(_Supplementary._)
HONOURS AND REWARDS, AND KNITTING OF OLD FRIENDSHIPS.
The news of the victory of Aliwal reached London on 23rd March.[149] It
brought a sense of immense relief to the public mind, which had been
as much disturbed as elated by the costly struggles of Moodkee and
Ferozeshah. The relief was the greater inasmuch as exaggerated reports
had already been received of Sir Harry Smith’s rencontre with the Sikhs
at Budhowal and the loss of part of his baggage. It was at once decided
that the thanks of Parliament should be offered to the victorious
General and his gallant army—and although a few days later came the
news of the crowning victory of Sobraon, it was not allowed to affect
the determination which had been arrived at. The victors of Aliwal were
still to receive a special vote of their own.
None were so delighted at the news of Harry Smith’s victory as the old
Peninsular friends who had watched his career from the beginning,
and while they loved the man, marked in him that military genius and
gallantry which must bring him to the front if only fortune gave him
his chance. At last the chance had come, and he had seized it according
to their utmost hopes.
Captain Kincaid wrote on the 24th March to Mrs. Sargant—
“I congratulate you most heartily on the brilliant success of your
gallant brother, who has nobly vindicated the opinion entertained of
him by every one who has had the opportunity of judging of his rare
professional qualities, for he is one of Nature’s generals. History
will no doubt do justice to his merits. The previous battles were won
by the bulldog courage of the soldier, with the consequent unnecessary
sacrifice of human life; here is a great victory, gained over superior
numbers with comparatively little loss—the judicious proceedings
throughout stamping it as a general’s, and not a soldier’s,
victory.”[150]
Sir James Kempt, the revered friend with whom Harry Smith had kept up
a monthly correspondence from India, wrote in similar terms—
“You may well be proud, my dear Mrs. Sargant, of having such a brother
as Harry Smith.... I have read many details of battles with real
pleasure, but I felt something more than pleasure, I felt the highest
gratification and delight in reading Harry’s admirable dispatch. It
is spoken of by every one whom I have seen in terms of the highest
praise.”[151]
The _Times_ of 25th March, after speaking of Sir Harry’s avoiding
battle at Budhowal, continues—
“The judgment and caution of General Smith on this occasion may be
advantageously contrasted with the headlong and indiscriminating
valour which hurried our troops into the frightful conflicts of
Moodkee and Ferozeshah. In these actions it may literally be affirmed
that Sir Hugh Gough had never seen the enemy until he was in the heat
of action. The Sikh position had not been reconnoitred; the strength
of the Sikh army was unknown.[152]... Sir H. Smith’s action at
Ulleewal is exposed to none of these animadversions.”
The Aliwal dispatch in particular,[153] excited unbounded admiration.
Sir Robert Peel said of it, “The hand that held the pen used it with
the same success with which it wielded the sword.” And Thackeray’s
praise of it in the _Book of Snobs_ is a proof that it appealed to
a master of literary craft no less powerfully than it appealed to a
statesman:
“Let those civilians who sneer at the acquirements of the army read
Sir Harry Smith’s account of the Battle of Aliwal. A noble deed was
never told in nobler language.”
After referring to Sir Henry Hardinge’s conduct at Ferozeshah,
Thackeray continues—
“No, no; the men who perform these deeds with such brilliant valour
and describe them with such modest manliness, _such_ are not Snobs.
The country admires them, their Sovereign rewards them, and _Punch_,
the universal railer, takes off his hat and says, ‘Heaven save
them.’”[154]
On the evening of April 2nd the thanks of both Houses were given
unanimously by separate resolutions to the victors of Aliwal and
Sobraon. In the House of Lords Sir Harry Smith received, to quote the
_Times_, an “unreserved panegyric”[155] from his worshipped master in
warfare, the Duke of Wellington. It cannot be doubted that the proudest
moment of Harry Smith’s life was that in which he read these words of
one so sparing of praise. Some of them were in later days inscribed on
his tomb.
“The distant points of the frontier were threatened; Loodiana was
threatened—I believe it was even attacked, and the cantonments
were burned; and then it was that Sir Harry Smith was sent with a
detachment of troops towards Loodiana, taking possession of various
points on his road—Durrumkote and other places, of which the enemy had
taken possession by bodies of troops which had crossed the Sutlej.
And I beg your Lordships to observe that, when Sir Harry Smith was
sent, he had three objects in view: one to give security to the post
at Loodiana, already reinforced by the arrival there of General
Godby after the battle; the others to keep up his communications
with the rear by the town of Busseean, a point of great strength and
importance, with a view to the communication between Ferozepore and
Loodiana, in the front line, and Ferozepore and Delhi in the rear,
the point from which the heavy train and the means of carrying on
the siege in the ultimate operations were to come. These must have
passed between twenty and thirty miles of the enemy, while the main
body of the army at Ferozepore was not less distant than fifty. These
were the objects, to secure which Sir Harry Smith was detached from
the army. He marched upon Loodiana, and communicated with the British
commander there, who endeavoured to move out to his assistance.
While he was engaged with the enemy on this march, which he made in
order to perform a part of his instructions—namely, to maintain the
communication with Loodiana, they came out from the entrenched camp
and carried off his baggage. I desire to explain that, because it was
the only check which the gallant officer met with throughout the whole
of this operation, and in fact it is the only misfortune, trifling as
it is, which has happened during the whole operations that have taken
place in that part of the country. This loss of the baggage, such as
it is, has been written up as a great misfortune; but, in point of
fact, it could not be otherwise. He was obliged to march within sight
of the entrenched camp, from which the enemy had an opportunity of
attacking him on his march. I beg your Lordships to observe that Sir
Harry Smith had not only to secure his communication with Loodiana,
but likewise to secure his junction with General Wheeler, who, alone,
was not able to contend against the enemy. He performed all those
objects, was joined by General Wheeler, and then moved on to attack
the new position which the enemy had taken up near the river. And, my
Lords, I will say upon this, I have read the account of many a battle,
but I never read the account of one in which more ability, energy,
and experience have been manifested than in this. I know of no one in
which an officer ever showed himself more capable than this officer
has in commanding troops in the field. He brought every description
of troops to bear, with all arms in the position in which they were
most capable of rendering service; the nicest manœuvres were performed
under the fire of the enemy with the utmost precision, and at the
same time with an energy and gallantry on the part of the troops
never surpassed on any occasion whatever in any part of the world. I
must say of this officer, that I never have seen any account which
manifests more plainly than his does, that he is an officer capable
of rendering the most important services, and of ultimately being an
honour to this country.”
Lord Hotham, who had himself served under the Duke, said that Sir Harry
Smith had had the advantage of seeing an extent of service which it had
been the fortune of few to witness; but besides, he had the natural
advantages of a remarkably quick conception, unceasing activity, the
most ardent zeal and devotion, and the most undaunted resolution.
In the House of Commons Sir Robert Peel moved the vote, with a recital
of Sir Harry’s many services to his country—
“Of the battle itself I will not speak; the victory was complete,
and it has been so admirably described by the illustrious commander,
that I will not weaken the effect of his narrative. And what, let me
ask, have been the services of this gallant officer? These recent
events have given new lustre to his glory; but he was at the capture
of Monte Video—at the attack upon Buenos Ayres; he served during the
Peninsular War, from the battle of Vimeira to that of Corunna. He was
then wounded in another action, but he was at the battles of Sabugal
and Fuentes d’Onor and the sieges of Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajos,
at the battles of Salamanca, Vittoria, Orthes, the Pyrenees, and
Toulouse. He was at Washington and at New Orleans, and finally he
was at Waterloo. What a series of noble services, and how rejoiced I
am that there should be an opportunity, through this new and signal
victory, of bringing before the gladdened eyes of a grateful country
a long life of military exertion, and an unbroken series of military
honours! After he had achieved that success for which we are about to
give him our special thanks—after he had driven back the enemy across
the Sutlej, he instantly returned to rejoin his commanding officer,
Sir Hugh Gough. He arrived on the 8th, two days before the decisive
victory gained by the forces under Sir Hugh Gough and Sir Henry
Hardinge. But for his services in the victory of the 28th of January,
I propose that there should be a distinct and separate vote—distinct
and separate from that which I shall recommend for that not more
glorious, though perhaps more important achievement accomplished at a
later date by the whole British army.”
Sir De Lacy Evans, an old friend,[156] took occasion to defend Sir
Harry from the unfounded notion that he had suffered any sort of
reverse at Budhowal.
On the 4th April Sir Robert Peel wrote to inform Sir Harry Smith that,
on his recommendation, the Queen had bestowed on him a Baronetcy of the
United Kingdom. To the title were appended, as a special distinction,
the words “of Aliwal.”[157] At the same time Sir Henry Hardinge and Sir
Hugh Gough were raised to the peerage as Viscount Hardinge and Baron
Gough. While, however, Viscount Hardinge was further granted an annual
sum of £3000, and Lord Gough one of £2000, in each case for three
lives, no such material reward was given to Sir Harry Smith.
On April 6th Sir Harry was appointed a Major-General on the staff
of the army in the East Indies, _vice_ Sir R. H. Dick killed in
action; and on the 7th Prince Albert and the Duke of Wellington
wrote separately to acquaint him that the Queen had approved of his
appointment to be a Knight Grand Cross of the Bath.
On April 2nd the General Court of the East India Company echoed the
thanks already passed by the Board of Directors; and on April 6th the
Court of Common Council of the City of London voted to Sir Harry Smith,
along with Sir Henry Hardinge and Sir Hugh Gough, their thanks and
congratulations and the freedom of the city. The Council of the Borough
of Liverpool passed resolutions of thanks on the same day.
Let us now turn to the recipient of these honours.
On 20th May Sir Harry Smith wrote to Sir Robert Peel to express his
gratitude to Her Majesty for the baronetcy conferred upon him and to
the House of Commons and Sir Robert himself for the honour paid him in
that assembly. He could not forbear adding—
“I have been fortunate indeed to be reared in the military school of
our great Duke. To meet His Grace’s unqualified approbation in the
face of the world is an honour, I must admit, I have ever contended
for, but never hoped to have thus realized.”
A week later he sent his thanks to the Duke himself, and also assured
him “how grateful I and Juana, my Spanish wife, are, for the messages
sent us.”
On 16th June he wrote from Simla to his old Peninsular friend, Major
George Simmons[158]—
“I have received,” he says, “since the battle of Aliwal, more than
150 letters of heartfelt gratification.... From every old General I
have served with left to us, from every old comrade of the Light and
4th Divisions, have I received every expression of their approbation,
their happiness in my having realized their often-expressed
anticipations. Your old friend Juana’s good sense, which you so
kindly give her credit for, keeps pace with her delight in all the
congratulations of our friends. Then, George, comes the encomium of
the Duke. Dear old Master, if I have done that which meets _your_
approbation, then is the cup of glory full indeed, for it is to your
example I have desired to apply any share of ability bestowed upon me.
I have had, too, from him the kindest messages, and to his old friend
Juanita, as he still calls her.... I have had a letter from Joe, who
tells me your happiness was such that your nerves so thrilled through
your desperate old wounds as to make you quite ill.... I begin to long
to get once more to my native land; mine has been an awful banishment.
I do so long to seize by the hand all those old friends who have so
adhered to me notwithstanding my absence, and who thus so kindly
feel my success and honours _their own_.... Our old dear and mutual
friends, Sirs Kempt, Barnard, and Lord F. Somerset, have written in
most enthusiastic terms.”
To another old friend, Mr. Justice Menzies[159] of the Cape, he writes
on 26th June. After recounting the story of the campaign, he tells of
his coming movements—
“I and Juana start _dak_ in the month of July for Cawnpore, my
division. She will leave the hills before cold, contrary to sense, but
in strict usage, with her unvaried attachment.”
After the significant statement, “I am out of debt,” he signs himself—
“one who, if affection can make him so, is worthy of your faithful
friendship, hot-headed Harry Smith.”
The following letters explain themselves:—
“To Lieutenant-General Sir Andrew Barnard, G.C.B., K.C.H.,
“Colonel 1st Battalion Rifle Brigade.
“Cawnpore, India, 29th July, 1846.
“Sir,
“The honorary distinctions recently conferred upon me by our gracious
Queen enable me to take supporters to my family arms. I have the
honour, therefore, to acquaint you, and to request you to be so
good as to make it known to my gallant comrades, the Rifle Brigade,
both 1st and 2nd Battalions—having served with each Battalion from
the storm and capture of Monte Video [through] the whole of the
Peninsular War, and the crowning Battle of Waterloo—I have adopted
a soldier of the Rifle Brigade, a ‘Rifleman:’ and out of respect to
that immortal Light Division, of which the Rifle Brigade and 52nd
Light Infantry formed for so many eventful years the 2nd Brigade,
in which I was the Major of Brigade at the many affairs and battles
this Brigade was so distinguished in, the Coa, Pombal, Foz d’Aruz,
Sabugal, Fuentes d’Onoro, siege, storm, and capture of Ciudad Rodrigo
and of Badajos, Salamanca, San Millan, Vittoria, the heights of
Vera, Irun, crossing the Bidassoa, Nivelle, Nive, many affairs near
Bayonne, Tarbes, Orthes, and Toulouse, involving many days’ sharp
fighting with each named battle, and as no officer in the army has
posted so many outlying picquets of this Brigade as I have, and as I
am indebted to it and the great school of the immortal Wellington for
whatever knowledge of my profession I may have acquired, by which my
most fortunate career has so prospered, I beg the support to my arms
of a soldier of the 52nd Light Infantry and a Rifleman in token of my
veneration for their Corps and as a connecting link of former times
with my present fortune. I have, etc.
“H. G. Smith,
“Major-General.”
“To Major-General Sir Edward Gibbs, K.C.B.,
“Colonel 52nd Light Infantry.
“Cawnpore, India, 29th July, 1846.
“Sir,
“The honorary distinctions recently conferred upon me by our gracious
Queen, enable me to take supporters to my family arms. I have,
therefore, the honour to acquaint you and to request you would make it
known to my gallant comrades, the 52nd Light Infantry, that in full
remembrance of the period I was Major of Brigade to the 2nd Brigade
of the immortal Light Division, of which the 52nd formed so prominent
and distinguished a part, involving the glorious contests of the
Peninsular War; I have adopted a soldier of the 52nd Light Infantry
and a ‘Rifleman’—my own regiment. The many affairs and battles the
brigade so nobly fought in (no man better knows than yourself) include
the Coa, Pombal, Foz d’Aruz, Sabugal, Fuentes d’Onoro; siege, storm,
and capture of Ciudad Rodrigo; siege, storm, and capture of Badajos,
where you lost an eye, as my brigadier; Salamanca, San Munos, San
Millan, Vittoria, the heights of Vera, that most irresistible attack,
although on a fortified mountain; Irun, the crossing of the Bidassoa,
Nivelle, Nive, the many affairs near Bayonne, Tarbes, Orthes, and
Toulouse, with the numerous skirmishes each of these actions entailed
upon light troops. To this Brigade and to the great school of the
illustrious Duke of Wellington am I indebted for that knowledge of
my profession which has led to my personal aggrandisement, and which
has lately acquired me the approbation of the Queen, the Duke of
Wellington, and an expression of thanks from my grateful country. I
pray you, therefore, Sir Edward Gibbs, and the 52nd Light Infantry,
to give me that credit for the feeling of a grateful comrade I desire
to demonstrate, and that you and this renowned corps may regard me as
not unworthy to take a soldier out of your ranks to support me, in
conjunction with their brother-in-arms, a Rifleman, and as the means
in declining life of remembering the gallant Regiment who taught me to
fight for my country. I have, etc.,
“H. G. Smith,
“Major-General.”
In the autumn at Simla Sir Harry Smith was invested with the Grand
Cross of the Bath by the Governor-General, Lord Hardinge. In the
speech he made on this occasion, he exhorted young soldiers to draw
encouragement from his career—
“In 1805, now 41 years ago, I entered the army, one of a family of six
sons and five daughters. I had two brothers in the hottest part of
the battle of Waterloo, and as your Lordship kindly asserted, I may,
with humility, affirm, I have fought my way through the four quarters
of the globe to my present elevated position, unaided by the power of
aristocracy or the influence of wealth. I cite this as an example to
my younger comrades that in our free and unrivalled constitution, the
paths of ambition are open to all.”
On 18th January, 1847, he was appointed Colonel of the 47th Foot, but
was transferred on 16th April to the command of the 2nd Battalion of
his old Regiment, the Rifle Brigade, vacant by the death of Sir D. L.
Gilmour.
In the letter written to Major Simmons on 16th June Sir Harry Smith
had said, “I wonder if Charley Beckwith ever bestows a thought on me
whom he once loved as a brother.” In the course of the autumn came a
charming letter from that noble man,[160] and henceforth the flame of
friendship burnt brightly till both gallant souls had passed away.
“La Tour, Turin, 26th September, 1846.
“My Dear Harry,
“The noise of the guns at Aliwal and Sobraon having died away in the
echoes of the Himalaya, and the éclat and movement of those brilliant
days having melted into the calmer atmosphere of ordinary life, I have
good hopes that the handwriting of one who has never faltered for one
moment in the deep feeling of respect and affection which he will
cherish to his dying day for all his old companions in arms, will not
be unwelcome.
“From the hour in which I saw your name associated with the army
of the Sutlej, you may imagine how carefully I followed all your
movements, how I rejoiced in your success, how anxious I felt in the
usual intervals of doubt and trial.
“I laughed heartily when you lost your baggage, I knew full well
the hearty damns that you sent after Sikhs, coolies, syces, and the
whole rabble rout; saw your keen face as you galloped on the sand,
and admired the cool close order of your movements in the teeth of an
enemy who held-in his very breath in anxious doubt and dread whether
he should dare to touch you; saw the noble array of your clear decided
movement of Aliwal, and went along with you pell-mell as you drove
your enemy headlong into the waters of the Sutlej; triumphed in the
crowning efforts of a long soldier’s life, formed in the school of
true science, common sense, and right-hearted action, and felt a
secret pride that I had been formed in the same school and was able to
estimate such men as Hardinge and Harry Smith. But what did Juana do
in all this row? Was she on horseback abaxo de los cañonaços? Give my
kind love to her and kiss her for me.
“Many years have now gone by, and our outward frames are but the
shadows of what they were, but my mind continues of the same sort.
Character never loses its indelible stamp. Thin and black, my hair
is not yet gray, and you would yet be able to recognize the Charley
Beckwith of the Light Division.... The last enemy has done his worst
on very many of our Peninsular companions. Sir Andrew and some
Riflemen still remain to dine together sometimes in Albemarle Street.
Charley Rowan is letter A, No. 1. Old Duffy regulates the Club,
Johnny Bell cultivates dahlias at Staines, Will Napier misgoverns the
Guernseymen, Johnny Kincaid regulates the secrets of a prison-house,
Jonathan Leach writes histories; thus each labours in his vocation,
and has still a conceit left him in his misery. The chronicle of the
out-pensioners of Chelsea is more spirit-stirring in its former than
in its latter day.... Adieu, Harry, and believe me that you may always
depend on the affection of
“Your old friend,
“Charles Beckwith.”[161]
Harry Smith was raised on 27th February, 1847, to the full rank of
Major-General, dating from 9th November, 1846. He received a further
gratification in an address from his native town, Whittlesey, which had
been prepared by the Rev. G. Burgess, his old schoolmaster, then in his
82nd year. His reply evinced that warm attachment to his birthplace
and native land which had been shown in so many of his private letters
during his long exile. At length he was to see them again. Already in
November, 1846, he had told his sister that he had taken his passage
in a steamer which was to leave Calcutta in the middle of March, and
that he would not “go mooning about the continent,” but “come straight
home.” He sailed as he had said, and reached Southampton after eighteen
years’ absence from his native land on 29th April, 1847.