All the 4th of March we were busy strengthening our entrenchments, filling up tumbrils and ammunition hackeries: in short, preparing. Information had arrived that the enemy were going to attack us on the 5th, and would bring a very strong force to the task. Several of the swell rebel Rajahs were to be present. All was in readiness by dark on the evening of the 4th; and at 2A.M.on the morning of the 5th the alarm was sounded. The force moved out of its entrenchments, and formed up a mile or so to our front. Cavalry on both flanks, guns in centre, and infantry were equally distributed on each side of the battery. There we remained, waiting for news. The cavalry patrol had been sent out five miles along the road, to feel for the enemy.
Daylight appeared; yet no news had been sent in. Not until seven o’clock did we see our patrol retiring at a comfortable trot along the road.Soon after break of day they had observed this huge mass of the enemy advancing, and had, consequently, retired. We had not to wait long. Clouds of dust told us of their whereabouts. The clouds extended a very considerable distance, overlapping our front on both sides. Not long afterwards we could hear the bugle calls of the enemy; and I must own it was rather an anxious time for us. The Brigadier, alive to the occasion, rode about and spoke a few words of encouragement to the men. How we longed to be all white troops, instead of a mixed force! All told, we mustered only 1700 infantry, 250 cavalry, and four guns. The enemy, we heard afterwards, were 15,000 strong—half Sepoys and half badly-armed rebels—with twelve guns. The next thing to be done was to show as large a front as we could. The regiments were actually placed in single file in one long line. We could not afford supports, and the four guns were divided. In fact, we had to take our chance. Luckily, had to deal with niggers only: or.... Words fail me.
About 9A.M.the action was begun by the enemy firing his 18-pounder, then some 1500 yards distant. As we had nothing that ranged more than 1200 yards, we were at a disadvantage. So a general advance was made; our skirmishers were thrown out; and the guns soon got their range. All this time I saw masses of men movingabout in large knots, their object being to outflank us. Their cavalry were galloping about, though they did not seem to have much formation: only clouds of men and clouds of dust were to be seen for miles. This artillery and skirmishers’ duel went on for about an hour. Rowcroft calmly waited events: it was for the enemy to show the initiative: we were too weak to manœuvre. Their guns did us little harm (our line was thin); for the most part they fired much too high, clean over our heads.
Our guns pitched their shell beautifully into any large knots they saw; also into their cavalry, which quickly retired in consequence. At eleven or so, the first signs of manœuvring began by the enemy trying to get round our right flank. We changed front slightly; and the right squadron of Bengal Cavalry, to whom I had the pleasure of taking the order, were ordered to advance and charge. They hardly waited for me as I galloped up. They knew before I hailed Major Richardson, now in command, what my bent was, and they were off. Our half battery also advanced at a gallop, the ground being very open (a grassy plain, in fact), and blazed away at the left of the enemy, who soon got the worst of it and were driven back. Noticing this retrograde movement, our centre, which had now been reformed two-deep, advanced, and, gradually getting within closerange, fired, lying down, volley after volley into the disconcerted rebels, whose centre seemed to be on the move.
Meanwhile our left flank was overlapped, and the beggars were trying to get round our left rear into our camp. Off went the left squadron, supported by the other two guns, with our Marines and Sikhs, and mowed them down beautifully. By 1P.M.the rebels had enough of it, and began to retire in earnest. Our fellows then all along the line took up one continued cheer, and rushed them. This was too much for the enemy, who for a time made off completely. They took up a fresh position some four miles farther on, where there was a village with a large tope of trees; but they did not remain long. We drove them out.
It was now about 2P.M., and our fellows were clean done up by the great heat. The General ordered a halt. The enemy gradually retired in all directions from our front; and, beyond a few stray shots from their artillery while we were resting in the shade, the fight was virtually over.
I had a good deal of galloping about all that morning. No sooner was I back from one order than off I was sent on some other errand. It was most interesting work. I had constantly to cross some part of the plain where the fire was raging hot. In went my spurs on these occasions. I could generally see the round shot coming.One of them came ricochetting straight at me. Luckily, I was crossing a bit of ploughed or soft land. The shot actually finished its last bound under my horse’s legs without touching them. Once or twice I found some of our native troops hanging back under shelter of old walls, the ruins of some old village. This so annoyed me that, finding strong language of no avail, I used the flat of my sword on more than one man’s back. My Chief was very calm all that morning; but I could see very plainly that he was anxious as to results. On my returning from my message he was very impatient to know if the orders were being carried out. He had two other gallopers that day, and they too were hard at it.
We took seven guns: one an 18-pounder, three brass 9-pounders, and others of smaller calibre.
Here it was that a very good messmate of mine, Fowler, was killed by a round shot; not half a minute before he had passed me and said, “I say, old Victor, look at this,” showing me where a grape shot had gone through the bottom of his trousers. This was a sad loss to us all. That night I helped to dress him in clean white clothes, and we laid him in his last resting-place. Our casualties were astonishingly few. I attribute this to the thinness of our line and the wretched shooting of the enemy. The hostile force were large enough to eat us had they had any systemof fighting; but, I suppose, they thought that their great masses would frighten us clean away. The incident showed what method and discipline can do against a mob. Many of the Sepoy regiments had come from Oude. There they had been thoroughly thrashed; and they fought us that day with their tails between their legs.
The action had a marvellous effect. It saved the Gorruckpore district from a second rebellion. Before attacking, the rebels had issued a proclamation that they had come to annihilate us, to liberate Gorruckpore from the Englishmen, and to drive us out of the district. Our spies told us that they never thought our small force would show front for an instant. It was expected that we should retire, and, consequently, the enemy made no preparations to manœuvre.
We had many narrow squeaks that morning. A shell burst close under the head of the Brigadier’s horse; yet he was not touched. I had hold of the branch of a tree, clearing it from my head, when a round shot cut it off just above me.
After the fight we marched back to camp much fatigued; but we did not enter our entrenchments. We felt comparatively safe. We knew that the horde of rebels had lost all courage and were in despair. Many gave up fighting and left for their homes. The loss was estimated at 700 killed and wounded.
Next day we had a General Thanksgiving Service for our victory, and very impressive it was.
From the 5th until the 23rd of March we remained at Amorrah and fortified the village. We had one or two alarms that the enemy were coming down upon us; but they were false. A royal salute was fired in honour of the victories at Lucknow, and a parade of the whole force was ordered to hear read out a despatch from the Commander-in-Chief appreciating our services.
We now went into cantonment at Bustee, and huts were built to shelter us from the sun and the rains during the hot season now advancing. Our force was gradually augmented by the arrival of the 13th Light Infantry under the command of Lord Mark Kerr. A splendid regiment it was, over 1300 strong. Later, some Madras cavalry and a Sikh regiment under the celebrated Colonel Brazier arrived; and these cantonments served as our head-quarters until the following November, when we once again took the field. A story was told me of this celebrated Colonel. At the beginning of the Mutiny, it was supposed that the Sikhs were rather wavering in their allegiance, and that his regiment, though most ably commanded, and under perfect discipline, might possibly follow suit. This the Colonel was told. However, one day, while he was writing in his tent, a fanatic rushed in and exclaimed, “Bolt for your life,Colonel: your regiment is about to mutiny.” Brazier thereupon seized his revolver, saying, “If my regiment is to mutiny you shall be the first to suffer for it,” and then shot him on the spot. It was said that this summary proceeding stopped a mutiny which was imminent in this regiment—that what the fanatic had told him was quite true.
During the seven months at Bustee we were constantly sending out flying columns, and otherwise giving the rebels no peace when they congregated in the district which we were protecting. Sometimes the fighting was at close quarters for a brief period; but generally the rebels did not stand longer than they could help. It was harassing work, and kept our force employed a good deal.
Cricket matches were got up. Also, we had a theatre, and amused ourselves as best we could, when not out on detachment service, during those long months. The heat was very great, and during the rainy season our men suffered a good deal from fever. I was down with it for six weeks. It took a very malignant mode with me: in fact, it was touch-and-go with me for some days. I lived on quinine and jack fruit.
Towards November the weather became cooler, and preparations were made to leave our cantonments and once again take the field under tents. The change of scene and of work was very welcome.
We left our cantonment on the 16th of November,and advanced in a north-west direction to the frontiers of Nepaul. From that date until the 23rd of December we were gradually driving the rebels before us. There was a smart encounter at a place called Domerigunge, where we drove the rebels across the Rapti River. We crossed a few days after by a bridge of boats. In the action near the Rapti River we got well among them, and in their flight across the river a good many of them were drowned. The Bengal Yeomanry Cavalry paid them off well in a charge, but, unfortunately, lost an able officer, Captain Giffard, who fell at the head of his troop. Once over the Rapti, we heard that the rebels had made preparations for a great stand at a place called Toolsepore, not far from the Terai Jungle. We were now within sight of the Himalaya Mountains, and the distant scenery was magnificent—a relief after the plains we had been marching through all these months.
We arrived in the vicinity of Toolsepore on the 20th of December, and on the 23rd we had our last fight. It was supposed that to take Toolsepore would be a big business. It was said to be a very strong position. Consequently, a siege train was sent for to batter down the forts. Part of the Naval Brigade had to take charge of the guns, three 18-pounders and some mortars. Our force on the eve of the attack consistedof 2180 infantry, 400 cavalry, 12 field guns, and the siege train. To us, long accustomed to fighting with handfuls of men, this appeared quite an imposing force.
We could see the enemy’s position in the distance, and clearly make out large forts and batteries and a very extensive camp. I believe that that was their last dying effort in our part of India. All the other field forces were gradually converging and closing in the rebels, who could now only surrender or retreat into the Terai Jungle and cross the Nepaul frontier; which Jung Bahadour, it was said, would oppose. We were now within touch of Sir Hope Grant’s columns; and, two days before the action at Toolsepore, he sent us a wing of the 53rd Regiment, about 580 strong, with two guns of Welch’s battery.
In the evening before our fight I rode down to the outlying pickets to have a look-round, and was much interested in watching the Sepoys’ pickets and sentries, and the little knots of cavalry patrolling about. Now and then a bullet fired from a distance would fly past me, and, as I was only an amateur, I did not remain long to hear more.
Next morning at nine our little army crossed a small fordable river, the Bulli Rapti. I was galloping about all the morning to the various corps, with messages sent by my Chief. About ten the troops had all got into position, and theusual advance of an extended line about one-and-a-half mile long, with guns in centre, was begun. The enemy came out from their forts, and formed up in three separate columns. Thus, when we got within range of artillery (about eleven o’clock) we had to manœuvre so as to make three separate attacks on the formations. The action was fought on a vast plain.
Skirmishers were blazing away. In fact, a general action had begun. The Brigadier, seeing that the 13th were rather in rear of their proper position, sent me off a mile gallop with orders to them to advance more quickly. I found the 13th in a broken bad piece of ground intercepted with nullahs. Lord Mark Kerr, marching his regiment in open column of companies, was very much put out by the men not preserving their wheeling distance. In fact, he was having a sort of field day on his own account. On my venturing to repeat the orders he became very wroth. Still, it was amusing to see him riding hatless with a white umbrella over his head (which was his wont), and giving his orders as if he were on a parade-ground instead of on a battle-field.
My message to his Lordship was that he should lose no time in advancing, and should keep his alignment. As we advanced the rebels fell back, and for a time they sheltered themselves in their entrenchments. This being justwhat my Chief wanted and expected them to do, cavalry and some infantry were immediately sent round their flank, to attack them in the rear and to cut off their retreat should they bolt. The siege train of heavy guns, drawn by elephants, was now moved up and opened fire on the forts. By 4P.M.we had carried the fort and the villages. There was a chase until seven o’clock, and the cavalry were very effective during the flight of the natives. It was wonderful how soon the rebels got away. They were marvels at running when once off: nothing but horse artillery and cavalry could come up with them. Many hid themselves away in the high-standing crops, villages, out-houses: in fact, they scattered all over the country.
That night we bivouacked outside the enemy’s fort and entrenchments. Just before dusk I rode in to see what they were like. It was certainly a very strong position; but the dirt was so abominable that I could not stay long. They had evidently been there some time: anybody who knew India in the Mutiny days will well understand what I mean. Several of the enemy’s guns that day were carried at the point of the bayonet (generally by our skirmishers), and we routed them completely.
Next day the troops rested.
On Christmas Day, as we were well into our dinner, and what might be called enjoying ourselves, Sir Hope Grant rode into camp about 4P.M.andordered us to make a forced march immediately, so as to follow up the rebels, who were trying to escape to the eastwards. What a nuisance we voted this grand soldier, as he stood there with a fine escort of cavalry (Lancers) giving his orders to our General! I heard him say, “Off at once! Dinner or no dinner, we must cut these rebels off.” There, on the spot, the bugles were sounded; down came our tents; and what became of our stewed kid and other little delicacies we had taken so much trouble to get hold of I don’t know. I was on my horse in no time and sent galloping about with instructions.
Marching until well into the night straight across country (the roads being blocked with mud, owing to heavy rains), we halted, and curled ourselves up as best we could on the ground until daylight. I lay down in a ploughed field that night: no baggage or tents had come up. The soil was soft at first; but I soon made a large form, which became as hard as a brick bat; and I woke up aching all over. For three days we saw neither tents nor baggage. We were simply following up the rebels, who were now making for the great Terai Jungle. Arriving at Intwa on the 28th, we found Sir Hope Grant with a troop of horse artillery, the 9th Lancers, and Hodson’s Horse. What joy to see horse artillery and that splendid cavalry! The 9th looked nearly as well as if theyhad been at Aldershot; so did the horse artillery; and that splendid regiment, Hodson’s Horse, was indeed a sight.
For two or three days our force and Sir Hope’s marched in parallel columns. Only once did we come across rebels. That was at the edge of the Terai, where we took them completely by surprise, and actually found their pots on the fire, cooking. This was about the last shot the Brigade saw fired. On the 3rd of January 1859 we had done our share in quelling the Mutiny, and received orders to return to our shipviâAllahabad. All our part of the country was freed from rebels: at any rate, there was no chance of their congregating again.