In his despatch Major-General Sir James Outram thus reports: ‘The enemy held the ground in great strength in front of the Rifle skirmishers, commanded by Brevet-Major Warren, Captains Wilmot and Thynne, and Lieutenant Grey, who all behaved most gallantly.... The spirit and dash of the men during this critical operation was most remarkable, and merits my highest commendation.’ He also mentions with especial commendation Brigadier-General Walpole, Brigadier Horsford, Lieutenant-Colonel Hill, commanding 2nd Battalion, and Lieutenant-Colonel Macdonell, commanding 3rd Battalion Rifle Brigade. Major Ross, Captain Nixon, and Lieutenant Eccles were also favourably mentioned in despatches.
On the 12th there was an attack, or a threatened attack, on the mortar batteries, and three companies of the 3rd Battalion were sent down to protect them. There was still, too, some fighting about the bridges. With this exception, the Rifle Battalions were not engaged on this or the following day; but furnished picquets and covering parties for guns.
The picquet duty at this time and till the end of the operations at Lucknow was very severe and harassing, the picquets being sometimes on for forty-eight hours; one, indeed, was not relieved for three days and nights. The weather too was very hot; and swarms of flies by day and of mosquitos by night made these duties anything but agreeable.
On the 14th (the day Sir Colin Campbell took the Imaumbarah and the Kaiserbagh), the two Battalions were suddenly turned out at three in the afternoon, and marched towards the Iron bridge, in order to prevent the Sepoys crossing it; but no enemy appearing, they returned to their camp at half-past five.
On the 16th some Sepoys who remained in the town attacked a picquet of the 3rd Battalion near the Iron bridge, but were driven back.
On the 18th the Riflemen moved their camp to near the Badshahbagh.
On the 19th the two Battalions were ordered, the 2nd to hold the Iron bridge, the 3rd the Stone bridge, while the force on the right bank cleared the town of Lucknow of the remaining rebels. They took up their position at 7.30 in the morning, and remained till 5.30 in the afternoon, when they returned to their camp, much exhausted by the great heat, but not having been actively engaged.
The casualties during the operations at Lucknow were: of the 2nd Battalion, Captain Thynne killed, and 13 men wounded; of the 3rd, 6 men wounded.[289]
On the 22nd the two Battalions were ordered to march on a secret expedition; and parading at half-past ten at night, moved to the Old Cantonment, about five miles from their camp, which was left standing. Here they joined the cavalry which was to act with them. Thence they proceeded in a very dark night for a considerable time, but were at last halted, and ordered to lie down in a dusty road ankle-deep in sand. The night was excessively cold. At five in the morning (March 23) the men having breakfasted, they marched on till eleven, when they were halted for three hours under the shade of a tope; and afterwards proceeded to the village of Koorsee, about sixteen miles from Lucknow, a strong position. But the enemy had for the most part evacuated it, and encamped about six miles farther on. However, the force had a brush, killed about 150 of the rebels, and took 15 guns, 70 camels, and 2 elephants, besides some carts loaded with ammunition, which was exploded during the night. The active part of this affair fell principally on the cavalry, but the Riflemen were drawn up in line, ready to support them if they had been wanted. In his despatch on this occasion Sir Hope Grant mentions Brigadier Horsford, commanding the infantry, Lieutenant-Colonel Hill, commanding the 2nd Battalion, and Lieutenant-Colonel Macdonell, commanding the 3rd Battalion. And on the 24th, the objects of the expedition having been accomplished, they started for their camp at seven, and halting as before during the hottest part of the day, returned to their camp at seven in the evening. Though the weather was very sultry, the men were not wearied; marching cheerfully and singing all the return march. This elicited the marked approval of General Grant, who was in command.