili .Z7f ^ ""^''"^ *" """"' ''^" ->• •■I. »ch an insultZ the n.t v« wSZ; „", t 'tT ""' "'"■" """"'• exc„« then, for rehelli'g it "^1 Th ' '""' " ""^"""'^ '-"^ the great public ,ch«,l. of E„g,;„d „uS writ r"' '"'"' '""" '""^ but they m«le no effort to l^r .'k , ""''"'"" ^^"" ""^ """-k, help govern. It . w 1; ZJ^M'""^"'". " '"« -"^^ '"ey we™ ui w...n>hiUou,tori»:l\:X i"™„^"f »*« "'"' "'""^''' "'"' did ulti-nately attain that oosiln „ , ""^ '" '"'""> «"'' ''''O «.y effort to LrHrnlr'rr :" r" '" '""''' '■<'^""' '«> -•Je do; t-n.onth3,umrhr:gefrg:t: if^r '''■"^'^'''''*'° -nong whom he wa, to .pend hifbe^t^/ ' ' "■" '""«""«« "' "'« ?«"?'• .cruSr»r,?rrr!:irworrrr'"^'^^""^-^^^^ "nongthem had .lowly but .t«>dily ZT^r^l ''^" ""■ """'" throughout the whole of India In the d! ''7"'"«""g ' '"utinoua spirit nuMmifioen. feata „f arm, ^l^ed aljnt ,1 k'"*' ""' '^""■^'^^ "" .wed the. into tin.o„us ™trirb"l?nt' ""T""™ "^ how such victories were »«,ih1.. .k , ^ " '*""'°^ '» know -in fighting C7n7t«;n:r?elS'''rrr^^'''-^"'''-'' them to fight their battles, and if L h'd b , ; "^^ ""'""•'«' <»> •mite down their rulers V. k, . "■'" ""^ "«"' --^dy to in Afghanistan hXaiwelCJT^ " '"r ^""^ """- '^'""'"-"e British arms had been LdfaltlotheX '" ""'"' '" " """"^ for year, hoped for an opportuniU-T . "' '""""^ ""^ ""•<^"' ^ad Akbar Khan "??<""""">■ "f repeating the brutal work done by While this mudnous spirit was „ widely diffused, it wa, without . WI OOTBBEAK or THI IIOTIKr. «. oenh* It WM . .lumbering gi.m without , heart or . h«H A : «.cce«on of evento between the yean, 18r,0 and 1^7 Z , r . "'"'^ in the «poy r^gi^ont, along the GPn„«i .„d th. i " ~'" *^'' 'P'"* pcitionofgovernor^eneralforno le« than eigh yeatl T""""' - -u.t™ ,., h. .p,en.a reputauon,. eouM^ ^2^^^^^^ reg.,nent selected "had enlisted on the condition 1^7,. *h« P^"'""''' Hindustan and Hindustan only " The ^ , ' """^ "'" '" ""^ *» Dalbousle could not force tht to o^ rrrd^.V^'^t' *"' '^'^ Colonel 0. a Malleson say. in hi, -The inrnltj"" ^ST™: :zr"nt;t:'rhrith"^"-'"'"^ e^press^l for a ^.i»r i'll'" Tril^r^^^^^ genen.1." The sepoy, through thi. resistance U^TL^-1' ^ .'^'*™°" but still rebellion was remote. ™ "''" P""" .b.^ se^y. in the <^r^ 7J^'jZlr^^^^^^ " ^"^ ^*" looked upon the action of^Lord ^Z2Z\ll^ .'"'' " ""» -"- and to themselves a sullen bitteme:!. eng^^^dTT T """^ "'""^ soldier in .he Bengal Presidency who had Z:^^ Zat^nTZT: «o.. .p«„d throughout the enUre army. Individually ^ 'felt temi to be great sutfercra by the change. Malloson thu, . > "'™*'''» -The majority of ,he sepoys servTng in t e^„ '^P f """^ '"« '^'^ ^ Of those serving in the Zbay army w t^^^T'^"^!' "'"' '' •»«'» Oudh, The sepoy «. reerui Jposse.!!. ^ ^ f Jr ""' t'^°'" "' Resident at the c»urt „f Lakhnao (Lucknow) Tn al 1!^ T *'"' ''"""' interests, and the interests „f his lily in t L O^dh ^ '''"""« ''" """ 1^ v^^a^Lge the value J ^^Ir r ^ tCby^^^S 88 lUBL RoBuni. have «ny knowledge of the working of oouiie of jniUoe in i nttiTe itata. The Reeident of Ukhnao was, in the eyei of the naUve judge, the advocnte of the petitioning «poy. The advantage of [wMessing m influential un advocate won so great tliat there waa warcely a family in Ou.lh which was not repre«,nted in the native army All at onco thie privilege w,„ •wept away." English offlciali, inoapablea for the moet port, mi in the wata lately occupied by tlw native judges. When Lord Dalhousie's design to annex tbia important dirtrict became known the greatest indignation was expressed by the sepoys; and when Sir Jame. Outram was sent item Calcutta to take pfwsession, it was all some of the officera commanding sepoy, from Oudh could do to prevent a nuitinv from culminating them. Of the situation Maile«.n, writing a. he say, f„,m his own personal experience, remarks: "Never shall I forget the agitation which prevailed in the sepoy guard over my offlcial quarters when the oijject of the expedition oozed out Most of those forming it were Oudh men, and I had to use all the influence I possessed to prevent an outbreak. My native subordinate, in the Commissariat Department assured me that ■ umilar feeling was being manifested in the line, of the sepoys." After the annexation was accomplished red tape and incapacity showed themselves to an alarming degree, with the moet disastrous results. If the wpoys from Oudh in the British array were dissatisfied, the leading men of their country had even greater reason for dissatisfaction. The whole fabric of society in the annexed kingdom was affected by the change; and hatred for the English grew and spread. When Mr. Gubbins' " Mutiny in Oudh" is read, the reason for this will be evident to the most careless thinker on Indian affairs. Mr. Gubbins was financial commissioner for Oudh during the annexation period, and thereforo speaks with authority. *" The nobles," he says, "had received largo pensions from the Native government, the payment of which, never regular, ceased with the introduction of our rule. Government had made hberal provision for their support; but before this could be obtained it was necessary to prepare careful hs:s of the grantees, and to investigate the ir claims. It must be admitted ■Oobblni : Mutiny In Oudh. — ^— — ^-^-— ^-.^^^__^^ LIBUT. ROBERTS KNOCKED OVER BY A ROUND SHOT, INN.., BATTBRV ..,1. ,. J BEFORE DELHI .v...i,-»rj. r-»i,>-oi,f tfaiiiH /Hrfiu. I 'IT' M lli I.I£OT. «OBE«T» LA«T 8I0HT OP GENERAL NICHO. .„« " ""■ "'"'■: Niii„,w„ ,1,1, j„,i,S '''•'•;,■' ;■""• wra 1,>, it for want of w brought to ■h had nam •^ beg their *■■ OCmUK Of T'- ■ 'ITTVT. that in iarertigating tbi. there wai i - .!„, „.i^, , ^ . common meane of tupporttlie gentry.:,, ,..,i, .."/lUav great .trait, and .uflering. We wen , ■ ,.r, ,.,, v^ „„„„(,: before been outride the Zuuaiia, ..icl ,. ^,. „„, „, ,„„' bread." Knglnnd had undertaken mo. o.hm, !■ , , .t, ,. ,, . The few trra Dalhou.ie wa. not to be moved. He had Sh [„ J I ' ^::. -i:id:::^-xrhS:s v «d» much reacted, into averitabie Ugre. „ L rrCr:: Thu. lack of .ympathy with the natives, red-tane denflnrf-„ de.pi«d people. carele„, and. f»m a Hindu poi'nt^f T;. Xratln: of native pnneee. had made the whole re Jon drained b; the GanTand Jumna an excellent «,i, for the g™w,h of mutiny; an'd a dely ul tree wa. «>on to spread ,t. branches over that fair and fertile land The Mutiny had be..n d.dded on by the end of 1856. and the priertl, caate m the army and in the country had much ,o do with di«eminauL principle. Chief among thoee who had to do with the wo ^1 V the Hindu, and M.homedana into a .ron. revolutio n:?:': 1~"^ ^ . anmaq. 72 ■AM. BOBEKn. ■; ' 1 -d breadth of India, and IZl^l f\ "f "•~"«''»"' »»■» l»gth (cake, of unleavened breadrarwh^ '■'"' ''''"'"' '''■° «''"1»"«» "adiness to obey the I^L ar J TT.."^"*" *"''" '"''"' "'"«•'"' around but little »u,pioiont he ^ild' ".l "t'"'"""" "^ "•- «"«» what blind security t^e Bri&h in Td v '^°^"* ""''''"'' "x"™ '» give, the fonowingLtewoCXito:"^^^^ .«»v. J. Cav.B™„n ■■ One dUtrict officer, who ^rZZ^^T'^ Performance : village, and ob^rved him b^TL h" t '" """""^^ ""™ " « then, among .he men of the village asked iirm'T T """""""« there wa. an old custom in Hinduin tl.t I T ' '"""«'<'''' 'hat «qui«d any service f^m hie p^^ple h^J " ^ """^ "«"•*• " ""ief, for receiving hi, order,, and ev^yl 1 '!f T ""Oe to p.pa„ them hold .pledged to obey he oX; 'heL f . "^ '"-« ^-Patt- .a. ■»i.ht be- -What L he nal™ oT h" T^ """' ""' '""'"'™' " asked; the answer. accompaL7bTa 1 " '^"' P"^"' "^^' "^ ^^^, _^ mpamed by a susp.cous smile was, ' We don't know Roberts, who seems to have eharod wit), .i. • . m India in the feeling of «,euri7v trfo \ """""'^ °' ^""* »'■''<'" of this distribution, but aTpa lT;iv attlnr" "'™"" "^"^ "' ^""'-ar that he believed it wL dT w fh T t^ "" ""P""'""=« '» •'- «-P'i»g ~me forthcoming evZ" •*'" "''"^ °' P^P^^^ '"« ""tiv^ for wererr:riLTo:r:::rBrar "f " "^^ -'^'"^ -^ -- had been murdered and b ; ^tu, ^ ^^ J™^P"' -<^ Englishmen till the greased cartridges bLghT maTtet t^ h" 7 " '""'" "P"''"^ ^te^er by .ligio. ,..., J. .^C^ ^ ^^ "-"« "'o -"-^'^ the ra?o;rhSr,r hXte\r t" '? r '-'-^^ -h in making the HinduTanTw h T "'^ """"^ ""^ no difficulty ™» ODTBHBAK 0» THE inmHT. 73 forbidden, to the other that of the hoir Tl,. i„j-— u ~».i, _• J . ^' '°® indignation aininst the myi of the^rtndge « «ud to h.ye .ri«n ftom the following incideT- "A W engaged in the f^.^ .t Dum-Dum asked a B™h.an Ipoy to let hi Z on r "'T/T '•" '"*'*' " ""^ ^'- '^O' «Poy in-^gnantly 1^ rf.td>ould be defiled by the drinking of a»an of a lower oMeHn thtffindu ^.la't^ You win all «on be biting cartridge, smeared with the fat of the Z rl 7'* ^' y "" "" "f"^ ""> "«"''«' of the new cartridll The inodentocourred when the mind, of the«,poy, had been inflamed. inZ manne already .ocounted, to a high state of excitement" The sto^ sprl "fXrr™"" — — "-.in -irf untiltrT"' '"! '''*'"'' '"'' °'" ""'™ *"'' ""^^ «" » -'«' "Pon them ■ until or the great m^ority of those stationed in the country at anTdisJnoJ 7; H T"^' "'" "" "" -^P* ^""- ""> •""^'"■t« <"" trying sCo" of death. ""^ not till early in May, when the eighty-aVe troopers ^mZI refused to receive the cartridges, that the Englii ■„ i^^Zot T2l senousnese of their position. These trooper were pn>mpt.y couMtarttli «.d^ough the members of the «>urt were all native officer. Zy we« -ntenced to .mpri«>nment with hard labor for periods varying boJZZ tenyeara It was deemed wise U> make as great an exa^e as ^sibU ^f these mutmous soldie™. and „ they were marched in a bo^y to th^r^I ground, and before the entire force at Meerut were dag^ded" shlu^^I m.ned The naUves watched the proceedings in sullen 'lence anThi the and when their comrade, were marched to their prison they settled down t^ their heart, they looked upon eve^, man of the eighty-five a. a hero The English officer, were confldent that the muUnous spirit of Meerut had been nipped m the bud. The ^ oident related in the L pa^S oceurrea ^ Saturday; th„ ^uiet of the following Sabbath was ^Jl ivage outburst Women anl child.™. w«. to be slaughtered ; men, who 74 ■ASL BOBBtn, ^Tc^z r \;r :±;r !r '•- '-'' ^^ «'^' •»'^- emptied; murder. p,„„de/buLnT^h°' ^""*'''' *"' P""""' '«''<"» And .,., there 1 J^^^TZjZ^'ZTI'^ "" '"' ^ "^^^ -ituation. Had there been IndT P"*"' "P^"' of grappling with the ne.M, ..though it wli^S'^Xt'r?"' "^^ ""■ ^•"~" «' come to purify the air and totoach the En^r ^l " """"^ ""' """^ »» Now that the rebellion ^ 71 u ^ ""^ **"■ "^"'y '° ^^^i*- Keligiou. enthu^r';: : L"nd "" T " "™"' " ^"""^ ' ^»'«" "■'• -belsauunnatu^leou™^ and^ilt' " '"" """"^ ««™ «»« wia The ecpoya believed^hat th "Ct" "T"^ """" """ """ -"" of the greased cartridge, and bv » ^'° ' '"'"'"'' *"»■»« "? ">«">. their flour to maice ^h "tL ' oT^ l""""' """" "' ''"»»^'' -t" «tworlc,andhisa«enttoEnT .? ^'"" ^''''' '""^ "'"""iy been had heard the critics of thai:;t7a,™'r« "'""^«" ^ ">» ^■'-a. he believed her to bo a decliui„rat „„ ... "" "* ""^ ^^■"■"<""- «■"» he .hecould,pareno™o«:e„'::r:eId "'■"''" '°™''' ^"'"'' *— - contact believe it J LnTh^ -t T'" °'"""' """ ^"■"^ >■« <»-» «.ntena:y of PWy Englilh rule would endl tdiar'""' '"" °'' '"' It was in such an India th„f th^ m the people in England ^1^ "'''""'""'"'''' '• "'«' '""o -too- of 17.7, an' wereTad"; "nVeTr""' *" "'^''™'^ '"^ '^-' houses of parliament of the IceTul a„d1f 77 ""'' ""'""^ ■" ">« "Pine and murder were ^S.7 ! P"^"' ™"'""'"' '" the east, -0 his comrades werrird^hcn ?„ M 'u'^l ^^ ^■'"''- ^""^^^ rushed into the mess to tell them th„f 'm . ' telegraph signaller that the „bels had fled in ^y ^ ""' "' """""' '''"' •""""'■ '"«' The force at Peshawar w^tr^^ 1^";!'' "f- "^'"- them and many of the soldier, in ,K , ° °'"""- T'>« '""tiny was upon P«.ve then,soIv^ he^es ." t Tne" tto ""' "' """ '^"'"' -" ^ grater courage or to do h s duty Zll '"u """' "^ """ "" '^ ■''<"' Hober.whohad.e.,woni::rro;t:;:rrr CHAPTER VII. ON THE ROAD 10 DEtni. OIBcer .itb Brigadier Chaalb%-lairi„ "°''"""' 9°'°"'" F»™»:-RoI«rtt Go« M Staff P«.o„all.,-A. Lper,.„=:t^'r= sL^^S^elf ?' "■=<=»";«'-«<'>»«.• «.«n«ic M Outbrak at Peah.™_At Rami K„d? .j ,'i N,cl,„l«,„., Character_F«ir of Th. Mo^bl. C„l„„„ „„ .be Mar^i?^'';;±"" "' !,"«"''' "^ ""»'•■" f«.m Delhi- Ma., Pl.c=, i„ the P»,]ab-Cl.amb.rTa™ gIIZTh = ?:° '""" ""= 0»"-R«bellio„ i. • o» U« Mavabl. Colum.-AlT. "dV„ 7 u." c^"!, 'V''*^^ '" Command •t the " Ridge." °" '° "" '^■"" °' J"!-" NichoUon-Roberta Needed NATURALLY enough the telegram with regard to the outbreak at Mee ut threw the officer in Peshawar into a «tate of L office T r"'- ''"'"°'"^'^' '^°"''™'' "-™ »■- "* *« staL IC knowledge of the native character. Lieutenant-Colonel Davidson who commanded the Iflth Irregular Cavalry, was present at the ZZn^l peLrarfr,:.-:rati':rMi^rurar^^^^^^ -- - Sn 1 L : n . ""' ■" °"™ '""'™«' '» commissioner Nicho^^'i ^ '' '■"'^ "'■* ■"' I^'PO'y-Commissioner John offlo .. T """"""^ *" ""^ '"^"- '^"«« '"" «»'"'8«'us and capable officers saw the danger that was threatening them and kne^hat a ri ng P^hawar would ve-y probably mean the destruction of the small Z -= rzetr tTisu^'TL'^rr 't °" "- '- -■- officc^^the need of bemg watchful and of keeping a close guard on theif 76 76 ■AU BOBXSn, He found them still very much excited , .„d little wonder. The™ wa. at Ped,.war but two regimente of Britidi troops, which with the .rtn. Zll "" f\T "; '■°"" ""'■'■ '•'""' '"» '^^ "«<-- N e'SZ' BHtish t^ps „„M easi.rh::iirraCLwrti™^^ another factor to be considered. The inhabitinte of he city of p!s7 numbe^d 50.000, and if the eepoys shouM once revolt tht mtwouW .w.™ to the ^^eance. Mor«,ver. the chupattees had done their wI^anTtre Mnhab.tan^ of the whole valley of Peshawar would doubtless JlwUh he «bels .n he cty and in the army. Then, too, the bonier triCwhi ^ he Peehawar force was keeping in check would h.v. .11 .1, ■ j aroused if once the natiL'rose ^ jrirtle^ anTinl'""T ™""'" rentier p«>ple hated the KngUsh^th an ^tenthaC Th^l^r ^al a g^ve one and but for the pr««nce of such men a. GeneLI^ cT ZZrnTfV:'" ^■^'"""' ^«^"" Chamberlai anTtyS; frontier tnbes, India might have been overrun from the north !^T .^ ZJ7: n ''" '""'"■ "'^"'' ^'-wiaircTinTiT::! ^w T^\ ■ ™ °°' "' ^^''*''" '"«'° '"« telegram arrived bu ^IT ••frr,"^"'"' P^-P^-^-nedhimZti ailer^e Tf "° "'" ""^ "'" ''>' ""« «"' twenty-four hou^ am,r the tragic telegram was roceived. All native mail was seiL bv 7Z orde™ and opened, and for the fi,,t time the«, astute men Z7^„ ^ k . .«ping volcano they were living. Troaeheiy J «^lt fri retry' regiment was conceded in i, and the sepoys wero but waiting "e JeTt^ spnng to arms and strike down their officers. The situation Tj^ appalling one; an incautious word a false mn™ „ ,a Gene™l Reed called a meeting of the offllrurderhZ^ ""^ """""*'• Pnnjab might be saved. At this mLtl here " '"'" "" Brigadier Sydney CoUon, cJ:Lr^ZtZ:j7:^ ^''''''t^'^- Neville Chamberlain, and CapUin Wright ^ot T ' """"'"' Ueu. Ko.. , his .pacit;of OepueLsI:^u'rmr"Gentr ^mMMm. OS THB BOAD TO DELHI, 77 IS Zi , , r ™ "'' ' """"'""'^ """• ^"^ ""= '^"j"'' ">«' "^ "»»» IS 000 Bnt.,h troops w.th 84 gun,, rf.ilc tl>e natives had over 05,000 men and 62 p,„s, and moreover, some of the stations were ;,ithont Enropean ■oldieni The gravest danger, however, was from the frontier tribes, and now the ^i„,„ of the policy instituted by Abraham Roberts manifested itselt Edwardes and Nicholson, who knew the f™„tier belter than any men at that Inne, advised that confidence bo placed in the chiefs. The chiefs knew these men, and stoo.l by them rather than by the Entdisb throughout the Mutiny. It was deeded, too. at this meeting, that General Reed should join the cluef comnnssioner, John Lawrence, at Rawal Pindi ; that Brigadier Sydney-Cotton ^hould remain in command at Peshawar; and what is of more importance to Una narrative, that a movable column of reliable troops should be formed. For the command of this column an accurate knowledge of the country and an intimate acquaintance „ith the natives were necessary. Brigadier Neville Chamberlain was chosen for this difficult and important command, and Lieutenant Roberts wailed anxiously till the commander-in-chief in India. Ocneral .\nson, should sanction tlu appointment. Although his "Forty-One Years in India" was written when he was over sixty years old. there is a boyish freshness about the paragraph giving the state of hi, feelings while he waited to see who would command this column. •"My an.viety." he said, "as to the con.mander-in-chiefs decision was very considerable; for Brigadier Chamberlain, to my infinite .lelight and astonishment, had ofT-ered. in the event of his being appointed, to take me with lum as his stalf-officer-the most wonderful piece of goo,l fortune that could have come to me; my readers must imagine mv feelings for it is impossible for me to describe tlicm. My most sanguine h^pes seemed about to be more than realized; for though the serious a.«pect of affairs seemed to promise a eharcc of active service. I little thought that I should be lucky enough to be employed as staff-officer to such a distinguished general a. Neville Chamberlain." It was indeed an honor, and something of which a young man of twenty-five could be cxceedinH- pmud. The re must have been s..metlni,g •aatmu; Fonr.uii. ir«u. uHiuu^t ■ . n MXSL RODERIK rem«rkaMy magneWc nbont Robert.' nenoniilltT »». i- .v had been in I„dia les, than fo„ yZ^^i'hT , ^'^ '"'' ^' «t.»Uon of Colonel Bech„. Z^Z^^' Z?^'""'"^ ""^ chief commissioner; of John Niohol»n Z , . '""™*' **« tidier. Neviiie Chamherlai. U::'ZrZ:Z:Z .^St^^ evident from ll,o fact that he was mv.n .1, . f T "'^ '^^ " o. Which ..ai^iosed n,oret::rL:„rAhira7hi':r':r ""' ^t^:s^e:-:^ir-^-^^^ and the following meosu. „aa d^ ^ n llj it ^T f "'^ ' comm„nder-in.hicf. Genera. Reed aasumr^ ht miH^t . the Punjab; his headquarters will be the headq ^^ 1 ^ TTn ' Government, and a movable c„l„m„ will he foSTit ll' ""' down bV force knd 1 ^ " "P*" "°"'"y "I"*"*' *« »« Pnt uown oy lorce, and officers commanding at all stationi in n,» p. • .. .,, cooperate with the column » ""^ '^»'' *"' about it; and the neit m„™;.,» , "polien to no man , uuu me next morning was somewhat amazed when ho w^: ^ visit from John Nicholson Ti« -„ . x . , ^^ '"'™ "« received a Briti^h .ines ; and'^reTuld'^rrr; 1 rC^ "^ ^T ^ «>» in whom such confidence had been IcTd S r """ ^"""f' ■»'«°-' that the signaller liTtth T "" ■°™'«e'"»'J " »„s found " -ignaiier nod m the usual way told a frienH P„i, ^ exonerated. How keenW »,» „„ • , j .,. . Roberts was ^m his closing^VmlS ^ ^r^^ i? r^'t''' '' '^"'"" unpleasant ..dent wa. the delightf7i:L o^lt^i: 1"^ ^ KOOBR BIND A Typiol Indian Prince of itM Mutiny Day.. oir tuK ROAD TO nuBb •1 fcr whom above all othen I had the greatest odmi ration and moat profonnd iwpcot Aa If to make up for hi« 'iiouientty injustice, Nicholson waa kinder to me than ever, and I felt I had gained in him a firm and constant friend." Fortunately, however, the lack of sympathy belw«)n the Europeans and natives in Peshawar, increased by the situation, kept the contents of these . despatches from r'">ching the native lines. Roberts was i.ow on Chamberlain's staff, ami with the other officers of Peshawar spent a thoroughly uncomfortable week before departing to join the movable column. The oir was heavy with mutiny, at any moment the thunderbolt might fall. As he lay at rest at night listening to the footfalls rf his guard, ho felt how uncertain life was; without warning the sepoy Bupimsed to be pnitecting him might turn on him and sluy him. He was, tlierefore, greatly relieved when orders came for him to hasten to Kawal Pindi to join the movable column, which was to be formed at Wazirabod. So Koberls left Peshawar, where his father had ruled so well and which had been such an excellent preliminary school for him— left the comfortable house where he and Lieutenant Hovenden had settled down to enjoy the summer ; and so ended his life at Peshawar. For six days he remained at Rawal Pindi drafting or copying confiilential letters and telegrams. The message that had stiirtled the mess •t Meerut had made him realize that the English in India were in great danger; but his present work gave him on opportunity of learning of the extent and depth of the plot on foot to drive the English out of India. Day by day the cloud grew thicker, day by day the utter hopelessness of stemming the tide of mutiny maile itself evident. He wos in the confidence of John Lawrence and Neville Chamberlain, ontl, while they did not despoir, they sow that fierce fighting would have to take place before the swniniing mobs centring at Delhi and Cawnporo and Lucknow could be put down. Fortnniiiely tliey were but mobs — mad fanatic rabbles bent on plunder and murder. They were without competent leaders, ami this alone saved England in her hour of {■eril. The clouii that was over Delhi spread to Peshawar. The Englisli weit 81 lAKt kOBIMIL h Hh •Jiouuht to be lollerfng to their fall „n i P."u«lve po„.or^ could not it :„ t^"" f"""" ^'''"'•»- "rf* •" '.«. thought that i„ .^„„ ZvlZ 11 I" 7 *• "^""^ '^ •"""• I' "• b. cru.h«, beneath the we 1^ 7^"'° "'' r" •™' «' '"'-''•--ould Cotton, old, experienced «nd w J irtH""!™"'* "°"""' «"«««« "i'h weapon, (fhlch the/.l wt ui^ Tr"'; ^ "'''' "^^ -- thego. .1. orther:ir:jrvr;:hir- '^-^ - -^ -::;rrer;bi:rjrci*':r"'^^ for Wn.r„Ud to join the JZZZL^"''''r^'" ""' '^'"'^ "' «»" >.""« «rtil.e,y, . European Lrr/o7fl^°''^"'''"»''»f^"«'«««» Cn,>.ai„Boun=hier,.ndCM^«,v^f., V'"""''^' ~°'"'""'«^ ^y Colonel George C„,npbell, a io!'f' '' "'"""'"''«' ''' vi-ofredueingthe'nativ:g:l:r;5?r. " In addiUon, and with I Lie>.t Cav-l^ and the 35th NativHn anfl w ^ "J'? "' '"' "^ ^"'•"" '"•'<.l.i...nte, and found the wildrexdtei^er '.°*' •" """^ '"O.^ -.newhat alSyed when on J ne 7^1 'T '"* *'"' ■"" *" - Neville Cha.„borl«i„ marched into the T* ? """ '""'*'^ '""o """" European, it n.„de the S h. to ' irfh " "",""" "■" '^^'""^ "^ "•• Engli.h.anditforatin.e«.w^t"l'" ""*" T" *" '" '"^'" ^ "" a«-; ''-^-ftortheoolur^rhorit '"' " "" ""'' '"' John MiUon; and the f« t tl u 0^:' ' ""-^ ^om the p„re.ou.«, hae never been unnecessarily elV tl m "^ *""" '' "'"'O"' ^-". "Lo b. Chamberlain on thi. critfeaT:!::, ^H^^^^ -"^ ^^ ' ""'"""« 'he cnUc pause. Good •» THI »0A0 TO DKlIlt s: tir ::::r s tt-' "' -'^- -' '^» — ' «.uch light on thearW 7.1.! ,7' '" '"'""""« ""<•• °'"' "'">- ™ ~10ie™.e« found guil^ofVuZ old T'^"'""''" " *'"'" '"« '- decide, .h„t .hey -hfuld bo br^a " v ," " '" "'"'"■ "^'"■•»'-'-. own con,n,dc.. „ being .he 1"^ " '"'" '' " J^— "' .heir -.oncein.oo.ec. A^^^lZZlZZZ^ T'l "' ™"^'"« "■" "P «. « 10 f„™ three ,idc of a «„aro on .h T "°^' "'"' "^™"" A. U.e pri«>„er. were being bL„sM „ .,' , '""'"' """ "'"•■ '«" «"■'»• were going .o bo blown fl 21^^ "' ,■»;," V"" °'^"™ '"'"' " ""^ fomoik, and .hey both wallced .l.n^n! ,, . "" """''' "" f'""'" they we„ •^und^hen^ ^f S'™ 'Jlr''^'' "'» -'• '<> '^hi-h h» per«,n n.,ght bo „ved for hi, r^a«X T,. T° ™"™'' '"' ''"'' "" too lotol' TliB -„^ . "reiauoiia Tlie brigadier niimvfred • 'Iti. . 'ong^:T;rtha:tLl„r "■'''■'• '"'•''•- "■" ^-^^^^-^ -y -ift «.tribu.ion which had ovlt, . ,.• JSr" "'t"""-^' '"""^'' "' "'« creslfallen than shocked or ', , ' «" '''^ '^°'"™'''''' ''•'' '^^e.! more determination to mut ny aJma? ,' 1 "" "' '"°" '"'™^'' """ '"- way Changed by .he .1 ^tri;:::'! '"^'^ ^^ '» '''»" ^ '« ^ - bS.t:5 r r"- "-'™- -^"'' - ^:: = the civilized and ™Uurcr E ^2" u"""'*' "™^ '•^'"""■- """^ '^ fonnofexecntionconcdv blel^^ T^r """"" "■" '"^ '"^"^''''S «i-. .„a.i. r :ir:r:::rri:L;:r^ - ^ This execution is norlliy of n„i,. i^ "eirpo»er. or>'iy of note, (oo, on account of the calm way ia Miciocorr mounioN mr chart (ANSI and ISO TEST CHAKT No. 3] 1.0 ^Li 12.2 12.0 LU /APPLIED IMHGE Inc 16S3 Eosi Main Slrwt RochmlK. Nn Yort 1*809 USA (710) *e2 ~ 0300 - Phcxx 84 ■ABt BOBBBn, Hi 0: the Knghsh in Indio, sepoys were only « niggara." '■"«>"«»« and mcendiansm were rife, and the Eu^pean. in these and^, o^ places were living in constant fear of death e ana many othe. the«.t' "" T ^"^"^ '"" """' ""P"''"-* "' ^^^ '«--. but fortunately rcr;:!-:^--.^;'- '■■"-' "- -■• "'-- ««<- ""an he ^ in th!:arct^t:r''"r .*'™ «">'''*'<'' -«-y «hat ^ station a few C aft^ ie mI ft" ""■ "'""" ""^"^ ^^ «>- necessary to dite3S.T»!. ''"V""'"^' the <»n.Mander found it Joined i7at Ho." T;^:S!::lt' T^' "" '"' "'"'■ ^"^ «. they marehed towards d1.T„!. .^ f' ' "'"'' ^ "'^* *™ ""P" ™h to the ^.tir tSrirSt"7"'""' " •"' "-' -^ «..eti..--2irgi?srofrn^-i- «W THI BOUl TO DIIKL gj ^^ it, „,n<^al would p„bably hayecau^d an inrtant rising. Robert, however, wa, to receive woM that would rejoice hi. heart. Tl^ sil ™ b«ug vgo^udy pud^ed forward, hut the small force at Z-m^'Z'Z H»ry Barnard .0 .end to hiu. all artUlery officer, not do^ re^lS h« jmt that he deeply reg«tted parting with him. Hi. Lroer howevl «Ued h:m away. At Delhi lay hi. duty, and at Delhi he w" M C^ ^oejhat count, for much-honor, won on the bloody field of h^tl^ The r^ wa. mutual; Brigadier^nerul Nichol»n LThU ^1, staff^fflcer and e^r««d the pain it cau»d him to hav" Wm gol^' - fa. the whole cduma tUr, ,„ « ™« „i„ ^^ t^ ^ ^'"^'^ CHAPTER Vin. nOHTlNO ON THB " RIOOI," Roberts od tti'- Roail in nmiut t Ridge "-Hobtrt.' BaptUm o( FSre-c^r Jl '^if"*:''"''"' Fighting Aimind the Cptain Tomb. .„d I.i.uten.„t "^^^fT" ™°''°<' Serv.,it»-I>,rii,g D«d of > "w pomi Of the greatest military intmsut .t iU.t « ludia. Hi. firet rtopping place was r „^ . . """^ '° .nd refreshing himself he w« re^,rbt C^"" *"» f"' "^"^ ''''" Commissioner, with stories of .h^rf if ' '*' *"''''"*■ ""» D^P^ty that ^gion. rZ^Z of tt^ ^^""^ *"'" "^ "^"^ '^■^^ P>*- in conflict. The next stopping place wrUmbJlT H^ T , *, "^^ "' immediate opportunity of reaching n!iv '" ^'"""* "■"* «° place was crded wi^h fflT™ :!ii^ L"" T """' ^^ "" ""• '^^ force, and the mail^rt seryi» wZlSd tH .T "^ '"" ""' '^'«'''« turn, which might be some dr^s "sl^Tut H . .T " '"" "^ ^•"' '^ oi^ned „p. An e,t™ cart wrtoLl ^ "'.*'' ''"' ""' '"« '"^ managing the authorities Jl a^t <^ TT"™' "'"'^ "'"'^"^ Lieutenant Packeinthiscart^^n^^hlZch T ' '"'^'^" ^"' "■"" On they sped as fast a, h ^^ °' *' o*" «>'*«"• -ed. J. i rd^ve^XJtoTC^er'rarftr ^^ were pawling about the countiy in the rear oTT!^ . w " '°"°^ and slaying; but the young Zn werenTto b. ! T "'' "'""'"""S -a-rt ponies they Le twalre clp ^S' '"'' ""^ '^.^'"« »••» 88 ' ™™P- ^hoy were uncertain of the ii <:€ _-j^ u ill 'it uu aoMBm •1 w.y, but Kon Ai wdeome booming of gun. in thdr front Mrrtd u i guid* Thqr m«t no nttivM, laT. ui occaoonal d«d on. on th« ro«l, , ghartly »id«>c of tb. woA thty w.r. won to t.k. part in-«nd towud. nightiUl WM» «t th. "Bidg»" "*«"»" RobMt.«u«iJw..inluok. Th.A«irt.ntA4jut«.«3.n«nd.He„rT Normu, h«l boen hi. father-, old rtaff officer. «,d at once .bowed .n int«e.t to tb. »n of hi. ibrmer comni«.der. He took him into hi. tent «,d thoueh b. could not offer him a bed, w tired wa.Jhe lieuten«.t after hi. long and almort unintemipted journey that be slept lilce a Ured child on the ground untd the Nund. of the rtirring camp woke him in the morning. There, leai than two milee away, wa. the city of the Moghub. , citv with magnificent wall, behind which wa. a horde of fairly weU trained nativ. »ldie«. When the m,tiv« broke out into mutiny at Meemt on May 10, loobng, and burning «.d .laying, a. if by in.pi„tion they had fled to aii. city. Jurtm McCarthy in bis "Hi*,ry of Our Own Time." thu. forcibly tell, the importance of thi. rtep to the rebel. ; "In the Taat pri«» of Delhi, rimort a city in it»If, a n»king Alatia of lawlen and privileged vice and crime, lived the aged king of Delhi a. he wa. called-the di<«tablirf>ed, but not wholly di«ndowed wvereil the d«Kend«nt of the great Timour, the l«rt repre«ntative of the grand Mogbu' The mutineer, fled along the «»d to Delhi ; and »me evU fate directed thii; they were not to be punraed or rtopped on their way. Unchecked unpursued, they bur* into Delhi and .warmed into the precinct, of the palace of the king. They claimed hi. protection; they ineieted upon hi. ««epting their c«u» and themselvee. They proclaimed him Emperor of India, and planted the standard of rebellion against English rule on the battlement of hi. paUce. They had found in one moment a leader a fla« «id a cau», and th. mutiny wa. tranrflgured into a revolutionary war " At thi. time there wore no European regiment, in Delhi. The onlv protecting force being thr«, regiment, of Sepoy Infantry and a battalion of Native Artillery, with their European officer, and wrgeanti. Slaughter of wldier. and civilian, began at once ; but the opening rtruggle at Delhi was to b.m«i« memorable by one of the most heroic deed, in Britiab hirtoiy-. ■All aoaun. 2S or^wirj""^'"""" *" '-" »■•"" '-'^ ">. w.„.. ^ th. Meerut mutiueo™ bu™t into L 2 JL 1 "" "'*^'" ""» "Poy. had joined th, „b,I.. H. and 1 7° •"' "^ *" ""> ^»'' dot^ntaed to^U .h.i, live, de!V H flr!^:''" "" """" '^'- befcre the gate; .nd ,eh.n B.h«iaf Shlh , f^ ""*"' •^■P<'«»'',r, hi. ~nender he reA«ed to^^ H I " ^T*" "^'"•"'''■'8 wUh blood, pres^d toward. ri^aLtbui? ""'V'"'"'^ """'■' till the ammunHion about the gun. wL exhn li 'T^"^'" "'?' "-'" To the wall, the yelling ^poyaT^d" d^ "" T" ""' ** "P'««'- ""i-xJ against the magariuHnd ZL' '""""« ''"'''°" "'"' "^ Willoughby eaw thatihe m mel h^r,!!r "*" '""""« '"• ^""**'«»' «gnaL Cbnduotor Scully toure^'Je^'.^rfr"''"- """^^'^^ an «plo«on Uke the buLn,T , "'' ''"' ^^ P"P«M and com«ri„ periahed; WiUoughby and the^ .. ' ""' '"' *>" d-perately wounded, only to da'd,„rtlv » Z "*" °®"^" ^'"'P^'. th.g.llantbandhadnotilte.>Sin r'"""' '""'""■ 8"' -tive. la, dead about the'^^C;:!;!™: ' ^"'"" ^•'^" "'' ^'«« * JSL^^t"iH^ve^u^''' r. ""^ ^-"'-^ "- ^ "^'^" - Eniopean troop, in Bombay Burl ^T " ""' '""«"""' ""J'™* "» "at of rebellion. '" ""''' "'^"^ ""-^ ^ey'"- «» hasten to the thatiru^rtht^r.::: """t "-'"«' -^^ ""- -"-■ important city. The ™lSZef 71 ^''T"' *" ""'""'' «^ him, only 600 cavalry 5 400 i„t . . "diculously «.,all force with -- at least SO.oS^UTjdSur,! '' '^"^"^ ^'"'^ «"" ^'^ with abundance of prov Jo„ra„d a™^ ^ """ '^^^ ''"'^ ''"e"'"**^. nOBTIXO OK TBI . "Hia." 9g diUllnf ilwy had reodvtd undw Europeti. offioen made them excellent artilleriiU behind the city ramparta. How hopeleaa wu the taak of the little Britiah amy can be gathered from J. Talboyi Wheeler-f de«:ription in hi. •"India" of the defencei of Delhi. "The defencea of Delhi covered an ana of three Kjuare milea. The walla coniiited of a leria of baetion., almost aizteen feet high, connected by ourtaina, with occaaioniU martello toweni to aid the flanking fire. Every baation waa mounted with eleven guu.; namely, one on the wHent, thrw. on each &ce, and two on each flank. Both boitioni and curtains wen built of maaonry about twelve feet thick. Running around the bate of thew hartiona and curtain, wu a berm or terrace varying in width from flfleen to thirty feet, having on ita exterior edge a wall loop-holed for musketry. The whole waa rorrounded by a ditch twenty leet deep and twenty-five feet wide. On the eaatem side of the city the river Jumna ran past the palace of the king and the old state priaon of Selingnrh. The bridge of boats leaving Meerut was in front of Selingurh." It waa on anch a city that the Britidi force of 8,000 men l)egan to march on June 8, hoping to take it with field-guni When about ten mile, ftom Delhi at Badli-ki-wrai a horde of native, came out of the dty to annihilate the force under General Barnard, but they got a hot reception and were beaten back with heavy loss of men and guua On the Britirii pnaea UU the "Bidge" appeared in their front, and although tired from the previoua fight they made ready for the battle they taw was prepared for them. The leaders of the nbel. had taken up on excellent position, and wen in great force ; but after a sharp strug^ Britieh valor won and the enemy fied precipitately to the city leaving behind nearly 1,000 dead and vuirteen guns. The troop, then reoccupied the old cantonmenU which had been deserted when the rebels of Meerut seized Delhi. Here they were to remain for more than two months devoUng their energies "not to capturing the city, but to defending ourselves, h aving to be ever on the watch to guanl •India, bj J. TAlbo^a Wlueltr. ' ■^^— If *'^*i' wwunk «™» in other word, the besieger, were beeieeed. If "ill ^sin^^rr » - ^^- (housand dead After thi. i. 7 '^^ """"» '*'''"'' """y • .« ™..,M ™. SwiTiU" ^r'S"" "'•"»■'.'■• "ervanto, row. of hones, parks of artillerv T.-„ , v, 7. """^ noaTua on tuc "udw." u ffilmmoc h.U .„d woollen ccf. Tl..„ w.re bu, f„w Hindu ^po ""the SILTL'T'' r '"*''""" '" ".. plain .,„u.ouZ.o riTr^ "y '-bldge.; bu. the bridge were.ut«e,uen..y blowrup T^ the extreme right of the camp, on th. .pot nea™.. J,Uy ',11., w„ ' during the .,ege. From the .ummit of the 'Ridge' wo, to be «en^e Riv» Jumna winding .long to the left of the dty*!^ the bridg^" tow«. of the palace, the min.™,. of the g^t mc«,„e of the Juma mS' Uttene. here and there ending forth white cloud, of .Tk. ll" . grew, foliage that clu,temi round the ramparts ' ' 8„J'm "".^ ''f "' ""■ """"'' "^"^'y *" "'• »" '"•>«»> known „ . , ^»7L "J" «'V t«>k ~ ort; army the th.rd commander in the brief space of two months. time. me?heta ^T'" i"" *"" " ""'^ """ "'™"«"'^ uncomforUble ^ When he left Philour he was forced to travel light. Servants, horse, »d the few lu^ur^e. he had with the movable column had to be left tTi Jot by tin, t,me h.s «rvants reached the "Ridge." and life was more w rt h' Tf T"" '" ''*'"' ""^ '^'^ «™' ■""'"'«-'' »'« his native Jrv^te «.d h, .cords .ith pride that they waited on him under the .IZ Ztd I, hi , ■^BK BOBEBTfc iombs, and Lieutenant "Jemmv" Hill» =„ „ij ajj- , ^ Monel Mallason i, n.orc .tirring ^' ° """""' S'™" "' consequence, of thiB mistake were alike deplorable and Xrio^ ?t thettod the conflict was desperate. Hill, had leen shaken by his fjl. J tlQHUHO OM THB "bIDOu" seeing Hills' danirer «!,«» «i,. . , , ^ through the enemy, fi«d!tad.i3tt4ttr'To'i IT-" '''"'''' ^'^'"' "«'** way through the enemv wh . ' """"' ^'"°'" '>'"' «"'•>« Hills was not easy to kill, however, and he recovered fmm h! " wound to do equally brave deeds in the I'atter daysTI M Z m ^r in Abyssinia, and in Afghanistan "'"any, in China, terminating successfully for the rebels. ""^^ "" ^°<"'' their e^r S^tt e7rb:ZTr ^^ '^""'. "^"«"" ^"' cH.. They were dHven back wi^SlS ^7.^^: It^ determined to punish them as severely as nossibU T.., • '^'' >ABL KOBEBTI. !lVf " '"^•f ^"'' "^^ ^"""'^ '^^ «»« the .oldie™ of W, aT ""!!. °r"^ '" ""''^™« up the gun. to get them out offlrT and «, remained with the gunner, to a«d.t in keeping thV «,irited I^d bl2 ho^ quiet whHe they were engaged in thi. dan^u. w^o^Se^ »^th he re.t.ve horse, he received a tremendou. blow in the back a S thMaImo.tun.eaUd him. At fi„t he was made feint and «ok, but hi Z -^ed h.m. and he managed with g„at difficulty to .tick to hi! hoL^ w.thm h,. own hnes. He had had a narrow escape ; the sepoy. ^eTiZ ^r t: reJ "^^ -^^ "■' -'"" - - ve^Xef^t When he got into the hand, of the able arxy ™,geon, John Qimnbell ir^ f..' T"™'""" "'""^ "^^ '"'■^ '"'^- He was shot near theZT «d had not the bullet first pa«K.d though a leather pouch for caps wLrhe Ck '^ ;.T :"* " '"' »-' of the fight h^slip;«d indtbu Wk, he would doubtle. have been instantly killed or mor^^wounded l" « worthy of no^ that the fir.t wound Robert, received was given tZu he wa. a.d.ng m i«rfo™ing a task similar to that which caused the deatlonj h Itlr^ " Afr"=«-»ving England's gun. from falUng into £ of Itrtri' °"""'"' " '"'^°'*"°° ^"^ ^-"" "- ■^-'^^ than ev^ the 1 Although his wound was not a serious one it kept him in horoital for ^at .warmed about Mm by day and blackened the tent roof by Stl" from h« wound^ ft „., ^„, ^^^ ^^^^ ,^ ^^ _^^,^ ^^ Mh^ flghhng about Delhi, but as «.>„ as he could leave the hWifTtt qu^rmaster-genera. had plenty of useful work ready for him. Th bej, of «.e camp was threatened, and he was kept bu^ through the hot Z havmg he carcasses of dead animals dragged from the "Ridge" and S or burnt. In the r.rk of keeping the camp clean and sanit^. he had .S -Btance from the prince of scavenge™ the adjutant bird, wS «iffllt ^on from afar, had come in hundred, to gorge themselves wh ™ m^ madem the .mage of God, devoted hi. eneigie. to making food for the bi^^ noaiiNo oit TBB "bidox,'' 101 of the air und beam of the fleld. Vultuwa in great floclcs *ove«d over thta place of death, and jaclcals laft their haonta to prowl among the dwellings of men. aai the rtraggle went on, and the foU of Delhi eeemed very remote. The atrain was telling on officers and men alike, and at length the commander-in-chief. General Seed, broke down and was forced to leave the "Ridge" to recuperate. General Wilson succeeded to the command and watched over the men, who, as has been truly said in Mrs. Steele's powerful historical novel "On the Face of the Waters," were performing "Isolated deeds which went to make up the finest recofd of pluck and peiseveranco the woHd is ever likely to see." Many a gallant fellow in those trying months laid doTn his Ufe uncomplainingly. They died with the thought given expression to by one of the heroes -i this struggle in his death hour, the bmv* Lieutenant Quintin Battye^ »Dulc « ieconm t^ pro folria moii" OHAPTBH DC. THB OAPTUBI 0» DBI.HI. 0«a of U„to„„ta Home .„d S.lki5 .t tt. ^i? ^ ^ "*" W*"— Th. GltanT native, kept upZb «.rte. ^ ^ ''' '*""" "^^ «-tIo». MeJwhilethreSLleT"."'''™"'''''*""'^-'^ ready for a>e advance of the Z^T 7 * "'*"'°' '""^ °"^8 o. ti:^ J^rrjdTrjrretr rtr- '-"-'^ - army on the "Bidge," which desnitTth , "^ "^"^ "^ ''^y *«' It would be a glon^™ S. tolont^"'" "^T '" *"" ' "^^ <>- .traight to All^'. arma I th ^ ' '^''■' '' *'' »»»J« upon them. "^ '^'' '""P'"^'*' "^ ««^ «»«> began to dawn MAXL aOBIBni 103 had 1^ Delhi «id h»i gon. to thdr horn-. The n.tlv« h«^, too. that John Niohol«n wu coming .gainrt them with the Movable Column which hjrf »^ ^ the Punjab ; and at the mention of hi. name their .pirit. quaked. 0^7 dertruction could com. to th«n if John Nicholwn led the Britiah troopi. Th.p«,pl,onthe "Bidge" had been for »me time cut off from therertof India, and they were now to learn with deep aorrow that Sir Henry Uwrenc. wa. dead. They learned, too, that Cawnpore had fallen and that Lucknow waa beneged. General Reed, however, received a buoyant leltor from General Havelock raying, "We riiall »on b. with you." Four days, he thought, would be euffioient to capture Lucknow. There was great rejoioin-t on the " Eidge " when the content, of thie letter wore known. Delhi would fell .^ eaiy prey when Havelock'. force w«, joined with their.. It wa. four month, before Lucknow fell, and then the army that had done rach deed, of prowe* at the city of the Moghuh wa. to be an important factor in the Bnal •troggle. Early in Augurt the enemy nnt out a rtrong *>rce of gun. and ported them at Ludlow Cartle «q)ecting to nreep the Engliri. troop, ; but the men on the "Bidge" only made thi. another opportunity to do gallant deed. A determined a»auU wa. made on the podtion. The gunner, were bayoneted or beaten back and the gun. were dragged and puAed by their captor, to the Bntirfi linea amidrt Uie wildert exultation. At length John Nicholwn arrived at the camp, and a feeling of greater confidence wa. in the breart. of the men a. they raw hi. commanding figure moving among them. The Movable Column arrived diortly after and the total force waa now 8,000, beridea 1,636 mok and wounded. StlU Delhi held out; how rfiort righted the British murt have been when they thought that Barnard with but 3,000 men and a few field^una could take ill They needed bettor gun. rtUl to batter down those rtning walla. They were coming. Toward, the end of August it was known that a rtrong mege-train was approaching the '■ Ridge." This information likewise reached the rebels, and they determined to intercept the train; but John Nichol«m with 2,000 men and aiteen Horse ArtiUery guns went out after 104 uu Bouna iiifi III ii ui almort . thouMud men .„d apttaing thirteen fol^^w ^^ ' qau.titie.ofrto«.of lUUind* «rfd-piece. l«„de. gr™t telling on , he whole .™/i,rG.tJr, ""' T' '^'* """ "^ fore— Genemi Keed h.yL b™kl H ^ t' "'"' "'" ""^"^'^^ the withdrew would have been . iLv. i °! ^"'^ '""S"" '^ flame, of mutiny ^uld W „„t^ . "" '" *'^"" ""^ » »''? ^e «beu woeeu;iJti.:rw:rrjdr.7i.ri'"^'^ ^-v- and that .peedily, there would Jw. . 7 7 '■°" '"" **''*''' supereeded" -k™ ^ ^ '°^'^' ""*''»-' '»'""'« *ouW be The engineere had been biuy for aomn d»™ .„ j v j fascines, 10,000 gabions. lOOOoT™!^ K tT ** ''"P"'^ "'<*<> 2-..*^ -sx'Tbrizirz'e Four battenes were detailed to breach iho wii j « ^^' TBI OAPTDHI (f DIIHI, lOS BMUon. Roberto wai with the left-half of Na 2 Balleiy of twenty-foui gon* Ho had charge of two gun., and began to direct iheir Are againat Ka^ir Bartion. He made effect ve .hooting, and the men of Na 2 cheered luiUly a* they uw the .tone, flying from the rtiong bastion under their well- directed fire. But the native, could .hoot, too, and a. «on a, the Kreen frem to fiont of the gun. wa. removed a . ot entered the battery which knocked Hoberto off hi. feet ; when he ro«, from the ground he iOund that a gunner who had been trying the vent o one of the feun. had had hi. arm .hot off. Several Ume. during that fii,t day I e had equally narrow e«»po, ftom both grape and round diot Soon, however, the enemy .vere unable to um the bastion., but they boldly came from the city wall., and opened fire on the batteriei At the nme time rocketo were hurled at the bcaeging force fiom the martello town, and a .teady muaketry fire wa. kept up againat them. It wa. hard wc«k manning No. 2 ; but for mx day. Robert, never left l.i. post Mve to go to Ludlow Castle for hi, meal, or for rest He had hi. reward, however, &r hi. courage and endurance, for on the evening bebre the a««ult John Nicholwn came into the battery, and looking with admiration on tht lieutenant whose character he «os doing *, much to mould, eaid : "I must shake hand, with you fellows; you have done your best to make my work e«iy to-morrow." The batteries had indee 1 done goo 1 w rk. The Water Bastion and the Kashmir Bastion were in rains, and the courageous wldiers sent forward to invertigate the condition of ti.e walls reported to Baird^mith that it would be practical to enter the city by both. The hour that for Uwe months the «my of heroes on the •■ Ridge " had been waiting for had arrived. At four dock m the morning the assault was to commence and every man prepared to win or sell his life dearly. They had been daily Uving in the comradeship of death, and now they made ready to go forth to meet it a. if going to a fertivaL 6 a • Four columns, the first under Brigadier-General Nicholson, the woond under Brigadier Jones, the thrd under Colonel Camp-ell, the fourth under M^or Reid, were to attack tie wall simultaneously, while a fifth under Br«ad.ep Longfield, was to be held in re^rve. In all, the force asaulting ■^W >OBtBI|, D»IM dtS not wnonni tn nniu k ntm _ We been In hoqrfW on duty u . r™7 "T Jf "^ *" """y """o •»«»l'i "'.tuck p.«.n^b,B.i';^L"^'rAf,'2 J^''"'"""''«-'^.«d« b«~h. «d ..ckd. the face of fte If!.. *"• "•""»" «° """It th. nuin >»~«*«» the Water Bart on I,.t1„J^ •• ,, Z*""^ "'<"»» «o enter the thir-pp^aoh. i*.thjit'^^\ : r;s^^^ *»«- » P~ty of engineer, under I ieuten.n.. u ""f •*"■'' «««». preceded by g.t. with petaH. and powde Thr„ "" *''•'''• *° """"P" 'h' th.ubi,„i.ou. Hfle. ZlLl^ZrZl^'.r"^''''''''''" ^ A rifle party a.„ cove.^ ti.. Tp^ 7^^" "' ""' '"'"' under Brigadier Gran, we^LX^'^rL^taS ^I' ?~ """"^'^ '«»nded, and p„vent the enemyW, lu "^ ' '"'"■ •*« ""^ »<> In the bright light 0^*0 elX 1"."° "•*"" '" ""y di"o«oa" forth. Kobert, wa. n!t with th^ Jf t^. T"""' '"^ -"""" »<^ had been doing gali«„t „„i . ,"' "'^ ^" """'de. in the batteriee behind. n.uch'.o'^.rreS n ^^^ "". ""' ^'' >>• "^ *» ""-i" confident army move fo™ J „„ ?, T'^' '*"^- «« '"«'>«' the worehipiU, ey^ op::^ ™ ilnttnlTr "l'' ""' '^^"^ ''^«' b«n given connnand of the <^„r„ ^d J T"'"'' ''•"''«"«'°- '•'o '■•'' waiting for the eignal to meh Zwair I, °" T'^ '^^ "" *<™«<1 C-nin«, early in the war. of Mct,:^^., yf/'f ' ^"^ -"'» *^ ^ ever there i» a desperate deed tn h. 1 '■ . ^ "^'^ "P"" ">». that if todoit" rt.ZJXZIi^^Zl :""^ Nicholson ie the man «<»n.pUd,ment of which waTto 1^ r , ."^""^ '^"^' "'^ """«««" before Pelhi ilUIed to ^ducT^e citT f"' ' '" ''"^ ^^-^ *" fo"* a«.pbell coald have av^ ^lT7"'''°"'''''^««-"»<'^f>'l- deepatchofBuchanam>yafwinZ "^, Eng,and-not without the the fifliee that would have IT" ^T""^. " ""' ""^ ^'^^ ' <»<> i» '- Of life would hav^Ien'rrd:; "" " "*'"*"' ""' "' '-"' -^ «>• At h. Nicholson gave the egnal. and i^ding h. .en .0 the a«.U he TRI OAnVMM oy DILBL 107 m. «M« In Ih. breMh. Tho Bnt ud «cond oolumiu loon oot within the d"p.«t. rtand WM. drivo, .long th. r.mp.rti 1 quick «,cc««ion rn:rdo^"rrp.ti.':^t;:7C"^::rd"\t*^^^^^^ he W them ri»g . „™, u„, .^..^ ,^^ ^^ Jf ^'^^ the «Jv«.cmg columa At l«t the noble leader w« .hot th«ngh ZZl The cooleet and moet d«ing piece of work done on the 14th wu th.t SdWd at th. Kaehnur Gate. Thi. power nl gate l>arr«i th. progre« of the thirdcol„„n. Itwaanece^rytoblowitup; but the approach C^wd ^med hke walking to .netant d«.th. It ia rare indeed in ©.gland'a war, when he need occur, that men cannot I. found who are wilLg t^^ Theaapper. succeeded in laying the powder and th. party by whom Te Seriirfil"^ ««d ^ the broken bHdge in K ^Zr'a' a, h^L'^'^fr^t"'* **"' ""* '""■"*« ""^"^ "•»" "^ ">e deed, a deed moti hTf 'Tf"™'^ '^ "*"'*'^' Willougbbyatthe mag Jne f^ month, befo™: ..L,outenant Salkald while endeavoring to fire U.e cha^ w„^t through the arm and leg. and handed over^ho .low ma^T fT^ u^T' "'"' '"" '""'^'y ""•""'^-J i»«t <- he had ^iccesllly «»omph,hed the onerou, duty. Havildar Tilluh Singh, of the sZ^« wounded, and R. .loll Sepoy, of the »me corps, wa. MI d during thU^ »^ the op.rat.on. The demolition being most successful, Lioutena'n^H^ inJnT.f'^' ""^ "" ""«'" (Hawthorne) to sound the reipmental .m of the 52ad. aa a sig^l for the advancing columns. F«Jng IM *Au Mmn that unldit the nolw of th« ..~«u ,x. .p».., .Hu, .«.pirz!;- "^ ■'"°~' -■-*'«» only the fringe of the ran,™,. K^ ''''"« """K "»i "^ <"™ word,. ■IR COLIN CAMPBELL .- J ,V'"""'"'"'"-'n-'-h(»l of the force* in Inci:^ «EN WHO rOUOHT W,T„ HOB..TS ,N TH . OH.„ M Mm' *HI OAPTOM OF DELHI. Ill hope that he wa. not senonaly wounded he «ud : • I .„, dying • there « no of death wa. aW n.ore than I could bear. Other men had daiWij No wonder he mourned with such a deep mourning. There lay the ^"th t ^ ^ IT "" ' «""'™°- ^' "" "' -- *-« ^^" "i «.d the a^yard of the army. Young in yea™ and of infinite promised man who had conquered himaelf. and who made a conquest of eve^ man he met Roberts couH not leave his commander and friend there in I dodL plunder and slaughter; but at length he succeeded in getting four men ^gether whom he placed in command of a«.^t of fhe ei^ZiZl Jjcholson slowly home away to the h«,pital which he wa. nev»to C Eoberts then went about the performance of hi, mission, and learned of many of bs tned fnend, had been killed, but found to his delight that L^me such „ Tom.». who had been reported dead, were still ahVe. HlTen humed wuh the news to Wilson, who was somewhat „he.ed by hif e^; but who .n h.s ove^cauUousness thought that it would perha^ be weU^ withdraw the taoops from the walls of Delhi. When NVchol^n, sufl^ Lg uncomp a:n.ngly the most excruciating pain from his wound, hc;^ oh! r jl ' °i ™?' '^''"° """""'°''"^ " ''"'«'™-'. -«> his remaVning rfneii:;- '^ "'^ *""= '"'-' ^"^ ' >•- '^"'^ y- to »•.- muoh^r """ "l'^*''"''"- 0° *« "'t the column, had attempted too n * w. oTv f"'"' '" """ ^"^ to get a firm footing within the .2 U^ the 20 h the fighting went on and then Robert, was in at the finaUn^ Bum BasUon and the Uhore Gate, thu. clearing the way for the captl of 112 ■AK' BOBIBn. H W the king and hi. sons and the utter routin- „p a .. , -n^ the fiHng „rthe .,a. ir::Ktr^M ^l T "'"""'' the possesion of the British troops. "** """ ^ capti:'H^r"d''i:r,s:i^if ::r'' '"-"' ™™-- - then forced the sumnder of th» vZ » '""K or « cause. Hodson tH-tened to rescue tt fe hot £ ^H 1^^":' "".' "'"' ' "'"' bodies to be exposed on the wall M^h tat ^ ''™. ■""" ""^ «"^ *«» this act. and even Roberts wlLS .J" T^ -tten in condemnation of Hod«,„ ve^ lenient.,. He JZ e^/ ,' ^ ^ l^ ttr^ " "'' '-" much in advance of the soldiers of his dav ml A I J"" ""'"' "■*" Hodson's place he would n^K kV T ^' ^"^^ Nicholson been in mil.cofhun.a„MndnLr ~ eTtt"" " "^'^ "^ "^ *^ ~"?d^"hrbitSirw::^^^^^ loss of CSeneral Nicholson Th. „ ^'"""'ed. but the greatest loss was the to cantonment went the Lker^tkgs ~C ^I' '"T ""'°'™"" captiv^but Joha Nicholson was dead"' No h« ''''*°' ^'"'^g -" « only was at rest; his spirit lived in fte h !. / ''" "'" ''"^ ' "' ""^7 "my and lives t^avTn^h. . "^ °^ ^^^^ »"'» ™ «>« Delhi ' " lives jOKlay in the great commander-in-chief of tl,« n •»• k Although unable to tat« ™,* • ^ "'■o'"" of the Bntish army. De.i.KobeLhadernt:ir:pZ: lU^Tw^-^ '""' m despatches," and General Wil«,n ,•„ Z ^ ., "° ''"' mentioned aays: "Ibegalso to big I^lblt f ''''"'' °' "^"''" ^^'■'^ a.» that gallant and activ^e^J'SCrrirr; ' ' ' artillery brigade in the canacitv „f " . '^^ ^- ^berts, attached to the and When th'e genera, oZ 2: i^X^^'^^^'^'^^'"'"^'" on November 5. 1857 it was found tZ LilnXTr 1"' " ~""°" the officers especially thanked "for zeaZ T» i """ """^ commander and to the state." '^"^ "^'"^ ^ *^ OHAK"^R X AFTER DELHI. *°'^K*f,.'°„"I'^ ReUrfCoInmn to lucknow-A Gha.tiy March Tkrongh D.Ih!-A Bnuh Jrtth the Rebe!._A Narrow Escape From Death-Robert, on a Humouroii. MlMion-A A.ir^^ St ^"'^ ^**'°* A»i.Unce-A Fight at Aligarh-The Column Turn. «: : r.^ i ^' "^ " *K"-T1» Britiah Force Sur-Ti«d-The Enemy FinaU, Beaten Off-Roh«t. Again Eacapea Death-The Beautita of Agra-The Colnmn Matche. on Cawnpore-The Maasacre of the Women and Children Recalled. DELHI had fallen ; but a part of the army which had endured so much was to have no rest. Havelock had failed to relieve Lucknow and moreover he had been forced to retreat to Cawnpore. Scarcely had the »und of the fierce fighting ceased ia the streets of Delhi befo-e it jpas known that General Wilson intended to send a column to assist in .he relief of Lucknow. Even as early as September 21 preparations were made to get this column ready, and the pick of the army, among whom was Roberts, was prepared by the 24th for arduous marohing and severe fighting. The force consisted of 750 British soldiers, 1,900 natives, and sixteen guns. Just as day was breaking tiiey began their march through the city that was silent as death. Roberts' description of the beginning of this mareh has a Homeric strength and simplicity which shows what a lucid and powerful pen he can use. "Our way from the Uhore Gate by the Chandni Ohauk led through a veritable city of the dead ; not a sound was to be heard but the falUng 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 113 ,Jt JS 114 ■UL BOBDm, distant In ^„y i^^„J^ iU ZT^ of LIT """"^ '" ' '»'" Hf-lik. S„n.e lay with their .rT^^^V^T "'" '^"""'"^'^ the whole »oeae wa« wierd and terriw k . """^""""ns, and, indeed, seen.edtor.,theho™.„n;lS"Vrrjrt\ ^' ""'^^ in evident terror. The atmosDh^™ „ ^ ''""'' '"^ «°<>rt«d wa. With the .c. no.iou.::'';i::;r:r''"^ -^'»^'«''- "«^» « i* After Delhi the next four dnvs thm,,™), .k -Hef. On the 28th the col.ll'ZZ'l ta T" Z"7 "" ' "-^^ Khan. This .an wa, an arch-.be. an wa, ^Hnf l" ! "" ^"'''^ in the name of the Emperor of India ffiL? ! """""^ tyrannically of which he wa, the ceL, and wh n th! J """ " '"''''"' °' """'-y found that the enemy had a stronlZial """^ r''' ''' """"^ ^^7 be a strong native j^ition ind"ef Ct tT """ ^f"'^^"'"''- «"' " would on the "Rid^e" eo^d not tat a^ ^ Ze "^ "'""^ ""^ '"^ !<« rf three 9.pounde«, 300 me^ Td Tl ^"^ '''™ ""'^ ^* «» valuables which had evidently TriT^Ittr t "°^" ""'' """^ and elsewhere. pranaered from the Europeans in Delhi In this fight in which the British In« „.., i • wounded. Roberts had a ve^ nar^w es^e Wb ' Tu """' *°' '"^^'^'^^ were sold he had succeedeT inTu^H, stid" f° f ■"""""'' ^'^-'^ It had been used to the control of a mal Xl^T' ^""^ """"- .eight, and no doubt it had not vet 1 .T ! f"" ' '^' ^ '"'=''« i° the diminutive young Heutena7:hrn„~r it^" ^At "^''■"^ ^'°^ "' fight it plunged about in such a way that Robr ,■ ""^ ™'« '" *'» in controlling it While it was inThe^t!? ' 7" '"^^'^ '^^^ "P aim at its rider, and its head frrtraW !r''^ " ^""^ '"""^ '^»'"^«™te The ho^ was severely woui^tSrol:; 'T " ''' "'-'«^- That he showed remarkable bravl „? t 7^ ''"°'''" ^'"P'- exceptional semce is evident from the aTcount of tb p ,°"' '''*™^ g.ven by Colonel George Bourchier in his Tn ^ r: "r'*""^' ««■" "By the c^fire which was kept up ul^he en . ''"'"^•" f up upon the enemy's battery, their ▲VTXR DBLBL U6 flw wai nibdned; mx advanoe wu then oidored. A few uWoee of gaw t**^! ''"""^ ""^ *" «'°"°"«'i-'8 officer being anxion. that the portion Aotddbe^ed ordered an immediate advance of artillery. Lieuten«,t ^berts of the artillery, who aeem«I ubiquitous brought the order at a gallop. The guna charged and took the battery, the enemy ecampering before u. u wecamo np to it Lieutenant Roberta was first at the guns. A second bunrt, a:..r clearing our front with grape, brought us to the goal : the enemy flying before us like sheep." This was their first brush with the enemy on their road to Lucknow, and Its complete success greatly cheered the men of the column. It wai necessary to blow up the fort and to look to the sick and wounded. «id k, aey were delayed until October 3. In the blowmg up of the fort Lieutenant Home, one of the heroes of Kashmir Gate, while superintending the work lost hu hfe. His death cast a gloom over the entire force. In Robert's great autobiography it U rare indeed to find s touch of humor. He is almost too serious ; occasionally he smiles at his own expense when making references to his height; but it is the smile of a man whose strength and rsputation permit him to laugh at what may seem to the world h.s physical defects. As page after page of his ! ook is read his serious, ftoughtful, earnest soul is revealed. It has but one defect ; it lacks humor One mcdent, however, which he relates of himself, and which occurred while he was m the vicinity of Balandshahr, shows that he was not without that quaUty without which no man can be truly great He had heard of an EngUsh woman who was in "durance vile" at a village twenty miles away. His gallantr^'at once asserted itself, he went to Colonel Greathed and got permission to go forth and rescue the fair damsel JNo doubt as he began his march with several fellow officers and two squadrons of cavalry, he, like Sir Galahad, kept saying to himself, "For them I battle to the end To save from shame and thrall." At early dawn the troop crept up to the .-llage and closed the exits so that the fair captive could not be spirited away to the hills. Then the officer, eateted the village f J 111: ili 118 ■iBI. BOBXBTfc puzzled me 8rUv»rh,fr^^^ '^'' " '"""' "'""*■ ^^'^ carried off. A. day broke we ^ILd J "^ T' ^°^ "^^ '"'""'' '^ m getting the young woman to tell us what had hanoened • J,„i „n W that no harm Should be done to those with IT^^C^Z 3 1 tat" Z ; 7"^' °' ' "'"'' •" '"« commissioner's oZ' ^ S^ pur; that all her family had boan Villo^ „i,™ ii. •• "m™ as oim- station and that .h^LT } *" """8 '""'' ?'"<» »» «>at Muon and that she .ad been earned off by a ,omr to his place. We asked herifsho wished to come awav with i« An„. i • weasKed irrxB uLBi. 117 ^I ^'^ "' """"S' "ig" ftll to ha*,„ to hi, «rf.t.„ee with dl ZZ^...^ "'^''« "•• --»«' «-"«' ^»'"ea to .t out *,. Soon after the march «commenc«i it wa. learned that the rebel, had Zhf .t "■""• ^°° *•" '""P^ approached the city they bZ .Tfl r -rt™'' '"■' ''^™°°^ *" ^"^'P *''^'" f"" *eir path they nt . .1' ^"^ "'" ''* ""^ "'"' ■>■«> »'°™«1 'he strong wall, of Hmdu. who had tried to era.-, them on the "Eidse." They had not the courage to face them; not even in the street, of AH;har. Thigh th^d^ m determmed pur^it. slaying them as they fled across the open countr^ o" ^Ung them out of their hiding place, in the fields and killing them on t^o spot We read of no pnwnors being taken on this march. Meanwhile epistle, and message, were pouring in from Agra, T^Son* "/• .'",""' '-«"««« •»'» dead and alive, and in ciph^^ The ta«.ps and c.v.ha,^ who had been shut up in Akbar-s fort were L the greatest alarm a. they feared they could not hold out much longer A J ™ian important centre; it would never do to let it fall into the handf^f the road to Cawnpore and began a rapid march to the Jumna The column arrived at is destination on October 10, crossed the bridge of boats, and entered the three-hundrcd-ycar old fort be.ore the enemy we" lotth!^.p?T''"'"P"™"''°'"''' ^°-'-' fighting under the hot »n on the "Kidge;" the trying march of the post three weeks,-had given fort, where they were welcomed with the wildest demonstrations by th. b»^ged, a lady .marked : « Was there ever such a dirty looking lot Jen I" Another spectator wrote of them, -The Queen's 8th passed 4hin thx^e yardsofu. 'Those dreadful looking men must be AfghLs.. said a lad^J 118 >A>L BOBKr.m me, u th^ Jowly and wearily marched bv I MH „„. a, iney were confident that the knowledee that th. n=n,i „. o"»™y. Hoberts as deputy-aesistant^iuartermaste^general had the UA ., columns ever sent into the field ■ ^ °°"* THE KASMHIS GATE, DELHI THr .. »■,..» TWO FAMOUS RUINS Ami DIUU Itl jMnrv. ft. oommudlB, dBo.» „dth„ threw »ut plokeU nor .dopW „y •Uowri to flock around the cmp-fl. many MllkodtOL thn.Ji!^"'^ ""!? .T''' "*'" '" • '™'P <" i-W'-: 'hey earn, on tow«d. th. tenn Some llnglLh lance™ and . party of Sikh »ldie» wl ban., threw off the., jugglen." dre^e., .nd displayed themwive. u ^omedan fanaUe. They drew thd, .word.. „tte.«l fhe Mn«„Imrw" ™r„^ . ^ """"'• *" "' "*" """ ™°»» '"0 «"0P» of cavalry galloped out from among the tall crop* There wa. a roar of artiiuran^ aTitizx-f " "■" ""'''" — "- - --"--; mi J?" t™ '" " ""'"'•"' ""' *'" '"•* " >"*«''y ""^peeled, that it f3 f^r ^ "7 '""^ """ '*'»"'«• *"■' ^ <" ""« column we fred. from Delhi, and prepared for all incident, of the war The flrrt momentary confu«on over, they behaved with the utmoet Z.1 S Iano», ™n to their ho«,. ««ldled and mounted , th. infantry .Zd tSr Jcula^ on a eurp„se, when instead the lancer, cha.^ them. TW th^^lve. we. „.^ with a panic; they fought for . few minute.. theT A crowd of right«er, who had gone out to the camp of the column were o mTn a^d ' ' ~f ''™' ""' ™^ *"»«'' *^ «"■«-«. torrifiefhorde of men «>d women, hor«s and bullock., camels and elephants. At leneth bri«hl ..".T"^' """'' ""' "™""y "»"''" battling with tteZ briUI^.^ that had beaten back the daily „rti« of Delhi. They Z isa *Au aoBum howerer, vllhoDt ofgulution, ud Roterti g,llop«d .boat the fl.M In Mudi of ODlonol arMthri, who did not tpp^ on th. m«i. UU th. .oMny ««. bwten in th« fight On thl.occa.ion Robert.' cr«rJmort.nd.d. Whil. looWng for tho brigidier became upon a uu«r who made . J«,™ined amnlt on him. Th.«H«irwMawiIy native, and neirg that th. young lieutenant had ■ reitiT. mount, he pulled off bi. turban, an I waving it n front of tho hone kept Robert. bu.y managing hi. rteed. Robert. endeavo,«d to dioot him with bb revolver but it failed to explodi. He felt bim»lf powerl,« to n^ the uuar when one of the 0th Lancer^ the corp. that had don. eo n.aoh lo save tho day, ran the rebel through the body. Th. men from Delhi, wonw)ut skeleton, « they were, were too much «>r tt. attacking rebel., who haaUly fled and were purnied for four mile, by th. Tictoriou. troop., who to their lurpric. came upon the .trong camp of the mutineer, about which th. Agra authoriUe. had been in inch blitaful ignorance. Here the infantry remained, but the cavalry continued the purmit .laying any rebel, they overtook uid capturing thirteen gun. with laige quantitie. of ammunition. What an effect tlielr work before Delhi had had on the n.tive mind can be imagined (h)m the whiqwrri word, that paawd bom lip to Up in th. fleung army : "I my, brother I them are th. fellow, bom Delhi I" After » effectively Mattering the enemy from before Agra the column remained in it. vicinity for three daya. They were busy day^ but Robert, found time to wander through the ruin, of thi. city of mosque., and view with enraptured eyes the Juma Musjid, and T^ Mahal (the Crown of Edifices) built by the Emperor Shah Jehnn to show hi. undying love for his favorite wife, th. Empress NourJehan, or "Light of the World." The description of the gorgeous Toj Roberts refrains from attempting. He is on hu knees before it, and his words show bow the beautiful in art, like the beanaful in nature, could move him. "I will not attempt," he says, "to describe the indescrible, neither words or pencil could give to the most imaginative reader the all^atisf) ing beauty and purity of thi. gloriou. urn MLn, 123 coootptlon. To thon who have not tintij nm U, I would My 'Go to Indl*.' The Tui tlone u wdl worth th* joum«y." Blihop Ilebtr-s dctcripUon of t)ii< mojciUc tomb will givo ■ blr ld«a of the bnlldinga of the bniou* dUei of Indi. ibout whioh the trump of war wu now heard and the horrors of war wore wltneeaed. "After hearing itapraltca ever aince I have Uea in Imlla, ite beauty rather exceeded than fell abort of my eipectaliona. The building iteclf U raiaed on an elevated terrace of white and yellow marble, and haa at ita angle, four tall minareU of the tame material In the centre of the hall, endo«!d within a carved acreen of exquiaite deaign and workn.anship, ia the tomb of the ftVwite Nour Johan ; and upon a marble doia slightly raised, by the aide of her remain., ia that of the emperor himself. The windows are of white marble, elaborately traced, and perforated for light and air-of the aame design aa the Kjreen. Tho walla, H^reens, and tomba are covered with nowera and inscriptions, executed in beauUfil mosaics of cornelian, lapis- lonili, pearl and jasper; and yet, though everythm^ ia linishcd like an ornament for a drawing room, the general effect u solemn and impreaaive, irreapectivo of the assodaUona naturally attached to it in the mind of the apectator." Strange that men brought up in the presence of such • anperb mark of affection could have such hearts a i the Nana. On October 14 the column hod a day of rest and amusement, and then began its march on Lucknow via Cuwnpore. At Manipuri, to the delight of probably every soldier in the column, Hopo Grant, who had signally distinguished himself on numerous occasions during the siege of Delhi, took command of the force. No one regretted that Colonel Greathed had' been superseded, especially since the fight before Agr.- Sere they had been practically forced to flght without a leader. Three days later a messenger from Sir James Outram, with a despatch carefully concealed in a stick, brought them a request to lush with all poasible fpced to the Lucknow Basidency, On Uie 23rd of the month they came upon a stron.; force of tho enemy who had concentrated with the intenUon of atopping their advance. But the 124 XIBL BOBEBTa. men ftom Delhi after some brilliant fighting beat them into the Ganges, killing many and seeing those who had attempted to escape by swimming in a num- ber of cases sink from sight in the swift waters of the stream. How little Roberts was sensitive on the score of his stature is well illustratefl by a story be tells on himself concerning this iight A friend had been severely wounded in the hand, and he chaffed him about allowing himself to be wounded by a more boy, when the tables were turned on him with the words: " Well, boy or not, he was bigger than you. ' After this brush with the enemy they pushed forward with all possible speed to Cnwnpore, and on October 20 tlie city which will ever live in British history, black with the horrors of its unparalleled massacre, was reached; and the men who had had their hearts hardened by the brutal treatment of their countrymen in Delhi, wore to have the last drops of cpmpassiou turned to st^ne by the awful recital of the deeds of the Nana. CHAPTER XL lUBCH TO THE BELIEF OP THE BESIDENOT. Wbeeta^ . Bmven, .nd Blu„d=r^-The Siege of the G.m«,n-Tl,e Ma».c,e-Sir c""" C.mpt.u on , ,. Road to Lueknow-Aa Editing Adve„tu,e in Bobem^ e^Band " tta V t"T'^''-^'*l*~* "''""«" ^'™' 0"'™"-Thoma. Henry Kavanagh Win the V. t-The Troop. Eager to Advance on tlie Reaidency. CAWNPORE at last! It was only a halting place on the road to Lucknow, but it did even more than the work about Delhi to nerve the men of the Movable Column for the fighting that was before them. Stories of the struggle at Cawnpore had already reached them ■ something of the horrors of the loathsome massacre was known to them but so ghastly was it all that they did not fully take it in till they stood on the scene of the work of the brutal Nana. Although the story is well known it is necessary briefly to narrate the events that lead up to the crowning crime of the Mutiny. Major-General Sir Hugh Wheeler, K.C.B., was the oflicer in command at Cawnpore when the first mutterings of the rebellion were heard. He knew of the mutiny at Meerut, of the initial work at Delhi ; but his sepoys had long been his pets. He had treated them with a kindness and consideration shown to few troops. He knew their lives, he knew their language Uke one of themselves, and he believed he understood their prejudices. With every confidence he patiently waited till the sudden local storm, as he thought, that had broken out about Delhi would havo spent itself. On the 18th of May after calmly reviewing the situation, he wrote- "All well at Cawnpore .... The p!ag.-3 is, in truth, stayed." Stayed I Only two days later flames broke out in the Unes of the First Native 12S 126 KARL ROfiESn, InfantTT ; and even the hopefol and sanguine Sir Hugh Wheeler began to reahze that a r«,ng wa, not imposdble among hia favored aoldie™. On th. 24th of May the ceremon,«, in honor of the Queen were dispensed with, and the Engheh instead of rejoicng were in . state of the utmost alarm, and the mail that was being made up for England was full of bulky, gloomy lette™ -the last many of them were ever to pen. Even Sir Hugh trembled, and sent a telegram saymg that he considered a mutiny inevitable with th° ^rt T''^ "^ "° "'"*" " *" '"""■"'"^ "»™'"™'. and ^ti th.s body the Nana was thoroughly in touch. He was in the vidnity of Ojwnpore, but kept changing his «sidence from time to time to deceive the Enghsh who, alas, due largely to the character of the Commander of the forces and his attitude to the sepoys were only too easily deceived not r']° '"' If °[ 'T"" "' '" ''"«'' '' *" *" ■'^P'"^ " i» i-P-ible not to admire the chivalry and generosity of the old soldier A sea of troubles wa, rising about himself, but Sir Henry Lawrence was in greater need, and on the 3rf of June, after he had confessed to himself and to the .uthonue, that it was impossible to prevent a rising, he sent some of the few reopa he had under him to the help of the sorely pressed garrison at ^fthT.h "r^V."" f"" ''""'" ""^'^ ""' "' ^"^P"" «>- " was «ud that the Second Cavalry were making preparations for a fight, and two days later, burning, plunder and .laughter began. The 53rd might have rto«i by the English as they were much attached to their commander, but as Oiey advanced towards his position Sir Hugh turned his guns on them believing that they were in league with the othe™, and they, too, went to the lines of the mutineers. The horrors that had been reported from Delhi were upon the English in Cawnpore, and those who could fled ftom the threatened city. The muUneers turned to the Nana begging him to become their leader Tm? T! """™™ """^ "PP^"'^ 'o ">» o'-J King of Delhi' bu^taT- ' "f "t""''"" ""^"^ ^™ '^^°" ^'"-- -'«'P-; "Whri /r. \^T °" '°''"'"" ''° ""^ ""> Nana replied What have I to do with the British ? I am altogether youra" This was efficient They had a cause and a head ; and the brutal soldiery were let MABCU TO THE RELIEF OP THE BESIDKNOI. 127 '"%°n*''.\'?"''',°"'' °' ''""■"P"" " '"^y '■"'' I-^" "t Delhi. hims! f It, T Py-'^i'ons lor the muti.y, but he had entrenched himself in the wo«t pos^ble place about Cawnpore. In fact the gallani «>ld.er seems .o have blundered from the . cgi„„i„g to the end of the trouble tl Z "tlT """ """'"'"« *'" "^''^ "f "- Brit.»h at this m=. Tbe Salnbs put a sword into the enem/s hand and thrust tlieir own heuds forward." The Nana decided to conduct the sie«e in orthodo:r ftshion, and so on fu ly hal, of them e.v.han.,. It could not be expected that they would hoi, out against the horde, of the Ka„a in such a place for twenty-four hou. There .s, however, one thing an English.nan can do well-die. We stoical Tho . ^ " ' ""'' "■™' ™ "'™"«'' "'« i^"' -"•■»" weather. Thousands of natives played upon the position with muskets day and night • he roar of th. cannon kept the bciegcd continuously awake; and a i wrthe? T"'°"' """^ '""" """ ™"^ »"»' ""'iahail'of bull ts returlbuT'"t '""'■""■ ^"'"* "" '" "" vigorously and effectively returned but as .,, gunners were slain and the ammunition grew scantier and scanfer.H slackened. Meanwhile the enemy's forces were increasTng and the bullets fell thicker with each day. Still there was no tl.rg !; ^render. Wojnen and children bravely sustained the courage oi Lt pro^ctors, and al p.pared to die. but determined to bring down as many Wt r ''"T '''"" '"'"' "P "'^'^ "-- Their water supply wa, ^ort, food ran low,; and to procure both deeds of m,p„...leled heroZ their thirst. Many were dead, some through sulhiug had becom-e maniacs It t "" "■" ™ • ^'"'™ "■" "°"''"S '^" f- t''-" ^ '0 but die, aTd his they prepared to do like Britons. liut the Nan. was afraid to as a„, their position. He had tried several times and had lost so heavily that I now determined to resort to treachery. H* «nt in . message, "To the subject, of Her M^'esly, Q„een 128 ■ABL ISOBERI& Crut" ' ^ '"'"""° '^^"^'^ '™» «>« government hou» of n»1^"''^" ""T '''"' "^ '" "" '™y '^"""^^"■'J 'vith the acts of Lord ^:r: ii;^f '^ '^ '- ^»™ '^- - -• -.e ^^ Death awaited them within the rude fortifications which they had aefeudod so nob.,- ; br.ve old Sir Hugh was for holding out to the death • but W .rs pre^iied. The, had won,en and children Lder ^r , J and "ilou a shl rTT; "• ''''' ™"" ""'• '""^--' -»P' t- '-^ j'l '"' """^ '° =""' '""='^ ">» Nana's messenger M:. terms, but even w,d,e^h; we:i;:::rs:rcr;::r; coune.. p,a„n.g the whoiesaio nn.rder of the brave remna,;:f"thel,: crti— .ttr;-^^^^^^^^ =i:-fi:;st;rs:Jrmi;-:-= the G.eat MUH„, n were well to draw a vci>r:\;: t.^Tetd •TMMlywii Cawnpore. — — .. ^ KASCB TO TBI BELIO OF THB KEglDBKOT. in H«TeTock could be heard coming to their relief they were butchered in cold blood. The story of this frightftil massacre drove the men of the movable column frantic. As they viewed tlie marks of the butchery, as they stood on the Sati-Choum Ghat, as they examined the dilnpitaled fort, wliere their countrymen hud fought so well and so hopelessly, they burned to rush to Lucknow and slaugliter and slaugliter. It is little wonder after Cawnpore that even Roberts could speak calmly of striking down the mutineers, and, indeed, took evident delight in the work. The movable column learned on its arrival at Cawnpore that there was hot work before it. Havelock and Outram with a litfe over 3000 men and fourteen guns had, after most gallant fighting, forced their way through Lucknow. The feat had cost them 700 men, and when it was performed they found themselves in the Residency besieged by a swarming host of natives. There were but few troops in Cawnpore when Brigadier Hope Grant reached it ; a tragic calm seemed to rest over the place. On the day of his arrival, however, good news awaited him. The new commander-in^^hief. Sir Colin Campbell, was on that very evening to leave Calcutta to take command of the forces which were to march to the relief of Lucknow. At the same time orders came for the movable column to get into communication with the Alambogh at once. This was a small ganlcn house a short distance from Lucknow where stores were kept, and where the sick and wounded soldiers had been left when Outram and Havelock began their celebrated march towards the Residency. The Mlumn rested four days, and ca October 30 crossed the Ganges into Oudh. Along with it went four companies of the 93rd Highlanders. This was Roberts' first experience with the kilted soldiers from the north, and the admiration for and confidence in them, which has lasted till the present day began then. The following ,Iay they halted at Bani Bridge when news came that Sir Colin was already at Cawnpore and Hope Grant was requested to halt till he should arrive. The place where they then were was moat unfit for cariping, and it wftjs 133 itsi, KOBKnn. a. deputj.a«„tonKuarterma8ter^eneral wm exceedingly heavy and Lieutenant Augustus OtwayMayne had been appointed mIJZI' Th! and it 1 r '"""'™ "•""" '™P f"""-" •"•1 l^en lin and It waa neoess.ry to Iceep a moat careful lookout. Not a foe was «on tl a :::;:::„•::;"" "^"^ - "'"'^ -' "- -^-^ -^^ '» -^ «^- - At daylight they wore up, and with several ,ou„r, moved in advance of the n,a,n orce .ow„rds .he new c„,npi„. ground. Fe.Iing that the countn a enfrcly free f™„ danger Robcr,. and Mayne rode on utterly eeZ„f Ro" p.". ' 7 ''v "" ''""'■ '^''^ "■'<"" of "- »""y - » well told if reach'cJ're' si' ''" t\ T ""'° ™ "'""'^ "'* " ~"P'^- "^ — "-d ;^£i^:;:iS:-r;:;:irrr;r-: heads, fired fro™ the direction fron^ which Sd Jus ™1 Z ir: I 1 lie Whole plain was a ve wlh them Wl,^„ *i ., ""■ lun. they advanced towards us. shout r.ialirg roT TT '''''''"^' "^ccordiu e put spurs to our horeea and galloped as fest as they tIABCa TO TBI BELIEF Ot THE BESIDEHC*. Its conld cany us to our left; the enemy turned in the same dircctioa and made for a village we must pass, and which we could see was already occupied. The Bring pot hotter and ; jorc ui,comfortable as we neared the village, the walls of which wt skirted at uar best possible pace. We cleared the village, and hoped we had distanced the rebels, when suddenly wo came upon a deep nulla. Mayne got safely to the other side, but ray horse stumbled and rolled over with mo into I he water at the bottom. In the fall my hand was slightly cut by my sword, wliich I had drawn, thinking we might have to fight for our lives; the blood rtowed 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 wctB already at the edge of the nulla, and preparing to fire, so there was no time to be lost. I strugfe'ed 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, linally wo succeeded in making our way to the main body of the force, where we found Hope Grant in great anxiety about as, 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 uvlt again in his quick quaint way, " Well, my boys ; well, my boys, very glad to have you back I Never thought to see you again." Such were tho men of the movable column; and such was their commander! This incident in the career of Earl Roberts is only equalled in interest by tho indifference with which he relates it. Evidently to him meeting armed bodies of natives, dodging ballets, being rolled with his hoise into a deep nulla were in very much the same catagory as a violent rainstorm. In this thrilling escape, he shows all the qualities that have gone to make him such a superb commander of men. A quick eye, a cool head, a daring heart, nre ever needful on the field of battle ; and never diil he show these qualities to more purpose than in planning and executing his escape from death on this eventful morning. When Roberts and Mayne rejoined the column the adv.ince began towards the camp ground; but it had not proceeded far when they came .iJJI 134 ■ABL lOi'iBn In obcdieiue to a tcleeram from Rir r ■,., »v. » t . , ammunitio,,. Sir Colin feared lenlthv on , T ^'■""'''"' ""^ On tl,e OtI, of November Sir Colin joined the column and all warn expectant of a g.ii, ral enciiEemcnt. On ti,„ r ii • " orove^one .a. aroused ^Zt^Sl rtZ^Z^irt Silt wZ^:;::'z;r ^r-T-— ^ e.pj:T/bte,fT„diz:r srv ^^""' "^ '^^ -;.e.„,e K_„b .e_d,^ara::dertb?rc■" SZ _ To ,.1, ., pearanee." l.o says, ■■ tl^erower^Wn,.. ,,,, ^,J.^, ,J^ MAKCB TO THE BEUir 0» THE >niDENCT. 18& KavanKgh to escape detection. For ho wai a fair man, much taller than the general run of the natirei of Oudh ; and his red hi.ir glittered lilce gold. On the other hand he possessed a courage that nothing could daunt A perfect knowledge of the native palo!,, and a will of iroa No one loved a brave man more than Outram. The offer made by Kuvanagh wa. an offer niter his own heart. But humane beyond the ordinary run of men, he hesitated to expose a follow creature to almost certain death. Wliatcvcr doubts he may have entertained on this head were, however, dissipated after his first interview with Kavanagh. In him he recognized a man whose innate pluck and iron resolution would carry him tliroiigh all dongeis. He accepted, therefore, his offer, and bode him prepare for his enterprise. "Kavanagh then had his hair and liis skin stoined with lamp black ; the hair he also cut short. Then donning the dress of a liadn.ash-a native •Swashbuckler," a typo very common in those days— ho set out, on the evening of the 9th of November, accompanied by a native spy of proved fidelity, Kanauji Lai by name." Kavanogh after many adventures and narrow escapes met, on the morning of the 10th, a party of the Punjab Cavalry who led him to Sir Colin. He proved a welcome messenger, indeed. The information he brought greatly helped Sir Colin to mature his plan of attack ; and the presence of such a daring fellow in the relieving force hnd an inspiring influence on all. But Lis information was too precious to bo permitted to become common properly, and so he was kept under cover. Every one was now expectant. The force and the commandcr-inKjhief had arrived j reliable information as to the strength of the enemy and the condition of the troops in the Residency had reached the camp; there wer< abundant supplies and ammunition at hand;— the advance on Lucknon could not fail to begin at ouce^ CHAPTER xn. IBl USIDIHCY RKUZVID, SIR COLIN CAMPBELL gave the u,o.. careful con.id.»tlon to th. report from Outram bought in by K«va.,„gh and decided to act on Uieadv.ce given him except in one particular-, trifling one. He knew he had a difficult t«,k before him, but his work had to be done without delay, and then the women and children and non.„n.balant. in the R^..dcncy muet be hurried to «>mparative eafety at Cawnpore. For th. pre^nt .t wae impo«.iblo to capture and hold Lucknow. He murt be content after rehevmg the Reeidency to leave a force on the Cawnpo«, aide of the oUy winch would hold the g.«u„d gained the.« UU he couM bring up an TuZillr "' ""'*"" *" '**"'' "^^ "'*' '"'"^™ ■"•* "<""™ '^^ ""y *» On the day after he had formed this re«,l„tion Roberta wa. in a moat unexpected n,anner introduced to hie dietinguiehed Commander-in-Chief He was wuh ^orman,who hud first befriended him at Delhi, when Sir Colin came to consult with .l,„t experienced soldier. He had come to discuss Kavanaghs rc,x,rt and Oulra.n's telegram, and this demanded the utmost secrecy. So much confidence did the young D.A.(iM.G. inspire in the veteran that he was pennitted to bo present during the important and mteresting discussion. That afternoon, November 11. the Column was reviewed. It was not a la^e foi.^nly 600 cavalry, 3,500 infantry and 46 guna-but it w« „ ■Au aoinn. la: fln. . fore of W«l „Idl,„ „ ,v.r und,rt»k , diflicuU t-k. Sine. «,rlv in M.y „.„y of th. „., ,.^ been oontinuo.uly i„ ,he field, JZ ^t bron^i .nd h.rte„«i and h.d long .ince fonjot.™ wh.t fea .nit fZ r.K.n..n.U. regimen, ^. u..e,y to b.tU,r,, Sir .^H„ wen, «^ijT,: who h.d fought » nobly on the ■• Ridge." After the rev^^w thoy Z d..mi»ed to reat till n.or„ing, when the celebrated march which wilM- hi.to,y with all it. hormr, and heroi,m began. ' ''"■ '" Th. native, at once opp,«d the advance, and brisk figh,|n„ „.,, expenenced. t wa. on .hi, day that Hugh Gough won l,i, V.C. Th llv were beaten .lowly back and by nightfall considerable progre» d ^ made in the direction of Lucknow. h. w^°„!^I ?°"T '!:"""" " '^'"'^ "" "*"« '"™« -«> Sir Colin hew., made to reah« that, a. with the other leade„ with whom he had «,me ,n contact, he had gained the ft.ll confidence of hi, new con.mander The advance wa. to be made by the Dilkusha (a hunting box and country h.m that he had been allotted the duty of guiding the troop, on t,^ he g«.und hat a g«Ki guide wa, ab^.utely nece,«.ry. Robert, at „Z r 1, H .*' "•"•' """■ '"" """"« -"-" -. «"cm h^ ^o tff iTtd r;i" Tr*' '^"' '"" * '"' ""'"""■ "« »- ""-d not to fa.l. and to be eure of h„ guide, never, a, he ™y,, let the man out of The t^op, were rou»d at daybreak, took a good breakfa,t, packed their have^ack, wth three day's rations ,ure ,ign that the most fying work was expected-and the advance began. That Roberts had made no mistake about h,s gu,de was evident, for ve^ soon the Dilkusha in all its beauty wa, «en m the.r front. The enemy were there in force, but the work of th^ prev.o^uyay had no doubt alarmed them, and after a few scattering she The troop, were in the midst of death, they were marching oh ., p,=i,io„ »l»t wa. to cost many live, «.d to gain which they were to wade through , 138 ■ASL ROBIRn, Ma of their enen.ies' Wood, and yet wlmt an eye the young goWler had for the beautiful in nature. Shakespeare's description of the entrance to the castle of Macbeth before the murder of Duncan, does not present « finer contrast than Roberts' account of the Dilkusha. "The gallop across the Dilkusha Park," he'says, "was quite a pretty «ght: 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 Martinicre. We reined up for a few moments to look at the view which opened out before us. In front rose the fluted masonry column of the Martiniere, 123 feet high; directly behind, the picturesque building itself, and in the distance, the domes and mmarets of the mosques and palaces within the city of Lucknow ; all looked bright and fair in the morning sun." Points around that city were about to become shambles, and the men thus viewing it were to be the slayers. By noon both the Dilkusha and the Martiniere were occupied. The Utter not without considerable stiff lighting, in which Roberts' old friend of h.s fever days, Watson, so distinguished himself, as he had already done on numerous occasions, that he won the V. C. Sir Colin Campbell took up his heaclquarlers at the Martiniere, and from the top of It kept up communications by means of a semaphore with Outram mthe Residency. By his side stood Kavanngh giving him most valuable mformation about the city and its .surroundings. " 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 pc^tions taken up by the enemy; the group of buildings, of which the Chatta Manzil was the most ^nspicuous, then occupied by the gallant troops led by Outram and Havelock, who, by overwhelming u,,mbe,. 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 liri.uns had been able to defy the hordes of disciplined soldiers and armed men, ..no. for nearly tlii^e months, day and Wght, had never ce.a-se,I ,o attack the position, and the Kaisu.bagh, that. THE TAJ MAHAL OR CROWN OP EDIFICES AGRA liuilt of ohile m.rble. BASE or XOOTUB MINAR, DELHI KrcL-ied beiwnn A. D. iiig and nji. !i THE KOOTUB MIHAR, DELHI Erecttd between A. D. 1310 »Bd 1331. TBS RESISKNCT BELIXTIC 141 pretentious, garish palace of the kjngg of Oudh, the centre of eveiy kind of evil and debauchery." All this day more or less fighting went on, Roberts and his friend, Mayne, went galloping about the field doing intelligence work. At roll call Roberts found that Mayne, the friend with whom of late he had shared so many dangers, had been killed. Steevens in his "From Capetown to Ladysmith " has said in his brilliant way— with more brilliancy than truth, however : " In war they say— and it is true— men grow callous : on ancmoon of shooting and the loss of your brother hurts you less than a week before did a thorn in your dog's foot." Not so mth Roberts. He had .low been five yeare in India seeing much ol death ; he had just been througli six months of continuous fighting with dnath ever stalking at his elbow; but the loss of Mayne overwhelmed him with grief. Up and down the scene of the conflict of the day he went hunting for his friend's body, and only desisted when night fell, and it was impossible to search longer. Next morning at day break he renewed the search, and at length found the body near the wall of the Martiniere. As he expected to be called to action at any moment he and his friend Arthur Bunny decided to lay the brave soldier to rest on the field where he fell. " I chose," he says, " a spot close by for his grave, which was dug mth the help of some gunners, and then Bunny and I, aided by two or three brother ofBcers, laid our friend in it just as he was, in his blue frock coat and long boots, his eye-gloss in his eye as he always carried it. The only thing I took was his sword, which I eventually made over to the family. It was a sad little ceremony. Overhanging the grove was a young tree, upon which I cut the initials 'A. 0. M.'^not very deep, for the was little time. They were quite distinct, however, and remained so long enough for the grave to be traced by Mayne's friends, who erec ed the stone now to be seen." No, Steevens I War does not make sword^ompanions callous; and good men ever bow their heads in the presence of their dead friends. It was well for Roberts that on this day he was fully occupied ; it kept him bom brooding. Th« enemy were disputing the advance stubbornly; the infantry, «t i^ 148 tAlU. SOBEIiTSL caraliy .„d aHillery wew continuously engneei Th« ™M- ond wc-e wishing for nisht and ,J ^ """ "'"^ ''^'^^ Roberts. ButhelnottL -t. llun, •"' """■" " '"°"' "-" . a soldier's couch on the ground a shorf 1^,' V"f " '"' *■" """"'^''''S that Sir Colin wished to see hil „t 1 M Z" """' '"' '^'"'^ *'^ made ; the,* was not sufficTent sm lT ""• "^ ""^•'""' ''»<' l^™ the flna, advance 1 ZC^TCZT'"'"''"''' "" ""^ '"°'"' ""^ "' should I« n,ade to bring a supply Si .T T """""' """' "" '-ff^'' man in the force capable of nS^ , '"'"'^''- ^"'«^'= "^ ">« one ofthe nigh. On ao'l t ofCrCr T'l"^ '" '"^ '•''""- -h^. ene™, his wor. wouj ilt'dirCCt; '^"^ '""'" carcf^irztr ;rr rtii: .:- r r ?- ^^ ^^^ -- - Jetem,ined to use hi™ oneeTor Vhi a h ' " '"' "'^' "^ "™' '"^' ■>■= '.i» en.en,ri.e he ,ea this indiwZ. u!.W ir^^ ''cLr"'"r '°- were necessary, and so he d cided to take w^Th^ , °"' ^'^''^iness 'hey c»uld steal through the night w't^t ? °"'^ ""'"^^ '''™'"y' «« At length all arrangements we™ Id T T"' "'"" ''^ ^""^^ ^o"'""- had left his guide ; buT he Id "rd Jo " 1 "' "" '" '"^ '"■" ""^ '" Indian night he must .r tLhim elf CVT l" ''' ''''"'''' "' "'^ duty laid upon him by thr_ / . ''' "°"''' "°'' '' '««' " necessa^yone^nditm ^ ;e~ed n^'^^^^ ""P"^'-' «'^ very «., despite the diflicuU watercou a^i r ' . '"" "" "" ''"''' = ""'' ;W which he knew to be Z . ™'' ""' "" " """""PromUing precious stores we.;Li^,':r:ithtt rguS: rr "'.? '^' nowiirrrdrrr rhrd':rd^^™^• — -™« the mutineers, and on sevem 1. ' ''™ "'"' ""'^'-fi'-'"' "' -mhiing o™; tho :f:::r g:uT;,;r,;tr*tr ."^ "■"^^' =ey^=:sir;::}rX:^^ .a.Ui.yb,ownupse.era.daysbefore:r,t.rir;r^^^^^^^^^^^^ lax BIStOENOT BILlJiVMt 148 «t«.e Alambagh He hailed hie force, left it under the command of Hugh G^h who with lieutenant Younghusband. was accompanying him. and ««htheAaiabagh and was beginning to despair, thinking that He had Ttoe^ H ,r.' "'" *'' "='""'' ™"' '""■""'^ "P "'-"gh ">o darknees. He told h« mission; ordered those in charge of the stores to get the uomumtion ready ; and hastened back to bring up the escort and cameTs No time v.-,s lost The authorities at the Alambagl, had been busy durmghisabsenee an,l on bis r.tum everything was ready. The camels were at once loaded, and the journey back to camp began. They had to move cautiously sUU, but, as daylight was breaking, they reached the main foroewithout mishap. Old Sir Colin was an.ious and worried about Roberta, and when the latter went to the Martiniere to report the success of his enterprise, he found the venerable commander-iUKihief "only partially d««ed, standing on the stefs in evident anxiety." He congratulated his ener^tio and trustworthy officer on the success of his mission, and conmderately c lered him to get some breakfast, as the advance for which the small^irm ammunition was so much needed was abou' • begin. By good luck . young bullock had been killed by a round shot on t..e 14th and was not yet all devoured. A steak was cut from (he carcass for him and he had ^cely eaten it when the army was ordered to prepare for the advance Without a wink of sleep he made ready for one of the most thrUling and trying days of his eTe;itful career. r.u*^^?""? '"^''" ''''"°" '' """'' """^ """ *■*" "e''t «-J left till the wall oftheSikandarbagh was reached. Heavy guns were bmught to bear upon it. «.d soon a breach was made. Then followed a repetition of the scenes wnen a hole was made in the wall ot Delhi. "It was," says Roberts, "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, Punja.. Mabomedans, Dogras and Pathans, all vied with each oth.r in the generous competitioa" A Highlander won-and received the prize ; the 11 144 «Am, BOB£BTa, •eccmd fa the race, a native tidier, wa. Ukewiw riiot deal Roberta w^thfathe breach a drummer boy of the 93rd. ". pretty. liu«»en' JkLg. air-haired lad not more than fourteen years of age." we»!tf f ""'"''"Sh h-^ been entered, bat the few ofBcer, «,d men who were able to crush through the breach found themselves in an enclosure 150 bvlolh",- '^"-"'"—O-" building; „„d this was occupied by ^000 howhng uafves. Then began an nneqr J contest : Lumsden was evl^' 1 w v"* ''™"''' '"'""''^' ^™' "" "'"'"■■« '» "gbt and to left. ;L tnt ', K '" *'" ■"^'^ " 8*""°"? -"•'l "^l •>. slain. wL Upfront gate was burst open and mto the enclosure ruAed the main British histn^'f """■ *^.\' '""'"'"' '" °°* "' *^' "'»' «'"^y «°^ '"'""o J" *be S^^ K T nl ''"°™^' "'"' *" ''"^'^ '"" ••>" <""y """^f f"- the b«ak through. Two thousand of them were caught fast, and the soldien,, ! t JT"" "' ""'"'' "^^ '""™P°"' ^ *^^" bearts, began „^ Zt "^ .t"'u"''- ^'"' ""' """'""e -enes of bloodshed in a nfaewacz-s WUh Fire and Sword" donot equal m intensity and awfulnees U.e work of th« ghastly struggle. Two thousand rebels who could hope for no me^ fought desperately for their Uves, and the avengers of the wVmen and children of Cawnpore smote them down with smoking swords. back to the pav^xon, and mto the space between it and the north wall, where they were all shot or bayoneted. There they lay in a heap .^ high as my head, a heavmg, surging mass of dead and dying inextricably entangled. IJZ ' "■'■'r^."^'''' "'" "' *■"« ^''''^ »™° - tbe excitement of battle and &e flush of v:c(»^, make one feel strongly what a horrible side there is 111, b ™'"""' "'^" ™"''' "<" ««' ■='-' of 'beir dead comrades, however great their stniggle, and those near the top of this ghasUy pUe of wr.tl.ug humanity vented their rage and disappointment on tmc BESIDKNCY BKLIEVKn, 145 itr ""'*'"' "■«■"« -W-° "'" Pilea of their dead comrade. seemS wHlua the enelosure. Three or four alone seem to have escaped by leanin. over the wall This deed of daH„g, this bloodiest of contests I so naZ a spot, cost the British but few men. The Residency was still a long way off. Indeed the Sikandarbagh was LltdT' '"";?"' "' ■""""""' "'''"'"8' •x'-™^. 'hat th'y had de mcd u .n>p„ss.ble for the British army to storm it, and had never mwded enclosure preyed on towards the Residency. The Shah Najaf, th tomb of Gha.-ud.dm Haidar. first king of Oudh, lay before them. Here the nemy had fleeted in strength, determined to drive back the force „n Sir Cohn. They ahnost succeeded. The position they had taken up was one of great strength. A dense jungle surrounded the Shah Najaf. and th attacking army had no idea of the difficult task ,hey had befo. tl^m. The fi«t to attempt It were driven back in confusion, until rallied by Roberts' art Uery were able to make any impression and the work of the day Imed lost, A retreat would be most disastrous. .toggle and the hopelessness of it, then, calling the men of the 93rd about cCnn th n """" " ^°"™ '" *° "''='""• ^-"-'^ "-y -n' mowed!, /"^'"""''"^ '"'"'^''""^' "f """^'^ -^ --d »1'0. mowed them down. But few in the advance escaped unhurt and Roberts ■ ZrZ'>l. \'^' ""' '^""^ °' '"^ «'-" ^^"J^'f --'ed the he!v^ guns, and the fierce fire from it made success seem impossible. A retreal fir: M ' IT T" ''"'' "" °" "^ P'"" """ --^^^ in dofng 1 L wh at s " ? ^'""'"^' "^' " P"''^ °^ «"^ ■"» '"-"Sh the jungle to what seemed a weak part of the wall He was not mistaken. UnobLod •'t|i' 146 lABI, SOBERTS. hi- .mal) force climbed the wall, more men wer. brought ap and th. surpi^od enemy deserted the pUce without.. iruggle The winning of the Shah Na^^uf was a blessed rBli^fi^.K . m. we™ thoroughly played out and needed a ^ Ws[ K^ or^*" ,^' ™.!i\ T "''"' "'"' "" """'^ ^y *•"> on-y before dayCk sted knowng .hat, in the l-gu„ge , ■ their comma,L.r.in" .J Jh 7. —Xti:" '"^ '""" ""^-"^ '"^^ ''-p^-nneddjf.!::: a^hting .th Uions were taL. Wh^Tn TI^^^UI^L TeLi:; stormed Sir Colin was anxious to let Outram .ce hnw 1,« ^ • ~nded Roher. to place the regimenr^ ^ r/J^ 'th- atch a Zror"" "'""• ''" "'""'■ ''' '•""' -"^- - " -■ « n, T . ™ "•"" " """ «"" "-K '"■"'■led into the ditch MoT Roberts under a heavy fire put it in position once more. Again it w. s hit it 18 worth noting that in Malleson's "Indian Mutiny" fhi.^q f j attributed to Captain Hopkins of the SSrT who Zt '""'^^u^,^^ '" bHn^.gupthe flag and sL and placinSmtpliLr'"' ^'^''' ^ :£^9i;r^i~t;:-^^^^ nlmost as deep an impression u;„n .oun;Roi'^:rhn^S:„'"Ht due. It '^^ good, he felt, to belong to a nation that could ^dte^lcl • noble and brave men, and throughout the entire curse of hi! ll h T endeavored to follow in their step* ' '"^^ ^^ ^"^ CHAPTER Xnt BACK AT C'AWNPOKl. Troop. CompeUed to R.., at Caw^^ ^ P'gkltag-Tl.. Mwtaaar. Scttrod-Th. THE Britirf. troops had successfully fought tneir way inch by inch to the Restdency as had the men under Havelock and OuLm seve™ oa^.za':::\o.::^s.:nnn::r --^ r ^-^ .. might «nd themsel.es e<«ped ^l n^ ZC^Z ^ won till arother .-eheving force should be sent to their assistance J was much work befo„ them, but in the meantime they Lr a „ne '<: cheered the,r spmU, and many of them had almost forgotten how ulr v „ aus^dt ey were; but the soldier, slept as they had n'ot done! we^ ^ wh.le the.r leaders worned and argued as to what course should be pult and had a very strong position in the Kaisarbagh It would he / feat Of anns to drive them from their last st..ngL, anirL^eriro^f Lucknow to once more submit to British rule. Outram and Ho.w, r . ^th experienced soldiers in Indian warfare, urgently Lul^rCo^^t be sa ,sfi«l wath nothing less than the capture of the city. But S.^^^lin from long expenence had learned how to wait. He knew the il I him : no better men ever followed a leader into h^^e He L "Tn ZZ taec. and had never found them wantmg; but they were only Ir ^e^ 147 148 ■AM ■OBUM, w«« • mm diop ooinp.„d with the great w. of mminMr. which wu S^f/^."' ^''°^'"'^- " ""^ '"" "'"' *"• '''y ^y •«»""■ ««■' when the proper brae arrived. But when Man,field gave this officer his orders darkless ad fallen over the Wd. and the poor fellow was evident yt^ afraid of the n.ght than of the natives. It was his duty to go; but he had to confess that he wa, afraid he could not find his way b^ck ove t^ eomparauvely unfamiliar ground in the darkncs. Mansfield, touchy at any t.me, was exceedingly wroth with the lack of courage shown by Hale's offl^r and .mpat.ently turned to Roberts, who was standing by, and J thie nor'" '""'"" = '"' "^ """' ^'•" ~"" «"■> y°" ™y Ever since Poberts had been appointed temporary deputy-assistant- qn^^rmast r-general „t Peshawar he had been cnnivatinJindustLitat «h:chhe sa,d on h,s fir.t experience with troops forced to ma:^h fn the darkness was most essential for one holding his office, " the bump of locality " Asa late ™ter has said , f him in considering this incident, "he must hie had . gemus for findmg his way about in the dark." At any rate he promptly and briefly answered Mansfield's question, with the wonls. "I S^k /.T; .'"'" "'^" '"''• "«^'"" 'o »" J-^"" (at the Sikandarbagh)," that I may be sure the order has been received" The officer who had been too timid to undertake the duty, was sent with hm,, and off they sUirted in the blackness of night to find the position ft bngad. Sure of the locality in which they we™ they could not be. Th „ w^ no proper road^ and the country was so cut up with paths that they could wice before, but smce he had passed over it the whole face of the ^untry had undergone change For several days the whirlwind of war had been sweepmg over the. and, and the huts and villages he had noted f.^ ^ reference had for the most part been laid nasto. and where he expecJto driT", """■""''■ *'™"«" '"^ '"'"^ "^ -^ - -th iTtt deflated w,Iderne.. However he persevered ■ with every confidence in hi own ab,h ty to find General Hale, and wo, not disappointed. With ^siderabh pnde he delive^d his message, and galloped back almost „Z crow flies to General Mansfield. As he rode through the night the enemy Dace at CAWsroitiL les were rtill hammering away at the Residency, whieh wn, now emptv. To hi> amazement when he reached the SikandarbagI,, where Mansfield' had told him to report the suceess of his mission, ho found it empty. The 2 000 mutineers lying tliere in the di'^h in a ghastly heap were its onlv oceup'iere and the memory of the pile of dead and wounded as it eame hack in the night added greatly to the loneliness of his situation. But horrors never long held possession of Roberts' mind. Ho has ever been essentially a man of aetion; not a brooder or a dreamer. At once he grasped the situation considered in which direction the force under Mansfield would retire and then galloper! atter them. He was not mistaken ; and before long came np with the stragglers of the retreating ar.ny. When ho repDrted himself to Mansfield he found the the general had forgotten all about him, and the order lie had given him to report at the Sikandarbagh. When Roberts was beginning his Indian career, like every ambitious young officer, ho looked about him to consider which department he would prefer to enter. "My father," he says, "had ahvays impressed on me that the political department was the one to aspiro to, and failing that, the quartermaster-eeneral's, as in the latter there was the best chance of seeing aemoe. 1 had cherished a sort of vague hope that I might some day be lucky enough to become a deputy-assistant^uartermaster-gencial, for although I fully recognized the advantages of a political career, I preferred being more closely associated with the army." Ho realized his vague hope much sooner than he had expected • and realized, too, that he was seeing all the active service a soldier could d'eare Night and day, day ana night, he was kept in the saddle; but ho never murmured, never complained. After the mid-night trip lo Hale's position a httle rest was necessary, but he was to have none. The force that had so lately been in the Residency was safe in the Dilkusha, bul it could not stay there. It had to be sent to Cawnpore at once, and his office compelled him to be restlessly active in providing transport for the non-combatants. It was •a big task, but was accomplished with his usual thoroughneso. On the 24th the troops were transported to the Alambagb, where the fln.1 preparations for the march to Cawnpore were to be made. The task IM ■^BL BOBXBm scene of conflict earlv in T„I. -k u '^ ""^ ■** """^ '« «»« hia nobim, of lire. hi. nne J^i J,l:^\,^°^^^^^^^^ endeared him to all hearts; and now he was taken Imth T' ^ England. Onlj one other lo» dnrinrtTe llckfT """^ *"' '^"^ with hi8,_th.. loss of Sir H.nrT ! Lucknow campaign compares constituUon of i„,n to stand wharhT \^ " """""''° "'«' » five.-, more boy. yet trusted beyond ttmZrofcffl J"''°*'- rJ::;:,rr Lit-;;--'' ■ -i'. «'ri-; BACK AT OAWNTOBK m "omlng of Ih, 27th the column moved out of the AIamb,.h h long one and owing to the state of the coun. J ^ V . ,^^^- ^* ''»» » xoad. Fo. twelve mi.e, U o Jnde Z " 1':' flhTnT ™'' ""°" from attack. However it mi n . i " "^ ■'"""'^y f«« Colin had been rccdX; mo^ t '. '" ''"• ''""" ^""'"I-" ^ir a bloody battle nZsim W r^rt^'r"'"^' "'"' ""^ """^ «P-'''> ""at ipCrd^an^ ^^^^^^^^ -^rrrrirrg^s of IL^1^: ;„':i;j^ wheTr 7""""™^'"« '"^'-ufi he had selected while oil offl "^'' »'"»" aid lumber into the spot net. he w^ Id a j> o Mr"? """ """ *" """" ""^--'-^ <'<'™ -^ women and d^ren LI" """ "'""'" *" '"" '"-'•-' °^ «'« down on the ground nd ^'T T '""''' *'™ '" ■"'«'" ^"^ "^-'f him .0 anothe'Ta; of "oil ' ''" """' •"'"" "^» "--" '-'^ ™" o.i2sLr;;fr:tn;zsrctnr"'^"'-^""- — nding the fo^. . -1:^ aZsifrr "r.rr ' prociouschargeu?i:h;:i:i :x:in"::L':rn^^^^^ -i "-^ a hard one, would have to ,„ko place Both ^ f / ^^' *" '' m i 1 168 Cabl bobehii. l! il to croM lo reach Goneral Wyndham wa. still intact Roberta found that it Tag, but he found likewise that the officer guarding it l»id but Httle hope for the garrison, so fierce were the attacks that wore being hourly made upon it He said, indeed, that the garrison was "at its last gasp." Later in the day he used the same unfortunate expression to Sir Colin and for it received n Hound rating. Roberts lost no time with the guard, but pushed across the bridge into the entrenchments. As soon as it was known that a member of the. relief <-oIumn from Lucknow was in their midst the anxious and frightened men surrounded him with eager enquiries. For the most part; they were thoroughly unnerved and it was with difficulty that he could force a passage through them U, General Wyndham's headquarters. He found that bravo soldier, " the Hero of the Redan" calm and hopeful in a camp that had become thoroughly dispirited. The genera! gladly welcomed him, and gave him a hopeful .nessage to take back to Sir Colin. He could at any rate hold out till the Lucknow colum^i should arrive. Roberts was not, however, to take back the message. He was making ready to re^cross the bridge when the sound of loud cheering reached his ears from the men, who, a few moments before, had been in such a panic. He galloped to the place from whence the shouting -ame and found that Sir Colin, impatient of the fate of the garrison, had with some of his staff galloped ahead of his army and into the entrenchments. His presence gave new life to the men, and though the enemy had set fire to Cawnpore and the cantonments and were endeavoring to destroy the bridge, they felt they were safe. Such force is there in the prewnce of a single will that has been tried and proved. Night was approaching and Roberts had to gallop back to look after the camp and to help prepare the troops for the passage of the river. Early next morning guns were placed in position and by a steady and well- directed fire the er,,,,,,- were prevented from destroying the bridge or materially interfering w ili the passage of the river. The mutineers kept up a continuous fire on the structure, and even sent fire-rafts against it, but despite all their efforts the lumbersome convoy that had wound slowly Uko a Mi i. ■ • ! I BACK AT CAWSPORE. 187 cWdran wore m con,p„„tive safety, while the «,Idie„ were free .0 plan a iwn;;r: ' ""' ' ""' •"' °' '"""« *» -"-- f-- »^-«t The first three days in the entrenchments were busy ones for Roberts t was nece^ary for the anticipated movements that the ountry shouIdTe foroughbr known and he was engaged in reconnoitring the «gion „„nd al»ut When not doing this work he was busy making arranXenrfor ranspon-ngthenon^mbatantstoAllah^^^^ whicl. place' thTwe^ o be taken as qu.ckly as possible .0 Calcutta. They were all longing fo SfZat ''• """' """ "'" ^* *^ •""""' "^""^ ^-^^ ^^^y -^ While this work was being done the enemy kept hammering away at the bndge and the entrenchments, and round shot occasionally ™lled among tj tr«,^ but w„hout doing much harm. Despite the suLnding hosf h Bnt.h were ab e to .end the women and children on the road to Allahabad on December 3. On the following day the mutineers made anoter etermmed effort to break the British line of communication by des ly ng the bndge, but their artillery and fire-rafls were of no avail. Fierce fiZw went on with the outposts next day. and by this time Sir Clin feU th'a Ms tl3T r^""' """''""' ""P"'" '" P-'^^-f-ToughlytheG:, troops who had come so near destroying Wyndham's foree 2SOof T^ "tr '^™ ''''"° ™°°' "" '""'• """^ "PP^^d to tim were 25,000 rebels. The day was Sunday_a favorite one for battles-andThe ho rebel of Cawnpore « they had treated the rebels about Lucknow S^^ ^0 qu.et of the Sabbath morning was broken by the vigo^us v„ic7of Er^'oTth ; ''^ r' "'■' "" '"""'^^ "^ 'harp volleys of muskl; The fire of the foe was beaten down, and an order for the troops to advan^ . "IT. r "" "'" '" ^"" •" '•"> commencement of the 8^ and watched w.th a soldier's pride the splendid work done by Captain Pee' longed to be m the pursu.t He had not long tn wait. The excitement of ISS >AKl BOIEItn. he man-hunt wis too mnch for old Sir Colin, and he and hi, rtaff joined In the purauit. Tho enemy were completely routed and many of them ,vcro slam. They lost, too, heavily in artillery_ao fewer than nineteen gun. oomg taken. ' When the pursuit ended Roberts instead of having an opportunity to «st was onlered back to Cawnpore by Hope Grunt to select the night's bivouac. When he had finished his task he threw himself down on the hard ground without covering, and despite the fact that there was a chill in the air hke a Canadian November morning he slept soundly, so thoroughly was he worn out. Fine work had been done on this Sunday; not only were the rebels scattered, but the best and most eitpcrienced and successful of the Nana's generals, Tantia Topi, had been defeated by a much inferior force. So much damage had been done by his troops, however, and so deficient were the British forces about Cawnpore in transport carU that they were compelled to i98t comparaUve^y inactive in the vicinity of thia station untU December 23. CAMU. MUUOBI IN INDIA PATIALA ELEPHANTS ,i::;:rr CHAPTER XIV. LOCKNOW CAITDBID. Work .1 Uu, Al«nl^h-Tb. S^^'fVk^^-^''^'''"°l-°''''"''"^ THE long delay .t Cawnpore w«. a trying „ne on the troop.. While the »bel. we™ ,„ the field they deeired eontinuou. action, and^ t wt^ — • th.r«„.d.y.a,todeet„r:LtrtriT^^ plunderu^g and burmng and slaying th™ugho«t that wide district and " open up communication between the Punjab «,d Bengal ^aJZ, Si;:? their friend, in England were lUtening to tt ■. mI^^L " Yule, they were resting at Chobipur. Prom this Dla«, th. j «d on the last day of the year Loh JTurljJ:^ HerTvlTtl^ -gain to spend the New Year and the mai. army weZtoX A report came to the Commander-in-Chief at this point that the reh.1, were m force, some 5,000 in all, at the Kali Nadi Th^ y. aT. -top the advance of the Colum'n, and t tfen. had ^aniy aZ^J: suspen^on bridge over the stream. The bridge was T^ five S fl' Gursah„,ga„j, and Sir Q>lin detached Adrian Hope's brigade f'h^ ! and sent it forward to repair the damage done brthe en^v Z , . «>e bridge till he would be ready to adv'ance wit^h^a ™'' t^^^^; had he sent Hope's brigade forward when he learned Lt T T^. |u»embled in ^t strength on the opposite side oTTh^^ S T^^ J^ iroo^ we. ^„t . have an opporiunity to begin the yLuSB ^ 161 tn MAW. noaam. A fight th.1 WM to tar ih.« art.1 would h.„ to b. fcught bdte, tW. «mT Hope Onmt to th. bridg, to Uk. oh«g. „f U.. op.«tion. ^.uJibe »«,,. jmd when th., gen,«I ,«ch«i th. ».« of oonflic h. found thiu th. n,JI^ niid not bMD uaggerated. «me 300 yard. ,w.y, they were pouring . hot fin' Into Hope', brigade In deahng with native, in India it had been „peat«lly proved that .^proper H.O.V wa. an agg™«ive ona Good gurne™ many of them were, and at .TJLkld"^ 'fJ'""'" "•" "^^ "'''"'» .trongwall.,but. .wift ^tack and . bayonet oh.,g. they could not withrtand. A nuall force of Europ«u», «noe the day when th. Engliri. and French h«i been contending for supremacy in India, h«I alway. been able in the open to matter a horde of native. So Sir Hop, at one mad. preparation, to driv. the«poy.m Khudagaiy from their pcdtion and to amiihilato their fon=e. P«l . naval gun, were brought forw«d uid under Lieutenant Vaughan made th. pa»age of the river through a a«« fl,* Once ac«« the, were not long in finding a .heltered portion ftom which they could play unon th. rZ' T^^\ "^ """ " '^"^ "'^'^ ''" *^'' •"'■'""y "«>ved acL to be ready for fte charge, when Lieutenant Vaughan had beaten down the fir. from tte vUage. The cavalry and hon» artille,y after con«de«bI. d^culty cro«ed to the further aide of the rickety .uepenrion bridge that had been ha,t,ly and very inadequately repaired. The parage of the river had been done in gallant rtyle, but not without lo», for one gun of the enemy was particularly well manned and never failed to find the mark. On one occasion a shot f™m it killed and wounded no fewer than eight men on the bridge, but the men of the Column were experienced veteran^men from Delhi and Cawnpore and Lucknow, and it would be a fierce fire indeed that could make their heart, .ink. At length Vaughan had rilenced the most ^rr T' u' *t """" '" "' "■' ^-"""^ had been » well beaten down that the eoldier. began to feel for their bayonet, in expectation of the «.mm««i to chaig^ Sir Colin Campbell and Sir Hope Grant, with whom Ur'ii o^ie^: r„.t tj-nr; :,r r. ,:r'" -^ '^'^ -'-^ •^ -^^ that their orde„ had been anliip. e^ " "'"""'" "' "" =='"' "»'' "- .rtiU^ played .;" "l^' ""'' " ''"' '■"""■ ■"'•-'-y, cavalry aL gallop^ LL t hXcafatt ":.'" ""■ "''■'■'' "' *^' ««'"■ "« '""' they m,hed, «„d were won i„ »„ . ''*• ^'°°"^ "^ «''^''' re^Lt the dashing charge turn^ a„d fl*,? ™""'"* """"'' ""'"^ "• comrades would come Ln .7™ , . ^ """ ""'' "'"" "^ «''J hi. -0. down wiu,::r;:^;:r!X: ;r„"Tr'^' -^ *^- "■«' overtaken, and in many ease, the n„' " 1„^ T.h'"'" """ "* reached them, turned and flr«l m. .i , ^ " "^ng^™ ""d and thus r^eived i^^ZVlt:^^^!] T^ "' ''"' '"^""'" firing was wild, and their ^y„„et atta rfutilo A V, T " ,"":' "'"' """ «^enton,hutwithihe.ngtr.h:::;;rSe'Ct orreSraZtt'lInl^r;"''^-""-"^™-'- » -- i»«« «i". . .tandarf. ■ -.«J with one an the „rd . T "" '''° "•^" "o eallopcd. ^.:r-si; £■?— -^^^ ..t.undn...h::r:[d- r^firc" "™ '" '" "^"'' roaehed out her arm. to him. FoV? ' / '""'"'' '"'" '"'■ ""'' S'"-? W' .. .na„t.nd.ed..nnin« ^lI^^^lt^H^ vlIL^ -«e. •»-w.ad«„.toj„„i^;!i^rrth:^^2^:oi' I« i''l !'ij I'^rce marched ■virtli, r-ethadnot "•1.1 ihc •■ i.opH that I , but lliojr yntg to 1^ w«d«t ,„th«.ia.«. Nona en, i„ for a , , „„ ,, . , . ' '"" *''• congratulatlona than RobaH.. ->,„ K« ' ' "'* There waa no flirther work to do in ;„a r», , b.ck to Fatehgarh, where they found that the br ug ' b«n deatreyed a, they f«,red. It wa. the cool ^ n Je. d.,r ztc^tr r.tT;::rr'" r sr "-^'^ will get home. ' «» >» rare that the How they intend to giv. «f IM UBL BOBOin, Officer, b?Lt ,ey i ' W : Tl"'?^'"""") "->^«' ^^ ii. cpabl. lit « . long one, m«ntain wilToo " K T' ''"' "" ''• position asMBned to him K ,,, comparatively small force, the wa. computed oTthe o^l TT, ' ' '* "'"" '•'■"^'«' ^•'"'« -"'-^ " tnuned cavaliy soldiej^ Of th. ^ f """ "^"^ ^P"^"- """^ ^.l"" we«nmiba. oTmen Wiled a^d "!!,"'"' '''""'-»«'"»- >«vie,, 55.150 a™, follower ortaLlrber^o'S^ "«^-"^- "^"" ""^ to capture the dtv aJ^ t 1 u ^"'' "" "' *■"""" " •>'' '''t^'^Pt ^anyo.. ,,,„3::7 --^^^^^^^^^ ^'^ ^-^ '- He thought Lru^\7K:Z;°'°""''"'»^'''«™™'-^ ''-■-''• ...inte.hi,deputy^i:crr;^^^^^^^^ "- - - - waeno„eJtohafhe:t\ ;r/;t t,"' "^'' " '''^«'^- ^''- thecount-y round ahou't wa, clplve ^'C' T '.""""^"'^ *''^' ttrCKKOW OAPTDBIft only twenlyfive mile, away. ""* ^™ wa. hiding in . fort Hope Grant determined to do all in \- «nd fiend in hnn^n form. If he »uL b, f ""T *" ""P*"" ""' ""'""M « bit of work that would ^1" J,!"' ~ '■'"™'<' "'"o performed would the captn™ of the XlT ost ^Tt""" '"" """"^ *» «*ichRober.,ace„mp„nied.but,h.wi.yNrahldt'"f J'* " """^ ''"^■ about the movemeuta of the t«,„^ ?" i"'^ '"'P"""«'f "^11 informed Genera. Grant found the frtdJ^V;, ^t^ """ *" >« ™I>'"^- been mistaken , the Nana had beTZe hT ""' """^'^ '"'''''" ""'' -' 'boBritiah „,„„„ had fled f^rthe p I^" rr™"'."^ "'» -™- <>' whereabouts waa known to no m«. * P''""'" -^'y. «"d «>» -o;r^:^:nrsir~^™°— »>- -» that the rebels wera about to mat an ffort T'T"- " "" ^"«" "^'-o--' the column reached the town „/ mII^j^''^"' *- <'™"-. -^ when enemy ensconced behind the st^ l!" of The , ""^ ''"'^ "^ ""• approached the village they were met b?,! I I " ™- ^' *^ British -d a halt was necessa^'i„TX ' 7 ""' '"""^^ "^ ""^''^t^y. con»der«ble for^„f eava7ry andlir ho "" """''• """" ^^^^ """"^ " -ea^rin.toeutotrstralZrrrar'^'^''^^""'^"'- Wo time was lost however Tho 1, position, and immediately they were TblT" "" "' ""'"' ''""«'" '^^ behind which the rebels. Z, Z '^"""^"'"S against the thick walls Sikandarbagh. were a^^ Ta it'T tf ""' ""' '^™''- "<> ^^ with .plendid accuracy «,„: made JLbrt":''-- T """ =''°' <^'-'^'> this the British t«K,ps recklessly da^hld ITl\ " "" '""' '"'' "'"""8^ Sikandurbagh ensue^ a hand o 1^^* ' ""' '"'"'"' *'"' ""^ '» tie did deeds worthy Of the Victo„aSl''tel:t ^"'" ~"'"™^ ■n the streets lay 500 dead native, Jlanv ,. . "' " "'""''''«' ""d 1U8 ■ABL BOBEBTi. and When t^y alighted they were .truck down. Over 600 prisoner, wer, taken The* men claimed that they had been forced to fight They fallv tir f '^''"'.;'"'--'- - "-«>• ^-w «>.t the Englirf. we« notlSe^ Cir=Cd^;:s=— -- no way changed. War and it. horror, had left him th! «une Z^S.^ tenderhearted Christian «,ldier he wa. when he landed in India. and th place rendered mdefensible. As I wa. superintending the work of d^rucu^n, thehorro^ofwar were once more brought veryfordbly befo™ me by the appearance of an iniirm old man, who be«>ught me to iTZ thriT'^''"'^'""'' ' ™ *■"■ ""PP^ ^''*- "'five .onsX /f m he there (pointing to a g.up of dead bodiee) "where the thertJo are, God on^y know.. I am old and a cripple, and if my house i. burnL here ,. nothing left for me but to die.' Of coun» I l«.k L thatli. h^ and property were left untouched." It is the same milk of human kindne« that ha. cau«d him to receive m certain quarter., «.ere cen«ire for hi. leniency toward, the B^^ Sout.1 Africa. Such generosity i. never wasted. A loyal Indial^ due argeiytomen like Roberta; -<"»«- "^al Africa Jll grow from the deeds of kindnes. done there, and not from the.t.«ngth of t^ dlZl force «nt against the Republics and the rebel sympatUzers. '''''™'"'™ Preparations had not been completed for the storming of Lucknow and » he «lumn rested at Mohan till all the details of the Lterprist^lt arranged, and the various forces necessaiy for its «icce» could be mlS nmultaneously before the rebel stronghold. While at this piace Roberts and his friend Watson h.A v ^.venture which he relates on him.lf. The; harStenS an Z^' ftom cover and started i„ pursuit of the .wift-fLted .^21^0^^ ',' }i SAHt ABEROEEH Prime Mtninter of Engtand. WM^m 171 tVCEKOW OiPTDRBX Their hZwr„;r,;',*':rT'' "^'"^ "•'"■« <">- "?«» «>«». left then, .^ Zy Tje ^ . • """'' ""^"^'^ "*'"■ ^"' "" •>»!» camp wa, ,UI1 „L .'.^ "Zh ""* T °""'' ""' '^'^ """ "'«'' eachotw l^u ^' ^**''»"8'"<'"''«t hour was come. We bade ""oared by a phantom 11" it .1 '"" '''^ "'' ' ™"8»- cam. TbeyLa.oter^..?it:i;,rirhrar "^ escape for their lives. ' ^ *" * "arrow collect!.;, ri on i folT ' ""' '"«"'"■ ""■> "'"^ '°-» -" Lucknowwrbe^^^Vl'n-f """fi 'jj^ "nal stage of the march to tHe force under ^tLTaTnot^birttr't^' ^ '"""' """ rb:;Tei-rz-™^^ ..,f:htrrh:dtit::r::r:;^^^^^^^^^^ Kuns. Cantain P«.l „ i, ' ^ 30,588 men with 164 L waiu'r r \: tr: rsrr; '-: ^— - ^-^ ■ 24-poundera hie brigade was now in ^ \l[ Residency. Instead of one hundred guns. According to Malloson "A^^ the r defences w.th protected by bastion, a„d barricades, nd evcrtb dir"f^'"'' "" besides being loop-holed had en „.,.., , 7 ^ "^ "nportance eir Colin olLZlZJ . r ""'^""^ '''' ^'"™-'' ^ 't-" -_.v«!,L..wev.r,inaxihee„«„^ had left the northern side ■^».'jiniWP4muMj.'f:« fi '.v^ .• -?tRtt;r»i'.(«WUK^Ub4a»iflK:Kr ITS uu of the dty «.k, .„d h. detemined to fo«e the »«„d.r of the city br . mc.e.e„t ag„„.t that side, while the ^ att«* w„ being „.de on^! th« 1'^^*^"'^!^ °° *^'' ®* »' ""^' ""> »«'' -JW ""ta March 21, wh«. Itl' T "'""™"'^ """"■""»» '"f""- f""'»" after portion escaped through an oversight on the part of the commander-inKihiet Robert, h«i been in the thiclc of the struggle. He wa. constantly en- oTfte I^T ^T °* ''"' '^ "'"" ""^ '''''^PO"' "^d ♦he relief of the Rcdency, but the capture of the city was to be too much for even h , rrT"" °- '"' "^ " "" »^'' '" "- «- *-" feeling tlu Iru^''TrlT°''^'""'' """' ""^ Hewasibrcedtoloonthe thfw " B " *" ge' back to the army in time to help wind up Ll n . ™ ".' " '" """ "" """ "" '™««^ ''«'P »" body fi.m n^ V ' T. \ "? "^ ^" ^-'"^ °' ""■"■"« "" - "^'"te nece^ty , so much to h.s chagrin, he was orfered to take a trip to Kngland He longed to see the field, and stream, of his boyhood, but he haled to ITJ^ I'l **"" '" « "low to be struck at England's enemies ; but it had to be, and he m«le preparations to depart from hia native land ailer «x years of aiduous and distiuguiahod seivisa vm CHAPTER XV. BOlra ON SrCK-LEAVB AND MABRUOl. Thought, on Board SwJEnK.„dTl^/ ^TT ?.'^"*"° *'' ''""»°' "^'-W from the H.nd of His Que.n-Hurri.d CM if nZ . S . """•K^««'<«" «>• V.C. •t Clcntu-Ordeml " Up Co "n^T"-Rl«ed t^t ^. "'' '*°"'"' ''""If^Art™! TH„„ph.,M«h-Th.o£j:L.:oTL.s:?^?rcLX°.'sri"X'^°'*' IT was with strangely mixed feeling, that Robert, began to make p«pa«t,ons for leaving India. Then, wa. rtiU much work for the troops to do in that country. The great oentr.^ Delhi, Cawnpore and Luoknow, were m the hand, of the British, but throughout wide^on, specially the dtatnct of which Lucknow was the Capital, large bZs „' «be,s we« ,U operating. Moreover the minority of the abZ mutineer ^udnoTriri'.'^"' '"'"■"" "'^"''" "'P'"«l" «'-*"« war »uM not be sa.d to be olo«d. Roberts' ardent nature desired to be in at the fln«h he d,d not want to leave India while there was a «poy in arms On *e other hand h„ life in the army was becoming a veryTnely one. He had made many noble and true friends, but for the most part war had Yn . H ^'[Tt "'"^ ''°' "™' '"•=■• ■« Nicholson, Mayne, and Younghusband had been killed, while others had, like himself, suocuml«d to Uie ternble strain of the past year. Of the situation he says • " It was a heavy blow to me to have to leave while there was still work to 'be done, but I had l«s 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 Uhore, busily engaged in raising . repment of cavalry ; Pn>byn was on his way home invalided ; Hugh Gough b«J gone to the hills to recover iiom his wounds; and Norman aL 173 I 174 ;t:-:: UU lOBnTIL leave Lncknow « ye«. to. dayrince he landed in „ iaTe Zd^^ On Apnl l, Deputy.A«irt«,^Quarte™a.te,.Gene™ „ M», wf T' " """' " Sir Colin C.„,pbeII bade him „ met affectionate rje, ^' r "" T "e D«a trusted » much m trying tircumrtancee, and whom he h.-i „ » • „ . "oo-epeed promiwd to recommend him for tl,. ««i, < Ailer this meeting with Sir Colin he wt out for Cawnnon. ih. «_* ^ of hi, homewani journey, with a very lieht h Jrt ^•'"PO"- ">« flrrt rtage gift in the power of hi. Queen to beetow andtter ^ ^T "™'^ ^edal with three claepe. e,ch of which Zl '2 a vetT ""Z"^ ' .j; ri'^:tiLXuT^n;eZ:iTwt ^hTr euch gaU^t .„d u.ful «rvice with hi. Naval B^e ^J Zho hij Jl" «verely wounded at the capture of Lucknow w,^ to Z, J ^- England. Robert, had eeen much of Pee. in thllM ZC " »teem him g«„tly. Hi, agro«.b.e diaposUion. U..lnZ\^rJ: ^ darmg in the prepuce of danger, had all attracted"^ XtS monotony of rheXSI^i TT' ""' "" """"'""^ ^^» "« PK who w„ ,U11 M^ Z"' °;°° ""? '" wa. to l™, . fri„d. When « ^^P^ZLt::T' ""'• "'^ " ^"^ ^^'^ «"" -Pea^ Of h.. tbe.ppar.th\Zn:theTut:':rrrrt"'' ^■■''-'-<' «' mmotonou. dntiei Now he ,». ^ '''''' """ » « """Dd of '-Mnd hi., and one Si I'rofTX:?;"' ''t '" ''' " "^"^ 0= a period of «,Wce the Ia,t y ar J 'hi ^T!; u"" "'"' '°°^ """"^ excitement and .tudded with mi i.irev 7 , '^° °"'"™'' '"•• taken hi, share, and played hirtrtin. "^ '"^'^'«»- ^e h«I and had .t hi, hand'wifh the be^^^ ^hari T', "" """"'""'"^ >«'"' l^adb^ninMiawhentheBritil^- n~^ "Z'^""" '-''• He wa, r«,ki„g to it, fell, .„d he had ZI .''<'P™<>eacy «emed aa if it than it had ever been before He h«^. "' " "'""'"'''* »"« fi^-'y a fal« and delusive peao T.e^ 111 ,""' ™'^'^'" P--« "-? »' a reign of violence and to ro/ rwWh t. « ""'""' '" '''^'™ '°«''«^» "y all weakne^ and unread^Z' „ til, '""" ""'^ '"'"'''' -'■^- -^ thatfleroehourof,tre.:ei:jJrtTf ^:^^^^^^^ -kediy revealed. I„ the atrong man came to his own. Tj^ , '"'* ''""« '" '>'«"'': "-d men ; when men. who we. ^II^lJ^T^'^" .'"^^ ='"P''»«« were mad, - ■ J -^eea, sfeoa loim as iieioea. m aiu Boiam. Th. world will new know . tith., . hund™dlh p«i, of Ih. deed, that r? T '".,'," '"'"**»'''" »'"'.t t»mendou. .truggle, nor of th. pain. th.t « choerlUIly we« borne by tho* who fell to ballet, or .huhing tulwar or d.».,a Many a man who .unriv«J foun 1 hinwlf tracked by th. fever fi«.d and never nw th. while-Uland cliff, again. But among thoeo who I.a».d through it all, and whom th. homeK»ming to beloved friend, and fair green meadow, and cloud-haunted .kie. brought quickly back to hoalth and vigor stolen by climate and war, wa. the brilliant young .taffofflcer who had been nominated for the Victoria Cross." A. the young «ldier ut on the deck, of th. Nubia drinking in th. ™ir«hmg «. breeze, he went over in hi. mind the «ene. he had been hK.ugh«ncehe first joined the movable column In the spring of 1857. While m the heat of the struggle; while constantly in the «,ddle lighting or attmdmg to the need, of the camp, he had had no Ume to think ; but now a. he wcce«.on of tragedies he had been through crowded before him, he could but wonder that he was alive and on hi. way back to Merry England. There wa, not the «,me rush in going home that there had been in coming out «x yea™ before, and he hal an opportunity of «ei„g something of Europe. On his journey he touched at «,ch hirtoric and picturesque spot, a. Corfu, Triestp, Venice, and Switzerland. But neither Venice nor Switzerland were to hi. eye, as beautiful as the field, and streams of England which he looked upon once more towards the end of June. Of the old familiar scene, ho says: •"Every English tree and flower one comes acess on first landing is a distinct and lively pleasure, while the greenness and fredine«, are a delicious re,, to the eje, wearied with the deadly, whity-brown raueness of dr>ed-up sandy plains, or the ail-too gorgeous coloring of eastern cities and p-iseauts." He was not to stay long in England." His soldier father was living in Ireland and his heart yearned to see the man who had been so much to him in the homesick day, in India. He wanted to stand before him, and grasp hi, hand, with the consciousness that he had lived his life in the army a, hi, father would have had him live ii After a br ief sojourn in London he wt *Aobtrta: FortyOna Tun in IntU*. m B0¥« OR UCK-UAVI AKD MABIIAOI. I77 "coming fmm l„. I„di,„ „peri.nc« «,d .loring up ..rong.h for T. .tUl i^K Tk "' T '•*'" '"" »" "» •»-» " hi. birth. Hi. ,otU» h«l Wdh„ft.h„„„.,hi„gofhi.Uf.inI„dl., „d .he old „.«.. now in hi. .bout h. boy. deed.. nd experience., when hi. br,n«d young »Idier «n cmo into the quiet countiy hornet •hen Robert, had «e„ him l«.t He h.d completely recovered from hi. Inuh '° t "'°" "^'""^ °' ^"""' P^™""-' •■«» »"' ««med if .n) thmg younger th.n when he wa. inrtructing hi. .on in frontier way. at P»haw„. On the other hand ,he experience, of hi. boy had matured both ^r^ rilrh ^•/"•""-^•"'•"y.'"'* -.. in .ve,y .en« of th, in .t' fr '\'"' P"":"'"" '»■' *» "" knowleclge of men. One other being in hath„u«hoId welcomed him even more eagerly than hi. fa,he.-hi^ little ...ter an ,nv.hd unable to move of her«lf, yet, a. he «.y., ..,«rfe«tly happy in the many rewurce. .he had within he«elf, and the good .he w„ .ble to do .„ devoUng tho« rewurce. to the bencat of other.." Tfow eagerly and often would hi, vete,«. father, hi. beautiful and .till young mother, ri;:?*"'"' ""'• "^^ ""*" •^ "- -'-'- <" "- '"■«'» ^-i He very «H>n found another being eager to lirten to hi, rtorie, of the Mutiny, willing to drink in tale, of "moving accidenl. by flood and field " Nora Henrietta Bew., the daughter of Captain Bew. of the 73rd Regiment was living not far from the reaidence of Robert,' father, and a friend.hip thai •oon ripened into love .prang up between Ihe two young people conflt" "Tf ^^'"' "* '^ '" '^'■'^ '•" °""P-ion.hip, th. confidence, the trust, the sympathy of «,meone. No man ever required love more. He needed it as much as a flower needs sunlight, and he has never been w. hout it Nicholson, Mayne, Watson, Sir Hope Grant, old Sir Colin Campbell all m a way loved the young tidier. War could not change hi, nature; in -he midst of death his heart ever looked about for love- and he was as «;udy to give .. he was to receive. His grief at the death of i "KKXMfY nSatUTKM TOT ouun (ANSr and ISO TISI CHAUT No. 1) ^ ^1 ^1^ A TIPPLED IM/GF |„ 178 ■ABL KOBEan, rrc',Tr7 '"' " r?"'*""'"''" »f ">« «'»« «"«» 'ove of hi, life, hi, „4 ^ro for June's body, and hi, tender thou«htfuIne» aa he laid hi. c0mr.de-m.ann3 to rest, were further evidence, of hi, need of love bo far his active life in barracks and field had keot him frnm ente*.. n« thoughts of marriage, but hi, long .iug^av"^ a soldier, daugher, and no coldier ever won a truer wife. They were MafeUnto Ih"'' . ^""^"^ P'^""' »» -"- '^^ heroic Httle towVo'f Marking u the anniversa^ of their wedding day „, a fitting gift f„. hi, wife. And she was not resting comfortably in England while he was ^un^g heat and cold in distant Afric. She wa, byli, side ile fie^ and w^thher own hand worked the flag that was to be run up over the »pitalso theKepublios. But as Kipling say, that i^ another s.^^ an.' will have to be dealt with in a future chapter folIowedt^'^'T• '""' " '"'""' ''^ ""'' -""'^ •» ««> -d-Jlo. and bought hi, ife in Ireland to an end. One of the most interest!^ panigraph, m hi, autobiography is the one describing his courtship. It i, «f roubtVuT'r '"""■■ ""' "" '"' »- «--- "t- He rwr:;:x ''^'"«'»-- "'» ^""'"= ••" *^'^ ^"--^ Bews'T'™" f' '^'"^'^°"'^' "'»• If-nd "yfate, in the ,hape of Nor. BewB, a young lady living with a married sister not far f™m my father', 22 whoafew months later consented .0 accompany me on my 'return .0 India, The greater part of my leave was, therefore, spent in Ireland " T ^- , ?"" '"'" """P""'"" «>i« f" « «>WierI The heat, the fever of India, the horroi. suffered by the women and children in Cawnpore, were no deterrent to her spint She had learned the first ,reat law of love, sacrifice. Comforts, friends, country, she wa, ready to leave for her husband. They Z Tf "'!.''''' "■ " '" '"" ''"^'^ ''^*^' ""-^ "' o-" started for Scotland where they intended to spend some weeks; but tUoy had ju,t begun BARL XU8BSLL Prime MIniiter of Engtaod. EARL BEACONSPIELD ' Prime Miniircr of EnglMd, aom OK ItCE-LZATa AKD UABBIAOa. Ul ftrir tour thmogh that picturesque counhy when Robert, received an official do^ment wh.ch, while it put an end to their trip through the lake, and Ml, fiunou. m «>ng and romance, made their heart, leap with joy. It wa, Mr^K r r"^ ''"'"«™'" *° *" P"^"* » J-- » ■" Buckingham PWace, when the Queen had decided to decorate with her own hand the bave »ld,er, who had won the Victoria Cros, i„ the great «>d costly war jmt brought to a concluaoa Hi, year at homo had been a happy one in every way, but hi, furlough iboT I' "1'" •-'^-J *'-'«J with considerable dread to the long hot voyage through the Bed Sea in July. Hi, health had received a d«^r, u,ged on h.m the noce«ity of a still longer rest. Besides here wa, tWrlh:;.^ be considered; she would have enough to endure when lveT;dJrd''r,,!:°''"°^" '"''''''" "■"'''•'■' -'^-- of his Z Jh!2>t V.""^""^ '" ''™' •"" " *" »■»« "-« '«' "" told «C— """" "^ "•' -""'"^ -* - "•« ^— • wherfre'h^r^'"".^"' °" '"" ^P"' """"""« »' ^"*-'' on the field whe« h^ had proved hmself a hero a hundred time,, had told him that h t!^ „^^ f !k^ T"" *" '" "'"" " '"^"^ »"<' P'o-notiou. IHirCgh w^notto be thought of. Nora Bew, wa, not the woman to ,tandint^e way of her husband's career, and ,0 the happy young couple decided to brave «id to make final preparations for their long and hying voyage. «Mon. Many of the passenger, were almost suffocated with the heat, and ul2^ ""^ "'' "•""" "^-^ "o '"o -■'^ »» revive them At length Aden was reached, and the torturing heat was at an end. The rl I 183 lASL SOBIBTH Wave, cra.hed over her; the radder w carry them to Calcutta aTo^iu^rrttt^';^:^™ 'atLr T r •" ""'• '«"'^- Calcutta wa« reached. P*^"*""' "««''°«d «lowly up the HugU till first « " *" '■^ ™ "'" '"*"' *" «*' '""'y <■""" Calcutta. Ever since hi. first experience as a cadet in that city he had disUked th.T. . something of the old homesickness hauTted him as he Iv^ ^'"' ""' motley crowds or loung«l about the gloomyTio^l ^t T""* *' why he was glad to get "up countj™ H ^j J"'^"" ">."«>« «-- iw ho \^A »,„j • T 1 , , '-"""■■y. ais old strength, despite the lone n*t lie 'lad had m Ireland, had not completely returned to him -n/i! Tf scarcely arrived in Calcutta before the PeshLr fZrl \ k . ...ed^much during his fi..y.„.„j::::^^^^^^^ he might be unfit for the duties of hia new nffi„. v -^ part of the voyage out had been too much fbr her, and she needed a rest ; t [ HOOT OH not-lKAV. A.,D KABMAO* Igg :^=X=j:r-— ^r-^^-^- leave her f„, a time that hthJTn ! ""' ""^ "'"'' "'"«'«''«' '» Beside, he had a IZ.L^ '., .. " ""' ^''""'^" •""'' "' ^'"-"- ™ea„t .ore acti" t; e^'^;''!"'''""^-'"' -"» '» ^-^quarten, preparations we™ eventTrbeintZ "1 "" """^ ""^ ^""''' ""^ that „unt^ eaH, i„ th'eti', T^' hTS:; t^" " ""' "" service in India. Th« th„^., u , '"'* ''''*"<'^ "^ «««" taen.ntin.,er«,eBir:rn::rLrj''B:r^r "^ ^"' "™ excellent field for the soldier .ST B"* China presented an considerable elatio^XSlSn/thTl*" '^'"""^ " -" "'^'' -'" opportunity of drawing^" ^ °" '""' "" "" '"'«' -- *° ■>- »" thatt7c:n;:inr'r:2''r:: ^"-•--••^Calcnt.ahefoand te^toriesthathadtr^tenXthArr^ "-"•" '"-^^ «'» r rs^ ;;:;^;;r r-- -'SfT^ and "ooa..rnXns"^L;ttCrc:ir r "™ to drive the British out of India. So LrA r endeavoring the county, rewa^i., 'het^^^a^ i."^ Z!;^!^"' ''r" might and majesty of England ™P'e^ng the rebellious with the that had been in the hands of the Holrble Ea tl T r' ^'^ ■""" taken over by the Queen • and It 7^ p f """P^^^ ™ ""'^ emphasizing the plZlti n 121;^^ "^' T ""' "''^^"' "' i«t .ang. and i.pre.ing the^i: l^S V^^^ IM Maui, BOBiBTi. ta.k of looking .ner tho eaui^r^^rlu "" " ""^ '" *•>» ''-'y No belter „,.„ could h..e been cTL He h '/ll """"" "^'""'' territo-y, and knew tho«ughIy j„.,^,. ^L"'' 'T "'" ""^ "' "" .ttendantathatwe^togowUh'thevi; ' """ "" "■• '""^ "' genertVXaient C ^ J"" '^T' " '^"'^ *"« ''"'"^™"'«'- would have ended hilcr 1 . ,7 '™"'' '""'""^ ••'' ■»~™. ^ut loved. ""' " ' ~"'" '- «>» fi^H and action he dearly »akehi3»tarting^ln.„:S'::t^^S^:;r"^^^^^ -' '^ Cawnpore by October 15 H„h.rt. i, V had to be prepared at Allahabad, calling at Ha^t.:^ "° """ '^ '"^ »« "' O"' 'or unpWt^We;ralTn Tu.e'L ''an'-;!''"^ ?'.' "™'"-»' trip across the Jumna, they reached tt.T!; . .„ ""^^''"'8'^ 'J'«'««'ou» once.g..s .oVinSrill^rr''""""'^-' everything was .eadyVrS;^'J3'«'''V*''''^ °" «>» --t reached Cawnpore. ^'^ '''"'° ^"* ■"-» ^^-Jy a"-""!"* CHAPTER XVI WITH LOBD OAHHIKO TBKOUOH WDU. ^ b«ro« bought hutr. Tuiw^r^rf """'" '"'^ ""» midertaking on hi, hand, than the du^f ij' 1 1^7 ' """■ '•~'»' Genera, f„, a eo.paraU.ely .„^, «„„L ^'0!'^^'^'""^™'"'*^ no d«.ger of hia Ufe, and he could have .mile .iT "" '" The gigantic procemion wa< one of th. m^ ■ India. I-rdQ„„^g™„„„;ri';;"'^™P«.n«ever»eni„ cavalry, and infantry. Thia wa« hZT i * """"^ °^ """'fy. pageant. A long uZ oflZ^Zllli:'^' ^ "' "" ''^^ along the du3ty road. An e„d'.« l^X of tlrtoU^'^ '" """ carrying portions of the camp equinment w^ """"K """». went their familiea had to go ^1^ T """^ "'**" " «'-»'"» -.. or we™ home on theCCX^i uXr/""^^ '^' At least 20,000 people were in ih« ~,i Canning's procession. .ho^d .tyZ hr:it mtriinn'^' '"^-'•- »••« Frederick Roberts had to make nm^ r " '^' ""^ """d excellent training for thtZ^ Cr". "" "*'' '"*' "'" '' "" - Ufa was being ojned np ZZl ZTu""' ""^ '^"'^ ''''' "' ""^ ^^ A. tne «imp foUower. marched along ..^. J^Zll:^ ...^ I8fi ■*«■ «o«imi. ootin*. H. could b. kindlHT!: Lu att;.r r.: "^^ " """ .nd for the «„..i„der of ih. Ion. .Id^lr. ^ '" ""^ "'' P""'"'"'. h«l no farther trouble on thta Z"!""' ^""""^ "«' I'"' Canning he before he h«, guided the British .^' Lteir '^'' ' "" ''''"^'' ''" ^-" fi-Mency. Sir Hope had not foZLlht h "r *° *" ""*" »' ">» -fff officer. Ha had io^ none of h a^ ij"? "^ '""'-""y young written to him bidding him brinA , ■" '""'''""* ''»d "Iready -.ot and bullet. f.m„g aboSt him "uh 1 " """"" "'" "-"^ .mportantpoation,.ndwiththecun^'of 1. 7 ''^''"^ '"^ '^"J till in the hearts of many of theTnrbilt '"' T '"'" "'«'"'"' "» t^te many ..1«,W ../;„ ^„„ '"T"* "" «"■»»'. '<>' '■> the c™wd«i '^Pect for the Viceroy." '*^'*' ''"^ *" lowing any ^p, o. pitcJtr pr:rth::rsr""h" "- -- -^ ^-^ wi^e about the city and its surun^^^r'wi """"' ""' ^ '"^« "^ to .how her the strong p„siti„„, h, Z helU "• "^^ ^'""""^ *» "^ ••"« was a grater delight fVher to see 1 J'^.'"" "'* "^ »-°«J. and it Mlet. about which she had heanirmul ^T """"^ "'"' "«>' '"^ »!•'- MHO CANNIJCO THROTOB Iln,,*. »• -nbling. They !.„»» i„ their b.!khe'^ ThT '". '"""'""'' '» '"" -d "■•vit^rt of deed, during ^^e ™„ ^ "' ""^ '""' ^" P-iUy of wouM be blown fro™ Tea iTZir '' "'^^ '" """ ''-^ ^'7 cringe had been. Not . few e,l,!^ ." """' "' ""> """"d^- of their Many of the« rebel chiefe yoZ"^^ ? ™ '"' ">*"' f»" "' "-^ '.ithfu, to the «„,.t Queen r.et«r'^r«'"" '"^ «" «-" After, few day. ofball. and dinner, the Lur' ' ''P' """' ™- over two year, before he had e«J„e^ ^^ """P «"""<'• ^ little ^ -d had pitched the .«„,. „f rijll ''"' f " ""^ P'^'""'"- "et Po«ib.e aite. He had not fo^e" «•.' T " ' ''™"""'' '"' """ "oming, the «,!„„„, ,h ^ ,r~re ' 7 "''"'^' '" "■"' 0«'«b*r come to being sn,a.hed to pil. hZ ""'". "' "" *«™ o*""'". had battle^und. and made re'dTfor^e'", the J'^" <"> «>-ow historic •«" in India. Roberts' deJrip ion „f t, TT ""'^'"« '"S*''"'' »v« -a«>n.;fi„,beea„, it .horhtlnt,; h" "':''''*"'""«'" '- pa»ed before hi. eye.; and. ^condly J^ .J h" '"' "^'^''-^ what --^.o.^^ofa.o.t'wa-^-;t--^ lit: 188 ■*«1 «0BM1» -rt four io.^Ih ,i " '"^ "^ "^ '««''"^-' "« "^i on hi. looking men i' ^^£0^.!: " ' """""*' "'' ""» «"''""«^ ''y •*»"«. lid who h»d naccceded to hi, ^f, , ^ "" ' Promi.i„g.lookli,g into th, h,.nd,7o^ Ln'Lt srr:: T"-' ""* -""«"' '•» oppre^ed hi, poopl. that X Brit^h ^ ""' ''""'■"'"» ""' •» when hi. eapi.., ,.. p.^^dj;:, byT.IL ^ ' "' '" "" °""'"' -:-v::x:ro;rr ""- - "-• — - well-bred Mahomedan ^0,?^ 7 . ' ""' '^"^ "' ">«<»<"t"y of a Indore,hekoptZ frjT,i\* '"""^ °' ""« "''^"■»"' »<"»' "f It wasat ""''"'"' '°'"8"~ «'"' '"''"•ved well to n, " were l:: ^TZ ToT' ^ '""' ^'^"' ""^ "" "^'^ ^»" '""^'"v Scotland, and rTthev ha/'"^ ^"' *"'* *'"' """'^"'■'»" *"P ""-«>' remembered Hoberla has said, "Go to India. Th„ T , - *" -..ne,.. He too. his wi. to .:iTj^:^i:Z''^l^Zl ii «T. HON WILLIAM ZWART OLADITONE friiHf Mini.ier..r Ennlan.l. i ',' > "ARQUIS OF SALISBURY PHmeMiniiterof EngUnd. WITH LOBO OAHOTHO IBSOUOB Dmii. jgj looked upon it ri.e .Clt tharbv h ^ "' '""'^'"S '°™' ''°<» " *. for-an ia.j.™hable reputltion rXveald lit d"". T """' ''"■«' :r^M;dC~^--:^-i-r who had done Ji Jlu^hi 1^' '"r^" "^ ^'^-^ "'''^" Becher. Delhi atill bore trZ. f .^ = ^"^^""^ ""^ Stewart and wall,, but for th mXlr l'" ^Tl '*" """ "^ '"''' "-'«' *" Britid, rule, and h^ C« n tl ' "'"'"°' '° *° "''"^"^ heap, of dead whichlXLoLH™M"t°^ °^'"'°' "" "•""' '"* pUe, about the ba«tion7 nd wa^ i '^f ?" "^'' ""^ '"^ - of g«ate,t interest; «.d Robert, ited .V^' """* "" "" «?<" Jhat celebrat^i batt'l^ l^'^.^!: '^^'^^ -""^ f- on hordes of rebela ' ^ "^ °''P<"^ Pr™s back the J^ Rtohing tent,, l2^l! 7 ^' """ ^'^^ ^"^ '"'^^'-o ^ attending dinnl and bar."d,ntr\'*'°'' ^'^'"'' ''PP''""^'^. desi^d active ^"^ Z^ "I" """" """"o "^^ "king. He accompanieetherZ^." can^^.'^"" Tf "'"" ""^ *■"« ^'"^ ""at The war cloud il ^1^ ""^ "'""""^ "^"-^ «''»«J- JuneanatUckhaJbltalr trCVr^r, "^ ""^ ^"^-' Engliah fleet had ieckle„lv «.il!, .., ^"^ °'*™° *'''I» »f «»« sun. A »rpri.a:irr^ri-^t'^J''--nhe Chines fire. Three gun-boat, were Io,t th^\ 7^!^ ^ "^ "P°° "'*°' » ''«'^ wa, co^pell^to ret JITeaSg't .^^Jr ^ '"'"' •'"'' "'^ ^""^ could repul« any ar., England and S^rwr.btt:ir """"'> •"»• HOB aoie to rend against them. I 199 MM. BOBmnL I- in cwperation with the French. """""^ *" ~' would be a cruelty to sepamre th „ T™"' ""* "^'^""°« """ '' brought out by her feoIW Z\ll '"""' ^^ "" " ^o-y '^«» follows in hi, LiCJ^^.f""' *-' '""'^''"^ «"•'"'» -'te^ of it a, to dinnel kir^I t hrr 'i^^.Tr^ •"r^'' gratitude, if 1 have n„i ™.„ j '"'™ ™™^ y™' appoiot^'eu... oXXrS \Tf '''''"^' "' "^^ ^'^- he said : -Why fo7nr L^d ^ ! "'' """ "P^"*^ *» ""^ S""**". course. I supposeV:;rdrefrL'sr.r*' •""'*"-' »' few months after your marriage? Kr°! , k / *'"'8° """'-T "lone a -n. I would ha^e seThW tL ts^^ t Ceh ^ ""'^--"""^ •ympathized ereatlv with ™, ^ '^'" "^ '^f* "ho retorting: ' I am aLiri caZt t"""" """' "'"' ""' «»'" »»' ^"'P ] ,"^'"^°'"Se'l'fI can understand you women! 1 1,-^ a .hatheVadmef:rtoitra:;r: tnrr' i ":"^^»" did not junde^tand women, that ho had mad^ the ti : 'e "L Z" "' appe^ and in the end she and Lord Clyde became ^etkj" """ So wh.Ie many of Koberts' friends were oa theirly to China to «Jd wim MRD OAHimto TRRflcan india. 19S Inrtre to their arms in tho battlMmoke, bo had to remair in India to perforin the dutiea of the manager of a giganUc circus. No Bamum ever had his work done more thoroughly, but he was not happy in it; he longed for the sleeplees nights, for the conUnuous days in the saddle, for the dangers and adventnree he had experienced in tlie year that had almost shattered his young strength. As the pageant approached the great Afghan ftontier the spectacle became ifanything more picturesque than it had been in the region along the Ganges and Jumna. At Lahore,. I/jrd Cunning was welcomed by s concourse of chiefs who had remained faithful to England in her hour of peril— faithful through the work done among them by John Nicholson and EJwardes and old General Abraham Roberts. The picture given of them by Roberts is like a page from an eastern romance. "A brilUant assemblage they formed, Sikh Sirdars, stately Hill Rajputs, wildly picturesque Multanis and Baluchis with their flowmg locks floating behind them, sturdy Tawanas from the Salt range, all gorgeously arrayed m every color of the rainbow, their jewels glittering in the morning sun, while their horses, magniBcently caparisoned in cloth-of-gold saddle cloths, and gold and silver trappings, pranced and corvetted under pressure of their severe bits." This was on February 10 ; but the triumphal march had not yet closed. For two more months Roberts was kept busy locating camps, pitching tents, and striking tents. Meanwhile he left his wife at MUn Mir with his old friend Dr. Tyrrell Ross, who so gallantly rode into action side by side with him on the day Lieutenant Younghusband received his mortal wound, and he himself won the Victoria Cross. That day at Khudaganj had bound the surgeon and soldier into an undying friendship. Now that Roberts' wife was no longer with him he seemed to hr ve lost all interest in the durbars. He gives no further glowing descripti n» of pageants and scenery, and very briefly notes that Lord Canning's march terminated at Kulka at the foot of the hills on April 9 "after a six montha' 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 104 UU BOBISn, hi.J™.dykeen intellect, and g.ve 2 ' "^ \f ."''''^"' *""* ^'•l*'^^ "my «.d the best way to ,u„„?rth ?• T* ""° *' ''•«^' "' » »"> hi. t-Po^sessed to rjrCee 'Slto^;!,*''^ """'**' »'«'-«' good stead later, when h« .«„/T L ^^ '"""''«^«« *«» to stand him in later, when he i;i;:wj^^'"f.''"™'<^ """^ <» Kandahar, and .till it. victorious ^.JlZZr' """"^ "" ""^ •" '"« «"" on .J^LiX'i^iirirj^^^^^^^^^ -- - «beK many of whom h^ i„7n^t "''.*""'f"'' ""^ •"» '»ie«cy with the «home„ and „,i^o:. ":^j^:i:i:^2^7'"' t '"'-^■^ -^ "■•""• we™ still .mouldering in the hud *" " *" "'"'"'■° """ - - -I'crordrrrrh:;;:;.' ° r.- -^ "-- - "- little daughter who was just a monthTli M «*" "" «» «e hi. wife and at this «a»n and he had m^. "" ""^ •">* ""^ "J"!!*™" child to Simla. He« the^ ^! T"'^"'"''' *° "'""'^'' '»«' •°»«'« and P-ofthene.. JCXTltnrr^^i--' ^ «>— eternal hills, the sublime .un«ts, wererllT^ft 1 *°'^'" "*°'"y' *« the region drained by the Gangi ^' '^' monotonou. level, of could satisfy his spirit; and the wTofT f ^" '""P^" ^"'^ -«»° no. make up for the ull ^^^Zl^f""'' '"' '" ™™"-"J-«» »«« o-ya. But he had taken to Ws ^ l7 "^"^ '" *'^"'' ^' "P*"' '>i» ••Traveller „,„.» be conW..L't"v '^''";''''°"*'' '"'»'"»'» -"^N ' In a way he was glal t, LtZT Z'TTT'' ""^ '•"• -n>pany the a.«„^,,„ "^ ri^r ^^1?: »na LORD oiTOnco tlbouoh india. jgj privily ItuilltobeCtllup Hm"* r"'" "" ' '""^ men, „d doubtIe« much of^e J,^t,h ,^ ! "^ '^~ ^^ »»"'' oontemplatin. ie be«utv .„1 """«"• " «»'««»• character «un. fi,„ V '""J jie beauty and migestj of the Simla hill* W CHAPTER XVn. A inut OP piAoi. WlM the ateem of sir Hugh Buir rli EU^tn - x ^!^ ^^ C«.i.ing_Rob«, Growing MonotonoD* ^ «<»e-P'f-6tickmg_A Tempang 0««--U«. ,t 81ml, T^^^llt/'^tirr.:: ' ^"^^ "" •" ""PO^^vely uneventful. It i. If he had been plunged into active campaigning ^n after tlie aevere rf»kmgup hae conatituUon had received during the Great Mutiny, he would have become a phyrical wreck. No doubt during these three vear. h. frequently felt that hi, life was being wasted, tha^^ ,„ goinrhar" ^ least merely marking tim^ most dist«,teful performan™ for a ^iZ However, such was not the case. He was having pn.bably the Z expenence ever pven i. p young soldier in India. Brought constantly in contac with the Viceroy, and being indeed his trusted servant; living on mhrnate terms with commandere-in^hief, he could not but grow B^de. the reuUne work he had to do in the Quartermaste^GenerTdepa^l" was m Itself a splendid training. He was during these year, gLT . knowledge of his prefession, getting an insight into the charactere of nfeu leammg thoroughly the nature of the country and the peculiariUe. of iti .nhabitanu, and stonng up strength. Had he been, as he evidently desired to be^nunuously .n the field, he would, no doubt, h«i his strength held out. been a. ^t a leader as he is to-uay , but would h«dly have had the same breadth of knowledge as he now possesses. A time for quiet building up of character is needed in every man's life • and the Smla days did doubtless quite a. much for Roberto as the fighting he went through before Delhi and Caw.^re and Lucknow. And what f «ABl BOBUn. , place Simla was to reat in and to now in ft. i-. _^- ■ become though Kipline', racv JhI ^ »»«<>««t>ng ha, thi. region d«erve,mo«*th„a'Xworf '^"'"^ •'''^- "' "'« ">- «-' " .ublimit/.!! tended tlmrJrittetr!!:^ ^"»«». i" beauty and reeidenee, in Sin... .„ JttmLrArelrv"!' tt l""" T' ^' the sea ; and here among pine and Wh 7 J, '^"^ *" '«™' ■" rhododendron, the fever LunL o„e th ^" '""' ^"^"'"" -"^ ""O can «g.in rt^ngth of bodv aS Z 1 T '^' ""' '"''''"" '""^ «"■"" without amu».et.^'even in ri"^'"?. i'"'"'" '"'""'''»■"» theatre, and a»embi; rooL and "^^ J. " ' "'"' "'""«'"™ ""d epicure. One Captlin T^mt i:te"t::fT'^'' '"' «""''" charm., and in hi, "De«riptive vlZytjl.^" """"^ «"' '- impre^on of this spot, which during a ZtLo"! ""'■ " '''"'"' paradise. * ^" P"" "' *•"« y*" " an earthly upwar:r'h:i;?rrr:;? r*- ""-^^ ^^^ - le^gth, eme^^ng fro. theT^n hT you J ^dt:' "'T'"-- "' forests of». and wallnu, and eve^y '.IZyZ ^ "L" S tf "' "' you proceed, are mingled masses of crimson rhJL?' *'''*•"* forther. you are again ™rreu^bvTn '^^'^"vered with' theTTilf' hTldl:^ ""If "^^ '^^^ apricot, the wild rese, and lastly to r. J 1 """"y; /he pear, the apple, the ^^ While vi„i;ts ^Xr^ZnTyor^rrir^i- and in the midst of this nmfi,««« » - , , ^ ** ^^'y step ; Simla hu-sts upon Ih^del^J IriirM ^;''?"' '"" ''-"' snow may be said to have n»^ . !^ "''' ''''*° "'» «>"«' and heavenly' There i^nZg^it oT.l? N ^ 1 ''"^' '"« ^"'°^'« ^^ Nothing in Kranee, Nothing ^iX^at' I ^Tf' 2;^ J"' ' day. nay hour, of sunshine yo„ have ever known in a^En!^. ""^ concve the beauty and gladness of that .unshino, bn^h^St 17' "'"' --thout a stem,, almost without a shower, daily', for^tts ^tCll IM lAU SOBIBTI. deck th. Wt b«« «.d bu.he. in . thou«md Engli.h bIo«on«, «.d ™«d ^oleu «.d i^„, .„d rt»,be„y blo-on,. .nd wild ««., .7d „,I^ «uokl, over the bright, clce, .me»ld turf; over c™g.. .mid the pin. r^ «m.thing of what our Simla spring .nd too brief „mmer L And th.^ ala. come the ra,n,l F«m th, middle of Jul, Ull the middle of September perfectly Engh.h „ England in nearly three part, of the year. From u.riy m September t.11 the end of December, you have dry. clear, f™.ty weather veiydehciousandbracmg: and from that time till .pring .gain you may count upon hvmg like -the ancient mariner,' in . land " "'w. wa. brought hnnTirt L!d , T T' '" """ ' *"«'^' »" ""« »'"'-"• On th. Id lector ""''""" J"'" *"« *-'-! -•»'« at thi, worlc the tiger Z good luck, he ™y^ "would have it, b«,lce from the jungle within a few yaH. fr„„ „y elephant" Good shot or not no Anglc^InlnCH relZ "Id. «. opportunity. Quick as thought his rifle leaped to his ITd ' m, mla. The beauUfuI mountains were robed in snow, forming . ofiics SM BAK, aoMDITk ;t '■' rtrlkfa, »nl«M o four worf. wlU. which h. giv,. of .h..tronge., .„,.. ^ ^ud-ing „p™,ion. m hi. "Fort,^ y«„^ «n^ to All.h.b.dU,p™p.re . c«„p fo, th. vic»,y. .hohod .till n,o« b«.»Ufc,l ^ri„g .„d „mn,.rof th. yea, 1861 h. miA„ „. ;,„,ion. No doub,.h.,o. of th. child, in whom th.yw.™ both w™pp«, np. h d tak!n •II the beauty out of the Simla hilU. «mw. On th. fir.* n,.,ch with tJ.. vic«oy ooth h«i .e.6 much of STy .he inf . ,' Tr ""' """^ ''" ''"""'"' "" • -J""""" *"k than did hZh th"* 1 ""* "" "' •^•"'"^ •"" '■•^»- to carry India through th. g,..,«rt cri.i. of iU hi.,o,y. She wa. . brilliant, 2,larh, hndly woman, with a great love of beauty, an unscIBri: love tha made h de»„ hat othe., .hould be able to .ha« with her in the boauti« ZaJZ undej. her o^en-ation. She had done much *etch.., while .^IXg her husband, and at length, in he, de«„ ,o pu„ue he, work ri'ke^ traveIh„g,nl„afever.ha„nted„gion and a, a r^H met herdea^ S nev, of th,. calamity came to the Robert, like the lo« of a near «lativ. chi.f rl 7" *"" '° ^ *'""«*" "'" «""""' ^'* »•>« '"^■- »mmander.in. ch>ef the force, in India, Si, Hugh R„«. He wa. at the head^uart^™ camp at JuUundu, when thU di.Unguld,ed old wa,rio, arrived, and .mZ 1 Tiini or riAOk m «h« offleen oTtlx euap mnt out to mwt Mm. According to KolMrli, Sir Hugh wu attncttd to him od toconnt of hU moont, k "tpiritwl not-mtg grey Arab," but it wu no doabt da* to the nputation he h«d mman pleawd the old lover of a good mount mightily. In thi. piping time of peace Robert, waa to have a .till further chance of gaining uwfiil military experience. However, while on Sir Hugh', rtaff, all waa not work. Tho commander-in^jhief viuted many .taUon., but like'wiM managed to vary the time with a good deal of amu«ment Among other thing, hi, rtaff did »>me '■ pig.,Ucking," according to Robert, the flnert .port in the world; and he seem, never to have loet thi, opinion, for in almost the oloang word, of hi, autobiography dealing with a period thirty year, .fler .« fin* outing with Sir Hugh, h« write.: "We travelled to Bombay via Joypurand Jodhpur. At both place, we weie loyally entertained by th. ralcr. of tho» .fate., and my staff and I were given excellent -«rt amongrt the wild boar, which was much ayoyed by ail, patUculariy by my Km who^ SM ■ABL BOBXRn, having joined the King'« Royal Rifles at Rawal Pindi, wa> attached to me aa A. D. C. during my last six months in India, and had not before had an opportunity of tasting the joys of pig-sticlcing." That this sport could be dangerous as well as exciting was evidenced from an accident that befell Sir Hugh on one occasion. A wounded boar turned on him, knocked over his horse which was badly ripped up, and Sir Hugh himself was carried away unconscious. Roberts' journey with his commandewn-chief, however, was to be Interrupted. The Indian climate seemed to be playing havoc with his wife's health, and he was forced to remain behind with her at Lahore. Roberts had at several times been made tempting oflere to leave the quartermastoi- general's department, and here he was once more to be tempted. His old fnend Adjutant-General Norman was at that time secretary to the government of India in the military department, and wrote to Lahore ofltring him a post in his department To a married man with a sick wife a permanent appointment with good pay was of necessity a thing not to be cast lightly aside. He hesitated; he weighed the ofler most carefully, but decided to decline it, much as he would have enjoyed being with General Norman. To accept he would be practically sheathing his sword forever, whereas the department he was in gave him the best possible opportunity of seeing active service. His instincts were guiding him aright Had he accepted any of the good offers he had been made England would have lost the great general who was to save her reputation first in Afghanistan and afterwards in South Africa. His wife's strength of will carried her safely through her serious illness and her husband was luckily able to overtake the commander-in-chief at his old hill station Peshawar, and to accompany him on his visit to the frontier posts. No doubt the experience he gained at this time did much to mako him capable of performing the great ride from Kabul to Kandahar for on this journey Sir Hugh, old as he was, made his staff and escort cover aom twenty.five to forty miles each day. At length the four of inspccliou was over, and he hurried away to join his wife at Umballa, where he learned that Earl Canning, with a heart A TUB or ruoL SOS Ho was to remain here until Sir Hugh would be readv f/> m=u ... battle^ It wa. now four yean, «uce he had returned to India and war liU CHAPTER XVnt THI HMlirLA KXFIDITIOir. THE troopa in India had now known peace for five yean, but they reoogniz.,a that thia tate of things could not laat much longer Central IndU had been eflectually beaten into eubmission, and was nwer hkely to cause further trouble; but there was the great Northern Frontier. Those gloomy hills said to the British troops "thus fer and no fertoer;" and from their ftstneesee fierce robber, were continually rushing forth to plunder and murder. In the year 1863 affairs reached a climax Toward the end of this year the Commander-m^hief was with Lord Elgin! who had succeeded Earl Canning as Viceroy of India, and who was sick unto death after but a brief sojourn in the trying climate of India ; and Robert, was busy making preparations to go on the regular tour of inspection to the various miUtaiy stations when a telegram from Sir Hugh Rose reached the Headquartera Staff, commanding their immediate presence at Mian Mir Ever since the Mutiny the Hindustani fanatics had been at work among the hill tribes, encouraging them to aid them in their attacks on the British and with a considerable measure of success. Friendly native, wer^ constantly being plundered and murdered; British outposts had been attacked-and so 'ar the authoritie. had felt that it would be unwise to go against the savage mountaineers. The attacks were unpleasant, but they had to be endured, as only a strong force need hope to penetrate those hills, punish the enemy, and make a nfe retreat-not by any mean, the leaM 206 ■A>L BOBran. 307 i^^wT"''"*"^ At length, howev„,th..ita,«o„b«^. l»n^ and it wm rumoured th«t the enemie. of England at Kabul we™ mctmg the frontier :ribe, to att«,k the compa™ti>ely weak Brith l ^-dingtheftontier. The Punjab Govemmerbeil Z^^X^W ftTarf tt^"^' ""• -"f -'»"' ««"' 0-1 of energy. It decid;! to ^ u forward two column.; the main one under the brilliant and experienced general^ Ne„.le Chamberlain who had firet Uken command of thTZot flZ P r °""'"*"' "' '' ^ ""'*°y- ™» column was to have Z While theae prepa»ti„ne were being made Koberts was at SimU with the Headquarters Staff, wondering if .he monotonous «.und of ITl^l 'Zl^.T ""'""" *"" "' "^"™ ™°'^ -" «-l. when Sir nth^! une^ected telegram ordering the staff to hasten to Mian Mir arriveT He was fil «i with a Uvely hope. It was known that .he fronttt^bi wfre somewhat senous, and the telegram coming at such a time and trornnJZ T^LIT \TJ^ "^ """"^ ""* ''"^ "- -"^^ » t^^id IJ L?' ^ "^"^ Mir, they di«»vered their conjectures were t™ ^bes which were th«atening to swarm down from the hills, L IIZ^^ » Chamberlain The situation w«. an intensely interesting one from a military point of view, and there was grave danger that it J y^^ a disastrously as had previous expeditions inrthi hi ^ ' "' The soul of the movement were the Hindustani fanatics, who had located m the settlement of Sitana early in the century. They w«^ fiereeYndT^ wa^ors Mahomedans who in the strength of their^rcJuT.:^^^,^ ^row themselves on the British bayonets, llieir fugitive breth^n f'm Bengal had joined them frem time to time, and m no dirtrict ZTl 7 fr^e Peshawar valley. If the enemy was a difficult one Jb" " W, th^r country added great strength to their reckless courage 2 Wicsm. Every part of it was a natural fortress and they felt seZ^m attack. In 185S Sir Sydney Cotton had attacked then, i„ f„„e and had dnven them over the Mahabun mountain, but they had taken up their abode in the strong h.ll town of Mulka, and when hi, force waa removed they returned to their old homes and once more began harassing the British To put an end to those annoying attacks Sir Neville Chamberlain was directed against both Sitana and Mulka with a force of about 6,000 men and nineteen guns, lo reach Mulka he selected the difficult route of the Umbeyla pass trustmg that, apart from the Hindustani fanatics, the tribes, who had no grievance against the English, would assist him or at least remain neutral • Jurf'f'"' ^' '"'^ ^ """^"^ "'^^ "-^ "'°» P«^»'od by Wheeler r Z » rC " ^"'"'' ^'""'^"- '""' ''^' "' "-« Umbeyla pass was formed by the Mahabun mountain, the other side was formed by another steep height, known as the Geru mountain; and beyond the Geru mountain we« many strong tribes, known as the Bonni™ and Swatis; and above all there was a certain warrior priest, known as the Akhoond of Swat, who exercised a powerful influence as Prince and Pontiff over many of the tribes far and wide. Then again the Umbeyla pass was outside the British fronUer. and really belonged to the Bonairs. It was, however, imagined that the Afghan mountaineers could have no sympathy with the Hindustani fanatics: especially as the Akhoond of Swat had fulminated his spiritual thunder against the Hindustani fanatics at Mulka and Sitana in a way which be okened a deadly sectarian hostility. Moreover as the Umbeyla pass was on y nine miles long, it was possible to reach Mulka anj destroy the village before Bonairs or Swatis could know what was going on." Amid these dangers and with these hopes Chamberiain pushed forward towards the country of the Bonairs, but had scarcely got ii,to the pass before ho discovered t.iat he was to meet with opposition not from the Hindustanis alone but from the hill tribes in general. The Goru mountain was alive Tilth men. A reooinnoilring party was sent forward to investigate the ground, and the hill men swarmed down upon them from their strongholds. A fight and a sharp one was inevitable. Two thousand fierce warriors threw themselves against the British advance guard, elTeotually checking the advance and almost as effectually cutting off its retreat For the most part •'rK?"tfl"'"w;H*!!.,*„'!'J«'' Z"™^ '^'**» ■«>"■- '. ! ': -e severely wounded. tB« mfBITLl lIPKDITKMIi SU the B„t..h to underrtond wh.t had :nade thi. change in their attitude. of th!!d* "^° ,T T ^"""^ ^^ °''"'""^' '»"«» had been aw.™ of the ^vance of the column and a copy of a letter was bought by a q.y " iletLf L :' "'' "*" " «>"munication with tie I^nai^and 0.at they had mooted them to beUeve that the column was on an expedition of aggre^^on and that it wa, the intention of the English to annex cZl bZ™ . .J"";. J"' ^'""' ^ ''"'" '«'™"™ h"'' -' -suited the' Bonair. and th., ehght greatly aided the Hindustanis in etirring up the tribes against the invading army. " From all sides the hiU warrio™ hurried to the Geru mountain- and cr ^; -Tlf^ ^'""»'"' "' «-» -"> IMOO warriors. .-Gene^ ::X:n^"^ ""' '" '^^ "^ ""-■^^ -^ "^ "-"- -^^'- -^ «'"» On dther side of the pass was a strong natural position. On the left w<« a rocky fort^ss. known a, the "Eagle-s Nest." and on the right a large" ^d almost equMly st^ng spot, the "Crag Piquet" In the .-Eagles N^r O-amberlain posl^d one hundred and ten men. all there was room for, and at .is bas^ one hundred and twenty men. The hillmen imagining t^at thU »:all force would fall an easy prey came against it 2,000 sLg A fiej^e dead If :^ '* *' --"'^"--'""■ed and fled. leaving many dead scattered over the field, and many wounded to be cared for in thI B.ghsh hospital t^nts. Although beaten the tribesmen were evidently bent ™ givrngChamberiain . severe drubbing, and as the EnglUh force was a lead» made up h.s m.nd to stay where he was and await developments. His strongest position was the "Crag Piquet," and for three week, .warm after swarm of the enemy endeavored to drive him from it, and on two oc^isions succeeded. But to lose this position would me.n ultimate disaster and so on each occasion the British fought gallontly until they had onci more won it back. Chamberiain, however, was severely wounded and li S13 ■ARi. loBian i |i ^rylhine looked ^ bla=k for the mall «rm, pennrf „p fa th. n«™w It w« when .fBUr, were in thU .tat. that Sir Hugh Bo- arrived ai ordering the headquarters staff to join him at once. nv„!h*'"'r,"'^'^'"'''° """'"'*'" '" •^'"»'y »■«' goveniment circle. Zr^T:fC""'L'''^ "*" ' ""'" *"*'"°'» °' °P'-»" " to what ^urse should be pur«.ed. Both th, government of India and the government of the Punjab thought the wisest course would be to' withdraw the troops altogether, but fortunately those more intimately acquainted with the country and the situation were opposed to such a cou^T Among the ^rongest opponents of the retre-t was Sir Hugh Rose, who in the wo.^, of Robert, .'pointed out to the government that the loss . " .restige and power we must susum by retiring f™m the Umbeyla pass would be mo„ disastrous both from a mihtary and poliUcal point of view, than anything that could happen save the destruction of the force itself, and that General Chamberlain on whose «,nnd judgment he could ,«ly. was quite sure that a retir^inen was unnecessary." --uci" In order to make himself thoroughly familiar with the situation the Z7rH'^;'""*^''.r!.'^'°"' •'"'^ Adycdeputyadjutant^eneral of the Royal Artillery, and Roberta to the scene of conflict. They reached Umbeyla pa«, on November 25, and found that the force under Chamberlain which hvely fighting. It was a war of outputs, and the Pathans and hardy little Gurkhas were proving thomielves worthy rivals of the hill men. "Snipine " to us. a modem term, was much practised, and if a head showed itself ab^o the sheltenng rocks a bullet would be almost sure to find it out Just about this time Ixird Elgin died, and Sir Hugh had to act very much on his own responsibility until Sir WilUam Denl^n. govc-nor of Madras, who was to be temporary viceroy of Indir, should arrive. Sir Hugh was fortunate in the men hes^nt to look into the situation about Umbeyla Pass. They examined the ground thoroughly, got fiiU *Bi xnaxrtA txnamom. US ln«)nn»t!on of the rtrength of the enemy and the loyalty of the natlTe traope •erving under the Britieh flag, and concluded that not only waa a retirement totally unnecessary, but that a. soon a. General Oarvock. who was to succeed Sr Neville Chamberlain in command of the Umbeyla column, djould arrive, that the forward movement on Mulka .hould recommence at once. Sir Hugh was of the opinion that to finish the campaign succeseflilly and thoroughly a much larger fonse than the one at present in the field would be needed. He had asked the government to allow him personally to take charge of the expedition marching against the fanatics, and expecting a favorable answer delegated Roberts to select the camping ground for 10,000 men between Atiock and Rawal Pindi. While Roberts was engaged in this work he was once more to be reminded of what a force John Nicholson had been among the frontier tribea. " The people of the country," he says, " were very helpflil to me ; indeed when they heard I had been a friend of John Nicholson, they seemed t» '''" ' wild cZ tol Jl T '""'.'""' ""^'^ ■ """" »' •>""•'• •"«> huge .lonr» down the h. 1 ..de^ It wa. . gallant cha^je .- it had «emed a, if it would be .mno«ble for the ru,ilie« .0 perform the taak rilotW to ZL |ucce«,u.ly and Adye and Robert, a. they watoh«i TJ i'. ^^^ we« much delighted when they heard th. exulting .hout. „. h^^ countrymen from the hill-top they had jurt woa .ndr",^""'"'"™"^ "" '"*' '"■ """' •'•y <" "el^'i-g »■! "arching and on he morrow the advance again began. As they passed Su' V llage gloomy clouda of ™,„ke and darting tongue, of flame^thcm S «.e^ cavalry had already entered the place. But thi, day wa. n^t " p^ w. bout figbtmg The fierce ,;,a^ had chosen an excellent .mbu,h 1'^ ^ advance the Britieh force marched confidently forward th^ !^„^ n.to .hem a elling fire .^nd f.en madly dashed among them. The pC^ were thro™ mto confusion, but Wright, the a^istanladjutant-gener^d *u ♦■« OMBiTiA txnomoa. followed, and on December 19 a .m.n J /„ ■''"™ '"»' wa. Robert,, wir heb^rt !!" ^''^.^^"^'^ "1^'-". among whom preyed abo'^ut the. Sm!, dt Jt^^^^^^^ '"^ ^^"^^ "'" -" '^o their 'ittle force Th« Z"/':'^ ."'"'«»'''» «•><» <=""«, might annihilate loud y ag^nTLad ."' '° """^ ""'""^ *''*' ^•'^- •""""""d a smoke of the village rolled over the Ligh( est Liiii ' it I 216 pMk «r Um moantiin, and Um ftwtioi wm IhoraogMr i»U*ni and »»d«.d mon lunolw thu they bi^ bMn line* th^ tntmlgmtrf torn BragtL The work don*, th* return Joanqr had to Ix m«d«; and thii wu a pniloa, andertakiog. The hillmen blookod the road, and fiercely cried ont for the blood of the Ftringhi, and but for the calmneae of Reyuell Taylor, in command of the party, and the iteadfaetneae of the Bonaire, all would •urely have been elain. How criUcal wu the ntuatlon can be gathered lh>m the foUowing paiaage from Roberto' account of tue retreat bom Mulkai " The most influential of the tribe, a grey-bearded warrior, who had loet an eye and an arm in eome tribal conteet, forced hie way through the rapidly inoreaiing crowd to Taylor-e eide, and, raieing hij one arm to enjoin lilence, delivered himmlfae followa: 'You are hesitating whether v"u will allow theee English to return unmolested. You can, of oourw, murder tuem and their eecort, but if yon do, you must kill us Dnnerwab • (Bonairs) ' first, for we hava awom to protect them, and we will do so with our lives.' This plucky speech produced a quieting effect, and Uking advantage of a 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 bow. sidee were covered wif •• men. Several times we were stoppsd while stormy discussions took place, and once, OS 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 ho'- for the yeare, that would alone permit of his promotion, to pass by. However office work did not agree with him. Ho was essentially an OCTOBER .,. ,i,g "*KTIAL LAW AT KABUL, r!' If > ROBERTS ON HIS ARAB -VONOLEL,' THE HORSE WHICH CARRIED HIM TO KANDAHAR The mediil htmgmjt oii the bpt.st uf Ihe charter »ai a ..^^Jal .Ircorali.m awarJert I y ihe tjticen XAXL ROBERTS. 221 open air soldier. When lie first came to Peshawar the confinement to the cantonment was too much for him, and his exhausted strength permitted the fever to lay a strong hold upon him ; when he arrived in Calcutta, too, after his sea voyage, the inactivity in the great city seemed to sap his energy. In the field it was otherwise. During the long march of the Flying Column during the trying work on the "Ridge," through the eihausUng days and sleepless nights while he marched on the Residency, through the heavy work assigned to him in the capture of Luoknow,-he seemed to enjey perfect health ; and it was only when he had gone through weeks of privations that would have broken a constitution of steel, that he collapsed. He was never in a sense strong, and it was only by constant physical exertion and by living very close to Mother Earth that he could maintain wha' strength he had At any rate the Simla office was too much for him, and I ;fore the end of the year he found himself in the doctor's hands. He was pretty well ufed up, and was ordered to go home to England for a rest. He did not make preparations to leave India this time with the same reluctance aa on the previous occasion. Then a great work was left unfinished, now throughout the length and breadth of India there was peace and even the hill tribes were not Ukely to give much trouble for some yea™.' On his first trip home he went by way of Europe, but this time it was deemed wise to have him take the longer but healthier voyage by way of the Cape of Good Hope. He was not to go at once, but with his wife spent three months in Calcutta until the ship Rmmm was ready for sea. Three hundred ■' time expired " men were to be sent home on board this vessel, and Roberts was placed in command of them. They were a reckless lot of hardened warriors, and on their way down to the coast had given their officers a good deal of trouble. A number of them were brought before Roberts for punishment just before the ship sailed, but he was not in a punishing humour. These bronzed and grizzled warriors had seen much service; some of them hod proved themselves heroes in the Crimean War and had fought with him at Delhi and Lucknow. He knew how to handle such men, and, to the amazement of the martinets who had reported them for punishment, he pardoned them all. There was a lon« four month." 222 XARL BOBIBn, r Toya^ Wore hira. It would never do to earn tl,e dislike, possibly the ha red, of these reckless, good-hearted fellows- oven boforo the ship Jefl Calcutta. As he says none of the misdemeanor, appeared very serious, and w.th these men punishment at such a time for a trivial offense would only do harm. ' A long voyage is for most men a very tedious affair: the weary expanse of sky, the unending watera, the monotonous cry of "A sail in fflght I" or "a whale in the distance I" palls on the most enthusiastic sailor On a troopship, the narrow decks, the crowded quarters make life after the first week or two particularly unpleasant. On this voyage the duU monotony was to be broken by several things that were far from welcome. The good ship Rmown had been plowing her way over the calm stretches of the Indian ocean for six weeks, when one of the crew was attacked by smallpox. Smallpox is at any time a post more h.tod of men than any other disease, not even the cholera is held in such abhorrence. The feolmgs of the troops on board the Eenmn can therefore be better imagined than described. Within the narrow walU of the vessel it was expected that the loathsome disease would find many victims, and men who had thrown themselves into the deadly breach, expecting death, trembled in the presence of this dreaded destroyer. However, prompt action was taken Fortunately the skies remained blue and the watera calm, and it was possible to.nstitutea quarantme. A boat "was hung over the ship's side, and . cnbmboy, the marks on whose face plainly showed that he had already suffered badly from the disease, was told off to look after" the victim. Needless to say the boat was shunned, and so close a guard was kept that no other case showed itself on board ; and in good time the sailor, who had had but a mild attack, recovered, and the minds of all on board were more or loss at ease. Tlievessed plowed ^'eadilyon her homeward way. and soon the bald misty, eofiin-Uke shape of Table Mountain with the then peaceflil, homely lay settlement of Cape Town at its base was left behind, and although 6 000 mUes had still to be travelled before England «-ould be reached, it wos'felt ASOTHEE 8BA80M OF PEAOR, S23 that the Journey was ncaring its end. A few brief B-eeks and they would be at home among their fricnda I All, however, was not to be cakes and ale to them. The voyage was a ong one even for those days, and the lack of fresh meat and vegetables began to tell on passengers and crew aUke. Scurvy, dreaded of all sailors and soldiers, brake out among the troops. They were fortunately at no great distance from St. Helena when the disease first made its appearance, and it w-as hoped that the supply of vegetable food they would be able to take on board there would put an end to the malady. In the meantime the regulation preventative, which has been in use in the British navy since 1795, lime- ju.ce. was issued to the men and the scurvy never became very serious; but until the black rock of St Helena showed itself high out of the Atlantic gvunt. hollow-eyed, haggard men dragged themselves about the hot decks of the RenotoTu Never was land more welcome to any crew than the sheer cliffs of the little volcanic island which has played such an important part in modern history. They were still 4,000 miles from England, but this spot of land worn by the ocean, told them that the end of their journey was drawing ever nearer. While plunging through the blue ocean, under the hot blue sky out of sight of land, it had seemed as if there would be no end to this voyage. St Helena was to them an oasis in the desert of waters. A bleak asland for the most part, with its huge black rocks culminating in Diana's Peak, and High Peak nearly 3.000 feet above the sea level. Fi„ and chmchona trees struggled for a fooUng among the rocks, and the innumerable brooks that threaded their way over the little island gave many places a restful greeu to the eyes weary with the glimmer of the waves and the intense glare of the unclouded skies. It was an English dependency with a garrison of about 2,000 me. and here they could halt for a short time and lay in a supply of food that would help to clear the enervating scurvy from the blood of the troops. They managed to catoh a passing ghmpse of Longwood where Napoleon died in 1821, and Roberts no doubt wondered what must have been the feelings of the Little Corporal during his confinement in his narrow island prison. A j=l !^ II 334 lABL iioBnin. man who had brought Europe to hi. feet, and who had had derign. on conquenng the world, at length forced to .pend hi. day. on a bleak Tk in the m:d.t of the turbulent ocean I It w., u thought that could not but make • deep impreMion on the young «,d ambiliou. «,ldier. If he could only have seen mto the future, on that same island he would have beheld another man, in hi, way a great general, no "vulgar conqueror" like Napoleon, but . true patnot; and that he w«. there was due to Robert.' own superb generalship. ..The Lion of the Transvaal," General Cronje. was to find, thirty-five years after Roberts' first viat to Si. Helena, a melancholy abiding plaoB among the hill, and .tream. where the great world-conqueror ended hi. But the Renown had to himy on her way, not, however, before great quan titie. of water.=res., which grow in abundance on this little island, were laid on board for the exhausted troo,,s and crew, and this vegetable food, along with the lime-juice, and no doubt the gradual approach to a more temperate climate, soon banished scurvy from the ship. Toward, the end of May they came in sight of England, and on the 30th of the month lande,' ^t Portsmouth. Great events had been taking place within the last two years. In Ameiica in particular a fierce atruggle had been going on with a loss of life unparalleled in modern war, and it was with a .cn.e of relief that Robert., who knew the horrors of war, learned on hni arrval m England that this bloody strife had ended. It would be interesting to know his opinion of such a struggle, but with regard to it he i, as dumb as the proverbial oyster. He i. not much given to reflection, and with the majontyof Englishmen of hU day, had doubtless little or no conception of the momentous results of this struggle. He did not realize that .union and .olidority wo. given to the English speaking people on the »nthern half of the North American continent that was in time to make the United State, of America the great rival of England in trade and arma Th. war which wa. reported ended a. the lUnyum drew near England wa. but the clearing of the air before the great industrial achievement, of the end of this century; a war greater and more far reaching than any other of thi. century. ^^ IKOTHEE tIASON 0» PEAC& 225 A little bit of personal new,, however, pleased hia, much. His father had ju.. been made a K. C. B.; a late reward for a lifetime of most wise and aiduouj service on behalf of the Empire. Robert, stayed in England recuperating for ten months. It was a thoroughly uneventful time. No wars were stirring the pulse of the nation, no great national reforms were being discussed, and the young soldier who had been greatly strengthened by the long sea voyage had a delightful rest with his father, mother, and sister. How little interest he takes in the peace periods of his life can be gathered from his account of his sojourn at this time in J^ngland. One sentence is sufficient, or rather a part of a sentence ■ "I remained in England till March 1860," is all he has to say aboui llie pleasant sojourn in the land of his schoolboy days. After hia rest he hastened back to India alone. No doubt remembering the expenence on his trip after his marriage, he dreaded having his wife undertake the Red Sea voyage during the spring months. Mrs. Roberts followed him in autumn and he met her in October at Calcutta. He needed her sympathy and womanly tenderness. He lound on his return to India that the cholera was making one of its periodical visits to the crowded population of tliat country, and hkewise that many of the soldiers were falling victims to the disease. The troops had to be placed in cholera camps, and it was his duty to make regular visits to these camps. He seems to have had no fear of this much dreaded disease. Indeed Roberts seems to be one of the few men who have been born without a sense of fear Only once during his residence in India does he seem to have been thoroughlv afraid, and that was when he and his friend Watson were chased back ti camp by the phantom mutineers. The state of affaira gave his wife an • opportunity of showing her true nobility and courage. A sword she could not wield, but her husband needed her in this tiying time, and instead of taking up her abode in some safe corner of India, where the disease was not likely to penetrate, she fearlessly accompanied him on his visits lo the cholera camps, helping to entertain the soldiera, to cheer those who had lo,t faends, and to close the eyes of the victims of the plague. This wa. MS CARI. BOBIKTI, thoroi^hly unpWnt work for both, but they went .bout It with . clmne« that .howed how co.„plet..y they were in.pired by . «.„ «^ „, ,";" 1866 JdTh ""^."""»f*' "-o "P*"'""- 'i* Solera in the anlumn of 1866 and the .pnng and ™mmer of 1867. that Roberto wa, elated when new, .^hed India that at laat the audacity of Theodore, kin, of AbyJnU had «, thoroughly routed England that a .trong expediUon w„, toCnl expedU.on. He had juet escaped death from cholera which had now bTen .tamped out; but he wa. eager to tempt it once again on the field of batu" CHAPTER XI Wna NAPIER IN ABYSSINIA. ■ obcTti Anxlolu to (o to Abyuinin-The Chuutir rf lrl». ■n.^.j -. Wu-Thwdore Impri»„; Eur<,pe.„^:irVlh-, »* .^"^'*' <=■"•• o"*' Aby„,„i.„ E.p.ditio.-Rob.rr^,VLS!^ ~*'''" <^°°""»"1"-i«ChW rf Kept .. S^ .. ZU1.-A Ho, PorrntlCiT^M^;""""^^ ^j'" '^^"'^ wi* . B«m U„t.Co.o«lc,-A S.d'^V^^iTM. °»""«°«="-»..«nM WHEN new, ,«^hed Indi. that a force would probably be sent fW,m that country to punish Theodore, Roberts was at Allahabad h" was afraid of missing this chance of active service and as th. cholera which had kept him busy was no longer to be dreaded, h; retured to Headquarter at Simla to join the Mountain Battery to whi;h he p™ly belonged. He had grasped the situation at once. Abyssinia w^ mountainous , .on. and if any troops were sent his batteiy would doubTless be among the fcrst selected, and he was determined to leave no sul! unturned to once more get into the field. Prom a soldier's point of view the situation was a most interesting „„. T e country where the b.ttl„ were likely to take place was :^ZZ:^ where a man experienced in Afghan wars was likely to win fame; while th^ man defying England was a m<«t picturesque chara^er. He was a uaurT Uke almost eve^, other chief or king who during the last centuiy has swaTe^' ^fanatical '"bes from the pyramids of the Nile to the great unknown lanl Uiat separates the British possessions in South Africa from the battlefields of Abyssima and the Soudan. Among all the men who have cont«>lied he wai.lov.ng peoples of the region bordering on the Red Sea, no one has I more stnk.ng personaUty, no one was better fitted to sway We bodies of fb. «.nsof Ishmael than LiJ Kassa, who after years of dJpe^tlS 'n '^ crowntd King of EthiopU as Theodore IH. r « ug was 227 L saa ■Au KOBntm, honemim m AbyiniiL" B«id« ft. phydaU qu.litie. ft.t^„ T,t th. .. u .. J r tanner thqr follow nto ft. ftiok of «^. flghM.e h.d oft.™ which, h«J h. but had bdUrt. might h.v. g^n.^^ to m.k. h.n, .n ..piring ruler. H. w„ a m«> of .xcption.1 ill W culfvateh.. ™.„d. No pctenut. along th. Nil. or among fteg^tWlLrf Aby«,ma had ever approach*! ^ nearly to ft. European U«„/ educated man a, Theodoro. He w... moreover, a Ur^^^ jl" LT generou, king; but unfortunately under hi. .kin Z ft^tZ and U needed very little «ratching to iind it At different peririnng J ^dmg arm o! .om 100,000 to 160,000 men. It wa. noeaay .L^to m«ntam ™ch an army, and hi. p«ple groaned under the heaw^tax" h^ wa. forced to levy upon ftem. Fortunately for England hi. oppl^on and «vage^ had, at the time of ft. Abyinian trouble, left him Zll comparatively small following. "" wiin a The cauM of the difficultie. between England and Theodore i. „f ,^. Jtereet .«. the .tudent of bietory. Ma«>wah i. an Jlldt ft'^"^ fix.nt,ng Aby.,,.,. It i. an ieland owned by the Turk., and on it aTriS «.n.ul wa. .tafoned " for the protection of Britiah trade wift Aby-ini.il w. h fte countne. adjacent ftereto." Thecdoro wa. at flnrt muc^ attlL to the Enghd,, and particularly to the Con^l Mr. Plowden. who «,emrft be equally att^cted by the magnetic per^nahty of ft. ACZkIng but >n 1861 he made a lengthy vi.it ftat could be ea«Iy interpreted by t^ enemie. of Theodore to mean that England ftrough her official ^pre^V WM entenng into a friendly alliance wift fte king. Their interp^tation wL not without ground., for Mr. Plowden aided Theodore in cruahiTg a rebellion among h.a ^bject. The home govermnent became alarmed, L it ZZ prepared to become embroiled m a war wift the tribe, along ft. Red Sea. 1^ r7\ "f "■ """! ""'"'^ "'• '"'''""'" *« "'"™ *- Ma-wah and attend .tnctly to h,. conmilar buriuM.. Unfortunately on hi, way back he I-OBO ROIINTtl COAT OF AIlMt KANDAHAR fr..m which R..h.rt>. i1eriv« hi* tjii. EARL KOBERTS AND HIS WIFE AND ELDER WIT" HATin M AnmmjL. (3] z ll'ifv "" °'':; ?"^' • '"^"'^ ■""'■ ""' '» "■• ««•" "'•ich followed death Mr. Bell, . companion .„d friend of Mr. Plowden'. in . fi„l,t .Thru r 1 i, rr' "■" '"""■ "" "'"" ""' •" """" -"> «-•' t^^'-. It ! U ^^ " '° '"""■^ "'" ""■"" "' >"• E"8'i,h friend. ,„„U !";, " ''""' ■ **""="" "»"" to I'^ve kept the man who Zl ,^^ L " '""'*'■ '" ""« '^"^'"'' ■""»". ''" »''0«-.d none of the itr; "■p;".'^":-™"''- had «. ™„ch appreciaji;';;; predeceaor. The fact „, Captain Cameron had "received nositiv. «.b,ecta and wa, reminded by Ix,rd John Hu»ell ..hat he held AB1 ROBXBTS, teachers, and a number of arti,t, and^rkmen. ""' "^"^ .0 th':trt:::w1"'^T^'''^'''«'^'''^'-'^'»''- He^ntaUtte, . letter was sent hi!: Sht^ "" "'"«" "" «"»'<«' -^ » "^^tion — ;:it £"^; :- X'^at^tr"' •-"- withoutac.., and ^t^^r^^S^ Z.^T^t'" .""' '""""• he insisted on the capti™ faring 'H°At 0^!^°;' ^ ''"' them in the mood of one .ho w!d to fearhls 1« T^ "^"^ terror ofthe victims he had determined JC;,r °° ""• '"'■''P"^'^ towards biinrine thin«, t„ . „r T , , °"«- ^ * preUminarjr step -denwasr^tt^Lth^TakTrt^rr^^^^^^ i.pri»nmen^t:;c:r:rorro::te,r.x^^^^^^ an arm, against him. War w. Wore^dlw fri' Ka^J WITH hapub i» abtssinia. 233 was appolnlea commander-in-chief of the expedition which was to be »ent to Abyssinia. Colonel Merewether did a good deal more than merely attempt to obtain the release of the prisoners. The country was to the Knglish goremment almost a terra incognita, and a reconnoitring party under him did work that was to make the task of Napier a comparatively easy one. He fii-st of all selected good anchorages for the ships that would transport the forces to Abyssinia, and located suitable places for landing the army. There was, too, a long stretch of difficult country between Massowah and Magdala, and this region he thoroughly exploi-ed. But what was of more importance he entered into friendly relationslup with the ohiefe between the Red Sea and Theodore's mountain fortress, and so arranged matters that Sir Robert Napier had practically nothing to do when he landed, but march straight on Such was the state of affiiirs when news reached India that Colonel Merewether had urged on the government "the advisability of immediate measures being taken to prepare a force in India for the punishment of Theodore and the rescue of the prisonera." Roberts' good fortune was to stand by him. He had hoped that he might go on the strength of the mountain battery, but when in September it was "announced that Colonel Donald Stewart was to have command of the Bengal brigade with the Abyssinian force," he found that he was to be his asaistant-qnartermaster- general. His next two months were to be busy ones. A force had to be thoroughly equipped for a severe campaign in a country with extremes of tropic heat in the plains and almost arctic cold on some of the higher hills. Transportation had to be prepared, and he was now to have the new experience of fitting out ships to carry a large body of men, together with their horses and guns on a long sea voyage. In all he required no fewer than twenty-seven ships and nine tugs. He was not wholly unprepared for the work. His interest in military attains had made him a thoughtful student of the work done by previous officers in preparing to tra.nsport troops over seas. The costly blunders made by many of these officers m '.he Crimea and the Peninsular wars were familiar to him. Their mistakes he •' .1 2M «ABL KOBIKTai could avoid ; as a temU hi. i.».u Never in England-. foS^XuZTh!"""" ""• ""' «°™"-»'- -•.ipp-. ove. «„ ^ milt i": :n«^. r " - complete in every ri ^W IrS.^ T '''""°'""™' "'°'"'' -'»"' -arched off without 1 1^1^ t " '""'" '^"^ ''"''<^ ""'' ^ng were not to paea without mi,haa K wm t "Z T* ""' '""'""'^ first «,joum in that crowded J^h t remembered that on Roberta- came near endin/r^^^'^Ztrto^' '"''"'" ^'"™ ""- e^cperience. Western America couldnT Z "^' ' "^^ ''™"" Jan the one that swept Z: S^^-L'^ZLTr^;-' TT Roberta was in the mid«t nf ™..- v •"'°™'ooer I, 1807, just when we™ unroofed, tr^ ^ to^Crv'th '""^'^ "^' "" ^"^ «™- «rt were levelled to thrg^l"'' When" H *"' '"'"'"«' "^ "'^ ««»'«' been having a most exc,r, '*'™ ''***^ ^°'^«'»' "ho had *He harbor I rwirh^h^rr rffiufteT " ^''. ''r^'- '•"-^'^ ^ transports. Fortunatalv nni . '"*'"**'<'' tbe fierce wind on his fleet of buTrnyofthTrCboaSersiritr "'" '"" ""' ■"«'>«^' somewhat delayed. It w« nl ! , ^ '^'P^""' °' *" '"°P» "as t^naports were'ldy r-Ta :d rel^ " '""T """ "^^ """"•'' garner .0.^ „/„ J.^^ inTsL^r hi"* \'::^ '' Annesley Bay. ""wan ana ms staff, anchored in The troops were at once landed at Zula anH „ffl~> anxiously awaited order*. Th. ■ , "" *°^ "«» »'*• Theodore! and ShTiTNalie "^.T"'" '^" '*"' ^ '"^ '"'■>''» "^ newyear,'wasalltythtml:tlaS ;^ "?""' "«>^'^'^'«'« station among the hills. ' ""^ ™ "'''' «' ^enafe, the firrt autho^tlftTourtr^^rw'r.""'^' '"^" """""■^ *»- «•• casea Kapler iL in hHrnld aS Te^^oi:? "" "^^ '° ""* tbetr^s^rtservice. and these With U.^'m^ t:fr7Jr„;: WITH KAPIKB a ABTSHNIA. S85 total of probably not fewer than 32.000. The region through which thi, «my waa to pa« was not an easy one. Magdala i, 9,150 feet above the «,a. «d about 400 maes f™m the coast; and this large force with il «tens.ve transport, had to be marched over steep mountains, through deep f^ "rth ''"Z'.r'T^ "»' -" ""O. "«.t and rain, beL th! ZT,, /'"' """"'"' ^"^ "' ^'•y^'-"" ~"W ^ "ached. Fortunately so thoroughly had 0,lonelMerewether done his work, that tho «^t^^?l" "^^ *" '"" '"""^^ '» "•* ^"s"'"' --^ °» "g^-'-s wa, expected until the mountains surraund; g Magdala were reached. this l^JH ITf " *" '""'"' '" "•" "^''° "' «'^ «»''^^ Napier, but in th» he was to bo d^appointed. The Bengal brigade was not to remain a — ^!7^rZ *° ^ "™' '■"'"''■ ^'""^l Stewart was to take zu;rh:L^:^r'--^ *"- ^'-^ -^^ -- ~ - A pleasant time in his enforced sojourn at the ba» of the anny was out of he qneshon. He had already had several experiences of Kcd Sea wither and knew how thoroughly torturous it could L His stay ^ Zu a was to be no exccpfon to the rule, and was but a repetition of the hot passage he h^ expencnced, ii.t, when he went to India as a cadet, and. again! whe^ JJ^\ r°^ '"'" """ *"' -^""^ "»'«• The hot wind, from the 171" '"^ ''"'"'"" """' '"^«'"-« - «"> «'--. -d in the day toe here was no escape from the exhausting heat While the «,n wa, in the heaven_ 17 degree, in t.>e daytime was the rule-and as he sweltered dl! 7- r ""T' "' ""'^""'"S sea-water. The only oarf, in thi, d^rtof h,shfe was his ...panionship with an old Eton friend. Captain ^Z t'''°° V '^V""^'^^ ^"P''^'-^- -to wa, aftenvar^s as Adrni™! Sir S Tv! •' *° ^ ™ '"""^'"^ '" ^'= -J-'" ""^ through a fatal "^ake m the naval manceuvre, the splendid wa.hip Krfona L sunk TonJr''^ """'' '""'°™ ^•«'" '^"^'^^ »' Z"l« for four ^dsr '" ""^ '"^'"-^ — «- ^'-" - ^ Meanwhile Sir R..,ert Napier', march continued inland towards the II ■ASL ROBIBn, mm t "^T!"'*- ^° ""P^""" "" ™' -"• """l '"e nurcl. w„ not „ difficult aa hud at first been eiDBol«1 Th.- v waanotM hp h.7 r *°™ ^* '°"''*'7 *'" '» •>" "«'* to Magdala. but done th«ir ^ork rnTtl, u T'"^'""' '"' '^^^y- "« """»»" h-"! haateirtoht'faa ',S? """""» ^'«','>"""-' «> -<=>. in hi, youth wo. he mo°^ amonlt ^ "««»«' ''■"»°*ent that ,„. the v.„e. U .oo.ed ., tt 7^ 1 T^T^l would need to be p«.vided with wing. B.Ll narrow paL' h^wet Td to the gate,; and up these the Britid> tr«>p, forced theb way 17 lit gloomy monument of their work oiacicened rook, a Eoberta wa. very glad of the chance to return to England esneciallv en 11 i up for fat-ire service in India. Besides, hi. wife was in S38 (ABL BOBnni delivered hisde^atche,LIi,« . 1 T ^«'""' " "» '"'J <■' June, hU wife and frieX """"^ ""* *"'" """'"l 'o CU«on to jdl; Publif K^Ut J:Ct t' «'V^'>^-- Edition ,e„„.a. Magda.a.did„ot.^„:J:l; .tnd"^^^'':'^^^^^^^ "" •" "''»'' *" lieutenantcoloueloy. No man de«rv Jf '"*° «'''*" * ''"'^«' health of the men on the ZIZITT" ""'" '" '''"' "P'-'^''» were due almost enti:«,/rtt'o Jbi „/ "T^ "" "" '^"^ *° "'*»'^«. communication, and anfong tWnoi L / v'^ "^^ '"^ '^""'" .kill or ,0 more p„rpo« th» Roter^; ° """ '°°* ''"' "»* '"» «5™ter .oinr^^^ririL^rTfriiir::''"'-'"^'----- passage out was a mo^ Wplelnt ^1 '^t",^"'"^"""'*'-''"""'™'- The 'ittIe^x.m„nths„lddauXl^7and K "''"^ """="''' ^''» "'o- landed at Calcut^ a„d Sh aSg IT thT " "^ "^ "' ^^"^ "-"^ Simla home at which the, arrived wMelhn '""'''' *° *'" P''""''' the mow. of winter. '"^'' "" '^ """'^ W" beauUiul with i-'l A MADRAS LANCER A im or „.c or i,di.-, b.., wd, „r i^op^ ^■■*r- HAJOR.QENERAL CHARLES OEORGG GORDON OBAFTER TX T, IS THI LAND OF TBI LVIR41I, Mada fai WtatHu^Aa azptditlon Agiinit tin LtuliaU N«»iu7-Itoti«ti AppoliiM Senior Stall oacy in the JunKle-Robcm Appointed Deputy^Jnaitenn«ittr. Genenl-Prorei Himielf nn Eictllent Leader-Tlie Lnehnli Conqnered-Creeted . C B tor Hli Put In thii Cmp.ign-U.rM ol the De.th ol BU P.ther-Super»l.e. th^ iJf,S™I"; '° "°°"»' '«°« n • gr«di»Uy u Uw light wanes, tUing into delicate Ulaee and giey^ which •lowly mount upwank, till at lait eren the higheet pinnacle loeee the Ufc- giTing tinl^ and the whole snowy range iteelf tarn* cold and white and dead tgainit a background of deepest sapphire blue." Since he was forced to spend a gnat part of hii Uft at Headqnarten, it wa» well to live in a pUce so inspiring to eye and hearL Yet another uneventftil year waa to, pass by. EngUnd was at peaea with the world, and her loldien had to be content with the parade ground and the miUtaiy offlcee. During this year Roberta imposed upon himself a task that admirably iUustmtes the character of the man. He was deter- mined to make himself thoroughly bmiliar with every department of miUtory life. Then wa. nothing that might be of gnator ..rvice to a commander in certain critical situations, than a knowledge of electric tolegnphy, so through the Simla winter of 1870 he spent muoh of his time learning this moet useflil art He was soon, however, to be nleased from the monotony of office work at Headquarters. The compaiatiTely small British force in IndU are the police of southern Asia. From Penia to Burma they have gradually been compelled to "tek« up the white man's burden," the tedc of civiUsingor chastising the barbarous robber tribes that swarm down upon their boundaries ibr plunder A murder. For some years the Lushais who lived in the region between Bengal and Burma, a region but Uttle known to Europeans and most difficult of access, had been making frequent raids on the tea planter. ; robbing, destroying property, and carrying off prisoners to their mountain retreata Enghmd, ever slow to act, endured this annoying state of affairs, only sending out small forces to hold the raidere in check until the Lushais, becoming bolder, made still mon extensive and destructive raids. The Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal saw that there waa only one way HI TBI tltt OF TBS LUnAm Mt to pal *n end to the evil. The tuihtia muet be chartieed, wvenly chMtieed, «nd nothing lo. than i welUrgwiwd and itiong foree could do thi, work •atUfactorily. Tlu. he declared waa "abeolutely necewry for th. Ibtare •ecurity of the BriUA lubjecto rending on the Cachar and Chittanms ftontien." '^ The government acted on hie advice and decided to lend two column, "one having it. haw at Cachar, the other at Chittagong-commanded reepocdvely by Brigadier^neral. Bourehier, C.R, and 0. Brownlow.C.a" Robert, waa appointed wnior .taff^fflcer to the force, and to him fell the arduou. duty of fitting out both columna. He ww, now recogni«d a. proUbly the moet efficient transport officer in India. Hi. work through the Mutiny, hi. performance- with Sir Hugh Rom during the Umbeyla affair, the machine-like .kill with which he had performed the taek allotted to him in the Abywinian campaign, gave the government every confidence that he wa. the one man in India beet able to make ready the column, for the journey to the land of the Ludiai^ through . tracklen, junglMoveted, mountainou. region,a land which Robert. «.y. w^ to him a <«to incognita; and nieh it wa. to nearly every officer in the eaat. In September, Robert., in company with hi. old fHend, M«Jor-GeneraI Donald Stewart, travelled from Simla to Calcutta, and at once began the work of getting the columns ready to be wnt off to the Kcne of the trouble. Hi. expenencce in Calcutta from the time he landed there in '62 a. a cadet wem always to have been ezceedingly unplearont, this one was to be no excep'ion. ♦"I wns kept," he says, "in Calcutta all October-not a pleasant month, the climate then being very muggy and unhealthy. Every one 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 Bya, it was extremely difficult to get work done. Every thing 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 lilted 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 •Kobertt: Fdrif Obb Yaara i,) litjlm, ■ — — - '** tUL Mum J-F^ringlitU. crie. .„d whin- ,„ ,„ita p.thrtk. I fc„„d 1, b„„, ^,,^ "da~d thM J-fer, I lri» (Wcutta I wdghrf «.,«1, „v„ eight rton^^tW to, a^ . „„ ,u „ ,Hich t, «,tar on . «„>p.ip. J. „^„wZ 21 " ""* ^"°''* " ^ "*^' '*'"''« ""» "^ *»>• ™M.f"''!^J^ "^^ ~"'""°° ">• ""^ •» go to ft. ftonl, .nd .bout th. iJ« J ^Il^w '^''"' '^''"' "•"• •" •^"^'^ • '- O")' of though .hor^ ^h« of hi. military cmr. F„,m Qioh« to th, l«d of TJ^^ l- r, "^Z """"^ «»^; »<* '^ • t»ck thmded ita way ft»ugh ft, ftiok jungle No m,n in t»., column h.d ,v„ b«n ov,r th. pound b,fo«; .nd it w« n«e«,„y to rtudy ft, country thoroughly b,fo« b|Hpnmng ft. .dv«.c. Rob,rt. wift hi. u«.l tad m.ni«ed to «cu™ «,n.o Wrly good n.tiv, guides «.d ft, «iv«.c began. It ^u* hav. ,«,uired H««.l«n W.11 to fac th, difflculUe. of ftU march, but Gener.! fiTrchier «id hi. Mmor rtaffofflccr w.r, not m» to b, daunted by .„y obrt«=Ie^ 8owlybutrt«dilyfte column crept forwarf boring i,. way Into th. »nkth.clc jungle; ohmbing rteep, ftickly-wooded hill., wading ftrough moontam rtre.m. or throwing over ftem bridge, ^flkiontly rt™g to cany tb. gun. «.d eleph«.ta It wa. a man* ftat required infinite p.ti«,c ud. infinite courage. To make it all fte hauler the dreaded «ou,ge of th. «rt. Choi.,., brok. out among the miUve.. There were «me 840 wift th, «.Inmn and m a few day. 261 died, m«>y de«rted, and the Britirf. t™op^ who depended greaUy on fte« naUve., moved forwarf wift only . .cant 387. ThM^wa. . «.rcity of elephant., and boft officer, and men we™ foreed to d..«rdeve.7 pound of baggage ft.t wa. not ab«,lutely neces»,y for their exigence. Thu, heavily handicapped they riowly advanced ftrough ft, matted jungle, ly.ng between Cachar a..d the countiy of the LuAai., leaving behind them a well built road from rix to eight feet wide Robert., deapite th, fact that hi. Calcutta experience, had reduced him to «ght .tone, wa, the harde.t worked man in the column. It wa. hi. duty to find halting place, for ft. troop,; .nd «, after th, day. work wa. don^ W THl LAXD or rni LCiBAIH 245 .n,n lhon».lv« do,„ U> rort „ W they c<«.Id In th. bo^, h«vy h-rt of th. jungi,, h. pu.h«J on to And . cn,ping ^ for »o~ rymg th.n either the n..«h ..n Kandahar or on PreZ, but i, wed* the tpectnoular to make t thing live in hiitory. the l^nbum R ver ,a. reached. On their way to thU river me«onge™ item «me village, in that «gion came to them oiTering ™bmi„ion j but Britain', qua^l waanotnith theee people. The column bad a. it. objective po,n th,co^t.yofoneU.lb„„,whoh«3beenU.eboldctofthe robL; ..H „ M^i"!, ^^™""^ *'"' ""■ ■""""- "'«y '""^"l f""""! once mor, toward, the Tu.bum. They had not gone far bef„« they came on >...Z ob^t. .h.ch told them re.i.tance wa. to be expec J. When . .hort d^rtance from the river they found the road •■ blocked by a curiou. erection in tte form of a gallow., from it hung two grotesque figure, made of bamU*." For fear thxtemble warning might not have the desired effect, a tree wa. -lied and lay „ ,he path of the column, and from thi. tree protruded .harp .W of bamboo dyed . blood tint Death on the gallow. or death from Z Wfe .wa.tod the email band of Britieh tidier, if they da™d advanc TZJT""^ " '' '""^"'"" "^"""^ "^ thoLuehai., the warning w., unheeded; the advance continued, and that night the ,oldie« cleaned tl.eii nfle, and pohahed their bayonet, in expectaUon of an encounter on th. morrow. ^ Hostile natives were living in «)me villaRas in the hill, in front and next mommg the column moved forward in the direction of these. Up th. rteepand difficult ascent the t,«>p, leLoriously toiled over a narrow path, and when tliey emeiged from this they were met by a sudden volley from a hidden foe at close quarters ; a second volley quickly followed (he fii^t ; but f bayonets were fixed, a charge -was made, and the enemy fled. All day the march continued, and all day efforts were made by the Lushais to check th. "dvance, but they wore ever unable to with^taud the British bayonet.. Th. 24S ■ABL BOBIBn, d^b up the rteep hill, had thon.ughly exhau,t«l the »en who th«w ftemselv* down on the pound unmindful of the occadond d,ot8 that fell •mong them from the enemy concealed m the neighboring thickets. All th„ exhausting work had been to little or no purpose. It is true Mcended with such difficulty and at such risks. »- J- <» An .fl ""' "^^ "" '*"'""" '"'* " "" ^'^'•^'^ *<> P^^ '•'o n"»> « rest An effort was m^o to celebrate the day in a way that would remind them oi the homeland. With true British foolhardiness they pUced a big table in an ^posed jK^tjon in theoj«n, and, while occa»onal shots dipped Lund them ^^r ?. .^"I"^ '^"P^ooten, tho^ughly enjoyed their Christmas dinner. Af«,r they had well eaten of such fare as they had been able to bring into ^^T"' """""^ """^ "'"'^ ^^'""^ ""«'<' "" J-^'^-of A.U zLcho vUh thcr unaccustomed note. The Lushais must have imagined the feast «d,,ng,ng were part, of a truly reUgiou, ce«mony. for while the m««, lasted, as If m superstitious dread, they ceased firing. On the foUowing day they began to retrace their step, pursued by the 2 y dender column to pieces. The mob that followed on the track, of the column might have »cceeded in doing considerable damage, but the .tl^ r . r "■ """ '«'"^'"«--^"' w-io". beat back^eir every attempt to strike a successful blow at the retreating force. .ift-^v'^rr..^ ^^^ """"^ ™' "' ">' ■""* ""^Pt^ble New Year'. g.fls of his life, the news that he had been appointed deputy^uarterm«,ter ^ne«d by I.rf Napier. Soon ailer this he was to be gladden^! ther^; o^theLusha^ country by still better news. A man child had been LJZ lum-theboy, who, two years ago, was to give his life so gallantly for his country endeavormg to rewue the gumi at the Tugela. to oofiln'^' "f^"*<": """'""'d its march, the gravest difficulty Roberts had to contend with wa. the utter lack of information he had with „gard to the ^untiythi^gh which hew., marching. Good guide, he could ^,07^ W TH« LAMD OF IH« LOBBAI& 247 tto native, who we« not in arm. did all they could to hamper the advance kdLn T X*""" "'"""« '"'"'"' " " '-y «5'"''8 direction, that ^^^ T ^"'^' ~""^ °" "^""^ ~"^»=» 't'y "»' the force It^""" tr^" "''"''' ™""^ ""^ '""'"• ""» * »»P' »>"' «" «•« eten-al watchfulne- of Robert. He wa. ever in advance of tl>e main army, with Ua keen and expenenced eyes looking ont for danger. Once at a place whore 1 T^TT^f ^ " "" ^' "•' '^"'"' •'™ " »'«'=''<1<'. -'o^btle^ well r !, . He Jia. ever delighted in getting round the flank of an enemy, and « n-.3tead of hurUng the column against the strong position of the tribes he ma-» a w.de em»,t ■■entailing a lon^ and weary drag up and down steep «purs, at one time attaining . height of 6,000 feet," till at last he struck the Z JT'" "^r. '.""" '*^°"* *^* "°''""'»- "^o """K" 0^ Toikum wa. mtuated on a hall m h.a ftont. and to this place the Lushais hurriedly ,eti™d, but a couple of well placed shells made them flee from their stronghold in ^^ and the British entered and gave the bamboo-built village to th. The burning of Taikum practically closed the Lushais campaign. Th. C.«har column experienced no more fighting, and the CWttagong column General BiownloW, hand, and to promise to cease from their raid, Mbura, expecting to be «verely punished for his many misdeeds, had fled. but bui people expressed themselves as thoroughly penitent -„»*?.' ?"i!!"^\"""'°™' '"'™8««»»Pl»hedthe work it had been »nt out to do. began the return march, leaving the Lushai. much impressed with their prowess and gene«>sity. Th. mareh back to Cachar was a hard one and the troop, reached that place thowughly worn out, and all the time m^read of the cholera which was still carrying off an occasional nativ, There were no wondrous deeds performed on this expedition by either expedition from first to hist was one of sheer harf work." _,.v ^ ^^f * ^^^ '™°'* '''■°"" ^^ '° "^imliL Wom out a. he was with the arduous c«npaign h. had just been through, he much needed a r«t 248 ■ARI, BOBCBTL in hi, ab«„«,, and a nur^C' in t ,^ 1,°""°' '^"^ '""» <•<»"• their boy. J„rt aa the Z, ? ""''' "'^' ''"«"'P'«J *» ™rf« done go^ wotin the Lii™""°.v "' "'"* '"' "'"« '">» »"«» th. hTTaa heenrltrZn ;rBar r "" ^^T '-"- map and geog»phy, thwarted bylle iSl Th!! ^ "" ''" '"'"'"* pn.g«»., he «^med never at a loT But^; ^r" "" " "''"^ ™' waa it that he exerted him«,l, \Th.lh T, \ '^ ^ '^ department *h. pathless for^Tor ,^W ^ '"« ""' '"J^'«'~ guard through po.^.a^:r:i.irng;';r..""""'^"" - ^-^ ^^^^y ^^ had ^l'ri„ren:rhi:';i'''''r^"''' '"'' •" •^ ^"«"' «"-« -^» M» such an emtr.r ?drn;lTh t" ^ t "'^ ""^^ .he rentier tribe. The o,d gen Jl^rre^^rj^at Zt T Majesty's hands at Windsor iii.t »„•„. » j "" «. o. ii from Her colonel he would be given the offi™ f Tu """""^ ""' "'""'^ "' he had been train^ms^iT '^'"'='' "*" "°™ ''"' ■*"''^ ^ ^'"^- During the latter part .f this i-aar and the oj^ning month, of 1876. h. a* 9< t<'i>. 111. S> TBI LAin> OF THB IVJBAU 251 wu busy at Delhi making arrangements for the reception of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, then on a visit to India, and in supervising the manoBuvres in the Prince's honor. Daring 1878 he was busy for the most part assisting in inspecting camps of exercise in hill stations, but at the close of the year he had to make arrangements for a magnificent ceremony at DelhL The Queen was to be proclaimed Empress of India at the spot where the first great tragedies of the Mutiny had occurred twenty years before, and the young quartermaster^neral was allotted the task of organizing the camp necessary for this imposing ceremony. The following is an official account of this celebrated meeting : " The scene on the morning of the proclamaaon (January 1, 1877) assumed a varied and dazdiug character. Every ruUng chief, and every European governor and Ueutenant^vernor sat under his own banner, surrounded by native nobles and European officials. Every eifort was made to mingle the mUug chiefs with the European officials, so as to avoid questions of precedence, which have excited bitterness and heart burning in India from the remotest antiquity. The result was such a display of Oriental costumes and insignia with British uniforms and banners as was m r witnessed before. Sixty-three ruling chiefs of India were present in the u.npiiitheatre. They and their reUnues, all in gorgeous costumes of satin, velvet, or cloth-of- gold, were everywhere mixed up with European officials in their uniforms of red and dark blue." Over all this assemblage Roberts presided as the organizing spirit, and, needless to say, his work was done with his usual skill and thoroughness. In this same year the cloud that was for ever appearing over the frontier hills began to grow big and threatening. At this juncture Lord Lytton was meditaUng changes that would necessitate the appointment of a chief commissioner for the frontier provinces, "who would be responsible to the government of India alone for frontier administration and trans-frontier relations." Lord Lytton, in the short period in which he had an opportunity of studying Roberts' character concluded that his organizing power, his soldierly qualities, lua knowledge of frontier men and frontier ways, would make him an ideal man for the posiUon, and he told him that ho was to 25> 'AM BOBIBT). have . chance to carry out th. ." .°"'" "S''*'"*' ^^ >»«"« he would now conrfHaUon and fZIu ItwS-^^^nt "^ n"*"^' ' ^"^^ »' wor^..„Uha,meirrau.t.a.rn.'::d'Snar;c:"°' " "" •^°- havo?ch\i:;s\Xhir'r'"''^'*"'-^'''''«- - chief comn.i«ione1^p he Ht 'i, ^' ' ^"•""""'^ movetowarf, the fo«e. m .arch ISTs'he wZr^ ^ ~::;:7^j' !^« ^■^■'"' ^""tier held by the force now «nH„ v '*"'"' ""P«'ed the posts « to «i-:rr iirrirarrt:;': rj'r oommissionerahip. ^ "' ""* proposed chief «a '^2: iThttit tr ''IT f "•^ "•" '^■"«" «"" '"«^» proceed to Kohat to toChrrrrr "' ''f'"''""'"^ ""t" -"«! "pon to .^ their wa.thro^rt^XT.lelr.-^^''^"^ ^ ^ OHAFTER ZZU BOBEBTS' FUUT OOUlUIIDk SBgUnM Bfauden la AflhuiaUn— The Chumeter o( Shen All— Rtmlm Bittndllit Hv Tttnltoiy Sonthward — Rtudm loflnentlal in Eabnl — BngUnd't "Maaterly InactiTlty" — Bnicland Requires the Atiilr to Accept a Pemuaent Resident— Shere Ali Reiiats the Demand — Lord Lytton Forced to Make Preparationa for War— The Plan ot o^entiona— A Ferilona Undertaking— The Afghan aa a Warriot^-Robcrta in Command of KurAm Field Force — Meets the Bnemy at Peiwar Kotal — A Finely Planned Fight — A Magnificent Vlctorj — Congratulations from Her Majesty — A "Necessary but Most Unpleasant Daty"— Shore All in Despair — ^The Treaty of Gnndamufc— Major ^vagnari Appc^ted Resident at at Eabnl— Roberta' Farewell to Cavagnati — Roberta Thanked by Both nnnies of Parliament and Made • Knight Commander of the Bath. AB hu been gaid in a prerioiu chapter, the histor; of England*! early relationihip with Afghaiiiatan does not make pleasant reading. In the events leading up to the Firat Afghan War there was one long ■eries of blunders and crass stupidity which ended in humiliating disaster, that was in no way lessened by the heroic work done by the defendera of Jellalabad or the excellent generalship shown by Nott and Pollock in the final snnea of the war. But for the courage shown by the soldiers who adTinoed to Kabul, seeking retribution and endeavoring to rescue the battered remnants of Elphinstone's army, all else is, as Archibald Forbes has said, "*a sombre welter of misrepresentation and unscrupulousness, intrigue, moral deterioration, and dishonor unspeakable." In many ways the noblest man that emerged from this war was Dost Mahomed, who though outrageously used by the British, fully forgave them ; and through the critical days of the Great Mutiny, by his staunch friendship, averted the interference of the A%han8 in India affairs, and thus saved the Punjab. His son Shore Ali, who succeeded to his father's throne, was, however, a very different type of man ; a schemer, thoroughly unscmpulons and greedy. •Vartssi Tks Afskaa Wan. 2i>3 Ui whole policy wu to lUnd north I ■ASL Mumi. a apectetor of the attitade of Buaia on the to me their antegoniim to euh , ever I I England on other for bis own end*. England', whole aim had been to n«, Afghanirtan a. a -' buiftr rtato." 1878 ri,, had rea«>n to feel conriderably alarmed. A half century before du^x« the u.tonren„g yea,. Ru«ri. had been .lowly forcing her way .onth, ft«.. had «c„,«d the country betw«,n the Und River and Sea of Aral : n» wa. rf,e content wth thi.; Tad,kend, Khojend, Bokhara, and 8«narkand we« one jJler another bought under her «™y. At the «me time .he wa, ~ntauallyende.vor.ng to ing™tiate her»lf with Perria. hoping for an ouU« „M^ ^1 ?' ■*""' "'" " """ '" "^ '^ <" 8he« Ali. and the Z '^'™''"*^ '" commercial deaUng., and in the baaai. R««ian gooZ occupied the most prominent place. i« t«™^"..*'°".^*'""' "" "°"^''« '" " I^«»° <"• '".t the authorit. dlvZf; ^"""^''y '"««"'y-" She Stood aloof f™m Afghanirt«,, but en- deavored to keep the Amir and hi, people friend]^ by .„nud g,«,tso money. ^against the Englid. But Shore Ali was without graUtude. He accept. ^ the g,ft. but continued to play off Rusda against EngUrnd, with a decided «.mng toward. Ru.,a At length he went farther than me^Iy showing ^ ndly feehng toward. England', enemy. He even began to entor int! friendly negotiation, with Russia, and Major Cavagnari. Deputy^mmi«ioner to KrbuT"' ' """ **" ^""^ Govermnent was despatohing an envoy .utho'^r'.^^""." ""'''* '° ^"''" '° '"" " ^'"'"y- '«"' "^o «™«1 with authonty to «md a muaion to Kabul, who* errand would be to require of the Amir the acceptance of a permanent Resident and free «k«. to the MDIIITa' riBST COHUAmik 266 fton«erp- way thr»,gh the d^ Z^ the Afghan hills; but they had before them a resolute foe confidLTL^ ■oBiKTt' n*n coiminb 1ST •Willy to Wt b.cV the invrier.. .nd bttar «,ulpp«l both in rifle. «d gun. lh«>k England, who in her de«P. to make thorn rtrong againrt Ru«,i,„ tov«,on had been giving them weapon, to dertroy her own «ldie™. Th. tidier, -^f the three eolumn. knew that th^r had no holiday trip befo,. tliem ; the marching wonlj be difficalt, and the pa.t wamcl them that »«,, of them woul leare their bone, to bleach among the hill, where » many gallant »ldien "md already fallen to w litUo purpow. The character of the fanatical Mahomodan. againrt «hom they wer. marching « .trongly depicted by an Engliah officer who hsd e^periencri their fighting powert '^ with'th"r^''*'."'"V ■" ""• "'"'"' "■'"■" °' "''"8 l'""^'- I"" flght. with the furocty of a tiger, and cling, to life till hi. eye. gla„ and hi. huid. «ni« to pull a p..tol trigger or u«, a knifo in a dying effort to kill or maim fl u*T/; . ""° "'""" °' "" """ ■"""' pronounced on the batU. field, of Afghanistan than perhap. they have ever been in India, if we except the retnbmion day. of the Mutiny. To .pare a wounded man for a minute wa. probably to cau«, the death of the next »klior who un^ispectingly walked paat him. One thing our men certainly learned in AfgranirtL. and that wa. to keep their wit. about them when punning an enemy or passing over a hard-won field. There might be danger lurking in each «cmi„gly inanimate form studding the ground, and unles, care and caution were exercised, the wounded Afghan would steep his ^ .1 in bliss by killing a Kafir just when life ,vas at its last ebb. This stuLuora love of fighting in extreme i. promoted. doubtless,by fanaUcism, and we saw so much of it that our men at close quarten, always drove their bayonets well home, so that there should be no mistake as to the deadliness of the wou.d. The phvsical courage which distinguished the untrained mobs who fought so resolutely against us was worthyof all admiraUon , the temerity with which men, badly «med. and lacking skilled leaders, clung to their position, was remarkable. to »y nothing of the sullen doggedne^ they so often showed when retiring! But when the tide of the fight set in fully against them and thev saw that further «»u,tance would involve them more deeply, there wa. so radden . 9M lAai aoium ehuig. alw.yf .pp,Mnt tbit on. oould Kwjtly Mltr. that th. AisttlTt. hnnying om th. hill. wn. th. «n.. m.n «ho h«l «»i,t«l « d.«.»tdT but . f.w ml„ul« b.f™. Th.y «^ wWy ; ,h.y k„.w ,heir p^ i„ •cling ,t«p h.ll^ or making th.ir Mcp. by fle.tn«. of fcot; and th. hoM genwally d.««lved with a rapidity which no on. bot «> .y, witnc can •pp-wlAt.. If cavalry ovrtook th«m, th.y turned Ilk. wolvc u>d fought with d..p.r.t.on. filing th.ir liv« m dearly m „., men «ld them: h>t th.™ wa. no mlly i„ the tru. ««, of th. wori. and but faint attempto at .ding each other. Th.i, „g„I„ troop. w.« but liltl. amenabl. to dfac.pl.ne, by rea«.n of deBcient training, and they re»rted to tactic, the, had pursued a. tribwmou when one they w.r« forced to retire." It wu againrt neh an .n.my that the Briti.h wer. now adv«,cing, detertmned to enue the blot which re.ted upon the tidier, of England «.r •inc. the loat great war among th. hills. No »oner h»d Sir Samuel Browne'. «,Iumn bogun iU advance through ttf kT ^T? ° " ""^ "'" "^^'^ »"'"' 8«''«''8 began along the Khyber, but po..t.on after pcition held by th. Afghan, wa. taken a..d in n rri '^^ * ""''' •*«"• ^ ""^^ *» ""^hing th. piai„ of Jellalabj^ Th. «ve« Afghan wintar wa. upon th. «,Iumn L here they . "camp«l hll ^,,ng. Though they had beaten back the hillmen they were »ntmually called upon to «pul«™dden raid, made by the Afghan, who lurked ,n the fa,tne»e. of the «.rrounding mountain^ and never neglected an opportun.ty of inflicting lose upon the FtringhU. However by fa, d,e greatest interest centres areund the column under M^or General Roberts. Thi, was hi. first command. I » true he had skilfully M a fore, againat the village Ir r- '". !. ''"*" """"'' »"" """ --> • '■n^'l .ffa.r and .n .t there was little hazard. Now he had a compact army of h.s own ; he was thrown absolutely on hU own resourees. and in one .hortdayhe was to rise in the ertimation of the empire from a careful. method,ca^ brave, and trustworthy officer to a brilliant and resourceft.1 g«.eraL The army under him was ridicuiao^ty small, and as he sat out on IH IRELAHD, THK ROYAL HO.FITAr.KILWwllAM THE HAHDY HAH. ny prrmi»k>n. Henry (ir«ve ft Co., Uld. Lu. BOBIBTB riRST COHHANDl. S61 hig northward march on November 21 the people along the frontier who knew the strength of the force he would have to encounter in a few daye, pitied the brave fellowa who, they deemed, were going to their death. Roberta himself was not without considerable forebodings. His column advanced without encountering the enemy for a few days until they were approaching the Peiwar Kotal, a natural position of great strength. A false report as to the location of the enemy was brought to Roberts, and it was not until he had attempted to rusli the enemy's position that he discovered them in great numbers in an almost impregnable position along the broken ridge from the summit of Spingawai Mountain on the left to the Peiwar Kotal. The position occupied extended between three and four miles, and it wos calculated that there were behind the entrenchments between 16,000 and 18,000 men, while to drive out this force Roberts had only between 3,000 and 4,000 men. It looked impossible; but will and skill combined can do much, — and Roberta had both. He studied the ground with the greatest care, and decided, despite the rough nature of the slopes up which he would have to march, to make a night attack. Four days after reaching the enemy's position he felt that he knew the country sufficiently well to try to force them from their stockades. To carry out his plan he had to hazard everything ; had any part of his movement failed his little army would doubtless have been smashed to pieces. His plan was a bold one ; according to some military critics a foolhardy one ; but the success of it was complete. A. great general will at times risk everything for one brilliant stroke, and Roberts in this instance proved himself worthy of a place beside the world's greatest generals. It will be remembered that daring the Mutiny he displayed a wonderflil genius for finding his way about in the dark. He now determined to march through the darkness by his right on the Spingawai Kotal for thi purpose of turning the enemy's left ; and having done this he could then press back their flank and help crush their centre. To do this effectually he needed the bulk of the army under him, and so selecting 2,263 men and taking with him eight guns he began his flank movement. Before leaving camp the fires were built high to deceive the enemy and the tents were left standing. UBL BOBKBTV the .tinned onhir.itlrPa^l^^r"' 'T "•°'" '"'"'™'^ ""^^ their friend, on the hill top of the t? . T "°^ '"'" "^^ *» ""» were not heard or ff hll '^f ""^ ''''''«''- fortunately the ri,ot» Meanwhile Roberta had rignalled to Brifiadier Cbbbe to a»i,t him bv ^n!l^ ,! ""^^ "° P"^- •"" '=<«'«°"«' to '•''"»- "P the advant; gamed. Soon, however, hie force waa brought to a .tandetilU Th» aT,. h^ recovered from the abode of the first .lif, at^ " L jJ^H tuning movement which would'bLXri J^^T^T. "f " and threaten their retreat '" «o the rear of the Afghan force Brigadier Cobbe with his handihl of men wae doing fine work on the ^Tth:ih^;:^rLr::r^ r^'- '- — "-- force forward, poured in a hot rifle fl™ from 800 ,ard. making Z^hl ■obebtb" fibw comuaa 188 gunne™ d«ert the>r ga™, .nd then dia,g«l ft. porition. Robert,' hemmed in between the« two determined and well-handled force., and when tte final mah was made by Colonel Drew they fled in terror, leaving behind ft m their sto«,. their ammnnition. and »venteen gnne. besides many dead. 0,1^ Hngh Gongh with the cavalry went after them in hot pursuit and Mlrr^"*" Off a number of fugitive, and in capturing several guns, ^e fight had been a hard, alMay .tmggle; but the British loss was small, only twenty-one killed and seventy-two wounded. Roberts had proved himself not only a brave soldier but . leader in Afghan warfare without a ^iperior in India. His men knew the chances Tim:^ "I ? '""• '"' ''^^ *""' ""'"^-^ •"- -"-out a murmur. F™m first to last he has been able to inspire his officers and soldi.rs alike l^^t\7T "t'™"' "" "'"™ '^ •"»'»■'• >"» >»» have never he^tated to follow. He had been in several tight corners during the day «d on one occasion was under a hail of lead for nearly half an hour, bu «aped with notlnng worse than a finger grazed by a bullet He an^ his men were thoroughly worn out by the marching entailed in the two turning though the night was piercingly cold and they we™ without blanke.s they h«w themselves down on the hard dde of Spingawai mountain and slept Kab^Vr' ;^'"? '"" *^''^*'""" -"^"-^-"^ hurrying towa^ Kabul broken and disheartened. Several days after the storming of Peiwar Kotal Roberts received the folWing message from the Qne«., and he knew that hi^ name was in ever,- ZL'r tr^'r."' '•"'"<-'''«• the news of the decisive victory of 0»e™^ Roberts a^d the splendid behavior of my bmve soldiers with pLe «d satisfaction, though 1 must ever deplore the unavoidable loss of life FW taquire after the wounded in my name. May we continue to receive men^^t" t" "^T"^ ^'^ "^ ^''""■'^ '"^'" congratulating hi. men on their bravery, but never any that gave him more pleasure than the one given forth after the storming of Peiwar Kota!. " M^or Genera! Roberts 204 **XL SOBian wngratnUtM the Knnim Vi^u w "rength. and held by .„ enemy rZlZ ^T ,"1 '"""'"' "' «t™o«iin«or enemy the advantage of g„„ J, T. „ W ?" r^" """ ""'^ "'«» '^^ «.nfo™,d from Kabul the «;««■„? Ivf ^^"' " "-'y »ere la^.y «PPa-t,y imp„,„,,,, ,„^ u r^.„7'7 ^ 'h; attack. A ^^ Afghan army hae been completely CtS a„^ '""'' P°'"™ »' *« .tore, of ammunition and supplie- 1" b« T™""^ «^'"' '^^ >»■»« honorable, and »uld only have uL ach ° T""^' """• "»"" " ""^ d.scip,in^p,b.e of enduring harll^lt '*"»'" '" " "«'» «""« of the British army have always fou,H m n '" *" '«'" " "'d'e™ of the brave men who have faCfn^h "T »""' «<"«'ta deeply regrets feeU for the suffering of ZTZZ '' '"""' '^'"'^ "' "-e^dutyS -erTte^r: snTit: r; *° -^"™ -- - -to,. -i'h. If ho could be kind, h„ It k™ '^' ""' ""* ''"'' <» l« ^^^t «".t shot intended to w rT t'lirar Tt **""'"'''''' «^«' «'« .ontenccd to death and two „the„,:,tS:i'"*^ British advance, was After this '. necessary but mo./ f "^ '»Pri«onment as the ShutarganlaTTaZ o% 2^' 'n^: "'' "'"" '°-"' " '" miles from Kabul Later he saw ™lT ""V''"'' '"" '"«''■ ""-o"' ««? J^host valley but deemed it wis!! ^ a^T^J^ f' ? 'hile exploring thi eo mlo winterniuarters to await orfe^tL "^'"'" P*"'""" "■>-! In March he was visitpH T . '"" °° ^«''nl- India, Sir F«derick Hainerwho T"""'''^'"^'''*^ »' "-e forces in «"""nt work they ^.TZ I'lrf^^:^ '"T ""^ "'' ^ 0--^: even then resting. As he pointed ou7 1 m '" "''°^ "'"''•"' '"ey were whom he had hoped so much wi,hd,^w t J "'""' ""■ «"™'''n=- f™m kOBESTB* Finn COUMAinik 26S ment ; lie now nieaaed him, made him regent, and fled ftom Kabul. Ho directed hia stepe towards Tushkend; but Rugsia would not allow him to croM into her territory, and two months later the wretched man died at Balkh in northern AfKhaniatan. His death changed the whole aspect of aSiiirs. His son, Yakub Khan, had at first shown a determination to hold out against the Ftrioffhi, but after the death of his father he weakened, and seemed ready to negotiate terms of peace. His sirdars were leaving him, the British columns were within a couple of days' march of Kabul ; and under the circumstances he thought it advisable to have a personal conference with Major Cavagnari at Gundamuk. It is worthy of note, as showing the influence of Russia at that time at Kabul, that the Amir end his general-in- chief, Daoud Shah, arrived at the meeting place clad in Russian uniforma From May 8 till May 26 the terms of the treaty were discussed. By the terms of the Treaty of Gundamuk then formulated, the Amir practically, aa Forbes points out, became a feudatory to England. • " The Amir," Forbes writes, " consented to the residence of British agents within liis dominions, guaranteeing their safety and honorable treatment, while the British government undertook that its representatives should not interfere with the internal administration of the country. The districts of Ksheen, Kuram, and Sibi were cedfd to the British government along with the permanent control of the Khyber and Michnai passes, and of the mountain tribes inhabiting the vicinity of those passes ; and all other Afghan territory in British occupation was to be restored. The obligations to which the treaty committed the British government were that it should support the Amir against foreign aggression with arms, money, or troops at its discretion, and it should pay to him and his successor an annual subsidy of £60,000. Commercial relations between India and Afghanistan were to bo protected and encouraged ; a telegraph lino between Kabul and the Kuram was forthwith to be constructed ; and the Amir was to proclaim an amnesty relieving all and sundry of the subjects from punishment for services rendered to the British during the war." A" this seemed very fovorable to the British, but it was to be short 'Forbes: TIM aicUmi v, ma, ' — — — , _ mmimmmmmrmiM sea *AU XOBBinL lived indwd, and h.d bem aUnod .t . . «»». The colmnn lh.t had Cpied L^H "^ ^ ""^ "^ autuom. but « theh«.t of mi^^„^rl " """''"^ '^"> «» «» heat and chol.™ «.«„ iUylji,:^^' Th l!:*""^ °"^ '"» ^' ""e™* Even after thi. vTtorion t """^ '""' ""'"'"• "' 'heir the march of Browne'. coll„ hotLl^ "" ""* ""• "''*""' "««'',•■ .3 .o..onM..era^hav7C~jrS " "-"»' r>iJo., entered Kabul Tit ^7" t"""'^-'™ "°''"- "^ »"' foreboding, of evil, and thj;j;:'rjf.f "^""^ "' """» »»«' character of the Afghan feTthat tf "'""°''^"'«' '^"herons Koberts acco.pani^ cCari and hi;:"/'''"! '°'° »"" J^' <" ^-th. •nd at a farewell dinner .TlTto Z ' '."^ " Shutar^arfan Pas,, » -re was he that hi, commi'lT ^T "' """ ^'''J"' ''°' not do it Robert, wa, of the^nrZ / u ^ ^" '''^"' "»' '''' "^-W the Anurri,ould have hadaitlTLol''::;?"'^' "'"""">« '"""'"'--f w« signed. "* '"°"' ""'""g "P I'efo™ a treaty with them wa.tot::t^rS7art^XJr^''-'---^--'>-he aecoMed the thank, of bothtoJ^ jtlf "T '^" ^""^ "« ""O >-» Commander of the Bati,. Pa^'ament and was made a Knight «l.«e«S^!«3 :l ' ■ -i ' OHAPTEK XXm. ■> FBIDIIUOK BOBIBTB' MABCH TO KiBUI. ■otwtoBM. . Trip to E»glMid-TlM CrilicJ SltoMioi. of CT.gn.ri in Z.M-HU RoMfnl f '^'j:*".,"l*r\;?'' =«<«-*'«> G<»«™>«.« D.CW. to Occupy K.b„r-^^j^^ C^fnlly Prep.™ to HU Ad™,™ on K.b„l_HU OM„ to tl,c Kabul HeM^or^h' Ad«nw B.gin*-Rob.rtt' N«iow E«.p,--Color-S..xe.nt Hector M«don.ldAU™ru o( tlie MM-Frocl.m.ti„n to th. People of K.bul-A Bud Fight sJm E.bul-A&«,^ VicloiT-WItUn Bight of the City of Kdnil. "Oul-A Gmt THOUGH Eob«t. had such foreboding, of evil concerning Cavagnari and the UtUe company that wae on ita way to Kabul, he did not deem it probable that, after the dmbbing he had just given the Afghana, there would be an early oocaaion for again marching into their country. As there was no immediate prospect of war in the east he and his wife planned • trip to England where they intended to place their young son at school ; but their plans were to be rudely shattered. When Cavagnari bade good-bye to Roberts and his other friend, he rede fearlessly forward towards the city of Kabul-, place already of iragic interest to the British soldier. He was accompanied by his secretary Mr William Jenkins, Dr. Ambrose Kelly, and Lieutenant W. R. P. Hamilton V. C, who was in command of the escort of seventy-five soldiera of the Guides. It was a small company, but as tho Amir by the Treaty of Gund«nuk had sworn to receive the Mission in his country, and to protect its members while there, it was deemed unwise to make the slightest show of Jorce. If Cavagnari had any fear for himself hia calm, unmoved countenance gave no sign of it ; and he advanced towards Kabul apparently ahwlutely confident that no hetm would come te him or hia liicn and that hU presence in Kabul would keep the Amir from plotting" with RusTb 267 968 ■*■'• ■OBOTH. •oldien of Aynb .l„n ou«ed th»T ^ ' "•'*''" """^ «•«». th. hand to check th. „„b. (^^^ *^"'' '» "• «<> «h«ir «fety w«, on -taation but h. o.ln,Iy met ftlT.!^ J" .r"" °' *' f™^"""* "^ t^ <»<.J.«iu,eh.a«.J,„.,?;r»«-^^';;^^^^ There u one «,peot in which Fn.i Tu •"'"ged." »-y of her nobleZ™. she h^ ^f^' "" •^«' '^-<»«'y ««-».» hem, to almoet certain death lyin^ °"? "^f"^ *- 'o «o. evelL. *- .I.ye« will p., .he ;n"^.f '"sh'T ' "''•" " '"^ '" ^■"«> expoct.ng«n,i.iviIi.edand oven „Le „! t" r" ***" "^^ *^'«". »"gh wn« of honor, ft wa. a ctuTm T "*""' «»»««>»« of her own »^ bHiliantaoidier aa ^"i^ .'^'ht ^7 ^ '°°"*^""«-» <»unt.y where every „,an w«^„^ ^ '" '"^'' '""'■J *« ">. heart of . ^e JWnM.-. and wher, the ^ZZ^Tl"^'"'"^'^ "-""^ '" ■""W. er, were men notorioualy h^ichereu. and If the government had acted nn«,- i ■ •»» into the lion', den, the men S " """"'^ '""'' « '"«>' hody of '"t. "">« British name, 'the re:i'':rrr^;::'-"-'''y»nfld^^^ to th. Am.r we«, ,hey thought, »iBcienr„ J^'* T" ""' "■" "">"« "' *. ™-i:i;xratr:;.:sT L'r !' "o <■-'" 'hat hi. auth^SlL'":!!:"""''"""^""^'-^ Afghanu,ta„. Thi. ie not to be wonder^ "tT T""'""'' *'"' "hole of oppn«ion on Shore Ali Khan's par^::fj;'."^' ''='''«" "^ "iarule and • ■ • • ^»---^or.gnar.::::;'';;rrni:tiLt,"".^°"- M THE ABtBNT-MINDEO BBOOAR Hy permiK»i..n, Hrnry I Irn^c & L..,. I.id. Ij.ndou ""O lOUIIT* m (OUTH m raiomoE nmwKi^ MAiicn lo eibul, fji I Ur, no doabt that wh«D dii.flM«d p.noo. «, tl.,t th.y g.t no •ncoDngemoit ftom nt the following meaaage to General Roberta at Simla : "One Jelaladin GhilaU, who ny. ha U in Sir Loui. Cavagnari't aecnt ■ervice, haa arrired in hot hait. ftom Kabul, and solemnly rtates that yesterday morning the Residency waa attacked by three legimenla, who had mutinied for their pay. they having guna and being joined by a portion of six other regiments. The Embaaiy and escort were defending themselvea when he left about noon yesterday " (September 8). « I hope to receive (Urther news." This tragic telegram was only too true. Not only had the soldiers attacked the Residency, but the inhabitants of Kabul had rushed towards the fatal spot in thMisands, eager for loot and thinUng for the blood of the Fmnghi,. Cavagakri. on the flnt outburst, despatched a meesenger to the Amir, but he took no active measures to quell the disturbance, and a fierce struggle went on for some hours about the Bala Hissar. The gallant little garrison mode sally after sally into the fierce crowd that were besieging them, and bravely beat them back. But the crowd grew denser and the figlit fiercer. At length only a few of the members of the mission romained ahve. and these determined to fight to the death. The gates were burst open ; the Residency was set on fire ; but the few remaining soldiers took up a position on the roof and shot down many of their treacherous foes before fire and the sword put an end to their heroic efibrts. The story of this massacre thrilled India and England, and, indeed, the dvihred world. There was but one course left England ; AfEhanistan must be punished. There was an element of justice in the destruction of the Mciocorv incHurioN tkt outr (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. J) 1.0 tai23 12J ■is ta |L25|U I 1 2.2 IIP 1.6 .^IPPLIEO \Mps had, an but a small number, left on their «tum march L" d,a Sckt^^Bil r "r "' "" °"' '° . I^sition to reach K^ tZ the Af.r "^ ""*'""' ""* "^"^ '''«' 'o ««» the fact that the Afghan wmter was near at hand when it would be almost impossible to carry on military operations^ ""possiwe The situation, however, permitted of no delay. On September 6, when the couuci of war met at Simla, there were no more than 7 000 men rmmed,ately available; but a plan of campaign was at once ma^d 1\ and the operations against Kabul entrusted to Sir Frederick Robert^ He was an extremely young general to have such an imnortent command, but Ix.rd Lytton. the vi.roy. and Sir F. Haines, the coZS^ m.h,ef, could not have made a more popular appointment He was only no7TT 'T.-"'- '"' ""'^ "«"" ■""* ™'^'- '"«■ ""-J »--> uudTr him not only loved h,m. but had absolute confidence in his courage and ead " .lup. He had m the battle of Peiwar Kotal proved himself IheglaJo^ «TB FBEDERICE BOBEBTa' UAHCH TO EABDb S78 generaU who had yet faced the Afghans in their own hills. His long experience as quartermaster-general gave his troops confidence, too, that not only would they be led well, but that they would be well cared for during the difficult campaign on which they were about to enter. The plan of campaign was, briefly, as follows : Sir Donald Stewart waa to reoccupy Kandahar, General Massy was to seize the important position at the crest of Shutargardan Pass, to fortify himself there and await the arrival of General Koberts; a third force was to be held as a reserve between Peshawar and Rawal Pindi. When Roberts took the command he found the small force totally tinprepared for an advance into the enemy's country. Lack of transport and lack of provisions were the great hindrancps to an immediate forward movement; but he went to work with a will and these difficulties were soon overcome. When General Roberts had arranged with Sir F. Haines as to what reinforcements were to be sent after him he set out for the front on September 6. On September 11 General Massy had occupied Shutargardan Pass without opposition, and awaited the coming of his chief. Roberts was, however, in no hurry. He reached Alikhel, but made no haste to leave this place. He remained there to get his transport into shape^ to collect supplies, and to deceive the Afghans as to his real intentions. The orders he issued to his troops when he joined his command only increased the love and confidence in which he was already held by the Kabul Keld Force. "The government of India having decided that a force should proceed with all possible despatch to Kabul j in response to His Highness the Amirs' 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* "Them^or-general need address no words of exhortation to soldiera whose courage and fortitude have been so well proved. The Afghan tribes 1,1 ii S74 lABL ROBERTS, P -pl •re numerous, but without orMnization • ,h. •nd whatever may be the d!l»^ •' ""' "«"'" "»y ^ undi«iph-„e drawn; prompt paymlt L ?• f Z™" ''^'^ ^PP""' >-"»' "o dcpartmentsandinSulad nT " "" ''^'"''' P""""-* "y political officer for dSl ' """'' """" '"' "' ""^ "^-^d to thl accomXUfoTrtSr^'f' '^"""^ *° «■" " ^^^ -Wed government in IfSr.'. " ° "'"'"'*""™' »' <"^- "-^ » ^. M^mr rr lira! tvr r "^T r '-"--"^ '- them co-workers with himselE h!w ih I, """ '"'^ "'"^'^^°«^' -""tes has n,used him. His Z^X^Z^Zf':!^- ""^ '""' °''^™«-" retribution" are the ezpressioafffh '"'"'''^ """'^'■" ""-^ » "jnst offense committed is one dnnot be f "'" °' " "'"""' """*• T'- aown tii, the slayers of his flrd hi L^:":!. ""' "" "''" '"' "»' ^'^ warned to expect opp^^it on r "" ''™'^° ""'^ ™«''- """^ '- "ad been pn.wes, of the littl~T- "^^ """»' «•«» the Afghan, knowing the and poured a X «" : Tornll t '""^ """'"*^^ "•^-''^- him were wounded. T^e en mv !T T' ^'^- """ '«™"'' '"»>'t number, w.™ beaten backed';! '? "J '*""« '"^"■'"' -"^ '''""O in tMs sam. aay. when ^.7 a^^a ta^'' ''"'*'^^"'"'° '"''• ^ with the Afghans Color »rity their own »fe"hX' Snf L 1""^° '"""^""^ "«"'«^--'' ^» «>-u- a. 4 seen. XZ:' IJt^ ^XiT"' " "' ™'" °"'- ">ake war on women and children walT government does not children should be removed Z^L ITu "/!" """ "' """"«' "<» British government desir^r^ .7,^""""^ """ "'"'' "' ""^ '''^^ tHeir religion, fee.ingTaTd cuTl Ihir I" ''^'^- ""* *» "'P-' ofiende™. Evenr etfort wUI 7k T ^ """""^ *^" "Wbution ftom Offering with ^e gX t uTll^t *" ''"^»'^' ">» --«■• should be ta.enagaLlio;Uu°r"' " *'"' "'"'^ ^'-''"«» further, it muat ^ dUtin^!t^ " T " "'"^ ^"''"' «»™rnment; and is rested, I cannot hlSseTfCn"^'^*:' ^'«"« -'^ »f ""e Britieh force may be dene to the pe^oZo p^!'/" "' '^''"'"' "J"^ -"* -nay have neglected t^r:^;^"'^' °' ""^ '^"^'^"P"-' I-P'^. ""o beardanationoffighLTJ^TS,*" ™' "^.^^'^ •>- •«« -d to boldly by an undying hj^ rt^e ZT^' ZT "f ""''' ""^ '"'''''^^ foiward meeting with just enou.r„v ''''"' *" """y """ved district about Kabul we«by2trT-™.'r °'°'' """ '"* •'""^- »' *« m FBEDERICK nOBEBTS' UAROH TO KAEUI. 277 reception, and it was necessary to make preparations to fight their way through a fierce and determined host that was gathering to stop their advance. Meanwhile Yakub Khan was still in the British camp, but he was no longer the cringing suppliant ; he expected that on the morrow the army under Roberts would be annihilated, and began to show a boldness ot manner that greatly irritated the English general. He had been in com- munication with his troops in Kabul, and had no doubt kept them informed as to the numbers in the force, and the difficulties they had in advancing on the city with their limited transport arrangements. The position in front of Kabul was a strong one, and as Roberts viewed it he must have trembled for his small army, on account of the inadequate transport, now reduced to about 4,000 men with eighteen guns. He felt, however, that it would not do to delay. In spite of his reduced numbers the advance on Kabul must be continued, and, for this purpose, on the morrow he was to take one of the greatest chances of his life, and to fight what was in many ways the most notable battle of his entire career as a general. Be was anxious first of all to win the Sung-i-Nawishta Pass, and as a tentative effort toward this, sent forward a small force with two mountain guns. But it was soon discovered that the hills on either side of the pass were black with men ; that Nek Mahomed, the Afghan commander, had placed his men to good advantage ; and that every iroiut commanding the valley and pass was well guarded with powerful guns. To force the position by a frontal attack would have been foolhanly, but the Afghans must be led to believe that such was the general's intention, and so he sent forward Mfyor White to threaten the Afghan front. He had planned another great turning movement such as had won the day at Peiwar Kotal, and this flanking movement he entrusted to General Baker. Archibald Forbes, the greatest of modem war correspondents, has given the following vivid description of this brilliantly fought battle: *" Baker moved out towards his left fi:ont against the eminences held by the Afghan right wing, which Nek Mahomed, having discerned the character * Vorbw ) Tilt AlgbMa Wan. fel 278 «*I1T. BOBKRTik «P«ciaIIy opposite our extreme left, wh7n«LLfr' ""' ""'"»"'' t«P hill they poured a hcaw fl~ .. ^^■"' "'°''" '""«''" 'n a graduallybeatdown The A , ' "*'^'' "■'»'' '"" '"'"■''-y Ar* oon.titutL« JrL'^.rrurrotr-'V''^ r^ '^^- •ccompanied by a double flanking fi„ ^mr^ltT^;. " ' ^^' '"»'"'' however, fell back only to an interm^^ Tf^ *"' '''">''"""''• They, rear of the ridge Jm Chi h I^'t b" '"J"""'"""' "" ^""^ '" »coe,.ve rushe. under covef of I„ l' ^r^t"""- ^T'^'^' "^ vigo™„,Iy and fell back in confusiorrr^Tj '' '"" *^™ ""''""^ by three o'clock the whole Af^hr*- ^ ^. '^™'"*^ "'°«'' »"<» .long the edge of the JlbSwtr f "^"^ '"' '" ^"" «'«•>' else the fugitive, would have Jii'^,!;; '"^T^"'' T "™"^' right had decided the fortune ^the d '' f"'"; ""'^ »' ">• Afghan dribbling away f^m the main position wheTBakl Ir" """ """'^ marched along the lofty creet. ^Tlin . ' ""'''"^ '" "' "«•>'' defend aa he'moved tow 7th7 un, 7 bf""""' """^ '"^ ^^«'"'" already been entered by ^ iL^lt'lTT,'^'^ '''"" "^^fi'" •>." »me infantiy. While Baker Tad I f detachment, supported by hie little fol had In dL; ^ '?'*"' *"' ^'«'"'" "«*"' ^^^ite and •artiHe^ preparation tdet^lZt:!;^''''" "' " ""'^ ^"^^ »- to hand struggle. Later had f n . , """ "^ "" "'"" "^ » h^nd Afghan guns^and th^hlb^ 1 ? '"^ ""I.'""''' "^ ^'^''^ ^^P'^ "» the had been ca^«l,theti?iray':rd1S' ■"' "'" "' "" ""^^^ »heprogressth™ughitofthecava.r;;:7itrt''''r ""• ^"' fort completely commanding the Ld oT 1 L n7^' ''"'^"'^ artillery fire, at the same tim. t . '^ ^°''"" <*'"»'e'l 1""» clear away the relnan? f theAT, ' ™ ''° """"''^ "«'-■"» ^o This accomplished, 1^1 tS" rLd"b ""'"'"^ '" "^° ^-'• --han half Of K„ber..force^ad tn i::::ZT^lX LORD ROBERTS AND HIS INDIAN ORDFRLY i- h ..f. •»«».. etUmated at about 300 killed. The Briti>h loee waa twenty killed and Bity-wven wounded. On the night of the combat part of Baker', troop, bivouacked beyond the Sung-i-Nawishta, and on the following day the ,vhole division p ^'«* "■«'" ">. dilution Of former Briti.h g,„e™l. had failed J,y. > '"*.»™»" «» "my when sounntis oaa tailed with atronger force*. The wr>r^ uA. k >■ .xpl.in.it He had caught the enemy off theTrg„r Tkl^!^ ^J. were not ready for him. Thev honed t^ ^ a u. V ^''*y ahl., f^ „h^i, .k J ^ ^' ^' ''° '^"'"'" *•"»' the Amir might be .nable himtobeat the numerically .a^lysuperior fori aT ^Lr KoU :::::=^rrt:;rsr;r^hir^r~ up Cronje in the bed of the Modder at p!i^eZ u" th ' !• "" """' the a„.t Of an trait, in a g„at genera^rTdtlan : IT^B^ll' t^oop. had It to a greater degree than Roberto. it brouZ hhn ^^ -ght of Kabul with „a™,y any 10., and from hi. camp at Bn! Hilt llT f ™ °° "■■' "'' ""•* ™ ""^ B"'" «■-' feell 22 wiU. hi, own work and the work of the men under him. lAu. ROMmn. 383 l*.™ lay Ktbol btfbrt him with iU 80,000 InlukbiUnti and in a day or two h. would ma. hU creraoui.1 entrance into it. In the meanUm. •reiything about the place bore ui aq>e«t of peace. The Afghan, were in a great etateof alarm; many of them had Hed, while othem came out to the Bntmh camp to ahow their friendline.. to the invader, and to trade with the aoldien. There wai much work to be done. The troop, of the Amir and the otizen. had to be diwrmed ; the Mfety of Yakub Khan had to be seen to • and a thorough invartigation had to be made into the dastardly conduct of the murderer, of the momben of the Mi..ion. Thi. last duty wa. the moiit •eriou. one Robert, had to perform. He had been told by the government that m regard to the punishment of individuals, it should be " swift, stem and impressive, without being indiscriminate or immoderate; its inflicUon must not bo delegated to subordinate oHlcen. of minor responsibility acting Independently of your instruction, or supervisi and you cannot too Tigorously maintain the diwipUne of the troor under your order, or •uperintend their treatment of the unarmed population, so long as your order, are obeyed and your authority is unresUted. You will deal .ummarily in the mnjority of cawa with perwn. whoM share in the murder of anyone belonging to the British Embassy shall have been proved by your invertigations, but while the execution of justice should be a. public and rtriking as poMible, it should be completed with all possible expedition, since the indefinite prolongation of your proceedings might sprea.l abroad unfounded alarm." While the British troops were going into camp at Beni Hissar a loud oiploHon wa. heard bom the direction of the Sherpur cantonment. It was evident bom this that the entire city was being evacuated by the Afghan army, and that no resistance would be offered to Roberts' progress into Kabul. Before leading his army within the walls of the city Roberts made ieveral personal visit, to Kabul, and on one of these occasions inspected the ruin, of the Readency in the Bala Hissar. The marks of the stn'iggle that h'A taken place mx week, prwiou. wore still diKsemabK The floon were ■ 284 XASI, ROBIsn, bloc^-smiued, the wall scarred with »any bullets, and bjaclened skulU wer. cowardly deed perpetrated ^ W^I^ '^""'^ *" """'^ ' «™»' ^^ -oi"a -t r::iT:„:i: rir r " "iir:p:\:srr;:ith:dr ™"'^r ""^ *'' 11,.. . u ... ' " "*'l "X!™ reported to Robert* that such was h.s intentioa However, the Amir solved L probtm ^ On October 11 Roberts mashed to the Bala Hissar with hfs staTth. hrzTrmtr'"''''"' ''" ^-'^f^'^^-o^ Kabul, a"-:; held the Br,tshfla,.was runup over the ancient citadel, "God save th" WhnRobertsreach^l the Hall of Audience he mountL •be'Ips Z 'S the followmg proclamation to the assembled chiefs of Kab,,' ■ -^regarded. The force under m, command haa now reached Kabul and TN POSSI^SSION OP KMiVr,, 285 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 tlie 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 llio 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 tlioir oiTences 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 bo quartered in it, will be at once leveled 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 tho neighboring villages are hereby warned to submit to liis authority. " Tliis punislimcnt, inflicted upon the whole city, will not, of course, absolve from further penalties tlioso whose individual guilt moy bo hereafter proved. A full and searching enquiry into the circumstances of tlio Into outbreak will be held, and all persons convicted of iiaving taken part in it will be dealt with acconhng to tlicir deserts. " With tho view of providing oflcctually for tho prevention of crime and disorder, and the safety of all well-disposed persons in Kabul, it is hereby notifled that for the future the carrying of dangerous weapons, whether I .s.* KARL BOBERTi suord, knives, or firea™,, within the streets of the city or within a distance of five m,les from the city gate,, i, forbidden. After a week from the date of h,s proclamauon, any person found armed within those limits will be liable t« the penalty of death. Pe:»ns having in their possession any article. nh,itsoever which formerly belonged to members of the British Embassy are roan.red to bring them forthwith to the British ca,.,.. Anyone neglecting b s warning w.ll. .f found he^after in posseesion of such articles, be snbiec! to the severest penalties. ■'Further, all person, who may have in their possession any firearms or ammumfon formerly issued to or seized by the Afghan troops, are required to produce them. For every country-made rifle, whether breech ormu.de 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 «,ldier or civilian concom^l .n the attack on the British Embassy, or for such information a^ may lead directly to his capture. A similar sum will be given in the case of anype^nwho may have fought against the British troop, since the 3rd September (Shawal) last, and therefore become a rebel against His Highness K t""" «= "^ '^'™"' " surrendered or captured be a captain or subalern officer of the Afghan army, the reward will be increased to Rs. 75. and if a field oflieer to R& 120." The proclamation was under the circumstances an exceedingly mild one even more so than it seemed on the ^rface, for the "heavy fine" was never' exacted. After the reading of the proclamation Roberts dismissed the chi> , «it. the exception of the M„staphi.Yahuja Khan, the Amir's father-in-law and Zakariah Khan, the Amir's brother. These three men were made pnsonera much to their consternation. On the following day Roberts with hi, troops made his ceremonial entrance mto Kabul ; and the music of English bands, the skirll of the inspiring bagpipes of tlio Highlanders sounded through the narrow street, of the coi^ucred city. The Vfghan, stood silently by as the triumphant troops marched past, scowling it i, true, bul no voice was raised in insult, no hand In tvssEaaioN ov kabu^ 487 made threat The little army, a mere haudful of men, had thoroughly cowed them. Roberts had still much work before him. Kabul bad been conquered ; it had now to be governed. After his formal entry he appointed his old and tried friend of the days of the " Eidge," " Jemmy Hills," now Major-Goneral James Hills, V. 0. to be Governor of Kabul, and instituted two courts, the one political and the other military ; and the city was ruled as if Roberts had been accustomed to governing conquered nations all the days of his life. That the government had placed such unlimited power in his bands, trusted him so absolutely, is the best evidence of the genius of the man. This was but his second command, and he was not yet fifty; and yet the most important duty in the English military world wos placed in his hands. After taking possession of the city Roberts looked about him to see what would be the best course to pursue for wintering his troops, for he even then realized that he would have to spend the winter in Kabul, There were really but two places to consider as suitable for a military camp, the Bala Hissar and the Sherpur cantonment. The Gurkhas were already quartered in the upper Bala Hissor and the 67th in the Amir's garden in the same citadel. Roberts hesitated about concentrating his troops in this position, as he felt that it was not particularly strong. While he hesitated between the two forts the difiiculty was solved for him in a most unhappy manner. In the Bala Hissar were millions of cartridges and 150,000 pounds of gunpowder. On the morning of the 16th a terrific explosion was heard, a mighty cloud of grey smoke rose above the citadel and explosion after explosion followed in rapid succession. Roberts at once ordered the Gurkhas and the 67th to evacuate the position, ordering them not even to attempt to bring oflf their tents — and they were not slow to obey the order. They had already suffered heavily ; Captain Shaflo, a private of the 67th, and nineteen natives were killed. It was well that the Eala Hissar was promptly vacated, for two and a half hours later another explosion shook Kabul and scatte'"d debris in all directions. So violent was this second explosion that fc -r Afghans, a quarter of a mile from the fort, were killed by falling stonei. M tARL KOtERtl Meanwhile new. of Koberts' excellent work had reached India .n^ «> nim. ihe commander-m-ch ef saw that ha hnA m»Jo _ • . , . rdrr^r^r"'"-"'"-^'-^^^^^^^^^^ Argnanistan. This gave him command of an army of "0 000 m.n -.k forty.ix «„n,,« large force for «, yonng a general ' " """ When the Kabul Field Force began its northward march Roberts had -.tp-isr^henzrc;-:-;: »ri::s^'rc:::^:::^--.p--ea:cr Kotwa, or Ma.orof Kabnl. '.....:: IZZ riri:: altt ll: sryrr ""'"' •"""' "»" "• " '"" '•'---£ After decdmg to occupy Sherpur Roberts, despite the fact thnf ,h inhabitant, of Kabul were quiet and the tribe, w.o gi g tu, tL lb t" fZ7:'^':T'"'- ''r """™' "'^' "' -""• ''-'"; Kabul, and for tins purpose large supplies of grain and fore™ wn» necessary. General Baker wa, sent out to collect Lppli; and "Id i: II ONE OK THE NEW SOUTH WALES MOUNTM R„LM n rosszsno!) or Kabul, tei most cases that the people were willing enough to sell their produce, but his needs demanded that he should requisition the stock they had laid by for their own use as well. In one instance a chief, Bahadur Khan, refused to sell any grain to the English, and a strong force proceeded from the camp to punish him. The Afghons fled at the approach of the English for whom they had now a wholesome dread. It was necessary, however, to punish this chief, and so his villages were burnt to the ground. In several other instances Buker met with opposition, but succeeded in chastising all who raised hand or voice against their new rulers. He succeeded, too, in the end in bringing in a goodly supply of grain, and Roberts felt hopeful of being able to hold out during the long and severe winter months. His position in the Sherpur cantonment was a strong one, and much healthier for the troops than the crowded quarters of the Bula Hissar would have been. Archibald Forbes in his "The Afghan Wars" writes as follows with regard to tho position where the Kabul Field Force was now located ; " The Slierpur cantonment as found by Roberts consisted of a fortified enciente, enclosinj; on two sides a great open space in the shape of parallelogram lying along the southern base of the Behmaroo heights. When the British troops took possession, only the west and south faces of the enciente were completed ; although not long built these were already in bad repair, and the explosion of the great magazine when the Afghan troops abandoned the cantonment had wrecked a section of the western face. The eastern face had been little more than traced, and the northern side had no artificial protection, but was closed in by the Behmaroo heights, whose centre was cleft by a broad and deep gorge. The design of the enciente was peculiar. There was a thick and high exterior wall of mud with a banquette for infantry protected by a parapet. Inside this Avail was a dry ditch forty feet wide, on the inner brink of which was a long range of barrack-rooms. Along the interior of the front of the barrack-rooms was a verandah faced with arches supported by pillars, its continuity broken occasionally by broed stair-cases coniluL-tiiig to the roof of the bavraeks, which afforded a second lino of defense. The closing in of the verandah would of course give additional 2M ■AU ROBERTS, U r- gate covered adequately by a curtain ""'""' '"'*' *'" »''« » fourth, each bastion, for gu J In Ihe interirr "" "°'' «'"° "■"" -^'-'-l" of all arm,. ^We wa a 1 T ""' ""'™ '" '"''"'="^" " *'i"™ barrenne* of the enclosed L«T m ' °' '"'' "'"' *''»''«" To make this cantonment a safe fortress th« ^ u the mean oT^etU^ ir " " ^"^^ ""' ""'■''"«•> «<"'-'» ■^"'^ -t «alizedthe Ln^ eoS r T'""."' *"' "'^' '"'^" '"' ^^S"- him to keep hisi rof ^' '"' ""'^ '"''^'- ''"^ *ffi™" " '^'^ for -und rim^ ;: -->ve,. torritoryandruHg ::;:': „^^^^^ ^^"■'"^ <'<'™ - their AH the, needed Js a 1,.,":;;;^ : ^ j J^' ^ ^« -''-^• war against the detested ir^;„„A,> „,,. „,:, " " "''^™' lira arn-y , and Kobeils soon became aware that « I»r„« f gathering among the hill, with the intention o c^sl i" hi, M "" driving him back through the difficult pa.e. ,o ll^t """' " CHAPTER XXV. THE ffl'RUOOLI AT BHSKPUB. > A Stona Clond Oktherlng— At the Beginning of December Roberti Recognlied tlut e Strong Porce was Gatherin-T in Afghan— An Able Leader In Mahomed Jan— From North, South and West, Hlllmei. Swarming Towards Kitbtil— A Strong Force Sent from SUerpur to Crush the Bnemy in Detail— Mir Bntcha, Leader of the Northern Army, Defeated— Hassy's Blunder Fatal to koberts' Plan— Thj Bnglish in Grave Danger- A Skilful Retreat —A Heroic Charge— Roberts Narrowly Escapes Death— The Troops Safe in Sherpur- Fierce Fighting Around Kabul— The Entire Army Within and About Kabul Withilrawn to Sherpur— Preparations Made to Stand ft Long Siege — Sharp Fighting— A Determined Assault—Steadiness and Good Generalship Beat Back Mahomed Jan's Army of loo.oco Uen— Once More in Possession of Kabul— A Conciliating Proclamation— On May 5 RobtTts RelncUutly Surrenders Command to His Senior Officer, Sir Donald Stewart. OCTOBER and NoTember were comparatively quiet months ; tlie storm cloud was gathering, but it waa still on the far horizon, and it was not until December that the situation became decidedly critical. The muUas had succeeded in uniting the tribes, and information reached Roberts of the large forces that were gathering in various parts of Afghanistan to march against his little army at Kabul. Whatever he or his officers may have feared, they showed no signs of alarm. They busily strengthened the Sherpur cantonment, relieving their duties with a little amusement. On December 6 the general gave a large picnic, which wound up with a paper chase — an exciting affair, as the hare led the hounds over such rough ground that half the field were unhorsed, either through their itiouute stumbling in the ditches, or by being swept from their saddles by the branches of the v^illows and poplars. Roberts himself, good horseman though he was, went down with the rest. On the following day the general sent a despatch to the authorities that shewed he was dwelling in no state of false security : "Affairs around Kabul lees aatififactory of late. In Maid an Sirdar M wl'*^"'*^ Hussain Khan hnia 293 294 ■AM, aoanni « I an. U. .void rUrther .xSon. T^rrp-'t- " " " ^"'<»' -|.read8, to «nd out tR)op, ,g„V>' ^ ""' "^ '""^i. « 'hi. The day ifter .ending thU detoat^h h. h.u o.lan«bIy to p,e«„t thf 72nd ffi^^d T °' "' ""'"»■*- n.e,iaH but „ally to imp J upoffh "ft"! ■.'"''' "^''""8"'"'«J-<»..du^ B™.vi„g edited Jtherui:^:,'::,^'^:;'!:' '''"■"'' "■•» -« -ngr::^;rr;:;t:i,TdTH t- «— ™ "- Mu»Khan. and ^'^^ S^^^UL!:: ^J: ^J::^ '^ --"^ Khan, merely preaching a religious war but V«. ^ '"'°"' '"' "«» "<" from the hand, of the ZZ^L^Z^ '"''^•''™""S *« -^over Kabul had .tirred up the female I^ZoflTZ; ^^l '''''"' ™'- "' work, ap,«ali„g to the -ympathie. „ th^ ^^ ?'' ''?*' J"""^"™ *« hi, by bribing them freely. 'buT;;:!'"; to« ^^ """""■ «"" considerable ^wer had come to the front m7 '"'?"^""*- « ''"d" of eouMnotonly Wt^op, with cou4 and dthirt "" " "■°" "'" crowd, that were rapidly gathering lut\tll7TT'":''' ^'"' that «HS nsing against the English must have fill«l H """b.nation g«>d deal of „i,gi,i„g. He had eve^l„7de!" th *''' "T""''" "'"> " a^good as ten Afghans, but the force w^ch I '"" E„gli,h,„an was "-"^f -. »" ™*ing to the s" ,;™ed "j ""^ ''^^ ^"''^ "' »" rapidly that it looked as if he mi„ht v.f K T ''a" »«, increasing tl.e gathering tribes. ^ ^"^ ^ '"''*'"^ ^y '^e mere mass of From the country south of Kabul, from Lony was in force at K^irc^-i-Mir ten mile» away. This discovery HWiled the excellentlv planned movement against Mahomed Jan. It was mm \ M Ml Him losniTi, before proceeding agai.„i the weetem force. «-™-»»n» levlc .rtilleor .„d av.lry behind. Wl.cn the troop. rcucM ,ho BurTh K„M they «.. the who., region about Karez-i-Mir c«.wdcd witt .led t' ""u M.r Butcha flying in all direction. Ti.o Kohi,.anf. hadll b^a JTn . i^rr"-" ""'"'""" -— „n.i„ne.b.,ir. t MacpWn wo, ordered to proceed wcton the morning of the Uth and Bngad.e,^.c.neral Maa,y, who had been left in command of th clv.lt i:iTri:i;i— z:.,r;rr^ ■■•■•' -" n.ad lcad,ng d.rectly f.m .he city of Kabul ..var.l Arghandeh and the Ohnznl road, to proceed cautiously u,d quietly, feeling for the eno'v ■ to commn„,oate with General Macpherson, and to'oct in confer™ Uy ^ .7;h offlcors „,„ve,nen.,, but on no account to con,n,it hi.n«.f ,o an acU „ J.S General Jfacpherson had engaged the enemy " Unfortunately Massy did not follow the course mapped out fo. him by Roberts, ut tooU a short cut across the e„n„.^. „e gLod til ^i^ e. hers.d.of the Ghaz.u road long before it was po. ule for MacphersonN column to form ■> junction with him. 'ncpnerson » Massy h.d under l,i,„ a .«dy of but little over 300 men with four horse- ■Boterui fort^Oiie Vi-u„ i„ ,„a,., — tvE snvooii AT tniiirvi. «07 ■pparent that not hundreui, but thouMiidi of Afgliaiu »cr» prepared to diipute hii sdvonco, and each moment the nioaa of men in hie front grow larger. A fight or a liaety retreat wm tlie order of the doy. Many bravely decided to ttght, and began the engagement by lending a few shelli againit the army of Jfahomed Jan. But the Afghani, umally terrified by .hell-flre, paid no attention to it on thia occasion, orid prewiJ ever nearer to the little army. Roliirls licnrd tlie firing, and galloix^d to tlie sc-ciio of action. For a moment lie wus appullod by the right that mot him. It vat a cose of 300 against 10,000. It would bo foolhardy for Musgy'a men to attempt to hold thc'i.- ground agninst the Afghans who were drawing nearer every moment, saving their fire, and Uding their time until they could u»o their knives on the English. RoberU took in the situation in an instant. Ther» woa nothing for it but a r treat, even if the guns had to bo htl behind. Massy's unfortunate march, taken with the best intentions, had spoilcl oil his plans, ond if he was not coreful Kabul would soon be in the hands of Mahomed Jan ond the Sherpur cantonmont ittelf in danger. He at ow ordered General Hills •"to g.'illop to Sherpur, explain to "ngadi r-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 Ueh-i-Muzang with the least jiossible delay. I directed Hills after having dcliverfd this mefsngc, to make for the city, shut the gates, and do oil in his power to keep the people quiet, while wnrning the Kizilbaslies to he prepared to defend their quarter. I then despatched ray nephew and A. D. C, Lieutenant John Sherston, to Mocpherson to inform liim of what had hapiiened, ond desire him to push on with the utmost speed." Massy wus now in a most critio.d position. He could no longer keep bock the enemy, and Roberts ordered the retirement of the guns. In order to cover their withdrawal it was iIcLiaed necessary to liave the cavalry ehorgc the enemy. Lieutenant-Colonel Cleland and Captain Neville dashed gallantly forword at the head of their 200 troopers. Over the broken a-'d d ifficult ground this bnivo little force swept, and into the midst of the •Bulwrto; Fortjr-Oue Vew* In India, ~~ ~ 1 298 «AIIL HOBEk™, ' t.|r . . gaiiant as the charoe of tliA I ;,y1,. n ■ j necessity it failed In .i,„ „,.i , ,v , *" ™ ""'B''' Bngade— but of Xoen Jied an^'sevL ^ rran'; ^ ei,„teo„ ™en ..ad «Wt Mae.en.o b.u.M the iii:; „ l^n "o:''^ ''" ?"" lost, and tlie Afchana ,v»r» „«, ""■■ B"" was already ^^'i»..'.a.n to ir :r hrti:™:r"- '"^^" ""^■^'' «"'^■"■• Blmgwana. Tl,e retirement wa, ™ 7 • T'"^ *""' *" "'* ""««« <>' Afghans fro™ the vil ^ bu s", ^ "^ "'" """ "^ "P-^"' ™ '"e continue tl,e retreat AUhe fL 7 """' ""' ""' "' "'"^ ■■"^™^^'^' *« abandoned. Ti.eir uct.l; I: !" '* °' ""^ ^"'"«^ '"^ ^"- had to be «» guns reminded them": tr a^oTZh T '"T ''' ""-' "^ tlie ft„-„j,fo-, before them and J w °'/'l''""^'™« «*™ they had driven the Horde^fo„o„ed;:rar^5 r:''thf ^ "^T ^™' "'" -"^ of Bhogwana and it seemed as if the 1 » '' "''"'" "'"°'' "' '^^ »""^ add to the British misfortun s he v iVT "f '^ ""'""'""""• ^» began to fire upon thorn ° ' """ *^' """■' "' *'>^'^ "o^ses. t«-elve feet" eei,, and i„rthis men Z '" '"*' °' '"' """^^ ^^ " -^i'^" - engaged i./;,e„.i„;: e^^e: " n^ .Sr^ " , "'^ -^™' situation when the headman of H,„ n '''"" "'"'"• !"="'»"« undying fame if he cJuTd stri d ""V'" '""• '' ^■"•"'' ^'" "'•■» occupation of Kabuljr'il.. " T^™'' """ '""^' "^ >>- knife be rushed upo, hh^W,,?™"/ *''''''''"'''"• ''''* "P""^" who, likemostof ,: Zlryt t,'!' ■" "' '"^ '^' ^™«"' ^'-"■y. under bin,, was near y Z, 7 'his engagement, had had his horse shot He was a mnscu.ar 1, L; and 7 1 ^ ''"'"'™' "' "'' »-""■-■■<'-. into .be ditch amon, tbirg^ X: '' Tbr: ^" "^ "^^ ""'^'^ "'■" for lioberts. He wu, entirelv n„n T "'""''" "''""^- ^*™1« and, but for the coutg n] „' ""1 '".'""' ""^ ™«'' "' ^'e Afghan, doubtless have bec,r>;if,od ' ° "' """ "' "'^ ^''">"->--. -"'d The force was now ciear of Bbagwana, and retreating i„ ,^ „,,, A WARRIORS REyRESHMENT, LORD ROBERTS AND STAFE AT LUNCHEON IN THE FIELD IP ml r„„, I; ,, „ TWO IRISH SOLDIERS OF TODAY tHB STRUOOLB AT SHERPUB. 801 towards Deh-i-Mazanf;. Meanwhile the pursuit began to slacken; Maepherson's advance had got in touch with the rear of Mahomed Jan's army, and, about the same time, the Highlanders whom Roberts had ordered up from Sherpiir came on the scene and from the roofs of the village of Deh-i-Mazang beat back the pursuers with their breech-loaders. Massy'a foi*ce was saved, and for a time at least Kabul was frto from danger. The fghans had had enough fighting for one day, and contented themselves with occupying " The Takht-i-Shah summit, the slopes of the Sher Drewza heights, and the villages in the south-eastern section of the Chardeh valley." Roberts had now a difficult situation to face. His plan had completely failed ; the enemy were upon him, flushed with success ; thousands of villagers who had been maintaining a neutral attitude were throwing in their lot with the followers of Mahomed Jan, and the forces of the Afghans were surrounding his little army of less than 7,000 men all told, while from the Takht-i-Shah they were able to threaten the Bala Hissar. He trembled for Maepherson's force, and ordered him to fall back on Deh-i-Mazang, and in his anxiety waited until he was with the soldiers 'Ircady in that village. Roberts then galloped back through the darkness to Sherpur where he found that Hugh Gough, despite the alarming reports which had been brought into the cantonment from time to time during the day, had everything in readiness to resist an attack and his troops calm and expectant. There was but one happy incident for the British in this day of misfortunes. The guns that were abandoned in the water-courses were rescued later in the day by Colonel Macgregor and brought into Sherpur. It had been a day of fierce fighting, and yet so skilfully had the troops been handled that the loss was light — according to Roberts twenty-nine were killed and thirty-five wounded. The force had lost heavily in horses, however, and about p'xty of Massy's cavalry had to go into camp without mounts. On the 12th the fighting continued. While the enemy held the Takhtr i-SluiIi the position of the troops was a critical one. From this mountain peak they must be driven at all hazards. This would be no easy task. m 1^ - lit <09 «ARt BoBERtS. According to Archibald Forbes ♦"TI,. «» , .trewnwitl, great snaooth boulde. and ZZ 17 "/ ": """"""'" "'" whe™ laborious, was «,.p,iea.ed in „!";.' "-'".ever,- formidable impediments were n,n,'o still J, .i '""^'- """^ ""^o .trong stone curtains behin, H. r","",! '^'"''"'^ ^--J-"' -nghas, minimum of exposure. On tl.e summit ! '"^ ""'' " ''"'' ""'' » and by a skilful and daring nfovemen , "^ "™ ^'"t "S-'i-'^t them force in two, and driving large mairo; rTf'' " """"^ *"« ^^«''"" and back to their villages. Some Tu , ™'" '""" *''^ ""P^^ "'"l off by the gallant cond! Lf t , II 'nT''"'' 1 T '"^"^ '"'^^ "^^ ^^ aa Major White and Lieutenant Dick f? " ''""'" '"^'^ ^-^ ™^'' "^n and they swept alon/H 1 H^tw^;' T '"^^ ^■'™""^^^ '■'^"'- Afghansf^m the Takht-i^l.ah Tl "'"'"nnnafon of driving the and crushed; the IlighlaS 'and Gum'"' "" '''""'"^" ''^■"^ '"^""-^-^ roar, while Macphe.!n's tils 'T 7"'' ''''"''''' "' ""=■" ^™'» '"e tnen..e,ves betweL these trh;ur;""^''r " '^°"'- ''""^^- ^'^ .ho Takht-i^hah and fled o "J ^ ! '^^ir "'^!^ ^'-„g position on raced for the summit, and .allant ™, "'"''''"^" « »">• I^-I^^'s men I.raep,.crson-s men who 1 Im "T:"^™"' J"'" <"' "- 72nd, one of ... . .in thepeak w,..;,:^i ri:;::;r- ^- ™-- THE STSUaOLI AT BHKRPDR, 808 that was forming against liim had failed, but the cournfie of his aoldien was likely, in the end to put to flight the hordes that were steadily converging on Kabul. So he thought; but as lie thus mused with himself news came to him that in the villages around Kabul many of the Afghans were casting in their lot with the tribesmen, and that the inhabitants of the city Itself were flocking out to join their kindred on tlie hill slopes. All this day sharp fighting went on, and several important positions were won by the BriUsh, but it was found necessary to order Macphorson to evacuate Deh-i-Mazang, and to retreat to the Bala Hissar heights. Fourteen gallant fellows were killed during the course of the struggle and forty-five wounded. The success that the tribesmen had had in concentrating their forces about Kabul, and the fact that they had won several minor victories, greatly encouraged those who were remaining neutral only through fear of what the English might do if they succeeded in dispersing their enemies. As a consequence the country far and near was in a state of great excitement, and swarms of men marclied over the hill slopes and through the deep valleys to form about the standard of Mahomed Jan. On the 14th of the monlh another effort was made to stem the rising tide which threatened to overwhelm the troops in Slierpur. General Baker, who throughout all these days of fierce fighting had been doing gallant service was again in the thick of the struggle, and with an inferior force managed to win several important positions from the enemy. It looked as if all the heights about Kabul might soon be in the possession of the British, but unfortunately the small forces they were able to spare to garrison the pla«a won were not able to defend them against the swarms that grew ever denser and denser. In one instance Lieutenant-Colonel Clark left in charge of a conical hill seized by Baker was forced to retire somewhat in confusion and with the loss of two guns. This misfortune, for whicli lie was in no way to blame, literally broke Clark's heart and he died shortly afterwards. Roberts was now convinced that all po.«itions outside of tlie cantonments would have to be abandoned, and when he received word from a sporty young Lieutenant in charge of tlio signal station on the hills that "the crowds of Afghans in the Chardeh valley remind me of ^S.y^ui on the Darby t h. 4 --■ i ^"111 KM ■ASL BOBIBm nay." he conoI„fle,l t^at it was a „,ele» warte of men to continue throwing tHom ogaiust the sin rounding hilla. " the in" *" ""' "."'^■"j'-''"'' "'»"'' "I •'"d °o «a«,n to apprehend that the A ghan, we™ m sufficient fmce to cope with disciplined foops, but the «solute and determined manner in which the conical hill had been «c pturcd, and the mforma.ion sent to me by Brigadier-General Muepherson that large masses of the enemy were slill advancing from the nor.l, south, and wes , made it evident that the numbers combined against ua were to<; ovcrwhelmmgtoadmitof my comparatively small force meeting them. I therefore determined to withdraw from all isolated positions, and to concentrate the whole force at Sherpur, thus securing the safety of our large cantonment, and avoiding what had now becomea useless sacrifice of life " withtn "!r;" "'« •""' -™ ordered to retire to Sherpur at once, and with splendid steadmess the soldiers slowly withdrew into the cantonment, harrassed by the exultant Afghans. When night fell all the troops from th^ city, from the Bala Hissar, from the Asmai Heights were within the defenses, and the positions they had won with such daring were in the hands of the enemy. ,1,/''!' '^'^^"^ ^''° "" """' ''"°"' ""' ''"'' ">« «8'^«"g b^g"" on the wounded "^ *" ^°''"" "'°"""' '""' "''' ■'"'"' ""^ eighty-eight As soon as the las:, of the troops were within the defenses of Uherpur. Roberts at once telegraphed to the viceroy and the commander-hjhief requesting that reinforcements should be sent forward without delay and mforming them that he felt in no immediate danger and that he had food for four months, forage for six weeks, plenty of ammunition, and a good stock of medicme and hospital comforts. While the Afghans were busy looting in the city of Kabul the little garrison of about 5,000 fighting men went industriously to work to strengthen the defenses. The army had been kept busy since entering the Sherpur cantonment in making punitive expeditions, and in collecting fuel and food- as a result there was now much to be done to make their position a safe one* Fortunately the enemy guve them a respite ior a fe-,. days, and during this IBS STKUaaiE AT BnKRPUS. SOS time almost the entire force was engaged in making the walls strong enough to resist any army the Afghans might send against them. The old Malla Mashk-i-Alam was now in charge of Kabul. He was ninety years old, but despite his years was still the insiiiring force among the fanatics who were swarming to the stundard of Mnliomed Jon. Until the 22nd sharp lighting wont on, and the Afghans suffered considerable loss, but no determined attempt was made to rush the Sherpur position. During this period Mahomed Jan oflered to allow the British army lo march unmolested back to India. At the same time he added : " We have a lahk of men ; they are like wolves eager to rush on their prey I We cannot much longer control them I" How long would he have been able to control them had they once got the British outside of the cantonment ? Had Koberts accepted this proposal the fate that befell Elphiustonc'.s army would have befulkii the Kabul Field Force. Roberts smiled at the imposal, and hoped that an assault would bo made. His wish was soon to be granted. He received word on the 22nd that Maliomed Jan had decided to assault the cantonment on the following day, which was the last day of the Mohavram— the great Mahomedan religious festival. Scaling ladders were ready, a false attack was to be made, and the Mushk-i-AIam, who had roused his countrymen to a tremendous pitch of religious enthusiasm, was to kindle the beacon fire, the signal of assault, on the highest point of the Asmai Ridge. All that night the troops within Slierpur were expectant, but everything was quiet. The songs and cries of the Afghans who were Btationed near the walls alone broke the stillness. During the darkest houra of the night the soldiers were stationed at their places along the line of defenses, and all watched the hills for the signal of the Mulla. Just as the first faint streaks of dawn began to di.spel the darkness, "a long tongue of flame shot up into the air, blazed brilliantly for a few moments, and then waned." On the instant a rattle of musketry vas heard, and a thin shower of bullets flew against the eastern and southern fares and over the heads of the defenders. But little heed was paid to this. It was the false attack ; and every m.in braced himself for the great assault that Mahomed Jan had planned. IS ^ill Mm 806 lABT, ROBKSn, Afghan, hidden m the village, .„d orchard, on .he ea,t ide of Shorpur had Allan 1 Allah. The roar surged forivard a, their line advanced but it w„, answered b, ,uch a ™i, of »u,i.et^ that it wa, drowned for the In e7 «nd then merged into a gene^l din which told „, that our n,en vUh ZTt :? "■"" '""'"^ '"^'^ ""^ "«■"-' "- """■■'<-S force." Until ten o clock ..lack after attack wa, n,ade on Sherpur but tl,e order „ fire ; and each time the enemy came to cloae quarter^and sevorn ..mctUey reached the abattis-they .ere mowed do«l by the stea v „ widird a\"" 'r' '° '"" ''-' '™^'"« '"» «^-^ thic.:! re, auemp ted and. a, U seemed impo^iblo to beat back the seemingly endlol army ha wa, pressing forward on his position, the English coLancW dc ermined to smite the Afghan on the flank. Four field guns weJI out an a^ once opened a telling fi„ on the enemy from an uLpec:: Z^. and when dT. ft^ '"""^ ''"'™^ ""« f""-- "' ""•«'-''• J- and when darkness feil the army of 100,000 men that had flocked to hi standard at the cry of the Mushk-i-Alam had vanished. KaW and surrounding villages were free of the enemy who had been taug T es ™ hoy won d not soon forget. They had come with the largesf army eTe g,«ogether.n Afghanistan to annihilate the small force which had daTd etn in th:r TT' •'"' "^' '"' '"'"''' ""' '""^ ™P--- "P"" 000 men w, T" ., T "'"'' "''"'"■"™' ""'>■ ''"^ '-' - "" -- lost buTelT k'^, r "7.'^^' ^'"^''^' """^ ''•''= °» ">« "^f--™ it had lost but eighteen killed and sixty-eight wounded. reason "'o^-t'r'™' '"',? ""'^'' ^""^ '° ""' ''"•^'"'"-' »"<' -'^ S^od snow, and the thermometer marking sixteen degrees of frost, officer, and THI rTRtraoLK AT ■HERPDK. ao7 men were at their posts, and each day every available man had to be hard at worlc strengthening the defenses. Native and European soldien alilce bore the bardsliips and exposure with the utmost cheerfulness, and in perfect confidence that, when the aaauult should take place, victory would be ours." The day after the finol assault the Bala Hissar wo» reoccupied, and General Hills was once more established in Kobul which had been pretty thoroughly plundered by the tribesmen. Roberts wns anxious to be on ns f.iendly a footing as possible with the Afglians, still a much from the trilwsmcn about Kabul The only chief to be feared waa Ayub Khan, the «on of Shere AH and brother of Yakub Khan, but he was in far Herat, and the chiefs alwnt Kandnhnr gave the garrison no trouble. He, as well as every soldier under bis command, had grown weary of Afghanistan. It had not been the intention of the government to take permanent possession of the country, and the troops had now been in it for a much longer time than was ,it tiret intended. The cause of the necessity of this sojourn iu Afghanistan was the stubborn enmity of the tribes about Kabul. It would not do to leave the country until these were either induced to be friendly to the Kiiglish or beaten into submission. As a step toward the «nal evacuation of the countrj' the government decided to despatch r ' nx under Sir Donald Stewart GeneraI Primrose. Sir Donald Stewart and his little column marched forward day by day dunng the early part of April, keeping a careful lookout for danger but •neetmg none Paat Robat, past Shahr-i^afa, past Jaidak, past Liat-i- Ghilza, through the open plains along the Tarnak River they marched • and .was not until they left Shahjui on the border of the province of Kandahar that hey fully reah.ed they were in the enemy's country. It was now almost impossible to get supplies irom the natives, and if anyone fell behmd m the march an Afghan knife or bullet would in all probability find him out The column pressed onward, ever threatened by the enemy who seemed only to be waiting a good opportunity to surround and cut it to pieces. Each day the swarms on the hills grew' denser and each day the mullas srove more vigorously to inspire their followers with that religious fh>n.y which makes the Afghan such a formidable foe. especially at close M ?K Z?.^-"" "' unsuccessful, and when the column reached Stewart that he might e.pect strong .distance to his advance on the morrow The report was a true one, and when, at break of day on the mornine of April .e 19th, the troops moved forward towards Gha Jthe hillsTnln! and on either hand seemed alive ,vith armed men. The Afghans evidently considered themselves numerically strong enough to give battle to the hrrr T "'"/l^'PP^" "^^ --^"^ Stewart; and they evidently hoped, from the way they had disposed their t^ops, to surround the English force and crush ,t by mere weight of numbers. Stewart saw their intenLn and like a wise soldier in Afghan wars, did not wait for them to begin th^ nght but at once opened on them with his guns. Usually a few well placed round shot or shell had a dispiriting effect on Asiatics; but these billmen were not of the usual type, for as s,^n a, the firing commenced the swarms in front and on the flanks grew den>, and began to clo.e the circle about Stcv.arfs army. Horse-battery and field batteiy poured shot into the advancing mass of gh^, but save for ■ ..:^adino up to the great marcb. iLit onened rtli<. 813 momentary gaps uit ancned *li. i- the shot plowed their way through tha ranks no impress.''!! iwij mado u i jii them. The following uCiCiij' ■.-) by Hensman of the opening of this fight at Ahraedkhel gives an excellent idea of the kind of enemies England has had to contend with in lior wars in Afghanistan: — "Suddenly a commotion was ohserved in the most advanced lines of the opposing army ; tlie mullas could be seen haranguing the regular host with frantic energy, the beating of the tomtoms was redoubled, and then, as if by magic, waves on waves of men — yhazis of the most desperate type — poured down upon the plain, and rushed upon General Stewart's force. The main body of the Afghan army remained upon the hill to watch the y7iazi« in their reckless onslaught, and take advantage of any success tliey might gain. The fanaticism of the 3,000 or 4,000 men wlio made this desperate charge has perhaps never been equalled; they liud five' hundred or six hundred yards to cover before they could come to close quarters, and yet they made nothing of the distance. Nearly all were well armed with tulwars, knives, and pistols. Some carried rifles and matchlocks while a few —and those must have been resolute fanatics indeed— had simply pikes made of bayonets, or pieces of sharpened iron fastened on long shafts. Their attack broke with great violi uce on our flanks. On our left flank the 19th Bengal Lancers were still moving into position when the ghazis rushed in among them. In an instant they were hidden in the cloud of dust and smoke, and then tliey galloped toward the right rear, and struck into the reserve in rear of tlie lieutenant-general and liis staff. All was confusion for a moment ; ammunition-mules were stampeded, and with the riderless horses of the lancers killed or wounded in the meke, dashed into the headquarter's staff. The glunis had continued their onward rush, and were engaged in hand-to-hand fighting with our infantry. Some of them pcnclratod to within twenty yards of the knoll on which the staff were watching the action, and so critical was the moment that Sir Donald Stewart and every man of his staff drew their swords and prepared for self-defense." Native and British soldiers were alike beaten back, and it seemed as if onother disaster would have to be chronicled against the array of England if « W 8)4 EAHL KOBERTi, effort wa. made to beat back tC ° "^ "^ ""'' " '''^' '''"<'"^"««1 regiment, were of the right s^ff I^d "''"" ,"'"""'"''^''8 ">« different feaHe.., exposing themsllriiaT^i: "fTl '" """^'"^ ■quarter of the field could h. » '"'""""''l ™tes of the ghaiU. In one bayonet and butt o/ri^r "^ T'^' " '"""'-'°-''-<' -»-'»-. t«l>var; in ano her the u!7 ' ' ""' '''""™'^ '«'"-' "'-fe -^ .steadi.; pourd rell „J t ,™" Z ^'^"'"^ '«'«' » «"> S"- which tWck^Uhedeir nd dt- 1 7"' T"' """' "' *^'' "»"->- were .a.n, ehajr^L^rtoll^rthr i^^-'^^ andnumbe^/andlft 11 tof'l'r''". ""''''" '"" ''«''"'^' '-"«-"> wounded Desnitn tl,„ , „ ' ° ™™ «'ere k lied or the struggle I BriLTr: " """ '"" '"^' "'"' "' '"^^ ^^'"""'^ "^ and oneTu^dred ^VZ;^:^:::']::^^:'^ TT^ ^"'^^ gathered from the fact that noarlv "' ""' "«''' '^^^ '""' •=« ofkni,eor.lash of tul" It I'Tf .7" r"''' "''^"'' '■'^°' «'™«' day tried aoldie:. • an aZ o^rl ,"' ''""' '"" "'"^ '"" » "- - ; whiri.ind ci,ar;::"^ofi,::;i::;:i''-» ^-- - «- ^-e wa. resuLd to^rl lal^ 1?" "™T"^' '''"^' ^'^ "- «>^ --h given the tired trooj. "" " ™^-"-^«J -t of three days w» STEKT8 LKADINO UP TO THE ORKAT MARCH. 815 The force was not yet out of danger. The ancient mulla, Mushl-i-Alam who bad made Bucb efforts to crush the army under Boberts in December, was once more preaching a religious war against the Feringhis, and instead of the severe beating just given to his countrymen disheartening him, it only roused him to greater eflbrts to have revenge. Several thousands flocked to his standard, but the reverse they had met with at ALmedkhel mode them timid about rushing once more on the British guns and the British bayonets. They took up a position in strongly fortified villages on the road over which the column would have to advance, but the ir'antry rushed the villages and drove the enemy back to their hill fastnesses inflicting on them severe loss. This was the last attempt made to chock the progress of the column on its road to Kabul, and on April 28 at Shcikabad Sir Donald Stewart left it, and hurried forward to take command of the forces in North-Eastem Afghanistan which had been handled with such courage and skill by Roberts. The force in and about Kabul was now about 18,000 ; no army that the Afghans could muster could make any impression on it, and it merely waited the time when Afghanistan would be permanently evacuated — and for both ofiicers and men this evacuation could not come too soon ; all were heartily tired of Afghanistan. Before the evacuation could take place, however, affairs in Afghanistan had iv*" be settled on a permanent basis. An Amir who would be acceptable to the army and the chiefs had to be left in charge of the country. To make a good selection in a nation where nearly all men were notoriously false and treacherous was not an easy task, and matters were somewhat complicated by the friends of Yakub Khan and many of the leading sirdars and chiefs clamoring for his return ; but the officers in charge of the negotiations stiffened their necks against any such demands. He was out of Afghanistan, and out of Afghanistan he would remain ; no protestations that his friends could make would convince the British that he was not to blame, at least passively, for the massacre of Cavagnari and his escort. The most desirable individual for Amir from a British point of view seemed to be Abdur Rahman, who had been living for some time on the bounty of Kussia. Roberts favored him, and Mr. Lepel Griffin, a member of 818 «ABT, BOBEKTi. l.e ^l,t>c«I department of ,he India Civil Service, who arrived in Kabul towar s the end of March, likewise selected Abdur Rahman a, a mtl uTh T^'T ""*-'" "" '""'"'■ **'• «"'«'' "'"' "-" -"' '» Kabul "to possession " after the British troops had evacuated the count.7. As a oo„se„uence negotiations began with Abdur Rahman early in April and co,,...uedu„t,lthee„dof July. At tirst the British were 'a little'nervr b™t Abdur on account of his intin.acy with the Russians and endeavored .0 „d out h,s feehngs .o.ards Russia; but to his credit he showed the Brmsh oflieers that while he was prepared to be friendly towaMs England h Is o Id " ';:'"""'• '''"'" '"'''''°'"'' '"'" -«"•> ^ «--' e .aid I should never hke to be obliged to fight them. I have eaten their salt nnd was for twelve years ,lepe„dent „,,o„ their hospitality " ' he ^ZT' 'T" 'f '™""' ""''"'" '"™'* '="«'-''■» "--nt "-my, e seemed on the whole honest, and negotiations with him bad so f F-ogrossed by the u,d of July that the authorities determined to have a fn™;' ' nV "'" '''''"' ^^"'™"™"' "''"^ ''" -"-. "'-^rand Ms dur m" "I'.^"^'"""^ "' acknowledging their new Amir At tb.s durbar Mr. Cr.flin as the official representative of the British gov.rnn,ent announced the recognition of Abdur Rahman by "the Viceroy of Ind,a and the government of Her Most Gracious Majesty the Q eZ Empress," and added; ..Sirdar, chiefs, and gentlemen, it is TZ government a source or satisfaction that the tribes and chiefs have prefer d asAm.rad.,n,guisl,ed.nemberoftheBarak.ufamily, who is a reno "^ -ld,e, w.se and experienced. His sentiments towards the Bri it governn.ent are most Iriendly; and so long as his rule shows that he s an,„,ated by these sentiments, he cannot fail to receive the suppor , British government." ' '^ "" leave^Af?'"''! '""'T' '''' ""'" "'^^" '™" "-''l""'".,, decided to eavo Afghanistan eariy in August, and the intention of the approaching evacuation was intimated by Mr. Griflin at the close of his address the ^7;. 7'^' .';;"'"""■>■ believe" he added, "that your reuiembrance of the English W.11 not be unkindly. We have fought you in the field IVBMTB LBADING UP TO THB GREAT HAKCB. 817 whenever you have opposed us ; but your religion has in no way been interfered with ; the honor of your women has been respected and every one has been secure in possession of his property. Whatever bas been necessary for the support of the army has been liberally paid for. Since I came to Kabul I have been in daily intercourse with you, but I have never heard an Afghan make a complaint of the conduct of any soldier, English or native, belonging to Her Majesty's army." The durbar over and the chiefs apparently satisfied to accept the new Amir (they would have accepted anyone to get the hated English out of their country) orders were issued to the different army leaders to make ready for an immediate march to India. Roberts was to lend his column back by the Kuram valley, a route with which he was thoroughly familiar. He was desirous of knowing more of the Afghan country, and as it miglit be some years before he would again see Kabul, ho decided to go on a tour of inveeligution as far as the Khyber pass ; but for some unaccountable reason he retraced his footsteps towards Kabul, having gone no further than Jalalabad. Of this sudden change in his plans he writes ; * " Suddenly a presenti- ment which I have never been able to explain to myself made mo retrace my steps and hurry back toward Kabul — a presentiment of coming trouble which I can only characterize as instinctive." Before he reached Kabul Sir Donald Stewart met him with news of the tragic fate of the army under Burrows at Maiwand. The above incident is one which well shows Roberta' mental attitude. He does not say that he was guided in his action by some higher power, but at the same time, he does not put his action down lo mere chance. His attitude toward his change of plan on this occasion recalls an early paragraph in his autobiography dealing with the death of a half-sister. ♦"Shortly before his (Roberts' father's) "departure, an incident occurred which I will relate for the benefit of psychological students ; they rbay, perhaps, be able to explain it, I never could. My father had some time before issued invitations fm- a dance which was to take place in two days' 'BotwrM: Port/-Onfl Veurs m inUi*. 818 aiU ROBERTa> t.m^_on Monday, the 17th October, 1853. On the gaturday morning he appeaicl Jisturbed 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, ho 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, m spite of my elloits 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 th.s step for the time being ; but that night he had the san-.e dream again, and the next morning he insisted on the dance being postponed. It seemed to me rather absurd to disappoint our friends becau.se of a dream ; there was, however, nothing for it but to carry out my lather's wishes, and intimation was accordingly sent to the invited guests. The following morning the post brought news of the su.lden death of the half-sister at Lahore with v.hom I had stayed on my way to Peshawar." Both of these incidents show what a thoroughly fair mind Roberts has; in no way dogmatic, he, at the same time, is ready to recognize that we may be influenced by spiritual fo-"es outside of ourselves. It niU now be necessary to go briefly into the cause of the Main and disaster Av'hile Sir Donald Stewart was in Kandahar Shere Ali Khan had been the recognized governor of the place, and on the departure of Stewart was nominated hereditary ruler of the province with the title of Wali. When Stewart set out for Kabul he left behind in Kandahar between 4,000 and 5,000 troops of all arms under General Primrose. It was a small garrison for such an important station, but the long immunity from danger liad given the British a feeling of oversecurity. It was soon rumored that Ayub Khan was collecting an army at Herat, and later that he was marching towards Kandahar with 7,500 men and ten guns. Ii was found, too, that the Wall's troops were not to be trusted, and it was strongly suspected that if they should once get in touch with Ayub's forces they would probably desert in a body. As Ayub drew nearer the city it was deemed necessary to take the offensive, otherwise hij force would be greatly augmented by the disaffected tribes in the vicinity of Kandahar; so M^jor-General Burrows -f !l| MlUi^ 1 >*. >. .^^^.A^fl . . ■'^ ' y^^~^. &j •' "'' , ■■ i^BI^H'P^^"- ^{ ~*^* »»** ^ 1 -AJ^I B^-1 -»* -^^2!^ ■BS JfJ ■ i «^ -^^ ■ ^'a^ (A *'* ■ "'r,.-' ■» ^'3 E FORDING THE MODDLR i ■vnin itAT :a vr to thi omat UAiicn. S2J irai sent out with "a brigade conaiiting of a troop of horae-nrtillery, tiz companiei of the 66th, *vo Bombay native infantry regimenta, and 600 native troopers, in all ab'^at 2,300 strong." This force reached the banks of Helmund on July 11. As was expected the Wali's force deserted him, and took with them several smooth-bore guns. Burrows, however, was able to capture the guns and to punish the mutineers somewhat severely. He could not maintain his position on the Helmund, and was forced to fall back to Khushk-i-Nakhud, where he remained for eleven days awaiting the approach of Ayub. On July 22 General Primrose received the following despatch from headquarters at Simla : " You will understand that you have full liberty to attack Ayub, if you consider you are strong enough to do sa Government Onsiders it of the highest political importance that his force should be dispersed, and prevented by all possible means from passing on to Glinini." Burrows was awaiting his opportunity to strike. The enemy were in force at Maiwand and, on July 27, the little column marched against them, and was soon experiencing one of the most desperate figlits in the annals of British warfare. The force under Ayub was a large one^from 15,000 to 25,000 men — and t^tis force gradually surrounded the army led by Burrows. It was impossible to repel the attack of the ghazit who recklessly rushed up to the very muzzles of the guns, A desperate hand to hand encounter followed, and about the doomed guns the sappers and gunners fought fiercely with handspikes and rammers. The guns were captured, the charges of the cavalry were futile against the dense masses that rolled up about the guns, and the infantry were beaten and slaughtered with an appalling slaughter. All who could fled in confusion from the field; and all day long on the 2Sth the battered and broken remnants of the column dragged themselves into Kandahar. Among the last to enter the gates was Brigadier-General Burrows, who had had two horses shot under him in the battle of the previous day. According to Archibald Forbes, *" Out of a total of 2,476 engaged no fewei than 964 were killed. The wounded numbered 3 67 ; 331 sn «*«L aoBun. r I followers .n ™ough to reeognize 'ikewi. feared A,u. vt uh k'^IT '" '™^ *" "enged^^^He but the .eeesa won „ hia IS rth": 2td"'' ^ ' '"'""''»• enthusiasm for Ayub throughout the lenJl/ ^f . ""^'"^ »™iderable another like succesa would cau" Ira 1 \ "'""' "^ ^*haniatan, and Mahomed Jan to join hiavi::i:X:f'""'' "''-^»'' '^ tl.e standard of no eir:^i":sr.ir:rrr ''""'- ^- -- but Mr Griffin was now most urgenTflr ; 1^"""^' """' "''"^'^ "■-f ^ the HiticAbdur consented to a l^enerarr " ' " ''^ "'"'' ^"'P''' Kabul. The conference was a happy o™; T"' """*" ■""'' '""" ;.^. animat. by a -erflr to^ ri^te^l^ -" SIS WMA OoT«nn.«,t. .nd .Ilhough hi. «p«uiion, w«» Um,r thui Ih. O0T.mm«,t w« p„p„«, to «u^, y^ b. did not pr«. ,h™ with «, JT^ ^k'T ""* "•• """ "' ""• '^'"^"' -"V »» «»»id««i on the whol* to be higlily ntiiikctoiy." K r . !."" ' "^^ "°"'" '^ *• ~'»°''' ""-l" Robert. m«ch.ng though h>. territory tow«l. Kand,h.r; wd „ th, g«.t difficulty on .uch . m.rcl> would be U, ™pp|y ,he column with food he^Int »m. of h» mo.t pronounced «lhere„t. .he.d of RoberU to influence the might not be impeded. The complete »cceM of Robert.' g„at enten,ri« WM in no «m.n m««ur. due to Ami, Abdur Rahman, who wa. at once animated by a fhendly feeling towarf hi. Englirii benefactor, «,d by . d«ad of the ruing power of Ayub Khan. Meanwhile Robert, wa, making preparation, for the ta.k which wa. to b. tfie mo.t renowned achievement of hi. illu.triou. career, the great march to Kandahar. Hi. Chief helped him in every po«ible way in tb^ormation of hi. columa The force he wa. to take wa. to be about ten thou«nd ^rong, and Sir Donald Stewart placed the entire .trength in north^tem Afghanutan under hi, command («,me 18,000 men), at hi. dinxaal He could pick and choo«,. and, a. he «.y., he would have had only him«lf to blame "rf eveiy unit had not been a. efficiently equipped u orcumetances would admit" ' i rr arcumstance. would admi.l There wa. the rub. The force in Kabul had »en much wrvice in a hard country, and «veral of the beet regiment, mch a. the 67th, were in no condition to undertake rach a trying march' General Chapman write, thu, with regard to the formation of the column ■ " It wa, not with eager derire that the honor of marching to Kandahar wa. «ught for, and »me commanding office™ of experience judged rightly the temper, of their men when they reprewnted for the General', conaderation the claim, of the regiment, they commanded to be relieved as won a, po»ibl. frem field «rvioe. ... The enthuaaam which carried Sir Frederick Robert,- fore with rach exceptional rapidity to Kandahar was an after-giowth evolved i«. -J 328 «AHL KOBEBTa, weeks ror.frn.rJnT'V^^o^^'^rr': "* '^" "' °^" *- ArchLdForltaTaZ Tr'^""^ Highlanders, who, according to -o™ h^the™ to the'taTw::!::^°„?c;;; ;:: r '"? '""""■ caval^., Sikh infantry, and Punjab li7° ' , ', ^°' """""y- ^""J"'' India, native pionee™ and aTlTn ^ "^^ ''™''^ '«"" Central -de up the hlncnme C E""°" " ""» -" ''"» " «-.3, army as ever followed a leadeMnl batUe "'"""'^"^^ "■ ^'' ^"^""' The column was to travel light; "the «!ale of f*„t j u impedimenta was reduced to a minimum " Sunl J^\ ^'''"''' """^ to be collected along the line of ma 7 . .^^ ' "' ""' "'°" ?"'■ ^«" ra« OEIAT MARCH nOH KABTO TO KAKDABAB. 827 The 8th of August had been already decided on «e the day for .tarting. and to the hour everything wa, prepared, and the brigades moved into camp .t Charasm, about eight miles fiom the Bala Hissar. and the eighteen thousand men, including camp followers, with their eleven thousand transport ammals rested over night to begin in earnest on the morrow the march of the century. The troops began the march with mixed feelings and with but little idea of what they were to meet on the way. Dr. Duke, a member of the column with he cavalry brigades, very well voices the feelings of the members of the Kabul-Kandahar Field Force in the following paragraph : • "At the mess table, the battle of Maiwand, with the terrible slaughter of our roops was, of course, much discussed, as well as its consequences. Would the dimmished garrison of Kandahar be able to hold its own until our amval? Ayub Khan's great strength in artilleiy and the way he had used It, made h>m seem a dangerous foe. The rumor that Russian guidance was with them was duly weighed; while the report that his army was accompanied by three thousand Turcoman Horse, as they were called, raised fte hope that at least our cavalry might meet a foe worthy of its steel. Wiat lay before us could not be foretold. At least the tiring monotony of ordinary camp-Iife. for most of m hatod Kabul, Afghanistan, and Afghans generally— was now to be changed and war was in the air." Roberts remembered that "to climb steep hills requires slow pace at first, and during the early days of the march averaged but little over ten m.e« On the nth of August the general who had delayed his departure until the .olumn was well on its way received his "last communication f^m theoutsideworld,".teIegram from his wife, who, with their children, was at a httle v.llage m Somersetshire. It was just the one thing he needed on the eve of his great venture, and he left Kabul with alight heart and with a detenmnation to win. The methodical manner in which this march was carried out is very ooncisely given by Roberts in his " FortyOne Yeara in India." " On the march," l,e says, " and in the fo rmation of the camps the same •».»U..U.» ot u,, K.LU1 C^p^u, ,„, .„„ ^ t, „,. j„^„ ^^- . 838 >UtL BOBBRTS. :i!ii .•4««,04„.„Lj,r.i; """•■ ""^ '-"■ Ti "As a general rule, the oavalrv ravAr^ .1, about five miles, t™ of the fom-! Tt "o^*"™' «' • distance of on either flank. Vlof L infa^^'T .''"'^ ^ '™'' "'«■ «"« "«>» '»„ by a mountain batter^ h n fo 7 7T """' "^'' '^'^ '-'"?-«' engineerparlcMreasu^'lnd The ;r " '"""*'" "'""""^ """^ Which the brigades SVl^'Z "iTf "^ ''^ "^^' ^" -untain hatter, and one or t.o ij" I^ i^^^ryij " breakfast. Being Lie T sl^ t^^'^ -nutes to give time for a hasty advantageofthesfintvatto: a": r" '"'""'' ' "^'"^ "^^ fev. minutes sound sleep. On f^val a^' T ? ''""^ "''*'"■«' "««' " f^nt face of the camp was Sd™t ItnT" "" '" "^ °'«'"' »'»'' became the leading brigade of thlr„2on?„::.rr'^' """ *» every brigade had its turn of rear guarTdu v !h b ' '"""''• "^"^ particularly after leaving Ghazni^r, "*" ^"^ "<^'"""' ""^ thoba.ting.g™u„ahefoJsi?o;:;e;::;:r^^^ ^'^''■" --"-« even later." """' '■° ""« ^^^mg, and sometimes .be -i;::"rr::::it rr" ;"^ '""■• -'^™ -- ^- 'be column had started rom Ka ^1 SirT t T"' ''™ '"'' '"^^ Sberpur cantonments and began SmLttr. '"'"'"' ''™™'"«' '"« burnt his ships behind him 1/ "''"'• ^°''"'" ^^ 'h^^f-" cut offfrom any base aii/alml'T""/" "'""^ "^ '"« ™»P'«.«'y be would have'to Jl 7^ ly'^Tlf '"'^' T '""^ ^^^"''' "'- under the ci.umsu„ces than Li '::tr:;'™r '■™" "^ ^'^'«' flower of the British regiments in Indial :e7asl "/'r""' "™' """' nafve army," had suddenly vanished from II t IT '^*'""''°'' °^ ""> 1 \r\ , '-•■*- i-' a^\'t"* /' M^H 7'- ■ "1>g 'IV ,( > . . , ,,^ — ';■ V \ ^< ..^ -Ar :^ 1 : ic^. W^IM 111 IHI OMAT HABCH nOH KABUL TO XAMSAHAS, 881 the great ocean ; and this army was beset with more perils than ever threatened the destruction of any bark. For several weeks at least its whereabouts, its very existence, could only he a matter of speculation. There was, too, a variety of opinion about the enterprise. Some called it foolhardy ; others, who knew the man at the head of the column and his methods, admired the wisdom and the courage he had shown in -uidertaking the march; and realized that it was the one thing needftil under the circumstances to make British influence lasting in Afghanistan, and believed that the success which had crowned Roberts' previous eflbrts would again be his. Kandahar would be relieved and Ayub Khan's army would be scattered or destroyed. Meanwhile the soldiers were trudging along throughout days with the temperature frequently "at fmeiing point at dawn and one hundred and ten degrees at mid-day," suffering from cold and thirst and frequently having to endure blinding sand-storms. Lieutenant 0. G. Robertson, an officer with the forcn gives, with a strong pen, some of the hardships endured by officers and m..n on this marjh. ♦"The dead pull," he says, "did not u. itself felt till we left Saidabad in the Maidan valley. From this point we said good-bye to all trees and verdure of all kinds. Time seemed to resolve itself into an endless scorching day. Man and beast struggled on as if driven by an implacable' fate. Under foot were stone and sand and choking dust ; on either hand a barren mountain-wall neither closing in nor opening out; and above and below and all around the dead, mid-day glare, seeming to dry up the marrow in your bones and make your soul faint within you. If shadows could have been made saleable and rolled up in a commodious fashion they would have fetched any price. Even the patch of shade under a horses girth vould have been a marketable object I remember one day coming upon a ravine, where it was just possible to get a little shelter by sitting bolt upright against a bs-'k of moist clay. An Enghsh officer, a little donkey, and a low-caste native had taken refuge there. 1 took my place among them with satisfaction. The amount of dirt it was possible to cany about on your ■Quoted In Ijont Botoria of KxiutalMr, V. 0. br Walur Jwr.bi. ' ' S32 »*M. BOBIBn, recollection o/ofW .taring ,i^-,i,^^"f,*"'° """P. I h.ve . di.t.nct my feature, covered with du.! Zt '*'" •^" •""'»«"■. "^ Ending t^at pureed „. .„ Z^^T^^^'^^'Z ^\^' ^°"' '"-»' beyond the power of be.ke« of wat^ to J^^ *". ""~' "'" P^-^^ed of .mpossible draught, of ruby^lor^ da^' ""* ^"'»'''«-'ike dream, haunt my imagination till I tL.ht r . '^ " ""*«' <^''°' ^ to Meantime in Kandahar t^ aTlf ""= •*""'"""« »' P<"'»^-" brought to bear on the garrison on Z " !1^' "^ f' '"" «""' -" out from Kabul, and from day to day thlf ^ . ""** ^'"*^»' ''''■^ «t .ttle imp^^io, ,, po^tionLi^ e ~''';' ""« "•"''• -"ing but known a. Deh Khoja wa. considered plrttSl "", "'" *"' """"" «"'<'■ gam«,n had endured the hot fire Z!^Z ^^ ^'^'"""' »"'» «"» 'be itf ^'"''^« " --"^ - endiTorTdi: :; Tf h' "^'^ ''''^'' " - A body of eight hundred men under Bril. ^ * "" *°™ ">«"««''»• undercover Of the artillery iWm th^walS K^tr' ^"°"' ^^"' -' ■trong a force in Deh Khoja that tL 5 ^""'''"'a'; but there wa. «, reUrement to Kandahar no fewe tLTZ '"°'' """^ '" ""« ««»" and wounded, among the former twIbl'Tdcr^r "'" '""^ """> "^ and Captain Cruickehank. '"'^"'' »'«"«'. General Brooke difficSin'^''K!!lI.So7i"Lr. '"''''« «^« -arer; over th, orty^ne yea™ before BohlrL- JaS ^d^ ' ^r ',"' "" '" «''-- "''- Ahmedkhel where but four month. „!, ^\ ' '""«''* ' ">» »° 'brough nearly «:ffered defeat, butTr^Z?' "' '''"'^'■' ^'^""^ '^ad I 'ernble slaughter. At Chardeh tkey retVe^ ' ^"*'"' «>« •""»» with hopeful message: the place could hT^t "r ""^ '""" '^-<'abar,-a later they learned of the un«,ccelfo,l". , ^ *^" "'""'>'"; •»" a little began to tumble for the iit^ry „ ir"^ ^?' ""^ -any in the forj 'be general was hopeful, and onZ l^'l Tf "' ^'"^ «''-■ ««' «nt to Simla the following mes»l '^ ^ .^'''"•^''"-i was reached. 30-the fi^ „ord which w^ZvL 'T' '""'^""'^'^ "" ^"^^ from its ba«: "" '"="™<^ fr-"" "'e column since it cut loL IHI SBIAT IIABCH TBOU KABUL TO XANDIHAB. " Kelat-i-Ghilzai, 23rd August, 1890. "Hie force tinder mj command arrived here thig morning. The authorities at Kandahar having stated on the 17th insL that they had abundant supplies and con 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 miUs, 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- Ohilzai garrison Tvith me, making the fort over to Mahomed Sadik Khan, a Toki chie^ 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 apposition 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 23id Pioneers, one 2nd Sikhs, two sepoyb 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 16th, and from Oba Karez on the 18th August" The march had not been without its hardships, and a number of the followers and several of the native soldiers dropped behind and died by the road side or were killed by the Afghans who followed in the wake of the column. But the march was drawing near its close and the force would either join battle with Ayub's army before the date (September 2) on which Roberts had planned to reach the garrison, or would have made its way unmolested into Kandahar. On the 27th of the month dismay spread through the ranks ; on that 11! h!\ 8M CARt aoBnnt ^7 tlw Ittin wu found to be «> ill .1, . i. n.« couid b. no h.,, however :^t:li Z^f' '^ ""»"* ■"• "- ofnu«hhedWiked very mach ,nd whToTlSr^ long in . dooBe, . n„d. e«»v,y„ce for a gene„l on «rv d" ^ u. !^ "« »<*» ignomini„„ «d ~t another m««ge to Simll "*" '" ""^ e^-^W^ "8H4BB-I-S4P4, 'My force arrived here toda» T«„- j . "*^"' *"8<"«. 1880. ftom Colonel 8t John. He ^J: ^-T '''"*' '"**"''y «'«*«' 25th force have be«. efficient to «Ue^e J t T" "' "" ""P""* <" y«« %ht the village, on the eaaTan™ 1^' f"" -ve.tn.ent On Mondav «^n.„f,A<^.„,^ ^^'"^""^ we™ abandoned by their nuxe «d marched to . poaitL 1 thf A™^ 7^°* *^"'' '*™'"^ •■" ««■»?. Sheikh Chela, due noTh of th" Z ^T\^"^ ^"^ ^«'' -' «»ky hill^ He haa about 4.0M l^L^^ T"^ '""" " "'' « -f" <" ^•pounde™ rifled, four expounder ™tth ^^ " "•'"""'^''" -<» '-» b."*^. 2.000 eo.an.and'^rZ.^ri^r tT"' '"'^ """ "-P-"""" tWrf have firearm. The KiXTTa^J"' T.^ "' ^*"^' "^ ""o- « 1.200 Infantry and 300 caval^^el if f"""" •" '^ ""'• '^out -de a .bo, „f ,,^ ''^- ^«-^ ^J-rt and join u. directly w, «.cce«ion, but I think Ayub wiU Z.!l , "'"'" "' ^^^ ^'^'^ Kabul fo^, p^rided he waitTwulruT" "^ """" ?"" '^-' «' «•• .waynorthintoKh.krez,or;i ,r:'*''''- '''""'■ ^ «P-'. »Wke (run. Maelaine. Royal Hor»lSUlrr"'''""°'' "'" ^'^^ ^ »"» effort to obtain hi, release, but ^ l?" ' ^r""' ^ «— '-« eve.y morning, the 25th, I „ent ^ the fieldTf tZ T. "'"'" "' ™~^ ^his found th,bodi« of the poor fell rirLlt"'"^^" "''''* "'"■ -<» they ^ill be buried thiaVftemo^r In the '.T' '°^^ " ""-•«'.• ««n or tiding, of Ph,y„, oTr^ GoI .r"'"^ '" '"'"'f "'"• ^o .t Kobat; they J i„ ^^7 " '^'"^ »' --"T. « Gene™l Prin^ heliograph, taTIfubK^rr""" "* ^'^'"'"• Baba Wali. The force marches for Roblt' "^ '"'"""''^ '""" «"»P at from Kandahar." ^°*'*' to-morrow, seventeen mile, distant THE OBEAT UAWtM nOli KABUL 10 KAHDAHAB. •w Two dtjrg later he gave Ua m«n • rett— the aeoood day on iWi march that luoh a luxury had been enjoyed. A batde or a puraiit might be awaiting the column at the end of the journey and it waa needflU to have hia aoldiera finish aa freah oa poaaible. Ayub waa not prepared to liak hia force, and on the Slat when the column reached Kandahar having marched in all about 320 milea in twenty-throe days, he waa found to have withdrawn hia troopa to the ahelter of the hills near by. Koberts waa somewhat disgusted with the condition of the garriaon. The men were demoraUied, and ever since the sortie of the 16th had been in despair. It waa a veiy different body of men from the aoldiera who had ibUowed him from Kabul Jerrold in his "Lord Roberts of Kandahar" quotes from Dr. Duke's account of the march a passage which shows what it waa that constituted the difleienoe between the Kandahar garrison and Roberts' force. "While it must be allowed that the whole force, men and officers had done their duty nobly, and had accomplished a march which had seldom been surpassed, still the key of the movement was the firm determination of the general commanding. Few commanders have been more penonally liked by all, from the drummer to the colonel, than was General Roberts; and the national and universal admiration which this march and subsequent complete victory inspired, has stomped it as one of the greatest achievements of the British army." The march had been • hard one, a "unique achievement" in the history of war, and while the column had been free from attack the soldiers were daily forced to endure hardships, specially after leaving Ghazni, that were enough to break the spirits of most men. One officer who "footed" the whole of the 320 miles gives the following description of what he and the other members of the infantry corps had to endure. "As one who took port in the march and actually walked the whole distance, I can safely say it was extremely hard work, and could not possibly have been done except under a general like Sir Frederick Roberts, who waa beUeved in and trubleJ by all ranks, and who inspired a determination to !>• "i? I ii M6 >Au Mama, Wl down rather than ri« in Tfc- v _. «<«. «cept on. Jiddy rt^r\: '"""' *'"""" "T Kh.I-l-AkhundtoRobat,thewe.,Won.H . '• *'^"™' "<> *»» 2«"« ^"^ The. ..; fewTHo I'J/'f ^'"^ "'• - I-^i"- hou *^!«. but much foo.«,rene« ■ donkl,?^ u *" "^'"'«" «" Eun.p«u, which the foot«,„ men wer^ac^ iJv , "*" '" ""^ '^-'-^"^'^ from diarrh«. ThU^ add«irp^; r^' Ke'aM-Ghil™ c.e.^ one ^ff^ed think Ih. force could h.-. ^Z,^ '^' ^^""^ «■* "» -o that I do ^ native ..Mier. .ere a ^ SJ Tud' T'' "T " "^'^ ^-^^ Z fo'Wer.w.,m„chg„.,er th^ w^ll Vr'"' "°'"'«^ «>» camp. ~^ wa. exco-ive. Every Z ISTl' ""'™- '''"' "-k on th^ "me -fttigue' „e.7 day, eit^r teZ -u^'"^''' ""' '"' '"'''""'■' ™ "nval in camp. The chl^f ^Z TZT^ " '" "■»"'"« " «««' ;i^he force generally mashed .^ary taThc '' "" '"" »' ""P- msolate. that men on thi. latte^d'tv ohJ- "J"^'' ""' ™«-8""d«got """der it wa. .imply the pS If'^h '"^ *"' '«»'"' «t. I preeence and encouragement, t^atpulTed 17™' l^"^ "" '^^ Keneral'a »"' "-".11 over, ^d^he 21 2r "■"*'•" the gene»l who had «>compli,hed one o7Z ""^ ''* "" P'*'"" »' marching fea^ of modern'^war ^here ™ fT^' •"-> ""t .pectacular Ayub Khan', army had to be b„ke„ aTd T ^ """^ '""^ 'o >« '' ord» ~oo--.od.ted in,ide the cit^f IllVt "" *""'"" '^'""" >»»" -»-truot«,,.nda.Oene„^Ci^ ^^Lk/"'" ^" ^"""-o ^o U the.r pre«„oe felt a, the Kabul^orn t^"*"' '""'• "^"'y <"«» -^e ""^hrh-ra^^''--^^^^^^^^ \W I,: r (i f LORD ROatHTS WKITINO DEaPATC WAY TO BLOEMFOKTEIN tOATKBINa AYtlB KHAN'b ARHT. 841 ridgs; The ground waa naturally easily defended in his front, and a small body of well-armed and steady riflemen might have kept back an army. In addition to the natural strength of hia position his best guns were posted in such a way as to eficsctively guard his camp from a frontal attack. He felt perfectly secure in the ground he had selected and determined to wait the attack of the British, and, if possible, inflict severe loss upon them. There was just one thing to be feared : his right flank might be turned, and to guard against this he had thrown up strong entrenchments on Pir Paimal, a hill on his extreme right and had placed on this hill several powerful and well-manned guns. Behind the Pir Paimal hill, and at no great distance from it, rose high the Kharoti hill, and on this, too, troops were placed and guns posted. To r ich his camp the British would have to pass between these two positions, over rough and broken ground, where they would be swept by a savage oroes-flre. Jnder the circumstances it is not to be wondered at that Ayub Khan had such a sense of security in his well-chosen camp. It did not take Roberts long to size up the situation. A frontal attack on the Baba Wali Kotal was out of the question, as impossible as it would have been to carry the Peiwar Kotal without first having rolled up the flank of the enemy. He had no doubt but that the men who had followed him iW>m Kabul could carry even the Baba Wali Kotal at the bayonet point; but the loss of life would be tremendous, and he was not prepared to sacrifice his soldiers. A turning movement, a thing he dearly loved, on the enemy's right would have to be tried. It was with this movement in view th&t he sent General Hugh Oough out to make a reconnaissance in force. General Gough was accompanied by Lieutenant-Colonel Chapman, an oflicer thoroughly familiar with Kandahar and i»p surroundings, and under his guidance the reconnoitring party succeeded in taking up a good position above the villages of Gundigan and Murglian. From this point the cavalry moved forward until within close range of the Pir Paimal battery, gathering information as they went forward that was to be invaluable for the manoeuvres of the following day. They succeeded in unmasking the gum at 4 342 **ni, soBnn, ■\'l\ ™nt had been attempted, and t^^^^ J^ """^'"'^ """ * '"™»8 move- for Ayub Khaa They Cl^L T' T"^' '"«»'' '"«' »ved the day n«»be™andwithg„afpe;:lt~ ';%""'''■« ^""^ " «""«' -•h all possible speed g^ within the Se 7 "^ """ """"""y '"'' '''«'«''7 preyed that the gallant fsth Sitl td^T r™"' '"' " "'"" '«'" "-ey forced to tun. and cover the IJ^I smT rf"'"'' ""'"-y' -« 'hat they had once more beatenTfiritir '*"*"'"* '»• '^'"""g "tuation become that fiobertTSe^^rrr" "*' ~ ■^"'^ ^^ 'he l"' Brigade underarms m ffikhT^h " '"^ ^"S*"' •"■» Pa^ofthe *^ wnaet firing went on. "^ '""'*^"' *^''«' the advance althongh ove«?nint\^ W«„'g ^ ^^71!"' ^'«'""" "^ """'-l Koberts consulted with QooKh and n,.„ »mp, and they concluded that fsu^^r" " '"° " *^ ""°»«' '- the village of Pir p.i„^ on the^!Z^' '"""'^ «""" >« °>ade by way of mpe^tive to make the attack at on« iL^dT* ^' '"'' ""' " ^ fear. The beating back of the —l^^^ '^ """''^ ^ ""^huted to .*a^ as a victo^, and won, In^S:* !7 "" '°°''^ "P"" "^ '"o -any Of ehe Afghan, who were hoMi" w 1 ,' '"^'f "' ^^^ «''» Bntish general who had beaten them .rt"^ """*'"'""'«»«'"-' <».' of Kabul, and had, with . lX» '^^T/'"^' ^"^ -driven them -nts against the largest force eveTirj'j'l"'''^ ""' "'^'P" -"'"- 'ho end had b^ken and scattered thSo'^"'" 7 T'"^' """ ''^ h«l seemed to them, as he neared KandVh!! " ^'""""^ ^"'- »• anny been beaten back? Zb Khi! T"""™""^' •»" had not hi. Ayub Khan wa, his match I So the> were soATTiiireo ATtJB Khar's Aniir. S48 beginning to think, and Roberto, recognizing thi», decided that the amy of Ayub Klian must be crushed on the morrow. That night he issued orders " for the troopa to breakfast at 7 a. m., and for one day's cooked rations to be carried by the infantry and tvro day's by the cavalry and horse artillery. The brigades were to be in position by 8 o'clock, tents being previously struck and the baggage stored in a walled enclosure." Evidently he expected that one day's fighting would be sufficient to break the army of Ayub Khaa The two day's rations for the cavalry and horse artillery was significant. The army that had brought such disaster to the force under General Burrows at Maiwand, and had for a month threatened and terrified the garrison at Kandahar would be scattered in flight and hrtly pursued. Having issued his orders the eihausted leader went to rest, his slumbers being disturbed during the night by the wild firing of the confident Afghans from the villages they had occupied between the camp of the British army and the Pir Paimal hilL At daybreak Roberts was up, and while the troops were getting ready for battle he outlined to his generals his plan of attack. His heaviest artillery was to play on Baba Wall Kotal, and both infantry and cavalry weiB to make a feint against that strong position while the real attack was to be made on the enemy's right. The following is his own account of the disposition of his troops on that eventftil September morning, and is of peculiar interest as it was to be the last great fight he was to be in for nearly twenty years. '' 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 oijr 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 at the left, ready to operate by Gundigan towards the head of 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 wore placed at the disposal of Brigadier-General Hugh Gough, whose ordera were to occupy with &ese troops the position It' ill ut ■Mtt BOBtBTt, the ground between Kquet Hill .ad Chitralan. ^ *" "^P' the Kabul-Kandahar Reld Fo™ 1 J " '"''" " *» '"'"■"'T of Brigadie^Qene»I ^ w b^^ f."^ "^ "" '*'"* T"' "■»"«»' of Artmery under cZT^o^I^jT" " ^""^•- "* ^"<^' Hoyal Nuttell, to take „p a p^tTon ^ " ^^''^ ""<•" B^KaO'eMSeneral 40-pounde™ coul/b, b^rto W » ^^ irr*" '""" ""'<''• »'«' cavalry could watch the pa^LSedKotoliM' ^ '^''" '''"•'''"■"« "» The Baba Wall Kotri^^ m f "'"'•'■"""'"^ "^ oover the city." Royal Artill.^ o;^^?len"i^L 7 ^**"'- ' ""* «"« "* ^"<^^' they could reach thia poei^ ° 't,!, ^ ? . "' ^"°"" '^"- ^efo™ I-^ bodie. of the ,ZZ " pii b , * "'^ '""" ""« '" ^ "o- P-etrated far into ZZ^Ll^Tri ? '""^'' »' "'•' P"™"» «"' "'^ the village Without oppJuoT-^fS^Hiir^ """"' "^ '"^ '"'" <" were the leading „giZl a^d -.vlf "'«'''''"''"' ""«> '^e 2nd Gurkha. .1- when the/eal to ^Z^ZT T ^^ *''?"»^ "" "■«' -' «iven, and .bough the ,^^ L2\ S^^d^^lT "'^°"*" '" killed, or 1r,ven out of the villa™ Tw! t^' ^^ " '''P' "'''•• principally f„„Hayonetthru...rSe sllel \ "' """" '" ''»^' -e-hadheentheirre... L''Zt'^:Z'':^:^ tOATTcnnia atub khan's Atatr. S46 •knlklng yXodi fired upon the Britiib tioope until they were rooted out or •hot down. Brigiidier'<3enenl Baker meanwhile waa leading his brigade over a difficult road to Gundigaa The poeition of the Afghans in this village waa even stronger than in Sahidad. They were behind loopholed walls, and felt themselves strong enough to take the offensive, at times making savage rushes with their tulwars and pikes against the Highlanders, Sikhs and Gurkhas; but at last under the inspiring leadership of gallant Colonel Browulow, who fell mortally wounded immediately alter giving his regiment the order to charge, the Highlanders and Gurkhas swept into the streets of Gundigan and drove off the >««m on the left, and while on* rf, ,? ' wateMoureea in the river, another relied l>JvZltZit f I" '"""' """^ "-" «» Migor White was the fl^ T ^"*'' '^^'''' •=»"? «' Mazra." the galL Gurthr^ T. Z^uCT T '"' ' '^'^ '»"- »' mentioned after this %h. for breve^li I rrx"''' "''° "'^"""^ •trong second to White in the rad forZ "^^ ''!''■" ^'"''' "''» °"«''' « laid bis rifle acre, one of thl ^ySg"". cTntn'r^l """^ "'^ '"""'"^'^ Gurkha. I " ^ ^' Captured, m the name of the 2nd ^irHlt.2^t^"rr--«-- work in other "cognised that he was ho^S Li ' Tt *""'" ^'"" '"»° ^yub empty camp at 1 o'clock ev^h^ wl :; h "^ ^""^^ '"'«-' "'• nature of hi. flight. HisTatTt' **""""' o^ 'he precipitate furnishing, weretu left LS t Tai^t "1 ""' '^^ ^^.ts and barbareu. army had been abandoned the JpI .. "^"'^"^ »' ' '»" half kneaded in the earthen vriTstkl L '" 1 ""'"^ '^^ ""' ''"'«' flour, and »rn." '^''' *'""'"'^ "«■ i" **« pot., dried fruity One incident marred thi, victory Avnh t,.^ •u English officer. Lieutenant uSZ' 1, "' ' P"""" ■'" ^ ^mp been captured with the r^t^rco^mrrJ^^^^^^ *h. bUck mass of ,Ha«, wl ^IT ^ "' "°"" "°"^'"«^- "'o-gh berei, conduct he had^i.^ . ZT'? , ' "'"• ^^ "'="''-' "^ ^1 been made by the comZ^r »!?«„?! r"^' "' "'""'« «'^°"» ^a" tbought, of the victors trel:;t' '°°\^V'-'ea«. '^'^^ ^' Maolaine, and to their horrerrrfouLT? ^'" ''""P '«" """ut fiom Ayubs tent ^ °'"" '"'" '^'^ ^^ "»«" «»' a few yards Xbo r^tance to the advance of the British had been stubho™, but ■CATTERINO AYDB XRAH'I AKUT. 847 while their loss waa light the Afghans suffered heavily, 600 of thein were found dead on the ground over which the 1st and 2nd Brigades had fought their way to Pir Paimal hill. By 9 o'clock on the night of the battle of Kandahar all the troops, excepting the Ist Brigade, left to protect the sloies and guns captured from Ayub Khan, were back in their camp, enjoying a well-earned rest Roberts himself had been " utterly exhausted " by this day's hard work, and the cheers of his gallant soldiers as he entered the deserted camp nearly broke him down, and when he saw the bodies of his soldiers who had fallen in winning him this victory, "it was," he si.js, " with a very big lump in my throat that I managed to say a few words of thanks to each corps in turn." But after a brief rest, with a great deal of very pardonable pride, he sent off to headquarters the following telegram, which he says was anxiously looked forward to both in England and in India. " Kandahar, " Ist September, 1880, (8 p. m). " Ayub Khan's army was to-day defeated and completely dispersed with, I hope, comparatively slight loss on oar 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 pursuiL Our casualties are 22nd Foot Captain Straiten, killed ; 72nd Highlanders, Lieutenant 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 ; 2ud Gur'ichas, Lieutenant 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 tnwps in Ayub Khan's camp. Ayub Khan is supposed to have fled toward Herat." The battle of Kandahar or Baba Wall, as it is sometimes called, was a splendid ending to a great campaign. Roberts had done the work allotted to MS am aawtm. Mm to pnftction j it woaM be mmy ,«„ before EngUnd woald igebi hm wriou. tixruble from the tribee on her norlhem famUer. BoUrte h>d given her arm. . renown tmong the hillmen that would not nan be foigottok The campnign waa now over, and he wa« glad to be able to nnd baoktha regiment^ whijh had done ao mneh by their bravery and oonfldenoe to win hun hi. feme, to the p.«iefal region along the Gange. where they oonld be reunited with their familie. and IHend^ whom, for the moat part, they had not aeen lor Mveral year* He himielT wa. thoroughly pUyed out and needed a rert ; and m he went to Qaett% where he hoped to have hi. health ""rtored. On the way to tbi. rtation he wa. to learn how mucL hi. wrvice. had been erteemed by hi. Queen who had honored him with a 0. 0. B. u>d made him oommandeHn-chief of the Madra. army. But Quetta wa. not . Kifflcient change. He needed the miirt. and green field, of England, and m> he appUed for leave of ab»noe, and early in Octobe.- started for India «» trnd, for England. At the Bolan pan he met most of the regiment, who had rtood by him to >o many fierce fight, and through » numy day. of hard marching, and no general ever gave a finer appreciation of hi. wldiere than he did when in wntmg hi. great autobiography he recall, the welcome he received fem, them on thi. oocaaon. *"Riding through the Bolan p«» I overtook," he ny«, "mort of the regiment, of the Kabul-Kandahar Field Foree marching toward. SibL thence to dieperw to their reepective d-Unation^ A. I parted with each »rp,,n turn it. b«id played -Auld Lang Syne,' and I have never rince lieud that memory^tirring air without it. bringing before my mind', eye the l~rt view I had of the Kabul-Kandahar Field Foree. I fimcy mywlf cre-dng and re.cre«,ng the river which wind, through the pa» ; I hear the martial beat of drum, and plaintive music of the pipe.; and I see Rifiemen and Gurkhas, Highlanders nnd Sikhs, guns and ho«es, camels and mules, with the endless following of an Indian army, winding through the narrow go»e., or over the interminable bouldere which made the p««age of the BoUn «, difficult and wearisome to man and beast •Boiwa: wmr-OM T«n lu ii^it ' — wrifT I COL. OTTBie MrotlWrlotor. (m,r'V- ^'(-'l^ j COL. PKICK KATmiira atvi kbak'i armt. •51 " I AtW never forget the feeling of ndneee with which I uii good-bjr* to the men who had done w much for met I looked upon them all, nitive ■• well u Britiih, *a my valued i^lenda, and well I might, for never had • commander been better aerved. From flnt to laet > grand ipirit of camaraderie pervaded all ranks. At the Pelwar Kotal, at Chonuia, and during the fighting around Kabul all were eager to eloae with the enemy, no matter how great the odda agninat them. Thiougliout the march from Kabul all leemed to be animal d with but one desire, to effect, cost what it might in personal risk, latigu or discomfort, the speedy release of their beleagured fellow4oldiers in Kandahar; and the unflagging energy and perseverance of my splendid troops seemed to reach their tail height, when they realised 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 flilL Notwithstanding the provocation caused by the cruel murder of any stragglers who fell into the hands oi' the Afghans, not one act infringing the rules of civilised warfare was committed by my troops. The persons and property of the natives were respected, and taii compensation for supplies was everywhere giverL In short, the inhabitants of the district through which we passed could not have been treated with greater consideration or with a lighter hand had they proved themselves friendly allies, and the conduct of the troope will ever be to me as pleasing a memory as are the results which they achieved." What a powerful pen we have hero I The heart is writing, and the strong rhythm of the splendid periods magnificently reproduce t* ^ irmer feelings of the man. As these sentences oro read it is not hard to understand why the rank and file of the British army are ready to follow Roberts anywhere with enthusiasm, and will stand by him through good report snd evil nfoii. fi'5 CHAPTER XXIX """ *"> ™» "«« BOCK WA» the .nagnifloent work theX'do^," !,*? "" '"' '•'•^<' '<'"'""'.• for thi. lettw he My,. ..A i. , " Afgh,ni,t«n fcr th. Empire Of -t.a«.«. j:,,/crnre'.t"-' ^-^ — ^"pp" No.e.tri';r:f.^?i;-r^^^^^ of Engird, loomed up b.fo„ him i^T ' ^'"^ '^ *' '««'• 8~" Add. forced him to make L u7niZZl ^"'^'- ^'^'^^ce. h«. had intended. It „„ i.^T^^'tXl :^ """* "'"«»' «»° "» «ell.kept hedge,, and the pea<^r " , u "*" *•"• ^^ ««"«. «■« In the meantime man, chaChL^LTil "' '«^ «f hi. boyhood day. " the two vacant piece, " i„ t^r^, ^°° ^^"^ " '"" "•"" ^•> fe't mo.t wa. watched hi, epien^H caree^r rr^o^td Z:fZ "" ''' ^ "'»««''' h« wo^hippe™, wa, likewi«, dead. ^ '. „ . """"^ "'^'- <=''"f "'"ong over the lo»e. death h«l brought to hi^ W 2*^1'° T"' """ *» ''"«' England. He found him«If the he» n^t^l ' '^"''^ ^' *»««' » and feaeled to a.moet an alarig ^^1' "' '"' " '' »" *" "*««» 352 "^ ''" ""'* "^"■-' ^' "- ~ Of .mthu,ia.m he fou..d in Kng. 1 ABO TBB mn Bom wai. in bad onr bb m4rch from K*bul to Kindahar. H« by no Bictm neVoned it M hi* gTMlMt aehievement, and conrideieH 'oth hia wotit with th* Kunm ndd Fom at the Peiwtr KoUl, and hia ii < tfn Kabul, while the tnach- -ardoue perform- -tnblie attitude nance thrown .irly a month, and peaaimiitie ! ., r I, >! ., in .ii'^idcnrt Ui J tl'i. „l»niout '' I Amir Yakub Khan waa in hie oa - 1 > anew. Thia enthueiaam waa, aa br k i> toward* hia gmt march, no dou1>( ('.if " around an army of 10,000 men, lost to v ' about the ikte of which nninfor iM ipi, n~>i>.i u ir-, f< Tumora were apraad, until the teniwii Ijotjiu ■■ > '.tiemo «nd tbe correaponding relief proportionately great when that i.rn , -i ppf: d tn diapoee at one* of Ayub and hia hitherto victorioua troop*." It muat be remembered in connderiug .. odif ileprcciivtion of hia Ctm- oua fight at the oloae of hia march, that in the battle of Kandahar the iaiue could not for a moment be in doubt. Aa Archibald Forbea aaya in apeaking of thia battle: "Numerical diaparity waa non-exiatent, and Ayub bad immenaely the disadrantage aa regarded trained atrength." Roberta who had twen aocuatomed to winning victoriea ogoinet atrong poaitiona when the number* were ten to one in hia opponent*' favor, could not but wonder at the nnatinted praiae that waa given to hia final worlc in Afghanistan. He waa, twenty-one yeara later, to be the controlling spirit of an even greater march— hi* mah to Bloemfoutein, and then to Pretoria. To coloniala with military aspirationa part of a apeech he delivered in England during hia aojoum after Kandahar should be of special interest oa it explain* to some extent the reaeon of the miafortunes that befell the firat contingenta sent to South Africa. He is in this speech a critic of the " ehorteervice syetem." The colonial aoldiers in South Africa were practically all ahort-service men ; many of them indeed mere boys, and when, for example, the parade atate of the Royal Canadian* at Pretoria i» examined, tlie truth of hia word* in connection with the great march will be readily understood. " The 72nd nigblandera," he aaya, " continued with me throughout the campaign, and wa* one of the three battalion* of British infantry I selected to accompany me on the march from Kabul to Kandahar. During the early part of la*t *pring the regiment had received a draft from England of about 1 SM ■AXL aOBIRn, 1™^ ' " °""' m» of «ch can. L.d 4U.,„ out on th. 2^ . mformation w. n«e«^ ^ en.bl, m. u, judge wheth„ tTtZ. !« b«ug t«ed beyond their power. I di«,ve™d It th. 72nd SnZ h.d mo™ c^ualtle. in p„portion to their number. th.n .HhfvST m^onty of th, ««. ooour«d .mong th. mwi of the hut drriU-in f-T -ong the young „,dier. The average .ervic of the 7&d S^^^ ti:: rdTs.?*""' '"^ "^*^ "•^'^ -"-^ • --^ year.,, t:?:: l^ira^^*^' ""^'^ •"*" ^""•' ""^ »"•" ""nd Highirder.^ TuT^ . T' "'^"'"' '^''^ y*""' private., nine yeL. Such a return a. thl. it may be quite impo«ibI, evVr toTrepare ^ tf "o" ^-em of .hort^rvice i. per«..ed in ; and let me a^d JetSTg Z^ fiZ LTTn? ::^T *>- "« -Hrai- to perform ^chT::!^ 5>:2hrr;re-:rrmor2Sbri :r -• ^rsziiritrrr^-^ D C L, and the cty of Bristol gave him a .ervice of pUt» But p^bl! Eton ho, o^d «*ool. The city of London pre«nted him with iTL2L at the cty and a .word of honor, "in recog;ition of hi. Zn^^Z^ the prestige and reputation of the Britid, army" The citv .hl^T made the presentation in word, of high prai^ iS^r^^rel "n t" occasion is strongly characteristic of the man ^ ' '"' **" whrch our Sovereign ha. been graciously plea«d to bertow on me, nonarf HoiR AND nn ran boib was. S86 the generaw tMltmoniea which I htn neeiTed hu man deeply sUmd my feelings of gratitade. The honon which hare been paid to me in tbie hie- torical hall are connderably enhanced by the veiy gratiiying manner in which yon have referred Srat to the memory of my honored father, whoee coonseli and examplea have stimalated my exertions in the path of duty ; then, to the dicumatancea of my earlier career ; and, lastly, to the eerrices which in recent years I have been enabled to render to my Queen and coun- try. In the honorable grant of the freedom of this city, and of the sword of honor to a soldier like myself, I recognize, not only the approval of the most important municipal corporation in these realms, but also your appreciation of the &ct that arms are necessary to the protection of commerce and to the secure enjoyment of peace. When I call to mind the list of illustrious commanders on whom this much-coveted distinction has from time to time been bestowed, I cannot but feel that the addition of my name to the list is owing rather to your fevor than to my own merit Permit me to accept the honor as paid, not to myself alone, but also to the able ofi9cers and to the brave and enduring troops who served under my directions, and whom I am ao proud to represent Your chamberlain has paid me and the force which I commanded, a high compliment indeed in comparing our march from Kabul to Kandahar with the femous ' retreat of the ten thousand ' from the plains of Babylon to the shores of the Euxine. To a certain extent, we may, perhaps, be permitted to accept this comparison. Both operations were carried out amidst numerous enemies and through diiflcalt countries, and in both cases the object in view was snccessAiUy attained. Honor is the proper reward for the soldier's services^ and 'dargers,' according to no mean authority 'ask to be paid in pleasure.' I need not assure you of the pleasure with which I have this day received the highest tokens of your approbation." On the evening of the day on which this sword was presented to him, the first men of England assembled at the Mansion House at a banquet given in his honor. Jerrold in his " Lord Roberts of Kandahar," speaks of his speech on this occasion in reply to the toast of his health, as one " fiiU of interest not only to all following his life-story, but also (o all concerned in the welfare of the British army." . . SM uu sointiiL Sir ivi^l «'™«';M«'»g th. compUment. which had b«m paid to Wm. ar F«d,„ck Hobert. went on to »y, -I h.y. „ „fton ofTat, bo™ ^m»y U. the admi^ble work which the troop, nnder my comZTd to.>.ght on tb,., to m., mo.t congenid object But on «>eh an occa«on a. he present, when the service, of those troop, have been so signally reoog^-J^ m my per«>n, I thinlc I d>all best show n.y g™titude brgi^TTS m^ncu. and most representative assembly the result of Jy ^JZ ^ » d.er. who has had opportunities, in more than one campaig^ of testing octaated s.mp^ by a sincere and honest desire to place my countrymen in ^on of the tru.h about their army, and to do what 1 1 fori armj e^^r T T"' "" "•• ' """"^ ""' y- • • . • to remember two e^^falpomts about our army. First, that it is' England's boast that her widely different from the conditions and objects which govern the ri Z ' con-'Ption, that the soldier belonging to it should, „ &r as the exigences of the service will admit, be treated a, volunteers ttiroughout their whole cai^r . . . . Evei,- soldier experienced in w"^U other senuments having their roots in our common nature, p^„ Iar» J forget that our army is a small one, almost absurdly small, to meet the many demands made upon it Above all things, then, it is neces«.ry that the spint and tone of that army should «.mj«nsate for iu numZTweaknl ^. . What IS It that has enabled a comparaUvcly small number of British ^ps .er and over again to face tremendous odds and win battles against v^tly superior numbers? The glorious annals of our regiments gi^e Z ZIr T". '• "^ * -^' -" P°-r of endurance-th^ thl e^^ntials which are absolutely wanting in the vnnn. ^u,„ ci«, „„, • tonl BgHrn « Ku»l.ii.r, V.U., br W^Ur J.noU. — ^ 1 Hi BOMi ARD rmt wan boxb waiu 867 enaUd a man to obey hia leaden implicitly, and to rely aa implicitly on hia oomndcs, but it cannot be instilled into & young soldier in a few months, and the more short service men there are in the regiment, the longer the process takes. &prit dt eorpt is, as 1 have said on a former occasion, the backbone of the British army. It is this feeling which teaches our soldiers to take an interest in the traditions of their regiment, and consequently to take pride in helping to keep up its good name. It must be remembered that fighting is not the only demand made upon our soldiers. It is, of course, the main object to be kept in view in any system of training, but all, especially British soldiers, must posses? great powers of endurance. Without them they are really worth nothing. What is it which causes the long casualty roll during a campaign? Not the losses in battle, but the steady, never-ceasing disease brought about by insufficient and badly cooked food, hard work, night duties, and by exposure to extremes of heat and cold. Against such trials only the strongest can bear up, and unless our regiments are composed of men full grown and of prime stamina, our armies, in coint of numbers weak enough at the best for the work they have to do, must dwindle away very rapidly when they take the field .... Depend upon it, the more men and the fewer boys there are in our army the more efficient will our regiments be ; and the more the feeling of eaprii de corps is encouraged the better will duty be carried on. Soldiers have hearts and imaginations like other men. Therefore it is that regiments are proud of Aeir traditions. Therefore it is that the men are proud of a regiment that has made a conspicuous name, and look forward to adding to its reputation. This is aprit de corpt .... With such interests at stake, it is surely worth your while to maintain an army on whoso services you can always depend. A wealthy and defenceless country is merely a temptation to the cupidity of other nationa But setting all this aside, on the score of economy alone, it is of the first importance that our soldiers should be healthy and strong enough to bear the strain of foreign service. .... While giving my experience of Eiitish soldiers, it may, perhaps, be expected of me to say something of Her Majesty's native soldiers, with whom I have had so much to do, and of 'Those many valuable qualities I can speak F«B?filBV3tSS*S;Sr «M >ABL SOBXBTa. «.. loyalt,. devotion. and'en^^^'LT wC^ *"" '"""""^ '» Madrm or Bombay P«,™ ti, ' " *''*'' '=^'' *»» B«>g«l, the m development Imatltnalli:' r"" "" '"'"'' 'o ^"~" quaUUe.. To my mind it i. ^. ' '"""~' ""^ «dmirabl, .ppaed»w:f,:i:Ui:rranr:---::^; "i^r Tem"en'r " ^ ^^^^ -f- - -"^ ~r„undedb,.«euUi,-ie'::e rml:^l' ^P "L\"°"«" eve^ Englishman' .^ th^'f ^h^f rb^rM""" ^" ''^'* " """o- We I^ve enemies without and wuS iT T T*^ "^ '"' '*"^ pl«!e we hold in the world unll """* """ ^'^ *° "'"■"''° ">« tTJZlI^!^?^ '"'"^"'«""« '••' "'"^ P"™^ himself England's best a. round of ente.t„i„ment. and honors was, however, ibr U,e tim. » ■*. -ST^maaE^S ■om AHD TBI wnn Kia wxa. 861 bdng, to be of riu>rt duntloo. Wai had broken oat in South Aflrles and the Boen were making an eflbrt to throw off what they considered the British yok*. Even while the meetings already mentioned were being held in honor of Roberts, stories of humiliating disasten to the small bodies of British soldiers operating against the farmers and hunters of the Transvaal reached England from the southern seas. Sir Theophilns Shepstone had "rushed" the annexation of the Transvaal in 1877, contrary to the wishes of many influential Boers, and the war with Cetewayo, largely on behalf of the Transvaal, necessitated the taxing of the burghers. But the Boers could not understand why they should pay taxea; and this gave the enemies of England their opportunity. The burghers rose in arms at the call of rach men as Kruger, Pretorius, and Jonbert On December 20 the first serious blow was struck at Bronkhoret Spruitwhereabiiefbattle was fought and the English defeated with great loa. It was, according to some historians, a success due to a treacherous act on the part of the Boen ; but, whether this be true or not, they proved themselves skilled warriors and marvellous marksmen. Down into Natal their commandoes swept, and continued to operate with unvarying success, beating our soldiers " when they were on the top of the hill and we were at the bottom, and when we were on the top of the hill and they were at the bottom." When they entered Natal they firat came into contact with the English at Laing's Nek. On January 28, Sir George Colley with a mounted force of 70 men, and 500 men of the 58th Regiment endeavored to drive the Boers ftom the strong position they had taken up; disaster followed, the troops under Gdley were hopelessly beaten, and 90 were killed and 100 wounded. Eleven days later General Colley once more met the Boeis at< Ingogo Heighta Some British historians have been in the hahit of calling this a drawn fight. It was in a way as great a disaster as was Laing's Nek. Oat of his force of 338 men Colley lost 76 killed and 89 wounded. This fight hopelessly weakened his column and paved the way for the crowning disaster of Majuba Hill. Tlie reverses Colley met with at the hands of the Boers preyed upon him, and he determined to come to battle with them once more, ■ven bsfore the reini»cements be had sent Sir Evelyn Wood to bring to ft* mmm m ftont eontd imv* H. nurdMd U. men to th. top of M.faU ftom which h« oould command the Boer podtioQ at Uing'i Nek. Ktzpatrick'i acoonnt of thii celebrated fight ii well worth reading In ecmnection with thi. rtmggle eepedally aa Fitapatrick ia not likely to gire one word ot praiie to the B« , which ia not deserved : "On February 27," writ ■ -itapatiick, "came M^uba, when Sir George Colley designed to retrieve ! ...ones and Mke «. effective blow without ttie aid of hi. second in c ■, .uand, Sir Evelyn Wood, whom he h»l Mmt to hurry up reinforcementt 'iLe «»Iing of the mountain at night waa a fine performance. The neglect to take th. rocket apparatu. or mounUin gun., or to fortify the poeition in any way, or even to acquaint the member, of th. force with the nature of the position which they had taken up in the dark and the failure to u« the bayonet, were the prindfjal cause, of dioater. The Boer, attacked in force a poeition which .hou'ld have been abMlutely hnpregnabK held a. it was by a force of 654 .oldiem The Boer force i. not known, but probably consisted of upward, of one thouamd men, once Chri.ta«n Joubert after the fight offered to take a portion of the men numbering, .. he Mid, wme 500, to attack a small British laager on one of the «pur. of the mountain. The splendid feat of taking the hilltop, however, waa tccomphriied by a small storming party of les. than 200 me?, the baUnce of the Boer forces covering the approach of their comrades by an accurate and mcesMut long-range fire. The result, a. U known, waa terrible disaster: 92 killed and 134 wounded and a number token primnere represented the British loss, while the Boers lost one killed and five wounded. No attempt had been made to occupy positions below the crown of the hill which commanded the approaches, and the Boer, were able to creep up under good cover from place to phice by the exercise of their admirable tacUca It i. impossible to detract from the perfonnance of the Boers, and a glance at the position leave, one more astonished than ever that a successful attack could ever have been made upon it The Boers displayed on this day the finest fighting qualities. The generalship of their fighting commandant, Nikolas Smit, was of the highest order. The cleverness of the attack, and the personal bravery and audacity of the storming party are beyond pi«ise." ■om AIR) TBI FIKIT lOBB WIB. MS Bafon thia dafemt uegotittioiu bad baen going on batwaan tha balllgerant powan— if tha Truuvaal could ba callad s powar— but the daath of Collejr •nd hif men chocked tha negotiation! and tha Bhtitli gorammant felt that it muit do something to retrieve the honor of England on tha field of battle. The man beat able to handle troope in South AlHca was at that moment in England, the idol of the people, Sir Frederick Hoborta. Hia axperiencea with tha Umbeyla expedition, oa leader of the Kuism Field Force, and at Kabul and Kandahar, pecii''arly fitted him for conducting opentiona among the kopjea and mountain m-igea of South Africa againat the aturdy farmera and hunters of the Transvaal. Government recognited this and despatched him with a atrong force to Natal. But scarcely was his ship out of sight of land, when England came to terms with the Boer leaders. Sir Evelyn Wood felt that, considering the disasters the British had sustained, he should flrat engage the Boers, whip them soundly, and then England could afford to be magnanimous. However Sir Evelyn was forced by his position to be the medium of communication between the Gladstone government and the Boers, and on March 21 a preliminary peace was concluded "which under certain conditions, guaranteed the restoration of tha country within six months, and left all other pointa to bo decided by a royal commimion.'' A howl of indignation went up from the British subjects in South Africa. Mr. Eider Haggard who was in that country at the time, thus writee of the intensity of the feeling roused by this " peace without honor," to use the words of Roberta in speaking of these same terms : *"Ne«castle was a curious sight the night after the peace was declared. Every hotel and bar was crowded with refugees who were trying to relieve their feelings by cursing the name of Gladstone, with a vigor, originality, and earnestness that I have never lieard equalled ; and declaring in ironical terms how proud they were to be citiiens of England— a country that alwaya kept ita word. Then they sat to work with many demonstrations of contempt to bum tha effigy of the right honorable Bentlciniii' «t the liead of Her * Thi LMt Bot- Wu by H, Hldw Hanard. y > tuaid^ly tb* .v. that «• Mlmna ttiBi^heal ■mthAMoL 0..in«Uomrfc«,„ma«tta,to«„a,.afatyb«in«^ And. ind«d, th.r. «« wo. «c<». fcr ril tU. bittom^i, te th. n.„ ™,„t ,„i„ fc, ^ "But If p«,pl, to N^ Mid ih. Oi4» «,dTrf Ih. n.w. w' J, MtonlA. nmt, how d»ll I d^orib. it. tfoh, however, uid indeed then wm nr>thin£ to U -id. Tbv Imply began to peclc up «ich thin*. « they oould cttiy with ftem and to I«ye U.e country, which they weU knew ih»a h«.cel»th w«Ud be utterly untonri.Ie for EngUrfimen or Englieh ^mpathi-ra In a few wMk. they came pouring down through Newourtle by hundred,; it wm Ih. moet melwcholy exodu. that c«, be imagined. Th.« w«. people of .11 cl.«_^iadJ^ gentlefolk, wor^^ople. ^ loyal Boer.; but ft^ l»d . «.nuect.ng l,„k. they h«l aU been loyal, and th^y we,, all mined." So when Robert. n>ached South AMca he found that the campaign hi. bu.y b«m had pl*>ned a. hi. T.«el pl„„gh«, j^ ,.y „„ ^ ^ ZZ^ mUe. of ocean between England and Cape Town wu not to be wali«d. HU I l.r J" *" ^' ' **"* •"'•-^"'y twenty-four hou„; then he w^hurmd back to Engl«,d. cogitating over what he had learned of the !^™ .1"",. ,?","' " *■"* ^'""- ""^ "* '''"'»<^-«» »'«•"« Mriou. diffieultiea for Engltnd in ihe luid of veldt and kone. Thi. "wild gooK, chafe" x. South Africa .poiled u week, out of the preciou. month, of l«ve" he wa. enjoying. On hi. return to Englaml h.mor. contmued to be helped upon him. In June he w»i ga»tted a G.C B. •nd a baronet for the work he had done in Afghanirtan. In Augnrt he had • ple««nt break in hi. virit to England by three week.' attonduice at the mihtary manoiuvw. at Hanover in Sohleswig-Holrtein, wh«, he wa. the guert of the emperor of Chrmany. In the .utumn he wu oJfe«d the port of ■OMI AMD THI mmt BOn WAM, S6S qnortemuilMfMMnl of lb* Hoiw Chuudi^ bat bite* th* oflhr oum Iw had mad* all lii< arrangantnti to «U to India to taka Dp hii dntlM M eommandar-iiMhiaf of tha Uadiaa armj, and waa thnafon oooatniiMd t» nftiaa it. Bhortly after thii, with hia wife and two daughtan^ ha UH England and nilad for tha land whan ba Iwd alnadjr ifant tmAf thii^ 'yaaiaof hiaUAk M maoam •BounioN tbi ouit (ANSI onl ISO TEST CHAKI H„. J) 1.0 I.I IjJ IM IM 12.2 11° 12.0 U8 I^Uil 1.6 ^PPLtED IIVHGE Irx (7ia) ♦« - 03OT - PfKHW (718) IM-SMS--^,. CHAPTER XXX. «.«™h to m,„ AND COMMASBra-IK^,., „ TH. BnJUN A.MT The War-cloud PMTo^^lRotm^ZL c^^"""? °*'""' '°^ *"" ""J-"-- Ag.in.tRu«i»-Udy Robert., N„b^™;°« *' ^r^r^^'J"!. *' '"""'"° ^"'°''" ROBERTS had now work to do that wa, quite as important a, even the »— of such a column as he had Wctoriously marched from Kabul H,V.- . *f °!!"- ^^ "^ ™>»"nander.in "•« ^"'0-^ of the thT3,el t, ""T ' "'™" »°' '"^ ^ '» P"*^"', is marked by hi T ! l^ '"'" "'•''* """^ ""^^ "•» '""""g t™* of tis character Satd '?'r T" ^" """^ '" Bunnah completed, he reZ^ .a mLtratlimr"""^ ""' ^""^ '"' ""™ '^ ''- ^•»^«' '^^ '^^^ resort^lTh*" "T^T"' ""^ '""'^''" ""> "?•"«"- 'W' o^armiug r«»rt , and he needed them. Few generals had ever endured more than th! HETUKH TO INDIA AND COMMANDKB-IN-CHIEF OF THE INDIAN AKMT. 367 eommander-in-chief of Madras. In the begianing of his Indian career Peshawar feyer had sapped his strength, and scarcely had he recovered from that disease, which had driven him twice to the fair vale of Kashmir, before he was plunged int» the Great Mutiny, Then followed a year of incredible hardships; days and nights in (he saddle; improper and irregular meals- rieep, when he could snatch a few brief minutes- his iron constitution collapsed. After a long rest he returned to the trying climate of India, and although it was some years before he was to see campaigning he still felt the evil eflects of his early experiences. The Umbeyla expediUon and the Lushai affair were both trying on his constitution, but his two years in Afghanistan had left him a physical wreck, and his too brief sojourn in England had not completely restored him to health. It is little wonder, then, that "Ooty," with its charming scenery and cool breezes, seemed to him an earthly paradise. Still he was not idle; his nervous, energetic temperament would not permit of that, and much of his time was spent in hunting and riding; and during the short cold season of each year he visited the wide region throughout which the Madras army was scattered. The men of the Madras army he found to be no longer a sturdy fighting race. Through "long years of peace," as he says, "and the security and prosperity attending it," they had become enervated, and much inferior to the hardy little Gurkhas and the noble Sikhs with whom he had been associated in arms for so many years. But there was one respect in which they might excel. Good marksmen require intelligence, a-.d this the men of the Madras army had to a greater extent than perhaps any other soldiers in India. Up to this time in the Indian army there had been but little eiahusiasm in regard to musketry instruction. As Roberts points out, the officers generally did not recognize the fact that the rifle was rapidly becoming the great weapon in modem war. Their lack of interest was natural. Their war experiences had been in the Mutiny and against the hill tribes, and for winning victories against such enemies artillery fire and the bayonet chaige had been found most useful. A short, sharp fight at close quarters, a wild charge, and the enemy had ever been scattered. Volley firing was useful, but individual firing was looked upon as a useless waste of good ammunition.' ""O URL BOBIRig. Bat between his Afghan experiences of 1879-80, and his return to India in 1881 he had been taught a lesson that English officers as a whole have been Blow to learn even to the present day. The Boer War of 1881 had in the meantime been fought, and although but smaU bodies of troops were engaged England had suffered the most humiliating reverses in the history of her mihtary career. Her disciplined soldiers, under able leaders, had been beat-n by a race of men who had never studied military tactics or strategy, and who went mto the fight without bayonet or sword. Marksmanship had been largely responsible for the disasters of Laing-s Nel; and Majuba Hill. The steady arm and sure eye of the Boer had broken the solid ranks of the British mfantry. Roberto, quick to learn from his own experiences or the experiences of others, saw the need of devoting quit* as much attention to musketry trainmg as to artillery manteuvres. He was beginning to realize, what the majority of English soldiers have not yet realized, that a boy who can shoot straight IS worth more than a giant who does not understand the weapon placed m his hands. The commander-iu^jhief of the Madras army recognized this iact, and not only encouraged rifle-pracUce, but, with bis staff enthusiastically took up rifle-shooting. This was not by any means the moat important of his reforms. To every department of the service he gave his attention, and the army under him became more efficient and the «,!dier, happier for these reforma Perhaps the noblest work he did at this time was in connection with the punishment of soldiers. To his Bayard-like nature the vice, and crime, and suffering among soldiers had ever been painful; and from the earliest day, of his connection with the army he had looked forward to elevating its moral tone. He was convinced, ever since his experience at the flogging parade at Peshawar, that the punishment meted out to the soldiers had a great deal to do with the prevalence of crime, and so he determined to make radical changes m the methods of treating offenders, especially where the offenders were young men. Hie own words with regard to this matter are of the greatest interest »" I had been,'- ::e writes, " unpleasantly st ruck by the frequent court*- Kimw TO iHDiA iND couuAHDis-iir-oHnr or thi insun abmt. S71 mxTtiKl on th« yaun|;er loldien, anil by the dupnportionate nnmber of then ladg to b« met with in the military prisons. Even when the priaoncrs happened to be of gome length of aervice, I uaually found that they had undergone previoiu impiieonment, and had been eeverely puniehed within a ■hart time of their enliatment 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 pojsession 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 aa receiving the fullest indulgence in the grant of passes, consistent with the requirements of health, duty and discipUne ; 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 have been assured that such indulgences were seidom abused ; and that, while they were greatly appreciated by those who received them, they acted as au incentive to less well-conducted men to try and redeem their characteis. "The reports of commanding officers, on the results of these small amelioratiocs, after a six months' trial, were so favorable that I was rhl': to authorize still further concessions as a premium for good behavior." It is not hard to nndeistand why Roberts has a place in the heart of the British soldier such *a no other general ever had. He looked upon them and treated them as men, not as mere parts of a great fighting machine. They were intelligent, moral beings with feelings such as their officers had. This was something new to the soldier of the British army. Even the great Wellington, although he was admired by his men, and although they would follow him with absolute trust into the most forlorn positions, never won the love of his soldiers. Ho made no effort to win their affections : there were given punishments for given offences, and if they broke the laws of the army 373 XIBL BOBIBTI, . r. "^^ "" '''°"" *" P"'^'^ ""'■ '"Pri-nment or with th. cat. Robert, wa. a degree higher in the e.tim.Uon of the army than the 71 ?"!r^ ™P~"ment wa. maniferted in the army, due partly, no doubt to the ™p.d advance being n.ade. though eduLon, i^g.!" mhzat,o„ but .n no small degree due to the considerate treatment metod e«rpi°e *"" ^ °®""" *'*° "'" "°* "'"' •' '»*'"« '•i- Uutil 1885 hi8 time, when not resUng quietly in hia home in "Ooty » wa, taken up w.th r,fle meeUnga, camp, of ezerciae, hi, effort, at reform, and T.^ '^ ' '" •™'""' "■" '"""' "' '^'^'^ -'«-' <" *<« -owned for the,r beauty in the Madra, Preaidency , and although none of the Z. were qu.te a. magnificent a. glimp««of the Simla region, and noneof^t ehnne, v.«ted equal in delicate beauty to the T^j Mahal of Agra they «.w much that made them marvel at the .km and intelligence ^the'eari; cj'::;;:^ -: "^^ "^" -■"'-"•^ --^^^ -oo"- ^^^ -tn consiSjbl' ''!t T "' """""""^ °' """ '""• ^"S""^ ™ »«"«1 to a of Lord Granville did Uttle to allay the excitement ' "According to the latest reports," he said, "the Russian outposts have occupied the Zulflkor pass, about twenty miles to the «,uth of PuirKhatum Akrabat, between Zulfikar and the river Khushk and SariS prrrtrru,"-" ''"^ "-'^ '^ "-^ «"^"'° ^~'. «-X ie'thrAfT '""-"f "»--»'«. ^tio" would bring about a collision ^twe the A ghan and Russian outposts. The Russian government, in reply 24. to .Mthdraw their advance posts at Sari-Yazi and the Zulfikar pass. Z save a^uranc. that their officers had been ordered carefully to avl'^t. BCromi TO ISDIA AND COSCMAKSXH-IM-CRIEr OT THE IHDIAM ARMY. 878 with the Ar^hana, and that complications were only to be feared in the event of the Afghans attacking the Russian posts." Several weeks later, however, the aspect of things looked less serious, when Mr. Oladstone announced in the House of Commons tliat, " It has been agreed between Russia and England that no farther advances arc to be made on either side." In the meantime in India, Lord Dufiferin, the viceroy, had arranged a meeting with the Amir Abdur Rahman "to arrange for the defence and demarcation of His Highness' frontier." The late Sir Donold Stewart, then commander-in-chief in India, sent a telegram to Roberts, which reached him at Multan while on his way with Ixird DufTerin to the conference with Abdur Rahman, saying that it was his intention to mobilize two ormy corps, and that Roberts was to have command of the first. This was good news for Roberta. He had grown somewhat weary of the routine of the past live years, and the war-cloud that was now threatening seemed to offer him a greater field of operations than he had had in cither the Mutiny or in Afghanistan. Russia coveted India, so thought Roberts, and so thought the majority of Englishmen of his day ; and even yet the slightest lowering of the war barometer directs the attention of many minds towards India's northern frontier. If it is true that she does covet India or Afghanistan she has certainly made no effort, at a time when England's resources were severely taxed, in the Great Boer war, to strike her at this very vulnerable spot. England's attitude towards Russii in the past, while no doubt tending to give the Kmpi™ a greater feeling of security in her Asiatic possessions, hos done not a little to retard civilimtion. Rolwita himself deplores the Russian advance on Merv, and when this place hecaiiie a Russian possession he said with considerable feeling that " Turkestan was in direct communication by rail and steamer with St. Petersburg." Towards the end of March of this critical year the Duke of Argyle in dealing with the situation spoke as follows : " As far as I understand the position of aHhira, they are entirely altered from what they were. I am still of opinion that it was highly inexpedient to remonstrate with Russia on what were called her advances in Central Asia, which were in reality inevitable. I was always of opinion thiit up to the point of the possession of Merv tfie ill 874 tARL aOBKim pr^re» of Ru«la in that country wm in«4toble ; and. on the whote, wm not undMireble, for the remit of my enqulriee wmt to Oum that Merv wa. a nut of robber., «,d that there «a. no po«ibiIity of «,y peace or any prone, or ony oommorce in Central A,ia until the Turkoman, had been iubdued under •ome civiliad power. But from the moment tUt Ru»i. arrived at Merv •nd put one atep forward toward, Herat the whole political dtuation became altered. I muat exprd the plcarare with which I have heard the a«„rance of my noble friend that Her M^eety'. government will not be accuwd of any flinching or weaknea. in this matter, and that they are determined to hold to what they believe to be the poUcy of thi. country in regard to Afghanietan and that they are resolved to .upport the Afghan kingdom in the d.fen« to the utmost extent of ita ancient territorj-." The country into which Russia had advanced was one of the most barbarous and turbulent in the world. The Turkoman. Uv«l by murier «.d robbery and slave dealing, they were broken by the power of Rusria and peace and prosperity reigned in the region they had » long terrorijed It i. true the Russian, were somewhat brutal, as Russian, have ever been in the treatment of their enemie.; but the heart of Asia would be far better oontrolled by a nation that can produce a Tolstoi and a Tuigenieff than by bands of brutal slaveKlealen, and robbera. So far as the occupation of Merf was concerned the Rusrian advance wuthwarf had been an excellent thing; But It looked as if they would not stop there. The objective of the Russian force under General-in<3hief Komamff «emed to be Herat-nind that was another .tory. There wa. a strong Afghan garrison at Pandjeh near Herat, and KoraaroB found a pretext to attack it, and although losing heavily himself scattered he Afghans, killing over 500 men out of a force of about four thousand. The result of the fight at Pandjeh reached the Amir while at the conference w.th I^rd Dufferin. and. as a result of this news, the situation became more .ntoresUng to the «,ldiers in India. But the Amir himself teeated ,t l.ghtly, and returned to Kabul swearing eternal friendship to the Bnfsh and richer by "ten lakhs of rupees, 20,000 breech-Ioading rifles a heavy battery of four guns and two howitzers, a mountain battery, and . ■mnuc TO WDiA ard comrAiroKu -oHtn or thi ikdun ABiir. 876 Uberal mpply of ammunition for both gun. uid riflei" He had reaaon to be pl««ed with the Britiah j but theao were duigerou. girt, to beatow on an Afghan ; the howitien and breech-loader, were more likely to be uwd against ttie English than against the Ru«uan.; .uch generodty in the past had coal England many gallant offloer. and men. The attack on Pandjeh had increased the excitement in both England and India. At h-,me the flnancii.1 panic occasioned by the threUening war •pread, and it. effect, were felt in Europe. ••■ Ea.», for innirance had been enormou.ly increa«d; much of the Manchester cotton trade had come to a deadlock in consequence of the total ccsKition of buying or export; and the price, of com all over the country had rapidly gone -ip." In India the greatest enttusiasm over the war prevailed, and the varion. mihtaiy camp, were crowded with old »>ldier. eager to march againrt the Human army. But fortunately for humanity the war cloud blew aver Robert, attributed the altered rtate of affair, to a change of government and the determined attitude of Lord Saliabury. No doubt the lesson taught Ruaia m the Crimea, where she was fighting on her own soil, made her think twice before attempting to invade a foreign country .trong in men and arm. and «»«ted by Bich an ally a. England. Whatever the r^sons were the war cloud did not break, and Roberta was permitted to (^nd thr«e more rertful month, at "Ooty." A. a humanitarian he wa. no doubt rejoiced that the danger which had threatenal India was passed, but a. a tidier he would have appreciated meeting «,me of the Russian strategists; so far hU campaigning had been againrt men of inferior races. Whatever feelings of disaopointmcnt he may havr had vanished when, on July 8, ho received a Urogram from Lord DuSTerin informing him that he had been appointed commander-in-chief in India in succession to his old friend and comrade in arm.. Sir Donald Stewart. Along with the announcement he wa. told he had leave to viat England ; it was evident that the Rusman scare was effectually at an end. He left Bombay early in August, and, after leisurely journeying through Europe, spending some pleisant l.olidays with his family in Italy and ** JadU'i Duigw ud EncUnd-i Onty," bjr Bldurd Kuucll " ' 876 KABi, aoBmni h I ewitierUntl, »rrive«l utely In England, where lie spent > brief aiz weeki, and then returned to India ai commander-in-chief of tlie forcei there. Slowly, but Burely, by hi» energy, pereeverence, intelligence, ond nobility of character, ho had rieen from codet to commander-in-chief in the land of hie birth. There wm etill much work before him ; more rungs left in the Udder of fume which he woa climbing ; he could still mount upwards. He at once went to work to reform and improve the Indian army. Ht had long since loomed that the weak point in the army was the commissariat and the transport department. On account of defective transport, delays hod occurred in his own experience that permitted a beaten enemy to escape; thus, to a great extent, causing the victors to lose the advantage gained by a well-fought battle. He recollected, too, how much more haiardous hi* advance on Kabul, and particularly the flnal struggle before entering the city of the Amir, hod been on account of inadequate transport. His long r experiences as quartermaster-general made him fully cognisant of the weaknesses in the army and the remedies ; and as soon as he was placed at the head of military affairs in India a marked improvement took place. He was a great believer in camps of exercise and in reviews, and in January of '80 arranged for a review on a monster scale near Delhi. Thirty-five thousand soldiers were in line, and Lord Dufferin and the twelve foreign officers who were present commented favorably on the soldierly bearing and the intelligence of the troops. The foreigners were of course critical, and believed that the native army would bo greatly improved by a larger proportion of European officers than they had on this occasion. They likewise agreed thot the fire-control was defective. This last evil Roberts, as we have seen, had already, with the experiences of the army in South Africa before him, been endeavoring to improve while commander-in-chief of the army in Madras, and he was to continue the work throughout the entire army of India with the help of such a brilliant soldier as Ian Hamilton. But the work in which he probably took the most interest while commander-in-chief of the forces in India was that which he did along tho northern frontier with a view to moving an army to the front to prevent a Busdan advance into India, and in so fortifying the boundary as to make it KniniN TO IXDU, AKD COMUANDER-tN-CHIEr Or THE INDIAN ABUT. 377 •a«y to defend. He 9r»t made a thorough inspection of the frontier and nportcd to the government on the defenwa he deemed ncce»«iiry. The government had abaolute confidence in the mon at the head of the army in the eatt and ably carriml out lila niggeatioiis ; m much so thut, when he resigned the |io»ition of commandei^in-chit'f and bade a permonent farewell to India, he felt that his elTorts had made a Russian advance across the Afghan hills an impossibility. While he wos thus carefully studying the northern frontier he was at the same time doing a work that was even better for the peace of India than building forts ani" ramparts. From his first days in India he hod hod great admiration for the hillmcn. His father's example and the example of his beau Ideal of a man and a soldier, John Nicholson, in their dealings with the tribesmen were ever before him; and his aim was always to make them friendly toward England. He succeeded in no small measure, and there was little danger of a repetition of the early A.glian wars while P.obcrts remained in India. His personality inspired affection. Everyone knows h iw Robert* is loved by the rank and file of the array. He had an equally gi oflect on the notive races in Indio; Pathan, Gurkha, Sikh alike came unc ;lio spell of the little general whose courage thoy could rely on, and who treated oil races over whom he held power with the same considerate tenderness. To the hillmen with whom he came in contact he was another John Nicholson, and his insight into their characters and his attitude towards tlum was worth mora to England in keeping peace in the region between Peshawar and Kabul than 8e\eral brigades would have been. His generous treatment of the races he had subdued with the sword created a love that did much to make this pcice abiding ; although, no doubt, the hillmen had still visibly in mijd I'le way he had brushed tliem aside and crumpled them up when he odvanced through their country to avenge the death of Cavagnari and to relieve Kandahar. While he was doing this good work. Lady Roberts was equally busy. She had seen much sickness and suffering in India, much that was unnecessary. More soldiers had succumbed to disease through lack of proper nursing than ever fell victims to sword or bullet As her husband 878 lARL BOBERTa, apll .h?\ 1 ""',r *" "'' °" ■'^ '"^S^'"'"^^- I" ""■ting her appeal .he showed excellent common wnee. She knew the Enali.T government and public well. England 1, essentially a comle Jl „2 , bns,n^ nation. Even the soldiers who fight her bittles a "me tit Zi^o ditir" '-r^^^ *"""«' -<> P-- Aire wonld no doubt affect many, but Lady Roberts recognize! that a dispassioZ. see the need of adoptmg her suggestions, and she drove her anneal hom« b, -c^rzr;i-:s''r:pra:^- as they could in the hospitals of England "<« ve as good cate »waM"ot"Sl' '1 "T""""' "" ""''""^ "» "^"'-"^ I« 'Oere no :rrrr::-ir-i--£^^ hler":"'""''!''";""'"^"'"'"^ ""^ ■'-- bestowed uporZ ^^hile the surgeons who have in many cases risked more in the field and t^e' nurses _Jo^h.e endured more in the hospital, a™ alike to fortlr: One part of Lady Roberts' scheme was the establishment of "Homes in n, ' NEW ZEALAND BOYS WHO DIED FOR (JUEEN AND EMPIRE BETURN TO INDIA AND UOMUANDEK-ni-CHIEF OF THE INDIAN ASVT. S81 the Hills" for the nuning sisters as "health .-esorts, and to prevent the ozpense to the goTernment of their having to be sent home on sick leave when worn oat by their trying work in the plains." This was too far to ask ihe government to go. The soldiers hfid their commercial value, but the nurses ' —that was another matter ; and while the secretary of state saw the wisdom of such establishments he did not deem it a part of the government's duty to maintain them. They could, however, be established and maintained by private subscription. This was all Lady Roberts desii«d. Homes were soon established at Murree, Kasauli, at Quetta lu Bengal, and at Wellington in Madras. For the support of these homes Lady Roberts appealed to the army and all the money she required was quickly raised. Generals gave their pounds, drummer boys and buglera their pence ; all ranks and races were eager to help on the scheme that meant so much to them. In the first year of Roberts* occupation of the commander-in-chiers position, Burmah was found to be in a most disturbed condition. Bands of dacoits were raiding and robbing, and there was no peace in the land. Roberts made a hurried trip to Rangoon, took in the situation and soon bad the country quiet, and the leader, af the dacoits either slain or captured. This work satisfactorily accomplished he bunied back to the peace and beauty of his Simla home. He went on industriously with his army reforms. He had long deplored the excessive drinking that was practised by the soldiers of the Indian army, and put forth mnoh of his energy to stamp out the evil. In his reforms he shows the same common sense that marked his military reforms. The evil was not drinking, but excessive and unwise drinking. Just as the saloon is the curse of the modem city, so the canteen, that " relic of barbarism," he saw to be the curse of the aimy. In 1887 he had bestowed on him the Orand Gross of the India Empire, but this was not the Jubilee reward which pleased him most That the government was prepared to accept his suggestions with r^;ard to army reform gave him greater joy. His own words on his temperance efforts for the army are quite as interesting to the student of hia liib as anything he has written about bis military achievements 882 KARL ROBRBT& "My name appeared," he writes, "in the Jubilee Gtiette 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 i.rong recommendation for the establishment of a elub or institute in every British battery or regiment in India. In urging that this measure should be favorably considered, I had said that the British army in India could have no better or more generally beneficUl memorial of the Queen's Jubilee than the abolition of that reho of barbarism, the canteen, and its supersession by an institute, in which the soldier would have under the same roof a reading room, a 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 colleague* in council referred to as a second Jubilee honor 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 •o provide them with rational recreation and occupation in their leisure houre, 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 of '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 , .e men's suppers in the refreshment room— an arrangement which has been followed by the happiest resulla." BiTtrRH TO nroiA Ain) cosniAin>Es-iR-oRiir of thi insun abut. S88 Hi» efforts were crowned with succeaa, and a general elevation of the whole moral tone of the army in India waa the result Ho had worked on the principle of creating as he destroyed. Men are gregarious and social animals; they must have meeting places and amusements, and if the unhealthy and destructive pleasures they have been accustomed to are abolished, healthy pleasures must be substituted. He had expected considerable opposition in these reforms, but to the common soldier anything that "Bobs" did was right— and then they were still able to obtain a mtle beer. When he began his reforms there were a number of temperance associations in the army conducted by the various religious bodies, and he had expected that he would meet with some opposition from the extreme advocates of total abstinence. The coH)peration oi the clergy was essential to ".e success of his general Army Temperance Association. "With two exceptions," he says, "the clergymen to whom I appealed .... expressed sympathy with my aims and efforts." In commenting on this he remarks— and it is about the only cutting thing in his autobiography— that he considered it "a proof of liberal mindedness on the part of the prelates which was extremely refreshing." But then no one could resist Roberts ; Hindu and Mahomedan, Catholic and Protestant, officers and privates, and even the clergymen were ready to follow his lead. He had been tried and proved ; and they had never detected a selfish motive in his long career in India. His first two years as commander-inKihief were, as can be readily seen, busy ones; and were more productive of permanent good than the work of all the previooi commandeis-ia.ohief CHAPTER XXXI TABEVnx TO avtJL. Indi.-R„bBt.p„p^ tolte^^ , ^"Wradly-AfgUnUton Still . Dt.g^ to Ih. Sikh, of tt. I^j. ™ . "»-S"t^iS* "^r""! '" '-"--•'•"-ll Add™- 01 "-~W-i.-a.irf in^-^S"^ ^°rf wST'Ir* •, «'W-M"*--AppoiBti Com. Xc" AcU« Smlci^ hS WdJi-jton "-HI. M.rt„,y 4,tobiognipl,^ WT'dS"!!? ™, '"'"f """"y "^'-g *« ™»1 ton. of the „m, TT h. did not neglect the dutie. peculi„ly entdled on hta L commander^m-cMet He made frequent viait. to the frontier the ^ n "^ '*"" ""' ""^"^^^K" England'. p,^i„en« on the »a. wa. » great that there va. Uterally no danger of any fo~T" I^d . T "/• P*^ "* *« »« " ""o -ooth, the gravert danger to ^gland. rule m A., might not be f„m the direction ofLfehanZhnt dtbt ITT """^ ""'' ""• '"'* ""« I»P"'-' <*'*«• would" doub tempt Ru«.«. aggresdon, if Busda ever »cceeded in placing a rtroT,^ fleet .n the eastern «a. Robert. «.„gni^ ,^,^ ^^ keeplg"ver tZ coast safe from foreign inTarion. Rangoon, in Bnrmah- Calcutta at «,. the west, and Karachi, on the extreme west towards BeIuchiread BHtirf, influence. But they both feared for th. future; that most unreliable quantity, the Afghan, wa, ,howing agn. of dissatufaction. The Amir Abdur Rahman owed everything to the BriUsh roop, ; h« position he had received from their h«ids, and that he had m> long dwelt »cure in Kabul wa, due to their friendriiip. Gun, riflet ammunition, money, had been bertowed on him in no scant meagre ;' but he wa, not Mti,fied, and a»umed an attitude toward, the British that was far from fnendly. Thi, was most deplorable, as another invarion of Afghanistan would mean the loss of many men, much sufl-eriug, and nothing could be gained by a war among tiioee wretched hills. However, although Abdur maintained his sulky, stubborn attitude towards all attempts of the viceroy and commander-in-chief to be friendly with him, a call to arm, wa, not found nece«ary; but until the prewnt day Afghanistan looms black and threatening «.d from it, hill, a thunderbolt may yet be hurled with destructive force int.! the Bntidi possessions of India. Had the Afghans but the leaders and the guns (and the British have done much to provide them with the weapons) a repetitum of the deplorable war which has been horrifying the world for the past two years in Fouth Africa might occur north of Pesh.,war. Their countnr i,^ev«i more difficult of acce« than the Transvaal, and had tiie, but Creu«,t. I S88 lABL lOBKBTil ll ::! «nd Krappf and the ammunition, • guerilla warfara might be carried ou Ibr yean among their hills ; a warfare that would keep thouunda of England'e beet ioldiers tied up on the northern itontier of India ; and if it ehould so happen that an outbreak ehould occur at a time when England wa< embroiled with inch a power oa France or Ruseia, the moat disastrous teeulta would be apt to follow. For five years Roberta went on with his good work in India, and as his schemes of reform were for the moet part being carried out according to hia wiahea, and the chancea of war, despite the attitude of Abdur Rahman, eeemed very remote, he began to long for England and a rest. It was therefore with a great deal of pleasure that he received word from Mr. Edward Stonhope, aeoretary-of^tate for war, that, if he would accept it, the government was prepared to appoint him adjutknt-general in succession to Lord Wolaeley. He had already had thirty^eight years in India, and was, despite the aplendid career he had had, aomewhat tired of the east, and had begun to long for the quiet and repose of hia English home. He waa very gUd indeed to accept the offer, and word came to him to get ready to return to England in the autumn; but he waa to receive a disappointment Scarcely had he begun to make his preparations when another meaaage came from the government telling him that it waa impoasible to find a aucceaeor to the post of commander-in-chief in India and ordering him to remain in the east for another two yean. It waa a bitter diaappointment ; no doubt felt all the more becauae his military career had been one remarkably free fiom disappointmenta. However he was needed in India. Some of the frontier tribes had grown weary of the long peace, and had been doing a Uttle murdering and plundering just to fc )p their hands in practice. Several punitive expeditions were aent against them aud swift punishment meted out to the frontier rebels, who were not slow to recognize that the hero of Peiwar Kotal and Kandahar was still in India. About this time, too, Mr. Quinton, the chief commissioner of Assam, and four British officers had been murdered, and it was necessary to punish the R^a of Manlpur in whose domain this brutal murder had occurred. The country was a difficult one to reach, as difficult as was the 'ABIWIU to IMDU. S87 •nd infliotinK "vere pnni.hn..nt on the murieren. * All thi. «m. Roberto went on with hi. reform* It h"«.«~«.f»I, happy, «d «,„owM. Th. «.c«« which Your E,c.ll,„cy h« «*icrri 1„ Ad. 1. „oh „ n,.k» l»di, .nd England p««.d of it The hirtory of th. Britl.h Empi„ i„ I„di« who« «,Idi.M,l,. qu.liU« .r, ftally known to the world. Th. country which l»d b«n .h. cr«l.. of Indian i„v.,i„n en,, to reali.. th. .,..„t7you; pow,r .nd ™oog„i«d your gtn.r.l.hip. Th. victorie. g.in«i by Bait, Nott .nd Pollock in th. pUin. of Afgh.ni.Un, n.v, b«n .h.dow.d bytZ iL r , I •" '"""'* *• '"*«'""' J**«'' '» *»■• di-d"" of Your I«rdri„p. Be»n.gc Your ExclLncy'. <.ohi.v.n„n., cl.eckrf th. "«iTrf . ch^k from th. ««r of th. lion in the pe,«,„ of Your , orfZ; &c.l«>oy ha. provid«i on th. fn,ntier «id another bright .ton. to th. building o your fame, and conatituto in tham^lv.. a laatfug n..morial ^ «duou taak,, and none ha, proved m„« completely ™cce«ful in ove.«ming 4.m than Your Ix.rd,hip. The r»uU i, that India ha« been rendered Jt ftom h. <;ear of mvaaon f™m without Your Excellency i.not only adorned »rith heroic q„ahf,cat.on,, but the love and affecMon with which the people of Ind.a regarf Your Lord.hip .how what «dn=irablequalitie. are exhibit in tt. p««,„ „f You, Excellency. Terrible in war and merciful in peace Your Excellency , name he, become a dread to the enemie. of England and lovely welfa e of tho« wUh whom you have worked in India i. well known to bd«^,^ebted.Yo..l.rfship. Wo find in Y„u. ExccUenc. -rue fri'nd •f th. akh communrt,-. community which ia alway, devoted heart and ■&, 892 >ABL SOBERTE «ul to the service of Her Most Gracioue Majesty the Empress of India. No one understands better ,han Yonr Excellency the'value ofl SiWh Ser, anl we feel ve^r grateful that the mili.a,y authorities recognized the necessity of re„ eveo. Sikh recruit to be baptized according"! the SikhTi^on ^iTaihtrZ h : """^-''"-'^--'-•^ ««'^- the Sikhs morefrue and fauhfol, and wh.ch preserver the existence of a very useful conununity. The S,khs a« said to be bon, soldiers, but they undoubtedly make veiy Ji cUzens .n txme of peace also. Unfortunately, however, they haveTaH! Tair^: k""'™'°''"« *•"''' °'«°'«' powers so ;,o enable th m to atr .r I '""' °' "' "«" "^^ *"'"' ^-^ ^<^' Your Excellency was a^ng those who most desired to see the Sikhs refined and educated by and t ^t, T. "'"'"'' " *'^ ^"^ '"' «"« "» "f "■« Sikh people! Your ir, ' •" '^"^ "•" ''■""■ "' ^''°" " '"«« P<""™ -^' « IlTnf^ Tr'r":"''""^"^'''^'' ""« in support of this national seminary. The subscnptions given by Your Lordship, His Excellency the viceroy and His Honor the late Ueutenant-govemor, Z veiy valuaUel tl ha, lately given to the Khalsa Diwan by becoming iU honorary patron. In conclusion we beg only to repeat that it is quite beyond our "wer to state how much we are indebted to Your Excellency, and how much we are affected by the news that Your I^rfship 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 sor^wiiil; but as ou »nI^J"f r''^' 1!' "■'"'"' "' '''^ y°" •'"^ ^"-^y J"-^*. - «hall be <»n«.led If Your Excellency wiU only keep us in your memory, and on arrival in England assure Her Most Gracious Majesty, the MoUier-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 ih.± Your ExceUency for the vciy great honor that has been done to the people of Lahore by Your Lordship's visit to this city " Before leaving India he was to have one more day's delightful and «cit,„g sport pig-st,ckmg " with his friend Maharaja Sir Pertap Sing His «uty.one years were sitting lightly upon him despite the hardships he had FABEWELt TO INDIA, «98 endured m the trying climate of India. In th«, hi, lart hunt in India, he succeeded in killing a fierce boar and in saving Sir Pertap's Ufe-amort eatiBfactory ending to his last day's sport in the east His farewell to the land of his birth was made in Bombay, and the thought of parting forever from a land which had been so much to him, and for wh«h he had done so much, weighed heavily on his spirit, and he almost broke down when he attempted to reply to the toast to his health at a dinner given to him by the members of the Byculla Club. But at last he got away from the shores of India, and was eagerly expectant of the years of peace and repose, and useful, if not exciting, work he was to spend in England In a way he left India without regret ; he had the consciousness of havine done his work there well; and India and the army were the better for tiis sojourn. It would be well in dealing with the events at the close of his illustrious career in India to recapitulate his worV there. Even during the Mutiny days, when but a very young man, he had done much to improve the transport department of the army, and after the Mutiny hU work with the various viceroys, and particularly with Lord Canning, was of a character to give respect for British arms among the conquered peoples. But his first great achievements were in Afghanistan. His work in that country cannot be properly estimated. When he entered those northern hills as the leader of a column the Feriryhi, were a hated and despised people; after his victorious work at Peiwar Kotal, at Kabul and Kandahar, they were sUll . hated, but a greatly feared nation, and England was safe for many years from senous conflict in the northwest provinces. As commander-in^hief in Madras and m India he had greatly increased the efficiency of eveiy arm of the service, and had inspired all races in the army with a love of British rule and had created an esprit de corps that goes farther than anything else as he pomted out in his Mansion House speech, to make the different regiments efficient factors in a great army. He had likewise raised the moral tone of the army. Largely due to his influence there was less drunkenness, less brutahty, less crime among the soldiera in India during his term of oflice than ever beibra He had brought the frontier tribes both through fear of II -9 894 lABL BOBEBTa, his great name and through lo'a for himself into more friendly relationship with the English in India, and Iiad effectually checked the progress of Russia southward. During the years of peace that followed the Afghan War he had been able to make the northern frontier practically impregnable from foreign invasion, and hod likewise done much to make the great cities of India safe from attack by sea. He had been able to do his work so well ; first, hy his untiring energy and good sense; and, secondly, by the love with which he inspired all men. It was a pleasure to work for such a man, and natives and Europeans alike endeavored to do his bidding in such a way as to gain his approval. Much of his success was due to his magnetic personality. As a young man Neville Chamberlain, John Nicholson, Hope Grant, Sir Colin Campbell (Lord Clyde) were all drawn to him affectionately, and trusted him much beyond other officers of his years. Later m life the commanders-in- chief and viceroys all seemed to be iuspired by love for the brave and ■ industrious officer who worked unceasingly, uncomplainingly. There is no better evidence of the affection he inspired in those in authority over him than the action of that fine old soldier, the late Sir Donald Stewart, at the tune when it was deemed necessary to send a column to the relief of Kandahar. Roberts had been severely criticised in both England and India for the disaster which befell the British about Kabul immediately before the siege of the Sherpur cantonments, and much of the glory he had gained with the Kuram Field Force and through his march to Kabul had, to say the least, a faded lustre. Sir Donald Stewart had just come over the road fiom Kandahar and knew it thoroughly j he had made quite as brilliant a march as the one which is termed the great march ; and had likewise cut his way through a horde of desperate fanatics. Had he desired he could have assumed command of the Kabul-Kandahar column ; but seeing how anxious his second-in-command was for the opportunity, and desiring to give him a chance of showing the world the stuff he was made of, he not only allowed him to take command of the column, but aided him in every possible way to make his enterprise a success ; and as the world knows his confidence was not misplaced. When everything is considered, it is within the mark to say ttiat Roberts did far more for the stability of English rale in India than any rAREWIaL TO INDI^ Jgg When he returned to England he had a season of rest, and in 1895 rilair t ''t""""" "-^ "^^'"■" — ^er-in^ief Of thJ flLT Ireland He was, however, tor active a man to remain idle, and now that up thr'::T z f"' '"^ "'""^ ^"-^ '" ^ ■" "- -^ ^» >''■»' -' ^-^ ^r "?heRTl f wT;-T" ™ ^''-S'^-'^-Jy of a g^at soldier', win find wherem much of his su.ce», as a general lay. The ..rength and the Tsir h r^" "' '''"'°^'' ""' ^"I""-- "" f-'"" 'o him, and whitlh •'n'L'""™"''"* ''* "''^ ■^^'«'' of the great war, th;ugh whch the English nation has passed. There i, perhaps no calmer more jud..a, onucism of Wellington's Hfe and work thVn is'to be founlin th" closing pages of this cold, dispasrionate. unrhetorical study few Z!t ^Tl"*^", ' """'""""«• '^ork appeared from his r a-one of the living ms "Forty^ne Years in India." which ha, of necessity been exten^vely quoted from and referred to in thi, book, is not only the plaTn Wunt story of abrave soldier, but gives an insight into the poUtic.l characten; and the g^at questions of the time of the writer liom a soldier's point of view m^T I T "T ■"'' "™^' '""^ '=''"''''<'' "' «>« """ve^e he Sikh Hindu or Mahomedan, and present, a succinct account of every war in the east within h.s e.perienc The style is strong and the glimpses of the landscape that reheve the account of moving accident, by flood and field make It a production of great artistic valv.o-an ideal autobiography of an almost Ideal man. When it appeared it was thought it would be the last distinguished achievement of a liie crowded with work; but he was soon to have a trumpet call to the most diflicult task of hi, career, and was yet to perform . march greater than the march from Kabul to Kandahar, and to plan battles that required a more commanding genius than any of the fight, ne had been through in the east CHAPTER XXXn. THS OBXAT IlOIB WAB. Tb« NlnetMnth Centnry Cloring With Hopei of UnlvOTal Puce— The SpMiah-AmerlcMi and Or««t Boer W«»— The Canaee of the W«r In South Africa— The Chencter of the Boei^The MUtakee of BngUnd— The Tyranny of the Boer— The Iniquitoni Jameaon Raid— Sir Alfred Mllner in South Africa— The Orange Free State Throws in Its Lot With the Transvaal— Eruger'a Uldmatnm— The War Begias— No Great DiScnlty Anticipated by England- Good Work of the Colonials in England's Honr of Need— The Battle of Dondee— Blandshuigte and Rietfootein— The Army of Natal Concentrated in Ladysmith— The Disaster of Nicholson's Nek— Lsdyamith Besieged— The Handy Man on the Scene— The British Plan of Campaign— I,ord Methnen's Success on the West- BuUer's Struggle Along the Tngela— I/irds Roberts and Kitchener Sent to South Africa. DURING the last decade of the nineteenth century the world wa« beginning to think, despite the tremendous armaments of the European powers, that there would be no more serious wars. In darkest Africa and in the east it might still be necessary to sacrifice a few men and expend considerable sums of money in civilizing non-Christian peoples, but a war between Christian powers seemed very remote. Even while men thus theorized, and peace societies were organized, and peace meetings held— particularly the great conference at the Hague— two of the most costly wars that have taken place in the world were fought, with great loss of life in battle and from disease. In a way neither of these wars should disappoint the theorists. Neither the Spanish-American War nor the Great Boer War were altogether the results of complications arising at the end of the century, but were the clearing up in each case of a century of bitterness and hate ; and it was just as well that they came when they did -kj that the new century might open with a somewhat clean sheet, although unfortunately in South Africa much clearing up has still to be done. The causes of the Great Boer War in which Lord Roberts played such an importunt part have been variously stated by men of many schools of thought 396 TBI OBIAT BOIB WAB. S87 and feeling. The rtubbonmei. of Krager, the ignorance and rtupidity of the Boer, the greed of the Chartered Company, the corruption in the Raad, the overbearing atUtude of the Uitlandere of Johannesburg to the race that ruled them, etc., etc., have all been given as the reasons for the bloody struggle which IS still being raged between the most religious people and the most Christian power of these latter days. The cause of a war is never one but many ; and all the things menUoned have played their part in bringing about the deplorable state of affairs at present existing in South Africa. But just as It V as race hatred that had most to do with the breaking out of the great mutiny in India, so it was race hatred that had most to do with bringing Bnton »nd Boer to blows. Kruger-s ultimatum was merely the bolt that came ftom the sky charged with the thunder of war. Both nations have suffered much in the conflict, and both have pai-' dearly for the sins of the past, and the one that has sinned most has suffered most. The Boer as a people are no more, and probably before another century has passed even the rude speech in which they take such pride wUI be forgotten. The Boer, particularly the Boer of the Transvaal, has been intensely nnprogresaivej their homes are without refinement, their towns without advanced schools, their roads, rude paths across the veldt, and their rivers without bridges. They have deliberately set their faces against progress, and have remained children of the seventeenth century. They are without tolerance; people of other faiths being, to these modem children of Israel, Philistines; and they have ever looked upon the darker races, the children of Ham, as creatures foreordained to be their vassals. While they were able they practised slavery openly, and when they were bound by treaty to free their slaves they kept the law in the letter but broke it, even up to the present day, in the spirit Despite their intense piety they Lave not been above untruth, and the history of their dealings with England from the eariiest days of the last century is an almost inextricable tangle of lies, and chief among the prevaricators has been ex-President Kruger. On the other hand the English have not been without thsir sins— sins largely due to .tupidity and red tape. In freeing the slaves England did •eriouB financial iiyury to the Boer slave-holder, iiyuiy that drove many of S98 lARL BOBKUT). the inhabitants of Cajw Colony, rturdy and honert farmeta and »hepIiord» according to their light into the barren centre of South Africa, over almost impassable hills and through regions infested with savage beasts and more savage men. Untold hardships, unparalleled suifering, great loss of life were endured by the South African farmers on this iirst great trek. A people who could endure all the Boers endured in the early part of this century could not soon forget Again the Transvaal was annexed by Sir Theophilus Shepstone with undue haste. Doubtless annexation would have come about in time, but his method of annexing the Transvaal gave the stiff-necked antagonists of England the opportunity they desired. The Home government, too, as in the early days of England's greatest colony, Canada, for the most part selected men who were to manage affairs in South Africa with very bad judgment. The officials were in most cases arrogant, overbearing, and did not make the slightest effort to understand the sturdy, uucultivated race they had to deal with. Then came the deplorable discovery of gold which has debauched the Boer, filled the Transvaal with that undesirable class of adventurers who flock to any region where the precious metal is discovered, and made this war possible ; first, by placing in the hands of Kruger and his party funds sufficient to make their little republic an arsenal ; and, secondly, by giving the Europeans who were soon numerically the stronger race in the Transvaal, a determination to rule the country, nine-tenths of whose revenue came from their speculations or industry. With the influx of foreigrers the difficulties, which it was thought the conventions of 1881 and 1884 had ended, began afresh. The Boere despised the English as a race they had beaten and would grant them no favors, and the more who came within the boundaries of the Transvaal, the harsher became the laws against them, harsh through hatred and through fear a fear that by their numbers the Uitlander might yet drive the Boers from the soil they had won by so much hardship and bloodshed in the middle of the century. The franchise laws were changed from year to year, until it became practically impossible for an alien to obtain a voice in the affairs of the country to whose exchequer he contributed so largely ; and each petition sent to the Pvaad for redress of wrongs only made the burden of Ihe Uitlander the "■ attuLT BOB win. 401 ZJT^ ""^ "■'''' ""''• - »° •« '"""tod in the con JnW fl.^r,rT Johannesburg .„ 1800, h. «•«. practically mobbed and th. againrt the unprogr<,M,ve iron will of Oom Paul Jurt « sh . u ofthe country through the Road, they we« endeavoring to«ize it by Z rf arn^-^and we™ .uning at bringing the whole of South Africa under Zsh When, the oompoeilion of the force led by Jameson into the Tmn,„,«l .. examined it will he readily seen that pLident K^gerhad . Z2 «mty of making the Boers believe that not only the' Eng^hin'^ 1^-nsvaal we™ u. a conspiracy to seize their country, bul that England ". HrLThaTrth 'd ^Tk' ""^"""^ '^«""^'" '■"^ repre^nuJvTin he force that gathered, with the sanction of Cecil Rhodes, and armed hymen Zl *'* ^''8'':''' ""■J o^" ''Woh England hU doubtful suzorainty- fte Derbyshire Yeoman^, the First Life Guards, the Royal Scots FuS Sib , ' '^^f'""^"" «-"'''. -d the Bechuanaland South aS Constabula-y and the Mashonaland Mounted Police, were all repr^enJ Tecommandmg officer was Lieutenant^^olone. Sir John WilloughbTof^e waZir r J Lranri'T'-'- "-» '— - «>« «irren,I ,. , .. , Jameson's men were compelled to «.rrender .t D„ornkop, after having lost eighteen killed and forty Tounde.^ 4M lABL BOMan^ In all Britfah hirtoty then ia not raootded ■ mora foolbh atd diiutroui undertaking. After tha experience at Laing". Nek and M^juba, the danger to •uoh a 101811 fore, ehould have been evident to every eoldier in the colony But the defeat and cap.uw of the column woe not the wont part of the bueineee. Kruger had now the opportunity he wanted. Thie raid waa evidence that hia eternal enemiee, the Engliih, were endeavoring to ateal hia country ; to grant any of the conceaaiona demanded would only bo to cut off hia own head. Nay more, he muat arm againat the Uitlandera, and the ftinda he compelled them to contribute to a government in which they had pracUcally no voice, were laviahly expended in purchaaing Creuaota and Krappa for hia artillery, and in arming the burghera with Manacre. Warlike preparationa had been going on before the raid, but they were now increaaed one hundred fold. Kruger had, too, after the raid in hia reaiatance to the Uitlander-a demanda a great deal of aympathy from European poweni and from the United Statea. So affaira went on from bad to worae ; the burghera atubborn and overbearing, England vacillating and weak-kneed. In 1899, however, affaira in South Africa began to take a different aapect. A etrong man with a vigoroua policy, in the person of Sir Alfred Milner, waa aont to Cape Town, and an effort waa made by diplomacy to get Kruger to treat the Uitlandera with greater conaideration. A conference took place at Bloemfontein, but after aitting ftom May 30 to June 6, nothing waa arrived at, and the air was heavy with signa of war. Kruger played with the British until the time was ripe fbr striking at England'a forcea in South Africa, and then launched the aatounding ultimatum that waa nothing more or less than a declaration of war. Meanwhile the ideal little Republic of the Orange Free State, the best governed country in the worid, had decided to aid its sister Republic in resisUng the armies of England. There is in all history no sadder reading than the struggle in the Orange Free Statai Whithout a grievance against the British the Uttle Republic plunged into a bloody war, and indeed bore the brunt of it, and is to-day a desolate waste ; its farmhouses in rain, its fields without tillera, its flocks and herds dtstroyed, and lamentations for sons or husbands heard in almost eveiy house left standing. *>■ OmUT BODt WAI. 408 »h. .a.my in . .taf of wa, with G„.t BriUdn would U guilty „f high t««o:i n^v^Ah^" T ? '"""^ '° '*«'"■""« "P""""""- On OctoW 12 . .C^ \ T' ' 1 '"^"" "'""' "' *"*"""«• <>""'«> '"-J »P'u«d .„ ^gland d«p.te the .houU of ..remember M^jubal" tho .l„ggi.h public n^h^^h ' "r^V"" " "" '"--"y*"-. would have .verely th. rio^^ "■--P"-'-' Boer ^public which had the audacity to throw down the glove to the greatest empire the world ha. ever «ep. ta.V ^.t """!!:,"'' ^vemment. and the war..fflce had no conception of the ttettar. f""""- »"""«""'y»™'«f°"">e outb«akofthewar. Proctor nh« "Boer, and Little Englander,," Hillega. in hi, "Oom Paul', S T ' '" '■' '""'' '^"'"' '"■» ^•"•''-■" --^ <"h"i h d M» to tl "' .f'^'y °f P-P--8 for a struggle, «.d gave an ex«llent Ifl ^°" " '' *" •"' ''"*°"°" •" """ *""""8 word, of the etrength unmoved expecfng, no doubt, that the great mune of England would be •ufflcient to overawe the republic* imn,L'- TT T T *"' '"* ^" '"" '"^ ■""<"» '» »""»'. «nd ^gland .t was leaned that the little town of Mafeking in which wa, a .mall body of t^op, under the command of S. S. Baden-Powell wa, in a stato of »ege. A large force, too. had crossed the Natal border, and there wa, nneasmees felt throughout the whole of Cape Colony. Even if the enemy «ere not numerically strong, it was soon realized that the campaign would be . costly one on account of the wide district over which the Boers were Wng. Butt,. .wsstho„ghtthatitwasn„tgoingu.beave.yseriou" •ffiur wa, evident from Chamberlain's attitude to the offer, of Colonial aid ■imL BOIDRTI. Ht flnt liinilBed thit the «id wu not mWy nwdcj, bat Uwl lb* Mndtng of oontingenU fitom AuttralU, New Zealuid and Ctiwda would b* u> Modlmt thing in oementiug thi wid»fprMd Empire iuto • united force. The tuk of mobilizing the troope of England went on in ( leinirely manner. At flnt, for economy'! uke, alow-moving boala (contiilering the rate of apeed stoamslii|ia have now attained) were telected to tranaport the aoldiera to South Africa. Even when the ehipa were ready for aea fatal delayi occurred that might have ruined the Britiah cauae in South Africa had the Boeis but awept their armiea toward Durban and Cape Town, Instead of aettling down to beeiege Ladyimith, Mafeking, and Kin.jerley. The war-ofScc, too, atupidly undereetimated the atrength of their enemiea and made preparations for the deepatch of a force whoee fighting strength waa under 60,000 men. The great minority of the corps sent were infantry, whereas the Boers were mounted to a man ; and one mounted soldier in South f Africa, especially if he has a led-horse with him, is worth twenty slow-moving foot-aoldieit. Indeed, if England had depended on her foot^cldieit anu artillery in the Great Boer War she could not have beaten the enemy with 500,000 men. It was not until she placed a strong foree of such mounted men as the New South Wales Lancers, The Imperial Light Horse, the Natal Carbii 'sen, the South African Light Horse, the Canadian Mounted Rifles, and the Strathoonaa in the fleld, that she began to have any considerable sncceasea. It has ever been England's fault to underestimate the su^ngth of her foea. Over confidence has cost her much money and many lives. It will be remembered how inadequate were the first forcee sent against Delhi and Lucknow, and how ho|)eles8 the struggle was until strong reinforcement! arrived. In South Africa it was to be the old story over again — " in the beginning of each war England has to seek in blood the knowledge necessary ' to ensure success ; and like the fiend's progress through Eden, her conquering course is through chaos followed by death." England was saved at the beginning of the war by the readiness with which Natal offered her sons — ^between four thousand and five thousand springing to arms in her behalf — ^by the brilliant feats of her soldiers in the opening days of the war, and L-y the lack of aggreaiveness on the part of the ni OMAT aOIB WA«. 40S Bowi Th« flnt feetor told the Tnuuvail gcnenili th.t if they .ttempted to ni»ke their thmlened ntrch to Durban to drive the English into the tea, they would have to flght for every itep of their way ; the Koond did much to keep the miyority o( the Dutch in Cape Colony from throwing in their lot with the burgher, of the Tranevaal ; and the thin! gave England, de^-ite her •Iowne«, time to tranaport the lurgeet body of men ever .ent overwa. by any power to the acene of conflict The Boen were ready for war at the end of September, and might have itrucit then with deadly elTect. In Natal there were only K,me 6,000 troops under Sir Wm. Pcnn Symons, and in the Cpe a hero 2,000 under Sir F. Walker. Fortunately reinforcements arrived from India early in October and when Sir George White took command of the troops in and about Ladysmith he had in nil over 12,000 men. Sir W. Penn Symons who was stationed at Dundee with about 4,600 men and 18 guns was the first British General to come in contact with the Boer forces. The battle of Dundee was the opening light of the war, ai.l thrmgl, in .he curly morning of O-'.ber 20 the British were taken off their guard, they fought a glorious nghl, and like their sires at Waterloo and Inkerman, charged up the difficult elopes of Talana hill and routed the numerically stronger force of Boere under Lucas Meyer Unfortunately in this fight some one blundered, and a part of the mounted force, so sorely needed, was captured. The battle was a British victory, and although about 500 of the Boers had been killed and wounded, the attacking force had suffered quite as heavy loss. Sir W. Penn Symons was mortally wounded, 47 brave fellows lay dead on the slopes of Talana hill, 221 were wounded and about 200 of the cavalry and mounted infantry were in tlio hands of the Boers. General Yule now held the command lea vacant by General Symons, and as the iwsilion of the troops was very critical and they were in great danger of being cut to piecc8, it •■ ' xmed wise to have them retreat to Ladysmith. After Tulnna Hill followed Elandslaagte and Rietfontein, and though the Bril!»li did splendid figlitii.g, tlie hopelessness of the struggle against the large army that was aworniing into Natal was evident to the English generals. ^ Whou the various regiments were concentrated at Ladysmith Qenenil li 406 BARL ROBERTS. Whiti! had under him bat 12,000 men with 48 guns, tWrty-ax of which were IS-pounders and twelve 7- and O-pounders, but as these were completely outranged by several of the Boer guns they could do but little harm to the enemy, so long as the Boer commanders rested content with shelling the town from the heights surrounding the British camp. The Boers now showed themselves excellent strategists and soon had occupied every post of advantage about the town. It is impossible to accurately estimate their numbers, but they had in the vicinity of ludysmith at this time probably between 15,000 and 20,000 men, and as the garrison could expect no reinforcements for at least three weeks, and of this the Boer leaders were well aware, they quite expected to bring General White to terras in the course of a few days. An occasional shell from their " Long Toms," and a couple of days' hot work from their Schneider-Cannct quick-firers and M.ixim one-pounders would be sufficient to cause the surrender of the wretchedly situated (from a military point of view) garrison. This work accomplished Pietermaritzburg and Durban would bll an easy prey. Although General White was forced to retire his troops within Ladysmith he was not going to allow the enemy to concentrate theirs about the town and seize all the best positions without opposition. On the 29th he had matured a plan by which he hoped to strike a vigorous blow at the forces rapidly surrounding him. That night he sent out a column under Colonel Carleton, composed of the 10th Mountain Battery, four and a half companies of the Gloucester Regiment and six companies of the Eoyal Irish Fusiliers, as a preparatory move toward a big fight on the morrow. But the Boers knew the direction the column was to take and ambushed it at Nicholson's Nek. A volley poured into the men toiling through the pitchy darkncps, the roUing of rocks from the heights above, caused the mules to stampede and the force was left with only the cartridges they carried in their belts. They fought gallantly but hopelessly, and in the end, when the last cartridge was firt'd, were forced to surrender. Fifty-two were killed, twenty-nine officers and P'l» men were captured, and four guns fell into the hands of the enemy. This was a dark day for England, not even Majuba Hill was quite so black, but darke. cues were to follow. During the day the battle of Farquhar's Farm was *-:'■ OKEAT Br,LT . 'Al 407 foughUnd though the Brili , , ,.„p, ,vo. , .ne minor a,ccesse, on this field of battle they were forced to .et.«t Ic T. .dj-smith, as it was impossible to make headway against the enemy who kept themselves invisible among the h>lls and kopjes. The retirement was a signal for the Boers to increase their flre, and it looked for a moment as though the infantry would be annihilated, bu the artillery gallantly saved the day and the whole force succeeded in gettmg mto Ladysmith. But they were in de.spair. The news of the disaster to Carletons column had reached them, and they now knew beyond a doubt that the Boers with their long-range guns would be able to shell them without receivmg any injury in return. While they thus trembled for fear of the siege they would have to face, help was at hand. The Handy Man had quickly come on the scene with his naval guns and tadysmith was saved and Sir George White was enabled to send hopeful messages to England despite the reverses of ■■ Mournful Monday " as the soldiers turned the day of the battle of Farquhar's Farm. On the 2nd of November the Boers began to bombard the town in earnest and on that same day General French succeeded in making his way by train to Piet^rmaritzburg and then Ladysmith was isolited, railway communication and telegraph communication being cut, and despite the fact that the general from whom so much was hoped, Sir Redvere BuUer, had arrived at Cape Town on the day following Farquhar's Farm, the Empire feared for Durban. What could hinder the Boers from carrying out their threat and marching to the sea. Some 2,500 colonials, a few seamen, and two regular regiments, the Dublin Fusiliers and the Borderers, were all the troops between the Boer position on the Tugela and Durban. It was a fortunate thing for England at this time that Ladysmith occupied the enemy's attention. Their lack of aggressiveness alone saved the English in Natal Meantime on the west Mnfeking and Kimberley were in a state of siege • but the gnt of Baden-Powell and the enei^y and genius of Cecil Rhodes' made the public hopeful with regard to both places. All through October the siege of these towns continued, and when Buller arrived he found the situation he had expected to muct was non-e«»tent. Instead of White being St 408 ■ABl BOBKBTI, able to keep the Boera at bay he was shut up within Ladysmith and was in imminent danger of capture. General Buller was now forced to change his original plan of campaign. The following was the original intention of the English commander : *"The three British divisions under generals Lord Methuen, Clcry and Gatacre were to land respectively at Ca^e Town, Port Elizabeth and East London. From each of these seaports a railway line leads inland : from Cape Town to Kimberley and Buluwayo on the line which will one day run throughout the length of Africa from the Cape to Cairo ; from Port Elizabeth to Blocmfontein ; and from East London to Springlontein on the Port Elizabeth and Bloemfontein railway. On nearing the Orange River these three lines converge on a front of about one hundred miles, the Cape Town and Kimberley line at Orange River Station, a distance of some five and seventy miles, that from Port Elizabeth at Norval^ Pont, 32S miles by the railroad, and that from East London at Bethulie, a distance of 290 miles. The use of these lines of railway, which in any case would have lieen very much to our advantage, was the more desirable from the fact that the South African linos were single tracks with but scanty accommodation for returning trains, and few facilities for the transport of huge quantities of stores and war material. It was probably intended to effect the concentration a little south of the Orange River, or perhaps ultimately upon Orange River Station, where the Cape Town and Kimberley line crosses the river. The three divisions would then have advanced on Bloemfontein," This plan was for the time very much upset by the turn affairs had taken in Natal, and General Buller had, on his arrival at Cape Town, to reconsider his plan of operation. It would perhaps have been wise to let Ladysmith take care of itself, hut the press and the people were clamoring for its relief, and for the punishment of the forces which had inflicted such signal loss on the British army. The people in England were forgetting Majuba Hill and were brooding over the reverse at Nicholson's Nek, and the fact that an army of 12,000 soldiers were surrounded by the farmers they had so long despised. " With tha FlBC to Fratoru," by n. w. Wtlswu. *B LORD ROBERTS CROSSING .*NC R.VER ON „,S FAMOUS MARCH TO PRETOR.A ON THE WAY TO PRETORIA URINOINO HEAVY WE OBIAT BOEK WAB. 411 8t.t. T .T.. """ ^"^^"^ "^ "•' '«">«" »f the Orange Free B^mont. Graapan or E«slio, and Modder River were gall nt figh,. Id a .hough the Bntiah sustained great loss they had pLed the IZt b ok, dnv.„g them from strong], entrenched positions. But the gW OH an was to be lost on that black Decmber day when the miliw gen u^ of Cronje cut the Highland Brigade to pieces at JL.gersfontein. ^ ' Ladv T ''"."k" '■;' " "' "°™""™ — t^'^d his attention on Natal. Lad3.n,th must be relieved at all costs, and as fast as the troops arrived they were d.pa ched U, Durban. He hi„,self reached the scap»t of Na a o^ November 27 and by December 2 had everything mature'l for a f Ja d movement. He was strong in infantry but lamentablv weak in m un ej - eg'-nts and m artillery. On the I.th the battle of Co.onso was fouS^ and desp,te as gallant deeds as ever were performed by ihe English arly bra™ r , Tr" '"'~" ""''' ^«'"" '°'"-- '"'^ Sundered, and w Z?h ",: W-perhaps the one who was to blame-moved his battery —rtal, .TT' '" ^"'""'" ^''^ ""--^ ""™- He himself ™ mortal y wounded, and it was found necessary to abandon ten guns. A noble effort was made to save the guns, and in the attempt Lieut^obert; the only son of Field-Marshal Roberts, fell with five bulL wounds hJ won^the Vtctona Cross in his effort to save England's guns, but it cos. hfm Not only did Buller on this fatal day fail to force the passage of Tugela but was compelled to retreat after sustaining a loss of 132 killed, 765 wounded,' and iZS missnig or prisoners, a total of 1,125 one W ^' T, ?■* "'' " '""""'"^ '^''"''^'' "'^ ''^™"- "- " --" one, but had selected .ts position so well that it was able to prevent the fonvard movement to the relief of Ladysmith without sustaining heavy loss. The war-office now saw that it had seriously blundered in under- esniafng the strength and military skill of the Boers, and on receipt of tie detads of the battle of Colenso, decided that the greatest milita-y genius of th Empire would be required to bring the war to a swift and succes-fij ^^muatlon. The man who had so skilfully led his army through f " ' If ■'S- PI 41S lARL K0BERT8. and over the hill, in Afghr.nistim was the best soldier in the Empire to battle on the veldt and among the kopjes of South Africa. At any rate the wa> ofhce would give him a chance to do the work he had hoped to do in 1881 and on Decemb«r 17, the day on which his son died from his wonnds, he was appointed commauder-in-chief of the forces in South Africa. To make sure that the work would be well done, the king of organisers, the methodical and cold-blooded conqueror of the Khalifa, " the man of ice and iron," should go' with him as hU chief.of.8ti.ff; and eight days after the battle of Colcnso, while the nation was still bleeding from the wounds inflicted by Magersfontein and by the reverses in >fatal, and his o>vn heart was breaking from the loss of his son. Roberts boarded the DunoUar Cmllc at Southampton. On the previous day Kitchener embarked on the swift sailing cruiser Jm at Alexandria, and at Malta boarded the warship Dido. At Gibraltar he joined his commander-inK=hief, and as the DanoUar Caslk steamed Southward the two ablest soldiers in the Empire spent days and nights in studying the oiiUoal situation and in planning a campaign. CHAPTER XXXUL THE BOKRESDEB OP BLOEMFONTEIN. Man. Cau«! o( BuUer'. Failure Uck oj Mobility-Much Eiwct/d rf Rol»rtT_ll.,. s^u^^ii' sSr ".' » '""'"*"'" ""' "■• '"'"'^ vis;-Ltr^t^7Jr4 Sludie, the Situation and Reorgan.w. Hii Army-Move. Toward! Kimberlev Earl, in February-French'. Cavalry Relieve Kimberleyiln Pumuit of Cron ^-D^ Wrt liS Ub^uiton,, ™ the Scene-Almoat Save. Cronje-Roberf. D..hi„g Adv.nel wS ffi! Main Army-Cronje Besieged at Paardeherg-The Sundav BatUe-Th, r.»!^l._ o -;iri; \h'eT:;:;;;^ti"S r:,^rgrr"^rwfr2[^^^ ' ENGLAND had hoped much from SirRedvere B.iller ; all will be well said the press and the public, when that tried poldler who has served with distinction in every quarter of the globe-in China, in North America in Ashanti, in Zululand-is at the head of the army in South Africa They had been bitterly disappointed. His presence in Natal only served to give the Boer leaders greater opportunities for proving that they were the equals If not the superiors, of the British generals trained in tactics and strategy in the best military schools in the world. Another public idol was shattered • another great reputation was for the time being sunk in that "Grave of Reputations," South Africa. The buoyant public was, however, recovering heart; Lord Roberts with greatly increased forces, was on his way to the battlefields of Natal of Northern Cape Colony, of the Western Frontier-they knew not which •' he knew not himself at this Ume. But all had the utmost confidence in' the general who had never known defeat. No doubt his very presence would cause the Boe,^ to sue for terms of peace; and so gallant nad been their 413 m 414 lARL xonRnn. resistance, and ao noble their conduct on the field of battle that England wu prepared to be magnanimoui. On January 10 Roberta reached Cape Town and the Empire breathed easier. It was expected that the operations which had been brought to a standstill in every part of South Africa would be recommenced at once. However, much preparaUon had to be made, and the situation required the calmest study. Meanwliile the commniidcr-in-chief could learn from the difficulties Buller had had to face and the blundera he had made, what he ought not to do. In the first place it was evident that before attempting a general advance it would be necessary to pour more troops into the countr)'. Methuen's 10,000 and Buller's 25,000 had proved themselves totally inodequate to make headway ogainst the Boers. Indeed they had been brought to a standstill and had begun to fear that they might yet be forced to take the defensive. The main weakness in both forces was lack of mounted men. They lacked moliility, whereas the Boere possessed astonishing mobility, moving large bodies of troops and their big guns with incredible rapidity. What Httle mobility the British army might have had was, at the beginning of the campaign, destroyed by the excessive baggage the troops took with them on the line of march. They had tents and bedding and abundance of food, even luxuries. General BuIIer did not seem to have taken to heart the lesson taught by Wellington, Napoleon, and Grant, that great victories are won by dash, by the power of striking the foe when least expected ; and for this dash troops must learn to travel light, to sleep on the bare veldt with tlie sky for a covering, and to live for a few days on quarter rations or even less. Roberts would never have reached Kandahar in record time had lie carried along with him as extensive baggage as Buller's array brought with it to the Tugela. It is true that Buller, with the troops under him, was given an impossible task, but much of his losses and reverses can be attributed to the slowness with which he moved his army. The Boers had ample time to prepare for every attack on their positions, and could leisurely smoke their pipes behind their well-constructed entrenchmonts until the British soldiers came within range of their JJausors. While this was undoubtedly the case. General Buller *H« 8DRXE!n>Bn OF BtOEMFONTIIir. 41S »«. hampered In many othe. way.. For year, the met carefcl rtadentof South African affai» h.J foreseen tin, war, and yet the IntoHigence Department had not exerted itself to become intimately acquainted with the counti, through which they would have to %ht in case of war. The Engli.h generals as a consequence went into the field without proper maps, and with but few officers who knew the territory of Northern Nutal to say nothing of the Orange Free State and the Transvaal. Again while he had as brave officers as ever went into battle, thoy had been trained either in wars with As.at.cs or natives of Africa, or with the expectation of fighting against such people. The glitter of uniform, the gallant show made bv sta.iding boldly at the head of the company with drawn sword, tl.o wild charge right at the heart of the enemy's force, were wort to .nnke a deep i.np,e.»io.. on the tribes of Northern In.Ii^i and the fanatics along the Nile. But for these things the Boers cared nothi,.g ; the buttons a..d the gold lace of the uniform, the glitter of the flashi,.g sword blade served as excellent targets to their marksmen, and they had confidence in bei..g able to beat back any frontal attacks that .night be made against the.n. True they had suffered at Talana Hill and Elandslaagte; but they were unprepared for war then. The officers under Buller did not learn until i,ey had paid a heavy price in blood that it was necessary to root out all their old prejudices. Fancy dress and fancy courage both had to go before they could fight the Boera on equal terms. The things which hampered General Buller most were his lack of cavalry and long range guns. It would have been much better for his reputation and the death roll would have been much smaller, had he refused to advance until he had a large force of mounted me., and a number of guns capable of cop.ng with the Boers' "Long Toma." At a time when he should have played a wa.ting game, his own eagerness to bring the war to a swift conclusion, and the elainor of the public for the relief of Ladyamith, forced hi. hand and he fearieasly buried himself against a wall of adamant. It is difficult to say what Roberts would have done had he been placed on the Tugela under similar circumstances. Another had faced difficulties and made blunders which he had escaped, but they would none the less be of service to him. His successes in Aighu.iistan had been due largely So the I, I r ■■ :l 41S lAOL BOBian, care with which he had itadied the reTenes of the fint Afghan war, and now he would tnrn to good purpoee the diuuten that had befallen Colley, and, to ■ay the least, the misfurtunea of Buller. It was thought that immediately on his arrival in South AMca tha situation would undergo change ; but days went by, weeks passed, and still the troops sat tight along the Mo 'der throwing their harmless shells into the Bopr position al Magersfonti'in, and still on the Tugela every attempt to advance was thwarted. The public grew impatient, and when they read the record of that January week of battles with the he. m of Spion Kop to crown all, despair seized them. In one week nearly 2,000 men placed hori de combal by a nation of farmers — it was hord to realize I What was " Bobs " doing ? Was the situation too much for him, and was his great reputation and the reputation of his illustrious chi^of-stall' both tp be sunk in the "grave of reputations ?" The weeks pa sere ^< :A still RoberU made no move, and what he was planning no one could tell. Meanwhile he was doing good work. He saw what a tremendous factor the colonial troops were in this war, and both he and Kitchener encouraged the enrolment of colonial volunteers. To help on the good work he made Colonel Brabant, a colonial, a brigadier-general and placed him at the head of a magnificent brigade composed entirely of colonials. He likewise selected his own bodyguard Ironi the colonial troops. This naturally flattered the men from Natal, Cape Colony, Australia and Canada, and did much to allay the bitterness that was too frequently found among colonial soldiers against the overbearing manner of English ofhcera to them. By infinite tact and a mind free from prejudice he won the enthusiastic admiration of the colonials and attracted many to the army. For nearly a month after his arrival in Cape Town he was busy studying the country and the forces opposed to hiin, in organizing troops and rearranging the distribution of the army in South Africa. His chief-of.«taff had his time fully occupied with the discipline of the army and with the transport Both generals went on with their work unheeding the clamor of the public tor them to do something. They would do their work when they were ready. Meantime it was necessary that the 30|000 men on their way to TBK aURRINDIR OF BlOIUroNTEIW, 417 South Aftic. .hould arrive before any great undertaking w.. «,t„«l „pon. Robert, wa, ■„ „„ hurry , "raw l.a«te- ha. too otten proved itself ..h«lf.rter t,^t\ ■" " """ """" ' '"" ''""'^ "" "'° T"«elu he ordered Lord^Methuen not to br.ug the enemy in the Kimbcrley district to . decisive January pa«K,d with the rituation unchanged , the Sunnysido affair wa, he only BnUsh success of any importance in that long „,ontl,. But with the opcn.ng week of February there was a feeling in the „r,„y that something wa. going to happen. Up the great Karroo towards Ki„,bcrley trainload ai^er tra,n,oad of stores and troops laboriously toiled, and it was evident that a battle was to be fought, or a dash in force n.adc on Kin.berley which ,va, sl.ll sending out cheering messages, despite the fact that provisions were running low and disease wa. cutting off the garrison On February 6th Roberts and Kitchener stole out of Cape Town without interviewing the war correspondents, and moved northward to the Modder where Cronje's men had for over t«o months been smoking their pipes, and' from their magnificent (from a military point of view) and unspeakably filthy trenches been laughing «t the British attempts to shell them outof their ..sition. On the 9ia Roberts had everything ready for the general advance. He would turn the Boer position, relieve ICimberley, and then endeavor t. annihilate or capture Cronjes army. On the 10th the army of 40,000 men was making preparaUons for an early start on the following day. Roberts made ready for this, the greatest movement of the war, with the spirit of Napoleon and Grant He knew no such word as failure. Success he told his troops was certain^ There was stiff work before them, but .he cavalry division had to reach Kimberley, even if it left half its number on the field. That is tho spint with which to win. Such language does not mean that the general looked upon his soldiers merely as a ■■ chair a carum." in a decisive battle many soldiers may perish, but in the end such destrucUon often means economy of men. On the nth of tho month one of the largest armies of the centurv and the largest cavalry division that ever worked together as a whole moved out Of Modder camp. Qn the 15th General French had broken throa-h the 13u.r i 41S um. Rnmnim line and doahed forward towards Kimberloy, aweeping from Mi patti the ftv Boen who romniiiul among the inttTvcniiig hilla to bar bia prognaa. No time to aavo men or lioraea; troopsni fell IVom the runka, wounded and exhauated horat.'!! mlU'd over nn the plain and gaaped with atiffcning liniha, but the wliirlwinil of war waited not till the green trees Murounding the Dinniond City cuinc into view. " The long, weory woeliH of anxiety and hnrdshipsi the disiip|Kiintnient of Mngcrafontein, nnJ tlie heart sickness of deferred hope were alike forgotten. Kimbcrley wiia relieved, and the remainder of the ninreh might na well have been u review," Ten thouannd men and forty-two jjuiis had beei' rushed forward with u riipidity probably without a parallel in war. The work had licen done so quietly ond quiekly that Cronje was taken completely off hia guard. Ho had thought that the large arir.y that waa assembling was about to hurl itself on his Magersfontein position, and he eared not how many came against his front. He could beat back any number of British soliliers. When he realized that a aucceasful turning movement had been maile, and thai French was behind him he awoke to the fact that he had remained in his position a day too long and made hurried preparations to leave it It was soon known that he waa in full flight in the direction of Blocmfontein. Only a miriicle cOuld now save him ond hie 4,000 burghers ; with 40,000 soldiers, who for the most part had been seasoned to South African conditions during the past two months, and the two ablest generals of the British army in hot pursuit. The miracle was almost performed. On the day of the relief of Kimberley De Wet, the ubiquitous, made his first appearance on the scene. Tlie chroniclers of the war vary in their accounts of his proceedings on this day; some have him coming from the cast, others from the south, but it ia very probable that he was detached from Cronje'a force. Wherever he sprang from he waa in luck. Two hundred wagons were toiling along after Lord Roberts' army. They had but a small escort. De Wet sow how weakly they were guarded, swooped down upon them as they were toiling across Waterval Drift and in the end succeeded in capturing or destroying 176 wagons. To attempt to reg-ain tlie-se w.igonK ivmild neceasitatc stopping the pm"suit of Conie ; THE FIRST UNION JACK IN THE TI^ANSVAAL 1 M..iid«j, Ml.) ulh.Sir A. Jlunltr. wiih ;he lith 11 ij.a,l, and l-u«ili.r fVUad, i„v«ilc.l ihe Tr n.m I'oiineen Siream-anii bivi.uBi-ki-d dxhi mik>acr<»B ihc fri'io .r .>ii inr liHiiki nl ihF Vai IHB SDRHENBKE OF BIOEMFONTEIM. 421 to advance wonU ba to run serious risk of starvation. A great general ia the one who can at critical moments take risk. Forward was the word. The army would travel all the swifter unhampered by such a heavy transport, even if the «,ldiers had ,0 be placed on quarter ™tions. Consummate military genma does not lie in leading men in actual battle, but in swiftness of action before the fight, and in being able, when occasion demands it to hazard all on a single throw. When French reached Kimberley his men and horses were sorely in need of a rest, but he had scarcely got within the gates of the shell-scarred town when a messenger came to him in hot haste with the tidings that Cronje was m full flight along the Modder, and that he must be headed off at Paardeberg Dnft^ French must perform this task and keep Cronje back until the mfantry and artillery could come up and surreund him and capture his army Tired as his men were they began a wild gallop eastward, and, despite a noble rearward fight on the part of Cronje, succeeded in running him to earth on the banks of the Modder. But he was not captured yet. He entrenched and waited. It was thought that it would be possible to force him to surrender at once, and so a fierce attack was made on his position ; but with his 4,000 men he succeeded in keeping at bay over 15,000 who made a united attack on his hur^dly constructed entrenchments. In this first day's fighting at Paardeberg no fewer than 1.260 British soldier were killed, wounded op taken pnaonera. It was a foolish attempt to storm an unknown position, a, great a blunder aa any that took place on the Tugela. Roberts, however, was not on the scene of battle on that first day. When he did arrive he found that the Boers had moved several miles farther up the Modder to a strenger position New tactics were adopted; a siege was instituted and the British lines were worked ever nearer the Boer entrenchments. For nine days both forees endured great hardships, and although Cronje had little hope of escaping from the cordon of troops surrounding him, he made a resistance that gained for him the plaudits of the worid. He hoped that a relieving force might come to hU rescue, and although Louis Botha, in an efibrt to relieve him had with 2,000 men seized Kitehener's Hill, it wa. retaken by the British t2S CAUL BOBBBttk .nd the commando driven off. A couple of day, after thb he returned with De Wet and made another effort to break through the British line., but their attempt failed and Cronje wa, left to himself. M^uba day was at hand • the whole army was eager to celebrate the day with a great battle and victory Roberts generals were urgent to have the position stormed on that day and at last he consented. He determined that the attacking force should creep up. to the Boer trenches in the darkness, entrench themselves, and with daylight search the Boer position with their rifles. The Canadians, who had behaved so heroically in the Sunday fight were just the men for a midnight adventure and It was decided to advance them to within seventy-five yanls of the Boer hnes. This most memorable and important event in the Great Boer War is worthy of more than passing notice. The attack was to begin at two in the morning. It was a beautiful right, the clear African sky shone with innumerable brilliantly gleaming star^ the moon was on the wane, just a thin rim of it was left." The air was cool and bracmg and stimulating. Six companies of the Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry ,ay in the trenches nervously awaiting the order to advance. At two o'clock in the morning the Gordons occupied the trenches and he Canadians were ordered to move forward. Out of the trenches they scrambled like monkeys" and began to advance in two rank^ The ftont rank was the firing-line, and moved forward through the uncanny darb>e» with rifles loaded and bayonets fixed ready either to drop on the plain and begin firing or to charge into the enemy's stronghold. They hoped for the latter; a bayonet charge has a terrible fascination for the young soldier Slowly the men advanced through the darkness at intervals of less than a yard each holding the coat sleeve of the man on his right. When the, had advanced for about 500 yards through the small bushes that dotted the plain It was found that the flank had outstripped the main body, and so a brief halt was made to correct the alignment. Here several soldie« caught glimpses of stealthy figures moving in their front; no doubt Boer watcher, whowere hurrymg to cover to warn their friends of the advancing line. Once more the advance began, this time with every effort to maintain absolute silence, but the crackling scrub and some empty meat tins that the Boers had strung THE StTBRRlIDKR OF BLOKMFONTIIV. 423 in front rf their position served to alarm the enemy, if their entries had not already done ao. ^°»*»".l' « «™ of fire sputtered in their very faces. The firing-line wa. between fifty and sevcnty.five paces from the enemy, and the closeness and the suddenneai of the fusilade stunned them for a moment. The cries and KToana of their comrades brought them to themselves, flat on their faces they fell and began vigorously to return the close fire. Like a continuous bursting of giganfc fire-crackera the rifles snapped before them ; no head was seen but so close were they that the hght from the flashing of the rifles revealed the polished weapons and at times the arms and hands that held them For about fifteen minutes, and it seemed like fifteen hours, a stream of lead sang over them and toi« ttc earth about them, occasionally finding a victim They were not idle. Steadily, effectively, they sent back bullet for bullet and so well directed was their fire that the enemy's fusilade became leai dangerous. They no longer thought of aiming at that brave line of prone figures on the open plain ; they dare not show themselves in their trenches but raising their rifles high over head fired at random. For the most pari the hot fire prevented the roar rank from constructing trenches. About a mile away on the left the Canadians' old friends, the Shropshire Light Infantry, began to pour volleys into the Boer laager; and the crackUng volleys, the whizring of the bullets through the darkness, the spitting flashes from the nfles, the groans of the wounded, made the night a pandemonium In the midst of this uproar of battle, some one on the left gave the command, "Retire and bring in your wounded I" Along the line to the right the message sped and soon the whole of the regiment with the exception of G and H companies were speeding to the t- ;-hes they had left "making record time," to use the language of more than one in the retreat In the meantime G and H companies which had not heard the command to retire held their position, and, while the front rank blazed away through the bushes which gave them fair cover, the rear rank threw up an excellent trench. Into this trench the entire companies leaped. They were within «isty-five yards of the crackling Mausers. Their dead lay still nearer. How dose they had come to charging the enemy in their very trenches; and how 434 BIKL KOtlKn, TnZ T.. '""^' •"""'" Mngerrfontein! Only th. ""* ""»"" ">™"'ve» on the ground „ved them from having their entire line cut down. G and H compan,e3 did not know that their comrade, had retired, and they wondered 1- -trange «lence on their left. Tie gun, on account of the pos,t.on of the Canadians were unable to shell the Boe,3, and only the disbnt but effechve volley, of the Shropshire joined with their s:.ady and well d.rected fire. Till daylight the Canadians kept the Boe„. now thorougly alarmed, from showing themselves above their trenches, and the flrmg of the enemy which had been very wild, with dawn almost altogether Cronje saw that the end had coma The trench of the Canadians waa at nght angles wUh his line of rifle pits, and the marksmen could from their she Her sweep his entire position. He might still hold out; but with the captive balloon directing the fire of the gun., with his trenches enfiladed by the splendid marksmen with the maple Ic.f on their helmets, it could only t' "f fT'. 'T "' "'" ^"■""^ *" "'"^ ""'«'• "^ "'""ing low. the stench the dead animals permeating his camp, a hot fire sweeping through his ranks-all those things made him decide to mirrender. and so he raised the white flag. At firat no attention was paid to this. The Boers had of late so frequently abused the white flag that the Canadians were not willing to be caught by the barbarous trick, and so they kept up their fire for another hour. At six oclock the Boers began to pass iito the British lines, and the attacking force saw that they did indeed intend to surrender; the"cease fi«" rang out, and the Canadians on the dawn of Mnjuba day sent up a mighty cheer. The chance had oeen given ti.em, and although tl.iongh a cruel' mistake four companies had retreated, the remaining two had done their work so well that to them was the honor of giving the final stmke to the nine days of battle that was the turning point in the Great Boer War. This event has been dwelt on at considerable length not merely on account of its importance in the war, but for iL- importanc- in the Empire «id in the life of the hero of this story. It was a stroke of genius on the part TBI nmBBKMR 0» BLOEMPONIEra, 42S of Lord Roberto to give the Canadians the task of brinrine about th. Canadmn, aga.„st the entr,nchn,enta at Wolveskraal that if no blunder ^curred they were bound to be s„ece.ful. The Boers were in dlera e 8t™,t.; ^rrounded, constantly shelled, eompelled to sit 010^,1 he ulTdV r r^ 1 T' ^" "' '"'^ -^^0 - ^» ">- - surrender „a a dose and effective fire. His plan succeeded. The " Lion of «.eTansvaa " was captured with the best body of fighting men tthe onger be a tern, designating inferiority. In Canada the boy, who had died Can dah r ''* "'""^ °'"" '" "■' ■"»«>"'-■»! «>« f"'"- of and Eng A th.nke«, but after Majuba Day its destiny „,ust be as a nation growth o. the Canadian people as well as of England, and much of the credit of Its consequences is due to Lord Roberts. and ^7'\ ""'"'tt' ^°''"" ™"" '^''"^ *" ''™ *« '"""J of friendship the wa °T r "'*"° '"' "'""'^ P""* "'» " '""»'« f' his conduct of lint o f ""^^f '""■ "'"' ^"'-^^ - »» g-d with adn,iration at the bent Id farm,r who was teaching hinianew mode of warfare, could sincerely say, I am glad to meet so brave a man." War"" uTto'Tr r'' ''." T""^"' "" *" '""*"« P°-"' »f *« «'*■" Boer War. Up to tins ,me the Boers had been successful, even though tl..y failed to capure Mafek.ng, Kimberley and Ladysmith ; but now l-ir fortunes began to dochnc, and this victory caused the raising of the siege of Ladys Jh ^d paved the way for the surrender of Bloemfontein and the surrender f Z:t T J- ^/-''f^^^h- rightly been called the greatest event of thenar. The whole of tne Puaideberg campaign U unsurpassed forbrilliancy ill **" lABi BOBntn. In Roberto" career, hit march was a harder and more trying one than hli dash on Kandahar; and although it was chance that threw Croiye into his hands, he was able on a moment's notice to change his entire plan of action and to surround and capture the best fighting general on the side of the Boers. But he had paid his price, and more of his soldiers had perished in that nine days' fighting, or were lying sick in field hospitals from wounds or exhaustion or fever, than had fallen ■ nder Methuen in all his weeks of campaigning on the Kimberley route. It had been a hard struggle and a rest for men and horses was an absolute necessity. Cronje out of the way and Ladysmith relieved, he could leisurely proceed on Is road to the capitals of the republics. From February 26 until March 6 the army rested and then the march on Bloemfoutein began. The Boeni had thought it necessary to weaken their force besieging Ladysmith and holding Buller in check, in order to assist Cronje in the first place, and, after his surrender, to endeavor to keep Roberts from entering Bloemfontein. But they might as well have endeavored to turn back Niagara. The irresisUble river of men swept on, and at Poplar Grove on March 7 and Driefontein on March 11 won decisive victories over the Boers. Driefontein was the last great stand made by the enemy against the army of Lord Roberto m the Free State. They had marvellous success in guerilla tactics, but never after this risked coming to decisive battles. On the 11th and 12th a rush was made to Bloemfontein, and on the 18th Lord Roberto entered the beautiful Uttle town which had already been formally surrendered to him. The horses of hU army were scarcely able to drag themselves along; his men were ragged, half-starved, with broken shoes, many indeed in their bare feet, while every here and there could be seen soldiers flushed with the deadly enteric. But all were happy, the flrat great stage of the war was finished. The Orange Free State was vanquished, and on the flag staff in front of the president's official residence floated the small silken Union Jack bearing a shamrock in one corner. It had been made by the wife of the commander-in^ihiet Smokeless powder and long range guns have not yet killed the spirit of chivalry Mid romancei THE SUBBENOra OF BlOIMPONTMi 437 AH m, time Robert, had been, considering hi, advanced y«i„, endnrin, 200000 men. It wa, «dd that during the investment of Paardebe» ^hen rations were runnine low ha calli^ ht. ™. j , . """••="<"« wnen Meanwhile Ladysmith had been reliovwl RHffd »,.• v j, confidence an'd'admLo^' Jr't elet; tUr""^^ ^"" *""''' .».Hng the fortunes of wa.rio« » ::"as'' J^ : ^7:1^ was determined to do something to make Maiur dL I J A^in^tt,.eBoeHine.nowwea.ene^dbyone.t:,rt^^^^^ time won. He was forced to rest on the following dav and th, Jl siSn":? tr "" '" "''"-' '"•' -— -Xtis with them all their guns, so that on Mareh 1 the army of relief „». ,.71; .^HonorcfBri.ishCand^i-rj^:r.r:^^^^ asserung Ins authority and seeing that what he thought best w^done "I i^nwin^l^bTr' ,V'" '""' °-^^^™'-who believe that t^ will win mm back his old renown as a leader Hi. »„ij- v >. , a.da libei^lvote by parliament for ^^^Z^^:!;:^' been appreciated both in England and in the colonies ™ PreeslTn'VrrTfr'''.''™^'"'''""'^'''^^ ^P''^' °f 'he Orange r^e State in his hands, Ladysmith reheved, the presidents of the Republics fleemg northward Roberta could but rest to concent^te his a^ylr ^ another great march-tlie mareh on what was supposed to he bv manv th !1 .trongly fortified city in the world-Pretoria, th^^ul ome^tiT"^ CHAi TEB xxxnr. ON TO FBBTOBU. ProcJim.tion to th. Boer—Tbe D..th of 0.n«,l J„uh.rt-Tl.. Jo., Comnumi,^ AcUv. -lob.?rS'n. U.rr"!'"""":!^' ''""•"'»'» A«"-Bri...h Admi„,i„. ,„ 'dJ w. RotertiClm Under R.v.«»-Op.r.Hoii. B.gin One. More-Fonr«d to Prttori.- Croflng tb. Z.ad-Cn«ing th. Vi»l-mto th. OoM Citj.-Th. Sox-nd., of P^SC NOW that the British were in possession of Bloemfontein England breathed easier ; to the newspaper pubUo the war was ended, and even many of the soldiers in Robert's army expected to leave Africa in a few weeks. The presidents of the republics were of course still hopeftjl, and on March 5 had sent a message to the British government expiesaing their readiness to cease hostiUties ou condiUon that "the incontestable independence of both republics be maintained," and expressing a belief that, " The Triune God who lighted the uncxtinguishable fire of Sve of freedom in the hearts of ourselves and of our fathers will not forsake us, and will accomplish His work in us and m our descendants." To this message the Marquis of Salisbury sent the following reply which admitted of no misapprehension: "Her Majesty's government can only answer your Honor's telegram by saying that they are not prepared to assent to the independence of either the South African Eepublic or the Orange Free State." The presideute were playing for two things-time and European intervenUon. The attitude of the United States prevented the possibility of the latter, and South African conditions alone were to give them time. They fled north of the Vet while Roberta with incredible rapidity rushed his army forward on the capital of the Orange Free State. The pace was a killing one and his large army was foreed to rest The work done rince leaving Graspan NON-COMlsaiONEO OFPiCBRIt AMn uvk. «- ^mmii OFFICERS OF QUEENSLAND MOUNTED INPANTRV SOLDIERS OF THE QUEEN •■ «> rarromA, 4n were rtrewn «.«, the T.Wt ^^ "' "" ''•«" ''"^ «»» .»d w„ „„ prac.i:«:r „"r::r;s "\ '•' ■•"' ""^'^ "" '"'™-' nocessary to «rt quiellv In 1 ?. ■ , ™«'"""''' " ""• 'herefor.. ho™« 7h.tw™ ChuJS ri;t''™J' ""'""""^'" "" "» ".uoh to ,„t„. ,, r. ";°e":s:: : rr: A:;:r ™r ^^ months .nd from the beginning it ,.«, evidenHha T 2 """' " . aucoe^m. ea.p»ig„ .„ an aLndaTo ^''Vnd IT.^:'"'''' '" out in the .™y The 1^7 "tL" ^P'"™'" »' »'*"«' h«l b^ken -re. S<„n th^e bel^^^Trhe'^.^ j^^^^^^^^^ "»' "^ of hospital,, echoing with the sound of t Lt'^ Zl JT." h^' ' "'' of wjldiere carrying tn th. ™. ,u • . ° "'"' **" •'o" '"•"P buketa H:5^re iro;:.ttrt:rr t^^ "-"^ *' c«.wded with suffering men tLfZ tt ^""^ '''""S- *« ward, .nd the IUad»a. we«™„itI\;'Tnd :l;^^^^ oftheRambWaubwerewhitewith the tZ of r' ^"^""i''^' ««'>"^''» " te'^jr: "' '" ^''^ - -- - a brd^iSi'" -oJi:s:r!^: SJ^^rrr-r- ^^'- '^ U-rminate the etrugg.e. but before! couMr^rthe ZZZT '" necessary to accumulate a cavalry force well monntr I ^' °^^'^^ '* "« the one that h«l carried him sul^ZlltrOr^ "■" "" . '"*'' """ h«l likewise to be collect*! atTrll , ? Abundant eapphe. . J . ""•loclea at Bloemfontem and so ha nai;an»i„ _ -x j .tudy„.g the coun.:yand endeayorin, to win '.he F^e^atf^ " 171' ««mng information .bout the foic, oppos«l to bin^I^II^ ** ' V u^i»»a 10 nun, and I6s)rganizing the 4M ■All aoBninL •rmy. Th« pnMIc b«g*n to grow impatient tt the long deley, but there wee nothing for it but to wait until he could be rare that hie advance on Pretoria oould bnuh iiide all oppoeition. Meanwhile the Boen, who had been demonlind by hie iudden eweep through the Orange Free State, were reooveriiig heart. They aaw that the South African climate wai fighting on their behalf. Fever wai decimating the ranka of the Britiah, and the rainy aeceou which had gettled down in all ita force would greatly interfere with the rapid advancti againat them, even if the army in Bloemfontein waa abundantly aupplied with horaea. They could not hope with the army they had in the field after the loaa of Cronje'a diviaion to beat the Britiah, but they did hope to protract the war till France or Ruaaia, or even Afghaniatan, ahould come to blowa with England. After Roberta made bla headquarlera at Blocmfontoin he iaaued a moet generoua proclamation to the biirghcra atill in arma, and though many yielded up their weapona, for the greater part they brought in ancient riHis, and the Britiah became poaaesaed of many flint-Iocks that would have looked well in a muaeum of antiquitiea. For the first week after the occupancy of Bloemfontein it looked if the Boer cauae were at an end. The Boor generals were said to be quarreling among themaelvea. The burghers were reported to he. reluming to their farms, and Kruger and Steyn were in despair. Had the Engliah army been able to follow up, without a doy'e delay, the advantage gained by the sudden rush on Bloemfonteiu the war might have been finished almost at once ; but the delay gave the Boeta time to recover heart, and their superb guerilla leaders, by patiently biding their time, gained eeveral such triumphs, almost within sight of the great army at Bloemfontein, that the whole Boer population took heart, and the world — even the Britiah world — grew enthusiastic over the daring and dash of the Boer commandants, porticularly^ of De Wet By the end of Mnrch bulletins were anxiously scanned once more with something of the iiiteiMt that was manifested during the struggle on the Tugela. Severe fighting had taken place at Karee Siding, and though the British were ultimately successful it was only after severe loss. During this period, too, the Boeta austained their greatest IjIow in the death of General Joubeii, the Washington of the Transvaal. Had this noble 0» »0 rRKTDRIJt, m ZubnUvhav .^ '"* * "•"y"''«»K in *o Boer- would in .11 inlen«ly «,tive 0„ Z ?°*",'''' •'™"' ' ' ^' commandoe. beca.ne «n«iy active. On the day of hi. death little, long^uffcrinit M«fek,„„ oTthfla^ L pL ;ir™ r t^'^r -' "" "°""'"« "'-- gallant ccnUuf of the dnvers and gunners of Battorv F™ , eil It to the officers, the non^mmiseioned officers, the gunners and dnV™ .nd so the honor fell to Major Plnpps-Homby by ri.ht of »niot ' I».««.ier did not end here. The Boer, got possession of uieWaterwork, m ■ABL BOIIIBI& at Sanna's Post and cat off the water supply of Bloemfontein. The rituation now became a grave one indeed. The fever which had begun at Paardeberg assumed tremendous proportions and it looked as if the hospital horromof the Crimea were to be repealed in the heart of South Africa. The end was not yet On the third of April Captain McWhinnie retreating from Dewetsdorp towards Reddersberg and Bethanie with a detachment of Royal 'Insh Rifles and mounted infantry blundered into a Boer trap, and after holding out for a day ignominiously surrendered when only twelve men were killed and thirty-five wounded-the most disgraceful affair in South Africa. At 6rst the public were filled with admiration for what they considered the dying efforts of the Boer commandera; but admiration for the enemy soon changed to outspoken words with regard to the manner in which Roberta was conducting the campaign. They clamored for him to do something, and many thought that the situation was too much for him. Revenge Koom Spruit and Reddersberg was the cry— why was there no effort being made to capture the Waterworks? A melancholy April dragged itself along with the ever- increasing army settled down in Bloemfontein, enduring the continuous rains, listening to the beat of the muflled drums, and seeing the cemeteries rapidly filling with the bodies of their comrades-fifty buriaU in a single day were not uncommon. Roberts, however, heeded the clamor of neither the press nor the pablio. These small commandoes flitting up and down the Orange Free State were a pest, but he could endu.e them in the meantime. He had to entirely reorganize his army, e.)uip them for a sweeping match that would fxke the Boers off their feet, and give them no time to recover, and spread out a wide net that would gather in all small bodies of troops while his great main army swept triumphantly forward on its way to Pretoria. He was severely criticised. His work was unfavorably compared with the work of BuIIer who had at least been most persistent in his efforts; but he maintained his usual calm attitude, and while the Boers were flitting hither and thither performing astonishing feats ; and while Colonel Dalgety, for over two weeks, was closely besieged in Wopencr and in grave danger of capture, he remained dumb, but all the time was industriously preparing his huge army for its advance on ON TO PRETORIA, 48S Waterworks, on Xw. ^ri™ « ;'"'°"' ""«^ -^-ffi-Uy recaptured the commandoes wliich Wfm „„„. .• / Smith-Dornen scattered the month of May tt tZprh^'^t^' "::'"' *'''"'• ^' '^o <>"' <" ">« were scattering in .„ ^1^^ Zl Kir.'""" "" '""-" forwarf his main army; and while Ian hZ;-., ""^ ""^^ *» «°'» «ide front on the east. a;d Genira rtn T Tu- "" "'"^^^ """> "«■ « was speeding „v„ th^pTal r™', * "" ■"" '''^'""« ■"'"""«d division g..at army of over 40. "ml 1^0^" '^ ''^'^^^ ""'^ ""'^"'' ""^ Bloemfontein. At once thrsLar H 17 " "' '""^'"'^ ""'<• ""' "^ been for the post month ^l,"' ^^"'^' '""' "^ """'" """""^ Kngiand-s troops in ^ A^ h X^r "^t """' "'' '^''"'- was in sight, a few sharn n^h^ f , ^^ *'*'' "'='°"™- ^he end P-Ha U a rep^tZ ^.^^2^^ ^^'iT^''^^ l''"" ^^ "' tal» Z""!^ fo^ed to ret" I was vidirf ".K-'""l ""^^ ^'"^ "«''«"«■ ''"^ -™ o-theza„dabatrwrdr::Xh?ter r" T""-^ «"w.,h.dforcedatemporaryha.tatSm:S J :ttr^7o' • n 439 ■AIL xoBimn. that the army under Robert, reached the aouth bank of the Zand. Aeron the river on the hills in the distance could bo wen the admirable position the Boon had taken up. A frontal advance was out of the question, but a wide turning movement did the work and the Boers once more retired, this time m considerable confusion. As the day wore to a close they rushed in headlong aight towards Kroonstadt, which place Steyn had proclaimed his capital after the surrender of Bloemfontein. Leaders and burghers alike fled m wild confusion from the banks of the Zand. They longed for night, but it was to give them but little relief; behind them thundered cannon and over them burst lyddite shells, filling the air with their sickening fumes ; among them fell the spattering shrapnal, and if they lagged for a moment ihe ping- ping of the bullets played through their ranks. At last sudden darkness spread over the brown withered, treeless veldt; and for a brief period the thick mantle of night mode them feel safer. But the hunters of men were close behind, and soon the sharp rifle-fire made them uige their horees and veldt- ponies and oien on still faster. On they went, a great huddle of men and beasts; bumping through ruts and over stones ; wagons breaking down and strewing the plain with household goods, animals tumbling exhausted on the veldk In their eflbrts to escape they fired the dry grass of the plain, hoping to flee the easier under cover of the flames and smoke. The night was dark, the moon hidden behind the clouds, and the leaping, running flames added a tragic color to the tragic scene of flight and death. Kroonstadt was in the wildest confusion ; burghers were bivouacking in the streets and the squares waiting till dawn to contanue their flight From nearly every house lights shone as the inhabitants packed up their valuables and made ready to go into exile. The government oflSdals were busy preparing to move President Steyn'e capital to Lindley ; but such an easily moved institution had its destination changed, and the State papers were forwarded to Heilbron. Meanwhile Botha (now commandantgeneral of the army of the Transvaal) and DeWet had succeeded in getting some two or three thousand men under control, and when Steyn joined them later with what few men he could induce OH TO PBITOBIA. ^37 to Stand b, him. were hopeful of being able to make . euffioienlly ]on " forty -le front, threatening to nirround them, it „ not to be wondered at that they did not dare to Roberts. There were a few daring spirits, however, in the Bo.r Lu and S th 7' '^T- " """"^ "' ^''' ""^ '^'o-' ^''^^ »' '^'' ^ tteS "> K . " *■""" *" "' ^"«* *° P"'«' " ■»»« "» th-y could the disordered host that was hurrying through Kroonstadt At noon an occasional ,hell began to drop along Bo^:, Rand, while to 1^1 « . f ,r' ^''"'- ^*'' '»" '"' "^""S"- He might at any moment find himself cooped up as was Cronje at Paardeberg Still he tena lonsly held to his position almost till dark, but a dashing charge o th «val,y and lance, drove the Boers from their trenches; and L ^1^ too, put spurs to their horses and rushed to Kroonstadt held ^T.!!*' r ''7''™"' ^°''"' '""' '^" """ ^^ «»■"' »»" "ot long be I^n V !:: '"' '" "*'"'' '"^ " *™'" »f »" ""-hed (the las! mes«,ge that the enemy were within three miles of the town. On the instant the tran that was standing waiting began slowly to roll northward statiorti^d"" "f "" '"" *" "" '''''' "■""" '•^«'° 'o ^"-' f"- 'he tttr.?. , ? ,T' ""' "°° "-" "'""^ '°™ -- - bright as dav through the ,.ght of the burning buildings. An English batteiy eight sight brufhed "^ d™ T '™""^ '" «""' "^" ">-• All resist^^ce L brushed aside, and another capital of the Free State had fallen m«n I^hT T' '"'' °"' "' *''"""'""'' "'"" "•"« »' '^-^ ten «'on«md men and twenty guus, and this force Botha's strategy alone had saved. The i H 438 >AKL BOBnn, men mJght have wcped ; but for him their g„n., ammunition, rapplle. Mid rolling rtoclc would surely have fallen into Roberts' hands. -Hie game was up ; it was useless to resist ; the few shells that had fallen into the town during the night made the authorities, a. at Bloemfontein. fear that the appearance of their pretty Uttle town would be sadly disfigured, and «. they decided to promptly nirrender. While the field-marahal was at the drift over the Valsch the Mayor of Kroonetadt and a deputation of citizens came out for a conference. The surrender of Bloemfoniein was to be repeated- they were ready to yield without firinp ,.u opposing shot. The landdrost, however, was the chief official, and with him alone would Lord Roberts confer; and so after considerable delay the landdrost and the entire council came out to him and humbly surrendered the kej-s of the town There was still further delay. The infantry division had not yet reached the Bosch Rai.l, and the commander-in^hief waited till it come up ; and then surrounded l.y his body-guard of colonials and accompanied by his staff he marcL.Kl in state into Kroonstadt. There were a few Englishmen in the town; some Dutch who had never taken up arms; and many cowards who were now, m the hour of their defeat, ultra-English, and his advance to the broad market-place was a triumph. Waving of flags, shouting and cheering accompanied him at every step. To one unacquainted with the circumstances of this march it would have seemed that the general was entering an EngUsh town in holiday humor. That the British would win was a forLgone conclusion, but the speed with which the work was done amazed even the war critics of Europe, and actually won from the Germans words of praise. It was Roberts of Kandahar once more; even greater on this march, for he had forced forward an army of 50,000 men with the swiftness of a cavaliy brigade. The march, too had been made with but few casualties; some regiments, such as the Canadian Mounted Rin,* which bore the brunt of the fighting, not losing a single man. ^o wonder . iiobs" was the idol of England, a general who could win almost bloodless blaltles could not but be dear to the aniious hearts across the ocean. The Boera in their flight to the Vaal broke the railway line in a number of places and it was therefore necessary to make a somewhat protracted halt HOISTING THE BRITISH FLAO ABOVE THE BAADJAAL , Jh', rr" 1 '"' "", l'" '•"'I'""'"' »"•'■ i» •.h„rch i , nmiil » riFrteilBtnaror krttleilnim*." TAf .^A.-) ,-. ON TO PllETOnU. 441 ffi~Zt^' ^*.v° *"'"' ""^'"'' "^ """^ *« *•-«-"> of Cblonel Wrd on the nght .nd left of the «ilway to dear the road for the main ^rt, ' r.t ".f *"" ""'" '"'^'""'- '«""™'' -0 'he army of LoM Robert, cn>a,ed the Vaal without coming in contact with the Boer fLes It of Johanneeburg. or perhaps not until Pretoria was reached Brave mtrM'fv' 't^ " " '"' ^' «""* '>'"' --"P'o'^'^ """P"^- ft^'id 1 "' ' ""'" ""'^"'' *•"" """y ™ -'"in the TranZ, .teelf and ,„ a day or .wo the soldiers would be at Johanncbu^, and thTy w re hopeful of being able to reach the forts of Pretoria early in jl tJ' oTdT t "'\''''P"^''"''"S hills and a fierce battle on the histori Jfield of Doornkop where Jameson had come to wreck. The Boers were discovered in force with heavy artillery checking th. ttZd™ ^'^T'' "■" "'""''^ ^■'"^ had'betweenMo „ d'f housand men, and not fewer than six guns together with a number oJ ' pom-poms." The British had suddenly come upon a difficult p."Z Lt "The Twenty-Kirst Brigade advanced on Roodepoort in front the Cilv wtch we „ •'"";;" """""''" ™ ""■ "«•"• '^''« S"-« Regiment, wh,ch were onginally .n reserve, were then skilfully moved and soon ^Wards the Nineteenth Brigade, with the Canadians on the lettle Gordon S a^ndTh"".! T'"' ""■ "^'^ "' ^™^''"'' "«"' I"f-'- on the m^^n 't,'"""".'"" "'^'" ^"'"""^ " «»-. «- advanced to tak ^ mth the shrewdn^s that had narked their tactics from the MS MiML moBiaen, commencement of the w„, they h«l m.d. it doubly rt«,ng. 01,, kh.M un,fo™ rf «,e British «,Idie» h.d in p^vion. fight. «rv^ „ , ,,!Z protection on .he b»w>. veldt At long »nge it w« .Imoet impoeribl. to ..tch^ghtof the thinly extended Une of «.rth^,ored figure., a^^ey „ often fl«. at «t hill, and „«k. a. .t men. But they had revived that on h» occa..on if the BritUh did »cceed in driving them from their trenche. they would pay dearly for their «occ«. For .everal mile, along their fa,nt hey had^t fire to the veldt, d^ with the autumn fr„.te. and the Briti,h a. they moved forward saw befo« them rolling .lope, of fi« and «noke, ridge, a ong which ran .purt. of &re. and bn»d rtret-ihe. black with a deadly ! T . : ""^ °"'""" "■'"•' '"«• ?"'«'«' ">«» i" '"« pat .tood ou on th,, background, an excellent tanretforthe .harp .hoote™ making a Iu.t determmed effort to keep the "rooinek. " from entering the Gold Gij. The Nmeteenth Brigade advanced in extended order. A. the infantnr moved forward the Wnch gun, and two batteri« began to «nd welWirected rfiell. over their head, at the Boer podtion. Th. Britieh force wa, .till «ve,al mile. f^m the enemy', line, when .hell, began to ««am through the jmoky a.r and bury their nose, in the bhu=kened plain, fortun.ntdy burrtmg but «ldom. 8U11 the advance continued; that distant ridg. guarding the way to Johannesburg had to be won before nightfall. A roU. wa.m»«d under the .hell fire, and .till another mile of blackened veld) mtervened when, .harp and deadly, the .hriU Mau«,r lillet. began to ring among the advancing wldie... Though cloud, of .moke, through belt, of fire, acros. broad black stretche, the men hurried, reserving their fi™ The Boen. made an attempt to flank the right of the brigade, but the Canadian Maxim gun wa. in a ...d pcition and foiled their atUmpt So .11 darkn«, began to fall the Canadian, poured volley after volley into the trenche, where the enemy «H,med thickest; «, till darkness was approaching the die lis from the big gun, and the quick-fi™ gmi. screamed and roa J across that gnm battle ground. ,1, ^"L' ^«T '"""''"'' ^'^ ** ''™'" "' *" "«••»• Thdr porition wa, the mort difficult on the field ; they had but little ehelter and their men foil m great number.. "Tho Men of Darg^u." however, were worthy of their O" TO milTORIA. MS Wo« «,.i. impetuot. ;1" B:t7 t r'"™""'''™''*"^"'- twenty gall^t fenow. of tl« „ • . '^'^"^ '^^"'^ '" ""«' '»»veo'; much breaking of the Unea of oil, '" "■°'' """J' »''i™i.he^ -a..a a,;,,r.X7o:errhetor"°""^^^^ nigh of man', height .weot tow. J^ """''* "" f™' "i-J*. »«» «noke line after Une 0ZIT.T Z' '^'"°"' '""' '"""'«'' «"» ««">" ««> '-Maover.heh,:Lr:h:itr;rghr"" "«"'-'•">-- .bout that .t„ng.y fortiL^rirrth"?:'"""'"''' "''«•'' Transvaal, where the Briti.l, i^ , ^ ** ''"'*'" «'™«" of the «oa. struggle to keep I ^ h Lm "" '"°"' '""'"""'""^ '" ^ Gcnc,»I Botha was there u J^l^! h," "^'"^ *'"' '*''"''• ^.^-andant British;there.too.weri^tt'De.ar^:"'™'" ""^ '^'''P t" ^aee the famous commandanu • but ih» ^''''7',^»'»""'. »%«^ and other equally ™pidityofthen>oveliyF:°r';'"'''« ""'"'"' "^ '"^ «"«''• 'he artilW, and the dj arerrrlro,7° V'^ '^"'™ ""^"^ "'"^^ - -.u^pharen;,: -■:::—— -Wd^ 444 ■ui aoiun, deiertod and the storat and hoiuM barricaded for the mort part ; bat ai tha troope marched towards the public building! the crowd, gathered. Jamei Bamet in the Outlook gave a fine dewsription of the final ioene in Johannesbui;^. "The approachee were packed," he wrote, "and a great joetling crowd filled the Kjuttre. A few of tlie advanced guard had already arrived, and there were oome mining polico in their neat uniforme, the captain of the fire- brigade and Doctor Krauee, the young commandant to whoee forethought and ability the order of llie city and safely of property had been due. " From down the street mounted men in Ichaki appeared, in charge of an officer. They cleared the square and kept the crowd back. The cheering had already started, but it was mingled with ' boo-booe' and hisaea. " But when Lord Roberts and his staff appeared there aroae a shout tUt drowned all signs of discontent "I had read of the forced exit of the Uitlanden and how they were packed in open trucks and sent over the border. But the cheen sounded loyal enough and presaged well enough for the ftiture. A guard of honor appeared and the flcld-raarshal took a division to one side of the flag staff on which the Transvaal flag was still floating. "There was little ceremony and no speech making. Down came one color and up went the other— o little silken emblem that waa soon replaced by a huge Union Jack. The field-marshal, baring his head, led the cheen. The soldiers lined their helmets on tlie point of their bayoneta in the rare old fashion. A bugle sounded the key of G and they sang God Save the Queen. "The staff sang, and the mounted men sang, and the grimy marehing fellows of the guard of honor sang too, even a few in the crowd joined in, but the Boer special policemen sat glum on their horses." ComparaUvely few of the army entered Johannesburg ; but the few who did saw a strangely new city, a city that had risen from the plains in less than twenty years, a oity of about 150,000 inhabitants, a city with tall chimneys and staring factories, with piles of reflise from which the gold had been crushed, a city without ohurehes, a city of saloona. A wicked, greedy, OK TO nnoi^n. iU worldly dty ; ,nd for Ulta dty they W om—j j ... »nd ollml«d mother thou-md Z. V^ ""^"^ '°"- •'""'o. From th. Up, to Qiiro ^^Z. 7. *, °"* ""• ^^ '» """^ "'•'•k»4 E»rope«, extraction Uving (n da Vert AttoT "~ '^*''" "* -1. «»««,.»" iS^i^ '"'•'"''•"•«'"- ~ wnth theee engirdle the oitv T^ 7 "'*' "*"■ "«* «"-! entrance, to P«toriI Tl> I wato^ riT""""' """ ""-'"^ '«" '"-" veldt over which an%n«S,'™ "^l' '"«' ""' ""^y' '»■'■'-'«>. Wink at the one ZStrT^ T"" ^"^ ""^ """^ '°'"' ^ W ll.ey fee the «ol™ WontS"!'"^ ^^J °" *" ^"■"° "«"»"- Hebron and Polonia. 01.1 W^r/^ '^*"' ""* "'••" "' ^^'-^'b*. now an K„„i. prieonerr::^ SotltiTTn. ?"" "'^''• m Berlin. He brought special a«iet«nt, from fe^r? ^Z ^ "'""""* f Ameterdam engineer buirothe™ of^t Tnct C , "" '" "T"'"- engineers, and then those of Italy so that th„7 , V^ """' ^"""''' th^e genius of four nation. '' * """^'^'^ ''™""«' ^-^P^^nt il *** UBL Boann " In «xl«n»I •pp«u«ne« Uw mtcd ibrU are alikk Th«y htv* mHoniy hcf with Mirtbwork which ooyen their front* to ( great depth. la thie ther eooform with ploni and niggeetione to b* found in M. Bloob'i much etudied work ' The War of the Future.' Pile upon pile of eand bagi an itackcd up wherever ihelli from the enemy might itrika. There are many hidden receeaea, eecret paawgea, complete telephone connection*— not only with each other, but with the goremment building* in Pretoria. Search-light* ar« mounted in each itructure ao aa to command the nirrounding country at night The magaxine* are under ground, and reported to be mined. Report lia* it, alao, that the near approache* are mined, and that the electrical oonatruction ii nich that conaiderable portion* of an enemy'* army might be blown into eternity before nirrender cam& For food, in the event of aiege, enormon* quantitiea of mai>e bad been accumulated— enough, it i* laid, to feed the army and the population of Pretoria for ave yean. The mpply of ammunition wa* calculated to be nifficient for two year* ; how many gun* are mounted or will be it i* difficult to eetimate. The toUl artillery force of the Boeii at preaent ia eatimated at 450 gun* by the Engliah. " The gun* originally placed in the fort* were l&""' •powMfalwdoubttothewuthw.., , ' i "''-""tvV. tre. There i« t~n.port ,o.d U, Joh.„„e.bu„ ■ ' , " """" "'' '''" "■' "'''' "Wch the batleriet, the drel, of the law,, • ' , ",."" ''''' ' ""''' ''""O'" mirtl, •he great redoubt mentioned are tU ',i' ' T '''' "" """' "'"''°'' ^'''"'' of the wlid rock with a bomb-pKwf r^, , i' .u'"^ '" ""^ ""^'W out .>» bo.b.pr«,f. CmmunicZaT't ! "' " '" ""^ "" "'-P- n>.n«o„edm.ga.in.i.by„ea„.ofa»ve„^ T""^ "" "" '»" fo-J* of the capitoI. and they ZlZl^,7' ^'^ ~"""' "" '"- hghtefortheeeawh-light.. An J, ,„Tu,i ' . ![ :?'' " "»» "<"««« Bo.r gun. i„ „«, at Ki„,berley and 11,™!,/ '""' ''*" "^""^ «" "» «.v. the number of cannon in he 21^1^7"'"' ^"^ '^ P"*""'- twenty. la^ calibre and quick firin/t!" "^°"'"' " "^ '"""'■^ -nd -■ibre. A great many Kn.pp.Zmf!, "t '"''""" 23^„Umetre foraervice." ' '^'^' "^°"' ""<» o""' ""hine-gune .,« ready whoietU'lta^'Tantrlreri'--'^^'"'' '"« *-.- - d.y. at and about Johanncbu; VZLT^ ^ "'T' "^'^ "^ »' '- on June 2, with the int«niio7 ot^lv ^ f ^^"^^ """'^ '""""i ~m,„nding Pretoria. Although he 12 " ''"°" ""^ ^^^^^'^ ««ion that gave the Boon, e^celLJonr, ?' ™ """'""'^''S '"""'K'' • they met with but trivial o",! 'C"h ' "//''"''"^ '''''-<'^-". encountered «veral Boer ooZ^Z buZ b"^ .." "'"""'™' " ■'' '™»- to the «,ldic™ a, if the great tn.gSy1L wh.!"! T^ "*''' '""' " '"^'^ their part, wa. after .11 to end in a Jw2 ft» '^'' -"e now pUyi„g «M would ...tagger humanity" wLnL:rIn:-be%'"^ the fort, that had been built at ^ch enoZ, ^ ™'^' ''""' '^™ equipped would, it wa. rumored Tilltb n ""^ " ""eniflcently ..«ctator,oftb.mar.ofthet.uLr Cri,:- ~ "^^ 448 ■ABL BOBIBn. There waa, however, a little briak fighting on the 4th but towaida evening the artillery had got within range of the giidle of toria and began to throw an occaaional shell into them to see if it were passible to find their voices, and even dropped several into the city itself; but the forte remained dumb and it dawned upon the advancing army that the guns had been removed, and that the Boers were for the most part in flight towards the more inaccessible regions of the Transvaal. It has already been pointed out that the honors of the greatest event of the Boer War, the surrender of Cronje and his army, had fallen to the lot of the Canadians ; now the Australians under Colonel de Lisle were to have the glory of being the first to come into direct contact with the citizens of Pretoria. These fine mounted troops had hotly pursued the Boere, who had attempted to delay their advance, to within rifle shot of the city, capturing a Maxim gun. From the position they took up they could see with their field- glasses the Boers they had been endeavoring to capture riding in confusion through the streets of Pretoria. A fiag of truce was sent in with the demand for the city to surrender, and the citizens with the consent of General Botha made ready to obey the demand, so that Pretoria practically fell into the hands of the English on the evening of June 4. At break of day on the following morning the troops prepared to enter the city. The Boere were making the best of their time, and an engine and train escaped at the last moment with guns and provisions and treasure, but seversl others of less value were captured in a similar attempt During the night the Boers had made ready to surrender to Roberts, and early on the morning of the 5th the whole British force moved within a couple of miles of the city, and waited for the triumphal entry which was to take place at two o'clock in the afternoon. At the hour appointed the field- marshal took up his position in front of the government buildings, and the silken flag that had floated over Bloemfontein, Kroonstadt and Johannesburg was run up amidst the cheering of the troops and the wild shouting of the British officers freed that day from the " Bird-Cage." As the long line of troops marched past with bayonets fixed, the band of the Derbys struck up " The Boys of the Old Brigade," and the tired, hungry, footsore men forgot LOKD ROBERTS AT WORK ON THE LAWN OF THE BRITISH RESIDENCY AT PRETORIA •• TO PEROBU. 4a war at last , homeward on the morrow. GeneS'LZ ^T"' *" T """ """"^ di»PPointment Commandant- Qene»l Botha .re»ata„ce .n the hilla «,„th of Pretoria had been but to gain -VKmy of the troope now m Pretoria had seen ahell-baltered Kimberlev • S. had beenatthe relief ofl^dyamith, and «membe«d the sta^^ fe^ul heroe, who had beaten back the Boer, for montha, Zld'hZ^nt hermo re«atance of Mafekin^, «. Utely relieved ; and aa thrio^k^J t^ 2rBra"?:„ri^r-'"^^^''-"^---'*-- J.bert, w.n ever hve aa one of the great events of British milLy hisZ mo^ ment r"* T^ '"" *" '''^«» - »"" "0 -Jay- over . w™ no^^ ,T' *'' ^P'" ■"• '"• °'»»«»8 ag«n.t had not th" ZZ Ty^"^ '"*^' ^": '»"'■ " •" «»'"'«' »"'. he really «tZ^ hi^ ?."r°"'"^-""' ^""^ ^«-° '«"ai''. the climate extreme heat m the day and bitter cold at nigbt-the character ofti 453 ■AU BOBBtn. harf to r«l:,eth,tth«y we™ in. conquered oily I. ,»«, ^ them, „ u ««med to Jame. Barney tha?.. It^u„; ^ ^ ^ "^^ "" little town with it, ohn«h- . j v,. ' "* ^^'^^''^i' qni«t to l«.k at it. parade ^tlTJ^^ftr^ '"^' **" "^ ^^^ m quiet town. F„„. th^C^pel £ll ^- "^ """ ^'"'^ *° "^^ from Orange Kiver to PretonX.~I™ ^1'^':! " '"' »" '''>^'^^' rude eB«e. dotting the veldt toM^r J T^ °' *"'" ^"""""ted by t.-init.w^totLXil'tl ''''"'^''^^'^"^•-dpaia CHAPTER XXXV. AfTER PBETOHIA. «oli«»ti lenient With aMCoiioiKiedBoMB— A GiMt p..™ T~j ■>!. . Without BnthMiaBn for the wJ-Hoh.r..i.™_^. ■ irtnrrsal— The BrltUh Soldien Boer-Boe, Ptof A»^« the^m.^^J^SJ^i'^'.^T*'""*, ^""""^ "» Boer Knenea— D> v£> auil . 171 , . °"" in-uu«— The Biecniion of Bene Cordn»- ROBERTS had won hi, way to Pretoria after one of the most remarkable mar«hee in history. Not the least remarlcable thing about it waa the lemenoy with which he treated hU enemies. The long pull and the hardships, first from Enslin to Paardebeig, then from Osfontein to Bloemfontein. and the month of hard work from Bloemfontein to Pretoria are quite enough to make anyone wonder at the manner in which he conducted thM campaign. Although his soldiers had met with but Uttle opposiUon on their march they had, aa we have seen, endured much from exposure and hunger. For days at a stretch they were on short rations, and yet as they trudged over the veldt, almost fainting from hunger, they dare not help themselves from the stores they found at the Boer &rm«. To wring the neck of a chicken and stuff it mto the haversack would, if it were discovered meet with severe punishment, and did meet with it in a number of cases The soldiets of the invading army raised the price of food stuff in the Orange Free State and in the Transvaal, and dipped into their own pockets to pay the fancy war-prices they had created to the wives and daughters of their enemies. It was not much like war, and a great deal of grumbUng went on against Lord Roberts for his lenient methods. But Roberto while leading a forct armed with great guns, with qnick-fir» gfum. with modem rifles-while playing the part of a War Lord, deeited in 45S 4S1 ■ML ■oBian, h.. he«t to be a g«.t Peace Uri. Hi. main thonght on thi, n,.„h w.. to bnng about speedily a permanent and larting peace between England and the Republic. Much of hi. effort, we™ warted, at «,y rate fcr tbe time being • the world m«unde,,tood him, deeming him a general who failed at the one .U..mportant point, the power of Reeling the heart to the voice of pity ; and th Boer, moaonderrtood him, thinldng that hi. leniency wa. but a 4 held oat to them to w,n them from ^hellion. Doubtle« in Ume thi. noble pity ZIm Vr. ? ' °*'*™'* " '™"" "*■" "»' '"0" o^<- ">!*• the world, and that a K)ft word i. a producer of wrath. .^.J^'^X'^^J^l"'^' *~' *' '""^'y '*"«''»• «•""«<*« of the man .ho^ .taelf. Wuhout anyattompt at di.play be daily attended religiou. «rv ce when he could, and, while he prayed for the »cce« of the ar^ of EngUnd, he prayed with equal eameetnea. for the mietaken enemy he wa. battl ng agajn., W^en he reached Pretoria, however, hi, heaK mL have Uen^nd to the pj^ner. who had fallen into their hand., on the whole they had been treated badly, and while he di«overed that one Dr. H. P Veale li^^ '^"' ' ""^ °' ^"«"* ^'^'' "■« ■»"* «» bUme, the Boer ■athontiea were very guilty. ^conf^t r. ^' '^''' °' "■" ^' ^" ^" •''""^ •' Blc^mibntoin, the ~~nd at Pretona^nd Robert, hoped a, he marched though the cit; on ^t June day with his victoriou. army that it wa. the laat .ta^, but he Ln «al.zed that he had before him abundance of aHuous work C^mm^Z^ ^z T: Ti""' ''' ^'' ""' "" * ""^ " *- -»«> -ZSt ZS ,r" 7* ""^ """" ^"""' --■"■""er-in.hief; but »on from thesouth came fdmgsof the brilliant work being done by De Wet. That oavalnr I ,aer wa. da,hing hither and thither through the Orange Free State or rather, from a British point of view, the Orange River Colony, fo" ht ^n formally annexed by Ix,rd Robert, on May 28-b„aking L r^lrl «mng convoys, capturing prisoners, and cutting off t«op,. lie Boer, abou ft^tona took hear, .nd Botha refused to consider the L. offefZt there was nothing for it but to begin the .truggle once more, and on June U *•>• WW began again in eameat with *T«» PBnOBU. 4BS the pace had told on the arm. The iZL J " ""^ '*'°«- '"''« pu«ue the we.N„ounrL;:rrr:„dl '""'''"''''"'"''" invasion wa. reduced by over one-half 7 '°'°"""' ""^ "' out, all along the iiZTZ^f ^ ^ "™ ""''• ""'"y »«» worn BIoemfonteinLiLy after co"lv '"^ """""^ »'"» ^«'- behind to guard r'r^ltytd'T'hlT "^ "''™™'' ""^ •««" ""* During the .onth oT Con tl^ 1' J.^ tC7 ""^ "^ ""^"-"^ between the number of aJ» JT. " °° «^' ^'"Parity -.atfor^rvioet ITutrtT-r *"" '""'"' ""» '"« ^''^ .fter Di«n„;d HU. InngT^u^tTt""" '""' """" ■" ^*°™ their ar™ ^ pa«„ «° "hel^'fi^TwtorTur'"'!!:, '"^ ''"™ can.p«gnw..toomuohfcrthearmTn«wZ '*™"'" ™PP«»d 'h*' the b. a ehow U l.^„ to weaken™ e ^e.2 '^ '^ "" '^™-» taken the oath of neutrality flocked to join Me Ll^ ""J hundr.1, who had were to continue though every able British 12^-JZ^Z^J'T""^ pursuit of him— Kitchennr M..),. t , S""*™' wae from tom to tune in -he manage! tot'r^L^Jrd iSS^'""?"^ ^^ ^ to have him thoroughly hemmed' in anrnlrg^^ 'Zl^ ""^^ one that will Uve, the most renowned in .h„ T "« ^* « '-"e » the for the U. two yea„ in South S.- and X: T'l '""' "" «°-' ''" and dmwd, not . general „h , T. I "'^ ' "^'"^ »h«p »uch an an^, a, j„,i,„ ^.^ ^^ ^^^^^_ ^^ ^ ^^^ ^ ^•TO!*^¥ 456 (ASt BOBIBn. which Robert! muehed on Pretoriat Th»t U a qnaiUon B would indeed b« hard to aniwer. Roberta wai now forced t j aetUe down at Pretoria and wait till time and reinforcemento would enable I • ^o move bia army eaat and weat and north and south to finirit the fight , . i. iie thought waa finiahed when he entond Pretoria. However, the army in South Africa waa not idle. On the eaat General Buller was fighting his way towarda Pretoria against strong fon»s of Boera and through positions as difficult as he had experienced on the Tugela. He had learned much, and during this advance showed most brilliant generalship, outmanceuvring the Boen, on ground with which they were thoroughly fimiBar, with the greatest possible success. Early in July he waa well into the Transvaal and in touch with Lord Roberts' army. This union of the forces of the two great generals began to make the work look more hopeful, but still the task before the British army was a heavy one. Their men had become thoroughly diaspirited— officers and privates alike had hoped that when Pretoria was reached the war would be at an end ; but there seemed no end to the aflair and th^ had lost all their enthusiasm. They had grown weary of much marching over wide wastes of South African wilderness; they had no longer any joy in this long-range warfare; they were in rags; their strength sapped, and fever still playing havoc with their ranks. Even Roberts was feeling the strain, and as he discovered that the burghers were oreaking the oath of neutrality his proclamations became less lenient It was now decreed that where telegraph lines and railways were out the forma in the vicinity would be burned or heavy fines levied ca their occupants. These proclamations had little or no effect The women of the Transvaal were with their men in the flght and to a great extent made heroes of them ; they would have them lose all— property, life, everything— rather than surrender. As a consequence of this state of afiairs much intrigue went on between the Boers residing in Pretoria and the Boers in the field. Roberts found it neceaauy as a matter of mere security to order that all women whose husbands AtTEK PHMnilU. tf7 comm«deri„!>^7t!.;r ""^ '""d'y "S"!".! the brutaHty of th. do with i,, eo„L„„ee : he 1^ U r" . " '" """' *" "'""'^ •» only to be •-.•nd, " " ""e""*' Mc«»aor to be crud Of Ciriz"' :f r:r r"^ f '"""' "'""-««" --■« Johanne.burg.butTwJdlreZi''"''^"'''' '°"'«° '''""" - plotter arrested-the «vel^^u^, ^o? ""^ ''"" ^""""^ »' ">• deportation. Early i„lZt aTo'T ^"^ *"'' *""• ""'-^ -" to be started in P J„„° ^H^, ^T" ""'"«'"«' "" '''»«'-«"<'; a fire w„ -car. and o«.a..:hSri:rc2r::^"'"''^'"'* be attacked and quick work made of the iX^ uT^J^'"' ''" *° eeiMd and hurrie-' .way to the bm™. 7" ^''*^ was to he -. would paraly. the' B^LIZ 77CL " T '"^ ""'' «"• plotters were arrested. HaTcbX ^ r T""- "^"Principal army, had enginee«d the pTt H« tT" "*"'"^' '" ">" ^oer years old, and^ ,„ hoL^'"' f T. ! '?"* ""'• ""^^ '-"'y"'"' be meted out to ^" T^om Z\ f '"'" '"''""' '«"" -' to have ^ared his life. Jlr tL "t^r"' "t""""" ''""""'' of the Pretoria jail. The time fo, , '"' '*"" ^ *^» K-"^™ Boer couspiratori. was ^ . 17 I'T^H ' n!!' ""^ '^•°'' «' «•' Proclamation yetissued a^^lird' fll ,1s:;. ?i^^^^^^^^^^ wh.ch has been extended to the burghen, TT. ^Ir """""^ not appreciated by them, but on thf It L i. i! JT ^"^"''^ " continue the resistance «d De Wet with anything like an adequate fo™. m m^ and Rol^rt. from hi. hoadquarte™ at B.lfa.t i«ued a p™,amation forced to contmue their retreat until by the end of September KomaU Poort Tranl^!"' »»"timo Preddent Kn.ger had, on September U. left th. Waal m two specal tr.in, with abundant treasure, and for over . month .moked hi. pipe and i,sued his order, in Lorenzo Marque