Forty-one years in India | Page 3

territories of Great Britain and Russia in their part of Asia will be separated only by a common boundary line, and they would consider that we were wanting in the most essential attributes of Rulers if we did not take all possible precautions, and make every possible preparation to meet such an eventuality.
I send out this book in the earnest hope that the friendly anticipations of those who advised me to write it may not be seriously disappointed; and that those who care to read a plain, unvarnished tale of Indian life and adventure, will bear in mind that the writer is a soldier, not a man of letters, and will therefore forgive all faults of style or language.
ROBERTS.
_30th September_, 1896.

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[Illustration: KASHMIR GATE AT DELHI.]
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Voyage to India--Life in Calcutta--A destructive cyclone--Home-sickness
CHAPTER II.
Bengal Horse Artillery--Incidents of the journey--New Friends
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
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
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'
CHAPTER VI.
First tidings of the mutiny --Prompt action at Peshawar--A bold policy --The Movable Column--An annoying occurrence --I leave Peshawar
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
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
CHAPTER IX.
John Lawrence's wise measures --Disarmament at Peshawar --Salutary effect in the valley
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
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
CHAPTER XII.
George Ricketts at Ludhiana--Pushing on to Delhi --In the camp before Delhi
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
CHAPTER XIV.
A new appointment
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
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
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
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
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
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
CHAPTER XXI.
Infatuation of the authorities at Agra --A series of Mishaps --Result of indecision and incapacity
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
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
CHAPTER XXIV.
Henry Norman--The Shah Najaf--The mess-house --Planting the flag--A memorable meeting --The Residency
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
CHAPTER XXVI.
Death of General Havelock--Appeals from Cawnpore --General Windham--The passage of the Ganges
CHAPTER XXVII.
The fight at Cawnpore--Unexpected visitors --A long chase--Unjur Tiwari--Bithur --Windham at Cawnpore
CHAPTER XXVIII.
The Fight at Khudaganj--A mêlée--Oudh or Rohilkand?
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
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
CHAPTER XXXI.
Discontent of the Natives--Successful administrators --Paternal despotism--Money-lenders and the Press --Faddists--Cardinal points
CHAPTER XXXII.
Home again--Back in India--Allahabad and Cawnpore --The Viceroy's camp--State entry into