Captain Atherley’s company of the 3rd Battalion also arrived at Cawnpore on the 27th. They had landed at Calcutta on the 8th, and on the next day started by rail for Raneegunge, and thence proceeded by bullock-cart up the country. On nearing Cawnpore a messenger met them with instructions that Atherley was not to advance, as the force at Cawnpore was in retreat, and he might be cut off. A second messenger informed him that he was to push on, as every man was wanted. A third soon followed with a repetition of the first message. All this time for many hours, and while marching many miles, the sound of heavy firing was heard. About six in the evening a youth (a cadet), mounted on a pony, met them, saying that the road was clear, and that they were to hasten on and reach the town if possible. He added that General Windham’s force was getting the worst of it. Accordingly Atherley pushed on as fast as possible. The firing seemed to become heavier and more furious. As the company approached the bank of the canal, a mounted officer, extremely agitated, rode up and said, ‘Leave all your carts, except the ammunition; fix your bayonets, and I will show you the way.’ Atherley, with great sang-froid, said, ‘We have not got any bayonets; we have swords.’ ‘Well,’ said the other, ‘fix what you have got.’ Saying which he galloped off and they saw him no more. Neither as they advanced did they see any enemy; but they met some of the 2nd Battalion retiring in good order. Captain Atherley found General Windham in or near the intrenchment, and reported his arrival. Windham, expressing himself much pleased at being reinforced with a hundred ‘fresh’ Riflemen (they had just come off a fatiguing march), told him to patrol during the night, and guard the house in which he was living. He then asked if Atherley had had anything to eat; and being answered in the negative, he gave him a bone with some meat on it, which he and his two subalterns devoured in the verandah of Windham’s quarters, cutting it off with their clasp knives.
They patrolled all night in front of the intrenchment, and guarded Major Bruce’s house, which General Windham occupied. But the night passed without any attack from the Sepoys or any alarm.
On the 28th the Riflemen were ordered, about six in the morning, to come into an outwork of the intrenchment; where, having been supplied with some biscuit and tea, they were ordered out to resist the enemy, who were expected to make another attack. The Rifle companies, with part of the 82nd Regiment and Captain Greene’s battery of Artillery, were posted on the left of the canal looking from the intrenchments. In moving to this position they were exposed to a heavy fire of musketry and grape. The action itself began about noon; and after hard fighting these troops repulsed the enemy. When they arrived at their position it was discovered that an ammunition waggon was missing, and Lieutenant Curzon had to go back (as on the previous day) a considerable distance in search of it, exposed to a heavy fire. It could not be found; but he succeeded in bringing up a camel loaded with ammunition. In the course of the fight, Colonel Woodford, Lieutenants Playne[276] and Nicholl, with three Riflemen, were in a dip in the ground, in front of the enemy’s guns, and were making good practice in picking off the gunners; when Woodford, who was in the act of taking a shot with a rifle at a Sepoy, was shot through the head, and, uttering an exclamation, expired. A bugler, Bourne, carried him to a tope[277] of trees. Captain Dillon entered a house in which there were some Sepoys, and his revolver missing fire, he was bayonetted in the chest.
The Riflemen took two long eighteen-pounder guns, and the men having tackled to with ropes, drew them into the intrenchment, a distance of more than three miles. On their arrival they were greeted with a round of cheers for the guns, and another for the Rifles, and, amidst great excitement, civilians and soldiers pressed forward to offer congratulations and refreshment to the gallant captors.
Captain Atherley’s company was ordered to patrol the native town and to clear it of any Sepoys who might be lurking there. About four o’clock Atherley, having heard of the death of Colonel Woodford, took his men to the front, leaving the native town in charge of the 82nd Regiment. General Windham ordered him to line the bank of the canal. Three guns were brought to bear on these Riflemen, and several round shot came amongst them, but without doing any hurt. Atherley made his men take shelter along the bank; and selecting two whom he knew to be excellent shots, he told them to pick off the gunners of these guns, which were annoying the troops from the bridges over the canal; and he desired some of their comrades to load for them, and to hand them up rifles as fast as they could. Thus aided, these Riflemen, creeping up near the bridges, picked off the gunners, and effectually silenced the guns.
As another instance of their excellence in shooting, I may add that Atherley, in the course of this day’s fight, asked one of his men, named Robertson, how far he estimated the distance of the brick-kilns to be. The Rifleman replied that he did not know; but calling Atherley’s attention to a man standing on the top of the kiln, he put up his sight for 600 yards, fired, and the man fell. His body was examined the next day by Atherley, and the ball was found to have hit him in the stomach.
General Windham thus writes in his despatch of the conduct of the Riflemen:
‘On the left advance Colonel Walpole,[278] with the Rifles, supported by Captain Greene’s battery and part of the 82nd Regiment, achieved a complete victory, and captured two eighteen-pounder guns.
‘The glory of this well-contested fight belongs entirely to the above-mentioned companies and artillery. It was owing to the gallantry of the men and officers, under the able leading of Colonel Walpole and of my lamented relative Lieutenant-Colonel Woodford, of the Rifle Brigade (who I deeply regret to say was killed), and of Lieutenant-Colonel Watson, 82nd, and of Captain Greene, R.A., that this hard-contested fight was won and brought to so profitable an end. I had nothing to do with it beyond sending them supports, and at the end of bringing some up myself.