164 MAJOR W. HODSON. 



not prevent my wish for a fair trial being granted. 

 My accusers were not called on to substantiate their 

 assertions. 



" The burden of disproof, proverbially an arduous 

 task, was thrown upon me. At the same time the 

 court, by rejecting my accounts, absolutely deprived 

 me of the means of replying satisfactorily to the 

 false accusations brought against me. This could 

 not again occur. Taylor's examination, backed by 

 the court of inquiry suggested by the commander- 

 in-chief, will remove all doubt from the accounts 

 and afford me the materials for clearing myself. 



" I have been cruelly misrepresented in other 

 ways. Many things have been told you of me, 

 and have doubtless influenced your judgment of 

 my case, which would be either disproved or ex- 

 plained by inquiry. 



" All I ask for is a full and public examination 

 of the whole case or allegations against me. I do 

 not fear the result. I trust you will obtain such an 

 examination or trial for me from Government." -^ 



The Taylor to whom this letter refers was Major 

 Reynell Taylor, — " the Bayard of the Punjab," — 

 who had made his mark as one of Henry Lawrence's 

 men in the second Sikh war, and had afterwards 

 done good work as Deputy Commissioner of Bannu. 

 He had lately returned from furlough in time to 

 take over, at Dalhousie's bidding, the temporary 

 command of the Guides. In the autumn of 1855 

 John Lawrence instructed him to examine and 

 report upon Hodson's alleged misdealings with the 

 regimental chest. Reynell Taylor set himself man- 



1 Letter supplied by Miss Hodson. 



