The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-03-07 00:00:00

THE LArE CAPTAIN NICOL.

Mr. E. Forbes, writime from 4, Clifton-terrace, Winchester
(say. The Times). thinks veer broprly t, at the last letter t
a brave moldier, who has fallen in the fore-front of the Light
at A cromboo, to the Inesinessible grief of his ismtly, may ba
Interesting to our readers :
- - - •

"1) •ar- —, I have been so marched about, march-
ing and counter-marching, that I had no time to write
except at night, and then I nave been so tired I could
do nothing but sleep. I LIU von, well, and find I
can do as much walking here as in England. I marclvd
30 miles the other day, 20 3, ander, and 15 or 16
to-day. The regiment Is at Mang hub. I was left
for a day behind to bring on provisions, and I
am now hastening on to cat 1 till regiment. One
missionary, who was detained a prisoner for years, haa
been sent down by the King, who agrees to our terms
of peace, excei.t that not one white soldier is to go to
COMICISAPiN, and this, of course, Sir Gamet won't con-
cede, so we are pushing on. It woe very entertain.
ing to hear the acconnt of the German missionary.
I was encamped het night at Tumuli, close to the
bank of a pretty stream rushing thiough rocks. I
caught some little fi"li with my mo quito net—quite
a trea,. If all goes well, we expect all to be settled In
a fortnight, and we on our j torney home—that is,
marching down to Cape Coast. Hurrah! I wonder the
Ashantees have not attacked our convoys as they did
south of te }'rah and w.,nnded one officer. I 'perched
several miler with only a few men. The war may be
said to be over,—Dampessie, January 23, 184. I add
a few lines to say I am well and only a day's march
from Cooronssie. We have had to look sharp the last
few nights; but the Asbantees seem quite cowed. They
certainly might have given us tzouttle as the Adansi
Hills are very precipitous. The villages are well built
and clean; as they Me all eripty, we have only to
choose a house. Tne missionaries have been all Bent
back: poor fellows, they were delighted—one was
monied and the lady bad a email child with her. I
enclose a piece of fern, it is very pretty, but I don't
know what it will be like when it arrive.. Remember
me most kindly to all at W., &c.—J. NicoL."

The 7 intes he alio published the following letter:—

Str,—l hope you will allow me to add a few words
to the kindly notice whica was inserted in your last
impression touching my lamented brother .in-law,
Captain Nice%
Of a soldier family—his father was for some years
Adjutant General f Bengal, and his only paternal
uncle, General Nicol, was • Peninsular hero—he
was every inch a collier. He joined at an early age
the 10th as it was on its way down from Jellaiabad,
and rem-ined in ti at regiment for some yaws.
About twelve months before the Crimean War he and
Lis brother of Her Majesty's 68 b, sold out, but when
the war broke out the two brothers went in the little
steam yacht, the Army and Navy, to offer what help
they could to their IA uutry. I well remember the
article whi h appeared in your paper holding th. m up
a 3 an example of enterprise and usefulness. First
employed as a despatch boat to our own army, and
afterwards to our allies, they gained praise from all
parties, and although the expedition was a monetary
loss, yet they had toe satisfactiou of doing all in their
power to alleviate the sufferings of our army in that
dreadful winter.

Oa rettuniug home Captain Nicol obtained the Ad
jutancy to the Hatt Mihtia, wad public Mere
declare how admirably he traloed that regircwnt.
. . . .

It was his great &wire to get back into toe Regular
Army, and thinking he saw a way to this by joinirg
the expedition to Ashantee, he otlere 1 his services to
Sir Garnet \\Tolerley. Wit the eye of a Genera',
the latter saw he was the sort of roan he needed, and
he accepted his services. He had had experience
in dealing with savages in Vancouver Inland
and Central Amer's., and this er!,erience be bronet
to bear in South Africa. Very abstemious in
his habits, he was a man, as we believe, deeply earnest,
though reticent in religious feelings and nabits.
His health remained good. His influence with the
natives was increasing. He was rejoiriog in his work,
and his last let-r, received only on Wedneeday, wee
written on the 24'h of January, full of ,irit an l ex-
Pectation of returning home; and now he is taken
from us in the very act of enuangering hie own life for
the safety of others. It is a noble death, though it
leaves us sorrowing.
It is too true that his wife and sow are left with very
scant means, bat I am encouraged to hope that, ad he
has fallen in his country's service, those he leaves will
receive a pension, we hope equivalent to that enjoyed
by the relicts of ,fficera of the same grade in the Regular
Army. Still, they feel deeply the kindneoi and
generosity of his fellow-officers, who knew his galbntry
and were witness to his death.—Believe me yours, &c.,
CHARLES DASHWOOD GOLDHA.
M. lees Vicarage, Mint., March 2.