Reminiscences of the Great Mutiny 1857-59

These Reminiscences are submitted to the public in the trust that they will be welcomed alike by soldier and civilian. They are recorded by one who was himself an actor in the scenes which he describes, and who viewed them from a novel and most unusual position for a military historian--the ranks.

They have been carefully perused by an officer who was present at many of the operations mentioned; and considerable pains have been taken to verify, wherever possible, those incidents of which he was not personally cognisant.

The interest of Mr. Forbes-Mitchell's straightforward and soldierlike story is enhanced by the coincidence that he takes up the pen where Lady Inglis laid it down; and it is hoped that this volume may prove an acceptable continuation of her touching narrative of the Defence of Lucknow, and that, as a record of the Great Mutiny, it may furnish another thrilling chapter in that unparalleled story of suffering and of heroism,--of man's bravery and of woman's devotion.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I PAGE THE NINETY-THIRD HIGHLANDERS--SAIL FOR CHINA--COUNTER-ORDERED TO CALCUTTA--ARRIVAL IN INDIA 1

CHAPTER II

THE MARCH UP COUNTRY--FUTTEHPORE--CAWNPORE 9

CHAPTER III

START FOR LUCKNOW--SIR COLIN--THE DILKOOSHA--MARTINIERE-- SECUNDRABAGH 26

CHAPTER IV

THE NINETY-THIRD--ANECDOTES OF THE SECUNDRABAGH--GENERAL EWART--THE SHAH NUJEEF 51

CHAPTER V

PERSONAL ANECDOTES--CAPTURE OF THE SHAH NUJEEF--A FEARFUL EXPERIENCE 74

CHAPTER VI

BREAKFAST UNDER DIFFICULTIES--LONG SHOTS--THE LITTLE DRUMMER --EVACUATION OF THE RESIDENCY BY THE GARRISON 94

CHAPTER VII

BAGPIPES AT LUCKNOW--A BEWILDERED BABOO--THE FORCED MARCH TO CAWNPORE--OPIUM--WYNDHAM'S MISTAKE 114

CHAPTER VIII

ANECDOTES--ACTION WITH THE GWALIOR CONTINGENT--ITS DEFEAT --PURSUIT OF THE NANA--BITHOOR--JOHN LANG AND JOTEE PERSHAD 135

CHAPTER IX

HODSON OF HODSON'S HORSE--ACTION AT THE KALEE NUDDEE--FUTTEHGHUR 160

CHAPTER X

THE STRANGE STORY OF JAMIE GREEN 172 CHAPTER XI

CHAPTER XI

THE SIEGE OF LUCKNOW--SIR COLIN APPOINTED COLONEL OF THE NINETY-THIRD--ASSAULT OF THE MARTINIERE--A "RANK" JOKE 194

CHAPTER XII

ASSAULT ON THE BEGUM'S KOTHEE--DEATH OF CAPTAIN M'DONALD--MAJOR HODSON WOUNDED--HIS DEATH 205

CHAPTER XIII

JUNG BAHADOOR--GUNPOWDER--THE MOHURRUM AT LUCKNOW--LOOT 219

CHAPTER XIV

AN UNGRATEFUL DUTY--CAPTAIN BURROUGHS--THE DILKOOSHA AGAIN --GENERAL WALPOLE AT ROOYAH--THE RAMGUNGA 231

CHAPTER XV

THE BATTLE OF BAREILLY--GHAZIS--A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT--HALT AT BAREILLY--ACTIONS OF POSGAON, RUSSOOLPORE, AND NOWRUNGABAD-- REST AT LAST! 252

APPENDIX A

HISTORY OF THE MURDER OF MAJOR NEILL AT AUGUR 271

APPENDIX B

EUROPEANS AMONG THE REBELS 278

APPENDIX C

A FEW WORDS ON SWORD-BLADES 286

APPENDIX D

THE OPIUM QUESTION 292

CHAPTER I

THE NINETY-THIRD--SAIL FOR CHINA--COUNTER-ORDERED TO CALCUTTA--ARRIVAL IN INDIA

I cannot truthfully commence these reminiscences with the usual formula of the amateur author,--namely, by stating that, "At the solicitation of numerous friends, the writer was most reluctantly prevailed upon to publish his narrative," and so forth. No one has asked me to write my recollections of the past and my impressions of the present. I do so to please myself, because on revisiting the scenes of the Mutiny I have been forcibly impressed with the fact that, like so many memories, the soldiers and civilians who were personal actors in the great uprising are fast passing away.

They live but in time-stricken men, Or else lie hushed in clay.