LAST SCENE OF ALL. 329 



"Immense progress," he adds, "was made yester- 

 day, with not more loss than some eighteen or 

 twenty wounded, and I hear to-day they are going 

 ahead again. Pandy has quite given up fighting, 

 except pot-shots under cover, and runs at the very 

 sight of troops advancing. I stood on the top of 

 the Dilkusha palace yesterday, and watched the 

 capture of as strong a position as men could wish 

 for (which at Delhi would have cost us hundreds) 

 without the enemy making a single struggle or 

 firing a shot. ... I expect to see Lucknow taken 

 without being under fire again. AVell, it must be 

 confessed that I have had my share of the dangers 

 of the war, and whether I receive honours or not, I 

 have the testimony of my own conscience that I 

 have done one man's work towards the restoration 

 of our power in India. 



" I have been occupied to-day in trying to get 

 the Victoria Cross for the two Goughs. Hugh 

 certainly ought to have it." ^ 



On the fateful March 1 1 Hodson addressed to his 

 wife the last letter that she was ever to receive from 

 her loyal and loving spouse. Before it reached Um- 

 bala his days on earth were already numbered. 

 The letter ran thus : "Just as I sit down to write 

 comes an order to move our camp towards Alambagh 

 again, Jang Bahadur having at last arrived with his 

 army and taken up ground between me and the 

 enemy. ... If anything occurs I will get Colonel 

 Napier or Norman to send you a service telegram." 



In the course of the same day occurred that last 

 meeting between Hodson and Captain Osborn 

 Wilkinson, of which the latter gives the following 



^ Both the brothers did receive the Victoria Cross. 



