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TWELVE YEARS OF A SOLDIER'S LIFE IN INDIA.
TWELVE YEARS OF A SOLDIER'S LIFE IN INDIA.
If a soldier, Chase brave employments with a naked sword Throughout the world. Fool not; for all may have, If they dare try, a glorious life or grave. George Herbert. TWELVE YEARS OF A SOLDIER'S LIFE IN INDIA: BEING EXTRACTS FROM THE LETTERS OF THE LATE MAJOR W. S. R. HODSON, B. A. TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE; FIRST BENGAL EUROPEAN FUSILEERS, COMMANDANT OF HODSON'S HORSE. INCLUDING A PERSONAL NARRATIVE OF THE SIEGE OF DELHI AND CAPTURE OF THE KING AND PRINCES. EDITED BY HIS BROTHER, THE REV. GEOR
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PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION.
PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION.
I have now been able to complete the series of extracts from my brother's letters, down to the morning of the fatal 11th March. The greater portion of the Fourth Chapter of Part II. will be found to have been added since the first edition. I have to apologize for an inaccuracy in the quotation which I gave from Sir Colin Campbell's letter on the occasion of my brother's death. A correct copy of the letter in full will be found at page 431 . I have not found it necessary to make any other correct
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PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.
PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.
It can scarcely be needful to make any apology for offering to the public this record of one who has attracted to himself so large a measure of attention and admiration. Many, both in this country and in India, have expressed, and I doubt not many others have felt, a desire to know more of the commander of Hodson's Horse, and captor of the King of Delhi and his sons. My original intention was to have compiled from my brother's letters merely an account of the part he bore in the late unhappy war
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CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER IV.
EMPLOYMENT IN THE PUNJAUB AS SECOND IN COMMAND OF THE CORPS OF GUIDES, AND ALSO AS ASSISTANT TO THE RESIDENT AT LAHORE—ROAD-MAKING AND SURVEYING—CAMPAIGN OF 1848-9—CAPTURE OF FORTS—BATTLE OF GUJERAT—ANNEXATION OF PUNJAUB— Oct. 1847-March, 1849...
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CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER V.
ANNEXATION OF PUNJAUB—INCREASE OF CORPS OF GUIDES AT PESHAWUR—TRANSFER TO CIVIL DEPARTMENT AS ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER— April, 1849-April, 1850...
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CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER VI.
TOUR IN CASHMERE AND THIBET WITH SIR HENRY LAWRENCE—TRANSFER TO CIS-SUTLEJ PROVINCES— June, 1850-Oct. 1851...
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CHAPTER VII.
CHAPTER VII.
MARRIAGE—COMMAND OF THE GUIDES—PESHAWUR—EUZOFZAI—FRONTIER WARFARE—MURDÂN— Jan. 1852-Nov. 1854...
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CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER VIII.
REVERSES—UNJUST TREATMENT—OFFICIAL ENMITY—LOSS OF COMMAND—SUPPRESSION OF REPORT—RETURN TO REGIMENTAL DUTIES—BETTER PROSPECTS—MAJOR TAYLOR'S REPORT—TESTIMONY OF SIR R. NAPIER—MR. MONTGOMERY— Nov. 1854-May, 1857...
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PART II. NARRATIVE OF THE DELHI CAMPAIGN, 1857, 1858. CHAPTER I.
PART II. NARRATIVE OF THE DELHI CAMPAIGN, 1857, 1858. CHAPTER I.
OUTBREAK OF REBELLION—MARCH DOWN TO DELHI FROM DUGSHAI WITH FIRST EUROPEAN BENGAL FUSILEERS—APPOINTMENT TO INTELLIGENCE DEPARTMENT—RIDE FROM KURNAL TO MEERUT TO OPEN COMMUNICATION—ORDER TO RAISE REGIMENT—DEATH OF GENERAL ANSON— May 10th-June 8th...
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CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER III.
SIEGE OF DELHI, CONTINUED—ROHTUCK EXPEDITION—ASSAULT—DELHI TAKEN—CAPTURE OF KING—CAPTURE AND EXECUTION OF SHAHZADAHS— August 17th-Sept. 25th...
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CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER IV.
OPERATIONS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF DELHI—SHOWERS'S COLUMN—SEATON'S COLUMN—ACTIONS AT GUNGEREE, PUTIALEE, MYNPOOREE—RIDE TO COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF'S CAMP—JUNCTION OF FORCES—SHUMSHABAD— Oct.-Jan....
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CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER V.
ALUMBAGH, LUCKNOW—THE BEGUM'S PALACE—BANKS'S HOUSE—THE SOLDIER'S DEATH—NOTICES—CONCLUDING REMARKS— Feb.-March 12th...
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CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER I.
EARLY LIFE.—RUGBY.—CAMBRIDGE.—GUERNSEY. William Stephen Raikes Hodson, third son of Rev. George Hodson, afterwards Archdeacon of Stafford and Canon of Lichfield, was born at Maisemore Court, near Gloucester, on 19th March, 1821. As a boy, his affectionate disposition and bright and joyous character endeared him greatly to his family, and made him a general favorite with all around him, old and young, rich and poor. That which characterized him most was his quickness of observation and his intere
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CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER II.
ARRIVAL IN INDIA.—CAMPAIGN ON THE SUTLEJ, 1845-46. My brother landed at Calcutta on the 13th of September, 1845, and, with as little delay as possible, proceeded up the country to Agra, where he found a hearty welcome beneath the hospitable roof of the Hon. James Thomason, Lieutenant-Governor of the Northwest Provinces, an old family friend and connection, who, from that time to his death, treated him with as much affection, and took as deep an interest in his career, as if he had been his own s
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CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER III.
FIRST BENGAL EUROPEAN FUSILEERS.—LAWRENCE ASYLUM.—APPOINTMENT TO GUIDE CORPS. Subathoo , June 16th, 1846 . When I wrote to you last from Sireenuggur, I hoped to have been able to reach this place by way of the hills and Simla; but, before I got to Mussoorie, the early setting in of the rains made it so difficult and unpleasant (and likely to be dangerous) to get on, that, after spending two days there, I rode down to Deyra Dhoon, and came dâk through Saharunpoor and Umbâla to Kalka, at the foot
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CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER IV.
EMPLOYMENT IN THE PUNJAUB AS SECOND IN COMMAND OF THE CORPS OF GUIDES, AND ALSO AS ASSISTANT TO THE RESIDENT AT LAHORE. From October, 1847, during the Campaign of 1848-9, to the Annexation of the Punjaub in March, 1849. Camp, Kussoor , Nov. 15th, 1847 . I almost forget the many events that have happened since I wrote last. I believe I was "at home" in my snug little cottage in Subathoo, and now I am in a high queer-looking native house among the ruins of this old stronghold of the Pathàns; with
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CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER V.
ANNEXATION OF PUNJAUB.—INCREASE OF CORPS OF GUIDES AT PESHAWUR.—TRANSFER TO CIVIL DEPARTMENT AS ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER. April 17th, 1849. You will have heard of the great events of the last month; how on the 26th March, the Punjaub became "forever" a British Province, governed by a Triumvirate; and how the Koh-i-noor was appropriated as a present to the Queen,—and all the rest of it; you may imagine the turmoil and unrest of this eventful time; but I defy you to imagine the confusion of the proc
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CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER VI.
TOUR IN CASHMERE AND THIBET WITH SIR HENRY LAWRENCE.—PROMOTION AND TRANSFER TO CIS-SUTLEJ PROVINCES. Camp, en route to Cashmere , June 10th, 1850 . Your letter from Paris reached me just as I was preparing to start from Umritsur to join Sir Henry Lawrence, and accompany him to Cashmere. I fought against the necessity of leave as long as possible, but I was getting worse and worse daily, and so much weakened from the effects of heat and hard work acting on a frame already reduced by sickness, tha
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CHAPTER VII.
CHAPTER VII.
MARRIAGE.—COMMAND OF THE GUIDES.—FRONTIER WARFARE.—MURDÂN. On the 5th of January, 1852, Lieut. Hodson was married, at the Cathedral, Calcutta, to Susan, daughter of Capt. C. Henry, R. N., and widow of John Mitford, Esq., of Exbury, Hants. By the first week in March he had resumed his duties at Kussowlee as Assistant Commissioner. On the breaking out of the war with Burmah he expected to rejoin his regiment, (the First Bengal European Fusileers,) which had been ordered for service there, but in A
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CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER VIII.
REVERSES.—UNJUST TREATMENT.—LOSS OF COMMAND.—RETURN TO REGIMENTAL DUTIES. Up to this time my brother's career in India had been one of almost uninterrupted prosperity. He had attained a position unprecedented for a man of his standing in the service, and enjoyed a reputation for daring, enterprise, and ability, only equalled by the estimation in which he was held by all who knew him, for high principle and sterling worth. He was, as he described himself, the most fortunate and the happiest man i
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CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER I.
MARCH DOWN TO DELHI. On the 10th May occurred the outbreak at Meerut, closely followed by the massacre at Delhi. On the 13th, orders were received at Dugshai, from the Commander-in-Chief, for the 1st Bengal European Fusileers to march without delay to Umbâla, where all the regiments from the hill stations were to concentrate. They set out that afternoon, and reached Umbâla, a distance of sixty miles, on the morning of the second day. From this point Lieutenant Hodson's narrative commences. It is
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CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER II.
SIEGE OF DELHI. Camp before Delhi , June 9th . I wrote you a few hurried lines on the field of battle yesterday, to say that we had beaten the enemy, and driven them back five miles into Delhi. How grateful rest was after such a morning! The Guides came in to-day, and it would have done your heart good to see the welcome they gave me—cheering and shouting and crowding round me like frantic creatures. They seized my bridle, dress, hands, and feet, and literally threw themselves down before the ho
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CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER III.
SIEGE OF DELHI, CONTINUED.—ROHTUCK EXPEDITION.—ASSAULT.—DELHI TAKEN.—CAPTURE OF KING.—CAPTURE AND EXECUTION OF SHAHZADAHS. "I have before explained to you what your brother's (Captain Hodson's) position officially was,—namely, that he was appointed Assistant Quartermaster-General and Intelligence Officer on the Commander-in-Chief's own Staff. His reports were to be made to him direct, without the intervention of the Quartermaster-General or any other person. "For this appointment, which was then
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CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER IV.
OPERATIONS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF DELHI.—SHOWER'S COLUMN.—SEATON'S COLUMN.—GUNGEREE.—PUTIALEE.—MYNPOOREE.—RIDE TO COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF'S CAMP.—JUNCTION OF FORCES.—SHUMSHABAD. Camp, Delhi , Sept. 26th . My letters are of necessity short and newsless, for I am scarcely ever able to sit down to write what can be properly called a letter. Anything so mismanaged as the prize property has been, or so wasted, I never saw; so much so, that I look upon the appointment of prize agents at all as a simple inj
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CONCLUDING CHAPTER.
CONCLUDING CHAPTER.
ALUMBAGH, LUCKNOW.—THE BEGUM'S PALACE.—BANKS'S HOUSE.—THE SOLDIER'S DEATH.—NOTICES.—CONCLUDING REMARKS. To his Wife. Camp, Alumbagh, near Lucknow , February 24th . We arrived here last night at dusk, after a terribly dusty march of thirty-six miles. To-day we had a bit of a fight. The Pandies, ignorant of the reinforcements which had arrived, had as usual come round one flank of the camp, so we moved out and caught them as they were trying to get back again, and took two of their guns. By "we,"
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