______________________________________________________________________________________________

21 Mar 58 Julius Lucknow Mother ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Lucknow. 21st March. /58

My dear Mother

Since my last, we have done a great deal. Instead of holding trenches outside Lucknow, we are masters of the fortress & town.

We have not had any rest as yet. The army is so small that it requires all hands to enable us to keep what we have gained.

It is now 12 days since I have been in camp except once for two hours. For three days I was on picket at the fortress bridge which is on the right of our position & therefore a very important place. One day of that work would have been a great deal more than would have satisfied us, as it was very hot (no tents) & lots of flies & dust.

When we were relieved it was merely for the purpose of starting afresh. We stayed just long enough to have a wash & get some dinner, when off again to join the Regt. in Bank’s Bungalow, which is an immensely strong place & Sir Colin expected to have had a hard fight for it. However a few shells cleared it out & we walked in.

I do not mean the Regt. in this instance of the ‘we’, as it was taken two days before we were sent in to hold it.

There we stayed for 7 days & as 3 Companies were always on picket on the left, every other day & night it came to my turn to be out, at last. I cannot say what day or date as I am entirely out in my calculations of them, but at last three Companies were sent for to go to Observatory where we got Gen^l Lugard’s order to proceed to relieve some Highlanders at the Residency.

We were there two days & had a good opportunity of seeing all about the place of which we had heard so much. I am sure anyone who escaped from that place with Sir Colin after standing the siege there must consider it a miracle that they ever got out alive. Of the walls, there is not a square foot unmarked by shots. It is a most wonderful thing that they could hold the place. There are no regular lines of fortification, merely houses & walls.

On this Picket we had very good opportunity of ‘looting’ & although (against all orders) we went in at it, I have a few things but nothing valuable. I was so lucky to get a buggy & lamps into which I put my pony, although perfectly unaccustomed to such work & brought him up from the town. I had considerable difficulty, but my perseverance overcame all obstacles & although I had to pull down a wall in one place, I can move on the buggy, crest & all through the opening of my tent.

I went over lots of houses belonging to natives but empty now & ransacked the rooms. Got lots of crockery, chairs, glass & useful things of that sort. As we are not allowed to loot I could not bring out any large things, but there were some splendid marble tables & beautiful glasses which took my fancy. The houses had all been entered before by the Goorkhas & Sikhs & all Rupees, rings & valuables taken.

I have just heard that two officers were killed yesterday in the town & one the day before. However I did not meet with any sepoys. There were lots of people about who said they were peasants, but might in reality have been anyone.

They say we are to get 6 months batta,* about £70 to a Subaltern & about £500 prize money as it is reported there are two millions worth in the town. I do not fancy the above at all. One of our Corporals got a splendid diamond ring & I saw lots of gold necklaces in the possession of the men.

Since my last, I received a letter from you (Jan 2nd was the date). I hope Arthur passed all right. It was a mistake his not coming to Bengal. Best climate & best Presidency every way. He ought now to try to get into an European Corps, of which there are 3 Regts. in the Madras Presidency. An European Corps is composed of Englishmen & not Sepoys. By this time you will be in your new house I suppose. I hope you will continue to like it as well as you do now.

Tell Miss Prater if you see her that I have not forgotten my promise to write to her. I am only waiting for time to collect my ideas & dates.

We are anxiously waiting for the Times to tell us of the particulars attending the fall of Lucknow as we know none. There will be some flying Columns but the shave is that we remain behind here. I expect all your letters have reached. I think now the directions had better be merely the Regt. & 2nd Division, Lucknow (or elsewhere).

I must leave off now

With love to all

From yr. affect. Son

J D Laurie

* batta – Special allowance for soldiers and officials doing duty in dangerous areas or conditions. e.g. on active service