After the battle of Meeanee, the victorious army of Sir Charles Napier
entered Hyderabad in triumph. He had not been there long when he heard
that Shere Mahomed, or the _Lion_, one of the most powerful of the
Ameers of Scinde, was in arms at the head of a large force, hoping to
retrieve the losses of his brother chieftains. Considerable
reinforcements for the British army were expected--some from Sukkur down
the Indus, and others from Kurrachee.
Approaching Hyderabad, the haughty Ameer sent an envoy as herald to the
British camp, with an insolent offer of terms, saying, "Quit this land,
and, provided you restore all you have taken, your life shall be
spared." Just then the evening gun fired. "You hear that sound? It is
my answer to your chief. Begone!" said Sir Charles, turning his back on
the envoy.
On the 21st a column, under Major Stack, reached Muttaree--a long march
from Hyderabad. The fortress of Hyderabad was by this time repaired,
and the intrenched camp was complete; and, on the 16th, recruits and
provisions came up from Kurrachee, and the 21st Regiment of Sepoys
arrived from Sukkur, down the Indus. When the Lion had notice of Major
Stack's approach, he moved with his whole army to Dubba, intending to
fall on him on the following day. The General's plans were soon laid.
His first care was to save Major Stack's column. He accordingly sent
out Captain McMurdo with 250 Poona horsemen, to meet Stack, and to order
him to advance after he had ascertained the Lion's position. The next
morning, Jacob was despatched with the Scinde horsemen along the same
road, and he himself followed, at a short distance, with the Bengal
Cavalry and some guns, supported by all the infantry, who moved a short
distance behind. Meantime Major Stack had advanced, leaving his baggage
unprotected. It was attacked by a body of Beloochee matchlock-men; but
Captain McMurdo, with only six Poona Horse, kept them at bay till some
troops he sent for came up to his assistance. The Beloochees were
ultimately driven back, and the force reached Hyderabad. Sir Charles
had now 5000 men of all arms, 1100 being cavalry, with 19 guns. Leaving
two guns to guard the camp, at break of day on the 24th he marched from
Hyderabad upon Dubba, which was eight miles north-west of that city.
The infantry and guns moved forward in a compact mass, the cavalry
scouting ahead and on the flank; for so thickly covered was the whole
country with houses, gardens, shikargahs, and nullahs, that 50,000 men
might be in position without being discovered at half a mile distance.
Ten miles were passed over, and still the exact position of the enemy
was unknown, when a scout came in with the information that the Lion was
with his whole force two miles to the left.
The General, at the head of the irregular horse, galloped forward, and
in a quarter of an hour found himself on a plain, in front of the whole
Beloochee army. The whole plain was swarming with cavalry and infantry;
the right wing resting on the Fullaillee, with a large pond of mud
protecting the flank, while the left rested on a succession of nullahs
and a dense wood. No distinct view could be obtained of the order of
battle, but 26,000 men were before him, and they had 15 guns--11 being
in battery, while two lines of infantry were intrenched, and a heavy
mass of cavalry was in reserve.
The front was covered with a nullah 20 feet wide and 8 feet deep, with
the usual high banks, which were scarped so as to form a parapet.
Behind this the first line of infantry was posted, extending for a mile
in a direction perpendicular to the Fullaillee; while behind the right
wing, close to the Fullaillee, was the village of Dubba, filled with
men, and prepared for resistance by cuts and loopholes in the houses.
There were other nullahs, behind which the rest of the Beloochee army
was posted, with one gun on a height to the right, and the remainder
behind the third line. Altogether, no position could have been better
chosen or more formidable.
The march of the British force was diagonal to the front of the
Beloochee army, and this brought the head of the column left in front
near the right of the enemy, and the line was immediately formed on the
same slant; the cavalry being drawn up on the wings, and the artillery
in the intervals between the regiments.
When the line was formed, the left, being advanced, was under the
enemy's cannon. One shot nearly grazed the General's leg, and several
men were killed. Still the enemy's position could not be clearly made
out, and to ascertain it more exactly, Captain Waddington of the
Engineers, and Lieutenants Brown and Hill, rode straight to the centre
of the Beloochee lines, and then, under a sharp fire of matchlocks,
along the front to the junction of the centre with the left. A thick
wood on the right gave the General some anxiety, as it was supposed to
be filled with Beloochees, ready to rush out and attack the British rear
when they were hotly engaged. To watch it, he placed the Scindian
horsemen and 3rd Bombay Cavalry under Major Stack, with orders to oppose
whatever enemy appeared. The battle commenced at nine o'clock.
Leslie's horse artillery pushed forward, followed by the rest of the
artillery in batteries, and all obtained positions where their fire
crossed, and with terrible effect they raked the enemy. Lieutenant
Smith, eager to discover a place where his artillery could cross a deep
nullah, bravely rode up to it alone. He ascended the bank, and
instantly fell, pierced by a hundred wounds. It was full of Beloochees.
The gallant 22nd was again first in action, and, as they advanced under
a terrific fire from the gun on the hillock, and from the matchlock-men,
with whom were some of the bravest chiefs posted in the first nullah,
nearly half the light company were struck down.
Beyond the first nullah, a second and greater one was seen, lined still
more strongly with men, while the village became suddenly alive with
warriors, whose matchlocks could also reach the advancing line. While
about to lead the gallant 22nd to the charge, the General observed the
cavalry on the right making a headlong dash at the enemy's left wing, in
consequence of having seen some of them moving in apparent confusion
towards the centre. The right flank of the British army was thus left
uncovered; and had the wood been filled with Beloochees, the
consequences might have been serious. "The whole body of cavalry was at
full speed dashing across the smaller nullahs, the spurs deep in the
horses' sides, the riders pealing their different war-cries, and
whirling their swords in gleaming circles. There the fiery Delamain led
the gorgeous troopers of the 3rd Cavalry; there the terrible Fitzgerald
careered with the wild Scindian horsemen, their red turbans streaming
amid the smoke and dust of the splendid turmoil." See `_Conquest of
Scinde_', by Sir W. Napier.
No enemy appearing from the wood, the heroic General hurried back and
regained the 22nd at the moment it was rushing to storm the first
nullah. Riding to the first rank, he raised that clear, high-pitched
cry of war which had at Meeanee sent the same fiery soldiers to the
charge. It was responded to with ardour, led by Major Poole, who
commanded the brigade, and Captain George, who commanded the corps.
They marched up till within forty paces of the intrenchment, and then
stormed it like British soldiers. The regiments were well supported by
the batteries commanded by Captains Willoughby and Hutt, which crossed
their fire with that of Major Leslie. The second brigade, under Major
Woodburn, consisting of the 25th, 21st, and 12th Regiments, under
Captains Jackson, Stevens, and Fisher respectively, bore down into
action with excellent coolness. They were strongly sustained by the
fire of Captain Whitley's battery. On the right of it again were the
8th and 1st Regiments, under Majors Browne and Clibborne, which advanced
with the regularity of a review up to the intrenchments. Lieutenant
Coote, of the 22nd, was the first to gain the summit of the bank, where,
wresting a Beloochee standard from its bearer, he waved it in triumph,
while he hurried along the narrow ledge, staggering from a deep wound in
his side. Then, with a deafening shout, the soldiers leaped down into
the midst of the savage warriors. At that point a black champion, once
an African slave, and other barbarian chiefs, fell, desperately fighting
to the last.
Onward the brave 22nd fought its bloody way amid the dense masses of the
enemy, ably supported by the 25th Native Infantry; and now the British
line began to overlap the village of Dubba, while Stack's cavalry were
completely victorious on the right, and Leslie's horse artillery,
crossing the nullahs with sweeping discharges, committed fearful havoc
among the dense masses of the Beloochee army. The other regiments,
bringing up their right shoulders, continued the circle from the
position of the 25th, and lapped still farther round the village. In
this charge the 21st Sepoys stabbed every Beloochee they came up with,
whole or wounded, calling out "Innes! Innes!" at every stroke of death
they dealt.
In consequence of the rapidity of this charge, some confusion ensued,
and while the General was endeavouring to restore order, a Beloochee
field-magazine exploding, killed all near him, broke his sword, and
wounded him in the hand. Still the enemy fought on fiercely; surprising
feats of personal prowess were displayed. Four or five of the foe fell
beneath the iron hand of Fitzgerald, whose matchless strength renders
credible the wildest tales of the days of chivalry. McMurdo was engaged
in three successive hand-to-hand combats, his opponents having the
advantage of shields to aid their swordsmanship. He killed two in
succession, but the third, with an upward stroke, cut him from the belly
to the shoulder, and would have killed him, had he not cleft the man to
the brows, and thus lessened the force of the blow. As it was, he
received a desperate wound. Three other officers also performed
surprising deeds of personal prowess. The General proved that he
possessed humanity, as well as courage of the most heroic order. Near
the village, a chief, retiring with that deliberate rolling stride and
fierce look which all those intrepid fatalists displayed in both
battles, passed near the General, who covered him with a pistol; but
then remembering Meeanee, when in the midst of their warriors no hand
had been raised against him, he held his finger. His generosity was
fruitless, for a sepoy plunged his bayonet into the man with the
terrible cry of "Blood! blood!"
Much to the General's satisfaction, 16 wounded prisoners were taken,
whereas at Meeanee the lives of only 3 had been saved.
Slowly and sullenly the enemy retired, some going off with their leader
to the desert, others towards the Indus; but the latter were intercepted
by the victorious cavalry of the right wing, and driven in masses after
their companions into the wilderness. Meanwhile the General in person
led the Bengal and Poona Horse, under Major Story and Captain Tait,
through the valley of Dubba against the retreating masses, putting them
to the sword for several miles, but not without resistance, in
consequence of which the brave Captain Garrett and others fell. The
Lion himself was seen, and very nearly captured by Fitzgerald and
Delamain, as he was escaping on his elephant.
On his return with the cavalry, the General was received with three
hearty cheers by his troops. In this bloody battle, which lasted three
hours, the British lost 270 men and officers, of which number 147 were
of the gallant 22nd Regiment, who had sustained the brunt of the fight.
Though fought near Dubba, this battle is best known as that of
Hyderabad, which name is inscribed on the colours and medals of the
soldiers by whom it was won.
Sir Charles Napier had resolved to make the battle a decisive one.
Having arranged for sending his wounded to Hyderabad, reorganised his
army, and ascertained that the enemy had retreated towards Meerpoor, in
eight hours he was again marching in pursuit. During the battle the
thermometer stood at no degrees, and the heat was daily increasing. On
that day his troops had marched twelve miles to find the enemy, fought
for three hours, and had been employed for eight in collecting the
wounded, burying the dead, and cooking, rather than in resting; but all
were eager for a fresh fight; as evidence of which, several of the 22nd
Regiment concealed their wounds, that they might take part in it,
instead of being sent back to Hyderabad.
Their names are recorded--John Durr, John Muldowney, Robert Young, Henry
Lines, Patrick Gill, James Andrews, not severely hurt; Sergeant Haney,
wound rather severe; Thomas Middleton, James Mulvey, severely wounded in
the legs; Silvester Day, ball in the foot. It was only discovered that
they were wounded on the march, when, overcome by thirst, they fell
fainting to the ground. Captain Garrett and Lieutenant Smith were
killed in the battle; and Lieutenants Pownoll, Tait, Chute, Coote,
Evans, Brennan, Bur, Wilkinson, McMurdo, and Ensign Pennefather were
wounded.
The next day the Poona Horse were at the gates of Meerpoor. The Lion
fled with his family and treasure to Omercote, and the gates of the
capital were at once gladly opened to the victors. While the General
remained at Meerpoor, he sent forward the camel battery of Captain
Whitley, supported by the 25th Sepoy Infantry, under Major Woodburn.
There was but little water, and a risk of the Indus rising, so that it
would have been dangerous to have gone with the whole army. He promised
the Lion terms if he would surrender at once. News was brought him that
the Indus was rising. He despatched orders to Captain Whitley to
return. That officer had just received information that the Ameers had
again fled, and that Omercote might be captured. He was then distant 20
miles from that place, and 40 from Meerpoor. A young officer,
Lieutenant Brown, who had already distinguished himself, undertook to
ride these 40 miles to obtain fresh instructions. He reached Meerpoor
without a stop, and borrowing one of the General's horses, rode back
again under a sun whose beams fell like flakes of fire, for the
thermometer stood at above 130 degrees. He bore orders to attack
Omercote. The little band pushed forward, and, on the 24th, Omercote
opened its gates.
Thus was this important place reduced ten days after the battle of
Hyderabad, though 100 miles distant, and in the heart of the desert.
This capture may be said to have completed the conquest of Scinde. The
Lion was still at large, but he was finally hunted down and crushed by
different columns sent against him, under Colonels Roberts,
Chamberlayne, and Captain Jacob. Scinde was annexed to British India,
and Sir Charles Napier was appointed its first governor, independent of
the Presidencies, with directions to abolish slavery, to tranquillise
the inhabitants, and to bring out the resources of the country he had so
bravely acquired.