HEROINE’S DEED RECALLED.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2142, 26 July 1907, Page 3

HEROINE’S DEED RECALLED.

CESSION TO THE RAJAH OF THE STATE OF MANIPUR.

It is announced that the Government of India has decided to hand over tiio control of .Manipur Stnto 1 1 Rajnh Churn Chanel Singh; who will be assisted h.v a council of six

Manipur gentlemen and an Indian civilian. Manipur has boon under British supervision since the massacre of Mr. Quinton, Chief Commissioner of Assam, and a party of British officers sixtoou years ago. The new rajah is twenty-one years of ago, and has spent two years ill the linporial Cadot Corps. The name of Manipur is for over asociated with that of Mrs St. Clair Grimwood (now Mrs Brabazon Miller) wifo of tho murdered British Resident and heroine of the siege of tho Residency and of the retreat from Manipur. Mr Quinton, Chief Commisioner of Assam, went to Manipur early in IS9I to settle a dispute ns to tho throne of the State, the old maharajah having been doposed and a pretender having usurped his powers. Mr. Quinton had with him somo 300 Gurkhas. Shortly after hia arrival the Residency, a flimsy wooden building, was attacked by 1000 Manipuri supporters of the Pretender. A white officer boine shot in tho courtyard, Mrs Grimwood ran out and bandaged Ills wound under a very heavy tire. On the evening of tho same day the Pretender asked for a parley, and Mr. Grimwood, Mr Quinton, and twelve English officers went to tho palace. There they were treacherously murdered, the attack oil the Residency being immediately resumed with redoubled fury. Mrs. Grimwood, full ol‘ tho most terrible mxiotv ns to her husband’s fate,’ none the less took an active part in tho defence, reloading rifles and giving tho wounded every possible care, 'die was the onlv white woman in Manipur at tho time. The Residency .took fire, and bo-

eaino untenable, while the defenders’ ammunition was exhausted. In the night the G urkhas and Mrs Grimwood —tho latter wearing a thin, white dress and patent leather slippors— set out on a seven-day march to safety. Starving, in rags, and continually “sniped” by the enemy, they at length reached tho frontier and safety Mrs Grimwood displayed the greatest heroism throughout the march, tearing her dress into bandages for the wounded and stumbling bravolv barefoot ovor mountain paths and through deep jungle. Returning to England, Mrs. Grimwood became a popular heroine, and was decorated by Queen Victoria.