It was with the most extreme concern that in our regimental orders of
the 22d instant we found a copy of a letter from you, by which we were
informed, that it had come to the knowledge of the officer commanding
the army, that conduct highly indecorous, and contrary to every
principle of military subordination, had been observed at the mess of
the Madras European regiment on the 7th instant. We beg leave to assure
you, for the information of Major-General Gowdie, that it appears to us
that the account he has received of the conduct of those officers, who
were present at the mess on that evening, must have been erroneous.
We cannot help lamenting that such a stigma on the character of so
numerous a body of officers as we form, should have been thus publicly
thrown out, before we had been furnished with a copy of the report
that has been made against us.
We have seen, with the deepest regret, two of our brother officers
punished, without being specifically informed what part of their
conduct at the regimental mess induced the officer commanding the army
to suppose them to have been guilty of the serious crime with which
they are charged; and we naturally feel considerable apprehension
lest "the whole corps should," in a similar manner, "be involved in
the severest penalty to which insubordinate proceedings are liable."
We trust, therefore, that you will state to Major-General Gowdie
our confident hope that he will have the goodness to direct us to
be furnished with a copy of the information which he has received
regarding the conduct observed at the mess on the night of the 7th
instant. When we receive this, we have no doubt of being able to
convince the officer commanding the army in chief, that the conduct
of those who were present on that occasion did by no means merit the
severe censure with which it has been marked.
Signed by all the Officers present with the regiment, except one,
to whom it was not presented.
Masulipatam,
27th May, 1809.
_Letter from Lieutenant-Colonel_ INNES _to the Adjutant-General
of the army_.