THE PRINCE IMPERIAL
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
SIR,—I have just been shown the interesting article on " The Prince Imperial " in your paper of September 22nd. Will you very kindly allow me to correct one or two mistakes, as I have first hand knowledge
You say " -Lieut. Brenton Carey was in command of the party." This was not the case. The Prince was going on a reconnaissance with the small party of men mentioned by you. Carey asked to be allower-tc'•tske adVantage of-the escort that he might verify some maps which he was making. Had he been in command, he was not one who would have relegated his responsibility to any one—Prince, or no Prince.
As a Mend, for he lilted and =admired the Prince, he begged him not to go down into the Kraal, but the boy would not listen •to what he considered the over caution of the older man. When the attack came the Prince Imperial gave the command to " mount '? and "same qui peat," and the party scattered. As the Prince was a very good horseman and well mounted, Carey felt sure he would reach safety long before himself, but saw no more of him.
• May I also say that the Court Martial was only a matter of form ? The commanding officers knew perfectly well that Carey was in no way responsible for the party so the Court Martial was naturally quashed. In fact Carey was surprised, on arrival at home, to find what a sensation had been caused by the incident.
He did not die of a broken heart, he was of far too buoyant and happy a nature ; and also his firm trust in an over-ruling Providence kept him from being too much disturbed by any unkind remarks about his part in the sad occurrence. He was assured that his commanding officers knew as well as he himself, that he was in no way to blame. He fell a victim to the effects of years of military service in the West Indies, Jamaica, and, lastly, in Sindh.
I would not have troubled you with these corrections if it were not that Captain Carey—as he was when he died—has left descendants who are now serving His Majesty, and in fairness to them the truth should be known.—I am, Sir, &c.,
We are glad to publish this letter from a reader in India; and hope that • Captain Carey's descendants will accept our apology for any trouble we may unwittingly have caused them by the review in question .—ED. Spectator.]
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