A History of the Mahrattas v2.c36.75

v2.c36.75

On the return of the troops to Bombay, the immediate object of attention was the measure of reward and punishment throughout the army. Colonel Egerton and Lieutenant-Colonel Cockburn were suspended from the service by the Government ; no opinion as to the personal conduct of Mr. Carnac was then passed, but in anticipation of the order of events, as the characters are in future quite undistinguished, it is merely necessary to observe that, when the whole of the proceedings came before the Court of Directors, after a deliberate investigation, they addressed a dispatch to Bombay, in which they enumerated the particular demerits of the parties blamed, passed a just censure on the behaviour of Mr. Carnac and Colonel Egerton, and dismissed them from the Company’s service. They also dismissed Lieutenant-Colonel Cockburn, the justice of whose sentence was certainly not questionable, and the occasion called for example; but we may lament the errors of an officer whose reputation was deservedly considerable until chance raised him to a station above his abilities. Four years before, Colonel Cockburn’s character had been recorded by General Gordon in the following words: ‘Cool, clear, steady, and determined as an officer; he has twice within these two years led our troops to assault,¹ which have been attended with glory and success to him and the troops, and much advantage to our employers. I do not know a better regimental officer.’