The left wing, which had arrived at Bombay on the 8th of February, started on the 11th of March for Mhow, and arrived there on the 17th of April. On the 9th of June a company was sent to Indore. On the 2nd of September the whole of the detachment in Mhow marched with a field force under command of Major-General Michel, C.B., in pursuit of the rebels, under their celebrated leader Tantia Topee. It was present at the actions at Rajghur, 15th of September, Mongrowlee, 9th of October (on which occasion 1 private was killed), Sindwaho, 19th of October, and Koorai, 25th of October, and afterwards marched to Goonah, where it arrived on the 17th January, 1859. On the 25th of November a party of 50 men, mounted on camels, left Mhow with a small column, under command of Major Sutherland, Ninety-second Highlanders, and was engaged with the rebels at Rajpore on the 25th November, when the latter were defeated, after which they returned to Mhow.
On the 1st of January, 1859, the company which had been stationed at Indore marched to join a column under Brigadier-General Sir Robert Napier, K.C.B., and was present at the attack on the fort of Nahargurh on the 17th of January, on which occasion 2 privates were severely wounded. Captain F. W. Lambton, in command of the company, was specially mentioned for his daring attack, for which service he was subsequently granted a brevet-majority. Two companies joined head-quarters from Goonah, in June, leaving a detachment of three companies there.
The head-quarters were inspected on the 2nd of December, 1859, by the Commander-in-Chief, Lord Clyde. His Excellency was pleased to express his satisfaction, both at what he himself saw, and at the reports which he had received regarding the state of the regiment from other sources. The report of His Excellency to His Royal Highness the General Commanding-in-Chief produced the following letter from the Adjutant-General of the Forces.
“Horse Guards,
“24th January, 1860.
“Sir,
“His Royal Highness the General Commanding-in-Chief is much gratified to hear from General Lord Clyde, Commander-in-Chief in India, that at his Lordship’s late visit to the station occupied by the regiment under your command, he found it in the highest order. After the recent arduous and continuous duties on which it has been employed, great credit is due to its Commanding Officer and to every rank in the corps, and His Royal Highness requests that his opinion may be communicated to them accordingly.
“I have the honour to be, Sir,
“Your most obedient servant,
(Signed) “G. A. Wetherall, General,
“Adjutant-General.
“Colonel W. Hope,
“Commanding Seventy-first Regiment.”
The three companies on detachment at Goonah rejoined head-quarters on the 19th of December, and the regiment, after being broken up into detachments for two years, was brought together again.
In the month of December Colonel R. D. Campbell died in London, and the command of the regiment devolved on Colonel W. Hope, C.B.