It was supposed by everyone that he had long since passed the age when he ought to have retired

From The Great Mutiny by Christopher Hibbert. Page 80.

Gough went immediately to Carmichael-Smyth to pass this information on to him. But the Colonel 'treated the communication with contempt', reproving him for 'listening to such idle words'. Later that evening Gough met the Brigadier, Archdale Wilson, and told him the same story, 'but he also was incredulous'. So was Major-General W. H. Hewitt, Commander of the Meerut Division, who went so far as to assure the Commander-in-Chief that the native troops at Meerut were 'behaving steady and soldierlike'.

Known as 'Bloody Bill', Hewitt was sixty-seven years old. He had served in India for over half a century, and in all that time does not appear to have ever gone home on leave to England. He was extremely fat, of a kindly, lazy, placid disposition, 'a dear old boy' in one junior officer's opinion; but it was supposed by everyone that he had long since passed the age when he ought to have retired, and by some, that he was rapidly approaching his dotage. Brigadier Wilson condemned him as 'a fearful old dolt . . . an exasperating idiot'. But Wilson agreed with Hewitt that the reports of a threat- ened mutiny at Meerut were not to be taken seriously. He had just written to his wife to tell her so. He had rather expected that a few of the eighty-five men who had refused to handle the cartridges would have been sentenced to death as an example, but he was ' not sorry it was otherwise'. 'So ends this business,' he had added. 'I hope we shall have no more of it here.'

The next morning, Sunday 10 May, Hugh Gough and John MacNabb drove to church together. Forty years later Gough could still recall the scene vividly - the undress summer uniform of frock- coat and white overalls which they were both wearing; MacNabb's smart alpaca coat, trimmed with lace; and Gough's teasing remark about the lace which, being the wrong sort, would be sure to catch Colonel Carmichael-Smyth's sharp, reproving eye. In church the two young officers sat next to H. H. Greathed, the Commissioner of Meerut, and his wife; and after the service they spoke to Mrs Greathed for a few moments about the events of the previous day. She had been to dinner the evening before with Lieutenant-Colonel W. N. Custance of the Dragoon Guards. They had talked of the placards which servants had reported having seen in the city 'calling upon all true Mussulmans to rise and slaughter the English'. But all seemed quiet enough now. Gough left the Greatheds to attend to his ponies and to play with his pet bear and leopard. MacNabb went to spend the morning with friends in the Artillery. It was a stiflingly hot day. So hot was it, in fact, that the evening church-parade, usually held at half past six, was postponed until seven o'clock; and many officers' wives were thankful that they did not have to get up and dress as early as usual. At about six o'clock, however, they were beginning to stir.