Memoirs of the Extraordinary Military Career of John Shipp: Late a Lieut. in His Majesty's 87th RegimentShipp, John
History
Memoirs of the Extraordinary Military Career of John Shipp: Late a Lieut. in His Majesty's 87th Regiment
Shipp, John
India -- History -- British occupation, 1765-1947 -- Biography; Shipp, John, 1784-1834
On the following morning we commenced our march; and I began the
functions of my new situation by impressing upon the minds of some of
the followers, that my arm was strong as well as the lash of my whip. I
found I was soon obliged to take other measures besides merely bellowing
to them; and in three days I had whipped the whole body into perfect
obedience, which saved me a tremendous deal of labour afterwards, and
some hundred yards of whip-cord. Sometimes some mischievous fellows
would, to annoy me, get the whole baggage on the wrong flank; but I had
influence enough to find them out, when they paid dearly for their
trick. After a short time they found it would not do; so, my situation,
instead of a task, was at last a pleasure to me; and the sight of my
whip was sufficient to deter the most desperate from exceeding his
limits. My commanding officer frequently said that, if he lived and
commanded twenty armies, I should be his baggage-master.
In two days we arrived under the town and fort of Hedjeeghur, a strong
hill fort, that had been recently taken by the Honourable Company's
army. The refractory rajah, driven from his strong and proud walled
fort, lived in the town below, where no doubt he panted for vengeance
on his foes. He was a designing and crafty fellow, capable of the
blackest crimes; but he was so pressed under the thumb of the government
whom he had offended, that he dared not show himself in his true
colours. What must have been his heart's writhings, when he saw that
proud fort, which had been the residence and glory of his forefathers,
forfeited by the most diabolical breach of treaty! It must have filled
his cup of bitterness to the brim. In his disposition this conquered
rajah was cunning, cruel, and despotic; but, from fear, he was the most
cringing sycophant that ever lived.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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