At this time a shell fell near Major Oxenden, who was on horseback close behind the line of skirmishers, wounding his horse; wounding also Colour-Sergeant Mansel in two places, and knocking over one or two more Riflemen.
The eighteen-pounder continued to be fired point-blank through the jungle; and a lane was speedily cleared by its fire, and the wall of the fort was discovered about seventy yards distant.
As the fire of the mortars appeared to produce no effect, Brigadier Barker ordered the fort to be assaulted about half-past two in the afternoon. Captain Alexander’s company, which had left camp fifty of all ranks, increased by a section of another company, was to act as the storming party; while 100 Riflemen were to keep down the fire from the place. At the same time another regiment (the 88th) was sent round to the opposite face of the fort, to force an entrance by blowing open the gate; while the native police were to occupy a gate on another side, by which it was anticipated the rebels might attempt to escape. Some of the native police who were left with the Riflemen were to carry the scaling ladders. Captain Goodenough, R.A. Brigade Major (who had joined the stormers as a volunteer), and Captain Alexander crept forward through the jungle, close up to the ditch, to reconnoitre it.
All being thus prepared, Alexander’s company advanced through the jungle, the natives carrying the long bamboo ladders, till they came to a space clear of jungle, extending thirty or forty yards from the ditch. The enemy opened a heavy fire from the rampart, by which several Riflemen were shot down, Corporal Rudd being killed by a shot through the head. The native police dropped the ladders and disappeared, and the stormers had to carry them themselves. When they were placed in the ditch, which was here about twelve feet deep,[303] and the Riflemen began to descend them, the rungs gave way, and they had to let themselves down hand over hand. The ladders were then tilted over to the other side to help the stormers to get up the breach, which was very imperfect and almost perpendicular. It seemed to them nearly forty feet to the top of the breach, and they were almost up to their waists in water in the ditch. Richards was the first man at the top of the breach, and Sergeant Maloney closely followed him. Just before they got to the top of the breach a gun exploded over their heads, with which the enemy had no doubt intended to welcome them on arrival, but which was fired a few seconds too soon. When the stormers reached the top of the wall the enemy ran away; and the Riflemen having waited a minute or two there to allow the remainder of the company to join them, moved forward, and found themselves in a kind of broad street with houses on the right-hand side, and the wall of the place on the left. At the further end, near the entrance to a courtyard, were four or five guns with some of the rebels near them. The Riflemen went at them as hard as they could, and took the guns before they could be discharged; and the enemy retreated into the courtyard, meaning probably to escape by the other gates. But at these the 88th and the native police met them and headed them back. Then it was that the hardest fighting took place. The rebels, being thus caught in a trap, fought bravely for a time. Many of the Riflemen were hit. Richards, while fighting hand to hand with a gigantic rebel, whom he succeeded in thrusting through the eye with his sword, was shot from a window, and received more than one wound. One ball traversed the thigh, and passed out at the back of the leg, just below the knee-joint. Sergeant Maloney picked him up and carried him away bathed in blood. This youth, barely eighteen years of age, had shown uncommon valour, both on this occasion and at Jamo a few days before. He died of these wounds at Lucknow on December 8. Captain Alexander was also slightly wounded at this time in the neck by a pistol bullet and in the left shoulder by an arrow.
The enemy broke up, however, and retreated into the different houses; and as these were loopholed and fortified, it was difficult to dislodge them. Some of the houses were broken open; and the Riflemen, taking advantage of whatever cover they could find, picked off the rebels whenever they showed themselves; which they did on the roofs of the houses, to hurl down stones or beams of wood on the assailants. A Rifleman had his sword, which was fixed on his rifle, bent nearly double by the blow of a great log of wood which fell on it. Thus the fighting went on till night. Gholab Singh, it was reported, and some of his followers had retreated to a house in the centre of the fort, from which a smart fire was kept up. This house was set on fire, and about ten o’clock the greater part of it was blown up by the Engineers. Yet Gholab Singh with twelve men escaped by making a rush, jumping from the wall, and getting into the jungle, though troops—not Riflemen—were left to prevent his escape. With this exception the defenders were all killed.
The casualties of the Riflemen were 2 officers (Alexander and Richards) wounded; 1 corporal killed, 2 others wounded, of whom 1 died; Colour-Sergeant Mansel dangerously wounded, arm amputated; 1 bugler severely wounded; 1 private killed, and 24 privates wounded: 3 dangerously and 12 severely. Captain Alexander and some of the men were wounded by barbed arrows. A long procession of doolies carrying these (and other) wounded soon after set out from Sundeelah to Lucknow.
Brigadier Barker, in his despatch dated October 24, 1858, thus speaks of the conduct of the Riflemen:
‘Major Oxenden, commanding Rifle Brigade, deserves the greatest credit for the manner in which he handled his men, and disposed them for the assault of the breach.... Captain Alexander, Rifle Brigade, commanding the storming party, deserves the greatest credit; and Lieutenant Cragg and Ensign Richards, who accompanied him, displayed the greatest courage; the latter, as I have stated, was the first at the top of the breach, but I regret to say was shortly after dangerously wounded.... Assistant-Surgeon Storey, Rifle Brigade [and others], deserve the greatest praise for their attention to the wounded during the night.... The names of the men mentioned in the margin[304] have been brought to my notice by their commanding officers as having particularly distinguished themselves.’
I have now to resume the account of the movements of the 2nd Battalion after their halt of six weeks at Sultanpore. On the morning of October 11 this Battalion struck tents at four in the morning, and recrossing the Goomtee marched with a force under Sir Hope Grant to the north-east, in the direction of Tandah. They encamped that night at Itkowlie after a march of five miles; on the next day they proceeded to Rajahpore, nine miles; on the 13th, starting soon after three, they made a march of fifteen miles on a very hot day, and encamped at Dospore, where they halted till the 18th, when they moved to Akberpore, ten miles. After a halt of two days they resumed their march on the 21st; they encamped that night at Simree, nine miles; moved to Jasingpore, twelve miles, on the next day; and returned to Sultanpore, fourteen miles, on the 23rd.
They did not long remain here; for on the 26th they marched on an expedition towards the fort of Amethie. Starting at four in the morning, they encamped at Doadpore after an eleven miles’ march. On the 27th they started at the same hour; four companies of the Battalion formed the advanced-guard; and as the rebels were expected to fight here, the Battalion formed up before entering the jungle. The enemy had erected two batteries on the road. There was a river running through, with a bridge which the batteries commanded. But before the troops came up, the enemy had deserted this position. The cavalry pursued them; but the country being full of jungle and intersected with ravines, could not come up with them. At the end of a twelve-mile march the Battalion encamped; but struck tents again at three in the afternoon, and marched five miles further to Jugdespore. They did not camp here till nine at night, when it was pitch dark; and the men were much wearied with their long and fatiguing march.