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17 Sep 58 Julius Azimgurh Mother ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Azimgurh 17^th Sept/58

My dear Mother

Since my last, I have returned once more to Azimgurh & am settled again. I don’t know how long it may last. Col. Kelly has instructions to keep the District quiet, so if any Ns come out of Oudh, we shall be after them. This is the most dangerous month in the year so I hope they will leave us alone. After the 15^th of next month we shall be under Canvas & ready for anything.

I received yr. letter of 26^th Augst. from Tunbridge Wells & am glad to hear you are all well. I hope Mary may be doing well by this time. I am looking forward to receive favourable news of her by next mail. I am sorry to hear that you think my Father is ailing. It must be that he has been doing too much Business, but he must take a rest now. I see he was not one of the party at Cherbourg.

I have got yr. letters very regularly lately. There is a new rule out here that all letters are to be prepaid, which has come into effect since 1^st Sept. Now before I went out with Kelly’s Force, I wrote to let you know & on my return the letter was given me, as it had not been prepaid, although it was dated 20^th Augst. However I could get no satisfaction. So you will have been a very long time without a letter until you got my intervening one from Dorree Ghat.

I often think over our Welsh trip & look forward to one day going over the ground again. I am much obliged to you for talking of keeping my dividends & arranging to pay Carr with them. By the way, will you remind my Father to invest my Allowance, which I have not had paid since I came to India, in some Shares. You talk of looking out for a boys’ school for Alfred. I certainly think from what I have seen that every boy ought to go to a Public School, Eton or Harrow, as it makes a man of him & he makes acquaintances which are of use to him in after life. A Private School is a mistake.

I very nearly got a chance of distinguishing myself the other day when I was coming in with my Company from Dorree Ghat. I was a day too late. 150 Rebels had been within 2 miles of a place where I encamped with my 40 men the night before. If I could only have known it I might have been a made man. Such is the fortune of war.

I have written to Arthur, not that it will reach him on his arrival; also to Peter & I am about writing to John, but do not know where to direct.

I hope all are well & that a little rest will set my Father up.

Love to all

Your affect son

JD Laurie