The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-05-27
BRAVE KAVANAGH.

Tall and handsome, with an evident
empressement for military life, Thomas
Henry Kavanagh proved himself the beau
ideal of hero, and in book published
by him In 1860, entitled "How Won the
Victoria Cross" he describes the yearn.
ings of his heart for distinction, and the
feelings Of exultation with which, when
he rose from sick bed in which he had
been Frustrated by brief Illness. he heard
that the siege was not yet raised nor the
mutiny over.
The march Of Havelock and his brave
column to relieve the devoted band oooped
up in the residenoy was watched In Great
Britain stop by step with intense eager.
ness; but, through the losses sustained
on the way thither by battle and disease,
1t became impossible to compel the mu-
tineers to raise the siege, and even after
the entrance of the relief column 1t was
conducted as vigorously as ever.
During five long months the little gar
rison was put to its Wits end to meet the
constant and overcoming attacks Of the
enemy. Repelling sorties, mining and
countermining, repairing breaches, etc.,
was the work that was always going on;
and none was more willing and brave than
the gallant Kavanagh, who, though
wounded several times, was ever to be
found at the post Of danger. We should
also mention here, as an interesting fact,
that Kavanagh's wife was also wounded
during the siege and laid up for several
weeks. AT length, in November, came the
welcome news that Sir Colin Campbell
afterward Lord Clyde-was advancing
with strong British force to the relief Of
the garrison, and on the 9th Of that month
Kayanagh learned that a spy had come in
from Cawnpur, and that he was going
back again to the Alum Bagh with dis
patches for Sir Colin. Indeed 1t had be-
come necessary that Sir Collins march
should be FASTENED, and that he should be
guided to the city by the least hazardous
route. But who was to be the guideS Sir
James Outram says In letter on tho
subject, dated about a year after the
event, "The almost impossibility Of any
European being able to escape through the
murder If detected, deferred mo from or
dering any officer, or even seeking yolun-
teers, for such duty"
A volunteer for this extraordinarily dan
gerous adventure did, however, present
himself in tho person Of Kavanagh. He
had sought out the spy, whose name was
Kunoujee Lal and finding him intelligent,
he expressed his desire to proceed with him
in disguise to tho Alum Bagh. The spy
at first hesitated, and urging that there
was more chance of detection by two go.
ing together, proposed that they should
take different roads and meet outside the
city. This Kavanagh objected to-, and
then proceeded to finish some business he
had In hand, his mind, however, still
dwelling upon the accomplishment of his
object. At last he made up his mind and
proposed the enterprise to Colonel Napier,
the chief Of Sir James Outram's staff.
The colonel considered the noble offer Of
Kavanagh to be fraught with too much
danger to be accepted, but promised to in
form Sir James Outram of it, considering
that such zeal deserved notice.
Outram was at once surprised and
pleased by Kavannghs offer, but he point
ed out the extreme danger of such an at
tempt, and endeayored to dissuade. him
from it, while at the same time stating
how valuable such assistance would be to
OH SOllh OalupDcll. hdNunuBu Wds, HoW-
ever go earnest in his entreaties that the
general at length consented, with the
proviso that If Kavanagh should think the
risk too great and wished to withdraw
from the enterprise, he was quite at lib
erty to do so. Kavanagh was, however,
formed of the stuff of which heroes are
made, and having made himself acquaint-
ed with Sir James Outram's plans, he pro-
ceeded to disguise himself for the journey.
This he had secretly arranged ss he did
not wish his wife to know anything of the
undertaking until his safe arrival at the
Alum Bagh should be signaled to the gar
rison.
He says: II was dressed as budmash,
or as an irregular soldier Of the city, with
sword (tulwar) and shield, native made
shoes, light trousers, yellow silk kowtah
over a tight fitting white muslin shirt,
yellow colored chintz sheet thrown around
my shoulders, a cream colored turban and
white waistcoat or kumurbund. My
face down to the shoulders and my hands
to the wrists were colored with lamp
black, the cork used being dipped in oil,
to cause the color to adhere q little. I
could get nothing better. l had little con-
fldence in the disguise.
He called at the generals quarters. No
one recognized him until no made himself
known, and then Sir James Outram him
solf put the finishing touches to his toilet.
Placing double barreled pistol In his
waistband, and additionally armed with
tulwar, Kavanagh then took leave Of the
general and his staff and proceeded with
Kunoujee Lal to the right bank of the
river Goomteo running north Of the in
trenohment, accompanied by Captain
Hardinge of tho irregular cavalry. Here
the latter bade Kayanagh adieu, after
stating that he would have given his life
to have done the same thing, and, with
the words, "Noble fellow-you will never
be forgotten p left him to his adventure.
Kavanagh and his guide then undressed
themselves and began to ford the river,
which ut that point was about 100 yards
wide. Kayanagh owns that he felt his
courage failing him as he entered the cold
water; but, seeing the guide walking
quickly toward the opposite bank, he fol-
lowed him, On reaching 1t they took their
bundles Of clothes from their heads and
dressed themselves again, at the same time
narrowly escaping observation by sepoy
who had come down to a pond In the
neighborhood to wash. On finding, how.
ever, that they were not observed, con-
fldence returned to them, and they pro-
oeeded straight toward the huts in front,
where Kavnnagh acoosted a matchbox
man With the remark that 1t was q cold
night. The man replied that it was
Every oold," to which Kavanagh lacon-
icnlly added that 1t would be colder by
and by. After being questioned by Sc
poy officer, who commanded the enemy's
picket at the iron bridge over the COON
lee, Kavanagh keeping out Of the light
and allowing his guide to answer they