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22 Jun 58 Julius Azimgurh Father Hyde Park Place (West) ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Azimgurh

22nd June /58. –

My dear Father

I received yr. letter (May 5th) yesterday, for which I thank you as it clears up my money matters satisfactorily. I got a letter from Smith & Co. yesterday to say they had received £11-12 from Cox on my account & £25 from the P&O Agents, so all right.

You do not like my dealing with Smith & Co but you see he is the Regtl. Agent in India, the same as Cox is in England & one is obliged to have a man in Calcutta to do things for you in yr. absence; send up things &c. so one may just as well be with the Regtl. man as not, although I must say I do not like him much.

I told you a short time ago that I thought I should be able to get on very well for the future, on my pay with the Batta & my allowances up to June (inclusive), as a foundation & that I wished you to put the remainder in the Union Bank. Add it on to my little there already, so that if I do return home in 4 or 5 years, I shall have a little store to fall back upon. I have not heard what we are likely to get as a Prize for Lucknow, but people do say as much as £1,500, but I do not count on any thing.

I believe we are likely to be moved to Gorrackpore about 60 miles from this, near our friend ‘Jung Bahadoor’,* but I hope not as I have got my shed very comfortable.

I think there ought to be a lot of promotion going. Best, Warry, Jordan*, Harman, Marsh among the Capts. but they take so long in making up their minds. There are not 10 Officers at work now. Two went to Benares yesterday, sick: Ball & Dunbar *. Gwilt does not half like this country & would give his ears to get out. Do you think being down for General Purchase will do any good? With all these new Battalions there must be lots of people selling out.

If we go to Gorrackpore we are sure to be in at Fyzabad which is only about 50 miles off & the rebels are making it a second Lucknow & lots of prize in it. I could not manage to get either jewels or Cashmere shawls at Lucknow. There were very few good of the latter & they were bought up at fabulous prices immediately.

I am sorry to hear Frankie & Helen are ill. They will doubtless be well long before this reaches you.

So, Arthur is off. My Mother will have enough to do keeping up a correspondence with us all.

I am very well indeed & notwithstanding the climate which is very depressing, manage to keep my spirits up. I begin to despise prickly heat every one is now covered with it.

I hope all well at home now. With best love to them.

I remain, my dear Father

yr. affect. Son

J D Laurie

* Jung Bahadur GCB – (1816 – 1877) Ruler of Nepal and founder of the Rana dynasty. Having risen to prominence in Nepal and become prime minister, he saw the benefits of co-operation with Europeans and took the unprecedented step of visiting Britain in 1850. Following the 1857 Mutiny, he proved to be a loyal and reliable ally to the British. Heading an army of 15,000 troops, he fought several hard battles in aid of the British around Gorakhpur and Lucknow. He returned to Nepal triumphantly in March 1858 and continued to aid the British in rooting out rebels who sought refuge in the Tarai. He was created Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath by a grateful British Government in 1858

* Jordan – Capt. Joseph Jordan

* Dunbar – Lt. William Matthew Dunbar