On the 14th they marched to Fyzabad, and turning to the left before they entered that town, encamped on the bank of the river near a large mud fort.
On the next day they crossed the Gogra by the bridge of boats, as their comrades of the 2nd Battalion had done four days before; both forming part of the army assembled under Lord Clyde, which was to drive the enemy into a corner, from which it was hoped if Jung Bahadoor, the Chief Minister of Nepaul, stood true to us, he could not escape, and so to terminate the war. After passing the river and marching three miles, they forded a river about three feet deep. This and its sandy banks much retarded the baggage, which also had been delayed by the obstinacy of the elephants, who would not venture on the bridge, and were made to swim the river under the lead or guidance of an old elephant. It was late, therefore, before their baggage came up and they encamped at Wuzeergunge.
On the 16th they made another long march to Gonda, where they encamped near some ruined bungalows, said to have been once occupied by the officers of a native regiment, who were murdered by their men.
Here they remained till after the close of the year without any incident of importance, save that two companies (Major Bourchier’s and Captain Windham’s) went out on a daur on the 21st and returned on the 23rd.
On January 3, 1859, the 2nd Battalion shifted camp to Purainee, about a mile from Bankee.
On the 6th they marched at seven in the morning to the bank of the Raptee, and encamped at Sudheeria Ghât[309] about ten.
On the 8th Lord Clyde and the greater part of the force quitted the frontier; leaving the 2nd Battalion, the 7th Hussars, and some native troops, under Brigadier Horsford, to watch the fords of the Raptee.
On the 12th the Battalion shifted camp to Ballapore, on the banks of a tributary of the Raptee; and at eleven at night three companies, Captains R. Glyn’s, Blackett’s and Dillon’s, marched, under the command of Major Vaughan, of the 5th Punjaub Regiment, and crossing the Raptee, proceeded about sixteen miles, when they came on the rebels and killed twenty-five out of about thirty. They returned to camp on the 14th.
On the 26th they again shifted camp close to the Raptee.