Peshawur between 1851 and 1857. He was appointed
civil engineer for all the roads in the Peshawur valley from
1853 to 1858. A most determined attack was made on Lieutenant
Hamilton's camp in 1855, when but for his ready resource and
invincible pluck he must have been massacred. The following
graphic account is taken from the Lahore Chronicle of
12th February 1855.
PUNJAB.
Daring Outrage near Peshawur.
" A most determined and successful attack was
made last night by a party of the Busee Khel Afridis on the
camp of Lieutenant W. Hamilton of the artillery, assistant
civil engineer at Budebeer, on the high road from Peshawur
to ' Fort Mackeson, ' near Bazud Khel.
"About eleven o'clock, some two hundred out of six hundred
Afridis surrounded the camp with unlighted torches, and commenced
an attack, throwing stones in place of firing their matchlocks
to guard against warning, then falling upon the sleeping inmates
slashed about them right and left with their long and deadly
knives. Sixteen unfortunate wretches, principally a small
burkunday treasure guard armed with swords and Lieutenant
Hamilton's private servants, were killed upon the spot, and
thirty others were wounded, out of a total of sixty, a very
large proportion of these mortally so. Among the victims were
two Baboos and a native treasurer. The whole was over in seven
or eight minutes, the rascals concluding their bloody work
by firing the tents and throwing the mutilated dead and dying
into the blazing tents. They succeeded in carrying off some
seven or eight thousand rupees in cash, six horses, and everything
portable they could lay their hands upon. Lieutenant Hamilton
saved his life by the most determined and dauntless courage.
He was roused from his sleep by a volley of stones directed
at his tent, and rushed out in his nightshirt; finding himself
struck by several stones, he ran back into his tent, and fortunately,
in place of the sword he always used, brought out a recently
purchased revolver, only returned that afternoon with three
barrels not fired off, with which he defended himself from
seven or eight assailants at once. He killed one Afridi, whose
body was buried, but exhumed and carried off by the tribe
the following night. He mortally wounded two others, whom
they took with them to die the following day. Keeping the
pistol pointed at them, he kept them at bay until he
could effect his escape towards the Tana. He received a cut
on the left hand and five other slight wounds, but happily
has escaped any serious injury. The Tana police never emerged
from their fortlet until all was over, though there were five-and-twenty
well-armed men within it. It need hardly be added that none
of the police received the slightest injury, a fact highly
creditable to their zeal and sagacity. Lieutenant Hamilton's
work-people, chiefly Afridis, living in the surrounding villages
did nothing to stop the massacre or drive off the assailants.
" Mr Christie and Captain James were early at the scene
of action, and Dr Cox was on the spot soon after 2 A. M.,
giving every aid in his power to the sufferers. Brigadier
Halifax and Captain Dale, his major of brigade, reached Bude-beer
soon after sunrise. But of course the Afridis did not wait
to greet them. The cause of this bold attack remains to be
stated. The Kohat Pass has recently been closed until satisfaction
should be given for a murder lately committed near Akhor.
To clear themselves, the Akhor Afridis aroused the Busee-Khel
Afridis, and Captain Coke insisted, contrary to Captain James's
opinion, that they should be blockaded, i. e., prevented
from coming into the Peshawur Valley, and their cattle and
flocks seized. This was done, and some of their cattle were
sold a few days since by auction at the deputy commissioner's
Keetcheree.
" By way of reprisal, the foray of last night was determined
upon by the Busee-Khel (who had all along protested their
innocence), and carried out as described above. Bude-beer
is only seven miles from cantonments and fourteen miles on
this side of our posts at Fort Mackeson, and at Mutimee. Should
anything further transpire of interest, it shall be communicated
to you. 'V
During the Indian Mutiny, Sir William was ordered to the siege
of Delhi, organising and commanding the 1st Company of the
Sikh Artillery throughout the siege. He succeeded in breaking
the water bastion preparatory to the assault, led the gallant
and successful attack on the magazine after having effected
his entry into the city, and this with a loss of only six
men. At the close of the siege he proceeded with General Showell's
column, in command of his Sikh company.
Sir William was in the Royal Horse Artillery for over sixteen
years, and commanded a battery for over eight years, both
in India and at home. He was Brigade Major to the Inspector
General in India for over five years. |
