6 JANUARY 1900, Page 25

"I'VE GOT THE ORDER IN MY POCKET." [To THE EDITOR

OP THE "SPECTATOR."] Sin,—The r old Indian story " to which you refer at p. 941 of the Spectator of December 30th is thus related by Colonel James Welsh in his "Military Reminiscences," Vol. I., p. 196, when describing the siege and capture of Gawilghnr in 1803 :- " I mu!) here pause to relate an anecdote of our brave and kind-hearted Brigadier, Colonel Wallace, during this siege. We had been one night working very hard at a battery half-way up the hill, and afterwards cleared a road up to it, but no power we possessed could move our iron battering guns above a few hundred yards from the bottom, so steep and rugged was the ascent. I was just relieved from working by a fresh party, and enjoying a few moments' rest on some clean straw, when the officer commanding the working party came up to Colonel Wallace, and reported that it was impossible to get the heavy guns up to the battery. The Colonel, who was Brigadier of the trenches, exclaimed: Impossible! hoot mon ! it must be done. I've got the order in my pocket.' These words, although they failed to transport the guns into the battery, fully illustrated the true character of this noble and devoted soldier."

Eastbourne.