The Washington times., 1908-06-26

Frederick Groom, who died at Towson.
Nd, recently. was one or the most in
teresting residents Of that part Of the
country. An Englishman by birth, he
served IN the famous Indian mutiny, and
Witnessed many Of the barbarities that
mark the history Of that terrible Uprls-
ing Of the SepOy. Mrs. EniIyParet, first
wife OF Bishop Paret, during her life
time wrote a sketch of Mr.. Groom, call
ing him IN her article. however which
was printed in Golden Hours. by the
name Of Thomas FEELS. Her sketch in
part is reprinted below
1--WE sailed from Portsmouth in the
Golden Fleece for India in August, ano
landed in October I well remember the
stirring sight as we sailed up the
HOoghly a tributary Of the Gauges, TO
Calcutta. The roofs Of the bungalows
were crowded with women and children
who had escaped the massacres. and
they cheered us madly as we sailed
past, bands playing and cOlOrs flying
From Calcutta we went up the
HOoghly in dat-bOttom boats TO Chin
shurah, which place had remained loyal
From Chinshurah we marched IN
Cawnpore which It took us ten days OF
hard marching 20 reach II was then
the middle Of November. after Delhi
had been taken. We found General
bell hav'Hg crossed the Gauges and
gone to the !inal relief OF Lucknow, lr.-
tending TO bring back the garrison with
him.
Saw the Slaughter-House.
zone Of the first things I did after
reaching Cawnpore was 10 go TO see
the 'slaughter-house' the place where
the women and children We're massacred
when Cawnpore was taken by the Sc
pOys.
1T was a small Indian building OF
Office With an open court. on which
opened many small rooms. and verandas.
It was a terrible sight. The court was
literally filled with blood. pieces Of
clothing, hnery and the little belong
ings Of the women and children We're
scattered about the rooms. The walls
were covered with blood. bits OF hair
and brains. There were also several in
scripuons. and one Of these I copied.
1T was scratched on the wall :.
lady's hand. evidently with the point OF
a pin or needle The writer, after de-
scriblng seeing her children killed be-
fore her eyes. broke OF as if utterly
overwhelmed with the terror around her.
ending with the words:
Ny God. Ny God! Countrymen.
aVenge us
we were first engaged on November
IS. when we moved out five miles from
the city to attack the enemy. But i'm
stead OF finding 5000. as we expected.
there were 5000 against our force OF
1.S00.
Il was sergeant in charge Of the
quarter guard that day. when the
troops were assembling for the forward
march and as it was to 10 my first
battle L was waiting anXiOusly to be
ordered TO Join my company. Imagine
my disappointment when the adjutant
calmly ordered me to fall back with my
men and form part Of the bagg -ge
guard. I hesitated a second, and then
said
7 beg your pardon. sir, but If there
Is 10 be an action l would like 70 be
with my company
You have your orders he said
curly, and went forward 70 join the as
se2nblIng division But a moment later
forward toward the adjutant- The Off
Ger said d few words to him, and the
sergeant came toward me / knew that
] was TO be relieved. The sergeant was
an old soldier, who had fought all
through the CTimea, and after telling
me that the adjUtant had given orders
for me to join the troops, he said:
All, Tom. when you have had as
much of 1t as I have you won't be so
ready 70 volunteer
wei, we fought until noon and were
able 10 hold Cur own. besides capturing
the leading guns Of the enemy We then
fell back But instead of occupying the
fort, which was on the river in front of
the city, or the city itself. we fell back
skirts Of CaWnpOre- The bridge, reach