MEMORIES OF THE MUTINY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 10, 28 August 1911, Page 7

MEMORIES OF THE MUTINY.

The “Daily Mail” may well say that memories of an heroic ago are recalled by the death of the Dowager Lady Ontram, widow of the great, Indian soldier whom Napier christened the Bayard of India. She was one of the last survivors of the Englishwomen who passed through the horrors of the Indian Mutiny. When the Mutiny broke out her husband, Sir James Ontram, was absent in command of the British expedition to Persia. She was living at Aligarh when the 9th ilegiment of Native Infantry, which had previously borne a splendid character, rose in revolt. Lady Ontram had a very narrow escape; but for the presence of her son at Aligarh she would have been among the English ladies killed in the first fury of the conflict. So unexpected was the mutiny that Lady Ontram, two days liefore, had written to her husband, stating that everything was most sutis‘■'■iccorv. Her son. aged 20, put her on a pony, and took her to Agra. The i/Oiiy rebelled against the double burden, so they had to walk through the cantonments, the sepoys looting the mngalows as they passed. They left lehind them everything they possessed, except the clothes they wore. Vt Agra the English ladies had to take refuge in the fort with a mere •andful of men to protect them. Close it hand were the Gwalior native troops, who were known to bo on the verge of mutiny and to have expiesscd the intention of capturing Agra. But the serenity and courage of woman was never more gallantly displayed than amid the miseries of this imprisonment, when all were anxiously 1 awaiting the arrival of the reinforcements that were to reconquer India, and in that little band of heroines Lady Outraiu was conspicuous. After distinguishing himself in the conflict, young Ontram broke down in health as far back as 1863, and had to leave the Service. He is still living, but for thirty years he has been an invalid, and seldom leaves the grounds of his house. Lady Ontram reached the great age of 99, and retained her faculties till the last.