The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-07-10
MRS. STORY.
The Brave Little Woman Who Survived thu
Manipuri Massacre.

INV y ~ eAC
Manipuri Massacre.
Buffalo Commercial.
Mrs. GrimwoOd, who so distinguished
herself by her bravery in the retreat of the
British survivors from Manipur. has been
relating some of her experiences to an Eng
lish reporter. She said:
were On perfectly friendly terms
with the %Senaputti; 1 often rode out with
the Princess. and there was nothing what
ever to warn US of what was coming. When
they began TO fire at the resldency we had
to fly. We stayed as long AS we could. but
there was nothing else to be done III tho
end. We had to leave In a terrible hurry;
there was no time to pack OF take any
thing. else ] should nave tried to take my
jewelry and vaiuble things that could
easily be carried. l had not even my hat
absolutely nothing except the clothes |
wore. My shoes and stockings. which
were very thin. were in rags long before
We got to British territory and l had to
walk barefoot. My clothes got soiled and
torn, and / had to throw away everything
1 could do without, and all day lorg we
were marching along trying to get further
away. When W. were in the jungle il was
a little better; but in the open, with the sun
pouring down. it was terrible. For the
first day and q half we had nothing to eat
except roots and leaves that We could find.
Sometimes we got food from the natives
when we reached q village; but they were
not always friendly to us, and when they
WcTo uoctlIc Wo COulu w nobuluk Out Uukn
their villages In sheer self-defense. Fort
unately, i knew the surroundings well, and
l could be a guide to the officers and men
with me, all of whom were strangers to me.
But though they were strangers can.
not find words to say how kind. aAd
thoughtful, and confederate they were.
One tries to tell of such things. but it is
really impossible to express III words what
one feels about IL. Can you imagine what
it was to be the only woman with q num-
har of soldiara nnhar anph eirCnn1afannaa
where privacy of any kind is an impossi-
bilityf But they were one and all more
thoughtful than almost q woman could be.
They took of their coats at night that
might be warm, hey thought of q Thousand
little things that would make it a little
easier for me: and 1 truly believe that one
and all of them would at any moment have
laid down their lives,for me. shall never.
never forget what l owe to them" For g
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 l 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 8 word. And 1t
was the same all through for the min days
and nights before We reached British terri
with a mans saddle. had ridden a great
deal. aud could ride almost anything; so,
with the one stirrup thrown over the sad
die, i could manage, although, as you can
imagine. 1t was not an easy position. Then
/ rode up the hills, but had to walk
down because they were too steep for
riding. Later on they made a kin of tent
for me-just . curtain behind which l
couI1 sleep at night on a bed made of their
coats; that was all the privacy | had. And
all the time / did not know what bad be-
come of those that had gone to the palace.
We had heard rumors from the natives. but
knew nothing certain. The first think /
heard after we had reached our own terri
tory was what had really happened; and
what l heard was the worst l had to fear.
"A dear friend came to meet me IN her
carriage outside the town. She gave me
clothes, and ! stayed with her, and she did
very i'll. indeed. but i believe that illness
saved my reason"