The Sun.
London, England, 1859-04-15 00:00:00

connected view. (Hear, hear.) It seems to me that the
main operations of the war may be divided generally into j
four parts. The campaign which ended in the siege and
capture of Delhi was the first check gives to the insurgent
power in the north-west. Secondly, we have that series
of operations which began with the first, and led to the final
relief of Lucknow, terminating with the assault and capture
of that city ; thirdly, we have that entirely separate and
distinct series of operations which was carried on under Sir
Hugh Rose in the centre of India, and ended in the corns
plete subjugation and tranquillisation of that part of the
country ; and, lastly, we have before us that comparatively
bloodless—but bloodless only on account of the consummate
skill and judgment displayed—that comparatively bloodless
campaign which has ended in the entire reduction of Oude.
Now, having given this brief sketch, I shall proceed to
mention the names of those officers whose duty it was to
take a principal part in the operations of the war. The
name of Lord Clyde is one which half a century of military
service has rendered familiar alike to Asia and to Europe.
(Loud cheers.) Whether we look to the remote period of
the peninsular campaign or the earlier service in India
itself, or to the operations in China twenty years ago, or to
that great Crimean contest in which, on the English side,
there was no braver or better officer than Sir Colin Camp-
bell, whether we look to the transactions of the last eighteen
months, we find everywhere the same high personal bearing,
the same cool and cautious policy, the same energy, the same
promptitude, and the same decision in the public service.
(Loud cheers.) Lord Clyde, as we know, left England liter-
ally at a day's notice to take part in the Indian war, and
the rapidity of decision which he then evinced was an ear-
nest of that which he displayed in every subsequent trans-
action. No soldier in our army can complain of his share
of fatigue or of exposure when he sees the Commander-in-
Chief of India, nearly 70 years of age, sharing the fatigue,
more than sharing the exposure, bearing, in addition, the
undivided responsibility of that immense command, and
when, as happened only a few months ago, struck down by
an accident which would have disabled many younger men,
refusing to be laid up, refusing to allow himself the neces-
sary time for rest and recovery, and continuing to follow
the march of his troops although obliged to be carried on a
litter. (Load cheers.) Sir, everything I hear, everything
I read, of the personal bearing of Lord Clyde identifies him
to my mind with that young Lieutenant Campbell who 40
years ago headed the storming party in the desperate and
unsuccessful attack upon San Sebastian. (Cheers.) How
cautious has been his military pclicy, how economical he
has been of his soldiers' lives in all his campaigns, I leave
the historian to relate. I cannot but remark, however, that
my mind has been struck with this fact, that among all the
criticisms which are necessarily passed upon military affairs
in which men take a great interest, I have never heard a
single mistake, a single error of judgment, attributed to
Lord Clyde. The only adverse comment which I have heard
upon his military policy is that he has a tendency to exces-
sive caution, and that he prefers employing a large force
where a small one would suffice. That is a tendency which
may perhaps be justified even cn the score of military policy,
for we all know how many lives are spared by the general
having at his command an overwhelming force. But in
India such a tendency may be justified on special grounds.
In a country where our power necessarily depends so much
upon the opinion which is entertained of it by the natives,
the moral effect of even a single reverse can hardly be cal-
culated, and certainly it is not to be measured by the im-
mediate danger which may ensue. (Hear, hear.) Sir, I
believe I express the universal feeling when I say that the
appointment of Lord Clyde to the chief command of the
army in India is an honour to the Minister who selected
him for that post—(hear, hear)—and I would refer to the
career of that distinguisded officer, to point out that what-
ever may be the defects inherent in our system of military
or civil administration those defects do not prevent a man
of humble social position, if he have energy and talent,
from rising, without interest or influence, to the most im-
portant command, or the highest position. (Loud cheers.)
Sir, the name which stands next upon my list, and which, if
such distinctions are not invidious, I may say yields in re-
nown only to that of Lord Clyde, is the name of Sir Hugh
Rose. (Cheers.) Sir Hugh Rose commanded the force
which was engaged in the campaign in Central India, the
services of which have been so fitly and clearly described
by himself that I think I cannot do better than read his own
statement. Sir Hugh Rose says—l am now quoting his
own words :—" The force marched 1,084 miles; took up-
wards of 150 pieces of cannon; took one entrenched camp,
one fortified city, one partly entrenched town; fought 16
successful actions, captured 26 forts, and never sustained a
check." (Cheers.) Sir, in that plain and unadorned—and
almost matter-of-fact—description of the results achieved,
there is an eloquence which Englishmen know how to ap-
preciate—the eloquence of simplicity and truth. (Cheers.)
English troops can do such things as are here described ;
but even English troops can only do such things if they
have confidence in the general under whom they serve—
(hear, hear)—if they know that their courage and discipline
will not be wasted, and that their lives will not be thrown
away by an error of judgment, by professional ignorance, or
by a hasty impulse of undisciplined courage. (Hear, hear.)
Sir, the campaign of Central India is in many respects one
of the most memorable campaigns of late years. It was a
campaign waged—as indeed most of those waged in India
have been—against great numerical odds; it was a campaign
carried on through the hottest and worst season of the
year, at a time when. European troops have rarely been called
upon to keep the field ; and it was a campaign involving an
incessant and unintermitted series of marches and battles,
none of them, perhaps, in themselves of first-rate military
importance, but collectively, as I imagine, constituting a far
superior trial of the courage, the discipline, and the endur-
ance of the troops engaged than could have been afforded
by any single battle. (Cheers.) The quality of personal
courage is happily one for which no one thinks of praising
an English officer or an English soldier. But endurance is
a quality which varies in degree even in the English army;
and I think it impossible for any one to read without admi-
ration how Sir Hugh Rose, again and again struck down by
that terrible sun, again and again suffering from disease, al-
ways rallied, and was found ready to place himself again at
the head of his troops whenever and wherever his presence was
needed, conquering physical weakness and physical suffering
with the power which belongs to a determined man. (Cheers.)
Sir, the services of Sir James Outram require, I imagine, no
lengthened mention. (Loud cheers.) It is known how when
Sir James had penetrated to Lucknow in the campaign of
1867, ho took command of the garrison, and kept it until
the place was relieved in November, how he afterwardsheld
the exposed and isolated post of Alum sagh—a post the po-
litical as well as military importance of which was extreme,
because our continued occupation of it showed to all India
that our temporary withdrawal from Lucknow was a with-
drawal effected merely for strategical reasons, and that it by
no means involved the ultimate abandonment of that city.
(Hear, hear.) Lord Clyde, in mentioning the name of Sir
James Outram, speaks of " the brilliant and thoroughly
complete manner in which he executed the duties entrusted
to him." General Roberts commanded at Rajpootanah.
Perhaps the most successful operation in which this officer
was engaged was the assault of Cotah, on the 13th of March,
by which a severe blow was struck at the enemy. But
General Roberts was engaged throughout these operations,
and gave most important and valuable assistance to Sir Hugh
Rose. General Whitlock also rendered similar assistance to
Sir Hugh Rose throughout the operations to which I am
referring. The name of Sir Archdale Wilson has been
rendered illustrious throughout this country by the opera-
tions which took place at the siege of Delhi. (Cheers.) I
do not now propose to revert to the operations of 1857. But
Sir Archdale Wilson was again employed in the succeeding
year. (Hear, hear.) He commanded the artillery at the
siege of Lucknow, and according to the testimony of Lord
Clyde—and I venture to quote it, because on a subject of this
kind professional eulogy naturally carries more weight than
that of a person who is unskilled in military affairs—he bore
a conspicuous part in the reduction of Lucknow. Lord
Clyde says :—" The merits of Sir Archdale Wilson are too
well known to gain anything but encomium from me ; but
I may be permitted to express my satisfaction at having
been able to avail myself of the assistance of this most dis-
tinguished officer. The effective fire of the artillery during
the long operations, which d epended so much on the manage-
ment of that arm, elicited general admiration." Sir Hope
Grant, whose name I next mention, has been perhaps
more constantly and more actively employed than almost
any other officer who has been engaged in the Indian war.
He has been mentioned in despatches, I believe, more fre-
quently than any other officer holding a similar command,
and a complete and detailed narrative of the various opera-
tions in which he has taken part would be in itself a his-
tory not very incomplete of the whole operations of the
war. (Hear, hear.) Sir Hope Grant commanded the ca-
valry brigade at the siege of Delhi, and he led the column
sent in puisuit of the rebels after the termination of that
siege; he commanded a division at the relief of Lucknow
in November, 1857 ; he took part in the last battle of Cawn-
pore ; he also commanded a division at the capture of Luck-
now in March, 1858, and for his services on that occasion
he received the praise of the Commander-in-Chief; he was
again sent in pursuit of the rebels after the capture of
Lucknow, and rendered great service in the operations
which ensued, the principal one being the battle of Ranee-
gunge, where 16,000 natives were defeated by a much in-
ferior force. Speaking of his conduct at the battle of the
Gogra, Lord Clyde writes : "He gave effect to my instruc-
tions in his usual brilliant manner." In his last despatch,
dated the 7th of Feb., " During the last six months I have
been filled with admiration at the part taken by him during
this war. I cannot say too much in his praise. He has
the rare merit of uniting the greatest boldness in action
' with a correct judgment and the most scrupulous regard
for his orders and instructions." I think the mention
made of this officer by the Commander-in-Chief sufficiently
justifies me in including his name in this vote of thanks.
Sir Wm. Mansfield has filled an office which is compara-
tively new, I believe, in the military system of this coun-
try. He has acted as chief of the staff in India ; he has
been, if I may use the phrase, the right-hand of the Com-
mander-in-Chief ; and the relations between those two dis-
tinguished men afford an instance, happily not rare in the
profession of arms, of professional co-operation combined
with personal friendship. (Hear, and cheers.) Lord Clyde,
in his despatch of January, 1858, adverting to the opera-
tions at the relief of Lucknow, says :—" I cannot convey to
your lordship in adequate terms my deep sense of the obli-
gations I am under to Major-General Mansfield for the
very able and cordial assistance he has rendered me and the
service
,during these operations, and how admirably the
very many important duties belonging to his situation have
been performed." (Hear, hear.) In December, 1857, Sir
W. Mansfield commanded the division at Cawnpore, on
which occasion he was highly praised ; and in May, 1858,
referring to the capture of Lucknow, Lord Clyde writes :
" I have now the pleasing task of communicating to your
lordship the name of an office to whom, not only las com-
manding officer but the service at large are under great
obligations—Major-General Mansfield, chief of the staff—
whose labours have been unceasing, whose abilities are of
the highest order, and have been of the greatest use to me
during this campaign. It is impossible for me to praise
this officer too highly, or to recommend him sufficiently to
the protection of your lordships and the Government."
Since that despatch was written, Sir Wm. Mansfield has
taken part in all the last operations of the campaign of Oude.
To what is said by Lord Clyde I will only add this, that all
who have the good fortune to know Sir W. Mansfield, and
all who have the slightest acquaintance with his career,
must be well aware that the estimate formed of him by
Lord Clyde is in no degree an exaggerated one. (Cheers.)
Sir Thomas Franks crossed the Gogra in command of a
division at the capture of Lucknow. Lord Clyde writes re-
reefing him as follows.—" The division was admirably
commanded, but the most striking feat which was per-
formed by it was that series of rapid and successful ma-
noeuvres which ended in the defeat of several bodies of in-
surgents in three battles fought within four days." Sir
Edward Lugard—(cheers)—also commanded a division at
the capture of Lucknow, and in May was at.: the head of a
force which captured a large fort which was in the hands of
the insurgents. Lord Clyde speaks of the skill which Sir
Edward Lugard displayed, and expressed his admiration of
the manner in which the troops bore privation and fatigue.
(Cheers.) Sir John Michel commanded the Mhow Field
Force, and defeated the army under Tantia Topee, with a
loss to the rebels of 27 guns and of their camp and baggage.
(Hear.) Since that time he has been employed, I venture
to say most signally and indefatigably employed in the very
arduous and very disagreeable, but very necessary; duty of
pursuing the detached and broken forces of the insur-
gents. (Cheers.) Brigadier Walpole received the praise of
the Commander-in-Chief for his conduct at Cawnpore. He
commanded a division at Lucknow, ;and Lord Clyde wrote of
him there, that " hie division was admirably managed,"