CONTENTS

CHAPTER I Voyage to India—Life in Calcutta—A destructive cyclone—Home-sickness PAGE 1

CHAPTER II Bengal Horse Artillery—Incidents of the journey—New Friends 6

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 9

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 19

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' 27

CHAPTER VI First tidings of the mutiny—Prompt action at Peshawar—A bold policy—The Movable Column—An annoying occurrence—I leave Peshawar 34

[page xii] 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 40

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 50

CHAPTER IX John Lawrence's wise measures—Disarmament at Peshawar—Salutary effect in the valley 58

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 62

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 69

CHAPTER XII George Ricketts at Ludhiana—Pushing on to Delhi—In the camp before Delhi 78

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 82

CHAPTER XIV A new appointment 96

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 97

[page xiii] 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 108

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 116

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 125

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 133

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 140

CHAPTER XXI Infatuation of the authorities at Agra—A series of Mishaps—Result of indecision and incapacity 154

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 158

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 169

CHAPTER XXIV Henry Norman—The Shah Najaf—The mess-house—Planting the flag—A memorable meeting—The Residency 183

[page xiv] 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 190

CHAPTER XXVI Death of General Havelock—Appeals from Cawnpore—General Windham—The passage of the Ganges 198

CHAPTER XXVII The fight at Cawnpore—Unexpected visitors—A long chase—Unjur Tiwari—Bithur—Windham at Cawnpore 204

CHAPTER XXVIII The Fight at Khudaganj—A mêlée—Oudh or Rohilkand? 212

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 216

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 231

CHAPTER XXXI Discontent of the Natives—Successful administrators—Paternal despotism—Money-lenders and the Press—Faddists—Cardinal points 245

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 251

CHAPTER XXXIII Delhi under a different aspect—Lord Clyde—Umritsar and Lahore—The Lahore Durbar—Simla—Life at Simla 262

[page xv] 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 269

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 280

CHAPTER XXXVI A voyage round the Cape—Cholera camps—The Abyssinian expedition—Landed at Zula 293

CHAPTER XXXVII Sir Robert Napier to command—Defective transport—King Theodore commits suicide—First A.Q.M.G. 298

CHAPTER XXXVIII Afzal Khan ousts Sher Ali—Sher Ali regains the Amirship—Foresight of Sir Henry Rawlinson—The Umballa Durbar 303

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 308

CHAPTER XL Lord Napier's care for the soldier—Negotiations with Sher Ali renewed—Sher Ali's demands 319

CHAPTER XLI A trip in the Himalayas—The famine in Behar—The Prince of Wales in India—Farewell to Lord Napier 323

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 328

CHAPTER XLIII Object of the first Afghan war—Excitement caused by Russia's advances 338

[page xvi] 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 341

CHAPTER XLV Shortcomings of my column—Attitude of the Border tribes 348

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 351

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 364

CHAPTER XLVIII Sher Ali's death—Premature negotiations—The treaty of Gandamak—Making friends with the tribesmen—Gloomy forebodings—Good-bye to Cavagnari 375

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 382

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 394

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 402

CHAPTER LII Guiding instructions—Visit to the Bala Hissar—Yakub Khan abdicates—The Proclamation—Administrative measures—Explosions in the Bala Hissar 410

[page xvii] CHAPTER LIII Afghans afraid to befriend us—Kabul Russianized—Yakub Khan's abdication accepted—State treasury taken over 418

CHAPTER LIV The amnesty Proclamation—Strength of the Kabul Field Force—Yakub Khan despatched to India 424

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 428

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 441

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 448

CHAPTER LVIII Two important questions—A Ruler required—News of Abdur Rahman Khan—Abdur Rahman in Afghan-Turkestan—Overtures made to Abdur Rahman 456

CHAPTER LIX Jenkins attacked near Charasia—Sir Donald Stewart reaches Kabul—Difficulties with Abdur Rahman—Abdur Rahman proclaimed Amir 462

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 468

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 478

[page xviii] 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 487

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 495

CHAPTER LXIV Disturbing action of Russia—Abdur Rahman Khan —The Rawal Pindi Durbar —Unmistakable loyalty of the Natives 503

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 507

CHAPTER LXVI Nursing for the soldier—Pacification of Burma considered—Measures recommended—The Buddhist priesthood—The Regimental Institute—The Army Temperance Association 514

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 521

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 529

APPENDIX 544

INDEX 581

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[plate 3] PIEWAR KOTAL.