Part 30

"Mr. Groves, I am happy to say that my brother and Mr. Mansell thoroughly agree with me that at the present moment experience rather than age must guide us in the distribution of our appointments. Although you have been but a short time in the Company's service, you have a wide experience in the country, and your knowledge of its languages is invaluable at the present juncture. We feel that you are naturally specially acquainted with the wants and necessities of that portion of the country in which you have lived for upwards of two years, and have therefore determined to appoint you to the charge of the strip of country lying north of Dhangah and running along by the side of the Jhelum. It will be about twenty miles wide, and will extend to the end of the narrow projection of country running up into Cashmere. The line will run to the east of Rawal-Pindee, and will include all the hill country, and will touch Torbeylah on the eastern branch of the Indus. It will therefore be about a hundred and twenty miles long, and will of course include your uncle's former district. Your appointment will be that of a deputy-commissioner. It will be a sub-district, either of the district of Rawal-Pindee or of Peshawar; that is not settled yet, but at any rate you will communicate direct with me. It is an important appointment for so young a civil servant, but I am sure that you will justify our choice. I congratulate you, Mr. Groves, upon having worthily earned an appointment such as this. You will start within two days for your post, and we think that it will be advantageous for you to make Djarma your head-quarters; there are, of course, several much more important places in the district; but in the first place it is, I believe, strongly fortified, it is distant about midway between the northern and southern points, and it possesses the advantage that in case of need you might collect a force from among the men who served under your uncle, and who are personally known to you. Lieutenant Purchas will accompany you; he is commissioned to raise a police force of a hundred mounted men; he will be stationed at Djarma, and will, of course, be subject to your orders, and responsible for the maintenance of order in the district. We have also decided upon raising a frontier force, and shall, as a beginning, raise two troops of cavalry and six companies of infantry. Major Mellish, who will have the command, will follow you to Djarma in a few days, and I shall be obliged if you will assist him in raising half that number in your neighbourhood. No doubt the force will be considerably increased later; at present it is but an experiment, and while it is desirable that the corps should start with a number of trained men, we have decided that it would be better to have an admixture of recruits from Pathan tribes on the other side of the Indus, both because they will know the country there, and because it is undesirable that the whole force should be composed of men acquainted with each other."

Percy expressed his thanks to the commissioners for the honour they had done him in the appointment, and especially for having selected him to the post he should have preferred to all others. "I can answer, sir," he said, "that should any emergency ever occur, I could in the course of a couple of days raise a thousand men for any service required."

Ten years later Percy was able to fulfil the promise. He had three years before been removed to a more important appointment, that of the district between the Jhelum and Chenab rivers, when the news of the outbreak of the mutiny sent a thrill through India, and it was evident that it would extend over the whole of the Bengal army. He received a message from Mr. Montgomery, commissioner at Lahore--Sir John Lawrence, who had succeeded his brother as chief-commissioner of the Punjaub, being at the time at Rawal-Pindee--saying, "Come to me at once." Ten minutes later he was on horseback, and, accompanied by his two faithful servants, rode to Lahore, and on his arrival was at once received by the commissioner.

"Mr. Groves," he said, "I fear there is no doubt that the sepoys throughout the Punjaub will go with the rest. We have a few days' respite, but I fear that it is certain they will rise. They must be disarmed if possible, crushed if necessary. I think that the Sikhs as a whole will be true to us. They have experienced ten years of good government, and I believe they appreciate it. If they are faithful, we may not only hold this province, but help the north-west; if they are against us, India is lost for a time. My intention is, as soon as the sepoys have been dealt with, to raise regiments among the Sikhs, and march them south. What do you think?"

"It will depend a great deal on their chiefs, sir; if they are faithful, I believe the people in general will at any rate not take part against us."

"I have received assurances of fidelity from the Rajah of Putiala and many others; some have offered to place their troops at our disposal, others not only troops but money."

"Then I have no doubt of the population sir; they have always looked to their chiefs, and if they are staunch the people will follow their lead."

"Why I have specially sent for you is this, Mr. Groves. You know your old district thoroughly, and have personal influence there; would you undertake to raise a force at once, whom you could trust to fight against the sepoys? There are the garrisons at Peshawur, Nowshera, Rawal-Pindee, and other places."

"I think I can undertake that, sir."

"Then, in heaven's name, start at once. Take a fresh horse from my stable, get remounts wherever you can, and ride as if for your life. The troops at Meerut and Delhi have both risen and massacred the officers and all the Europeans; and although it may be a few days before the news is generally known, you are aware how strangely fast news travels in India, and assuredly this will be the signal for the rising of the sepoys everywhere. I hope to be able to deal with those here and at Mean Meer."

Feeling half-stupefied at the intelligence of the risings at Meerut and Delhi, Percy hurried off.

"I have to ride with all speed to Djarma," he said to his followers; "it is a matter of life and death, and I have not a moment to lose. The commissioner has ordered one of his own horses to be brought round for me to start with, and I shall change as often as I can on the road. Do you follow on as quickly as you can."

Five minutes later he dashed out through the northern gate, of Lahore. He had already performed a long and rapid ride, and had nearly two hundred miles before him; but he made the journey without rest, save to eat something whenever a fresh horse was being procured for him, and in twenty hours from his leaving Lahore he rode into Djarma. The force there had, he heard, been summoned six hours previously by a messenger from Sir John Lawrence to join him instantly at Rawal-Pindee. In half an hour after his arrival he had despatched a dozen messengers to the valleys where his uncle's men had been settled; then he threw himself down on a couch, and ordered that he should not be disturbed for four hours.

At the end of that time he was aroused, and going out found that some four hundred men from the valley below had already come in; the greater portion were old soldiers, but some had brought their sons in with them, and all were equally ready to serve. Three hours more, and the force had swelled to twelve hundred men, and included many of the colonel's old officers, among them Nand Chund, who had saved money and settled down quietly after the troops had been disbanded. The old soldiers had all brought their arms with them, and the new recruits had also for the most part arms of some kind; others were found, and distributed among them. The old officers naturally fell into their positions, and the vacancies were filled up by men who had been under-officers.

There were two hundred cavalry-men among them, but of these not more than half had horses of any kind; but messengers had also been sent off to many of the land-owners in that part of the district, begging them to lend horses for the service of the government, and assuring them of payment for them on a fair scale should they not be returned; and a sufficient number for the unmounted men were now forthcoming. Eight hours after his arrival at Djarma, Percy rode out at the head of two hundred cavalry and one thousand infantry. Nand Chund was left behind, with directions to raise instantly another regiment of infantry and as many horsemen as he could engage in the whole district, and to join him as speedily as possible.

"I could raise five regiments if it were necessary," Nand Chund said; "when the people know that you are to be their leader, every man who can bear arms will be ready to follow you."

"A regiment will be enough for the present, Nand Chund. No one can say how many will be required afterwards. Choose young and active men; we shall have long marches and much to go through. You can say that I have no doubt that all who do faithful duty will be permanently retained in the service if they choose."

Percy did not go to Rawal-Pindee, for he knew that there were European troops there, and the place was safe, and he feared that his force might be detained there. His corps made a tremendous day's march, and placed themselves on the main northern road, where, three hours later, the sepoys came along from the Attock and Nusserabad. Warned of their approach by the clouds of dust, Percy placed his troops in a grove, and when they came along, with the drums beating and colours flying, poured in a volley and attacked them. Taken by surprise, great numbers were killed, and the rest fled and were pursued by him at the head of the cavalry, and very few of them succeeded in effecting their escape.

The next morning Percy marched his infantry as far as Attock, and leaving them there to prevent the passage of any mutineers, pushed forward with the cavalry to Peshawur. Here he aided the irregular cavalry under Colonel Nicholson in cutting up the sepoys who had mutinied at the frontier stations. For the next fortnight he scoured the northern district, dispersing bodies of the mutineers and keeping order. His infantry he had sent down to Lahore to be employed as required. At the end of that time he received an order to report himself there with his cavalry.

"You have been doing good service again, Mr. Groves," Sir John Lawrence said; "the prompt punishment you inflicted on the mutineers has had an excellent effect in the north, but you are wanted back in your district; we must carry on things as before, for this will impress the natives more with the fact that we have no fear and anxiety about the future, than if we were ourselves to go south. A tranquil and assured front, a quiet continuance in our usual routine work, will impress them more than anything. Now, as to these men you have raised: first as to the cavalry, I will muster them into the service if they are willing, and the same thing with the infantry. I am raising regiments here as fast as I can, in order to enable the commander-in-chief to take the offensive. Hitherto the population in general seems to have stood aloof, and it is most desirable to show them that we are confident. Do you think your men will all engage?"

"That I cannot say, sir; they all joined me at once from their affection for my uncle and from their personal knowledge of myself. Some of them are well-to-do men; a good many of them are getting past the age for soldiering. They would all be willing, I have no doubt, to serve here in the Punjaub, but many would not care to enlist for regular service. Most of the younger men would, of course, be delighted to do so."

Eventually three strong companies were raised from the infantry and a troop of horse from the cavalry. These were enrolled in the Company's service. Both were at once furnished with officers belonging to the sepoy regiments that had mutinied, and marched away to join the force assembling for an advance against Delhi Another troop of a hundred men, willing to serve for a year, was officered and sent up to Djarma, together with two hundred infantry, to be in readiness to put down any trouble that might arise with the hill tribes. The rest received two months' pay and returned to their homes, with the understanding that they would, if called upon to do so, rejoin the ranks.

The month that followed was full of anxiety to all. Until Delhi fell the strain was very great, for although the Punjaub was quiet and apparently loyal, the eyes of every native in India were fixed upon the desperate struggle round the city which had for so long been the seat of empire, and it was not until the British flag again floated over the blood-stained city, that India recognized that the British would assuredly emerge victorious from the struggle with the great army it had raised and disciplined.

When at length the strength of the mutiny was crushed by the final capture of Lucknow, and there remained but the work of pursuit and punishment to be carried out, Percy Groves took his leave and went home. He had been fifteen years absent, and was now thirty. He did not go alone, for he took with him a wife and two children, having five years before married the sister of a young civilian in his own district. She had many relatives in the service, and some of these had been among the early victims of the mutiny, and a married sister had been among those so long besieged in Lucknow. The anxiety had told so much upon his wife, that Percy was strongly advised to take her to England directly he could get away from his work, and as soon as he felt that he could be spared he sent in his application, which was at once acceded to. His name had been included by Sir John Lawrence in the lists of those to whose efforts it was chiefly due that the Punjaub had been saved, and when the list of honours came out his name was included in those on whom the honour of C.B. had been bestowed.

Before leaving he had the satisfaction of seeing his two faithful followers settled down near each other. He had purchased for them of a sirdar, who had impoverished himself by his extravagance, the rights over several villages, and although they lamented Percy's departure deeply, they were both of an age when men view with satisfaction the prospect of a life of ease and comfort.

He embarked this time at Bombay, and returned _via_ Egypt. He was received with delight by his uncle, who had established himself at Southsea, and who looked, Percy thought, but little older than when he had seen him last. When the end of his two years' leave of absence was approaching, his uncle for the first time asked him whether he meant to go back.

"I can only say, Percy, that I shall consider you a downright fool if you do. If you had kept yourself single, it would be a different thing; and if you had an ambition to become some day one of the top-sawyers in the service, a chief-commissioner, and all that, there is no reason that I know of, except that I want you here, why you should not stick to it to the end of your life. Now it is altogether different. You know the doctor has advised that though Annie is perfectly well, she should not return to India. Even if she did, you would not want to take these three little children out with you, and she would not like to go without them. That breaking up of families is the great drawback to the Indian service. Of course, in many cases men must put up with it, because they cannot afford to leave till they have served long enough to get their full pension. That is not so in your case. You will get a fair pension, of course, because you have held much more important appointments than often fall to the lot of men of your standing; then, too, you were seriously wounded at Chillianwalla. You have been specially reported, and have been made a C.B., all of which will count in the way of pension. However, fortunately that makes very little difference to you; as I told you twelve years ago I have an ample fortune for us both, and I want you at home. It has been dull work for me since I came back, without anyone to care for here. I am nearly sixty now, and I want a comfortable home for the remainder of my life, and if you go away again I shall be doing something rash, marrying again, or something of that sort. Of course, it is for you to choose; but if you go back to India alone, when you can live here with your wife and children, I shall consider you to be a greater fool than I took you to be."

"Well, you need not consider that, uncle," Percy laughed. "I have been thinking it over myself, and had pretty well come to the conclusion to retire. I have no particular ambition to become a lieutenant-governor, or even a governor; certainly none to be working out there alone, with Annie and the children in England; and the thought that you would like me at home has had its full share in deciding me. To tell you the truth, I have already sent in my request to be allowed to retire, but I had intended to say nothing about it until I could surprise you with the news that it was all settled. I used to think that, did I return, I should have no one I knew in England except you; but Annie's friends and relations, and there are any number of them, have naturally become mine, and I am now thoroughly equipped that way."

"I am glad to hear it, Percy; heartily glad. I reckoned on your good sense as well as upon your affection for me, and I am indeed glad that it is settled. I have had two or three talks on the subject with Annie. She says she hoped and thought you would retire, but that she would not say a word to influence you one way or the other. You are very fortunate in your wife, lad."

"I have been very fortunate all round, uncle; no man has more reason for being thankful and grateful than I have, to God in the first place for all the blessings I have received, and next to him to you."

"Tut, tut, Percy, you have brought as much pleasure into my life as I have into yours. Now, lad, you must consult your wife, and look about and decide where you would like to establish yourself. We will have a house in London, which I shall call mine, and you shall have a place in the country, with an estate big enough to be an amusement without being a trouble; or if you have no fancy for an estate, we will buy a place here, or anywhere else you and your wife wish to fix on.

"Thank you, uncle; we shall have plenty of time to talk that over. My present idea is that I have no desire whatever to become the possessor of an estate. The life is vastly more cheerful in a town like this, where we have any number of acquaintances, military and Indian, a good club, and something always going on, than it would be in the country, where, as I found while staying with some of Annie's relations, eight miles is considered a reasonable drive to a dinner party."

And so, a month later, Percy Groves retired from the service. His wife, having so many friends in the army, and having been brought up among military men, cordially agreed with him in preferring life near a large garrison town like Portsmouth to settling on an estate in the country, and three months later they were established in a large and comfortable house standing in its own grounds at Southsea. Colonel Groves proposed to Percy to go into parliament, and to take a prominent part in questions connected with India. Percy would not listen to the proposal; his Indian duties had, however, made him an adept with his pen; and beginning by writing occasional articles upon Indian subjects in which he felt a special interest, he became a regular contributor to one or two of the leading reviews, while his articles on Indian topics in the _Times_, signed "P.G.," attracted much attention.

This work kept up his connection with India, and afforded just that amount of pleasant occupation that is so necessary to men who, having led a busy and active life, have nothing but their family duties and pleasures and the ordinary routine of daily life to occupy their minds. Colonel Groves died some five years since, enjoying life to the last, and deeply regretted by his great-nephews and -nieces. Percy Groves is one of the best-known figures at Southsea and at the Oriental Club, and his grandchildren consider it the greatest of treats when they can persuade him to tell them stories of his experiences and adventures in the two campaigns that resulted in the Conquest of the Punjaub.