Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research 99/397

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ARMY HISTORICAL RESEARCH

Letter 16: From 1225 Private John Eaton 2 February 1846 . 9 1225 Pte John Eaton. Born Cambridge, Cambridgeshire 1817. Gardener. Enlisted in the 16 th Lancers at Maidstone 8 Nov 1838 age 20. He served at Maharajpore and Sutlej including the battles of Aliwal and Sobraon. Served 24 years including six years six months in India. After discharge in 1863, he returned to Cambridge, but became a Chelsea In-pensioner in 1878. He died 4 October 1893. 10 Camp Allawalla, 1 st Division of the Army of the Sutlej, Feb. 2 1846. My dearest Mother, – With feelings of the greatest pleasure I once more address you, hoping it will find you in good health, in which state, thank God, I still remain. My dear Mother, since I wrote to you last, I have a great deal to tell you about. We left the main army on the 19 th of January, and marched 25 miles, on the 20 th 23 miles, and on the 21 st we had to fight our way through the enemy. We marched at midnight on the 25 th , and after marching until nine o’clock, we found the enemy ready to receive us. They commenced firing on us, and our regiment had to cover the retreat of our small army, which we did with a small loss; but the poor infantry were so knocked up, that it was impossible to offer them battle, so we made our retreat on Loodianah, where part of our troops were besieged, and relieved them. The enemy did not follow us up, but satisfied themselves by cutting off our baggage, and murdering our poor sick. My dear Mother, I, as well as the rest, lost everything, but I did not hear one of our men complain. Now, then, after receiving some reinforcements, which made our army between ten and eleven thousand men, the enemy took up their position on the plains of Allawalla, and intrenched themselves. Their numbers were, on the morning of the 27 th , 20,000 men and 56 pieces of cannon. On the night of the 27 th they received 4,000 men and 19 pieces of cannon, which made their strength 24,000 men and 63 pieces of cannon. On the 28 th of January, about six in the morning, we advanced on them, and one of the most decisive and most brilliant victories was achieved that ever blessed England. About nine we came in sight of them, and formed our line in most beautiful order, and advanced to the attack. In a few minutes their long guns commenced firing on us, and as we advanced it increased; but British troops were not to be deterred – on we went, as steady as if at drill; but many a fine fellow was doomed not to meet the foe. The enemy’s guns made great havoc amongst our men. The cannonade on both sides was carried on with the greatest vigour – so it was for sometime, when we received orders to charge, we gave three hearty cheers, and went on at a

19 Cambridge Independent Press 4 April 1846. Note that Eaton and Grieveson (Letter 17) were writing on the same day. 10 TNA WO97/1283; WO12/1274, 1290; WO23/170.