Текст книги "The Generals"

Автор книги: Simon Scarrow

сообщить о нарушении

Текущая страница: 35 (всего у книги 45 страниц)

Chapter 55

Arthur

Seringapatam, May 1799

As the sun rose on Tipoo’s capital, the day after the city had fallen, it revealed the men of General Baird’s assault column still plundering the city and wholly out of control. Smoke billowed up from several fires that were spreading, unchecked by the British forces inside the walls.

As he waded across the south Cauvery river with Captain Fitzroy Arthur looked at the columns of smoke billowing up into the rosy sky with growing anger. His companion sensed his mood and muttered, ‘What the hell does Baird think he’s playing at? If those fires aren’t put out we’ll lose half the city.’

‘Yes,’ Arthur replied quietly. ‘That’s something we’ll have to put right as soon as I take charge.’

He unconsciously touched the bulge in his jacket, where he had put the orders from General Harris authorising him to take command of all British forces in the city. The same orders required Baird and his staff to quit Seringapatam and return to Harris’s camp two miles to the west. Arthur had already given instructions for his regiment, the 33rd Foot, to be formed up and ready for action the moment he assumed command of the forces inside Seringapatam and restored order to end the looting, raping and murder.

By rights, as brigadier of the day, Baird should not be relieved until midday, but General Harris realised that the sacking of the city had to be ended as soon as possible. Baird was not the man to do it. His dislike of Indians generally, and his vengeful hatred of the people of Mysore in particular, meant that he was the very last man in the British army who could be trusted with bringing order back to the city and steering it towards a long-lasting alliance with Britain and the East India Company. By contrast, there was hardly a man more suitable for the job than Arthur Wellesley. He spoke the native tongue, and had the necessary tact and respect to work alongside the people of Mysore. More shrewdly, Harris was aware that the younger brother of the Governor General would be sure to do his utmost to implement Richard’s policy of expanding British power in India by way of treaties, alliances and, where necessary, force. A policy of which Harris wholeheartedly approved.

Arthur and Fitzroy emerged on the far side of the crossing and entered the wall through the breach. Baird had sent word that he had moved his headquarters to the Dowlut Baugh,Tipoo’s palace on the far side of the city. The streets were quiet, as most of the looters were sleeping off the debauchery of the previous night. The inhabitants of Seringapatam were still hiding, behind locked and barricaded doors, hoping that their homes would prove too much of a challenge to the looters and encourage them to search for easier pickings amongst their neighbours. There were some men, more resilient or simply more sober than their comrades, who were still looking for booty, women and drink, and they made no effort to stand to attention and salute as the two officers strode past. For his part, Arthur ignored them.There was no sense in getting caught up in an ugly scene that might well result in harm to him and his companion. The British soldiers were not the only looters on the street. A number of natives were breaking into shops to steal whatever they could while the city was lawless. The situation was made worse by the prisoners who had escaped from the city’s dungeons during the assault.

Those killed in the looting as well as the fighting lay in the streets and Fitzroy looked in disgust at the body of a dark-skinned native girl, no older than twelve or thirteen, who lay on her back, her sari thrust up around her waist and her legs apart.

‘That has to stop,’ Arthur said firmly. ‘At once. If ever I take another enemy city, then I’ll hang the first man I catch who commits rape and murder.’

The Dowlut Baugh had been built just beyond the wall of the city on the bank of the north Cauvery. It was surrounded with ornamental gardens. Unlike the palace in the city, the Dowlut Baugh was airy and spacious and seemed more suited to a philosopher king than a warrior tyrant like Tipoo. The gate was guarded by the grenadiers from Arthur’s regiment who had taken part in the assault. Major Shee emerged from the guardhouse as soon as he had word of Arthur’s arrival.

‘Good to see you, sir!’

‘And you. Where are the rest of the men?’

‘They’re gathering at the mosque. I’ve had the officers and sergeants rounding them up since we got your orders, sir.’

‘Very well.’ Arthur nodded approvingly. ‘You had better join them. I want twenty-man patrols ready to scour the city as soon as I take command.’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘Where’s General Baird?’

‘At breakfast.’ Shee nodded to the palace. ‘In the banquet hall. You can’t miss it, sir.’

‘Right. Come, Fitzroy.’

They left Shee and crunched up the gravel path to the ornately carved white stone of the entrance portico. The palace was guarded by more of the grenadiers, who stiffened to attention as their colonel entered the building. Inside the entrance was a large reception hall with arched doorways leading to other chambers. The sounds of light-hearted conversation could be heard through the door to the left and Arthur led the way over to it. Inside, the walls rose up to a domed roof decorated with hunting scenes.The room was perhaps thirty yards across, and on a dais on the far side Baird and his officers were sitting at a table. Several of the palace servants were serving them freshly prepared mangoes, oranges and other small fruits. As Arthur and Fitzroy crossed the hall Baird and his officers turned at the sound of their footsteps. Baird rose up, cigar in hand, and waved towards the table.

‘Wellesley! Come and join us!’

Arthur ignored the invitation with a shake of his head. ‘Sorry, sir. I have orders to carry out.’ He reached inside his jacket for the folded letter and handed it to Baird. ‘From General Harris, sir.’

Baird tore open the wafer seal and unfolded the sheet of paper. Holding it in one hand as he lifted the cigar to his mouth with the other, his eyes scanned the document. Then he glanced up.

‘What’s the meaning of this? I’m brigadier of the day, and as commander of the assault I should be left in charge of the city.’

‘I didn’t get the impression that anyone is in charge when we made our way through the streets just now, sir.’

‘The lads are just having some fun.’ Baird waved. ‘They’ve earned it. Rules of war are clear enough. If a town or city does not yield before the breach is practical, then it’s fair game for the besiegers.’

‘These people had no part in Tipoo’s war against us. They’re little more than bystanders.To subject them to the full horrors of an unrestrained army is immoral, General. The looting has to stop.’

‘Does it?’ Baird smiled. ‘On whose authority?’

‘Mine. General Harris has appointed me acting Governor of Mysore with immediate effect. As it says in the letter.’

Baird glanced at the sheet of paper again, until his eyes found the phrase. ‘Immediate effect . . . So it does.’

For a moment Baird stared at Arthur, with a glowering expression. His officers looked on in uncomfortable silence, ignoring their food. Then Baird leaned forward and stubbed his cigar out on his plate. ‘Damn you, Wellesley! You’ve been up to your bloody tricks again.’

‘Tricks, sir?’ Arthur responded icily.

‘You know damn well what I’m talking about! Milking your family connections for all they’re worth.’

‘I can assure you, sir, that I had no part in making this decision.’ Arthur felt his pulse racing as he responded to the attack on his honour. ‘If you are suggesting that I have not acted as a gentleman should in this matter, then you would leave me little choice but to ask for satisfaction.’

Baird rose to his feet, towering over Arthur, and jabbed a thick finger at him. ‘You impudent fool, I could swat you away like a fly. But we all know what harm that would do to my career with your brother running the show. So there’ll be no duel.’

‘As you please, sir,’ Arthur replied. ‘Now, with these men as witnesses, I hereby relieve you of command of the forces in Seringapatam.’

Baird glared at him, then flicked Harris’s letter aside and turned to his officers. ‘Come, gentlemen, it seems we are not wanted here.’

Arthur felt his anger and frustration boiling up inside him. So far he had managed to contain it, but now, at Baird’s petulant behaviour, his reserve snapped.

‘Oh, finish your damned breakfast!’ He turned about and strode away, followed by a bemused Fitzroy. Outside in the hall he stopped and whacked his palm against his thigh. ‘As long as there are men like that exercising any kind of power in India, we cannot hope to win her people over.’

‘I rather thought we were here to defend the Company’s interests,’ said Fitzroy. ‘Not to court popularity amongst the natives.’

‘You cannot have one without the other.’ Arthur turned to look his friend directly in the eyes. ‘Besides, there are bigger issues at stake. These lands may yet become the greatest prize that any empire has ever won.’

The first challenge to face Arthur was to bring order to the ravaged streets of Seringapatam. As soon as he had assumed authority over the city he joined Major Shee and the 33rd Foot. Summoning the officers he swiftly briefed them on his intentions.

‘It is vital that the people here can resume a normal life as soon as possible.That can only happen if they believe that we will not tolerate any further indiscipline.’ Arthur paused to make sure that his next words would be clearly understood. ‘To that end you will each be assigned a section of the city by Captain Fitzroy. You will enter your areas and detain any soldiers you encounter. They are to be escorted outside the city walls at once. Those caught in the act of looting will be flogged on the spot, before being thrown outside. Any man caught in the act of murder or rape will be taken to the nearest city gate and hanged. I want no one to be in any doubt about the consequences of indiscipline. Any questions?’

Major Shee nodded.‘Does that apply to our lads as well as the natives?’

‘It applies to all soldiers, without regard to race or regiment. That includes the men of the 33rd.’

One of the younger officers nervously raised his hand.

‘Yes?’

‘Begging your pardon, sir. But won’t hanging white soldiers damage morale?’

‘Perhaps. But if we don’t do it, then far more damage will be done to the reputation of our army and the Company.You have your orders and you will carry them out. Understand?’

The officer nodded.

‘Then, go to it, gentlemen. I want order restored on the streets by no later than the end of the day. Dismissed!’

By dusk, the fires had been put out, a curfew had been established on the streets and the city was firmly under the control of the acting Governor. The last remnants of Baird’s assault force had been turned out of the city, some bearing the red stripes of a recent flogging, and four red-coated bodies hung from a gibbet over the Mysore gate. The next day, Arthur turned his attention to another pressing issue: the disposal of the corpses that littered the streets and walls of Seringapatam. They had already been exposed to the heat of the Indian sun for nearly two days and the stench of putrefaction filled the still air. Hundreds of the prisoners were ordered to dig mass graves on the eastern end of the island and for five days carts and wagons loaded with bodies trundled out of the city and deposited their grisly burdens into the pits. Over nine thousand of the enemy had been killed in the assault, dwarfing the British losses of little more than three hundred dead.

Tipoo was spared the indignity of a mass grave and granted full honours of war the day that Arthur took control of the city. He organised the burial rites in person.Tipoo’s sons, his surviving ministers and officers from his army were permitted to attend and followed the gun carriage bearing his body to the pyre in a corner of the grounds of the Dowlut Baugh as dark clouds thickened overhead. An honour guard of men from the 33rd lifted the body on to the carefully built layers of wood, decorated with flowers and ornately patterned shrouds. Then, as the first flames licked up around the body, the guns on the city wall boomed out one by one in a solemn salute to the fallen ruler. As his followers wept, rain began to fall, accompanied by jabs of forked lightning that stabbed down from the heavens in blinding daggers of dazzling light.

More than one man had fallen, Arthur reflected as he watched the smoke swirling up into the sky, where it was quickly lost against the heavy black clouds hanging overhead. Tipoo would be the last of his line to rule Mysore. His sons were to be sent into exile in Vellore and the throne of Mysore was to be restored to its original line of Hindu rajas, the sole survivor being a five-year-old boy. Since Krishna Wodeyar was too young to rule in his own right, a regent needed to be found. Another problem that vexed Arthur, since the man in question must have the respect of the native population, as well as the trust of the British.

Two weeks after the fall of the city Henry arrived with a small entourage of officials. He had been sent to report on the situation as soon as Richard had received news from General Harris that Seringapatam had fallen. As he dismounted Henry cast an appreciative eye over the Dowlut Baugh.

‘You seem to have found yourself decent enough lodgings,’ he mused as he shook hands with his brother.

‘Oh, this?’ Arthur smiled. ‘I’m sure it will do for now. Until I can find something better. But do come inside and take some refreshment.’

‘Yes, I will, but first I have something for you.’ Henry reached into his saddlebag and pulled out a small package. ‘Some letters from Kitty. I swear that woman will have created a national paper shortage by the time you return to Ireland.’

While Henry had a bath and changed into some fresh clothes, Arthur sent word of his arrival to General Harris, still encamped to the west of the city, and as daylight faded the three men met on a terrace overlooking the gardens. After admiring the view as the sky turned a brilliant fiery red, they sat at the table Arthur had prepared for the meeting and Henry turned immediately to the notebook he had brought with him.

‘I’m sure you are aware how delighted the Governor General was to hear that the campaign had been concluded quickly and with minimal losses. He asked me to extend his personal gratitiude to you, General Harris.’

Harris bowed his head in polite acknowledgement. ‘Most kind, I’m sure. But there is still some ground to cover, I’m afraid.’

‘Oh?’

‘Not all of Tipoo’s commanders have yet surrendered to us. Some are still at large, and have fallen in with local groups of bandits. It will take some time to stamp them out.’

Henry frowned. ‘Will that entail keeping your army in Mysore? I’m sure you appreciate that John Company is keeping a close eye on the cost of this campaign, and will not be pleased to hear that there will be a delay in dispersing your forces.’

‘It can’t be helped,’ Harris replied evenly. ‘War is an expensive business.We will need to maintain a force in Mysore sufficient to crush the rebels. And one in particular.’

Henry raised an eyebrow as he held his pen poised above a fresh page of his notebook.

‘The man’s called Dhoondiah Waugh,’ Arthur explained. ‘He was one of Tipoo’s prisoners, but he escaped during the attack on the city. Since then he has been enlisting the support of other prisoners, and those who used to fight for Tipoo. So far he has contented himself with brigandage. But his following seems to be growing by the day, and the man has taken to calling himself the King of Two Worlds.’

‘Sounds like a modest, unassuming fellow. What do you propose to do about him, Arthur?’

‘Me? Surely this is a matter for General Harris?’

Henry could not help smiling slightly. ‘I should have told you before, but it seemed only decent to raise the matter once General Harris was with us.’

‘What matter?’ Arthur said irritably. ‘Speak plainly.’

‘Very well. Richard is minded to confirm your appointment as Governor General of Mysore on a permanent basis. That is, if General Harris has no objections.’ He turned to Harris with a questioning look.

‘Objections? No, none whatsoever. Colonel Wellesley has performed his temporary duties with commendable efficiency. The city is back under control, the markets have reopened and he has established good working relations with the local officials. You have my full support for his appointment.’

‘Good!’ Henry nodded with some relief, and Arthur sensed at once that the situation could have been very tricky if Harris had taken any exception to the appointment.‘Then it merely remains to set out the scope of his authority.’ He flicked back a few pages in his notebook and scanned some written comments. ‘Richard has decided that the new Governor of Mysore should have supreme political power in Mysore, and to have command of all troops serving between the western and eastern ghats.’ Henry glanced up at Harris. ‘That is to say, once you have led the army back across the border to Vellore. Obviously Richard does not want to cause any difficulties over protocol.’

‘Obviously,’ Harris replied. ‘And what kind of force does your brother propose to leave here in Mysore?’

‘Given the need to clear out the remaining nests of rebellion, and that fellow . . . what was his name again?’

‘Dhoondiah Waugh,’ Arthur answered patiently.

‘Of course.’The pen dipped into his inkwell and scratched out a brief note. ‘Now, as I was saying, the force will need to be sufficient for the job. According to the advice Richard sought in Madras, two regiments of King’s cavalry, another two of the Company’s native cavalry, and three battalions of King’s infantry and six of the Company’s should suffice. In addition to a decent complement of artillery, of course.’ Henry looked up innocently. ‘That should be sufficient, wouldn’t you say, General?’

‘From a military point of view, yes.’

‘Is there any other point of view I should be aware of ?’

‘Only that the command of such a large force would normally be assigned to a general. I can think of one or two men who might feel aggrieved by the appointment of Colonel Wellesley to such a prominent position.’

‘I assume you are referring to General Baird? We had a copy of his official protest before I set off from Madras. He was . . . how shall I put it? Intemperate in his remarks.’

General Harris smiled. ‘I can well imagine. He made his first protest to me in similar terms. I advised him to moderate his opinions, or seriously consider leaving the army.’

‘Did you, by God?’ Henry looked pleasantly surprised. ‘That must have nettled him.’

Harris folded his hands and stared back at Henry.‘Young man, I’ll have you know that I have nothing but admiration for General Baird as a soldier. In that respect he has no peer. But the man is no diplomat, nor a strategist. If he had at least some ability in those skills, I would have no hesitation in supporting his application for the post of Governor of Mysore. Even over your brother.’

‘I see.’ Henry had the grace to blush and continued in a far more respectful tone. ‘I thank you for your candid words, sir.’ He paused a moment, then referred back to his notes. ‘Which leaves the question of the choice of regent for the new Raja.’

‘I believe we have the right man,’ said Arthur. ‘A fellow called Purneah. He’s a man of his word and proved to be an able enough administrator under Tipoo. In my opinion he’s the best choice for the post of dewan.’

Henry frowned. ‘ Dewan?’

Arthur smiled faintly. ‘Henry, you are going to have to make greater efforts to learn the local language. Dewanis their term for the principal minister of Mysore.’

‘Ah, a kind of prime minister then?’

‘There, you have it.’ Arthur nodded.

‘When can I meet this man, Purneah?’

‘Tomorrow. I’ve requested the opportunity to address the senior officials and civic leaders of Seringapatam and the surrounding towns – those we hold, at least.’

‘Very well,’ Henry shut his notebook with a quiet snap. ‘Tomorrow, then. And once you’ve spoken, then I have a few words to communicate to them from the Governor General of India.’

‘And what might they be?’

‘You’ll see.’

The next morning the audience chamber of the Dowlut Baugh was filled with the nobles and notables of Mysore.They had been told they were to hear a message from the highest-ranked sahibin India and they attended in their finest clothes. Henry had decided to address them from in front of the throne so that there would be no doubt as to who was the new power in Mysore.The five-year-old Raja was almost invisible as he perched on the throne and already looked thoroughly bored with proceedings.

When the last of the guests had arrived Henry took his place on the dais and waited until the murmuring came to an end. Arthur stood to one side of the throne, in his best uniform, the scarlet and gold braid brilliantly illuminated by a shaft of sunlight streaming in through one of the tall windows that ran along the side of the audience chamber. As he looked over the faces of the men in front of him he could see the anxiety in their expressions, and he could well understand it. They had been freed from a tyrant, but had only the vaguest notions of what British rule would entail. The previous history of the Company’s involvement in India was one of naked exploitation and corruption, and would not inspire confidence in these men. It would be up to Arthur to prove to them the benefits of British rule. A victory had been won on the battlefield, but a much harder fight was about to begin in order to win the loyalty and trust of the natives.

Henry coughed lightly to clear his throat, and began. ‘I know that some of you speak my tongue, but my brother will translate what I have to say into Hindoostani so that there will be no misunderstanding.’ He paused while Arthur passed on his opening comments, then continued. ‘The Governor General of India sends you his greetings, and a promise. That this day marks the birth of a new commonwealth . . . that no nation in this continent, or any other, will ever rival in its greatness . . . He promises an end to corruption and an end to brigandage so that every man, woman and child in Mysore shall be free to travel without hindrance, and without fear.Trade will flourish and there will be peace for all . . .The Governor General pledges his word that the Golden Age of India is about to begin.’