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18 Apr 59 Julius Camp Mohrar Mother ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Camp Mohrar. 26 miles from Fyzabad

18th April. /59. –

My dear Mother

As I have no idea when I may have another opportunity of sending you information of my doings & whereabouts, I will at once commence & tell you all I can.

We were kept for some time in a state of uncertainty at Sotun as to where our future movements should be directed. At last we got orders to move up next morning & join Col. Kelly who was only 6 miles in front of us preparatory to another attempt at driving the Rebels out of the Serai & Nepaul Hills. This order however was not destined to be carried out & that evening orders were received for the 34th & the Guns to march down to Fyzabad. There was great delight at this & of course we expected to find Quarters prepared for us & that at last we might get a little peace.

Nor were we disabused of our ideas until arrival at this place, where orders reached us to halt & wait the arrival of Sir Hope Grant. Now we are all aware we are ‘in for it’ once more. All our sick have been sent into Fyzabad (they amounted to 92). A Cavalry Regt. (some of Hodson’s Horse) & two guns have found us & Sir Hope Grant is to be here in two hours time. Report says that the Rebels are remaining all over Baritch again & the Joolsepore Jungle (a very large one) is supposed to be full. They have evidently been keeping quiet until the arrival of the hot weather & are now once more commencing their old games.

Native Spies say there are at least 50,000 of them. Under General Grant I believe a thousand of us would lick any amount of Ns. Fyzabad was in a state of slight alarm I believe a few days ago. There is a very sacred Hindoo city three miles from this in which I understand some lacs (10,000) of pilgrims (?) were collected & it was thought there was some conspiracy going on. Nothing came off.

The nearest enemy are 6 miles from us. They came down to a river to bathe & when told of our Force, they said that once they had washed, they had no objection to die if it was their fate & that they would stay there. If they were killed it was their fate. All that sounds very well, but I have not a doubt that on our arrival there (probably tomorrow) they will have bolted.

The brutes cut up two Sikhs close to Fyzabad, who were Convalescent & on their way to join. Not content with killing people, they must needs cut them to ribbons afterwards. They are great cowards.

Did I tell you what ‘Mohammed Hossein’ said of Kelly’s first fight when he was in the opposition. ‘When we saw you English coming, we were glad & shouted as we knew our day had arrived as we were ten to one. We were on the very point of advancing when you advanced & the day was yours’ – leaving it to be supposed that the two bodies of men could not advance as they might hurt each other & that if one lot came on the other must necessarily retire. Such I firmly believe is the native creed.

Sir Hope says we shall probably be out for 6 weeks to two months. I am afraid we shall leave a good many of ours in the Jungles. 4 men died in two days for fever & dysentery. We had one case of cholera. Our new Paymaster had not joined us a week from England when he had to be sent in to Fyzabad with dysentery. Colonel Kelly had to leave from sickness & we hear has 6 months leave. As his wife is at present at Calcutta we have no doubt he will quickly get well & enjoy himself resting on his laurels.

I have had two papers from my Father (the last 22nd Feby.) by which I see he is at & down upon the Authorities. Is there to be a dissolution? By the way, I must tell you for the information of all that Fyzabad is in Oudh & not in Bengal. Either ‘Bengal or Elsewhere’ or else ‘Oudh’ will do, but the shorter the direction the better.

I have heard from John & Peter but not from Arthur at all, lately.

It is getting very hot & if Sir Hope Grant is not changed we shall have some heavy marches.

I think however if we could once get a good stand-up fight with them in the open, we should be repaid our trouble. Doubtless you imagine (about this time) that we are in a comfortable bungalow in Fyzabad. Lord Clyde was very premature in stating the war at an end about 2 months ago.

I daresay my letters get very stale. All on the same uninteresting topics but you must take them as they come & make the best of a bad bargain. If I do not get some letters from some of you soon I shall be under the painful necessity of applying my Hunting Whip to the shoulders of the next P.O. Babboo* Servant, to give vent to my feelings.

I hope you are all in good health.

My best love to you all, from yr. affect. Son

J D Laurie

P.O.

21st April 59. –

As no stamps were to be got for love or money, I have been obliged to bring my letter along with me.

We have come two marches. Of course the Ns have bolted – supposed to have gone in a NW direction. I understand Sir H. Grant says there is a chance of our being in Fyzabad shortly, but we have been hearing that all along.

I got a letter from you this morning (27th Feb. the date was). It had been a very long time on its way out. The last letters most of Ours have received were date 10th March.

I am sorry to hear you are getting in the habit of coming to grief in the streets. It must be very unpleasant, to say nothing of the pain accompanied by falls on pavement. You will have yet to send for one of us to extract you & take care of you. I am also distressed to hear that my Father is not in such good health as is his wont. I am afraid he allows business to trouble him too much. You ought to get him to take holidays often.

Am glad to hear that Helen is getting proficient at Ball. We will have great games some day, I trust.

My tent, owing to the service it has seen, is getting torn to pieces & altogether used up. (I did not say like its master). The consequence is that the Hot wind is rushing in, bringing dust. We are encamped in middle of a ploughed field & causing one to feel very unpleasant.

You must not go & break your arms or legs. If you want any one to assist you in yr. travels (as the slang has it) ‘tip me a line’. I will not say what would be the result.

My Father I trust is better. He really must not sacrifice his health for any amount of business.

Love to all from yr. affect. Son

J D Laurie

* Babboo – Baboo or Babu is a Hindu title of respect, equivalent to sir or master, usually given to an educated native clerk or merchant