Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research 99/397

LETTERS FROM INDIA , 16 TH LANCERS , 1840 S

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down in the burning sand and were either slain or expired where they fell. My poor regiment, and two native cavalry corps, had to bear the brunt of that day’s work. We lost the whole of our baggage; and since that my cloak and the ground form the whole of my bed. On the 28 th of January we received the word to mount and form line and prepare for action, the enemy lying as usual entrenched, with 26,000 of their best troops and 70 pieces of cannon, on the banks of the river Sutlej, being the same I crossed three years ago, on my embassy to Lahore. At twenty minutes past ten in the morning, the action was commenced by a single gun being fired from them right into us, killing on my right a horse that had escaped five actions previously. The contents of the whole of their 70 guns rattled in amongst us. In a few minutes the ground, previously so quiet, with the troops beautifully arranged as on a field day, was covered by dead, dying, and wounded. We advanced a little at a time, till word was given for the 16 th to charge 22 guns, and away we went at them. In the rear of them, concealed in a wood, were two squares of infantry which, to save us, [it was necessary] to charge them. In a few minutes few men were without wounds of some kind, 156 men being the casualty, including a great number doing duty, with balls in their legs and other wounds. 57 are killed, and the wounded are dying hourly. Our troops in one month have fought four actions, and all been victorious. Upwards of 230 guns are taken; and the only disaster to us is the loss of the luggage of part of our army. The pen I write with, if I may call it one, is a reed without a split, such as the Hindoos use. The paper cost me a ration dram of arrack, selling amongst us at half a rupee the dram, equal to a shilling. We are cooking in turns, corporals and privates the same; and our broken frying pan has done a great deal of duty, I don’t think it has been cold this last three days; I believe there are only two in the regiment. Notwithstanding all this, I feel quite happy and content. The war will close before another letter reaches you; and then for home and a surety. I am without a wound, but my horse was shot. Send me a few needles (five and three betweens), a newspaper, &c. God bless you all. Farewell. R G. Letter 18: From Private Philmer Eves, 8 December 1846. 16 1347 Pte Philmer Eves, born in Sturry, Kent in 1818, was a labourer when he enlisted in the 3 rd Light Dragoons (No. 988) at Queen’s Square, Westminster on 14 September 1838. He transferred to the 16 th Lancers 1 October 1841. On enlistment, he signed his own name, but signed with a cross when he was 15 Among this draft of recruits was Private John Pearman. At Aliwal they served as artillerymen Their battery was probably the one which saved Philmer Eves, as well as other wounded lancers: John Pearman, The Radical Soldier’s Tale: John Pearman 1819-1908 ed. C. Steedman (London, 1988), pp. 124, 131. 16 Kentish Gazette 15 Dec 1846, p. 1. Part of this letter was printed without attribution in Graham, History of the Sixteenth , pp. 113-114.