The Press.
London, England, 1857-07-25 00:00:00

THE PRESS, JULY 26,1857.

also murdered. A regular slaughter of all Europeans was
then commenced in the city—men, women, and children
all shared the same fate. As I told you in my last, 1 had
been ill in bed for a long time, and was to have left for
England on the 15th, but God willed it otherwise. Seeing
how things were turning, ill as I was, I could not remain
quiet,
and forthwith volunteered my services to the bri-
gadier, which he accepted with thanks. I joined the
troops, but after a long time it was agreed that we should
retire, as all hope of holding Delhi was gone. Our regiment
then refused to act, and most of the officers tied to Kur-
neat, Meerut, Ste., but I, along with a new others, agreed
to stay with the troops as long as possible. I ,placed
my little boy in charge of some friends, who took him
away in their carriage in safety to Meerut. I then placed
Fanny and our doctor's wife in • buggy, and directed
them to go as quickly as possible to Kurnaul. Our doctor,
who was severely wounded, accompanied them in his
gharrie, but unfortunately they were all robbed on the
road, and everything taken from them, their gharrie and
buggy being broken to pieces and the horses stolen. More
about them after. After seeing them off I hastened to our
quarter guard, where I rallied the men of my own corn
panics, Nos. 3 and 5, and they promised to stand by me.
I proposed to the commanding officer to call them toge-
ther, but he would not permit me to do so. Of course,
with this order I could do nothing. By degrees I and
Ensign were left to ourselves in the quarter guard,
when we agreed tokether to ride away with our colours
to a place of security. The sepoys, however, refused to
allow us to take them. then left tue alone and has
not since been heard of. Last of all, I persuaded the
sepoys to let me take the regimental colour, and I took it
outside, but on calling for my groom I found he had bolted
with my horse. You may imagine my horror at this. I
went back into the quarter guard and replaced the colour,
not on again coming out a trooper dismounted and took a
deliberate shot at me, but, missing his aim, I walked up to
him and blew his brains out. Another man was then
taking aim at me when he was bayoneted by a sepoy of
my company. The tiring then became general, and I was
compelled to run the gauntlet across the parade ground,
and escaped unhurt miraculously, three bullets having
passed through my hat, and one through the skirt of my
coat. The whole of the houses in cantonments were
burnt. Having gone as far as my weak state of health
would permit, and being exhausted, I took refuge in a
garden under some bushes. About half an hour after a
band of robbers, looking nut for plunder, detected me,
robbed me of my rings, tic., and only left me my flannel
waistcoat and socks. They then tore off the sleeve of my
shirt, and with it attempted to strangle me. Imagine the
intense agony I must have been in ! They left me for
dead, as I had become senseless. About one hour after I
came to. and managed to stagger on about a mile without
shoes, where I secreted myself in a hut until daybreak,
when I resumed my dreary journey, and, after travelling
about twelve miles, the latter part of which was in the
broiling sun, without anything on my heal, arrived at
Aleepore. I managed to beg a little water, some bread,
and a few old native clothes to cover my nakedness, but
was refused shelter. Again I went on and on through
the ploughed fields, barefooted, fearing to keep the
road, on account of the robbers, and, after being
turned from several villages, came to a village where
the heal man, much against the wishes of his
labourers, offered to secrete me. This offer I ac-
cepted, and I remained with him far five days, although
once the sirdars came there and wished to murder me,
but, seeing my helpless state and how ill I was, they re-
frained from doing sn and went away ; and a second time
T was forced to flee to the fields and hide myself, as about
fifty of the mutinous sepoys came and searched the
village for Europeans, but, after lying the whole day in
the sun, my generous friend the reminder came and
fetched me. On the morning of the sixth day a man
came in and gave me such information that I was confi-
dent that Fanny, the poor doctor, and his wife were within
six or seven miles off. I at once determined at all
hazards to go in search of them, and at once started off.
I once more gained the high road, and, after making
inquiries, found that those I was seeking for had been
travelling on foot at night, and were about ten miles
ahead of me. With my feet swollen and in blisters I
journeyed on, and at last, to my extreme joy, overtook
them. After having been several times stripped and
searched by the robbers, they had been taken care of by a
Ranee Mangle Dabee for two days. They, poor helpless
creatures, like myself, had been robbed of all they
possessed, the ladies, with the exception of a petticoat
and shift, and the poor wounded doctor had his clothes
left him, as the blood had so saturated them that they
were deemed useless to them. The ladies also had eine-
rienced the most distressing, and horrible insults. At the
same place we alAo met Major Patterson, who had had two
very severe blows on the head with a bludgeon. On the
evening of the same day we resumed our march, but as poor
Wc.od was so weak we only managed to accomplish about
three miles, whets we put up inavillage for the night. The
villagers treated us very kindly, gave us quantities of milk,
bread, and dhal, and chirpss to lie on. As soon as the
moon rose and we had had about four hours' sleep we
went on our road ; hut this time we were more fortunate,
as some men offered to carry the doctor in a bed. By this
means we got on more quickly, and by the evening we had
walked about twenty miles, and put up in a village where
the people were very kind indeed, and in the morning cot,
ducted us safely on homes, mules, and donkeys to a place
called Lnrsowlee, 'shunt thirty miles from Kurnaal. Here
was a pollee station. end we immediately sent on a men on
horseback to Kurnaul to send us a carriage and cavalry
escort, which was immediately done; and I think God we
arrived here safe ou the night of the I.oth.

A sERIF.S of extracts from Sir Charles Napier's
memoirs, bearing upon the condition and prospects

of the Indian army, were published yesterday by the
Times. We select a few of the most forcible, as
exhibiting in the strongest light the foresight of the
old general and the folly of the East Indian Govern-
ment :