^y/Uy^^ Clli/i^^ri^ 
 
 ^^^IruvfrJf/if^/ '/oo/^/crnw 
 
^A 
 
^^' 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2007 with funding from 
 
 IVIicrosoft Corporation 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/extractsfromlettOObamfrich 
 
EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS 
 
 I 
 TO MRS. BAMFIELD FROM HER HUSBAND, 
 
 DURING THE 
 
 SECOND SEIKH WAR 
 
 THE LAST LETTER HAVING BEEN WRITTEN WITHIN 
 
 TWENTY-FOUR HOURS OF HIS RECEIVING 
 
 A MORTAL WOUND AT 
 
 THE BATTLE OF CHILLIANWALLAH. 
 
 ALSO, . ■, ' • *,.«'i'i>j %• ;/,' 
 THE SUBSEQUENT LETTERS 
 
 OF HER SON, &c. 
 
 BATH : 
 C. W. OLIVER, 24, MILSOM STREET. 
 
 MDCCCLZV. 
 
1DS477 
 
 (p^ 
 
 B3 
 
 «NRY MORS- ~-^PHCW» 
 
 . •" «i * •• • . . • • • 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 Who knoweth 7iot in all these that the hand of the 
 
 Almighty hath wrought this ? 
 
 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing ^ 
 
 and the breath of all mankind. 
 
 Job xii. 9, 10. 
 
 A year ago, I had the privilege of hear- 
 ing a very beautiful discourse from a much- 
 esteemed minister on the above passage of 
 Scripture, which was peculiarly touching to 
 me, as it doubtless was to many others. 
 He chose it for his text on the occasion of 
 unexpected and deep sorrow in his own 
 family, and by an effort which seemed almost 
 too great, made his own then very recent 
 affliction the means of much instruction, of 
 much comfort and consolation to all those 
 
 51 55 is 
 
IV PREFACE. 
 
 who were able to appreciate it and to 
 sympathize with him ; while he was himself 
 a living example of humble and entire sub- 
 mission to, and firm faith and confidence in, 
 Him who had inflicted the wound undcF 
 which he was suffering. Often since then 
 have these words recurred to me, and I 
 cannot but feel that they are appropriately 
 placed here. 
 
 Although the following extracts and 
 letters explain themselves too clearly to need 
 any interpreter, I feel that a few words of 
 introduction are necessary from me in 
 placing them even in the hands of my late 
 husband's and my own nearest relations. 
 It is now more than two years since I first 
 expressed to some of them my intention of 
 transcribing, and probably having a few 
 copies printed, of those parts of their 
 brother's letters which I wished to shew 
 them ; and five years since the events 
 recorded in them and in Albert's letters 
 took place ; yet I do not think any one will 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 wonder that my promise had not been sooner 
 fulfilled. I used to think I could do it only 
 when quite alone, quite uninterrupted, and 
 on such occasions have made the attempt, 
 and as often have been obhged to relinquish 
 it. But now, in the cheerful and cheering 
 society of my mother and others, and amid 
 various interruptions, I have accomplished 
 that which I could not do in soHtude. And 
 although five long years have elapsed since 
 those fearful and sorrow-spreading scenes, 
 so ably and faithfully narrated by Captain 
 Thackwell occurred. Chilli an wall a is still 
 fresh in the memory of our country, still 
 painfully fresh in the memory of those who 
 personally suffered there, and in whose 
 hearts the memory of those who nobly but 
 lamentably fell there will never die. There- 
 fore, this tribute, though late, is not 
 unseasonable. And well can we who suffered 
 then and suffer still feel for and sympathize 
 with those who are suffering the same things 
 nowj and, alas ! must suffer more. 
 
VI PREFACE. 
 
 I would long ago have wished to thank 
 Captain Thackwell for his noble, deeply-felt, 
 and much-valued, because truthful, tribute 
 to the memory of my late husband ; and if 
 he reads these pages, he will be more fully 
 aware of how just was his claim to the high 
 testimony he has recorded ; and his prayer 
 for the widow is not in vain, for although 
 her loss is an irreparable one, there is much 
 to cheer and console her under it, not merely 
 in the remembrance of what we call the 
 glory of a brave soldier's death on the field 
 of battle ! that did indeed but add bitterly 
 to her grief, to think that he should have 
 been cut off in the midst of health and 
 strength, both of body and mind, and that 
 one so good and kind should have suffered 
 a death so inconsistent with his whole life 
 and character. Yet there is one thought 
 which is alt-powerful to silence the faintest 
 murmuring; not only in the thought that 
 he died as he had lived, in the zealous 
 and intelligent performance of his duty, but, 
 
PREFACE. Vll 
 
 more than all, in the knowledge that his 
 hopes of eternal life were firmly built on the 
 " Rock of Ages/' that he " sleeps in Jesus" 
 till that time when the trumpet shall sound 
 and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, 
 and DEATH shall be swallowed up in victory. 
 
 If I have left anything in these extracts 
 from my late husband's letters which it may 
 be thought would have been better omitted, 
 I must say that I have done it with reluc- 
 tance as regards my own feelings ; yet as 
 they will be read only hy\dwdi friends, I have 
 the less scruple in allowing to appear some 
 expressions of his love and kindness to 
 myself ; and none will doubt my motive in 
 so doing. Nor can I forbear to add the 
 valued letters of some of our friends. 
 
 We are all and at all times subject to 
 bereavements and affliction, and w^e all stand 
 in need of having our minds directed and 
 led to those powerful sources of strength and 
 consolation to which, under the influence of 
 crushing grief, we are sometimes unable to 
 
Vlll PREFACE. 
 
 resort ourselves. It is possible, therefore, 
 that these letters may soothe and comfort 
 others, as they did me. Many of those who 
 felt for me then have since been called hence, 
 and while I now write, Lady Elliot and 
 Mrs. Mountain, two of my kind and sym- 
 pathizing friends at Simla, are mourning 
 under a similar bereavement with my own. 
 May God comfort them under so heavy a 
 stroke ! 
 
 I would hope that the perusal of the 
 late Sir Charles Napier's letters, which I have 
 naturally been led to insert, may, although 
 so well acquainted with his many acts of 
 kind consideration and benevolence, afford 
 a ray of pleasure to Lady Napier and his 
 once loved daughters. His warm-hearted, 
 unhesitating, unconditional compliance with 
 my request was what / wanted, and felt it to 
 be right and due ; he felt it also, and that in 
 such a case the duty of setting aside a 
 general rule seemed more called for than 
 that of strictly adhering to it. The prompt 
 
PREFACE. IX 
 
 kindness and readiness with which Sir Charles 
 entered into my feeUngs were indeed as 
 soothing and cheering to me as anything in 
 the world at that time could have been, and 
 it was gratefully received by Albert, who 
 soon, and with ease, more than fulfilled the 
 expectations of his chief. It would appear 
 from his first note to me that Sir Charles 
 had been aware of my previous application 
 to the Governor General, but this was not 
 the case. 
 
 We also have much cause to feel 
 extremely obliged to Lord Dalhousie, for the 
 kind friendliness he manifested towards us, 
 and for the handsome way in which he 
 proved (at a dinner party in his tent, while 
 at Hooshearpore,) the sincerity of the feelings 
 expressed in his letter to me. Having 
 requested Colonel Grant to bring Albert to 
 him, he said that although lie had received 
 his appointment before the time of service 
 prescribed by the Court of Directors had been 
 completed, he need not be under any appre- 
 
X PREFACE. 
 
 hension of being remanded to his regiment, 
 but assured him that he was quite safe, and 
 certain of retaining his position ; he then 
 made Albert be seated on the couch by his 
 side, and conversed most pleasantly with 
 him as they took their coffee. He might 
 indeed feel safe with two such friends, as 
 also the Adjutants General of both armies. 
 
 Colonel Mountain had been his father's 
 friend, and on that mournful and melancholy 
 day of the burial at Chillian walla, he assured 
 Albert of his lasting friendship as he sup- 
 ported him at his father's grave. Although 
 first appointed to the 14th Irregulars, he 
 received his permanent appointment in the 
 7th, and the officer who was second in com- 
 mand of that regiment having recently been 
 ordered to join his own regiment in Burmah, 
 the same general orders contained Albert's 
 appointment to act as second in command, 
 in addition to his other duties. 
 
 He writes,—** Rawul Pindee, Feb. 16th, 
 " 1854. You will have heard ere you get 
 
PREFACE. XI 
 
 *' this of poor Colonel Mountain's death 
 '* from typhus fever, at Umballa. Poor old 
 ** gentleman, he was my best friend in India, 
 *' and almost the last act of his life must 
 " have been getting me that appointment, 
 " I mean the acting second in command. 
 ** I have been thinking of writing to Mrs. 
 *' Mountain, to express our sincere sorrow ; 
 ** but these letters of condolence, I always 
 " think, only serve in a great measure to 
 '' keep open the wound in the heart of the 
 " mourner." 
 
 I have spoken of some of my friends 
 at Simla. When I went up in March, 1 849, 
 I stood much in need of such a friend as I 
 found in the greatly-esteemed and beloved 
 Chaplain who was at that time stationed 
 there. I could not help feeling it Providential 
 that I was led to his ministry ; it seemed, or 
 rather it did throw, a sacred charm over 
 sorrow. It is a time often brought to mind 
 with grateful remembrance, of what I used 
 to hear from him, and of his very kind 
 
Xll PREFACE 
 
 attention. In the November following he 
 came to England, and has retired from the 
 service. Since my own return, in August, 
 1851, I have had the true pleasure of 
 meeting him again. 
 
 I should like to refer any of you, dear 
 friends, who will take the trouble, to the 
 life of Dr. William Gordon, by Newman 
 Hall, which was put into my hands by a 
 friend soon after I came to England, but 
 who little knew how very deeply interesting 
 it would prove to me. I refer especially to 
 the fifth chapter, headed, " a night of dis- 
 tress." It was on the 13th of Jan., 1849, 
 that Dr. Gordon was seized with those 
 alarming and agonizing sufferings which 
 were expected soon to terminate in death. 
 This alone was to me a sadly interesting 
 coincidence, but still more striking washis 
 abrupt allusion to the awful contrast between 
 his own dying circumstances and those of 
 such who die on the battle-field, for he knew 
 not that in the hour in which his words 
 
PREFACE. XUl 
 
 were uttered hundreds of his countrymen 
 were experiencing the extremity of that fear- 
 ful contrast, and some of them were kindred 
 spirits with his own. He is buried in a 
 beautiful cemetery in his native land, with 
 '' flowers nodding over his grave," and often 
 visited by those he loved and who cherish 
 his memory. They He far away on that 
 lonely mound, surrounded by the wild 
 battle-field ! Their graves are unmarked ; 
 but this inscription is on the monument 
 which has been erected to their memory — 
 
 AROUND THIS TOMB WAS FOUGHT THE SANGUINARY 
 
 BATTLE OF CHILLTANWALLAH. 
 13 th January, 1849, 
 
 BETWEEN THE 
 
 BRITISH FORCES UNDER LORD GOUGH, 
 
 AND THE SIKHS UNDER RAJAH SHERE SINGH. 
 
 ON BOTH SIDES DID 
 INNUMERABLE WARRIORS PASS FROM THIS LIFE, 
 
 DYING IN MORTAL COMBAT. 
 Honoured be the Graves of those Heroic Soldiers ! 
 
 TO THE MEMORY OF 
 THOSE WHO FELL IN THE RANKS OF THE 
 
 ANGLO-INDIAN ARMY, 
 
 THIS MONUMENT HAS BEEN RAISED BY THEIR 
 
 SURVIVING COMRADES, 
 At whose sides they perished : 
 
 COMRADES WHO GLORY IN THEIR GLORY, AND LAMENT 
 THEIR FALL. 
 
XIV. PREFACE. 
 
 And this on the tomb of our little 
 daughter, in Leckhampton Churchyard, near 
 Cheltenham — 
 
 SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF 
 
 BLANCHE AGNES LOCH, 
 
 ONLY DAUGHTER OF THE LATE 
 
 MAJOR DANIEL BAMFIELD, 
 
 OF THE BENGAL ARMY, WHO FELL AT CHILLIANWALLA, 
 
 AND OF CHRISTIAN HIS WIFE ; 
 
 WHO DIED AT CHELTENHAM, OF CONSUMPTION, 
 
 IN HER FIFTEENTH YEAR, 
 
 July 1st, 185L 
 
 " Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, 
 
 and I will give you rest." 
 
 She cried for " Rest ! rest ! Peace ! peace !" 
 and she loved the text on her tomb. 
 
 They, whose names are written on that 
 stone, how widely separated are their mortal 
 remains ! but their undying spirits are 
 united in heaven, and for ever at rest and 
 peace. 
 
 C. B. 
 
 Bath; April 28th, 1854. 
 
LETTERS 
 
 Camp Humher\ \^th Sept^ 1848. 
 
 I felt very much for you when the 
 regiment passed along with the drums and 
 fifes playing, because I knew that the cheer- 
 ful sounds would be distressing to you. 
 But I trust it will please God so to direct 
 our movements that you will soon be with 
 me again. 
 
 It is devoutly to be hoped that Albert 
 will get an extension of leave, and not have 
 to return to Benares. The tent is very 
 comfortable, and I find the punka a great 
 luxury. 
 
2 LETTERS. 
 
 All my things have come up nicely, and I 
 shall have all the comfort which solitude in 
 camp will admit of. 
 
 I trust you will soon inform me that 
 Albert is not to return to Benares. 
 
 They are striking the tent, and I must 
 pack up. 
 
 5th March from Loodeana ; 
 2Sth Sept, 
 
 I was glad to receive your and 
 Younger's letters this morning, but the in- 
 telligence regarding the Punjaub is very 
 serious. 
 
 By the time of our arrival at Ferozepore 
 much will be known, but it is impossible 
 without further particulars for me to make 
 any plan for ourselves. 
 
 My opinion is, that an effort will now be 
 made to assemble as large -an army as we 
 can muster, and that a Proclamation will be 
 
LETTERS. O 
 
 issued declaring the Treaty annulled, and 
 annexing the Punjaub to British India. 
 
 In virtue of our disgraceful treaty with 
 Goolab Sing, by which he is bound to render 
 us assistance against all enemies, I suppose 
 he will be required to attack the Seikhs in 
 the Hazareh country, and the result will be 
 that our treaty with him will soon be 
 annulled also, and then we shall have to 
 conquer the Punjaub, or we shall once more 
 have the Seikhs as enemies in our own 
 territories. When the Punjaub is again in our 
 own hands we shall keep it, and there must 
 be a large increase to the army immediately, 
 or our old provinces will be endangered. 
 
 Brigadier Campbell at Lahore will act with 
 firmness. 
 
 We should have garrisoned Govindgbur 
 with our own troops long ago. We may 
 fear for our few countrymen who are at 
 Peshawur, and other distant parts of the 
 country ; and no wisdom has been displayed 
 in giving them protection. 
 
4 LETTERS. 
 
 I think, under present circumstances, 
 Albert will get extension of leave, for 
 every officer, old and young, will be required. 
 
 There was a dust storm just at the first 
 bugle this morning, which lasted a couple 
 of hours. There was also a little rain. 
 
 The greater part of the country we have 
 passed through is sandy, and every thing 
 scarce and dear. 
 
 Ferozepore ; Sept. 22c?. 
 
 We arrived here this morning, and 
 are to halt for orders. 
 
 No dawk from Mooltan for three days. 
 
 I am glad to find Albert ranked at last, 
 he will soon be posted. 
 
 Saturday, 23d Sept. I went to the Post- 
 office and received your letter of yesterday, 
 and also one from Brigadier Eckford. I 
 trust you will soon be comfortably housed 
 with Mrs. Eckford, and shall be glad if Anna 
 and her infant join you. 
 
LETTERS. 5 
 
 Cocks will most likely be detached from 
 Lahore, and his wife ought not to be there 
 alone. 
 
 The 29th Queen's and 31st and 56th 
 Native Infantry are held in readiness to pro- 
 ceed to Mooltan at a moment's notice ; but 
 since this order was issued, the intelligence 
 of our having raised the siege of Mooltan 
 has reached head quarters, and we now look 
 forward to a modification of the order. A 
 strong force, in compact order, and consist- 
 ing of artillery, cavalry, and infantry, should 
 be sent ; and unless our rulers discontinue 
 the practice of sending small parties under 
 such circumstances, we shall have severe 
 calamities. 
 
 Letters have arrived from Mooltan, both 
 last night and this morning, and they seem 
 to be in good spirits, and free from any 
 difficulty. 
 
 They were quite astonished at seeing the 
 order for raising the siege, as the^y could 
 not perceive any necessity for it. 
 
LETTERS. 
 
 The Brigadier will perhaps be with you 
 to-day; if not, he will be with you soon 
 on his way to this place, and he will tell you 
 of our proposed movements. 
 
 We do not expect to leave this for many 
 days, but nothing is known, and we have no 
 guide in forming our own conclusions. The 
 Mooltan force was sent there in detail, and 
 with most unmilitary want of arrangement. 
 The enemy might have cut up a great many 
 of them ; but we got there without loss, 
 and our authorities may not think it 
 necessary to take ordinary precautions, 
 unless we should experience some fearful 
 calamities. 
 
 Mackeson came into camp at the last 
 march from this, having come on horseback 
 and on camel that day from Loodeana. He 
 dined with me at the mess, and then con- 
 tinued his journey to this place. I was very 
 glad to see him, and went to see him early 
 this morning and had a talk about the 
 Punjaub. 
 
LETTERS. / 
 
 24th Sept. I received your letter this 
 afternoon, mentioning Brigadier Eckford's 
 arrival at our house, and that he expected 
 to be here to-morrow evening. 
 
 I enclose a note from Captain Furgusson, 
 the Major of Brigade. . It appears that the 
 31st and 56th are to march immediately. I 
 have not heard any particulars as to route, &c. 
 The Commander-in-Chief ought to be here, 
 which i5 the rendezvous of the troops ; then 
 he might be expected to act more judiciously 
 than he can at so great a distance. My 
 opinion is that in a country such as we are 
 about to enter, we ought to march with 
 artillery, cavalry, and infantry united, so as 
 not only to be able to defend ourselves, but 
 to keep the enemy at a distance, and to 
 follow up any advantage we might gain over 
 him, in case of an action. Infantry alone 
 cannot follow up the enemy's artillery and 
 cavalry, and may be annoyed without the 
 possibility of bringing the enemy to close 
 quarters. 
 
8 LETTERB. 
 
 At present I am uninformed of our in- 
 tended movements, but I suppose Bawul- 
 pore is to be the rendezvous, and that when 
 we advance towards our troops at Mooltan 
 it will be in due order and according to 
 military maxims. .You have heard that 
 General Whish lost all his ammunition, but 
 the accounts received here are not so bad. 
 It appears that when he raised the siege 
 and changed the ground, all the Durbar 
 camels were amounting to about 3,000, and 
 the Punjahee bearers were not to be found. 
 A thousand maunds of wheat, for which 
 there was no carriage, was set on fire, and 
 some shells and shot were left behind ; but 
 the letters from Mooltan are written in good 
 spirits, and I do not apprehend any difficulty 
 in maintaining their position, if they can 
 procure sufficient supplies. The siege must 
 be renewed when we are fully prepared for 
 the undertaking, and not sooner. 
 
 In one of my early letters to Younger, I 
 said that we ought to take into the field a 
 
LETTERS. y 
 
 sufficient force of our own to meet not only 
 the avowed enemy but also whatever Durbar 
 troops might accompany us as aUies, for I 
 felt assured that if we did not, the Durbar 
 troops would turn against us, and so it has 
 proved. 
 
 24th. My letter was too late yesterday, 
 but I send it to-day without opening it, as 
 the postage is not ruinous. 
 
 The Brigadier arrived in good time this 
 morning. I had awoke some time before, 
 and had the kettle put on the fire, so that 
 he soon had a good cup of tea. He is 
 in excellent spirits, and is quite well. 
 
 We have had the thermometer in my tent 
 to-day at 104, and in small tents it must be 
 much higher ; but thank God I am perfectly 
 
 well It is doubtful whether 
 
 boats can be procured for the 29th or not. 
 The answer is expected to-night. But there 
 is great objection to the river route under 
 present circumstances. Moolrajh and the 
 Seikhs have command of the whole country 
 
10 LETTERS. 
 
 on the right bank of the Sutlej, and in some 
 places guns carry right across, and if the 
 Seikhs take a battery to these parts, they 
 can sink every boat, or oblige the troops to 
 disembark. I think the three infantry 
 regiments will march from this place, and 
 leave about the 29th or 30th, but I am 
 convinced that we ought to have artillery 
 and cavalry with us when we leave Bhawul- 
 pore. I enclose a rough sketch of Mooltan 
 and of our several positions, taken from a 
 much rougher sketch. 
 
 Let me know what Mrs. Eckford says 
 about Albert,' that I may tell him how to 
 act. With nearly the whole of the army 
 coming, and casualties occurring in so many 
 regiments, it is almost a certainty that 
 Albert will be appointed to a regiment up 
 the country, hundreds of miles above 
 Benares. 
 
LETTERS. 11 
 
 Ferozepore; 26th Sept., 1848. 
 I have again had the pleasure of a 
 letter from you, and I trust you will write 
 daily, for the postmaster of this place assures 
 me that he will forward all our letters by 
 *' outside dak." Continue to direct as at 
 present, but after we have marched, put 
 *' Ferozepore, to be forwarded;" they will 
 then be forwarded from this Post-office, 
 whereas, if you were to direct them to 
 Mooltan, they would be put into the Mooltan 
 packet at Loodeana, and not opened here. 
 I will not repeat what I have said to Albert ; 
 he will remain till you are comfortably 
 settled in the Brigadier's house, and if the 
 70th have marched, he can send on his tent 
 with them, and follow by dak or on horses. 
 But I do not urge his coming beyond 
 Loodeana till posted, though I do not object 
 to it. It is decidedly right not to return to 
 Benares, for it is almost certain that he will 
 be posted to a corps on the frontier. 
 
 It is decided that there are boats enough 
 
12 LETTERS. 
 
 both for the bridge and the 29th regiment, 
 and consequently that corps will go by 
 water. I hope the enemy will not give 
 them a broadside some night from the right 
 bank, and after sinking some of the boats, 
 oblige the Europeans to desert the remainder 
 and continue their journey by land on the 
 left bank, without camp equipage. The 
 Brigadier has not received any orders yet for 
 the march, but we ought to be off on the 
 28th or 29th. 
 
 Some Queen's regiments are coming up 
 from the Bombay Presidency to Bhawalpore, 
 and we may perhaps meet them there and 
 go on in force to join the troops near 
 Mooltan. But it will be nearly a month 
 before we can reach them. 
 
 The Brigadier and I are to dine at the 
 Furgusson's this evening, and I suppose if 
 any news has reached the station, we shall 
 hear it. We had a pleasant evening at the 
 Davises ; they are very friendly, and asked 
 most kindly after you and Agnes. 
 
LETTERS. 13 
 
 This is such an extensive station that I 
 do not attempt to call on any person except 
 those 1 have mentioned, and on the autho- 
 rities when I have to refer to them. 
 
 All the men of the regiment are in the 
 highest spirits, and are anxious to meet the 
 enemy. 
 
 We leave their heavy baggage here, and 
 I purposed leaving a havildar and eight 
 sepahees to take charge of it, but though we 
 have several havildars who are fit subjects 
 for the invalids, and would be passed by any 
 medical committee, yet not one is willing 
 to remain behind; and to encourage their 
 military spirit I have told them they shall 
 all remain with the regiment. I have now 
 appointed an infirm Naick and eight miser- 
 able specimens of Sepoys to remain behind 
 with the baggage. 
 
 The Brigadier found 104 degrees rather 
 too hot, and to-day we have taken posses- 
 sion of the bungalow belonging to Major 
 Lloyd, of the 49th 
 
14 LETTERS. 
 
 Dak time is upon me, and I must close. 
 We shall certainly be off in a day or two. 
 
 27th Sept. Last evening, when we were 
 dining at Furgusson's, the Brigade Major's, 
 we were told the arrangements had been 
 altered, and that it had been determined on 
 to send the three regiments by land, to start 
 on the 2d of October. It would really be 
 madness to send an infantry regiment by the 
 Sutlej, while the whole country on the right 
 bank is in possession of the enemy. 
 
 Your letter of to-day leads me to expect 
 Albert soon, but to-morrow's letter will let 
 me know to a certainty what his arrange- 
 ments are to be. 
 
 If you are left without either Albert or 
 myself, I still hope, my beloved C, that you 
 will be supported in your solitude by com- 
 fort from on high. May our Father in 
 heaven bless you ! 
 
 It seems now certain that we are no longer 
 engaged in endeavouring to establish a 
 strong Seikh Government, and we may hope 
 
LETTERS. 15 
 
 for a blessing from the Almighty ; but while 
 we were attempting to restore power to the 
 Seikhs we could not prosper 
 
 Write daily, my beloved C, then I shall 
 have some pleasure daily amidst the incon- 
 veniences of camp. I shall take every 
 opportunity of writing to you ; and if it 
 please God for me to be in action, I trust I 
 shall be an instance of the fact that no 
 person can be so fearless of man as those 
 who have grace to love and fear God. 
 As Albert is coming, it seems best for him 
 to borrow a palenkeen or doolee and be off 
 by dak at once. You will be lonely, my 
 beloved C., but may the consolations of 
 religion, and the love of your devoted 
 husband, serve to keep up your spirits ! 
 
 We ought to be off, but the delay is not 
 occasioned by us. 
 
 Our military arrangements are always 
 incomplete, because of the paucity of 
 troops. 
 
16 
 
 LETTERS, 
 
 Ferozepore ; ^9th Sept. 
 
 I sincerely hope Albert will start by 
 dak, so as to be here on the 1st of October 
 some time. If he does not arrive till after 
 our departure, he must go to Captain Davis's, 
 of the 32d ; he asked me very kindly 
 yesterday to send him to them. But it is 
 far preferable that he should join us before 
 we march, even if he travel night and day 
 to effect it. 
 
 Sept. 30th And 
 
 I hope the fruit of this campaign will be 
 happiness and honour to my beloved wife. 
 Your dear image will be present to my 
 mind. In God will my trust be placed. The 
 result is in the hands of our heavenly Father, 
 and let us pray for resignation to say, " Thy 
 will be done." Our Creator and our Pre- 
 server can protect us now as he has merci- 
 fully done up to the present time, and while 
 we pray for grace to live in preparation for 
 eternity, we may encourage the hope of 
 
LETTERS. 17 
 
 being restored to each other, and great 
 will be the joy of our meeting. . . . 
 
 To-day's letters from our dear Albert and 
 yourself have quite set my mind at ease. 
 I shall anxiously expect our dear boy to- 
 morrow morning, and have tea in no time. 
 I have the greatest hope of 
 his being a comfort to us through life. 
 
 Colonel Congreve, commanding the 29th, 
 has just come in to say there are one 
 sergeant and 27 men of Her Majesty's 10th 
 on the way from Lahore for Mooltan, and it 
 seems determined that our Brigade wait for 
 them. This will delay us a day, and perhaps 
 we may not march till the 4th of October, 
 which is a day when you will remember me 
 particularly in your prayers and in your 
 thoughts. 
 
18 LETTERS. 
 
 Ferozepore ; \st Octoher. 
 
 Our dear boy arrived this morning 
 in the highest spirits, and quite well. May 
 he be preserved to us, and ever be a source 
 of happiness ! 
 
 "We shall get on very well, I am sure. 
 Every officer of the corps has joined the 
 mess, and Albert, Watson, and Lieut. Quagle 
 of the Artillery are honorary members ; the 
 two last are proceeding to join their regiments 
 at Mooltan. 
 
 The date of our march depends on the 
 arrival of the 48 men I mentioned yesterday. 
 It appears they cannot arrive till the 3d, in 
 which case we shall start on the 4th. 
 
 We are all three to pass the day in our 
 tent, and sleep in that of the Brigadier, 
 which is a large single -pole tent, with a 
 partition kanaut. 
 
 Albert shewed much kindness of heart in 
 his attention yesterday at the dak bungalow 
 
LETTERS. 19 
 
 to poor Mrs. Taylor, whose husband was 
 shot at Mooltan, and if she went to you 
 I am sure you have given her a most 
 friendly reception; tell me all about the 
 distressed young widow. 
 
 We came into Major Lloyd's bungalow 
 after breakfast, and remained till sunset. 
 The house is furnished, and Albert is asleep 
 on a nice charpoy, on which I am seated. 
 
 The accounts are favourable from all 
 quarters. It seems as if Providence, having 
 driven us to relinquish that line of policy 
 which opposed the manifested will of God, 
 by attempting to establish a strong Seikh 
 Government, is now using us as instruments 
 in fulfilling his own designs and terminating 
 for ever the Seikh rule in the Punjaub. 
 
 2d October. Your letter of yesterday 
 has just arrived, and I am very glad you 
 have had the opportunity of comforting 
 poor Mrs. Taylor. 
 
 We are not to march for a few days. The 
 convalescents cannot make long marches. 
 
20 LETTERS. 
 
 Everything at Mooltan will be very dear, 
 and perhaps very few things procurable. 
 
 I am glad to find Albert very aspiring, 
 and prepared to qualify himself for respon- 
 sible duties. 
 
 3d October. . . . When at 
 the Post-office I heard a letter read from a 
 native at Bhawulpore, giving intelhgence 
 that the troops at Peshawur had at length 
 refused to obey Major G. Lawrence. The 
 rebellion will of course spread to every 
 
 corner of the Punjaub 
 
 Orders have come to continue in readiness 
 to march, but the date of our departure is 
 undecided, and it is now thought that other 
 branches of the service will be sent simul- 
 taneously with our Brigade, that from 
 Bhawulpore we may be a well-organised 
 force, prepared for whatever may be required. 
 
 We are now a long way from the occupied 
 part of cantonments, and to-morrow morn- 
 ing we shall change our ground. 
 
 4th October. . . . If it please 
 
LETTERS. 
 
 21 
 
 God to preserve us, I do not anticipate a 
 long separation, and the Punjaub, when 
 annexed, will be as secure as the lower 
 Provinces. 
 
 When Mooltan is captured and garrisoned 
 by British troops, families will be able to go 
 there with safety, and if that or Lahore is 
 our destination, you will soon be with me. 
 
 We have not had any orders to-day, but 
 it is now understood that a complete force 
 is to proceed to Mooltan, and that General 
 Gilbert will accompany it. You might ask 
 Mr. Bowstead to send you any news of 
 interest he may hear, especially about the 
 marching of our Brigade, and the formation 
 of new regiments. This latter would either 
 promote me or bring me very near the top 
 of the list of Majors, and will post our dear 
 Albert. 
 
 I shall be glad when you are in the 
 Brigadier's house, and to know that Mrs. 
 Eckford and dear little Maria are with you. 
 A letter from Anna to-day, but no news. 
 
22 LETTERS. 
 
 I am anxious about Mrs. G. Lawrence, and 
 our deluded Politicals in the out-stations of 
 the Punjaub. 
 
 Ferozepore ; 5th Oct, • 
 
 . . . There is a nice garden to 
 the house, and a wide walk perfectly shaded 
 from the sun, in which we enjoyed a walk 
 last evening, and wished for you to be 
 present. But our movements are quite 
 uncertain, and depend more perhaps on 
 those of the enemy than the wishes of our 
 rulers. It would not therefore do for you 
 to come here, for when we least expect it 
 we may be ordered oiF. 
 
 It is supposed that no troops will move 
 from here till it is seen how the Dussareh 
 passes off at Lahore. Colonel Cureton, who 
 is to command the Cavalry Brigade, is 
 expected here on the 7th, and we may then 
 learn the intentions of the authorities at 
 head quarters. I expect soon to see long 
 
LETTERS. 
 
 23 
 
 general orders which will prove that the 
 Governor-General has not been idle. As 
 tlie Government expect their instructions 
 from home by the mail now due, they seem 
 to be waiting for their despatches before 
 declaring their determination ; but it is to be 
 regretted that any time should be lost in 
 raising recruits. 
 
 6th Oct. We do not know when we are 
 to march, or whether the report mentioned 
 by Mrs. Dempster is likely to prove true ; 
 but if the Commander-in-Chief does not 
 set out with us, I think he will not be long 
 in joining us at Mooltan. 
 
 7th Oct. The Lahore Politicals have 
 been more in the dark as to the real state of 
 the Punjaub than could have been supposed, 
 and we do not know that Sir F. Currie has 
 even now ceased to confide in the natives 
 around him . . . and Captain 
 
 Abbott, whom the politicals scoffed at as an 
 alarmist, should be openly rewarded for his 
 foresight and honesty in bringing the truth 
 
24 LETTERS. 
 
 to light, although he knew it would be 
 unacceptable to those who had registered 
 themselves as admirers of the Hardinge 
 policy. 
 
 This is the anniversary of the birth of our 
 sweet little infant at Saugur. May we have 
 a well-grounded hope of rejoining the lovely 
 babe in the realms of glory, then we shall 
 derive happiness from our darling child, 
 which we were deprived of here by his early 
 removal. 
 
 May our beloved Albert and I be pre- 
 served amidst all danger, and after perform- 
 ing our duty to our country in a manner 
 becoming those who fear God and not man, 
 may we be restored to you. 
 
 I hope Mrs. Taylor has the support and 
 consolation of religion in her affliction, and 
 that she will have grace to bow with resig- 
 nation to that dispensation of Providence 
 which has removed her beloved husband 
 from this scene to eternal happiness, and 
 that she will find comfort in the hope of 
 
LETTERS. ^ 25 
 
 being with him throughout eternity. Our 
 dear Albert is in some other tent at present. 
 I hear his voice. I remained in camp to- 
 day, as this is the day for poojahing the 
 colours by the sepoys, and all the officers 
 make a point of looking at the performance. 
 I shall go for a few minutes, though I 
 endeavour to point out the distinction 
 between my prayers to God and these 
 ceremonies. 
 
 8th. We are playing the game which 
 our enemies desire, and sooner or later we 
 shall smart for it. 
 
 A regiment of infantry and two guns have 
 gone with Cocks as the political to a fort 
 25 miles from Lahore, where there is a 
 refractory chieftain. 
 
 The Seikhs only want us to disperse our 
 troops here and there, that they may cut 
 them up in detail. 
 
 Mrs. George Lawrence, it appears, was 
 unable to reach Lahore, and with the assist- 
 ance of Lieut. Nicholson she has returned 
 
26 LETTERS. 
 
 # 
 
 to Peshawur. The whole country is against 
 us, and we ought to have been prepared for 
 this result, which was the natural conse- 
 quence of the policy. If the Europeans are 
 not massacred, it will be through the mercy 
 of an overruling Providence. 
 
 Our authorities seem to be deaf and blind, 
 and that which other persons hear and see 
 does not reach them. Plot after plot has 
 gone on for a long period, and the pohticals, 
 whose arrangements should ensure immediate 
 information, not only of peoples' actions 
 but even of their intentions, have been 
 deluded into the belief that everything is 
 quiet and just as it should be. 
 
 The Seikhs throughout the whole Punjaub 
 have now brought their schemes to a crisis, 
 and we must trust to the Almighty to 
 counteract them. We are doing little or 
 nothing. Politicals are still detached, and 
 if the enemy pursue their purpose, not one 
 can escape through any assistance of ours. 
 Colonel Abbott had a letter yesterday from 
 
LETTERS. 27 
 
 James Abbott, who is in daily expectation 
 of being attacked by Chuttur Sing, and is 
 well aware that the armed peasants with 
 him would not attempt to stand before 
 the Seikhs. 
 
 Now that the overland has arrived, 
 Government must act, and I expect to see a 
 Proclamation declaring the Treaty of Lahore 
 null and void, and that the Punjaub is 
 declared a portion of British India by right 
 of conquest. Then must follow an army of 
 annexation, and every effort be made to raise 
 new regiments. The siege of Mooltan will 
 be a great military affair, and it will give to 
 Lord Gough an opportunity of proving to 
 the world that he knows how to avail himself 
 of artillery for the destruction of the enemy 
 and the preservation of his own men, and 
 that he is something more than a bulldog 
 General. 
 
 D 2 
 
28 LETTERS. 
 
 f 
 
 Ferozepore ; 9th Oct, 
 
 Our Brigade (the 3d Brigade) was 
 inspected this morning, and Brigadier Young 
 remarked that he had never seen three finer 
 regiments ; and even if there is a large 
 army assembled, the same may be said of 
 our Brigade. 
 
 The rumour to-day is that 9,000 men are 
 about to proceed to Mooltan from the 
 Bombay Presidency, and that our Brigade 
 will perhaps not go to Mooltan after all. 
 I have, as you know, had thoughts of Cash- 
 mere, but I fully expected to go to Mooltan 
 first. This is more conjecture, and we must 
 wait as patiently as we can to know our 
 destination. 
 
 10th. It is now expected that we shall 
 form part of the army under Lord Gough. 
 
 11th. Albert's leave is in orders up to 
 the 1st of January, before which time he is 
 sure to be posted, but it is to remain at 
 
LETTERS. 29 
 
 Loodeana, though no objection will be raised 
 to his being with the corps, I imagine. 
 
 I am much pleased with Charlotte's letter, 
 and I have every reason to think she and 
 our dear Albert will be very happy, if it 
 please God for them to be united. 
 
 I am always satisfied with home wherever 
 it be, and I fervently pray that our heavenly 
 Father will soon restore us to each other. 
 
 12th. We beard yesterday that Colonel 
 Mountain is coming up to take a Brigade 
 command. He is attached to Her Majesty's 
 29th, and is senior to Brigadier Eckford. 
 If they do not give him another Brigade 
 immediately, he will deprive me of the com- 
 mand of the corps, but I do not think it will 
 be for any time. 
 
 Poor Struthers died very suddenly. 
 Mackeson dined with us at the mess, and 
 mentioned the particulars. Struthers had 
 a slight fever, and the surgeon attended him 
 two days. When he called on the morning 
 of the third day, Struthers sent word that 
 
30 LETTERS. 
 
 he was so much better he would dress and 
 see the doctor afterwards. The doctor then 
 drove on to the hospital, intending to see 
 him on his way back, but before he 
 reached, a servant overtook him and said 
 Struthers Sahib was dying. The doctor 
 came back immediately and found Struthers 
 dressed and seated in a chair — quite dead ! 
 How awfully sudden. It was found on 
 examination that the heart W^s diseased, and 
 one lung and the liver. 
 
 The Brigadier has just sent me a note as 
 follows : — " Should the battery and artillery 
 men come in to-morrow, we shall march the 
 following morning, Saturday, the 14th Oct." 
 
 14th. Chuttur Sing is carrying out his 
 intentions without any interruption from us, 
 and has the entire control of an immense 
 tract of country. 
 
 If our rulers can justify the loss of time 
 in endeavouring to check the insurrection, 
 it will be well. But when we consider that 
 every person who did not wilfully close their 
 
LETTERS. 31 
 
 eyes could see clearly the absolute necessity 
 of recruiting for the Native Infantry, it will 
 require strong reasons to justify the Govern- 
 ment in allowing so much time to elapse with- 
 out making arrangements for raising recruits. 
 
 The dust storm of yesterday has brought 
 down the thermometer four degrees, but 
 even 98 degrees is warmer than agreeable. 
 Our tent seems to be the coolest in camp. 
 
 Albert will remain here as long as possible, 
 in hopes of something occurring to justify 
 his remaining with the regiment. 
 
 We are now in suspense on all points, not 
 only with regard to the campaign, and the 
 destination of the Brigade, but also with 
 reference to Albert's movements. 
 
 15th. There was Divine service this 
 morning at Brigadier Young's, and we both 
 went. Mr. Maltby was the clergyman ; he 
 preached on the subject of war, and dwelt 
 on the importance of being satisfied that the 
 cause of war is good before asking the 
 Almighty to grant success. 
 
32 LETTERS. 
 
 17th Oct. Younger and 1 are passing 
 the day in the bungalow. Albert did not 
 think it worth while : he stands the heat 
 "very well, and is looking stout and well. 
 No news about our Brigade. 
 
 18th. The brigading of the army of the 
 Punjaub is in orders. Ours is now desig- 
 nated the 3d Brigade of the army of the 
 Punjaub, and we are in the 2d division, 
 under command of General Gilbert. 
 
 If we remain till the arrival of the Com- 
 mander-in-Ohief, I have no doubt that 
 Albert will be allowed to remain with the 
 corps for the present. About nine vacancies 
 will bring him on the list of posted Ensigns. 
 
 19th October. Yesterday brought us the 
 orders deciding the. formation of the army 
 of the Punjaub, and it seemed certain that 
 our Brigade would not have to march to 
 Mooltan, but an express from the Com- 
 mander-in-Chief arrived last evening and 
 ordered Brigadier Eckford to march without 
 delay for Mooltan with the 30th and 56th 
 
LETTERS. 33 
 
 and some artillery. We are to leave this 
 to-morrow morning, and our dear Albert's 
 dak is laid for Loodeana for this evening. 
 
 May it please God to watch over and 
 protect you, my love, and preserve me in 
 the midst of danger. 
 
 Camp, 1 st March from Ferozepore towards Lafiore, 
 
 We marched this morning, and I 
 suppose shall proceed to Lahore. The 9th 
 Lancers are here, and I am to dine with 
 Major Grant. 
 
 Camp, One March from Ferozepore. 
 We are on our return to Ferozepore, 
 and are to march back to that cantonment 
 to-morrow morning. 
 
 Cocks, in his letter this morning, says he 
 does not think there will be much fighting, 
 after all. If not, our destined stations may 
 soon be assigned to us, and then I fully hope 
 you will be enabled to join me. 
 
 I am very much pleased with dear little 
 Agnes's letter. 
 
34 
 
 LETTERS. 
 
 Ferozepore ; 23fi? Oct. 
 
 Here we are again, and I suppose we 
 shall await the arrival of the Commander- 
 in-Chief. 
 
 The 2d European regiment and 70th 
 Native Infantry marched for Lahore during 
 our absence, and if we had not been sent on 
 towards Mooltan, we should have gone in 
 their stead. 
 
 On our arrival, I rode to the Post-office, 
 as 1 had not received a letter from you 
 yesterday, and I was rewarded by receiving 
 yours and Albert's of the 21st. I am glad 
 for your sake the dear boy is with you. 
 You had made up your mind to go to Simla, 
 but my letter about Anna may have caused 
 you at first to defer your departure, and my 
 second letter, regarding Mrs. E.'s speedy 
 return, may also have influenced your plans. 
 
 I think Albert ought not to leave 
 Loodeana till the Commander-in-Chief has 
 passed through, though he might have done 
 
LETTERS. 35 
 
 it without impropriety, if Anna had gone 
 up from illness, and you had accompanied 
 her ; but now that Mrs. Eckford is coming 
 down so very soon, it seems to me better to 
 remain where you are till she goes to visit 
 Mary, and then you must endeavour to 
 make some arrangement that will hold good 
 until, through God's mercy, we are restored 
 to each other. 
 
 The 9 th Lancers were encamped near us 
 yesterday, and I called on Major Grant ; he 
 inquired after you, and spoke of your accor- 
 dion in the Taj with delight. 
 
 24th Oct. Yesterday I received the 
 missing letter, it contained dear httle Agnes's 
 letter to brother Albert, and I will send 
 it. She is a very affectionate child, and has 
 great good sense. 
 
 25th Oct. The postmaster shewed me 
 a letter containing the route of the Com- 
 mander-in-Chief ; he is to be at Loodeana 
 on the 28th and 29th, and I sincerely hope 
 
36 LETTERS. 
 
 you and Albert. will be there, that he may- 
 call on Lord Go ugh and Colonel Grant. 
 
 The Seikhs set fire to the bridge of boats 
 over the Ravee at Lahore, and the fire was 
 not extinguished till two boats were destroyed. 
 They have it all their own way, and we are 
 doing nothing. 
 
 26th. Your letter of this morning has 
 set my mind at ease again. You will now 
 remain at Loodeana till Mrs. Eckford goes 
 to Mary or to Anna, which is now talked of, 
 and then we shall know how to act. If 
 Moolrajh has really offered to give up the 
 fort, and disclose the whole of the intrigues 
 of the Durbar, we may hope for a speedy 
 settlement of the Punjaub affairs, and you 
 and I, through God's mercy, may be very 
 soon reunited. 
 
 27th. I rode to the Post-office this 
 morning, and received your letter a couple 
 of hours sooner than a hurkurra or orderly 
 would have brought it. The ride there and 
 back is about three miles, and as the 
 
LETTERS. 37 
 
 Loodeana dak comes in about 8 o'clock, I got 
 back in good time for breakfast. It would 
 not do for either you or me to go the other, 
 for at any moment our Brigade may be 
 ordered on to Lahore. 
 
 29th. Brigadier Young did not act on 
 the Commander-in-Chiefs express and send 
 us off this morning, because he thought the 
 order had been sent in ignorance of the 
 march of the 2d Europeans and 70th Native 
 Infantry towards Lahore on the 23d, and a 
 counter order was expected during the day ; 
 it did not arrive, however, and now the 
 express is to be acted upon, and we are to 
 march for Lahore unless some order to the 
 contrary arrive to-day. 
 
 I hope our dear boy may soon be posted, 
 that he may be removed to the 56th on the 
 first vacancy. 
 
38 LETTERS. 
 
 Kana Kutch ; 1 st Nov. 
 
 Yesterday we marched 18 miles, and 
 only 8 this morning. We are now about 
 18 miles from Lahore, and are to make it in 
 two marches, and on arrival to cross the 
 Ravee. 
 
 Cocks rode out this morning, and is with 
 the Brigadier. 
 
 General Cureton had reported to the 
 Resident that the wells here had been 
 injured wilfully. Our Brigadier has not 
 complained on the subject, though with only 
 a few wells for thousands of persons the 
 water cannot continue clear and pure. 
 
 The want of rain is much felt in this 
 district, and our grass-cutters cannot find 
 even a root of grass for the horses, though 
 the country from being covered with bushes 
 does not appear barren. 
 
 There is a frankness in Cocks which I 
 like. 
 
 I have not gleaned much information yet, 
 
LETTERS. 39 
 
 but when at Lahore I expect to be able to 
 form an idea of what is to take place. 
 
 I did not write to you yesterday, for after 
 the long march, and attending the Court of 
 Inquiry, I was tired and sleepy, and indulged 
 in a long nap ; but I hope to succeed in 
 getting this forwarded outside dak to-night, 
 
 I hope the music is much practised, and 
 that you get Albert to sing with you. 
 Encourage him to take trouble ; it is good 
 for him at his age to apply himself earnestly 
 to his amusements as well as to his studies, 
 and I hope he will excel in every thing. 
 
 Camp Lahore ; Nov, Sd. 
 
 I believe the dak leaves this at 1 
 
 o'clock, I therefore write a hurried note to 
 
 be in time. 
 
 ■ a 
 
40 LETTERS. 
 
 Brigadiers Campbell and Keiller came out 
 to meet the Brigade, and there was a very 
 cordial meeting between the Brigadier and 
 myself ; he is looking very well, and inquired 
 kindly after you and dear little Agnes. 
 
 Anna came out to camp in her carriage. 
 Poor thing, she has been very ill, and now 
 looks in very delicate health. 
 
 I am to dine there to-night and to-morrow 
 at Brigadier Campbeirs. 
 
 4th Nov. No more news about our 
 movements. Yesterday, Godby's Brigade, 
 with two troops of Horse Artillery, a light 
 field battery, and some Cavalry, advanced 
 to a place 25 miles off, where some of the 
 enemy are said to be assembled, and we are 
 waiting to hear the result. 
 
 First march from Lahore. 
 
 We had a pleasant march this morn- 
 ing, but as we cannot send on tents to be 
 
LETTERS. 41 
 
 pitched for our arrival it was very hot before 
 we had shelter. 
 
 It is said that Cureton took possession of 
 the town, and the Cavalry went 6 miles 
 beyond it at a good pace ; they did not see 
 any enemy. 
 
 A part of the news I sent you yesterday 
 was from Cureton's own letter to Brigadier 
 Campbell, which I read ; but the Politicals 
 have been so repeatedly wrong in their 
 information that I question whether the 
 town was in possession of the enemy when 
 the gates were closed on Nicholson's AfFghan 
 Horse, and I think Col. Cureton must have 
 been misinformed. 
 
 We expect General Gilbert to join us very 
 soon, and it is right he should be with his 
 division. 
 
 We are ordered out as a reinforcement, 
 because the enemy are collecting in force, 
 and I grieve to find the Brigadier is going 
 the next 20 miles in two days. 
 
 The Brigadier has not retained the 
 
42 LETTERS. 
 
 strength with which he returned from Simla, 
 and, as his friend, I should rejoice to see 
 him posted to a station. 
 
 Second march f rem Lahore. 
 
 The weather is becoming sensibly 
 cooler, and the snowy mountains of Cash- 
 mere are visible in the morning. I am 
 delighted with the sight of the hills again, 
 and would like always to be within sight of 
 mountains or the sea. 
 
 There was a letter this morning from 
 Brigadier- General Cure ton to the Brigadier, 
 mentioning that the enemy was in force at 
 Ramnuggur, and that he was advancing to 
 attack him. Cureton directs Brigadier to 
 halt after to-morrow's march for further 
 orders, but hopes to write again during the 
 day. My opinion is that we ought to be 
 much nearer to Cureton's troops than we 
 shall be to-morrow, for the object of a force 
 in reserve is to co-operate with the attacking 
 
LETTERS. 43 
 
 force if necessary, or to present a point of 
 defence on which they can retreat if requi- 
 site, and I therefore think we ought not to 
 halt till within a few miles of our troops 
 which are in advance. 
 
 We have the 31st and 56th regts. N.I., 
 and Dawes's hght field battery, but no 
 Cavalry, and we ought not to be without 
 Cavalry ; but there is no system, no arrange- 
 ment, and the minor authorities seem to 
 admit the want of means to do that which 
 wisdom dictates, and to be satisfied with 
 meeting circumstances in the best way they 
 can without loudly proclaiming to Govern- 
 ment the inefficiency of their measures. 
 
 Cureton has a fine body of Cavalry and 
 light Artillery, but not sufficient Infantry, 
 and we ought to push on direct as a rein- 
 forcement, and other troops should now be 
 following us as a reserve. 
 
44 ^ LETTERS. 
 
 Third march from Lahore, 
 It was intended yesterday for us to 
 proceed to-day to Goojra walla, about ten 
 miles, and the first bugle was to be about 
 3 o'clock, but we were roused out at 1 
 o'clock, and ascertained that an express had 
 arrived during the night from General 
 Cureton, requiring us to join his camp as 
 soon as possible, and mentioning that he 
 was advancing to Ramnuggur, where Shere 
 Sing and his troops were waiting with the 
 forces under a Sirdar named Lall Sing. 
 
 We were to have marched 17 miles to- 
 day, and join General Cureton to-morrow at 
 Ramnuggur ; but about 7 o'clock this morn- 
 ing another express met us en route, direct- 
 ing the Brigadier to come on easily, and as 
 we were near a village we encamped. 
 
 Cureton has been ordered from head 
 quarters not to commence offensive opera- 
 tions, and he is encamped two or three miles 
 ahead of us, and we are to join him to- 
 morrow and not to advance to Ramnuggur. 
 
LETTERS. 45 
 
 Our authorities decided not to commence 
 the campaign with detachments, but to col- 
 lect a large force before making an advance. 
 This was wise, but there has been culpable 
 delay in bringing troops to the frontier 
 and in the late arrival of the Commander- 
 in-Chief, and the result has been false moves 
 and repeated counter orders. 
 
 The Doab, which lies between the Sutlej 
 and the Ravee, and likewise that between 
 the Ravee and the Chenab, are very thinly 
 inhabited, and only cultivated in the imme- 
 diate vicinity of towns, although the soil is 
 capable, with labour, of yielding fruitful 
 crops. 
 
 This has been caused by the turbulent 
 reign of the Seikhs, and continued by our 
 unwise policy, which proclaimed the re- 
 establishment of Seikh rule after a few years. 
 
 When a British Government is established 
 in the Punjaub, we may hope to see agricul- 
 ture and commerce flourish, and the inha- 
 bitants to multiply in the land instead of 
 
46 LETTERS. 
 
 being reduced year after year by sanguinary 
 wars. 
 
 10th Nov. . . We are thirteen or 
 fourteen miles from the enemy, and are 
 ordered not to attack them till the arrival of 
 the Commander-in-Chief. 
 
 Holmes, of the 12th Irregulars, was out 
 yesterday with a party and killed a Seikh, 
 who wounded two of his sewars, and 
 brought in ten prisoners. This is the 
 opening affair of the campaign. The Com- 
 mander-in-Chief is to be here on the 15th. 
 I shall take an early opportunity of speaking 
 to him about our dear Albert. 
 
 Yesterday, at 5 o'clock, an alarm was 
 given that the enemy was coming down 
 upon us, and the troops turned out, but it 
 was a false alarm, a picquet of the 8th 
 Cavalry, which was a mile and a-half in our 
 front having taken a party of the 12th 
 Irregular Cavalry for the enemy. 
 
 11th Nov. Our men fell in yesterday 
 when called to arras with great alacrity, and 
 seem well inclined to meet the enemy. 
 
LETTERS. 47 
 
 Brigadier Eckford was very quick in 
 getting on parade, and it is now said that he 
 is not to command at Lahore, because he 
 has come on beyond the frontier. 
 
 I shall be very glad when the Commander- 
 in-Chief arrives, because if we do not com- 
 mence the campaign soon it will not be 
 terminated during the cold weather. 
 
 This fine country is lying waste, and 
 LordHardinge's settlement, and the assurance 
 that the Seikh soldiery had taken to agricul- 
 ture, seem to be without any foundation. 
 
 When we take the country, and declare it 
 to be under British Government, we may 
 hope to see the inhabitants employed in 
 agriculture and trade, and then the Punjaub 
 will flourish. 
 
 Camp, near Alipore ; 17 th Nov. 
 
 Albert has after all been appointed 
 to do duty with the 5 6 lb, which is very 
 desirable, and much as you will miss him I 
 am sure you will not delay his departure. 
 
48 LETTERS. 
 
 Oh that we may all have grace to exercise 
 faith in our heavenly Father, and to commit 
 ourselves entirely to him. May He watch 
 over us, and reunite us and our beloved 
 Albert and Agnes in health and happiness. 
 
 The Brigadier read the service in our 
 mess tent this morning. In the evening 
 there is to be service in our own tent. On 
 Thursday last there was a prayer-meeting 
 there, which is to be kept up whenever 
 practicable ; several attended, both officers 
 and men. 
 
 Yesterday, Dr. McCash, of the 31st, took 
 my likeness by the Caleotye, which he 
 manages admirably, but it was too late in 
 the afternoon, and he intends taking it again 
 to-morrow. I shall be glad when I can 
 send it to you, and it can afterwards be sent 
 to our dear httle Agnes if you like, and 
 copied. 
 
LETTERS. 49 
 
 •Saturday, \%tli Nov, 
 
 Yesterday our reconnoitering party 
 of Cavalry was fired on by the enemy at 
 Alipore, at which place it is said there are 
 800 Seikh troops. No damage done. 
 
 During the day it was reported that Shere 
 Sing, with seven regiments and 6 guns, had 
 crossed over to Ramnuggur, and another 
 report said that he had gone back again on 
 hearing that we had come to our present 
 position. 
 
 About sunset we received after orders 
 for each regiment to furnish two companies 
 as out-lying pickets, two companies as in- 
 lying pickets, and one as rear guard, all 
 under European officers. The troops had 
 previously been ordered to march at 5 
 o'clock in the morning ; we were thus pre- 
 pared for them either by night or day. 
 
 There was distant firing during the night, 
 but the Seikhs must have had it all to them- 
 selves, and it would seem to be their custom 
 
50 LETTERS. 
 
 to have a good deal of firing by night, 
 although beyond reach of the enemy. 
 
 This morning we were drawn up in readi- 
 ness for a march, tents struck, and camels 
 laden ; but at sunrise it was known that the 
 Seikhs had crossed over from Ramnuggur to 
 the opposite bank of the Chenab, and we 
 then encamped on our former ground. It 
 is not for the interest of the Seikhs to be 
 attacked in detail in an open ground, and 
 I think they are wise enough to avoid both 
 these occurrences. 
 
 Their plan will be, I suppose, to levy con- 
 tributions throughout the whole country, 
 and to retire before us, in the hope that 
 when we are at a distance from our resources, 
 and in a hilly country where Cavalry cannot 
 act, and where Infantry must be separated 
 into small parties, some occurrence will turn 
 the scale in their favour, as at Caubul.* 
 
 They cannot have any expectation of 
 
 * The Caubul massacre and Chillianwalla were both 
 on the 13th January. 
 
LETTERS. 51 
 
 overcoming us in an open field, but they 
 will not submit to our sovereignty through- 
 out their native country, the Punjaub, and 
 they will resist our holding possession of it 
 without having a definite idea of the manner 
 in which they hope to repel us. 
 
 We call them " Rebels," and they desig- 
 nate themselves, *' Patriots " and so they 
 are to all intents and purposes. 
 
 Their Sirdars betrayed the Khalsa troops 
 in 1845-46, and the soldiery still say that 
 but for that betrayal they would have con- 
 quered us. Again the Sirdars made a treaty 
 with us, which the troops repudiate, because 
 it deprived them of their influence in the 
 country, and enjoined the discharge of thou- 
 sands of them from the army ; and it 
 must be remembered that the delegates of the 
 army, termed *' Pouches,*' before that treaty 
 influenced every question of Government. 
 
 We, on the other hand, were advancing 
 on the capital as conquerors, and the Sirdars, 
 who formed the executive government, 
 
 V 2 
 
52 LETTERS. 
 
 brought the little Maharajah to our camp, 
 and all threw themselves on our mercy. We 
 had the right to say, You invaded British 
 India as enemies, and now that we are con- 
 querors we will retain your country. But 
 we should have had to take it at the point of 
 the bayonet, and Lord Hardinge admitted 
 that he had not the means of doing so. 
 Therefore, instead of attempting the annex- 
 ation, he made a boast of assumed modera- 
 tion, and entered into a treaty, the basis of 
 which was that we should establish a strong 
 Seikh Government, and rule the country in 
 the interim in concert with the durbar. 
 
 The treaty was, I consider, most hateful 
 in the sight of God, and doomed to certain 
 failure. It has failed, the majority of the 
 Sirdars who signed the treaty have openly 
 broken it, and it must be considered as null 
 and void. 
 
 The Maharajah was a minor then and is 
 so now, and therefore has not been a 
 responsible person in the transaction. We 
 
LETTERS. 53 
 
 have nothing to claim from him, and he 
 cannot claim anything from us. The Sirdars 
 and the British Government are the only 
 parties to the treaty during the Maharajah's 
 minority, and as they have broken it, it 
 becomes us to proclaim that we are in the 
 same position as after the battle of Soobraon. 
 We must now proclaim the Punjaub ours 
 by right of conquest, and proceed to take 
 possession of it. This we are justified in 
 doing by the laws of nations, and I believe 
 it to be in accordance with the designs of 
 Providence. But still the Seikhs are patriots 
 and not rebels ; and I suppose it wa§ to 
 explain my reason for saying this that I have 
 written such a long letter on the subject; 
 I as little thought of writing about Japan 
 when I commenced. 
 
54 LETTERS. 
 
 Camp Deeda Sing ka Killa ; 
 
 Thursday, lOth Nov, 
 
 No letter from you to-day, 
 or for the Brigadier, which shews that there 
 is something wrong with the dak. 
 
 Last night, about 60 camels out of 400, 
 which were sent from this to Pope's Brigade 
 in our rear, were carried off by the enemy. 
 The want of correct intelligence even around 
 our camp is very culpable in the politicals, 
 and some new system should be adopted to 
 secure rapid intelligence of the enemy. 
 The Commander in-Chief was to leave 
 Lahore to-day, accompanied by Cocks. 
 
 We require a very large force to enable us 
 to hold military occupation of the whole 
 country through which we may pass, and to 
 secure our communication with Lahore. 
 
 . . . I wish you had a modern map of 
 the Punjaub, to trace our progress. Albert 
 might trace one for you on thin paper, if he 
 can borrow a good one. 
 
LETTERS. 55 
 
 Our darling Agnes 's letter is very 
 pleasantly written, and I hope to send her 
 one in reply all to herself. At her early age, 
 and with her abilities, she may be thoroughly 
 educated by the time we wish her to leave 
 school. Brigadier Campbell, or, as I should 
 have said. General Campbell, was talking 
 of her yesterday, and desired to be parti- 
 cularly remembered to her. He said he 
 considered her a very fine child, and was 
 often surprised at her conversation, and that 
 he often rode with her for the gratification 
 of hearing it. May it please God to give 
 her his Holy Spirit, that she may become a 
 devoted Christian, and to bless her with 
 health ; and if she be kept to her studies 
 she will be one of the first among the well- 
 instructed. 
 
 1 7tli Nov. We marched this morning 
 about eight miles towards Ramnuggur, and 
 at 8 o'clock we heard the enemy's guns at a 
 distance. I suppose they are at practice on 
 the opposite side of the river. I have not 
 
56 
 
 LETTERS. 
 
 heard to-day's report of the strength of the 
 enemy at Ramnuggur, but we understand 
 they have no intention of meeting us on this 
 side of the Chenab. 
 
 It is supposed we shall halt here till 
 Monday, and then move towards Wazeerabad 
 and unite with the troops accompanying the 
 Commander-in-Chief. 
 
 I am very sorry to hear of the death of 
 Major McDonald, of the 8th Cavalry. I 
 called on him and Mrs. McDonald twice at 
 Ferozepore, for I was very much pleased with 
 his mild and gentlemanly manners, and she 
 was always very friendly. 
 
 Loodeana is not a bad place of residence 
 at present, especially as you occupy what I 
 consider the best house there. 
 
 I had a note from our dear Albert yester- 
 day from Lahore. I have cautioned him not 
 to come except with a sufficient force ; but 
 things will not, I should hope, remain long 
 in their present state. General Wheeler has 
 gained some advantages over the enemy, and 
 
LETTERS. 57 
 
 he will, I dare say, be very active in dis- 
 persing them. Our despatches have been 
 seized within four miles of our camp, so 
 that the particulars are not known here, 
 and our express, with the account of the 
 ill-judged and fatal skirmish, was also seized 
 by the enemy. Thus, they know all our 
 affairs, while we remain in ignorance of 
 theirs. 
 
 We have no idea what is the plan of 
 operations. It is said that the enemy are 
 quarrelling among themselves, and it is 
 reported that Shere Sing has put Sail Sing 
 in irons because he wanted to give himself 
 up to us. It is now generally supposed they 
 will not make a stand against us, till they 
 have retired to the hilly country, and you 
 know that is the idea I formed long ago, 
 that is, I saw it was the wisest plan for them, 
 and I thought they would not be blind to 
 their own interest. 
 
 The Governor General's decision is not 
 yet published, and I have not heard what it 
 
58 LETTERS. 
 
 is, but there is no choice regarding our 
 taking and holding the country permanently, 
 but whether in the name of Dhuleep or the 
 British Government remains to be seen. 
 
 I have been having my likeness taken 
 holding one of your letters and looking on 
 it, but I was obliged to keep it closed, to 
 prevent it being blown by the wind. It will 
 be a day or two before the likeness is 
 transferred to other paper, and then I will 
 send it to you. To-day I send a map of 
 this part of the country ; General Campbell 
 lent it to me this morning, and I got Byers 
 to copy it for you. He has done so very 
 nicely. I have put a pencil-mark of our 
 route, and we are now a short distance from 
 Akhalghur, which some people call Alipore. 
 
 Thackwell's division is within a few miles 
 of us, and the Commander-in-Chief is a 
 short distance behind. General Campbell 
 has gone out to Thackwell's camp, where 
 the Commander-in-Chief is to meet him. 
 I suppose on his return something will be 
 
LETTERS. 59 
 
 known of our plans, and then we will think 
 about our own plans. 
 
 21st Nov. The Commander-in-Chiefs 
 camp is within two or three miles of us, and 
 officers are visiting their friends. 
 
 Camp^ Ramnuggur ; 26th Nov. 
 
 There is nothing very active occurring, 
 but preparations for our large batteries are 
 progressing quietly, and some guns are 
 expected to-morrow. Shere Sing sent letters 
 to the Commander-in-Chief and the Governor 
 General by the European soldier wha was 
 taken into his camp on Friday and released 
 yesterday ; and he protests that he has done 
 nothing without orders from the durbar. 
 He submits a number of proposals, but it is 
 thought he is only endeavouring to gain 
 time, that our attack may be deferred till he 
 has been joined by Chuttur Sing and his 
 forces. They fire a shot occasionally, but 
 we do not notice it. 
 
 G 
 
60 LETTERS. 
 
 There has been Divine worship to-day at 
 more than one place. The Brigadier read 
 the service at 11 in our mess tent, and I 
 attended in preference to going a long way 
 to the Commander-in-Chiefs camp. 
 
 Camp, Ramnuggur ; Tuesday, 2&th Nov. 
 
 Your welcome letters arrive more 
 regularly now as we are all encamped toge- 
 ther, and the letters go to the postmaster of 
 the army. 
 
 I found out Mowatt this morning ; I was 
 glad to see him looking quite well ; he sent 
 you his kind regards. 
 
 Mercer and I have had a long conversa- 
 tion, and are mutually gratified that our 
 families are together. I hope soon to have 
 the pleasure of Mrs. M.*s acquaintance, and 
 in the mean time I shall not regard her as a 
 stranger, as she is your companion and 
 friend. 
 
 Nothing of any consequence has taken 
 
LETTERS. 61 
 
 place yet, but the action will very soon 
 follow the arrival of the big guns. 
 
 Our dear Albert will, I suppose, soon 
 have an opportunity of joining. 
 
 I am glad you are pleased with the map. 
 I now enclose you one circulated with the 
 " Delhi," which arrived to-day. You can, 
 if you think it worth while, enclose it in the 
 next letter to our beloved Agnes. 
 
 The Commander-in-Chief has issued a 
 general order about the affair of the 22nd, 
 but putting a good face on a bad cause, and 
 every one in camp is surprised at the old 
 gentleman's assurance in writing such an 
 order. There is an anecdote in camp on the 
 subject, but I only give it on report. 
 The Commander-in-Chief, it is said, went to 
 the Field Hospital, and addressing the 
 wounded Dragoons, said, " My men, you 
 have suffered in your arms and legs, but it 
 was in a glorious cause." On hearing which, 
 one of the wounded raised himself and said, 
 *' It was a rash affair, my Lord,'' And his 
 
62 LETTERS. 
 
 Lordship being taken aback, walked off in 
 silence. 
 
 Every life lost on the 22nd may be con- 
 sidered as having been uselessly sacrificed 
 by the Commander-in-Chief in his impe- 
 tuosity and absence of that calm judgment 
 which every general officer should possess. 
 Every person expects he will, as usual, make 
 some fearful blunder, and occasion unneces- 
 sary loss of life. 
 
 Ramnuggur ; 29th A^ov, 
 
 The big guns have not yet arrived. 
 Last evening, a petty Sirdar, the brother 
 of Utter Sing, who was defeated a few days 
 ago by Brigadier Penny, came into our camp, 
 with two followers, and gave himself up. 
 He was drunk, and frankly said he hated us 
 and our cause, but he felt that we should be 
 victorious, and therefore he thought it wise 
 to take care of his own interests. 
 
LETTERS. 63 
 
 Ramnuggur ; 30M Nov, 
 
 I did not get a letter from you to- 
 day, which makes me think your letter has 
 been sent to Lahore. 
 
 I am again to-day on the court martial. 
 
 I have despatched a letter to S., and 
 enclosed one to our darling Agnes. You 
 must excuse me from writing a long letter 
 to-day. 
 
 Campy Tuesday Evening ; 5th Dec. 
 
 This afternoon I received five of your 
 dear letters, which are a great source of 
 enjoyment : there was also one from you to 
 our dear Albert, although directed to the 
 care of '* Mrs. Cocks, Lahore." . . . 
 
 I will now " bring up arrears" in my 
 correspondence with you 
 
 On Tuesday evening, the 30th Nov., 
 Brigadier Eckford returned from the camp 
 of the Commander-in-Chief, and informed 
 
64 LETTERS. 
 
 US that General Campbell's division, the 1st 
 Brigade Cavalry and Infantry, were to start 
 at quarter after 1 o'clock in the morning, 
 taking with us two days' supplies, and 
 leaving our tents standing. We had to 
 " turn out" at midnight, and move up to 
 the position assigned us in the column, and 
 after a tedious march, owing to the uncer- 
 tainty of our destination, we reached the 
 bank of the Chenab at Mazeerabad at sunset, 
 and our Brigade was directed to cross over 
 by the ford without delay. 
 
 There were three fords, with intervening 
 sand-banks of some extent , and the passage had 
 to be marked out by placing sticks on either 
 side, as the fords are narrow, and beyond 
 the track there are quick sands, with deep 
 water. 
 
 Before the sticks were placed we had only 
 the young moon to light our path, and 
 expedition was necessary to get over before 
 she disappeared. 
 
 The first ford was crossed without 
 
LETTERS. 65 
 
 difficulty, except that some of the party had 
 a little experience of the treacherous nature 
 of the bed of the river. 
 
 On the border of the second ford I was 
 following a man on foot, and my horse sank 
 in a quicksand. The animal, in his efforts 
 to extricate himself, fell over on his side, 
 and, of course, I was in the same position. 
 My sword fell out of the scabbard and 
 disappeared in the quicksand, but was 
 recovered ; and I am glad it did, for the 
 scabbard was bent under the horse, and if 
 the sword had been in it I should have 
 found it in two pieces. With assistance, the 
 horse was got out, and I crossed the second 
 ford, and was well advanced over the third 
 and last, when the Sepoys in advance ex- 
 claimed that they could not proceed owing 
 to the depth of water. 
 
 Major Corfield, Dr. McCosh, and I were 
 together, and when the Sepoys turned we 
 had to do the same, and to order all follow- 
 ing us to turn likewise. 
 
66 
 
 LETTERS. 
 
 Just before this a zumboork was fired on 
 the right bank, but at some distance, and 
 we did not think anything of it ; but the 
 portion of the Brigade which was still on 
 the sand-bank, seeing us coming back, with- 
 out knowing the reason, and having heard 
 the zumboork, concluded that we had been 
 driven back by the enemy, and many of them 
 loaded. One or two fired in the air, but in 
 our direction, and we heard the shot whirl 
 above us. 
 
 Garfield and I reported to the Brigadier 
 that the ford was impassable, and it was 
 contemplated to bivouack on the sand-bank. 
 At this time Tait's Irregular Cavalry arrived 
 for the purpose of crossing, and I went up 
 to him and said it was so deep that our 
 Sepoys, after being nearly to the other side, 
 had been forced to return, and that as the 
 stakes could not be perceived in that light, 
 the passage would be attended with great 
 risk. He went, however, because he had 
 been ordered, and the Brigadier then deter- 
 
LETTERS. 67 
 
 mined to follow ; but whilst Corfield and I 
 were repeating the impossibility of our 
 Sepoys getting across with their arms and 
 ammunition, a message came from Tait to 
 say the water was too deep, and he was 
 losing his men, and the Brigadier then 
 decided on remaining. 
 
 Tait lost three men and four horses in 
 crossing, although by remaining till morning 
 this might have been avoided. We then 
 bivouacked on the sand, and enjoyed some 
 cold meat and beer, which were very accept- 
 able after twenty-two hours' marching. The 
 next morning we crossed, but it was so deep 
 that the Sepoys had to carry their accoutre- 
 ments and clothes on their heads ; and the 
 ford is so narrow that all saw the propriety 
 of not persevering at night. There were 
 quicksands and narrow escapes, but I think 
 only one person was drowned, and he was a 
 grass-cutter, who remained too long with his 
 Tattoo when carried down the stream. 
 
 The men cooked, and we had a stew, and 
 
68 
 
 LETTERS. 
 
 at 3 o'clock we renewed our march, and did 
 not halt till moonUght, when we again 
 bivouacked. 
 
 On Sunday, the 3rd, we marched at sun- 
 rise and halted about 1 1 o'clock, by instruc- 
 tions from the Commander-in-Chief, who 
 desired that our force should not advance 
 beyond a certain ghat, till reinforced by the 
 2nd European regiment and 70th regiment, 
 and that we should not previously attack the 
 enemy. A portion of Tait's Irregulars, and 
 the left wing of the 56th, under Nembhard, 
 were detached to the ghat to prevent the 
 enemy from taking possession of it, and 
 there was great delay in crossing over the 
 reinforcement. 
 
 In the mean time, the enemy appeared in 
 our front, and came down upon us boldly. 
 We were situated very disadvantageously 
 behind sugar kates, and the Seikhs availed 
 themselves of the cover they afforded to fire 
 on us unseen. Our Brigade was on the 
 extreme left with a portion of Tait's Irre- 
 
LETTERS. 69 
 
 gulars, and the attack commenced there. 
 The enemy sent their shot with vigour, and 
 our columns deployed into line. 
 
 We were informed of the Commander-in- 
 Chiefs order not to attack the enemy nor to 
 advance beyond the ghat till reinforced by 
 Godby's Brigade, and were directed to stand 
 our ground, but that if the centre column 
 moved back, we were to conform to it. 
 The enemy approached and kept up their 
 fire ; our men lay down by order, and were 
 then ordered to rise, right about face, and 
 retire about a hundred yards, to be further 
 from the sugar khates. They dressed as 
 coolly as on parade, and again lay down, 
 and I had the colours unfurled. Some of 
 the men said if they only had the order they 
 would soon charge and take their guns, but 
 I rode up and down occasionally in front of 
 the corps, talking to the men, and saying 
 that we were only waiting for the enemy to 
 come close to us, when our artillery would 
 commence. 
 
70 
 
 LETTERS. 
 
 The enemy kept up their fire and gradually 
 approached, till we heard their trumpets and 
 drums, and then their shouts, as they 
 evidently thought from our retrograde move- 
 ment and silence that they would have it all 
 their own way. But after bearing their fire 
 for a long time, during which shots of various 
 descriptions, from eighteen pounders to 
 matchlocks, were flying around us, the order 
 was given for our artillery to take post and 
 fire. Two troops of horse artillery went to 
 our left, one of them immediately in front 
 of the 56th, and others in different parts of 
 the line, and their fire took the enemy by 
 surprise, and soon drove him from the field. 
 It is supposed by all that had General 
 Thackwell not been shackled by the Com- 
 mander-in-Chief we might have captured 
 every gun and obtained a signal victory ; 
 whereas, the order not to advance was carried 
 out to the letter, and after the enemy had 
 retired we did not even send out cavalry to 
 see if any guns had been disabled. 
 
LETTERS. 71 
 
 The next morning we were told that four 
 guns had been left behind in the retreat, and 
 that the Seikhs had come by night and 
 carried them away, and also their wounded. 
 
 From what I have heard, the Seikhs lost 
 about 100 killed on the field, and the same 
 number of horses. 
 
 Our loss was much less, but this affair is 
 one of those unaccountable circumstances 
 that attends on warfare. We gained a 
 victory by our artillery, and were restrained 
 from following it up by cavalry and infantry, 
 though, in all human probability, if we had 
 not remained passive so long, but acted 
 according to the opportunity, we should with 
 even a less sacrifice of our men have 
 captured all their guns and completely routed 
 the enemy. Lord Gough is very much 
 censured for the restriction put upon General 
 Thackwell. 
 
 I am happy to say the 56th did not lose 
 a man, although exposed to the enemy's fire. 
 My grey did not flinch in the least when a 
 
 H 
 
72 LETTERS. 
 
 six-pounder fell close to him. That night 
 I remained beside the men, as I expected a 
 visit from the enemy, but everything passed 
 off quietly. 
 
 About noon on Monday, the 4th, we 
 marched, and at night halted in our present 
 position, a few miles short of the ghat 
 opposite Ramnuggur. 
 
 I have only spoken of what occurred on 
 the left of the line, but the right was 
 attacked also with equal vigour. 
 
 This morning the cavalry and some horse 
 artillery have gone in pursuit of the enemy, 
 but I have not heard the result. 
 
 When our passage of the Chenab at 
 Wazeezabad was known to the Commander- 
 in-Chief, he opened his heavy guns upon the 
 enemy's batteries opposite Ramnuggur, and 
 made them decamp. 
 
 I will now say good night, and leave this 
 in the hope of adding to it in the morning. 
 
 Monday morning, 6th Dec. Our meals 
 from the 1st to the 5th would have formed 
 
LETTERS. 73 
 
 amusing views for the pencil : they were 
 perfect picnics, without the usual arrange- 
 ments for convenience and appearance. On 
 the morning of the 4th, I came upon the 
 breakfast party of the 46th, and accepted a 
 very friendly invitation from several of them. 
 There were Brigadier Hoggan and the officers 
 of the 46th seated on the ground, and 1 saw 
 that all the corps were much in the same 
 situation. . . . Our breakfast 
 
 was not ready till 12 o'clock. 
 
 The 46th was immediately on our right 
 during the attack, and I saw Mercer more 
 than once. I also saw him this morning, 
 and am glad to find he was able to send off 
 a letter yesterday, which I could not. I am 
 glad to find Mrs. Mercer is now with you. 
 
 I really cannot keep up my correspon- 
 dence with my friends with any regularity. 
 I have filled this with trifles, but you know 
 I do not attach any importance to the 
 roughings of a campaign, and we have all 
 
74 LETTERS. 
 
 continued cheerful and contented. Albert 
 will, I hope, be with us in one or two days. 
 
 I now close this, and send it to Ram- 
 nuggur to be despatched. 
 
 Let us continually thank God, our merci- 
 ful Father in heaven, for his goodness to us, 
 and pray for grace to confide in him for the 
 future. 
 
 Campi Right Bank of the Chendb, a few 
 miles from Ramnuggur, 
 
 The troops at this place paraded this 
 morning for the inspection of the Com- 
 mander-in-Chief, who was lavish in his 
 commendation of the cool behaviour of the 
 troops under fire on Sunday, the 3d inst. 
 I find that we were an hour and a quarter 
 under their fire before our artillery returned 
 a shot. The attack commenced at twenty 
 minutes to 2 o'clock, and our fire ceased 
 about sunset. 
 
 The Commander-in-Chief said to me it 
 was a great pity we had not an opportunity 
 
LETTERS. 75 
 
 of doing more, but that it could not be 
 helped. ... 
 
 It is certain, however, that we lost an 
 inviting opportunity of capturing the enemy's 
 guns, and of completely routing their troops. 
 
 Our force is not to advance beyond this 
 doab at present, and it is expected that we 
 shall occupy Goojrat, Mazurabad, and 
 Ramnuggur. 
 
 I am so glad I was able to send you the 
 map. I also enclosed a copy which I took 
 of it to S. in my last letter. 
 
 It is now raining, and the weather will be 
 delightfully cold. 
 
 There is still some delay in the receipt of 
 your letters, because the head quarters of 
 Gilbert's division is at Ramnuggur, across 
 the Chenab. 
 
 h2 
 
76 LETTERS. 
 
 Camp, Right Bank of Chendb, a few miles 
 from Ramnuggur ; Thursday Night, 
 1th Dec, 1848. 
 
 At 1 o'clock this afternoon, our dear 
 Albert arrived, and I am happy to find him 
 quite well. He managed very well on his 
 journey, and received great kindness from 
 several companions. 
 
 It is understood that w^e shall move our 
 ground to-morrow, and I write a few lines 
 to-night, as our letters have to be despatched 
 from Ramnuggur, which is thirteen miles 
 from this. ...... 
 
 To-morrow we may hear what is to be the 
 next move. 
 
 Mackeson is coming up to be with the 
 Commander-in-Chief. 
 
 It is raining, I like the 
 sound. 
 
 . We are to move our ground 
 after the men have cooked, though our tents 
 are very wet. 
 
LETTERS. 77 
 
 Camp, H alley ; 9th Dec. 
 
 It appears that the Governor General has 
 forbidden most positively our advance beyond 
 this at present. The enemy are 10 or 12 
 miles between this and the Jeylum, in a 
 jungle. We cannot do them much harm 
 where they are, but can prevent them com- 
 ing into the open country, and they may 
 suffer from want of supplies. . . . 
 
 I saw Mackeson yesterday ; he had come 
 on from the Commander-in-Chiefs camp 
 on a camel, and was returning with such 
 intelligence as he had gleaned ; he said he 
 thought the enemy were entrenching them- 
 selves. 
 
 We have now a strong force, in an open 
 country, and if the enemy attack us again 
 w^e shall do much more than merely beat 
 them back, as was the case on the 3d. 
 
 I suppose we shall remain in this neigh- 
 bourhood till the fall of Mooltan ; but it is 
 
78 LETTERS. 
 
 unaccountable why the Governor General 
 does not proclaim the intentions of our 
 Government ; and if we are to take the 
 Punjaub, why he does not make it known, 
 and promise the inhabitants our constant 
 protection if they return to their villages. 
 
 Under present circumstances there is the 
 apprehension of the Government of the 
 country reverting to the Seikhs after five 
 years, and the inhabitants regard them as 
 their destined rulers, and therefore uphold 
 their cause at present. 
 
 After this fall of rain, it is of the utmost 
 importance that the culture of the ground 
 should not be neglected, and I believe the 
 inhabitants might be induced to put their 
 land to the plough at once, if assured that 
 it would not be given over to the tender 
 mercies of the Seikhs. 
 
LETTERS. 79 
 
 Camp, Hailey ; \Oth Dec, 
 
 No change since I wrote yesterday, 
 but it is reported that the Commander-in- 
 Chief will join this force in a day or two 
 with some big guns, and attack the enemy ; 
 but our big guns travel slowly, and I think 
 the Seikhs, on hearing of their being this 
 side of the Chenab, will take themselves off 
 to the right bank of the Jeylum. 
 
 The rain has cleared off, and the weather 
 is very pleasant. 
 
 How happy we shall be if our long- 
 cherished hopes are realized, and we are 
 spared to return to dear Old England, and 
 to follow those pursuits which are congenial 
 to us. I do not despair of this, but hope, 
 on the contrary, it may soon be our happy 
 lot. 
 
 Yesterday we dined with Major Grant, of 
 the 9th Lancers. He is a very agreeable 
 companion, and a pious man. He and 
 another officer encourage prayer-meetings 
 
80 LETTERS. 
 
 among the men of the regiment, and make 
 a point of attending themselves, I believe 
 twice a week, when practicable. 
 
 Head quarters camp continues at Ram- 
 nuggur ; if any corps are stationed on 
 the left bank of the Chenab, after the 
 termination of the campaign, I think the 
 families of officers may forthwith join their 
 husbands there. But we must w^ait a little 
 before making any arrangements on such 
 
 a supposition May every 
 
 blessing attend you and all dear to us. 
 
 Camp Hailey ; ]\th Dec. 
 On Saturday morning Albert received 
 yours of the 5th, and yesterday morning 
 that of the 6th, but poor I was doomed to 
 disappointment. However, last evening, 
 yours of the 5th for me arrived, and this 
 morning I got those of the 6th and 7th. 
 You thus see how irregular the Post-office 
 arrangements are, and how uncertain the 
 receipt of letters. 
 
LETTERS. 81 
 
 They (the enemy) have taken up a strong 
 position between a dense jungle and the left 
 bank of the Jeylum, and we cannot get 
 through the jungle in any military forma- 
 tion, nor can we move round it, as it is said 
 to extend the whole length of the doab. It 
 is now intended for us to fall back on the 
 right bank of the Chenab for the con- 
 venience of water and forage, or to move to 
 Goojrat. The enemy are harmless in the 
 present position, but it shows good manage- 
 ment on their part, and makes us appear at 
 a disadvantage in not being able to attack 
 them. 
 
 General Campbell told me this morning 
 that it was ascertained that the Seikhs in 
 their retreat threw two guns into the river, 
 and that they have 6 or 7 guns fewer than 
 they had. 
 
 It is supposed they had been concealed 
 underground or in sugar kates. 
 
 The Commander-in-Chief insists on blam- 
 ing Sir Joseph Thackwell for not following 
 
82 LETTERS. 
 
 up the enemy on the 3d, and Sir Joseph 
 maintains that the letter he received from 
 the Commander-in-Chief on the line of 
 march precluded him from doing so. ... 
 
 General Campbell saw Albert this morn- 
 ing, and asked to be introduced to him ; he 
 said he was a little like you, and desired him 
 to give his compliments to you. . . . 
 
 Helah; ]2fh Dec. 
 
 Your letter of the 8th, with a budget 
 of reports annihilating the enemy, made me 
 smile. You now know how far they are 
 from being true. 
 
 There seems to be some fatuity attending 
 our cause, and I shall expect far different 
 results when our Government disconnect 
 themselves with the Seikh durbar in the 
 government of the Punjaub. 
 
 Two 18-pounders and four 8-inch how- 
 itzers were to have come into camp this 
 morning, and I suppose they are now here, 
 
LETTERS. 83 
 
 but it seems to be decided that we are not 
 to attack the enemy. 
 
 Yesterday our commissariat officers lost 
 100 camels, but it is supposed that the 
 Surwans connive at this driving away of 
 camels for the compensation they receive 
 from Government, and that they recover 
 the camels again. 
 
 A few days will perhaps shew the turn 
 which affairs are taking, and it may appear 
 that you, my beloved C, may soon be 
 with me 
 
 Campi Hailah ; 1 Qth Dec, 
 
 I am delighted with your letter of the 
 9th, w^hich shews that you are in good 
 spirits, and I trust you will continue so, and 
 be as happy as possible during the remainder 
 of our separation. May the happy time 
 soon come for our restoration to each other, 
 and from what we hear this is not very 
 distant. 
 
84 LETTERS. 
 
 Our dear Agnes's letters are very gratify- 
 ing. Mrs. U.'s account of her is very 
 satisfactory. ...... 
 
 There is nothing new spoken of to-day, 
 and I am anxious to know what is Ukely to 
 be the next turn of events. 
 
 It is supposed that some of the enemy 
 have crossed the Jeylum, but as far as this 
 force is concerned the campaign is con- 
 sidered to be at an end, though the troops 
 cannot be sent to their destinations till the 
 fall of Mooltan 
 
 May every blessing be yours, and may I 
 promote and share your happiness. 
 
 14th Dec I can feel with 
 
 you that all will be overruled by Providence, 
 and prove to be for the best ; but, judging 
 from experience and appearances, the Com- 
 mander-in-Chief cannot escape censure. . 
 
 The fact is, we are not well provided with 
 a commander and generals in India. Look 
 at our old superannuated men in command 
 of divisions, yet the regulations of the 
 
LETTERS. 85 
 
 service place them in authority, and they do 
 not make way for younger and efficient 
 officers. The exceptions are few, and 
 General Gilbert is one of them. General 
 Campbell is also energetic, and acquainted 
 with the science of war, but one inefficient 
 person in high command may render useless 
 not only the qualifications of others, but a 
 well-equipped army. 
 
 We are now quite inactive, though I 
 suppose the Politicals are at work in some 
 way, though the public are not in the secret. 
 It is supposed that we shall not do much 
 on the offensive till after the fall of iVJooltan, 
 but there are rumours of the enemy sub- 
 mitting to terms soon. 
 
 I should suppose the ladies of the 29th 
 will soon be able to return to Hajipore, but 
 Mrs. Mercer and you are likely to have to 
 remain at Loodeana, about the same time, as 
 the 46th and 56th will probably be detained 
 in camp, till after the fall of Mooltan. 
 
 1 5th Dec. I receive your letters now with 
 
86 LETTERS. 
 
 great regularity, and they are a great happi- 
 ness to me. I am very anxious to know 
 our destination, or rather when we may 
 be together again, for the when is of much 
 more consequence than the *' where." 
 
 Albert will, I think, be posted in the next 
 orders. His application has just been for- 
 warded to be removed to the 56th regiment 
 after he is posted. 
 
 No news whatever this morning. I have 
 seen the Commander-in-Chiefs despatch to 
 the Governor-General regarding the 3d. It is 
 not the case, as stated, that the exhaustion 
 of the men and horses prevented an advance 
 after the enemy 
 
 The killed and wounded on our side were, 
 I understand, 75 men. The 2nd European 
 regiment was in the reinforcement, and was 
 not under the enemy's fire, as the despatch 
 would lead one to suppose. 
 
LETTERS. 87 
 
 Camp^ Hailah ; 1 Qth Dec 
 
 Our Brigade has broken up. The 
 ^3 1st has been posted to Godby's Brigade, 
 and the 56th to Colonel Mountain's. It is 
 supposed we shall move our camp on Mon- 
 day, and proceed in the neighbourhood of 
 Gujrat. Nothing is said about the enemy, 
 except that Shere Sing is offering to 
 negociate. 
 
 I saw Brigadier Mountain to-day, and we 
 remembered our meeting at Hong Kong, 
 He is looking very well. 
 
 Brigadier Eckford wandered away from 
 his brigade on the morning of the 1 st, and I 
 believe he kept close to the regiment which 
 preceded our Brigade ; but as the 31st regi- 
 ment was leading, and I kept close to it with 
 our own regiment, I could not tell what 
 occasioned our detention on the morning in 
 question. We lost two or three hours on 
 starting, which was very unfortunate, but I 
 did not hear much said about it. I am 
 
 I 2 
 
88 LETTERS 
 
 much pleased at having Col. Mountain for 
 our Brigadier. 
 
 19th Dec. There are not any orders out 
 yet about a move for to-morrow, and none 
 may take place ; but it is generally under- 
 stood that no active measures will be adopted 
 here until the fall of Mooltan, and many 
 suppose that the campaign is over, and the 
 affair will terminate with a treaty. 
 
 We had a noble view of the snowy range 
 this morning. This would be a very pro- 
 ductive doab, with good culture, but at 
 present it is much neglected, and the male 
 inhabitants seem to be in the ranks of our 
 enemies. 
 
 19th Dec. Yesterday the order was 
 issued for the camp to move this morning 
 at half-after 6 o'clock, and it was known 
 that we were to proceed towards Gujrat, but 
 during the night the march was counter- 
 manded, and we were told it was because 
 something had gone wrong with thepontoons. 
 
 Mountain's Brigade has crossed to this 
 
LETTERS. 89 
 
 side, and the 56th regiment will join it at 
 our next encampment. 
 
 We do not hear anything of the enemy, 
 but must suppose our authorities get infor- 
 mation regarding them. 
 
 There seems to be a strong reluctance on 
 the part of Government to retain possession 
 of the Punjaub, and T think we shall 
 delay and try one expedient after another, 
 and at last retain the Punjaub under British 
 rule. This will keep the army in the 
 Punjaub, where ladies cannot come, and 
 I am well pleased for you to go to our 
 darling Agnes. I shall rejoice in your hap- 
 piness, and shall hope to be with you in 
 England as soon as possible 
 
 We had a thunder-storm last night, with 
 rain . 
 
 I hear that we are to march to-morrow. 
 
 20th Dec. ... We are still at 
 Hailah, and do not know when we are to 
 move towards Gujrat, as some of Moolraj's 
 troops have come upwards to collect revenue, 
 
90 LETTERS. 
 
 and if we were to go to Guzerat they might 
 come to the vicinity of Lahore with safety. 
 The fact is we have not sufficient troops to 
 conduct the campaign with vigour, and to 
 put down the enemy at all points simul- 
 taneously. 
 
 The weather is sensibly 
 colder, and I enjoy it very much. Yesterday 
 Albert and I went for a ride between 3 and 
 4 o'clock. .... 
 
 Camp, Hailah ; 2'2d Dec, 
 
 It is said we are really to change 
 ground to-morrow, and that the direction is 
 to be towards Goojrat, but it seems unknown 
 what distance we are to go. 
 
 Our authorities seem to feel that we have 
 to cope with a formidable enemy, and that 
 any want of success on our part would be 
 
LETTERS. 91 
 
 u 
 
 attended with serious consequences. We 
 are therefore kept inactive, and in the mean 
 time the ranks of the enemy are increasing 
 in numbers. A very important point to be 
 now ascertained is whether Dost Mahomet 
 and the AfFghans will side with us or with 
 the Seikhs. It is generally understood that 
 both parties are willing to procure the 
 assistance of the AfFghans by giving up to 
 them Peshawur and the tract of country on 
 the right bank of the Indus. 
 
 If the AfFghans side with the Seikhs, the 
 campaign will be prolonged considerably, 
 but if they become our allies, the Seikhs 
 will soon have to disperse in small parties, 
 because they would otherwise be between 
 the British and AfFghan troops advancing 
 upon them simultaneously from opposite 
 directions. But under all circumstances, a 
 large British force must occupy the Punjaub, 
 and I do not think any of the regiments 
 now here can rely on being sent into the 
 Provinces for a couple or three years. 
 
92 LETTERS. 
 
 It seems right that the 
 time of our separation should be passed by 
 you in England. I hope you will not have 
 to return to this country, but that I may be 
 spared to retire from the service and to join 
 you in England. 
 
 23d Dec. Until about sunset yesterday 
 the expectation of moving to-day was 
 general through camp, but we then heard 
 we were not to move. 
 
 . . . . As the English papers now 
 say, *' We have striven to avoid the annex- 
 ation of the Punjaub, but Providence is 
 overruhng our designs.'' 
 
 My opinion has long been, and I have 
 expressed it more than once, that as long as 
 we are avowedly concerned in upholding the 
 idolatrous and abominable Seikh Govern- 
 ment, we shall experience reverses and 
 difficulties, but as soon as we openly cast off 
 all connection with it, and carry out the 
 evident designs of Providence, everything 
 will be made easy for us. 
 
LETTERS. 93 
 
 . . . . No one seems to think the 
 campaign will be over this season. 
 
 24th Dec. . . . Annexation 
 is generally expected, and an increase to 
 the army. 
 
 25th Dec, 1848. May you, my beloved 
 C, have a happier Christmas next year than 
 this. May it please God to bring you in 
 health and safety to our beloved Agnes and 
 our families in dear Old England, and may 
 there be a prospect of my being with you 
 soon afterwards. 
 
 . . . . I suppose the people in the 
 Governor General's camp are just as 
 ignorant of the future as we are ; they may 
 know what is wished, but not what will 
 occur. A great point to know is what part 
 will be performed by Dost Mahomet. 
 
 Cumberlege, in a note to me, says there 
 is not to be any increase to the army, but I 
 think it will be indispensable, in spite of the 
 wishes of Government to avoid it. 
 
 I shall be glad to receive your letter 
 
94 LETTERS. 
 
 to-morrow, in reply to mine on the subject 
 of your return home. 
 
 Campi Heila ; 26th N<w. 
 
 Mo watt is pitched close to us, and I had 
 told him that I had written to you to go 
 home ; but this morning I said you did not 
 intend going, and his remark was, '' I think 
 she is quite right." 
 
 The future is concealed from us all, and 
 it was because I could not see any prospect 
 of a speedy termination to the campaign, 
 that I felt so confident of the advantage of 
 your immediate return to England. 
 
 Mowatt thinks another month will quite 
 alter the appearance of aifairs, and that on 
 the fall of Mooltan something decisive will 
 take place in this neighbourhood. 
 
 Here we remain week after week, with the 
 enemy a few miles off, and although the 
 
LETTERS. 95 
 
 season is so far advanced, we have not done 
 anything to our advantage. 
 
 The affair of the 22d Nov. was a positive 
 loss to us, and that of the 3d Dec. was no 
 gain ; but a greater proof of our want of 
 generalship cannot be given than the fact 
 that if we had to go through the campaign 
 again we should act quite contrary to what 
 we have done. 
 
 I cannot urge my love, my very Hfe, to 
 go further from me ; but still I shall keep 
 myself prepared to hear that you have made 
 up your mind to take the journey, for which 
 my letters have contained all necessary 
 arrangements. 
 
 27th Dec. . . . . . 
 
 The desire of my heart is ever to be with 
 you throughout our lives, and in all eternity. 
 . Yes, stay as you propose, 
 and may our heavenly Father soon restore 
 us to each other. 
 
 It is expected that the enemy will be 
 disconcerted if Mooltan falls, which we may 
 
 K 
 
96 LETTERS. 
 
 hope will soon be the case, and that Dost 
 Mahomet will then declare for us openly. 
 
 Many people are sanguine that affairs will 
 soon assume a favourable appearance, and I 
 can enter into the feeling, though I cannot 
 see how it is to be brought about. If we 
 knew the intentions of Government we 
 might form a correct opinion, instead of 
 building our hopes on our ignorance. 
 
 Albert is at his studies, and will get on 
 well. 
 
 Healah ; 2Sth Dec, 
 and though we are quite 
 stationary, and no one seems to know what 
 is to be done, I think the fall of Mooltan 
 will be followed by important results in this 
 campaign. 
 
 Camp Heilah; 29th Dec, 1848. 
 
 .Your letter of Christmas-day con- 
 tains a similar wish to mine, that happier 
 returns of the season may await us. . . . 
 
LETTERS. 97 
 
 Let us keep our return to England in view. 
 . . . How delightfully we could pass our 
 time there, and how satisfactorily. The 
 society of congenial minds and the services 
 of religion would be a privilege we have not 
 often in this country. 
 
 England has the advantage over India in 
 every way. 
 
 I hope Mooltan will soon be ours, and 
 then something will be done here towards 
 bringing the campaign to a close. If the 
 56th regiment is sent to Lahore, you can 
 be there by the time we arrive, and we shall 
 not dislike the place as a station. 
 
 Commander-in-Chief s Camp ; 
 SOth Dec. 
 
 Yesterday the Commander-in-Chief's 
 camp moved up to within two miles of us, 
 and this morning Albert and I rode in here 
 and have made several calls. 
 
98 LETTERS. 
 
 It appears that the Seikhs have moved a 
 short distance, but our inteUigence is of the 
 most uncertain description, and no one 
 seems to know exactly what the Seilchs are 
 doing. 
 
 We are now in Brigadier Huthwaite's tent, 
 where I write this in a hurry. . . . 
 
 Camp Heilah; ^\st Dec, 1848. 
 
 This morning, the following regiments 
 marched from this camp, namely, the 9th 
 Lancers, 5th & 8th Light Cavalry, Fordyce's 
 and Duncan's troops of Horse Artillery. 
 They move downwards to a fort about 20 
 miles on this side of the Chenab, and a 
 Brigade under Penny move simultaneously 
 on the opposite bank of the river. The 
 object is to intercept a Chief named Narain 
 Sing with 3000 men and a couple of guns. 
 This party left Mooltan some time ago to 
 collect revenue, and was followed by Sheik 
 
LETTERS. 99 
 
 Emam-oo-deen (the ex-Governor of Cash- 
 mere), and some troops. 
 
 Narain Sing is thus prevented from 
 returning to Mooltan, and our detachment 
 will endeavour to prevent him from joining 
 Shere Sing on the bank of the Jeylum. 
 Cocks accompanies the detachment. 
 
 It seems understood that on the fall of 
 Mooltan the Governor General will declare 
 the intentions of Government regarding the 
 Punjaub, because the force which will then 
 be available will, it is hoped, be sufficient to 
 carry our views into effect. 
 
 We have not any communication at 
 present with Dost Mahomed, and Govern- 
 ment feel that it would be derogatory in us 
 to make overtures to him at present, because 
 our enemies are unconquered ; but when we 
 are victorious, it is supposed we shall gladly 
 give him Peshawur. 
 
 Goolab Sing is now an independent Rajah, 
 and though we disgraced our rule by selling 
 him a kingdom and a people, yet having 
 
100 LETTERS. 
 
 received the price we cannot cancel the 
 abominable transaction ; whilst he is faithful 
 as an ally, our Government will abide by the 
 treaty. But the question is with the Lahore 
 Government, and it is to be hoped that 
 immediately after the fall of Mooltan we 
 shall declare the treaty with that State at an 
 end, in consequence of the treachery of the 
 durbar and the majority of the chiefs by 
 whom the treaty was signed. . . . 
 
 I saw Dawes this morning, who expressed 
 himself quite pleased that you were not 
 going home, for he thinks the opposition 
 against us will fall to pieces very soon, like 
 a pack of cards. 
 
 It is now said that the Seikhs moved their 
 ground yesterday, to get to a clean spot, and 
 that they are very sickly. 
 
LETTERS. 101 
 
 Camp Heilu ; \st Jan., 1849. 
 
 I wish us all a happier New-Year's 
 Day in 1850 than this is, and I hope it will 
 please God for us very soon to be re-united. 
 
 As the Commander-in-Chief's camp is so 
 near, our letters are not forwarded to the 
 branch Post-office in this camp as heretofore. 
 
 Toulmin kindly rode in for our letters, 
 but did not find one for me. After breakfast 
 I despatched an orderly to *' try again," for 
 your letters are my enjoyment in your 
 absence. 
 
 I was walking outside the tent, thinking 
 of the expected letter, when Young Mercer 
 approached on horseback, and put his hand 
 in his pocket. I immediately knew that he 
 had brought my letter from the Post-office, 
 and this accounted for Toulmin not finding 
 it there. 
 
 We must soon hear something decisive 
 from Mooltan, because whether we renew 
 the siege or have recourse to negotiation 
 
102 LETTERS. 
 
 through Lieut.-Colonel Lawrence, the time 
 has arrived when something must be settled 
 there, and then affairs will be brought to a 
 crisis in this quarter. 
 
 Camp Healah ; Jan. 2nd, 1849. 
 . • . ... 
 
 May that be very soon, and may we not 
 again be separated for years and years. 
 
 Yesterday we received accounts that our 
 troops at Mooltan had taken possession of 
 the suburbs, and expected to capture the 
 town within a few hours. May this prove 
 the case, and then I hope the fort will soon 
 be ours also. 
 
 When the Commander-in-Chief advances 
 to attack Shere Sing, I think the enemy will 
 cross the Jeylum with all his guns, and then 
 it will be difficult for us to follow the allied 
 enemy with success. But some persons 
 think we shall leave them to themselves 
 
LETTERS. 103 
 
 when they have retired from the plains, and 
 only act on the defensive to prevent their 
 return. 
 
 I want to see a public declaration that we 
 have disconnected ourselves with the Lahore 
 Government, and ceased to act with the 
 remaining members of the durbar. This will 
 perhaps be done after the fall of Mooltan. 
 
 Camp Healah ; Srd Jan., 1 849. 
 
 Young Mercer and I rode into the 
 Commander-in-Chiefs camp this morning 
 for our letters, but I narrowly escaped being 
 disappointed, for we examined the heap of 
 letters without finding one for me. Mercer 
 happened to take a sealed packet for the 
 36th regiment, which is in his Brigade, and 
 on opening it found your letter to me. This 
 blunder occurred at Lahore, and is another 
 proof of the carelessness of thePost-office 
 department. 
 
 On looking over the letters to-day I saw 
 
104 LETTERS. 
 
 one for Dr. Pemberton, Field Hospital, 
 Army of the Punjaub ; so George Pemberton 
 is at Ramnuggur, and I hope to see him 
 soon. 
 
 Yesterday, a commander of the Bunnoo 
 troops with Shere Sing, accompanied by 
 another person of some rank, and about 30 
 followers, came into camp and were duly 
 escorted to the Commander-in-Chief, who 
 will, I suppose, send them to Lahore. The 
 Bunnoo Chief in question is Ram Sing. 
 
 It is supposed that the fall of Mooltan 
 will have a great effect in the aspect of 
 affairs in this part of the country, and will 
 be the great step towards drawing the cam- 
 paign to a close, and I hope I may add in 
 drawing you and me to each other. 
 
 The news to-day that 1 have heard from 
 the detachment under Brigadier White, 
 which went after Narain Sing, but it is not 
 expected that we shall catch him or overtake 
 his troops. 
 
LETTERS. 105 
 
 It appears that Penny's Brigade was coun- 
 termanded, and did not leave Ramnuggur. 
 
 4th Jan. Mercer and I again rode into 
 the Commander-in-Chief's camp for our let- 
 ters, and received them without difficulty 
 to-day. . . . . 
 
 We are anxious to hear of the fall of 
 Mooltan, but it may not be ours for many 
 days, and it is sad to think of the loss of 
 life which will take place, if the enemy 
 defend the citadel with vigour. 
 
 Healah ; 5th Jan. 
 
 I had a solitary ride this morning to 
 the Post-office, as Mercer had to attend 
 parade, and so had Albert. 
 
 The enclosed sketch of the action of the 
 3d came in to-day's ** Agra Messenger," and 
 you will be glad to see it. 
 
106 LETTERS. 
 
 Camp^ Heilah ; 6th Jan., 1849, 
 
 Yesterday afternoon a despatch from 
 General Whish announced that at 9 o'clock 
 on the 30th December a 9-inch shell from 
 one of our mortars blew up the principal 
 magazine in the citadel at Mooltan. It was 
 in the Chief Mosque, and the quantity of 
 powder must have been very great, as the 
 explosion was tremendous and the effect 
 quite destructive to the Mooltanees, but you 
 will have received the particulars from Mrs. 
 Dempster long ere this reaches you, and I 
 need not mention them. 
 
 We hear that immediately on the fall of 
 Mooltan, the Governor-General wdll issue a 
 proclamation annexing the whole of the 
 Punjaub to British India, and that an order 
 for additional regiments will be published at 
 the same time. If this is done, some of the 
 troops will occupy the newly-acquired coun- 
 try, and ladies can join their husbands in 
 those corps. But a large force will have to 
 
LETTERS. 107 
 
 proceed to Peshawur, perhaps, and no 
 ladies will be able to go there at present. . 
 
 I am all anxiety to know the arrangements 
 of Government, and hope to be soon promoted. 
 
 Captain Hake, of the 34th, is with 
 Kempland, and he also will call on you and 
 tell you how well I was when he was in camp. 
 
 Healah ; 1th Jan. 
 
 It is said we are to move 4 miles to 
 the right to-morrow, and I hope we may, 
 that the 56th may get into its position in 
 Mountain's Brigade. 
 
 We have intelligence that our troops 
 captured the town of Mooltan on the 2d 
 January, and were to storm the citadel on 
 the 3d. I trust the loss has not been great, 
 and that to-day or to-morrow we shall 
 receive the pleasing intelligence of the fall 
 of Mooltan 
 
 I met Tremenhere at Lahore, and dis- 
 covered that our families are connected, my 
 cousin, Mrs. Scott, being his cousin also. 
 
108 LETTERS. 
 
 I often think of our contemplated return 
 to England, and sometimes talk of my 
 retirement from the service. . . . May 
 God, in his mercy, bless us, my love, and 
 our darling children, and may you and I 
 soon be restored to each other and be happy ! 
 
 Camp^ Healah ; &th Jan., 1849. 
 . . . The anniversary of our 
 happy marriage. ... I read till late 
 last night that very beautiful work " Elisha," 
 and felt very forcibly several passages 
 dwelling on the mercy of God in his Pro- 
 vidence. We have experienced many in- 
 stances of his love, and have seen how truly 
 all things work together for good to those 
 who trust in the Almighty. Many circum- 
 stances, which at one stage of their progress 
 appear to be great afflictions, prove in the 
 end to have been the means of imparting 
 a blessing. This is exemplified in the book 
 by a reference to Naaman the leper, and 
 
LETTERS. 109 
 
 others, and the aim of the writer is to show 
 the propriety and advantage of exercising 
 faith in the mercy of God, and not repining 
 at his Providence. 
 
 What a night of distress was the 7th of 
 January, 1836, when it appeared that you, 
 my beloved C, who were the happiness of 
 my life, were about to be removed from this 
 world, and to be separated from me, till, 
 through the love of God, and the atone- 
 ment of our Redeemer, we were united in 
 
 eternity And yet it pleased 
 
 God not only to spare you, but to grant a 
 safe birth to our darling Agnes, who will, 1 
 fervently pray, be a source of happiness to 
 us throughout our lives, and a devoted 
 disciple of our blessed Redeemer. 
 
 My thoughts kept me awake, and when 
 12 o'clock struck I hailed the return of the 
 8th January, which is the day of our happy 
 union, and of the birth of our darling Agnes. 
 
 We have completed twenty years since 
 our marriage, and I pray our heavenly 
 
110 LETTERS. 
 
 Father to spare us to each other for many 
 years of happiness yet to come. 
 
 Good day, my love, my wife ; I am your 
 unchangeably devoted. 
 
 Camp, name unhnoion ; Tuesday/, 9th Jan. 
 
 We moved our camp to-day, marched 
 soon after 9 o'clock in the morning, 
 and were here at noon. We are about the 
 centre of the line, and in our own Brigade, 
 between the 29th Queen's and the 30th 
 Native Infantry. 
 
 My first care was to get your letter, and I 
 bad a long ride for it, as no person knew 
 the position of the several regiments. But 
 I lost no time in bringing my search to a 
 
 *' successful issue," as would say, 
 
 and your cheerful and delightful letter of the 
 5th was my reward. 
 
 Albert sends his love, and a message that 
 he cannot write, and I am writing at Jones's 
 desk, as our tent is in a cornfield, and I am 
 
LETTERS. 1 1 1 
 
 having the corn rooted up and removed, to 
 prevent dampness before pitching the tent. 
 
 Camp, Lussoarie ; X^th Jan. 
 All the army is now encamped here, 
 I believe, except Penny's Brigade, which is 
 to join from Ramnuggur to-day or to- 
 morrow, and except also the 13th and 22d 
 regiments, which remain to guard the bridge. 
 
 It is said that as soon as we hear of the 
 fall of Mooltan our force will advance and 
 attack the troops under Shere Sing ; but I 
 do not expect they will remain on this side 
 of the Jeylum to receive our attack, and if 
 they escape to the other side with all their 
 guns they will make a much better stand in 
 a hilly country than in the plains. 
 
 It is to be hoped that Dost Mahomed will 
 take an active part on our side immediately 
 after the fall of Mooltan, and we may then 
 hope for a speedy termination to the 
 campaign. 
 
112 LETTERS. 
 
 It is quite a new idea to me that the 
 Scriptures afford any sanction for races, as 
 you say thinks. 
 
 Paul illustrates some of our duties by a 
 reference to the efforts made by racers who 
 strive for merely an earthly reward. In the 
 same manner he terms our Saviour the 
 captain of our salvation, enjoins the disciples 
 to take upon them the whole armour of 
 God, illustrating it by a reference to the 
 weapons of a soldier, and exhorts them to 
 fight the good fight of faith ; but this can- 
 not be construed into any sanction for war : 
 and horse racing and betting, if justifiable 
 in a Christian, must be upheld by other 
 arguments than a reference to the mention 
 made of races and fights in Scripture. 
 
 I hope we may meet Mrs. T. some day 
 and become acquainted ; I shall be glad to 
 hear that her husband has the same ideas 
 as she now entertains on baptism. . . 
 
 Brigadier Mountain has just been here, 
 and we are to parade at 4. 
 
LETTERS. 113 
 
 Camp^ Lussoarie ; 1 1 th Jan. 
 There is not any letter from you 
 to-day, but I am sure you write as usual. 
 Some overlands have arrived to me direct ; 
 1 will forward them to you to-morrow. 
 
 I dare say our dear child will pass her 
 holidays pleasantly. 
 
 There is a letter from Blanch 
 
 Also one from Charley 
 
 We are to march to-morrow to a place 
 half-way towards the enemy's camp. 
 
 Colonel Lawrence is now in the Com- 
 mander-in-Chief's camp. Attock is in the 
 hands of the AfFghans, and Lieut. Herbert 
 a prisoner in Chutter Sing's camp. 
 
 The crisis is now approaching, and we 
 shall soon know whether there is to be an 
 action on this side of the Jeylum or not. 
 
 All the troops were inspected to-day by 
 the Commander-in-Chief, by Brigades. 
 
 Brigadier Mountain is very deaf, and it 
 was miserable work endeavouring to convey 
 the Commander-in-Chiei's orders to him.' 
 
1 14 LETTERS. 
 
 I purpose going to see Georgey Pemberton 
 by and by. . 
 
 Camp^ near the Left Rank of the Jcylum, 
 
 and a few miles from Dinghy ; 
 
 I2th January, IS i9. 
 
 My beloved C, we marched this morn- 
 ing soon after 7 o'clock, and have encamped 
 at this place, five or six miles, it is said, 
 from the enemy. 
 
 Yesterday, a proclamation from the 
 Governor-General was sent to Shere Sing's 
 camp, offering pardon on the surrender of 
 their guns and arms, but it is not likely to 
 be acceded to by the majority. It now 
 remains to be seen what will take place. 
 
 I was very glad to see George Pemberton 
 yesterday and again to-day on the march ; 
 he is attached to the 2d European regiment. 
 Instead of the round-faced boy, he has now 
 sharp features, and is thin. Maria is going 
 to England for her health. 
 
LETTERS. 1 1 5 
 
 I enclose all the letters except Charley's, 
 which I find was sent yesterday by Albert. 
 
 We are now close enough to see the hills 
 distinctly. 
 
 I am a little tired after the long march 
 through a hot sun, and am now going to 
 lie down. 
 
 " Elate indeed were the spirits of the 
 soldiers who composed the ' general army' 
 of Hugh Baron Gough, when they encamped 
 at Dinghee on the evening of the 1 2th 
 January, 1849. Dinghee, a small town, 
 was situated at a distance of eight or nine 
 miles from the heights of Russool, where 
 the Seikh forces under the command of 
 Shere Sing were posted. 
 
 ''Their right rested on Moong, their left 
 being protected by the natural strength and 
 field works of Russool. The Jhelum flowed 
 behind their camp, while the front was 
 covered by the jungle. On the evening of 
 
116 LETTERS. 
 
 the 12th it was bruited about, and was the 
 firm conviction of every one, that a general 
 action would take place on the morrow, and 
 few indeed were the men who did not 
 indulge in the most sanguine expectations 
 of a brilHant crowning victory. 
 
 *' Late in the evening the Generals of 
 division, Thackwell, Gilbert, and Colin 
 Campbell, the Brigadiers White, Pope, 
 Tennant, Brooke, Hathwaite, Mountain, 
 Hoggan, Penny quick, Godby, and Penny, 
 and the commanding officers of regiments, 
 were summoned to the tent of the Com- 
 mander-in Chief, to deliberate on and con- 
 cert the preparatory arrangements for the 
 active operations of the morrow." — Thack- 
 welVs Narrative of the Second Seikh War, 
 
LETTERS. 
 
 117 
 
 From Rev, Mr, Bowstead, 
 
 My dear Mrs. Bamfield, 
 
 My horse is at the door saddled. I 
 am just about to ascertain the cause of the 
 salute. When I hear I will inform you. 
 
 Yours sincerely, 
 
 J. Bowstead. 
 
 January \Sth, 
 
 From Major Cumberlege. 
 
 My dear Mrs. Mercer, 
 
 I merely heard from Mrs. Becher, at 
 the Post-office, that Major Bamfield was 
 severely wounded, but luhere or how is not 
 mentioned. He is the only officer named 
 at present. Many officers get severely 
 wounded, and recover quickly. I was myself 
 severely wounded at Soobraon, but soon got 
 over it. We must hope for the best. 
 
118 LETTERS, 
 
 No doubt Albert will write to his mother 
 
 by next dawk all the particulars of the 
 
 action. 
 
 Yours sincerely, 
 
 J. CUMBERLEGE. 
 
 P.S. Keep up your spirits, all will no 
 doubt be well, and good news come to- 
 morrow. 
 
 Camp ; Sunday^ January 14^^, '2^ p.m. 
 My DEAR Mrs. Bamfield, 
 
 I have just been over to see my dear 
 good friend, your poor husband, and found 
 that your son had not written, owing to his 
 being occupied in attending on his father. 
 I, however, made him write these few lines. 
 The wound, no doubt, is a severe one, but 
 the doctor says he has reason to believe that 
 no vital part has been touched. The ball 
 passed through the arm, entered the side, 
 and lodged itself in the back. It has been 
 extracted, and he appears much easier, and 
 
LETTERS. 119 
 
 was sleeping calmly and breathing easily 
 when I left him. The spine is not touched ; 
 in short, from what I have heard, I consider 
 he is doing very favourably. He has been 
 spoken of in the most noble terms ; his 
 regiment was exposed to a most terrific fire, 
 and their loss has been very great. 
 
 I have advised Albert to get him removed 
 back to Ramnuggur as soon as the doctors 
 consider it prudent to do so. 
 
 I have the greatest reason to be thankful 
 to the Almighty for preserving me through 
 such an awful battle, and I know too well 
 what my own poor wife's feelings would have 
 been to have been unmindful of my duty in 
 writing you this few lines for your comfort. 
 
 Whenever Albert is unable to write, you 
 may rely on my giving the latest accounts of 
 your husband in my letters to my wife. 
 
 Believe me, yours very sincerely, 
 
 J. W. Mercer. 
 I4th January, 1849. 
 
 M 
 
120 LETTERS. 
 
 My dearest Mother, 
 
 I could not write yesterday, but you 
 will have heard from Mrs. Mercer of the 
 engagement yesterday, and the sad news of 
 my dear father being wounded. 
 
 The wound was considered very danger- 
 ous at first, but Dr. Mac Rae has extracted 
 the ball, and there is now a little more hope 
 of his recovery. Through the blessing of 
 God we shall all be united again. He will 
 have every care taken of him by me, and I 
 will give you daily accounts. 
 
 Good bye, my dear mother, and may 
 God bless you and keep your spirits up. 
 Look to Him for support, and pray for my 
 dear father. 
 
 With my love, 
 
 Your affectionate son, 
 
 Albert. 
 
LETTERS. 121 
 
 4 o'clock, Monday morning. 
 My dearest Mother, 
 
 It is my sad but bounden duty to tell you 
 that half-an-hour since my dear father passed 
 from this to another and better world, where 
 there is no pain. He died without moving : 
 just as he slept he died. 
 
 Dr. Mac Rae and George Pemberton told 
 me yesterday, as now, that there was no 
 hope, when they saw him in the evening, 
 after the ball was taken out, and could feel 
 no pulse. 
 
 The ball, which was 
 an iron one, and about 
 this size, first went 
 through the left arm, 
 then entered the side, 
 and passed through the 
 liver, and was taken 
 out on the right of the back bone. His 
 lower extremities were paralysed from the 
 time he first received the wound. 
 
22 
 
 LETTERS. 
 
 His last words about you were uttered a 
 few minutes after he was shot, and they 
 were, *' I feel I can't last long, for I know 
 the nature of my wound. Tell mama." . 
 Then, after a minute or two, he added, '' and 
 Agnes too." 
 
 He did not speak after this except when 
 spoken to, and then with great pain. You 
 will be glad to know that W. had nothing 
 to do with him. I took him to Mac Rae, 
 who has been very kind and attentive to 
 him. He is to be buried this afternoon, 
 with Christian rites. I shall write to Mr. 
 Whiting immediately. 
 
 I hope it will not be long before the army 
 returns, for I long to be with you and add 
 my endeavours to comfort you. 
 
 Our regiment suffered dreadfully, Robin- 
 son and Warde, killed, Jones, Jervis, Dela- 
 main, Gott, Bacon, wounded. 
 
 We fought in a jungle against the Chiefs 
 wish, but he had no help for it, as the enemy 
 began. 
 
LETTERS. 123 
 
 May God bless you and preserve you from, 
 all danger, and may He, in his great mercy, 
 grant that I may soon be with you. 
 
 With ray best love, 
 
 I am, your affectionate Son, 
 
 Albert. 
 
 From Colonel Eckford, 
 
 Laliore ; \^th Jan. 1849. 
 
 My dear Mrs. Bamfield, 
 
 I received a letter from Albert yester- 
 day, accompanied by one for you, which I 
 forwarded. 
 
 I have hardly recovered from the stunning 
 influence occasioned me, first by the 
 alarming intelligence of your beloved, 
 lamented husband being badly wounded, and 
 next post brought the heartrending tidings 
 that one of the best of husbands, fathers, 
 and of the men of Israel had been removed 
 to an early grave, from which, humanly 
 
124 LETTERS. 
 
 speaking, he might have been preserved for 
 many years. O how I mourn over your sad 
 bereavement. 
 
 The sympathy of a Christian friend may 
 soothe the heart of the bereaved widow to 
 some extent, but it is to the man of sorrows 
 and acquainted with grief that we must 
 betake ourselves and seek for that comfort 
 and consolation which he only can impart. 
 
 He has left us on record all that is need- 
 ful for us, all that is calculated to yield us 
 the necessary relief and consolation on such 
 an affecting occasion. '* Now no chastening 
 for the present seemeth to be joyous but 
 grievous." *' Nevertheless afterward it 
 yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness 
 to them that are exercised thereby." See 
 Heb. ch. xii., from the beginning to the 
 12th verse, and in Ps. xciv. 12, — *' Blessed 
 is the man whom thou chasteneth, O Lord, 
 and teacheth him out of thy law, that thou 
 mightest give him rest from the days of 
 adversity." 
 
LETTERS. 125 
 
 The answer of the Psalmist to such 
 blessed and comforting declarations — " It is 
 good for me that I have been afflicted that I 
 might learn thy statutes." " I know, O 
 Lord, that thy judgments are right, and 
 thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me." 
 *' For our light affliction, which is but for a 
 moment, worketh for us a far more exceed- 
 ing and eternal weight of glory." " Whom 
 the Lord loveth he chasteneth." Again, 
 *' as many as I rebuke and chasten." 
 " Though the Lord cause grief, yet will 
 he have compassion according to the mul- 
 titude of his mercies, for he does not 
 afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of 
 men." The Lord only knows what is need- 
 ful for us, and not one stroke of the hammer 
 less would answer his purpose. He is con- 
 tinually consulting the wellbeing of his 
 people, and " no good thing will be withheld 
 from them that walk uprightly." 
 
 I should wish it was my lot to be near 
 you at such a time as this, but I am 
 
126 LETTERS. 
 
 constantly reminded who am I ? Is not the 
 ''Lord the comforter'* with you? Of a 
 truth must he be, for he is with all who seek 
 him ; and I am well persuaded you have 
 sought him, who is nigh unto all who call 
 upon him, and " a very present help in time 
 of trouble." 
 
 then, my dear friend, seek him unceas- 
 ingly, whom your soul loveth, and you will 
 derive comfort exceedingly abundantly above 
 all that you can ask or think. 
 
 Your dear son cannot possibly, under 
 present circumstances, obtain leave of 
 absence, and it is impossible to say when the 
 operations in the field may terminate ; no 
 one, not the best informed, can venture to 
 conjecture. Our loss has been most 
 appalUng. 
 
 1 have no doubt Mrs. Eckford has written 
 to you since your sad bereavement has been 
 communicated to you. I shall be thankful 
 for a few lines from you. 
 
 May the Lord comfort you, my dear 
 
LETTERS. 127 
 
 friend. It is from him we can derive that 
 consolation you stand so much in need of on 
 so painful and trying an occasion. 
 
 You are assured of the heartfelt sorrow 
 I feel ; but I bless God I sorrow not as those 
 who have no hope. No, your beloved 
 husband, when on earth, had Christ formed 
 in him, the hope of our salvation, and is 
 now with the Lord, from whom you would 
 not, if you could, separate him, and place 
 him again in this world of sin and sorrow. 
 
 Believe me. 
 My dear Mrs. Bamfield, 
 Your affectionate friend in Christ, 
 
 Jas. Eckford. 
 
 From Mrs. Eckford. 
 
 Seharempore ; Sunday^ 2\st. 
 My very dear Friend, 
 
 We this morning received letters 
 from Lahore and camp, which told us of 
 your most heavy loss. 
 
128 LETTERS. 
 
 O my dear friend, what consolation for 
 you to know that your beloved husband is 
 now in glory, that he is now uniting in the 
 song of praise with all the redeemed, free 
 from every pain and every anxiety, now 
 expecting to meet you and his dear children 
 in the Lord's good time, and be with you 
 for the *' for ever" of eternity. I deeply 
 feel for you, and earnestly pray the Lord 
 to support you. O that I could be with 
 you to try to comfort your nearly broken 
 heart. The Lord alone can comfort you. 
 
 O, may you, when we meet, be able to 
 tell me of the Lord's goodness to you in 
 leading you to dwell on his love to his 
 children. The blessed Saviour feels for you. 
 Remember how he wept at the grave of 
 Lazarus. "We have not an High Priest 
 who cannot be touched with a feeUng of our 
 infirmities." In all our affliction he is 
 afflicted. His blessed Word is full of com- 
 fort. Converse much with him in prayer, 
 my beloved friend, and remember you have 
 
LETTERS. 129 
 
 your dear children to live for. In the Lord's 
 good time you may see dearest Agnes ; and 
 Albert, I trust, was near his sainted father 
 when he died. I have heard no particulars. 
 When you are able, write me a few lines. 
 
 1 mean to leave this in a few days. I 
 wish to see you and try to comfort you. 
 
 My dear Anna is nearly well ; so are 
 Mary and Maria and Henry. With fond 
 love from us all. 
 
 Ever believe me, 
 Your affectionately attached friend, 
 
 M. ECKFORD. 
 
 Campi Chillianwallah ; Jan, \Qth, 1849. 
 
 My dearest Mother, 
 
 I must still continue to write on the 
 sad subject of my dear father's death, 
 although I know, by my own feelings, how 
 very, very distressing it must be to you. 
 
130 LETTERS. 
 
 His body was interred yesterday, on a 
 mound with all the others that suffered in 
 the action. 
 
 Brigadier Mountain was very kind and 
 attentive to me, and marked the grave, in 
 order to have something erected over him 
 if possible. 
 
 Everybody feels his loss ; the whole 
 regiment say, "What are we fit for, now 
 that the Major is gone !" 
 
 You can imagine, my dearest Mama, how 
 lonely and destitute /feel. He was a father 
 whose like was not to be met with amongst 
 a thousand ; and now I am alone, without 
 his good and valued advice, what can I do ! 
 I put my whole trust in God, who has 
 promised to be a father to the fatherless, 
 and the comfort of the widow ; and my 
 prayers are continually offered to Him for 
 you, that He would bless and support you 
 in the trying time of affliction. 
 
 We have at present made no arrange- 
 ments, but as soon as we are a little quiet, 
 
LETTERS. 131 
 
 and the weather a Uttle finer, we shall see 
 what is to be done. 
 
 Let me hear from you, my dearest mother, 
 and do not be too much depressed. We 
 know my dear father is happy now in heaven, 
 and therefore we should not grieve as those 
 who have no hope, 
 
 I hope, please God, to be with you ere 
 long. Good bye, my dear mother. 
 
 Your affectionate son, 
 
 Albert. 
 
 Camp^ Chillianwallah ; Jan. I9th, 1849. 
 
 My dearest Mama, 
 
 As yet, no arrangement of my dear 
 father's property. 
 
 I have received all your letters to him, 
 and locked them up. I am very unwell, 
 and wish I could accept Dr. Mac Rae*s offer 
 to go and live with him. I shall write and 
 see if I can. 
 
 N 
 
132 LETTERS. 
 
 I cannot write much to-day, my dearest 
 mother. God bless you ; good bye. 
 
 Your affectionate son, 
 
 Albert. 
 
 Chillianwalla ; Jan. \Sth. 
 My dearest Mama, 
 
 I dread the receipt of your first 
 letter, in answer to the sad intelligence which 
 Mercer's of the 14th conveyed to you. 
 
 I pray God it will not be long before I am 
 able to join you. 
 
 No one knows what are to be our move- 
 ments, but I trust the last action will have 
 taught the Commander-in-Chief a lesson 
 which will not easily be effaced from his 
 memory. 
 
 I think the Seikhs are determined to make 
 a stand here, but God being our guide, we 
 shall put them down effectually this time. 
 
LETTERS. 133 
 
 / have no spirits left in me, and I am sure 
 I know your feelings, my own dear mother, 
 but you know where to look for comfort, and 
 that it will not be denied you. 
 
 Sutton and I live together, and I find him 
 a very nice companion. 
 
 I must now send this off, as it goes 
 through Cocks. Good bye, my dear mother. 
 
 Your affectionate son, 
 
 Albert. 
 P.S. I am rather better to-day. 
 
 Camp^ Chillianwalla ; January 20th, 
 My dearest Mother, 
 
 This morning a Committee assembled 
 to look into my dear father's will, and as 
 you have a copy, you know that everything 
 in camp was to be made over to me, to be 
 disposed of as you should direct. 
 
 I have disposed of nothing yet, and shall 
 wait till I hear from you. 
 
134 LETTERS. 
 
 The camels will be very expensive, but I 
 cannot help it. I do not like to sell his 
 things. . . . .If there is an 
 opportunity, I would send everything back 
 to you, including the large tent. 
 
 I am so dreadfully miserable all alone 
 now ! Please send the enclosed with yours 
 to Agnes, and see if I have written in a 
 proper way to her. 
 
 It is so very, very sad to me to be receiv- 
 ing your letters directed to dear papa, and 
 written ijl such good spirits, not thinking he 
 cannot read them. I am obliged to open 
 them, dearest Mama, because mine are 
 enclosed in them, and there might be some- 
 thing that required answering. I know you 
 will not like my doing it, and I would not 
 but for the reason I have mentioned. 
 
 Good bye, my dearest mother. 
 
 Ever your affectionate son, 
 
 Albert. 
 
LETTERS. 135 
 
 Camp, Chillianwalla ; Jan, 1\st, 1849. 
 
 I have just returned from church, 
 which was held in the Commander-in-Chiefs 
 tent. The Sacrament was also administered, 
 and I partook of it. 
 
 It is an event in my life, and I hope a 
 happy one, for I never took the Sacrament 
 before, and now I have commenced a new 
 period in my life. I hope I shall be able 
 to act up to my resolutions, and, by the 
 grace of God, I will be as good a man as my 
 dear father was. 
 
 I am glad the weather has cleared up 
 again, for rain has a very saddening influence 
 on the mind, particularly when labouring 
 under so heavy an affliction as the loss of 
 my dear father. 
 
 We were disturbed in church by all the 
 cavalry and artillery officers being called out, 
 but afterwards it was found to have been 
 nothing. A party of Seikh cavalry came 
 
136 
 
 LETTERS. 
 
 down, and an officer fired a 9-pound shot at 
 them, and they all went off again. 
 
 I hope my letter reached you yesterday. 
 They go by Cocks's private camel dawk, and 
 the Brigadier forwards them on to Loodeana. 
 
 Your ever affectionate son, 
 
 Albert. 
 
 ChilUanwalla ; Jan. 23rd. 
 My dearest Mother, 
 
 It is now" three days since I heard 
 from you ; the rain, of course, has hindered 
 the dawk ; but I am very much afraid the 
 intelligence of your sad loss will affect you 
 too much to allow of your writing. The 
 weather, too, is most distressing ; I am sure 
 you must feel it very, very much. 
 
 I used to say I thought nothing would 
 make me cry, but 1 did not know then what 
 an affliction and bereavement I should have 
 to undergo ; but still with all this, and 
 
LETTERS. • 137 
 
 unwell as I now feel, I am obliged to do my 
 duty. To-night I shall have to visit all the 
 guards of our Brigade twice, once at sunset, 
 and again at midnight. I do not like to go 
 on the sick-list, though I am much more fit 
 for that than anything else. 
 
 I know you will not feel inclined to write 
 to me about what is to be done with the 
 things, but you know some arrangement 
 must be made, and if you leave everything 
 to my management (I mean as regards 
 camp), I will do what seems most right and 
 advisable. 
 
 It is fearfully cold, and we cannot stir out 
 of the tents without getting wet feet. 
 
 I hope 1 shall hear from you to-day, dear 
 Mama. 
 
 Your affectionate and altered son, 
 
 Albert. 
 
138 * LETTERS. 
 
 Camp, Chillianwalla ; Jan. 2Ath. 
 
 My dearest Mother, 
 
 No dawk has come in to-day. I am 
 very anxious for them now, as I long to hear 
 from you. 
 
 I have been out calling on Cocks and 
 Capt. Ramsay ; the latter said there would 
 be an opportunity of sending the things 
 back to Lahore in a day or two, but on my 
 return to my tent I found a note from Sir 
 R. Shakespear, saying he would take the 
 tent. 
 
 There was a talk yesterday of the Poorbeas 
 wanting to come in, and I think Mackeson 
 wrote saying they would be received, if they 
 laid down their arms at certain pickets. I 
 hope they will come in, as that will lessen 
 Shere Sing's force by 4,000 men. 
 
 Elahie Bux, the General of Artillery that 
 came in, is to be set at hberty, and sent to 
 occupy some fort in our rear with a few 
 hundred men. 
 
LETTERS. 139 
 
 When will all this be over ? There is a 
 report that some troops are to go back to 
 Ramnuggur. 
 
 Your letters would come more quickly if 
 you were to send them to the Brigadier ; he 
 would forward them by Cocks's private 
 dawk. .... 
 
 Do not grieve too much, my dear Mother, 
 but think that my poor dear father is now 
 far happier than he was in this world, and 
 that will lessen the blow ; as Colonel Mercer 
 said to me when I told him I did not know 
 how you would get over it, '* Your mother's 
 sense of religion will teach her not to be too 
 much cast down." 
 
 I hope, my own Mama, you will endeavour 
 to keep your spirits up, so that you may not 
 get ill. May God protect us both. 
 
 Your own affectionate son, 
 
 Albert. 
 
140 LETTERS. 
 
 From Mrs, Colin Mackenzie. 
 My dear Mrs. Bamfield, 
 
 I cannot tell you how truly we both 
 sympathize with you under so heavy an 
 affliction. Your name has been constantly 
 mentioned both in our private and family 
 prayers, and I can say the same for Mr. and 
 Mrs. Rudolph. 
 
 May God himself, who has laid so sore a 
 trial upon you, reveal himself more and 
 more to you as the comforter, and give you 
 such a sense of his infinite love who died 
 for us, that it may swallow up your present 
 grief, and enable you to rejoice in the Lord 
 as your Saviour and strength even in the 
 midst of such a trial. May he enable you 
 to look forward to that blessed place where 
 no foe can enter and no friend departeth 
 thence, and where you shall be reunited with 
 your dear husband, through the merits of 
 that blessed Lord in whom he trusted. All 
 the sad circumstances of his summons hence. 
 
LETTERS. 141 
 
 which probably aggravate your sorrow, were 
 all appointed by Him who maketh all things 
 to work together for good to them that love 
 God. This thought will comfort you and 
 enable you to feel that all was ordered 
 rightly in love. 
 
 Do not take the trouble of answering this, 
 but whenever it would not be painful to you 
 to see me, ask Mrs. Mercer to let me know, 
 for it would be a satisfaction to me to try to 
 express part of the sympathy I so heartily 
 feel, and 
 
 Believe me, 
 
 My dear Mrs. Bamfield, 
 
 Very sincerely yours, 
 
 Helen C. Mackenzie. 
 
 25th January^ 1849. 
 
142 LETTERS. 
 
 From Mrs. Rudolph, wife of a German Missionary 
 at Loodeana, 
 
 My dear Mrs. Bamfield, 
 
 I take at the same time occasion to 
 apologize for not having called upon you, 
 but knowing too well what a sore distress it 
 had pleased the Lord to send upon you, and 
 how much wounded your heart must have 
 been made by the loss of the dearest on 
 earth, we feared it would have been too 
 much for your feelings. But as Mrs. Mac- 
 kenzie mentioned last Sabbath to me that 
 you would accept my call, I shall avail 
 myself of your kindness, not meaning to 
 make a formal call, but to show you our 
 Christian sympathy. 
 
 May the Lord, whom it pleased to afflict 
 you, not as if he took pleasure in afflicting 
 the children of men, grant you the comfort 
 of his Holy Spirit, that you may feel and 
 
LETTERS. 143 
 
 kaow that it is the hand of a father which 
 chastised you — the hand of him who gave 
 his only begotten, his beloved Son for the 
 remission of our sins. For our transgression 
 he was wounded ; our stripes were laid upon 
 him, that we sinners who dishonoured their 
 God might be cleansed from their sins and 
 be saved ! Oh, could he, the God of infinite 
 mercy, do anything that was not for our 
 good ? Let your heart, therefore, rest in 
 Him, and his peace, which passeth all 
 understanding, be with you ever more. 
 With true sympathy, 
 
 Believe me, 
 My dear Mrs. Bamfield, 
 
 Yours very sincerely, 
 
 Ottili Rudolph. 
 
144 LETTERS. 
 
 Campi Chillianwalla ; Jan. 25. 
 
 Mrs. Mercer's kind note to me arrived 
 yesterday afternoon. I am very glad you 
 have such a kind friend with you in the sad 
 time of bereavement. 
 
 I hope her endeavours to console you will 
 be blessed, and that you will look on your 
 loss as done for the glory of Christ, and that 
 it has caused my dear father's eternal 
 happiness. 
 
 Worldly matters must come with my 
 letter, although I know how little you will 
 care about them 
 
 I hope I shall hear from you to-day, my 
 own dear mother, as I am very anxious for 
 a letter from you. 
 
 The enemy fired a salute last night, which 
 we suppose was on account of Chutter Sing's 
 arrival. This morning all their forces turned 
 out in front of the camp for inspection. A 
 great number of these men want to come in, 
 but cannot get away. 
 
LETTERS. 145 
 
 Camp, Chillianwalla ; Jan, 26th, 
 
 Your letter of the 21st arrived last 
 night. I am most thankful to find that 
 Mrs. Mercer is such a comfort to you. 
 
 Mercer dined with me last night, and we 
 had a long talk together after dinner. I 
 like him exceedingly, and hope to see a great 
 deal of him. 
 
 From the Rev. Henri/ Beddy, 
 
 Patna; 26th Jan,, 1849. 
 
 My much-esteemed, bereaved, and 
 deeply-aiflicted Friend, 
 
 How shall I find words to 
 tell you how I feel and what I feel, at the 
 deeply distressing and heartrending bereave- 
 ment with which you have been visited ! 
 My heart mourns indeed, and 1 am deeply 
 distressed. Oh, Bamfield ! dear, esteemed, 
 and valued friend — a real friend, one such 
 as I never was privileged to have, one who 
 surpassed all the friends I ever had ! 
 
 Forgive me, my esteemed and sorrowing 
 
146 LETTERS. 
 
 friend, for opening your wounds afresh. 
 This morning the sorrowing and afflictive 
 account of his death was communicated to 
 me It was like a clap of thunder ; we were 
 paralysed ; my powers of action were as it 
 were frozen ; I looked as if I could not 
 admit the fearful truth ; 1 walked about, as 
 if unconscious of what I was doing. 
 
 Yes, Albert, you have lost a father indeed, 
 a treasure, one who was able to counsel, 
 and who carried with his counsels a con- 
 viction that they were entitled to every 
 respect and deference. But is it not said 
 a hair cannot fall to the ground without our 
 heavenly Father's knowledge and permission ? 
 Oh, may that tender hand that has per- 
 mitted this bereavement, be mercifully and 
 graciously stretched towards you ; may the 
 balm of consolation be adminstered to you, 
 so that while you mourn over the beloved 
 husband of your youth, in the sweet assur- 
 ance, of his happy and emancipated spirit 
 being among the happy throng that sur- 
 
LETTERS. 147 
 
 rounds the throne, you may be able to 
 acquiesce in His ways and designs, which 
 are inscrutable. 
 
 May the Lord mercifully be with you ; 
 may His grace be imparted to you, and His 
 Holy Spirit be vouchsafed to you ; may the 
 Divine Spirit so sustain and comfort you 
 that you may be able to bear up against this 
 visitation. May He who has afflicted 
 comfort, and may He so aid, bless, and 
 support you, that you may be able to realize 
 that though no affliction is otherwise than 
 grievous, yet in God's rich mercy it may be 
 blessed to your soul's prosperity. 
 
 Every member of my family mourns with 
 you. There has ever been something talis- 
 manic in the honoured and beloved name 
 of Bamfield, associated with the rare and 
 valued qualities its dear possessor bore. 
 
 Margaret looked the picture of despair, 
 and the house was hushed into silence ; 
 every sound that could indicate lightness or 
 mirth was hushed. 
 
148 LETTERS. 
 
 The Lord, in tender mercy, look upon 
 you, and soothe your sorrowing heart, and 
 regard you with an eye of pity, tenderness, 
 and compassion. My heart is full, I cannot 
 write, and scarcely know what I am writing. 
 May the God of all grace and consolation 
 be with you, pray 
 
 Your sincere and deeply-afflicted 
 friends, one and all, 
 
 H. Beddy. 
 
 Camp^ Chillianwalla ; Jan, 21th, 1849. 
 
 My dearest Mother, 
 
 Yesterday we fired a royal salute for 
 the taking of Mooltan. They made an 
 unconditional surrender, and Moolraj is a 
 prisoner. 
 
 This morning Bowie came in on parole 
 
LETTERS. 149 
 
 from Shere Sing's camp. He says the 
 Seikhs will not surrender, and will not serve 
 under our Government in any way, nor will 
 they hold jageers under us. The only con- 
 dition on which they will give in is that they 
 have the whole of the Punjaub given them, 
 and if we do not choose to agree to this, 
 they say they have taken up their position 
 and that we had better come and fight 
 them. 
 
 Whish's force will soon be here, and 
 unless they give in or run away, before that, 
 we shall attack them. 
 
 They will never attack us, as they have 
 made strong entrenchments and batteries, 
 which we can see plainly with a telescope. 
 
 I find it is not safe to send the tent, &c., 
 back, unless with a strong escort, as Nichol- 
 son says the enemy have patrolling parties 
 all over the country. 
 
150 LETTERS. 
 
 Camp, ChilHanwalla ; 2Sth Jan. 
 
 My dearest Mother, 
 
 I must just write a little to you 
 before going to church 
 
 Unless they send us back to be an escort 
 to the wounded, I am afraid it will be some 
 time before I see you. 
 
 Wheeler's force is on the way to reinforce 
 us. I hear the enemy are moving down 
 some guns towards our right flank, and a 
 squadron of the 9th Lancers has been 
 ordered out 
 
 I was very much struck with the first 
 three verses of the first lesson this morning 
 — Isaiah Ivii. 
 
 The enemy are now firing away, but I 
 suppose they are simply amusing themselves. 
 
 Bowie went back to their camp last 
 evening. 
 
 1 hope, my dear mother, you are gradually 
 getting over your severe loss, although I 
 
LETTERS 151 
 
 know it must be a very long time before 
 either of us can cease to think of it. 
 
 Your own Son, 
 
 Albert. 
 
 Chillianivalla ; 29th Jan. 
 
 . . . . There was not time to 
 have a coffin made 
 
 On his right-hand was our Quarter- 
 Master Sergeant, and on his left another 
 officer, whose name I could never find out. 
 
 All our officers that were not wounded 
 attended the funeral. It rained the whole 
 time. All of them were buried on a mound 
 in front of our camp, and he was in the 
 middle of one row, 6th from one end and 
 7th from the other. I am glad people have 
 had some respect for the dead. 
 
 There has been no running over the graves, 
 but they are all as they were the first day. 
 
152 LETTERS. 
 
 I hope my letters reach you regularly, my 
 dear mamma, for if they don't I am afraid 
 you will think I do not write every day. 
 
 T have sent off overlands to Charley and 
 uncle S., and I have told uncle W. to write 
 to grandmamma. 
 
 From Captain Wakefield. 
 
 Governor-GeneraVs Camp ; 
 
 Jan, 29, 1849. 
 
 My dear Mrs. Bamfield, 
 
 I feel you will think I have made 
 delay in answering your note of the 22d 
 instant, containing the sad tidings of Bam- 
 field's death, but immediately on receipt of 
 it I went to Mr. Elliott, who, after reading 
 your note, asked me to answer it, and say 
 how sorry he was to be unable to help you ; 
 and, painful as it must be to you, we agreed 
 that the request would not be acceded to. 
 I am, however, thankful to see that your 
 
LETTERS. 153 
 
 dear boy's regiment is to be relieved by one 
 of those at Ramnuggur, so that I do not 
 anticipate any further risk of life in his 
 going into action again. 
 
 I return your dear boy's note. I am 
 rejoiced to see that he seems to place his 
 confidence in God. 
 
 What a blessing that he looks forward to 
 his dear father's example. He is, I doubt not, 
 the child of your prayers, and you must 
 know that a mother's prayers, still more a 
 widow's prayers, will be heard. 
 
 Do pray over the 46th Psalm, to be 
 enabled to realize the precious promise to 
 believers in its first verse. 
 
 You know the Scriptures, I am thankful 
 to say, and I trust the Sun of Righteousness 
 will soon arise with healing on his wings to 
 you. My poor prayers are made daily for 
 the realization of this. In the mean time 
 will you command my services, as you would 
 a brother's, in consulting me about anything 
 I can aid you in ? 
 
1 54 LETTERS. 
 
 Blessed be God that you may take com- 
 fort in your dear Bamfield's being fit for the 
 change, sudden as I believe it was. 
 
 I purpose writing to-morrow to Albert, as 
 one of his father's old friends. 
 
 I must now conclude by assuring you of 
 my affection, in which, I am sure, my dear 
 wife would join me. She begged to be 
 affectionately remembered in her last. 
 
 Believe me, 
 Yours most sincerely, 
 
 J. H. Wakefield. 
 
 From Colonel Wilson, 
 
 Benares ; 30th Jan. 
 My dear Albert, 
 
 It was, believe me, with feelings 
 of the deepest regret, we have heard of 
 the melancholy event of your excellent 
 
LETTERS. 155 
 
 lather's death, and of your having been 
 wounded, I hope not severely. 
 
 Your poor mother, how deeply we sympa- 
 thize with her in the bereavement it has 
 pleased the Almighty to visit her with ! 
 When you write to her, pray offer her our 
 united feelings of condolence and regards. 
 We shall be glad to hear that she bears up 
 under all her late trials, with resignation to 
 the will of our heavenly Father. May He 
 continue to bless and protect her, and grant 
 her strength through all her sufferings. 
 
 What a sad affair the lamentable 13th 
 appears to have been, and from all we hear 
 but strangely managed. 
 
 The poor 56th, and my late corps, the 
 30th, have suffered dreadfully, proving at 
 the same time how gallantly they must have 
 done their duty. 
 
 When sufficiently recovered, and able to 
 do so, I shall like to hear from you. 
 
 T see my young friends, Sutton and 
 Toulmin, have, through God's favour and 
 
156 
 
 LETTERS. 
 
 protection, escaped. Make my kind regards 
 and congratulations to them, and tell Master 
 Tom to write to me. The latter has, I hope, 
 now seen what fighting is. 
 
 Poor Delamain, I knew his father very 
 well ; we were many years in the same corps 
 together. I hope he is doing well. 
 
 I saw Dorin yesterday : they are all quite 
 well. 
 
 Accept, my dear boy, our united kindest 
 regards, and 
 
 Believe me ever to be, 
 
 Yours most sincerely, 
 
 R. W. Wilson. 
 
 Camp^ January SOth. 
 Major Mowatt, of the Artillery, told 
 me to give you his kind regards and deepest 
 commiseration and sympathy for your loss. 
 I am going to see him to-day ; he was a 
 great friend of dear papa's. 
 
LETTERS. 157 
 
 Byers went out the other day with the 
 animals to graze, and was attacked by a 
 marauding party of about 100 Seikhs. He 
 fired a volley, and killed about half-a-dozen 
 men and 4 horses, and brought in two or 
 three prisoners. 
 
 Yesterday Tait's Irregulars had a scrim- 
 mage with some Seikh horsemen, and killed 
 16 men and brought in two prisoners. 
 
 I rode out this morning to look at a new 
 battery we are making on our right flank to 
 command the hill and to prevent any one 
 going round to the rear. 
 
 Camp, Chillianwalla. 
 My dearest Mother, 
 
 Yesterday I received two letters from 
 you, one enclosing Major Palmer's very kind 
 note, which I have answered, and have told 
 him all that I have done, and have asked 
 him to put you in the way of making all 
 necessary applications. 
 
158 LETTERS. 
 
 We have not marched yet, and I do not 
 expect we shall till the Mooltan force joins us. 
 
 I believe some troops have come in from 
 Ramnuggur this morning. Holmes's Irre- 
 gulars; 53d Queen's, and 53d Native 
 Infantry, both are on their way out here. I 
 believe they have arrived at Ramnuggur. 
 
 The wounded are, I believe, to go to the 
 rear (Ramnuggur) on Tuesday, but we do 
 not know who goes with them. 
 
 The Commander-in-Chief issued an order 
 yesterday that no indents were to be made 
 for private camp followers, meaning servants, 
 as the Bunneahs got more than was neces- 
 sary, and so]d it to Seikhs. So now our 
 servants cannot buy atah or dhal in the 
 bazaar. 
 
 This will be a short note, my dear mother, 
 but you will not mind that for once. 
 
 Your ever aiFectionate son, 
 
 Albert. 
 
LETTERS. 159 
 
 Camp, Chillianwalla ; Feb, \st, 1849. 
 
 . . . . I should indeed be sorry 
 and an:5tious if I did not get your letters 
 daily, dearest mother ; but I am glad to find 
 that you are bearing the dreadful blow with 
 such fortitude, and that you are able to look 
 to the bright side as well as to the gloomy. 
 
 It has been my consolation ever since to 
 think that he is now in heaven, fulfilling with 
 joy the will of his Lord. 
 
 He is now clothed in garments made 
 whiter than snow in the blood of the 
 Saviour, and, in fact, his happiness exceeds 
 any thing we can conceive. . . . v 
 
 From Major Younger, 
 Camp, Deenanuggur ; Feb. \st, 1649. 
 My dear Albert, 
 
 It was with great regret that I heard 
 of your father's death. We had been inti- 
 mate for the last two -and- twenty years, and 
 from the changes which have taken place in 
 
160 
 
 LETTERS. 
 
 the 56th I considered him the last tie that 
 bound me to it. I certainly had hopes of 
 our meeting in England, after all our fagging 
 in this country, but it has been ordered 
 otherwise. 
 
 There is one tribute 1 must pay to his 
 memory, and I mention it as the one best 
 able to reconcile us to his loss, and that is 
 that I have seen few, if any, who strove 
 more to be prepared to meet death, or who 
 had acquired a firmer hope of mercy. 
 
 I ought to have written to you ere this, 
 but time, and not any condolence, must 
 reconcile you to your loss. 
 
 Palmer told me that he had written to 
 you, offering his services should he be able 
 to assist you in your troubles. I need not 
 also say that in as far as I can do the same, 
 I hope that you will apply to me. 
 
 I suppose that you will have no trouble 
 in settling all your father's affairs. 
 
 His will was made when we were at 
 Ferozepore, I and another officer (whom 1 
 
LETTERS. 161 
 
 forget) signed it. It was signed by your 
 father in our presence. I trust that your 
 poor mother is able to bear up against her 
 bereavement ; after so many years of happi- 
 ness her loss is great indeed. 
 
 I trust that these wars will soon be at an 
 end, and that we shall in future manage as 
 not to be subject at any time to such severe 
 loss. 
 
 As matters have lately been conducted 
 our lives are doubly uncertain. 
 
 I shall be happy to keep up the corres- 
 pondence with you, which I have lost in 
 your dear father. 
 
 Believe me. 
 
 Yours sincerely, 
 
 T. R. Younger. 
 
 Feb: 2. Yesterday afternoon we received 
 orders to strike our tents simultaneously, 
 but immediately after a counter order came 
 
162 LETTERS. 
 
 that we were not to strike them, but to have 
 them ready to come down at a moment's 
 warning. The cause of this was a move 
 among the enemy. A large number of them 
 went away to the right, and this morning 
 the whole of their camp that was on the 
 left is gone, 
 
 I suppose Mackeson has got good infor- 
 mation. One is that they are going down, 
 at least half of them, to cut off supphes 
 that are coming up to us ; another is that 
 they are gone to stop Whish ; another that 
 half of them are going to attack us in the 
 rear ; another in the front ; another report 
 is that they are going to Goojerat ; and, in 
 fact, there are reports and opinions without 
 number 
 
 Camp, Chilliamoalla ; Sd Feb. 
 I had no letter from you yesterday, 
 dearest mamma. Mercer received one, so 
 yours must have been missent somewhere, 
 
LETTERS. 103 
 
 and I suppose it will turn up at some future 
 time. 
 
 All yesterday we were ready to move, but 
 are still here. The position of the camp has 
 been changed, and was done so quietly and 
 quickly that even we did not know it till 
 some one told us who had been where it is 
 altered. 
 
 We now form a large square, facing 
 outwards. There is one piece of good news. 
 The convoy, with 15 days' provision and 15 
 lacs of rupees, arrived safely yesterday. 
 Her Majesty's 53d Regiment, and the 53d 
 Native Infantry, have arrived at Ramnuggur, 
 and will be here in a day or two. 
 
 The wounded are to go back on Tuesday, 
 but under what escort is not known. 
 
 I hope, my own mamma, that you are in 
 health, and that your spirits are gradually 
 being restored. 
 
 I suppose you have seen the despatch of 
 which the MofussiUte has made a copy. 
 
 Sir F. Currie and Lawrence both affirm 
 
J 64 LETTERS. 
 
 there is to be no more fighting ; I can hardly 
 think so, but God grant it may be the case. 
 
 Feb. 4th. There is nothing said about 
 going back, and I suppose we shall have to 
 remain. 
 
 They have a very good opinion of the 56th. 
 
 Sewdeen is sitting on the ground by me, 
 going to count out my pay to me : he desires 
 his salaam. 
 
 Camp Chillianwalla ; Feb. 5th, 1849. 
 My dearest Mamma, 
 
 We have not yet heard anything 
 about our being relieved, but I suppose when 
 the other corps arrive there will be an order. 
 Mr. Whiting did not give us a sermon 
 yesterday, although there was no Sacrament. 
 The collection which had been made in camp 
 for the benefit of the European soldiers who 
 were killed on the 13th of January, amounts 
 already to more than 3,000 rupees, and it is 
 
LETTERS. 165 
 
 just as gratifying to think that out of all 
 the European privates killed on that day, 
 there are only thirteen that have left widows, 
 and among those thirteen there are only 
 twenty-six children, so the 3,000 rupees will 
 go a great way with them. I gave ten. 
 
 You asked me if I was near dear papa 
 when he fell ? I thought I had told you all 
 about it, at least as much as I know. 
 
 We had been deployed into line, and as 
 the round shot were falling pretty thick all 
 about us, we got the order to lie down. 
 We remained on the ground about half an 
 hour, with the shot flying over us. Papa 
 and Sutton kept on their horses, and walked 
 up and down the line. Then we got the 
 order from the Commander-in-Chief to rise 
 and advance : immediately we went on at 
 the double, the grape and matchlock balls 
 whizzing, and the round shot hissing over 
 our heads, so near that we could not walk 
 or run straight up, but had to stoop the 
 
J 66 LETTERS. 
 
 whole way. We had gone within a few 
 yards of the battery we had taken when 
 somebody told me he was wounded. I ran 
 up the line, and not finding him, went a 
 little way back in the rear amongst the 
 dead and dying, but as I could not see him 
 I ran on again and joined my company, and 
 waved my sword and called them on. We 
 had not gone far when so many of the 
 Sepoys that were wounded on the ground 
 told me he was wounded in two places. 
 Well, I determined to find him, and after 
 about half an hour's search, I found him 
 being put into a dooly. Then I went to the 
 rear with him, and never left him until he 
 died. Once when our cavalry retreated 
 they ran right through the hospital, frighten- 
 ing camels and elephants, which came in a 
 mass through the heap of doolies that was 
 there. Everybody fled, but I could not 
 leave my dying father, and I sat down by his 
 dooly, and felt sure that God would keep all 
 danger from him. Several w^ere upset, and 
 
LETTERS. 167 
 
 the poor wounded thrown out on the 
 ground. A camel came and knocked over 
 the dooly next his, but avoided the pole, and 
 so he was saved. 
 
 Now, my dearest Mamma, I have told 
 you all, except about the taking out the ball. 
 This seemed to give him no pain, at least he 
 said it did not hurt him much. Now he 
 is happy in heaven, and has no pain. 
 
 Good bye, my dearest Mother, 
 
 Your affectionate son, 
 
 Albert. 
 
 Chilliamoalla ; Feb. bth. 
 
 My dearest Mother, 
 
 I write this now because I have to 
 go out to-morrow at sunrise with the camels 
 to graze. What miserable work it will be, 
 standing in the jungle all day long, doing 
 nothing. 
 
 6th Feb. At dinner time last night I got 
 
168 LETTERS. 
 
 a note saying that I was Brigade Subaltern 
 of the day, so of course I could not go out 
 with the camels. You see how fortunate 
 I have been with regard to duty. 
 
 I believe we are going to change ground, 
 as the enemy have taken and fortified a pass 
 in the low range of hills on our right. . . 
 
 Papa was in his own tent when he died. 
 I had it put up in the field hospital, and he 
 was removed into it and into his own bed 
 on the afternoon of the 14th. 
 
 Monday Morning, 8 o'clock. 
 
 An order has just come for the 29th, 
 30th, and .56th camels not to go out to 
 graze, but to be kept ready for a move. 
 The Brigadier just told Capt. Holmes that 
 he thought we were going back with Her 
 Majesty's 29th, but now he thinks not, and 
 that we are on the force to go to Peshawur. 
 
LETTERS. 169 
 
 Camp Chillianwalla ; Feb. Stk. 
 
 I have just finished a plan of the battle of 
 the 13th for Jones, which he is going to 
 send to be published in the Agra Messenger, 
 I copied it from a plan which was done for 
 the Governor-General and Commander-in- 
 Chief. I am now going to do another, which 
 I will send to you. 
 
 I expect we shall see the whole of the 
 campaign. 
 
 About twenty of the enemy were killed 
 yesterday by one of our reconnoitring parties. 
 
 Our regiment is much weaker than it was. 
 Pearson, Nash, and myself, are the only 
 officers that are on duty, and two of us are 
 generally on in the same day, so you may 
 fancy we get pretty well worked, night 
 and day. 
 
 I hope, my dearest Mama, you are 
 recovering your spirits, because, although it 
 
170 LETTERS. 
 
 was a severe loss to us all, yet we ought not 
 to grieve as those who have no hope. David 
 himself mourned when his child was ill, but 
 when he died he got up and ate bread. 
 
 Feb. 9th. I yesterday received yours, 
 with Major Palmer's, &c. Major Palmer is 
 very kind indeed, and I shall be glad if he 
 joins the army. There is some talk of 
 Wheeler's force joining us. 
 
 The Mooltan force is expected here on 
 the 12th, at least the first part of it. . . 
 
 There seems to be a regular break up in 
 our regiment. .... This, 
 however, you must not mention ; it only 
 shows what a loss a commanding-officer, and 
 such a one as Papa was, is to a regiment. 
 I shall be delighted to get away from the 
 corps for a little while. 
 
LETTERS. 171 
 
 Chillianwalla ; Feb. V2th, 1849. 
 My dearest Mother, 
 
 They say the sick are to go back 
 to-day at 1 p.m. ; that is, in half an hour 
 hence. 
 
 Yesterday, just after I had sent off my 
 second letter, the three guns, the precon- 
 certed signal for the whole army to turn out, 
 were fired, and we all turned out. 
 
 A large body of Seikhs came down into 
 the jungle with some guns, but in half an 
 hour we were allowed to go back again. 
 
 This morning all the Seikhs are gone 
 from their position, and I have this moment 
 heard that General Gilbert has been into 
 Rassool, their strong position, and may now 
 be seen returning. 
 
 No dak except the Commander-in-Chief's 
 came in yesterday. Some Seikhs came 
 down on the runners, and the one carrying 
 the Chiefs dak (which is always done up in 
 a separate bag) had the presence of mind to 
 
 Q2 
 
172 LETTERS. 
 
 throw it into a thick bush. The Seikhs 
 took away all the other bags, and then the 
 man went back and got the Chiefs. 
 
 13th. The Seikhs have completely left 
 their late strong position at Russool. 
 
 Yesterday General Gilbert and the Chief 
 rode up to it with some other officer ; they 
 say it is a very strong place. Had we 
 attacked it, we should have had to go 
 through a ravine 100 feet deep, and their 
 guns would have been playing on us all the 
 while, and our work have been worse than 
 useless. 
 
 I went over the battle-field yesterday ; a 
 number of bodies are still on the field, and 
 we have just received an order to send out a 
 party of 30 men, under a European officer, 
 to bury them. It falls to my turn of duty 
 to go, so I must get this off before I start. 
 
LETTERS. 173 
 
 Campy Lussoorie ; Feb. \bth, 1849. 
 
 My dear Mama, 
 
 This morning we left Chillian walla 
 at half-past 4 and arrived here about half- 
 past 1 or 2 o'clock. 
 
 The sun was fearfully hot, and we were 
 all knocked up. 
 
 Now I have left Papa altogether. I felt a 
 kind of tie which bound me to Chillianwalla, 
 but now it is past, and most likely I shall 
 never see the spot again. 
 
 To-morrow we march again, the 1st 
 Brigade at half-past 1 a.m., and the 2nd at 
 3 A.M. We go, I believe, towards Ram- 
 nuggur. Our regiment has been moved out 
 of Mountain's Brigade into Hoggan's. The 
 latter is a Native Brigade, and is always put 
 on the baggage duty. 
 
174 LETTERS. 
 
 Camp ; February 1 7, 1 849. 
 My dearest Mama, 
 
 Yesterday, when we arrived at 
 Sadoolapore, I wrote to you to say we were 
 to halt for three or four days, but this 
 morning, just as I had given the order to 
 my classei to put up the other kanauts, I 
 heard Bacon say '' koonchai" (we are to 
 march), and so we had just to strike our 
 tents. 
 
 We marched in order of battle as we were 
 going straight toward the enemy. I do not 
 know the name of our present camp ; in 
 fact, I suppose it has no name. 
 
 We expect to have a battle to-morrow. 
 I shall put my trust in God, who is able to 
 protect me from the dangers which surround 
 me in battle, as well as he is from the many 
 unknown dangers which daily surround me. 
 
 We are not yet moved out of Mountain's 
 Brigade, so I imagine we are sure to be 
 engaged. 
 
LETTERS. 175 
 
 They say the enemy attempted to cross 
 
 the Chenab, but he found we had some 
 
 troops the other side of the river, all ready 
 
 to receive him, and gave up the idea. . . 
 
 Your affectionate son, 
 
 Albert. 
 
 Camp^ near Guzerat ; Feb. 1 9/^, 1 849. 
 My dearest Mama, 
 
 I received your letter of the 1st 
 ultimo only yesterday ; it had been into the 
 Seikh camp with a number of other letters. 
 It is thought we are to attack the enemy 
 to-morrow. But you must not be anxious, 
 dear Mama, if you do not hear from me, 
 because we are often ordered to strike our 
 tents all ready for a march, and after waiting 
 some hours, just pitch them again. 
 I will always write when I can. . 
 The country round here is magnificent. 
 Good bye, darling Mama, 
 
 Your affectionate son, 
 
 Albert. 
 
176 LETTERS. 
 
 Camp^ Morangabadf opposite the city of Jheylum, 
 and about a mile on this side of the river 
 Jheylum ; 25th Feb., 1849. 
 
 My dearest Mother, 
 
 It is now some days since I have 
 written, or indeed since I have been able to 
 write to you. My last letter was, I think, 
 dated the 1 9th ; on the 20th we had our 
 tents struck at 9 a.m., and did not march 
 till 2 P.M. We went about 4 miles only. 
 On the 21st, Wednesday, we marched to the 
 attack at 8 o'clock in the morning, and 
 about half-past 9 the battle commenced. 
 
 Our troops behaved just as if they were 
 on a common parade, beautifully steady. 
 How I wished dear Papa had been there ; it 
 would have pleased him very much to see 
 the artillery allowed to do their work. 
 
 After cannonading for about four hours 
 on both sides, the enemy began to give way. 
 
 As our batteries and horse artillery 
 advanced, the infantry were taken on. We, 
 
LETTERS. 177 
 
 the 56th, were close to the heavy guns, 
 lying down. The round-shot came bound- 
 ing and hissing over us, and one came right 
 through my company, close to me. We 
 heard it coming, and it pitched once before 
 us, so all of us went flat on the ground, and 
 a few men fell back, so that it went through 
 and did not hit anybody. Only one of our 
 men was wounded, and he by a spent round 
 shot, in the knee. 
 
 Our regiment did not fire a shot ! Some 
 of the regiments on the right had a little 
 work, but very little. Major Macansland 
 was wounded through the thigh. Cocks 
 was cut through the thigh by a talwur right 
 into the bone, and they say if it does not 
 cause amputation his leg will always be 
 crooked 
 
 At any rate, we gained a complete victory 
 this time, for the whole of the Seikhs halted, 
 and we marched through their camp, which 
 they left standing. The cavalry chased them 
 ifor about 7 miles. We have in the park 
 
178 LETTERS. 
 
 fifty-seven or fifty-eight guns, taken on the 
 21st. Of course you will see a better 
 account of the battle in the newspapers than 
 / could write. 
 
 How thankful I ought to be for having 
 been saved from all the dangers to which I 
 have been exposed ! 
 
 I was in hopes I should soon return to 
 you, but now I fear I shall not for a long 
 time. 
 
 The morning after the battle, the 2nd 
 division of the army and the Bombay 
 column were detached under General Gil- 
 bert, to go in pursuit of the fugitive enemy. 
 We marched the first day about 20 miles, 
 the next day we marched about the same 
 distance ; but it seemed longer, as we had 
 to go through a pass in the low range of 
 hills, the ugliest place I ever saw. 
 
 We encamped about three miles from the 
 bank of the Jheylum. 
 
 Yesterday we marched again. Membhard 
 and I were on the rear guard, and were 10 
 
LETTERS. 179 
 
 hours on the road, from 9 a.m. till after 7 
 P.M. We are now encamped about a mile 
 from the river, and I believe are to halt here 
 for some days, and when the heavy guns and 
 some more troops join us, we go on to 
 Attock. At least this is the general opinion, 
 and General Gilbert told some of the officers 
 that all here are looked for the hot weather 
 and Attock. The Commander-in-Chief, with 
 the 1st division of the army, has gone to 
 Bimher, in Goolab Sing's territory. 
 
 Camp, on an Island in the Jheylum ; 
 
 Feb. 28, 1849. 
 
 We crossed over the first ford this 
 morning, and are now encamped on an 
 island. 
 
 Her Majesty's 29th have not crossed, as 
 they are to go back. Now that the Seikhs 
 have regularly run away, we may possibly 
 go back, but I am afraid not. 
 
180 LETTERS. 
 
 The stream runs very fast where we 
 crossed this morning, and it was rather deep. 
 
 . . . I am sure, my dearest Mama, 
 I can and do feel for you ; but I have lost 
 an equally as good a father as you have a 
 husband, and I am sure every one knows 
 what our loss is. However, as you say, he 
 is happy now, even happier than he would 
 have been had he returned to you safely. 
 When I think of how he used to talk of 
 what he would do when he came back, it 
 makes me grieve very much. 
 
 My dear Mother's affectionate Son, 
 
 Albert. 
 
 Camp, Right Bank of the Jheylum : 
 
 March Id, 1849. 
 
 My dearest Mamma, 
 
 I was not able to write to you 
 yesterday, as our tents were struck at 8 
 
LETTERS. 181 
 
 o'clock, and we did not finish crossing the 
 river till after sunset. . . . 
 
 Yesterday, some Irregular Cavalry, I 
 think, took two mortars and about 9000 
 rounds of ammunition at Goojerat. 
 
 The Jheylum here is perfectly intersected 
 by islands. Wild ducks and geese are very 
 numerous 
 
 I think I have told you that dear papa 
 received no letter either on the 1 2th or the 
 13th, but I received four altogether on 
 the 15th. 
 
 He knew me all the time, and spoke to 
 me, but very seldom, unless to ask to be 
 turned over to the other side, or to answer 
 me a question. . . 
 
 He did not suffer at all from the wound in 
 his arm, the pain in the back was too great 
 to let him think of the other. He had the 
 use of his arm, because the ball had not 
 touched the bone. He was very pale ; but 
 it is always the case that a person having 
 received a gunshot wound assumes the 
 
182 LETTERS. 
 
 appearance of death very shortly afterwards. 
 . . . However, I am thankful I was 
 with him, and that he was not killed out- 
 right in the field without my seeing and 
 speaking to him. 
 
 Good bye, my own dear Mother, 
 
 Your very afiectionate Son, 
 
 Albert. 
 
 Campi in the Hills ; March 4:th, 1849. 
 My dearest Mother, 
 
 . We had a long march from 
 the bank of the river to the fort of Rhotas. 
 It is a very large old fort, three or four 
 miles round, built on a ridge of hills, with a 
 small river running at the foot of it. I had 
 not time to go over the fort. ... I 
 have also just heard that Shere Sing sent 
 into the Governor- General to say that he 
 would come in and lay down his arms, if we 
 would spare his life and his father's ; and 
 
LETTERS. 183 
 
 the Governor-General told him their lives 
 would be spared. 
 
 I don't know if this is true, but I hope it 
 is, although if they were to give in now it 
 would not prevent our going on to Peshawur. 
 
 It is fearfully hot here, surrounded with 
 hills, and pitched on the sandy bed of a 
 river. 
 
 I believe we march to-morrow, and again 
 the next day, and after that we halt till the 
 Bombay column comes up. 
 
 Camp ; March 5 th, 
 
 , . I heard to-day that Shere Sing 
 was coming in, and that we should return in 
 May : that will be fearfully hot through the 
 sandy bed of the river. 
 
 Our march for the last three days has 
 been along the dry bed of a river, with hills 
 of rock on either side of us. 
 
 R2 
 
184 LETTERS. 
 
 Camp, General Gilbert's Field Force ; 
 
 March 1th, 1849. 
 
 . . Yesterday we were ready to 
 march at half-past 4 a.m., and did not reach 
 our ground till half-past 4 p.m. 
 
 We came through the Bukreally pass, 
 and the last part of it was steep and narrow. 
 The infantry had to drag the guns up. 
 
 Happily this morning we have a halt. . 
 
 . I have just been out to see the 
 
 Bombay column come in. I believe we 
 
 go to-morrow to receive the Seikh guns, 
 
 arms, &c. 
 
 We are to go five miles and they come 
 six. . . . . . 
 
 Camp, Pukkee Serai ; March &th, 
 , . . News has come in that 
 Abbott, with his Hazareh troops and 4 guns, 
 has occupied the pass in the next range of 
 hills, and that Shere Sing is on the Mydan 
 between us. Abbott says he could defend 
 
LETTERS. 185 
 
 that pass against any number of troops ; so 
 I fancy Shere Sing will find it his best 
 policy to give in. We are pitched to-day in 
 a ravine, and for the first time since we have 
 been out we have had clean water from a 
 small rivulet. . . I fancy by the time 
 this reaches you, you will be at Simla. . . 
 
 Campi Pukkee Serai ; March 9th» 
 This morning Shere Sing, with 
 Lawrence, Mrs. Lawrence, and the children, 
 came in, but we have lieard no more than 
 the simple fact that they had come in. 
 
 March 10th. This evening about 1000 
 or 1200 Seikhs, with their officers, came 
 and laid down their arms before their late 
 prisoners, Lawrence and Herbert. Every- 
 body was very anxious to get something as 
 a trophy, but the General ordered that nothing 
 should be taken, and that an auction would 
 be held to-morrow of all the valuable 
 articles. 
 
186 
 
 LETTERS. 
 
 I asked Major Lawrence if there would 
 be any objection to my taking a pouch ? 
 He said, *' No ; take anything you can." . 
 
 1 have got a very handsome set of 
 pouches, and should also have got a talwar, 
 but the one I had set my eye on got mislaid 
 somewhere, and I could not find it. 
 
 Sunday, 11th. I am now one march 
 farther from you, my dearest mother. All 
 the Seikh Sirdars are in, Shere Sing, 
 Chutter Sing, and the whole of them. 
 
 From Mr. BidwilL 
 Felix Well, Exeter; March I2th, 1849. 
 My dear Albert, 
 
 I will not dwell upon events which 
 we were as unprepared for as they were 
 distressing to us all. But from our own 
 feelings, who only knew your honoured 
 father through his actions and his character 
 before the world, we understand what must 
 be your feelings and those of your mother, 
 
LETTERS. 187 
 
 and sympathize with you in your affliction, 
 and pray that you may be both strengthened 
 to bear up against it, with fortitude and 
 resignation. 
 
 Did I know nothing of your father from 
 others, his letters would assure me that 
 much as he loved his family, and no one, 1 
 think, could possibly love them more, yet 
 no one was better prepared to meet the fate 
 allotted to him than he was ; and this will 
 be your and your mother's great consolation, 
 when time shall have mitigated the first 
 intensity of your sorrow, and the duties of 
 life press themselves upon you. 
 
 Your mother will now naturally turn to 
 you, and look to you for her comfort and 
 niental support ; and in the performance of 
 this duty your heart will find relief, in the 
 consciousness that you are fulfilling your 
 father's wishes, and justifying his opinion of 
 you, which was a proud and happy one for 
 him, and will be gratifying to you when you 
 read his feelings as uttered in his last letter 
 
188 LETTERS. 
 
 to Charlotte, written but a few days before 
 his death. 
 
 You have sustained a great, a very great 
 loss, my dear Albert, but you must endeavour 
 to bear it, as the son of such a father should ; 
 and sore as is your present affliction, the 
 darkest night will have an end. 
 
 I was at Liverpool when the fatal news 
 arrived by the telegraph of a great battle 
 having been fought with Shere Sing, in 
 which he claimed the victory, and in which 
 a hundred British officers were said to have 
 fallen, with three thousand men. 
 
 I cannot tell you the anxiety which 
 reigned in Liverpool all that day, and on the 
 following, Sunday. When the paper with 
 the accounts arrived there was a general 
 rush to the Post-office, and the different 
 news-rooms, but though so many thronged 
 the table, none spoke, and the silence was 
 very painful. One after another the parties, 
 as they got the paper, ran their eyes over 
 the fatal lists and passed them to their 
 
LETTERS. 189 
 
 neighbour, some walking away, others 
 waiting to read the particulars At last it 
 came to my turn, and the first name that 
 met my eye was that of your father. 
 
 Frederick Carne saw it at the same time, 
 and pointed at it. I was not prepared for it, 
 for I thought the 56th was before Mooltan, 
 and seeing that it had surrendered without 
 storm, I had hoped that you and your father 
 were safe. After a little I ventured to 
 look further down, and read over the whole 
 without seeing your name, and I felt in a 
 degree relieved ; but on taking up another 
 paper, the Standard^ there I saw your name 
 as '* Doubtful :" my legs failed me then, and 
 Frederick got a fly and took me home. 
 He went out again, however, and at 10 
 o'clock returned with the information that 
 the Times had the official list, in which your 
 name did not appear. You may suppose 
 this was some comfort. Still there was too 
 much for regret remaining for me to remain 
 in Liverpool, and away from my home under 
 
190 LETTERS. 
 
 such circumstances, therefore I started by 
 the following train ; and on reaching Exeter 
 your personal safety was confirmed, but 
 there was nothing like congratulation, and 
 the prevailing gloom will not speedily pass 
 away. 
 
 A vague thought sometimes crosses my 
 mind that your mother's return may, in 
 some way or other, cause your return with 
 her, and that hence we may meet once 
 again, and I need not say, were it so to 
 happen, how happy we should all be. But 
 though this flitting idea will occasionally 
 cross my mind, yet sober reflection speaks 
 differently, and in the natural course of 
 events it is more than probable that when 
 you visit England I shall not be here to bid 
 you welcome ; but I may say, my dear 
 Albert, that you have not a sincerer 
 friend, that no one esteems you more, nor 
 more fully enters into all your father's 
 feelings for you than I do. 
 
LETTERS. 191 
 
 Although unknown to your mother, we 
 all desire to be most kindly remembered to 
 her ; and wishing you health, and every 
 good you wish yourself, or that your best 
 friends could wish for you, 
 
 I remain, my dear Albert, 
 Your affectionate and sincere friend, 
 
 J. G. BiDWILL. 
 
 Campi on the Banks of the Sone ; 
 
 March ISth. 
 
 My dear Mother, 
 
 We have a halt to-day, as all the 
 field guns are coming in. I was at the Park 
 just now, and saw twenty-one guns ; since 
 then two more have arrived, and eleven are 
 on the road. 
 
 The Sirdars went back yesterday, and are 
 coming in again to-day. The Politicals 
 were doubtful yesterday whether these 
 
1 92 LETTERS, 
 
 fellows would agree to the terms or have 
 another fight for it. 
 
 But now I fancy there is no doubt about 
 it, since they are sending in all their guns. 
 They have also sent in 92 zumboorkas or 
 camel guns, besides about 50 they sent in 
 when those men of Khan Sing's laid down 
 their arms. 
 
 I saw all the Sirdars yesterday. . . . 
 
 Outer Sing, who was the man who 
 brought four guns and several thousand men 
 in our rear, is a lad of 15 or 16, plain, but 
 very intelligent looking. He seemed struck 
 with some guinea fowls which he saw, and 
 asked me what they were called ; I told him 
 that the natives of the country called them 
 " Balait ke teetur," but we had a different 
 name, guinea fowl. He immediately tried 
 to repeat the word, and succeeded pretty 
 well. 
 
 Some of the Generals are very handsome 
 men 
 
LETTERS. 
 
 193 
 
 Camp^ Ramul Find ; March 14, 1849. 
 
 . . . . All yesterday the Seikhs 
 were laying down their arms. Last night 
 our right wing was ordered out to see all the 
 Sings clear of camp, and this morning the 
 left wing was ordered out to keep the pass 
 clear for our troops to pass through. When 
 all the troops had gone we formed up, 
 and joined the right wing, and marched on 
 to camp here. 
 
 The Sings are here in thousands, laying 
 down their arms. At our last ground there 
 was a heap of talwars, matchlocks, shields, 
 spears, &c., I should think full forty or fifty 
 feet square, and about 4 feet in depth. 
 
 On our arrival here we found our colour 
 which we lost at Chillianwalla. You cannot 
 think how dehghted we all were, both men 
 and officers ! 
 
 I suppose by this time you are at Simlah. 
 
 My hand is shaking so with exertion and 
 heat that I can scarcely write. . . . 
 
194 LETTERS. 
 
 One March from Ramul Pindee ; 
 
 March \bth. 
 
 The Bengal column marched this 
 morning from Rawal Pindee. The Bombay's 
 come in to-morrow, and the 22d and 13th 
 Native Infantry, with the heavy guns, are a 
 march behind them. . . . 
 
 All the Seikhs have given up their arms, 
 but it was thought yesterday some of them 
 would not, so the guns were all ready to 
 pour in their volleys upon them. 
 
 I hear Dost Mahomed has left Attock, and 
 is crossing the Indus as fast as he can. 
 
 . Camp, Attock ; March 1 8. 
 
 The day before yesterday we had a 
 march of 1 4 miles, and reached our ground 
 about 12 o'clock. Our things did not come 
 up till 4 P.M., and just then we received an 
 order to march again at 6 p.m. towards 
 Attock. We marched all night and all 
 
LETTERS. 195 
 
 yesterday, and reached this place between 
 2 and 3 p.m. You may fancy how tired 
 both I and the men were, after a 14-mile 
 march, and resting three or four hours, to set 
 off and take another march of thirty-one 
 miles, for that was the distance of yesterday's 
 march ; so that in 28 hours we marched 
 45 miles. Of course we all enjoyed a 
 night's rest, but this morning the 30th and 
 56th have to march again to the other side 
 of the Indus. 
 
 March 20th. . . . . . To-morrow 
 
 we expect to be at Peshawur, which is 21 or 
 22 miles from this place. Our march is 
 along the banks of the Caubul river. We 
 have just had a bathe in it. I have bathed 
 in this, in the Indus, and in the Jheylum. 
 
 Notwithstanding the promise of the 
 Klyber people to prevent Dost Mahomed 
 from entering the pass, news has come in 
 to-day that they opened the pass for him, 
 and he has bolted. So now there is no more 
 occasion for forced marches. So far so good. 
 
 S 2 
 
196 LETTERS. 
 
 But it would have been much better if we 
 could have caught him. 
 
 We have a very nice 
 Brigadier now — Colonel Bradshaw, of H.M. 
 60th Rifles. 
 
 Peshawur ; 21 st March, 1849. 
 
 We marched at 1 a.m. this morning, and 
 arrived here at about 1 or 2 p.m. I suppose 
 we shall halt a day or two. 
 
 We have come up from Googerat in a 
 month. 
 
 March 22nd. I have just returned from 
 a visit to the fort and city. The latter is a 
 very fine place ; the streets broad and clean. 
 
 It is fearfully hot. Grain is cheap here, 
 but the Commissariat always spoils the 
 market. 
 
 The country is the most 
 beautiful I have ever seen. 
 
LETTERS. 197 
 
 Camp, on the right hank of the Indus, opposite 
 the Fort of Attock ; March 19. 
 
 My dear Mercer, 
 
 You will be surprised to find that we 
 are at Attock already ; on the morning of 
 the 1 6 th we were four -marches from this 
 place, and on that day made a fourteen-mile 
 march, reaching our ground at noon, two 
 hours afterwards receiving orders to march 
 again at 6 p.m. Accordingly, at 6 p.m. we 
 set off, and about 2 p.m. on the 17th halted 
 at Attock, thus having made thirty-one miles 
 in 1 hours, including halts to the amount 
 of 4 hours. 
 
 When within 8 miles of Attock, we heard 
 that the Dost, with three regiments and 
 four guns, were in the fort, and the rest of 
 his troops across the river. 
 
 The General, with the Cavalry and Horse 
 Artillery, went on a-head, and found that 
 all were across, and they were destroying 
 the boats as fast as possible. 
 
198 LETTERS. 
 
 A few shots were exchanged, but the 
 enemy directed their fire at the boats, and 
 succeeded in sinking four. Our object in 
 pushing on was to secure these boats. 
 
 I think our force deserves great credit for 
 having pushed on with the zeal and willing- 
 ness they have exhibited. The Sepoys did 
 not grumble at all. 
 
 When the Infantry came up the AiFghans 
 were scuttling as fast as they could go. We 
 encamped about a mile from Attock. Our 
 hopes of a halt for two or three days were 
 driven away by the evening's orders direct- 
 ing the 30th and .56th to get ready to cross 
 at 10 A.M. 
 
 On the 18th (yesterday), we were under 
 arms at 9 a.m., but as the bridge of boats 
 was not completed, we were kept standing 
 on parade a long time. At 12 o'clock I was 
 sent on with an advance guard to secure the 
 boats as soon as the 30th had finished, but 
 on my arrival on the bank of the river, I 
 found they had not begun their crossing. 
 
LETTERS. 199 
 
 and that even the artillery were still on the 
 left bank. I calculated, and, as it proved, 
 very correctly, that we could not cross that 
 day, so I ordered my men to pile arms, 
 undress, and bathe, while I went up to look 
 at the fort and town. 
 
 The fort is very -large, but I cannot see 
 how Herbert managed to defend it at all, as 
 there is no place where a gun could be put. 
 The eastern wall was terribly bruised and 
 battered by round shot. 
 
 One thing I got, grain in the bazaar very 
 cheap. We had been getting ever since we 
 left you 8 and 12 seers of jao for the rupee ; 
 grain not procurable for love or money. 
 
 Yesterday I bought enough of both to 
 last me a fortnight ; jao 31 seers per rupee, 
 grain 11 ditto ditto. 
 
 The Bunny ah 's were afraid to open their 
 Dookans at first, but soon gained confidence, 
 and now there is no lack of anything. 
 Attah, too, sold at 28 seers per rupee. 
 - Well, I have left the thread of my relation 
 
200 LETTERS. 
 
 of our movements. My calculations proved 
 perfectly correct, for when I came down 
 again, I found our camp pitched on the left 
 bank of the river. 
 
 In the evening we all bathed ; it was 
 delightful. 
 
 By night the bridge *was completed, 500 
 rupees reward having been promised if they 
 would get it ready by the evening. The 
 30th crossed during the first part of the 
 night, and at 3 a.m. we were roused out, 
 and crossed by 7. This is rather a pretty 
 spot, with the fort of Attock on a rock, the 
 sides of which are covered with herbage, 
 the river running at the bottom, and then 
 green hills again on the other side. We are 
 now encamped on the right bank, but march, 
 I believe, twelve miles at 10 o'clock. 
 
 The Khyberees have sent to say that they 
 will prevent the AfTghans from coming to 
 the pass, if we will come up quickly and 
 back their endeavours. 
 
 I doubt not that this will soon all be over. 
 
LETTERS. 201 
 
 I believe there has been an official report 
 sent in to the Commander-in-Chief, saying 
 that the General and Brigadiers are much 
 pleased with the conduct of the men during 
 that long march. 
 
 Will you please send this to my mother, 
 as I have not time to write another letter, 
 and I want you to have the news. I received 
 yours yesterday : many thanks. Excuse 
 haste, and 
 
 Believe me. 
 Yours very sincerely, 
 
 Albert H. Bamfield. 
 
 Camp; 2^th March. 
 
 My own dear Mama, 
 
 In case I should not be able to write 
 to-morrow, 1 shall just get a few lines ready 
 to put in the post. 
 
 The 56th, a squadron of the 14th 
 Dragoons, and two guns, have been ordered 
 
202 LETTERS. 
 
 to be ready to accompany the General at 
 5 o'clock to-morrow morning to Jumrood. 
 We may possibly not come back till late, 
 and perhaps be ordered to remain there. 
 
 25th. . . . The 61st Queen's 
 has just joined us ; they belong to our 
 Brigade. The Colonel has asked me to go 
 into the city with him and Jones, so I have 
 not much time. 
 
 26th. Yesterday we did not accompany 
 the General to Jumrood, as was intended. 
 I suppose he thought he could go faster 
 without us. . . . 
 
 27th. There seems little chance now of 
 our going back, as a Committee assembled 
 to-day to fix on a site eligible for a canton- 
 ment. In a day or two I hope to be able to 
 tell you what corps stay and what go back, 
 for some are sure to return. 
 
 28th. . . .1 have a great desire 
 to get into the Irregular Cavalry, and am 
 studying so that I may be able to pass in 
 July. 
 
LETTERS. 203 
 
 The enclosed little flower is a wild one 
 that grows here : it has a very sweet scent. 
 There are a great many wild flowers in this 
 part of the country. 
 
 The hills (Khyber pass) are about five or 
 six miles to our front. It is not safe to go 
 out far, for there are a great number of men 
 over whom the Sirdar of this country has 
 no control, and who range about the hills 
 robbing everyone they come across. 
 
 I don't think we shall attempt to force 
 the pass, but it could be easily done. 
 
 Campi Peshawur ; March '22th. 
 
 My dearest Mama, 
 
 I have the most unexpected piece of 
 good news to tell you, though I dare say you 
 will have heard it before this reaches. The 
 relief is just out, and we go hack to Lahore. 
 I am sorry it is to Lahore, but anywhere is 
 better than staying here. Now I shall, I 
 
204 LETTERS. 
 
 hope, be able to get leave and come to you. 
 How delightful ! We are all in the highest 
 spirits at the thought of going back. The 
 30th are much luckier than we, for they 
 have got Meerutt. . . . I am so 
 full of going back, I can scarcely write. 
 
 Your affectionate son, 
 
 Albert. 
 
 Camp, Peshawur ; April \st, 1849. 
 
 My dearest Mother, 
 
 At last we have got our orders about 
 going back. The 14th Dragoons go on 
 Tuesday, the 3rd ; the 2nd Europeans, 
 30th, & 56th Native Infantry, with Duncan's 
 troop, on Wednesday, the 4th instant. 
 
 The General inspected the whole of the 
 troops yesterday afternoon, and this morning 
 he went to Peshawur. He stays there, I 
 believe, till we go, and then goes back 
 with us. 
 
LETTERS. 205 
 
 2nd. We hear that the orders are out 
 about the Punjaub, and that it is to be 
 annexed. I beHeve General Gilbert has 
 applied for his force to have a Maltese cross 
 as well as the medal, if there is one. 
 
 Camp ; April Srd, 
 My dearest Mother, 
 
 I have this moment received your 
 letter of the 22nd of March from Simla, and 
 am glad you have arrived there all safe, and 
 that you found your house a comfortable 
 one. The journey up must have been very 
 pleasant. 
 
 April 5 th ; 2nd march from Peshawur. 
 
 We march now early in the morning, so 
 as to reach our new ground at about break- 
 fast time. 
 
 What an unfortunate thing it is that the 
 marching should put an end to my studying 
 
206 LETTERS. 
 
 for the present. However, I intend doing 
 so when we reach Lahore in good earnest. 
 
 April 8th. We ought to have been at 
 Attock to-day, but a note came last night 
 from Colonel King, commanding the 14th 
 Dragoons, who are a march in advance of us, 
 saying that he was still this side the river, 
 as he had not been able to get across, the 
 bridge of boats having been broken by the 
 violence of the stream, and begged we would 
 not come on ; so we only came about 6 miles 
 on the road. 
 
 I got yours of the 29th of March to-day. 
 I hope, my dearest Mama, I shall always 
 be deserving of your praise, which is the 
 best reward I could have bestowed on me. 
 I wish it were in my power to go home with 
 you, and always live with you and be a 
 comfort to you. 
 
 9th. We have been obliged to remain 
 here all day again, as the bridge of boats is 
 not yet ready. 
 
LETTERS. 207 
 
 Attack ; April \Qth, 
 
 . . . I have not been able to write 
 the whole morning, as we have had our 
 traps packed all day long, and have only 
 now crossed the Indus. 
 
 My cow gets on very well so far ; her 
 little calf travels on one of my camels ! 
 
 The mornings are dreadfully cold now, 
 but the days equally hot and disagreeable. 
 
 April 16th. . . . We marched from 
 Rawul Pindee this morning, and are pitched 
 just where we were when the Seikhs gave up 
 their arms. 
 
 This morning I received yours enclosing 
 the remainder of C.'s letter. 
 She winds up by talking about Agnes, and 
 says, she is the most lovable little thing she 
 ever met with. They hope to see her again 
 soon, and that she will stay a long time 
 with them. 
 
 April 20th. We are almost through the 
 
 T 2 
 
208 LETTERS. 
 
 Buckerally pass, and to-morrow go to Rotas 
 by a short cut through the hills. 
 
 April 22nd. All the officers except my- 
 self have received overland letters in answer 
 to theirs immediately after Chillian walla, 
 congratulating them on their being preserved. 
 But I cannot look forward with pleasure to 
 the letter we shall receive, for they will re- 
 open the wounds in our hearts dear Papa's 
 death made. 
 
 May 3rd. Our two Sergeants have got 
 leave to go on ahead to Lahore, and I shall 
 send this by one of them. 
 
 I am so glad all the campaign is over, for 
 it is sad, expensive work. You would 
 scarcely credit the amount of a month's 
 expenditure. .... 
 
 Lahore ; May 1th, 
 
 Yesterday we got into our new 
 quarters, and wretched ones they are. I 
 shall be delighted if I can get to Simla, but 
 
LETTERS. 209 
 
 leave is now so uncertain that I am afraid 
 even to send off my servants and traps, till 
 it is in orders. 
 
 May 9th. I now hear that the Governor- 
 General will not be here till the 28th, and 
 that when he gets to Mooltan he will leave 
 her Ladyship under our charge and proceed 
 to Bombay, thence by sea to Calcutta, and 
 dawk up to Simla, while we bring the Lady 
 to Kalka. 
 
 May 11th. Yesterday I received a letter 
 from Colonel Mountain, saying he could not 
 do anything for me. This letter was sent 
 through Sir Henry Lawrence, and with it 
 came an invitation to dine to-night at the 
 Residency ; so I am going. 
 
 Lahore ; May \Qth. 
 
 My leave arrived yesterday, and this 
 morning I was relieved from the Kiddaree 
 gate. I start on the 18th, shall be at 
 
210 
 
 LETTERS. 
 
 Ferozepore on the 19th, Loodiana on the 
 20th, and Kalka on the 23rd, I suppose. 
 How dehghted I shall be to reach Simla, 
 and be with you, my dearest mother. 
 
 From Colonel Sleeman, 
 
 Lucknow ; \st July, 1849. 
 
 My dear Mrs. Bamfield, 
 
 We were very glad to get your letter, 
 and to find that your son and you were well, 
 but it has reminded us of a duty neglected. 
 We ought to have written to you before, and 
 often resolved to do so, but the subject was 
 a sad one, and, hke other painful duties, it 
 was deferred from time to time, till we 
 thought it was too late. You have had 
 much to suffer, but I hope many happy days 
 are still in store for you ; and we rejoice to 
 find that your son is likely to be a source of 
 so much comfort to you. 
 
 I should be glad to assist him, but all the 
 influence I had in the Gwalior contingent 
 
LETTERS. 211 
 
 has passed away, and here I have none 
 whatever that could avail him. His having 
 lost a father in action, and been himself 
 wounded on the same field,* will always be a 
 ground of claim upon the Indian Govern- 
 ment ; and if he studies to qualify himself 
 for staff employ, he will be sure to get it 
 by and bye. He has been but a short time 
 in the country, and must not be impatient ; 
 a regimental staff appointment should be 
 the first object of his ambition. I was ten 
 years with my regiment, and my nephew, the 
 only relative I have in India, was nine, before 
 I asked anything for him, and we are, I 
 believe, both the better for having been so 
 long in so good a school. I shall be glad to 
 avail myself of any occasion to aid him, 
 but T must in candour say, that I have little 
 sympathy with the impatience of very young 
 men to get away from their regiments. If 
 he can at any time come to see his birth- 
 place, Mrs. Sleeman and I shall be delighted 
 
 * The report of his having been wounded was incorrect. 
 
212 LETTERS. 
 
 to see him, and make him happy during his 
 stay. 
 
 There can be no harm in your asking the 
 Governor-General to give Albert employ- 
 ment in the Punjaub on the grounds I have 
 stated, and many opportunities may offer 
 during your stay at Simla ; he might get 
 into one of the new corps, or into civil 
 employ, which would be still better. In the 
 mean time he should make the best use of 
 his time in steady application to the 
 languages. 
 
 I will not congratulate him on his 
 approaching marriage, because I think he is 
 too young to put on the yoke ; but as the 
 thing has been settled, I will say nothing 
 more about it. 
 
 I wish you had told us a little more about 
 yourself and plans for the future. As 
 Albert's intended is to be with you in a few 
 months, and stay with you till they are 
 united, you perhaps intend to make Simla 
 your home ; a nicer one could hardly be 
 
LETTERS. 213 
 
 found in India, and much do I wish that I 
 could spend a year there. 
 
 Mrs. Sleeman joins in kindest regards, and 
 
 Believe me, 
 My dear Mrs. Bamfield, 
 
 Yours very sincerely, 
 
 W. H. Sleeman. 
 
 From the Marquis of Dalhousie, 
 
 Government-House ; July ^Oth, 1 849. 
 
 Madam, 
 
 I had the honour of receiving 
 yesterday your letter of the 19th, regarding 
 your son. 
 
 I can truly assure you that nothing would 
 gratify me more than to have the power of 
 marking my sense of the gallant services of 
 the father by giving advancement to the son. 
 
 Unfortunately, the orders of the Court of 
 Directors, that no officer can receive an 
 
214 LETTERS. 
 
 appointment until he has served three years, 
 are too peremptory and too strictly enforced 
 to admit of the possibility of my making an 
 exception in favour of your son. 
 
 When he is eligible in respect of standing 
 his application would be favourably con- 
 sidered, though no promise can be made. 
 
 I have the honour to be. 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 Dalhousie. 
 
 From Albert^ after his visit to Simla and return to 
 his Regiment, 
 
 Lahore; Oct 16, 1849. 
 My dearest Mother, 
 
 I arrived here last evening about 6 
 o*clock all right, and have taken up my 
 quarters for a day or two with Jones. . . 
 I must look sharp and buy a tent, as we 
 are on the Governor-Generars escort, and 
 go from here to Mooltan with him. 
 
LETTERS. 215 
 
 The order came that two flank companies 
 of any European regiment, two guns of any 
 troop, and the 56th regiment, were to be 
 held in readiness to go with the Governor- 
 General. 
 
 Sunday. The relief is out, and I find as 
 I expected we go to Umballa after our escort 
 duty. I am going this afternoon to see 
 Captain Wakefield, and then shall go to 
 church at the Residency. . . . 
 
 25th October. I am now reading very 
 hard to go up on the 15th proximo for 
 P. H. 
 
 Your affectionate Son, 
 
 Albert. 
 
 Lahore. 
 My dearest Mother, 
 
 It is now some days since I have written 
 to you, but we have been so busy with all 
 the levees, &c., that we have scarcely done 
 
216 LETTERS. 
 
 anything but get in and out of our full 
 dress 
 
 On Monday there will be a grand field 
 day at Meean Meeah. We shall have about 
 three miles to get to the place, and then Sir 
 Charles is going to take us about twelve 
 miles around and about, manoeuvring. 
 What a delightful prospect for light com- 
 panies ! All the troops in" the station, and 
 those passing through, will be at it. 
 
 I went and spoke to Courtney the day 
 before yesterday about getting an appoint- 
 ment ; he said the Governor-General wished 
 to give me one, but could not, as I had not 
 served four years, three of which must be 
 regimental duty. He also said he (Court- 
 ney) would not forget me. 
 
 1 had almost forgotten what is the prin- 
 cipal piece of intelligence. 
 
 The 56th are not to go, because they are 
 too weak : the 9th go on. 
 
 On the 28th Nov. the Governor-General 
 
LETTERS. 217 
 
 arrived here. All the troops were drawn 
 out in full dress to receive him. 
 
 29th. Breakfasted with the officers of 
 the two flank companies of the 18th Royal 
 Irish, who were on the escort. The 
 Governor- General gave a dinner to the 
 escort who came here with him. 
 
 30th. Rode out with Gott and Cafe to 
 see the Commander-in-Chief come in, but 
 missed him. Bought Gott's horse, Rory. 
 Dinner at the Governor - General's to 
 commanding officers and heads of depart- 
 ments. 
 
 2d Grenadiers came in from Umballa. 
 First levee at the Commander-in-Chiefs at 
 11 A.M. Called on Mrs. Mountain; went 
 to the Durbar at the Governor-General's. 
 The Maharajah and all the Sirdars were 
 there. The Governor-General gave the 
 Maharajah about 40 trays of shawls, silks, 
 muslins, cloths of gold and silver, chogas, 
 and a very handsome silver urn or ewer, and 
 
218 LETTERS. 
 
 two drinking cups, besides a musical box 
 and gun. 
 
 The Sirdars had also each a tray of 
 shawls presented to them 
 
 Your affectionate Son, 
 
 Albert. 
 
 Trom Sir Charles Napier, 
 Wazeerabad, Camp ; 3d January, 1850, 
 
 My dear Madam, 
 
 I have received your note; your 
 claims on the public for your son are, in my 
 estimation, sacred, and ought to supersede 
 all rules and all claims but those of a like 
 nature. 
 
 Your son shall have the first thing that it 
 is in my power to give him ; his claims shall 
 supersede all others. 
 
 Yours faithfully, 
 
 C. Napier, 
 Commander-in-Chief. 
 
LETTERS. 219 
 
 I will appoint him to do duty with 
 some irregular corps, so as to strengthen 
 his powerful claims, in case any accident 
 should remove me. For there is really so 
 little in my gift that I know not when I 
 may have the power to serve your son, 
 whose simple and beautiful letters I return 
 to you. I wish I had received your letter 
 at Lahore, that I might have made acquaint- 
 ance with him. Tell him to come to me 
 when I return there, and to study hard at 
 his drill and at the languages. 
 
 C.N. 
 
 Lahore; January ISth, 1850. 
 
 This day last year at this time we 
 were marching towards the dreadful field of 
 Chillianwalla. It was nearly at this time, 
 half-past 10, that the enemy's out-post was 
 taken, or rather I fancy about an hour or so 
 later than this. 
 
 U 2 
 
220 
 
 LETTERS. 
 
 I don't like to talk or write about the 
 later occurrences of the day. 
 
 The officers are, I believe, going to com- 
 memorate the day by drinking champagne. . 
 
 I shall most decidedly not go to mess, for 
 it is anything bat a day of rejoicing to me. 
 It certainly ought to be one of thankfulness 
 for having been allowed to come out of the 
 action untouched. And yet it is one of the 
 deepest regret, for on this day the best of 
 fathers received his death wound; but I 
 need not talk of this to you, my dearest 
 mother, any more, for I am sure you will 
 be thinking of it yourself. 
 
 I must now say good bye, with my best 
 love. 
 
 My own mother's affectionate Son, 
 
 Albert. 
 
 P.S. I have this moment heard from 
 Major Palmer that I have the adjutancy of 
 the 14th Irregular Cavalry at Hooshearpore. 
 I shall start as soon as I see the general 
 orders. 
 
LETTERS. 221 
 
 From Sir C. Napier. 
 
 \Qth January, 1850. 
 My dear Madam, 
 
 Your own and your son's claims 
 were, in my mind, undeniable : you give me 
 great pleasure in saying you feel their. 
 justice, which ought not to be so rare or to 
 demand more than simple thanks, if that. 
 If you knew how much pleasure it gives me 
 to think that I have in some degree alle- 
 viated sorrow, you would think / should 
 rather be grateful to you than you to me. 
 The appointment I have given your son is, 
 I am sorry to say, only an acting one, still 
 it is for two years, but it was all I had at 
 my disposal ; and if a permanent one turns 
 up which I can give him, I will. Pray 
 impress upon his mind that he must study 
 hard to make himself fit to be an adjutant 
 of Cavalry. I have done for him, or rather 
 I should say for you, what I could not and 
 would not do for any other young man in 
 this army ; and the only thanks I either want 
 
222 LETTERS. 
 
 or care for is to see him devote himself to 
 his work, so that when I see his regiment I 
 may find him in some degree equal to his 
 duties. He has a great deal to learn, and I 
 shall be very strict with him ; I hear he is a 
 smart young man, with good abilities : I saw 
 by his letters he has right and religious 
 feelings. There is, therefore, nothing want- 
 ing to make him a good officer, but applica- 
 tion, and this I expect from him, and I am 
 sure you do also. I have duties to perform ; 
 I am rigid, and must be so, against idleness 
 of all kinds, and it would grieve me to be 
 disappointed in your son. 
 
 Do not think what I say harsh, nor that 
 I have any fears that he will be all that is 
 right. I only wish to make him exert him- 
 self as he ought, that I may not find my 
 expectation disappointed. 
 
 Yours faithfully, 
 
 C. J. Napier. 
 
LETTERS. 223 
 
 From Sir C Napier. 
 
 ^QthJuly, 1850. 
 My dear Mrs. Bamfield, 
 
 I perfectly understand all you say, 
 and feel a sincere and deep respect for your 
 conduct. 
 
 Allow me to say that if any difficulties or 
 worries thwart you that are in my power to 
 remove I hope you will privately tell me, 
 and believe that I shall have the will, 
 whether I have the power or not, to be of 
 use to you. 
 
 I am, my dear Madam, 
 
 Yours sincerely, 
 
 C. J. Napier. 
 
 I hope your son is well and likes his 
 appointment ; he seems a very fine lad, and 
 if he will persevere and study I am sure he 
 will do well. Tell him to believe an old 
 
224 LETTERS. 
 
 soldier of 70 years of age, when I tell him 
 that there is a great field open in India for 
 a young man of perseverance, and who has 
 industry and honour ; for these three things 
 we are answerable to God, because he has 
 left them in our own power, . . . 
 
 I feel great interest in all the young men 
 of the Indian army, and am sorry that my 
 great age obliges me to leave them before I 
 can do them any good. 
 
 From Dr, Macgowan» 
 My dear Mrs. Bamfield, 
 
 You would do injustice to those in 
 China who knew you were you to suppose 
 they had either forgotten you or were 
 indifferent to your affliction. 
 
 For myself I can assure you that, beyond 
 the immediate circle of your relations and 
 
LETTERS. 225 
 
 those of your lamented husband, no one 
 sympathized more deeply with you in your 
 loss. I feel still grateful for your kindness 
 to me when I first landed on this island. It 
 was a source of pain to me that I have been 
 deprived of communication from my friend 
 Major Bamfield : some of the blame doubt- 
 less attached to me : I should have written 
 till I got replies. On your arrival at Hong 
 Kong the place was, I believe, in a blaze, on 
 account of my anti-opium tirades, so you 
 could have heard nothing calculated to 
 endear me to you, to say the least. 
 
 Like most of the missionaries, we have 
 repaired to this place to escape from the 
 suffocating heat of that city. My dear wife, 
 whose health has been feeble at best, has 
 derived benefit from the change. She feels, 
 and always has felt, a deep interest in you 
 and your family. 
 
 We often speak of you as in our walks on 
 the Bund we pass your once beautiful 
 cottage. Now, alas ! how changed ! an 
 
226 LETTERS. 
 
 emblem of all that is fair and beautiful on 
 earth. It is used as an out station to the 
 Custom house, which is the former hospital. 
 We occupy what was once the Commissariat, 
 which, with Waterhouse's place, are the 
 only dwellings habitable for foreigners. 
 
 I must say to the credit of the Chinese, 
 and for the benefit of any of your friends 
 who may have left the remains of earthly 
 treasures on the hill side, that the graves 
 remain undisturbed, except by the ruthless 
 hand of time, and so will they remain till 
 the last trump shall sound. 
 
 I am glad to inform you that the Gospel 
 is winning its way in Ningpo. Jane, a 
 Chinese girl, whom you saw with the late 
 Mrs. Shuck, now -an inmate of my family, 
 has been lately baptized. I might name 
 also that Mrs. S.'s sister came out, and 
 laboured some years at Shanghai ; but her 
 sister was obliged to return with her : she 
 became almost a maniac. 
 
 Our child is now about three years old, 
 
LETTERS. 227 
 
 and a great comfort to us ; her name is 
 Laura. We like the name of Agnes, and 
 expect to have a girl of that name. And 
 now, may I ask about Agnes, to whom 
 please send my love ; young woman as she 
 is, she will not, I trust, be indifferent to it. 
 
 I am glad to hear from Mr. Marshman 
 that your son has an appointment in the 
 same corps in which his dear father distin- 
 guished himself. Be so good as assure 
 him that he has at least one ardent well- 
 wisher in China, and it is my prayer that 
 He in whom the father trusted may confer 
 on the son the same precious faith, and that 
 you may all meet, an undivided family, in the 
 realms of peace and joy. 
 
 I am sorry that the accompanying letter 
 has been detained so long. We have been 
 getting something ready a long time for 
 Calcutta, with which our letters are to go to 
 my friend, Mr. Marshman, who in answer to 
 my enquiries regarding you, kindly offered 
 to forward letters from me. 
 
 X 
 
228 LETTERS. 
 
 I told Miss Alder sey, and she at once 
 wrote. The box has been detained until 
 now. At any rate, though late, I hope you 
 will see that you have left an impression on 
 our hearts which time has not effaced. 
 
 Mrs. M. joins me in the expression of 
 kindest love, and 
 
 I remain, sincerely yours, 
 
 D. J. Macgowan. 
 Chusan ; August^ 1850. 
 
 From Sir C. Napier. 
 
 Simla; Nov. \5th, 1850. 
 My dear Madam, 
 
 I have spoken to Colonel Tucker, 
 who will look to your son's interest. I 
 have nothing in my power to give him, but 
 Tucker tells me there is not the least danger 
 of his losing his position. I am just going 
 off, and have only time to wish you and 
 your son every success and happiness such 
 
LETTERS. 229 
 
 as this world affords ; and when the Almighty 
 strikes, he always gives us help, and gives 
 us strength to bear. 
 
 Believe me to be, my dear Madam, 
 Yours faithfully, 
 
 C J. Napier. 
 
 Oaklands, near Turwood ; Oct. 9th, 1851. 
 My dear Madam, 
 
 I do indeed grieve for your accu- 
 mulated sorrows. Those experienced by 
 myself and others of my family make me 
 know too well their bitterness. Religion 
 alone enables us to sustain them ; mortals 
 can afford but little consolation. 
 
 I am sorry that I cannot be of the smallest 
 use to your nephew. I thought it was 
 pretty generally known that I was not on 
 such good terms either with the Court of 
 Directors or the Government as to ask 
 
230 LETTERS. 
 
 favours, or to receive them if I did. I 
 never ask favours even for my own family ! 
 I think such claims as yours ought to be 
 considered in the giving away of cadetships, 
 and I have heard that some of the Directors 
 are very fair towards such claims, but I am 
 very ignorant of these matters. 
 
 Wishing you all the consolation which 
 your sad bereavement admits of, 
 
 Believe me, 
 My dear Mrs. Bamfield, 
 
 Yours sincerely, 
 
 C. J. Napier. 
 
 END or THE LETTERS, 
 
It is probable that all my friends who 
 have read the preceding pages may not have 
 seen Captain Thackwell's account of the 
 last Seikh war ; I have therefore added some 
 extracts from his description of the fearful 
 battle of Chillianwalla, which agrees so 
 perfectly with the brief account Albert gives 
 me of what he saw. 
 
 They will doubtless accompany in imagina- 
 tion that brave, able, and kind soldier, short 
 portions from whose letters they have read, 
 from his couch in his tent w^here he was 
 taking his last rest, after a fatiguing march, 
 through those stirring and frightful scenes 
 to which he was so soon aroused to be 
 engaged in, till they see him wounded and 
 dying, with his brave boy, Albert, by his 
 side, firm and unmoved in the midst of death 
 and danger, and then follow them in the 
 last sad closing scene. 
 
 C. B. 
 
232 EXTRACTS. 
 
 " On the morning after the eventful 13th 
 of January, 1849, the army advanced in the 
 following order : — Brigadier Pope's brigade 
 of Cavalry, consisting of the 9th Royal 
 Lancers, 1st and 6th Regiments of Light 
 (Native) Cavalry, with troops of Horse 
 Artillery, Huish's, Christie's, and Lane's, 
 moved on the extreme right. Major- 
 General Sir Walter Gilbert's division of 
 Infantry, consisting of Mountain's brigade, 
 (the 20th or Monmouthshire Foot, the 30th 
 and 56th Native Infantry,) and of Godby's 
 brigade, (the 2d Bengal European Regiment, 
 the 31st and 70th Native Infantry.) Near 
 it were posted the heavy guns. On the left 
 of the heavy ordnance might have been seen 
 Brigadier-General Colin Campbell's Infantry 
 division, comprising the brigades of Penny- 
 quick, (the 24th Foot, the 25th and 45th 
 Native Infantry,) and of Hoggan, (the 61st 
 or South Gloucestershire Foot, the 36th and 
 46th Native Infantry,) White's brigade of 
 Cavalry, (the 3d King's Own and 14th Light 
 
EXTRACTS. 233 
 
 Dragoons, the 5th and 8th Cavalry,) with three 
 troops of Horse Artillery. Those of Warner, 
 Fordyce, and Duncan, which were under the 
 immediate command of Major-General Sir 
 Joseph Thackwell, moved on the extreme left. 
 All guards were called to join their regiments. 
 
 " After a march of some miles a halt was 
 
 sounded The line of march 
 
 was now suddenly changed in the direction 
 of Moong by bringing up the right. A Seikh 
 out-post was now summarily expelled from a 
 compact little entrenchment of quadrangular 
 shape on a long bare hill in front of ChiUian. 
 
 ''The Elephant battery here vomited 
 forth its spherical terrors in grand style. . 
 
 " The army had almost reached Chil- 
 lianwalla, when his Excellency determined to 
 postpone the attack till the morrow. As 
 there was a scarcity of water, however, no 
 wells being at hand on the Dingee side 
 of ChiUian, his Lordship found himself 
 under the necessity of pitching his camp 
 in rear of that town, or rather on a line with 
 
234 EXTRACTS. 
 
 it, where there was abundance of water. 
 Orders were accordingly issued to the 
 Quartermaster-General to mark out the 
 ground for the encampment. 
 
 '* The men of the different regiments were 
 in the act of falling out, when large bodies 
 of the enemy were suddenly descried at some 
 distance in our front, and it soon became 
 evident that they contemplated mischief. 
 Scarcely had the lines been delineated by 
 Colonel Garden's department, when a sudden 
 blaze was seen, followed by a loud report, 
 and some shot fell near his Excellency. 
 
 " It is said that Lord Gough had been 
 under the influence of unusual excitement, 
 for he hastily embraced the resolution of 
 visiting such unwarrantable audacity with 
 immediate punishment Many important 
 eyewitnesses, however, incline to the opinion 
 that an engagement could not have been 
 avoided, therefore that it was advisable for 
 his Lordship to assume the initiative. It 
 was contended that if his Excellency had 
 
EXTRACTS. 235 
 
 been desirous of deferring the action till the 
 14th, the wisest course would have been to 
 halt at Chowta Omrah, and thus to avert a 
 collision with the Seikh outpost near Chil- 
 lianwalla. The Khalsu troops had vacated 
 their entrenchments, and, presenting a bold 
 extended front, were drawn up in the jungle, 
 their right resting on Mong, the Jheylum 
 being in their rear. 
 
 " Magnificent, indeed, was the spectacle 
 now afforded by the gradual development of 
 the fire of the Seikh guns. The balls came 
 whizzing amongst us, and afforded proof 
 positive that the enemy had commenced the 
 work of destruction in real earnest. Our 
 heavy guns having been brought well to the 
 front vigorously responded to the challenge, 
 and a never-ceasing roar of artillery resounded 
 through the jungle. The only marks pre- 
 sented to the British Artillery were the 
 lurid flash and smoke of the enemy's guns. 
 Often no other object was visible. It was 
 sometimes possible to descry a man in a tree 
 
236 EXTRACTS. 
 
 taking observations, but he offered a poor 
 mark. 
 
 *' The troops were soon under arms, and 
 maintained the original battle array, with 
 the exception of one or two trifling changes. 
 
 " The cannonade had scarcely lasted half- 
 an-hour, when a staff" officer in breathless 
 haste rode up to Brigadier- General Camp- 
 bell and ordered him to carry the guns in his 
 front. The order was given about half-past 
 3 P.M., without any new consultation or 
 arrangement on the altered aspect of affairs. 
 Major- General Gilbert received orders simul- 
 taneously to advance, while Pope was 
 directed to make a corresponding movement 
 on the flank. Sir Joseph Thackwell was 
 left to act on his own responsibiUty. 
 
 '* Some of the leading Indian newspapers 
 argued that since the success of a battle 
 depends mainly on the previously well- 
 concerted plan of operations, and his 
 Excellency had held no communication with 
 
EXTRACTS. 237 
 
 his Generals and Brigadiers since the last 
 evening, though the original plan of attack 
 had become impracticable, little surprise 
 should be expressed at the melancholy results. 
 *' Here a well-deliberated scheme of opera- 
 tion and mutual concentration of energies 
 were rendered the more absolutely indispen- 
 sable by the difficult nature of the ground, 
 which was everywhere covered with thick 
 high brushwood, and there was every likeli- 
 hood that the most carefully concocted 
 combination would miscarry ; that regi- 
 ments would lose their distance, take a 
 wrong direction, and even mistake friends 
 for foes. That this probability was much 
 strengthened when Sir Walter Gilbert 
 and General Colin Campbell impetuously 
 advanced into the jungle, may be easily 
 imagined. .... The veriest 
 rabble of the enemy, as long as their hearts 
 were firm, were equal to the best disciplined 
 troops in this wilderness of bush ; and the 
 knowledge of the ground possessed by the 
 
238 EXTRACTS. 
 
 enemy gave them an immeasurable advantage. 
 They posted their guns in a declivity which 
 served the purpose of concealment. 
 
 Several able officers were of 
 opinion that the wisest course open to the 
 Commander-in-Chief would have been to 
 give the guns play for upwards of two or 
 three hours, and as soon as they had com. 
 mitted great havoc, and created a wavering, 
 to have ordered the Infantry to carry the 
 guns. They would have recommended this 
 plan, in the event of its being held absolutely 
 necessary to decide the matter before even- 
 ing. Lord Gough was apprehensive of a 
 night of confusion. 
 
 " It was certainly a hazardous pohcy, 
 then, at that hour of the day, to hurl a few 
 weak brigades against the fresh and active 
 batteries of the enemy, supported by innu- 
 merable Infantry, in such a dense jungle. 
 
 *' Before entering into a description of this 
 battle, it may be well to preface it with the 
 observation that the Anglo-Indian line 
 
EXTRACTS. 239 
 
 occupied almost as great an extent of ground 
 as the British army at the Battle of Waterloo ; 
 yet Lord Gough found himself considerably 
 outflanked. . . 
 
 " About this time a halt took place. The 
 Seikh Cavalry skirmished in front of the 
 British line, being emboldened by its tem- 
 porary hesitation. It was now that the 
 order, ' Threes about,' was distinctly heard 
 by some men of the 14th Dragoons. They 
 turned with the rest, the Goorcharras in hot 
 pursuit. . . .In the impetuosity 
 of the rush, the 14th were pushed by the 
 other regiments against the troops of Horse 
 Artillery. Guns, gunners, and waggons 
 were everywhere upset. To crown the mis- 
 hap, the Goorchurras, following close in the 
 rear of the Dragoons, entered the ranks df 
 the Artillery along with them. 
 
 " Our vocabulary will not allow of our 
 giving an adequate description of the con- 
 fusion, — regiment pressing against regiment, ^ 
 trooper hastening trooper, officer vieing with 
 
240 
 
 EXTRACTS. 
 
 soldier in speed. The horses became un- 
 manageable, often carrying their riders to the 
 rear of the baggage escort. 
 Many an officer and man, overturned by the 
 cavalry, were trampled on the ground. 
 Many hid themselves under bushes, and thus 
 escaped the sharp talmars or swords of the 
 enemy. .... Major Ekins, 
 Deputy- Adjutant-General of the army, was 
 wounded while seeking to deliver an order 
 to the brigade. His friend. Major Chester, 
 ran to his aid. The British Cavalry were in 
 retreat ; the danger was imminent ; the 
 enemy was approaching. Ekins begged him 
 to leave him to his fate, and the former 
 was most reluctantly compelled to do so. 
 The enemy came up and hacked him to 
 pieces. .... 
 
 '* To convey a faithful notion of the 
 conduct of the 2nd Europeans, we cannot 
 do better than transcribe the account of it 
 furnished by an officer of that distinguished 
 regiment : — The word came for the infantry 
 
EXTRACTS. 241 
 
 to advance. ' Fix bayonets ! ' * Load ! 
 Deploy into line ! Quick march !' And 
 just then came a roll of musketry that drove 
 us almost to madness. Quick march ! and 
 into the jungle we plunged in line, with a 
 deafening cheer, the roll of musketry in- 
 creasing every moment. On we went at a 
 rapid double, dashing through the bushes, 
 and bounding over every impediment ; faster 
 rolled the musketry — crash upon crash the 
 cannon poured forth its deadly contents. 
 On swept our brigade, and gaining an open 
 space in the jungle, the whole of the enemy's 
 line burst on our view. ' Charge' ! ran the 
 word through our ranks, and the men 
 bounded forward like angry bull-dogs, pour- 
 ing in a murderous fire. The enemy's bullets 
 whizzed above our heads ; the very air 
 seemed teeming with them ; man after man 
 was struck down and rolled in the dust ! 
 But a passing glance was all we could give 
 them ; and onward we went, bearing on their 
 line with a steadiness nothing could resist. 
 
242 EXTRACTS. 
 
 They fired a last volley, wavered, and then 
 turned and fled, leaving the ground covered 
 with dead and wounded. Pursuit in a jungle 
 like that was useless, when we could not see 
 twenty yards before us, so we halted and 
 began to collect our wounded, when all of a 
 sudden a fire was opened upon us in our 
 rear. A large body of the enemy had turned 
 our flank in the jungle and got between us 
 and the rest of the troops ; another party 
 was on our left ; and we found ourselves, 
 with our light field battery, completely 
 surrounded and alone in the field. 
 
 " The word was given, ' Right about face,' 
 and we advanced steadily, loading and firing 
 as we went. . . . . If it had 
 not been for that battery (Captain Davies's) 
 we should have been cut up to a man. The 
 fire was fearful — the atmosphere seemed 
 alive with balls. I can only compare it to a 
 storm of hail. They rang about my head 
 and ears so thick that I felt that if I put 
 out my hand it would be taken off*. TJ^ 
 
EXTRACTS. 243 
 
 was only what happened in our part of the 
 field. We were on the extreme right, and 
 the thickness of the jungle prevented our 
 seeing what was going on elsewhere. The 
 battle lasted three hours, and so maddening 
 was the excitement that it seemed scarcely 
 half an hour. .... 
 
 " It fell to the lot of Mountain's Brigade 
 on the left column of Gilbert's division to 
 attack a most formidable position. The 
 Brigade, headed by its gallant leader, who, 
 to employ the words of the despatches, 
 offered a gallant example in leading on his 
 men, reached the rear of a part of the Seikh 
 entrenchment. Here it encountered the 
 most spirited opposition. The 29th Foot, 
 whose conspicuous colours blazon forth its 
 glory, added considerably to its well-earned 
 laurels on this occasion. It spiked several 
 guns, only five of which, however, were 
 secured, owing to the want of draught horses. 
 The rest were conveyed away by the enemy 
 during the night. This Brigade was received 
 
244 
 
 EXTRACTS. 
 
 with an incessant shower of grape and ball. 
 Nothing could exceed the rapidity with 
 which the Seikhs dealt forth the iron hail. 
 Their file firing was excellent, and poured in 
 with fatal precision. The 56th Native 
 Infantry, which boldly advanced up to the 
 hostile batteries, sustained enormous loss. 
 Its leader, the gallant Bamfield, a man as 
 remarkable for his Christian demeanour in 
 the different relations of life, as for his 
 heroic valour in the field, here kissed the 
 dust. Young Bamfield, of the same 
 regiment, clasped his bleeding father in his 
 arms ! What an exciting embrace was that ! 
 "Eight officers and 322 men were here 
 killed or wounded. The confusion which 
 this loss engendered was so great that the 
 corps gave way. It lost its colours, but not 
 its reputation, for truly the resistance it 
 met with was scarcely less than that to 
 which the 24th Foot were opposed. The 
 most precious loss sustained by the 56th, 
 a loss before which colours and everything 
 
EXTRACTS. 245 
 
 else dwindle into insignificance, was the 
 removal of the gallant Bamfield from his 
 sphere of usefulness May the heart of 
 his widow be cheered by the memory of 
 his AeeAsV'-ThaclmelVs Narrative of the 
 Second Seikh War. 
 
 TIIK END. 
 
=!f£i2i£iii>a° period ^PP^^ation is made before 
 
 •/4/V 
 
 d 
 
 'SJO 
 
 60m-7,'29 
 
YB 28300 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY