Read Book Online : http://www.archive.org/stream/lifeofhodsonofho00trotiala#page/n5/mode/2up

Download pdf Book : http://ia600502.us.archive.org/22/items/lifeofhodsonofho00trotiala/lifeofhodsonofho00trotiala.pdf

Mentions Mussoorie on Page 32.

More about William Stephen Raikes Hodson in the Wiki : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Stephen_Raikes_Hodson

...Yes. Hodson is an (hmm - choosing words carefully) "interesting" character. As I have remarked somewhere below ~ he was not especially liked or trusted by his fellow British officers. He has been painted as an almost 'psychopathic' individual by modern (and left-leaning ) historians ~ but ~ his mentality was born of many long hard years in virtual isolation commanding rough 'native' tribesmen/troops (Hodson's Horse) out in the wilds of the North-West Frontier Province... where the distribution of "justice" may have had a different definition than the one that was accepted in the refined drawing-rooms and Gentleman's clubs of Victorian London.

what would u call such an Asian Man? Terrorist?

Re: "what would u call such an Asian Man? Terrorist?" I thought that there was a certain historical irony involved when Osama Bin Laden (another 'foreigner' who learned his methods of warfare in the mountains of Afghanistan) was gunned down (by the paramount Imperial power of our own era) last month in Abbottabad. The town is, of course, named after James Abbott [as below]: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/pakistan/8488188/Osama-bin-Laden-dead-Abbottabad-named-after-British-Victorian-army-hero.html "In 1930 Sir Olaf Caroe, encountering a Yusufzai from Hazara who had recently celebrated his 100th year asked him if he had ever met Abbott. The old man replied that he remembered him well: "He was a little man with bristly hair on his face and kind eyes, and we loved him", Caroe quotes [this particular venerable gentleman] as saying: " I was a [soldier] and when [Abbott] asked us if we would stand and fight the Sikhs if he stood by us we swore that we would and there were tears in our eyes and a tear in Abbot Sahib's eye too. And we did ! He was our father and we were his children. There is no one like Abott Sahib now." ~ see 'Soldier Sahibs' by Charles Allen (2000) p.206 Hodson, Abbott and John Nicholson ( the infamous 'Nikal Seyn' ~ whose name, I believe, is still treated with a certain amount of 'shock and awe' in the market squares of Peshawar) all spent their formative years out in the field on the frontier of the North-West Frontier Province.... such men (whatever you may think of them from a modern perspective) were follwed with a certain zeolous 'fanaticsm' by their troops (whom they had spent years with)... these Englishmen went 'native' in a manner that I'm sure that William Dlarymple would not approve of... but the paper-pushers in Calcutta certainly knew who to send for when the "sh*t hit the fan" in 1857.

PS. Lionel 'Trotter' on 'Hodson's Horse' ! ...ha-ha-ha...

And if we could always guage every individual based on his experiences and antecedents... how fair the world would be !! But as always it's the prevalence of double standards that riles a sensible man...

...I take the point that you seem to be driving at RBSI but I can't really agree that there is a direct or meaningful comparison to be made between 19th century William Hodson and 21st century extremists/ terrorists etc ~ and so I don't think that you can, with due fairness, level a charge of 'double standards' here... but , above and beyond all such modern political musings and the post-historical analysis and 'spin' ~ I find the man HIMSELF of much greater interest... Having read the first few chapters[ link above] of Mr Trotter's book (who seems to have been a rather prolific writer by the way !) I must say that I was rather engrossed... It seems quite astonishing to me that a man who was born the son of a clergyman in rural Gloucestershire and educated at Rugby in the days of Thomas Arnold ( of 'Tom Brown's Schooldays ' fame) and who subsequently graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge should have (a) acquired such a 'controversial' and ruthless reputation and (b) ended up in the British army at all ! He was certainly unusually overqualified for such a (relatively) junior military position and perhaps this academic record set him apart from his fellow officers (very few of whom would have attended a university) and contributed to his reputation for aloofness and might also help to explain why he preferred the company of his own men and the solitude of the mountains rather than the dubious and less than intellectually stimulating pleasures available at the club ??? Indeed, Hodson had seemed to his contemporaries to be destined for a career in the Civil Service but a "constitutional tendency to headache very much stood in the way of any close application to books" ...(see Sir Hugh Gough 'Old Memories'(1897) p.132) So, he was always something of an outsider in the army (which helped to turn the rumour mill against him post-1857). His stern physical appearence may also have helped to alienate or intimidate those around him, viz ~ "A tallish man with yellow hair, a pale, smooth face, heavy moustache and large, restless, unforgiving eyes"... apparently these 'unforgiving eyes' were rather sensitive to sunlight and Hodson was (again unusually for the time) in the habit of wearing tinted glasses to suppress the glare, which can only have added to his aura of mystery. But, however surprisingly, he seems to have thoroughly embraced the military life and by all accounts, he was a natural and intrepid horseman ~ who had the remarkable ability of sleeping, while remaining bolt upright in the saddle ! To quote Gough once more : "[Hodson] as a cavalry soldier was perfection... a strong seat on the horseback, a perfect swordsman, nerves like iron, and a quick, intelligent [tactical] eye..." ...who could also, while in the thick of battle be observed tormenting his opponents with a stream of abuse, sometimes in English but frequently in the local languages of the Frontier (in all of which he was fluent)... quite a character ! ~ but one who seems to have been motivated by a very peculiar mix of emotional demons.

The best insight into Hodson's character comes from the collection of his letters to his wife that were published by her father following Hodson's death in Lucknow. They show an impatient, ruthless, practical, rash but exceptionally bold man who harbored much contempt for the ignorance of the Indians. The finest officer of the British army during the 'mutiny' was undoubtedly Nicholson - not Hodson.

Asad ~ have the Hodson letters that you refer to above been published in some form ? If so, then perhaps you could supply the details. I would like to read them. Some trivia : I was interested to recently discover that the statue of John Nicholson that was erected in Delhi post-mutiny and subsequently removed at Independence now stands in Dungannon in Ireland, his place of birth. http://www.profimedia.com/picture/statue-of-general-sir-john-nicholson-of/0070398103/

Hodson's comprised mainly of Sikhs, Punjabi Mussalmans and one squardon of Pathans. I have copies of two letters written by him one to his father from Harrow, and the other to General Wilson from the ridge in Delhi during the mutiny.

@Asad Ahmed: Read Soldier Sahibs by Charles Allen. @ Craig: His grave can still be seen in a Delhi cemetery..

Julian, yes the letters sent by William Hodson to his young wife in England before and during the mutiny were published by his father-in-law as a tribute to his memory after he was killed in Lucknow. They were published privately in the form of a small book, and the University Library here had a copy. I will search for the book on the internet and send you the reference. From his letters, it is evident that he was well-educated (having a B.A. from Cambridge I think in Classics) who liked to use Greek words frequently in his letters. Had Hodson not done the grave mistake of shooting the Mughal princes in the heat of the moment (... unless it was pre-meditated), he would have gone down in history as an outstanding, fearless soldier. Nonetheless, he had good literary tastes. He had much contempt for the ignorance of unskilled Indian workers since he complained that "I have to show them everything" during the construction of a Fort in the Frontier Province (was it Mardan?). It is a shame that statues of great soldiers like Nicholson were removed after independence in India. History should be preserved as it is. Although I have not seen Nicholson's grave at Kashmiri Gate in Delhi, I like the inscription on his grave very much and would like to see it some day.

...I think that you might be a little bit too glowing in your praise of Hodson, Asad. He had been denied promotion on account of his "bumptious" personality and had narrowly avoided being cashiered from the Army on charges of embezzlement !... Furthermore, whatever courage he might have shown in taking Bahadur Shah Zafar into custody, virtually single handed, was nullified by his decision to liquidate the two sons. Whether the decision to do so was made in 'the heat of the moment' or not, they had surrendered themselves to him in good faith and in the belief that their lives would be spared ~ and he had an obligation to keep his word.... Clearly then, Hodson was not a saint ~ but having said that, he seems to me to be a rather misunderstood/ represented figure and a complex character worthy of closer study ! I shall look forward to reading his personal letters...

Julian: I have not exactly been effusive in my praise for Hodson; in fact, I borrowed the book from our Library many years ago out of my contempt for him and still dislike his hot-headedness. All I am recognizing is his education which was much better than other soldiers of his time. Having said that, he did not break any promise in liquidating the two Mughal princes on their way back. The only guarantee that was given by him was to spare the life of the King - no promise was made to other members of the household. The three inexcusable acts he performed in this case were: (i) that he killed the two prisoner princes without a trial, (ii) that he ordered the two princes to take off their shirts before he shot them (wonder why?), and (iii) that he had their dead, bloodied bodies displayed to the public at the Kotwali for a few days. The Company did honor his word in sparing the life of the aging King - that was most likely the reason that he was banished rather than hanged. The trial, whose proceedings I have read in Urdu, was a Kangaroo court and appears to be a blot on the British sense of justice.

...I dare say that it was ~ but ~ it was a time of very high and exceptional tension and very little civic control or order... the requirements of rational 'justice' tend to be of only secondary importance under such circumstances...

I agree. He got what he deserved at Lucknow. During a hand-to-hand fight with the 'mutineers' in a famous building, he dashed inside a room undauntedly where a few mutineers had taken refuge. One of them shot him. Mortally wounded, he was carried (I believe) to the Martiniere where he expired. I don't remember the place where he was buried. Do you know?

Asad: Download life of Hodson frm Rare Books...I just read it.

Asad ~ as Mr Neelam suggests, if you download 'The Life of Hodson' [as above] pages 250- 257 give a very full account (from eye-witness letters) of how he met his end ('deserved' or not). According to the book he is buried in the grounds of Le Martiniere.

if you ever are in Delhi in the near future Asad, Please do let me know, my father is buried in the same cemetery - Nicholson Cemetery as it is known...very close is the mutiny famous Kasmere Gate...There is a NIcholson Road, that connects Kashmere Gate to to Mori Gate. in close proximity to the actual gates is James Skinner's - St. James Church. Did you know as is seen in some towns in UP where buses and vehicular traffic pass through these old gates...traffic going from Kashmere Gate towards Civil Lines where I grew up...also once used to pass through these gates...till the Delhi Adminstreation converted it into a memorial. It would be a great learning experience accompanying you around this portion of the Deljhi of my childhood...with you pointing out places of interest..explaing their significance..wow

Frank: Thank you. It would be wonderful to walk around that area with you since your dear father is also buried there. I have driven by the Kashmiri Gate a few times but never stopped by to take a look due to the chaotic state of Delhi traffic. There are two other Christian cemeteries of interest in India - one in Calcutta and the other in Agra. Quite a few important historical figures are buried there: "zameen khaa gaee aasmaan kaisay kaisay". I did'nt realize that you are living in Delhi. Are you? I am tentatively planning a visit in October for the Summer University at Aligarh. Perhaps we should also visit Kasgunj then; that is where it all started! Regards.

Francis N.: Thank you for your suggestions. I am little behind in my reading these days. It is summertime here and lots of yard work needs to be done, so I am enjoying gardening these days. It just occurred to me that perhaps RBSI could search out Hodson's letters and post them at this amazing site. I know Julian will like that. Regards.

Asad Ahmed : I have posted the book based on Hodson's letters on RBSI earlier. "Hodson of Hodson's Horse, or, Twelve years of a soldier's life in India : being extracts from the letters of the late Major W. S. R. Hodson with a vindication from the attacks of Mr. B. Smith and Mr. Holmes (1889)" : https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=455982826674&set=a.449035981674.239824.196174216674&type=1&theater

Julian: While we are running down on Hodson, we should also remember that the two 'Mughal princes' who were shot at close range by him were no angels either. They had been leading a life of debauchery and the Red Fort had become a center of intrigue, politics, vice, and orgies. During the mutiny these princes, who knew nothing about the battlefield, had assumed the role of 'generals' and were probably responsible for the cold-blooded massacre of British civilians who had been rounded up from Delhi. So, we cannot blame Hodson entirely for what he did. One usually reaps what one sows.

Hello Asad ~ I attach no particular 'blame' towards Hodson. I remain open minded about the man and his motivations. Clearly he had his faults but it appears that he was been rather badly misrepresented both by his contemporaries and by modern historians ~ for a variety of reasons.... The initial reaction amongst his fellow officers upon hearing the news that he had executed the two princes was enthusiastic ( as you point out, they were fairly corrupt individuals themselves and held responsible for murderous acts)~ it was only later, after the trial and so on, that attitudes changed and he was made something of a scapegoat for the worst excesses of the period. His reputation was further tarnished by allegations of his illicit 'looting' ~ however ~ at the time of his death he was only able to leave £ 170 (about £ 8000 in modern terms - not a great sum !) to his wife ~ so clearly these allegations were part of a wider, concerted campaign to smear him... I hope that the book of letters that the RBSI has unearthed [above]will shed further light on why this was thought to be necessary. Regards

@ RBSI ~ thank you for providing the link to the Hodson letters. Most intriguing.

Asad Ahmed : "...During the mutiny these princes, who knew nothing about the battlefield, had assumed the role of 'generals' and were probably responsible for the cold-blooded massacre of British civilians who had been rounded up from Delhi. So, we cannot blame Hodson entirely for what he did. One usually reaps what one sows..." I find it hard to beleive that you actually wrote this comment !! Especially, since the logic of your comment is based on casual conjecture...and I have not read anywhere that these boys were responsible for the massacre of the British civilians. I think their titles as 'Generals' were honorary at best.

Julian: I have reason to believe that his original letters (not the book referred to above by RBSI) were published privately by his father-in-law because most publishers refused to publish them for the reasons you have stated.

RBSI: As far as I remember from reading the proceedings of the trial of Bahadur Shah Zafar, the witnesses (... of doubtful credibility, I must admit) did allege that although the King did not permit the 'mutineers' to do harm to the British 'prisoners', most likely the sons did. About 30 or 40 were killed inside the Red Fort. The King was well over 80 years old and the soldiers paid little attention to him except using him as a figurehead. Thus, most likely the Princes were the culprits. The main point here is that the 'prisoners' were civilians, some women among them. However, the 'Court' seemed prejudiced against the King from the very start. He was banished because (i) a promise had been given to spare his (and no one else's) life by Hodson and (ii) to remove the last descendant of the House of Taimur so that the throne could be legally and conscientiously usurped by the British.

Our family is trying to establish the proof that Hodson actually brought my great great grandmotherand sister to India from Australia as his wards. Can't find anything within the pdf book mentioning in Australia. Wondering if anyone can help?

@Asad Hodson's is buried very close to La Mart's in Lucknow. A pretty big grave was erected which time and again gets vandalised. I don't know how many of you know this but Delhi Tourisum has set up a Heritage Walk around all the areas related to the Mutiny in Delhi and set up stone plaques at various sites explaining the significance of that site. This has also been done in Meerut and Lucknow. So now one can walk (through the busy Delhi traffic) from let's say the Magazine to Ludlow Castle via Kashmir Gate and Skinner's Chruch............... and then on to Bara Hindu Rao and still further to Sarai Rohila!

@Frank You from the clan of Colonel Gardner of Gardner's Horse, I see Asad mentioning Kasgunj above? :-)

Sushil: You got that right. Frank is a direct descendant of the legendary Colonel Gardner. That is most interesing, but I have not heard of "Gardner's Horse". You could be confusing with Hodson's Horse that exists to this day.