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7 Jun 58 Julius Azimgurh Mother 5, Hyde Park Place (West) ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Azimgurh, 7th June /58

My dear Mother

I did not write by the last mail as my hands were so sore from prickly heat that I could not hold a pen, but I have since had a slight touch of fever which has carried it off.

We have had the hot winds here lately. The men were suffering very much at one time. Out of my Company of about 34 men, I buried 3 in two days. Lately however they have been more healthy.

There are 5 Subalterns in the Fort but only two well enough to do duty – myself & one other. We manage to keep pretty cool with the help of mats hung in the place of doors on which water is continually thrown which cools the air as it passes through.

I have charge of a Company at present as the Officer Commanding it is ill. We have been left by no less than 5 Capts. since the Regt. arrived & what is singular, no Subaltern has gone home as fit. There will be a great run of promotion if I can only manage to stop here about 2 years.

I heard from John (dated 5th May). He seems quite happy & is looking out for his dog cart.

Did I tell you I got Peter’s other letter which told me all his news. However it is no use repeating as you will have heard it long ago. It is no good my attempting to tell you what is going on out here as we do not know.

You will see that Lugard* took the two Arrah guns. They had a very hard day’s work driving the enemy out of the jungle but as we could not stay there ourselves, we retired to our Camp & so the Ns came into their old quarters again.

However they are very hard up for food & we have surrounded them in a corner of the jungle 6 miles long by 2 wide & we ought to destroy them.

As usual servants are a great bore. They are very lazy, great cheats, very dirty, forgetful. I had one impertinent one. He put me in a rage yesterday by talking at me. I was obliged to go in at him with my fists & I do not think he will ever come for a second edition.

I find it is the only way. They do not understand kindness. They take the first opportunity of cheating, or doing you. The Bamboo is the only course open to us in return.

The Batta is out at last. I am going to set myself up with a horse & get rid of the miserable pony I have been riding.

Will you tell my Father I shall be much obliged if he will invest my allowance for me at home. I ought to have by this time £40 at Cox’s, £20 for the quarter beginning 1st March & £20 for the quarter beginning 1st June.

I told my Calcutta Agent to receive it for me from Cox & gave him my written authority, after this I shall be able to do very well on my pay.

With the start of Batta & the £40 allowance at Cox’s, I shall not want even all that at present, but it takes three months hearing from England & I like to have a little to fall back upon in India.

My Agent does not seem to have got the answer from the P&O Company about returning some of my passage money. I wish my Father would go & look the Company up & get an answer to my application.

I never hear from my Father. He has not written to me since I left. I got a letter from Mary who I hope is quite well.

I suppose Arthur will have started before this reaches. Tell my Father not to forget what I said in a former letter of the Regts. he should try for. I took trouble to find out what the opinions of old indians were & I think I was right.

The mail is in but no letters for me. My last date was 12th May & your last April 16th.

Hoping all well, with love to yourself & all

I remain yr. affect. son,

J D Laurie

* Lugard – General The Rt. Hon Sir Edward Lugard GCB. (1810-1898)

After a distinguished military career in the Afghan War (1842), Sikh War (1845), and Expedition to Persia (1856), Sir Edward returned to India in 1857 as Adjutant General just before the outbreak of the mutiny. He was given command of the 2nd Division of Infantry, and he led it in the fierce battles to rescue the garrison at Lucknow and subsequent mopping up operations