Massacre at Cawnpore by V. A. Stuart

Author:V. A. Stuart
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781590132975
Publisher: McBooks Press
Published: 2002-03-31T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIX

WRITING his final appeal for help to Sir Henry Lawrence, on the evening of 24th June, General Wheeler gave a brief and bitter account of his garrison’s brave resistance and the peril in which they now stood. Tears blurred the closely written lines as he read them through and then penned his last, accusing question: “Surely we are not to be left to die like rats in a cage without any attempt being made to bring us succour?”

He could say no more. The decision must be left to Lawrence, but his heartbroken protest had to be committed to paper, so that—if the message reached Lucknow—posterity might know that his small, heroic garrison had fought and died in the best traditions of their service, defeated only because they had been abandoned to their fate by those on whom they had depended for aid.

Surgeon Boyes, waiting at his commander’s elbow, took the small spill of paper from him. Having inserted it in Gillis’s right ear with a pair of rusting tweezers, he took the messenger to the field officer of the day, Captain Williamson, to be smuggled out of the entrenchment as soon as darkness fell.

To his second messenger—the commissariat clerk Shepherd— the old general issued defiant instructions, staking his all on a gambler’s throw. He gave the names of several of Cawnpore’s influential citizens and ordered, “Go first to the Nunneh Nawab, Mr Shepherd. He is faithful to us and I trust him. Tell him to endeavour to cause a rupture among the rebels. Tell him also to spread the rumour abroad that we have ample provisions for another month at least, that we are in good heart and, above all, that we expect speedy help from Allahabad and Calcutta. If the Nawab—or any others who are well disposed to us—can cause the rebels to break off their attacks on our positions or go away from the station, you are authorised to promise them pensions for life and lavish rewards. The reward could be as high as a lac of rupees.”

The clerk’s eye widened. He started to speak and then broke off and the general, guessing his thoughts, added pointedly, “You, too, will merit high reward if you come back to me with correct information as to the Nana’s intentions, Mr Shepherd … or with definite word as to the arrival of reinforcements from Allahabad or Lucknow. But if you should be taken by the Nana, be very careful that you do not let him know the true state of our defences, or that we are discouraged, you understand?”

Shepherd assured him that he understood perfectly. “Have I your leave to go tonight, sir?”

“Whenever you are ready with your disguise, Mr Shepherd. May God have you in His keeping!”

When the dark-faced clerk left to make preparations for his departure, General Wheeler limped over to his mattress and sank down on to it wearily. The other occupants of the room—his wife and daughters and the wounded postmaster, Roache, to whom he had

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