The instant the anchor was gone, boats were alongside, for the purpose
of conveying the two companies ashore; and, in a couple of hours, we
were safely lodged in our quarters at Fort William. Here the five
companies of his majesty's 10th regiment of Foot joined our lads, with
bottles of rum, and a scene ensued that was beyond description;
drinking, singing, dancing, shouting, fighting, and bottles flying in
all directions. The sight was terrific; so I marched off to the bazaar,
to get out of the bustle; went round the fort, and visited everything
worth seeing. On my return to the barracks, I found the men lying in a
state of the most disgusting drunkenness; some on the floor, others on
cots, trunks, and boxes. In those days, I knew not the taste of
spirituous liquors; and, indeed, for years after: consequently, instead
of joining those scenes of revelry and discord, they were to me
offensive and disgusting in the extreme. The very smell of arrack would
at any time drive me from the barrack, and many a night have I slept in
the open air, to avoid the fumes arising from its use, as well as the
drunken jargon of those who drank it to excess.
I had now attained the age of eighteen years; was healthy and active; a
zealous, though very humble member of the profession I had chosen; and
an ardent aspirant to share in my country's glory. With these feelings
and qualifications, assuring myself that, now I was in India, I was in
the wide field of promise, I began to revolve in my mind if I could not
better my situation. I was then fifer and bugler in the light company,
the kind captain of which, seeing my anxious spirit, generously
undertook to improve me in reading and writing, of which I at that time
knew but little. In the course of one year's close application, I so
much improved as to keep his books of the company and his own private
accounts. I then begged of him that I might be removed from the drummers
to the ranks. I did not like the appellation drum-_boy_. As I have seen
many a man riding post, who was at least sixty years old, still called a
post-boy, so, if a drummer had attained the age of Methusaleh, he would
never acquire any other title than drum-boy. Indeed, there were many
other things I could never bring myself to relish in any eminent degree:
such as flogging--to say nothing of being flogged--and dancing
attendance on a capricious sergeant-major, or his more consequential
spouse, who is queen of the soldiers' wives, and mother of tipplers, and
an invitation-card from whom to tea and cards is considered a ponderous
obligation.
In about a week after having made this request, I was transferred from
the drummers' room, and promoted to the rank of corporal. This was
promotion indeed--three steps in one day! From drum-boy to private; from
a battalion company to the Light Bobs; and from private to corporal. I
was not long before I paraded myself in the tailor's shop, and tipped
the master-snip a rupee to give me a good and neat cut, such as became a
full corporal. By evening parade my blushing honours came thick upon me.
The captain came upon parade, and read aloud the regimental orders of
the day, laying great stress upon, "to the rank of corporal, and to be
obeyed accordingly." I was on the right of the company, being the
tallest man on parade, when I was desired by the captain to fall out,
and give the time. I did so, and never did a fugleman cut more capers;
but here an awkward accident happened. In shouldering arms, I elevated
my left hand high in the air; extended my leg in an oblique direction,
with the point of my toe just touching the ground; but in throwing the
musket up in a fugle-like manner, the cock caught the bottom of my
jacket, and down came brown Bess flat upon my toes, to the great
amusement of the tittering company. I must confess, I felt queer; but I
soon recovered my piece and my gravity, and all went on smoothly, till I
got into the barracks, where a quick hedge-firing commenced from all
quarters; such as, "Shoulder _hems_!"--"Shoulder _hems_!"--"Twig the
fugleman!" This file-firing increased to volleys, till I was obliged to
exert my authority by threatening them with the guard-house, for riotous
conduct; but this only increased the merriment, so I pocketed the
affront, as the easiest and most good-natured mode of escape; my
persecutors ceased, and thus ended my first parade as a non-commissioned
officer.
In my new sphere of life I now felt that there was, unquestionably, some
satisfaction derivable from being
"Clothed in a little brief authority."
A corporal has to take command of small guards; is privileged to visit
the sentinels whenever he pleases; his suggestions are frequently
attended to by his superiors; and his orders must be promptly obeyed by
those below him. There is certainly a pleasure in all this, and a man
rises proportionately in his own esteem. In short, to confess the truth
I now looked upon a drum-boy as little better than his drum.
Full of the importance of my situation and duties, thus passed the time
for nearly six months, at the end of which I was advanced to the rank of
sergeant, and, shortly afterwards, to that of pay-sergeant, in the same
regiment. The post of pay-sergeant is certainly one of importance, and
he who holds it a personage of no small consideration. He feeds and
clothes the men; lends them money at _moderate_ interest and on good
security; and sells them watches and seals, on credit, at a price
_somewhat_ above what they cost, to be sure, but the mere sight of
which, dangling from a man's fob, has been known to gain him the
character of a sober steady fellow, and one that should be set down for
promotion. Thus, at least, good may sometimes be educed from evil; and,
as it is not my intention to enter into a detail of the chicanery
practised among the minor ranks in the army, let it suffice that I never
served in a company in which every individual could not buy, sell,
exchange, lend, and borrow, on terms peculiar to themselves.
Shortly after my promotion, an order arrived for the two flank companies
of the regiment to proceed to join the army then in the field, with all
possible speed. We were to proceed by land, the distance about twelve
hundred miles, and the season winter. Every hand was busily engaged in
making the necessary preparations for the journey, equipping ourselves
as lightly as possible; when an unfortunate misunderstanding occurred,
which was but too likely, not only to prevent our journey, but to put an
end to some of our lives.
On the arrival of troops at Fort William, it had been the custom to stop
from each soldier of his majesty's army, eight rupees; but for what
purpose, strange to say, they were never told. This deduction had been
made from the pay of our two companies without any explanation; and, as
the men were now proceeding on active service, it was but right and
natural that they should desire to know (as we had been accustomed in
the regiment) why any part of this pay was withheld from them. They
called upon their officers for explanation, who were as much in the dark
as themselves. The greater part of the two companies then marched, in a
sober deliberate manner, towards Major-General Sir Hughen Bailey's
quarters, to seek redress. Here they were given to understand that the
sum of eight rupees was customary to be stopped from each soldier, to
insure him a decent burial. This explanation only added fuel to flame,
and excited in the hearts of the men--few of whom, poor fellows! ever
wanted burial, as will be seen in the sequel of this narrative--the
most bitter rancour against such a custom. The men returned to the
barracks: liquor was resorted to to feed the spark already kindled in
their bosoms; till at length they became bent upon open rebellion and
mutiny. This spirit, of disaffection was manifested most strongly in the
grenadier company. Both companies were doatingly fond of their officers,
who took great pains to explain to them that violent measures, and
taking the law into their own hands, would never be likely to get their
wrongs redressed; but that, on the contrary, those very acts deprived
them of the power of interceding for them, and explaining to the proper
authorities the grounds of their complaints. This timely explanation had
its due effect, and _we_ one and all (I mean the light company) said,
"March us before the enemy, that we may wipe away this our first
disobedience;" but those who had drank deeper of the poisonous cup of
rebellion, in the grenadier company, were still unappeased, and
spreading wide the infectious sparks of mutiny; so much so, that the
officers were again called in to quell them. Their colonel they loved
dearly--he was a father to his men; the adjutant they hated. On the
arrival of the former, the men became passive, and the tumult was
hushed; but, when the latter appeared, the shouting of, "Kick him
out!"--"Turn him out!" resounded through the barracks, and he had a
narrow escape for his life. When he had left, the tumult again ceased;
the men retired to their cots; and, in an hour, all was silent as the
grave. The next morning the eight rupees were refunded; and, on the
morning following, we left the fort, with the band of the regiment
playing us through Calcutta, where we were met and hailed by all
assembled. Every face smiled with joy; every breast beat high for glory.
The country through which we passed was fertile and well inhabited;
plenty smiled around, and all seemed peace and contentment. Here
presided English justice; the Pariah cottager was protected in his
reed-thatched hovel, and the ploughman was seen smiling over his nodding
crops. We lived like fighting-cocks; thought nothing of five or six and
twenty miles a day; every face wore the smile of contentment; all were
healthy; and the merry song and story beguiled some of our more dreary
night-marches. Thus merrily we reached the army, our marches averaging
twenty-six miles a day. We were met some miles from camp by his
excellency Lord Lake, the Commander-in-chief, who said that he was
delighted to see us. At this flattering greeting of the
commander-in-chief, we gave three cheers, in which his lordship and
staff heartily joined us. I must confess I felt at this moment
sensations I was a stranger to before--a kind of elevation of soul
indescribable, accompanied by a consciousness that I could either have
laughed heartily or cried bitterly. Nearer camp we were met and greeted
by nearly the whole European army. Such shouting and huzzaing I never
heard; nor could I have imagined that the mind of man could be worked up
to such a height of feeling. For myself, I could not help dropping a
tear--for what, I cannot tell; but so it was. On reaching the general
hospital, we saw many men without legs, some without arms, others with
their heads tied up; and it was a most affecting sight to behold these
poor wounded creatures waving their shattered stumps, and exerting their
feeble frames, to greet us warmly as we passed along. The scene that
followed would beggar description--drinking, dancing, shouting, that
made the Byannah Pass echo again! Reader, believe me when I assure you
that in those days I knew not, as I said before, the taste of spirituous
liquors; consequently, I did not join in these bacchanalian orgies, but
reconnoitred the camp, which, to my spirits, was far more exhilarating
than the jovial cup. Three days restored us to some kind of order and
discipline, and all went on smoothly.
Holkar, a Mahratta chieftain, was at this time in full force, with about
sixty thousand horse, and twenty-five thousand infantry, encamped a
short distance from us, ever on the alert to watch our movements, and
supported by Ameer-Khan and other self-created rajahs. From the very
nature of this service, against a flying enemy, thoroughly acquainted
with the localities of the country, we had but little chance of coming
up with them. Anything like a general engagement they studiously avoid;
plunder only is their aim. In this way they pay themselves, giving their
chiefs any great article of value that may fall into their hands; that
is to say, if they are known to have it. Their wives are excellent
horse-women, and many of them good shots with the matchlocks, and active
swords-women. They are always mounted on the best horse, and it is not
an unusual thing for them to carry one child before them and another
behind, at full speed. The Pindaree horsemen, and indeed all horsemen in
India, have a decided advantage over the English. Their horses are so
taught that they can turn them right round for fifty times, without the
horse's moving his hind legs from the same circle, or pull them up at
full speed instantaneously. Our horses are heavy, fat, and quite
unmanageable with the bit; it takes them as long to get round as a ship;
and you cannot pull them up under ten or twenty yards. Some of their
horsemen have spears seventeen feet in length, which they handle in so
masterly a style that singly they are dangerous persons to have anything
to say to: but I have frequently seen Lord Lake charge, with his
body-guard, a whole column of them, and put them to the rout.
A few days after our arrival, we moved on towards Jeypore, these
plundering rascals riding close by us, manoeuvring on our flanks, and
giving us a shot now and then, to let us know they wished to be
neighbourly. On one of these occasions it nearly cost me my life. We
were in column on one side of a field, near some high corn, called
juwar, about half a mile from our column on the other side of the field.
I had at this time the fastest pony in India, called "Apple," on which
I rode on ahead to the extreme end of the field, to have a shot at the
head of their line of march; for which imprudence my own life was nearly
the forfeit, for round the corner I came almost in contact with about a
hundred of the enemy. I soon wheeled round, and gallopped back again as
fast as my pony could carry me: they fired at me fifty or sixty shots,
not one of which touched me. Ever after, I kept a little more within
bounds.
We had frequent skirmishes with detached parties, killing numbers with
our six-pounders; but we could not come up with them. We therefore made
our way towards Muttra, a great haunt of the Pindarees, where we lay for
some time, trying to surprise them; but they were ever on the watch, as
the rattling of our swords might be heard a mile off. Tired of this
service, we took possession of the town of Muttra, driving them out.
Here we had glorious plunder--shawls, silks, satins, khemkaubs, money,
&c.; and some of the men made a good thing of it. I was not idle; but an
untoward circumstance for a time delayed my exertions. I was quartered
in a large square or rajah's palace, and had to ascend several flights
of steps to get at anything worth notice. All the way up this staircase
were little iron plated doors, locked with several locks. As Paul Pry
says, I thought this "rather mysterious"; I therefore commenced
locksmith, and knocked off the locks, when I found the rooms full of
bales of silk and shawls. I had just removed one of the largest bales
from the top, and was in the very act of walking off with it, when, on
turning round, a most brilliant eye met mine, set in one of the most
hideous heads I had ever beheld. What monster this could be I could not
at first imagine; nor did I stop very long to consider, but marched off
rather precipitately with my prize; being at the moment more frightened
than I was willing to confess, even to myself. On reflection, I was
ashamed of my fears; so, having "screwed my courage to the
sticking-post," in I marched again, with a drawn sword in my hand, and,
having convinced myself, by a second peep, that my friend with the
glaring eyes was no other personage than one of the gods Mahadooh, I
saluted him with a cut across his face for taking up his quarters in
that solitary place, and took the liberty of making free with all the
silks and shawls under his protection. A short time after, we returned
to quarters at Cawnpore, to spend the produce of our short campaign,
Holkar having retired to a distant part of India, to his winter
quarters.
Early in the following spring, our active enemy was again in the field,
and approaching the city of Delhi, where the inhabitants were not very
well disposed towards us, and in which we had but a small force of
native troops. We immediately marched, by forced marches, to their
relief, and found Mr. Holkar had been besieging that place, but that,
some two or three days before our arrival, he had raised the siege and
crossed the river Jumna; a necessary precaution on his part, for our
cavalry were lightly equipped. Colonel Burn, to his praise be it spoken,
was marching from the opposite direction towards Delhi, for the succour
of that place, with five companies of native infantry, when he
unfortunately fell in with the whole body of Holkar's cavalry; and,
wonderful to say, he made his retreat good to Shamlee, a large town,
fighting every inch of his way. There he took possession of a small
gurry, or mud fort, for the space of six days, defending himself against
an immense body of the enemy, suffering most dreadful privations, and
worn out by continual watching. The grand army crossed the Jumna, to the
rescue of Colonel Burn and his little band of native heroes, and in two
days afforded him the succour he so much wanted, having, with this view,
performed a distance of eighty-four miles in forty-eight hours. Never
shall I forget the cheering of the handful of men on the ramparts of
this little asylum. His lordship, to whom I was close, dropped the tear
of sympathy when waving his hat to them. I had that morning preceded the
army for the purpose of taking up the encampment; and, on the approach
of our advance-guard, some of the straggling enemy were seen loitering
behind the main body, who had marched early that morning. We had two
six-pounders with us, five troops of his majesty's 8th Light Dragoons,
five troops of his majesty's 24th Dragoons, with a regiment of native
cavalry; and we succeeded in killing a few of these marauders, who were
plundering and laying waste the whole country. We could always trace
their line of march by the dreadful destruction they had committed. Some
few sepoys were killed from the tops of the houses of Shamlee, many of
which were higher than the little fort. For this breach of good faith
his lordship gave up the town to plunder. The scene that followed would
take an abler pen than mine to describe:--breaking open houses and
boxes; tearing open bales of shawls, silks, and satins; and fighting
hand to hand: the tumult is inconceivable to any one who has not
witnessed such a scene. We marched the following morning, treading upon
the heels of the enemy: but, as they had a day's start of us, and their
horses will go from fifty to sixty miles a day, it was impossible for us
to come up with them.
On our road we passed several villages that had been burned to the
ground; poor, naked, and plundered creatures, men, women, and children;
burning corn-fields; dead elephants, camels, horses, and bullocks; and
the road was strewed with moah-berry, on which they feed their horses
for the purpose of making them drunk, in which state it is incredible
the astonishing distance they will go, though you can count their ribs a
mile off. The rear-guard of the enemy generally kept their eye on our
advance-guard, detaching parties on each of our flanks, and, by way of
amusement, giving us occasionally a shot. I recollect, on one of these
day's marches, a most impudent fellow, mounted on a beautiful horse, and
finely bedizened, came within two hundred yards of our column, passing
upon us some unpleasant epithets, and once or twice firing his
matchlock. He at last wounded a man of the native cavalry. This so
annoyed me that I asked his lordship if he would permit me to attack
him. His answer was, "Oh, never mind him, Shipp: we will catch him
before he is a week older." I never in my life felt more inclined to
disobey orders, for he was still capering close by us. An officer
commanding one of the six-pounders came up at the same time, and told
his lordship that, if he would permit him, he would knock him over, the
first shot, or lose his commission. His lordship said, "Well, try." At
this moment the fellow fired his matchlock again, and immediately
commenced reloading his piece. Our gun was unlimbered, laid, and fired;
the ball striking the horse's rump, passed through the man's back, and
the poor animal's neck, and we said, "So much for the Pin."
We marched, on the average, about twenty-five miles a day; but we were
obliged to push our poor horses on even faster than this, for Holkar was
making his way to Futtyghur, a small military station. This is a rich
city; and, no doubt, his inclination was to plunder and burn it. He
arrived at Furrackabad, about three or four miles from the above
station, the day before us, for the purpose of exacting money from the
rajah there. The little force at the station was withdrawn from the
barracks, and placed for the protection of the mint, which had a short
time before been established there. In the evening they arrived, and on
the morning of the same day we marched upwards of twenty miles, halted
till eight o'clock at night, then made ourselves as light as possible,
and again moved on, intending to surprise them before daylight the
following morning. We had twenty-eight miles to accomplish before that
time, and there is no doubt, from the judicious arrangement made for
this attack, by his excellency the commander-in-chief, that scarcely a man
would have escaped us, had not a most unfortunate circumstance occurred,
which was near destroying all our plans. An ammunition-tumbrel belonging
to one of our six-pounders, from the rapid rate at which we were moving,
blew up within half a mile of the enemy; who were buried in the arms of
sleep, they having made a forced march, so as to prevent the possibility
of our reaching them. This alarmed a few of those who happened to be
awake; but they supposed it the station-gun at Futtyghur. This
station-gun was really fired about ten minutes after, and some of them
got on the move; but thousands of them were still asleep. I would
recommend all officers who serve in India, to attack the enemy, if
possible, in the night. At this time it often happens that not a single
sentinel is to be found on the watch. This want of vigilance is to be
attributed to their eating and smoking too much opium, a practice
carried by them to such an excess as completely to deaden their
faculties; from which, their stupor in sleep is so extraordinary, that
if a gun were fired under a man's nose, he would scarcely have the power
to awake.
When the day dawned they were surrounded, and a general attack commenced
on all sides. Some were cut to pieces in their sleep, others in
endeavouring to escape. The carnage became terrific; his majesty's 8th,
24th, and 25th Dragoons, two regiments of native cavalry, and a corps of
horse-artillery, mowing them down with grape-shot in hundreds. About two
thousand were left dead on the field, and amongst the number several
poor tradespeople from Furrackabad, who had come to the spot to sell
their commodities. We pursued them many miles from the scene of action;
they, in their flight, burning the barracks and adjacent villages. The
same evening, or the following morning, the enemy reached the station of
Mainporee, a distance of seventy-two miles. At this station we had one
native corps only; but they were prepared to receive them. This little
band took possession of the house of the judge (Mr. Cunningham), and
defended themselves against Holkar's immense body of horse.
The battle of Furrackabad was on the 16th or 17th day of November,
1804; after which the enemy shifted their course towards the fort of
Deig, the property of the Bhurtpore rajah. In the neighbourhood were his
infantry, about twenty-five thousand men, with upwards of a hundred
pieces of cannon. Holkar little dreamt that, on the 13th of the same
month, his infantry had met with a similar defeat to that which his
cavalry had experienced on the 16th. Major-General Frazer, with a small
force, had completely routed and defeated them, taking all their guns
and stores. This action was at several intervals extremely doubtful, our
force being so inadequate to that of the enemy. We had no European
regiment there, except the Company's European regiment, and the 76th
Foot, both corps not more than six or seven hundred men. The enemy
sought protection under the walls of the fort; and, although our ally,
the governor of the fort of Deig, fired on our army, General Frazer,
seeing the danger of a defeat, charged at the head of the 76th,
supported by the European regiment and native troops, and succeeded in
driving them from their guns, and from the protection of the fort; but,
in the heat of the action, the gallant general received a ball in the
foot, and was obliged to retire from the field. He died a short time
afterwards. Colonel the Honourable W. Monson, on whom the command
devolved, completed his work, and a decisive victory was the result.
Holkar, being informed of the disaster of his infantry, then shifted his
course towards Bhurtpore, demanding immense sums of money from the
rajah, under threats of laying waste his country, which at that time
might be called the garden of India. His encampment was close under the
walls of the fort, leaving a body of about two thousand men to harass
and annoy us.
About the 18th of December we took up a position before the fort of
Deig, and in two days after broke ground against it. The two companies
to which I belonged led the column, carrying tools for working. The
night was as dark as pitch, and bitterly cold. Secrecy was the great
object of our mission, and we slowly approached the vicinity of the
fort, steering our course towards a small village about eight hundred
yards from the spot, where we halted under shelter from their guns. This
village had been set on fire two days before, and its inmates compelled
to take shelter in the fort. Small parties were dispatched in search of
eligible ground for trenches, and within breaking distance. I was
dispatched alone through the desolate village, to see what was on the
other side. I was yet but a novice in soldiering; and, believe me,
reader, I had no great fancy for this job; but an order could not be
disobeyed; so off I marched, my ears extended wide to catch the most
distant sound. I struck into a wide street, and, marching on tiptoe,
passed two or three poor solitary bullocks, who were dying for want of
food. These, startled me for the moment; but not another creature could
I see. I at one time thought I heard voices, and that I could see a blue
light burning on the fort, from which I inferred that I was getting
pretty close to it. Just as I had made up my mind that this must be the
case, I distinctly heard a voice calling out, "_Khon hie?_" in English,
"Who is there?" I was riveted to the spot, and could not move till the
words were repeated; when I stole behind one of the wings of a hut close
on my right. Soon after I heard the same man say, "_Quoi tah mea ne
deckah_;" which is, "I am sure I saw somebody." Another voice answered,
"_Guddah, hogah_;" which signifies, "A jackass, I suppose;" for there
were several wandering about. I fully agreed with the gentleman who
spoke last, but was determined to throw off the appellation as quickly
as possible, by endeavouring to find my way back. In attempting to make
my retreat with as little noise as possible, I put my foot into some
fire. This compelled me to withdraw rather precipitately, and they heard
me, when one of them said, "_Hi quoi_;" which is, "There certainly is
somebody." The other replied, "_Kis wastah nay tuckeet currah?_" "Why
don't you ascertain it, then?" Hearing this, I dashed into another hut,
and squatted myself down close, resolved at least to have a fight for
it. A man passed the door of the hut twice; but, at last, crying out,
"_Cally ek lungrah bile hie_," which signifies, "There is only one lame
bullock," he rejoined his party. The attempt to steal away in so dark a
night would have been impracticable; I must infallibly have been heard.
I resolved, therefore, to have a run for it, and off I bolted, up the
same street through which I had come, when a whole volley of matchlocks
was sent after me, but they did not attempt to follow--at least, as far
as I know, for I did not stop to look behind me. I arrived safe at the
division, not a little frightened; and I can venture to say that, the
elephant affair excepted, I never ran so fast before in my life. This
afterwards proved to be a strong cavalry piquet.
We at last took possession of the village, and established a depot
there; and a rising ground about two or three hundred yards from it was
the spot selected for our batteries. We were at first heard, when the
fort commenced a heavy firing, but in the wrong direction. Every man was
employed in digging a sufficient space to lie down in; and, in the
course of a couple of hours, we were covered and protected from their
shot. We then erected batteries; and, by daylight in the morning,
everything was finished, and we were so close to the enemy that we could
distinctly hear English spoken,[8] and the _reveillee_ beaten.
On Christmas eve, as dark and cold a night as ever blew from the
heavens, the breach was reported practicable, and the rising of the moon
was a signal for marching to the storm. She did rise, in splendid
effulgence, over one of the highest bastions of the fort we were about
to storm; and we could see by her light, spears on the ramparts as thick
as plants in a new-set forest. We were now and then saluted with a
solitary gun from the fort, to let us know they were not asleep; blue
lights were seen burning on their ramparts, and they occasionally
indulged us with a rocket or two, which played beautifully in the air.
The soldiers, seeing I was a spirited youth, and a competitor with them
for glory, gave me a few salutary hints, especially an old veteran of
the 76th Foot, who had been then fighting about twenty years in the
East. Among the hints he gave me were these: 1st. Never to pass a man
lying down, or supposed to be dead, without giving him the point of the
bayonet or sword; for it was a common trick of theirs to lay themselves
down on your approach, and then to watch the opportunity of cutting you
down. 2nd. Whenever I saw a rocket or shell fall near me, to get as
close to it as possible, and lay myself flat on my face. This was
undoubtedly very excellent advice; but I soon got tired of killing dead
men, and lying down every time I saw a rocket; the having neglected to
do which, on one occasion, however, nearly cost me my life, which I
shall mention in its proper place.
The storming party consisted of about seven hundred men, composed of two
companies of his majesty's 22nd regiment, two of the Company's European
regiments, and the rest native troops, the whole under the command of
Colonel Ball, a brave old hero, but so feeble, that he was obliged to be
pushed up the track of glory. The two flank companies to which I
belonged led the column. Sergeant Bury, of the Grenadier company, headed
the foremost; but being wounded at the moment, he was compelled to leave
the battery. I volunteered to take his place. The enemy had a strong
intrenchment between our batteries and the breach, with innumerable
guns, so placed as to have a cross fire on the storming party. However,
we soon fought our way through their intrenchments, our gallant captain
(Lindsay) cheering, and boldly leading us on. Crossing these trenches,
this brave officer was cut with a spear in the arm, and also received a
severe wound from a sabre; but his gallantry and zeal were so great,
that he could not be prevailed upon to retire from the scene of action.
A little on our right I saw some of the enemy point a gun at us.
Immediately, with three or four comrades, I rushed out to spike it; for
which purpose, I was in the act of searching for the touchhole, to put a
nail in it, when one of the enemy's golundauze (artillery-men) fired the
gun off, and I was thrown on my back in the trench, and the same man was
in the act of cutting me to pieces, when a grenadier of our company,
named Shears, shot him, and I once more escaped. Fortunately for us, the
whole of the enemy's great guns were elevated too much, owing to which
the shots passed over our heads. If they had been properly directed, we
must have been annihilated to a man. Within fifty or sixty paces from
the breach, I received a matchlock ball in the head, which dropped me to
the ground, the blood flowing profusely. When I came a little to myself
from the stun, I found myself impelled onward by one of our companies,
who were close together, and running stooping, to avoid the shots,
which, being near the breach, were uncomfortably thick; but we reached,
and soon planted the British flag on the summit of the bastion which was
breached. Our opponents fought hard to resist our entrance, throwing
immense stones, pieces of trees, stink-pots, bundles of straw set on
fire, spears, large shots, &c.; but resistance was in vain: we were
determined to conquer. In spite of this laudable resolution, however, we
found some hard work cut out for us on making good our ascent. The
streets in the fort were narrow, running across each other, and every
ten yards guns were placed, for the purpose of raking the whole streets.
Added to this, many of the enemy had got into high houses, in which
there were loop-holes, from which they could fire down upon us, without
the possibility of our getting at them. Near the corner of a street, in
a kind of nook, I saw our dear Captain Lindsay attacked by five or six
of the enemy. He was on one knee, and quite exhausted, having lost much
blood from his former wounds; but, to our great joy, we were just in
time to save him, and punish some of his assailants. From the intricacy
of the place, we were afraid of shooting our own men, and were therefore
obliged to keep pretty close together. At midnight I again met Captain
Lindsay, clearing one of the streets, when he asked me how I felt
myself. I complained of a wound in my side, but said that I could find
no hole; but this was not a time for talking. In turning sharp down a
street rather larger than those we had cleared, we met a column of the
enemy, with a person of rank in a palanquin. We soon stopped his black
highness; and, to ascertain who was inside the palanquin, which was an
open one, I, with several others, probed our way with our bayonets, when
a tremendous fat zemindar (an officer) roared out most lustily, and
began to show fight. He fired a matchlock at me, which went through the
wing of my coat, but did not touch my person. Before I could retaliate,
my comrades had finished him, and we then commenced at the column; but I
took from the palanquin the gun which had nearly robbed me of life. It
was like the barrel of a gun, about two feet long, with a round handle;
at the handle end was a sharp hatchet; at the other extremity a sharp hook.
This extraordinary instrument I presented to the commander-in-chief; but
he refused the present, saying it was my trophy. His lordship was
afterwards prevailed on to purchase it, at the price of two hundred
rupees. We at this time got information that the five companies which
had deserted from the Honourable Colonel Monson, in his masterly retreat
from Jeypore, were standing, dressed in the full uniform they deserted
in, outside the principal gate of the fort, with their arms ordered,
without apparently making any resistance, and frequently crying out,
"Englishmen, Englishmen, pray do not kill us; for God's sake, do not
kill us." As these supplications proceeded rather from fear than from
penitence for the crime they had been guilty of--that of deserting to an
enemy--these men could expect no mercy. We had positive orders to give
them no quarter, and they were most of them shot.
About three o'clock, when I was completely tired and done up, I took my
station under the gable end of a brick building, and began to examine
the extent of my wounds. The one on the head was a bad one, having
touched the skull; it was about two inches long, and one broad, and I
was a little alarmed for the consequences. The wound which I supposed I
had received in the side, was nothing more than the wind of a
cannon-ball, which it was thought must have passed between my arm and
side. It was quite black, and much swollen, and on its margin there
appeared red streaks, which convinced the doctors that it was caused as
before stated. I felt it for months afterwards. The wound in my head had
been so long exposed to the night air, that, on examination by the
medical gentlemen, it was pronounced to be a dangerous one; but, with an
excellent constitution, and youth on my side, I soon recovered.
The killed found next morning exceeded the number of our storming party.
We had but few killed, but a great number wounded. Poor Sergeant Bury
found his way in, wounded as he was, before the whole company had
entered, and fought hard the whole night. Early in the morning he was
looking over the parapet of the fort, when a cannon-ball struck him on
the back, and killed him on the spot; otherwise he would have been
rewarded with a commission; but such is the fate of war! The taking of
this small redoubt was but a preparatory and necessary step before we
commenced a regular siege against the strong fort, and equally strong
town, both of which, however, they gave up, being fully satisfied of the
impossibility of holding either.
[Illustration]
FOOTNOTES:
[8] The English, which we were confident we heard spoken on this
occasion, was, no doubt, by a drummer who had deserted from the 76th
regiment, and who was afterwards found dead in the fort.
[Illustration: OFFICIAL PLAN OF THE SIEGE OF BHURTPORE, 1805.]