THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 MAJCR-GEN. C. F. SHABPE,
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA
 
 * INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 AND 
 
 MEMORIES OF THE MUTINY 
 
 WITH SOME RECORDS OF 
 
 ALEXANDER'S HORSE AND THE 
 1ST BENGAL CAVALRY 
 
 \ 
 EDITED BY F. W. PITT 
 
 LONDON 
 
 KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRUBNER & CO. LTD. 
 
 PATERNOSTER HOUSE, CHARING CROSS ROAD 
 
 1896
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 PAOB 
 
 INTRODUCTORY i 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 CAMPAIGNING IN BURMAH . . . .14 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 THE INDIAN MUTINY 23 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 FROM OORAIE TO CALPEE . . . .49 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 DEPARTURE FROM CALPEE . . . .59 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 To ETAWAH 66 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 To AGRA . .69 
 
 1572546
 
 vi CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 PASS 
 
 AT AGRA QUIETING DOWN - . . .77 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 ALEXANDER'S HORSE 84 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 THE IST BENGAL CAVALRY . . . .98 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 DEFEAT OF HOLKAR 109 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 AMEER KHAN 115 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 LAST DAYS OF SKINNER 129 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 CONCLUSION 146
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 INTRODUCTORY. 
 
 WHEN you know that a man has spent 
 about forty years amongst Indians in India, 
 somehow or other you begin to imagine 
 that he must have acquired at least a 
 little ferocity, if only in countenance. 
 
 This was the mistake I was guilty of, 
 when first I was expecting to meet the 
 subject of these pages, General W. R. E. 
 Alexander, late Commander of the ist 
 Bengal Cavalry. It was therefore a pleas- 
 ing disappointment to find him a genial, 
 hearty man of about middle height, bright 
 and active, with a sunny smile which half 
 prepared one for the crisp, firm speech, 
 that only an Irish tongue can crystallize. 
 
 Years of friendship have proved to me 
 
 B
 
 2 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 that the stirring times of the Mutiny, and 
 other scenes of violence, have softened 
 and mellowed a character that is only 
 partly revealed by a most attractive 
 manner. 
 
 General Alexander is soon and easily 
 tempted to plunge into the past, and bring 
 forth stories of camp and field. The 
 following narrative is in some measure the 
 result of these incursions. 
 
 Everything about his home reminds 
 General Alexander of some battle or 
 incident. 
 
 If you go into the dining-room, where 
 the walls display many portraits, the 
 General begins : " That's my brother ; 
 that's my brother-in-law ; that's my father ; 
 that's my grandfather ; that's " 
 
 And you draw breath, and wonder how 
 long it will take to get back to Alexander 
 the Great. 
 
 But though General Alexander does not 
 give us his pedigree to quite so remote a 
 personage, yet it is his proud boast that, 
 for two hundred and fifty years, members
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 3 
 
 of his family have served with distinction 
 under the British Crown ; if not in war, 
 then in law, or the Church. 
 
 One of the General's most famous 
 ancestors was Sir William Alexander, 
 afterwards Earl of Stirling, a peerage he 
 himself claims to inherit as next-of-kin 
 surviving. 
 
 This illustrious relative was Secretary of 
 State for Scotland, and founder of Nova 
 Scotia, as shown in " Memorials of the 
 Earl of Stirling and the House of Alex- 
 ander," a work which has found a place in 
 the Family History Section of the Library 
 of Her Majesty the Queen. 
 
 But to return to the portraits. 
 
 " This is my father," says the General, 
 pointing to a fine oil painting of a stern 
 soldier with one arm. " There was a 
 curious circumstance connected with his 
 
 service." 
 
 Appointed a cornet in the 24th Light 
 
 Dragoons in February, 1816, and promoted 
 
 to a lieutenancy in March, 1818, he was 
 
 put on half pay in July of that year, and 
 
 B 2
 
 4 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 continued to draw his money for twenty-eight 
 years till his retirement by sale in 1846. 
 However, in June, 1820, he obtained per- 
 mission from the War Office to accept a 
 cavalry cadetship with the East India 
 Company, thus continuing in the pay of 
 two services for a long period. 
 
 As captain in command of the 4th 
 Irregular Cavalry, General Alexander's 
 father went to Cabul with the force under 
 Sir John (afterwards Lord) Keane, in 1838, 
 and was mentioned in despatches as having 
 with his regiment" rendered essential service 
 to the army during the campaign," and 
 obtained his brevet majority. 
 
 Subsequently he commanded the 5th 
 Light Cavalry during the Sutlej campaign 
 in 1846-7, and in 1848-9 with the same 
 regiment joined the force under Sir Hugh 
 Gough. 
 
 In the first action at Ramnuggur a 
 round shot from the enemy's fire struck his 
 sword arm and rendered him hors de 
 combat. 
 
 On the field the wounded arm was am-
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 5 
 
 putated, after the manner of those times, 
 while he smoked a cigar ! 
 
 General Alexander's brother-in-law, 
 Lieutenant Elliot, was also severely 
 wounded at Ramnuggur when the Sikhs 
 were driven across the river, and took up 
 their position at Chillianwallah. 
 
 If we turn to the portrait of a rather 
 quiet, affable-looking gentleman, we learn 
 that it is no less a personage than General 
 Blair, V.C., C.B., General Alexander's 
 cousin, and Mrs. Alexander's brother. 
 
 " When and how did he win his Victoria 
 Cross ? " 
 
 The following story is a summary of the 
 answer. 
 
 It was in 1857, when our hold on India 
 was only maintained by the action of men 
 prompt to think and bold to do. 
 
 Blair was at Neemuch, and on the I2th 
 of August, eight or nine desperate 
 mutineers, driven to bay, sought refuge in 
 a house, fastening themselves in, evidently 
 determined to sell their lives dearly. 
 
 It was most essential that they should
 
 6 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 be dislodged. The short twilight was 
 creeping on, and the men were hidden 
 from view in the murky interior of the 
 building, 
 
 Undismayed by any consideration of 
 personal safety, and thinking nothing of 
 numbers and their advantageous position, 
 the gallant officer, sword in hand, burst 
 open the door, and, single-handed, drove 
 the rebels to the roof. 
 
 Severely wounded, he kept up the un- 
 equal conflict, with steaming forehead and 
 bleeding wounds, till they were completely 
 routed, the darkness aiding the escape of 
 those who eluded their impetuous pursuer. 
 
 Two weeks later, Blair again signalised 
 himself in unequal conflict by his reckless 
 courage. 
 
 On this second occasion he charged 
 unaided a crowd of rebels and cut his 
 way among them, till, in making a 
 stubborn thrust, the blade of his sword 
 snapped. A terrible blow on his right 
 arm left him in the crowd, shattered and 
 almost disarmed, to get back to his friends
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 7 
 
 as best he could ; but in this he succeeded, 
 and rejoining his troop he led them sword- 
 hilt in hand, and dispersed the muti- 
 neers. 
 
 Thus he won the Victoria Cross. 
 
 Several ladies, not less heroic for being 
 more beautiful, have their portraits in this 
 gallery of the brave, chief among them 
 being Mrs. Alexander as a young woman, 
 combining in her features beauty and 
 gentle firmness. And it is very sad to 
 think that of all these faces there is not 
 one but has been clouded with sorrow and 
 tears for lost loved ones in the Great 
 Mutiny. 
 
 The grandfather of these warriors was 
 General Kennedy, C.B., who served under 
 the East India Company for sixty years, 
 and whose two sons, both generals, are 
 still living. His wife died in India in 1884, 
 aged ninety-six. H er name was a household 
 word throughout ' the Bengal Presidency 
 for many years. She was a faithful ser- 
 vant of the Lord Jesus Christ, and her 
 memory still survives her. This was the
 
 8 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 lady whom the Prince of Wales honoured 
 on his visit to India in 1876. 
 
 A grand reception was arranged when 
 His Royal Highness visited Benares, where 
 Mrs. Kennedy lived, and many friends 
 urged her to attend, but she said she was 
 too old, and put many excuses in the way. 
 However, she was so loved and respected 
 by all classes, natives and Europeans, 
 that she was urged till she yielded con- 
 sent. 
 
 Mrs. Alexander, who was staying with 
 her at the time, playfully said : " Now, 
 Grannie, you will have to make a speech, 
 as the Prince is sure to speak to you." 
 But her only reply was, " Nonsense, my 
 dear, he won't take any notice of an old 
 woman like me." 
 
 Well, the great day arrived, and Mrs. 
 Kennedy with her granddaughter attended 
 the reception. 
 
 After the preliminaries had been ex- 
 hausted, sure enough the Prince asked to 
 see Mrs. Kennedy. The dear old lady 
 walked forward, and the Prince, leaving
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 9 
 
 the dais, came to meet her, took her by 
 the hand, and shook it heartily, saying 
 that he was glad to make her personal 
 acquaintance. All she could reply, being 
 quite overcome, was, " God bless you, God 
 bless you ! " and what better could she 
 have said ? 
 
 " What made you first choose the Army 
 as a profession, General ? " 
 
 " Well, at first I had a strong desire to 
 become a clergyman, but this wore off and 
 the red coat and the soldier's life claimed 
 me, and I entered the service when I was 
 sixteen years six months and three days 
 old." 
 
 " And what was your first service ? " 
 
 " I received the Punjaub medal and 
 was at the battle of Goozerat. 
 
 " When the Sikhs were driven to 
 Chillian wallah, my regiment, the 53rd 
 Native Infantry, was quartered at Lahore, 
 not many miles from Ramnuggur, and we 
 were ordered off to the front at once. 
 
 " We were halted at a river about fifteen
 
 io INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 or* twenty miles from Goozerat, there to 
 protect a bridge of boats, which was 
 fortified to prevent the Sikhs attacking 
 our rear." 
 
 "You no doubt remember some great 
 military heroes as well as their battles ? " 
 
 " Oh, yes. The way I met Sir Hugh 
 Gough and Sir Patrick Grant at Goozerat 
 was something of an incident. 
 
 " From the bridge of boats we heard 
 the guns on the morning of Goozerat, and 
 I obtained my commanding officer's con- 
 sent to ride over and join in the action. 
 That gentleman, who had given himself 
 permission, was already starting for the 
 fight. I therefore mounted my horse, a 
 splendid spirited bay Arab, and rode away. 
 
 " On the road I was joined by another 
 officer also hurrying to join the force. He 
 was riding a wretched ' country-bred' which 
 showed signs of fatigue and could scarcely 
 get along ; so at the rider's request I laid 
 hold of his reins and kept my horse close 
 to his, almost dragging his poor tired-out 
 beast along till we reached the army,
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 1 1 
 
 arriving at the rear of the force just as a 
 great commotion was at its height owing 
 to a body of Sikh cavalry (whom we, by 
 a miracle, had escaped) having charged in 
 amongst the camp followers. 
 
 " My friend left me to join his regiment, 
 while I went to find my future brother-in- 
 law, young Lane, of the 5th Light Cavalry, 
 at that time adjutant of his regiment. 
 
 "Everyone knows that the battle of 
 Goozerat was a decisive victory, the enemy 
 being completely routed. Well, after it 
 was over, each regiment, with the exception 
 of those detailed to follow up the retreat- 
 ing foe, under Sir W. R. Gilbert, encamped 
 on the ground it had reached, and I, being 
 tired with my long ride and the day's 
 adventures, slept soundly that night. 
 
 " The next morning the 5th Light 
 Cavalry was ordered to scour the battle- 
 field and see if any guns or ammunition 
 had been left, or if there were any 
 stragglers hanging about. 
 
 " Naturally I accompanied Lane, and in 
 the course of our progress we went by the
 
 12 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 tents of Sir Hugh Gough and his staff. 
 The hero (whose sun was now bright after 
 the eclipse of Chillianwallah) came out, 
 and the whole regiment, as well as those in 
 the adjoining tents, who had also turned 
 out, gave vent to volley after volley of 
 cheers, and it was a sight to be remem- 
 bered, to see the grand old man, as, touched 
 to the heart, he stood, hat in hand, bowing 
 his acknowledgments. 
 
 " Another hero was there too Sir 
 Patrick Grant. Lane said to me, ' You 
 had better tell the Adjutant-General you 
 are here, and ask if you may remain/ I 
 did so. Sir Patrick's curt, bluff reply 
 was : ' You had better join your regiment 
 at once the same way you came,' adding, by 
 way of mingled warning and congratulation, 
 1 Your commanding officer is also here in 
 hospital badly wounded, so he cannot go 
 back with you.' 
 
 " I had to obey orders, but I was in the 
 battle of Goozerat ! 
 
 "Of course I afterwards learned what 
 all the world knows, that Sir W. R. Gilbert
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 13 
 
 followed the Sikhs to the River Jeelum, 
 where they surrendered, to become our 
 allies, if not our saviours, at the Great 
 Mutiny."
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 CAMPAIGNING IN HURMAII. 
 
 GENERAL ALEXANDER was in the Burmah 
 campaign of 1852*3. As lieutenant he 
 commanded the Ramghur Irregular 
 Cavalry, and was present with the land 
 column at the relief of Pegu and other 
 stockades. But it was at the taking of 
 the stockade of Thoma that he most 
 signally distinguished himself. We give 
 the account in his own words : 
 
 " The fort of Pegu, where a small gar- 
 rison was quartered, was besieged by the 
 Burmese. As their supplies ran short, and 
 they were unable to replenish, urgent 
 application was made to the officer com- 
 manding the forces for assistance. An 
 expeditionary force, consisting of artillery, 
 infantry, and my Irregular Horse, was
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 15 
 
 organized, and despatched with instuctions 
 to push on as rapidly as possible and relieve 
 the garrison. 
 
 " As we neared Pegu, various conflicting 
 rumours were heard, some giving the enemy 
 the capture of the fort, others that, at our 
 approach, they had raised the siege and 
 were retiring. 
 
 " On arriving at Pegu we found the 
 latter to be the correct version. Our 
 people were safe, so we returned to head- 
 quarters and received orders to proceed to 
 Prome, which then marked our frontier 
 boundary. 
 
 " From this place various expeditions 
 were made, one of them leading to the 
 capture of the stockade of Thoma. 
 
 " I was ordered to cross the Irrawaddy 
 River with the cavalry. The river is 
 broad, deep, and rapid, even in the dry 
 season. Small boats only were provided, 
 so that the horses had to be swum over, 
 the men in the boats holding the horses' 
 bridles. 
 
 "It was a wretched business, and a
 
 1 6 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 whole day was occupied in the difficult 
 task. Two horses only could accompany 
 each boat, and they strongly objected to 
 the adventure. Some refused to enter the 
 water ; others plunged and reared, almost 
 pulling the men out of the boats, while 
 others were so frightened, that on getting 
 into deep water they gave up every 
 attempt at swimming and were drowned ; 
 the loss of each horse meaning that the 
 services of their riders were lost also, for 
 no horses were procurable in Burmah. 
 
 " However, having got across with these 
 exceptions, my orders were to push for- 
 ward and join a force consisting of some 
 of the 1 8th Royal Irish, some of the 8oth 
 Foot, some native infantry, and a few 
 sappers, under Major Edwards. 
 
 " None of us knew a word of Burmese, 
 and without a guide or interpreter we had 
 a difficult task before us, knowing only the 
 name of the place where the force was 
 halted. 
 
 " There was no road, but we followed a 
 path some distance up a rocky hill, which
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 17 
 
 narrowed till we could only proceed in 
 single file to the hill-top, where a huge 
 rock completely blocked our progress, 
 and we were forced to retire the way we 
 came. 
 
 " But here another difficulty presented 
 itself, for the defile was too narrow to turn 
 our horses in, so I passed the word down 
 for the rear men to commence backing, 
 which, with much trouble, was accomplished, 
 till we could turn round and ride back to 
 our original ground and the camp. Then 
 I went to Prome and reported the fix I 
 was in. 
 
 " The Military Secretary was surprised 
 to see me back, and said I should have 
 joined Major Edwards under any and every 
 circumstance, but I told him the route he 
 had sent us was simply impossible, and 
 suggested that he should provide flat- 
 bottom boats to convey us, horses and 
 all, round the rocky promontory, and we 
 would find our way somehow or other to 
 the desired position. 
 
 "After further trouble and some ob- 
 
 c
 
 i8 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 jections, this was accomplished, and we 
 made a fresh start to find the force, at 
 last reaching their camp in pitch dark- 
 ness, quite worn out with our few days' 
 hard work. However, after a hospit- 
 able reception, followed by a good night's 
 rest, we were ready for anything the next 
 morning. 
 
 " Soon after daybreak Major Edwards 
 started for Thoma ; the stockade, a very 
 strong one, was occupied by the enemy 
 in full force ; while our business was to 
 dislodge them and rid the neighbourhood 
 of Prome of their presence. 
 
 "The infantry led the way, the cavalry 
 followed in the rear. The road was merely 
 a cart-track through thick jungle. 
 
 " Half-way on the road the order came, 
 (< Cavalry to the front ;" so I pushed ahead 
 to keep a look-out for the enemy and send 
 back word of any discoveries. Soon I 
 heard a great hum like that of a multitude. 
 No one had the least idea what was the 
 cause, but in a short while we came upon 
 the stockade of Thoma quite unexpectedly.
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 19 
 
 Then we knew that the hum was caused 
 by the enemy's departure, and were only 
 just in time to stop some carts laden with 
 food, ammunition, and arms. 
 
 " I left some men in charge and rode on 
 to the stockade, being the first to enter, 
 and found myself in possession after only 
 one shot had been fired. I had the carts 
 brought in and then reflected on my 
 position. 
 
 " Here I was, with fifty mounted men, 
 in a large stockade with dense jungle right 
 up to the walls of it ; jungle, too, which 
 was infested with an enemy who might at 
 any time collect and attack me from all 
 sides at once. 
 
 " Naturally, I hoped the infantry column 
 would be able to find us without losing its 
 way, but till they came I was in a most 
 dangerous position, and fully realized it. 
 
 " However, after an hour or so of sus- 
 pense, our friends appeared, and though 
 Major Edwards congratulated me on what 
 I had done, I was thankful to make the 
 place over to him, especially as, when 
 
 C 2
 
 2o INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 night came on, the fun began, and our foes 
 stole up and commenced firing on us. 
 They did not cease till morning, when it 
 was light enough for the infantry skir- 
 mishers to drive them away. 
 
 " This they did unassisted by the cavalry, 
 who could have done nothing but present 
 themselves as targets for the Burmese 
 marksmen." 
 
 In 1856, Captain Alexander was vested, 
 in addition to his military duties, with civil 
 powers in the disturbed district of Sonthal 
 (Kurukdeah). 
 
 Bands of rebels under a number of 
 different chiefs were engaged in plundering 
 wherever a favourable opportunity offered, 
 and, having active and intelligent scouts, 
 received such timely notice of the 
 approach of the troops that they escaped 
 to the jungle and there lay concealed. 
 But detachments were so cleverly posted 
 by Captain Alexander at different points, 
 that they were completely hemmed in, and 
 at midnight on May the i7th, 1856, Cap-
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 21 
 
 tain Alexander and Lieutenant Thompson 
 marched with a detachment of Grenadiers 
 and a small party of Irregular Cavalry to 
 seize the two Soubahs, Booka Manjee 
 and Bhyroo Manjee, who were reported 
 by spies to have returned to their 
 homes. 
 
 They arrived at Booka Manjee's home 
 at 3 a.m., to find that he had managed to 
 slip out into the jungle just before their 
 arrival, a fire being still burning on the 
 floor of his house. But better success 
 awaited them at Bhyroo Manjee's house, 
 for they not only captured him and a spy, 
 but recovered an immense quantity of 
 plunder, in the shape of bullocks, cows, 
 goats, grain, etc., this being, it appeared, 
 the chief provision depot of the marau- 
 ders. 
 
 The march was continued, success 
 following success, till nearly all the rebels 
 were taken and the insurrection completely 
 quelled. 
 
 For all this the thanks and approval 
 of the Government in India and the
 
 22 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 Honourable East India Company were 
 received, and special mention was made 
 of Captain Alexander's services on this 
 occasion.
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE INDIAN MUTINY. 
 
 THE next year, 1857, saw the outbreak of 
 the great Mutiny, and during its course, 
 on into 1859, General Alexander was 
 going from place to place, sometimes 
 occupied in eluding the bloodthirsty rebels, 
 sometimes in following them up to dis- 
 perse them and foil their intentions. His 
 life and that of his beloved wife was 
 spared over and over again, while near 
 and dear ones perished around them. In- 
 deed, it seems nothing short of miraculous 
 that not only did he escape with his life, 
 but that during his whole service of over 
 thirty-three years he never received even 
 the slightest wound save, of course, 
 those heart-wounds, when loved ones were 
 torn from him by battle or by mutiny. 
 Although the purpose of this narrative
 
 24 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 is not to give any connected history of 
 events, it is perhaps necessary to refer to 
 the outbreak of the Mutiny, and its sup- 
 posed causes, for the sake of clearness. 
 
 The Indians doubtless had grievances 
 under the Honourable East India Com- 
 pany, whose British charter gave them 
 governmental authority which was upheld 
 by their own standing army; but, despite 
 grievances, they had much to thank 
 Englishmen for. Their prosperity was 
 greater, their prospects brighter than ever 
 before. Their troops had been trained 
 by British officers, and were skilled in 
 European tactics ; and it was the very 
 power and method thus put into their 
 hands which, during the Mutiny, were 
 turned upon their givers. 
 
 A strong religious influence underlay 
 the ostensible reasons for rebellion, which 
 was seen in the unfounded rumour believed 
 by the Indians that their caste was to be 
 broken and defiled by the biting of car- 
 tridges greased with cows' and pigs' fat. 
 
 Cartridges then were different to car-
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 25 
 
 tridges now. They had to be torn open 
 and their contents put into muzzle-loading 
 guns ; but it need scarcely be said that the 
 statement that the cartridges were coated 
 with the hated grease had no foundation 
 in fact. 
 
 An additional explanation of the out- 
 break is that a prophecy was cherished 
 that on the centenary of dive's great 
 victory at Plassey, the government would 
 revert to the natives and the foreign yoke 
 would be thrown off. No doubt the hope 
 of compelling a fulfilment of this prophecy 
 was the mainspring of the Mutiny. At 
 any rate, about a year before the outbreak, 
 General Alexander was himself told by a 
 native sergeant in the Ramghur Light 
 Infantry Battalion at Chota Nagpore, 
 to which he was attached, that this pro- 
 phecy was actually contained in one of 
 the native religious books ; and we can 
 easily imagine, with this known, what 
 intrigues and plotting would be rife at the 
 great Mohammedan centres, Delhi and 
 Lucknow.
 
 26 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 About the summer of 1856, Captain 
 Alexander was ordered to rejoin his old 
 regiment, the 53rd Native Infantry ; but, 
 before doing so, took a long holiday, and 
 did not actually join till about Christmas, 
 1856. With Mrs. Alexander he went 
 down to Calcutta to await the arrival from 
 England of her two sisters and their 
 mother, Mrs. Blair. When they came, 
 the ladies went to Cawnpore, the Captain 
 proceeding to join his regiment, then on 
 its march from Lower Bengal to Cawn- 
 pore, which place was reached about the 
 beginning of March, 1857, the ladies being 
 by that time comfortably settled in their 
 new home. 
 
 But this was not long to continue, for 
 Captain Alexander was told off for de- 
 tachment duty with two companies, and, 
 accompanied by his wife, proceeded to 
 support the civil authority and guard the 
 treasure at an outlying station called 
 Ooraie, about eighty miles from Cawnpore, 
 the River Jumna running between the two 
 places. Lieutenant Tomkinson accom-
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 27 
 
 panied him as subaltern ; Mrs. Blair and 
 her two daughters remained in their home 
 at Cawnpore. 
 
 The weather was intensely hot, and 
 marching by no means an agreeable pur- 
 suit, and we can imagine their pleasure on 
 arriving at Ooraie and rejoicing in the 
 shelter of a friendly roof. 
 
 It was at this time that the sinister 
 rumours of disaffection became rife, and 
 one can easily realize their disturbing 
 effect. First, the story of the prophecy, 
 then the desire of the natives to make it 
 come true, with consequent fermentation, 
 till, early in March, 1857, a most remark- 
 able and significant incident occurred. 
 
 A chowkeydar, or village policeman, of 
 Cawnpore went up to another in Futteghur 
 and gave him two chupatties, little un- 
 leavened cakes, the common food of the 
 country ; he ordered him to make others, 
 and give two to each of the five nearest 
 chowkeydars with the same order, and in 
 this way a signal was passed from district 
 to district with wonderful rapidity, and of
 
 28 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 course gave rise to suspicion and anxiety, 
 as the following quotation from a Calcutta 
 newspaper will show : 
 
 " Are all the chowkeydars about to 
 strike for wages ; or is anybody trying a 
 new scheme for a parcel dawk ? Is it 
 treason or is it jest ? Is there to be an 
 explosion of feeling or only of laughter ? 
 Is the chupatty a fiery cross or only an 
 indigestible edible, a cause of revolt or 
 only of colic ? Is the act that of a 
 malcontent or a fool ? " etc. 
 
 There was nothing in the cake, and no 
 message accompanied it, facts the more 
 ominous, since they prove that the reci- 
 pients must have understood the sign 
 without explanation. 
 
 Captain Alexander was on the best of 
 terms with his men and had every reason 
 to believe they were attached to him ; but 
 he could not but be aware of the disturbed 
 state of their minds. The detachment 
 was like a smouldering volcano. However, 
 cause for real alarm did not appear at their 
 Station, which, with the whole district,
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 29 
 
 was under the civil charge of Captain 
 Brown of the Madras Army, who was daily 
 expecting his wife and sister from Eng- 
 land ; and they shortly arrived, passing 
 through Cawnpore on their way. The 
 only other gentlemen at Ooraie were an 
 Englishman (in appearance very like a 
 native) with his wife and children, and a 
 half-caste. 
 
 At the end of March, Captain Alexander 
 and his wife returned to Cawnpore on leave 
 of absence, and stayed during the whole of 
 April. 
 
 On account of the heat it was the custom 
 to rise very early, about daybreak. A 
 walk, ride, or drive for exercise would 
 occupy the early morning till it was time to 
 return home to " chota hazree," or little 
 breakfast. By this time the sun was up, 
 and comfort out-of-doors impossible ; so 
 there was nothing for it but to remain 
 indoors and practise keeping cool till sun- 
 set. Then more riding or driving or a 
 stroll to the band-stand to chat with friends 
 awaiting the dinner-hour, which covered
 
 3O INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 most of the evening, and found everyone 
 ready for bed about half-past nine. In 
 winter-time the doors were open all day, 
 and it was possible to get out at any 
 time. 
 
 In April, 1857, General Alexander's 
 regiment, the 53rd Native Infantry, gave a 
 ball to the Station, and during the dance 
 rumours were passed from mouth to mouth 
 of disquieting reports ; but no one dreamed 
 then of a general mutiny. That evening 
 was the last before our friends returned to 
 Ooraie, and they little thought it was the 
 last they would spend on earth with their 
 beloved relatives. 
 
 The next day they set out, and it seems 
 now almost like an omen that, after pro- 
 ceeding some distance on the way, they 
 returned for another " good- bye," and then 
 parted for ever. 
 
 On arrival at Ooraie things appeared 
 much as usual. The new bayonet drill had 
 just been introduced into the army, and 
 Captain Alexander had, in the course of 
 duty, to learn it from the drill instructor.
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 31 
 
 We can imagine him standing in front of the 
 flourishing bayonet entirely at the mercy 
 of the non-commissioned officer, who might 
 shortly be found among the rebels, and we 
 wonder what, had he foreseen events, his 
 state of mind would have been. But the 
 man was one of the old soldiers who had 
 served under him seven years before, and 
 it must not be supposed that all the natives 
 favoured the mutiny. Their officers did 
 not think so, for at one Station, when a 
 detachment was disbanded because of sus- 
 pected disaffection, some of the officers 
 were so touched at the sight of the shame 
 of those who had lived and fought with 
 them so long, that they laid down their own 
 swords and belts along with the arms of 
 their men. 
 
 At last the pent-up forces burst forth. 
 Restraint was no longer possible. " On 
 the nth of May," writes General Alex- 
 ander " I remember the day well we 
 heard of the outbreak at Meerut, where 
 there was a large garrison. In addition 
 to one native cavalry and two native
 
 32 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 infantry regiments, there were a regiment 
 of Lancers and two British infantry regi- 
 ments, as well as a large body of horse 
 and foot artillery. 
 
 Of course the details of the revolt did 
 not immediately become known to our 
 friends, but the wildest exaggeration of 
 rumours could not outdo the actual facts, 
 and from the first it must have seemed that 
 our Indian empire trembled in the balance, 
 and that the lives of our people were to be 
 forfeited. 
 
 The story of Meerut may be briefly 
 referred to here to show the tiger-like 
 ferocity of the Sepoys. On the 9th of 
 May, eighty-five troopers were paraded to 
 receive sentence of court martial for refus- 
 ing to use their cartridges. The penalty 
 was ten years' imprisonment, and they were 
 marched off in chains to gaol. The next 
 day, Sunday evening, the native regiments 
 turned on their officers and broke open the 
 gaol to release the prisoners. The prison 
 was fired, and more than a thousand con- 
 victs released, to swell, with the rabble of
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 33 
 
 the town, the ranks of the mutineers. 
 Europeans without distinction were 
 attacked ; ladies and children being 
 brutally murdered before the English 
 troops came up. The alarm was given 
 during Church parade, and the rebels at 
 once fled towards Delhi. Some were 
 overtaken and cut down, but the majority 
 made their escape in the darkness of the 
 night, only betraying their course by the 
 blazing fires they left behind at the villages 
 which lay in their route. 
 
 The pen trembles, as I try to record the 
 horrors of that midnight march of demons. 
 Women who had recently arrived in India 
 and were in the early joy of reunion with 
 their loved ones were slaughtered and 
 horribly mutilated. Families, just retired 
 to rest on the Sunday evening, were 
 dragged from their beds by the rebels as 
 they pursued their progress of murder and 
 madness. Oh, night of horrors, shame and 
 death 1 
 
 We can imagine our friends in their 
 isolated position at Ooraie after the first 
 
 D
 
 34 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 report of the Meerut massacre. News 
 arrived day after day of some fresh out- 
 break, with its accompanying slaughter of 
 officers, women, and children. Every day 
 brought new alarm and increased anxiety. 
 
 After three weeks of this terrible strain 
 came the beginning of their own sorrows. 
 On the ist of June, Captain Alexander 
 sent under the command of his subaltern 
 a company with the treasure to Gwalior 
 for safety. Remarkable to relate, the 
 journey was successfully accomplished, 
 but in returning, the mutineers being 
 abroad in every direction, Lieutenant 
 Tomkinson thought the wisest course was 
 to leave his men and escape to some place 
 of safety, such as Agra. He made some 
 progress and was almost in sight of the 
 desired haven, having been fairly treated 
 by the villagers ; but alas ! a body of 
 mutineers passing, he was betrayed and 
 killed by the bloodthirsty rebels, to whom 
 life and youth and hope were as nothing. 
 
 By this time Captain Alexander was 
 persuaded that something must be done
 
 to find a refuge from the blaze of fire 
 around. He felt, as no outbreak had yet 
 occurred at Cawnpore, and the troops 
 were not disbanded, that that might prove 
 a safe resort for his wife ; so he wrote to 
 the General Officer in command, a per- 
 sonal friend, asking for an escort for Mrs. 
 Alexander. The reply was very ominous. 
 His authority was almost gone, and he 
 advised their remaining at Ooraie. 
 
 Cawnpore being thus closed, they 
 thought of Jhansi, about seventy miles off, 
 where most of the troops were under a 
 native chieftainess the Ranee and were 
 of a better class of men than the ordinary 
 natives, besides which there was a Native 
 Irregular Cavalry regiment. 
 
 Overlooking the town and cantonment 
 was a large and strong fort, and this 
 seemed a place of safety ; so much so that 
 Captain Brown, the officer in civil charge, 
 decided to send his wife and sister there, 
 and strongly urged Mrs. Alexander to 
 accompany them. She pleaded hard, with 
 noble self-forgetfulness, to remain by her 
 
 D 2
 
 36 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 husband and share his dangers, so that a 
 friendly compromise was effected between 
 husband and wife, to the effect that nothing 
 should be done till news was received as 
 to the state of Cawnpore. Mrs. and Miss 
 Brown, therefore, left for Jhansi without 
 Mrs. Alexander. Four days after they, 
 with every officer, lady, and child, were 
 butchered without mercy in the fort where 
 they had taken shelter. The bodies of 
 these unfortunate people being afterward 
 submitted to every horrible indignity and 
 finally thrown on a dunghill. 
 
 " From all this," writes General Alex- 
 ander with deep emotion, " my dear wife 
 escaped. A life spared to be devoted to 
 the God who protected her, while praise for 
 ever belongs to Him for His love and care." 
 
 Poor Captain Brown was heartbroken, 
 stunned, and dazed. Only four days 
 parted from those he loved above all on 
 earth, and then, through the crime and 
 treachery of men, parted for ever. 
 
 On the 4th June, a letter was received 
 from Mrs. Alexander's sister telling of the
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 37 
 
 suspense reigning in Cawnpore. This 
 letter was written in the greatest mental 
 distress and hourly dread of the worst, dis- 
 closing a condition of affairs that forbade 
 any hope of removal there. In this direc- 
 tion also she was saved from the worst of 
 deaths, for on that very day, the 4th of June, 
 the native regiments at Cawnpore mutinied, 
 and a period of fearful horrors com- 
 menced under the arch-fiend Nana Sahib. 
 
 For any who are unacquainted with the 
 details of the Cawnpore outbreak it is 
 necessary to explain that Sir Hugh 
 Wheeler withdrew from the cantonment 
 and entrenched himself with the Europeans 
 in an open plain under the inadequate 
 cover of some empty barracks. Here, for 
 a long time, they held out, returning the 
 enemy's fire as briskly as possible for 
 about four days, but after that it was 
 considered inadvisable to exhaust the 
 magazine, as the effect on the sheltered 
 rebels was only slight. 
 
 The heat was intense, and what with 
 fright and want of room and care several
 
 38 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 ladies died, one of them being a sister of 
 Mrs. Alexander. Many officers were sun- 
 stricken from exposure to the hot winds. 
 
 The distress was so great that none 
 could offer a word of consolation to his 
 friend or minister to another's wants. The 
 dead bodies of officers and ladies were put 
 outside the verandah in the rain, to await 
 midnight burial in a well beyond the 
 entrenchment, and thus make place for the 
 living, who were much pressed for room ; 
 the buildings being so badly riddled that 
 every corner was considered a great 
 object. 
 
 The enemy at last resorted to firing live 
 shells well heated in order to set fire to the 
 officers' tents in the compound and the 
 thatched roof of the barrack. In this they 
 succeeded, for on the I3th of June the 
 flames began to spread from the south side, 
 fanned by a strong breeze. It was impos- 
 sible to remove the sick and wounded, and 
 about forty of them were burnt to death in 
 the fiery terror. 
 
 Most of those who escaped found shelter
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 39 
 
 from the shot and shell under the walls of 
 the entrenchment, covered by boxes and 
 cots ; but the fearful heat caused many 
 deaths through apoplexy. Picture the 
 unfortunate people sleeping by turns in the 
 open air at night and held in constant 
 terror by the shells which could be seen 
 whirling through the air like falling stars to 
 burst where they fell. 
 
 At length Nana Sahib sent a message 
 to General Wheeler offering to allow the 
 Europeans to go to Allahabad in safety if 
 he gave up the stores and treasure in his 
 camp. This offer was accepted, and an 
 agreement drawn up in writing and signed, 
 sealed, and ratified by the solemn oath of 
 the Nana. 
 
 But alas for the trust reposed in such a 
 villain ! About 450 people left the en- 
 trenchments and proceeded to the river- 
 side. The boats were loaded, and as they 
 were putting off from the banks the 
 cowardly rebels fired into their midst ! 
 Some were killed, some fell overboard, 
 others attempted to escape by swimming ;
 
 4o INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 but the rebels kept up the fire during the 
 whole of the day, and even through the 
 night. Those not killed by the firing were 
 brought back to Cawnpore, where the men 
 were shot. The women were reserved, 
 close prisoners, for the final and most 
 fearful act in the tragedy of Cawnpore. 
 
 Meanwhile, General Havelock was 
 marching on the city with his relieving 
 force, and when Nana heard of the suc- 
 cessful approach of the British troops, he 
 determined on the murder of the whole of 
 the European women and children in his 
 charge. 
 
 The following extract from a newspaper 
 dated July I7th, 1857, describes a visit 
 to the scene of the slaughter : 
 
 " I was directed to the house where all 
 the poor miserable ladies had been 
 murdered. It was alongside the Cawn- 
 pore hotel where the Nana lived. I never 
 was more horrified. The place was one 
 mass of blood. I am not exaggerating 
 when I tell you that the soles of my boots 
 were more than covered with the blood of
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 41 
 
 these poor wretched creatures. Portions of 
 their dresses, collars, children's socks and 
 ladies' round hats lay about saturated with 
 blood, and in the sword cuts on the wooden 
 pillars of the rooms long dark hair was 
 carried by the edge of the weapon, and 
 there hung their tresses, a most painful 
 sight. I have often wished since that I 
 had never seen them, but sometimes wish 
 that every soldier was taken there, that he 
 might witness the barbarities our poor 
 countrywomen had suffered. These 
 bodies were afterwards dragged out and 
 thrown down a well outside the building, 
 where their limbs were to be seen sticking 
 out in a mass of gory confusion. Their 
 blood cries for vengeance, and should it be 
 granted us to have it, I only wish I may 
 have the administration of it. 
 
 " I picked up a mutilated Prayer-book. 
 It had lost the cover, but on a fly-leaf was 
 written, ' For dearest Mamma, from her 
 affectionate Tom, June, 1845.' ^ appears 
 to me to have been opened at page 36 in 
 the Litany, where, I have but little doubt,
 
 42 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 those poor dear creatures sought and 
 found consolation in that beautiful suppli- 
 cation. It is here sprinkled with blood. 
 The book has lost some of its pages at the 
 end, and terminates with the 47th Psalm, 
 in which David thanks the Almighty for 
 his signal victories over his enemies, etc." 
 
 " This Prayer-book belonged to my 
 dear wife's mother," writes General Alex- 
 ander, "and is now in our possession." A 
 mournful reminder indeed of those loved 
 ones, who died in faith, but who now await 
 the sure and certain and glorious resurrec- 
 tion. 
 
 As all the world knows, the well where 
 the bodies were thrown is a sacred place. 
 It is surrounded by a beautiful garden, 
 kept up at the Government expense. On 
 the well are inscribed these words : 
 
 " Sacred to the perpetual memory of a great com- 
 pany of Christian people, chiefly women and children, 
 who near this spot were cruelly massacred by the 
 followers of the rebel Nana Dhoondopunt of Bithoor, 
 and cast, the dying with the dead, into the well 
 beneath, on the XV day of July, MDCCCLVII. 
 " ' These are they which came out of great tribulation.'" 
 
 In this way Mrs. Alexander was bereft
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 43 
 
 of her loved ones, an experience, truly, 
 that must remain more vividly impressed 
 on her memory than her own privations 
 and sufferings, of which we have yet to 
 tell. 
 
 But before going back to our friends 
 whom we left at Ooraie we will follow the 
 story to Allahabad, the headquarters of 
 the East Indian Railway in the North- 
 West Provinces, situated at the junction of 
 the two great rivers, the Ganges and 
 Jumna. There was at this station a large 
 native garrison, while the fort was very 
 strong, but a long way from the canton- 
 ment (that part of the town where troops 
 reside). The larger portion of the guard 
 was a detachment from the native troops, 
 and these were augmented by some 
 European gunners and a small staff for 
 engineering and ordnance work. In the 
 station were several civil officers scattered 
 about in various places between the fort 
 and cantonment. 
 
 When rumour was rife of disaffection, 
 and before its actual outbreak, three troops
 
 44 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 of the 3rd Oude Irregular Cavalry, under 
 a European officer, were detached from 
 the Lucknow district as a protection for 
 Allahabad and as a check to the native 
 infantry regiments. Europeans generally, 
 as well as the Government, had confidence 
 in these irregular cavalry regiments. The 
 three troops mentioned, as the disturbances 
 increased, were, with a detachment of 
 native infantry, ordered to occupy the road 
 leading from the cantonments to the bridge 
 of boats across the Ganges, and there 
 prevent the mutineers from crossing into 
 or escaping from Allahabad. 
 
 So great was the feeling of satisfaction 
 at Allahabad, that whilst other troops 
 mutinied, these made vehement protesta- 
 tions of loyalty and devotion, demanding 
 to be led to Delhi against the rebels, and 
 they were publicly thanked by the Governor- 
 General in Council. All this made the 
 large population of European residents 
 the merchants with their wives and families 
 less watchful than they might have 
 been.
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 45 
 
 But alas for false peace ! Alas for the 
 word of the Hindoo and Mohammedan ! 
 On the evening of the 6th of June the 
 officers of the various regiments were, quite 
 unsuspicious of danger, seated at mess as 
 usual, the doors and windows being open 
 because of the heat, the gaiety of youth 
 and the pride of beauty illuminating the 
 scene. Suddenly an alarm bugle, a 
 preconcerted signal, was heard. Volleys 
 were fired into the rooms. Many fell at 
 the tables, others rising to escape were 
 met at the doors by the perfidious Sepoys 
 and butchered as they tried to pass out. 
 A scene of life and happiness being in- 
 stantly turned into one of death and horror. 
 
 The native infantry detachment at the 
 bridge of boats, hearing the firing, mu- 
 tinied also and advanced towards the bridge. 
 
 The officer in command of the cavalry 
 at once turned out his men, the soldiers 
 who were trusted and praised ! The order 
 to mount was obeyed. Heading them he 
 cried " Charge ! " suiting the action to the 
 word and riding straight at the mutineers ;
 
 46 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 but alas, he rode alone, and rode to his 
 death ! He was greeted by a volley, and 
 the gallant young fellow fell a lifeless 
 corpse. One bullet entered his heart, and 
 so close was the fire that his coat was 
 burnt. 
 
 Either from shame or remorse his own 
 men prevented the mutilation of his body 
 and carried it to the fort, where any who 
 escaped the carnage had found shelter. 
 
 This brave young fellow was General 
 Alexander's only brother, well known in 
 India at the time as Paddy Alexander. 
 Although only twenty-eight years of age, 
 he had already distinguished himself in 
 other battle-fields, and General Alexander's 
 testimony to his character is, " He was 
 noble-hearted, affectionate and generous, 
 and well-beloved by all who knew him." 
 Facts which, alas ! counted for nought with 
 the treacherous rebels. 
 
 The account of the burial of this young 
 hero is given from a letter written by Dr. 
 Stevens from Allahabad the day after its 
 occurrence :
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 47 
 
 "Divine service was performed at 12 
 noon, and in the evening our chaplain had 
 arranged for prayers to be read in the room 
 set apart for a garrison chapel. The melan- 
 choly duty of burying poor Alexander's 
 remains was to be performed afterwards. 
 He, poor fellow, lay in a dooly at the main 
 guard, just as he had been brought into 
 the fort. I went and saw his lifeless body, 
 clothed in the picturesque uniform of the 
 Irregular Cavalry. There he lay with the 
 lack-lustre eye that had sparkled with 
 merriment the last time we met, not 
 twenty-four hours before. The heart that 
 beat with hope and joy pierced with the 
 bullet of a dastardly traitor, and that arm 
 which had wielded his sword with such 
 bravery, and the limbs, booted and spurred, 
 with which he urged his gallant charger to 
 his own untimely fate ; all lay still and 
 motionless now ! Truly he looked like ' a 
 warrior taking his rest/ with tales of his 
 martial deeds around him. 
 
 " The day passes on, the evening ser- 
 vice is over, and now a few of us proceed
 
 48 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 to one of the ravelins where a grave has 
 been dug by a party of European volun- 
 teers. The shades of evening have closed 
 over the fort, and we wend our way by the 
 light of a lantern. The body is brought, 
 no useless coffin encloses it, but it is placed 
 quietly by the grave. 
 
 " ' I am the resurrection and the life, 
 saith the Lord,' is repeated by the clergy- 
 man, and the solemn words sink deep into 
 the hearts of all present. The service 
 proceeds : 
 
 " ' Man that is born of a woman hath 
 but a short time to live, and is full of 
 misery. He cometh up, and is cut down 
 like a flower. . . .' 
 
 " We lower the body slowly into its 
 narrow dwelling-place. 
 
 " ' Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust 
 to dust.' 
 
 " And thus we leave him. 
 
 " No doubt all went from that scene 
 with grateful hearts, and with a desire to be 
 up and doing ' while it is day, for the night 
 cometh when no man can work.' '
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 FROM OORAIE TO CALPEE. 
 
 WHILE the foregoing and other great and 
 stirring events were going on around, the 
 Mutiny had not yet spread to Ooraie. 
 About twenty miles lower down the banks 
 of the Jumna is Calpee. It had a strong 
 and well-constructed fort overlooking and 
 commanding the river. To this city Cap- 
 tain Alexander was ordered to proceed 
 with his remaining company, in order to 
 sustain confidence among the peaceably 
 disposed of the inhabitants, lest the bad 
 characters should give themselves up to 
 plunder. But before leaving, the half- 
 caste assistant to Captain Brown, the 
 Commissioner, was sent to obtain a report 
 on the state of affairs. 
 
 By the time of his return the baggage 
 
 E
 
 5o INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 had been packed, and the men were drawn 
 up on the road, prepared for the march. 
 
 The assistant's report was that all was 
 quiet at Calpee, and there was no need for 
 reinforcements. The order was therefore 
 countermanded, and Captain Alexander 
 communicated the decision to the troops. 
 
 It was the match to light the blaze ; 
 they immediately broke out into mutiny. 
 With a shout they declared they would 
 not stay, neither would they allow Captain 
 Alexander and his wife to remain, but 
 they must be prepared to go at once with 
 them. Some went off then and there to 
 rejoin the regiment, while some fired their 
 muskets in open defiance. The older men, 
 however, gathered round their respected 
 companion and captain, and declared their 
 intention to protect him. 
 
 He argued that it was no good his going 
 with them, if they would not obey orders. 
 They replied, "You had better come with 
 us ; it will be safer for you both." 
 
 So Captain Alexander returned to the 
 house to his wife, who had naturally
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 51 
 
 become very anxious during his protracted 
 absence. They then decided that they 
 would go with the men. Captain Brown 
 lent his buggy for Mrs. Alexander to travel 
 in, and they started off on a journey not 
 knowing its issue. 
 
 The older men gathered round the con- 
 veyance, the younger keeping close watch, 
 with loaded muskets, to frustrate any 
 attempt at escape. It was a terrible 
 march, enough to put the strongest 
 courage to the test. 
 
 A halt was made at a well, the men as 
 they drank insisting, despite objection, on 
 their prisoners drinking with them. Re- 
 fusal was useless, with the loaded muskets 
 pressing close around them, and so they 
 unwillingly drank with their captors. 
 
 We may judge of the position when we 
 learn that the poor lady, pointing to her 
 husband's loaded pistol, said, " When you 
 see any sign of treachery, shoot me." 
 
 The journey was resumed, and when 
 about fifteen miles had been traversed, a 
 halt was* called for the night. 
 E 2
 
 52 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 The heat was dreadful, and in the buggy 
 almost unendurable. What meaning and 
 intensity were given to the words : " They 
 that watch for the morning." 
 
 At daybreak the journey was resumed, 
 and when the sun was up, the travellers, 
 arriving at a well, halted. 
 
 The men had been travelling without the 
 least discipline, and without uniform except 
 their belts. They mounted camels or rode 
 in carts, sang, shouted, and spoke with 
 rudeness and disrespect to the native 
 officers and non-commissioned officers, but 
 all this did not interfere with their devo- 
 tions, for they drank at the well, washed 
 themselves, and said their prayers. Under 
 the circumstances, it is hard to imagine 
 their ideas of a God. 
 
 Seeing the mutineers engrossed with 
 their occupations, our friends ventured to 
 drive forward, but were at once called back. 
 Then one of the native officers came up 
 quietly, and, in a whisper, told them to 
 drive on slowly till sufficiently far ahead, 
 and then to race for their lives. 
 
 This course was pursued, but not with-
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 53 
 
 out the greatest fear of failure. On they 
 went, slowly, then quicker, till under a 
 blazing sun the fugitives dashed into Cal- 
 pee at 7.30 a.m., out of reach of their 
 distanced captors a race for life indeed. 
 
 Captain Alexander's orderly, Sepoy 
 Sunooman Pandy, who had gone before 
 with the baggage, met our friends at the 
 gate, and was greatly distressed at the 
 indignities that had been practised. Cap- 
 tain Alexander then retired with his wife 
 to one of the rooms in the fort, till the men 
 should be on the point of arriving. 
 
 He then went to the gate to meet the 
 rebels as they came in, two or three at a 
 time, and a more extraordinary or distress- 
 ing scene perhaps never was witnessed. 
 Some of the soldiers were veterans, having 
 served for ten, twenty, thirty, and even 
 forty years, men who were looking forward 
 to promotion as a matter of course, and to 
 whom a pension was, till now, a certainty. 
 Every man of them knew well that by this 
 act of mutiny and treachery the hopes of 
 years were dashed to atoms, the reward of 
 years of faithful service was lost. They
 
 54 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 were men to be pitied, for in their hearts 
 they were certain that the rebellion would 
 consummate in a fiasco. 
 
 These whilom heroes of Afghanistan and 
 other expeditions came up to Captain 
 Alexander crying and sobbing like little 
 children found out in a fault. He said, 
 
 <( Separate yourselves from the rebels, 
 and stay with me." . 
 
 " Oh, sir," they replied, " we cannot, we 
 dare not, we are forced to go to Cawnpore. 
 If we stayed here, there would be no 
 safety for you or the lady. We must go." 
 
 They departed, crossing the river by the 
 bridge of boats to the Cawnpore side and 
 encamped there. And sad though it was 
 to see them depart, it was a great relief to 
 find that they left without doing any harm, 
 and even without saying an uncivil word. 
 
 But the matter was not yet over, for 
 towards evening Captain Alexander pro- 
 ceeded to his usual ablutions. Just at 
 the interesting moment when he was 
 seated in the bath, scantily arrayed in a 
 pair of bathing drawers, his orderly came
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 55 
 
 in search of -him. The man who was 
 arranging his leathern water Bottle for the 
 refreshing shower, paused, as the orderly 
 approached saying, " Sir, some of the men 
 have returned, and wish to see you." 
 
 " Impossible, I am just taking a bath, 
 I shall be ready soon." 
 
 " Sir," he answered, looking very grave, 
 "come at once." 
 
 " This is very awkward. I must put on 
 some clothes," urged the captain. 
 
 " Sir," he solemnly replied, <( come just 
 as you are, and don't delay." 
 
 There was nothing for it evidently but 
 to go, albeit, an officer in bathing drawers 
 did not lend dignity to the proceedings, 
 but no time must be lost, and decorum was 
 out of the question when life and death 
 are the issue. So Captain Alexander 
 wended his way through the house, 
 giving a passing word of explanation of 
 the urgency to his wife, who sat in her 
 room in a state of nervous anxiety more 
 easily imagined than described. 
 
 Outside in the yard he was conironted
 
 56 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 by half a dozen young men of about two 
 years' service, dressed in semi-uniform and 
 drawn up in a line with their muskets 
 loaded and capped. 
 
 It was an exciting moment, and the 
 occasion needed nerve and decision. 
 
 " Well, what do you want to see me 
 for?" 
 
 The reply came cool and insolent, 
 
 " Money for our journey to Cawnpore 
 and Delhi." 
 
 " I am afraid I cannot help you. How 
 much do you want ? " 
 
 " Two hundred rupees. Shall we take it 
 from the treasury ? " 
 
 " I have no authority to issue such an 
 order." 
 
 "Then," they answered, "you must pro- 
 vide the sum." 
 
 " I was paid in your presence at the same 
 time that you were paid, and you know I 
 cannot give you two hundred rupees, and 
 if I give you what I have, what am I to 
 live upon ? " 
 
 " You must give us what you have,'
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 57 
 
 was the impudent rejoinder, and as there 
 seemed no alternative, Captain Alexander 
 went indoors to get the money. Some of 
 the rebels followed to prevent escape and 
 to see they were not cheated. But Mrs. 
 Alexander kept back fifty rupees, the rest 
 of their resources being brought out for 
 delivery to the men. 
 
 An altercation then ensued, some were 
 for giving back a part of the money, show- 
 ing the esteem in which Captain and Mrs. 
 Alexander were held, a fact which suggests 
 what would have occurred had they been 
 held in disregard. 
 
 But even now the bad counsellors pre- 
 vailed, the money was taken and the men 
 sullenly passed out of the fort. Once out- 
 side, the gates were quickly closed behind 
 them, but only just in time, for they 
 returned and banged for some time with 
 their muskets. However, they soon tired 
 of this exercise and took their departure. 
 
 In the evening, our friends, standing on 
 the ramparts, saw the bridge of boats in a 
 blaze. The rebels, after they had crossed
 
 58 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 to the Cawnpore side, set the bridge alight 
 and destroyed the only means of crossing 
 from or to Calpee. 
 
 It is very unlikely that an officer arrayed 
 in a complete bathing costume, and 
 supported by an orderly, ever before 
 succeeded in thwarting rebellious mur- 
 derers and effectually ensconcing himself 
 in a fortress. 
 
 But it was impossible that he could hold 
 out here for any length of time, as the 
 loose characters of the city were in a fer- 
 ment, and, like the lawless everywhere, 
 looking out for opportunities to wreck 
 and ravage. The question, however, was, 
 where to go, and what to do.
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 DEPARTURE FROM CALPEE. 
 
 CAPTAIN BROWN, the Deputy Commis- 
 sioner, not deeming it safe to remain any 
 longer at Ooraie, made over the charge' of 
 the district to a native chief, and set out, 
 hoping to find refuge at Gwalior. At the 
 same time he sent a mounted man to 
 Captain Alexander, at Calpee, to inform 
 him of his plans, and request him to join 
 him if possible. 
 
 This was no easy matter, for on leaving 
 the fort and passing through the town they 
 were at once surrounded by a crowd of 
 blackguards who menaced them with sticks 
 and swords. The brave orderly met them 
 with his bayonet fixed, and the mounted 
 servant from Ooraie rode in amongst them 
 shouting at the top of his voice, " If any
 
 60 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 harm comes to this lady and gentleman the 
 Rajah has sworn to come and burn down 
 the town." This bold front was fortunately 
 successful, but had there been a daring 
 leader amongst the rabble, it is pretty 
 certain that this story would never have 
 been told. 
 
 However, all difficulties were safely sur- 
 mounted and Captain Alexander took leave 
 of his servants and orderly, and as evening 
 closed down, they were fairly on the 
 journey. It was a strange experience to 
 be forcing a march back over the very 
 ground that had been placed between them 
 and Ooraie only a few days before, and, 
 with the remembrance of that terrible ride 
 still fresh, they pushed on all through the 
 night, and in the morning arrived at their 
 destination. But it was no place of 
 safety. 
 
 Captain Brown had left, and our friends 
 incurred increasing risk every moment they 
 remained, for there was no knowing how 
 soon the Jhansi butchers would reach the 
 place on their march to Delhi, and to fall
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 61 
 
 into their hands was certain death and 
 nameless horror. So procuring a couple 
 of native litters, it being impossible to 
 obtain horses, an early departure was 
 made. 
 
 If the buggy had previously been uncom- 
 fortable, the litters were simply excruciating. 
 No doubt it is easy for native women to 
 ride crouching, half sitting, half lying, but 
 then they are brought up to it, while Mrs. 
 Alexander had no experience in such a 
 position. Cramped and tired, the first 
 halting-place was reached twelve miles 
 on the road. Here a kind and friendly 
 welcome was extended to them by Tuh- 
 seeldar Inayut Hoosain Khan, a native 
 collector and police officer of some educa- 
 tion. He placed a room at their disposal, 
 and took every care of his weary charges ; 
 then, after a refreshing rest, he provided a 
 proper litter for Mrs. Alexander and a 
 horse for her husband. 
 
 Thus accommodated, and with an escort 
 of policemen, Captain Brown's party was 
 easily overtaken by the following morning,
 
 62 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 he having been joined by Captain Lamb, 
 of the artillery. 
 
 For his kind services the police officer 
 was afterwards rewarded by the Govern- 
 ment, who promoted him to an important 
 position, which he has held with a dignity 
 that has commanded respect from all about 
 him. 
 
 Gwalior was considered to be quite a 
 safe resort, as it belonged to a power- 
 ful independent prince. His well-trained 
 troops were commanded by British officers, 
 and altogether the fugitives thought no- 
 thing better could be desired as a place of 
 safety. 
 
 Passing through the prince's territory, 
 Captain Brown sent word to the head- 
 man of a large village to learn if there was 
 any news from Gwalior. 
 
 " No news, quite safe," was the welcome 
 reply. So the little band of three horse- 
 men, together with Mrs. Alexander's litter, 
 pressed on. However, in the darkness of 
 the night that soon came on, they heard 
 behind them the sound of galloping horse-
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 63 
 
 men. What could it be ? Some new 
 danger ? The anxious party left the road- 
 way to await events. On came the troop, 
 while hearts beat high with excitement and 
 hands clutched weapons ready to sell life 
 dearly. The horsemen galloped on, and, 
 as far as could be seen, appeared to be 
 going to pass by, a hope that was soon 
 dashed to the ground, for they drew up 
 right opposite the hiding group. They 
 certainly did not expect what occurred, for 
 without any pause or introduction one of 
 the men said in a rude, loud voice, " I have 
 been sent by the head-man to tell you that 
 the Gwalior troops have mutinied, officers 
 and ladies and children are all killed, and 
 you can go on there or not, just as you 
 like." 
 
 This news was most certainly a warning 
 from God, but having delivered it in a 
 most ungracious manner, the men turned 
 round and rode back the way they had 
 come. 
 
 By what Providence had these treacher- 
 ous men been compelled to take all this
 
 64 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 trouble to avert a fate that but a short time 
 previously they had evidently conspired 
 to bring about? It was learnt afterwards 
 that the whole village where they had 
 inquired as to Gwalior was well aware of 
 the outbreak there, and the head-man 
 actually was seen by one of Captain Brown's 
 servants in the centre of a crowd near his 
 quarters, glorying in his perfidy and boast- 
 ing of his successful lie which was send- 
 ing our friends to the death-trap at 
 Gwalior. 
 
 This faithful servant of Captain Brown 
 at once spoke up, saying, " You should have 
 warned the gentlemen, and not allowed 
 them to go on." A bravery that might 
 have cost him his life. But on a refusal 
 to send word to the doomed travellers, the 
 servant appealed to his shame and fear 
 by saying, " I will go and tell myself." 
 Evidently the head-man was only a " fair- 
 weather " rebel, and, fearing the con- 
 sequences of his treachery, sent the 
 message in the manner described, which 
 necessitated another consultation at mid-
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 65 
 
 night on the open road, at which it was 
 decided to proceed to Etawah, a station 
 in British territory about twelve or four- 
 teen miles away.
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 TO ETAWAH. 
 
 AT the very commencement of the new 
 plan, new difficulties arose, for the men who 
 were carrying Mrs. Alexander's litter, on 
 hearing that they were to retrace their 
 steps, set down their burden and bolted, 
 leaving the travellers in a most serious 
 dilemma. 
 
 However, it was no time for ceremony, 
 and the only resort was for the lady to ride 
 on a baggage camel, covered with a sheet 
 to make her look like a native woman. 
 She rode between two boxes on the camel 
 all the rest of that night and part of the 
 following morning. The see-saw, see-saw 
 motion of the camel did not contribute to 
 the comfort of the position, and in crossing 
 a small stream in the early morning, the
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 67 
 
 rebellion appeared to reach the animal, for 
 in mid-stream he was seized with a deter- 
 mination to lie down, regardless of the lady 
 and the baggage. However, by dint of 
 many blows and much shouting, to the 
 general relief he was at last safe across. 
 
 They had now reached the Jumna, and 
 Etawah lay on the opposite bank of the 
 river. The garrison consisted of half a 
 native regiment with English officers, there 
 being in addition some civilians and their 
 clerks, and a few employees on the rail- 
 way, besides the officers' wives. 
 
 Inquiries were made as to the state of 
 things at this place, and once more disap- 
 pointment at not rinding a safe retreat was 
 mingled with gratitude to God, for warning 
 the travellers of what had taken place, 
 before they fell into the hands of the enemy. 
 Had they been two days later they would 
 have been completely cut off. 
 
 Only the day before the native regi- 
 ment had mutinied, though the residents 
 had left the place without any of them 
 being killed, and were about twenty miles 
 F 2
 
 68 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 on the road to Agra. An endeavour was 
 made to obtain some food, and a hurried 
 consultation was held, before starting to 
 join the fugitives ahead. Late in the 
 evening our party came upon them at 
 Ferozeabad, a large town with a strong fort, 
 and they were as glad to see the addition 
 to their numbers as Captain Alexander 
 and his wife were to overtake them, and 
 a hearty greeting gave the first taste of 
 security that had been enjoyed for a very 
 long time, although danger and trouble 
 were not over, there being yet about thirty 
 miles of journeying before Agra could be 
 reached.
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 TO AGRA. 
 
 THE men now made a pretty large company 
 and rode in military order. The party 
 consisted of over twenty armed Europeans, 
 besides ladies and children who rode in 
 carriages drawn by bullocks, and Mrs. 
 Alexander was very glad to share, through 
 the kindness of a lady, one of these 
 carriages, the comfort being most welcome 
 after her previous rough experience. 
 
 They arrived without further adventure 
 at Fyzabad, a big town, where there was a 
 large number of loose characters Mahom- 
 medans ; and as our friends were evidently 
 not welcome, the incivility met with 
 determined them to stay no longer than 
 was necessary to obtain food. The efforts 
 in this direction resulted in the purchasing
 
 70 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 of some grain to eat, and some native sweets, 
 which were dissolved in water and drunk. 
 This was not quite nectar, but near enough 
 to cause gratitude under the circumstances. 
 
 Resuming their journey as soon as 
 possible, the weary, anxious march was 
 continued till about eleven o'clock the next 
 day, when the company rested and refreshed 
 themselves. This was about twelve miles 
 from Agra, but there was no information as 
 to whether the mutiny had broken out 
 there. If the troops were still in the 
 cantonments, all was well, but if they had 
 moved into the fort, then it was a hopeless 
 outlook. 
 
 While they rested in the shade, musing 
 on their fate, the boom of the mid-day gun 
 came floating across from Agra. 
 
 One simultaneous exclamation escaped 
 the whole party, "Agra is safe ! " 
 
 How they laughed and cried and con- 
 gratulated each other, and thanked God for 
 that message of hope. 
 
 " Safe ! " What a meaning was 
 conveyed in that word.
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 71 
 
 Under the blazing sun they started again 
 at once with light hearts, heedless of 
 exposure that on ordinary occasions must 
 have smitten many down. For over two 
 hours they pressed on, passing through the 
 grounds of the " Taj Mehal," where the 
 keeper confirmed the hopes raised by the 
 signal gun, and at two o'clock they reached 
 the cantonments. Separating from the 
 rest of the party, Captain and Mrs. Alex- 
 ander put up at the house of a friend, 
 Lieutenant Thomson, Adjutant of the 3rd 
 European Regiment (now the lo^th), 
 thankful indeed for a harbour of refuge at 
 last, even though all around consternation 
 and excitement prevailed. 
 
 The native troops had fortunately been 
 disarmed in time, and were meditating an 
 escape, that was later on successfully 
 accomplished, while the fort was strength- 
 ened and preparation made for a siege, it 
 already having been rumoured that two 
 native regiments and a battery of native 
 artillery which had mutinied at Nuseerabad 
 and Mhow, were not far off, and were bear-
 
 72 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 ing down upon the city. So that it was 
 only two days after the arrival at Agra that 
 all were ordered into the fort. Besides 
 our friends there were the few who es- 
 caped the Gwalior massacre. They came 
 into Agra about the same time, objects 
 most pitiable to behold, having undergone 
 great hardships and hair- breadth escapes. 
 Among them was a little girl whom Mrs. 
 Alexander took charge of, and who had 
 witnessed the murder of her father, Captain 
 W. Stewart, of the Artillery, and also her 
 mother and baby brother, a fate she herself 
 escaped through the fidelity of one of her 
 father's servants. She remained with the 
 Alexanders till after the fall of Delhi, when 
 they took her to Meerut and gave her into 
 the charge of her uncle, Captain J. S. 
 Frith, of the Artillery, an old schoolfellow 
 of Captain Alexander. This little girl 
 (now Lady Ramsey) is still alive, and no 
 doubt retains a vivid recollection of these 
 sad events. 
 
 Two days later, tidings came of the 
 approach of rebels from Nuseerabad.
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 73 
 
 The troops were at once turned out and 
 marched off to meet the enemy, while to 
 assist the Artillery a small body of Cavalry 
 Volunteers was organized from the 
 civilians, clerks, and fugitives, among the 
 latter being Captain Alexander's friend 
 and fellow traveller, Captain Lamb. 
 Captain Alexander was ordered into the 
 fort to assist the Commissariat officer, 
 Captain H. Chalmers, whither also the 
 women, children, and all non-combatants 
 were sent for safety. The servants, as 
 usual, had bolted, and the shepherds, 
 bullock drivers, etc., had disappeared. 
 This was very awkward, for the sheep were 
 all left outside the gates, and it was abso- 
 lutely essential in view of apossible siege that 
 they should be inside. Captain Alexander 
 was obliged, therefore, to go out himself 
 and devote his attention to the unusual 
 pursuit of drover. He was soon driving 
 the animals up towards the drawbridge as 
 if accustomed to the work from his youth, 
 but alas for human resource, the constitu- 
 tion of sheep strictly forbade them crossing
 
 74 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 the bridge. He drove, he coaxed, he 
 shouted, but they were blind, deaf, and 
 insensible to such arguments. 
 
 However, they had to be got in some- 
 how, so taking one by the leg, Captain 
 Alexander dragged him bodily backward 
 over the bridge. It was a tough struggle, 
 but a merry one, and apparently a lesson 
 to the rest of the sheep, for they all 
 hurried over as if each feared his turn 
 might be next. Whatever it was, they 
 were safely brought in. 
 
 An anxious day was passed, for under- 
 neath the walls of the fort there was a 
 continuous tumult throughout the city, 
 while quite near by was heard " the sound 
 of them that strive for the mastery," 
 the boom of cannon, the crack of 
 rifles. 
 
 At last evening approached, and withit the 
 Englishmen were defeated ! Poor fellows, 
 they were worn out with the long day's 
 work, dropping from exposure to the 
 broiling sun. Not a drop of water had been 
 obtainable, for at the first shot the water
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 75 
 
 carriers and the hospital litter carriers had 
 bolted. 
 
 Worse still, perhaps, the Artillery had 
 expended their ammunition, and were 
 opposed to a battery of Native Horse 
 Artillery considered to be the smartest in 
 the service, who pounded and knocked 
 over gunners, horses, and limbers, so that 
 a retreat was ordered. 
 
 A large number were killed and wounded, 
 beside many of the Volunteer Cavalry, 
 amongst them poor Captain Lamb, who 
 received a mortal wound, and died in the 
 hospital about a week later. 
 
 The retreat was well ordered, and not 
 hurried, still it had .a bad effect. Fortu- 
 nately the rebels did not follow up their 
 advantage, preferring the old game of 
 plunder and riot ; and though there was 
 safety inside the fort, the state of the 
 city was certainly enough to shake the 
 strongest nerves. 
 
 Thousands of the greatest scoundrels in 
 the country gave themselves up to their 
 own devices. What a picture of horror is
 
 76 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 the unrestrained riot of fallen humanity ! 
 Torches gleamed and cast their flickering 
 lights over the swart faces of the howling 
 crowds, their sabres flashed and shone as 
 they darted hither and thither in search o f 
 aught that might meet their fancy. Burn- 
 ing here, plundering there, pandemonium 
 was outdone. 
 
 But no one could lie down without some 
 effort to stop the rabble. So the besieged 
 (as such our friends now were) lent their 
 quota to the mel&e in the shape of a few 
 shells from the twelve-pound howitzers. 
 
 Bang went the glowing balls down the 
 streets, leaving a line of light in their 
 course and bursting amid the shrieks of the 
 rebels. They evidently were not agreeable 
 to this kind of treatment, for the streets 
 were soon cleared and quiet, and it was 
 afterwards learned that the mutineers had 
 continued their march to swell the ranks 
 at Delhi, where the aged rebel king held 
 his court.
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 AT AGRA QUIETING DOWN. 
 
 ALTHOUGH the actual confinement in the 
 fort was only about twenty days or a 
 month, yet Captain Alexander with his 
 wife remained there till October. The 
 country began to quiet down after the 
 Nuseerabad mutineers had passed, leaving 
 a feeling of growing hope ; for the provision 
 merchants, cloth merchants, and traders 
 of all sorts brought their goods and dis- 
 played them outside the fort, and people 
 ventured forth and made many purchases, 
 thus relieving the Commissariat Depart- 
 ment, which had felt the strain of the confine- 
 ment. Captain Alexander's duty had been 
 to assist in issuing the daily rations no 
 mean task, for all had to be weighed out ;
 
 78 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 then in the evening he walked back to his 
 quarters with the shares for himself and 
 those quartered with him. 
 
 Picture a gallant captain carrying the 
 raw meat tied up in a handkerchief, and 
 then the ladies cooking it. But what 
 cause for gratitude they had for their 
 safety, when afterwards they learned the 
 fate of their dear ones, and many, many 
 of the flower of their countrymen, and 
 women who were dishonoured and hacked 
 to pieces. 
 
 However, it was a new experience 
 fetching water from the wells and doing 
 the household work in an unventilated gun 
 shed, under the wall of the fort, inside of 
 which our friends were quartered by day, 
 and outside of which they slept by night, 
 exposed to the oppressive heat, that with 
 privation began to tell upon their health ; 
 and yet, though sickness increased, there 
 was, thank God, no cholera in epidemic form. 
 
 Soon some tents were pitched in the 
 very extensive open space inside the fort, 
 and the icith were moved into camp ;
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 79 
 
 the Adjutant and his wife, who had already 
 sheltered them on their first arrival at 
 Agra, kindly offering Captain and Mrs. 
 Alexander a part of their tent, in which 
 they made themselves very comfortable 
 till quarters for all officers were erected. 
 These were mere frame-works of wood, 
 filled in with matting for walls, and 
 thatched roofs ; but a couple of rooms 
 and some servants went far to restore 
 comfort and contentment. 
 
 These luxuries, however, could not dis- 
 pel the uneasy feelings caused by con- 
 tinued uncertainty as to the fate of their 
 loved ones. 
 
 For three months our poor friends were 
 fed by rumour and report. To-day Cawn- 
 pore and Lucknow had fallen, to-morrow 
 it was contradicted. Then news of the 
 massacres would take definite shape, only 
 to be followed by denials. 
 
 On paper, readers can enter into the 
 spirit of a sharp, short struggle, but who 
 can tell the fearful agony of suspense 
 wearying, remorseless suspense ? Captain
 
 8o INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 Alexander and his fellow fugitives know a 
 phase of the mutiny that yet requires its 
 historian, and only those who endured, not 
 merely the privations and hair-breadth 
 escapes, but the terrible nerve-destroying, 
 soul-piercing suspense, can ever portray 
 what happened to them and many another 
 band of harassed people, who have borne, 
 or will bear to their graves, the cold sweat 
 of that dreadful persecution of suspense. 
 
 They longed for, yet dreaded, every day 
 to receive news of friends. Besides Mrs. 
 Alexander's mother and sisters at Cawn- 
 pore, there were at the same station an 
 aunt with her husband and two children, 
 Dr. and Mrs. Newnham. At Lucknow 
 they had an uncle, Colonel Master, C.B. 
 Mrs. Alexander's two brothers were on 
 the Bombay side. Captain Alexander's 
 eldest sister and her husband, Captain and 
 Mrs. Elliot, with their children, were in a 
 disaffected part of the country, while their 
 grandparents, General and Mrs. Kennedy, 
 were at Benares, and were so aged that 
 even a shock might kill them. And finally,
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 81 
 
 Captain Alexander's own and only brother 
 (whose death has already been described) 
 was at Allahabad. 
 
 Delhi fell in September, 1857, and after 
 the dispersion of the rebels a column came 
 to the relief of Agra. 
 
 Their appearance was the sign for 
 general rejoicing. These heroes were 
 greeted with the greatest enthusiasm, for 
 they had borne the brunt of battle and the 
 heat of day. They marched past the fort 
 and encamped in the plain where the 
 cantonment once stood. 
 
 The men pitched their tents and were 
 preparing for breakfast as if they were out 
 on a holiday expedition. Some stood 
 round their camp-fires stripped to the 
 waist. Some were carrying water ; others 
 arranging their baggage. Altogether 
 composing a scene of the liveliest interest, 
 amid laughter and joking, and all the ups 
 and downs and ins and outs of camp 
 life. 
 
 While this was at its height, to the con- 
 sternation of everybody, round shot fired 
 
 G
 
 82 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 at short range came tearing into the 
 camp. 
 
 A more complete surprise could not 
 have been accomplished. There was not 
 even time to wonder where the balls came 
 from, but it was soon learned that the 
 Gwalior mutineers had come up so quietly 
 and so quickly that, with the aid of the 
 standing crops which gave them shelter, 
 they had actually come quite close without 
 a suspicion of their approach. 
 
 Many from the fort had, at early morning, 
 been out riding and driving over the very 
 parts where they now lay concealed, and 
 their safety can only be accounted for on 
 the supposition that the rebels desired to 
 remain undiscovered till they could spring 
 upon the approaching Delhi troops and by 
 a sudden decisive blow annihilate them. 
 But they reckoned without their host. 
 
 True, the Gwalior men were four to one, 
 with a large number of guns, some very 
 heavy, for pounding the Agra fort to 
 pieces. But the column from Delhi, under 
 Brigadier Greathead, of the 8th Foot, were
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 83 
 
 not exactly children, and not at all dis- 
 mayed by the unexpected upset of their 
 breakfast arrangements. They fell under 
 arms at once and led a most determined 
 attack. 
 
 In a shorter time than one would think 
 possible the enemy were in full retreat, 
 leaving all their guns in their haste to get 
 away. They were followed for miles with 
 tremendous slaughter, which quite cleared 
 the neighbourhood of rebels. 
 
 G 2
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 ALEXANDER'S HORSE. 
 
 ABOUT the end of October Captain 
 Alexander was directed to raise some 
 mounted men for duty in the Agra district, 
 and as the work increased their numbers 
 increased, till with Hindoos, Mohamme- 
 dans, and Sikhs they were five hundred 
 strong, and known as " Alexander's 
 Horse." 
 
 They joined Sir Colin Campbell's force 
 at Futtegurh, and remained several days, 
 but Etawah being threatened, they were 
 ordered off there post-haste, but only to 
 be detained at Mynpoorie, where their 
 strength held the place in check. 
 
 However, news soon came that a post 
 on the Cawnpore road was threatened, 
 and Captain Alexander immediately set out
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 85 
 
 for its defence ; a detachment of European 
 Infantry, leaving Futtegurh by bullock 
 train at the same time, were to join them 
 en route. 
 
 Mrs. Alexander went to Agra, as her 
 husband was to set out on this expedition 
 at eleven a.m. ; the distance, sixty miles, 
 being covered by sunrise the following 
 morning, they having marched right across 
 with only one hour, at ten o'clock at night, 
 for rest and food. 
 
 Having accomplished this feat, the civil 
 officer who had sent for assistance calmly 
 informed Captain Alexander that the fort 
 was secure and he did not want any help. 
 
 Twenty-four hours for rest, and another 
 civil officer (now celebrated equally as a 
 theosophist and magistrate), Mr. A. O. 
 Hume, C.B., became alarmed, and Cap- 
 tain Alexander with his men were ordered 
 to support him at Etawah, where they 
 arrived the second day and were ordered 
 to halt ! 
 
 However, there were rumours rife in 
 this district, and positive information was
 
 86 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 received of the presence of some rebels at 
 a large village twenty-five miles away, so 
 Captain Alexander wrote to the General 
 Officer in command, Sir T. Seaton, and 
 requested instructions. 
 
 No reply came, and after a consultation 
 by the officers of the regiment, and unknown 
 to the Civil Officer, it was decided to ride 
 over with twenty-five men and reconnoitre 
 the enemy's position. 
 
 A start was made at four a.m., but before 
 arriving at their destination Captain Alex- 
 ander was joined by Mr. Hume himself, 
 who expressed annoyance at having been 
 kept in the dark as to the expedition's 
 movements. As explanations were forth- 
 coming, the forces united. The fact was, 
 that the country being under martial law, it 
 was unnecessary for Captain Alexander to 
 have conferred with Mr. Hume. 
 
 Mr. Hume's retainers consisted of a 
 large number of villagers armed with 
 matchlocks and an old popgun. An 
 inspection of the men emboldened Captain 
 Alexander. He resolved to turn a recon-
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 87 
 
 naisance into an attack when the enemy's 
 position should be discovered. 
 
 The day was well advanced when the 
 force finished the long march of twenty- 
 five miles and they found the rebels 
 strongly posted in a tope (grove) of trees 
 with a mud wall all round. So that the 
 enemy had the best of the position. 
 
 However, the old gun was got into play, 
 and a steady fire from the villagers' match- 
 locks was commenced. Captain Alex- 
 ander then took his men to their enemies' 
 right flank, but out of range and a little to 
 their rear. Their response to the match- 
 lock men was issued from an old gun they 
 had possessed themselves of, but seeing 
 from this flank movement the possibility of 
 their being cut off, they broke from their 
 entrenchment, and Captain Alexander led 
 the charge directly they got outside. 
 
 The chaff flies before the wind, indeed, 
 but only with measured flight compared to 
 the scattering of the fearful foe fearful, 
 we mean, of consequences. 
 
 Our friends were in a poor condition
 
 88 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 to follow, having had no rest or food since 
 they started before daybreak, but they did 
 their best and pursued as far as the poor 
 done-up horses would allow. 
 
 For himself, Captain Alexander was 
 galloping about 250 yards behind a man 
 who, from his dress, was evidently of some 
 consequence. But force his jaded horse 
 as he would, he made no appreciable 
 diminution in the distance between him 
 and his retreating foe. 
 
 Seeing this, the horsemen stopped his 
 horse and turned round, at the same time 
 levelling a large double-barrelled gun, taking 
 deliberate aim, while Captain Alexander 
 rode on straight into his fire. The first 
 shot went through the right whisker of the 
 Captain. Then he took aim again, but the 
 bullet falling wide of its mark, he turned 
 and carried away his empty weapon at a 
 furious gallop till he was out of reach 
 altogether. 
 
 The rebels' gun was captured, and also 
 a number of matchlocks, swords, etc., 
 most of them having flung away their arms
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 89 
 
 in their flight. A rest was ordered, the 
 tired horses attended to, and then the 
 victorious force steadily wended their way 
 to camp, where they arrived at 7 p.m., 
 having done a very fair day's work in 
 travelling about sixty miles and completely 
 routing the marauding band of rebels. 
 
 Their entry into the village was a 
 triumphal march. The head native officer 
 of the regiment with his long white beard 
 came forward to receive the conquering 
 hero, and with his hand full of money made 
 a kind of magic circle round Captain 
 Alexander's head, saying, " I congratulate 
 you on your victory." 
 
 The next day a reply arrived from Sir 
 T. Seaton, directing that " on no account 
 was the offensive to be taken with so small 
 a force." 
 
 But it was too late. The deed was done 
 and complete victory justified the action, 
 while the most satisfactory results 
 followed, for the district was quite cleared 
 of rebels, who did not venture into it 
 again.
 
 QO INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 For this service Captain Alexander 
 received neither reward nor thanks from 
 the Government, but the Times corre- 
 spondent, Dr. H. Russell, immortalized him 
 by writing an appreciative description of 
 the engagement for his paper. 
 
 
 
 Another incident in connection with 
 " Alexander's Horse" occurred when they 
 were ordered to Muttra from Agra, to 
 assist the civil officer in restoring confi- 
 dence to the people and quieting the 
 district. 
 
 Starting out from the cantonment one 
 evening (Mrs. Alexander accompanying 
 her husband), "camp was pitched after a 
 fairly long march. Supper of milk and 
 unleavened bread was partaken of prepara- 
 tory to seeking such rest as might be 
 obtained on the ground, under shelter of a 
 small tent. 
 
 Sentries and pickets were out and a 
 peaceful time seemed promised, when the 
 " first sweet sleep of night " was broken by a 
 great disturbance in the camp. A messenger
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 91 
 
 arrived from the Civil Officer stating that he 
 had received information of the approach 
 of a party of rebels, and Captain Alex- 
 ander was warned of an impending attack. 
 
 A return journey to Muttra was com- 
 menced at midnight and continued until 
 day was well advanced, but no sign of the 
 rebels was discovered except some of their 
 camels, which they left behind them, just 
 by way, perhaps, of proving what they 
 might have done. These camels Captain 
 Alexander purchased, and they turned out a 
 most profitable investment, for after carry- 
 ing his baggage till the end of 1859, he 
 sold them again for more than double what 
 he had paid for them. 
 
 This kind of incident went far to relieve 
 the great monotony of the stay in the Fort 
 of Agra, while the enlistment of " Alex- 
 ander's Horse " was continued. It was 
 otherwise a really dreary imprisonment, for 
 there was no book, not even a Bible to be 
 had, everything having been lost when 
 escaping from Ooraie. 
 
 Mrs. Alexander found employment in
 
 92 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 caring for the little girl rescued from 
 Gwalior, while her husband had some occa- 
 sional clerical work in assisting Mr. (after- 
 ward Sir William) Muir, who was then 
 secretary to the Governor of the North- 
 West Province, whose headquarters were 
 at Agra. 
 
 However, when amid the fearful heat, 
 cholera and sickness became prevalent, the 
 Lieutenant-Governor, though spared from 
 the mutineers, fell a victim to disease, and 
 died, being buried in the fort; an event 
 that caused much depression and sadness. 
 
 Cut off as the fugutives were from all 
 the great cities, despatches had to be very 
 short, as there was great difficulty in getting 
 them delivered. The bearers of them being 
 paid very high remuneration, as the finding 
 of a letter on their persons meant certain 
 death to them. 
 
 It was not less difficult to obtain horses 
 than men for the new regiment, and the 
 purchase of these was not always free from 
 the urgent demands of " red tape," as in 
 the following case.
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 93 
 
 Captain Alexander secured ten or a 
 dozen horses from the prize agent, paying 
 him in cash, and receiving the agent's 
 receipts, written on two slips of paper, 
 stationery being at a heavy premium. In 
 1863, nearly seven years after, being then 
 at Bareilly, the bill for the horses was sent 
 to Captain Alexander by the Accountant's 
 Department, they having no vouchers to 
 cover the transaction. His assurance that 
 he had paid in cash at the time of the pur- 
 chase was deemed insufficient, as well as 
 his statement that all the books and docu- 
 ments of the regiment were lodged with 
 the station staff officer at Nagode, 
 Bundelcund. The agent of whom the 
 purchase was made, affirmed that as he 
 had no record of payment, the sum could 
 not have been received by him. However, 
 in 1864, when appointed second in com- 
 mand of the ist Bengal . Cavalry, Major 
 Alexander was ordered to Nagode, and 
 after a laborious search among the almost 
 forgotten papers, he found the two slips 
 bearing the prize agent's receipt for all the
 
 94 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 horses purchased. They were worth about 
 120 to their owner, besides clearing his 
 character from a nasty stigma. They were 
 forwarded to the Accountant's Department 
 from which not a word of regret or reply 
 has ever been received to this day. 
 
 It was nothing less than marvellous how 
 the two slips of paper escaped, after eight 
 years' knocking about unfiled, and simply 
 rolled up along with other " unconsidered 
 trifles." 
 
 Early in 1859, "Alexander's Horse" 
 were ordered from Mynpoorie and Etawah 
 to Cawnpore, and thence to Bundelcund, 
 where the district was much disturbed. 
 
 Captain Alexander's wife and a young 
 lady friend accompanied him to Cawnpore. 
 The thought of going there was a sad grief 
 to Mrs. Alexander, but when they arrived 
 and found their camp pitched on the very 
 plain where General Havelock had fought 
 and driven back the mutineers in 1857, an d 
 close to General Wheeler's fatal entrench- 
 ment, the poor lady quite broke down and 
 could scarcely be comforted.
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 95 
 
 The large house where the unfortunate 
 women and children were first taken after 
 the Nana's treacherous attack on General 
 Wheeler's little force was also close by, 
 and revived all the scenes (details of which 
 were then known) that had so recently been 
 enacted on the spot, and one of the saddest 
 of Captain Alexander's experiences was to 
 see the face that had once been so bright 
 and joyous gradually cloud with sorrow, 
 which has never altogether left it. 
 
 It was with much relief, then, that the 
 next day orders were received to remove to 
 other quarters on the banks of the Ganges, 
 and some distance from the fearful plain of 
 death and woe. 
 
 Captain Alexander occupied what before 
 the mutiny had been a fine house, but was 
 now a ruin, and though all was done to 
 ensure comfort, Mrs. Alexander would 
 never venture out of the grounds, nor could 
 she bear the thought of visiting any place 
 that might open afresh the wounds only 
 slightly healed. She soon after went to 
 Benares to her friends, while Captain
 
 96 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 Alexander went with his regiment to 
 Bundelcund. 
 
 A few days after arriving there the 
 general officer commanding the troops 
 paid a visit to the camp. The officers 
 invited him to lunch. Captain Alexander 
 apologized for the poorness of the fare, 
 stating that their only supplies were claret 
 and tinned provisions. He replied, 
 
 M Wefl, I don't think any apology neces- 
 sary when I find yon young fellows rough- 
 ing it on truffles and claret ! " 
 
 Nothing of any note occurred till about 
 a week afterwards when encamped on the 
 hanks of a river guarding the ford, where it 
 was supposed the rebels would make a dash 
 and try to escape. 
 
 One night the pickets and sentries had 
 been placed and every precaution taken to 
 
 ~~ 5 _" ~ 5 r. 
 
 Suddenly a great hubbub was heard. A 
 man came galloping in from the picket to 
 say that the enemy was at hand. The 
 regiment was promptly turned out, and in 
 ten mles every man was mounted and
 
 INCIDEKTS n? IKDIA 97 
 
 ready for action. Another man rode up to 
 say that the rebels were fast approaching, 
 and the force was moved out into the open. 
 A third messenger rode up. 
 
 "Well, what tidings?" 
 
 The reply was that the picket had 
 challenged the approaching enemy, to find 
 that they were harmless camels. 
 
 This false alarm tested the readiness of 
 our men, and helped to keep them in good 
 humour amid danger and suffering.
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE 1ST BENGAL CAVALRY. 
 
 IN 1867, Major Alexander, whose fortunes 
 we have briefly traced through many 
 stirring scenes, was appointed commandant 
 of the famous Bengal Cavalry regiment, 
 originally known as " Skinner's Horse." 
 
 The history of this famous regiment has 
 been compiled from the regimental records 
 supplied by General Alexander, and pub- 
 lished with the approval of His Excellency 
 the Commander-in-Chief, the late Lord 
 Napier of Magdala, G.C.B. The follow- 
 ing condensed extract from the story is 
 intensely interesting. 
 
 James Skinner was the son of a Scotch 
 father and a Hindoo mother. 
 
 He served with great distinction under 
 the Mahrattas. He was discharged when
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 99 
 
 Scindhia fell out with the English, but still 
 yearned for the colours and comrades with 
 which he had shared danger and victory. 
 
 After the defeat of Perron by Lord Lake, 
 at Allyghur, Skinner was appointed to the 
 command of the Yellow-Coated Horse, 
 which has become identified with his 
 name. 
 
 The first action under the British 
 colours, characterized by his earlier reck- 
 less daring, was the key-note to his 
 ensuing career. 
 
 In the Meerut district, about eight coss 
 (sixteen miles) from Secundra, was the 
 fort of Malaghur, held by Madharao the 
 Mahratta, and from him Skinner received 
 an order to quit the district. 
 
 Skinner's reply provoked the chief to 
 fight, and about a mile from Secundra the 
 forces met. 
 
 Twice was Skinner repulsed in his 
 attack'; but the third time, turning to his 
 men with scorn and anger in his appeal, he 
 stung them into fury, and more like demons 
 than men, the small band of the Yellow 
 H 2
 
 ioo INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 Troop dashed upon the strong position of 
 the Mahratta chief, captured the guns, and 
 cut down almost every man of the infantry. 
 
 The cavalry escaped to Malaghur, and 
 within the fort were safe, until Skinner, 
 learning that fodder was scarce for the 
 many horses crowded within the defences, 
 offered a reward to any man who would 
 destroy the supply. 
 
 A man volunteered, and started on his 
 perilous errand. 
 
 For two days nothing was heard of him, 
 and it was feared he had perished, when 
 one night he presented himself to Skinner. 
 
 " I have earned," he said, " the reward ; 
 a slow match is now burning beneath each 
 stack ; " and the words had hardly gone the 
 round of the camp before the night sky 
 was lit up by the flames of Malaghur. 
 
 The fort surrendered at once, Madharao 
 was sent to Delhi, six hundred of his sowars 
 (mounted troopers) entered British service, 
 and Captain Skinner was placed in general 
 command of the country between Allyghur 
 and Delhi, with a roving commission to
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 101 
 
 secure tranquillity. And hardly at any time 
 in the history of our wars in India has the 
 utility of irregular cavalry, its dash and 
 determination, been so illustrated as when 
 Skinner held the country between Allyghur 
 and Delhi. 
 
 Brilliant above all his exploits was the 
 sudden swoop upon the Sikhs at Saharun- 
 pore, when, with eight hundred horse, 
 Skinner cut up five thousand men, and 
 brought back with him all the confederate 
 chiefs who had assembled on the Jumna. 
 
 For six months this restless soldier was 
 occupied in fighting round Saharunpore, 
 with unvarying success. 
 
 At the Pass of Laswarree the first 
 Mahratta War had virtually ended, and 
 Scindhia appeared no more as the chief 
 opponent of the British. But the ruins of 
 his misfortunes became the foundations of 
 Holkar's renown, and against him turned 
 the tide of war. 
 
 General Monson was retiring in disgrace 
 before Holkar, and Captain Skinner was 
 ordered to raise his corps to twelve hundred
 
 IO2 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 horse, and to join the detachment proceed- 
 ing to his support. 
 
 But Holkar's fame was terrible, and 
 Skinner's newly recruited troopers began 
 to desert. 
 
 Opposite Muttra the panic reached its 
 climax ; and from it resulted one of those 
 picturesque episodes which can hardly be 
 looked for, save in the history of some 
 such corps as Skinner's Horse. 
 
 With the troops at this time was 
 Lieutenant Robert Skinner, formerly in the 
 service of the Begum Sombre, and in com- 
 mand of six ressalahs (squadrons). This 
 officer had crossed the river. 
 
 Captain Skinner was on the other side 
 with the remainder of the force, when 
 three ressalahs, who had been ordered to 
 cross, saddled their horses and galloped in 
 the direction of the ford ; but there, think- 
 ing themselves out of sight, turned off 
 when they had passed it, and rode towards 
 Koonjah. 
 
 Skinner was dumfounded, and before he 
 had made up his mind what to do in the
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 103 
 
 emergency, he heard his khas (special) 
 ressalah saddling their horses without 
 orders ! The moment was one of intensest 
 anxiety ; but it was soon over, for with 
 shouts his favourite troop came rid- 
 ing up, calling out to be led against 
 the deserters who were disgracing the 
 corps. 
 
 Skinner, leaping upon his horse, made the 
 ressalahs swear upon the Koran that they 
 would follow where he led, and within the 
 hour they had overtaken the runaways. 
 But not even their defiant attitude could 
 persuade Skinner that his men were 
 earnest in their desertion ; so advancing 
 alone, he addressed them in the kindest 
 language. But they would not return, and 
 his anger rising, Skinner called them the 
 cowards they were. Upon this several 
 guns were fired at him, and Skinner 
 fell. 
 
 The khas ressalah were looking on, and 
 when they saw their leader fall they sent up 
 a cry that rang along the country till the 
 troops beyond the river heard it, and with
 
 IO4 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 the fury of tigers they swept down upon the 
 mutineers. Hardly a third of the runaways 
 escaped to the fort of the Hattras Rajah to 
 tell of the revenge of Skinner's Horse. 
 
 Meanwhile Skinner himself was unhurt, 
 for the fire of the renegades had only 
 killed his horse, and next morning, with 
 the remnant of his force, he joined the 
 detachment. 
 
 Lord Lake soon after arrived in camp 
 and inspected the corps of which he had 
 heard so much ; spoke in high terms of 
 their gallantry on the field, increased the 
 pay of the sowars, and directed four 
 galloper guns to be permanently attached 
 to the corps. 
 
 Nevertheless, this desertion of his 
 " Yellow Boys " was felt with keen bitter- 
 ness by their gallant leader, who himself 
 thus defended his Horse : 
 
 " After the affair I crossed the river, and 
 during the interval vast numbers of soldiers, 
 European officers and camp followers, 
 belonging to the disastrous detachment of 
 the Honourable General Monson, came in
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 105 
 
 daily, stripped almost naked, many without 
 their noses and hands, and in other re- 
 spects in a miserable condition. The 
 alarm occasioned in the detachment by 
 the sight of these wretched men was very 
 great, and I do not wish to describe it. 
 Nevertheless my corps continued to per- 
 form all the camp duties with alacrity, and 
 as good soldiers should. The day before, 
 the detachment I was with commenced 
 its retreat to Agra, fifty of my sowars, 
 who were placed with the regulars at one 
 of the pickets, deserted, and in this 
 instance it would be necessary for the 
 Bengal Cavalry to ascertain if my men 
 alone went off, or if the regulars accom- 
 panied them. I had no intimation given 
 me of the sudden resolution adopted by 
 them. They commenced their march 
 about seven o'clock in the evening, leaving 
 me encamped as I was. A few hours 
 afterwards, finding myself alone, I struck 
 my camp and followed their route. I 
 found many of their tents standing and 
 most of their baggage still lying on the
 
 io6 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 ground. I kept in the rear with the 
 little I had, and about daybreak brought 
 it up safe to Furrah, which was half way to 
 Agra, without meeting with a single man 
 of the enemy. I reported my arrival to 
 the Commander-in-Chief, who thanked me 
 for my exertions, and directed me to keep 
 in the rear till the troops marched, when 
 the line halted for an hour or two. I then 
 sat down with the officers of the 8th Native 
 Infantry, many of whom are now alive ; and 
 I call upon them, as well as the different 
 commandants of the infantry battalions, 
 especially Colonel Burrell, who, I believe, 
 was in the rear of the line, as was 
 Captain Welsh, now living ; I would 
 appeal to him, as he remained with my 
 corps from Furrah to Gao Ghat, a dis- 
 tance of about six coss, to witness the 
 steady attachment shown by my men upon 
 this most trying occasion. . . . To the 
 best of my recollection, about this period 
 a thousand Hindustanee horse were enter- 
 tained at or near Delhi, and placed under 
 the command of British officers on the
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 107 
 
 approach of Holkar's brigade towards 
 Delhi. The whole of these Hindustanees, 
 with the exception of one ressalah, went 
 over to the enemy, and my corps was the 
 only one left in the service." 
 
 And even had they deserted, the dis- 
 grace would have been one shared by all 
 the force, for the retreat of the British army 
 upon Agra was more disgraceful than 
 Monson's. Desertion was the order of the 
 day ; not only individuals, but companies, 
 whole wings went off daily. The reports 
 of Holkar's approach in overwhelming 
 force caused a perfect panic, and, says 
 Skinner, " The greatest confusion I ever 
 witnessed prevailed. The best of the 
 business was, that Holkar was running off 
 one way, while we were running from him 
 in another. The officers lost all their 
 property ; and such was our fright and 
 confusion, that I do not believe any regi- 
 ment could number twenty men under 
 their colours. Had the detachment met a 
 thousand resolute men of the enemy, we 
 should have made a worse business of it
 
 io8 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 than Monson's. We pushed on to Agra, 
 where we took shelter under the fort ; and 
 so greatly was the character of the British 
 troops degraded in the native eyes by our 
 behaviour, that the very thieves pelted us 
 all night with stones."
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 DEFEAT OF HOLKAR. 
 
 FOR some time the army remained in situ. 
 But suddenly Lord Lake heard from the 
 Resident at Delhi that Holkar, with a vast 
 force, was before that place, and gave the 
 orders for an advance on the threatened 
 spot. 
 
 But the army was powerless to move ! 
 
 A great convoy, which was bringing the 
 supplies for the march, had been detained 
 by the Hattras Rajah, and Skinner was at 
 once deputed to rescue the convoy. 
 
 Leaving his brother to follow with the 
 remainder, Captain Skinner dashed on 
 with four hundred sowars, and reached 
 Hattras in time to find the brinjara 
 (carriers) unloading their cattle. 
 
 Whip in hand, Skinner and a few of his 
 horse rode among the men of commerce,
 
 no INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 and compelled them to reload ; and in a few 
 hours the immense convoy of sixty thou- 
 sand bullocks was in motion towards Lord 
 Lake's camp. 
 
 At this moment the Rajah of Hattras 
 was seen to issue from the fort, and from 
 the other side, a deus ex mackina, appeared 
 Robert Skinner with the remainder of 
 the corps. 
 
 Seeing the reinforcement, the Rajah 
 deemed it prudent, after firing a few shots, 
 to hold a parley, which resulted in the 
 Rajah retiring, in spite of the splendid loot 
 the convoy offered. 
 
 Captain Skinner conveyed his charge 
 safely to Lord Lake's camp, and was 
 presented by the Commander-in-Chief 
 with his own sword, while Rs. 20,000 were 
 distributed among the sowars. 
 
 The convoy had brought a seven days' 
 supply of grain for the whole army, so 
 Lord Lake at once marched on Delhi. 
 Holkar thereupon retired, halting in the 
 territory of the Begum Sombre, to per- 
 suade her to join him against the British.
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA in 
 
 Information of this was, however, carried 
 to Lord Lake, who at once ordered Captain 
 Skinner to advance, and ascertain its 
 truth. 
 
 The " Yellow Boys " had not gone far 
 before they came upon an advanced guard 
 of cavalry, which, after a severe engage- 
 ment and great loss, Skinner repelled. 
 
 The victory was hardly gained, however, 
 before the main army of Holkar was dis- 
 covered approaching, and the distinguished 
 corps would certainly have ceased to exist, 
 had it not happened that Lord Lake, 
 anxious as to the fate of his gallant 
 cavalry, had followed them up. 
 
 The armies were in sight of each other, 
 but there was yet time to recognize, as it 
 deserved, the gallantry of Skinner's Horse ; 
 and, halting the whole army, Lord Lake 
 drew from his holsters a pair of pistols, 
 with which, on the site of his very gallant 
 exploit, he presented Captain Skinner, 
 the British infantry applauding the grace- 
 ful compliment paid to pluck, by sending 
 up a cheer that so alarmed Holkar, that
 
 ii2 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 in an hour he was in full retreat to Futte- 
 ghur. 
 
 Lord Lake started in pursuit, came up 
 with the force, and inflicted severe 
 loss. 
 
 Deeming it rash to pursue further, Lord 
 Lake halted, sending Captain Skinner in 
 advance to follow Holkar and watch his 
 movements. 
 
 Acting upon orders, with their usual 
 energy, the Yellow Troop appeared before 
 Mynpoorie just as that place was about to 
 surrender to Holkar, who retired precipi- 
 tately on Skinner's appearance. 
 
 In this way, coming up with him at 
 every halt, Skinner drove Holkar from 
 Futteghur to Mynpoorie, from Mynpoorie 
 to Etawah, from thence to Mahabun, 
 through the Doab and across the Jumna 
 at Muttra. He then turned to head- 
 quarters. 
 
 During this ^brilliant pursuit the daily 
 marches averaged thirty-one miles, the 
 horses were seldom unsaddled, and the 
 men slept every night under arms, sub-
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 113 
 
 sisting during the day upon the green 
 crops standing in the fields. 
 
 Recognizing, as it deserved, this splendid 
 exploit, Lord Lake gave Captain Skinner 
 a fine horse with silver trappings, and 
 dismissed him, with permission to halt at 
 Coel (Allyghur) to rest his exhausted 
 corps, at the same time authorizing him 
 to raise its strength to seventeen hundred 
 horse. 
 
 Before dismissing them, Lord Lake in- 
 spected the troop, and complimented them 
 before all the forces upon their unvarying 
 gallantry, adding the memorable words : 
 " By your services you have established a 
 claim for life on the British Government, 
 which shall never be forgotten, and your 
 bread is made permanent" 
 
 The rest at Coel was, however, a very 
 short one, for Skinner's Horse could not 
 be spared, and in the action of Allygunge 
 this corps sustained its reputation. Mean- 
 while the grand army was before Bhurt- 
 pore, and the Yellow Troop was sent for, 
 to keep communications open and to 
 
 i
 
 H4 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 guard the grain convoys on one of these 
 occasions distinguishing itself signally. 
 A brinjara laden with grain was en route 
 from Anoopshahur, and Skinner was sent 
 to escort it in. 
 
 Having met it, Skinner dispersed the 
 greater part of his horsemen among the 
 drovers, in order to keep them from stray- 
 ing or deserting, and with the remainder 
 of his horse protected their rear. 
 
 At Kamoona the convoy was attacked 
 by Doondhia Khan, but with only four 
 hundred of his men Captain Skinner 
 repelled and drove him back to the walls 
 of his fort, inflicting a loss upon his force 
 of nearly half their number. The convoy 
 reached the grand army without a bullock 
 missing, an exploit for which the Yellow 
 Troop were publicly thanked by the Com- 
 mander-in-Chief.
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 AMEER KHAN. 
 
 FIRST Scindhia, and then Holkar having 
 been defeated, Ameer Khan, the great 
 Pathan adventurer, came upon the scene. 
 
 After considerable success on the other 
 side, Ameer Khan crossed the Jumna. 
 The siege of Kamoona was at once raised, 
 and Colonel Grliber retired under the 
 walls of Allyghur, where General Smith 
 came to his assistance, Skinner's Horse 
 distinguishing themselves in the advance 
 by cutting up to a man a " ghole " of three 
 hundred sowars. 
 
 After this the " Yellow Boys " were 
 ordered to Bareilly, where Ameer Khan's 
 troops were besieging Mr. Leicester, and 
 with much gallantry they effected their 
 mission. But Ameer Khan himself it was 
 impossible to catch ; he was a very will- 
 
 I 2
 
 n6 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 o'-the-wisp, and kept the whole army march- 
 ing backwards and forwards for a long 
 time. At last Skinner discovered his real 
 direction, and volunteered to General Smith 
 to go in disguise to the enemy's camp 
 and learn his intentions. 
 
 Accordingly, putting on native dress, 
 Skinner, taking ten faithful sowars with 
 him, and giving out that he was going to 
 Moorshedabad on private business, started 
 for Sherekote, and falling in with some of 
 Ameer Khan's foragers, accompanied them 
 into camp. Next day Skinner found that 
 the enemy had fallen out, and the forces of 
 Ameer Khan Pindarees on the one side, 
 Pathans on the other ranged themselves 
 for battle. 
 
 Seizing the opportunity, Skinner escaped 
 from the camp, and urged General Smith 
 to advance. The army at once struck its 
 tents ; but Ameer Khan had already got 
 scent of the movement, and the British 
 force came up with him only at Ufzulghur. 
 The fight was a very bloody one, but the 
 triumph complete. As the army was
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 117 
 
 retiring, it was seen that one of Skinner's 
 galloper guns was left unprotected, and 
 about fifty of Ameer Khan's sowars dashed 
 out to capture it. They had all but secured 
 it, when Lieutenant Robert Skinner, with 
 twenty of his men, proceeded to its rescue, 
 in personal combat cut down the leader of 
 the enemy, and brought back the gun. 
 
 This very gallant action was performed 
 in the sight of the whole British force, and 
 as Lieutenant Skinner rode into the line, he 
 was cheered by the British dragoons. For 
 its conduct throughout this affair, Skinner's 
 Horse was again thanked by Lord Lake, 
 and General Smith was instructed to 
 present a sword to Captain Skinner. 
 
 But it was with Sumbhul that the name 
 of Robert Skinner is most gloriously 
 connected. Ameer Khan had been chased 
 to Mooradabad, and from there across the 
 Ramgunga, towards, it was supposed, 
 Bareilly. But after the affair of Ufzulghur, 
 Robert Skinner had been despatched, with 
 a detachment of five hundred horse, to 
 Anoopshahur, and at Sumbhul he was
 
 n8 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 suddenly surprised by the whole army of 
 Ameer Khan, who, with his magical 
 activity, had doubled upon his pursuers, 
 and Skinner's troopers were compelled to 
 take shelter in an old fortified serai. 
 
 Ameer Khan first tried to bribe Robert 
 Skinner's men to betray their commandant, 
 but they received his offers with contempt. 
 Ameer Khan then attempted to storm the 
 serai, but was repulsed with loss. Again 
 the disgraceful overtures were made, but 
 the native officers brought the letter to 
 Lieutenant Skinner, who put their fidelity 
 to the test. " If," he said, " by giving up 
 one life, that of five hundred can be saved, 
 I am willing to go as prisoner to Ameer 
 Khan ; " and their reply, which should be 
 blazoned on the banners of the corps, was 
 this : J e You may go after we have all 
 been killed ! " 
 
 Skinner then wrote to Ameer Khan, 
 taunting him with his vile conduct, and the 
 result was a prolonged attack upon the 
 serai, but with no success. 
 
 Bent, however, upon the massacre of the
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 119 
 
 brave detachment, Ameer Khan continued 
 his attack, until Skinner was reduced to 
 fearful straits. Food there was hardly 
 any, powder very little, and ammunition 
 none. The shoes were taken off the 
 horses' feet, and slugs made from the 
 metal. At the same time a messenger 
 was despatched to Captain Skinner to 
 apprise him of the desperate situation of 
 his brother, and to ask him for reinforce- 
 ments. 
 
 But General Smith would not allow him 
 to proceed to his assistance, arguing that 
 by this time either every man of the 
 detachment was dead, or that Ameer Khan 
 had been defeated by Colonel Burne's 
 force, which was in the neighbourhood. 
 Captain Skinner, helpless to render assis- 
 tance to his brother in distress, determined 
 to attempt strategy, and gloriously suc- 
 ceeded. He wrote a letter to Robert 
 Skinner, saying that General Smith had 
 ordered the whole army to move to his 
 assistance, and that he would be relieved 
 on the following morning ; at the same
 
 I2O INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 time urging him to keep Ameer Khan 
 amused before the walls, in order that his 
 defeat might be complete. This letter 
 was given to a messenger, with instructions 
 to fall into the hands of Ameer Khan's 
 videttes ; and the gallant fellow carried 
 out his instructions well, for he allowed 
 himself to be captured by an outpost, and 
 carried before Ameer Khan. 
 
 The letter was found upon him and read, 
 and great was the consternation in the 
 camp. The whole British army was 
 within a night's march ! The order was at 
 once given to strike the tents ; but before 
 the army could move, a village in the rear 
 was seen to burst into flames, and the 
 country-people, rushing into the camp, 
 declared that Lord Lake was already 
 upon them, for the Yellow Troop were 
 firing the villages. 
 
 The truth was, that a few sowars had 
 volunteered to assist Captain Skinner in 
 carrying out his ruse, and by opportunely 
 firing the village had corroborated the 
 alarming letter received by Ameer Khan.
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 121 
 
 The terror of the Pathan was, however, 
 complete, for he fled in confusion from 
 before Sumbhul, leaving Robert Skinner 
 and his gallant men as astonished as 
 delighted, to make their way from the 
 serai to the British camp in perfect safety. 
 
 The messenger who carried the letter 
 and the sowars who assisted the stratagem 
 were handsomely rewarded ; and Robert 
 Skinner and his detachment were specially 
 thanked by the Commander-in-Chief, who 
 sent a letter in Persian to the regiment, 
 applauding them for the gallantry of their 
 defence and the severe loss they had 
 inflicted upon Ameer Khan. And thus 
 ended this wonderful campaign. 
 
 In the chase after Holkar the army had 
 gone five hundred miles, after Ameer 
 Khan seven hundred, and Skinner's Horse 
 was the only Hindustanee corps that 
 was in active service throughout. During 
 the whole time the men were eighteen 
 hours out of the twenty-four in the saddle ; 
 and often in the chase after Ameer Khan, 
 when they had the rear-guard, they
 
 122 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 picked up the European dragoons knocked 
 up, and, themselves dismounting, put them 
 on their horses and brought them into 
 camp. And thus it was that the " Yellow 
 Boys " were as popular among their friends 
 as they were dreaded by their enemies. 
 
 Ameer Khan by this time had crossed 
 the Jumna, a ruined man in reputation, 
 army, and means ; and no enemies were 
 left for the British to fight. The times 
 grew wearily peaceful, for Scindhia and 
 Holkar both pretended to come to terms, 
 and at last came the order for the break- 
 up of the force with which Skinner's Horse 
 was serving. 
 
 Captain Skinner, on his way to Saharun- 
 pore, passed through Delhi, and here 
 Colonel Ochterlony, the British Resident, 
 inspected the corps, and after thanking it 
 for its distinguished services, unbuckled 
 his own sword, and in the name of Lord 
 Lake presented it to Captain Skinner. 
 
 But very soon Holkar, with Ameer 
 Khan's shattered forces, started for 
 Lahore, marching through the Hurriana
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 123 
 
 country to enlist the assistance of Runjeet 
 Singh, and in 1805, Lord Lake, re-forming 
 the army, started in pursuit. 
 
 At the Sutlej the opinions of the mili- 
 tary and political authorities (Sir John 
 Malcolm) clashed as to the propriety of 
 crossing into the territory of Runjeet 
 Singh ; but Lord Lake, taking the re- 
 sponsibility upon himself, ordered the 
 " Yellow Boys " to lead the way across the 
 river. 
 
 Captain Skinner made a short speech to 
 his men, who with three cheers dashed 
 into the Sutlej. The horses swam for a 
 short distance, and then, feeling the 
 bottom, scrambled on to an island in the 
 middle of the river. It proved, however, 
 to be a quicksand, so, cutting the fasten- 
 ings of the galloper gun which they had 
 taken with them, Captain Skinner ordered 
 his men to proceed. They reached the 
 shore ; and then, having picketed the 
 horses, returned, and in the sight of Lord 
 Lake, his staff, and a number of officers 
 who had assembled to see the achievement,
 
 124 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 rescued the gun from the treacherous 
 sand, and as it touched the firm soil, 
 Skinner, taking off his hat, gave three 
 cheers, in which Lord Lake and his staff 
 joined, to proclaim the fact that a British 
 gun had passed the Sutlej. 
 
 So pleased was Lord Lake at the manner 
 in which this work was performed, that he 
 ordered Rs. 2000 to be given to the men 
 who went over with the gun. 
 
 Holkar, however, was far in advance ; 
 and, as the only chance of inflicting any 
 loss upon him, Lord Lake ordered Captain 
 Skinner to pursue him alone. At the Beas 
 river the <f Yellow Boys " found Holkar 
 crossing, and after cutting up the detach- 
 ment which had not yet passed over, 
 captured a large convoy of grain and 
 brought it back to Lord Lake ; that is to 
 say, after marching twenty miles with the 
 army, Skinner's Horse advanced ten miles 
 alone, cut up the rear-guard of Holkar's 
 army, captured a convoy, and brought it 
 into camp, having been absent about fif- 
 teen hours, and then proceeded with the
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 125 
 
 regular army on its march as if it had never 
 left it ! 
 
 When Lord Lake reached the Beas, he 
 found Holkar ready to sue for peace ; and 
 after holding a grand review, at which 
 Runjeet Singh was himself present in dis- 
 guise, and which Sikhs to this day remem- 
 ber as the exhibition of a strength then 
 undreamt of by them, turned homewards. 
 
 At Kurnaul the army was broken up ; 
 and though Skinner's Horse had been 
 promised by Lord Lake permanent service, 
 Sir George Barlow ordered the whole corps 
 to be dismissed. When Skinner arrived, 
 Lord Lake was at breakfast ; but he was 
 sent for, and, with tears in his eyes, his 
 Lordship gave him the despatch from Sir 
 George Barlow. 
 
 " I read it" (we quote Skinner's own 
 narrative) " but said nothing ; when Lord 
 Lake, catching my hand, said : ' Skinner, 
 I am very sorry indeed for it : what can I 
 do for you ? ' 'My Lord,' I replied, ' the 
 character you have given me will enable 
 me to earn my bread, and 'some just man
 
 126 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 may hereafter come to the head of affairs 
 who will take me by the hand ! ' ' Well/ 
 said Lord Lake, ' but how can I satisfy 
 you now ? ' I replied that I should be 
 content with a small jagheer (a grant of 
 land) as I did not mean to again serve as 
 a soldier unless obliged. He asked me 
 how much would satisfy me and my brother 
 Robert would Rs. 20,000 a year satisfy 
 us ? I thanked him, and said he was 
 making princes of us. Lord Lake laughed, 
 and appointed jagheers of Rs. 5000 a year 
 apiece to four of my ressaldars, pensioned 
 all officers as low as duffadars, gave three 
 months' gratuity to all the men, and placed 
 the sick and wounded upon the Haupper 
 establishment. I then took my leave, 
 with a letter to the Collector of Coel for 
 jagheers ; and returning, brought the corps 
 to Delhi, where the painful task awaited 
 me of tearing myself from the men who 
 had gained such laurels under the British 
 colours. All those who had deserted that 
 service at first , and then came over to it, 
 received rewards. Those only who had
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 127 
 
 proved faithful all along were discharged 
 from it" 
 
 These are bitter words ; but Skinner 
 meant them as he wrote, and to this day 
 they remain true. But worse was yet to 
 come, for Sir George Barlow cancelled the 
 order for Skinner's jagheers, on the plea 
 that, being British subjects, they could not 
 hold land ! At Delhi the " Yellow Boys " 
 met, and Captain Skinner paid up his 
 veterans and discharged them, settling 
 himself at that place upon a captain's pen- 
 sion. 
 
 This miserable termination to a most 
 brilliant career was not, however, to be, 
 for when the Sikhs threatened trouble, 
 Captain Skinner was ordered to raise three 
 hundred horse, and, even after the danger 
 had passed, to raise it to eight hundred. 
 With this force, and a couple of galloper 
 guns, Captain Skinner proceeded, in 1809, 
 to the Hurriana country, where for five 
 years they did their usual excellent service 
 in dashing about the country and suppress- 
 ing turbulent raiders. Amongst other
 
 128 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 exploits, Skinner's Horse was present at 
 the taking of Bhowanee, and in company 
 with the 6th Native Cavalry charged the 
 garrison who were making their escape.
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 LAST DAYS OF SKINNER. 
 
 IN 1814 Captain Skinner received an order 
 to raise his force to three regiments of a 
 thousand men each. With characteristic 
 energy he immediately set about the work 
 of recruiting ; and by calling still further 
 upon families already largely represented in 
 his ranks, succeeded within a year in adding 
 the twenty-two required ressalahs to his 
 corps. The composition and organization 
 of the force remained unaltered. It was 
 a brigade of cavalry with the uniformity 
 of a regiment. 
 
 In 1819 one regiment of Skinner's corps 
 was paid off; the second, under Major 
 Robert Skinner, was sent to Neemuch ; 
 while the Colonel himself, with the remain- 
 ing thousand men, remained at Hansie. 
 In the meantime the great desire of the 
 
 K
 
 130 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 Skinners was accomplished. They had a 
 little estate held in jagheer from Govern- 
 ment, and it was one of the fondest objects 
 of their ambition to obtain this in perpetuity. 
 About this time their wishes were gratified, 
 and the little ilaqua (village and land) 
 became their own. But Robert Skinner 
 did not live long to enjoy the fruition of 
 his hopes, for he died in 1821. The next 
 three years were passed fn local service ; 
 when, in 1824, Colonel Skinner was 
 suddenly ordered to raise another troop 
 of eight hundred men, and almost imme- 
 diately afterwards to raise the strength of 
 each to one thousand sabres. This was 
 done in a month and a half, all the original 
 "Yellow Boys" flocking to the " Sekun- 
 der's " standard. 
 
 And we would here digress to note that 
 Skinner's Horse, which, when first raised, 
 was composed entirely of Syuds, Moghuls, 
 and Pathans from the Doab and the neigh- 
 bourhood, each man the relative of the 
 other, has ever since been recruited from 
 the same family circles, the traditions of
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 131 
 
 the corps being thus handed down from 
 father to son, and brother to brother. At 
 this day the men of Skinner's Horse are 
 the descendants or relatives of the gallant 
 fellows who, in 1803, elected "Sekunder" 
 (Skinner) their captain, and defeated 
 Madharao at Malaghur. 
 
 The command of the 2nd Regiment 
 was given to Captain Martindale, but it 
 had a brief career, being broken up in 1829. 
 The uniform still remained yellow, but a 
 picturesque addition was made in the shape 
 of a short-sleeved spencer, edged with fur, 
 and worn over the alkaluk ; the kakee* 
 pyjamas were changed also to green cloth, 
 and a steel helmet superseded the pugree. 
 It was at this time that standards 
 were presented to the regiment by 
 General Reynolds, emblazoned with the 
 Persian motto, " Himmut murdan Muddut 
 Khoda " (" The bravery of man, but 
 
 * "Kakee" is a colour afterwards introduced into the 
 service during the Mutiny and worn by European and 
 native soldiers. Being a mud colour it is not easily 
 distinguishable at a distance. 
 
 K 2
 
 132 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 help of God ") ; a motto which corre- 
 sponds singularly with Cromwell's " Trust 
 in God and keep your powder dry." 
 
 Towards the close of 1825 the ist Regi- 
 ment marched for Bhurtpore. On their 
 arrival at Muttra, five troops, under Major 
 Fraser, were detached to Agra to join the 
 column under Major-General Sir Jasper 
 Nicholls, and five troops, commanded by 
 Colonel James Skinner, proceeded with 
 Lord Combermere's force towards Bhurt- 
 pore. 
 
 The site of this fortress is somewhat 
 depressed, and this circumstance con- 
 tributes, from a military point of view, in 
 no small degree to its strength, as the 
 water of a small lake in the vicinity can 
 be discharged into the moat in such a 
 volume as to render it unfordable. 
 
 On Lord Combermere's approach, 
 therefore, the first thought of the enemy 
 was to flood the ditch ; and for this 
 purpose a working party, strongly sup- 
 ported, was told off to cut the embank- 
 ment which restrained the egress of the
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 133 
 
 water in the Motee Jheel towards the 
 town. The work was in progress. Basket 
 after basket full of earth was being removed, 
 and the bund (raised embankment) which 
 held the water was gradually diminishing 
 in width. The water had actually com- 
 menced to flow, and in a few moments 
 more the breach would have been irre- 
 parable, the advancing army checked, and 
 Bhurtpore saved. 
 
 But at this critical moment the " Yellow 
 Boys " appeared above the hill, their sabres 
 flashed from their scabbards, Fraser with 
 his troopers dashed upon the enemy, and 
 the embankment was saved. 
 
 A desperate fight ensued. Twenty of 
 Skinner's men lay dead or dying on the 
 field ; Major Fraser was wounded by a 
 spear, and the brave Rajah, who led the 
 enemy and fought with great gallantry, 
 was killed in fierce combat with the 
 sowars. Lord Combermere now invested 
 the city, and the siege commenced in 
 stern earnest. 
 
 During the siege, Skinner's Horse were
 
 134 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 constantly employed on escort and forage 
 duties, again and again winning admiration 
 by the gallantry of their skirmishes with 
 the enemy. On the i3th of January, 1826, 
 Bhurtpore was taken by storm, and two 
 troops of Skinner's Horse, dismounted, 
 acted with the assaulting columns. 
 
 For these services Major Skinner was 
 promoted to the rank of lieutenant- 
 colonel, and obtained the third class of the 
 Order of the Bath Lord Combermere 
 presenting the veteran with his own insignia 
 as Skinner's had not arrived. Ressaldars 
 Amanat Khan, Zuberdust Khan, and 
 Meer Bahadur were honourably men- 
 tioned for their " dashing gallantry," in 
 Lord Combermere' s despatches, and the 
 regiment was permitted to bear on its 
 standards and appointments the illustrious 
 legend of " Bhurtpore." 
 
 The fall of this famous fort startled the 
 neighbouring chiefs into submission, and 
 the army of Lord Combermere was broken 
 up, Skinner having the honour of entertain- 
 ing his Lordship at his jagheer of Belaspore
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 135 
 
 before his departure ; and nothing memor- 
 able occurred in the history of the 
 regiment until the year 1838, when, its 
 strength having been augmented, it 
 marched to Ferozepore to take part in the 
 expedition to Afghanistan. 
 
 On its arrival at headquarters, the greater 
 portion, under the command of Colonel 
 Skinner, to their bitter disappointment, 
 were sent back to Hansie, it being found 
 that they were not required with the army 
 of the Indus ; but one ressalah accom- 
 panied Shah Soojah's force with Sir 
 William Macnaughten to Candahar, and 
 afterwards to Cabul ; and two ressalah s, 
 under Captain Martindale, accompanied 
 the first column of the army of the Indus 
 as far as Dadur, in Cutch Guindawa. 
 Captain Martindale, being taken very ill, 
 was forced to return from Shahpore, and 
 Captain Macpherson (afterwards com- 
 mandant of the 3rd Regiment of the 
 Gwalior Contingent Infantry) did duty 
 with the detachment on its arrival at 
 Dadur, and that right gallantly.
 
 136 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 After some months of inaction on the 
 frontier, Nuseer Khan, the young Khan 
 of Khelat, assembled a large body of 
 Brahooee rebels, and on the 29th of 
 October (1839) attacked Dadur, when a 
 detachment of Skinner's Horse, number- 
 ing only one hundred and twenty sabres, 
 attacked them with desperate gallantry, 
 and were completely victorious. The 
 senior native officer and some ten sowars 
 were killed, and as many more, besides 
 Captain Macpherson, were wounded. 
 
 The following is the account of the 
 famous Dadur charge, given in a letter to 
 Colonel Skinner, dated, Dadur Khan, 
 November 6th, 1840 : " At the request of 
 Captain Macpherson, who is wounded, I 
 write to give you an account of the gallant 
 conduct of your men on the 29th of 
 October. The enemy issued out of the 
 Bolan Pass in a body of about nine thou- 
 sand strong, and pitched their camp within 
 four miles of our cantonments, where they 
 remained quiet all the 28th. On the 
 morning of the 29th they began to
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 137 
 
 assemble, and at about half-past one 
 four guns from their camp were fired as a 
 signal for the attack, and they immediately 
 advanced in two divisions of about four 
 thousand each. In about an hour they 
 came within reach of our six-pounders, and 
 we opened fire upon them with good effect ; 
 but, undaunted, they advanced to within 
 two hundred and fifty yards of our walls, 
 under a heavy fire of small arms and 
 artillery. About four o'clock we received 
 orders to cease firing, as Skinner's cavalry, 
 a hundred and twenty strong, under 
 Captain Macpherson, were about to charge. 
 A large body of about two thousand of the 
 enemy was collected in our front, and 
 many were concealed in a large cotton field 
 within five hundred yards of our walls. On 
 being charged, the enemy's cavalry fled at 
 once. Captain Macpherson," continues 
 the writer, " received a wound at the out- 
 set, and regrets that he was no longer with 
 your men, and had no further opportunity 
 of judging who distinguished themselves 
 particularly, but he especially desires me
 
 138 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 to bring to your notice the conduct of 
 Naib Ressaldar Mahomed Hossein Khan, 
 who, previous to the charge, used his 
 utmost endeavours to excite his men, by 
 bringing to their recollection former acts of 
 gallantry. ' Now,' said he, ' is the time for 
 you to distinguish yourselves ; you are in 
 the presence of Bombay troops. In your 
 charge, prove to the Bombay soldiers that 
 you are worthy of the character you bear 
 in Bengal ; recollect that you are "Skinner's 
 Horse " ! '" 
 
 On the 4th of December, 1841, died 
 the illustrious officer whose name will be 
 for ever associated with this regiment. 
 Colonel James Skinner breathed his last 
 at Hansie after a few days' illness. As 
 pious as brave, as modest as distinguished, 
 this really wonderful man had, in his life, 
 engaged the sincere affection both of the 
 men whom he commanded and of those 
 under whose command he was ; and in his 
 death he was honoured as few men have 
 been honoured. On the I7th of January, 
 1842, the remains of Colonel Skinner were
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 139 
 
 disinterred and escorted by the whole corps 
 and a great crowd of men to Delhi, where, 
 four miles from cantonments, they were 
 met by every European in Delhi, and a 
 great multitude of natives. " No emperor," 
 said the natives, " was ever brought into 
 Delhi in such state as the Sekunder Sahib." 
 Colonel Skinner lies buried in the church 
 he built himself, and by the side of his 
 great friend, William Fraser. 
 
 After the death of Colonel Skinner the 
 command of the regiment devolved tem- 
 porarily upon Major B. Phillips ; Major L. 
 Smith being appointed in February, 1842. 
 
 But these were the piping times of 
 peace, and Skinner's Horse found little to 
 do. In the relief of 1842-43, the regiment 
 marched to Neemuch, where it remained 
 until the Punjaub Campaign of 1845-46, 
 when it was ordered to the front ; but on 
 arrival at Hansie the campaign had con- 
 cluded, and it returned to Neemuch. In 
 1847 four ressalahs were reduced, with a 
 year's gratuity, the native officers being 
 retained as supernumeraries until absorbed
 
 140 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 or transferred ; and in 1849 the corps 
 marched to Lahore, Lieutenant C. Cham- 
 berlain joining it on the march as com- 
 mandant, vice Smith resigned. At Lahore it 
 remained inactive until 1852, when it was 
 ordered up to Peshawur, and enjoyed a skir- 
 mish with Pindah Khan. Two years later 
 the North-West Frontier medal fell to it for 
 its presence, under Colonel Cotton, in the 
 action against the Mohmunds. In 1856 
 it arrived at Jhelum ; and while there, the 
 order of the Government was published 
 that all recruits should enlist for general 
 service, and Skinner's Horse, probably 
 disgusted with the persistent tranquillity of 
 the times, volunteered to serve beyond 
 seas, in any clime or country where their 
 services might be required. For this loyal 
 declaration the corps received the special 
 thanks of Government. And then broke 
 out the Mutiny the terrible ordeal to 
 which our native troops were put in 1857 
 an ordeal which so many failed to pass. 
 Brilliant, however, among the exceptions 
 was Skinner's Horse.
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 141 
 
 It was at Mooltan at the time, and the 
 news of the outbreak at Meerut arrived in 
 May. An unsettled spirit at once became 
 manifest among the native garrison, and 
 emissaries from the infantry regiments 
 attempted to tamper with the loyalty of 
 the " Yellow Boys." 
 
 But with little success. Skinner's Horse 
 told them plainly, that not only would they 
 not join them, but that if the infantry 
 mutinied they would act against them, 
 while information of the conspiracy was at 
 once carried by the Woordie Major of 
 Skinner's Horse, Meer Burkut Ullee,* to 
 Major Chamberlain, by whom it was com- 
 municated to Sir John Lawrence. Sir 
 John Lawrence at once issued orders for 
 the disarming of the mutinously inclined 
 regiments, and this dangerous measure 
 
 * This faithful soldier died at Cawnpore on the 
 8th June, 1872, from the effects of a fall from his 
 horse while mounting to go on parade an excellent 
 native officer, a staunch supporter of the Government, 
 and a true friend to all. His loss will long be felt 
 in the regiment, and by none more so than his 
 commanding officer, William Alexander.
 
 142 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 was successfully carried out on the nth 
 of June. For their share in this coup, 
 Meer Burkut Ullee was presented by the 
 Punjaub Government with a khillut of 
 Rs. 500, and Naib Ressaldar Shidad Khan 
 with one of Rs. 200, while the thanks of 
 Sir John Lawrence were conveyed to the 
 corps for their conspicuous loyalty. 
 
 In September an insurrection broke out 
 among the Moolleh Jhats in the neigh- 
 bourhood of Mooltan, and the Commis- 
 sioner wrote for the assistance of Skinner's 
 Horse. 
 
 A detachment of eighty men, under 
 Ressaldar Illahee Buksh Khan, accord- 
 ingly proceeded to Harruppa, where the 
 treasury had been looted, and the tehseel- 
 dar carried off by the rebels. 
 
 But the strength of the enemy had been 
 under-estimated, and the next day Major 
 Chamberlain proceeded with reinforce- 
 ments to the assistance of the detachment. 
 Severe skirmishing ensued ; but the rebels 
 gathered in such overwhelming numbers, 
 that the two hundred " Yellow Boys " had
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 143 
 
 to take refuge, on the 23rd of September, 
 in the old serai of Cheechawutnee, where 
 they were furiously besieged by some ten 
 thousand rebels. 
 
 For two days, however, the gallant troop 
 held out, without food for man or beast ; 
 and on the 25th were relieved by the 
 sudden appearance of Colonel Paton with 
 his movable column. 
 
 During the next two months the excel- 
 lence of this corps was very marked ; for to 
 the harassing work of establishing order in 
 a large and disaffected district, they brought 
 their incomparable dash and that wonderful 
 power of sustaining personal fatigue which 
 had so often evoked the admiration of 
 friends and foes. 
 
 After the suppression of the Mutiny, the 
 Government of India notified its intention 
 of summarily dismissing from its service 
 all the men of native regiments who, 
 during the Mutiny, had been absent from 
 their respective corps, and who could not, 
 on rejoining, prove satisfactorily that they
 
 144 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 had been friendly towards us during the 
 interval of absence. Nearly two hundred 
 of Skinner's Horse were absent from the 
 corps when the Mutiny broke out. Here 
 and there, as the opportunity was offered 
 them, small parties of the absentees joined 
 the nearest British force ; but a large pro- 
 portion were unable to prove their active 
 loyalty, and the order of Government was 
 therefore made applicable to them. Sir 
 John Lawrence, however, arrived at Mool- 
 tan soon after peace had been restored, 
 and collecting the commissioned officers of 
 the corps, asked them what boon he could 
 grant them for their good services, and 
 they asked that the absentees might be 
 allowed to return to their corps. The 
 request was granted, and upwards of a 
 hundred of their old comrades were wel- 
 comed back by Skinner's Horse. 
 
 In January of 1859, Skinner's Horse 
 assisted in the pursuit of rebels towards 
 Bikaneer, returning to cantonments at 
 Jullundhur. While they were here, the 
 order was published by which the designa-
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 145 
 
 tion of the Irregular Cavalry was changed 
 to that of " Bengal Cavalry." And in 
 1867 the command of this distinguished 
 regiment fell to Colonel Alexander.
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 IN 1876 Colonel Alexander retired from 
 active service with the rank of Major- 
 General. 
 
 Always of a high moral inclination, he is 
 proud to relate that early in his retirement 
 he became dissatisfied with the absence 
 in himself of that decidedly Christian 
 character he had for many years seen in 
 his beloved wife. 
 
 It is, then, not surprising that at 
 Brighton, in 1879, he determined to declare 
 his allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 and on their twenty-ninth wedding-day he 
 communicated his resolve to Mrs. Alex- 
 ander, to her great joy. 
 
 The happy pair thereupon laid the
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 147 
 
 remainder of their lives, spared from so 
 many perils, at the feet of the King of 
 kings, to be used by Him in service and 
 for His cause. 
 
 They did not attempt this by seeking 
 the circles of the great ; but retiring to 
 Burgess Hill, in Sussex, they devoted 
 themselves to the spiritual and temporal 
 needs of the poor, chiefly those who 
 seemed outside the range of any existing 
 Christian agency. 
 
 A small room was the confined sphere in 
 which their first efforts were made, but 
 soon at a spot where three or four roads 
 meet, some miles from nowhere, an iron 
 building was erected and called the North 
 End Mission Room. 
 
 When the writer first visited this place 
 his inquiry was : " Where do the people 
 come from?" For scarcely a cottage 
 could be seen. 
 
 However, a long time before the ser- 
 vice commenced, men in smock frocks, 
 labourers, and women with children 
 appeared over the hills from miles around 
 
 L 2
 
 148 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 to prove that the mission hall provided a 
 need that really existed. 
 
 Hundreds of people have heard the 
 story of God's love to mankind through 
 the instrumentality of General and Mrs. 
 Alexander ; and as the hall is over two 
 miles from Burgess Hill, and there are two 
 services every Sunday, eight miles had to 
 be traversed by these devoted Christian 
 people. Of course they did not could 
 not both walk the whole distance each 
 time, but there were very few exceptions. 
 Moreover, walking did not complete the 
 day's task for anyone, for both the General 
 and his wife took regular duties for the 
 comfort of the people. 
 
 There were also " extras." One Sunday 
 we walked down to the mission hall through 
 a white country mist, the trees and hedges 
 being covered with crystal rime, and the 
 weather biting cold. 
 
 On arrival at our destination we found 
 the place full of smoke. Someone had 
 attempted to light the stove with green 
 wood. The windows and doors being shut,
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 149 
 
 of course the place was suffocating, and 
 country people affected with chronic 
 asthma and bronchitis would be hors de 
 combat in the briefest moment in such an 
 atmosphere. Moreover, the fire was not 
 burning and the room was cold. 
 
 All this could not daunt our venerable 
 friend and his resourceful wife. Had they 
 been West End sybarites as they might 
 have been they would have ordered 
 " James " to drive them home at once, but 
 having the love of God and the poor in 
 their hearts, they grappled with the 
 difficulty, and Mrs. Alexander was soon 
 down at the stove clearing it out and 
 relighting the fire, while we all, after open- 
 ing the windows to release the smoke, 
 were busy for some time with handker- 
 chiefs or dusters wiping over the seats. 
 
 On another occasion we reached the 
 hall to find that a small oil lamp, which 
 was used to keep the organ warm, had 
 been lighted and turned up too high. 
 
 The whole place stank, while seats, 
 books, desk, and all things were covered
 
 150 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 
 
 with " blacks." These vile sooty drops 
 hung in the air like a pestilence, and it 
 was only after great labour and much 
 coughing that we rescued the place. 
 
 And these people who have spent their 
 lives in their country's service, did they 
 murmur ? No, they laughed heartily at 
 the experience, and often since have we all 
 laughed at these matters as if they had 
 been the greatest fun. 
 
 " John Anderson, my Jo, John, 
 We've climbed the hill together, 
 And many a cantie day, John, 
 We've had with one another, 
 Now we must totter down, John, 
 But hand in hand we'll go." 
 
 So sang Burns, and he could not have 
 more beautifully depicted the two hap py 
 people whose story we have been tell- 
 ing save that they are not tottering 
 down. 
 
 If ever there was a beautiful eventide of 
 life it is to be found with General Alex- 
 ander and his wife. 
 
 Simple, happy, devoted lovers and
 
 INCIDENTS IN INDIA 151 
 
 friends. May your eventide, dear reader, 
 be like unto theirs. 
 
 This story is not intended to enshrine 
 new heroes but to introduce dear friends. 
 Truly they are lovely and pleasant in their 
 lives. The world cannot find better illus- 
 trations of godly, happy old age. God 
 grant that they may be spared many years 
 yet to each other, and to the service of 
 mankind. 
 
 They have served their country with 
 a loyalty that has known no wavering. 
 They still serve their fellows by pro- 
 claiming " peace on earth and good will 
 to men," the message of the God of Peace 
 whose peace " passeth all understanding." 
 
 Our only comment is : " Go thou and 
 do likewise. 5 ' 
 
 THE END.
 
 LONDON : 
 
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