Indian Mutiny. An urgent note from Lord Clyde in his own hand, October 1858

A very short, urgent, note in the Commander in Chief’s own hand addressed My dear Bowring [ Lewin Bentham Bowring, ICS, Private Secretary to the Viceroy, Lord Canning] and enquiring about getting a letter sent by the Express. The date, October 5th [1858] was the day of a significant defeat of rebels at Meanganj between Lucknow and Cawnpore by Brigadier Evelegh. Written on a small piece of paper, 7½ x 4½ ins, cut from a large bifolium this might seem an insignificant trifle but that the c-in-c should write in his own hand, rather than the more usual form of communication using a staff officer, shows a high degree of urgency. Such evocative ephemeral items seldom survive outside official archives.  oct24/4