The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-07-30
MRS. GRIMWOOD.
The Heroine Now Entertained by the Queer
and Awarded the Victoria Cross.


and Awarded the Victoria Cross.
Mrs. Grimwood, who so distinguished her
self by her bravery in the retreat Of the
British survivors from Manipur, has been re-
lating some of her experience to an English
reporter. She said:
1--WE we're on perfectly friendly terms with
the SeIaputti: | often rode ont with the
Princes. and there was nothing whatever 10
warn us what was coming. When they began
to fire at the resdency we had 10 fly. We
stayed as long as we could, but there was
nothing else TO be done in the end. We had
TO leave in terrible hurry; there was no
time to pack or take anything, else | should
have tried TO take nay jewelry and valuable
things that could easily be carried.
had not even my hat-absolutely nothing
except the clothes l wore. My shoes and
stockings, which we're very thin, were In rags
long before we got to British territory and |
had to walk barefoot Ny clothes got sOiled
and torn, and had 10 throw away every thing
could do without. and all day long we We're
marching along trying to get further away.
When we were IN the Jungle 1t was a little
better but in the open, with the sun pouring
down, it was terrible For the first day and a
half we had nothing at all TO eat, except roots
and leaves that we could find. Sometimes
we got food from the natives when wereached
q village, but they were not always friendly
TO us. and when they were hostile we could
do nothing but burn Their villages in sheer
self-defense. Fortunately, ! knew tho sur
| roundings we'll, and ! could be guide TO the
officers and men with me, all of whom were
strangers 20 me.
But though they were strangers. cannot
find words 10 say how kind and thoughtful
and considerate they were. One tries to tell
of such things. but il is really impossible to
express in words what one feels about it. Can
you imagine what it was TO be the only woman
with number of soldiers, under such cir
cunstances, where privacy Of any kind is an
impossibilty? But they were one and all
more thoughtful than almost a woman could
be- They took of their coats at night that
might be warm; they thought of thousand
little things that would make it little easier
for me and | truly believe that one and all Of
them would at any moment have laid down
their lives for me. ! shall never. never for
get what owe b. them" For "a moment her
voice broke as Mrs GrimwoOd said this, but
she collected herself almost Immediately and
went on.
"One of the officers helped me up every hill
for the first two days, and it was only then
that found out that he had a wound in his
leg which all the time must have caused him
the most fearful suffering, though he had said
never word. And ii was the same all
through for the nine days and nights before
we reached British territory. After few
days they got pony with a mans saddle. |
had ridden a great deal and could ride al
most ANYTHING 80. with the one stirTup thrown
over the saddle | could manage, al
though, as you can imagine. it was not
an easy position. Then l rode up the hills
but had TO walk down because they were too
steep for riding. Later on they made a
kind OF tent for me-iust a curtain behind
which | could sleep at night on bed made of
their coats; that was all the privacy | had
And all the time did not know what had be-
come of those that had gone TO the palace
We had heard rumors from the captives but
nothing certain. The first thing heard after
had really happened. and what / heard was
the worst had to fear
"A dear friend came 10 meet me in her car
rage outside the town. She gave me clothes,
and ! stayed with her, and she did everything
that kindness could do. | got very i'll, indeed,
but | believe that illness saved my reason"