William Stephen Raikes Hodson

Maria O'Brien

05 March 2016, 23:27

from Cheltenham Looker-On
Saturday 9 March 1918

HODSON OF HODSON’S HORSE GLOUCESTER’S GALLANT SOLDIER SON “There goes that ‘ere Hodson, he’s sure to be in everything, he’ll get shot, I know he will, and I’d rather be shot myself: we can’t do without him.” A soldier’s admiring remark regarding one of the bravest of the brave of the thousands of British officers who have served and fought on India’s soil. At the Gloucester village of Maisemore Court on March 19th, 1821, was born the intrepid soldier leader, William Stephen Raikes Hodson, afterwards known as “Hodson of Hodson’s Horse. Exactly sixty years ago, on March 11th, 1858, he fell mortally wounded in Lucknow’s final conquest during the Indian Mutiny struggle. As expressed in the House of Commons, “He crowded into the brief space of eleven eventful years the services and adventures of a long life. He did when his reward was assured, obtaining only that reward which he most coveted, the consciousness of duty done, and the assurance of enduring military renown.” Hodson’s father was chaplain to the Bishop of Gloucester and, subsequently, Archdeacon of Stafford and Canon of Lichfield. At sixteen years of age, sent to Rugby School, Hodson came under the influence of the great Arnold, and was contemporary with the writer and heroes of “Tom Brown’s Schooldays.” A quiet, studious lad, almost girlish in features, he was possessed of a marked reserve of grim determination of character, proving quite a successful disciplinarian when in charge of younger lads, and made for himself a name as an athlete, particularly as a long distance walker and runner. On three school half holidays in one week he accomplished the threefold feat of running eight miles in sixty minutes, running one mile in five minutes, and picking up 100 stones one yard apart within an hour. One Saturday afternoon he and a friend traversed fifty miles, and, at 11 p.m., thinking that probably the Archdeacon would wait up until their arrival back, they ran at full speed the last six miles of the distance in order to reach home as quickly as possible. They arrived in capital condition and found as anticipated the indulgent old Archdeacon, Hodson’s father, sitting up until they came. At Cambridge Hodson became noted as an oarsman. Choosing a military career, he obtained in 1844 a commission in the Guernsey Militia, and was for months under Sir William Napier, the well-known historian. Then some months after he entered the East India’s Company’s service as cadet of infantry on the Bengal establishment. Hodson reached Calcutta, August 1845, and immediately was plunged into the fierce warfare of the first Sikh conflict. At Mudki he had narrow escapes, and in the 36 hours’ fighting at Firozshad was severely wounded. Recovering he became secretary to Sir Henry Lawrence, and soon one of that distinguished soldier’s and administrator’s warmest friends. Later he was appointed second in command, and, subsequently, chief of the “Guides,” the historic body of irregular cavalry which won such repeated renown in many a frontier campaign and skirmish. His statements that he had been 70 miles in 7hours on “borrowed steeds,” and 26 hours on camel back indicate the strenuousness of his duties at that time. Similarly his words, “I have had also to feed an army daily of 3, 000 odd fighting men, 2, 000 odd horses, and 14, 000 to 15, 000 camp followers. Also to take care of and work my Guides: to point out the haunts and obtain information of the strength of the enemy and give him over to the tender mercies of fire and sword.” His initiative, skill, and almost reckless daring were constantly apparent in the exploits he and his men performed. By sheer audacity and the compelling power of his wonderful personality he took fort after fort, and defeated and routed party after party of wild border tribes. His name was frequently mentioned in despatches and he was often the recipient of official thanks. Afterwards he had considerable experience in administrative work, and again further exciting enterprises with the “Guides.” Regarding the latter he wrote, “I prefer the saddle the desk, the frontier to a respectable wheelgoing, dinner-giving, dressy life at the capital; and ambition to money.” In 1857 came the Indian Mutiny crisis with its horrors and its exceptional opportunities for service and distinction, particularly for a man of Hodson’s calibre and seemingly exhaustless energies. His deeds in that epoch of British history have been often told. To narrate these would be to relate a great part of the most stirring events of the conflict’s earlier period. Hodson was the life of the troops assembling and assembled for the storming of Delhi. His knowledge of native languages and of native character were invaluable. He had an instinct for scouting comparable to Baden Powell. His resoluteness, fearlessness, and optimism were an asset to the small army bent on Delhi’s recapture, impossible to exaggerate. As Assistant Q.M.S. to the Delhi force is duties were both exceedingly varied and most onerous. “Hodson’s Horse” wrought prodigies of valour again and again. When his former soldiers of the “Guides” met him at the Delhi camp they caught his bridle, seized his hands and feet, and literally threw themselves down before him with tears streaming down their faces. During the preparatory months prior to the attack of the city in September he was unceasing in his efforts to harass the enemy, and in the actual scenes of Delhi’s reconquest his indomitable lionlike courage and leadership played no unimportant part. A few days subsequent it was Hodson who secured the capture of the old King whom the Mutineers had proclaimed Emperor, and it was he who was the instrument of condign retribution on the royal princess, the perpetrators or instigators of some of the most ruthless tragedies of those times. In the weeks following Delhi’s reconquest, Hodson was indefatigable, scouring the neighbourhood to disperse bodies of the rebels who were trying to collect. Also in several more important expeditions he was actively engaged, ever displaying the same dauntless boldness as before. In one of these he was badly wounded in the right arm but was quickly convalescent again. He attributed his speedy improvement to the fact of his entire abstinence from spirit drinking. The end of February, 1858, saw him on the outskirts of Lucknow, he and his men against well-nigh overwhelming odds only saving themselves from annihilation by unconquerable determination and dauntlessness. On March 11th fighting in the streets of Lucknow as a volunteer under Colonel Napier he was shot down whist leading a rush into room full of mutineers resolved to sell their lives as dearly as possible. The day following his body was buried, the old veteran Sir Colin Campbell (Lord Clyde), the Commander in Chief, weeping at his graveside. During a brief period of his career, Hodson’s reputation was somewhat under a cloud, but the unfounded nature of the aspersions cast upon his character is clearly proved the fact that Lord Clyde declared him “one of the finest officer in the Army,” and Sir James Outram and Lord Napier of Magdala were among his most ardent admirers and firmest friends. The recently-deceased distinguished General Sir Martin Dillon, who knew Hodson intimately, characterised these attempted aspersions, especially in face of “the verdict of such a soldier as Lord Napier of Magdala,” as “ungenerous, unwarranted and atrocious.” Gloucester is proud of her soldier son of Indian Mutiny fame. Intrepid, energetic, possessed of extraordinary initiative capabilities, doing deeds in almost every engagement worthy of the “V.C.” reward, he was adored by the men of his own “Horse,” beloved by the officers under his command, and regarded as the ideal soldier leader by the other regiments which knew him well. As stated by a writer in Blackwood, “Ask any soldier who was the bravest man before Delhi, who most in the saddle, who foremost? And nine out of ten in the infantry will tell you Hodson.” C. B.