The climate of Assam is very
prejudicial to all constitutions both European and Native …
Letters
home from the front were not censored during the First Anglo-Burmese War though
this one has been disinfected: there are numerous pin holes and one passage
faded probably as an effect of the vinegar used. The writer Richard Gurdon
Bedingfeld gives his exact location and a fairly detailed account of his role
as a Lieutenant in command of a flotilla on the Brahmaputra river. The
“Rungpore” of his address is Rangpur, last capital of the Ahom kingdom of
Assam. The Ahom dynasty ruled for nearly six hundred years, its rule brought to
an end by Burmese invasions which left Rangpur in ruins. The East India
Company’s forces repelled the Burmese and annexed Assam by the terms of the
1826 Treaty of Yandabao. Rangpur has been absorbed into the modern Indian town
of Sivasagar
Far
up stream on the river, twenty-two years old Lieutenant Bedingfeld is clearly
missing home and anxious about not receiving letters. There were long delays:
this one is dated 26th January 1825 and addressed to his father
Francis Philip Bedingfeld in Northallerton, Yorkshire. There are no postal
markings on the letter before it was brought ashore at Deal in Kent and carried
up to London where it received an arrival postmark of 12 September 1825, so
almost eight months in transit. The writer’s mother Catherine died in 1812, so
the “Mrs Bedingfeld” of the letter is not her. The family name is sometimes
spelled “Bedingfield”.
The
dutiful son’s life was soon over, his death recorded officially in these words,
“Lieutenant Richard Gurdon BEDINGFIELD - Bengal Artillery - murdered 2nd
April 1829. Murdered at Nunklow, near Gowhatty, Assam, by a gang of bandits.
His head was cut off. The gang then besieged the house where Lieut. Burton was
holding out with a few sepoys of the Assam Light Infantry. He was born in
Ditchingham, Norfolk 5th Sept. 1802. Son of Francis and Catherine Bedingfield.
He served in the First Burma War”.
*
Transcription
Addressed
to: Frcs [Francis]
Bedingfeld, Northallerton, Yorkshire
Datelined: On the Burromporter River near
Rungpore, the capital of Assam 26th January 1825
My
dear Father
Since
my last from Gohatti [now Guwahati] I have been anxiously
expecting a letter from you but I regret my expectations have not been
realised. I hope this will not be the case much longer and that the next
arrival will put me in possession of some news from you. I have written to my
Brother and Sister two or three times since I had the pleasure of receiving
your last letter so that you will have heard of my welfare through them. I was
much gratified the other day from Mary written evidently in good spirits. I
only hope she has by this time paid you a visit, as change of air and scene are
the finest things possible to eradicate what remains there may be of lowness of
spirits. She appeared to be much pleased with your offer of meeting her in town
and from what my brother said in his letter I should be inclined to think she
had availed herself of the favorable season of the year to go down as far as
Yorkshire – that abominable place.
Gohatti
was the cause of my getting unwell with a fever which had nearly obliged me to
quit Assam for change of air; fortunately the setting in of the Cold season set
me all to rights and thank God I have been in the enjoyment of excellent health
and spirits for the past two months.
The
climate of Assam is very prejudicial to all constitutions both European and
Native owing to the whole face of the country being at present little else than
a perfect jungle, the inhabitants being obliged from the Tyranny of the Burmese
to run into the Company’s [East India Company’s] provinces
to avoid fines, murders & imprisonments. Our detachment has now nearly
succeeded in driving them out of the country and in two or three years time
under a mild government it is to be hoped the aspect of the country will
present a more agreeable appearance than it does at present.
I
left Gohatti on the 30th of November last [1824]
since which time I have been constantly moving up this extensive river which
intersects the country and during the rainy season is more to be compared to a
little sea than anything else. Its average breadth from bank to bank being
nearly four miles.
I
have command of the Artillery and a Flotilla of ten gun boats each carrying a
twelve pounder Cannonade. I am sorry to say that my services have never been
required since I have been in the country since the enemy in this quarter being
always more ready to run away than stand a bombardment in their stockades. They
are very expert in the construction of these defences which are made of bamboos
with a small ditch inside rather than out in which they squat down and fire.
The ground in front of the work is covered with spikes made
from the Bamboos. These spikes run from two feet to six inches in length and
are very formidable as the wounds they inflict disable the men from proceeding
at once.
At
Rangoon where the war has been carried on since May last [1824]
the Burmese find that British Discipline is more than match for overwhelming
numbers. They got a terrible thrashing the other day [final stages of the
Battle of Yangon, December 1824] and I hope two or three more examples of
the kind will make them sue for peace, an event no one can more sincerely wish
for than I do, as I have but little hopes of getting out of this country until
the war is over.
As
far as procuring advantages go I am now very well off nevertheless I would
gladly give them up for a change of Climate, as what can be put in competition
with a man’s health? And this part of the world decidedly does not agree with
me. I never was unwell until I came to Goalpara [Assam]
and to my residence at that place I attribute my loss of health. I hope fortune
will enable me to visit England when I am entitled to my furlough. I think
every young man whose only prospect is living and dying in India ought to take
a trip home whenever his allowance may admit of it as the benefit to be derived
from it is incalculable.
Is
poor old John still in the land of the living if so pray give him my regards.
Were I to live a century I should never forget the old man & often remember
the many happy days I have passed either fishing or shooting with him. The old
boys fine upright figure & snowy head made him look like an old veteran and
one that had derived every possible benefit from the instruction of a Drill
Sergeant. I hope and trust the Scotts are well and prospering. Give them when
you write my sincere regards as I have frequently before said, should I ever
live to see England again, one of my first visits should be to them. I am sorry
Mrs B. has not written to me although I hope she will put her promise in
execution.
Before
I close my letter I have one request to make to you and that is to send me the
Miniature that you sat for at the time of my leaving England. I have often
wished for it and hope you will oblige me with it. I hope you will pay my
brother a visit soon, he appears very anxious for you taking a look at his
Estate and seeing how he gets on. He has now …. [three
lines faded here probably from disinfection vinegar] …. The Army & Navy
are both short, and the professions of Law & Medicine are overstocked.
India is the only field for a young man with ideas and that I believe is now
only to be obtained with very great interest [He means that positions have
to be purchased].
I
must again repeat how anxiously I am looking for a letter from you and I hope
when it reaches me I shall have good accounts of you all. With kind love to Mrs
Bedingfield believe me my dear Father
Your
dutiful Son R G Bedingfeld
*
Reference
Wikipedia: The First
Anglo-Burmese War (5 March 1824 – 24 February 1826), also known as
the First Burma War in English language accounts and First
English Invasion War in Burmese language accounts, was the first of three
wars fought between the British and Burmese empires in the 19th
century. The war, which began primarily over the control of what is now
Northeastern India ended in a decisive British victory, giving the British
total control of Assam, Manipur, Cachar, and Jaintia as well as Arakan
Province and Tenasserim. The Burmese submitted to a British demand to pay
an indemnity of one million pounds sterling and signed a commercial treaty.
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