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

which were too great even for his vast powers, but it will
be long before the people of India, I am sure it will be long
before the Punjab and Scinde will lose the memory of
Hodson's Guides and Jacob's Horse. (Cheers.) With
these exceptions, the list of those heroic men who have
fallen in the service of their country since last year is hap.
pily small. I turn with satisfaction to the more pleasing
task of commemorating and recording the services of those
who are still to receive the reward of their distinguished
valour. I need say nothing in this house of the merits
of Lord Clyde. His former services spoke trumpet-
tongued for themselves, and his career in India
throughout, has thoroughly vindicated the high
military character with which he went out to India, at a
moment's notice, at the call of his Sovereign. (Hear, hear.)
Cool and cautious in comingito a determination, to such an
extent that superficial critics ventured to put upon him the
charge of slowness, always eager and anxious to spare the
lives and labour of his men, unsparing even to recklessness
of his own exposure, wary in forming his plans, sagacious
in making his combinations, he was determined not to strike
before the time came for striking an effectual blow; but
when the.time came the blow was struck, and it was with
the full force of an entire campaign. (Hear.) He knew
when to strike, and those whom he encounteredfound that he
knew how to strike. (Cheers.) Though it would be impos-
sible for me to attempt even a faint sketch of the operations
during the period to which I refer, it would, perhaps be more
convenient to your lordships, in order to bring under your
notice the names of the officers who have so greatly distin-
guished themselves, that I should shortly remind you of
the principal features of the campaign since the last occa-
sion upon which your lordships were called on to pass a
similar vote of thanks. That period, if I recollect rightly,
was immediately after the final relief of Lucknow. The
Commander-in-Chief at that time found himself entirely
unable, from the paucity of his numbers, to do more than
withdraw the garrison and the helpless women and chil-
dren, and in doing that he performed a great achievement.
(Hear, hear.) He felt it necessary to fall back with his own
forces on Cawnpore, to make preparations for future offen-
sive operations, by clearing the line of his communication,
and by establishing a new basis of operations. He arrived
at Cawnpore barely in time to succour and relieve General
Windham, who was hard pressed by the rebels from Gwa-
lior ; and his opportune appearance enabled us to turn
what, at all events, was a doubtful day, into a signal and
satisfactory victory. That occasion was the first—and to
one in his position they must be rare—on which the com-
mand of a division was held in person by that gallant offi-
cer, Sir W. Mansfield, the Chief of the Staff. (Hear, hear,
hear.) At the battle of Cawnpore Sir W. Mansfiela
commanded one of the divisions, and contributed mainly
to the success of the day. In that battle another gallant
officer signally distinguished himself, Colonel Walpole of
the Rifles, to whose efforts and to whose skilful manage-
ment of his troops General Windham frankly stated the
chief merit of the success was owing. In recognition, as I
apprehend, of that service the Commander-in-Chief ap-
pointed Colonel Walpole to the command of a division to
pursue the rebels, and in that command he has since re-
mained. In speaking of Sir William Mansfield your lord-
ships will remember how arduous, how important, and how
confidential are the duties of a Chief of the Staff. He has not
the opportunities, as other men have, of distinguishing him-
self in separate commands ; but, under the eye of his chief,
acting in the name of his chief, he has perpetual occasions
of performing the most signal services ; and, without the
assistance of an able, energetic, and thouroughly trustworthy
Chief of the Staff, no commander-in-chief could hope to
carry on a campaign with any prospect of success. It is
sufficient for me on this occasion to quote the words in
which the Commander-in-Chief expresses himself as to the
value of Sir William Mansfield's services. Writing in
March, 1858, after the Battle of Cawnpore, he says :
" I have now the pleasing task of communicating to your
lordship the name of an officer to whom not only I, as a com-
manding general, but to whom in truth the service at large
is under great obligations—Major-General Mansfield, the
Chief of the Staff, whose labour has been unceasing, whose
abilities are of the highest order, and have been of the
greatest use to me during the campaign. It is impossible
for me to praise this officer too highly, or to recommend
him sufficiently to the protection of your lordship and the
Government."
(Cheers.) Immediately after the defeat of the Oivalior
rebels at Cawnpore the Commander-in-Chief prepared for
the resumption of offensive operations. He proceeded to
the Doab and captured Futtyghur, and then proceeded to
accomplish the great operation of the final siege of Lucknow.
He had at that time under his command an amount of force
which was entirely disproportioned to the enterprise on
which he was entering.' I think I am right in saying that the
European troops with him did not amount to more than
13,000 or 14,000 men—certainly considerably under 20,000.
They were about to be met and supported by the Nepaulese
forces under Jung Bahadoor, which amounted to a con-
siderable number, but upon whom it was not a matter of
absolute certainty that entire reliance could be placed. It
is due to that gallant commander and his troops to say that,
although circumstances from time to time arose which
might have seemed to cast suspicion upon them, they have
never swerved from their engagements, but performed
their part honestly and faithfully. (Hear.) I attribute
that to the wholesome influence exercised upon their minds,
and especially upon Jung Bahadoor, by having the oppor-
tunity of personally witnessing the extent of the power and
resources and the resistless force of the country. (Hear.)
Immediately under the Commander-in-Chief, and after. the
Chief of the Staff, was Sir James Outram who had been
left in command at Alumbagh. General Franks was fight-
ing his way from the other side to join in the siege. The
artillery was under the command of Sir Archdale Wilson.
Sir Robert Napier was in command of the Engineers, and
the chief divisions ware under the command of Sir E. Lu-
gard, Sir Hope Grant, and General Walpole. I mention
these names because, though the statement which I have
to make:may be unavoidably long (but not longer than the
occasion demands), I wish to refer in detail to the services
which each has performed. (Hear, hear.) The character
of Sir James Outram is perfectly well known. Your lord-
ships will not yet have forgotten the generous forbear-
ance with which, when he met the late lamented Havelock
at the termination of his successful march, he abstained
from,superseding him in his command until the final relief
of the garrison, and left that gallant officer the glory
of the success which he had so nobly achieved. After the
retreat of the Commander-in-Chief Sir James Outram was
left in a most exposed and perilous position. He was left
with a small force in the occupation of Alumbagh, exposed
to constant assaults from foes outnumbering him ten times,
which on every occasion were successfully repelled
Until the Commander-in-Chief returned to the siege
of Lucknow Sir James Outram maintained himself at
Alumbagh, and in so maintaining himself made it clear
to the natives of India that they were not to sup-
pose that the retirement of the Commander-in-Chief was
anything but merely temporary. Against any idea that the
withdrawal of Lord Clyde was anything of a triumph to
them, the position of Sir James Outram was an astounding
protest, and it was a standing menace against Lucknow,
which was carried into effect before no long time. (Cheers.)
I think that this may be the fitting opportunity for calling
attention to the circumstances under which he joined in that
siege. Sir Thomas Franks was engaged on the other side of
the Gogra, and had to force his way through hostile troops.
In so doing that gallant officer exhibited qualities of the
highest order, and qualities the more remarkable, because he
succeeded in surpassing the native troops in that in which
they are certainly pre-eminent—viz., rapidity and secrecy
of movement. By the rapidity of hs movements he suc-
ceeded in meeting two important bodies of the rebels in
detail, defeating both on the same day and preventing
their junction, and fighting a third battle on the next day
or the next day but ono. Having fought three successful
actions in the course of three days he was in time to give
his valuable assistance at the siege of Lucknow. (Hear,
hear.) The course which Lord Clyde pursued, and which,
if I, as an unprofessional man, may venture humbly to
express my opinion, appears to have been a wise and
humane course, was not to risk the lives of his soldiers by
any premature assault or attempt at storming the town,
where great loss must have ensued, but to trust mainly to
his artillery for success. The artillery, breaching walls and
battering down building after building, and narrow street
after narrow street, directed by the persevering and active
energy of the engineers, mainly contributed to the success-
ful and almost bloodless capture of Lucknow. (Hear, hear.)
It was impossible for the rebels to withstand the fire
of the artillery, and they took an early opportunity,
which the smallness of our force prevented our
impeding, of evacuating the town, leaving an al-
most bloodless victory, and thereby vindicating
the sagacity and wisdom of the course which Lord Clyde
pursued. (Hear, hear.) Sir Archdale Wilson was already
immortalised by his command at the siege of Delhi, but I
think it right, with regard to his services, again to quote
from Lord Clyde, who has thus expressed himself :
" The merits of Sir Archdale Wilson are too well known
to gain anything by encomium from me; but I may be per-
mitted to express my satisfaction at having been able to
avail myself of the assistance of this most distinguished
officer. The effective fire of the artillery during the long
operations, which depended so much on the management of
that. arm, elicited general admiration."
Another officer, who commanded a division under the

Commander-in-Chief at the rsiege of Lucknow was a very
distinguished and able officer, Sir Edward Lugard. (Hear.)
He has recently been compelled by the state of his health
to return to this country. • I trust he has already consider-
ably benefitted in health in so doing, and I am only express-
ing the feelings of the illustrious duke on the cross benches
(the Duke of Cambridge) when I mention the satisfaction
which I am sure he has felt at being able to replace the
valuable services of Sir Henry Storks in a department of
the War-office by one so efficient to discharge the duties on
which he has entered as Sir E. Lugard. (Hear.) It must be
a great satisfaction to find that, although obliged to retire
from active service the services of Sir E. Lugard are not lost
to • the public, and I trust they will be long continued.
I have mentioned the names of most of those officers who
shortly after the siege of Lucknow, from one cause or
another, returned to this country, or at all events, quitted
the field to assist in the council, or in other civil duties.
After the capture of Lucknow, when unfortunately the cir-
cumstances to which I have referred had the effect of driving
and dispersing the rebels but at the same time spreading
them over a great extent of country, where from their num-
bers they might do great mischief, one question became a
matter of anxious consideration, and probably noble lords
opposite will recollect it was made a subject of suspicion that
differences of opinion and disputes had arisen as to the course
to be pursued, between the Governor-General and the Com-
mander-in-Chief. There was a most important question to
be decided upon which strong arguments could be urged on
both sides. Two lines of policy might be taken. Having
possessed ourselves of Lucknow, we might have applied the
whole force of our army to consolidating that conquest to
obtain the complete subjugation of the whole kingdom of
Oude. That object suggested itself in the first instance to
the Commander-in-Chief; but other considerations, not-
withstanding the late period of the year and the approach
of great heats, seemed to render it more expedient that a
different course should be pursued. The first impression
was to leave the insurgents during the hot weather and the
heavy rains in Rohilcund, and to keep them cooped up
there until the operations in Oude were completed ; -buttone
the other hand, it was represented that in Rohilcundpopulation generally was very well and favourably
dis-
posed towards the British Government, and consequently .
that it would be a poor return for the fidelity of friendly
rajahs and sheiks to leave them subjected the over-
whelming power of a rebel force, and possibly
and obliged to
join in the revolt. The Governor-General
Com-
mander-in-Chief, concurring in the same view, determined
to confine operations in Oude to the occupation of the
city of Lucknow, and not to attempt to extend
the Government over the province,c
r ewith
c ted rto advancet
h
that
the
assistance despatched in
raetbtehles ihnetoadßeofhtihkeunLda.
hNeVriethfelrhies,wi but to follow the
eat Sir Edward
eLugard,
direction. Major-General l
ViP
into Rohilcund, and a series of successes only intermixed
with one temporary checkenabled°l e w
that i o f
of -Brigadier Jones, who entered the province
a asdirected
about the same time from the North, to completethe opera-
tions intimated to his charge. Brigadier Jones is not aMong
the names in this motion. The command which he held
was not one which in the opinion of the military authori-
ties was of sufficient eminence to entitle him to so much
honour, but I am sure the illustrious duke will not be slow
to testify his sense of the manner is which Brigadier Jones
supported Major-General Walpole, and contributed to the
successes which were achieved in Rohilcund. Another offi-
cer. a very gre4 410.431c411 VfB4 despatchied iA 4 flifforpt