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

DEATH OF LIEUTENANT OEPP.

(Front 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 from Bareilly. The letters below de
scribe the sad result, and at the same 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-
coration 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 releived on Saturday last from Col. M'Catve
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 tire-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, avid the admiration
of all his brother officers ; had be lived I should
undoubtedly have recommended him for the Vic-
toria Cross. Before he fell he cut down three men
at the enemy's guns, and was instrumental in cap-
turing three pieces of artillery. He was much and
dii=ervedly beloved by every onei...-7:i4raatnaut
to his profession. His remains are interred in the
burial ground at Nynee Tal, and it is the intention
of the officers to erect 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 lett 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
him relief for the time, but the injury to the liver
was so 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 mention made of your gallant son.
The enclosed letter arrived half an hour after he
expired—l therefore return it. You have, my dear
sir, much to be thankful for, that your poor son
died a soldier's death and was not brutally mur-
dered, as many of our poor countrymen and women
and children have been. I have to deplore the loss of
many near and dear relations, particularly a be-
loved son and daughter, in the horrible massacre at
Cawnpore, July last,
"Once more expressing my heartfelt sympathy
to yourself and family on the loss of so promising a
son, believe me, my dear sir, yours very truly,
" F. K. ArCAUSLAND,
"Colonel 66th Ghoorkas and Keenau force.
"7. M. Gepp, Esq." _ _

Mr. Duffiel;;Solicitor, of this town, has also re-
ceieved a letter from Lieut. F S. Briud, who served
in the same 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 hacking away
into one of these blackguards, who in his last agonies
gave him a blow with his tulwar ou the arm, which
knocked him down, and whileon 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-
geance. One sepoy, Davy Singh, opened his merzai
and shirt, and stopped the bleeding for a time with
his own hand; he won't go unrewarded. Poor Gepp
said on the field he was dying, and asked Miles to
write to his friends who live in ChAmsford. 'rids
was a bad sign, and after living 48 hours, be
breathed his last in the hospital at Huldwanee.
After he reached camp he 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 nf the
661 h should be taken from this scene of strife and
woe, to a land where no sorrow or pain is known.
Lee, the doctor who attended him night and day,
thinks he might have got over it if it bad 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 written, but in case 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 3 camp-orders of the day.
His men will not forget him soon. 1 was put on
the sick list after the fight, as I cannot bear a boot
on my foot, and wishing to come up to Nynee Tal,
I had the mournful pleasure of following to the
grave the body of my best friend in the regiment,
and than whom a nobler soldier never stepped.
fiTrailngchpuarard
rchtyy..A. Fpairtztygeroafld m
ecommanded
of
He was buried yesterday (Sunday), in the Nynee
the 66 h,
and Ist Extra Goorkhas, carried him to his last
resting-place. Mr. Price read the funeral ser-
vice. Nearly all the station attended in deep
mourning. Gepp had won the deep regard
and esteem of many here. It was a mournful
sightlmanyia stout heart, Goorkha and European,
who would not flinch from a cannon's mouth, wept
like a child. Nearly all the party were in tears,
and the old native officer could hardly speak ;
Fitzgerald 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 affection of his brother officers."