Recollections of Thirty-nine Years in the Army

2nd Regiment-?Cholera-?Monghyr-?Hospitality-?Bhaugulpore-?Rajmahal-?A reckless soldier-?Corporal punishment-?Berhampore-?A Gwalior hostage-?Plassee-?Transport-?Party of 10th Re

be learnt in respect to official matters relating to my new position, nor could it be so except from so-called "subordinates" attach

es, but not to interfere with duty. Among the soldiers unhappily there occurred, as before, great sickness and mortality, the line of ne

s by the younger officers and by the older, the latter contrasting in their minds their relative rates of pay in India, where t

physical examination; their defaulter sheets and "small books" looked at, after which, if deemed eligible, and under forty years of age, they were accepted, and received a bounty equivalent in amount to ￡3 sterling. To those whose age exceeded that limit no bounty was officially given, but a corresponding sum was granted from regimental

ion to the Buffs, and thus testify good fellowship and friendly sentiments towards the corps. Then came the final official ordeal; namely, inspection by the venerable officer commanding the Division. General Watson, then said to be of the old

, of the station. Healths proposed and drunk to in champagne; good wishes expressed; leave-takings gone through; then all take their respective places; bands play "Auld lang syne," "The girls we left behind us," "Home, sweet home

by Major-?afterwards Sir Hector Monro in 1764,52 but still held semi-sacred by the descendants of those whose shrines were so desecrated.

hers, wearing garments of many colours, giving the scene a picturesque aspect. Some of the temples and ghats present a dilapidated appearance; but others, especially that of Visheswar-?dedicated to Siva-?is resplendent with gold gilding. Another striking object is the Mosque of Arungzebe, erected in the reign of that monarch from

Benares was then called, that in the sixth century B.C. Gautama preached the doctrines of Karma53 and Nirvana.54 There Buddhism assumed its sway, which it retained

ed with the abduction of Sita; the chase, the siege, and capture of Ravanu's stronghold; her rescue, the ordeal of fire, to test her puri

was marching to its destination from Ghazepore, at which place it had been stationed during the two years it had been in India. From a strength of close upon 1,200, it had been in that short

hich its summit rises, bears upon it a memorial figure by Flaxman. The range of barracks and the church are the only other buildings that are immediately seen. A visit to the native town brought us to the ruins of what had been the palace of Mir Cossim Ali Khan, whose forces were defeated, and power destroyed, at Buxar, in 1764, by Major Munro. The graceful proportion of its pillars, arches, and general aspect stru

two being Ghazepore, already mentioned, and Haupur. It would appear, however, that all these are insufficient to meet the r

as said that for a number of years the terms of the Treaty of 1816 between Sir David Ochterlony and the chief of the Ghoorkas were faithfully adhered to by the latter; but that in recent times signs of disaffection had begun to show themselves. As an outcome

s-?famous in relation to British history as the scene of murder by Kossim Khan, in 1763, of 200 Englishmen, besides 2,000 sepoys; to become again noted in connection with events of 1857. On our way to and from that city we noticed by the roadside the now disused grain store, erected in 1769–70

loved to be called, were under orders for Umballah, much delighted at prospects of service therein implied; for the state of affairs in the Punjab, already mentioned, had from day to day continued to increase in gravity. The feeling of gallant hil

river course are of frequent occurrence. To several of our soldiers the result was fatal; during the night cholera attack

countrymen at Patna, as already mentioned. Near this place, in the year of that occurrence, 1763, a mutiny occurred, in which not only native but also European tro

position of Joint Magistrate and Collector, that officers should dine with him; while to the soldiers, "refreshments" would be served on tables arranged for the purpose

Bhurtpore only the previous year captured. In the range of hills that thence extend in a south-westerly direction are various wild Santhal tribes, ve

iver; tradesmen also arranged the kind of boat so called as travelling shops, and these different classes of persons and craft gave certain variety to our river voyage. Arrived at Rajmahal, the former capital of Northern Bengal, but now a ruined mass out of which stood a few broken shafts of what had been pillars of black marble. The ruined palace dates back only to A.D. 1630. Sultan Shujah, by wh

ng of his courageous deeds, he was challenged to "take a header" into the Ganges. He did so, and appeared no more. The other was the infliction of one hundred lash

e regiment by General Raper. A breakfast given at the palace of the Nawab;60 excursions by land and river, presentation to His Highness, permission to visit different parts of his palace, including jewel-room and its contents, were so many it

aign in that State. For a time he was interned at Agra, but latterly had been "at large," under surveillance of our host; his demeanour towards th

were evident. There we met the fleet of boats, similar to our own, by which the 10th Regiment was being conveyed inland. Mutual salutations passed between us, but little at the time thought I of close association subsequently in store for me in rela

off Chandernagore, on the battlements of which waved the tricolour. In 1757 that little settlement was captured from the French by Clive, aided by Admiral Watson, who, for the attack, brought thither his frigate carrying seventy-four guns-?a feat

earing our port; and great is the surprise with which our north-country servants and followers look upon the unwonted sight. We pass the Armenian Ghat. It is an open space, on which various funeral pyres blaze and smoke; vultures and adjutant-birds are waiting fo

e higher officials. At Government House some of us had an opportunity of being present at the dinners and balls, for which it was then, as since

on, composed of metal of Mahratta cannon that had wrought heavy injury to our regiments, were in readiness, in company with my friend Maude,63 I drove to the Mint, and there, from two heaps on the floor, of those decorations, selected one each, leaving

t Eastern dependency: graceful to look at, roomy, well fitted up, sumptuously provided-?veritable floating palaces. The comfort of the soldier, his wife and children, secured to an extent that under subsequent regulations became impossib

f mulattoes of low type, physically and intellectually; the balance were of pure negro type. We learned, moreover, that slave ships with their human cargo on board were from time to time brought to the island by British

. At last we were at and within the barn-like, dilapidated building in which took place the closing life scenes of Napoleon; its surroundings a tangled mass of brambles and other shrubs. In the building itself his library room, then partly filled wit

from top-gallant cross-trees an officer directed the crew towards the man struggling in mid ocean. Soon, from the bows of the boat one of its crew dived, for the drowning man had already begun to sink; a brief interval, and both rescuer and rescued were hauled on boa

bare walls, bed cots devoid of mattress or bedding; while for the officers, not even quarters had been assigned; they were expected to look after themselves. Night had far advanced before duty rendered necessary by such a state of things was so far complete as to allow of our going in search of hotels in which to spend the few hours that remained till daylight. It was not till two o'clock in the morning that we had "dinner," in course of which various allusions were made to the "h