REVIEW.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 592, 10 July 1858, Page 2

REVIEW.

(Summarised, from the ' Times,' March B.J

Strange as is the whole history of Bri-, tish dominion in India—picturesque in, all, its accessories and miraculous in all its' events, from the time-when young Olive,! an unknown clerk in Mysore, attempted, three times m vain to blow out his brains, j till the veteran Colin had an escape'almost: equally narrow from the insurgents whom j he crossed in his flying journejy into Oude j —it -contains nothing- half so wonderful as j the terrible episode of that mutiny wliich; lately has cost us so much blood and so j much'ang-uish, which' has*'called'forth in; a manner the most striking all the qualities j of the British soldier.- Often will the j story of that siege be recorded—a story J worthy of a place beside ,the most memorable relations of the .historic muse ; and, > as a contribution to it, we are glad to,re-' ceive the' volume 'whichifo day )r we intro-1 duce to our, reader's.' - The author who' thus presents us with 'almost , ( graphic' .account of ( his adventures in Luc'know'is a Calcutta merchant, formerly'attached <to the Martiniere College of Lucknow, who,; like so many others, .found himself sud-; denly entangled'ln the meshes of the war, ' and who volunteered his services in the army.' As he "fought, without* being' accustomed to/ the" sword, so-"he publishes, as he says^ without being' skilled kin the pen. If he-fought as'well as f he writes, we have ■no doubt that Mr. Rees has won honor. amid the little band of "British heroes who successfully defended * the Residency at Lucknow. His narrative is vigorous and life-like; he has had the advantage of being allowed to supplement his own notes by using the journals of' Lady Inglis and others; and, besides being the first to give to the public a history of the siege that may be regarded as complete, he has produced a number of' details that have the interest of novelty. It was left to Sir Henry. Lawrence's discretion'whether he would hold his posior fall back, and the old General unhesitatingly chose the former alternative. He . was most beloved by his subordinates, he was so untiring in work and so far- ' sighted in plan that they had implicits confidence in his judgment. " Often would < he sally out in disguise," says Mr. Rees,' "and visit the most frequented parts of i the native town to make personal ob'serva-; tions, and to see how his orders were car-* ried out. He several times had a thin-' bedding spread out near the guns, and're-! tired there among ,the artillerists, not-jo I sleep, but to plan and meditate undistur-1 bed." Wherever he moved " Lono-, life "to! Sir Henry'! " « Long life to Sir Henry !"! resounded on' all sides •: and one poor man! vociferated 'so ' loudly' 'that he burst a* blood-vessel. But if Sir Henry Lawrence determined to hold his 'position, he deter,mined also that he should have the means! of holding it; and, with a foresight which! saved Lucknow from, witnessing a fearful' massacre, he ordered fresh supplies.of1 wheat, corn, and all sorts of provisions into; the Residency, at the same time doing' all m his power to put his lines in a state" of defence. In Lucknow itself he had! many indications of the necessity of such! a precaution, even before actual'mutiny! broke forth. The people were - sullen,, though quiet; they were despoiled by; contractors, who laid to" our commands all the villanies which they themselves com-! mitted; they were oppressed with taxes' on petitions, on food, on houses, on ferries.. Moreover, Lucknow was the seat of Ma-i hommedan literature, and here especially,; the bigotry of letters was added to the bigotry of religion, in making hateful those who had despised their religion;

*A Personal Narrative of the !Siege of Luck-! now,fromits Commencement to its Relief by! twr Colin Campbell.' 'By L. E. Runtz'Rees; one ot the surviving defenders. London: Longman

eaters of the unclean beast, and drinkers of the forbiddentdrink.

From the 30th June, the day after the battle of Ghinutt/the siege maybe said to have*begun-! -and it was but a few days la'fterwards-^i^ was^ on the 4th of July— that* Sir Henry Lawrence died, having .been1 struck by a shell while engaged writing in a room in which another shell had burst only a short time before. It would seem as if the rebels knew all the various apartments "of the Residency, and aimed accordingly. n^- V , >' - * In the'first days of the'siege there was apparently a good, deal of __djesperation exhibited in union w.ith a good deal of carelessness —anAnderrating as well as an overrating of tli§'enemy's power.' It was in these first' days 'that'" the splendid library of Captain' Hayes, consisting of priceless, Oriental, manuscripts,, and the standard literary and scientific works of every nation,, of. Europe, and dictionaries of every language } spoken on earth,1 from the patois of .Bretagne' down to' Cingalese, Malay, and ancient Egyptian,, was converted into .barricades. Mahogany tables, valuable pieces of furniture, carriages, and carts, were< everywhere within our' intrenchments taken'possession of for * the 1 same purpose. The records of the offices ',inl, large boxes, chests' of stationery,"and whatever else could be laid 'hold of,',were made of use to serve as a cover froni,,the fire.",-;. On. the other hand,, ,in ■those days the beleagured forces ate,freely and drank-largelyj sparing no luxury,'and 'thinking little-of the straits td'which they ,}vould one'day be'piit^ Scarce a fortnight had elapsed "before .the luxuries .had.yery seriously diminished. % Another fdrjbhight, and the diet cpn'sis.ted of coarse^ unsifted flour, lentils, salt, and- every other" it day /( 'a small piece of tough beef, half of it-bone. 'By September it appears that -the prie^-of a -ham was /£fy« a dozen of vbrandy £18, arid a dozen o£"beer £7. : A<little^in:the ■same montb7 rour !rfi iiend,"g'oing1 to\see'one of his'coniradesffbufifa^that^he was'not at hope, haying^appare'ntly'gone to his duty "after' 'breakfast,- df which'"meal a "solitary bone, on a -plate.remained" as' evidence. "Hunger*was imperative," says Mr. Rees, "and I actually^ ( took the ( well-gnawed bone up and "picked it clean afterwards." Nor was hunger the only hardship,, as one may judge from such, an entry as this in the diary of the author,—" I had to stand in the rain all nig*ht doing sentinel's duty —this, too, after having just come off heavy fatigue'- ( duties, .burying putrid horses, and carrying commissariat stores." The'odour .'from the decay pf the;dead bodies and from other causes was a fruitful source of sickness and distress j and as for the hospitals, which were always full, it seems strange how any one ever came out of them alive. Every where, wounded officers and men were lying on mattresses and couches, covered > with blood, and often with vermin, without the chance of a change of linen. ( The smell was pestilential, and, what made matters still worse, the firing,' 'of, the enemy; was "so constant that the windows had. to be b,arricaded. - "/Ljicknow had t always been noted, for its, flies," says our author, but now they swarmed-in millions around- the putrid matter' that was allowed to accumulated The" groundrwas" black with them, and, the fables we.re.literally; covered. <*> * - , -,The insurgentsfwere;in; greatffor,ce, did 'considerable !damage/,and 'were, evidently well-handled. • rFor<fthe' firing,' it'was-'the result-6f individual skill, ijaiich of which we, ou'rselve&(had instructed, -|o that'it was not unaccountable.. But the general conductor the troops was' so .good that itjras (Supposed) to,'have been, the not of native, but of European intellect and ex r perience. In connexion with this supposition " Mr. Rees mentions -a, fact with regard-1 to Ihis ' most intimate-friend in Lucknow, w,ith 'whom he was, staying when t the-mutiny broke' out!, and who supplied-both (.himself .and any of the British force who applied - fto' him with a variety "of luxuries'from-his stores so long as they lasted. r ,He was" a Frenchman of good 'family,' named * Deprat, who liad' formerly been a soldiery who fiad been an officer, of the - Chasseurs i d'ilfrique, ■ and who had gone through all'the Algerian campaigns 'under Lamoricieire,' Cavaignac, 'Changa-rnier,' Pelissier, and ' Canrob'ert. Now -it appeal's'that the-Nana of Bithoor, who had visited him when Inst at Lucknow, "long- before the mutinies'broke'but, knew "of this military experience," and instigated by Azimoollah, his chief adviser, a man much pettedi in certain circlesdiere in -London^! and who a perfect' acquaintance'with the"Ehglieh, and-a tolerable dne with' ih'e-'1 French 'language, sent a letter and messenger to Deprat, offering

him the command oft his i troops: and aTimperfect Knowledge or Jlinaostanee made me beVdifioiUhaV'.repo^i'tory of the secret, ahdvM'dhanteyilihe .oreply^frt'iiNio}!-' {said he, fssilf;icaririofc iddtiso.v/ iljfe(Jisatao;]atelnp..\ty, foritihiaye jalrfeadiyliSQug^ht tKe protection' of thmißQtish^iaiidj snallfttotittesßrfcithettji at gdoh, -jariiimertas oMjisbiv3Besi^esp^ha< can&^hetfekbei^ an<teiassassinsh:ofi; ayidmenbcnaM oehiidren?^ Telbthis JJcKvtheftNafia'iand Azimoallah^and be ojS^domiifyiyjOxiMer here "half-an-houi< hence 1111 haiverpmj haiQgedi.i (Here iare;i2o rupeesioif GroiiiquiefcLyjt'Joal .jungedsi D.efirai stroii^yltd,a'Gp.ort:s(tie c^aatteß t6attie] chief, and^Jito^hSye^thedmessengerih&n^edyvwho^ by also, (the first>vto cauim^ nicafteiji^jusij^^ it; calledwib ptfatiße^icato #o^^ I i and-hajrang^keiiJ thej^fe^antiibna^Oaenjoinr me ftp!&%veq;^be&^ 5| speatesoiqitiv Mr^^ee^iriowcfl^uJgesrffelM' : secr€ffi&eiMse.iOepßafei^ of acwo^d'/wiaii^ » ing-sonitiitiiiSt Blati^o'iS&e&ii^ 1 the -saege^a^ Ms^Mßt^^hßo^ikvh^ hayedilfeplendida^iUjAtt s ftasterj he ac'ted^iaiT;aTjtiller;y;vd^cfer as.sfceEias><a riflemanjt: Lniigheipa;fo!r^d.ts(jQie.£d^ed.sjQl boofcle'ssfbqiaraess^ maaibpj^-mad^ .tjjinfepfon' Gonae,) on/ t dien!O.fl;eneilibuttinYhis!jfe^ Hinflpataiieei^ coinftiom, ye icowavdlyosflns of p^filedo(kb^rafl ; >rts%»fei to adyaiiees^ AiKeiypu * menYd hi\fommtfhr£n&i V thenVifthe'fJieply^ 6Gtu?sed£>d(igv/o| a^infidel;l \J. k^w^ffchfeeda^/Thiwi^afexxllapeat^^e yrenehmanf))liy&gnaiear'ilthej 'iroii-bnjdge; j ; We^fey-et aKUio^.ii&dßejq-jSttejfiQ^, Ihis^ Here goes!' and a rifle-ball wouldiiw'hisitle rpastKdifis gieats^ \i laJheaejoiSjfcatementsv/ari worC% ofonoteji afcjadmittingi^u&vrfjirthej' behitidjtn^aceires bfe^lie^ rebellipn^ithanj^er have:^thßitotbeemfalJle;'ftoopenetrate.:s<^iV)i Reeiscprofesyesx-ito ikagiwsi&tilli! more jp.Sj th^it men^hb^*4lieibesiegiiigltar% M -toiefen ;now,ionlyp^wil be'^obseryedyjteisvby non means ffasitCTe aii(his; l'ffmtarfe. uoi:J4ir«;Li^ comnjLandedithysjEitm^ean 3Qffi^e^M/jwretches;for laying.^ gW.^g^gi^ffe isffl™o W Captii^ S^o^s-W«oa^^ra .Roten't who^hM both^Jemli^d.'imoiilie «rig( turbaQcespoßweKdameiiiearj.t^i^^npyr^ charaG^rgm^ iPß^eoted^f sueh I tr^hgr^ Y ,.T^eyi,h# £c#h adopteajinatiYe^, habit^stu«iW,'a^l f j^ag^ ; an^ wHo?^®^yea^^fiaa'Tecei^ed thetpenswn . of a^eapfcaitv^'.toi.fetft^^a^W-Sntfn bom itf: JLuckaoW, JwbbSf?sdquglite!rs wem;married jtoi, Mußsuljna.ns',riari<l w&m &Qpajf§wmmnWlp officers^r tooo^er^lijt tb^^a^g JKmg^£?©9p himself" coiara^nded A W^^T%fi^ift\?g{ 8 a rtilier^Po<fr « H F#Ss Me #id to. have adopleftfeSla^^eda^^fthf l^:.^^o^?; nai^a^eSl^!; a^9eat^vipiTas>ver(toeath^ ed, also an ap^sW, fpfebsiptF la^wisfe j^medthe insiil?g&ats^aTid^iafyoWng'iifan f,Owlidse name - I^do not wish to mention on account ot his ftimil^^as il mo^ Hg^tejlll^^^ l h^f commanded^, «D*mtfh9&s&r fy • £- pi W It is' also likely;^aW<!>nm^s^^cers,had thenP^nol^ W*^i^en^im^f:out a^a Sibenan !irlefcgeK1->lanrdf'merw&^^^ him^lfo^cfo^^xa^inationy^aS sactually made ? a prifebneivibefiAe3 ! the?«bhtiny ) f!bttt^straiige to, say, w^sjreleasiß^jonrfeb.etpqpftr^^^^^ oufcbreak. '■■, fcfriil oi' 'vwo j-Hn&ii&i Hb::^ :;;'-j:! Agains^if pyer^heitnjng;^numbersj. ; iea ; with ; ,cpns^eiiabla--aMlit^r ?^^)Httle g^m-. son liejdnoiulrfro^wjeejfjjfcoo^eek^ith won-, derful: Eesplufeo^ ei^^ttack ; and.^terrninin^aey^fTO6-! M n m''wemOTrjoie^by^ Qe^RfoH^elock j advanpi^th,pyeiwfeel«inl,nuEjber.s ; r . and ; in :.ift^^,^fc^Sw?3^ % twrQ they-4ingtwi^ij^^^^ f^ol^ ; >^ cV bo4,jfihee^'|; f #tilA>otf the opposite, ; bank, of the'Goomtee they have the annoyance : of hearing tae,najfcives^k^regularly-eye^ ofte^n^fe 10&#. " G«Msh> vQ^».'Un3^iHavelock does^ot^make^si»appearancejrand lino-erM^fr6Anfda^to^ay^p.pm^^gaiiist^ hoSe1:^" Oii'lP^ >Mg#;;f eirsu^ pSiis'bVoin^thf;^ Hayeip^^fef^PM^ for ixci^inent.r^,^ext> f day,^tjiey, learn theiv^sapiyOTiitmen^iTUe insrii!gents were: hut •fnH^!^(i^and^salliifte; afr'full/mdon.m

*beii|lieved in three, weel^s»;bvt,^ot sooner. Ipn September 22;cbraeJs|ies!toM of the "approach of Havelock; next day the cannonading js heaid, and VeVy* soon after the yv6lc6^/ereinfor<;e'mbnt i ' ' ; i <Wlo is not 'uitimaUly acquainted wis, evepyildetail 'oi the subsequent history; |( haw toe relieving forces of Havelbck and /Owd'nl were shut f Zip inLucknow; hpw thb , pi rsonal , conqmnnication with 'the ,Atumb:gh. was stopped j how a correspondence v as nevertheless kept up by means of j pre-aJirang-e'd signals; how Sir Cohn's S[d|vanc« was delayed, and how, at length, i r with unparalleled precision, the veteian warriprijcutj^his way to the gam&on and? relived.rt effectually? "Sn Colin is much ,liked," wiites Lady Inghs, "he is living ;now-exactly -as a piivate soldiei, takes his rations J and lies down whenever he can f rest, llhis the mer\ like, and he is a fine l spldier. | In lllustiation of these lemarks ! Mi. Rees goes on to tell how champagne j and 'clfl?et apd dainties of all kinds were' jjrpvidedj 'for t the Oommanderr-m-Chief s ijjiblejjcand how jhe refused to partake of such fai e\ asking, " How is lt/Mr Gubbms, th4t these things were not given to the starving garrison?" The~whole gainson ; h;OweVpi, ioty'enjoyed a little luxuiy—the greatest luxury of all being several caitloa'ds of letters and newspapers. With , these pleasures their haidships and the ,militaTy service J of ' Mi. Rees came to-1 a close, " Nobly, he and his companions ,fpiight, jjipbly they ensured, and journal? as these, which relate with manly feeling and m simple language, ( the history of th#t siege which js at once so gloomy and t so bnlhant, will one day be ranked among the most cherished documents of which our language can boast.