Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1855-06-20
CLEARFIELD, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 90 1856

e our general AS each of the officers passe
: before him, the Shah, did not fail to remar
t my person, and was told my name.
: ''Lord Lake whispered to him my exploits
and the old man SO delighted with the &C
count of my victory over the elephant (whos
, trunk use to this day,) that he said, Gle
him be called GUJPUTI," or the lord of ele
plants, and Gujputi was the name by which
was afterwards familarly known among the
natIves-the men, that is. The women had
softer appellation for me, and called me
'sMushook,'' or charmer.
''Well, shall not describe Delhi, which is
doubtless, well known to the reader; nor the
seige Of Agra, to which place we went from
Delhi; nor the terrible day at Laswaree, which
went nigh to finish the Suffice it to say that
| we W ere victorious, and that / was wounded,
as L have invariably been in the two hundred
and four occasions when l have found myself
| in action. One point, however, became in the
course OF this campaign quite evident-Hat
| somethtng rnust be done for Gahagan. The
| country cried shame, the kings troops grum-
bled, the sepoys openly muFmured that their
GrJputi was only lieutenant, when he had
be done Lord WelIesly was in an evident
quandry "Gahagan,' wrote he, 'sto be
subaltern is evidently not your fate-gou toere
born for command; but Lake and Gen. Wellesley
are good officers, they cannot be turned out
l must make post for you. What say you,
my dear fellow, to corps of irregular horsei'
''lt was thus that the famous corps of AHM-
EDNUGGAR IRREGULARs had its origin; gueril-
la force, it is true, but one which will long be
remembered in the annals of our Indian CAM
paigns.
'EAs the commander Of this regiment, was
allowed to settle the uniform of the corps, as
well as to select recruits. These were not
wanting as soon my appointment was made
known, but came hocking TO my standard
great deal faster than to the regular corps in
the Company's service. 1 had European off
GERS, OF course, to command them and few
OF my countrymen as sergeauts; the rest were |
all natives, whom l chose of the strongest and |
braYest men in India, chiefly Pitans, Afghans |
Hurrumzadehs, and Calliawns, for these are |
well known to be the most warlike districts of |
our Indian territory.
sSWhen on parade and in full uniform we
made singular and noble appearance [ was
always fond of dress and, in this instance
gave carte-bidnche to my taste, and Invented
the most splendid costume that ever, perhaps |
decorated soldier. l am, as have stated al
ready, six feet four inches in height, and of
symmetry and proportion. Nv hair
and beard are of most brilliant auburn. so
bright as scarcely to be distinguished at n ais-
ance from scarlet. Ny eyes are bright blue,
oyershadowed by bushy eyebrows of the color
Of my hair, and a terrific cash Of the deepest
purple, which goes over the forehead the eve
i'd, and the cheek and finishes at the ar.rives
NY face more strictly military appearance
han can be conceived. When l have been
drinking (as is pretty often the case) this cash
becomes ruby bright, and as L have another
which took off a piece of my under lip, and
shows five of my front teeth, leave you to
imagine that seldom Lighted ON the earth,' (as
he monster Burke remarked of one of his un-
lappy victims,) "a more extraordinary vision
improved these natural advantages; and.
while in cantonment during the hot winds at
jhitty bobary, allowed my hair to grow very
ong, as did my beard, which reached to my
waist. 1t took me two hours daily to curl my
lair in ten thousand little cork-screw ringlets,
which waved over my shoulders, and to get my
nustachois well round to the corners of my
,yelids. l dressed in loose scarlet trousers
morocco boots, scarlet turban three feet
Gathers of the famingo, formed my headdress,
md did not allow myself single ornament, '
except small silver skull aud croSs-bones in
ront of my turban. Two brace of pistols, a
dalay creese, and tulwar, sharp on both :
ides, and very nearly sig feet ip length, COM {
'leted this elegant costume. My two flags were {
ZACH surmounted with real skull and cross
zones, and ornamented one with black, and
he other with red beard, (of enormous
IN one flag were, of course, the arms of John {
company; on the other, an image Of myself be-
triding PROSTATE elephant, with the simple {
Tord 'GUJprI' written underneath in the Nag l
rec, Persian, and Sancrit character. rode &
ny black horse, and looked, by the immortal {
,ods, like Mars! To me might be applied
he words which were written concerning hand {
ONE General Webb, in Marlborough's time
"sTo noble danger he conducts the way,
His great example all his troops obey,
Before tho front the MAJOR sternly rides,
With such air as Mars to battle strides
Propitious heaven must sure a hero save
Like Paris handsome, and like Hector brave.' ,
'sMy officers Captains Biggs and Mackanul- I
y, Lieutenants Glogger, Pappendick, Stuffle, {
&C. &c.) were dressed exactly in the same way ,
'ut IN yellow, and the men were similarly I
quipped, but in black. have seen many re-
,iments since, and many ferocious-looking {