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some of my adventures in a monthly magazine） unprincipled men have
endeavored to rob me of the only good I possess； to question the
statements that I make； and； themselves without a spark of honor or
good feeling； to steal from me that which is my sole wealthmy
character as a teller of THE TRUTH。
The reader will understand that it is to the illiberal strictures
of a profligate press I now allude； among the London journalists；
none （luckily for themselves） have dared to question the veracity
of my statements： they know me； and they know that I am IN LONDON。
If I can use the pen； I can also wield a more manly and terrible
weapon； and would answer their contradictions with my sword！ No
gold or gems adorn the hilt of that war…worn scimitar； but there is
blood upon the bladethe blood of the enemies of my country； and
the maligners of my honest fame。 There are others； howeverthe
disgrace of a disgraceful tradewho； borrowing from distance a
despicable courage； have ventured to assail me。 The infamous
editors of the Kelso Champion； the Bungay Beacon； the Tipperary
Argus； and the Stoke Pogis Sentinel； and other dastardly organs of
the provincial press； have； although differing in politics； agreed
upon this one point； and with a scoundrelly unanimity； vented a
flood of abuse upon the revelations made by me。
They say that I have assailed private characters； and wilfully
perverted history to blacken the reputation of public men。 I ask；
was any one of these men in Bengal in the year 1803？ Was any
single conductor of any one of these paltry prints ever in
Bundelcund or the Rohilla country？ Does this EXQUISITE Tipperary
scribe know the difference between Hurrygurrybang and Burrumtollah？
Not he！ and because； forsooth； in those strange and distant lands
strange circumstances have taken place； it is insinuated that the
relater is a liar： nay； that the very places themselves have no
existence but in my imagination。 Fools！but I will not waste my
anger upon them； and proceed to recount some other portions of my
personal history。
It is； I presume； a fact which even THESE scribbling assassins will
not venture to deny； that before the commencement of the campaign
against Scindiah； the English General formed a camp at Kanouge on
the Jumna； where he exercised that brilliant little army which was
speedily to perform such wonders in the Dooab。 It will be as well
to give a slight account of the causes of a war which was speedily
to rage through some of the fairest portions of the Indian
continent。
Shah Allum； the son of Shah Lollum； the descendant by the female
line of Nadir Shah （that celebrated Toorkomaun adventurer； who had
wellnigh hurled Bajazet and Selim the Second from the throne of
Bagdad）Shah Allum； I say； although nominally the Emperor of
Delhi； was in reality the slave of the various warlike chieftains
who lorded it by turns over the country and the sovereign； until
conquered and slain by some more successful rebel。 Chowder Loll
Masolgee； Zubberdust Khan； Dowsunt Row Scindiah； and the celebrated
Bobbachy Jung Bahawder； had held for a time complete mastery in
Delhi。 The second of these； a ruthless Afghan soldier； had
abruptly entered the capital； nor was he ejected from it until he
had seized upon the principal jewels； and likewise put out the eyes
of the last of the unfortunate family of Afrasiab。 Scindiah came
to the rescue of the sightless Shah Allum； and though he destroyed
his oppressor； only increased his slavery； holding him in as
painful a bondage as he had suffered under the tyrannous Afghan。
As long as these heroes were battling among themselves； or as long
rather as it appeared that they had any strength to fight a battle；
the British Government； ever anxious to see its enemies by the
ears； by no means interfered in the contest。 But the French
Revolution broke out； and a host of starving sans…culottes appeared
among the various Indian States； seeking for military service； and
inflaming the minds of the various native princes against the
British East India Company。 A number of these entered into
Scindiah's ranks： one of them； Perron； was commander of his army；
and though that chief was as yet quite engaged in his hereditary
quarrel with Jeswunt Row Holkar； and never thought of an invasion
of the British territory； the Company all of a sudden discovered
that Shah Allum； his sovereign； was shamefully ill…used； and
determined to re…establish the ancient splendor of his throne。
Of course it was sheer benevolence for poor Shah Allum that
prompted our governors to take these kindly measures in his favor。
I don't know how it happened that； at the end of the war； the poor
Shah was not a whit better off than at the beginning； and that
though Holkar was beaten； and Scindiah annihilated； Shah Allum was
much such a puppet as before。 Somehow； in the hurry and confusion
of this struggle； the oyster remained with the British Government；
who had so kindly offered to dress it for the Emperor； while his
Majesty was obliged to be contented with the shell。
The force encamped at Kanouge bore the title of the Grand Army of
the Ganges and the Jumna； it consisted of eleven regiments of
cavalry and twelve battalions of infantry； and was commanded by
General Lake in person。
Well； on the 1st of September we stormed Perron's camp at Allyghur；
on the fourth we took that fortress by assault； and as my name was
mentioned in general orders； I may as well quote the Commander…in…
Chief's words regarding methey will spare me the trouble of
composing my own eulogium：
〃The Commander…in…Chief is proud thus publicly to declare his high
sense of the gallantry of Lieutenant Gahagan； of the cavalry。
In the storming of the fortress； although unprovided with a single
ladder； and accompanied but by a few brave men； Lieutenant Gahagan
succeeded in escalading the inner and fourteenth wall of the place。
Fourteen ditches lined with sword…blades and poisoned chevaux…de…
frise； fourteen walls bristling with innumerable artillery and as
smooth as looking…glasses； were in turn triumphantly passed by that
enterprising officer。 His course was to be traced by the heaps of
slaughtered enemies lying thick upon the platforms； and alas！ by
the corpses of most of the gallant men who followed him！when at
length he effected his lodgment； and the dastardly enemy； who dared
not to confront him with arms； let loose upon him the tigers and
lions of Scindiah's menagerie。 This meritorious officer destroyed；
with his own hand； four of the largest and most ferocious animals；
and the rest； awed by the indomitable majesty of BRITISH VALOR；
shrank back to their dens。 Thomas Higgory； a private； and Runty
Goss； havildar； were the only two who remained out of the nine
hundred who followed Lieutenant Gahagan。 Honor to them！ honor and
tears for the brave men who perished on that awful day！〃
。 。 。 。 。 。
I have copied this； word for word； from the Bengal Hurkaru of
September 24； 1803： and anybody who has the slightest doubt as to
the statement； may refer to the paper itself。
And here I must pause to give thanks to Fortune； which so
marvellously preserved me； Sergeant…Major Higgory； and Runty Goss。
Were I to say that any valor of ours had carried us unhurt through
this tremendous combat； the reader would laugh me to scorn。 No：
though my narrative is extraordinary； it is nevertheless authentic；
and never； never would I sacrifice truth for the mere sake of
effect。 The fact is this：the citadel of Allyghur is situated
upon a rock； about a thousand feet above the level of the sea； and
is surrounded by fourteen walls； as his Excellency was good enough
to remark in his despatch。 A man who would mount these without
scaling…ladders； is an ass； he who would SAY he mounted them
without such assistance； is a liar and a knave。 We HAD scaling…
ladders at the commencement of the assault； although it was quite
impossible to carry them beyond the first line of batteries。
Mounted on them； however； as our troops were falling thick about
me； I saw that we must ignominiously retreat； unless some other
help could be found for our brave fellows to escalade the next
wall。 It was about seventy feet high。 I instantly turned the guns
of wall A on wall B； and peppered the latter so as to make； not a
breach； but a scaling place； the men mounting in the holes made by
the shot。 By this simple stratagem； I managed to pass each
successive barrierfor to ascend a wall which the General was
pleased to call 〃as smooth as glass〃 is an absurd impossibility： I
seek to achieve none such：
〃I dare do all that may become a man；
Who dares do more； is neither more nor less。〃
Of course； had the enemy's guns been commonly well served； not one
of us would ever have been alive out of the three； but whether it
was owin