Forty-one years in India | Page 3

their aim has always been, as mine is now, not to sound an alarm,
but to give a warning, and to show the danger of shutting our eyes to
plain facts and their probable consequences.
Whatever may be the future course of events, I have no fear of the
result if we are only true to ourselves and to India. Thinking Natives
thoroughly understand the situation; they believe that the time must
come when the 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.

* * * * *
[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