The heat we endured until we reached Delhi cannot be described. After that we got through the greater part of our day’s work by night; from hence we shall steam it, and complete a journey of 1300 odd miles.
Calcutta, 10th Sept. 1843.
I like my new master much, and with his Irish heart he appears readily to warm to me. He is very much delighted at my exertion to join, but I am cruelly worked just now, writing from four o’clock every morning till dark, then dinners, parties, balls, etc., so that even my aptitude to labour must fail if our Staff did not relieve me.
18th Jan. 1844, Gwalior.
My dearest Alice,
As I know my welfare is one of your leading stars, I tell you I am all well, and likely to be decorated with the Star of Gwalior!
Our Chief is a gallant fellow, but no genius as a tactician on strategic principles, but he licked the foe and took every gun (56), right well served and every gunner bayoneted at his gun; while the Division under General Grey on the same day beat the enemy opposed to him, several miles distant from us, and took every gun he had (25).
The devils before us had the most pluck, though, by far.
You had a brother and two nephews in the field. Hugh’s[270] regiment was the most distinguished with General Grey. Indeed, theirs was the brunt of the battle, and the youth behaved nobly, all his comrades say. Harry’s[271] corps was but little engaged, yet I saw the boy looking as cool as his usual placidity renders him. I had a most narrow escape. A cannon-shot contused my right leg and carried away my stirrup and leather, passing under the horse’s chest. The force of the ball against the stirrup nearly threw the horse on his side. I thought my leg was smashed, so benumbed was it, but it was not cut. I never got off, nor until I could move my toes upon a return of sensation was I aware that my leg was whole and my stirrup was gone; the very leg I was wounded in years ago. Thank God, though still black, it is all right now. My horse, a noble Arab,[272] which I rode all day (my other horses, of course, being out of the way), had two slight wounds besides his miraculous escape from various round shot.
Among a set in India, it is the façon de parler that India could be kept with Seapoys alone. He who says this is a fool. They could not keep it, though transferred to them by England’s best blood. There is on earth nothing equal to the “British soldier.”