Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1898-03-04
HE WAS AT LUCKNOW
A CHICAGO cA5MAN WHO WENT fo
THE RELIEF OF HAvELocK.


He Tells In His own Way the Story
which Has OFTEN Been Told Before.
One Of the Famous Light Brigade"
Though Not At BaIskIsva.
T. J. McNally, cab driver with d
station at the northeast corner Of Dear
born and Monroe streets, is one of the
survivors. of that regiment of British
soldiers who went to the relief of Luck
now. He is a hardy, rugged, stout built
man, with a medal of honor ON his
breast and a memory Of ten years serv-
ice in the army Of Great Britain. The
command with which he served in In
dia was composed in part of that little
band of heroes left from the famous
fight at Balaklava-that immemorial
"Charge Of the Light Brigade" And
he shared with them the splendid hon
or of rescuing from beleaguered Luck
now the English women and children,
and the English officers and men as
well, who had fought for more than life
against the savugery of sepoy rebel
lion.
"I was born in Scotland, but Of Irish
parents" said Mr.. McNally, chatting
of tho rough service and the men he had
marched with and fought under in those
days, which resembled so closely the
perilous phases of England's situation
in India today. "I was born at Barr
head, and Jan. 28, 1856, enlisted at
Lanark in the Ninety-second or Gordon
highlanders, and after some months of
drill and garrison duty volunteered Feb.
rs, 1867, to the Ninety-third or Suth-
erlnnd highlanders, who were stationed
at Dover Heights. There was continual
talk of their going out to the China
war, and / wantod the adventure and
the experience Of real soldering
at was Dover castle those days, for
the castle still stood there. 1t was one
of England's defenses and had been for
centuries. 1 am told the castle is all
ruined and gone now.
"We embarked at Spithead June Is,
1857, for the China war anu sailed
away down the west coast Of Africa
After we were out at sea we spoke n
vessel from the cape and heard Of the
Indian mutiny, but of course our duty
was to go on to China, where we had
been ordered. 1t was pretty hard
lines for us. We wanted to get up
into India, where they needed us,
and ut cape of Good Hope lighter
vessel from England overlook us and
countermanded our orders. We were
sent from there with all haste to Cal
cutta and landed Sspt. 80, 1867. Think
of that More than three months get
ting to the mutinyi
"There were no railroads, and we
started right out and marched up coun-
try as far rs CGwnpur, $50 miles. 1t
was n hard, hard march, but we made
as good time as British soldiers ever did
anywhere. At Cawnpur we were Joined
by General Hope Grant and Sir Colin
Campbell, who had been waiting for re-
endorsements 60 they could hurry on
Lucknow.
"Then we went on and reached the
besieged city Nov. 18, ls57-over 700
miles in less than 80 days. We had but
4, 600 men even then, and there were
go, 900 native soldiers, armed as we
were armed, for thoy had been part Of
tho British army, but they were not
commanded so WELL and they did not
have so much to fight Tor.
"It was quick worlr--all with the
bayonet. They could not star d the
rushes. We forced our way to tie cit
adel, and the third day we took out the
women and children and what was left
Of the garrison. Then we retired in the
night. They could not realize we hac
done 30 much, and they could not be
lieve wo would withdraw, but we were
not strong enough to hold the plac'
and selected q position of our own a
Alumbaugh, three miles away. If they
had known we were going to slip away
they could have massod their forces
leaving the city uncovered, and heInmeC
us III, but we were away and ready fol
them before they knew it.
"There Havelook died Of dysentery
thres days after the relief. He woulC
have been dead week before we came
but he didn't dare to die. He had to de
fend those women and children.
II was wounded at the LUCKNOW
fight, but it did not amount to much.
staid ON duty all the time. The bulle
was extracted and got along. No
there is no pension. You get pension
after 81 years service in the British
army, or after being positively disabled
was only ten yenrs in the service
After that / came to America-to Chi
cago. have had money and am gettinI
on all right yet. MedalH Yes, ! wea
the medal. That regiment is the onl.
one that wears its medal on its oolor1
That is because it fought at Balaklav
and at Lucknow too. Many a time tn
other fellows told me Of the fight wit
the Russians, but did not see it.