LIEUTENANT BUTLER AND THE VICTORIA CROSS.
During several years previous to the Indian mutiny the kingdom of Oude
had been a source of much anxiety to the Governors of India. It was
formerly an independent province, in which were about 3,000,000 people,
but in 1856 it became a province of British India. The capital of Oude is
Lucknow, one of the largest cities in India, containing at least 300,000
inhabitants; it is a straggling place, extending over nearly three miles,
but contains many large important buildings, forts, &c. The streets are
very narrow and winding, thus rendering it difficult for any troops to
march through it when an enemy is in possession of the neighbouring
buildings. A fine river—the Goomtee—runs past the town, and bounds it on
one side.
It was on or about the 24th of May, 1857, that the first indications of
an outbreak became manifest at Lucknow; at this date there were about 500
available European troops, whilst the mutineers of the native regiments
numbered about 4000. In addition to these, the whole of the inhabitants
of the district were in rebellion, being led by various leaders, and
formed bands of brigands, whose principal object was to hunt down and
murder Europeans.
Sir Henry Lawrence was at this time Chief Commissioner of Oude, and,
being possessed of great foresight and skill, prepared to receive the
coming shock. He put a portion of Lucknow, termed the Residency, into a
state of defence, stored it with ammunition and provisions, fortified
also a place termed the Muchhee Bhowun, and then waited the course of
events.
After having defended himself in these two places from the 30th of
May, he, on the 29th of June, sallied out in the hope of cutting off a
party of mutineers, but, having ventured farther than he intended, he
discovered a most powerful body of the mutineers, and was obliged to
retreat with considerable loss, more especially as the artillery he had
taken with him deserted their guns and joined the enemy. Shortly after
this he found that, with his diminished numbers, it was imprudent to
hold two places. Thus the Muchhee Bhowun was abandoned, and the whole
garrison were brought into the Residency, and a defence commenced which
was certainly one of the most marvellous that has ever been recorded in
history.
The ruling mind in Lucknow was from the commencement that of Sir H.
Lawrence, and many brave men were accustomed to look to him for advice or
directions in various trying circumstances. When, then, he died, on the
4th of July, from the effects of a wound produced by a shell which burst
in the room in which he was sitting, his loss cast a gloom on the devoted
band within the Residency, and rendered for a time their position even
more than ever perilous.
Day by day and night after night a continued fire of artillery and
musketry was directed upon the Residency, and the only defence on the
part of the besieged, in many instances, was to remain under cover, and
thus to escape from the iron hail above them. Among the many singular
events that occurred during the siege of Lucknow, there were none that
were more exciting to those concerned than the underground combats.
The mutineers, having been trained by our own Sappers and Miners,
were thoroughly acquainted with the principles and use of mines, and
they applied their knowledge in the present instance to the attempted
destruction of their enemy. Let any of us imagine ourselves to be shut
up in a fort surrounded by a merciless enemy, unable to show even a hand
above the walls of the defences without having a shower of bullets aimed
at it, and then to know that from several directions there were galleries
being driven underground until a spot could be reached beneath us in
which a sufficient quantity of powder could be placed to send us, our
fort, and guns a hundred feet in the air.
Fatal as the mine undoubtedly is, it, like the deadly rattlesnake of
America, invariably makes a noise before it strikes its blow, and thus
it was impossible for the mutineers to work underground and yet make
no sound; so that the garrison by watchfulness could hear the blows of
the enemy’s pickaxe and spade, and could then make what was called a
counter-mine, and at the proper time blow up the work of the besiegers.
In many cases the defenders broke their way into the galleries made by
the mutineers, and shots were exchanged in the darkness underground. In
only one instance did the mutineers succeed in their mines; this occurred
in consequence of a mine being directed against an outer wall of the
Sikh cavalry lines, the noise of the horses’ feet preventing the sound
of the miners from being heard. This mine, upon being exploded, buried
half-a-dozen drummers in its ruins, and opened a breach large enough to
have admitted the enemy, who were, however, too cautious to venture upon
an encounter at close quarters, even with a foe which they outnumbered in
the proportion of ten to one.
In many instances the counter-mines of the besieged produced most
destructive effects on the enemy. In one case where the mutineers
commenced a mine a counter-mine was immediately attempted, which, when
exploded, blew up the enemy’s gallery, a house near it, and some three
dozen men.
In spite, however, of these successes, the condition of the besieged was
bad enough.
During the whole of June, July, and August, this devoted band maintained
themselves against their innumerable foes. The massacre at Cawnpore had
shown them what they might expect if they surrendered, and thus, in spite
of sickness, want of provisions, and other evils, they held their ground,
until, on the 23rd of September, the firing of artillery in the distance
informed them that help was at hand. So strangely are some constitutions
framed and kept up by excitement that, as we were informed by an
eye-witness, in many instances the besieged during several weeks took no
other nourishment than a little water and a few mouthfuls of bread per
day, feeling quite unable to touch any other food, and, in fact, having
no appetite for it.
On the 25th of September, Generals Outram and Havelock commenced their
attack upon Lucknow, and early in the morning the first brigade commenced
its march. It was soon found that the enemy had made most extensive
preparations to meet them, each suitable station being selected for
cannon, which played with murderous effect upon the advancing troops.
During six hours the gallant band of warriors, each member of which
deserved a cross of honour, struggled forward to the relief of their
comrades—the English women and children shut up in the Residency. During
the afternoon a temporary halt was ordered under the walls of a palace
termed the Fureed Buksh; but ere long darkness coming on rendered the
next movement one of considerable importance. The Residency was yet
half-a-mile distant, and large bodies of the enemy were between it and
the palace. To delay till the morning the relief of the besieged might be
an unwise proceeding, for the ferocious mutineers might during the night
make a successful attack, and a massacre would be the result. It was
therefore decided that the 78th Highlanders and another regiment should
advance. This decision having been arrived at, a short half-hour only was
passed before men, women, and children, who had almost ceased to hope,
suddenly found themselves in comparative safety, delivered by the skill
and courage of Havelock and his column of relief.
The besieged, who had during a hundred days been shut up in the
Residency, were actually surprised by the arrival of succour. Although
several intimations had been received to the effect that a relieving
force was coming, yet there was no appearance of it even on the morning
of the 25th, although considerable commotion was observable among the
armed men and sepoys in the town. At about 5 P.M. volleys of musketry
were heard in the streets, and the peculiar hiss of the Minié ball was
audible. A few minutes later the English troops were seen fighting their
way gallantly, and then from every loophole and embrasure, from hospital
and house, arose a cheer and shout from every living being within that
inclosure that had so long been a prison, and was so near being a grave.
Yet, after all, this relief proved to be merely “succour,” for, as about
30 officers and 500 men were killed and wounded during the march through
the town, and as also in the previous actions many men had been lost, the
army of 3000 that had left Cawnpore to relieve Lucknow had dwindled into
a mere handful. There was also a difficulty about food, for the increase
in numbers caused a demand for more provisions, and already there was a
scanty supply even for those who previously occupied the Residency.
Those who have been much exposed to “fire” have often experienced many
hair-breadth escapes and singular incidents. Several are related in
connexion with the defence of Lucknow. An officer was handing a glass of
water to a companion, the glass being held low down, when a bullet struck
the glass and smashed it to pieces, without, however, hurting either man.
Three prisoners were brought in, and were being tried by a drum-head
court-martial, when the proceedings were suddenly cut short by a round
shot, which, without ceremony, killed the three prisoners, after which
the court was dissolved.
It was soon found that the sepoys, having discovered how small a force
had joined the garrison, were determined to pursue their attack with
renewed vigour, and continued the siege until the intrenchments were
deserted on the 19th of November.
We in England who live at home at ease, and perform our morning toilets
with composure, can scarcely imagine the effect that would be produced
upon us by an event such as the following, related with great coolness by
a lady in her “Diary of the Siege of Lucknow:”—
“This morning an 18-pounder came through our unfortunate room again. It
broke the panel of the door, and knocked the whole of the barricade down,
upsetting everything; my dressing-table was sent flying through the door.”
When the relief had overcome the various obstacles that had been opposed
to its entrance into Lucknow, and had joined the besieged garrison, it
was found necessary to give up the Residency. This was accomplished by
a ruse, and during the night, when the women and children, the wounded
and sick, were conveyed in safety to the Alum Bagh, thence to Allahabad,
leaving Lucknow to be dealt with by men alone.
[Illustration: Lieutenant Thomas Adair Butler, 1st Bengal Fusiliers, at
Lucknow.]
It was not till early in March, 1858, that Sir Colin Campbell appeared
with a large British force before Lucknow. At this time there were
about thirty thousand Sepoys in arms in the city, besides which
there were fully fifty thousand armed volunteers and irregulars. The
commander-in-chief’s preparations had been most ably planned and carried
out. A bridge was soon thrown across the Goomtee, with very little
opposition. On the 7th of March twenty-two guns, all of large calibre,
were sent across this bridge, and joined Sir J. Outram’s force on the
opposite side. On the 8th a decided step was made towards the capture of
the city. A heavy fire had been maintained all day on the Martinière, and
Sir Colin determined to assault it very soon.
It was on this day that the officer whose exploit we this month
illustrate gained the Victoria Cross. An officer, who also gained the
Cross on the same day, had led a portion of his company against a
two-gun battery and spiked the guns; thus the most advanced position of
the troops was secure from artillery fire. It was of great importance
that the skirmishers on the opposite side of the river should be made
acquainted with this success, and Lieutenant Thomas Adair Butler, 1st
Bengal Fusiliers, swam across the Goomtee, climbed the parapet, and
remained for some time exposed to a heavy fire of musketry. He, however,
gave the information that he wished, and was prominently mentioned by
Major-General Outram in general orders. For this act of coolness and
bravery he was allotted the Victoria Cross: an honour well deserved.
There are many men who, in the heat and excitement of action, will take
a prominent lead, and will then perform more than they would be disposed
to do in moments of calmness; but when a man swims across a broad river
in the face of an enemy, and remains by himself exposed to a severe fire,
he must indeed possess those characteristics entitling him to be called
brave.
Sir Colin Campbell was well acquainted with the peculiar style of
fighting preferred by the mutineers. If behind stone walls, earthworks,
or in buildings, the rebel sepoys would remain under fire all day. If,
however, they were brought into close contact with cold steel, their
courage deserted them, and they made the best use of their legs. In his
orders for the attack on the Martinière, he particularly insisted on
the application of cold steel. “The men employed in the attack will use
nothing but the bayonet. They are absolutely forbidden to fire a shot
till the position is won.” The description of the Highlanders’ advance
is thus graphically given by Dr. Russell:—“Our guns were now thundering
away, mortars, howitzers, and 24-pounders, at the pits, huts, and
Martinière, from which the enemy kept up an incessant fusillade of the
weakest sort, the only thing remarkable about it being its pertinacity.
The time wore on, and at last the Highlanders and Sikhs came marching
from their camp, and drew up behind the Dilkoosha. The enemy had remained
steady in their trenches under the fire of six mortars and ten heavy guns
and howitzers. But the instant they caught sight of our bayonets, and
that the lines of the Sikhs and Highlanders came in view, we observed
them, by twos and threes and groups, and at last in masses, running and
marching at the double, as fast as they could clear out of the works,
and moving to the rear, or stealing off under cover of their parapets.
We saw the Highlanders, with skirmishers thrown out in front, advancing
rapidly, without a sound in their ranks, towards the Martinière, while
the Sikhs, on their flank, agile as panthers, ran at full speed towards
the trenches, from which the enemy, firing a few hurried shots from their
muskets, were flying so fast that not a man was left inside by the time
our troops were within two hundred yards of the Martinière. In less than
ten minutes we saw Highland bonnets among the trees in the park, and
the Sikhs rushing through the vines in the rear, looking in vain for an
enemy.”
By the 19th of March the entire city was in our possession, being thus
gained after sixteen days’ fighting, counting from the first advance
of Sir Colin from the Alum Bagh. Taking all things into consideration,
the heat of the climate, the number of the enemy, and the fact of his
fighting from behind stone walls or earthworks, this advance on and
capture of Lucknow is a most marvellous achievement, especially when we
consider the small loss that our troops suffered.
Every private English soldier in India at that time was worth a
considerable sum, for his loss could not be easily replaced, and thus a
wise and prudent general had to spare his men as much as possible, and to
calculate previous to a battle whether even success could afford to be
purchased by the loss of a given number of men.
When Lucknow was entered by our troops a scene was witnessed that baffles
all description. The wealth of India has ever been known as immense,
and much of this had been collected in Lucknow. The palaces of princes
and private houses of rich natives were alike open to view, the owners
having left them in the greatest haste upon the arrival of the English
conquerors. Soldiers, whose spare pay amounted to scarcely more than a
few pence per day, were able to lay hands upon gold and silver ornaments,
watches, and jewels enough to buy a king’s ransom. In one instance a box,
which was being carelessly handled by some men, was stated by those well
informed to contain jewels to the value of one hundred thousand pounds.
Unfortunately, this fell into the hands of some one unknown, who shortly
disappeared with the box, and neither was afterwards heard of. Camel and
elephant loads of rich brocades were carried away from the city, whilst
wealth of every kind was scattered about in wild confusion.
Not only in India and England, but in all Christian countries, the
defence and capture of Lucknow caused great excitement and interest.
The massacre of upwards of eight hundred men, women, and children at
Cawnpore had sent a thrill of horror throughout Europe at such cruelty
and disregard of life, and as our forces in India were comparatively few,
it did not seem improbable that the brave defenders of Lucknow might meet
a similar fate. Thus the encounters during the first two weeks of March,
1858, will be remembered by all; and those who on these occasions gained
the Victoria Cross, must feel and be known as men who risked their lives
in a great and glorious cause, not only for the honour of their name and
country, but for the triumph of Christianity and mercy over cruelty and
vice.
[Illustration]