Chapter II: Preface: To the First Edition

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I would never have ventured to intrude upon the public with my personal reminiscences had I not been urged to do so by friends who, being interested themselves in what I was able to tell them of India as my father knew it, and as I found it and left it, persuaded me that my experiences of the many and various aspects under which I have known the wonderful land of my adoption and its interesting peoples would be useful to my countrymen. It was thought that I might thus contribute towards a more intimate knowledge of the glorious heritage our forefathers have bequeathed to us, than the greater number of them possess, and towards helping them to understand the characteristics and requirements of the numerous and widely different races by whom India is inhabited.

It is difficult for people who know nothing of Natives to understand and appreciate the value they set on cherished customs, peculiar idiosyncrasies, and fixed prejudices, all of which must be carefully studied by those who are placed in the position of their Rulers, if the suzerain Power is to keep their respect and gain their gratitude and affection.

The Natives of India are particularly observant of character, and intelligent in gauging the capabilities of those who govern them; and it is because the English Government is trusted that a mere handful of Englishmen are able to direct the administration of a country with nearly three hundred millions of inhabitants, differing in race, religion, and manners of life. Throughout all the changes which India has undergone, political and social, during the present century, this feeling has been maintained, and it will last so long as the services are filled by honourable men who sympathize with the Natives, respect their prejudices, and do not interfere unnecessarily with their habits and customs.

My father and I spent between us nearly ninety years in India. The most wonderful of the many changes that took place during that time may be said to date from the Mutiny. I have endeavoured in the following pages to explain the causes which, I believe, brought about that terrible event--an event which for a while produced a much-to-be-regretted feeling of racial antagonism. Happily, this feeling did not last long; even when things looked blackest for us, it was softened by acts of kindness shown to Europeans in distress, and by the knowledge that, but for the assistance afforded by the Natives themselves, the restoration of order, and the suppression of a fierce military insurrection, would have been a far more arduous task. Delhi could not have been taken without Sikhs and Gurkhas; Lucknow could not have been defended without the Hindustani soldiers who so nobly responded to Sir Henry Lawrence's call; and nothing that Sir John Lawrence might have done could have prevented our losing, for a time, the whole of the country north of Calcutta, had not the men of the Punjab and the Derajat[*] remained true to our cause.

[Note *: Tracts beyond the Indus.]

It has been suggested that all outward signs of the Mutiny should be obliterated, that the monument on the Ridge at Delhi should be levelled, and the picturesque Residency at Lucknow allowed to fall into decay. This view does not commend itself to me. These relics of that tremendous struggle are memorials of heroic services performed by Her Majesty's soldiers, Native as well as British; and by the civilians who shared the duties and dangers of the army. They are valuable as reminders that we must never again allow ourselves to be lulled into fancied security; and above all, they stand as warnings that we should never do anything that can possibly be interpreted by the Natives into disregard for their various forms of religion.

The Mutiny was not an unmitigated evil, for to it we owe the consolidation of our power in India, as it hastened on the construction of the roads, railways, and telegraphs, so wisely and thoughtfully planned by the Marquis of Dalhousie, and which have done more than anything to increase the prosperity of the people and preserve order throughout the country. It was the Mutiny which brought Lord Canning into closer communication with the Princes of India, and paved the way for Lord Lytton's brilliant conception of the Imperial Assemblage--a great political success which laid the foundation of that feeling of confidence which now, happily, exists between the Ruling Chiefs and the Queen-Empress. And it was the Mutiny which compelled us to reorganize our Indian Army and make it the admirable fighting machine it now is.

In the account I have given of our relations with Afghanistan and the border tribes, I have endeavoured to bring before my readers the change of our position in India that has been the inevitable consequence of the propinquity upon our North-West Frontier of a first-class European Power. The change has come about so gradually, and has been so repeatedly pronounced to be chimerical by authorities in whom the people of Great Britain had every reason to feel confidence, that until recently it had attracted little public attention, and even now a great majority of my countrymen may scarcely have realized the probability of England and Russia ever being near enough to each other in Asia to come into actual conflict. I impute no blame to the Russians for their advance towards India. The force of circumstances--the inevitable result of the contact of civilization with barbarism--impelled them to cross the Jaxartes and extend their territories to the Khanates of Turkestan and the banks of the Oxus, just as the same uncontrollable force carried us across the Sutlej and extended our territories to the valley of the Indus. The object I have at heart is to make my fellow-subjects recognize that, under these altered conditions, Great Britain now occupies in Asia the position of a Continental Power, and that her interests in that part of the globe must be protected by Continental means of defence.

The few who have carefully and steadily watched the course of events, entertained no doubt from the first as to the soundness of these views; and their aim has always been, as mine is now, not to sound an alarm, but to give a warning, and to show the danger of shutting our eyes to plain facts and their probable consequences.

Whatever may be the future course of events, I have no fear of the result if we are only true to ourselves and to India. Thinking Natives thoroughly understand the situation; they believe that the time must come when the territories of Great Britain and Russia in their part of Asia will be separated only by a common boundary line, and they would consider that we were wanting in the most essential attributes of Rulers if we did not take all possible precautions, and make every possible preparation to meet such an eventuality.

I send out this book in the earnest hope that the friendly anticipations of those who advised me to write it may not be seriously disappointed; and that those who care to read a plain, unvarnished tale of Indian life and adventure, will bear in mind that the writer is a soldier, not a man of letters, and will therefore forgive all faults of style or language.

ROBERTS.

_30th September_, 1896.

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CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Voyage to India--Life in Calcutta--A destructive
cyclone--Home-sickness

CHAPTER II.

Bengal Horse Artillery--Incidents of the journey--New
Friends

CHAPTER III.

With my father at Peshawar--Peshawar in 1852--Excitements
of a frontier station--A flogging parade--Mackeson's
assassination--The Jowaki expedition--A strange dream--A
typical frontier fight

CHAPTER IV.

A trip to Khagan--The Vale of Kashmir--With the Horse
Artillery--My first visit to Simla--Life at Peshawar--A
staff appointment--The bump of locality

CHAPTER V.

Lord Dalhousie's Afghan policy
--Treaty with Dost Mahomed--War with Persia
--The advantage of the Amir's friendship
--John Nicholson
--'A pillar of strength on the frontier'

CHAPTER VI.

First tidings of the mutiny
--Prompt action at Peshawar--A bold policy
--The Movable Column--An annoying occurrence
--I leave Peshawar

CHAPTER VII.

First symptoms of disaffection
--Outbreak at Berhampur--Mangal Pandy
--Court-Martial at Meerut--Mutiny at Meerut
--The work of destruction--Want of energy
--Hugh Gough's experiences
--Nothing could arrest the mutiny

CHAPTER VIII.

General Anson--The news reaches Simla
--Anson loses no time--A long list of troubles
--John Lawrence--The Phulkian family
--Death of General Anson

CHAPTER IX.

John Lawrence's wise measures
--Disarmament at Peshawar
--Salutary effect in the valley

CHAPTER X.

Neville Chamberlain's presence of mind
--The command of the Column--Robert Montgomery
--Disarmament at Mian Mir
--A Drum-Head Court-Martial--Swift retribution

CHAPTER XI.

Ferozepore--Crawford Chamberlain at Multan
--Chamberlain's masterly conduct
--Nicholson succeeds Neville Chamberlain
--Irresolution at Jullundur--General Mehtab Sing
--Nicholson's soldierly instincts
--More disarmaments

CHAPTER XII.

George Ricketts at Ludhiana--Pushing on to Delhi
--In the camp before Delhi

CHAPTER XIII.

The first victory--Enthusiasm amongst the troops
--Barnard's success at Badli-ki-Serai
--The Flagstaff Tower--Position on the Ridge
--Quintin Battye--The gallant little Gurkhas
--Proposed assault--The besiegers besieged
--Hard fighting--The centenary of Plassy

CHAPTER XIV.

A new appointment

CHAPTER XV.

Reinforcements begin to arrive
--An assault again proposed--The attack on Alipur
--Death of General Barnard
--General Reed assumes command
--Two V.C.'s--Treachery in camp
--Fighting close up to the city walls
--Sufferings of the sick and wounded
--General Reed's health fails

CHAPTER XVI.

Archdale Wilson assumes command
--Enemy baffled in the Sabzi Mandi
--Efforts to exterminate the Feringhis
--A letter from General Havelock
--News of Henry Lawrence's death
--Arrival of the Movable Column
--The 61st Foot at Najafgarh

CHAPTER XVII.

Wilson's difficulties--Nicholson's resolve
--Arrangements for the assault
--Construction of breaching batteries
--Nicholson expresses his satisfaction
--Orders for the assault issued
--Composition of the attacking columns

CHAPTER XVIII.

Delhi stormed--The scene at the Kashmir Gate
--Bold front by Artillery and Cavalry
--Nicholson wounded--The last I saw of Nicholson
--Wilson wavers--Holding on to the walls of Delhi

CHAPTER XIX.

Capture of the Burn bastion
--The 60th Rifles storm the palace
--Hodson captures the King of Delhi
--Nicholson's death--Gallantry of the troops
--Praise from Lord Canning

CHAPTER XX.

Necessity for further action--Departure from Delhi
--Action at Bulandshahr--Lieutenant Home's death
--Knights-errant--Fight at Aligarh
--Appeals from Agra--Collapse of the administration
--Taken by surprise--The fight at Agra
--An exciting chase--The Taj Mahal

CHAPTER XXI.

Infatuation of the authorities at Agra
--A series of Mishaps
--Result of indecision and incapacity

CHAPTER XXII.

Advantage of being a good horseman--News from Lucknow
--Cawnpore--Heart-rending scenes--Start for Lucknow
--An exciting Adventure
--Arrival of Sir Colin Campbell
--Plans for the advance

CHAPTER XXIII.

Sir Colin's preparations--The Alambagh
--The Dilkusha and Martinière--Mayne's death
--A tall-talk story--Ammunition required
--A night march--The advance on Lucknow
--Sir Colin wounded--The attack on the Sikandarbagh
--Heroic deeds--The 4th Punjab Infantry

CHAPTER XXIV.

Henry Norman--The Shah Najaf--The mess-house
--Planting the flag--A memorable meeting
--The Residency

CHAPTER XXV.

Sir Colin's wise decision--Robert Napier
--Impressions on visiting the Residency
--Henry Lawrence--Lawrence as Statesman and Ruler
--Lawrence's friendliness for Natives
--A hazardous duty

CHAPTER XXVI.

Death of General Havelock--Appeals from Cawnpore
--General Windham--The passage of the Ganges

CHAPTER XXVII.

The fight at Cawnpore--Unexpected visitors
--A long chase--Unjur Tiwari--Bithur
--Windham at Cawnpore

CHAPTER XXVIII.

The Fight at Khudaganj--A mêlée--Oudh or Rohilkand?

CHAPTER XXIX.

Mianganj--Curious effect of a mirage
--The Dilkusha revisited--Passage of the Gumti
--Capture of the Chakar Kothi
--Capture of the iron bridge--Hodson mortally wounded
--Outram's soldierly instinct--A lost opportunity
--Sam Browne--Start for England
--Death of Sir William Peel

CHAPTER XXX.

What brought about the Mutiny?
--Religious fears of the people--The land question
--The annexation of Oudh
--Fulfilment of Malcolm's prophecy
--The Delhi royal family--The Nana Sahib
--The Native army--Greased cartridges
--Limited number of British troops
--Objection to foreign service
--Excessive age of the British officers

CHAPTER XXXI.

Discontent of the Natives--Successful administrators
--Paternal despotism--Money-lenders and the Press
--Faddists--Cardinal points

CHAPTER XXXII.

Home again--Back in India--Allahabad and Cawnpore
--The Viceroy's camp--State entry into Lucknow
--The Talukdars of Oudh--Loyalty of the Talukdars
--Cawnpore and Fatehgarh--The Agra Durbar

CHAPTER XXXIII.

Delhi under a different aspect--Lord Clyde
--Umritsar and Lahore--The Lahore Durbar
--Simla--Life at Simla

CHAPTER XXXIV.

The Staff Corps--With the Viceroy's camp again
--The marble rocks--Lady Canning's death
--Pig-sticking at Jamu--Lord Canning
--Another cold-weather march--Gwalior and Jhansi
--Departmental promotion

CHAPTER XXXV.

The Umbeyla expedition--The Akhund of Swat
--The 'Eagle's Nest' and 'Crag piquet'
--The death of Lord Elgin
--Loyalty of our Pathan soldiers
--Bunerwals show signs of submission
--The conical hill--Umbeyla in flames
--Bunerwals agree to our terms--Malka destroyed

CHAPTER XXXVI.

A voyage round the Cape--Cholera camps
--The Abyssinian expedition--Landed at Zula

CHAPTER XXXVII.

Sir Robert Napier to command--Defective transport
--King Theodore commits suicide--First A.Q.M.G.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

Afzal Khan ousts Sher Ali
--Sher Ali regains the Amirship
--Foresight of Sir Henry Rawlinson
--The Umballa Durbar

CHAPTER XXXIX.

The Lushais--The Lushai expedition
--Defective transport again
--Practice _versus_ theory--A severe march
--Lushais foiled by Gurkhas
--A successful turning movement--Murder of Lord Mayo

CHAPTER XL.

Lord Napier's care for the soldier
--Negotiations with Sher Ali renewed
--Sher Ali's demands

CHAPTER XLI.

A trip in the Himalayas--The famine in Behar
--The Prince of Wales in India
--Farewell to Lord Napier

CHAPTER XLII.

Lord Lytton becomes Viceroy
--Difficulties with Sher Ali
--Imperial assemblage at Delhi
--Reception of the Ruling Chiefs
--Queen proclaimed Empress of India
--Political importance of the assemblage
--Sher Ali proclaims a 'Jahad'
--A journey under difficulties

CHAPTER XLIII.

Object of the first Afghan war
--Excitement caused by Russia's advances

CHAPTER XLIV.

Effect of the Berlin Treaty at Kabul
--Sher Ali decides against England
--A meeting of portentous moment
--Preparations for war--Letter from Sher Ali

CHAPTER XLV.

Shortcomings of my column
--Attitude of the Border tribes

CHAPTER XLVI.

The Kuram valley--Conflicting news of the enemy
--An apparently impregnable position
--Spingawi route decided on--Disposition of the force
--A night attack--Advantages of a night attack
--Devotion of my orderlies
--Threatening the enemy's rear--The Peiwar Kotal

CHAPTER XLVII.

Alikhel--Treachery of the tribesmen
--Transport difficulties
--Sher Ali looks to Russia for aid
--Khost--An attack on our camp
--An unsuccessful experiment
--An unpleasant incident--Punjab Chiefs' Contingent

CHAPTER XLVIII.

Sher Ali's death--Premature negotiations
--The treaty of Gandamak
--Making friends with the tribesmen
--Gloomy forebodings--Good-bye to Cavagnari

CHAPTER XLIX.

Massacre of the Embassy--The Kabul Field Force
--Lord Lytton's foresightedness--Start for Kabul
--Letter to the Amir
--Proclamation to the people of Kabul
--Yakub Khan's agents
--Reasons for remaining at Alikhel

CHAPTER L.

Hector Macdonald and Sher Mahomed--Yakub Khan
--A Proclamation and an Order
--The _maliks_ of Logar--Attack on the Shutargardan
--Reconnoitring roads leading to Kabul

CHAPTER LI.

The Afghan position--The fight at Charasia
--Highlanders, Gurkhas, and Punjabis
--Defeat of the Afghans--Kabul in sight
--Deh-i-Mazang gorge--The enemy give us the slip

CHAPTER LII.

Guiding instructions--Visit to the Bala Hissar
--Yakub Khan abdicates--The Proclamation
--Administrative measures
--Explosions in the Bala Hissar

CHAPTER LIII.

Afghans afraid to befriend us--Kabul Russianized
--Yakub Khan's abdication accepted
--State treasury taken over

CHAPTER LIV.

The amnesty Proclamation
--Strength of the Kabul Field Force
--Yakub Khan despatched to India

CHAPTER LV.

Political situation at Kabul
--Serious trouble ahead
--Macpherson attacks the Kohistanis
--Combined movements--The uncertainty of war
--The fight in the Chardeh valley--Forced to retire
--Padre Adams earns the V.C.
--Macpherson's column arrives
--The captured guns recovered--Melancholy reflections

CHAPTER LVI.

Attack on the Takht-i-Shah
--City people join the tribesmen
--Increasing numbers of the enemy
--Loss of the conical hill
--Captain Vousden's gallantry
--The retirement to Sherpur

CHAPTER LVII.

Sherpur--Defence of Sherpur--Arrest of Daud Shah
--Rumours of an assault--Attack and counter-attack
--Communication with India re-opened
--Sherpur made safe

CHAPTER LVIII.

Two important questions--A Ruler required
--News of Abdur Rahman Khan
--Abdur Rahman in Afghan-Turkestan
--Overtures made to Abdur Rahman

CHAPTER LIX.

Jenkins attacked near Charasia
--Sir Donald Stewart reaches Kabul
--Difficulties with Abdur Rahman
--Abdur Rahman proclaimed Amir

CHAPTER LX.

Affairs at Kandahar--The Maiwand disaster
--Relief from Kabul suggested
--A force ordered from Kabul
--Preparations for the march
--The Kabul-Kandahar Field Force
--Commissariat and Transport

CHAPTER LXI.

The order of marching--Ghazni and Kelat-i-Ghilzai
--Food required daily for the force
--A letter from General Phayre--Kandahar
--Reconnoitring the enemy's position
--A turning movement

CHAPTER LXII.

Commencement of the fight
--72nd Highlanders and 2nd Sikhs
--92nd Highlanders and 2nd Gurkhas
--Ayub Khan's camp--Difficulties about supplies
--Parting with the troops--A pleasing memory

CHAPTER LXIII.

Reception in England--A fruitless journey
--Andaman Isles and Burma--The Madras Army
--Measures for improving the Madras Army
--Memories of Madras--An allegory

CHAPTER LXIV.

Disturbing action of Russia--Abdur Rahman Khan
--The Rawal Pindi Durbar
--Unmistakable loyalty of the Natives

CHAPTER LXV.

The Burma expedition--The Camp of Exercise at Delhi
--Defence of the North-West Frontier
--Quetta and Peshawar
--Communications _versus_ fortifications
--Sir George Chesney

CHAPTER LXVI.

Nursing for the soldier
--Pacification of Burma considered
--Measures recommended
--The Buddhist priesthood
--The Regimental Institute
--The Army Temperance Association

CHAPTER LXVII.

Defence and Mobilization Committees
--The Transport Department
--Utilization of Native States' armies
--Marquis of Lansdowne becomes Viceroy
--Rajputana and Kashmir
--Musketry instruction
--Artillery and Cavalry training

CHAPTER LXVIII.

Extension of command
--Efficiency of the Native Army
--Concessions to the Native Army
--Officering of the Native Army
--The Hunza-Naga campaign
--Visit to Nepal--A Nepalese entertainment
--Proposed mission to the Amir
--A last tour--Farewell entertainments
--Last days in India