Chapter XII (2)

On the next day they crossed the Gogra by the bridge of boats, as their comrades of the 2nd Battalion had done four days before; both forming part of the army assembled under Lord Clyde, which was to drive the enemy into a corner, from which it was hoped if Jung Bahadoor, the Chief Minister of Nepaul, stood true to us, he could not escape, and so to terminate the war. After passing the river and marching three miles, they forded a river about three feet deep. This and its sandy banks much retarded the baggage, which also had been delayed by the obstinacy of the elephants, who would not venture on the bridge, and were made to swim the river under the lead or guidance of an old elephant. It was late, therefore, before their baggage came up and they encamped at Wuzeergunge.

On the 16th they made another long march to Gonda, where they encamped near some ruined bungalows, said to have been once occupied by the officers of a native regiment, who were murdered by their men.

Here they remained till after the close of the year without any incident of importance, save that two companies (Major Bourchier’s and Captain Windham’s) went out on a daur on the 21st and returned on the 23rd.

On January 3, 1859, the 2nd Battalion shifted camp to Purainee, about a mile from Bankee.

On the 6th they marched at seven in the morning to the bank of the Raptee, and encamped at Sudheeria Ghât[309] about ten.

On the 8th Lord Clyde and the greater part of the force quitted the frontier; leaving the 2nd Battalion, the 7th Hussars, and some native troops, under Brigadier Horsford, to watch the fords of the Raptee.

On the 12th the Battalion shifted camp to Ballapore, on the banks of a tributary of the Raptee; and at eleven at night three companies, Captains R. Glyn’s, Blackett’s and Dillon’s, marched, under the command of Major Vaughan, of the 5th Punjaub Regiment, and crossing the Raptee, proceeded about sixteen miles, when they came on the rebels and killed twenty-five out of about thirty. They returned to camp on the 14th.

On the 26th they again shifted camp close to the Raptee.

At last, on February 8, they received authority to cross the frontier into Nepaul, Jung Bahadoor having given consent to their entering that territory. On the 9th, therefore, they marched at five in the morning and crossed the Raptee. They then moved through about five miles of very dense jungle with very large trees, and passed a mark like a mile-stone, which denoted the boundary of Nepaul. They then went round the spur of the mountains, and debouched on a large plain. They went on some miles farther, when the Brigadier ordered Colonel Hill, with a wing of the Battalion and some native troops, to recross to the right bank of the Raptee, where, at a crossing called Sidka Ghât, the enemy were reported to be in force, with fifteen guns in position.

This force was told off: two companies to proceed along the river’s bank; two under Major Warren to press through the jungle on the left, and to endeavour to intercept the enemy or to fall on their right flank; and the native troops under Major Vaughan to act in a similar manner, but on ground farther removed from the river.

The companies near the river extended in skirmishing order, the right file resting on the river’s bank. After advancing some distance they found themselves in front of a hill, which they were obliged to file round along the water’s edge. This was no easy work, for the ground was very difficult, and interspersed with rocks and great boulders. As they were thus proceeding, on reaching a bend of the river they found themselves in front of the guns of the enemy, who were in a strong position on some rising ground. These guns immediately opened on them with grape, but did little mischief, as the fire flew over their heads, wounding one man only. The Riflemen moved rapidly forward, and as soon as they were clear of the rocks formed and proceeded across the shingle, keeping up a smart fire which did much execution.

But the rebel gunners stood by their guns till the Riflemen were close upon them. Then they bolted and escaped into the jungle, giving the slip to Major Vaughan, whose force had been sent round to intercept them. They left fourteen guns and a mortar in the hands of Hill’s force.

The other wing, with Brigadier Horsford, having given the attacking party twenty minutes’ start, moved on along the plain, keeping the Raptee on the left, till about three in the afternoon, when they entered a dense forest. The ground became hilly and the road bad. At half-past three they made another halt of twenty minutes, and were just falling in when they heard guns open in the front. They pushed forward, and soon came to a very steep hill, which they ran down, and found themselves on the bank of the river, and saw the skirmishers of the other wing entering the jungle on the opposite bank. They were ordered to halt; and after their fight the other wing recrossed the Raptee and joined them, and they then marched to camp, which they found pitched about four miles off, and which they did not reach till seven at night, after one of the hardest day’s work they had ever had. For they had passed through dense and difficult jungle; had scrambled over rough rocks, and had moved over shingly and fatiguing ground; besides marching not less than twenty miles. A non-commissioned officer (Sergeant Braun) was very nearly drowned in crossing the Raptee. He fell twice, but one of the men on the right bank rescued him.

They remained in this camp till the 12th, when it was shifted to the tributary of the Raptee, near a jungle which seemed to be interminable. The rain was very heavy, and the camp-ground became a perfect swamp.

In his despatch reporting this action, Horsford favourably mentions Lieutenant-Colonel Hill, Major Dillon and Lieutenant Fryer.

On the 14th, very sudden orders were received at eleven P.M. for three companies, Captain Fremantle’s, one under the command of Lieutenant Sotheby, and another, to start on an expedition under command of Major Ramsay of the Kumaon Battalion. These companies accordingly paraded at half-past three in the morning; but owing to a delay in the arrival of elephants did not move off till half-past four. They crossed the Raptee five times, and as it was deep and rapid, the men for the purpose of crossing were mounted on elephants. They then marched forward; and at about six arrived at the edge of the jungle and formed up. They went on at a very brisk pace till half-past nine, when they halted for twenty minutes, sending on a spy to bring word if he could see anything of the enemy. Starting again, they marched through a gorge in the hill, and by the side and bed of a mountain stream, till half-past eleven; when, it being suspected that they had missed their way, a Goorka was despatched, who soon returned with the intelligence that they were on a wrong track. They therefore retraced their steps, and soon meeting the spy, were disappointed at hearing from him that the enemy had departed. At one o’clock they came up to the ground they had occupied, and found the ashes of their fires still smouldering. Here the Riflemen bivouacked, no tents having been taken with this detachment; but their rations did not come up till four o’clock. They had marched about sixteen miles over bad ground at a very rapid pace, and were much wearied.

On the 16th they returned to the camp of the Head-quarters, marching at half-past six, and arriving at one.

On the 17th the Battalion, starting at six in the morning, marched back to Sudheeria Ghât, where they camped about half-past eleven.

On the 21st the whole Battalion turned out early to take leave of their friends and comrades of the 7th Hussars, who had received the route for Umballa. They had been together for twelve months, and fought together in many brilliant affairs, and undergone together many weary days. Officers and men felt great regret at this parting; for a feeling had grown up between them of such comradeship as is not usual between separate corps.

On the 26th the Battalion marched to a place about three miles on the other side of Bankee, and encamped there; the whole march being about eight miles. On the next day, Brigadier Horsford, under whom they had so long served, started with his Staff for Gonda, to take command of the troops there, and the command of those on the Raptee devolved on Colonel Hill.

On the 28th the Battalion marched to Nanparah, fourteen miles, the country through which they passed being under water from daily rain. For the next few days this rain was so heavy, accompanied often by lightning and thunder, that though daily orders were given to march, they were as regularly countermanded. The camping-ground became first a swamp, then a perfect lake. At last, on March 6, they marched at ten in the forenoon, and arrived at their old camping-ground at Jeta at two in the afternoon. On the next day they proceeded to Baraitch, arriving there at half-past two in the afternoon. The rivers and nullahs, swollen by the rains, were up to a short man’s hips.

They remained at Baraitch till the 28th, when they shifted camp; but the ground chosen being found to be infested with reptiles, they were moved back on the 30th to nearly their old ground.

On April 3 an order was received from Brigadier Horsford for two companies, with some native troops and guns, to proceed to Bankee to watch the ford there, and defend the line of the Raptee. Captain Singer and Lieutenant Nicholl went on this duty.

On the 4th two more companies were ordered to the Raptee; and at half-past four on the morning of the 5th Major Warren’s and Captain R. Glyn’s companies started, and after marching fourteen miles, halted to get something to eat. After which, marching about ten miles farther, they arrived at Bhinga Ghât on the Raptee, their destination. On the 6th they halted there, throwing out strong picquets. On the next day these companies moved back to a tope on the Baraitch road; and on the 8th they started on a reconnaissance at half-past eight, and marched about eight miles. No two villages which they passed through told the same tale. In one the inhabitants had seen the _budmashes_[310] in thousands; in the next they vowed that not one had been seen for six months. The companies got back to their camp at half-past three in the afternoon, having marched about sixteen miles in the heat of the day.

These companies halted during the 9th and 10th, and marched back to Baraitch and joined Head-quarters on the 11th.

In the meantime the remainder of the Battalion, with the exception of Captain Fremantle’s company which was left at Baraitch, marched at five P.M. under Colonel Hill; and after marching sixteen miles towards Rahdee, found that the enemy, whom they expected to find there, had fled. They therefore encamped about three A.M. And on the next day marched back at six in the evening to Baraitch, where they arrived the following morning at five. The men were very much fatigued, having had two nights’ marching, and having been unable to sleep by day on account of the heat, the thermometer standing at 102°.

At midnight on the 8th-9th Captain Fremantle with his company, 2 Horse Artillery guns, 80 Punjaub rifles, and 150 native police, marched to join a force under Captain Cleveland, 98th Regiment, at Akouna. Halting every hour for ten minutes to rest the men, this force arrived at Akouna, and encamped in a tope at nine in the morning.

On the next day this detachment marched at half-past nine in the morning, some of the men being on gun-waggons and some on elephants, and arrived at Khagupore at half-past three. And on the following morning marched at six to Dahnapore, where they arrived at half-past eleven.

On the 12th they moved to Ramwapore, about five miles distant, and arrived there at eight in the morning.

In the afternoon reports came in that the rebels were encamped about three miles off, and would probably remain there during the night. Accordingly, Fremantle marched his detachment at three P.M., leaving his camp standing. After advancing for some time without seeing anything of rebels, they came on a picquet of Hodson’s Horse, who were marching westward, and who reported that rebels were close at hand. It was then about six. They pushed on, and Captain Cleveland directed Fremantle to take his company, the guns, and some native horsemen round a jungle, and attack the rear of the enemy. After marching about a mile, they turned off the road into the jungle; and after about three quarters of a mile emerged into a kind of plain, though surrounded with jungle on all sides. Here the native guide said he could see a rebel vedette. Fremantle accordingly ordered the Punjaub men to form company and advance; and they had scarcely done so when a volley was poured into them at about forty yards. It was now half-past six, and nearly dark. The native police, who were leading, fled at the first fire, carrying away in their flight a section of the Punjaub men. The remainder of these sat down on the ground and fired at the enemy. Yet Fremantle could neither induce them to face the hill and attack the rebels, nor yet to clear off to the flank, and allow the guns and the Riflemen to act. At last he succeeded in getting them off to a flank; and then the guns opening with grape, and the Riflemen pouring in a steady fire, the flashes from the bushes and the hill in front soon ceased. Advancing up the hill, they found the camp of the rebels, their fires burning, and their bedding and grass for their horses unmoved; but not a man was there. This little affair lasted exactly half-an-hour. One Rifleman was severely wounded. Fremantle then went round the jungle; and, regaining the Fyzabad road, rejoined the main body under Captain Cleveland at nine. And the Riflemen reached their camp at half-past eleven, much fatigued by their marches and their fight.

On the 13th they halted, and on the next day marched back to Khagupore, and on the day following to Akouna, where they halted during the 16th. On the 17th this company marched to take up a position to cover the fords of the Raptee at Gunespore. Here they remained till the 22nd; when, being relieved by Sotheby’s company, which had started from Baraitch the day before, they marched at 2.30 in the morning of the 23rd; and encamping during that day at a village, resumed their march at three o’clock the following morning, and rejoined the Battalion soon after seven on the 24th.

During this time, however, other expeditions had taken place. On the 9th one company, under Lieutenant Eccles, had marched about eighteen miles towards Nanparah, but returned on the 11th.

On the 20th Colonel Hill, having received Brigadier Horsford’s orders to meet him at Nanparah, proceeded thither with three companies of the Battalion. The object was to clear the Jugdespore jungles of a number of rebels who had taken refuge there.

Accordingly, these three companies started from Baraitch in the afternoon of that day, and marched about seven miles. And on the 21st, marching early, they reached Nanparah, after a very long march, and found the Brigadier awaiting them. On the next day they started soon after four, and marched sixteen miles; and on the 23rd made a further march of twelve miles to Hureeha, in the course of which they crossed the Surjoo river, and encamped on its banks.

On the 24th (Easter Sunday) they started soon after two in the morning, and made a march of eighteen miles, nearly half of it through thick jungle; and as the heat was now oppressive, the march was very wearisome. They had now got near the enemy, who was in a delta of the River Gogra. So that on the 25th they struck tents at two. Soon after starting they lost their way in the jungle, so that day broke before they were fairly started. Colonel Hill commanded the infantry of the force employed.

The Rifle companies marched on until they came to a ford of the Gogra. Here they were halted till the cavalry and guns, which had proceeded by another route, came up. On their arrival they crossed the river, which was at the ford waist-deep, holding their pouches up to their shoulders. They formed on the other side, and found the rebels in a large open space in front of a thick jungle. They were evidently surprised, and tried to make off. The Riflemen broke into extended order, and after a very smart skirmish, drove the enemy into a further jungle. Here Dr. Reade had a very narrow escape of his life, being attacked with great audacity by two of the enemy’s Sowars immediately in rear of the supports. The rebels broke into three parties, and so gave the Riflemen some trouble, as they had to pursue them through jungle so thick that it seemed never to have been trodden by the foot of man. However, as the enemy had taken refuge in it, and it seemed impossible then to dislodge them, camp was pitched about eight o’clock, and the Riflemen rested for the night, weary and hungry; for they had received only half-a-pound of bread and a dram of rum till they reached their camp; and they had fought hard and marched far.

On the next day orders were given to clear the jungle. Accordingly Colonel Hill with his Riflemen scoured the whole of the delta, on which these jungles were situated, to the river’s bank. But the rebels forded the river, and made good their escape. However, in the fight of the previous day a number (it is said 200) of them were killed, and some prisoners taken.

On the 27th, having effected the object of their expedition, they began their return, and marched eight miles. On the next day they marched the same distance to Hureeha, having recrossed the Gogra at a different point, where the water was deeper and the current very strong. Some men narrowly escaped drowning, and a bugler (Horton) saved the lives of three men. It was a difficult and dangerous ford, and a rifle and two swords were lost.

On the 29th they marched ten miles to Doobra; on the 30th fourteen miles; on May 1 twelve miles; and on the next day, after a march of sixteen miles, arrived at Nanparah.

Here they halted during the 3rd. And on the following day one company, accompanying the Brigadier and the cavalry, returned to Baraitch. The remaining two companies remained at Nanparah until June 6, when they started on their return to Baraitch.

I have now to return to the movements of Sotheby’s company, which, as I have said, started from Baraitch on the 21st to relieve Captain Fremantle. On that day they marched twelve miles to Bamparah, and on the next seventeen miles to Gunespore. On the 28th they turned out at night, the picquets having been fired upon. From the 4th to the 10th May they patrolled about the neighbourhood. On the 4th they crossed the Raptee, and marched eight miles; on the 5th marched nine miles to Pepree Ghât; on the next day thirteen miles to Akouna, where they halted one day; and returned on the 8th to Pepree Ghât; and on the 10th marched back to their camp at Gunespore. On the 27th half the company proceeded to Bhinga, but finding no rebels there, returned to their camp the same evening. On June 2 the force under Captain Cleveland was broken up, and Sotheby, with the company under his command, marched for Baraitch, where they arrived on the 3rd, and joined Head-quarters of the Battalion.

The Mutiny was now virtually at an end. No enemy remained in the field, and only a few scattered fugitives skulked in the jungle, and these not in numbers sufficient to give uneasiness to our posts, or to necessitate keeping an army on the frontier or in the field. The 2nd Battalion, therefore, received on June 13 an order to march towards Lucknow, halting at Byram Ghât for Captain Singer’s detachment of two companies, which was still watching the fords of the Raptee. On the 15th they left Baraitch at three in the morning, arriving at Puckerpore at half-past eight. The next day they were detained in the morning by heavy rains, but started at half-past four in the afternoon: the heat was intense, and it was like marching in a vapour bath, so that the men were much knocked up. The baggage, too, went astray, and on their arrival at their halting-place about nine at night, there were neither tents, rations, nor grog. The men lay down on the damp ground till two in the morning; and at three resumed their march without refreshment, and at daylight reached Hissampore; but no baggage appearing, they were obliged to set out in search of it, and at half-past eight arrived at a place where they halted, and sent for the baggage, having made a twenty-mile march. But no sooner was their camp pitched than a violent storm came on, blowing some of the tents clean away from the ropes, and leaving their inmates exposed to the full violence of the weather. On the 18th they started again at two in the morning, and arrived at Byram Ghât at seven. The river was much swollen, and there was no bridge. Two companies embarked at half-past seven, and attempted to cross; but the boats missed stays, and did not succeed in getting over. And as in consequence of the wind it was only practicable to cross in the morning or evening, they could not make a fresh attempt till six in the evening, when these two companies got across and landed at 6.20. The Regiment continued crossing on the 20th; and all got across on the 21st, Captain Singer’s two companies from Bankee, which had arrived on the previous day, bringing up the rear. On the 22nd they marched at half-past four, and encamped beyond Ramnaghur, a march of six miles, soon after seven. On the next day they proceeded seven miles. On the 24th seven more, and encamped at Nawabgunge. On the 25th they were unable to continue their march on account of the violence of the rain; but on the next day they made a march of ten miles in the morning, and were ordered to march again at four in the afternoon; but rain poured down steadily, and continued all the evening. On the 27th they marched at half-past four in the morning, and arrived at the Yellow Bungalow at Lucknow at a quarter after eight. Here they encamped, but were ordered to parade again at four. It was so hot, however, that this was postponed till five, when they moved near the Dilkoosha. It had rained every day for some time, the country they had marched through was very wet, and the ground on which they now encamped was a perfect swamp.

Here they remained, furnishing a detachment of three companies to the Imaumbarah, till early in July, when the men were placed in barracks: a comfort few if any of them had enjoyed since they left Dublin two years before. The officers, however, continued in tents. The men now suffered much from their long exposure to the climate, and it is said that in August there were 200 men in hospital. But not till their work was over had they succumbed to fatigue, exposure, or climate. For twenty months they had been in the field; often bivouacked in the open; never once in quarters. They had marched 1,745 miles in 161 marches (not including often shifting their camp to distances less than four miles), and every company-officer--save one who was lame--had accompanied his men on foot in these marches. They were, I believe, the only battalion which, from their landing in November 1857 to their cantonment at Lucknow in July 1859, had not at some time been in quarters; but had kept the field from the date of their arrival till the last day of the Mutiny.

Their casualties in that time may now be summed up.

Of officers, 2 had been killed in action; 4 had been severely wounded; 2 had died of their wounds; and 2 had died of disease. A total of 10 officers.

Of the Riflemen in the ranks there were

+-------------------------+-----------+---------+----------+-------+
| | Sergeants | Buglers | Privates | Total |
| +-----------+---------+----------+-------+
| Killed in action | | | 10 | 10 |
| Wounded severely | 6 | 1 | 24 | 31 |
| ” slightly | | | 29 | 29 |
| Died of wounds | | | 7 | 7 |
| ” disease | 11 | 3 | 118 | 132 |
| Invalided, and not | | | | |
| included in the above | 3 | | 34 | 37 |
| +-----------+---------+----------+-------+
| Grand total | 20 | 4 | 222 | 246 |
+-------------------------+-----------+---------+----------+-------+

There had landed in India, either with the Battalion or by drafts joining it, up to this period: 44 officers, 61 sergeants, 25 buglers, and 1,147 men. So that in this campaign nearly one-fourth of the officers, and a little more than one-fifth of other ranks, were killed, wounded, or invalided.

On October 22 Lord Canning, the Governor-General, made his entry into Lucknow; on which occasion the Battalion escorted him through the town, parading for that purpose at three A.M., and returning to their quarters at nine.

On the 29th they were inspected by the Commander-in-Chief, Lord Clyde, on which occasion there was a review and march-past. And on that evening the Governor-General, accompanied by their old Commander in the field, Sir Hope Grant, visited and went round their barracks.

We left the 3rd Battalion at Gonda in December 1858. On January 9, 1859, Head-quarters, with four companies, marched to Murajgunge, a distance of twenty-five miles; and on the 10th proceeded to the bank of the Raptee and encamped there. On the next day the Riflemen crossed the river on rafts, the baggage elephants and camels being made to wade across, and arrived at Tulsipore in the afternoon. The object of this march was to take over and escort the guns which had been taken at the Raptee and previously. Accordingly, on their arrival at Tulsipore they received from a company of Sikhs three guns and some treasure.

After a day’s halt they started from Tulsipore on the 13th, and recrossing the Raptee arrived at Bulrampore after a fatiguing march of eighteen miles. On the 14th they proceeded to Cughar, seventeen miles; and on the next day rejoined the remainder of the Battalion at Gonda.

After one day’s halt the Battalion started on the 17th for Agra, and passing through Secrora, recrossed the Gogra at Byram Ghât on the 20th. They proceeded to Nawabgunge on the 21st; and on the 23rd arrived at Lucknow. They marched from there on the 25th, and reached Bunteerah on the 27th, and Cawnpore on the 28th. Thence they proceeded by daily marches by Chobeepore, Poorah, Urroul, Mukrundnuggur, Chubramow, Bewar, Shekoabad, and Ferozabad to Agra, which they reached on February 12, and were there stationed.

FOOTNOTES:

[299] Lieutenant-Colonel Green, Captain of a company at Chelsea Hospital.

[300] Sergeant William Mansel was appointed Ensign in the 12th Foot, August 24, 1859.

[301] ‘London Gazette’ and MS. Narratives of Colonel Green and Mr. Mansel.

[302] _i.e._ An expedition, literally, a run.

[303] It was found afterwards by measurement to be nearly forty feet wide, and thirty feet deep, with three or four feet of mud at the bottom.

[304] ‘ ... Rifle Brigade--Colour-Sergeant Maloney; Private Etteridge.’

[305] Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Sotheby.

[306] ‘My Diary in India,’ ii. 370.

[307] Captain G. C. Lane, half-pay.

[308] Mr. Piper is now Paymaster of the 63rd Regiment.

[309] This seems to have been called also Sidhonia Ghât.

[310] _i.e._ blackguards, scoundrels: a name applied by the soldiers and the loyal to the rebels.