1860--CENTRAL INDIA HORSE
A long ride with insufficient sleep induces sunstroke--Disguised
as Rebels we are well received--The death of Lieutenant
Jennings--The Rajah of Narsinghgarh has a pain--I resign my
appointment--and return to England, seeing Irregular Cavalry on
my way to Calcutta.
We rested on Sunday the 22nd, doing some business after Divine service;
going next morning for a long but fruitless beat for a tiger, and
then decided to have another drive for bear. Blair, one of Mayne’s
officers, accompanied me to a ridge along which the bear was expected
to pass. My companion got into a tree, and I remained on the ground,
until Blair urged me to climb at all events on to a low bough. After
half an hour’s waiting, I saw my companion’s eyes sparkle, for he was
in a tree within touch of my arm, and he fired into a bush 40 yards
off, when out sprang a large tigress straight for our trees, making me
feel glad I was off the ground. Blair fired again, but missed, and the
tigress paused immediately under the bough on which I was standing,
but without noticing me. Holding on by one hand, I dropped the muzzle
of my gun close to her back; but a twig catching the hammer, the first
barrel missed fire, the second bullet as I thought hitting the tiger in
the foot. She went on lashing her tail, a magnificent sight, till Blair
turning round got another shot, and she rolled over apparently dead. I
being eager to see whether I had hit her, jumped down, and got within
30 yards, when Bradford, who was then approaching on an elephant,
shouted to me to keep clear as the tigress was moving. As he spoke she
leaped on to his elephant, getting close to him before he fired, when
she fell dead, turning a complete somersault, and as she did so her
tail hit the elephant, which up to this moment had behaved perfectly;
when touched by the tigress’s tail, she rushed on the carcase, and
tossed it as she had tossed the bear.
After dinner, Bradford and I started at 11.30 p.m., having lingered
too long over our coffee to make it worth while to lie down, and rode
back the 100 miles, he accompanying me as far as Sironj. I was short
of sleep, having had only three or four hours’ rest each night since
leaving Bersia, and was thus unable to stand the heat, which was
intense. In the evening my track ran through a narrow valley bare of
trees, and the rocky formation emitted a burning glow which scorched my
skin. I felt I was gradually losing consciousness, but could see three
miles off the trees at Shamsabad where my servants were waiting, so,
thrusting my right hand in the cloak straps, I galloped on. Just before
I reached the village I rolled off my horse unconscious, and when half
an hour later I recovered my senses, my servants were pouring water
over my head and neck. They were still thus occupied when a Native came
up with my favourite sword, given to me by Colonel Morris, which had
jumped out of the scabbard without my missing it.
I made several unsuccessful attempts to catch the Tontea (Mulloob
Khan) and Madhoo Singh, my friend Bradford driving these men and their
few adherents from Sironj on to my outposts, and I returning the
compliment. The first week in May, a man who had given information to
Bradford was killed near Sindhara, so taking 25 horsemen I made a long
night march in search of the band, but without success. When I got back
to the outpost on the 8th, I found an order for the Regiment to proceed
to Goona, and riding into Bersia, I was occupied all day in obtaining
waggons for my magazine, the officers and men having sufficient private
transport kept in a state of constant readiness to move their own
effects.
We all knew that the villagers were assisting the band of robbers
who lived in the jungles, but there was difficulty in proving the
complicity of the Head men, who asserted their loyalty to the
Government. On the 9th May, having given orders for the Regiment to
march next day, I selected 25 strong men; and after dark, having
disguised them and myself as Rebels, we started on foot in the
direction of Sindhara, reaching a village 2 miles to the west of it
soon after daylight, a distance of 23 miles. We came on a patrol from
our outpost, which fled, not unnaturally, as it consisted of only four
men.
We remained concealed all that day, being well entertained by the
villagers, and at nightfall went nearly to Bilkheri. The actual
distance was only 15 miles, but the men were all footsore, and I had
large blisters on my feet, on which I wore Native sandals. Lying up
during the day, after much difficulty we found a man to guide us, but
either intentionally or from nervousness, he guided us so that when
we got close up to the robbers there was a shallow river intervening,
and the noise we made getting down the bank enabled them to escape,
although we got to within a few yards of them. The villagers were
generally completely deceived as to our identity, for I always remained
out of sight, though my skin was nearly as dark as a Native’s. The
villagers duly informed us of the march of the Regiment from Bersia
northwards, and proposed we should go a few miles westwards and seize
a rich trader, in the Narsinghgarh District, who was able to afford a
large ransom.
That night we made another long march towards a light many miles
north, which I hoped indicated the bivouac of a band of robbers, but
were again unsuccessful; and the following morning, finding my men
were exhausted, I collected all the ponies I could to mount the more
footsore. In the course of the forenoon we met a wedding party on
ponies, the arrangements of which I was obliged to upset, telling the
bridegroom that if he came on with us to Dehri or to Katra, where there
was a post of Mayne’s Horse, I would return the ponies.
I had sent to warn the non-commissioned officer in command we were in
disguise, but unfortunately not knowing exactly where the post was, I
remained in the Rear, trying to bring along some of the footsore men
for whom I had not got ponies. Mayne’s men had heard that I had passed
on, and thus when my leading man approached they stood to their arms
and challenged. The soldiers halted, except one unlucky Hindoo who
was mounted on a mare, and she being ridden without saddle or bridle,
cantered up towards the horses of the post. The sentry fired at my man,
putting nine pebbles into him, and the Sergeant in charge, as he lay
on the ground, was about to spear him, when he gasped out, “I am Wood
Sahib’s servant,” which averted further misfortune. When I came on the
scene the Hindoo was apparently dying, blood spirting out of his lungs;
but he eventually recovered.
I arrived at Goona with the Regiment on the 17th, but was no sooner
in camp than I was sent back to my old hunting-ground, Sir Richard
Shakespeare, the Governor-General’s Agent, having telegraphed that
“either Bradford or Wood” was to stop out till Madhoo Singh was caught.
I made one or two very long marches, in incessant rain, with no change
of clothing, but was back in Goona again at the end of the month, and
on the 6th June was ordered out after a somewhat larger band. Bradford
represented to Major Mayne that his men were jealous at my having gone
out twice in succession, so was given the work; and Mayne, as I now
think wisely, refused to allow me to go with him, which I was anxious
to do, as it was said that the band I surprised in December had been
reinforced. I handed over to Bradford, Lieutenant Jennings, who had
been attached to me when I was ordered out. This officer had lost his
parents, brothers and sisters, murdered at Dihlí, and was anxious to
encounter the Rebels. Bradford at my request took him, and they marched
throughout the night, but failed to find any trace of the party.
After an hour’s rest at daylight, Bradford keeping 20 men, sent 40
under a Native officer, to scout, and meet him on the far side of a
belt of jungle. At 8 a.m., when passing under a high hill covered
with rocks and jungle, Bradford looking up saw the men of whom he had
been in search. They so little anticipated being disturbed that they
continued their cooking. Bradford giving the order, “Charge,” led up
the hill, being the only one who escaped falls, Jennings having two ere
he reached the top. Bradford, followed by three Sikhs, got among the
Rebels as they fled, and killed several without serious resistance. He
was returning from the pursuit when he heard of his Subaltern’s fate.
He had ridden with uplifted sword at an undaunted rebel, who had held
his fire till the last moment, and as Jennings, shot through the body,
fell out of the saddle, the Sepoy, seizing the young officer’s sword,
killed him with it. The Rebel must have been a man of determination,
for he resisted bravely, until he fell under the swords of four Sikhs.
Bradford took a few prisoners, one supposed to be Madhoo Singh, whom
I had often chased. The man stoutly denied his identity, till I sent
Burmadeen Singh to Sindhara for one of my spies; he identified him, and
Madhoo Singh admitting the fact, agreed to help us to catch the Rao
Sahib and Firoz Shah, for whom a reward had been offered.
I lost my Adjutant soon after reaching Goona, and his successor was not
a good accountant, which added to my work. The India system of holding
up the men’s pay not only added to my daily work, but impaired my
efforts to get rid of money-lenders, who were always usurers. I managed
to pay my men for the month of May by utilising Government money which
accrued from various sources, such as the confiscation of “Assamees,”
or right of possessing a horse, the Regimental market value of which
stood at the end of May, in spite of the uncertainty of the fate of
the Regiment, at £35, or £15 beyond the value of the horse. I was
discharging men, sending away over 200 of the least efficient between
the 20th and 30th of May, and as I drew 34s. from Government for each
horse, paying the men only up to the day of discharge, since the horse
belonged to Government, I had about 11s. in hand for each horse; but
these transfers of moneys from one account to another caused me much
labour, as my only accountant was a man who did not speak a word of
English. At the end of one week the balance I had in hand which had
accrued as mentioned above, amounted to £7000.
I took the Native officers into my confidence as regards all money
transactions, and often had the Senior officer at work with me from
7 a.m. till 5 p.m. In reorganising the Regiment I should have liked
to have promoted Burmadeen Singh, who in force of character and skill
at arms on foot was one of the best; but he was not clever, and I
was confronted by the order I had issued in December that all future
promotions should be given to those only who could read and write in
one language. Burmadeen worked steadily at the Nagari character, which
was his mother tongue, but did not make much progress, and could not
be said to come up to the required standard. I lent him £35, by which
he became the possessor of his own horse, and thereby ceased to be the
servant of a Native officer.
All financial transactions, including a detailed account of the
expenditure on four horses which I had personally purchased from
Government, and kept for the benefit of the Horse Insurance Fund, were
published in Regimental Orders. This arrangement had the advantage of
showing exactly what profit could be made out of the Assamees, after
providing the feeding of the horse, and the upkeep of saddlery.
I retained about 100 out of the 535 men whom I had taken over on the
1st of December of the previous year, filling up the Regiment to its
original strength by enlisting high-class men, who were the more ready
to enlist as many of the Regiments, including two raised by Hodson in
the Pánjáb, had recently been disbanded.
On the 2nd July, hearing of robbers moving in the District to the south
of Barsad, I rode 36 miles at speed to Jamner, where I had a troop. I
did not dare go nearer than 15 miles or so of the band, until my spies
located it, for the Tontea always moved when he realised I was within
two hours’ ride of him; but on the 14th I had a fast gallop to a hill
in the jungles, when he only just escaped us. I was arranging another
surprise, when on the 16th, at 2 a.m., I received the following order
from the Brigade-Major at Goona: “I send you a copy of a statement
made yesterday by Madhoo Singh, agreeably to the Commanding officer’s
desire. He wishes you to go down to Narsinghgarh at once, and apprehend
Baba Bhut, Kamdar to the Rao Sahib, Risaldars Rustum Ali Khan, and Eman
Khan. The first is in the house of the Rajah’s chief agent, Bishund
Dhutt. Apprehend them by means of the Rajah himself; take him with you,
and do not let them have a moment’s notice. If you want more men, let
us know sharp, and how many.”
Having read the depositions of Madhoo Singh, I started at 3 a.m.,
and by trotting where the track was possible, reached the outskirts
of Narsinghgarh, 40 miles distant, at 3 p.m. Placing the troop in
the jungle so as to surround the fort, which stood above the town, I
rode up, accompanied by Fyz Ali Khan, the troop Native officer, and a
Trumpeter. The men were uneasy at our going alone, and begged to be
allowed to accompany us. This I forbade, for although Madhoo Singh’s
depositions showed what we had suspected for some time, that the
Rajah was disloyal to the Government, yet I hoped to arrest the two
Native officers who had been turned out of the Regiment, and were now
supplying the Rebels with information, without outwardly coercing the
Rajah. I left the Trumpeter on the drawbridge of the fort, ordering
him if he saw a struggle to sound the “Gallop,” and asked to see the
Rajah alone, and he somewhat unwillingly dismissed his armed retinue,
when telling him the purport of my orders, I requested his assistance
in arresting the three men. He denied their presence in the first
instance, alleging he had never heard of Baba Bhut, adding that Rustum
Ali Khan had gone to a village some way off, and that Bishund Dhutt was
on duty at Pachor, 20 miles away, but that he would send for him. I
then informed him I had seen Rustum Ali Khan as I ascended the hill, on
which he admitted the two officers were in his palace, and went with me
to their quarters, where I made them prisoners. He would not, however,
order a horse for a considerable time, to ride to the house where
Baba Bhut was staying. It was so long in coming that I placed mine at
his disposal, but this he declined; and when eventually the horse was
brought, he sent it back again, and then delayed for different articles
for over an hour, sending in succession for a sword, cummerbund, pistol
and dagger. At last he said, “If you go out of the courtyard, I will
follow you,” but looking back I saw him hurrying into the palace,
whence he sent a soldier to say he had a bowel complaint and could not
come.
I then went to Bishund Dhutt’s house, but warning had been given to
Baba Bhut, and it was empty. At six o’clock, as I was starting for
Pachor, Bishund Dhutt, who had been in the town all the afternoon,
appeared, and I arrested him. I stayed that evening at Lakanwas, a
village of mixed races, 7 miles from Narsinghgarh, the head man of
which was loyal,[88] and after nightfall, taking 15 men, rode back,
and searched the house of Baba Bhut for the Tontea and Firoz Shah, but
unsuccessfully; for, as we learnt later, the latter escaped in woman’s
clothes from the palace, while the Rajah parleyed with me.
I wrote a full Report that night, stating that I had addressed the
Rajah in respectful language, and the only harsh expression used was
in pressing him either to come with me or to refuse, saying, “If your
Highness will be kind enough to refuse to accompany us, I shall arrest
you, as I have been ordered to take you with me, as I have already told
you.” In a subsequent report I regretted this expression, explaining it
was not drawn from me until the Rajah, whom I knew to be disloyal, had
deliberately lied, and had delayed me for over an hour, as I believed
to give time for a proscribed Rebel to escape.
The Agent had been previously very kind to me, and in January had
written to the Viceroy, who proposed sending British troops into the
Narsinghghar District, “I assure you I believe the services of these
two officers, Lieutenants Bradford and Wood, will be of more avail in
restoring order than any number of English soldiers.” He had, moreover,
unknown to me, recommended me for the Victoria Cross for the attack
on the band by which I released Chemmun Singh. Nevertheless, he was
now much displeased with my conduct. He had recently reported the
District had settled down, the Native Princes as being generally loyal,
and on hearing that I had threatened the Rajah with arrest, wrote
that he was “certain I had acted without orders.” When he received
a copy of my instructions, he censured all concerned, pointing out
Narsinghghar was outside the Goona District, observing, “If Lieutenant
Wood had arrested the Rajah, he would probably have lost his life,
and have involved us in a petty but most inconvenient warfare.” I
resented the censure as unjust, and resigning my appointment, asked
to be allowed to leave Goona, when my successor could take over the
Regiment. Soldiers, including the Commander-in-Chief, Bombay, and Sir
Hugh Rose, Commander-in-Chief in India, supported me. The latter having
represented “Lieutenant Wood only did his duty in carrying out the
orders he received,” Lord Canning, the Viceroy, before I left India in
November, replied, “He would approve of Lieutenant Wood being again
employed under the Supreme Government.”
My former schoolfellow Bradford and I continued in turn the pursuit of
the brigands, but under considerable difficulties, as, except on the
hilltops, most of the country was under water. We marched in torrents
of rain for forty-eight hours, and my men and I were five and a half
hours in travelling 10 miles, the camels carrying my baggage falling
heavily. On the 25th I returned to Goona, which at that time abounded
with game, but unfortunately I had little or no leisure for sport: pigs
were plentiful around us. A wolf was killed in our Horse Lines at early
morning stables; I saw five tigers shot one day within 10 miles of
the Station, and had a herd of nilghai[89] within my skirmishers when
exercising the Regiment in extending order on our drill-ground.
We lost some men from cholera during the month of August, nearly all of
which I spent at Goona, Bradford going out to the jungles. This enabled
me to clear up the accounts of the Regiment, but my friend was no more
proof against the incessant work in jungles, which gave even our Native
servants repeated attacks of fever, than I had been, and the doctors
now proposed to send him to England for a change of air.
On the 15th I was galloping on a cart track to the Brigade-Major’s
office, when my pony, making suddenly for a short cut in high grass,
was unable to turn quick enough, and collided with a tree. I felt a
blow, and on recovering my senses saw my pony stretched on the ground
near me with his head the reverse way to which we were travelling.
On the tree there were three deep grooves cut, marking where my
shoulder, knee, and foot struck, but the pony must have been stunned
by falling on his head. My friend the Doctor was summoned, but though
personally fond of me, he disliked his profession; the first remark
made, “I suppose you are not hurt,” effectually closed my lips, and
I went on parade that evening and for a week with my arm in a sling,
only discovering two months later, when bathing with a Doctor in the
North-west Provinces, that my collar-bone had been broken, and the
bones had reunited one on top of the other.
Towards the end of September, Bradford being too unwell to remain in
the jungles, I went out after the bandits, and was caught for two days
in succession in heavy rain, which gave me fever, and impaired my
hearing still more than it had been. Early in October a Medical Board
ordered me to Calcutta to appear before a Presidency Board, with a view
to my going to England for a change of air. Shortly before I left the
Station a new Commandant[90] came to inspect the Regiment, and with his
permission, after I had exercised it, I handed over the command to Fyz
Ali Khan, who had less than four years’ service, but was one of the
best Native officers I had met. He worked the Regiment at the trot and
gallop without making any mistake, and was warmly commended. My friend
Burmadeen Singh was still a sergeant, for I was unwilling to infringe
my order requiring elementary education of all officers. He brought me
one evening a bag containing 350 rupees (£35). “What is this?” “Oh, the
money you lent me to purchase my Assamee, and as you are going away you
would doubtless like to take your money, and so my friends have lent it
to me.” “Please hold it until you can repay me by instalments, after
you have saved the money.” About twelve months later I received a draft
from a Bombay banker with a note from Burmadeen enclosing the first
instalment of £10. In returning it, I answered by asking him to accept
the price of the Assamee and horse as a present. My successor, Captain
Martin, who took over the command on the 4th October, endorsed my views
on education, and followed the system I had inaugurated; but at my
request he promoted Burmadeen Singh to be an officer, and he received
the 2nd Class Order of Merit for his gallantry on the 29th December
1859.
The Regiment owed the Government nearly £25,000 when I assumed command
on the 1st December 1859, and when my final account was passed a year
after I left Goona, my recommendation that £13,300 should be written
off was approved. The Government had given me a free hand as to
recovering or writing off the Public debt, and was satisfied with my
action in having got £12,200 back out of the £25,000 which had been
advanced when the Corps was raised.
I made a Record ride to Gwáliár, my messmates and the Native officers
of the Regiment having posted their horses for me on the road at
8-mile stages. Leaving Gwáliár in a mail cart, I was due at Dholpúr
at daylight; but owing to two accidents in the road we did not get
in until nearly noon, and although I had felt the sun, I imprudently
started again at four o’clock, getting a sunstroke when the sun was
going down. I came to my senses finding water being poured over my head
and neck; this revived me, but I was still so giddy that I could not
see the door of the bungalow, and my orderly who accompanied me to Agra
had to lead me to bed.
I left Dihlí, after a visit of two days, on the 3rd October, by Palki
Dak, passing through Mírath at night, and reached the foot of the
Himalayas at daylight on the 21st. As this mode of travelling must be
unknown to the present generation, I describe the vehicle, which may
be likened to a wooden bedstead having the outward appearance of a
coffin. The bottom of the couch was made of ropes, with four uprights
and connecting rods from which cloth or canvas walls were suspended.
The structure being slung on poles was carried by four men, ordinarily
relieved by four who ran alongside, and usually covered 5 miles an
hour. I paid for eight bearers, but the contractor sent me six, keeping
the payment for the other two in his own pocket, and moreover the first
stage, instead of being 14 miles, the usual distance, was 24 miles. The
fare from the foot of the Himalayas under Nynee Thal to Sítápúr, 190
miles, was £7, 10s. 10d., with the usual present of 1s. for each stage,
say £8 sterling.
I spent four pleasant days with the Lieutenant-Governor of the
North-west Provinces, Mr. George Edmonstone,[91] meeting Mr.
Couper, who was the cleverest man I saw in India. In talking of the
Narsinghgarh affair, Mr. Edmonstone observed, “Yes, you were censured;
but if it had occurred five years ago, Lord Dalhousie would have given
you an Army Order to yourself.”
On my journey from Gwáliár to the Himalayas, and Calcutta, I saw
several Irregular Cavalry Regiments, to the Commanding officers of
which letters had been written on my behalf. The systems varied in
all. In some, as Hodson’s Horse, the Horse Insurance Fund was 4000
rupees in credit, in others it was in debt, and in others again it did
not exist. Some Regiments were extraordinarily dressed with gaudy,
unsuitable clothes, and accoutrements made in London, in many cases
bad copies of the follies of the designers of our European uniform; in
others, and particularly the Jat Horse at Banáras, commanded by Major
Murray, which considered in all aspects was the most satisfactory I
saw, everything was provided on an economical yet satisfactory basis.
Káhnpúr saddles cost complete 34s., and the one uniform coat 16s. 6d.
I made the acquaintance of the Adjutant, Lieutenant Hennessy, under
somewhat unusual circumstances. I arrived at the Station an hour
before daylight, and knowing that Major Murray was married, asked for
the Adjutant’s bungalow, and was shown by the night-watchman into his
room. Hennessy was lying asleep, and his room being in darkness my
hand rested on his arm, the feel of which made me draw back in alarm,
for it was like a 7-inch hawser. While the servants were getting me
coffee, I induced him to tell me the story of the strange state of his
arm. He was covering a retreat in Oude, and being pressed heavily, the
Regiment charged, driving back the Rebels. Hennessy was returning from
the pursuit, his horse exhausted, when he passed a Rebel Captain, who
fired at him, and Hennessy drawing his pistol fired back. Neither shot
took effect, and the Captain ran at him so determinedly that Hennessy
had not time to draw his sword, but threw himself off, just escaping
the sword of his opponent. They then stood up, and fought in styles
characteristic of the East and West. Hennessy cut the Rebel three times
over the head and forehead, and had his arm snicked again and again,
until he was obliged to wield his sword with his left hand, while
his opponent had to keep his left hand up to his forehead to prevent
the blood running into his eyes. Eventually both were so exhausted
that they sat down to rest before renewing the fight, when some of
Hennessy’s men passing, in spite of his entreaties, speared his brave
foe.
I liked the Commanding officer much. If he had lived in these days,
he would not have troubled himself about the parade which was to come
off for Sir Hugh Rose, who was then on his way up country; but in 1860
there were many old-fashioned Generals, and the one in command had
had a rehearsal of every movement each Corps was to perform on the
following day, I sat up till past 2 a.m. hearing Murray say his
lessons, the explanations of nearly all the Cavalry Drill book, and as
I went to bed told him, “Well, I have heard you your lesson, but it
is labour thrown away; for you will see that Sir Hugh will upset this
arranged program before you have been five minutes on Parade.” And so
he did.
[Illustration: CENTRAL INDIA]
I called on the Commander-in-Chief next morning, and was received
with great kindness. In repeating what Lord Canning had replied to
his letter, that “he would approve of my being employed again under
the Supreme Government,” added, that he, Sir Hugh, would give me the
command of the first Cavalry Regiment that became vacant. He desired
me to attend him as Galloper next day, which I did, when everything
fell out as I had predicted to Major Murray; and the Chief animadverted
severely on much of what he saw. The Jat Horse, however, were praised
by him.
Leaving Calcutta on the 24th November, I got back to my father’s house
in Essex three days after Christmas, after an absence of rather more
than three years.