Camp Somna, 14 miles from Allygurh, Dec. 10th.
After four days of forced marches we joined the column this morning, and march on to Allygurh to-morrow. We have been quite out of the way of letters, both going and coming, until to-day. The "enemy," who were supposed to have been in our front at Khasgunge, have all disappeared, and there seems to be no immediate prospect of our finding another. Alfred Light marched down with me from Meerut to this place, and now goes on with Colonel Seaton as orderly officer, I am glad to say. We have a frightful convoy and crowd, but I hope not for long. The head-quarter people, Colonels Keith, Young, Becher, and Congreve, are with us. It is said that our friend Napier is to be Adjutant-General of the army,—delightful, if true. I have only just got my tent up, and it is nearly dark, so I can only say that I am safe and well.
Allygurh, Dec. 11th.—We arrived here early this morning, and I found Major Eld commanding and Arthur Cocks doing Commissioner. Everything perfectly quiet in the neighborhood, and no large gathering of Pandies anywhere near. There is a small party at Khasgunge, and I hope we may be lucky enough to find them, but I doubt their waiting for us. Meantime we are to march down the Trunk Road, halting here to-morrow. I cannot get over our parting, each separation seems a greater wrench than the last.
Of public news there is none, but one broad fact, that since the 12th ultimo no news have been received from Lucknow, and not a word even from Cawnpore since the 25th. This necessarily excites alarm, but still my impression is, that though our people may be surrounded with a close cordon of disaffected and rebellious men, who cut off all communication, yet that any serious harm can happen to a force of 8,000 or 9,000 Europeans I will not readily believe. I have 596 sabres with me now, 50 more coming from Delhi, besides the 140 with Gough,—not so bad that.
Dec. 12th.—We hear to-day from Agra that the ladies and sick and wounded from Lucknow and Cawnpore have been sent down to Allahabad, and the Gwalior Contingent beaten. The Commander-in-Chief is at Cawnpore, and troops will be assembling there enough to put down all opposition, and open the road to Calcutta. We march to-morrow morning from hence, leaving the "impedimenta" behind here until we can ascertain that the road is clear; when it is so, all will move on. We have fifteen guns, mostly 9-pounders, with our small but compact force. Major Eld joins us with a part of his garrison, and Colonel Farquhar brings 300 Belooches, 200 Affghans, and two guns to our aid. We shall be 2,500 fighting men, and the "fathers of rebels" will hardly stomach so much as that! Colonel Seaton is doing admirably, very firm and very wide awake; so all will, I doubt not, go well.
Julâlee, Dec. 13th.—Your letter, inclosing our darling sister's, found us lying in the dust, with a pea-soup atmosphere of fine sand all around, discussing hot tea and eggs, just as I had returned from a reconnoissance to the front, in virtue of my being the big eye and ear of the camp.... The paragraph in the Lahore Chronicle was too absurd, and beneath my notice; but to please you and Macdowell I consented to his saying anything he pleased on the subject. Naturally, I must err sometimes in judgment, even with prayer for my aid; but I never swerve from my one and only aim, to do my duty as well and strictly as I can; so the praise or blame of men affect me less than if I took public opinion and not conscience for my guide. But apropos of the newspapers, Arthur Cocks tells me that the Friend of India has apologized for its strictures on my conduct in re the Shahzadahs; so let that satisfy you, for nothing I could write, or my friends for me, could ever be half so effectual as the Friend's voluntary amende.... I intended to have written much to-day, but I was waked at 3 a. m., marched soon after, and with the exception of the dusty breakfast (cheered by my letters), I was in the saddle till half-past 2 p. m. Then regimental business, washed and dressed, then threw myself on my bed for half an hour till dinner, after which we get to bed as soon as we can, and up again at 3 a. m., so there is not much time for what I want to do of private matters. There's a history of a day in camp.
Camp, Gungeree, Dec. 14th.—I have only time to say that I am safe and well, though we have had a hard fight. The enemy's cavalry, with three guns and some infantry, came on from Bilaram to meet us this morning after breakfast,—about 800 horsemen and a mob of foot,—but our guns soon stopped their progress, and then the Carabineers and Lancers charged straight down on them in the most magnificent style, capturing all three of their guns at a dash! I grieve to say, however, that they paid most dearly for their splendid courage. All their officers went down. Captain Wardlaw, Mr. Hudson, and Mr. Vyse, all killed, and Head, of the Lancers, badly wounded. The infantry were not engaged at all. We attacked their flying cavalry and footmen on the left, and made very short work of all we could catch. I lost a fine old Resaldar, our dear old friend Mohammed Reza Khan's brother. None of my officers hurt; but my horse (Rufus this time) got a cut.[62]
Camp near Puttialee, 17th.—I have but time for one line again to say that "all's well." We have been on our horses for eleven hours! The enemy had the boldness to await our arrival here in great force and partly intrenched. We attacked them soon after 8 a. m., they firing aimlessly at us as we advanced, our guns coming into play with fine effect. I then dashed into their camp with my regiment, Bishop's troop of Artillery actually charging with us like cavalry fairly into their camp! We drove them through camp and town, and through gardens, fields, and lanes, capturing every gun and all their ammunition and baggage. We pushed on for six or seven miles, and read them a terrible lesson. The Carabineers and my men alone must have killed some 500 or 600 at least, all sowars and fanatics. We wound up by killing the Nawâb, who led them on his elephant, after a long chase and an ingenious struggle, in which he was fairly pulled out of his houdah. I am very tired, but delighted with our day's work on Seaton's account. We have captured thirteen guns and entirely dispersed the enemy. He ought to be made a K. C. B. for this.[63]
Puttialee, 19th.—I have just returned from a twenty-five miles' ride reconnoitring towards the ghâts of the Ganges, and breakfasted al fresco at 1¼ p. m.; so I am not too fresh, as you may imagine, after the last few days of hard work and hard galloping. Colonel Seaton tells me that he wrote to you after our very successful action here. He does all his work so well and pleasantly that it is a pleasure to work under him. We have a very compact force and capital officers, so everything goes on smoothly and comfortably. The remnant of the gentry we thrashed here seem never to have stopped running since. Another party have, however, crossed over from Rohilcund, and are said to be coming our way. I only wish they may.
Dec. 20th.—We march back to-morrow, and shall be at Etah on the Grand Trunk Road on the 24th, when the convoy will come on to rejoin us. I have ascertained that the result of our affair here has been to drive the whole of the rebels out of the country between this and Futtehgurh.