Journal of a Cavalry Officer; Including the Memorable Sikh Campaign of 1845-1846Humbley, W. W. W. (William Wellington Waterloo)
History
Journal of a Cavalry Officer; Including the Memorable Sikh Campaign of 1845-1846
Humbley, W. W. W. (William Wellington Waterloo)
India -- Description and travel; Sikh War, 1845-1846
A six-pounder gun is drawn by six horses, and when bullocks are
used, by six of these animals. This shows the relative value as to
draught. Now a single elephant pulled along by himself one of the
iron twelve-pounder guns, or, as they were more properly styled,
"nine-pounders _reamed_ up to twelves," which may be thus explained.
Knowing that the Sikhs used guns of large calibre, the Government had
ordered that these guns should be sent to the Delhi magazine, to be
re-cast and reamed up for the occasion; and they did good service. They
were a fraction lighter by this process than the nine-pounders were
before.
On the 21st of December our troops halted at Pehoah. It is a large
town, containing a succession of brick-built houses, the high walls of
which, without any apertures, face the back streets, being evidently
intended as a defence against marauders.
It will be seen, by reference to the map, that the original route by
which the troops were ordered to march to Umballa, would have caused
us to make a considerable _détour_, indeed, one of about thirty or
thirty-five miles, for Umballa is nearly direct north of Kurnaul, while
Ferozepore is north-west.
The Sunday at Pehoah was not kept as is customary on the Lord's-day
in cantonments. We had no chaplain with us; and hence divine service
was not performed. It would appear proper that, in the absence of
the chaplain, some officer should take his place. This is the case
in several European regiments, where the commanding or some superior
officer reads the service to the troops. As on board of ship, when
there is no chaplain, the purser reads the service, so I think, in the
army, the paymaster should discharge this duty. A graduate of either
University, if there be one in the corps, would be, from his education
and training, the most desirable person to read a selection of prayers
from the church service. A chaplain accompanied the Bengal and Bombay
columns, which went to Afghanistan in 1838-39.
We have a noble instance of voluntary dedication to the duties of
chaplain to an army on active service, in the case of the Rev. W.J.
Whiting, M.A., during the second Sikh campaign. The arduous and
invaluable services which this excellent clergyman rendered during that
campaign called forth the grateful thanks of the Governor-General, the
Commander-in-Chief, the Bishop of Calcutta, and the Court of Directors.
He has left an indelible impression, on all engaged in that war, of the
importance of his benevolent, as well as spiritual ministrations.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account