THE LAST MAN IN LUCKNOW.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 23 April 1907, Page 4

THE LAST MAN IN LUCKNOW.

The death of the veteran soldier, 01.l Sandy Macpheißon, who died last month from exposure on the road near Glasgow (says the Scotsman), recalls an incident of undoubted authenticity as marvellous as any in the annals of the British Army. Alexander Macphorson who, though in humble rank, was of good family, not very distantly related to the Cluny Macpherson, having enlisted when a young man in.the 93rd Regiment, was at the time of the Indian Mutiny a sergeant in that distinguished Highland corps. The fortunes of war found him amongst the devoted band of soldiers whose lives were in deadly peril within the barracks of Lucknow when Sir Colin Campbell came to its relief. Instructions had been received by the garrison from Sir Colin to evacuate the place, and orders were issued to the soldiers to be ready at a giveu hour of the night to leave Lucknow, ,secretly and silently. Sergeant Macpherson was one of the nou commissioned officers who wenl round to warn the men to keep awake and to be in readiness when the call to leave would be given. Alas! on his return to his own quarters, Macpherson himself fell sound asleep. When the whispered command came a brother sergeant shook him by the shoulder, saying: "Waken, Sandy; we're off!* and never doubting but that his sleepy comrade would follow took his departure with the rest of the company. But Sandy slept on, and did not walten till it was broad daylight. When he got up and looked around, he realised his position—he was left alone in Lucknow barracks, with a horde of bloodthirsty Sepoys waiting to attack. He couldsee the walls of the fortress lined with armed Sepoys, and every loophole glistened with muskets. To use his own words in relating the occurrence': "I said to myself, 'I fear it's all up with you this time, Sandy Macpherson, my boy, but it's better to be shot than stabbed, so I tightened my belt and shouldered my musket, and came out in full marching order in front of the blacks." The Sepoys appear to have been so taken aback by the spectacle of a solitary Highland soldier appearing right in front of them, a thousand strong, and proceeding to walk across the barrackyard as calm and unconcernedly as if ho were on parade, that they did not fire. Probably they thought it was some ruse of the garrison, sending out one man, aud then a rush of others would follow. Sandy was half way across the barracks before a single shot was fired at him.

When the Sepoys had recovered from their surprise, they sent volley upon volley after him, but only one shot hit him—it' was a Ticoehet bullet, which merely grazed his leg. Sandy now took to his heels, and ran his hardest, with a pack of Sepoys after him. yelling and shouting, and firing their guns. Sandy had a notion of the direction in which his friends had retired, and, following it up, found a breach in the wall, and got out in the open, with his enemies the blacks in full cry after him. He made for a swamp in the neighbourhood, and eventually found a hiding place among the tall rushes, where he lay in concealment till darkness came on. He then ventured out in search of the British camp, and, after wandering aihout for hours, he was fortunately discovered by a picket of friendly Sikhs, who took him into the camp.

Great was tiie astonishment and vielight of his comrades at seeing Sandy "once more, for he had been given up as lost. The English officer before whom he was taken by the guard refused to believe his story, and had it not been for a subaltern of his own regiment who appeared on his own behalf, he would have been summarily dealt with on a charge of wilful desertion. Eventually he was taken before Sir Colin Campbell. Sir Colin appeared greatly amused at. the incident, but got some valuable information from the belated soldier as to the time the Sepoys discovered the evacuation, their probable strength, and the' position they were occupyimr when he left. The Commander-in-Chief then dismissed him with the admonition: "Go now to your regiment. Sergeant MncV pherson. but take care you never Meep in again. You were the last man fn leave Lucknow; be the first man to enter it when you are called! ''

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