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Our Soldiers: Gallant Deeds of the British Army during Victoria's Reign

by William Henry Giles Kingston · English · Gutenberg #23052 · 637,089 chars · public domain (US)

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Title: Our Soldiers: Gallant Deeds of the British Army during Victoria's Reign

Author: William Henry Giles Kingston


        
Release date: October 17, 2007 [eBook #23052]

Language: English

Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/23052

Credits: Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England


*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OUR SOLDIERS: GALLANT DEEDS OF THE BRITISH ARMY DURING VICTORIA'S REIGN ***




Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England




Our Soldiers; Gallant Deeds of the British Army during Queen Victoria's
Reign, by W.H.G. Kingston.

________________________________________________________________________

A very interesting book telling us about the various deeds of the
British Army throughout the reign of Queen Victoria.  Most of us will be
aware of nearly all of the campaigns, but that there were so many comes
as a bit of a shock.  Although many of the campaigns and battles were
favourably completed, quite a few were not, and this also comes as a bit
of a shock.

Kingston was the original author, but died many years before the end of
Queen Victoria's reign, and the work was taken in hand by Mr G.A.
Henty, also a prolific writer of books for teenagers.  There was some
evidence in the book of two or more authors being at work, by reason of
different spellings for the same person or item.  For instance one of
the authors spelt "Gatling guns" as "Catling guns".  The Ghurkas also
appeared in several variants, and a character called "Soojah-ul-Moolk"
appeared with a different spelling practically every time!

Having cleared all that out of the way, we present you with a most
interesting book that we hope you will greatly enjoy reading, or just
glancing through.

________________________________________________________________________

OUR SOLDIERS; GALLANT DEEDS OF THE BRITISH ARMY DURING QUEEN VICTORIA'S
REIGN, BY W.H.G. KINGSTON.



CHAPTER ONE.

THE AFGHAN CAMPAIGNS--1839-42.

In 1809 the reigning Ameer of Afghanistan, Shah Soojah-ul-Moolk, was
dispossessed of his throne and an exile.  Runjeet Singh, the Sikh ruler
of Punjaub, plundered and imprisoned him at Lahore, and obtained from
him the famous Koh-i-noor, the great diamond which is now among the
crown jewels of Great Britain.  Eventually Soojah escaped from Lahore
and became a pensioner of the East India Company.  For many years after
the fall of Shah Soojah, anarchy ruled in Afghanistan, until in 1826
Dost Mahomed established himself upon the throne at Cabul.

Meantime Shah Soojah never ceased to plot for his restoration, and in
1832 came to an agreement with Runjeet Singh, in pursuance of which the
latter undertook to assist him in an armed attempt to oust Dost Mahomed.
The Indian Government, while professing neutrality, indirectly assisted
Shah Soojah by paying his pension in advance.

In 1833 Shah Soojah's army was thoroughly beaten by Dost Mahomed before
Candahar, though he himself escaped.  But Runjeet Singh was more
successful; he drove the Afghans back into the Khyber Pass and occupied
Peshawur, which province he held against all the attempts of the Afghan
Ameer to expel him.

In 1837 the Shah of Persia, under the instigation of and with assistance
from, Russia, and in spite of strong remonstrances by the British, made
war upon Afghanistan and marched upon Herat.

ELDRED POTTINGER AT HERAT.

The siege of this place commenced on the 23rd of November 1837, and
lasted over nine months, when it utterly collapsed, owing mainly to the
determination and courage of Lieutenant Pottinger, who had arrived in
the city just before, and assisted the Afghans in the defence.
Notwithstanding the assistance of Russian volunteers the Persian attack
was but feebly delivered; still, but for the presence of Pottinger and
the courage given by his example, the Afghan defence would have been
equally spiritless.  At length, after some days' bombardment, a general
assault was made on the 23rd of June 1838, and repulsed by Pottinger
with heavy loss.  Soon after the Shah, hearing that a British expedition
had been sent up the Persian Gulf to force him to retire, raised the
siege and left Herat, which has remained up to the present in the hands
of the Afghans--a fact which may be said to be in the first instance due
to the heroic achievements of one young British officer, Lieutenant
Eldred Pottinger.

THE AFGHAN WAR.

The Indian Government had now determined, for reasons into which it is
not our province to inquire, to make war upon Dost Mahomed and to
replace Shah Soojah upon the throne.

This war, which ended so disastrously to our arms and prestige, seems at
this time, when it is possible to take an impartial view of the
question, to have been one of wanton aggression against a prince well
disposed towards our Government--and who, with whatever faults he had,
was a strong and wise ruler, and accepted by his people--in order to
force upon the Afghans a mere nominee of the British, and one whose
authority could only be supported by the bayonets of an alien race.
Such an enterprise was as discreditable to our councillors as it proved
to be disastrous to our soldiers.

The army collected for this purpose consisted of the Bengal contingent,
which, after leaving a division in reserve at Ferozepore, was 9500
strong, under the command of Sir Willoughby Cotton, and the Bombay
contingent, consisting of another 6000, the whole being under the
command of Sir John Keane.

At the same time, another force, nominally under the command of Shah
Soojah, was to be raised in the Company's territories, to accompany him
into Afghanistan.  This army crossed the Indus near the fortress of
Bukkur, entering territories famous from their association with the
operations of Alexander the Great, and which had never before been
traversed by British troops.

Marching from Shikapore, the army advanced for fifty miles through the
dark defiles of the Bolan Pass, lofty mountains covered with snow
towering above their heads.  It now entered a desert region, where
provisions were not to be procured, and where on every side the troops
were assailed by the fierce Beloochees, who attacked foraging parties
and camp followers, and plundered the baggage left in the rear.  Early
in April, the troops marched through the vale of Shawl, forded many
rivers, and passed the heights of Kozak, over which the artillery was
dragged by the men with ropes, till at length, surmounting all
difficulties, the army reached Candahar on the 27th of April 1839.

On the 27th of June the march was resumed, but it was necessary to leave
a strong garrison at Candahar, and, strange to say, probably owing to
the difficulties of transport, the siege-guns which had been dragged
with so much toil through the passes were left behind, while supplies
were so short that the army had to proceed on half rations.

CAPTURE OF GHUZNEE--23RD JULY.

On the 21st of July the army arrived before the famous fortress of
Ghuznee, which was considered impregnable by the Afghans.

The city of Ghuznee lies between Candahar and Cabul, about 230 miles
distant from the former, and 90 from the latter place.  It stands on the
extreme points of a range of hills, which slope upwards and command the
north-east angle of the Balla Hissar.  As the British advanced on it,
and observed its strong fortifications rising up before them on the side
of a hill, they saw that the place could not be reduced by artillery for
want of the siege-guns left at Candahar, and at the same time a high
wall with a wet ditch in front made operations with scaling-ladders or
mining equally impossible.

It was discovered, however, by Captain Thomson, who made an inspection
under heavy fire from the walls, that though the gates had been built up
the Cabul gate still existed, and he reported that this one, though at
great risk, could be blown up, and so an attempt to take the place by
storm could be made.  The want of supplies made it absolutely necessary
to take the place, and therefore Sir John Keane gladly accepted Captain
Thomson's proposal.

The morning of the 23rd of July, just before daybreak, was the time
fixed for the assault.  The regiments told off for the service were the
2nd, 13th, and 17th (Queen's), and the Company's European regiment,
under Major Carruthers, Lieutenant-Colonel Orchard, Colonel Croker, and
Major Tronson.  The advance consisted of the light companies of these
four regiments.  The night and morning were unusually stormy.  The
advance was placed under the command of Colonel Dennie of the 13th Light
Infantry, and the main column under Brigadier Sale.  The explosion party
was directed by Captain Thomson, who had under him Lieutenants Durand
and Macleod of the Bengal, and Captain Peat of the Bombay corps.  Under
cover of the darkness, the noise the men might make being overpowered by
the roaring of the wind, the storming column advanced along the Cabul
road, while the engineers carried up their powder-bags to the gate.
Meantime the General filled the gardens near the city walls with the
sepoys, who kept up a sharp fire on the wall, while the light batteries
opened hotly upon the works.

This demonstration fixed the attention of the enemy, and called forth a
responsive fire.  Suddenly a row of blue lights appeared along the
walls, illuminating the place, and showing that the Afghans were manning
them in expectation of an escalade.  All this time the British engineers
were quietly piling their powder-bags at the Cabul gate.  It was a work
that required great courage, and it was done well; but at first the
powder failed to ignite, and Lieutenant Durand was obliged to scrape the
hose with his finger-nails.  Again the port-fire was applied.  The
powder exploded.  The noise of the explosion was almost overpowered by
the roaring of the guns and the rushing of the wind.  Still, many an
Afghan trembled at the ominous sound.  Mighty indeed was the effect.
Down with a crash came heavy masses of masonry and shivered beams in
awful ruin and confusion.  Now occurred a slight delay.  It had been
agreed that the signal for the storming party should be the bugle-call
"Advance," but the bugler had fallen, and so Durand had to rush back to
the nearest party he could find.  At length the signal was given.  The
advance was sounded.  Colonel Dennie at the head of his brave band
rushed forward through the breach, amid clouds of smoke and dust, and
soon the bayonets of his light companies were crossing the swords of the
enemy, who had rushed down to the point of attack.  A few moments of
darkness and confusion, and then the foremost soldiers caught a glimpse
of the morning sky, and pushing gallantly on, were soon established in
the fortress.

Three hearty, animating cheers, so loud and clear that they were heard
throughout the general camp, announced to their excited comrades below
that Dennie and his stormers had entered Ghuznee.

Colonel Sale was pressing on to support Dennie, when, deceived by a
false report that the latter had failed to enter the breach, he halted
his column.  There was a pause of painful doubt; but the true state of
affairs was soon ascertained.  Again the cheering notes of the bugle
sounded the advance, and the British troops pushed on.  But the enemy
had profited by the pause, and numbers crowded to the breach.  One of
their number, rushing over the ruins, brought down the gallant Sale by a
cut on the face with his sharp sabre.  The Afghan repeated his blow as
his opponent was falling; but the pommel, not the edge of his sword,
this time took effect, though with stunning violence.  He lost his
footing, however, in the effort, and both rolled down together amid the
fractured timbers of the gate.  Sale now made an effort to master the
weapon of his opponent.  He snatched at it, but one of his fingers met
the edge of the sharp blade.  He quickly withdrew his wounded hand, and
placed it over that of his adversary, so as to keep fast hold of the
hilt; but the Afghan was active and powerful, and he was himself faint
from loss of blood.  Happily, at that moment Captain Kershaw, of the
13th, approached the scene of conflict.  The wounded leader called to
him by name for aid.  He gave it effectually by passing his sabre
through the body of the Afghan; who, however, continued to struggle
gallantly.  At length the Brigadier for a moment got the uppermost.
Still retaining in his left hand the weapon of his enemy, he dealt him
with his right a cut from his own sabre, which cleft his skull from his
crown to the eyebrows.  The Mohammedan once shouted "Ne Ullah!"  (O
God!) and never moved or spoke again.

At length the enemy gave way.  The British pushed on.  The support,
under Colonel Croker, advanced, and the reserve speedily followed; and
soon the colours of the 13th Regiment, planted by the brave young Ensign
Frere, as well as those of the 17th, were flying out in the morning
breeze from the ramparts of Ghuznee.

The struggle within the fort, for a considerable time, was most
desperate.  In addition to a heavy fire kept up on them, the British
troops were assailed by the enemy sword in hand, as well as with
daggers, pistols, and other arms; but British courage, perseverance, and
fortitude overcame all opposition, and the enemy were soon to be seen
abandoning their guns, running in all directions, throwing themselves
down from immense heights, and endeavouring to make their escape over
the walls.  By five o'clock the capture of the Afghans' last stronghold
was complete.  But there was much hard fighting within the walls.  In
the frenzy of despair the Afghans rushed out from their hiding-places,
plying their sabres with terrible effect, though only to meet with an
awful retribution from the musketry or bayonets of the British infantry.
Some, in their frantic efforts to escape by the gateway, stumbled over
the burning timbers, wounded and exhausted, and were slowly burnt to
death.  Some were bayoneted on the ground, and others hunted into
corners and shot down like dogs; but though many an Afghan sold his life
dearly, and cut to the last at his hated enemy, the appeals of the
helpless for mercy were never made in vain.  And when resistance ceased,
not a conquered enemy was injured.

So Ghuznee fell to the British army, and was made over to Shah Soojah.
It cost the victors only 17 killed, and 165 wounded; of these last, 18
were officers.

Upwards of 500 of the garrison were buried by the victors; many more
fell beyond the walls under the sabres of the British horsemen.  Sixteen
hundred prisoners were taken, and large stores of grain and flour fell
into the hands of the conquerors.

The fall of Ghuznee--a fortress hitherto deemed by the Afghans
impregnable--astonished Dost Mahomed, and was the cause of the ruin
which soon afterwards overtook him.

CAPTURE OF KHELAT--13TH NOVEMBER.

In the northern part of Beloochistan stands the strong mountain fortress
of Khelat.  The chief, Mehrab Khan, had offended the British, and it was
resolved to annex his territories to the kingdom of Shah Soojah.  Khelat
is a place of commanding strength.  The citadel rises high above the
buildings of the town, and frowns down menacingly on its assailants.  On
the north-west of the fort are three heights.  On these the Khan had
posted his infantry, supported by five guns in position.  General
Willshire was sent to capture it, with the 2nd and 17th Queen's
Regiments, the 31st Bengal Native Infantry, with two howitzers, four of
the Shah's 6-pounder guns, and a detachment of local horse.  On the
morning of the 13th of November he found himself before the place.  The
Engineer officers reported that until the heights were carried it would
be impossible to proceed against the fortress; accordingly orders were
issued for the attack.  It was Willshire's hope that the enemy might be
driven down to the gate of the fortress, and that the stormers might
rush in with them.  Gallantly our brave soldiers made their way up the
heights--gallantly they were carried, and right nobly the guns were
captured.

The shrapnel shot from Stephenson's batteries fell with too deadly an
aim among the Beloochee footmen for them to hold their position on the
hills.  They fled towards the walls of their fortress, and the British
infantry pushed hotly after them; but, in spite of all their exertions,
our brave soldiers were not in time to secure an entrance--the gates
were closed against their advance.  The enemy's artillery, planted on
the walls, was now brought into play.  The British infantry were
compelled to find shelter behind some ruined buildings, while our
batteries, planted on the heights, opened upon the gate and the
neighbouring defences.  Two of Cooper's guns were brought within 200
yards of the walls.  The gunners suffered much from the matchlocks of
the enemy, but undauntedly continued to fire full upon the gate.  At
length it gave way.  Pointing his hand towards the gateway, Willshire
boldly rode down to show the infantry that an entrance was ready for
them.  Rising at once from their cover, with a loud hurrah they rushed
on.  Pennycuick and his men were the first to enter.  The other
companies eagerly followed, till the whole of the storming column were
within the walls of Khelat.

Onward they struggled manfully towards the citadel.  Every inch of
ground was obstinately disputed.  The citadel was reached, but there was
here a desperate resistance.  Sword in hand, Mehrab Khan and some of his
principal chiefs stood to give battle to their enemies.  The Khan
himself fell dead with a musket-ball through his breast.  Eight of his
principal sirdars fell beside him.  Heaps of dead lay around,--many
fine-looking men,--their shields shot through and broken, swords and
matchlocks scattered about in every direction, telling of the fierce
fight.  A small party held out in an inner apartment; there was no
reaching them, except by a narrow passage which admitted but of one at a
time.  Three or four attempted it, and were instantly shot dead.  The
little band of Beloochees would not trust the British.  At length
Lieutenant Loveday was sent up to them alone.  It was a critical moment
for him; but they listened to his proposals, and surrendered.  And
Khelat was won, the British loss being 138 killed and wounded.

These defeats had a very depressing effect upon the followers of Dost
Mahomed, who, although still at the head of an army of 14,000 men, found
that there was no courage in his faint-hearted followers, and that they
could not be trusted even to be true to himself.  His position being
thus hopeless, Dost Mahomed fled from Cabul on the 2nd of August, and
that city was entered in state by Shah Soojah, who then, though for a
short time, was restored to the throne which he had lost thirty years
before.

The army now ceased to be an expeditionary force, and became settled as
an army of occupation.  The officers sent for their wives and families,
and for a time English society and English amusements may be said to
have been established in Cabul.  Still Shah Soojah was not accepted by
the people, his rule was exacting and cruel, and disaffection was rife
in the country, which was rapidly preparing to rise.

In the meantime, Dost Mahomed was still to be reckoned with.  After his
flight from Cabul he and his son Akbar had gone to Bokhara, where for a
time they were in captivity.  Escaping thence, they reached Khartoum,
where the Dost's family were under the protection of his brother Jubbar
Khan.  Here he found the tribes strongly in his favour, and soon
gathered force wherewith to oppose the British who were concentrating at
Bamian, where a small force under Colonel Dennie arrived on the 14th of
September 1840.

THE BATTLE OF BAMIAN.

On the 18th of September Colonel Dennie moved out with a detachment to
drive a force of the enemy out of a valley near Bamian.  Soon after
eight o'clock, two horse artillery guns, under Lieutenant Murray
Mackenzie, two companies of the 35th Native Infantry, two companies of
the Goorkha corps, and about four hundred Afghan horse, marched out to
meet the enemy.  About half an hour afterwards, Dennie, with two more
companies of the native infantry regiment, and two also of the Goorkha
corps, followed, in support of the advanced detachment.  Instead of
coming merely upon the advance of the enemy, the Brigadier found an army
in his front; but, in spite of the slender force at his command, and the
apparently overwhelming numbers of the enemy, he did not hesitate for a
moment.  His men were eager to advance, and he himself was full of
confidence and courage.  The enemy had got possession of a chain of
forts reaching to the mouth of the defile, and were collected in bodies
round the several forts, and upon the hills on either side of the
valley.  Mackenzie's guns began to play upon them.  For some short time
the Oosbegs, forming part of the Dost's force, stood the fire, but the
guns were ably served, and the shrapnel practice told with terrific
effect on dense bodies of men, who had nothing to give back in return.

The Oosbegs retreated; the British guns were pushed forward, opening a
destructive fire, first from one distance, then from another, upon the
wavering enemy.  The Dost's army was soon broken to pieces, and the
British cavalry were then let slip in pursuit.  Following the disorded
masses of the enemy for some miles along the defile, they cut down large
numbers, and dispersed them in all directions.  The defeat of the Dost's
army was complete, and he and his son owed their lives to the fleetness
of their steeds.

DOST MAHOMED'S LAST CHARGE.

Notwithstanding all this, Dost Mahomed, not yet beaten, was soon once
more in command of a respectable force.  The force which had been
pursuing him under Sir Robert Sale came up with him on the 2nd of
November.  As our cavalry advanced upon him, Dost Mahomed, at the head
of a small band of horsemen, strong, sturdy Afghans, but badly mounted,
prepared to meet his assailants.  Beside him rode the bearer of the blue
standard, which marked his place in the battle.  He pointed to it, and
reined in his horse, then snatching the white _lunghi_ from his head,
stood up in his stirrups uncovered before his followers, and called upon
them in the name of God and the Prophet to drive the cursed Kaffirs from
the country of the faithful.  "Follow me," he cried aloud, "or I am a
lost man!"  Slowly, but steadily, the Afghan horsemen advanced.  The
English officers who led our cavalry to the attack covered themselves
with glory; but the native troopers, those vaunting horsemen,
treacherous not for the first time even now, and who were in after years
to prove traitors of the darkest dye, fled like sheep.  Emboldened by
the dastardly conduct of the men of the 2nd Light Cavalry, the Afghan
horsemen dashed on, driving their enemy before them, and not stopping
till they were almost within reach of the British guns.

The British officers unsupported by their men met the full force of the
Afghan charge, and fought bravely to the last.  Lieutenants Broadfoot
and Crispin were killed, while Captains Fraser and Ponsonby, though
badly wounded, broke through their assailants.

The next evening poor gallant Dost Mahomed, seeing his cause was
hopeless, gave himself up to the British at Cabul, and shortly after was
sent to British India.

ACTION NEAR SOORKHAB--NOVEMBER 1841.

The chiefs of certain hill tribes, Kuzzilbashs, Ghilzyes, and other
robbers and bandits by profession, had been accustomed to receive
subsidies to induce them to refrain from robbing any caravans or parties
travelling in the neighbourhood of their territories.  The expenses of
the war in Afghanistan had been enormous; and it becoming necessary to
retrench, it was unwisely determined to begin by cutting off the pay of
these chiefs.  They resented the measure, and assembling in vast
numbers, took every opportunity of attacking the British troops passing
through the defiles of their mountainous country.  Sale's brigade had
reached Jugdulluck with little opposition; but on the next march it was
seen that the heights were bristling with armed men, and a heavy fire
was poured in with terrible effect from all the salient points on which
the mountaineers had posted themselves.  Sale threw out his flanking
parties, and the light troops, skirmishing well up the hillsides,
dislodged the enemy, whilst a party under Captain Wilkinson, pushing
through the defile, found that the main outlet had not been guarded, and
that the passage was clear.  The march was resumed, but the enemy were
not yet weary of the contest.  Reappearing in great numbers, they fell
furiously upon the British rearguard, and for a time the men thus
suddenly assailed were in a state of terrible disorder.  The energetic
efforts of the officers, however, brought them back to a sense of their
duty.  Broadfoot, Backhouse, and Fenwick rallied and reanimated them.
But the British loss was heavy; upwards of 100 were killed and wounded,
and among them fell the gallant Captain Wyndham, of the 35th Native
Infantry.  Although lame from a hurt, at the moment of peril he had
dismounted to save the life of a wounded soldier, by bearing him from
the combat on his charger.  When the rearguard broke before the onset of
the Ghilzyes, unable to keep pace with the pursued, he turned, fought,
and, overpowered by numbers, fell beneath the swords and knives of an
unsparing foe.  The force halted at Gundamuck.  The political managers
of affairs in Afghanistan fancied that this would prove the termination
of disturbances in that country.  Unhappily the storm which was to break
with such fearful violence was only now gathering.

RETREAT FROM CABUL--6TH JANUARY 1842.

The British army had, as we have seen, advanced on Cabul, the capital of
Afghanistan, in August 1839.  Since that period it had been placed in
cantonments outside the city.  Major-General Sir V. Cotton had at first
commanded in Afghanistan.  He was succeeded by Major-General
Elphinstone, who assumed the command in April 1841.  On the morning of
the 2nd of November 1841, the inhabitants of Cabul broke out in
rebellion, and murdered Sir A. Burnes, the political agent, as well as
his brother and Lieutenant Broadfoot, who sold their lives dearly.  The
rebellion extended rapidly through the country; supplies were cut off,
and it was resolved to retreat from Cabul.

The amount of the British force was 4500 fighting men: the camp
followers were about 12,000 men, besides women and children.  The
retreat commenced at 9 a.m. on the 6th of January 1842.  It was as
disastrous as any in the pages of history.  A revengeful, active enemy,
bitter cold and driving snow overwhelmed them; and of that great
multitude, only one officer, Dr Brydon, reached Jellalabad in safety.
All the rest had died from cold or the sword of the enemy--except those
who had been delivered as hostages at the commencement of the retreat,
or who had been taken prisoners; an account of whose release will be
hereafter given.

DEFENCE OF JELLALABAD--OCTOBER 1841 TO APRIL 1842.

Before it was suspected to what extent the insurrection in Afghanistan
would reach, Sir Robert Sale was placed in command of a brigade which
was ordered to return to Hindostan.  His road led through the Ghilzye
defiles.  Here, for several days, he was attacked by the mountaineers,
but fighting his onward way, he reached Gundamuck.  Here he heard of the
outbreak at Cabul.  Deeming it important to push on, he left a
considerable portion of his camp equipage at Gundamuck, under charge of
some Afghan levies; but they proved traitors, plundered the baggage, and
set fire to the cantonment.  Captain Burn and the other European
officers were pursued by the insurgents, but succeeded in reaching the
British camp.

Sir Robert Sale renewed his march the next morning, but already the
whole armed population of the district was on the alert.  The Afghans
crowned each height as soon as our pickets were withdrawn, swarmed like
hornets round the camp, and were repelled only by the most strenuous
efforts.  They permitted the advanced guard and the main body to pass
through the town of Futtehabad without interruption.  Bodies of them
even came in guise of unarmed suppliants to beg for protection.  But no
sooner had the rearguard passed the houses and fort of this town, than a
destructive fire was opened upon it.  Captain Broadfoot and his sappers
turned fiercely round more than once, and inflicted vengeance for this
treachery; and Colonel Dennie, in the end, dexterously decoyed the enemy
away from their walls into the open plain, and then the cavalry, under
Captain Oldfield and Lieutenant Mayne, charging among them with headlong
valour, strewed the ground with 150 slain.  That night the force
encamped under the walls of Jellalabad, and took possession of it next
morning, the 12th of November.  It was a most important object to occupy
this place, in order to establish a post on which the corps at Cabul
might retreat it necessary, and then form a link in the chain of
communication with India.  A glance at the map will show the immense
distance which the British forces were from all support, with intricate
passes, lofty mountains, deserts, and broad rivers intervening between
them and India; while on every side swarmed hostile tribes, accustomed
to warfare, and sworn to destroy them.

Jellalabad was the winter residence of the rulers of Cabul, and inferior
only to that city and Candahar.  The walls were, however, in a state
which might have justified despair as to the possibility of defending
them.  They were also far too extensive for our small force, embracing a
circumference of upwards of 2300 yards.  There was no parapet, except
for a few hundred yards.  In many places the walls were not more than
two feet high, while rubbish had accumulated to such an extent that
there were roads over them into the country.

The population within was disaffected, and without were ruined forts,
walls, mosques, tombs, and gardens, from which a fire could be opened at
20 or 30 yards.  Captains Broadfoot and Havelock and Colonel Dennie
assured the General that the works might be restored by adequate
exertions, and it was therefore resolved to occupy the town.

The brigade was scarcely within the walls, when the plain was darkened
by masses of the enemy.  They had expected that the British troops would
continue their progress towards India, and looked for a rich harvest of
plunder of their baggage between Jellalabad and Peshawur.  It was
determined to read them a salutary lesson, and Colonel Monteith was
ordered to drive them away.  He issued from the gate on the morning of
the 14th of November, with horse, foot, and artillery, 1100 in number,
of whom 300 were Europeans, and fell on the enemy with such vigour and
skill, that the masses broke up and fled, leaving 200 dead on the field.
At noon not an Afghan remained, and all molestation ceased for fourteen
days.  On the 15th, the work of clearing away the ruins and restoring
the fortifications was commenced, under the direction of Captain
Broadfoot.  The day was spent by him in superintending the work, the
evening was devoted to his plans and calculations.  Working parties were
told off, who laboured from dawn to dusk--officers and men worked with
emulation; and in a few weeks the ramparts were ready to receive the
guns, and everything around the town that could afford cover to the
enemy was, as far as possible, cleared away.  The chief cause of anxiety
to Sir Robert Sale was the deficiency of ammunition, which a single
prolonged engagement would go nigh to exhaust.  The men were therefore
ordered not to expend a single shot uselessly.

On the 29th of November, large bodies of Afghans poured down upon the
plains from the surrounding valleys, and opened a desultory fire on the
town.  As they interrupted the workmen on the fortifications, Colonel
Dennie sallied out of the gates soon after midday on the 1st of
December, with 300 men from each regiment, to disperse them.  The
Afghans fired a volley and fled--the troops followed.  The guns dealt
destruction among the fugitives; the cavalry, galloping in pursuit,
drove some into the river, and cut down others, till 150 bodies strewed
the plain.  The garrison enjoyed a long period of repose in consequence
of this spirited repulse of the enemy.  At length news reached the
gallant band of the disasters at Cabul; and Dr Brydon arriving in the
city, confirmed the sad news.  Councils of war were held, and there was
some talk of evacuating Jellalabad; but there were brave spirits among
the garrison, who saw, and loudly spoke, not only of the disgrace, but
of the suicidal folly of such a measure.  Their bolder counsels
prevailed, and it was determined to hold out to the last extremity.
There was Havelock, whose name was afterwards to be in the mouth of
every British soldier, as one to be loved and imitated; there were
Broadfoot and Dennie, true heroes of the noblest stamp.

On the 19th of February a letter was received from General Pollock, who
had arrived in Peshawur, approving of their resolution to hold out, and
promising to advance as soon as possible to their aid.  Sir Robert
replied that the whole of the horses of his cavalry and artillery must
perish in another month if he was not succoured before that time, and
that then a retreat even on a force advancing to his relief would be
impossible.

Major Havelock and Captain Wade were seated by Sir Robert's side, the
former writing the reply to General Pollock, when the house began to
shake violently.  A fearful earthquake was taking place.  The shocks
continued, without intermission, with frightful violence--a confused,
rumbling sound wildly mingled with the crash of falling houses and the
outcries of the inhabitants.  The earth was so uplifted that it was
scarcely possible for the people to keep their feet.  But the
destruction of the defences was most appalling.  All the parapets were
shaken down, several of the bastions were injured, all the guard-houses
were cast to the ground, a third of the town was demolished, and a
considerable break made in the ramparts of a curtain in the Peshawur
face, while the Cabul gate was reduced to a shapeless mass of ruins.

The garrison did not lose heart even under these appalling
circumstances.  The camp of the enemy they knew was only seven miles
off, and he might be upon them in a few hours.  It was also necessary to
guard against a rush which any parties of the enemy concealed in the
neighbourhood might make against the ruined walls.  At the sound of the
bugle the troops assembled on the ramparts.  When it was ascertained
that no enemy was near, they piled their arms, and set to work with
brave determination to restore the defences.  Temporary parapets of
loose clods were thrown up, the earth was cleared out of the ditch,
gabions were filled to block up the main breaches, and palisades fixed
to impede the progress of assailants through others.  In a few hours the
walls wore a more encouraging aspect.  The Afghans, when a few days
afterwards they approached the fortress and saw the wonderful state of
repair in which it had been placed, believed that it had escaped through
the power of English witchcraft.  The difficulties of the garrison,
however, increased great anxiety was felt for the subsistence of the
cavalry and artillery horses.  Foraging parties were sent out daily
under an escort, and were constantly attacked by the enemy; and the
close investment of the place by Akbar Khan made it impossible for them
to get in the needed supplies.

At length, on the 11th of March, the Afghans approached so near the
walls, that it was suspected that they purposed undermining them.  To
prevent this Colonel Dennie made a vigorous sally with 800 men, and
ascertained that they had commenced no operation of the sort.  Akbar
Khan then advanced on the city with his whole force.  It was a critical
moment, but the hearts of none of the garrison failed them.  He was
received with so hot a fire from the ramparts, while horse and foot
attacked him with such heroic courage, that he was compelled to fly,
leaving more than 100 dead on the field.

Starvation now threatened the garrison.  For many days the European
regiments had been on half rations of salt beef, without vegetables,
while the native troops subsisted mainly on flour; and it was doubtful
whether this allowance would be continued beyond the second week in
April.  When, however, they were almost reduced to despair that help
would come in time to preserve their lives, some large flocks of sheep
were seen grazing on the plains before them.  At first it was believed
that they were placed there to lure them out to destruction, but the
desire to capture them at all hazards became too strong to be resisted.
About 200 men of the 13th, and the same number of the 35th, with some
sappers and miners, were allowed to sally out to bring in the prey.
They succeeded beyond their most sanguine expectations, and 500 sheep
and goats were captured and brought in amid shouts of laughter by the
men.  This success raised the spirits of the whole garrison, and made
them more than ever determined to hold the fort until rescue should
come.

On the 6th of April the situation again changed and the fortunes of the
garrison once more seemed desperate.  Spies had brought in rumours of a
serious check inflicted upon General Pollock by the enemy at Ali-Musjid,
and Akbar Khan had salutes fired in honour of this supposed victory.

Few of the officers believed these reports, but they were only the more
eager to attack Akbar in force, and so, it victorious, effect their own
relief, and support General Pollock if the report should turn out to be
true.  This plan of action was especially urged by Havelock upon the
General, and though at first Sir Robert Sale, brave as he was, shrank
from the responsibility of ordering so daring an effort, he in the end
agreed.  On the 7th of April the infantry marched out in three columns.
The centre, under Colonel Dennie, consisted of the 13th, 500 strong; the
left, of the 35th, under Colonel Monteith, mustering the same number of
bayonets; and the right, under Captain Havelock, composed of one company
of the 13th, another of the 35th, and the detachment of sappers under
Lieutenant Orr, the whole amounting to 360.  Captain Broadfoot lay on
his couch, suffering from a dangerous wound received in a sortie on the
24th of March.

It was at this time reported in the town that Akbar Khan was preparing
to retreat.

Without sound of bugle or drum, at early dawn the troops fell into their
ranks and marched out of Jellalabad.  Notwithstanding the report of his
flight, Akbar Khan's troops, 6000 in number, were found drawn up in
front of his camp, his left resting on the Cabul river.  Havelock moved
on rapidly in advance with his column, and driving the skirmishers
before him, pushed on towards the enemy's camp, the other columns
following.  Sir Robert Sale was with the centre column.  At about
three-quarters of a mile from Jellalabad, a flanking fire was opened
from one of the forts on that column, and Sir Robert ordered Colonel
Dennie to storm it.  Accordingly, rushing on with his men of the gallant
13th, he passed the outer wall through an opening, but found himself
exposed to a murderous fire from the inner keep.  Here fell the brave
Colonel Dennie, mortally wounded by an Afghan marksman.  He was
acknowledged by all to be one of the most gallant soldiers in the
British army.  This false move nearly produced disastrous consequences.
Akbar Khan, seeing Havelock, who was much in advance, unsupported,
brought down a body of 15,000 cavalry on his feeble column.  Havelock
posted the company of the 13th in a walled enclosure on his right, to
pour a flanking fire on the enemy, and formed the rest into square.
That he might be able to command both parties, he himself remained
outside the square till the horsemen were close upon them.  His horse
rearing, he was thrown, and the animal galloped back riderless to the
town.  He would have been killed by the Afghans had not a sapper and two
men of the 13th rushed forward and rescued him.  The enemy's horse,
charging with much resolution, approached within 30 yards; but their
leader was shot, and, exposed to a heavy fire in front and flank, they
retired in confusion.  Again Havelock's column advanced, and once more
the Afghan horse charged it.  Thrown into one square, it awaited the
attack, which was more easily repulsed than the first.  Sir Robert then
sent Backhouse's guns to Havelock's assistance.  The column, cheering
them as they came on, advanced against the enemy's encampment and
penetrated it, driving the Afghans headlong into the river.  The other
columns now came up, the camp was attacked on three points, and in a
short time the enemy were dislodged from every part of their position,
their cannon taken, and their camp burnt.  Four guns, lost by the Cabul
and Gundamuck forces, were recaptured, and a great quantity of ordnance
stores and _materiel_ was taken or destroyed.  The field was strewed
with the bodies of the Afghans, while the loss on the side of the
victors amounted to only 10 killed and 50 wounded.

Thus the garrison of Jellalabad, after having been isolated in a hostile
country for five months, surrounded by enemies, and constantly
threatened with destruction, achieved its own relief.  The peasantry now
brought in ample supplies of provisions, and on the 16th of April the
relieving force under General Pollock, having gallantly fought its way
through the Khyber Pass, routing the Afridis who guarded it, approached
the long beleaguered city, an exploit second to none in the annals of
warfare; and thus was accomplished the successful defence of Jellalabad.

FORCING THE KHYBER PASS--5TH APRIL 1842.

Meanwhile, when the news reached India that a British army had been
destroyed in Afghanistan, and that General Sale, with another, was
closely besieged in Jellalabad, a strong force was despatched under
General Pollock to his relief.  General Pollock had to encounter many
difficulties in his march, but the greatest was forcing the Khyber Pass,
which was known to be guarded by a numerous, active, and daring enemy.
The troops had arrived at Jumrood, on the east end of the pass--on the
west end was Ali-Musjid.  The hills on either side of the pass were
rocky and precipitous, presenting great obstacles to troops, guarded as
they were by numerous bodies of Afridis, long accustomed to warfare.
The difficulties were great, but they were known, and General Pollock
prepared to surmount them.  Brigadier Wild was in command of the advance
guard, and General McCaskill of the rear.

Before dawn on the 5th of April Pollock's force set out from Jumrood to
the entrance of the Khyber Pass.  It was formed of eight regiments of
infantry, among whom were the 9th Queen's Regiment, three cavalry corps,
including two squadrons of the 3rd Dragoons, artillery, and sappers, in
all some 8000 men.  Brigadier Wild was in command of the advance guard
and General McCaskill of the rear.  The arrangement of the march was
that the heights on either side should be occupied by infantry, the
right being under the command of Colonel Taylor, and the left of Colonel
Morley; and while these advanced along the heights the main column was
to advance through the pass.

At three o'clock in the morning the army commenced its march.  It moved
off in the dim twilight without beat of drum or sound of bugle.  The
crowning columns moved off to the right and left, and commenced in
silence to climb the heights, which were covered with the enemy; but so
little did they expect that mode of attack, that the flankers had
ascended a considerable distance before the Khyberees were aware of
their advance.  Daylight soon revealed the respective positions of the
contending forces, and the struggle commenced.

The hillmen had thrown up across the pass a formidable barricade,
composed of stones, mud, and branches of trees.  Behind this barrier the
enemy were gathered in force, waiting the opportunity to attack the main
column when it should attempt the pass.  But this opportunity did not
come, for the main column on entering the pass halted in battle array,
while the infantry on the hills performed the duty assigned to them of
clearing the heights.

The left column was soon actively engaged; the right could not at first
surmount the heights, from their precipitous character; but Colonel
Taylor and his men, not to be defeated, stole round the base of the
mountain unseen, and found a more practicable ascent than that they had
at first tried.  "Then on both sides the British infantry were soon
hotly engaged with the mountaineers, clambering up the precipitous
peaks, and pouring down a hot and destructive fire upon the surprised
and disconcerted Khyberees, who had not expected that our disciplined
troops would be more than a match for them on their native hills.  But
so it was.  Our infantry, native and British, were beating them in every
direction, and everywhere the white dresses of the Khyberees were seen
as they fled across the hills."

Now was the time for Pollock to advance.  The centre column did not
attempt to move forward until the flankers had fought their way to the
rear of the mouth of the pass.  But when he had fairly turned the
enemy's position, he began to destroy the barriers, and prepared to
advance into the pass.  The enemy had assembled in large numbers at the
mouth; but finding themselves outflanked, they gradually withdrew, and
without opposition Pollock now cleared his way through the barricade,
and pushed into the pass with his long string of baggage.  The great
extent of his convoy was his chief difficulty for the rest of the day.

The march to Ali-Musjid occupied the greater part of the day.  The heat
was intense.  The troops suffered greatly from thirst, but they all did
their duty well.  During the night, in spite of the bitter cold, the
heights were held, and the enemy, who were constantly firing on the
troops, kept in check.  From thence the march was without incident, and
the head of the column marched into Jellalabad unresisted on the 13th, a
fortnight after the gallant sortie by which the garrison had freed
themselves of Akbar Khan and his army.

OCCUPATION OF CABUL IN 1842.

Victory had once more settled on the standards of the British army.  On
the 8th of September the first division of General Pollock's army
approached the hills which overlook the pass of Jugdulluck.  The Afghans
attempted to oppose their invaders, but were driven back like sheep from
hill to hill by the soldiers of the 13th, many of them the raw recruits
whom Havelock had brought up from Calcutta the preceding year, and whom
five months of hard service at Jellalabad had turned into veterans.

Akbar Khan's last stand was made at Tzeen, a valley surrounded by hills;
but these were gallantly stormed, and the enemy, as before, driven from
crag to crag, fighting with all the fury of despair; but they were
ultimately put to flight, and two days afterwards General Pollock's
force was encamped at Cabul.  One of the first results of this victory
was the rescue of Lady Sale and the other prisoners who had been carried
off by Akbar Khan.

Among the officers rescued with Lady Sale was Lieutenant Mein, of Her
Majesty's 13th Light Infantry, who had distinguished himself by his
gallantry in the retreat from Cabul, before he was taken prisoner.
Lieutenant Eyre gives us an account of him:--"Sir Robert Sale's
son-in-law, Lieutenant Sturt, had nearly cleared the defile, when he
received his wound, and would have been left on the ground to be hacked
to pieces by the Ghazees, who followed in the rear to complete the work
of slaughter, but for the generous intrepidity of Lieutenant Mein, of
Her Majesty's 13th Light Infantry, who, on learning what had befallen
him, went back to his succour, and stood by him for several minutes, at
the imminent risk of his own life, vainly entreating aid from the
passers-by.  He was at length joined by Sergeant Deane of the sappers,
with whose assistance he dragged his friend on a quilt through the
remainder of the pass, when he succeeded in mounting him on a miserable
pony, and conducted him in safety to the camp, where the unfortunate
officer lingered till the next morning, and was the only man of the
whole force who received Christian burial.  Lieutenant Mein was himself
suffering from a dangerous wound in the head, received in the previous
October."  His heroic disregard of self, and fidelity to his friend in
the hour of danger, are well deserving of a record in the annals of
British valour and virtue.  Besides the officers and ladies, 36
non-commissioned officers and men of the 44th Regiment were rescued,
making 105 in all, who, with Dr Brydon, formed all that remained of the
troops who left Cabul in 1841.

The British avenging army arrived at Cabul on the 15th of September
1842, and encamped on the racecourse.

The following morning the British colours were hoisted on the most lofty
pinnacle of the battlements of the Balar Hissar, where they could be
seen from all parts of the city.  A royal salute was fired, the national
anthem was played, and the troops gave three cheers.  The colours were
hoisted regularly every day on the Balar Hissar as long as the troops
remained at Cabul.

DEFENCE OF CANDAHAR, 1842.

Major-General Sir William Nott, with the 40th Regiment, and other
troops, was stationed at Candahar when the Afghan insurrection broke
out.  On the morning of the 12th of January 1842, a large force of the
insurgents, under two powerful chiefs, approaching within eight miles of
the city, Sir William Nott, with his troops, the 40th Regiment forming
the advance, went out to meet them.  Although the Afghans were strongly
posted, they were quickly put to flight.  From this period up to the 7th
of March the troops remained all night long accoutred and ready for
action.  In consequence of the severity of the weather, the British
could not again quit the city to punish the enemy, who swarmed around
and plundered the neighbouring villages.  At length the position became
so dangerous, that early in March every Afghan was expelled from the
city, and then the General, leaving a small garrison in the city,
marched on to attack the enemy.  As he advanced the Afghans retired, and
so gradually drew him away from the city.  Suddenly, on the night of the
10th, a large force doubled back on Candahar and made a furious attack
on the gates, one of which they set on fire and tore down.  The garrison
were hard-pressed, but fought valiantly for three hours behind an
improvised rampart, and eventually drove off the enemy.  Nott was not
able to return to Candahar till the 12th, but it was now free from the
enemy.  Here he had to stay waiting for ammunition and supplies, which
eventually reached him, escorted by a force under Sir R. England, and on
the 10th of August he marched to Cabul, passing on the way the fort of
Ghuznee.  This, it will be remembered, had been valiantly taken by storm
by our troops three years before, now it was again in Afghan hands.  For
after a siege of three and a half months in the preceding December, the
enemy, aided by treachery, found a way in, and the garrison, few in
number, retired to the citadel.  On the 6th of March they at length
surrendered, under a promise of safe-conduct with colours and arms and
the honours of war to Peshawur, and, as was customary at this date, fell
victims to Afghan treachery, and were massacred or made prisoners.

On the march to Ghuznee, General Nott on the 30th of August came up with
an army of 12,000 men, and after a severe fight utterly defeated them.
On the 5th of September Ghuznee was once again occupied by our troops,
and on the 17th Cabul was reached, just two days after Pollock had
entered.

The grand bazaar in Cabul, in which the remains of the British Envoy had
been exposed to insult, having been destroyed on the 12th of October,
the army commenced its return to India.  On the way the fortifications
of Jellalabad were blown up; and on the 17th of December, the brave
garrison of that place marching in advance, and wearing the medals
granted to them, the whole army made a triumphal entrance into
Ferozepore.

The 13th Light Infantry have "Jellalabad"; the 40th and 41st, "Candahar
and Ghuznee"; and the 3rd Light Dragoons, 9th, 13th, 31st, 40th, and
41st, "Cabul, 1842."  Thus ended the Second Afghan Campaign.



CHAPTER TWO.

THE CONQUEST OF SCINDE, 1843.

BATTLE OF MEEANEE, 17TH FEBRUARY 1843.

Scinde is a large province, through the western portion of which the
river Indus flows before it reaches the Indian Ocean.  Hyderabad is the
capital, situated on the banks of the Indus.  This country was ruled by
a number of chiefs or princes, who held the title of Ameer.  They were a
lawless and rapacious set, and tyrannised over their subjects with the
most barbarous cruelty.  When, however, it was resolved (in 1831) to
open up the Indus for the navigation of our merchant vessels, it became
important to secure their friendship; and to effect that object, Colonel
Pottinger was despatched by Lord William Bentinck, and succeeded in
forming with them a treaty, by which they guaranteed all the objects
desired by the British Government.  For some years, while they believed
that it was their interest to be honest, they remained tolerably
faithful to the English; when, however, they fancied, from our disasters
in Afghanistan, that the British power was on the wane, they instantly
began to plot with our enemies for our overthrow.  To put a stop to
these proceedings, Lord Ellenborough, the Governor-General of India,
despatched General Sir Charles Napier with an army into Scinde, and gave
him the following instructions:--"Should any Ameer or chief, with whom
we have a treaty of alliance and friendship, have evinced hostile
intentions against us during the late events, which may have induced
them to doubt the continuance of our power, it is the present intention
of the Governor-General to inflict on the treachery of such an ally and
friend so signal a punishment as shall effectually deter others from
similar conduct."  Sir Charles, who was encamped at Sukkur, in upper
Scinde, on the right bank of the Indus, soon obtained ample proof of the
treachery and hostility of the Ameers, and prepared for war by
disciplining and organising his troops, who were composed chiefly of raw
levies with little experience.  On the same side of the Indus as Sukkur,
and about twenty miles from the river, was Shikarpoor, with Roree on the
left bank, and the fortress of Bukkur between them.

One of the principal Ameers was Roostum, and an arch traitor.  He had
already induced a large number of Beloochees, a warlike race from
Beloochistan, to prepare for battle.  Many also remained in their homes,
ready for the signal to flock to his standard.  He and the other chiefs
did not delay long in raising that standard, and a force of 60,000 men
was soon collected near the capital of Hyderabad, at a spot afterwards
to become famous, called Meeanee.  Sir Charles had led his forces down
the left bank of the Indus, several steamers accompanying his progress.
On the 16th of February the British army had reached Muttaree, about
sixteen miles from Hyderabad, when Sir Charles heard that 20,000
Beloochees had suddenly crossed the Indus, and that not less than 36,000
men were really in order of battle.  In consequence of the garrisons he
had been compelled to leave in his rear, his own army consisted at this
time of only 2600 men of all arms fit for duty.  Still his resolution
remained unshaken.  He well knew what discipline could do against
untrained hordes, however brave, and he was also well aware of the
danger of retreating before a barbarian enemy.  He was informed that the
enemy's cavalry was 10,000 strong, and that they were posted on a vast
plain of smooth hard clay or sand, while his whole cavalry force
numbered but 800.  Marching on the night of the 16th, his advanced guard
discovered the enemy at eight o'clock next morning, and at nine o'clock
the British line of battle was formed.  The enemy, 36,000 strong, were
posted along the dry bed of the river Fullaillee, which falls into the
Indus.  Its high bank, sloping towards the plain in front, formed a
rampart.  Their position was about 1200 yards wide.  Eighteen guns,
massed on the flank in advance of the bank, poured their shot on the
British troops while forming the line, and the Beloochee wings rested on
_shikargahs_ (copses or woods), which lined the plain so far as to flank
the advance on both sides.  They were very large and dense, and that on
the Beloochee right intersected with _nullahs_ (water-courses) of
different sizes, but all deep, carefully scarped, and defended by
matchlock-men.  Behind the shikargahs, the Fullaillee made a sudden bend
to the rear, forming a loop, in which the Ameer's cavalry was placed.

The shikargah on the enemy's left was more extensive, and, though free
from nullahs, very strong.  It was covered towards the plain by a wall,
having one opening, not very wide, about half-way between the two
armies.  Behind this wall 5000 or 6000 men were posted, evidently
designed to rush out through the opening upon the flank and rear of the
British when the latter advanced.  Some matchlock-men were seen astride
on this wall, which was ten feet high, but they soon disappeared; and
the General, discovering that there were no loopholes or scaffolding to
the wall, ordered Captain Tew, with a company of the 22nd, to occupy and
defend it to the last.  It was another Thermopylae.  The gallant Tew
died in the gap, but the post was maintained, and thus 6000 enemies were
paralysed by only 80.

As the British army advanced--the baggage, cast into a circle, was left
close in the rear, surrounded by camels, which were made to lie down
with their heads inwards, and their bales placed within them for their
armed followers to fire over, thus forming a fortress not very easy to
storm.  Two hundred and fifty Poona horsemen, and four companies of
infantry under Captain Tait, were the only force which could be spared
for its protection.

The order of battle was thus formed:--

Twelve guns, under Major Lloyd, flanked by 50 Madras sappers, under
Captain Henderson, were on the right.  On Lloyd's left stood the 22nd
Queen's Regiment, under Colonel Pennefather, not 500 strong, half
Irishmen, strong of body, high-blooded soldiers, who saw nothing but
victory.  On the left were the swarthy sepoys of the 22nd Bombay Native
Infantry; then the 12th, under Major Reid, and the 1st Grenadiers, led
by Major Clibborne; the whole in the echelon order of battle.  Closing
the extreme left, but somewhat held back, rode the 9th Bengal Cavalry,
under Colonel Pattle.  In front of the right infantry, skirmishers were
thrown out, and on the left the Scinde horsemen, under Captain Jacob,
fierce Eastern troops, were pushed forward.  Between the two armies
there was a plain of about 1000 yards, covered for the first 700 with a
low jungle, which impeded the march of the British troops.  For 300
yards, however, in front of the Beloochee line, it had been cleared to
give free play for their matchlocks, with which they fired long shots at
times without showing themselves.

The order to advance was given, and the General and his staff rode
forward in face of the heavy fire from the Beloochee guns.  The enemy's
right was strongly protected by the village of Kottree, now filled with
matchlock-men.  The main body of the British advanced in columns of
regiments, the right passing securely under the wall of the enclosure,
where Tew's gallant company, now reinforced by a gun, were with a
rattling fire of musketry keeping their host of foes in check.  Onward
marched the main body of the British army, while Clibborne's grenadiers
were storming the village of Kottree on the left.  The level was all the
time swept by the Beloochee guns and matchlocks, answered at times by
Lloyd's battery, but nothing stopped the progress of the gallant band.
When within 100 yards of the Fullaillee, the 22nd opened into line, and
all the columns formed in succession, each company as it arrived
throwing its fire at the top of the bank, where the faces of the
Beloochees could be seen bending with fiery glances over their levelled
matchlocks.

The British front was still incomplete, when the voice of the General,
loud and clear, was heard commanding the charge.  The order was answered
by a hearty British cheer.  Four guns were run forward, and the
infantry, at full speed, dashed on towards the river, and rushed up the
sloping bank.  The stern Beloochees, with matchlocks resting on the
summit, let their assailants come within 15 yards before they delivered
their fire; but the steepness of the slope inside, which rendered their
footing unsteady, and the rapid pace of the British, spoilt their aim,
and the execution done was not great.

The next moment the 22nd were on the top of the bank, thinking to bear
all down before them; but even they staggered back at the forest of
swords waving in their front.  Thick as standing corn, and gorgeous as a
field of tulips, were the Beloochees in their many-coloured garments and
turbans.  They filled the broad, deep bed of the now dry Fullaillee;
they were clustered on both banks, and covered the plain beyond.
Guarding their heads with their large dark shields, they shook their
sharp swords, gleaming in the sun, and their shouts rolled like a peal
of thunder, as, with frantic might and gestures, they dashed against the
front of the 22nd.  But with shrieks as wild and fierce, and hearts as
big, and arms as strong, the British soldiers met them with the bayonet,
which they used with terrible effect against their foremost warriors.
At the same time the few guns that could be placed in position on the
right of the 22nd, flanked by Henderson's small band of Madras sappers,
swept diagonally the bed of the river, tearing the rushing masses with a
horrible carnage.  Soon the sepoy regiments, 12th and 25th, prolonged
the line of fire to the left, coming into action successively in the
same terrible manner.

"Now the Beloochees closed in denser masses, and the dreadful rush of
their swordsmen was felt, and their shouts answered by the pealing
musketry, and such a fight ensued as has seldom been recorded in the
annals of warfare.  Over and over again those wild, fierce warriors,
with shields held high and blades drawn back, strove with strength and
courage to break through the British ranks.  No fire of small-arms, no
sweeping discharge of grape, no push of bayonets could drive them back;
they gave their breasts to the shot, their shields to the bayonet, and,
leaping at the guns, were blown away by twenties at a time: their dead
rolled down the steep slope by hundreds, but the gaps were continually
filled from the rear; the survivors pressed forward with unabated fury,
and the bayonet and sword clashed in full and frequent conflict."

Thus they fought--never more than five yards apart, often intermingled,
and several times the different regiments were forced backwards, but
their General was always there to rally and cheer them.  At his voice
their strength returned, and they recovered ground, though soon in the
dreadful conflict nearly all their regimental leaders were killed or
wounded.

Major Teasdale, animating the sepoys of the 25th Regiment, rode
violently down a gap in the Beloochees, and was there killed by shot and
sabre.

Major Jackson, of the 12th, coming up with his regiment, the next in
line, followed the same heroic example.  Two brave havildars kept close
to him, all three in advance of their regiment, and all fell dead
together, but not till several of the fiercest of the Beloochee
swordsmen were seen to sink beneath the brave Jackson's strong arm and
whirling blade.  Here also fell Captains Cookson and Meade, and
Lieutenant Wood, nobly cheering on their men to the attack, while Tew
had died at his post at the entrance of the shikargah.  Many more were
desperately wounded: Colonel Pennefather and Major Wylie; Captains
Tucker, Smith, Conway; Lieutenants Plowden, Harding, Thayre, Bourdillon;
Ensigns Firth, Pennefather, Bowden, Holbrow.

Lieutenant Harding, of the 22nd, was the first to leap upon the bank.
His legs were cut by the swordsmen, and he fell, but rose again
instantly, and, waving his cap, cheered his men to the charge.
Receiving another sword-cut, his right hand was maimed; yet still he
urged the men forward, till at length a shot went through his lungs, and
again he fell, and was carried out of the fight.

Lieutenant McMurdo, a young staff-officer, rode, like Teasdale and
Jackson, into the bed of the Fullaillee, and his horse being killed, he
fell.  Regaining his feet, he met and slew Jehan Mohamed, a great chief
and a hardy warrior, in the midst of his tribe.  Several of Jehan's
followers then engaged him in front, while one struck at him fiercely
from behind, but being at that moment struck down by a sergeant of the
22nd, the blow fell harmless.  McMurdo turned and repaid the service by
cleaving to the brow a swordsman who was aiming at his preserver's back;
another fell beneath his weapon, and then he and the sergeant fought
their way out from among the crowds of foes pressing fiercely round
them.

Several times the sepoys, when their leaders were killed or disabled,
slowly receded; but the General was always at the point of the greatest
danger, and then manfully his swarthy soldiers recovered their ground.

Once he was assailed by a chief, and his danger was great, for his right
hand had been maimed before the battle.  At the moment that the fierce
warrior was about to cut him down, Lieutenant Marston, of the 25th
Native Infantry, sprang to his side, killed the sirdar, and saved his
General.  At another period Sir Charles Napier was alone for some
moments in the midst of his enemies, who stalked round him with raised
shields and scowling eyes; but, from some superstitious feeling
possibly, to which the Beloochees are very prone, not one attempted his
destruction, which they might easily have accomplished.  When the
soldiers of the 22nd saw him emerge unharmed from his perilous position,
they gave vent to their feelings in a loud and hearty cheer, heard above
the din of battle.

For more than three hours did this storm of war continue, and still the
Beloochees, undismayed, pressed onwards with furious force, their
numbers to all appearance increasing instead of being diminished by
those who had been struck down.  Now came the critical point in every
battle.  Except the cavalry, there was no reserve to bring forward.  In
vain the brave Jacob had previously endeavoured to turn the village of
Kottree with the Scinde Horse, and to gain the flank of the enemy's
position.

So heavily pressed by the Beloochees on the right, and so exhausted were
his men, that he could not quit that point; but his quick eye saw that
the enemy's right could be turned, and he sent orders to Colonel Pattle
to charge with the whole body of the Bengal and Scinde horsemen on the
enemy's right.  Never was an order more promptly obeyed.  Spurring hard
after their brave leaders, the Eastern horsemen passed the matchlock--
men in the village of Kottree, and galloped unchecked across the small
nullahs and ditches about it, which were, however, so numerous and
difficult, that 50 of the troopers were cast from their saddles at once
by the leaps.  But dashing through the Beloochee guns on that flank, and
riding over the high bank of the Fullaillee, the main body crossed the
deep bed, gained the plain beyond, and charged with irresistible fury.
Major Story, with his Bengal troopers, turning to his left, fell on the
enemy's infantry in the loop of the upper Fullaillee, while the Scindian
Horse, led by Lieutenant Fitzgerald, wheeling to their right, fell on
the camp, thus spreading confusion along the rear of the masses opposed
to the British infantry.  In this gallant charge three or four
Beloochees had fallen before his whirling blade, when one, crouching, as
is their custom, beneath a broad shield, suddenly stepped up on the
bridle-hand, and with a single stroke brought down the horse.
Fitzgerald's leg was under the animal, and twice the barbarian drove his
keen weapon at the prostrate officer, but each time the blow was
parried; and at length, clearing himself from the dead horse, the strong
man rose.  The barbarian, warned by the Herculean form and threatening
countenance of his opponent, instantly cast his shield over a thickly
rolled turban of many folds, but the descending weapon went through all,
and cleft his skull.  On charged the cavalry.  The fierce Beloochees,
whose fury could before scarcely be resisted, slackened their onslaught,
and looked behind them.  The 22nd, perceiving this, leaped forward with
a shout of victory, and pushed them back into the deep ravine, where
again they closed in combat.  The Madras sappers and the other sepoys
followed the glorious example.  At length the 6000 Beloochees who had
been posted in the shikargah abandoned that cover to join the fight in
the Fullaillee, but this did not avail them.  Both sides fought as
fiercely as ever.  A soldier of the 22nd Regiment, bounding forward,
drove his bayonet into the breast of a Beloochee; instead of falling,
the rugged warrior cast away his shield, seized the musket with his left
hand, writhed his body forward on the bayonet, and with one sweep of his
keen blade avenged himself.  Both combatants fell dead together.  The
whole front of the battle was indeed a chain of single combats.  No
quarter was asked for, none given.  The ferocity was unbounded; the
carnage terrible.

The Ameers had now lost the day.  Slowly the fierce Beloochees retired
in heavy masses, their broad shields slung over their backs, their heads
half turned, and their eyes glaring with fury.  The victors followed
closely, pouring in volley after volley; yet the vanquished still
preserved their habitual swinging stride, and would not quicken it to a
run though death was at their heels!  Two or three thousand on the
extreme right, who had been passed by the cavalry, kept their position,
and seemed disposed to make another rush; but the whole of the British
guns were turned upon them with such heavy discharges of grape and
shells that they also went off.  All were now in retreat; but so
doggedly did they move, and so inclined did they appear to renew the
conflict on the level ground, where the British flanks were unprotected,
that the General recalled his cavalry, and formed a large square,
placing his baggage and followers in the centre.  Such was the battle of
Meeanee, fought with 2000 men against 36,000.  Six officers were killed
and 14 wounded, and about 50 sergeants and rank and file were killed,
and 200 wounded--a large proportion of the few actually engaged.  Of the
enemy, upwards of 6000 were killed: 1500 bodies and more lay in heaps in
the bed of the Fullaillee alone.

The next morning, six of the principal Ameers presented themselves on
horseback at the camp, offering their swords, and promising to deliver
up Hyderabad to the victor.  To Hyderabad he accordingly marched, and
took possession of that city.

There was another powerful chief still in arms with 10,000 men, about
six miles off, and it is asserted that, had Sir Charles at once marched
against this chief, Shere Mahomed of Meerpore, he might have defeated
him without loss of time; but at the same time it is evident that it was
most important in the first place to secure the capital, and to give his
troops refreshment after so desperate a fight.

For the first time in English despatches, the names of private soldiers
who had distinguished themselves were made known--an innovation which
still more endeared him to those under his command, and which was hailed
with satisfaction by thousands who never saw him.

The men of the 22nd Regiment all fought most bravely, but Private James
O'Neil, of the light company, was especially noticed for taking a
standard while the regiment was hotly engaged with the enemy; and
Drummer Martin Delany, who shot, bayoneted, and captured the arms of a
chief, Meer Whulle Mohamed Khan, who was mounted, and directing the
enemy in the hottest part of the engagement.  Lieutenant Johnstone, of
the 1st Grenadiers, Native Infantry, cut down a Beloochee, and saved the
life of a sepoy who had bayoneted the Beloochee, but was overpowered in
the struggle.  The names of a considerable number of the native
regiments were also mentioned as conspicuous for their gallantry, as
well as those of Lieutenant Fitzgerald and Lieutenant Russell, whose
steady, cool, and daring conduct kept the men together in the desperate
charge over the nullahs, under a heavy fire, made by the corps to get on
the flank of the enemy--a manoeuvre which so mainly contributed to
secure the victory to the British army.

BATTLE OF HYDERABAD--24TH MARCH 1843.

After the battle of Meeanee, the victorious army of Sir Charles Napier
entered Hyderabad in triumph.  He had not been there long when he heard
that Shere Mahomed, or the _Lion_, one of the most powerful of the
Ameers of Scinde, was in arms at the head of a large force, hoping to
retrieve the losses of his brother chieftains.  Considerable
reinforcements for the British army were expected--some from Sukkur down
the Indus, and others from Kurrachee.

Approaching Hyderabad, the haughty Ameer sent an envoy as herald to the
British camp, with an insolent offer of terms, saying, "Quit this land,
and, provided you restore all you have taken, your life shall be
spared."  Just then the evening gun fired.  "You hear that sound?  It is
my answer to your chief.  Begone!" said Sir Charles, turning his back on
the envoy.

On the 21st a column, under Major Stack, reached Muttaree--a long march
from Hyderabad.  The fortress of Hyderabad was by this time repaired,
and the intrenched camp was complete; and, on the 16th, recruits and
provisions came up from Kurrachee, and the 21st Regiment of Sepoys
arrived from Sukkur, down the Indus.  When the Lion had notice of Major
Stack's approach, he moved with his whole army to Dubba, intending to
fall on him on the following day.  The General's plans were soon laid.
His first care was to save Major Stack's column.  He accordingly sent
out Captain McMurdo with 250 Poona horsemen, to meet Stack, and to order
him to advance after he had ascertained the Lion's position.  The next
morning, Jacob was despatched with the Scinde horsemen along the same
road, and he himself followed, at a short distance, with the Bengal
Cavalry and some guns, supported by all the infantry, who moved a short
distance behind.  Meantime Major Stack had advanced, leaving his baggage
unprotected.  It was attacked by a body of Beloochee matchlock-men; but
Captain McMurdo, with only six Poona Horse, kept them at bay till some
troops he sent for came up to his assistance.  The Beloochees were
ultimately driven back, and the force reached Hyderabad.  Sir Charles
had now 5000 men of all arms, 1100 being cavalry, with 19 guns.  Leaving
two guns to guard the camp, at break of day on the 24th he marched from
Hyderabad upon Dubba, which was eight miles north-west of that city.
The infantry and guns moved forward in a compact mass, the cavalry
scouting ahead and on the flank; for so thickly covered was the whole
country with houses, gardens, shikargahs, and nullahs, that 50,000 men
might be in position without being discovered at half a mile distance.

Ten miles were passed over, and still the exact position of the enemy
was unknown, when a scout came in with the information that the Lion was
with his whole force two miles to the left.

The General, at the head of the irregular horse, galloped forward, and
in a quarter of an hour found himself on a plain, in front of the whole
Beloochee army.  The whole plain was swarming with cavalry and infantry;
the right wing resting on the Fullaillee, with a large pond of mud
protecting the flank, while the left rested on a succession of nullahs
and a dense wood.  No distinct view could be obtained of the order of
battle, but 26,000 men were before him, and they had 15 guns--11 being
in battery, while two lines of infantry were intrenched, and a heavy
mass of cavalry was in reserve.

The front was covered with a nullah 20 feet wide and 8 feet deep, with
the usual high banks, which were scarped so as to form a parapet.
Behind this the first line of infantry was posted, extending for a mile
in a direction perpendicular to the Fullaillee; while behind the right
wing, close to the Fullaillee, was the village of Dubba, filled with
men, and prepared for resistance by cuts and loopholes in the houses.

There were other nullahs, behind which the rest of the Beloochee army
was posted, with one gun on a height to the right, and the remainder
behind the third line.  Altogether, no position could have been better
chosen or more formidable.

The march of the British force was diagonal to the front of the
Beloochee army, and this brought the head of the column left in front
near the right of the enemy, and the line was immediately formed on the
same slant; the cavalry being drawn up on the wings, and the artillery
in the intervals between the regiments.

When the line was formed, the left, being advanced, was under the
enemy's cannon.  One shot nearly grazed the General's leg, and several
men were killed.  Still the enemy's position could not be clearly made
out, and to ascertain it more exactly, Captain Waddington of the
Engineers, and Lieutenants Brown and Hill, rode straight to the centre
of the Beloochee lines, and then, under a sharp fire of matchlocks,
along the front to the junction of the centre with the left.  A thick
wood on the right gave the General some anxiety, as it was supposed to
be filled with Beloochees, ready to rush out and attack the British rear
when they were hotly engaged.  To watch it, he placed the Scindian
horsemen and 3rd Bombay Cavalry under Major Stack, with orders to oppose
whatever enemy appeared.  The battle commenced at nine o'clock.
Leslie's horse artillery pushed forward, followed by the rest of the
artillery in batteries, and all obtained positions where their fire
crossed, and with terrible effect they raked the enemy.  Lieutenant
Smith, eager to discover a place where his artillery could cross a deep
nullah, bravely rode up to it alone.  He ascended the bank, and
instantly fell, pierced by a hundred wounds.  It was full of Beloochees.
The gallant 22nd was again first in action, and, as they advanced under
a terrific fire from the gun on the hillock, and from the matchlock-men,
with whom were some of the bravest chiefs posted in the first nullah,
nearly half the light company were struck down.

Beyond the first nullah, a second and greater one was seen, lined still
more strongly with men, while the village became suddenly alive with
warriors, whose matchlocks could also reach the advancing line.  While
about to lead the gallant 22nd to the charge, the General observed the
cavalry on the right making a headlong dash at the enemy's left wing, in
consequence of having seen some of them moving in apparent confusion
towards the centre.  The right flank of the British army was thus left
uncovered; and had the wood been filled with Beloochees, the
consequences might have been serious.  "The whole body of cavalry was at
full speed dashing across the smaller nullahs, the spurs deep in the
horses' sides, the riders pealing their different war-cries, and
whirling their swords in gleaming circles.  There the fiery Delamain led
the gorgeous troopers of the 3rd Cavalry; there the terrible Fitzgerald
careered with the wild Scindian horsemen, their red turbans streaming
amid the smoke and dust of the splendid turmoil."  See `_Conquest of
Scinde_', by Sir W. Napier.

No enemy appearing from the wood, the heroic General hurried back and
regained the 22nd at the moment it was rushing to storm the first
nullah.  Riding to the first rank, he raised that clear, high-pitched
cry of war which had at Meeanee sent the same fiery soldiers to the
charge.  It was responded to with ardour, led by Major Poole, who
commanded the brigade, and Captain George, who commanded the corps.
They marched up till within forty paces of the intrenchment, and then
stormed it like British soldiers.  The regiments were well supported by
the batteries commanded by Captains Willoughby and Hutt, which crossed
their fire with that of Major Leslie.  The second brigade, under Major
Woodburn, consisting of the 25th, 21st, and 12th Regiments, under
Captains Jackson, Stevens, and Fisher respectively, bore down into
action with excellent coolness.  They were strongly sustained by the
fire of Captain Whitley's battery.  On the right of it again were the
8th and 1st Regiments, under Majors Browne and Clibborne, which advanced
with the regularity of a review up to the intrenchments.  Lieutenant
Coote, of the 22nd, was the first to gain the summit of the bank, where,
wresting a Beloochee standard from its bearer, he waved it in triumph,
while he hurried along the narrow ledge, staggering from a deep wound in
his side.  Then, with a deafening shout, the soldiers leaped down into
the midst of the savage warriors.  At that point a black champion, once
an African slave, and other barbarian chiefs, fell, desperately fighting
to the last.

Onward the brave 22nd fought its bloody way amid the dense masses of the
enemy, ably supported by the 25th Native Infantry; and now the British
line began to overlap the village of Dubba, while Stack's cavalry were
completely victorious on the right, and Leslie's horse artillery,
crossing the nullahs with sweeping discharges, committed fearful havoc
among the dense masses of the Beloochee army.  The other regiments,
bringing up their right shoulders, continued the circle from the
position of the 25th, and lapped still farther round the village.  In
this charge the 21st Sepoys stabbed every Beloochee they came up with,
whole or wounded, calling out "Innes!  Innes!" at every stroke of death
they dealt.

In consequence of the rapidity of this charge, some confusion ensued,
and while the General was endeavouring to restore order, a Beloochee
field-magazine exploding, killed all near him, broke his sword, and
wounded him in the hand.  Still the enemy fought on fiercely; surprising
feats of personal prowess were displayed.  Four or five of the foe fell
beneath the iron hand of Fitzgerald, whose matchless strength renders
credible the wildest tales of the days of chivalry.  McMurdo was engaged
in three successive hand-to-hand combats, his opponents having the
advantage of shields to aid their swordsmanship.  He killed two in
succession, but the third, with an upward stroke, cut him from the belly
to the shoulder, and would have killed him, had he not cleft the man to
the brows, and thus lessened the force of the blow.  As it was, he
received a desperate wound.  Three other officers also performed
surprising deeds of personal prowess.  The General proved that he
possessed humanity, as well as courage of the most heroic order.  Near
the village, a chief, retiring with that deliberate rolling stride and
fierce look which all those intrepid fatalists displayed in both
battles, passed near the General, who covered him with a pistol; but
then remembering Meeanee, when in the midst of their warriors no hand
had been raised against him, he held his finger.  His generosity was
fruitless, for a sepoy plunged his bayonet into the man with the
terrible cry of "Blood! blood!"

Much to the General's satisfaction, 16 wounded prisoners were taken,
whereas at Meeanee the lives of only 3 had been saved.

Slowly and sullenly the enemy retired, some going off with their leader
to the desert, others towards the Indus; but the latter were intercepted
by the victorious cavalry of the right wing, and driven in masses after
their companions into the wilderness.  Meanwhile the General in person
led the Bengal and Poona Horse, under Major Story and Captain Tait,
through the valley of Dubba against the retreating masses, putting them
to the sword for several miles, but not without resistance, in
consequence of which the brave Captain Garrett and others fell.  The
Lion himself was seen, and very nearly captured by Fitzgerald and
Delamain, as he was escaping on his elephant.

On his return with the cavalry, the General was received with three
hearty cheers by his troops.  In this bloody battle, which lasted three
hours, the British lost 270 men and officers, of which number 147 were
of the gallant 22nd Regiment, who had sustained the brunt of the fight.
Though fought near Dubba, this battle is best known as that of
Hyderabad, which name is inscribed on the colours and medals of the
soldiers by whom it was won.

Sir Charles Napier had resolved to make the battle a decisive one.
Having arranged for sending his wounded to Hyderabad, reorganised his
army, and ascertained that the enemy had retreated towards Meerpoor, in
eight hours he was again marching in pursuit.  During the battle the
thermometer stood at no degrees, and the heat was daily increasing.  On
that day his troops had marched twelve miles to find the enemy, fought
for three hours, and had been employed for eight in collecting the
wounded, burying the dead, and cooking, rather than in resting; but all
were eager for a fresh fight; as evidence of which, several of the 22nd
Regiment concealed their wounds, that they might take part in it,
instead of being sent back to Hyderabad.

Their names are recorded--John Durr, John Muldowney, Robert Young, Henry
Lines, Patrick Gill, James Andrews, not severely hurt; Sergeant Haney,
wound rather severe; Thomas Middleton, James Mulvey, severely wounded in
the legs; Silvester Day, ball in the foot.  It was only discovered that
they were wounded on the march, when, overcome by thirst, they fell
fainting to the ground.  Captain Garrett and Lieutenant Smith were
killed in the battle; and Lieutenants Pownoll, Tait, Chute, Coote,
Evans, Brennan, Bur, Wilkinson, McMurdo, and Ensign Pennefather were
wounded.

The next day the Poona Horse were at the gates of Meerpoor.  The Lion
fled with his family and treasure to Omercote, and the gates of the
capital were at once gladly opened to the victors.  While the General
remained at Meerpoor, he sent forward the camel battery of Captain
Whitley, supported by the 25th Sepoy Infantry, under Major Woodburn.
There was but little water, and a risk of the Indus rising, so that it
would have been dangerous to have gone with the whole army.  He promised
the Lion terms if he would surrender at once.  News was brought him that
the Indus was rising.  He despatched orders to Captain Whitley to
return.  That officer had just received information that the Ameers had
again fled, and that Omercote might be captured.  He was then distant 20
miles from that place, and 40 from Meerpoor.  A young officer,
Lieutenant Brown, who had already distinguished himself, undertook to
ride these 40 miles to obtain fresh instructions.  He reached Meerpoor
without a stop, and borrowing one of the General's horses, rode back
again under a sun whose beams fell like flakes of fire, for the
thermometer stood at above 130 degrees.  He bore orders to attack
Omercote.  The little band pushed forward, and, on the 24th, Omercote
opened its gates.

Thus was this important place reduced ten days after the battle of
Hyderabad, though 100 miles distant, and in the heart of the desert.
This capture may be said to have completed the conquest of Scinde.  The
Lion was still at large, but he was finally hunted down and crushed by
different columns sent against him, under Colonels Roberts,
Chamberlayne, and Captain Jacob.  Scinde was annexed to British India,
and Sir Charles Napier was appointed its first governor, independent of
the Presidencies, with directions to abolish slavery, to tranquillise
the inhabitants, and to bring out the resources of the country he had so
bravely acquired.



CHAPTER THREE.

THE GWALIOR CAMPAIGN, 1843.

BATTLE OF MAHARAJPOOR--29TH DECEMBER 1843.

The loss of British prestige in the defiles of Afghanistan had induced
many of the native princes of India to fancy that the power of England
was on the wane, and that they might assume a tone of authority and
independence which they would not before have ventured to exhibit.
Among others, the Mahratta Court at Gwalior adopted a line of policy
inimical to British interests, and contrary to the engagements into
which their princes had entered.

Lord Ellenborough, foreseeing that they would make an attempt to
emancipate themselves altogether from British influence, assembled an
army on the frontier facing the Mahratta territory, and called it the
"Army of Exercise."  It was gradually increased, and placed under the
command of Sir Hugh Gough.  Various insulting acts having been committed
by the Mahratta Government against the English, and no apology having
been made, the Governor-General ordered the army to enter the Mahratta
territory.

General Grey took the lead with a division of infantry and a brigade of
cavalry, and, crossing the Jumna at Calpee, threatened the Gwalior
territory from the south; while two divisions of infantry, and two
brigades of cavalry, with the usual complement of artillery, moved down
from the northward under the command of Sir Hugh Gough himself.  General
Grey, having advanced from Bundelcund, reached Panniar, about 12 miles
from Gwalior, on the 28th of December.  The enemy, estimated at about
12,000 in number, took up a strong position on the heights near the
fortified village of Mangore.  Although the British troops were much
fatigued by their long march, the enemy were immediately attacked and
driven from height to height, till the rout was completed.  The British
loss was 215 killed and wounded.

Sir Hugh Gough advanced, and found the enemy awaiting him at a strong
post which they had selected on the evening of the 28th.  It was
reconnoitred; but during the night the Mahratta forces left their
intrenched position, and took up another three or four miles in advance
of it.  The British troops numbered about 14,000 men, with 40 pieces of
artillery.  The Mahrattas mustered 18,000 men, including 3000 cavalry
and 100 guns.  The Mahratta army had under Scindia been carefully
organised by European officers, and was therefore composed of
well-disciplined men, equal in bravery to any of the natives of India.

On the morning of the 29th, no fresh reconnaissance having been made,
the British forces found themselves in the presence of an enemy they
fancied some miles off.  Many ladies, on their elephants, were on the
field when the action commenced by the gallant advance of Major-General
Littler's column upon the enemy, in front of the village of Maharajpoor.

The enemy's guns committed severe execution as they advanced; and though
the Mahrattas fought with the most desperate courage, nothing could
withstand the headlong rush of the British soldiers.  Her Majesty's 39th
Foot, with their accustomed dash, ably supported by the 56th Native
Infantry, drove the enemy from their guns into the village, bayoneting
the gunners at their posts.  Here a sanguinary conflict took place.  The
fierce Mahrattas, after discharging their matchlocks, fought sword in
hand with the most determined courage.  General Valiant's brigade, with
equal enthusiasm, took Maharajpoor in reverse, and 28 guns were captured
by this combined movement.  So desperately did the defenders of this
strong position fight, that few escaped.  During these operations,
Brigadier Scott was opposed by a body of the enemy's cavalry on the
extreme left, and made some well-executed charges with the 10th Light
Cavalry, most ably supported by Captain Grant's troop of horse
artillery, and the 4th Lancers, capturing some guns and taking two
standards, thus threatening the right flank of the enemy.

On this, as on every occasion, Sir Henry, then Captain Havelock,
distinguished himself.  The 56th Native Infantry, who had been brigaded
with Her Majesty's 39th, were advancing on the enemy, but at so slow a
pace as to exhaust the patience of Sir Hugh Gough.

"Will no one get that sepoy regiment on?" he exclaimed.

Havelock offered to go, and riding up, inquired the name of the corps.

"It is the 56th Native Infantry."

"I don't want its number," replied he.  "What is its native name?"

"Lamboorunke pultum--Lambourn's regiment."

He then took off his cap, and placing himself in their front, addressed
them by that name, and in a few complimentary and cheering words
reminded them that they fought under the eye of the Commander-in-Chief.
He then led them up to the batteries, and afterwards remarked, that
"whereas it had been difficult to get them forward before, the
difficulty now was to restrain their impetuosity."

In conformity with the previous instructions, Major-general Valiant,
supported by the 3rd Cavalry Brigade, moved on the right of the enemy's
position at Chouda.  During the advance he had to take in succession
three strongly intrenched positions, where the enemy defended their guns
with frantic desperation.  Here Her Majesty's 40th Regiment lost two
successive commanding officers, Major Stopford and Captain Coddington,
who fell wounded at the very muzzles of the guns.  It captured four
regimental standards.  This corps was ably and nobly supported by the
2nd and 16th Grenadiers, under Lieutenant-Colonels Hamilton and McLarey.
Major--General Littler, with Brigadier Wright's brigade, after
dispersing the right of the enemy's position at Maharajpoor, steadily
advanced to fulfil his instructions to attack the main position at
Chouda, and was supported most ably by Captain Grant's troop of horse
artillery, and the 1st Regiment of Light Cavalry.  This column had to
advance under a severe fire, over very difficult ground, but when within
a short distance of the enemy, the gallant 39th Regiment, as before,
rushing forward, led by Major Bray, and gallantly supported by the 56th
Regiment, under Major Dick, carried everything before them, and thus
gained the intrenched main position of Chouda.

The battle of Maharajpoor was now virtually won.  The loss on both sides
had been severe.  The British had 106 killed, of whom 7 were officers,
and 684 wounded, and 7 missing, making a total loss of 797.  The
Mahrattas are supposed to have lost between 3000 and 4000 men.

In consequence of this victory and that of Panniar, the Mahratta Durbar
submitted to the British Government.  Lieutenant-Colonel Stubbs was
appointed governor of the fort of Gwalior, which commands the city.  The
Mahratta troops were disbanded, and a British contingent was formed, to
be maintained at the cost of the Gwalior Government, which was compelled
to pay forthwith the expenses of the campaign.



CHAPTER FOUR.

THE PUNJAUB CAMPAIGNS, 1845-1849.

BATTLE OF MOODKEE--18TH DECEMBER 1845.

On the death of Runjeet Singh, the Lion of Lahore, chief of the Sikhs
and ruler of the Punjaub, in 1839, the throne was seized by his reputed
son, Sher Singh.  He was a good-natured voluptuary, and utterly unable
to manage the warlike troops raised by his father.  He was disposed to
be friendly with the English, but being assassinated by Ajeet Singh on
the 15th of September 1843, Dhuleep Singh was proclaimed Maharaja, and
Heera Singh was raised to the dangerous office of vizier.

The new vizier soon found that he could, no more than his predecessor,
content the army.  His only chance was to give it employment, or rather
induce it to engage in a contest with the British, which he hoped might
terminate in its dispersion.  Probably, like other rulers nearer
England, he was prepared for either contingency.  Should the army be
successful, he would take advantage of their success; if destroyed, he
would not be ill pleased.  The Sikhs, indulging themselves with the idea
of the conquest of British India, virtually declared war against the
English on the 17th of November.  They commenced crossing the Sutlej on
the 11th of December; and on the 14th of that month a portion of the
army took up a position a few miles from Ferozepore.  The Sikhs, it
should be understood, had some territory on the eastern side of the
Sutlej, and it is supposed that they had from time to time sent across
guns, and buried them there, to be ready for their contemplated invasion
of British India.  At length, on the 13th of December, the Sikh army
crossed the Sutlej, and threatened Ferozepore, but were held in check by
the bold front shown by the garrison of that place under Major-General
Sir John Littler.

Meantime, the army of the Sutlej, under Sir Hugh Gough, was advancing on
them.  After a trying march of 150 miles, with little rest, and a
scarcity of water, on the afternoon of the 18th of December the
information was received by the British army that the Sikhs were
advancing on Moodkee, which they had just reached.  The troops
immediately got under arms, the horse artillery and cavalry were pushed
forward; the infantry, accompanied by field batteries, moving on in
support.  Before long the enemy, it was found, were approaching in order
of battle, with 20,000 infantry, the same number of cavalry, and 40
guns.  The country over which the two armies were advancing to the
conflict is a dead flat, covered at short intervals with a low but thick
jungle, and dotted with sandy hillocks.  The enemy screened their
infantry and artillery behind this jungle and such undulation as the
ground afforded.

The British cavalry, under Brigadiers White, Gough, and Mactier,
advanced rapidly to the front in columns of squadrons, and occupied the
plain, followed by five troops of horse artillery, under Brigadier
Brooke, who took up a forward position, having the cavalry on his left
flank.  The British infantry now forming from echelon of brigade into
line, the enemy opened a severe cannonade on them, which was vigorously
replied to by the batteries of horse artillery under Brigadier Brooke.
A gallant charge of the 3rd Light Dragoons, the 5th Light Infantry, and
4th Lancers, turned the left of the Sikh army, put their cavalry to
flight, and sweeping along the whole rear of the infantry and guns,
silenced them for a time.  After this, Brigadier Brooke pushed on his
horse artillery, and while the cannonading was resumed on both sides,
the infantry, under Major-Generals Sir Harry Smith, Gilbert, and Sir
John McCaskill, attacked in echelon of lines the enemy's infantry,
almost invisible among the jungle and the approaching darkness of night.
The enemy made a stout resistance; but though their line far outflanked
the British, that advantage was counteracted by the flank movements of
the cavalry.  The roll of fire from the British infantry showed the
Sikhs that they had met a foe they little expected, and their whole
force was driven from position after position at the point of the
bayonet, with great slaughter and the loss of seventeen pieces of
artillery.

Night alone saved them from worse disaster, for this stout conflict was
maintained for an hour and a half in dim starlight, amidst a cloud of
dust from the sandy plain, which yet more obscured every object.  The
victory was not, however, obtained without severe loss to the British.
Sir John McCaskill was shot through the chest, and killed on the field;
the gallant Sir Robert Sale, the brave defender of Jellalabad, received
so severe a wound in the leg that he shortly after died from its
effects; many other officers and men were killed, making in all 215; and
657 were wounded.  The enemy's sharpshooters had climbed into trees, and
from thence killed and wounded many officers.  The victorious army
returned to camp at midnight, and halted on the 19th and 20th, that the
wounded might be collected, the captured guns brought in, and the men
refreshed.

BATTLE OF FEROZESHAH--21ST DECEMBER 1845.

The Sikhs had intrenched themselves in a camp a mile in length, and half
a mile in breadth, with the village of Ferozeshah in the centre.  They
numbered nearly 60,000 men, and 108 pieces of cannon of heavy calibre in
fixed batteries.

The Umbala and Sir John Littler's forces, having formed a junction, now
arrived.  The British army, thus increased, consisted of 16,700 men, and
69 guns, chiefly horse artillery.  The united forces advanced at about
four o'clock in the afternoon of the 21st, to attack the intrenched camp
of the Sikhs.  The Governor-General, Sir Henry Hardinge, had offered his
services to Sir Hugh Gough as second in command, and was actively
engaged in the operations of this and the following day.  The divisions
of Major--General Sir J. Littler, Brigadier Wallace, and Major-General
Gilbert deployed into line, having the artillery in the centre, with the
exception of three troops of horse artillery, one on either flank, and
one in support.  Major--General Sir H. Smith's division and the cavalry
moved in a second line, having a brigade in reserve to cover each wing.
Sir Hugh Gough directed the right wing, and Sir Henry Hardinge the left
wing of the army.

The infantry advanced under a terrific storm of shot and shell from
upwards of 100 Sikh guns, 40 of them of battering calibre; but nothing
stopped the impetuous onset--the formidable intrenchments were carried--
the men threw themselves on the guns, and with matchless gallantry
wrested them from the enemy.  No sooner, however, were the Sikhs'
batteries won, than the enemy's infantry, drawn up behind their guns,
opened so tremendous a fire on the British troops, that in spite of
their most heroic efforts, a portion only of the intrenchment could be
carried.

Sir Harry Smith's division advancing, captured and retained another
point of the position, and Her Majesty's 3rd Light Dragoons charged and
took some of the most formidable batteries; yet the enemy remained in
possession of a considerable portion of the great quadrangle, whilst the
British troops, actually intermingled with them, held the remainder, and
finally bivouacked upon it, exhausted by their gallant efforts, greatly
reduced in numbers, and suffering extremely from thirst, yet animated by
that indomitable spirit which they had exhibited throughout the day.
Whenever moonlight, however, exhibited the British position, the enemy's
artillery never failed severely to harass them.

Sir John Littler's division, which had advanced against the strongest
part of the work, suffered severely, especially Her Majesty's 62nd
Regiment, which had 17 officers killed and wounded out of 23.

It was not till they had done all that men could do that they retired.
The 3rd Dragoons in this desperate charge lost 10 officers, and 120 men
out of 400.  When the Sikhs found that Sir Harry Smith had retired from
the village, they brought up some guns to bear upon the British.  The
fire of these guns was very destructive.  When the Governor-general
found this, mounting his horse, he called to the 80th Regiment, which
was at the head of the column, "My lads, we shall have no sleep until we
take those guns."  The regiment deployed immediately, and advancing,
supported by the 1st Bengal Europeans, drove a large body of Sikhs from
three guns, which they captured and spiked, and then retiring, took up
its position again at the head of the column, as steadily as if on
parade.  "Plucky dogs!" exclaimed the Governor-General; "we cannot fail
to win with such men as these."  His aide-de-camp, Lieutenant-Colonel R.
Blucher Wood, was severely wounded in the attack.  For the rest of the
night the column was unmolested, but its position was one of great
danger,--150 yards only from an overpowering foe, while neither the
Governor-General nor Sir Hugh Gough could tell in what direction Sir
John Littler and Sir Harry Smith were to be found.  It was suspected,
also, that the Sikh army had been greatly reinforced by Tej Singh.  The
two generals therefore agreed to hold their ground, and at earliest dawn
to attack the enemy, taking their batteries in reverse, and to beat
them, or to die honourably on the field.  The whole of Sir Henry
Hardinge's personal staff had been disabled, except his son, Captain A.
Hardinge, who had his horse killed under him.

Of that memorable night he himself has given us a most graphic
description:--"It was the most extraordinary of my life.  I bivouacked
with the men, without food or clothing, and our nights are bitterly
cold.  A burning camp in front--our brave fellows lying down under a
heavy cannonade, which continued during the whole night, mingled with
the wild cries of the Sikhs, our English hurrah, the tramp of men, and
the groans of the dying.  In this state, with a handful of men who had
carried the batteries the night before, I remained till morning, taking
very short intervals of rest, by lying down with various regiments in
succession, to ascertain their tempers and revive their spirits.  I
found myself again with my old friends of the 29th, 31st, 50th, and 9th,
and all in good heart.  My answer to all and every man was, that we must
fight it out, attack the enemy vigorously at daybreak, beat him, or die
honourably on the field.

"The gallant old General, kind-hearted and heroically brave, entirely
coincided with me.  During the night I occasionally called on our brave
English soldiers to punish the Sikhs when they came too close, and were
imprudent; and when morning broke, we went at it in true English style.
Gough was on the right.  I placed myself, and dear little Arthur by my
side, in the centre, about thirty yards in front of the men, to prevent
their firing; and we drove the enemy without a halt from one extremity
of the camp to the other, capturing thirty or forty guns as we went
along, which fired at twenty paces from us, and were served obstinately.
The brave men drew up in an excellent line, and cheered Gough and
myself as we rode up the line, the regimental colours lowering to me as
if on parade.  The mournful part is the heavy loss I have sustained in
my officers.  I have lost ten aides-de-camp _hors de combat_, five
killed and five wounded.  The fire of grape was very heavy from one
hundred pieces of cannon.  The Sikh army was drilled by French officers,
and the men the most warlike in India."

This letter describes the commencement of the struggle on the 22nd.  The
line was supported on both sides by horse artillery, while from the
centre was opened a fire by such heavy guns as remained effective, aided
by a flight of rockets.  The British, however, in the advance suffered
much from a masked battery, which, opening on them, dismounted the guns
and blew up the tumbrils.  But nothing impeded the charge of the
undaunted British, led on by their two heroic generals, till they were
masters of the field.  Their rest was short: in the course of two hours
Sirdar Tej Singh, who had commanded in the last great battle, brought up
from the vicinity of Ferozepore fresh battalions, and a large field of
artillery, supported by 30,000 Ghorchurras, hitherto encamped near the
river.  He drove in the British cavalry, and made strenuous efforts to
regain the position at Ferozeshah.

Scarcely had this attempt been defeated, when more Sikh troops and
artillery arrived, and a fresh combination was made against the flank of
the British, with so formidable a demonstration against the captured
village that it was necessary to change the whole front to the right,
the enemy's guns all the time keeping up an incessant fire, while those
of the British were silent for want of ammunition.  Under these
circumstances Sir Hugh Gough ordered the almost exhausted cavalry to
threaten both flanks of the enemy at once, while the whole infantry
prepared to advance.  With the swoop of a whirlwind the gallant 3rd
Dragoons and other cavalry regiments rushed on their foes.  The Sikhs
saw them coming, while the British bayonets gleamed in front.  Their
courage gave way; abandoning their guns, they fled from the field,
retreating precipitately towards the Sutlej, and leaving large stores of
grain and the _materiel_ of war behind them.  Thus in less than four
days, 60,000 Sikh troops, supported by 150 pieces of cannon, were
dislodged from their position, and severely punished for their
treacherous commencement of the war.

The regiments which bear the word "Ferozeshah" on their colours are the
3rd Light Dragoons, 9th, 29th, 31st, 50th, 62nd, and 80th Regiments;
while they and the 1st European Light Infantry of the Honourable East
India Company's Service received the Governor--General's thanks for
their courage and good conduct.

BATTLE OF ALIWAL--28TH JANUARY 1846.

While the British army were resting after the desperate encounters in
which they had been engaged, and Sir Hugh Gough was watching the enemy,
Sirdar Runjoor Singh Mujethea crossed from Philour, and made a movement
which not only threatened the rich and populous town of Loodiana, but
would have turned the right flank, and endangered the communication with
Delhi.  Sir Harry Smith was accordingly despatched to the relief of
Loodiana.  Having first captured the fort of Dhurmkote, he fought his
way past the enemy to that city, where his presence restored confidence
and order.  This part of his duty being accomplished, and having under
him 10,000 men and 24 guns, he next proceeded to attack the Sirdar
Runjoor Singh, who was strongly intrenched at Aliwal, about eight miles
to the westward of Loodiana, with 15,000 men and 56 guns.  The Sikh
force had advanced a short distance from their intrenched camp, when Sir
Harry Smith, on the 28th, with his small army, advanced to meet them.

The regiments of cavalry which headed the advance of the British troops
opened their glittering ranks to the right and left, and exhibited the
serried battalions of infantry, and the frowning batteries of cannon.

The scene was magnificent, yet few could have failed to experience a
sense of awe as the shock of battle was about to commence.  The lines
were not truly parallel.  That of the Sikhs inclined towards and
extended beyond the British right, while the other flanks were for a
time comparatively distant.

It was perceived by Sir Harry Smith that the capture of the village of
Aliwal was of the first importance, and the right of the infantry was
led against it.  The Sikh guns were keeping up a heavy fire, and Major
Lawrenson, not having time to send for orders, at once galloped with his
horse artillery up to within a certain distance of the enemy's guns,
unlimbered, and by his fire drove the enemy's gunners from their guns.
This promptitude of the gallant officer saved many lives.  The defenders
of the village were chiefly hillmen, who, after firing a straggling
volley, fled, leaving the Sikh artillerymen to be slaughtered by the
conquerors.  The British cavalry of the right made at the same time a
sweeping and successful charge, and one half of the opposing army was
fairly broken and dispersed.  The Sikhs on their own right, however,
were outflanking the British, in spite of all the exertions of the
infantry and artillery; for there the more regular battalions were in
line, and the brave Sikhs were not easily cowed.  A prompt and powerful
effort was necessary, and a regiment of European lancers, supported by
one of Indian cavalry, was launched against the even ranks of the Lahore
infantry.  The Sikhs knelt to receive the orderly but impetuous charge
of the English warriors; but at that critical moment the wonted
discipline of many failed them.  They rose, yet they reserved their
fire, and delivered it at the distance of a spear's throw, in the faces
of the advancing horsemen, the saddles of many of whom were quickly
emptied.  Again and again the cavalry charged and rode through them, but
it was not till the third charge, led by Major Bere, of the 16th
Lancers, that the Sikhs dispersed; and even then, the ground was more
thickly strewn with the bodies of victorious horsemen than of beaten
infantry.  Upwards of a hundred men of the 16th were either killed or
wounded.  An attempt was made by the enemy to rally behind Boondree, but
all resistance was unavailing.  The Sikh guns, with the exception of
one, were captured, and they were driven headlong across the river.
This gun was carried across the river, when Lieutenant Holmes, of the
irregular cavalry, and Gunner Scott, of the horse artillery, in the most
gallant way followed in pursuit, and, fording the river, overtook and
spiked it.

All the munitions of war which Runjoor Singh had brought with him were
captured, and the Sikh forces were thrown into the most complete dismay.
The victory was decisive and complete.  The loss of the British was 151
killed, and 413 wounded; that of the enemy far greater.

SOBRAON--10TH FEBRUARY 1846.

While Sir Hugh Gough was waiting for reinforcements from Delhi, as also
for the arrival of Sir Charles Napier, who was moving up the left bank
of the Sutlej, the Sikhs were strongly fortifying themselves at a bridge
they had formed across that river at Sobraon.  Their lines were
encompassed by strong walls, only to be surmounted by scaling-ladders,
while they afforded protection to a triple line of musketry.  These
formidable works were defended by 34,000 men and 70 pieces of artillery,
while their position was united by a bridge of boats to a camp on the
opposite side, in which was stationed a reserve of 20,000 men, and some
pieces of artillery, which flanked some of the British field-works.
Altogether a more formidable position could scarcely have been selected,
and a Spanish officer of engineers in their service assured them that it
could not be taken.

As soon as Sir Harry Smith had returned from Aliwal, and the heavy
artillery had arrived from Delhi, Sir Hugh Gough determined to attack
the Sikh position--his army now consisting of 6533 Europeans and 9691
natives, making a total of 16,224 rank and file, and 99 guns.  On
Tuesday the 10th of February, at half-past three o'clock in the morning,
the British army advanced to the attack, fresh, like lions awaked out of
sleep, but in perfect silence, when the battering and disposable
artillery were at once placed in position, forming an extended
semicircle, embracing within its fire the works of the Sikhs.  A mist,
however, hung over the plain and river; and it was not till half-past
six, when it cleared partially away, that the whole artillery fire could
be developed.  Then commenced the rolling thunder, of the British guns.
Nothing grander in warfare could be conceived than the effect of the
batteries when they opened, as the cannonade passed along from the
Sutlej to Little Sobraon in one continued roar of guns and mortars;
while ever and anon the rocket, like a spirit of fire, winged its rapid
flight high above the batteries in its progress towards the Sikh
intrenchment.  The Sikh guns were not idle, and replied with shot and
shell; but neither were well-directed, nor did much damage.  At first,
it was believed that the whole affair was to be decided by artillery;
but, notwithstanding the formidable calibre of the British guns,
mortars, and howitzers, and the admirable way in which they were served,
aided by a rocket battery, it could not have been expected that they
could have silenced the fire of 70 pieces behind well-constructed
batteries of earth, planks, and fascines, or dislodge troops covered
either by redoubts, epaulments, or within a treble line of trenches.

"For upwards of three hours this incessant play of artillery was kept up
upon the mass of the enemy.  The round shot exploded tumbrils, or dashed
heaps of sand into the air; the hollow shells cast their fatal contents
fully before them, and devious rockets sprang aloft with fury, to fall
hissing among a flood of men: but all was in vain, the Sikhs stood
unappalled, and flash for flash returned, and fire for fire."

It was determined, therefore, to try what the British musket and bayonet
could effect.  The cannonade ceased, and the left division of the army,
under Brigadier Stacey, supported on either flank by Captains Harford
and Fordyce's batteries, and Lieutenant--Colonel Lane's troops of horse
artillery, moved forward to the attack.  The infantry, consisting of Her
Majesty's 10th, 53rd, and 80th Regiments, with four regiments of Native
Infantry, advanced steadily in line, halting only occasionally to
correct when necessary, and without firing a shot; the artillery taking
up successive positions at a gallop, until they were within 300 yards of
the heavy batteries of the Sikhs.  Terrific was the fire they all this
time endured; and for some moments it seemed impossible that the
intrenchment could be won under it.  There was a temporary check; but
soon persevering gallantry triumphed, and the whole army had the
satisfaction of seeing the gallant Brigadier Stacey's soldiers driving
the Sikhs in confusion before them within the area of their encampment.
The check was chiefly on the extreme left, where they were exposed to
the deadly fire of muskets and swivels, and enfilading artillery; but
their comrades on the right of the first division, under Major-General
Sir Harry Smith, headed by an old and fearless leader, Sir Robert Dick,
forming themselves instinctively into masses and wedges, rushed forward,
with loud shouts leaped the ditch, and swarming up, mounted the
ramparts, where they stood victorious amid the captured cannon.

At this point Lieutenant Tritteon, bearing the Queen's colours, was shot
through the heart, and Ensign Jones, who carried the regimental colours,
was about the same time mortally wounded.  The regimental colours,
falling to the ground, were seized by Sergeant McCabe, and then rushing
forward, he crossed the ditch and planted it on the highest point of the
enemy's fortifications.  There he stood under a tremendous fire, and
maintained his position unhurt, though the flag was completely riddled
with shot.  Lieutenant Noel had seized the Queen's colours, the staff of
which was shivered in his hand; and the men cheering, rushed gallantly
into the works, and drove the enemy towards the river, into which they
were headlong precipitated.

But for some time the Sikhs fought with steadiness and resolution, and
turned several guns in the interior on their assailants.  Several times
the British line was driven back, and the fierce Sikhs rushing on,
slaughtered without mercy all who remained wounded on the ground.  Each
time that with terrific slaughter the British were thus checked, with
their habitual valour and discipline they rallied and returned to the
charge.  At length the second line moving on, the two mingled their
ranks, and, supported by a body of cavalry, which, under Sir Joseph
Thackwell, had been poured into the camp, everywhere effected openings
in the Sikh intrenchments.

In vain the brave Sikhs held out.  Each defensible position was
captured, and the enemy was pressed towards the scarcely fordable river;
but none offered to submit, everywhere showing a front to the victors,
or stalking sullenly away, while many turned and rushed singly forth to
encounter a certain death amid the hosts of the victors.  The foe were
now precipitated in masses over the bridge, shattered by shot, into the
Sutlej, which a sudden rise had rendered hardly fordable.  In their
efforts to reach the right bank through the deepened waters, they
suffered a dreadful carnage from the horse artillery, which poured in
rapid succession volleys among them, till the river was red with the
mangled bodies of men and horses; and it is supposed that fully
one-third of the Sikh army perished thus or in the battle.  Vast
quantities of munitions of war were captured, numerous standards, and 67
guns, with 200 camel swivels.  This desperate fight began at six in the
morning; by nine the combatants were engaged hand to hand, and by eleven
the battle was gained.  Sir Robert Dick, who had commanded the 42nd
Highlanders in Spain, was among the slain, as was Brigadier Taylor,
C.B., the beloved colonel of the 29th Regiment, who commanded the third
brigade of the second division.

The 3rd, 9th, and 16th Light Dragoons, 9th, 10th, 29th, 31st, 50th,
53rd, 62nd, and 80th Foot, received the thanks of Parliament, and have
"Sobraon" on their colours.  Two days after this, the British army, now
joined by Sir Charles Napier, reached Lahore, and on the 22nd a brigade
of troops took possession of the palace and citadel of that capital of
the humbled Sikhs.

In the four battles the British lost 92 officers and 1259 men killed,
and 315 officers and 4570 men wounded.

BATTLES IN THE PUNJAUB, 1848.

The Punjaub lies between the Indus and the Sutlej, with the river Chenab
in the centre.  In the southern part is the province of Mooltan,
governed in 1848 by Dewan Moolraj.  The chief city of the province, a
strongly fortified place, is also called Mooltan.  A Sikh force in the
Company's service was sent into the Punjaub in 1847, and Lieutenant
Herbert Edwardes was attached to it as political agent, and invested
with a very considerable amount of authority.  Young as he then was, and
with little experience, either of fighting or diplomatising, he never
failed to act with judgment and courage.  He had soon ample exercise for
both qualities.  The Government determined to supersede the
above-mentioned Moolraj, and to place a new Nazim, Sirdar Khan Singh, as
Governor of Mooltan.  This latter personage was accompanied to Mooltan
by two officers--Mr Vans Agnew, of the Civil Service, and Lieutenant
Anderson, of the 1st Bombay European Fusiliers--and a considerable body
of troops.  Moolraj, however, had no intention of losing his government,
and either prompted by his own ambition, or instigated by evil
counsellors, he resolved to rebel.  By bribes he won over the native
troops who had accompanied the commissioners, and whom, there can be
little doubt, he instigated his followers to murder.  Both Mr Agnew and
Lieutenant Anderson were set upon and cruelly cut to pieces; not,
however, till they had written to Lieutenant Edwardes to warn him of
their danger.  Lieutenant Edwardes was at that time with a small force
at the distance of five days' march from Mooltan.  He sent a messenger
to say that he would instantly set out with all the men he could collect
to their assistance, while he directed Lieutenant Taylor, who was with
General Courtlandt, to join him.  The heat was intense; but he pushed
on, though he learned too soon that the lives of his countrymen had
already been sacrificed.  Moolraj was in open rebellion, collecting
troops from all sides.  Edwardes set to work to raise an army to oppose
him, and recruiting went on actively on both sides.  Edwardes did his
utmost to persuade the people that it would be to their true interest to
join the British.  By May he had raised a force of between 5000 and 6000
men, to which were united about 1500 Sikhs, under General Courtlandt,
while he was ably supported by Bhawal Khan, Nawab of Bhawulpoor, with
nearly 12,000 followers.  With this force, having crossed the Chenab on
the 19th of June, he encountered the army of Moolraj, some 18,000 to
20,000 strong, horse and foot, and twenty guns, near the village of
Kineyree.  The battle began at a little after seven a.m., and was not
decided till half-past four p.m. It was hotly contested, and both
parties fought with desperation.  Out of ten guns, the enemy succeeded
in carrying only two into Mooltan, to which place they retreated,
leaving 500 men dead on the field of battle.  It was an important
victory; but as Lieutenants Edwardes and Taylor were the only British
officers present, I will not further describe it.  The warning uttered
to Moolraj by the murdered officers, that their countrymen would amply
avenge their deaths, was about to be fulfilled.

Soon after this, Lieutenant Edwardes' force was joined by Lieutenant
Lake, and other British officers.  On the 1st of July was fought the
battle of Suddoosam, where Dewan Moolraj, in spite of the assurances of
his soothsayers that it would be an auspicious day to him, was again
completely beaten, and driven up to the very walls of his capital.  In
this battle fell a gallant soldier, Captain Macpherson, in the service
of the Nawab of Bhawulpoor, under Lieutenant Lake.  The next day a
serious accident happened to Lieutenant Edwardes.  His pistol exploded
as he was putting it into his belt, and the ball passing through his
right hand, deprived him for ever of the use of it.  His sufferings were
great till the arrival of Dr Cole, a young and excellent English
surgeon, who won the affection of all the wounded natives he attended.
The four chief leaders in these actions received the thanks of the
Governor in Council, and all the credit they so fully deserved; nor was
a brave Irishman, Mr Quin, who volunteered to serve under Lieutenant
Edwardes, and rendered him most efficient aid, overlooked.

There can be little doubt that, from the ill-defended condition of
Mooltan, these successes might have been followed up by the capture of
the city itself, had the victorious army been allowed at once to attack
it; but the higher authorities decided otherwise, and Lieutenant
Edwardes' force was directed to wait for the arrival of a regular army
to commence the siege.

Moolraj, consequently, was allowed time to complete the defences of
Mooltan, which he rendered very formidable.

No sooner had Sir Frederick Currie, the resident at Lahore, received
information that Moolraj had shut himself up in Mooltan, than he
despatched General Whish, with a train of heavy siege-guns, to invest
it.  Meantime the fort was surrounded and closely invested by the troops
under Lieutenant Edwardes and the Nawab of Bhawulpoor, and had thus at
their command the revenues and resources of the whole district.
Lieutenant Edwardes was now joined by Lieutenant Lumsden and a young
lad, Hugo James, who had come out to seek for a cadetship--a gallant
boy.  As he had come out to learn the art of fighting, his chief
afforded him every opportunity of doing so, and "used to give him a few
hundred men to take into any ugly place that wanted stopping up."

Steamers had found their way up the mighty Indus into the Chenab, and
two of their officers, Captain Christopher and Mr McLawrin, frequently
joined their mess.  The steamers were employed in capturing the boats,
and otherwise harassing the enemy.  The English leader had a great cause
of anxiety from the approach of a large Sikh force, under Rajah Sher
Singh, whose fidelity he had every reason to doubt.  The Sikhs advanced,
however, and encamped before the city, and Moolraj lost no time in
endeavouring to corrupt both their leaders and common soldiers.  With
the latter he succeeded but too well, as the sequel will show.
Meantime, Moolraj was actively recruiting, and numbers from the Sikh
country flocked to his standard.  Thus matters went on till the arrival
of General Whish, under whom the right column of the British army
encamped at Seetul-Ke-Maree, on the 18th of August 1848.  Moolraj,
hearing of his approach, resolved to attempt surprising him before he
reached the city.  Accordingly, on the night of the 16th, he sent out a
strong force, accompanied by artillery horses ready harnessed, to bring
away the guns they expected to capture.  Now it happened that on that
very day Lieutenant Edwardes, not wishing to have the Sikh force between
him and General Whish, had exchanged positions with it, and both armies,
according to custom, had in the evening fired a _feu de joie_ on the
occasion, prolonged by General Courtlandt's gunners in honour of their
approaching friends.  This heavy cannonade put the British camp on the
_qui vive_, and the General ordered all the tents to be struck, and the
troops to get under arms, in case it should be necessary to march to
Mooltan, and assist in the supposed engagement with the enemy.  Scarcely
had this been done than the rebel detachment reached the British camp;
and instead of finding all plunged in sleep, except the usual sentries,
they were received with such a rattling fire, that, after fruitlessly
assailing the pickets, they fled in confusion, as many as possible
mounting the artillery horses, which they had brought for so different a
purpose.  In the affair the British had only six men and two horses
wounded, and none killed; while the enemy lost forty killed, many more
wounded, and some taken prisoners.  It is one of the numberless examples
to be brought forward of the importance of being on the alert in the
neighbourhood of an enemy.  How disastrous might have been the
consequences had General Whish's army not been aroused and prepared for
an enemy on that occasion!

Moolraj made every attempt to destroy his enemies; and contriving to
send three traitors into the camp of the irregulars, who got employed as
cooks, Lieutenant Edwardes, Lake, Lumsden, Courtlandt, Hugo James, and
Cole, who were dining together, were very nearly all poisoned.  The
wretches were shaved, flogged, and turned out of the camp, when they
fled to Mooltan as fast as their legs could carry them.

SIEGE OF MOOLTAN.

And now the avenging army arrived before Mooltan.  General Whish's
headquarters were with the right column; the left was under Brigadier
Salter, and arrived on the 19th August 1848; while the heavy siege-guns,
under Major Napier, with the sappers and miners, commanded by Captain H.
Siddons, did not reach headquarters till the 4th of September.  The
European regiment attached to each column came as far as practicable by
water.  The irregular force under Edwardes and Lake being encamped a
distance of six miles from that of General Whish, it was necessary to
move it closer up to the latter, to prevent the enemy's cavalry from
passing between them.  The very position taken up, it was found, was
within gunshot of Mooltan; but as it was an important one to hold,
Lieutenant Edwardes resolved to keep it.  It was not obtained without
some fighting, where Lake and Pollock greatly distinguished themselves.
Hugo James and Captain Wilmot Christopher accompanied Lieutenant
Edwardes into the field, and greatly assisted him in carrying orders.
The latter rode about with a long sea-telescope under his arm, just as
composedly as if he had been on the deck of his own vessel.  Encamping
within shot of the enemy's walls is unheard of in regular warfare; and
the irregulars soon found it anything but pleasant.  One Sunday, during
the service held by the Chief for the benefit of all the Christians
under him, the little congregation was disturbed by about twenty shot
falling round the tents in the space of a very few minutes; and when at
length one found its billet, and smashed a man's thigh at the door, a
general rush was made to the guns, and the whole strength of the
artillery bent upon the Bloody Bastion until its fire was silenced.

On another occasion, Major Napier had one night gone over to visit
Edwardes.  They were sipping tea and breathing the cool night air, while
Lake, exhausted with his day's work, was fast asleep in his bed, under
the same awning as themselves, when, the rebel gunners seeming to awake,
one shot buried itself hissing in the sand by Napier's side, and then
another passed close by his friend.

A third fell at the head of Lake's bed, and his servant immediately got
up, and with great carefulness turned his bed round.  Lake gave a yawn,
and asked sleepily, "What's the matter?"

"Nothing," replied the bearer; "it's only a cannon ball!"  Lake went to
sleep again.  Five minutes later another fell at his feet, when the good
bearer again shifted his master's bed.  Once more Lake asked, half
asleep, "What's the matter _now_?" and was told in reply, "_Another_
cannon ball--nothing more!"--on which he said, "Oh!" and returned calmly
to the land of dreams.  Various plans were suggested for carrying on the
siege against the place, which, it was discovered, was very formidable,
and not easily to be taken.  Constant skirmishes took place.  The
European soldiers took the night duty in the trenches, to avoid the heat
of the day.  On the night of the 9th of September, it became necessary
to dislodge the enemy from a position they had taken up among some
houses and gardens in front of the trenches; and four companies of Her
Majesty's 10th Regiment, a wing of the 49th Native Infantry, the rifle
company of the 72nd Native Infantry, and two of General Van Courtlandt's
horse artillery guns accordingly advanced, and a very sharp night-fight
ensued.  Ignorance of the localities, and the darkness and confusion
consequent on a hastily planned night-attack, rendered the gallant
efforts of the troops useless, and, after a considerable loss in killed
and wounded, they were withdrawn.  Lieutenant-Colonel Pattoun, of the
32nd Foot, led the attack with great gallantry.  Lieutenant Richardson,
adjutant of the 49th Native Infantry, an officer of Herculean frame,
rushed at the barricaded door of the house most strongly occupied by the
enemy, and with a mighty effort dashed it in among the rebel inmates,
who threw themselves forward to oppose his entrance.  Seeing that the
party was too strong for him, he seized the foremost Sikh soldier in his
arms, and, with his body thus shielded, backed out of the enclosure,
when he hurled the half-strangled rebel back among his friends.  He did
not escape, however, without some severe wounds about his head and arms.

Captain Christopher had, from the first arrival of the steamers at
Mooltan, shown the usual willingness of his profession to co-operate
with his brother officers on shore.  On the night in question he had
already once conducted some reinforcements to Colonel Pattoun's
assistance, but the fighting at the outposts still raged with unabated
fury.  Another reinforcement came up, but had no guide.  "Will no one
show us the way?" asked the officer of the party, looking round on the
tired occupants of the trenches.  "I will," replied Christopher; and
putting himself at their head, he steered them with the steadiness of a
pilot through ditches and gardens, under a roaring fire of musketry.
Ere he reached the spot, a ball hit him on the ankle, and shivered the
joint to pieces.  He was borne out of the fight, but never recovered
from the wound, and three weeks afterwards was numbered with the brave
who fell at the siege.

The British army continued forming their approaches for the attack, and
the rebels at the same time laboured without ceasing to strengthen their
position.  On the 12th of September, General Whish determined to clear
his front.  The action commenced at seven a.m. by the irregulars, under
Lumsden, Lake, and Courtlandt, making an attack to distract the
attention of the enemy on the left, when they expelled the enemy from an
important village, and captured their magazine and hospital.  Two
British columns now advanced to do the real business of the day: the
right, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Pattoun; the left, by
Lieutenant-Colonel Franks; while three squadrons of cavalry, commanded
by Lieutenant-Colonel Wheeler, protected the British flanks.  Both the
rebels and British troops fought desperately.  Moolraj's intrenched
position was fiercely assailed, and fiercely defended.  Scarcely a man
of its defenders escaped to tell their chief how calmly the young
English engineer, Lieutenant Grindall, planted the scaling-ladder in
their grim faces; how vainly they essayed to hurl it back; how madly
rushed up the grenadiers of the 32nd; with what a yell the brave Irish
of the 10th dropped down among them from the branches of the trees
above; and how like the deadly conflict of the lion and tiger in a
forest den, was the grapple of the pale English with the swarthy Sikhs
in that little walled space the rebels thought so strong.

On this day fell Major Montizambert, of the 10th, Colonel Pattoun,
Quarter--Master Taylor, Lieutenant Cubitt, and Ensign Lloyd; while Major
Napier, the chief engineer, was among the wounded.  Altogether, 39 men
were killed, and 216 wounded.  This victory of Dhurum Salah gained the
besieging army a distance to the front of some eight or nine hundred
yards, and brought them within battering distance of the city walls.
Everybody expected that in a few hours Mooltan would be won, when the
astounding news reached General Whish that Rajah Sher Singh and his
whole army had gone over to the enemy.  A council of war was on this
immediately held, when it was decided that the siege of Mooltan should
be raised, and that the British army should retire to a short distance,
and there, holding a dignified attitude, wait for reinforcements.  Rajah
Sher Singh was, however, received with suspicion by Moolraj, and so, in
a short time, he marched off to join his father and other insurgent
chiefs.  It was soon evident that the greater part of the Sikh
population was insurgent.  The only remedy for this state of things, it
was agreed, was the annexation of the Punjaub--Mooltan, however, must
first be taken.

The interval was not passed idly.  Lieutenant Taylor prepared all sorts
of contrivances for facilitating siege operations; and General
Courtlandt's sappers and Lieutenant Lumsden's guides prepared the
enormous number of 15,000 gabions and 12,000 fascines.  Moolraj was also
actively employed in strengthening his defences, and in endeavouring to
gain over the neighbouring chiefs to his cause.  One of the most
important features in the scenery round Mooltan was the Wulle Muhommud
canal, which runs past the western side of the city, and the eastern of
the village of Sooruj Koond.  The water had been drained off by
Lieutenant Glover, by damming up the mouth at the Chenab.  The enemy
were intrenched within this canal under the walls of the city, and
General Whish determined to attack them on the 7th of November, and to
drive them out at the point of the bayonet.  The attack was to be made
at daylight, on both sides of the canal, by a strong British brigade on
the east, and by the irregular force on the west, each division
carefully keeping on its own side of the canal, to prevent the friendly
irregulars from being mistaken for the foe.  On the very day before,
some 220 men of one of General Courtlandt's regiments, called the Kuthar
Mookhee, who had been placed in an advanced battery, deserted to the
enemy, and endeavoured to carry off Lieutenant Pollock with them; but he
was rescued by the rest of the regiment, who remained faithful; and in
spite of this defection, he, assisted in a true comrade spirit by
Lieutenant Bunny, of the Artillery, and Lieutenant Paton, of the
Engineers, held the post with unflinching constancy till day.  In
consequence of this desertion, it was not deemed prudent to trust the
other regiments of the same force with the posts which had been assigned
to them.  Lieutenant Edwardes, with his irregulars, was to supply their
place; but, when all was prepared, the enemy himself attacked the
British position, and the very men whose fidelity had been doubted gave
such evident proof of their loyalty that they were allowed to take part
in the action.

The enemy was soon repulsed, and the British advanced, as had been
intended.  It was at this time that a body of Rohillas irregulars,
disregarding the order they had received to keep on the west side of the
canal, crossed over and captured a gun on the eastern bank, when,
mistaken by the sepoys for some of the Moolraj's troops, they were
instantly fired on.  Two had been shot down, when Private Howell, of Her
Majesty's 32nd Foot, perceiving what was going on, leaped down the
canal, and putting himself in front of the Rohillas, faced the British
troops, and waved his shako on the end of his bayonet, as a signal to
cease firing.  By his presence of mind and courage many friendly lives
were saved.  Brigadier Markham afterwards presented Howell with fifty
rupees, at the head of his regiment, sent to him by Lieutenant Edwardes.
On this occasion, Lieutenants Lake and Pollock and Mr Hugo James again
distinguished themselves; and so especially did Dr Cole, who not only
attended to those who were hurt on his own side, but saved the lives of
many wounded Sikhs on the field of battle--an act to be performed only
by one who adds the courage of a soldier to the humanity of a physician.

Brigadier Markham led the British column.  Proceeding with the force
under his command across the bridges over the nullah, on the right of
the allied camp in the Sooruj Koond in open column, flanking the enemy's
position, they brought their shoulders forward to the left, and
proceeded directly across their rear.  When they had advanced
sufficiently far to ensure overlapping the most distant part of their
position, they wheeled into line, three guns on the right and three on
the left, the whole of the cavalry (with the exception of a small party
with the guns) on their right flank.  The reserve, in quarter-distance
column, in rear of the centre of the right brigade, advanced steadily in
echelon of brigade, at fifty paces' distance from the right, under a
smart fire of grape and round shot.  General Markham, observing a large
body of the enemy moving on his right, ordered the cavalry to attack
them, to prevent them removing their guns.  Major Wheeler, advancing in
the most brilliant manner, charged the enemy, cutting up numbers of
them, and saved the guns; then sweeping the whole British front, he
re-formed speedily and in good order on the left, and moved off to cover
the right.  As the cavalry cleared the front, the horse artillery opened
their fire, the line charged, and took the position, with the whole of
the guns, on the bank of the nullah, driving the enemy across and up it
with considerable loss.  The action lasted about an hour.  After the
enemy's batteries had been destroyed, the troops returned to camp.

Never was there a more perfect triumph of discipline and good
soldiership than the battle of Sooruj Koond.  The British troops, who
were manoeuvred as on parade, turned a large army out of a strong
intrenchment, and routed them, with the loss of five guns, before they
even understood the attack.  The four leaders, Lieutenant-Colonels
Franks and Brooks, and Major Wheeler and Brigadier Markham, were all
comparatively young, and no men could have behaved with more judgment,
as well as gallantry and spirit.

On the 21st of December, a Bombay division, commanded by Brigadier the
Hon. H. Dundas, C.B., of Her Majesty's 60th Rifles, arrived before
Mooltan, with Colonel Cheape as chief engineer, raising the army under
General Whish to upwards of 15,000 men.

On the 27th of December, the united British force resumed the
long-suspended siege of Mooltan.

The plan adopted was to make a regular attack upon the north-east angle
of the citadel, and to expel the enemy only from so much of the suburbs
as were actually required for the operations of the besiegers.

The portion of the suburbs so required consisted of some high
brick-kilns; the cemetery of Moolraj's fathers, called Wuzeerabad; and
Moolraj's own garden-house, Am Khas.  To seize these positions was the
object of the opening attack on the 27th of December.  While one British
column was effecting it, three others were ordered to make diversions
for the purpose of distracting the enemy, with discretionary orders to
follow according to the effect produced, even to the taking of the
positions, if facilities offered.  The third column was composed of the
whole disposable force of the irregulars.  Facilities did offer, and
Brigadier Dundas captured, occupied, and crowned with guns some most
important positions which commanded the city.  The whole of the suburbs
were now occupied by the British army, and it was resolved to take the
city also.  On this occasion Major Edwardes says that Lieutenants Lake,
Pollock, Pearse, and Young all distinguished themselves, as did his
writer, the brave Mr Quin, who led on the Sooraj Mookhee regiment; but
the palm was carried off by a new volunteer, Mr McMahon, who had joined
him only a few days before, and who now earned his title to be brought
especially to notice by encountering in single combat the leader of the
enemy's infantry, a powerful Sikh, whom he killed with one blow which
divided his head.

His men at last, thinking themselves responsible for his safety, made
him prisoner, and brought him back, with bent and dripping sword, to
where Major Edwardes and Sir Henry Lawrence were standing directing the
movements of the troops.

On the 30th of December, a shell from a mortar laid by Lieutenant
Newall, of the Bengal Artillery, pierced the supposed bomb-proof dome of
the Grand Mosque in the citadel, which formed the enemy's principal
magazine, and descending into the combustibles below, blew the vast
fabric into the air.

On the 2nd of January 1849, the breach in the Rhoonee Boorj or Bloody
Bastion of the city was declared practicable, and a second at the Delhi
gate was thought sufficiently good to allow of an attempt being made on
it as a diversion.  General Whish determined to try both; and a party
from the Bengal division was told off for the Delhi gate breach, and one
from the Bombay division for the breach at the Bastion.  The irregular
force was to assist both by a diversion on the left.  The diversion was
commenced at one p.m., and the assault, by a signal from the batteries,
at three p.m.  The storming party destined to attack the Delhi gate was
led by a fine soldier, Captain Smyth, of the grenadier company of Her
Majesty's 32nd Regiment.  Off they started with hearts beating high; but
no sooner had they emerged from the suburbs, than they found themselves
on the edge of a deep intervening hollow, after crossing which, under a
heavy fire of matchlocks, they discovered, to their surprise, that the
city wall in front, about thirty feet in height, was unbreached and
totally impracticable.  This disagreeable fact had hitherto been
concealed by the hollow, both from the breaching-battery and the
engineers.  The gallant band had therefore to retire; and without loss
of time they hurried round to the breach at the Bloody Bastion, to
assist their more fortunate comrades in the city.

The Bloody Bastion was assaulted by three companies of the 1st Bombay
Fusiliers, under Captain Leith.

They found the breach easy to be surmounted, but it was intrenched
inside, and a most bloody struggle ensued, in which the brave Captain
Leith was severely wounded, and had to be carried to the rear; but his
place was at once taken by Lieutenant Grey, and the redcoats pushed
onwards.  The first to mount was Colour-Sergeant John Bennet, of the 1st
Fusiliers, who, having planted the colours of Old England on the very
crest of the breach, stood beside them till the flag and staff were
riddled with balls.  On rushed the Fusiliers; they remembered the
legends of their ancient corps, and closing with the rebels, soon made
the city of Mooltan their own.  "Then arose from every crowded height
and battery, whence the exciting struggle had been watched, the shouts
of applauding comrades; and through the deafening roar of musketry,
which pealed along the ramparts, and marked the hard-earned progress of
the victorious columns through the streets, both friend and foe might
distinctly hear that sound, never to be forgotten--the `Hurrah!' of a
British army after battle."

No sooner did Moolraj discover that the city was captured, than, leaving
three-fourths of his army to the mercy of the victors, he retired with
3000 picked men into the citadel, intending to hold out till he could
make advantageous terms for himself.  The garrison who could escape made
the best of their way over the city walls, and fled to their homes.
Never did a city present a more awful scene of retribution than did that
of Mooltan.  Scarcely a roof or wall which had not been penetrated by
English shells; and whole houses, scorched and blackened by the
bombardment, seemed about to fall over the corpses of their defenders.
The citadel itself was now closely invested, and incessantly shelled, so
that there was scarcely a spot within the walls where the besieged could
find shelter.  In this siege the bluejackets of Old England, as well as
the redcoats, took a part.  Commander Powell, of the Honourable East
India Company's Navy, at the head of a body of seamen, worked one of the
heavy batteries from the commencement to the termination of the siege.
"It was a fine sight to see their manly faces, bronzed by long exposure
to the burning sun of the Red Sea or Persian Gulf, mingling with the
dark soldiers of Hindoostan, or contrasting with the fairer but not
healthier occupants of the European barrack.  They looked on their
battery as their ship, their eighteen-pounders as so many sweethearts,
and the embrasures as port-holes.  `Now, Jack, shove your head out of
that port, and just hear what my little girl says to that 'ere pirate,
Mol Rag' (Moolraj?), was the kind of conversation heard on board of the
sailor-battery by those passing."

The citadel still held out, but by the 19th two breaches had been
effected, and the assault was fixed for six a.m. on the 22nd.  Before
that hour the traitor sent in his submission, asking only for his own
life and the honour of his women.  The answer from General Whish was,
that the British Government "wars not with women and children, and that
they would be protected, but that he had neither authority to give
Moolraj his life nor to take it."  Thus Moolraj was compelled to make an
unconditional surrender.  This second siege of Mooltan occupied 27 days,
and the British loss was 210 men killed and 982 wounded.  One of the
last acts of the victors was to disinter the bodies of Agnew and
Anderson, and to carry them to an honoured resting-place on the summit
of Moolraj's citadel, through the broad and sloping breach which had
been made by the British guns in the walls of the rebellious fortress of
Mooltan.

AFFAIR AT RAMNUGGUR--22ND NOVEMBER.

The Sikhs and Afghans having formed a combination against the British
power, a large force was quickly assembled at Ferozepore, under the
immediate orders of Lord Gough, the Commander-in-Chief, in the autumn of
1848.

Sher Singh and Chuttur Singh having effected a junction on the 21st of
October, their forces amounted to 30,000.  On the 21st of November, Lord
Gough joined the British army assembled at Saharum.  The Sikh forces
were found posted at Ramnuggur.  In front of this place flows the Chenab
River, which has in mid-channel a small island, on which, protected by a
grove of trees, was placed a battery of six guns, with some 400 men.
The enemy also having boats on the river, and command of the fort, had
pushed across a considerable number of infantry and cavalry.  The
British army having arrived in front of this strong position, a
reconnaissance was made in force with cavalry and horse artillery.  The
Sikhs, confident in their numbers and the strength of their position,
sent across their cavalry, who rode as if in defiance before the British
army.  A charge of the 3rd Light Dragoons, aided by light cavalry, had
chastised on one point the presumption of the Sikhs.  William Havelock,
the colonel of the 14th, entreated to be allowed to attack another body
of the enemy; and to this Colonel Cureton consented.  The
Commander-in-Chief also riding up, said, "If you see a favourable
opportunity of charging--charge."  The gallant old colonel soon made the
opportunity.  "Now, my lads," he exclaimed, boldly leading his dragoons
to the onset, "we shall soon see whether we can clear our front of those
fellows or not."  The Sikhs made a show of standing the charge, and some
of them stood well.  Captain Gall, while grasping a standard, had his
right hand cut through by the stroke of a Sikh sword, and Lieutenant
Fitzgerald's head was cleft in two by a blow from one of the enemy's
weapons; but the mass of the Sikhs, opening out right and left, gave way
before their victors.  Colonel Cureton, however, on seeing the 14th
charge, exclaimed, "That is not the body of horse I meant to have been
attacked!" and, riding to the front, received in his gallant breast a
matchlock ball, which killed him on the spot.

"Again the trumpets of the 14th sounded, and, overturning all who
opposed them, onward in the direction of the island that gallant
regiment took their course.  The Sikh battery opened on them a heavy
fire, and there was a descent of some four feet into the flat; but
Havelock, disregarding all difficulties, and riding well ahead of his
men, exclaimed, as he leaped down the declivity, `Follow me, my brave
lads, and never heed the cannon shot!'  These were the last words he was
ever heard to utter.  The dragoons got among broken ground filled with
Sikh marksmen, who kept up a withering fire on the tall horsemen,
throwing themselves flat on their faces whenever they approached.  After
many bold efforts, the 14th were withdrawn from the ground, but their
commander never returned from that scene of slaughter."  In this
unfortunate cavalry affair, 87 men were killed, and 150 wounded.

BATTLE OF CHILIANWALA--13TH JANUARY 1849.

In January of the following year Lord Gough determined to attack the
force of Sher Singh, then posted in his front at the village of
Chilianwala, before he could be joined by his son, Sirdar Chuttur Singh.

The British army was marched round to take the village in the rear, and
it was late in the day before they reached the ground where it was
proposed they should encamp, it being Lord Cough's intention to attack
early in the morning.  While, however, the Quartermaster-General was in
the act of taking up ground for the encampment, the enemy advanced some
horse artillery, and opened a fire on the skirmishers in front of the
village.  Lord Gough immediately ordered them to be silenced by a few
rounds from the heavy guns, which advanced to an open space in front of
the village.  Their fire was instantly returned by that of nearly the
whole of the enemy's field-artillery, thus exposing the position of his
guns, which the jungle had hitherto concealed.

It now became evident that the enemy intended to fight, and Lord Gough
drew up his forces in order of battle.  Sir Walter Gilbert's division
was on the right, that of General Campbell on the left; the heavy guns
were in the centre, under Major Horsford, which commenced the engagement
by a well-directed and powerful fire on the enemy's centre.  The
cannonade had lasted about an hour, when Major-general Campbell's
division was ordered to advance against the enemy.  Part of it was
victorious, but the brigade of General Pennycuick met a terrific
repulse.  "Its advance was daring in the extreme, but over impetuous.
The order to charge was given at too great a distance from the enemy;
consequently its British regiment, the gallant 24th, outstripped its
native regiments, mistaking the action of their brave leaders, Brigadier
Pennycuick and Lieutenant-Colonel Brookes, who waved their swords above
their heads, for the signal to advance in double-quick time.  The 24th,
consequently, led by Colonel Brookes, rushed breathless and confused
upon the enemy's batteries.  Close to their position, it received a
deadly shower of grape; and, while shattered by its fatal effects, was
torn to pieces by a close fire poured in by the Bunno troops from behind
a screen of jungle.  The brigade was thrown into utter confusion.  The
most desperate efforts of the officers availed not to restore order.
Colonel Brookes, with numbers of his brave 24th men, fell among the
guns.  Brigadier Pennycuick was slain at the commencement.  His son,
Ensign Pennycuick, when he saw his father fall, rushed forward, and
striding over his prostrate body, attempted to keep his assailants in
check; but the fierce Sikhs rushed on, and hacked the gallant youth to
pieces.  Besides these brave chiefs, five captains, three lieutenants,
and three ensigns of the 24th were killed, while many more were wounded;
making in all 23 officers and 459 men.  The Sikhs, seeing their
advantage, cut down their opponents with savage fury, and at length
compelled the shallow remnant of the regiment to fly in disorder."

The cavalry brigade was also brought forward in a way contrary to all
the rules of warfare.  Advancing in line through a dense forest, they
came suddenly upon a strong body of Ghorchurras, intoxicated with the
stimulating drug which the heroes of the East call to the aid of their
valour.  These fanatics, riding furiously towards them, killed some and
wounded others, among whom was their brave colonel.  At this moment a
voice was heard to shout, "Threes about!"  It was a fatal order.
Wheeling round, the British dragoons fled, panic-struck, followed by the
Ghorchurras, even among the ranks of the artillery.  It was now that
their chaplain, who was attending to some of the wounded in the rear,
seeing them approach, grasped a sword, and leaped on a charger standing
near him.  "My lads," he exclaimed, "you have listened to my preaching,
listen to me now.  About, and drive the enemy before you!"  Saying this,
he placed himself at their head, and, encouraged by his gallant example,
they once more wheeled about, and uniting with the rest of the regiment,
who had been rallied by their colonel, charging furiously, drove back
the enemy, and retrieved their honour.  Among the officers slain on this
occasion was Lieutenant A.J. Cureton, the son of Colonel Cureton, who
was killed at Ramnuggur.

On the extreme left, however, the cavalry, under Sir Joseph Thackwell,
were victorious wherever they encountered the enemy.  The left brigade,
under Brigadier Mountain, distinguished itself; while the right attack
of infantry, under Sir Walter Gilbert, was perfectly successful: indeed,
the disasters of that fatal evening were caused, in the first place, by
engaging so late in the day; and in the case of the 24th Regiment, from
the over-impetuosity of the officers; and in that of the 14th Light
Dragoons, from being suddenly attacked on unfavourable ground, and from
receiving wrong orders during the confusion into which they were
consequently thrown.  Completely did the regiment retrieve its honour in
subsequent actions.  The Sikhs retreated; the British remained masters
of the field.  Their loss was, however, very great.  Twenty-six European
officers and 731 men killed, and 66 officers and 1446 men wounded, was a
heavy price to pay for so small an advantage.  Never, indeed, had a
British army in India, prepared for battle, suffered what was more like
a defeat than on this disastrous occasion.

BATTLE OF GOOJERAT--21ST FEBRUARY 1849.

After the battle of Chilianwala, the Sikhs were joined by a body of 1500
Afghan horse, under Akram Khan, a son of Dost Mahomed Khan.  Compelled,
however, by want of supplies, they quitted their intrenchments, and took
up a fresh position with 60,000 men, and 59 pieces of artillery, between
Goojerat and the Chenab.  From this they probably intended marching on
Lahore, but were prevented by a brigade under Major-General Whish, who
was detached to guard the fords above and below Wuzeerabad, while Lord
Gough advanced towards them--the whole army burning to avenge the loss
of their comrades who had fallen on the 13th of January, many of whom,
when lying wounded, had been cruelly slaughtered by the Sikhs.  This
time Lord Gough took good care to commence the action at an earlier hour
in the day.  At half-past seven in the morning on the 21st of February,
the sky clear and cloudless, and the sun shining brightly on the
extended line of bayonets and sabres, with the precision of a parade the
British army advanced to meet the foe.  The Sikh artillery opened at a
long distance, thus exposing the position of their guns.  With good
judgment, Lord Gough therefore halted the infantry out of the range of
fire, and pushed forward the whole of his guns, which were covered by
skirmishers.

The Sikh guns were served well and rapidly; but the terrific fire of the
British artillery at length compelled the enemy to fall back, when the
infantry were deployed, and a general advance directed, covered by
artillery.

A village in which a large body of the enemy's artillery was concealed
lay directly in the line of Sir Walter Gilbert's advance.  This was
carried by the 3rd Brigade, under General Penny, in the most brilliant
style, the enemy being driven from their cover with great slaughter.
Here the 2nd European Regiment distinguished itself.  At the same time a
party of Brigadier Harvey's brigade, most gallantly led by
Lieutenant-Colonel Franks, of the 10th Foot, drove a large body of the
enemy from another village.  The infantry continued to advance, while
the heavy guns as well as field batteries kept pace with them,
unlimbering in successive positions for effective action.  The rapid
advance and admirable fire of the horse artillery and light field
batteries, strengthened by two reserved troops of horse artillery under
Lieutenant-Colonel Brind, broke the enemy's ranks at all points.  The
other villages were stormed; the guns in position carried, 53 pieces
falling into the hands of the victors; the camp with baggage and
standard captured, and the whole army of Sher Singh routed in every
direction.  The cavalry had hitherto been restrained from taking too
active a part in the action, though the brigades on either flank were
occasionally threatened and attacked by large masses of the enemy's
horsemen.  Each time, however, by their steady movements and spirited
manoeuvres, ably supported by the horse artillery attached to them, the
British cavalry put the foe to flight.  A large body of Ghorchurras,
with some Afghan cavalry, appearing on the right, a brilliant and
successful charge was made on them by some troops of the 9th Lancers
with the Scinde Horse, when several standards were captured.  The 14th
Light Dragoons and other cavalry regiments, by their bold front and
gallant conduct whenever the enemy approached, contributed much to the
success of the day.

The enemy on all sides now took to flight.  The right wing and General
Campbell's division passed in pursuit to the eastward of Goojerat, and
the Bombay division to the westward.

"Then, from either flank the horse, unbroken and in perfect order, swept
forward to do the work of final retribution.  The two columns speedily
got into communication.  Onward they moved in union, cutting down,
dispersing, riding over, and trampling the flying or scattered infantry,
capturing guns and waggons, strewing the paths with dead and dying;
forward they moved in their irresistible course, and converted a beaten
army into a shapeless, hideous mass of helpless fugitives."

The Sikh army was soon dispersed over the country, the ground strewed
with the dead and wounded, and their weapons and military equipments,
which they cast from them in the hopes that they might be taken for
peasants or camp followers instead of soldiers.

For twelve miles did the avenging horsemen pursue the foe; and it was
not till half-past four that they drew rein, when they returned
exultingly to camp.  Such was the battle of Goojerat, one of the most
important and decisive ever fought in India.  By it the power of the
Sikhs was completely broken, while it taught a lesson to the Afghans,
who now for the first time had united to them, and made them feel that
it was their best policy to obtain the friendship rather than the enmity
of England.  This great battle was won chiefly by artillery; though the
infantry, by their gallant advance, drove back the enemy, and the
cavalry, by their brilliant charges and their rapid pursuit, entirely
broke and destroyed the force of the enemy.  The flying army was
followed up by Sir Walter Gilbert, Sir Colin Campbell, and Colonel
Bradford, in three different directions, on the 3rd of March.  Sir
Walter Gilbert came up with a portion of the fugitives, which still held
together under Sher Singh and Chuttur Singh, at Horrmuck, on the 11th of
March, when they surrendered; and three days afterwards, the remainder
of their forces, amounting to 16,000 men, laid down their arms at Rawul
Pindee, and 41 pieces of artillery were given up.  Dost Mahomed was
pursued as far as the Khyber Pass.

In consequence of these operations, the Punjaub was annexed to the
Government of India.

"Goojerat" is borne by the 3rd, 9th, and 14th Light Dragoons, and the
10th, 24th, 29th, 32nd, 53rd, 60th, and 61st Regiments--while the army
received the thanks of Parliament.  Sir Charles Napier had been hurried
out to take command, out found on his arrival that the work to be done
had been achieved, and that the brave Lord Gough's last battle was a
crowning victory.



CHAPTER FIVE.

THE LOSS OF H.M.S. BIRKENHEAD.

In 1853 a terrible disaster at sea occurred which was the occasion of a
display, to a degree never surpassed and rarely equalled, of the
courage, heroism, and discipline of British soldiers.  Her Majesty's
steamer _Birkenhead_ was on her passage from Simon's Bay to Algoa Bay,
with 630 souls on board, consisting of the ship's company, drafts from
several regiments, and boys, women, and children.  At about ten minutes
past two a.m., the weather being fine, with a heavy swell on shore, she
struck.  Mr Salmond, the master, came on deck, and ordering the engines
to be stopped, the boats to be lowered, and an anchor to be let go,
directed the military officers, Major Seton, of the 74th Regiment, and
Captain Wright, of the 91st, to send the troops to the chain-pumps; the
order was implicitly obeyed, and perfect discipline maintained.  As soon
as Mr Salmond heard that there was water in the ship, he directed the
women and children to be put in the cutter in charge of Mr Richards,
master's assistant, which was done.

In ten minutes after the first concussion, and while the engines were
turning astern, the ship struck again under the engine-room, and broke
in two.  Major Seton had called all the officers about him, and
impressed on them the necessity of preserving order and silence among
the men.  Sixty were put on the chain-pumps, and told off in three
reliefs; sixty were put on to the tackles of the paddle-box boats, and
the remainder were brought on the poop, so as to ease the fore part of
the ship.  "The order and regularity that prevailed on board, from the
time the ship struck till she totally disappeared, far exceeded anything
that I thought could be effected by the best discipline," says one of
the survivors.  "This is more to be wondered at, seeing that most of the
soldiers had been but a short time in the service.  Every one did as he
was directed, and there was not a cry or a murmur among them until the
vessel made her final plunge.  I could not name any individual officer
who did more than another.  All received their orders, and had them
carried out as if the men were embarking instead of going to the bottom;
there was only this difference, that I never saw any embarkation
conducted with so little noise and confusion.  Four hundred and
thirty-eight men and boys perished on this sad occasion.  Major Seton,
standing among his men, and refusing to leave them, perished with the
rest."  No heroes of whom we read in the page of history ever met their
fate with more heroic courage than did these British soldiers embarked
on board the _Birkenhead_, and well worthy is the account to be placed
among the gallant deeds of our Redcoats.



CHAPTER SIX.

THE CRIMEAN WAR--1854-1855.

The settled resolve of the Russian Government to crush the power of the
Turks, and to take possession of Constantinople, was the cause of the
declaration of war by England and France against Russia.

The war became at once popular among the British people when the news
was spread that a Russian fleet, consisting of six men-of-war and
several smaller vessels, had darted out of Sebastopol, and, taking
advantage of a dense fog, had entered the harbour of Sinope, where they
found a Turkish squadron of eight frigates, two schooners, and three
transports, totally unprepared for battle.  Admiral Nachimoff, the
Russian commander, fiercely attacked them, and though the Turks fought
bravely, so great was their disadvantage, that in a few hours 5000 men
were massacred, and every ship, with the exception of two, was
destroyed.  To prevent the recurrence of such an event, the allied
fleets of England and France entered the Black Sea on the 3rd of January
1854.  War was not officially declared against Russia till the 28th of
March.  The Guards and other regiments had, however, embarked early in
February; first to rendezvous at Malta, and subsequently at Varna, on
the Turkish shore of the Black Sea.  The British troops, under Lord
Raglan, amounted to 26,800 men of all arms; that of the French, under
Marshal Saint Arnaud, to nearly the same number, 26,526; and there were
also 7000 Turks, under Selim Pasha; making in all 60,300 men, and 132
guns, 65 of which were British.

On the morning of the 14th September, the fleet conveying this
magnificent army anchored off the coast, near Old Fort, distant about
eighteen miles south of Eupatoria.  The first British troops which
landed in the Crimea were the men of Number 1 company of the 23rd Welsh
Fusiliers, under Major Lystons and Lieutenant Drewe.  The landing
continued during the whole day, without any casualties.  The first night
on shore the rain fell in torrents, and the troops, who had landed
without tents or shelter of any sort, were drenched to the skin.  On the
following morning the sun shone forth, and the disembarkation continued.
No enemy was encountered till the 19th, when two or three Russian guns
opened fire, and a body of Cossacks were seen hovering in the distance.
The Earl of Cardigan instantly charged them, and they retreated till the
British cavalry were led within range of the fire of their guns, when
four dragoons were killed and six wounded,--the first of the many
thousands who fell during the war.

The evening of the 19th closed with rain.

BATTLE OF THE ALMA--20TH SEPTEMBER.

Wet and weary the allied troops rose on the morning of the 20th
September of 1854, to march forward to the field of battle.  On their
right was the sea, on which floated the British fleet; before them was
the river Alma, down to which the ground sloped, with villages,
orchards, and gardens spread out along its banks.  "On the other side of
the river, the ground at once rose suddenly and precipitously to the
height of three or four hundred feet, with tableland at the top.  This
range of heights, which, particularly near the sea, was so steep as to
be almost inaccessible, continued for about two miles along the south
bank, and then broke away from the river (making a deep curve round an
amphitheatre, as it were, about a mile wide), and then returned to the
stream again, but with gentler slopes, and features of a much less
abrupt character."  The road crossed the river by a wooden bridge, and
ran through the centre of the valley or amphitheatre.  Prince
Menschikoff had posted the right of his army on the gentler slopes last
described, and as it was the key of his position, great preparations had
been made for its defence.  About half-way down the slope a large
earthen battery had been thrown up, with twelve heavy guns of position;
and higher up, on its right rear, was another of four guns, sweeping the
ground in that direction.  Dense columns of infantry were massed on the
slopes, with large reserves on the heights above.  A lower ridge of
hills ran across the amphitheatre, and at various points batteries of
field-artillery were posted, commanding the passage of the river and its
approaches.  In front of this part of the position, and on the British
side of the river, was the village of Borutiuk.

On their left, close to the sea, the acclivities were so abrupt that the
Russians considered themselves safe from attack.  The river, which ran
along the whole front, was fordable in most places, but the banks were
so steep, that only at certain points could artillery be got across.  A
numerous body of Russian riflemen were scattered among the villages,
gardens, and vineyards spread along the banks.  The Russian right was
protected by large bodies of cavalry, which constantly threatened the
British left, though held in check by the cavalry under Lord Lucan.  The
right of the allies rested on the sea, where, as close in shore as they
could come, were a fleet of steamers throwing shot and shell on to the
heights occupied by the Russian left.

"At about eleven a.m. the allied armies advanced, the whole front
covered by a chain of light infantry.  On the extreme right, and about
1500 yards in advance of the line, was the division of General Bosquet;
next, on his left, was that of General Canrobert; then the Prince
Napoleon's, with General Forey's in his rear, in reserve.  The English
then took up the alignment, commencing with the 2nd division (Sir De
Lacy Evans), then the light division (Sir G. Brown), and, in rear of
them, the 3rd and 1st divisions respectively--the whole in column; Sir
G. Cathcart, with the 4th division, being in reserve on the outward
flank; the English cavalry, under the Earl of Lucan, considerably
farther to the left, also protecting the exposed flank and rear."

The French advancing, gained the heights, took the enemy somewhat by
surprise, and almost turned his left.  He then, however, brought forward
vast masses of troops against them, and it became necessary for the
British more completely to occupy them in front.

The two leading English divisions (the light and 2nd), which had
advanced across the plain in alignment with the French columns, on
coming within long range of the enemy's guns deployed into line (two
deep), and whilst waiting for the further development of the French
attack, were ordered to lie down, so as to present as small a mark as
possible.  The Russian riflemen now opened fire, and the village burst
into flames.  Lord Raglan, with his staff, passing the river, perceived
the position of the enemy on the heights he was about to storm.  He
instantly ordered up some guns, which, crossing the river, opened fire,
and afterwards moving up the heights, harassed the Russian columns in
their retreat.

Now, with skirmishers and rifles in advance, the two leading divisions
advanced towards the enemy, General Codrington's brigade leading
straight for the Russian intrenched battery.  The two brigades of the
2nd division were separated by the burning village.  The brigade of
General Pennefather moved to the left of the village, close to the
Sebastopol road, and found itself in the very focus towards which the
Russians were directing their heaviest fire, both of artillery and
musketry.  Still undaunted, though suffering terrible loss, they pressed
the Russians hard, and fully occupied their centre.  While other
operations were going on, the light division, under Sir George Brown,
having moved across the plain in a long thin line, became somewhat
broken among the vineyards and inequalities of the ground.  As they
approached, however, they found some shelter; and at length the word was
given to charge.  They sprang from their cover, and with a rattling fire
rushed at the foe; and General Codrington's brigade, 33rd and 23rd
Regiments, and 7th Fusiliers, with the 19th on their left and the 95th
on their right, were now in direct line, and in full view of the great
Russian battery.  The whole British line now opened a continuous fire--
the Russian columns shook--men from the rear were seen to run; then
whole columns would turn and fly, halting again and facing about at
short intervals; but with artillery marching on their left flank, with
Codrington's brigade streaming upwards, and every moment pouring in
their fire nearer and nearer as they rushed up the slope, the enemy's
troops could no longer maintain their ground, but fled disordered up the
hill.  The Russian batteries, however, still made a fearful havoc in the
English ranks; and a wide street of dead and wounded, the whole way from
the river upward, showed the terrific nature of the fight.

"Breathless, decimated, and much broken, the men of the centre regiments
dashed over the intrenchment and into the great battery in time to
capture two guns.  But the trials of the light division were not over.
The reserves of the enemy now moved down.  The English regiments, their
ranks in disarray and sorely thinned, were forced gradually to
relinquish the point they had gained, and doggedly fell back, followed
by the Russian columns.  It seemed for a moment as if victory was still
doubtful; but succour was close at hand.  The three regiments of Guards
(having the Highland brigade on their left) were now steadily advancing
up the hill, in magnificent order.  There was a slight delay until the
regiments of Codrington's brigade had passed through their ranks, during
which time the struggle still wavered, and the casualties were very
great; but when once their front was clear, the chance of the Russians
was at an end, and their whole force retreated in confusion.  The
several batteries of the different divisions, after crossing at the
bridge, moved rapidly to their front, and completed the victory by
throwing in a very heavy fire, until the broken columns of the enemy
were out of range.  And now from rank to rank arose the shout of
victory.  Comrades shook hands, and warm congratulations passed from
mouth to mouth that the day was won, and right nobly won.  What recked
then those gallant men of the toil, and thirst, and hunger, and wounds
they had endured!  Those heights on which at early morn the legions of
Russia had proudly stood, confident of victory, had been gained, and the
foe, broken and damaged, were in rapid retreat."

In this fight the Royal Welsh Fusiliers especially distinguished
themselves by their heroic valour; and no less than 210 officers and
men, upwards of a quarter of their number, were killed or wounded during
the battle.  The brave young Lieutenant Anstruther carried the colours;
and when he fell dead under the terrific fire from the chief redoubt,
they were picked up by Private Evans, and by him given to Corporal Luby.
From him they were claimed by the gallant Sergeant Luke O'Connor, who
bore them onwards amid the shower of bullets, when one struck him, and
he fell; but quickly recovering himself, and refusing to relinquish
them, onward once more he carried them till the day was won, and he
received the reward of his bravery, by the praises of his General on the
field, and the promise of a commission in his regiment; and a better
soldier does not exist than Captain O'Connor of the 23rd.

Captain Bell, of the same regiment, seeing the Russians about to
withdraw one of their guns, sprang forward, and putting a pistol to the
head of the driver, made him jump off, and springing into the saddle in
his stead, galloped away with it to the rear, but was soon again at his
post, and, all the officers above him having been killed or wounded, had
the honour of bringing the regiment out of action.  Colonel Chester and
Captain Evans were both killed near the redoubt.  Captain Donovan, of
the 33rd, captured another gun; but the horses not being harnessed to
it, the driver took to flight, and it could not be removed.  Nineteen
sergeants of that regiment were killed or wounded, chiefly in defence of
their colours.  The colours of the Scots Fusilier Guards were carried by
Lieutenants Lindsay and Thistlethwayte.  The staff was broken and the
colours riddled, and many sergeants fell dead by their side, yet
unharmed they cut their way through the foe, and bore them triumphantly
up that path of death to the summit of the heights.  The action lasted
little more than two hours.  In that time 25 British officers were
killed, and 81 wounded; and of non-commissioned officers and men, 337
were killed, and 1550 were wounded.  But death was not satiated, and
many brave officers and men died from cholera even on the field of
victory.  One name must not be forgotten--that of the good and brave Dr
Thompson, who, with his servant, remained on the field to attend to the
wants of upwards of 200 Russians who had not been removed.

Lieutenant Lindsay, who carried the colours of the Scots Fusilier
Guards, stood firmly by them, when, as they stormed the heights, their
line was somewhat disordered, and by his energy greatly contributed to
restore order.  In this he was assisted by Sergeants Knox and McKechnie,
and Private Reynolds.  Sergeant Knox obtained a commission in the Rifle
Brigade for his courage and coolness on this occasion.

SIEGE OF SEBASTOPOL.

On the 17th of October commenced one of the most extraordinary sieges to
be found recounted in the page of modern history.  Five bombardments
took place; three sanguinary battles were fought under these walls, and
numerous sorties and skirmishes occurred.  Sixty guns and mortars were
landed and brought into position by the British; but the Russians were
not idle, and not only was the Malakoff tower strengthened, but the
Redan and other formidable batteries were thrown up.  The French were on
the left, and had fifty-three guns and mortars in position.

At half-past six a.m. on a beautiful morning on the 17th of October, the
English and French batteries suddenly opened, completely taking the
enemy by surprise; but though the guns from the top of the Malakoff
tower were overthrown by the English guns, the Russians kept up a steady
fire from the earthen batteries round, and from the Redan and Barrack
batteries.

The French siege-guns were, however, of less use, and totally inadequate
for the work; consequently at half-past ten a.m. they ceased firing, one
of their magazines also having blown up, and killed or wounded 100 men.
This undoubtedly was one of the main causes of the failure of the
attempt.  The fleets at the mouth of the harbour were warmly engaged,
and suffered considerably.

The Russians lost Admiral Kermileff, killed, and Admiral Nachimoff, of
Sinope celebrity, was wounded, with about 500 men killed and wounded.

The English lost 44 killed, and 266 wounded.

The French were greatly in want of guns, whereas the Russians had the
means of increasing their garrison to any extent; and, by sinking their
ships, they added 500 to the fortifications and obtained their crews to
work them.  Sickness and fighting had sadly reduced the English forces,
who now numbered only 16,000 men, though the French had still 35,000 fit
for service; yet they also soon suffered greatly from sickness and want
of food and shelter.

To those who have not before them a plan of Sebastopol, a slight
description of the place and the surrounding country will be necessary.
It is situated on the south side of an inlet of the sea, with another
smaller inlet running up on the east side called Dockyard Creek, and one
on the west, some little distance from the intrenchments, called
Quarantine Bay.  Thus it has water on three sides.  Ships of war were
stationed in each of the smaller inlets, with their guns bearing on the
ravines leading down to them.  On the north side of the harbour, at the
mouth, was Fort Constantine, with several batteries, and farther inland
the Star Fort, while across the harbour's mouth was a line of powerful
ships of war.

Only one side, therefore, remained open to attack.  At the commencement
of the siege, on the east was a round stone tower, built on commanding
ground, and mounting four guns, called the Malakoff, and on the west a
crenelated wall terminated by another tower overlooking the Quarantine
Harbour; and between them, at one or two intermediate points, there were
a few earthworks not completed, and apparently not armed.

Now these defences do not appear to be very formidable, and it is
probable that, had the allies left their sick and wounded to the tender
mercies of the Cossacks, and pushed on at once after the battle of the
Alma, they might have entered the city; but they would have entered a
trap in which they would have met certain destruction.  The Russian
fleet commanding the town would have thundered down on them, and they in
their turn would have been subjected to an immediate attack from the
powerful Russian forces hastening towards the place.  It was therefore
decided by the allied chiefs to wait till their siege-trains were
landed, and then to lay regular siege to the place.

The river Chernaya ran into the head of the harbour from the east,
passing under the heights of Inkerman.  A range of hills and high ground
extended from its mouth to the town and small harbour of Balaclava, with
a broad valley intervening, in which the British cavalry was encamped,
with a line of Turkish redoubts in their front, and the village of
Kadikoi on their right.  On the northern end of this range of heights
above Inkerman, the Guards with the 2nd division were posted; while the
French, under General Bosquet, were encamped extending along the whole
line of heights, till they were terminated by the valley where the
cavalry camp was pitched.  The other three English divisions faced
Sebastopol itself.  Balaclava harbour is surrounded by heights, on which
some powerful batteries were placed, and only one mountain road led up
to them near the sea.  Some way below them was the village of Kamara.
The weakest points of the position were at the two ends of the long
range of heights at Inkerman and Balaclava, and on both these the
Russians made their fiercest attacks.

In the valley the only infantry regiment was the gallant 93rd
Highlanders, posted in front of the village of Kadikoi.

BATTLE OF BALACLAVA--25TH OCTOBER.

The enemy had for some days before the 25th of October been observed
hovering in the neighbourhood of Balaclava; and on the morning of that
day, reinforcements of 20,000 infantry, 40 guns, and a strong force of
cavalry arrived, under General Liprandi.  The heights above Balaclava
were now garrisoned by the marines landed from the fleet; and they, with
the 93rd and a few detachments from other regiments, were under the
immediate command of Sir Colin Campbell.  Early in the morning the
Russians, in great force, attacked the Turkish batteries, which they
succeeded in capturing,--the English gunner in each, with noble
self-devotion, spiking the guns before he attempted to escape.  One
large body of the enemy now attacked the 93rd, under Lieutenant-Colonel
Ainslie, but were bravely repelled.  Another, and the most powerful,
turned towards the cavalry.  As they did so, Lord Lucan ordered General
Scarlett to charge, although the ground was far from favourable for the
operation.  It was the moment every trooper ardently longed for.
Nothing could stop their impetuosity; but all descriptions would be tame
after that of Mr Russell, for never has there been sketched a more
vivid picture.  "As lightning flashes through the cloud, the Greys and
Enniskilleners passed through the dark masses of the Russians.  The
shock was but for a moment.  There was a clash of steel, and a light
play of sword-blades in the air, and then the Greys and the redcoats
disappeared in the midst of the shaken and quivering columns.  In
another moment we saw them emerging with diminished numbers, and in
broken order, charging against the second line.  It was a terrible
moment.  `God help them, they are lost!' was the exclamation of more
than one man, and the thought of many.  With unabated fire the noble
hearts dashed at their enemy.  It was a fight of heroes.  The first
lines of Russians, which had been utterly smashed by our charge, and had
fled at our flank, and towards the centre, were coming back to swallow
up our handful of men.  By sheer steel and sheer courage Enniskilleners
and Scots were winning their desperate way right through the enemy's
squadron, and already grey horses and redcoats had appeared right at the
rear of the second mass, when, with irresistible force, like one bolt
from a bow, the 4th Dragoon Guards, riding straight at the right flank
of the Russians, and the 5th Dragoon Guards, following close upon the
Enniskilleners, rushed at the remnant of the first line of the enemy,
went through it as though it were made of pasteboard, and put them to
utter rout.  The Russian horse, in less than five minutes after it met
our dragoons, was flying with all its speed before a force certainly not
half its strength.  A cheer burst from every lip.  In their enthusiasm,
officers and men took off their caps, and shouted with delight, and
then, keeping up the scenic character of their position, they clapped
their hands again and again.  Lord Raglan at once despatched Lieutenant
Curzon, his aide-de-camp, to convey his congratulations to
Brigadier-General Scarlett, and to say, `Well done!'"

We may suppose the heights overlooking the plain or valley crowded with
eager spectators--the enemy below--the Russian hosts beyond.

This was not that desperate charge known as the "Balaclava Charge,"
which took place soon afterwards.

THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE.

That the reader may understand the circumstances which led to that
terrible charge, a description of the ground must be given.

From the lofty plateau of the Chersonese, on which the British army was
posted, a long ridge of elevated ground extends to the eastward, on the
top of which runs the Woronzoff road.  Along this ridge was a line of
forts armed with carriage guns, which had just before been captured by
the Russians from the Turks who had garrisoned them.  To the south was
the broad valley, with the heights of Balaclava on the farther side, in
which the charge of the heavy cavalry, under General Scarlett, took
place.  On the north side of the ridge was a narrower valley, with the
Fedhoukine hills to the north.

It was towards the latter part of that memorable day, the 25th of
October, that the British cavalry were drawn up under Lord Lucan at the
western end of this narrow valley directly under the steep heights of
the Chersonese.  On the summit, at the very edge of the heights, Lord
Raglan with General Airey and other officers had taken their post, so as
to overlook the Woronzoff ridge and the Fedhoukine hills with the whole
of the intermediate valley.  The eastern end of the valley was occupied
by some powerful batteries of Russian guns, supported by large bodies of
cavalry and several regiments of infantry, while the heights on both
sides were crowned by Russian artillery and infantry.  Lord Raglan,
perceiving that it was the intention of the Russians to carry off the
guns they had captured from the Turks, ordered up General Cathcart's
brigade to prevent them from effecting their object.  Some delay
occurred before the brigade began its march; and the Commander-in-Chief,
seeing that the Russians would succeed in carrying off the guns if not
at once attacked, despatched Captain Nolan, an officer on General
Airey's staff, with a written order to Lord Lucan to charge the Russians
with the light brigade of cavalry commanded by Lord Cardigan, and to
recapture the guns.  Lord Lucan and Lord Cardigan saw only the heavy
guns in their front--those to which Lord Raglan referred being concealed
from their view by the high ground.  They, therefore, supposing that
they were to attack the guns which they did see, naturally demurred
about performing an act which might prove the destruction of the whole
brigade, while the aide-de-camp, who thought only of the guns on their
right, insisted in strong language that the order must be obeyed.
Supposing that the order was understood, Captain Nolan then placed
himself on the left of the light brigade, intending to charge with it.
Lord Cardigan, still under a wrong impression, obedient to the order
which he conceived had been sent him, placed himself at the head of his
gallant light cavalry, and gave the order to advance.  Instead of
wheeling with their left shoulders forward towards the slope on their
right front, as the Commander-in-Chief expected them to do, the cavalry
continued straight down the valley, Lord Cardigan, on his tall charger,
at a distance of some five horses' lengths in front of the line, leading
them.

Scarcely had they gone a hundred paces when Captain Nolan, dashing out
from the left of the line, galloped diagonally across the front, waving
his sword and pointing eagerly towards the Russians on the right.  There
might yet have been time to remedy the fatal error into which the
cavalry guards had fallen, but at that moment a shell burst close to the
brave aide-de-camp.  His sword fell from his hand, while his arm still
remained extended; his horse wheeling, dashed back towards the advancing
ranks, passing between the 13th Light Dragoons, and he fell to the
ground a lifeless corpse.

Steadily on went those 600 men, almost to certain death, a perfect
marvel of discipline and heroic courage.  From the Woronzoff heights on
the right, from the Fedhoukine hills on the left, came showering down
upon them shot and shell and rifle bullets, thinning their advancing
ranks.  Each gap made by the deadly missiles was immediately filled up.
On went the devoted band.  More and more dropped.  Riderless horses
galloped back, some falling in their course, others uttering cries of
agony from the wounds they had received.  Here and there human forms
could be distinguished lying in the quiet of death, others writhing on
the ground, or endeavouring to drag themselves back up the valley.  As
the brigade, still as steady as if on parade, dashed forward, the guns
in their front opened their fire, filling the air with dense masses of
smoke.  Right up to them they charged, Lord Cardigan still leading.
Amid the guns they forced their way, cutting down the gunners, who
either fled or endeavoured to find shelter under the carriages.

Lord Lucan, in the meantime, followed with the heavy cavalry to support
the light brigade, but having lost many men, he judiciously retired, at
once seeing that his brigade would be destroyed before they could even
reach the guns, and they were now compelled to remain inactive while the
action continued, as their brethren in the light cavalry had been in the
morning.  At this juncture a portion of the French cavalry--the famous
regiment of D'Allonville--moved forward, sweeping round the western base
of the Fedhoukine hills, up which they charged, rushing forward as fast
as the uneven nature of the ground would allow them, on the Russian
artillery and infantry posted there, and which had caused such fearful
loss to the light cavalry as they passed.  As the French approached, the
artillery limbered up and galloped off to the eastward, while the
infantry quickly retreated, although not until many a gallant
Frenchman's saddle had been emptied.  Some minutes of awful suspense had
passed since the last of the red line of cavalry had been seen rushing
into the smoke.  Those posted on the height of Chersonese could discern,
as the smoke cleared away, a dark mass in the distance, and the
glittering of sword-blades, while the sounds of musketry and the
confused murmur of voices which came up the valley indicated that the
fight was still raging.  The guns which had dealt death into their ranks
had ceased to roar.  They had fought their way through, attacked, and
put to flight the Russian cavalry.  Then breaking into several bodies,
after enduring a heavy fire from the rifles of the infantry, had wheeled
round and were making their way back towards the point from which a few
minutes before they had set forth in brilliant array.  One body had to
encounter a whole regiment of lancers drawn up on their flank.  Although
the Russians thrust at them with their long spears, every blow was
parried, and they passed by unscathed.  At length, here and there a
single horseman was seen moving slowly back, he or his charger sorely
wounded.  Now more and more appeared, several dropping as they returned,
the whole centre of the valley, as far as the eye could reach, being
strewed with bodies of men and horses.  The number of those coming up
the valley now increased.  Among them appeared the tall form of their
leader, he and his horse uninjured; then came larger parties, followed
by single horses and men on foot, still exposed to the fire from the
Woronzoff ridge.  Presently a number of Cossacks came galloping up after
the retreating cavalry, spearing some, and taking others prisoners; but
the Russian guns on the causeway again opening fire, the Cossacks, to
avoid being struck by their friends, were compelled to abandon the
pursuit, many of those they had surrounded making their escape.  Among
the last who came in was Lord George Paget, who with Colonel Douglas led
out the remnant of the 4th Dragoon Guards and a portion of the 11th
Hussars.  Of the Gallant Brigade, which half an hour before had numbered
600 horseman, not 200 now remained fit for duty. 113 officers and men
had been killed, and 134 wounded, while upwards of 400 horses were
killed or rendered unfit for service.  Although the Russian batteries
still kept up their fire, many of the troopers who had themselves
escaped dashed back to search for their wounded officers or comrades,
and several were thus saved from perishing on the battle-field.

The Russian loss was far greater.  Sir George Cathcart, with the 4th
division, coming up, the enemy fell back, and abandoned the attempt to
carry off the guns.  On the next day, the 26th of October, the Russians
made an attack on the 2nd division, that part of the British force which
was posted above the ruins of Inkerman.

About 8000 men, supported by artillery and skirmishers, advanced against
this division; but so admirably did they sustain the attack, that when
General Bosquet led up some French troops, they retreated, and were
chased down the ridge towards the head of the bay.  This attack has been
called the Little Inkerman.

Battle of Inkerman 5th November.  The allied commanders had decided on a
general assault for the 7th of November; but the enemy, who had received
immense reinforcements, anticipated their plans, and prepared for
another terrific attempt to raise the siege, and to drive the allies
into the sea.

The camp of the 2nd division was on the extreme northern end of the
heights, above the ruins of Inkerman, with Careening Bay on the left,
and the river Chernaya in front.  The extreme right of the British
position, and the left of the French, was the weakest point.  Sir De
Lacy Evans had pointed it out, and Sir John Burgoyne had especially
urged the French General Biot to strengthen it, but he paid no attention
to the advice; and at length the English, their strength already
overtaxed, had erected a small work there, but no guns had yet been
mounted.  Of this the Russian generals were fully aware when they formed
their plan of attack.  Two corps of the Russian army were detailed for
the grand attack.  One, under General Pauloff, was to march from the
north side, and crossing the marsh from the causeway, was then to wind
up the heights in front of the 2nd division, and force the English
right.  Simultaneously with General Pauloff's movement, the other corps,
under General Soimonoff, was to leave Sebastopol by a road near the
Malakoff, which would have brought it 

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