On the 4th they started from Bewur soon after three in the morning, and, having crossed the Kallee Nuddee by a bridge of boats about two miles from their camp, halted for breakfast at the end of ten miles. After a halt of an hour and a half they resumed their march, and went on to Futtehgurh, which they reached between four and five in the afternoon. The distance was twenty-six miles, and the day was extremely hot; yet very few men fell out. On their arrival here they joined the army under Sir Colin Campbell; and were pleasantly encamped in the pleasure-grounds and gardens of a Rajah’s palace on the banks of the Ganges. The Riflemen had marched seventy-six miles from Etawah to Futtehgurh in four days, or in about twenty-seven hours’ marching.
They halted here till the 13th; but during that time a detachment of the 3rd Battalion at Allahabad had been taken out (with some other troops) by Colonel Campbell of the Bays against some 300 Sepoys who were assembled in that neighbourhood, and whom they defeated, inflicting very heavy loss.
And on the 11th Captain Hill’s company of the 3rd Battalion went out with some sappers on an expedition.
On the 13th the two Battalions, forming part of a force under Brigadier Walpole, left Futtehgurh at nine in the morning, and crossed the Ganges by a bridge of boats, which the enemy had fortunately left uninjured. After a very fatiguing march of nine miles, part of it through the deep sand adjacent to the river, which in the rainy season it overflows, they reached Allygurh on the right bank of the Ramgunga at two in the afternoon, and found the enemy in force on the other side. The march of the two companies on rear guard was most fatiguing. They could not start till an hour and a half after the Battalions had marched, as the elephants which were to carry the tents had not arrived. Then with very slow progress they arrived at the Ganges, which the native-carts took a long time to cross; and the elephants obstinately refused to enter the river, or to trust their ponderous weight to the planks connecting the boats of the bridge. The tents had therefore to be unloaded, and passed over in boats. However, the recreant elephants subsequently rejoined. The rear-guard had only made their way through the deep sand when night came upon them, and they halted at half-past six. Fortunately they found an old door near their halting-place, which furnished a camp-fire; for the night was exceedingly cold, and there was a high wind. Resuming their toilsome march at half-past six on the 14th, they reached the camp at Allygurh about noon, not having tasted food since early in the morning before.
At Allygurh the enemy had destroyed, a few days before the Rifle Battalions arrived there, the bridge of boats by which the road to Bareilly crossed the Ramgunga. Materials were therefore to be obtained in order to throw it across again. Accordingly on the 15th Colonel Hill was ordered to proceed down the river with a party of the 2nd Battalion, in order to collect flat-bottomed boats for this purpose. Captains Warren and Thynne, Lieutenant Grey, and others, proceeded on that duty. They collected a number of boats, and brought them up to within about two miles of Allygurh, when the enemy, who, as I have said, occupied the opposite bank, opened fire with such effect that a party under Grey, who were completely exposed to it, were obliged to retire from the bank until the enemy was driven back. This was no easy task, as the left bank which he held was high, and the right bank a level plain. Colonel Hill had received positive orders from the Brigadier not to cross the river, or the enemy might have been effectually repulsed; for the river was shallow, so much so, indeed, that the boats frequently ran aground.
Night coming on, the boats were secured, it not being possible to move them farther up in the dark, and the party bivouacked on the spot. At day-break the enemy brought up some guns, and opened fire upon them; and as the ground afforded no cover unless they had retired from the bank and left the boats, the Riflemen formed shelter-trenches in the sand. While making these they were exposed to fire, but none were hit. And as the enemy did not venture within range of their rifles, they were unable to return it. The fire was heard in camp, and a battery of Field Artillery was sent to the aid of the Riflemen. These guns soon silenced those of the rebels. Colonel Hill received orders not to attempt to take the boats farther up the river. And having passed a second night in bivouack, this party marched back to camp.
From this till the end of the month the two Rifle Battalions furnished picquets at the boats (occasionally relieved by the Line regiment which was in the brigade), some of the men occupying the rifle-pits or shelter-trenches, and exchanging shots with the Sepoys, who plied them with shot and shell as well as with musketry.
On February 1, Sir Colin Campbell having renounced his intention of crossing the Ramgunga into Rohilcund, the two Battalions returned to Futtehgurh, leaving Allygurh at 4.30, and arriving at their camping-ground at 7.30. Four companies of the 3rd Battalion, under Colonel Macdonell, were at this time detached to Oonao, on the road from Cawnpore to Lucknow, to keep open the communication. The 2nd Battalion and remaining companies of the 3rd halted at Futtehgurh till the 4th; on which day, marching at six, they reached Khodagunge, a distance of thirteen miles and a half, at ten. On the day following they reached Jellalabad, nine miles and a quarter, after crossing the Kallee Nuddee by the iron suspension bridge of Urhow. And on the 6th marched ten miles and a half to Meeranke Serai, a painful and tedious march; as the baggage which had started before the troops got mixed up with them on the road; and a halt of an hour and a half had to be made. When they proceeded, the dust was so thick that it was impossible to see many yards in front. So that, though they started at 4.30, they did not reach their camping-ground till nearly eleven.
On the 7th they started at six and marched nine miles and a half to Urroul, which they reached at nine. For the night had been extremely cold, and the morning was cool and fine, and the men got over the ground rapidly.