IN COMMAND AT CAWNPORE
Life at Cawnpore—Quarrel between Mowatt and Burke—Court-martial.
IN spite of our disasters and losses, we enjoyed ourselves fairly well.
Our commissariat was perfect. In fine weather, with the wind fair, it
was a novel and imposing sight to watch our large fleet under all sail
with our gay flags flying. The men’s barracks were ready to receive the
regiment, and as we had sent on our bearers some days before to select
quarters, we all found comfortable houses ready for us on our arrival.
The barracks were on a rising open ground near the river. We were
allowed lodging money according to rank, which was more than sufficient
for the field officers to have each a large and comfortable bungalow,
with many rooms, baths, and stables, and the others had similar
accommodation by two or three of them joining and living together. There
was also a most liberal money allowance for our mess house. The district
was commanded by Major-General Gray, and the station by Major-General
Sir Joseph Thackwell, and Captain Tudor of our regiment was A.D.C. to
the former. We found the 11th and 31st Regiments of Bengal Native
Infantry, and several batteries of European Bengal Artillery and the 5th
Bengal Native Cavalry in garrison on our arrival. The 9th Lancers joined
us soon after. Nothing very remarkable occurred during the first twelve
months of our residence at Cawnpore. We had frequent social gatherings
at our respective messes, and our two generals entertained us
repeatedly. In January, 1843, Colonel Woodhouse received the local rank
of major-general and was appointed to command at Meerut, and I succeeded
again to the command of the 50th Regiment.
An unfortunate quarrel took place at Cawnpore between two of our
officers, Lieutenant Mowatt and Assistant-Surgeon Bourke, and a general
court-martial was unavoidable, the first which was known on an officer
of our regiment for thirty-nine years. They were playing billiards after
dinner and differed, or rather quarrelled, when some very offensive
language was used by both, but more especially by Bourke. A challenge to
fight a duel followed from Mowatt, and Bourke declined to fight except
with swords. The seconds objected to this, and insisted on pistols as
the customary weapon with Englishmen, but Bourke remained obstinate, and
would only fight with swords. Next morning they went out and met at an
appointed place, the seconds, or rather Bourke’s friend, being provided
with both pistols and swords. Here again Bourke insisted on his right to
choose his own arms. After a good deal of talk, without any effect on
Bourke’s decision, Mowatt said, “Well, sir, then here is at you, with
swords,” taking up one and putting himself in a posture of defence at
the same moment. Bourke then declined to fight at all! clearly showing
he never intended doing so, and that he named swords in the hope of
avoiding altogether a hostile meeting. They then returned to their
quarters and communicated all that happened to Captain Wilton, the
senior officer present when the quarrel took place, who at once put them
both under arrest and reported the whole of this most discreditable
affair to me as the commanding officer. Until then I knew nothing
whatever of it.
After due consideration I was satisfied that nothing less than their
removal from the regiment or a general court-martial could take place,
and I was unwilling for the honour of the regiment to have recourse to
the latter expedient. I therefore determined to report the whole affair
to Major-General Sir Joseph Thackwell, commanding the garrison, and
afterwards, if necessary, to Major-General Gray, commanding the
district, and to procure leave of absence for them both for the express
purpose of exchanging at once to some other regiments; and in making
this request to both these general officers I founded my request on the
high character of the regiment and my unwillingness to stain our
reputation by a general court-martial, and told them that for
thirty-nine years the 50th Regiment had not had one officer brought to
trial. Sir Joseph Thackwell heard me most kindly and fully entered into
my feelings and wishes, and recommended me at once to see General Gray
on the subject; and that officer in like manner agreed to my request,
but stated that in making my application to Major-General Sir Harry
Smith, the Adjutant-General of the Army, for their leave of absence, I
must state the whole of the circumstances, and my unwillingness to
tarnish the high reputation of my regiment by recourse to a general
court-martial. To this I agreed, and made my application to the
adjutant-general accordingly (my old comrade, Sir Harry Smith), which
was forwarded and recommended in due course by Generals Thackwell and
Gray. But by return of post I received rather a severe letter from Sir
Harry Smith, informing me that if the officers named were not fit to
serve in the 50th Regiment they were not fit to serve in any other, and
ordering me at once to prefer written charges against them, with a view
to their being immediately brought before a general court-martial.
I had now no other course left, so I sent in my charges without further
delay, and, in a few days more, the general order for the court-martial
appeared, to assemble at Cawnpore on a given day. That day soon arrived,
and the court-martial assembled accordingly, Colonel Scott, C.B., of the
9th Lancers, being the president. As a matter of duty, I was obliged to
appear as prosecutor, and the court being duly sworn and the prisoners
arraigned, I was called forward. I commenced my address to the court by
lamenting my present most painful and distressing duty, and yet my
comparative satisfaction in being able to say that my previous intimacy
and friendship with the prisoners, especially with Lieutenant Mowatt,
must prove to the court, to them, and to the world that I was in no way
influenced by any unkind or vindictive feeling: on the contrary, that I
sincerely sympathized with them, and with the distress of every officer
of the regiment on this trying occasion. I then spoke much of the high
character and reputation of the regiment, the constant and great
unanimity and brotherly friendship of its officers, and the absence for
thirty-nine years of any such occurrence; and concluded with an ardent
hope that the present would be the first and last occasion of its kind.
I then called in succession the officers who were present and witnessed
the various matters stated in the charges, and the prisoners having
offered nothing in their defence beyond calling on me and several of the
other senior officers to speak of their previous character and conduct,
the proceedings here closed, and the court was cleared to deliberate on
its finding and sentence.
The proceedings were forwarded in the usual manner for the consideration
of the Commander-in-Chief, General Lord Gough. I remained very anxious,
for the evidence was so clear that I could not but anticipate the
result, and I was especially sorry and concerned for my little friend
and protégé, Lieutenant Mowatt. At last the General Orders promulgating
the finding and sentence of the court arrived. Both were found guilty.
Lieutenant Mowatt was sentenced to be severely reprimanded, and
Assistant-Surgeon Bourke to be cashiered. These sentences were approved
and confirmed by the Commander-in-Chief, but in consideration of the
high character and renown of the 50th Regiment, his Excellency the
Commander-in-Chief was pleased to remit both sentences and to order
these officers to return to their duties. This was most gratifying to us
all, for we considered this the highest compliment that could be paid to
the regiment, and next we rejoiced to find our friend Mowatt (who was a
general favourite) again back in safety and honour amongst us; but Dr.
Bourke was not much liked at any time, and now, from his pusillanimous
conduct, less than ever. Fortunately for him, his seniority in the
service led to his promotion at home to be surgeon of another regiment
before anything of this court-martial was known in England, and so he
left us for ever soon after.
------------------------------------------------------------------------