Starting from near Intwa on the 4th of January, we marched incessantly (with the exception of one day’s halt) to Alahabad. We arrived there on the 15th, so that with the exception of one day’s rest (on a Sunday) we had a consecutive ten days’ marching; doing 26 miles on one day and 18 on another. What was the reason for this hurry I could never understand. I suppose we were in fine condition, and not hampered with much baggage. We left our tent-stores and ammunition behind, and our guns were left with Sir Hope Grant. Lord Canning, I was pleased to find, was at Alahabad. He kindly allowed me to visit him, and I dined with him one evening during our stay. On the morning of the day of our departure His Excellency caused the following general orders to be read out to the Brigade:—
Alahabad, the 17th January 1859.
His Excellency the Viceroy and Governor-General cannot allow the officers and men forming the Naval Brigade of Her Majesty’s ship Pearl to pass through Alahabad on their return to their ship without expressing his acknowledgments of the excellent service they have rendered to the State.
Disembarked on the 12th of September 1857, they have for fifteen months formed a main part of the small force to which the security of the wide district of Gorruckpore, and of the country adjoining it, has been entrusted, and which has held during that time important advanced posts exposed to constant attack from the strongholds of the rebels.
The duty has been arduous and harassing; but it has been cheerfully and thoroughly performed, and the discipline of the Pearl’s brigade has been admirable. The Gazettes of the 9th and 23rd March, 27th April, 11th May, 22nd June, 6th and 13th July, 13th August, 12th and 19th October, 23rd and 26th November 1858, and 11th January 1859, have shown that when the Gorruckpore field force has been engaged the Brigade has signally distinguished itself.
The Governor-General cordially thanks Captain Sotheby, C.B., and his brave officers and men for the valuable assistance they have given to the army in Bengal, and he is glad to think that they do not quit the scene of their services without the satisfaction of seeing peace restored to the rich districts which they have protected.
R. J. H. Birch, Major General,
Secretary to the Government of India
with the Governor-General.
After this was read out a ringing cheer was sent up, and renewed again and again; knots of soldiers and civilians standing by joined in the general rejoicings. The bands played us down to our steamer, the Benares, and we left shortly afterwards on our way down the river. Here was a pleasant ending to all our work. The Governor-General was right in stating that “we left with the satisfaction of seeing peace restored.” It was indeed a proud moment to be told that: a reward to us to see that accomplished which we had done our best to bring about. I hope I may be excused for writing thus much. We had had very arduous work, fighting with a small force against vastly superior numbers, whatever they were made of. We never knew, especially in the early days of the Mutiny, what a day might bring forth: we might even find our whole force annihilated. We had very scanty information about the rebels, and often our spies were not to be trusted. The whole country was up in arms; villages were forsaken, either for fear of us or because they had joined the rebels; the incessant marching and countermarching, and entrenching our camp after a long day’s march in a hot climate, were no joke; and I felt very proud of our force, especially of the Brigade, so well commanded by Captain Sotheby.
The action of Amorrah had great effect on the mutineers in that part of India. It broke their spirit: so much so, that they never were able to mass in any large force afterwards, with the exception of that final stand at Toolsepore. The rebels as a rule fought badly; but there were occasions when we were hard put to it—not so much by the actual fighting as by the constant state of unrest into which they put us. Then, there was always the feeling that if retreat had been forced on us we should have nothing to fall back upon: neither position nor reinforcements. To me, a boy, it was naturally a most exciting and interesting period. Between sixteen and eighteen troubles and work do not seem to weigh heavily.
The Brigade had altogether twenty-six engagements with the rebels. I saw seventeen of them. The others I missed because of severe fever, or because I was left behind on camp guard. On one occasion during my illness, while we were on the line of march at night, our doolie-bearers and the spare horses endeavoured to make a short-cut to avoid the dust of the road on which the column was marching. As bad luck would have it, some rebels swooped down on us and stole several horses. Luckily, my doolie-bearers did not skiddaddle with the rest. A horse which was being led just in front of my doolie was captured; but I escaped, doolie and all. I was so ill that it would not have taken much to kill me.
It took from the 19th of January to the 2nd of February to make the trip back to the ship at Calcutta, where, on our arrival, they gave us a salute. Here we were fêted for a few days. Dinners and receptions were given in our honour, and the petty officers and men were entertained at the public expense.
Of my passage home in the Pearl there is nothing of much interest to relate. We touched at Madras; and at the Cape, and there I met with the heart-breaking news of my beloved mother’s death. Those who have known the depths of a mother’s love will be able to measure the terrible blow that then fell on me. She, the one in the world I longed to see again, to talk over with her the many adventures I had had since last we parted—she was gone.