TO CAWNPORE AND BACK
Violent gale at Loodhiana—Two hundred men, women, and children buried—By
river steamer to Allahabad—Rejoin the regiment at Cawnpore—Return
voyage down the Ganges
NEXT day I reported my arrival to the adjutant-general, to the officer
commanding at Calcutta, and officially to the officer commanding the
50th Regiment. I was next agreeably surprised by a visit from one of the
officers, Major Tew, who informed me that Colonel Woodhouse was on his
way down, and would soon be in Calcutta, and that they were both going
to England on sick-leave. He gave me much interesting news of the
regiment, and from him I heard for the first time of a regrettable
incident which occurred before they left Loodhiana on their present
march to Calcutta. The regiment was quartered there when the Sutlej
campaign commenced, and was suddenly ordered to join the army in the
field at half an hour’s notice. The officers were actually at their mess
table when the order arrived, and they and their men were obliged to
move at once, leaving the whole of their property, public and private,
behind them, in charge of a guard; also the women and children and a few
servants were left. The regiment was not gone many days when a large
body of Sikhs marched into the town and to the military cantonments, and
plundered, burnt, and destroyed almost everything there, not even
sparing the officers’ bungalows, many of which they either pulled down
or burnt; and as they had no relish for the mess wines, they actually
broke many dozens of full bottles. When the war was over the regiment
returned to Loodhiana, and all were then apprised of their losses, which
put them to serious inconvenience. They had not long returned before
they were visited by a most violent gale, which in a few minutes
levelled the men’s barracks to the ground—a terrible calamity, as it
buried beneath the ruins two hundred men, women, and children. About
fifty of these were got out dead, the others more or less seriously
wounded. To see so many brave soldiers, who had fought and escaped
during the whole campaign, thus cruelly sacrificed was indeed truly
heart-breaking.
I remained with my friend John Allan for more than a month. During that
time I had many letters from the regiment, which kept me so well
informed of their movements and march towards Calcutta that I saw no
necessity to hurry my departure to meet them. An opportunity now offered
direct for Sydney, and I gladly availed myself of it to write to my dear
wife announcing my safe arrival. It was now the end of November, and
finding that the regiment could not reach Calcutta before the beginning
of March, I determined to join wherever I could most conveniently meet
them on their march, and with this view took my passage early in
December in one of the large and most comfortable river steamers for
Allahabad. We were full of passengers for the upper Provinces, many of
whom were very nice and agreeable. Our voyage up the Hooghly and Ganges
lasted upwards of a month. We often stopped for some hours at the
principal towns and stations to land cargo and passengers, to coal, and
to receive more goods and other passengers for the higher stations. The
weather was beautiful, and I enjoyed the trip and the pleasant society
very much. While we were at Dinapore another of the same steamers
touched there, bound for Calcutta, and in her I had the pleasure of
meeting Colonel Woodhouse on his way to England. He was not in good
health. Of course we had much to say during our short interview. It was
not till the 7th of January that we reached Allahabad, and there we all
parted, after a very agreeable voyage.
I remained a few days at the hotel, and there found my old friends Sir
Harry and Lady Smith, also on their way to England. I started in a small
gharrie for Cawnpore, and there took quarters at an hotel, having heard
that my regiment would arrive in two days more. On the following day the
adjutant, Lieutenant Mullen, and Lieutenant Mowatt came in advance to
welcome me, and to escort me to the regiment, and the next day we rode
out to meet it. We had not proceeded more than three miles when we saw
them approaching, and as soon as they recognized me they gave three
cheers, and the band struck up “John Anderson, my joe.” I took off my
cap and returned their greeting with a fond and grateful heart, and
again, as soon as I had reached the head of the column, three more
cheers saluted me. Then Colonel Petit halted the regiment, to give me
the opportunity of seeing and shaking hands with all the officers, and
saying a few words to the men.
We now again got _en route_, and were met by Colonel Deare and many
officers of the 21st Regiment and their band, who came from Cawnpore to
welcome us, and so, surrounded by many hundreds of spectators, civil and
military, we reached our camping-ground. No sooner had the Fusilier band
taken up its position at our head than it struck up “See the Conquering
Hero comes.” Colonel Deare and his officers asked us to dinner, and the
men of the 21st had our men in like manner to a general and merry feast.
There was no end to our toasts and our fun. Colonel Petit handed me over
the command of the regiment by a written order of that day. We continued
our march the following morning, and in four days reached Benares, where
we found a fleet of boats ready to receive us for Calcutta. I also found
letters at the post-office, leaving to me the option of taking the
passage from the Ganges to the Hooghly, or, if not practicable, to
proceed through the more lengthy and tedious passage of the Sunderbunds
(which are the numerous outlets of the mighty Ganges to the sea), from
one of which there is a canal to the Hooghly at Calcutta.
We remained two or three days encamped near Benares, making our
preparations and purchasing our private stock and provisions for the
voyage. The commissariat having provided amply for our men, and all
being ready, we started. The weather was fine, and all went on well till
we arrived off the entrance of the Hooghly from the Ganges; there we
brought up, and sent boats to see, and to sound, if there was a
sufficient depth of water over the bar to carry our largest boats. They
returned in a few hours, and reported that there was not sufficient
water, and that we must take the passage through the Sunderbunds. Next
morning we started and steered accordingly, and brought up at the little
village of Calpee, where it is the rule to take in pilots and
provisions, and a sufficient quantity of fresh water to carry one
through the Sunderbunds, as the water there is brackish half the way,
and altogether salt afterwards. We found a resident magistrate at
Calpee, and he furnished us at once with three pilots, and most kindly
assisted us in getting provisions and many dozens of large earthen jars
of fresh water. Being thus provided with a sufficient supply of all
things needful for three or four weeks, we again proceeded on our
voyage. One of the pilots was stationed with the advance guard, one with
me as the commanding officer in the centre, and the third with the rear
guard. All the boats of our fleet had strict orders to keep as much
together as possible and not to lose sight of each other for a moment.
As I said before, there are numerous and endless twists and turns,
separate outlets and channels, in the Sunderbunds, and to take a wrong
one is to take a risk of being lost altogether, and in a position from
which one cannot extricate oneself to find the way back again to the
proper course. To make sure, therefore, our best pilot was with the
advance guard, and whenever he came to a fresh channel he halted till
all our boats were in sight, and could distinctly see the change of our
direction, then he again took the lead.
Buglers were in the boat of each pilot; these sounded the “Halt,”
“Advance,” or “Close,” according to circumstances, yet, notwithstanding
all this precaution and care, we lost one of the boats, with soldiers
and their families in it. We halted many days for them, and, fearing
they might be short of provisions, I left a boat with supplies, as soon
as we entered the last clear and certain course for Calcutta, with
orders to come on if the missing boat did not appear in a week. Not only
is the navigation difficult and dangerous, but the low lands and banks
of the channels and creeks are covered with thick mangrove-trees and
scrub, and we were assured by the pilot that it was infested in many
places by tigers, ever ready to pounce upon any one within their reach.
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