The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-08-19
MRS. cRIMWooD.
The Heroine Now Entertained by the
Queen and Awarded the Victoria Gross.


Mrs. Grimwood, who so distinguish
ed herself by her bravery in the re-
treat of the British survivors from
Manipur, has been relating some OF
her experiences to an English report
er. She said:
1--WE were on perfectly friendly
terms with the Senaputti; often rode
out with the princes. and there was
nothing whatever to warn US what was
coming. When they began to fire at
the residency we had to fly. We
stayed as long as we could. but thsfe
was nothing else to be done in the end.
We had to leave in a terrible hurry;
there was no time to pack or take any
thing, else should have tried to take
my iewelry and valuable things that
could easily be carried. l had not
even my hat-absolutely nothing ex-
cept the clothes wore. My shoes and
stockings, which were very thin, were
in rags long before we got to British
territory, and I had to walk barefoot.
NV clothes got soiled and torn, and !
had to throw away everything could
do without, and all day long we were
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 ter
rible. For the first day and half we
had nothing at all to eat, except roots
and leaves that we could find. Some
times we got food from the natives
when we reached a 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 the surroundings well. and ]
could be a guide to the officers and
men with me, all of whom were
strangers to me.
But though they were strangers. I
can not find words to say how kind
and thoughtful and considerate they
were. One tries to tell of such things,
bnt it is really impossible to express in
words what one feels about it. Can
you imagine what it was to be the only
woman with a number of soldiers. un-
der such circumstances, where privacy
of any kind is an impossibility? But
they were one and all more thoughtful
than almost a woman could be. They
took off their coats at night that /
be warm; they thought of q thousand
little things that would make it little
easier for me; andI truly believe that
one and all of them would at any mo-
ment have laid down their lives for me.
l shall never. never forget what owe
to them" A moment her voice broke
as Mrs Grimwood said this. but she
collected herself almost Immediately
and went on.
.sOne 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 said never
a word. And it was the same all
through for nine days and nine nights
before we reached British territory.
After few days they got pony with
a mans Saddle. had ridden great
deal and could ride almost anything;
so, with one stirrup thrown over the
saddle I could manage, although, as
YOU can imagine, it was not an easy
position. Then I rode up the hills,
but had to walk down. because they
were too steep for riding. Later on
they made kind of tent for me-just
a curtain behind which could sleep
at night on a bed made of their coats;
that was all the privacy I had. And
all the time l did not know what had
become of those that had gone to the
palace. We had heard rumors from
the captives, but nothing certain. The
first thing heard after we had reached
our own territory was what had really
happened, and what I heard was the
worst had to fear.
"a dear friend came to meet me in
her carriage outside the town. She
gave me clothes. and 1 stayed with
her, and she did everything that kind
but l believe that illness saved my
reason,n