Campaign of the Indus: In a Series of Letters from an Officer of the Bombay DivisionHoldsworth, T. W. E.
History
Campaign of the Indus: In a Series of Letters from an Officer of the Bombay Division
Holdsworth, T. W. E.
Afghan Wars
That part of our force which was not employed at Kelat went down by the
Bolan Pass, and have suffered considerably from cholera, which luckily
we have as yet escaped. The men that we have lost since our arrival in
this low country have all died from complaints of the lungs, from which
they were perfectly free in the cold country above the hills. Since
writing the former part of this letter, I have received a letter from
Kate, dated September 10th, which I will answer as soon I have finished
this letter to you.
_December 25th, Christmas day_.--I hope to spend this evening more
comfortably than I did last year, when I was on out-lying picket, the
night before we commenced our first march. Now, I trust, we have
finished our last. We have luckily met all our mess supplies here, which
have been waiting for us about six months, having never managed to get
further than Bukkur. So now it is a regular case of--
"Who so merry as we in camp?
Danger over,
Live in clover," &c.
I have just heard that the order is out for our marching the day after
to-morrow to the banks of the river, there to remain till the boats are
ready. Now the campaign is so near its close, I feel very glad that I
have been on it, as it is a thing that a man does not see every day of
his life in these times; and I consider it to be more lucky than
otherwise that I have four holes in my body as a remembrance of it; but
I cannot say that I relish a longer sojourn in India, unless we have the
luck to be sent to China, which I should like very much, (fancy sacking
Pekin, and kicking the Celestial Emperor from his throne,) as I do not
think the climate has done me any good, but on the contrary.
I do not know whether these wounds of mine will give me any claim;--and,
talking about that, I would wish you to inquire whether or not I am
entitled to any gratuity for them. I hear that officers returned
"wounded" on the list in the Peninsular Campaign, no matter how slight
the wound might have been, received a gratuity of one year's pay as a
compensation; and this, I think, was called "blood-money." I do not know
how far this may be the case at present, but I do not think that 120l.
ought to be lost sight of for want of a little inquiry.
By-the-bye, I had nearly forgotten to say that I have received two
letters from Eliza, which I will answer as soon as possible; but I do
not think it safe to keep this open any longer, as I may lose the mail
to Bombay; so must conclude, with best love to all at home,
Your very affectionate son,
T.W.E. HOLDSWORTH.
LETTER XI.
Camp Larkanu, Dec. 26th, 1839.
MY DEAR ELIZA,--I finished and sent off a letter to my father yesterday,
giving an account of the storming of Kelat, and the wounds I received in
the skrimmage, and telling him of everything that had happened since I
wrote before, which was the day we left Cabool. You can see his letter,
which gives a pretty full account of all our proceedings up to the
present time.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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