of fche field Eorce a divisional command. The
nih.T wing of the 60th Rifles was accordingly
n. S3
514
COKE IS SUPERSEDED BY JONES.
Book XII.
Chapter IV.
185a
April.
The real
command of
the force
is still with
Coke.
The force
crosses the
Ganges at
Hardwar.
The position
and hopes of
the rebels.
added to it, and with that wing came Colonel
John Jones, with the rank of Brigadier- General,
to command the whole. Coke acted as brigadier
and second in command under Jones.
In reality the change was only in name. Gene-
ral Jones was a very brave man, but he was un-
wieldy in body, and incapable of very great
activity. But he had no jealousy, and he was
gifted with rare common sense. He saw at a
glance that Coke was the man for the work, and
he was content to leave it in his hands. In the
campaign that followed, then, and of which he
reaped all the credit, he never once interfered
with Coke's arrangements. That officer con-
tinued to be supreme — in all but name.
General Jones — nicknamed at the time, from
his habit of denouncing vengeance against the
rebels, " The Avenger " — joined the force early
in April. On the 17th of that month he opened
the campaign by crossing, unopposed, the Ganges
at Hardwar.
The reb^l troops were occupying the thick
forest on the left bank of the river in considerable
force. They were aware that the British force
would be compelled to march through this forest,
and, as it was traversed in many places by deep
canals, they hoped to find opportunities for
attacking them at advantage.
Jones had learned from Coke the general posi-
tion of the enf my, and he had authorised that
officer, as brigs iier commanding the advance, to
make the necessary arrangements for forcing
it. When, then, he had crossed the Ganges,
POKE DEFEATS THE REBELS. 515
Coke pushed on rapidly with the advance in the B U0K XI i-
r r J . Chapter IV.
direction of the town of Nagal, near which it was —
known the enemy's main force was located. But Apri j
he had marched only four miles when he fell in Coke pushes
with a considerable body of rebels posted in a °nd finds the
thick jungle, and their front covered by a canal. B^^ 41a
at a place called Bhogniwala. They had six
guns, which at once opened on the British. But
Austin, bringing up his field battery, promptly ^ t c e °^-
replied to them, whilst the infantry, in skirmish- defeats them,
ing order, steadily advanced. When they reached
the canal, the water in which was nearly dry,
they had a fair view of the rebels. At that mo-
ment Lieutenant Gosling, commanding a troop of
the Multani Horse, let loose his men, and forced
them back. This was the decisive moment. Coke,
bringing the bulk of Cureton's regiment (the
Miiltani Horse) and Austin's battery well to the
front, charged the rebels whenever they attempted
to form. The retreat soon, then, became a rout,
the rebels abandoning their camp equipage and
guns, casting away their arms, and even throw-
ing off their clothes to facilitate escape. The
Miiltanis followed them for some miles, cutting
up a large number of them, and capturing four
guns. On this occasion Lieutenanl G-osling killed
eight men with his revolver. The loss of the
victors was smull, amounting to one man killed
and sixteen wounded. That of the conquered
was considerable.*
* That it was \. irj great Baying of the natives, "thai
;LV be inferred from the the spirits of the dead
38 *
516
COOL COURAGE OF A NATIVE OFFICER.
Book XII.
Chapter IV.
1858.
April 18.
Brilliant feat
of arms by a
native officer.
The force
pushes on to
Naghma.
The following morning a very brilliant and very
daring feat of arms was accomplished, under the
inspiration of Cureton, by a native officer of the
Multani Horse, Jamadar Imam Bakhsh Khan.
Conceiving that the rebels defeated on the pre-
vious day might have taken refuge in the thick
jungle to the north of Najibabad, Cureton de-
spatched the Jamadar mentioned and forty troopers
to patrol in that direction. The Jamadar, in
carrying out this duty, received information from
villagers that a rebel Nawab with five hundred
followers was in occupation of a fort called Khot,
a few miles distant. "With happy audacity, Imam
Bakhsh Khan proceeded at once to the fort, and
summoned the garrison to surrender. He so im-
posed on them by his bearing and threats that
they yielded unconditionally. Imam Bakhsh dis-
armed and dismissed the garrison, made prisoner
of the Nawab, and then returned to camp to
report his brilliant exploit.*
That day, the 18th, Jones pushed on first to
Najibabad, and, finding that place abandoned,
to the fort of Fathgarh, also deserted by the
enemy. In these two places he captured eight
guns besides ammunition and grain. On the 21st,
having in the interval been joined by four heavy
guns and a squadron of the Carabineers, he
still haunt the scene, and
that their groans may he
heard in the night." — Vide
Comhill Magazine for January
1863, article "Indian Cos-
sacks," containing a spirited
account of this little cam-
paign hy an actor in it.
* He received the third
class of the Order of Merit —
an insufficient acknowledg-
ment of such a deed.
THE KEBELS DEFEATED AT XAGHINA. 517
marched to Xaghina, where, he had been informed, book xn.
• j Chapter IV.
the rebels, numbering ten thousand infantry and —
two thousand cavalry, with fifteen guns, had April 21.
taken up a strong position.
The position was strong. Its front was covered Position of
1 ° the rebels
by the canal, guarded by ten of their guns ; a near
bridge on the left was protected by a battery of ag lna '
five guns, whilst a tope of trees protected the
right.
The British force marched directly on to the
canal. Whilst the guns on the right attacked
the enemy's battery on the bridge, the 60th J h ^^ ly
Rifles and the 1st Pan jab Infantry, with the defeated.
Multani's on their left, crossed the canal and
formed up to the right — the 1st Sikhs, under
Gordon, clearing, meanwhile, its banks. By
the time the canal had been cleared, the force
which had crossed it had gained a position
completely turning the enemy's right. The
order was then given to charge. Never was
a charge more successful. The rebels, panic-
stricken, made no attempt to defend their guns,
but fled in wild confusion. On this day Cureton
rendered splendid service with his Multanis. He
pursued the enemy for five miles, and notwith-
standing the resistance of despair winch he and
his followers encountered, lie did not rest until
he had slain their chiefs and captured their ele-
phants and guns. It was a greater glory for him g£Jj^ " f
to rescue an unfortunate English telegraph sig-
naller, who, previously taken prisoner by the
rebels; bad been brought into the field thai he
mighl witness the defeal of his countrymen I
513 SPLENDID GALLANTRY OF CURETON.
book xii. Cureton rescued this man at great personal
Chapter IV. , , . , „ A
— danger to nimseli.*
a rffl'i But ^ ne *°^ °^ * ne ^ a y was no ^ y e ^ over - ® n
Cureton returning from the slaughter of the chiefs with
remnant h that ms two hundred mounted followers, Cureton de-
had escaped, scried approaching the main body of the defeated
enemy, a compact force of eight hundred infantry
five hundred cavalry, and some guns. The pre-
sence with him of the captured elephants of the
Nawabs made it probable, he thought, that the
rebels would regard the Multanis as a party of
their own friends. Cureton accordingly drew up
into a grove by the roadside to await their ap-
proach. On they come, and the grove containing
their supposed friends is almost reached. "Still
not a sound issues from the trees, not a greeting
strikes the ear, not a signal meets the eye. Sud-
denly a clear English voice rings out the word
' Charge ! ' and in an instant the Multanis are in
the midst of the panic-stricken foe. Taken by
surprise, daunted by the fury of the onset, the
rebels do not resist long, but flee in all directions,
leaving upwards of one hundred dead on the
ground, and a green standard and several guns
as trophies."!
* " Indian Cossacks." — of Cureton and his Multanis
Vide supra. in the action of Naghma.
t The Cornhill Magazine, They may well be proud of
January 1863, Art. " Indian that day ; for to defeat cavalry
Cossacks." The author of and artillery, then infantry,
this article, who is believed then again cavalry, artillery,
to be a distinguished officer and infantry combined, in
of the British army, thus pro- the latter case contending
ceeds : " With this feat of against enormous odds, were
arms and the gallant deeds exploits of which even a
CURETON AND HAXXA. 519
In the combat of Naghina the British loss was bookxii.
small in comparison with that of the rebels. The
army had to regret, however, the death of Lieu- A S t
tenant Gosling, a gallant and meritorious officer, Death of
who fell in the final charge of which I have K^"*
spoken. Where all so distinguished themselves
it is difficult to single out any officer for special
notice, but I cannot omit to record that the
cavalry leading of Cureton * was talked of in How Cure-
camp at the time, and has been handed down to arms was
the new generation as a most brilliant example ^g 5 "^ 6 * 1 -
of the combination of skill, daring, readiness of
resource, and practical ability.
Amongst the volunteers present whose gallantry Mr. Hanna.
was marked was a young student of the Riirki
Civil Engineer College named Hanna. The despe-
rate gallantry of this gentleman, who accompanied
Cureton, procured him two serious wounds. It
was then believed that he was a young officer,
nor was it till after the fight was over that his
real calling was discovered. Thanks to the strong
recommendation of Cureton and his own intrepid
spirit, Mr. Hanna obtained an unattached com-
mission in the Indian army.
The victory was decisive. Thenceforward the Th « f °rce
progress of the column was not seriously opposed. Moradibud.
Bijnor was reoccupied without opposition. Jones
did not delay there, but pushed on rapidly to
Moradabad.
veteran oorpi mighl boast, thai day in its second ac-
BLcrw much more, then, a lion ! "
ronng regimenl only three * Now Lieutenant-General
montni raised, and engaged Onreton, C.B.
520
STATE OP AFFAIRS IN MORADABAD.
Book XII.
Chapter IV.
1858.
April 21.
State of
affairs in
Moradabad.
The loyalty
of the inha-
bitants is
shown by the
expulsion of
Prince Firoz
Shah.
April 26.
Coke captures
several rebel
chiefs.
The course of affairs at this station had not
impressed the inhabitants with the advantage of
the native rule of Khan Bahadur Khan,* and
they had heard with anxious and beating hearts
of the progress of the columns of the Avenger.
The pent-up longings of their hearts had been
confirmed and strengthened by the loyal attitude
of a neighbouring native chieftain, the Nawab of
Rampdr, who had from the first exerted himself to
maintain the authority of the British. As Jones
advanced nearer and nearer these feelings dis-
played themselves in action. It happened on the
21st April, Firoz Shah, a prince of the royal
house of Dehli, who had cast in his lot with the
Rohilkhand revolters, marched upon Moradabad,
and demanded money and supplies. The towns-
people refused, whereupon the prince, after some
negotiation, endeavoured to take them by force.
But the townspeople still holding out, the news
of the approach of the avenging column forced
Firoz Shah to beat an ignominious retreat. But
the following day he returned secretly into the
native part of the town.
Jones arrived in the vicinity of Moradabad on
the 26th April. His camp was there joined by
Mr. Inglis, C.S., a gentleman thoroughly ac-
quainted with the characters and doings of the
rebel chiefs then figuring in Rohilkhand. Inglis
informed Brigadier Coke that many prominent
leaders of the revolt were at the moment in hiding
in the city of Moradabad, and that it would not
Vol. i. pages 331, 332.
SEVERAL REBEL CHIEFS CAPTURED THERE. 521
be impossible, by the exercise of daring and Bo«xn.
1 J ,. . Chapter IV.
prudence, to seize them. These two qualities —
shone conspicuously in the character of Coke. April 2 ' 6
He at once made arrangements to effect the cap-
ture of these men. Placing the Multani cavalry
to guard the outlets of the city, he entered with
his infantry and proceeded to the houses indi-
cated to him. The task was difficult and dan-
gerous, but it resulted in success. Twenty-one
notorious ringleaders of the revolt were actually
taken. Others were slain defending themselves.
In this affair Lieutenant Angelo greatly dis-
tinguished himself. Bursting open the door of
one of the houses, he seized a prominent rebel
leader and one of his sons. Whilst engaged in
this work he was fired at from one of the upper
rooms of the house. He at once rushed upstairs,
forced the door of the room whence the firing-
had proceeded, and found himself face to face
with seven armed men. Nothing daunted, he
shot three of them with his revolver, and kept
the remainder at bay with his sword till reinforced
from below. Firoz Shah, unhappily, escaped.
A few days later Jones again started to take ™ e ve f °™
pari in the operations which the Commander-in- Barflf.
Chief was directing against Baivli, and to which
I must now return.
I have already atated thai bhe Commander-in- ; r |;;;.;;:;^ ls
Chief, with the Eorce from Fathgarh joined fco Bhahjahin-
fcnal of Walpole, had reached Shahjahanpur on
the 30th April, and had Eound h evaouated. It
wae qoi 90 much the evacuation of this im-
portant place as bhe escape of bhe rebel armj
pur.
522
THE MOULVl EVADES SIR COLIN.
Book XII.
Chapter IV.
1858.
April 30.
The conse-
quent failure,
to a great
degree, of the
plan of the
campaign.
Sir Colin
moves on
Barelf.
State of
affairs in
Barelf.
which had held it, commanded by the notorious
Moulvi, accompanied, it was believed, by Nana
Sahib* and his followers, in the direction of Oudh,
which caused vexation to Sir Colin. It was a
proof that, notwithstanding his great efforts, the
campaign had failed in one important particular.
Though he had planned that four armies, starting
from different points, should converge on Bareli
and Shahjahanpur, enclosing the rebels on four
sides, their most formidable enemy had managed
to break through the meshes, and to break through
them, too, on the side for which he and Walpole
were mainly responsible ! However, there was
no help for it. The Rohilkhand rebels were still
in Bareli. They, at all events, he was resolved,
should not escape him.
Leaving at Shahjahanpur five hundred men of
the 82nd under Colonel Hales, De Kantzow's
Irregular Horse, and four guns, Sir Colin pushed
on, picked up Penny's column — commanded by
Jones of the Carabineers — at Miranpiir Kutra on
the 3rd May, and on the 4th arrived at Faridpur,
a day's march from Bareli.
Khan Bahadur Khan was still holding sway in
the capital of Rohilkhand. The exact amount of
his force cannot be stated with certainty. Spies
had rated it at thirty thousand infantry, six
thousand horse, and forty guns, but it certainly
did not reach anything like that number. The
* Before evacuating Shah- order that the Europeans, on
jahanpiir, Nana, Sahib is said their arrival, might find no
to have caused all the official shelter,
buildings to be destroyed, in
RESOURCES OF KHAN BAHADUR KHAN. 523
feeling that animated leader and men was the Book xii.
- i 11 Chapter IV.
reverse ot sanguine, tor they knew that the town
was threatened on both sides. Nevertheless May 8 *,
there were amongst them a certain number of
fanatics (Ghazis) who were resolved to sell their
lives dearly, neither to give nor to accept quarter.
Bareli itself did not offer a strong defensible Defensive
. position of
position. The town consisted or a mam street, BareU
about two miles long, having occasionally narrow
offshoots on both sides. Outside these streets
were large suburbs formed of detached houses,
walled gardens, and enclosures; outside these
again were wide plains intersected by nullahs.
One of these, called the Nattia Naddi, covered
the town on the south side. Its banks were
steep, and, if well protected, it was capable of
presenting an obstacle to an advancing enemy.
But it was bridged, and the bridges had not been
broken.
Khan Bahadur Khan heard on the 5th of the Khan Baha-
rA • r^^ • n • J t Khan
arrival of the Commander-in- Chief at randpur. resolves to
He was likewise aware that Jones was advancing ^ds^ia the
from Moradabad. There was yet a way of escape face -
open to him — the way he subsequently followed —
in the direction of Pilibhit. But the hot Rohilla
blood of the descendant of Hafiz Rahmat forbade
him to flee without striking a blow for his cause.
He determined to meet the British force in the
open plain outside the town.
On tin- evening of the 4th May ho took up his Hetakesup
• -vr -vr l t i i l a P OSU "'"'
position. Crossing the Nattia JNaddi, he placed
his lt mis on some rising ground — sand-hills —
which commanded the line by which the British
524 sie colin Campbell's force.
book xii. must advance, covered by his first line of infantry,
Chapter iv. w]lilst he g uar d e d both his flanks with his cavalry.
1858. His second line occupied the old cantonments
May 4. l
nearer to the town.
Composition To force this position Sir Colin Campbell had
force" ° lm S under his orders a very considerable force. He
had two brigades of cavalry,* the first commanded
by Brigadier Jones, 6th Dragoon Guards, the
second by Brigadier Hagart, 7th Hussars ;
Tombs's and Remmington's troops of horse
artillery, Hammond's light field battery; two
heavy field batteries under Francis; and the
siege-train with Le Mesurier's company and
Cookworthy's detachment, the whole commanded
by Lieutenant-Colonel Brind ; some sappers and
miners under Colonel Harness ; the Highland
brigade under Leith Hay, consisting of the 93rd,
42nd, 79th, 4th Panjab Rifles, and the Biluch
battalion ; Brigadier Stisted's brigade, consisting
of seven companies 64th Foot, 78th Highlanders,
four companies 82nd, 2nd Panjab Infantry, 22nd
Panjab Infantry.
Sir Colin Very early on the morning of the 5th Sir Colin
WtfT ° n broke U P from Faridpiir and marched on Bareli.
As he approached the place the vedettes reported
the presence of the enemy. It was 6 o'clock.
Sir Colin halted his troops and formed them in
two lines. In the first line he placed the High-
* The first cavalry brigade jab Cavalry, detachments
was composed of two squad- Labor Light Horse, 1st
rons 6th Dragoon Guards and Panjab Cavalry, 5th Panjab
Lind's Multani Horse; the Cavalry, and 15th Irregular
second, 9th Lancers, 2nd Pan- Cavalry.
SIR, COLIN PUSHES BACK THE REBELS. 525
land regiments, supported by the 4th Paniab Book xil
° ' rr . J J Chapter IV.
Rifles and the Biluch battalion, with a heavy
field battery in the centre, and horse artillery and Miiy 5 '
cavalry on both flanks. The second line, consist- forms up his
ing of the remainder of his force, he disposed to m terJ?
protect the baggage and siege-train. The mime- battle<
rons cavalry displayed by the enemy seemed, in
the opinion of Sir Colin, to render this precaution
necessary.
It was striking 7 o'clock iust as these disposi- The rebels
fall back
tions were completed. Sir Colin then moved before him.
forward. He had not marched a hundred yards,
however, before the enemy's guns opened upon
him. But the British force advanced with so
much steadiness and precision that the rebels
promptly abandoned their first line, and made no
attempt to defend the stream. Their infantry
fell back on the old cantonments, covered by
their cavalry and horse artillery, both of which
occasionally made as though they would charge
the British line. Nothing came of it, how-
ever. The British force still continued to
press on, capturing as they reached the
rivulet the guns which the rebels had failed
to remove.
The rivulet, not defended, offered but a slight Bir Colin
, . , crosses the
obstacle to the advance of the British army. Nattiarivn-
Whilst the left of their first line held the bridge,
the righl crossed it. The firsl line then advanced
about three-quarters of a mile towards the town.
The heavy guns were then rapidly passed over in [Jgjjfjyj
succession, and were placed in a position to rake turn.
the enemy's Becond line. The troops then halted
526
THE ONSLAUGHT OP THE GHAZIS.
Book XII.
Chapter IV.
1858.
May 5.
The rebels
make a
counter
attack.
The on-
slaught of
the Ghazis.
to allow time for the siege-train and baggage to
close up.
Whilst the troops formed up, thus halted, the
4th Panjab Rifles in some old cavalry lines on
the left, the enemy made a desperate effort to
change the fortunes of the day.
In my description of the troops led by Khan
Bahadur Khan I stated that there were amongst
them a certain number who were resolved to sell
their lives dearly, and neither to give nor accept
quarter. I alluded to the Ghazis, men who be-
lieved that the taking the life of an infidel opened
to the slayer the gate of Paradise, and who were
thus impelled by the most self-appealing of all
motives to court, sword in hand and desperation
in every act, the death which was to give them a
glorious immortality.
The line, formed up, was halting, when a con-
siderable body of these fanatics, " fine fellows,
grizzly-bearded elderly men for the most part,
with green turbans and kammarbands, every one
of them wearing a silver signet-ring, a long text
of the Koran engraved on it," * rushed out from
the right, and dashed at the village held by the
4th Panjabis. " They came on," wrote the eye-
witness I have already quoted, " with their heads
down below their shields, their talwars flashing
as they waved them over their heads, shouting
1 Din, Din ! ' " t dashed at the village, swept the
surprised Sikhs out of it with the impulse and
force of their rush, and then hurled themselves
* W. H. Eussell.
f Faith, Religion.
THE GHAZIS D1K WHBEE THEY FOUGHT. 527
against the 42nd Highlanders, who were moving book xil
to the support and to cover the re-formation of
the Panjabis. Fortunately Sir Colin happened to May 5.
be close to the 42nd. He had just time to call
out " Stand firm, 42nd ; bayonet them as they
come on!" The 42nd did stand firm. The
Ghazis could make no impression upon their ser-
ried ranks. They killed some of them indeed ;
and they acted up to their professions. Not one
of them went back. Killing, wounding, or fail-
ing to kill or to wound, every man of them who
had flung himself against the Highland wall was
bayoneted where he had fought.
But a portion of them had swept past the 42nd Danger of
1 in Cameron,
and had dashed to the rear, where were Cameron
commanding that regiment, and, a little further
back, Walpole, of Riiiya renown. Three of the
Ghazis dashed at Cameron, pulled him off his
horse, and were about to despatch him, when
Colour-Sergeant Gardner of the 42nd dashed out
of the ranks and bayoneted two of them, whilst
a private shot the third.* Walpole narrowly *»*»*
escaped death from a similar cause, and was
delivered by men of the same regiment.
This attack repulsed, the 42nd, supported by TheBritfeh
the 4th Sikhs mid a pari of the 79th, advanced, advanoe,
sweeping through the empty lines and pushing
forward for about a mile and a half into the old
cantonments. The heal was intense; the men win,, si.-
had suffered greatly from the heat, Iroin thirst, denlyhalta
and even from sunstroke, thai Sir Colin thought ""'"'â–
* Gardner received fche be unable to record here fche
Victoria Cross. I regret to name of the private.
528
SIK COLIN HALTS FOR THE DAY.
Book XII.
Chapter IV.
1858.
May 5.
The rebels
attack the
baggage, but
are i-epulsed.
Sir Colin
orders the
baggage
guards to
close up.
Fresh
encounter
with the
Ghazis.
it advisable to sound the halt for the day, even
at the risk of leaving a door of escape to the
enemy — for Bareli had not been entered.
Another reason weighed to a certain extent
with him in arriving at this conclusion. During
the attack of the Ghazis the enemy's cavalry,
skilfully handled, had galloped round the British
left, with a view to plunder the baggage. The
amount of alarm, confusion, and panic created