Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-24

VfyWHIWllN MN oiAhWoOu/ duu thC
'RaI MMS M Jubraj at the palace
Mrs. Grim,rood. lasted several hours but
at the end the latter refused to be banished
voluntarily. Frank then told him that the
Sepoys would be sent to get him. How
ever, he would not give in, so Frank re-
turned about 7 in the evening and told the
Chief, A council Of war was then held,
and the plan of attack for the next day was
made. I think we all felt gloomy that
night. We all dined together, and tried to
make things as jolly as we could, but did
not succeed very well, and all went to bed
early.
= At o'clock on the morning of the 14th
we all got up. A young fellow called
Brackenbury led the attack on the palace Of
the Jubraj. Then the fight began. I was
in the telegraph Office sending off tele-
gram, when a bullet came through the
window and struck the floor about two
inches from where was standing / then
ran out, and took up a position with the
Chief below the office, which was made of
brick, and SO was shot-proof. Bullets were
raining over our heads. / have kept
several that l picked up.
How Lieutenant Brackenbury Died.
Meanwhile the fight in the palace was 60
ing on. Poor Lieutenant Brackenbury
went the wrong road, and fire was opened
upon him from three sides. He fell in the
first volley, shot through the ankle. He
lay where he fell, exposed to the enemy's
fire, and they made the most of it, and fired
volleys into him. You can picture to your
self what that means.
Once all that morning saw Frank. He
came to get out some more ammunition,
our Sepoys were running short, and that was
about II. At II or l o'clock some of the
officers and Frank came back for something
to eat. 1 was cutting sandwiches for the
others, who could not leave their posts,
when bullet crashed through the window
over my head They were attacking us,
and were all round the house, SO that the
rooms were unsafe. The odds against us
were enormous; Frank put their numbers
down as close upon 5000; we had 450 all
told. The Manipuris got possession of the
wall in front of the house, and brought out
their four big guns, and commenced she'll
ing the house. I think the horrors of those
hours will last to the end of my life. Shells
burst in the rooms overhead, for by this
t1Ifft We WGTC dll III JI1G CclkdES-Lll6b IL,
Frank, myself, the Chief, the Colonel and
two civilians on the Chiefs staff The rest
were trying to recover the wounded from
all directions
Went Out to Ask Terms.
Heavy fire went on for four hours, and at
7 o'clock the Colonel and the Chief decided
that terms must be made to save US all, as
we had hardly any ammunition left. The
buglers were sent to sound the ''cease fire."
but for some time the firing continued. 1t
stopped at last, and the Chief sent one of
the officers out with letter asking for terms.
The Jubraj sent back to say that If the Chief
would come out to the gate that he would
come too and see what could be done. So
the Chief, the Colonel, Frank, the Secretary
and Assistant Commissioner, and one officer
all went out. This was about $50 in the even
ing, and we had eaten nothing all day.
The wounded were then all brought to the
md one of the cellars turned into
a hospital. pray that may never see such
some dying. Poor Mr.. Brackenbury was the
first shot all over, both legs broken, both
arms, bullets in him all over the place; and
yet, poor lad, he was alive and perfectly
conscious the whole time, and in awful
agony. did what 1 could to help, but it
seemed almost impossible to do anything.
In one corner was poor fellow with his
brain shot out on the top of his head, and yet
alive; another with his forehead gone, and
many others worse. Luckily, am rather
,trong-minded, and so 1 was able to help in
oathing some of the wounds and bandaging
hem up. After this went to get everyone
to eat, and we had sort of
Icratch dinner. Then / went round the
house. l can't tell you what 1 felt-all our
pretty things broken, the roofs and walls
.iddled with bullets, and shells burst in all
If them. 1t was dreadful sight to me, and
left 1t and returned to the hospital
She Dodged Two Shells.
Meanwhile about two hours had gone, and
was getting nervous about Frank, so went
,ut in the grounds to try and see if / could
zee anything of them. I didn't, so went
Jack to the veranda and asked one of the
,ficers to go outside the gate and look for
lim and sat down utterly wearied out, and
vas doing off in chair on the veranda,
Yhen suddenly, to my horror, the firing be-
AN again. AT first thought they had killed
rank and the others, but bugler came
ushing in and told us they had taken them
hameful terms proposed-which were that
We were to give up our arms fled down to
he cellar again where the wounded were.
'he firing was something awful, the shells
ursting in every direction. l got hurt in
Nv arm: it bled a lot, but wasn't serious.
After another two hours we decided we
nust retreat, as the house was in danger of
atching fire. The wounded were got out as
nile. Poor Mr.. Brackehbury was diving,
ut we had to move him, and the moving
iIled him. They brought him back and put |
i'm in the cellar again, but it made ones |
cart ache l covered him up and then left |
i'm. and joined the Others on the outside. |
We then moved OF. l lodged two shells by |
unning behind q tree. We went out by the |
ack of the house. and had to cross first |
edge of thorns then high mud wall, then |
river before we could reach the road. I |
admit even hat, and only thin house shoes |
n. One of these dropped off in the river, |
here also got wet to the shoulders. We |
itch about 20 times that night while they |
Tere firing, to try and escape bullets.
Lived on Grass and Leaves.
We left the Residency at Q A. NJ. and |
,arched all the next day and the next |
light. We had to go through the jungles,
8 they were lying in wait for us all over
he place, and marched at least 30 miles with |
O food: that was the 25th. On the morning
the Goth we struck the Cachar road We |
ad to eat grass and leaves; but 1 was too
one up to care much. My feet were cut to
it's and my arm wouldn't stop bleeding, |
nd 1 was persisted with cold and having got |
. wet in crossing the river. We went on |
own the road, and came upon a stockade |
n the road, where there were crowds of the
nemy This we had to rush, and sprained |
~ ankle and gave myself up for lost; but |
OF over somehow, and then we saw some
urued out to be men from Cachar and /
e were saved, buE not one moment too |
oon. felt as inoagh l must break down
tterly, but food and some brandy brought |
le to my senses, and was all right. Fin
3ok or my clothes for the first time for ten