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In this typed version, the original spelling and (lack of) punctuation is retained. The symbol / denotes the probable end of a sentence. The correct spelling of some of the words is added in square brackets. [Added by Marjie Bloy]. Click on the images for larger views
Cawnpore November "th"8, 1857
Dear Mother it is with great pleasure that I write you this few lines hoping
it may find you all in good health as it leaves me at present thank God for
it but I have had many narrow Escaps since I left Culcutta / we left Culcutta
on the 26 of September and then we Came as far as Alahabad / that is bout 5
hundred mils by bullick train and then e had to walk the rest / to you that
is 120 mils further / and last Saturday we herd that the Enemy ware in front
of us / and on Saturday we marcht 24 miles / and on Sunday morning we Startead
again at 5 Oclock in purecout [pursuit] of the Enemy in the jungle / and we
came up with them about 2 Oclock in the afternonn after marching 28 mils that
morning / and then the action began / the balls flew about my head lik an ale
[hail] Storm / and we peaperd [peppered] it into them as weel [well] / when
the action began we ware onely 650 of us altogether with 2 brass Canons / and
the Enemy ware 4000 of them and had 3 brass Cannons / and battel began about
2 in the affternoon and it Ended about 5 in the Evening when we drove them Clean
out of the place and took thare 3 Canons from them and a lot of horses and difrent
[different] outher things / altogether we had 27 kild and 63 wounded and the
Enemy had 528 kild and 12 hunderd wounded / in our company we had 1 Man kild
and 5 wounded / our
Captain ware shot through both thighs but he is geting better again / the name
of the place whare the battel ware fought ware Khugaa [?] / but I am happy to
tell you that I Came off without a Scratch thank god for it is an afful [awful]
thing to go over the battel fild [field] after it is over but I am hapy to think
I have had a look at the vilens [villains] to Reveng my poor Countery men that
has been so barbesely [barbarously] murderd by them / there is not a uripean
[European] dweling nor a Church in the hole [whole] Countery but whas has been
Entirely Destroyed / and whare we are now is whare they took all the poor women
and Children ware taken and most barbesely murderd / to the same place we have
Erected a galis [gallows?] and thare is 3 only hung thare Every Day what they
tak [take] prisiners [prisoners] / we are going further up the Countery in a
day or so to Lucknow with Sur Colen Cambel [Sir
Colin Campbell] / and when that is take it will Soon be over / it is moor
[more] than pen Can do to Describe it all but I hope I Shall live to Come home
and then I Shall be abel
[able] to tell you all about it / I have never recivead [received] any letter
from you yet but I hope you are all well / I Supos [suppose] you have heard
all about the war eer Since It began / I hope I Shall Come home and See you
all yet but if I am Kild I hope we shall all meat [meet] aogain [again] in Heaven
it will be in defence of my queen and Countery / and now I don't think I have
aney [any] thing to Say at present So I must Conclude with my love to all and
I Remain your Ever Affictonate [affectionate] Son
Wm Pugsley
I will Rite again Soon
Good by Good {God] bless / you all
Last modified March, 2006