The great point was to effect an entrance. This could only be done by removing the barricade. This was a task of no ordinary danger; whoever undertook it had to count on concentrating on himself the whole fire of the enemy. Here again Lieutenant Kerr boldly exposed his life to almost certain destruction by rushing forward, crowbar in hand, and emulating the vigour of the Black Knight in “Ivanhoe” in the ponderous blows he struck. It seemed that day as if he bore a charmed life; the bullets of the rebels whistled around him in every direction, but still he plied his crowbar till the barricade began to yield. At length, as on the former occasion, he made an opening wide enough to admit a person in a stooping position. As soon as this was done he rushed through, followed by his faithful attendant, Gumpunt Row, who was resolved to share his leader’s fate. The rebels were waiting their approach, and no sooner had they appeared within the walls than they were met by a volley, from which they fortunately escaped unhurt. Without giving them time to reload they rushed upon the mutineers, and a desperate hand-to-hand combat ensued. The rebels were far superior in numbers, but that was their only advantage. The storming party, animated by the example of their gallant leader, already counted on victory. For a time the event seemed doubtful; the enemy, driven to their last corner, offered an obstinate resistance. A ball cut the chain of Lieutenant Kerr’s helmet, another hit his sword-blade with such force that it turned the edge. The faithful Gumpunt Row, though wounded in the foot, never quitted his master’s side; at one moment, when his life was exposed to imminent danger, he shot the assailant dead. Another mutineer rushed up and discharged his musket so close to Lieutenant Kerr’s face that for an instant he was blinded by the powder. It was only for a moment, and as soon as he recovered his sight he ran his sword through the body of his adversary with such force that it required a violent effort to withdraw it. While he was struggling to do so, one of the enemy, watching his opportunity, rushed up and struck him a violent blow with the butt-end of a musket. Such a blow would have placed a less powerful man hors de combat; as it was, Lieutenant Kerr staggered beneath it and almost lost his consciousness. Another rebel, observing his helpless condition, ran forward to dispatch him, but Gumpunt Row, watching over his master’s safety, was ready to receive him. A bullet from his musket stretched him lifeless on the ground. Lieutenant Kerr, instantly recovering himself, killed a second. Assailants and defendants were now enveloped in such a cloud of smoke that it was difficult to distinguish one another or to mark the various incidents of the contest, which raged with the greatest fury. Lieutenant Kerr, though severely wounded, pressed the advantage he had gained by driving the enemy before him; he knew that all depended upon his example and courage; if he had fallen or hesitated for a moment the sowars would have retreated and the enemy escaped. As it was, they followed him wherever he went, and showed by their conduct that the natives of India, when properly led, are capable of the most heroic deeds.
The mutineers were pressed so hard that they at length gave way, and took refuge in the inner keep. This building had been used as a temple, and was a place of considerable strength. The rebels barricaded the door and began to fire through an opening on the storming party. The latter had consisted originally of seventeen sowars; of these only six or seven continued to follow their gallant leader; all the rest had been killed or disabled. Lieutenant Kerr advanced with this handful of men to attack the rebels in their last refuge. On approaching the door, it was found that the crowbars made no impression upon it, and that some other means of forcing an entrance must be adopted. Lieutenant Kerr proved himself as ingenious in resources as he was gallant in attack. Observing a quantity of hay close at hand, he seized some of it and carried it to the door of the temple. He was closely followed by Gumpunt Row, who set fire to the hay. The door was gradually consumed, and the stormers, who during this interval had been exposed to a heavy fire, rushed in. None of the mutineers escaped; all of them were either captured or slain.
This brilliant affair, in which Lieutenant Kerr bore such a distinguished part, was attended with the most important consequences: it checked the rising spirit of revolt in the province where it occurred, and revived the confidence of the officers in the native regiments under their command.
The loss sustained by the storming party was very severe. Their leader was seriously wounded. Of his seventeen followers eight were killed on the spot, and four subsequently died of their wounds. Not one of them escaped unhurt. If we take into account the obstinate resistance of the enemy, the smallness of Kerr’s troop, and the heavy fire to which they were exposed, the only ground for surprise is that any of them should have escaped at all. It was impossible that such gallant conduct should have passed unnoticed or unrewarded. The press of India was loud in expressing the admiration which was felt by all, and Colonel Maugan, the officer commanding at Kolapore, brought Lieutenant Kerr’s distinguished conduct under the notice of the Adjutant-General of the Bombay army, in the following terms:—
“Lieutenant William A. Kerr, of the Southern Mahratta Irregular Horse, took a prominent share in the attack of the position, and at the moment when the capture was of great public importance, he made a dash at the gateway with some dismounted horsemen, and forced an entrance by breaking down the gate. This attack was completely successful; and the defenders (to the number of thirty-four, all armed with muskets and bayonets) were either killed, wounded, or captured—a result which may with perfect justice be attributed to Lieutenant Kerr’s dashing and devoted bravery. I would therefore beg to be permitted to recommend Lieutenant Kerr for the highly honourable distinction of the Victoria Cross.”
Our readers, after reading the above narrative of Lieutenant Kerr’s exploits at Kolapore, will agree with us that he deserved this honourable distinction, so dear to every soldier’s heart. Soon after these events he returned to England, where he was invested with the Victoria Cross, and afforded Mr. Desanges an opportunity of perpetuating the remembrance of his gallantry. He has now returned to Bombay, and holds the rank of captain in the South Mahratta Horse. If circumstances should ever arise demanding such displays of valour, it will be found that his arm is as strong and his heart as brave as when he stormed the pagah at Kolapore and repressed the mutiny of the 27th Bombay Native Infantry.
