Camp Larkanu, Dec. 26th, 1839.
MY DEAR ELIZA,--I finished and sent off a letter to my father yesterday,
giving an account of the storming of Kelat, and the wounds I received in
the skrimmage, and telling him of everything that had happened since I
wrote before, which was the day we left Cabool. You can see his letter,
which gives a pretty full account of all our proceedings up to the
present time.
I have now to make many apologies for not having answered your two
letters, one dated May 29th, giving an account of Kate's wedding, and
the other, dated the 29th of July, from Bristol, and likewise for having
forgotten to thank you for the money you were kind enough to send out
with my father's, last year. I can assure you never came money more
acceptable, as no one can imagine what expenses we have unavoidably been
obliged to incur in this campaign, which I suppose has cost officers
more than any other campaign that ever was undertaken. I think there are
few of us who have come off under 100l. besides our pay; and yet this
was merely for the common necessaries of life,--just sufficient to keep
body and soul together. I can assure you I feel very much obliged for
your present, as also for the two letters which I received while on the
march. I have often thought of Brookhill during the many dreary marches
that we have made, and on the solitary out-lying pickets, with no one to
speak to, and deplored my unlucky fate, in being obliged to leave home
just as you seem to be comfortably settled there. Still I have hope that
I may yet return, some day or other.
I can now give you more definite intelligence with regard to our
movements than I did in my father's letter; since sending off which
orders have come out, and the campaign, as far as our regiment is
concerned, is decidedly brought to a close. H.M. 17th, with Gen.
Willshire, Baumgardt, and Head-quarter Staff, marched this morning for
Bukkur, where they are to remain for four or five months, so report
says, and longer than that I suppose, if their services are required.
The Queen's, and the 4th Light Dragoons, are to return to Bombay as soon
as the necessary arrangements for their transportation thither &c. are
completed. We march from this to-morrow for the banks of the river,
about twelve miles, and shall probably remain there for three weeks or
so, until the shipping is got ready in Bombay, when we shall drop down
the Indus in boats, and embark from Curachee for the Presidencies: would
it were for England. Most of our married officers have obtained leave to
precede the regiment, and are off in a day or two.
I hope to see Lieutenant-Colonel Fane when we arrive at Bombay. His
father, Sir H. Fane, has publicly and officially resigned the
commander-in-chief-ship in favour of Sir Jasper Nicolls. Sir Henry has
been dangerously unwell at Bombay; but report says he is now getting
better. He intends sailing as soon as possible, I believe, and so will
most likely be gone before we arrive there. Sir J. Keane has also
resigned, and is to be succeded by Sir Thomas M'Mahon. It is not quite
certain that we shall go to Bombay, as some say that we shall land at
Cambay, and go up to Deesa, and others that we shall return to Belgaum.
Last night we received Bombay papers, giving an account of the taking of
Kelat. They have buttered us up pretty well, and seem to think it a much
more gallant affair than that of Ghuzni--in this last particular they
are only doing us justice.
_Dec. 30th, Camp, Taggur Bundur; Banks of the Indus_.--We arrived here
the day before yesterday, and are likely to remain, I believe, a
fortnight or so. We muster rather small, as most of the married officers
are off to-day and yesterday. As to my wounds, I have only one hole
still open--namely, the one through which the bullet took its final
departure, and that, I think, will be closed in a day or two. I am
sorry to say that since arriving here I have caught a "cruel cold," from
which I am suffering severely at present.
By-the-bye, there are a few incidents connected with the taking of Kelat
which I forgot to mention in my letter to my father. Mehrab Khan, the
chief of Kelat, managed to send away all his harem and family on the
morning of the fight, directly we were seen approaching, but his other
chiefs were not so fortunate, and the greater part of them deliberately
cut the throats of all the females belonging to their establishments,
including wives, mothers, and daughters, as soon as we established
ourselves within the town, rather than suffer them to fall into the
hands of us infidels. I forgot, I think, also, to mention that I managed
to procure rather a handsome Koran, which was found in the citadel, and
also an excellent Damascus blade, both of which I intend giving to my
father, and a few articles of native costume, which would go far to make
up a neat fancy dress, but it is not quite complete. A great number of
handsome articles were stolen by the camp followers and other rascals,
worse luck for us poor wounded officers, who could not help ourselves.
We were rather surprised at finding some excellent European articles in
the shape of double-barrelled guns, pistols, beautiful French musical
boxes, prints, looking-glasses, and pier-glasses, &c., in the rooms of
the citadel. Where Mehrab Khan could have picked them up I cannot
think, unless they were the result of some successful foray on some
unfortunate caravan.
The day after the fight, Captain Outram, of whom I have so often spoken
in my letters to my father, volunteered to take the dispatches to
Bombay, and started for that purpose straight across country to Someanee
Bay, on the sea-coast, a distance of 350 miles, and across the barren
mountains that compose the greatest part of Beloochistan. This route had
up to that time never been traversed by any European, except Pottinger,
who passed through all these countries twenty years ago, disguised as a
native. It was attempted last year by Captain Harris, of the Bombay
Engineers, author of the "African Excursions," a very enterprising
officer, and who landed at Someanee Bay for that purpose; but after
getting about twenty miles into the interior, reported the route as
impracticable. When this is taken into consideration, with the great
chance there was of Captain Outram's falling into the hands of the many
straggling fugitives from Kelat, and the well-known character of these
_gentlemen_, now smarting under the painful feeling of being driven from
their homes, &c., it must be confessed that it required no little pluck
to undertake it. The plan proved, however, perfectly successful. He
travelled in the disguise of an Afghan Peer or holy man, under the
guidance of two Afghan Seyds, a race of men much looked up to and
respected in all Mahomedan countries, on account of their obtaining,
[whether true or not, I know not] a pure descent from the Prophet.
Outram and his party fell in with several bands of fugitives, and
actually came up and were obliged to travel a day or two with the harem
and escort of Mehrab Khan's brother. As there was a chance of Outram's
being discovered by this party, the Seyd introduced him in the character
of a Peer, which holy disguise he had to support during the whole
journey; and after some extraordinary escapes he arrived at Someanee Bay
in seven or eight days.
Our sick and wounded have been left behind at Kelat, under the charge of
an officer of the 17th, since which things have gone on very smoothly
there. The new Khan has been very accommodating, and has given fêtes,
&c., to the officers left behind, in honour of our gallantry. He has
also written to General Willshire to say that he intends giving us all a
medal each, whether we are allowed to wear it or not, as he does not see
why, if the Shah did it for Ghuzni, he might not do it also for Kelat.
Lord Auckland has published an order that all regiments belonging to the
Company that went beyond the Bolan Pass shall wear Afghanistan on their
colours and appointments, and all engaged at Ghuzni that name also; and
has written to the Queen for permission for Queen's regiments employed
in like manner to bear the same. I suppose we shall get Kelat in
addition.
There is one other point which, in my hurry to get my letter off in
time for the January mail, I totally forgot to mention--viz., about
drawing some money on my father. I have before mentioned the great
expense we have been put to in this campaign; in addition to this, when
we were ordered from Quettah to take Kelat, we were also under orders to
return to Quettah after having taken the place. A sergeant was therefore
left behind at Quettah to take charge of whatever effects any person
might leave, and officers were strongly advised to leave the greater
part of their kit at this place. I, as well as most of my brother
officers, was foolish enough to follow this advice, and brought only a
bundle of linen; consequently now I am almost minus everything;
dress-coat, appointments, are all left behind, as General Willshire,
after the taking of Kelat, instead of returning to Quettah, proceeded
into Cutch Gundava by the Gundava Pass. Nothing has been since heard of
what we have left behind, except that the sergeant could not get camels
or carriage sufficient to bring them down. Moreover, it is unsafe to go
through the Bolan Pass without a tolerably strong escort; so, taking all
things into consideration, I do not think there is much chance of our
ever seeing anything of them again. The consequences will be, that, on
our arrival at Bombay, I shall be obliged to get an entire new fit out,
and as the campaign has drained me dry, I shall be obliged to draw upon
my father for it; however, I will repay him by the end of the year, as
by that time the Company will have given us half a year's full batta,
which they intend doing as a sort of indemnification for the losses we
have sustained on the campaign; my batta will be about 72l.
I do not think I have any more to say, and as the January overland sails
on the 25th, I hope this letter will reach Bombay in time to go by it,
as well as my father's. By-the-bye, how is old Nelly? If she has any
good pups, I wish you would manage to keep one for me, as I expect the
old girl will be either dead or very old by the time I return. I am
longing to get out of the "Sick-list," as the thickets here near the
river are full of partridges and hares, and the climate, at this time of
the year, is very cool and pleasant. My rheumatism is much better since
I was wounded; but I still have it in my left arm. Well, no more; but
wishing you, and all, a happy new year.
Believe me ever your very affectionate brother,
T.W.E. HOLDSWORTH.