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delighted with the account of my victory over the elephant （whose
trunk I use to this day）； that he said； 'Let him be called
GUJPUTI；' or the lord of elephants； and Gujputi was the name by
which I was afterwards familiarly known among the natives；the
men； that is。 The women had a softer appellation for me； and
called me 'Mushook；' or charmer。
〃Well； I shall not describe Delhi； which is doubtless well known to
the reader； nor the siege of Agra； to which place we went from
Delhi； nor the terrible day at Laswaree； which went nigh to finish
the war。 Suffice it to say that we were victorious； and that I was
wounded； as I have invariably been in the two hundred and four
occasions when I have found myself in action。 One point； however；
became in the course of this campaign QUITE evidentTHAT SOMETHING
MUST BE DONE FOR GAHAGAN。 The country cried shame； the King's
troops grumbled； the sepoys openly murmured that their Gujputi was
only a lieutenant； when he had performed such signal services。
What was to be done？ Lord Wellesley was in an evident quandary。
'Gahagan；' wrote he； 'to be a subaltern is evidently not your fate
YOU WERE BORN FOR COMMAND； but Lake and General Wellesley are good
officers； they cannot be turned outI must make a post for you。
What say you； my dear fellow； to a corps of IRREGULAR HORSE？'
〃It was thus that the famous corps of AHMEDNUGGAR IRREGULARS had
its origin； a guerilla force； it is true； but one which will long
be remembered in the annals of our Indian campaigns。
。 。 。 。 。 。
〃As the commander of this regiment； I was allowed to settle the
uniform of the corps； as well as to select recruits。 These were
not wanting as soon as my appointment was made known； but came
flocking to my standard a great deal faster than to the regular
corps in the Company's service。 I had European officers； of
course； to command them； and a few of my countrymen as sergeants；
the rest were all natives； whom I chose of the strongest and
bravest men in India； chiefly Pitans； Afghans； Hurrumzadehs； and
Calliawns： for these are well known to be the most warlike
districts of our Indian territory。
〃When on parade and in full uniform we made a singular and noble
appearance。 I was always fond of dress； and； in this instance；
gave a carte blanche to my taste； and invented the most splendid
costume that ever perhaps decorated a soldier。 I am； as I have
stated already； six feet four inches in height； and of matchless
symmetry and proportion。 My hair and beard are of the most
brilliant auburn； so bright as scarcely to be distinguished at a
distance from scarlet。 My eyes are bright blue； overshadowed by
bushy eyebrows of the color of my hair； and a terrific gash of the
deepest purple； which goes over the forehead； the eyelid； and the
cheek； and finishes at the ear； gives my face a more strictly
military appearance than can be conceived。 When I have been
drinking （as is pretty often the case） this gash becomes ruby
bright； and as I have another which took off a piece of my under…
lip； and shows five of my front teeth； I leave you to imagine that
'seldom lighted on the earth' （as the monster Burke remarked of one
of his unhappy victims）； 'a more extraordinary vision。' I improved
these natural advantages； and； while in cantonment during the hot
winds at Chittybobbary； allowed my hair to grow very long； as did
my beard； which reached to my waist。 It took me two hours daily to
curl my hair in ten thousand little cork…screw ringlets； which
waved over my shoulders； and to get my moustaches well round to the
corners of my eyelids。 I dressed in loose scarlet trousers and red
morocco boots； a scarlet jacket； and a shawl of the same color
round my waist； a scarlet turban three feet high； and decorated
with a tuft of the scarlet feathers of the flamingo； formed my
head…dress； and I did not allow myself a single ornament； except a
small silver skull and crossbones in front of my turban。 Two brace
of pistols； a Malay creese； and a tulwar； sharp on both sides； and
very nearly six feet in length； completed this elegant costume。 My
two flags were each surmounted with a red skull and cross…bones；
and ornamented； one with a black； and the other with a red beard
（of enormous length； taken from men slain in battle by me）。 On one
flag were of course the arms of John Company； on the other； an
image of myself bestriding a prostrate elephant； with the simple
word； 'Gujputi' written underneath in the Nagaree； Persian； and
Sanscrit characters。 I rode my black horse； and looked； by the
immortal gods； like Mars。 To me might be applied the words which
were written concerning handsome General Webb； in Marlborough's
time：
〃'To noble danger he conducts the way；
His great example all his troop obey；
Before the front the Major sternly rides；
With such an air as Mars to battle strides。
Propitious heaven must sure a hero save
Like Paris handsome； and like Hector brave！'
〃My officers （Captains Biggs and Mackanulty； Lieutenants Glogger；
Pappendick； Stuffle； &c。； &c。） were dressed exactly in the same
way； but in yellow； and the men were similarly equipped； but in
black。 I have seen many regiments since； and many ferocious…
looking men； but the Ahmednuggar Irregulars were more dreadful to
the view than any set of ruffians on which I ever set eyes。 I
would to heaven that the Czar of Muscovy had passed through Cabool
and Lahore； and that I with my old Ahmednuggars stood on a fair
field to meet him！ Bless you； bless you； my swart companions in
victory！ through the mist of twenty years I hear the booming of
your war…cry； and mark the glitter of your scimitars as ye rage in
the thickest of the battle！*
* I do not wish to brag of my style of writing； or to pretend that
my genius as a writer has not been equalled in former times； but
if； in the works of Byron； Scott； Goethe； or Victor Hugo； the
reader can find a more beautiful sentence than the above； I will be
obliged to him； that is allI simply say； I WILL BE OBLIGED TO
HIM。G。 O'G。 G。； M。 H。 E。 I。 C。 S。； C。 I。 H。 A。
〃But away with melancholy reminiscences。 You may fancy what a
figure the Irregulars cut on a field…daya line of five hundred
black…faced； black…dressed； black…horsed； black…bearded menBiggs；
Glogger； and the other officers in yellow； galloping about the
field like flashes of lightning； myself enlightening them； red；
solitary； and majestic； like yon glorious orb in heaven。
〃There are very few men； I presume； who have not heard of Holkar's
sudden and gallant incursion into the Dooab； in the year 1804； when
we thought that the victory of Laswaree and the brilliant success
at Deeg had completely finished him。 Taking ten thousand horse he
broke up his camp at Palimbang； and the first thing General Lake
heard of him was； that he was at Putna； then at Rumpooge； then at
Doncaradamhe was； in fact； in the very heart of our territory。
〃The unfortunate part of the affair was this：His Excellency；
despising the Mahratta chieftain； had allowed him to advance about
two thousand miles in his front； and knew not in the slightest
degree where to lay hold on him。 Was he at Hazarubaug？ was he at
Bogly Gunge？ nobody knew； and for a considerable period the
movements of Lake's cavalry were quite ambiguous； uncertain；
promiscuous； and undetermined。
〃Such； briefly； was the state of affairs in October； 1804。 At the
beginning of that month I had been wounded （a trifling scratch；
cutting off my left upper eyelid； a bit of my cheek； and my under
lip）； and I was obliged to leave Biggs in command of my Irregulars；
whilst I retired for my wounds to an English station at
Furruckabad； alias Futtyghurit is； as every twopenny postman
knows； at the apex of the Dooab。 We have there a cantonment； and
thither I went for the mere sake of the surgeon and the sticking…
plaster。
〃Furruckabad； then； is divided into two districts or towns： the
lower Cotwal； inhabited by the natives； and the upper （which is
fortified slightly； and has all along been called Futtyghur；
meaning in Hindoostanee 'the…favorite…resort…of…the…white…faced…
Feringhees…near…the…mango…tope…consecrated…to Ram'） occupied by
Europeans。 （It is astonishing； by the way； how comprehensive that
language is； and how much can be conveyed in one or two of the
commonest phrases。）
〃Biggs； then； and my men were playing all sorts of wondrous pranks
with Lord Lake's army； whilst I was detained an unwilling prisoner
of health at Futtyghur。
〃An unwilling prisoner； however； I should not say。 The cantonment
at Futtyghur contained that which would have made ANY man a happy
slave。 Woman； lovely woman； was there in abundance and variety！
The fact is； that when the campaign commenced in 1803； the ladies
of the army all congregated to this pla