These night alarms—especially with soldiers not thoroughly trained—are invariably dangerous, the probability being that friends are mistaken for enemies, and shots not unusually exchanged. We were once witness to a scene which, although ludicrous afterwards and to the lookers-on, was certainly unpleasant to the principal performer. It happened that a soldier in his shirt and trousers had wandered some distance from our camp during the night, when an alarm arose that the enemy were upon us. Men scarcely awake rose to their feet, rifle in hand, and seeing a white object in the distance rushing towards them opened fire on it. The more the unfortunate man shouted (for he was within the white object, which was his shirt) the more rapid was the firing at him, until he came sufficiently close to be recognised. Fortunately the darkness of the night and the hurried manner in which the men fired saved him from being hit.
On the evening of the 7th of February the return march of the army commenced towards Bushire, the enemy having been observed retreating amidst the fastnesses of the mountains far away. Until midnight all was quiet, and no enemy was expected, when suddenly the discharge of musketry in the rear caused the forces to be on the alert, and it was then found that the rear-guard was attacked. In less than half an hour the whole army was surrounded by skirmishers and galloping horsemen, who yelled and trumpeted, making as much noise as possible. One of the Persian buglers, who was acquainted with the English calls, sounded the “Cease firing” repeatedly, close to the Highlanders.
Lieutenant John Grant Malcolmson, 3rd Bombay Light Cavalry, rescuing his brother officer, Lieutenant and Adjutant Arthur Moore, at the battle of Kooshab.
Our troops, although surprised in a great measure, were as steady as though on parade, and received the charges of the enemy’s cavalry with a fire which emptied many saddles. This exhibition of courage and discipline was the more commendable, considering very few of the men had ever previously been under fire.
During the greater part of the night the Persians kept up a desultory fire, which, however, produced but little damage, and when at daybreak the fire slackened it was feared that there would not, after all, be any real battle; but as the morning fogs dispersed the enemy were seen in position, their right resting on a village called Khoosh-aub. Several dry watercourses were in their front, and these were lined with skirmishers. There were also large bodies of cavalry on both flanks, and altogether a force of about 8000 (one-fourth of which was cavalry) was assembled to oppose us.
As soon as there was light enough a rapid cannonade commenced on both sides, whilst a change of front was made by our own commander, immediately after which the advance was made with but little loss, considering the heavy firing brought against us.
The fire from the Persian guns was soon almost silenced by that from our own, which was carried on at a tolerably close range.
Our cavalry, consisting of some irregulars and the 3rd Bombay, finding some of the enemy’s horsemen opposed to them, made a brilliant charge, fairly sweeping the enemy before them. There were only two or three of the regular battalions of the Persians that stood their ground at all or retired in regular order. The 3rd Cavalry charged through these men, who received them with tolerable steadiness. It was on this occasion that Lieutenant A. Moore gained the Victoria Cross.
Lieutenant Moore was first within the square at which his regiment charged. His horse fell dead beneath him, and he would soon have fallen a victim had not a brother officer (Lieutenant Malcolmson) fought his way back and assisted him with difficulty out of the crowd of the enemy. Both Lieutenants Moore and Malcolmson gained the Victoria Cross for their conduct on this occasion.