The Sun.
London, England, 1858-04-07 00:00:00

DEATII OF MICUTENANT OUP.

(Frans the Essex Herald,)
We deeply regret to find that -Lieut. Gepp, of
the 66th Gookhas, son of T.. M. Gepp, Esq., of
Chelmsford, has died of the wound he received
while behaving so gallantly in the action with the
Indian rebels froru Bareilly. The letters below de
scribe the sad result, and at -the stme time show
how completely his kind heart and gentlemanly
manners had.won the affectionate esteem of his
brother officers, while his bravery as a soldier in
the fight called forth the admiration of his comman-
der, who had marked him out for that special de-
coratien awarded only to the most nobly daring.
A feeling of deep sympathy with the family of the
deceased we are sure will pervade the town.
The following is a copy of the letter which Mr.
.Gepp received on Saturday last from Col. M'atue-
and, commanding officer of the 66th Goorkhas :
"Camp, Huldwanee, ne-r Nynee
Tal, February 17, 1857.
"My dear Sir,—lt is with sincere and deep re-
gret I have to announce to you the death of your
son Thomas Sydney Gepp, who died on the 12th
inst. from the effects of wounds received in action
on the 10th, two days previous, at the battle of
Churpoorab, sixteen miles from this place. His
gallantry was most conspicuous, and the admiration
of all his brother officers ; had he lived.l should
undoubtedly have recommended him for the Vic-
toria Cross. Before he fell he eut down three men
at the enemy's guns, and was instrumental in cap-
turing three pieces of artillery. He was much and
deservedly beloved by every one, and an ornament
to his profession. His remains are interred in the
burial ground at Nynee Tal, and it is the intention
of the officers to e-ect a monument over them, and
they are also desirous of placing a tablet to his me-
mory in his pari:h church, which, I conclude, is at
Chelmsford. It will be consolatory to you to learn
that he suffered but little pain. One wound was a
sabre cut across the left arm, and the second, which
proved fatal, was a ball entering the left side im-
mediately under the heart, and passing through the
liver, was extracted on the right side, having lodged
immediately under the skin. The operation gave
hire relief fur the time, but the injury to the liver
was to great as to render recovery impossible. I
have kept his watch, chain, and ring, Bible and
Prayer-book, together with some of his hair, to be
sent to you. You will no doubt see in the papers
an account of the action fought under my command
and honourable mentioe made of your gallant son.
The enclosed letter arrived half an hour after be'
expired—l therefore return it. You have, my dotar
sir, much to be thankful fur, that your poor son
died a soldier's death and was not brutally mur-
dered, as many of our poet. countrymen and women
and children hive been. I have to deplore the loss of
many near and dear relations, part cularly a be-
loved son and daughter, in the horrible massacre at
Cawnpure, July lest.
"Once more expressing my heartfelt sympathy
to yeurself and family on the loss of so promising a
son, believe me, my dear sir, yours very truly,
" F. K. ArCAUSLIND,
" Colonel 66'h Ghoorkas and Keenan force.
"T. M. Gepp, Esq."
Mr. Duffi-le, solicitor, of this town, has also re-
ceieved a letter from Lieut. F. S. Brind, who served
in the seine regiment with Lieut. Gepp, in which
he gives further details of his gallant comrade's
death and funeral. The following are extracts :
" Poor dear Gepp's loss has turned our glorious
victory into almost a defeat. He was backing away
into one of these blackguards, who in his last agonies
gave him a blow with his tulw..sr on the arm, which
knocked him down, and while on theground a brute
shot him through the liver ; his first wound kept
him alive, as it prevented internal bleeding. He
was carried off the field amid many a vow of ven-
geatic One sepoy, Davy Singh, opened his merzai
and shirt, and stopped the b!eedino• for a time with
his own hand; ho won't go unrewarded. PoorGepp
said on the field he was dying, and asked Miles to
write to his friends who live in Chlmsford. 'leis
was a bad sign, and after living 48 hours, he
breathed his lest in the hospital et Huldwanee.
After ho reached camp ho rallied, and we hoped to
have had him among us once more, but it was God's
will that the finest soldier and best officer of the
66,h should be taken from this'seene of strife and
woe, to a laud where no sorrow or pain is known.
Lee, the doctor who attended hie) night and day,
thinks he might have got over it if it had not been
for the nature of the matchlock bullet ; it was iron,
and all jagged, and as he had an enlargement of the
liver, there was no chance of his recovery. Miles
has writ en, but incase his letter in these troublous
times should miscarry, the Duffields, who may,
perhaps, know his parents, can give this little ac-
count of his untimely end. He died as a soldier
should, and it may perhaps be a source of consola-
tion to his bereaved family to know that he died
nobly doing his duty ; his gallantry was conspicu-
ous, and mentioned in th r camp-orders of the day.
His men will not forget him soon. 1 wa- put on
the sick list after the tight, as I cannot bear a boot
on my foot, and wishing to come up to Nynee
I had the mournful pleasure of following to the
grave the body of my best friend in the re giment,
and than whom a not,ler soldier never stepped.
He was buried yesterday (Sunday), in the Nynee
Tat churchyard. Fitzgerald commanded the
tiring party. A. party of men of the 66 h,
and Ist Extra Goorkhas, carded him to his last
resting-place. Mr. Puree real the funeral ser-
Nearly all the station attended in deep
mourning. Gepp had won tha deep regard
and esteem of many here. It was a mournful
sighteenanyla stout heart, G-Jorkha and European,
who would not flinch from a cannon's mouth, wept
like a chill. Neatly all the party were in tears,
and the old native officer could hardly speak ;
Fi.zgerald had great difficulty in giving the last
salute—the three volleys in the air. A monument
is to be erected in the churchyard, as a testimony
of the aff-xtiou of his brother officers."

vice.