Step was not kept in those ranks.
Little was there of martial array, or soldier-like gait and attitude.
Lace might not be seen, nor embroidery, nor facings, nor uniforms
which could be recognised at the Horseguards or smiled on in county
ballrooms. In discoloured flannel and tattered nankeen, mute and in
pensive mood, tramped by the remnant of the immortal garrison. These
men had finished their toil and had fought their battle: and now, if
hope was all but dead within them, there survived, at least, no residue
of fear.
The last to quit the intrenchment was Major Vibart, of the Second
Cavalry. He brought up the rear of our column alone, amidst a numerous
escort of mutineers belonging to his late regiment, who insisted on
conveying his luggage down to the landing place;--a marked instance
of complaisance on the part of these gentlemen troopers. There were
many, however, among the rebels, who no longer thought it worth while
to dissemble. Lady Wheeler's ayah, a few minutes before, had been
presented by her mistress with a bag of rupees as an acknowledgment
of her fidelity. She now was forced to exchange her treasure for a
slash with a sabre. Some sepoys, who had stood by us to the last, were
seized and carried off in spite of the urgent expostulations of their
adjutant: and the hour approached when a brave woman was to meet that
face to face, the bitterness of which, to repeat her own language,
had already been tasted many, many times. Colonel and Mrs. Ewart had
started late; she on foot; he on a bed, carried by four native porters.
From one cause and another they made slow progress. The bearers were
lazy; and paid no attention to a Mem Sahib, whose husband, prostrate
with wounds, was unable to enforce her orders with his cane. Gradually
the main body drew farther and farther ahead of the helpless pair;
who, at length, like a sick child dreaming that he is kidnapped by
gipsies, saw the backs of the English rear-guard disappear round a
distant corner. As the litter came abreast of St. John's Church, seven
or eight rascals belonging to the Colonel's own battalion stepped up;
bade the porters set down their load and stand back; and began to mock
their victim, saying: "Is not this a fine parade, and is it not well
dressed up?" They then hewed him in pieces with their swords, and
afterwards turned to Mrs. Ewart, and desired her to throw down whatever
she had about her, and go her ways, for that she was a woman, and they
would not kill her. She took out of her dress a piece of stuff, with
something tied up in it, and delivered it to one of the gang, who
thereupon cut her down dead. Those who loved her, and they were many,
could not have wished it otherwise.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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