PS I am in grief about the shirt collars! Will you ask Jack to send me a pattern of the ‘collar of the period’. I like those that turn over if their day is not past, as my beard don’t agree with all rounders if very stiff!
Camp near Lucknow, March 14th, 1859
My dear Mother,
I am afraid you have never received one of my letters in which I asked you to address to Lucknow. I shall get them a week earlier than if sent to Lahore. You may now address me as captain for my fifteen years service gives me the brevet rank. Of my regimental promotion I see no chance for a long time.
15th. I began this letter yesterday morning but was attacked by such a violent headache that I could not continue to write but was obliged to darken the tent and lie down all day. I am not quite rid of it even now, so must confine myself to telling you that I have been in good health and am so still but for this headache which I am liable to get at any time. I must send this into Lucknow by a camel rider or it will not be in time for the post which leaves today.
Hoping this will find you all well and happy,
I am, dear mother, ever your affectionate son,
Robert H. Shebbeare
P.S. I have got the Delhi photographs and shall despatch them directly I go into Lucknow; also some ferns for Nelly collected at Simla and Mussoorie.
Lucknow, September 5th, 1859
My dear Mother,
After a long interval I received today your letter of the 24th July. It was more than two since I got a letter from home and I had begun to be anxious. I have not behaved myself well in the matter of writing letters, some of which you seem not to have received. I cannot tell you how it is but the post seems to be very irregular now, I have no doubt that I shall eventually get some letters from you which I ought to receive before that which came today, but what can be the reason for this irregularity I cannot guess. Some of our newspapers come straight to us but others of the previous month afterwards.
I have really had nothing to tell you since I came to Lucknow. I have been doing nothing but the routine of regimental work. I am living in a good house on the banks of a nice river. I go out very little, indeed I may say not at all. I have few acquaintances and no friends except those officers who live with me, Randall my 2nd in command and Harris my adjutant. For the last few days we have been digging for some treasure supposed to be concealed in the house but at present without success. There may be treasure however, and if so we should get a 4th share so I hope we may hit on it yet. Jack Hayes’s retirement makes me a captain and I believe a major by brevet.
Colonel Norman wrote to me the other day that Lord Clyde has recommended me for the Victoria Cross so I shall get it before long. I told you that I thought I should get it but you did not seem to think it likely and Harry said he would believe it when he saw it in the Gazette. I should not have said anything about it if I had not thought and been told that it was pretty certain. You will now see that I was not far wrong.
I don’t know what to say about taking my furlough. I believe I can only get it by giving up my appointment and as I like the regiment and have not the chance of getting another after coming out I don’t like to give it up. Believe me I think all day and dream all night of that happy day when I shall see you all again. I hope it will arrive and that soon. I am in too good health to extract a medical certificate although I am really very much broken and have little of the strength for which I was formerly rather famous. I must wait for ‘something to turn up’ like Micawber.
There is talk of some Sikhs going to China but it said that Lord Canning with his usual imbecility has refused to send any troops without orders from England. I hope that if any Sikhs go my regiment may have the luck to be included and I have the men well in hand and feel they would do well.
6th. G. Arbuthnot is to spend the day with me tomorrow. He has done so several times of late but otherwise we see little of one another as he lives in the old cantonments about four miles from our house across country and some seven miles by road. He was hoping to get home with the discharged Europeans but was too junior. He is looking well and reading the languages pretty steadily I believe. I did not much like him at first as he had a self-sufficient manner but this has been rubbed off and he is a general favourite now. I like him very much and should see more of him were we not so far apart.
About the European disturbance, you ask what I think of it. I believe that although it is difficult to say whether the men had a legal right to their discharge, yet as the sum would not have been very large the Government might have been liberal and have given the bounty. If this had been done no agitation would have taken place and scarcely a man would have thought of wishing for his discharge, whereas now hundreds of men jumped at the chance of getting to England although almost every man of them will enlist again before six months are over.
7th. Arbuthnot is here puzzling over a Hindoostani exercise with Harris my adjutant. He is getting on and I hope he may pass, more especially as the examination is likely to be very easy next month. An order has been issued that every officer shall be removed from staff employ unless he passes in November. There are so many unpassed officers on staff employ that unless a great proportion of them pass the public service will come to grief. Therefore it is supposed that the standard for examination will be lowered.
15th. I have not found anything to say although I commenced this letter on the 8th. The mail goes tomorrow. I send you two copies of a picture which was taken the other day. Randall is on my right and Harris on my left and the dog ‘Loot’ in the fore ground.
Believe me dear mother, your affectionate son
Robert H. Shebbeare
Lucknow, October 1st, 1859
My dear Mother,
Here we are waiting the arrival of the Governor-General, Commander-in-Chief and all the Bigwigs of the land who who are to hold grand court at Lucknow about the 15th of this month. During their state we shall I fancy never be out of our war paint. Lord Canning is travelling on this progress in a much more magnificent style than any of his predecessors have done for years and as we have all lately been taxed to make good the deficiency in the Indian finances you may imagine there is no little outcry against him in consequence. I wish he would be recalled, as he seems to be getting more and more imbecile. General Grant at first ordered my regiment down to the new cantonments to take part in the sham fights which are to take place, but at a hint from me that my men were sufficiently worked already with the city duties and that we were remarkably well off where we were, he kindly countermanded the move and says we may stop in our present quarters for a year more if the C in C does not interfere.
Again we have always a chance of being turned out by the Civil Authorities as the house may very probably be given back to its former owner. However I hope this will not be the case.
No chance of our going to China. I think that no native troops will be sent. Never mind, I am comfortable and well off here. Mr Phelps the Parson of the Parish says he married a daughter of Mr Hughes Hughes who is a friend of my father. I only heard of it the other day in a note I had from him on business, and I have not called on him yet as he lives some six miles from us, but I am going to do so. I wish however I knew something about Mr Hughes Hughes. I recollect Mr Hughes of Ryde, one of whose daughters married Urmiston but I don’t recollect that he rejoiced in that duplicated name? Will you tell me all about them? I am writing with ink which seems to act as printer’s ink and I am afraid my note will be hardly legible.
Believe me dearest mother, with kindest love to my father and all at home, ever your affectionate son
Robert H. Shebbeare
Chapter Five
CHINA 1860
The two China Wars of 1839—42 and 1856—60, also known as the Opium Wars, were the results of threats to the trade in opium established by the British during the first part of the nineteenth century. Under the aegis of the Honourable East India Company, opium was grown in India and exported (smuggled) to Canton in China, where it
was disseminated widely via a black market network. Income came both from taxes on the Indian growers and from the sale of the opium, the proceeds of which were invested in tea for export to Europe. By 1839, there were an estimated 2,000,000 addicts in China and the Emperor appointed Commissioner Lin to bring this widespread addiction under control. After Lin took strong measures amongst the local population and destroyed several thousand tons of opium that had newly arrived from India, the British sent a punitive expedition which took a number of Chinese cities and annexed the island of Hong Kong. Under the Treaty of Nanjing (1842) the Chinese were forced to pay a huge indemnity and to open five ports for trade; during the next few years trade agreements were extended to other countries as well as Britain. War broke out again in 1856 when the Chinese made an allegedly illegal search of a British ship, the Arrow, and the British and French went in with warships again, resulting in the Treaty of Tiajin (1858), whereby the Chinese had to open further ports to allow Christian missionaries to practise in the country and to legalize the import of opium. Attempts by the Emperor to prevent diplomats entering Peking were seen as an excuse to enforce European authority, and the British and French mounted an expedition which culminated in the sacking of the Emperor’s Summer Palace in Peking, thus effectively ending all further resistance.
Lucknow, January 10th, 1860
My dear Mother,
I have had very sad news from you of late. Your letters tell me of the loss of poor Aunt Fanny my Godmother and now I hear from Arbuthnot that Jack is laid up with the smallpox. Arbuthnot got letters by a later mail than mine and I have heard nothing of Jack from you. I am now anxiously looking out for letters.
I told you some time back that I wished to go to China. Well, I’m going. The regiment was asked to volunteer and has done so and I am expecting orders to be off very shortly. It is the best thing that could have happened for me and opens a much better prospect of visiting England. General Grant commands and his present staff with all of whom I am intimate accompanies him, so we shall go under very favourable circumstances. I can’t say when we may start; I was at the General’s at breakfast this morning and he could not tell me anything about it. The whole business seems to have been so badly managed in this country that I really believe Lord Clyde himself does not know who is going. I have so much to do that I have not one moment to myself. I am writing from morning to night until I get quite stupid over it. I will write at more length when I know more of my movements. I really am very anxious for your next letters.
With very best love to all, believe me, my dear mother, your affectionate son,
Robert H. Shebbeare
On 1 February 1860, Robert Shebbeare bought a copy of Letts Diary and Almanack in Lucknow, in which he kept occasional notes about regimental matters. Following the orders to join the China Expedition, there was a rush of small daily entries, of which the following is a sample:
4th Feb. Completed the numbers of the regiment. Could have enlisted a very large number from the police, chiefly mussulmen.
5th Feb. Sent off the first batch (thirty-seven) of women and children to Lahore, and a very difficult business it proved. At first I could get none of them to start and then they all wanted to start at once.
11th Feb. Marched from Lucknow to Buntera — Left Nuttha Sing to send off the remainder of the women [some relief, no doubt!]
15th Feb. Harris with 1st detachment of 300 men started for Allahabad by rail.
16th Feb. Officers posted in General Orders, 19th Feb
Lieutenant B.H. Smith, late 67th
Lieutenant F.E. Sotheby, 2nd BRB
Lieutenant H.D. Metcalfe, late 25th NI
Lieutenant W.G. Keppel, 6th Europeans
Lieutenant E.B. Ward, late 48th
Lieutenant K.M. Pratt, late 51st
Lieutenant J.F. Elton, late 37th
After several days marching they arrived at Raniganj
24th Feb. Had breakfast at the worst hotel in the world and went on by rail (to Calcutta) with Chalmers and Major Synge, 43rd. Found Wolseley and Spencer and dined at Wilsons with the China Staff.
In Calcutta, Robert Shebbeare was engaged in trying to sort out logistical and supply problems of various kinds and making purchases on his own account.
25th Feb. Breakfasted with Lumsden. Reported to Becher. Gave orders for clothes to Harman and Co. The 19th Punjab Infantry still in the river as the Marine department cannot supply tugs. 2 or 3 cases of cholera recurred and they were landed somewhere down the river. Went to Cooks and looked at some horses. Ordered boots at Saxton and Walkers.
27th Feb. Simpson required indents for:- Blankets, 1 each man, Canvas frocks 2 each man, 10 mounds Ghee, 10 mounds Borax. Bought saddle and holsters and ordered four Nolan’s Bridles at Cuthbertson and Harpers.
29th Feb. Went with Lumsden and Allgood to two bullock train companies to try and get the regiment brought down. Neither of them could do it.
2nd March. Telegraphed to Randall for Nuttha Sing and 3 men; also told him to hurry on. Lumsden telegraphed about the elephant.
3rd March. Parbuttee Churn Nundun is to make me 12 degs of copper with cover and spoon to be ready by 15th March. Bought 12 yds. Blue serge at 1.4.0. per yd. for servants.
6th March. Ordered 12 more degs with covers large enough for the former degs to fit into. And also 12 large plates 3 feet in diameter. [Large indeed — perhaps these were for the cookhouse.]
Calcutta, March 13th, 1860
My dear Nelly,
I received your short note of the 25th January only yesterday after I had sent off a letter to Harry and I fear that the mail has gone out. However, this will probably reach only a week later.
I am exceedingly glad that you received the ferns in good order for I thought they would never return from Lincolnshire! I gathered them all myself while in the hills with the Pesketts. The photographs are very good and cost a good round sum of money so I am glad you got them although I might have replaced them. The ferns I could not easily have got again as I am not likely to see the hills again for some years.
You are quite right in all you say about India; it is quite intolerable to me now, much as I liked it before the mutinies. Everything is changed and in my opinion for the worse. I would gladly give up the service if I had enough to live on at home. I had hoped and wished to get home this year, but it is right that I should see service and as I and my regiment were selected I am really glad to go. I have a great deal of anxiety just at starting but when we once get rid of the pilot and see blue water I shall be very happy. It is really quite a comfort to think that at last I am about to leave this wretched country even for a short time. I hope to get away home directly the business is over, and I don’t think it will last very long. If I had had the luck to get my majority this China business ought to have made me a lieutenant colonel, but I must not growl but be content with getting for China what I ought (as everybody says) to have received for Delhi. I think a good growl does one good, and occasionally indulge in one accordingly, but it does not last long.
My dear Nelly, you say that you would almost agree to come to India to see those ferns in their natural state. Allow me to assure you that nothing, not even the beautiful scenery of the hills and their delightful climate, could compensate for one tenth part of the discomfort and the dreariness of the life in the plains and few people are lucky enough to be able to remain long in the Hills. My dear girl, I would not have you, or any one of you, come out here on any account. Oh!! how I do dislike the sight of the yellow white faces of the ladies of Calcutta and what a treat it is to see a fresh arrival from England. Even an up country face is pleasant to look on after the dreadful corpse-like countenances of Calcutta.
I wish I could find out where Mrs Peskett is. I wrote and asked them to come over to Lucknow for a day or two on their way to England and have never had a line since and although she had written just before that they were going home by Calcutta, I can hear nothing of them. Both Peskett and herself were ill and I have been anxi
ous to hear. Do you know anything about them?
I think I told Harry in my last note to direct to Hong Kong for the future. Hong Kong! It sounds more outlandish than Goozaira. I shall not finish my letter today but will add to it from time to time. 1st April. And I am not off yet; however, I hope to start on Tuesday and I shall indeed be happy to be off. Two ship loads of my men have gone off already and I go with the rest in the ‘Bentinck’, an old overland steamer (now bought by the government) and we ought to be very comfortable. G. Baker comes with me to China and sends his love: I applied to head quarters for him and he was at once appointed. Will you please tell my father that Grindlay’s people still send the home news to Goozaira. Hong Kong will be best for the present.
I am going to send home to Harry a box of favourite swords and other curious arms, I want him to get them from Grindlay as early as possible and open the case, otherwise they may get spoilt and I should be very sorry to lose some of them. I am also sending a box containing clay figures very well executed of some of my men etc, which will give you a very good idea of the men and uniform. The poor old tailor! He had been in my service for upwards of fifteen years and died in Calcutta directly he arrived. I regret him immensely. He has always been an honest and faithful servant. You will see a likeness of him in the box which I think very good. F. Innes will certainly recognise it. I am writing in such a terrible hurry and in a room so crowded that I must beg you, dear Nell, to overlook any obscure passages you may meet with in my epistle as I have not time to read it. Bye the bye I will enclose a copy of verses which you may understand; I cannot.
Indian Mutiny and Beyond Page 14
