Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research 99/397

LETTERS FROM INDIA , 16 TH LANCERS , 1840 S

173

fortunate enough to fall in with a sheep or bullock, and eat the flesh half raw, for wood was very scarce – and then again marching and attacking outposts of the enemy, under a burning sun during the day, with a scarcity of water, and very often at night lying down without bedding of any kind, and almost as cold as it is in England – however, we have managed to rough it through with the best of them. I see by the newspapers that they give our brave companions in arms great praise for the first two engagements of the campaign. I wonder what they will say about Aliwal. We ought to get a little praise, for I can assure you that our regiment did the best part of the work on that memorable day. Letter 15: From Lance-Sergeant Fred Cowtan, Boat Dido off Benares, River Ganges 3 May 1846 . 8 Addressed to ‘Mr. Cowtan, British Museum, London.’ My dearest Mother, As everything at home seems to be done in the pictorial way I have attempted to give you some idea of Benares with our boats sailing past. The other our dear Father will be able to explain to you by looking at the papers containing General Smiths Despatches. So much my dearest Mother for the illustrations and now for a little about ourselves. As you will have seen by our last we embarked on the 6 th of last month in boats very much like Coal barges, with a covering of straw scarcely sufficient to keep the sun from us, this however could not be avoided for the Order was so unexpected that better accommodation could not be procured. And you may be assured dearest Mother we would put up with any inconvenience rather than remain another season away from those we love so dearly, but I am sorry to say there seems some doubts about shipping being at Calcutta. If there are vessels enough we shall embark early in July and should the contrary be the case we must remain at Calcutta a few Months, at any rate it cannot be many Months before we shall once more meet & oh what a Meeting dearest Mother after the many many dangers it has pleased God to bring us through. When I think of the number of Parents left childless (even in our own regt.) I fancy I never could be wicked enough to sin again, but I fancy my feelings are not half what they used to be. There is only one part where they seem unaltered that is my affectionate, dearest love for Edwin and our dear Family, and that God may permit us all once more to meet is the sincere prayer dear Father & Mother of Your Affectionate Son, F.B. Cowtan Cover: From No. 1012 F.B. Cowtan Serjt. H.M. 16 th Lancers

8 QRL Collection – not included in the Kentish Gazette collection. The letter is headed by a sketch of Benares seen from the river, and also includes a plan of the Battle of Aliwal, presumably the one mentioned by Edwin in his letter of 4 February.