342 MAJOR W. HODSON. 



It is pleasant to note that even Sir Jolin 

 Lawrence officially pronounced him to be " one of 

 the ablest, most active, and bravest soldiers who 

 have fallen in the present war." 



Many years afterwards, when Mr Forbes-Mitchell 

 revisited the scene of those fierce struggles in which 

 his regiment had borne so conspicuous a part, he saw 

 himself once more standing by the grave of Major 

 Hodson. " I found it," he says, " in excellent pre- 

 servation, with a wall round it and an iron gate to 

 it near the entrance to the Martiniere College. This 

 care had been taken of Hodson's last resting-place 

 by his friend Lord Napier of Magdala, and I cut a 

 branch from the cypress-tree planted at his head, and 

 posted half of it to the address of his brother in 

 England." ^ 



Immediately after Hodson's death a committee 

 of adjustment proceeded in the usual fashion to 

 examine and report upon his personal effects, which 

 had been transferred to the quarters of Colonel 

 Robert Napier. Captain (now Sir Charles) Gough, 

 V.C., K.C.B., had been appointed president of the 

 committee. The results of their proceedings showed 

 that, with the exception of such memorials as a ring, 

 watch, Bible and Prayer-book, and a miniature, 

 which were handed over to the widow, " all Major 

 Hodson's effects were sold by auction, and that the 

 whole, exclusive of his horses, consisting of tents, a 

 gig, camp equipage, guns (one rifle valued at £35), 

 swords, telescope, saddles and bridles, &c., realised 

 the sum of Rs. 1774, or less than £170. The only 

 article found in his possession which could possibly 

 have come under the head of ' loot ' was a native 



^ Reminiscences of the Great Mutiny. 



