The History of the Rifle Brigade (the Prince Consort's Own) Formerly the 95th

by William Henry Cope

On the morning of the 9th the two Battalions paraded at five at their alarm-posts. The object of the day’s work was to drive the rebels out of the Yellow Bungalow, the key of their position, and from its neighbourhood. From the Kookrail to the Yellow Bungalow is a sandy plain, while the ground from the Bungalow to the Iron bridge is occupied by suburban villages and enclosed gardens. On the other side of the Fyzabad road the ground is wooded. The two Battalions advanced in skirmishing order, while other troops followed in contiguous columns, three companies of the 3rd Battalion under Colonel Macdonell, Lindsay’s being extended, pivoting on their left, and an equal number of the 2nd Battalion prolonging the line. Moving forward, they forded the Kookrail river (about knee-deep), and soon after found the enemy. The Riflemen advanced to a small village in broken ground and well wooded, a very strong position if the enemy had availed himself of it; but the Sepoys retired without firing a shot. Colonel Fyers took his company to attack this village. The Riflemen then passed through this wooded ground at the double, and came out into the open. The skirmishers then brought their right shoulders forward, and advanced, the enemy retiring before them until the right of the line had moved up to the neighbourhood of the river. They then came to the Yellow Bungalow, and the Riflemen went at it with a rush. Lieutenant Cooper and Corporal Bradshaw, V.C., were the first over the wall of the compound surrounding it. There was a lane, with the Bungalow on one side, and some outhouses on the other. Some of the 2nd Battalion passed along the lane and came out in the open country beyond, where was a village on the right. Captain Nixon with part of his company passed through a lane which ran along the village, while the remainder, under G. Curzon, went forward. The Riflemen were here exposed to a smart fire, but not of Artillery. There was a bungalow on the right, which a company of the 3rd Battalion under Captain Deedes occupied. Captain Fremantle, collecting as many men of his company as were near him, kept away to the right, clearing the houses in front of the guns, which were following him. This was disagreeable work, as it was impossible to tell how many of the Sepoys were in these houses; but the men backed him up, and the houses were cleared. The guns then opened at the gate of the Badshahbagh. Some additional guns moving to the right, Fremantle with his company covered their advance and lined a wall. They were here ordered to take a house in their front, which they did with a rush, and held it for an hour and a half, exposed to a heavy fire of musketry; till they were ordered by General Walpole to set fire to some villages, which they did under heavy fire, and then returned to and lined the former wall.

The enemy now gave way; and, though they showed some cavalry (Lancers with a green flag), on a battery being brought up and opening fire, they moved off in confusion along the bank of the river. Unfortunately, there was some space between the right of the line and the river, and some enclosures, and they got away. But they were pursued by some Horse Artillery; and Colonel Macdonell, carried away by the ardour of the moment, charged with them. Captain Nicholl killed one man with his revolver.

The Battalions halted from 8.30 till two in the afternoon, when they went under the shade of a tope; and they encamped for the night on the ground they had so gallantly won, in the open à cheval on the Fyzabad road, with their left 200 yards from the Goomtee.

The casualties of the 2nd Battalion were 5 men wounded.

On the 10th the Riflemen shifted their camp to near the Yellow Bungalow. A party under Lieutenants Grey and Dugdale, on escort to bring up the mortars, were engaged, when 1 sergeant (Richards) and 1 private were wounded. The two Battalions furnished outlying picquets, some of which were not relieved for forty-eight hours.

On the 11th the two Battalions paraded on the Fyzabad road a little before six, in order to make a reconnaissance in force to ascertain the possibility of crossing by a bridge to Lucknow. The Riflemen, leading in skirmishing order, were distributed among orchards, buildings of various kinds, and narrow streets. They skirmished through these as well as they could, each captain acting in a measure independently, and handling his company as he thought best. The streets were so intricate and the continuity of the Battalions so broken that no other system was possible. The Riflemen worked their way through these obstructions, and reached the mosque on the Old Cantonment road, which commands the approach to the Iron bridge. This bridge they were ordered not to cross. But, leaving the mosque in charge of other troops, they proceeded to fight their way to the Iron and Stone bridges. At one place the skirmishers came to a high wall, and dividing, passed some to the right and some to the left. And coming to the other side, they found themselves in a perfect labyrinth of streets, lanes and gardens. The enemy retreated before them, hiding among the buildings and enclosures, and were driven across the bridges. Major Bourchier’s company of the 3rd Battalion succeeded in getting a commanding position, and killed some fifty of the enemy. The camp of the rebel 15th Irregular Horse was surprised, and two guns and the standard of that regiment were captured by the Riflemen. As the 3rd Battalion were passing through the narrow street of a village which had been set on fire, they were blocked by one of the captured guns in their front sticking fast or being overturned, and had some difficulty in escaping the flames.

On approaching the Iron bridge Captain Wilmot, 2nd Battalion, found himself with only four men of his company at the end of a street opposed to a large force of the enemy. One of the men was shot through both legs, and was quite helpless. Corporal Nash and Private David Hawkes took him up and carried him to the rear; and though Hawkes was himself severely wounded, he continued to carry him under fire from the enemy, Captain Wilmot with his revolver keeping back the enemy and covering their retreat.[288] Eventually the Riflemen cleared the whole of the suburbs near the Old Cantonment road as far as the Iron bridge.

The casualties of the 2nd Battalion were considerable. Captain Thynne, while in a house drinking some water, was struck by a round shot, which shattered his arm and leg. The latter was at once amputated, but he died about two hours after. He was buried that evening in a tope of trees close to the camp of the Riflemen.

His loss was much regretted by his brother-officers, by whom he was much esteemed. ‘No one in the whole regiment,’ writes one of them, ‘was more liked or could be more regretted. He was always a cheerful and agreeable companion, and a right good soldier besides.’

Lieutenant Cooper was also severely wounded in the neck; the ball passed out of his shoulder through the lung. He died on the 19th, and was buried at the Dilkoosha. Five privates were also wounded, of whom two died of their wounds.