1858--SINDWAHA
Rajghur--Tantia Topi makes a running fight--Loses 26 guns--Intense
heat--Many soldiers die--A loquacious Native fights me--Dhokul
Singh--Death of Adjutant, 8th Hussars--E. R. C. Bradford’s
gallant charge.
We mounted at 3.30 a.m., and moving slowly forward, reached the river
at dawn. The ford was difficult, and if we had attacked the previous
day not more than one horseman could have passed there at a time,
though there was an easier crossing higher up.
When we got across the river we found the enemy had moved to the
eastward, and Captain Sir William Gordon was ordered to pursue with
the Cavalry, while our Infantry followed. We soon came up with their
Rear Guard, and then the Squadron of the 17th Lancers halted while
a troop of Native Cavalry under a Subaltern advanced in skirmishing
order, firing while mounted, as was the custom. After a quarter of an
hour in which very little progress was made, the General called me and
said he wanted to get forward and reconnoitre, and did not like being
stopped by a few men. I took on a line of skirmishers at a brisk trot,
and soon came on a Horse Artillery gun, abandoned by the enemy; but 100
yards farther on three men stood by their gun with a match ready to
fire. I could have wished to have opened out, but there was just the
chance that the gun might not go off, or that its charge would go over
our heads, which indeed happened as we closed on it and cut down the
three rebel gunners, who stood bravely up to die. The Native Cavalry
skirmishers now got out of hand, and pursued at speed faster than I
approved; but I consoled myself with the reflection that they would
stop when confronted by any considerable body of the enemy, and this
indeed soon happened.
A quarter of an hour later I was cantering on in pursuit by the track
on which we had taken the two guns, followed by a Dragoon named Dhokul
Singh; one of our men shouted to me, “Look to your left, or you will
be shot.” Turning my head, I saw a Rebel who had planted his spear in
the ground, and with his gun resting on the spear was aiming at me.
I called to my orderly, “Go and kill him,” and without checking my
horse looked round to see what would happen. Dhokul Singh rode at him
with uplifted sword, prepared for cut 2;[62] the man held his fire
till his adversary got within three yards and then fired, missing his
aim; Dhokul Singh’s sword cutting his face into two bits, knocked him
to the ground. As my orderly galloped up to rejoin me, the man jumped
up again, and continued to fight others, until he was speared by the
on-coming Squadron of the 17th Lancers.
The track I was following passed through a belt of jungle, with trees
and bushes standing three or four yards apart, and I slackened my pace
to a slow trot. Glancing down, I saw a Rebel under a bush close to me,
but as he did not raise his gun I took no notice of him, but looked
ahead, as I came on an open patch in the jungle, where a hundred yards
from me 500 Infantry were standing in column, with 100 of the Gwáliár
Cavalry, rather nearer on the flanks. The dozen Cavalry soldiers
following me immediately turned; the front Rank of the Infantry fired,
and the horsemen raising a shout, galloped at us. I had not much fear
for myself, for my horse “The Pig” was fast, but when we had fled 300
yards through the jungle, we came on prickly growth two feet high,
and all turned outwards to avoid it. The Gwáliár horsemen were too
close for me to venture to turn, so, taking my horse hard by the head,
I drove him at it, and he went over, or through, in a succession of
bounds. This put me on the safe side of some of my own men, one of
whom galloping up behind, and travelling faster than I was then going,
caught the back of my knee on the point of his, and lifted me out of
the saddle on to my horse’s neck. By the help of its mane I got back,
and in doing so chanced to look to my left, where I saw the Subaltern
who had come with me riding at a “collected gallop,” all unconscious
that at his heels followed a fine bearded Sowar, who was poising a
spear within two feet of his back. I shouted, “Look behind you!” and he
did. Now, I have often read of the “Chifney Rush,” and have seen George
Fordham rouse a horse in winning a race, but I do not suppose that
either of these celebrated jockeys made so great an effort as did that
Subaltern, whose horse soon put him into safety, for the Squadron of
the 17th Lancers was now approaching.
I reported to Sir William Gordon that there was a well-posted enemy
in his front, but was not explicit, and we were neither of us perhaps
sufficiently careful; at all events, he “lost direction” in passing
through the patch of jungle, and thus did not follow me, and come
fairly on the enemy, passing 100 yards on their flank; in the result
they effected their retreat without our closing on them. We took,
however, during the day, 26 guns, a large mortar, and 10 guns were
picked up, abandoned by the enemy, in the course of the week.
At 4 p.m. the same body of Infantry stood in the plain, as if to
invite us to attack, although their horsemen had retreated. The senior
Subaltern of the 17th Lancers wished to charge, and Sir William Gordon
sending for me, asked my opinion. I pointed out that our Infantry had
halted 8 miles and the Artillery 6 miles behind us, the horses had been
moving since 3 a.m. without anything to eat or drink, and I thought
it was not worth the probable amount of casualties we should suffer.
I urged, however, that if we were to charge, I should be allowed to
go forward with a few men to make certain there was no intervening
nulla[63] between us and the enemy; Sir William decided against the
attack, as I thought then wisely, but my opinion was much stronger an
hour later, when, after the enemy had retired, I found there was an
impassable nulla between us and where the Infantry stood.
At 1 p.m. the Adjutant of the Native Cavalry with which I was serving
complained to me that he was suffering from the sun, and I begged him
to get off his horse and lie under a tree. He demurred to doing so,
as he thought his action might be misinterpreted. I endeavoured to
laugh him out of his apprehension, urging him to rest. I left him and
continued the pursuit, and about an hour later he fell in a dying
condition off his horse. When Sir William decided not to attack, he
moved back towards our own Infantry’s encamping-ground at Biora,
and I remained out with a few men to bring in my comrade’s body.
There was but very little risk; although we were still close to the
unbroken Infantry, they naturally did not wish to fight, and moved off
to continue their retreat, as our Squadrons moved towards Biora. I
followed the enemy for 1½ miles, going into a village to look for water
as they went out of it, catching Tantia Topi’s umbrella peon[64] with
the Chief’s big sunshade. I had some difficulty in transporting the
body, for the officer weighed 20 stone, and I had to impress a number
of villagers, who carried the body on a door, by reliefs.
Some innocent inhabitants were killed by the Native Cavalry, and I
saw a villager cut down by one of the party of the faithful Gwáliár
Contingent, who rode at a man apparently unarmed, and although I
galloped as hard as I could, shouting to the horseman not to strike,
before I could get up he had cleft the villager’s shoulder through. I
reached the spot before blood came, but turned my head away, because it
seemed the man was cut in two.[65]
The heat was great, and though our human casualties, except from
sunstroke, were but trifling, the day’s operations were costly to us
as regards horses. We started at 3 a.m. with 200 in the wing of the
Native Cavalry Regiment with which I was serving, and next day 135 only
were effective. In the teams of the four guns, six horses died while in
draught, although they did not accompany the Cavalry, and got but two
miles farther than the Infantry.
Tantia Topi led the flight in an easterly direction, and we moved in a
south-easterly direction for the next five days, making short marches,
for the heat during the last few days had had a prejudicial effect on
men and horses, and now rain fell in torrents, making all movements
over the black cotton soil difficult. Tantia’s objective was Bhopál,
ruled over by an able woman, the Begum, who had always been loyal to
the British cause, and General Michel’s duty was to save her capital.
When we crossed the Parbati River, we turned northwards; the Native
Cavalry, preceding the Europeans, at Bersia came under the command of
Major H. O. Mayne, who had recently raised some Irregular Horse, fine
riders and skilled men-at-arms, but of a motley appearance as regards
dress and equipment.
General Michel joined us at Bersia, and foreseeing that the Europeans
could not reach that place for several days, permitted the Native
horsemen to go forward in a northerly direction. We camped 40 miles
to the south-east of Sironj, and endeavoured to locate the enemy and
ascertain how best to close on him. I was sent out to reconnoitre
roads, and felt my ignorance, my only knowledge of the duty being
derived from Lefroy’s _Handbook on Artillery_. Returning from one of
these reconnaissances, I marched on a track continuously under water
for six miles. A column approaching Sironj from Sipri, almost due
north of that place, caused Tantia to move; but as we numbered only 8
officers and 350 Natives it was impossible for us to make any serious
attack on his Force, numbering just then 10,000 men, with six guns.
Tantia having captured Esaughur, the chief of which, loyal to Scindia,
had refused to surrender, while we were 12 miles to the westward,
adopted such drastic measures with his countrymen as effectually
prevented any Native in that district from giving us assistance or
information. He killed the male adults, and collecting the women’s
clothing in heaps, had it burnt. Major Mayne begged the General to
allow him to return to General Michel, but this was refused until
Michel sent a third peremptory order, and we then turned back. Mayne
proposed to march 30 miles, but unfortunately was ordered not to go
more than 10 miles. In the result, having marched 140 miles farther
than the Europeans, we arrived at Mongroulee one day after a successful
little fight which had come about unexpectedly.
General Michel, to catch Tantia, who was between him and the Sipri
column, with the impassable Betwa River to the east, having moved
northwards, was encamping near the village, when Tantia Topi approached
on the other side of it, neither Force being aware of the proximity
of its enemy. Michel, on sighting the Rebels, at once extending his
Infantry, advanced to attack, and Tantia giving way disappeared; but
a part of his Force moving through the jungle chanced on the rear of
Michel’s Column as it was coming into camp, and killed some soldiers,
and the dooly-bearers carrying them. Gordon was sent to the Rear with
his troop, 43 Lancers all told, and arriving just as this slaughter was
being perpetrated, gave the order, “Open out and pursue at the gallop,”
and his men followed into the jungle. The Rebel horsemen fled, but
the 43 Lancers killed rather over 90 Infantry, Gordon himself slaying
three. Tantia crossed the Betwa, and for some days eluded our scouts.
We now marched in a south-easterly direction to cut the rebels off
from Ságar, but they had turned northwards, in which direction we
followed them. On the 17th October, the General promised us a fight
next day, and to my disappointment I was detailed to command the Rear
guard. As the Advance and Rear guards were invariably performed by
Natives, I was nearly always on one or the other, the horses of the
17th Lancers being saved as much as possible. I suffered considerably
from indigestion and face-ache, but persuaded our doctor not to put
me on the Sick report. Nothing, however, occurred on the 18th, and
that evening, when we encamped at Narhat, we had given up all hope of
another fight for some days. Orders were given to march at sunrise
in a north-westerly direction to Lalitpúr, where Tantia was supposed
to have gone. After nightfall news was received that the Rao Sahib
was moving eastwards, and at 3 a.m. we started in a north-easterly
direction. We had marched 16 miles, when at 7.30 a.m. I came with the
Advanced guard on a small picket of the enemy’s Cavalry to the south of
Sindwaha. Not anticipating a fight, I was riding the horse I had bought
at Ahmednagar, which I could not hold with my maimed arm, so the moment
I had satisfied myself the enemy was in force, ordering the Native
officer to stand fast, I galloped to the Rear, passing the Mounted
column as it came on. My friends all shouted to me, “There is firing,
where are you going?” But I answered not a word, going towards the Rear
until I came to the groom, who was leading “The Pig,” which had a sore
back. Disregarding the man’s entreaties, I changed horses, and within
one minute was again passing at speed to the Front.
Our Force consisted of two half battalions of Infantry, which were
still 3 miles behind, 4 guns, on the waggons of which a few European
Infantry were carried, the Squadron 17th Lancers, 2 Native Squadrons,
and the Cavalry of the Sipri column, which had come temporarily under
our General’s command. It included 1½ Squadrons 8th Hussars, and
2 Squadrons of a Native Cavalry Regiment. Our Infantry was not in
sight, and the Rao Sahib imagining he had only Cavalry in his front,
determining to stand, took up a strong position on a low range of
hills, the gentle slopes of which were studded with conifers and
patches of jungle. His Force consisted of 10,000 men and 4 guns, which
were well served, although they fired only round-shot. At the foot of
the enemy’s position was a marshy stream 30 feet wide 2 feet deep in
water, and more than that in mud in parts, running generally east and
west, bordered by fields of jowarry, or Indian corn, from 8 to 10 feet
high.
Tantia advanced a body of Infantry on our left to seize the village,
while his Cavalry came down on our right, and some Rebel Infantry got
into a large field of jowarry, covering the centre of the position. Our
battery came into action near the fields, and the two Squadrons with
which I served moved to its right as escort. My Commanding officer’s
eyes were painful, and he directed me to take over the executive
command, and sending me to the General to ask what he wished us to do,
I was told to draw as much fire on ourselves as possible, to divert the
enemy’s attention from our Artillery, so we halted on the edge of the
nulla,[66] which was impassable in front of us, under the fire of the
enemy’s footmen, who were in the jowarry fields.
Several cannon shots were dropped in succession in front of the
Squadrons, one killing the Left Troop leader’s horse, and two horses
in the Rear Rank. The Trumpeter sitting exactly behind me was now
struck by a bullet in the mouth, and this followed by the well-aimed
cannon shots made the men uneasy, and to ensure their remaining steady
I turned about, and ordered them to “Tell off,” feeling then much more
uncomfortable from the sound of the bullets and cannon shots at my back
than while I was facing the direction from which they were coming.
The Officer commanding the Native Cavalry on our right, under whose
orders the 8th Hussars and the 17th Lancers were acting, was to the
east of the jowarry fields, which covered a considerable track of
ground. The Colonel had received orders from his Senior officer he was
to avoid an engagement until further orders, and when some of the Rao’s
Cavalry crossed the nulla, he went off to the Right Rear at a trot. Sir
William Gordon protested, but the Colonel said that his orders were
imperative. The enemy’s Cavalry followed up, coming on boldly, and had
nearly ridden into the Rear of Gordon’s Squadron, when he reversed his
front, uttering the usual expressions of an angry Briton against the
giver of such an order, and led his men forward at the charge. The
boldest of the enemy’s horsemen who had come across the nulla where it
was passable were all killed, for the collision occurred close to the
stream, where though its banks were easy the bottom was tenacious mud.
In tumbled Europeans and Rebels in one confused mass, and four of our
men falling in amongst a crowd of the enemy were killed. The charge
cost our small Force 24 horses, most of which scrambling out riderless,
went off with Tantia’s horsemen.
The effect of this counter stroke, with the sight of the European
Infantry doubling up towards the village, was a general retirement of
the enemy, some 300 footmen only covering the retreat. The charge was
not visible from where we were standing, but we heard the cheering, and
could see some of the enemy’s Infantry beginning to retire from the
hill 600 yards in our front.
[Illustration: RISALDAR MAJOR DHOKUL SINGH
AIDE-DE-CAMP TO THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, BOMBAY ARMY]
I moved off to the right, and crossing the nulla at the place used
by the enemy’s Cavalry when advancing, was going forward, as a dozen
rebels ran out of the jowarry field, and stood up in a group, the
leader, a fine broad-shouldered Wilayati, over six feet in height,
armed with musket, sword, and shield; a smaller Wilayati, wearing a
doublet of flexible mail and iron skull-piece with flexible curtains,
and ten or eleven Sepoys, Bengal Infantry, in coatees, cummerbunds,
and langotis.[67] Their numbers were so small, twelve or thirteen,
that I went on at first, ordering a half troop on my left to ride over
them. This they did not do, and with another officer I attacked them,
but without breaking their ranks. A hundred yards to the right of where
this occurred stood a half troop of my Right Squadron, and going up to
the Native officer I called on him to charge, but without any effect.
The Wilayati gave me a personal challenge, coupled with opprobrious
language, in much the same terms as those in which the Philistine
vituperated David, calling to our men, “Come on, you dogs of the
Government!” The Native officer spurred his horse, but held him hard
by the head. I shouted, “Dhokul Singh, Dhokul Singh,” the name of my
orderly at Rajghur, who was out of sight behind the high jowarry, when
one of the half troop said, “I will go with you, Sahib,” and cantered
towards the group of men, who knowing their time to die had come, were
resolved to sell their lives dearly. I did not notice that my man had
his carbine on his thigh; he cantered to within a few yards of the
rebels, and as he passed, fired a shot without effect. I had started
my horse at the same moment, and reached the five men standing in the
corner of the group. They came to the motions of “Ready--Present” in
the methodical manner in which our soldiers were trained, and as I
lunged at the nearest man, five fired: I ducked my head to the horse’s
crest, and the bullets passing over me wounded two horses of the half
troop, still 100 yards off. The Wilayati throwing down his empty gun,
drew a long two-handed sword, which he carried on his back, and I
noticed while I was fighting with two of the Sepoys who were trying to
bayonet me that the leader had to shift his left hand down and hold the
blade in order to draw it out of the scabbard. “Your body will be food
for the dogs,” he cried; to which I replied, “Cease talking, come on,”
and drawing away from the group as he ran at me, with sword uplifted
over his head, waited for him with the point of my sword low. The
Wilayati cutting too soon missed my leg, and overbalancing fell on his
face. I backed my horse, and got the point of my sword within a couple
of inches of his back, when two of the Sepoys running out of the group,
thrusted at me with their bayonets, and I was obliged to bring the
point of my sword back to keep them off.
The Wilayati jumped up and came behind me, but as he did so I saw over
the heads of two Sepoys, with whom I was personally engaged, Dhokul
Singh approaching at speed from the west, or far side of the group,
through which he charged like a skittle ball amongst the pins. He
knocked down two without seriously hurting them, riding straight at the
Wilayati, who was now close behind me, with his sword again in the air.
Dhokul Singh cut 5 (body cut), but missed his stroke, and I exclaimed
sarcastically, “Bravo!” The soldier was furious at my remark, and as he
circled his horse and “collected” it to a slow canter, shouting “The
Sahib says ‘bravo’!” rode directly on the Wilayati, who stood with his
long sword in the air. Neither man condescended to guard; each cut with
all his strength, Dhokul Singh using cut 2, as he had at Rajghur, when
he fought the dismounted Rebel. The Wilayati’s sword falling on the cap
lines of my orderly’s chaco, severed them, cut through the cantle (rear
peak) of the saddle, dividing the crupper, and slightly wounding the
horse’s spine. Dhokul Singh’s sword cleft the Wilayati’s face in twain,
felling him to the ground.
Lieutenant Bainbridge of the 17th Lancers, who passing when the rebels
ran out of the jowarry saw the scene, had galloped off 300 yards to
the Right to ask for assistance for me, and while I was fighting with
two men of the group, for the others would not quit their formation,
for fear of being attacked by the Half troop of Native Cavalry, I felt
the thud of horses galloping behind me, and although I could not turn
my head the effect was at once apparent in the eyes of my opponents.
Putting both spurs into my horse’s flanks, I drove him into the middle
of the group, the men of which put their muskets down, and some of
them clamouring for painless death at my hands, cried, “Shoot us,
Sahib, shoot us, please” (Goli-se marna). Without attempting to hurt,
they mobbed me, until, passing my sword into my left hand, I struck
two men with my fist in the face. Then with a revulsion of feeling
they separated, just as some of the Native Right Troop and a troop of
the 8th Hussars, led by Lieutenant Harding, Adjutant, came up. He and
the men, who having been my fellow-passengers on board ship for two
months knew me, were cheering, and Harding calling me by my nickname
“Sailor,” shouted, “You take that one, and I’ll take this fellow,”
pointing to two rebels, who having run for about 50 yards, were then
standing at bay.
[Illustration: SINDWAHA, 19TH OCTOBER, 1858
GENERAL ORDERS BY H. E. THE VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL----BRINGS SPECIALLY TO NOTICE THE GALLANTRY OF
LIEUTENANT WOOD, 17TH LANCERS, WHO ON THIS OCCASION, (ACTION AT
SINDWAHA) ALMOST SINGLE HANDED, CAME UP TO AND ATTACKED A BODY OF THE
ENEMY]
Harding rode down at the man he had selected, who waited to fire
until they were so close that Harding in raising his sword for cut 2
at the man, had his jacket set on fire by the rebel’s cartridge, and
fell mortally wounded. My man stood 50 yards from where the group had
dispersed when I rode amongst them, and with his right foot placed on
an ant-bear heap, awaited me with fixed bayonet. I approached him at
a smart canter, with elbows close to my sides to protect the lungs,
and the point of my sword low down under the horse’s forearm. I guided
the horse so as to take the point of the bayonet on its chest, but the
Sepoy when he saw that I was “riding home” wavered, and attempted to
club his musket. As he swung it, butt uppermost, over his head, the
point of his bayonet caught in the cummerbund which he wore over his
coatee. This delayed him for a second, and my sword entering under the
left armpit went through him up to the hilt, the butt of his musket
falling over my shoulder, but without hurting me seriously, as my horse
stopped. As the Sepoy dropped off the point of my sword, I galloped
after the others. Four stood 60 yards farther on, with their backs to
conifers. The nearest awaited the attack till the colour of my sword
blade unnerved him, and he withdrew out of reach, under the spreading
branches of a cedar, where he was speared by a Native Lancer, his
comrades falling at the same time. This takes much longer to tell than
it did in action, but I was so exhausted by the fight as to be obliged
to dismount and sit down for a few minutes to recover my breath.
The brigade having come up, we followed the enemy’s horsemen, but the
Brigadier insisted on our proceeding in a dressed line at the walk, and
consequently the rebels got farther away from us every minute. General
Michel riding up to me, reproached us. I said, “Sir, do you not hear
the Brigade-Major shouting to me to keep in line?” The General, though
apparently unwilling to interfere with the Executive Cavalry leader of
another Division, used a strong expression, and I replied, “Well, there
are some fir trees 200 yards in front of us, and when we reaching them
pass out of sight, I will gallop.” This we did, he accompanying us to
the Sujnaur River, across which the Rebels escaped. There were very few
killed, except by the Native Cavalry, and a troop of the 8th Hussars,
which being next in the line of advance, broke away with us, and came
on in the pursuit.
As we rode into our camp, which had been pitched near the scene of the
fight, one of the Natives approached me: “Sahib, what must I do with
this animal?” When we were going forward in pursuit, he had run to
me, crying, “My horse has been killed, save me.” I caught a riderless
horse, and held it while the soldier mounted; now, after riding it all
day, he wanted to be rid of it, to cook his food. I stood over him till
I had seen the horse watered and fed, and then having had it tied up
to a tree near the Guard Tent, went to get some tea. Returning in an
hour’s time, I had the khójir (Native saddle) removed, and noticing it
was heavy, cut open the layers of silk and linen of which the seat was
formed, finding gold mohurs to the value of £90; this I distributed in
the Squadrons, stipulating that the lazy soldier should not share in my
find.
Lieutenant E. R. C. Bradford,[68] a fellow-Marlborough boy, talked over
our adventure that evening. He is singularly modest, but I had heard of
his determined conduct in the charge initiated by Captain Sir William
Gordon which decided the fight. Mayne’s Horse, about 200, came on a
gol (literally circle) of the enemy’s Infantry, covering the retreat.
Their formation represented our square, but was in effect wedge-shaped.
As the horsemen approached, they struck the thin edge of the formation
where the rebels stood 5 or 6 deep. Bradford energetically pointing out
this would occur, turned his horse, and broke through the thickest of
the enemy, 18 or 20 deep. He was followed by 20 Sikhs, and though there
were some men and many horses slightly wounded, Bradford was untouched.
Said I, “Edward, when you went through the gol, did you cut or thrust?”
Most men would have swaggered a little, but he replied simply, “I shut
my eyes and galloped.”
[Illustration: SINDWAHA]
I bought the coat of mail worn by the smaller Wilayati for 10 rupees,
of a camp follower; but it was not received by my mother, to whom I
sent it. I fell asleep that night depressed by a feeling that I might
be blamed for the hesitation of my men, but by next day the 8th Hussars
men had told the story, and the Officer commanding the Cavalry informed
me I had been mentioned in his Despatch,[69] and Dhokul Singh was
promoted to be Corporal.[70]